Ronaldo scores first goal for Al-Nassr to salvage a late point against Al-Fateh

Ronaldo scores first goal for Al-Nassr to salvage a late point against Al-Fateh
Al-Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo runs with the ball after scoring a penalty during their Saudi Pro League match against Al-Fateh at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium in al-Hasa on Feb. 3, 2023. (AFP)
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Updated 03 February 2023

Ronaldo scores first goal for Al-Nassr to salvage a late point against Al-Fateh

Ronaldo scores first goal for Al-Nassr to salvage a late point against Al-Fateh
  • Stoppage time penalty secures a 2-2 draw that sends the Riyadh club back to the top of the Roshn Saudi League table
  • The five-time UEFA Champions League winner had a busy evening at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium and it ended on a high

AL-HASA, Saudi Arabia: Finally, it happened. In an action-packed game, after having a goal disallowed, hitting the woodwork and missing a great chance, Cristiano Ronaldo finally scored for Al-Nassr with a stoppage time penalty that secured a 2-2 draw at Al-Fateh and sent them back to the top of the Roshn Saudi League.
It was the Portuguese international’s first competitive goal for the club since his move to Riyadh.
The five-time UEFA Champions League winner had a busy evening at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium and it ended on a high.
New signing Cristian Tello put Al-Fateh in front in style early in the game, but Anderson Talisca, who was sent off in the final minutes, equalized just before the break for goal number 13 of the season so far. In the second half, Algerian star Sofiane Bendebka volleyed home another scorcher to restore Al-Fateh’s lead, only for Ronaldo to dash home team hopes.
As an advertisement for Saudi Arabian football, it had everything: fantastic goals, near misses, a red card and drama that kept a big crowd entertained right until the final whistle. They also had the question of whether Ronaldo, playing his third competitive game in the country, would get on the scoresheet.
The former Real Madrid star looked like he meant business from the start as Al-Nassr dominated the opening period, but it was ex-Barcelona forward Tello who put Al-Fateh in front with a beauty after 12 minutes of his first appearance.
Al-Nassr’s new on-loan goalkeeper Agustin Rossi punched a cross outside the area, but there was Tello, who joined the club in January, to send a looping volley back over the Argentine shot-stopper and into the net.
Ronaldo thought he had levelled the scores after 24 minutes. Receiving the ball from Talisca with his back to goal, the Portuguese star flicked the ball up, turned beautifully and then sent a low shot in off the post. It was immediately, and rightly, flagged for offside by the assistant referee.
He missed an easier chance 10 minutes later. Talisca’s low shot from the left side of the area was brilliantly tipped on to the post by Jacob Rinne only to rebound to Ronaldo, standing unmarked just to the right of the penalty spot. The away fans in the stadium got ready to erupt only for the 37 year-old to blast the ball over.
Three minutes before the break, Talisca made it 1-1. The Brazilian, the league’s leading goalscorer, found some space to receive a low left-sided cross from Ghislain Konan to drill the ball past the Swedish shotstopper.
There was still time in the first half for Ronaldo to hit the bar. Abdulrahmeen Gahreeb slipped the ball to the captain in the area and while it was slightly behind him, fans again expected the net to ripple. Instead, the ex-Manchester United man found only the woodwork. The frustration that the five-time Ballon D’or winner felt was there for all to see.
It looked as if the nine-time champions would take the lead sooner or later in the second half, but Al-Fateh did so, once again against the run of play and once again, it was a spectacular strike and one made in North Africa. Bendebka volleyed home a deep left-sided cross from Morocco’s Marwane Saadane high into the net from the back post. Rossi had no chance.
Al-Nassr had plenty of possession but struggled to create clear chances, though, late on, a Talisca volley forced a great reaction save from Rinne as Ronaldo took issue with what he saw as time-wasting from the home team and received a booking in the last minute of normal time as tempers boiled over.
He got his chance for revenge seconds later as the referee pointed to the spot when Jaloliddin Mashiparov was brought down in the area. He stepped up to give Rinne no chance. There were still seven minutes of added time, but hopes of a late winner were dashed when Talisca saw red for a rash tackle on Petros.
On Thursday, Al-Shabab went top temporarily with a 2-1 win over Damac, thanks to early goals from Santi Mina and Carlos. Al-Taawoun won 1-0 at bottom club Al-Batin to stay well-placed in fifth, just four points off the top.
Al-Hilal in third are in FIFA Club World Cup action on Saturday as the Asian champions face African counterparts Wydad AC of Morocco. Al-Ittihad can go level on points with Al-Shabab with a win against Al-Tai on Sunday.
 


Reports: Bayern on verge of firing Nagelsmann for Tuchel

Reports: Bayern on verge of firing Nagelsmann for Tuchel
Updated 24 March 2023

Reports: Bayern on verge of firing Nagelsmann for Tuchel

Reports: Bayern on verge of firing Nagelsmann for Tuchel
  • Both Kicker magazine and German tabloid Bild reported that Bayern was ending Nagelsmann’s spell in charge

MUNICH: Bayern Munich might be about to change coaches for the final stretch of the season.

The German champions were on the verge of firing Julian Nagelsmann and replacing him with Thomas Tuchel, according to reports in Germany on Thursday.

Both Kicker magazine and German tabloid Bild reported that Bayern was ending Nagelsmann’s spell in charge following the team’s 2-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

That defeat dropped Bayern to second place, one point behind Borussia Dortmund before the teams clash in Munich on April 1.

The club hasn’t commented officially. The Associated Press has asked Bayern for comment.

Kicker reported that Bayern is in touch with Tuchel and that the German coach is expected to join Friday or Saturday. Tuchel led Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021 and previously coached Paris Saint-Germain and Dortmund.

Bayern face Manchester City in the Champions League quarterfinals on April 11.


Kane sets scoring record in England's 2-1 win over Italy

Kane sets scoring record in England's 2-1 win over Italy
Updated 24 March 2023

Kane sets scoring record in England's 2-1 win over Italy

Kane sets scoring record in England's 2-1 win over Italy
  • The match marked England’s first win over Italy in a competitive match since a World Cup qualifier at Wembley back in 1977 — and its first away win over Italy since 1961

NAPLES, Italy: Harry Kane broke Wayne Rooney’s national team scoring record and England held on for a 2-1 win at Italy on the opening night of European Championship qualifying on Thursday.
It was a small measure of revenge for England against the team it lost to in the European Championship final two years ago. Italy also won the last meeting in September in the Nations League.
It marked England’s first win over Italy in a competitive match since a World Cup qualifier at Wembley back in 1977 — and its first away win over Italy since 1961.
“We haven’t won in Italy for so long," Kane said. “To score and win the game is special.”
It was another blow to an Italy squad that had failed to qualify for a second straight World Cup.
“We knew it was a difficult game, but we conceded two goals from two corners,” Italy coach Roberto Mancini said. “The first half was tougher, obviously. But we dominated the second half and tried to get at least a draw, which I think would have been a fair result. It’s disappointing, but there’s a long road ahead.
“We might be starting with an uphill struggle this time, but let’s hope we end it better.”
Kane earned and converted a penalty toward the end of the first half for his 54th goal with England after Declan Rice’s opener at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
“It means everything,” Kane said. “It had to be a penalty of course and once it hit the back of the net it was just so much emotion.”
Argentine-born striker Mateo Retegui pulled one back for Italy on his debut early in the second half.
England played the final 12 minutes with 10 men after Luke Shaw picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Retegui.
Also in Group C, North Macedonia beat Malta 2-1.
The penalty was assigned following a VAR review after it was determined that defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo touched the ball with his hand while attempting to prevent Kane from reaching a corner.
Kane then stepped up to the spot and sent Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way as he drilled a shot inside the right post in the 44th minute.
Rooney played for England from 2003 to 2018, while Kane made his England debut in 2015.
Kane was also involved in the first goal, when he had a shot blocked following a corner and Rice redirected in the rebound.
Also, Jack Grealish missed an easy chance to make it 3-0 for England.
It was nearly all England until Italy came alive after the break and Retegui finished off a counterattack following a passing sequence involving Marco Verratti and Lorenzo Pellegrini.
“(Retegui) had difficulties in the first half, as the England defenders are physically strong and limited him,” Mancini said. “He moved better after the break, but he is young, he plays his football in Argentina, so he needs time.”
Italy wore shirts that featured a dedication to former striker and delegation chief Gianluca Vialli, who died in January at age 58 from pancreatic cancer. “Luca, Azzurri per sempre” (Luca, Azzurri forever) was printed on the back of the collars.
Italy visits Malta on Sunday, when England hosts Ukraine.


Ronaldo breaks men’s international caps record, scores double

Ronaldo breaks men’s international caps record, scores double
Updated 24 March 2023

Ronaldo breaks men’s international caps record, scores double

Ronaldo breaks men’s international caps record, scores double
  • Ronaldo netted a 51st-minute penalty after earlier goals from Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva, before drilling home a free-kick 12 minutes later
  • “I want to become the most capped player in history. That would make me proud,” he said

LISBON: Cristiano Ronaldo broke the men’s international appearance record on Thursday and marked the occasion by scoring twice in Portugal’s 4-0 thrashing of Liechtenstein in Euro 2024 qualifying.
The 38-year-old, who was dropped from the Portuguese first-choice XI during the World Cup in Qatar last year, won a 197th cap for his country in Lisbon as a starter.
He netted a 51st-minute penalty after earlier goals from Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva, before drilling home a free-kick 12 minutes later.
It was Ronaldo’s record-extending 120th goal for his country and made him the first man to score 100 times in competitive internationals.
“Records are my motivation,” Ronaldo had told reporters on Wednesday.
“I want to become the most capped player in history. That would make me proud.
“But it doesn’t stop there, I still want to be called up very often.”
Ronaldo made his international debut in 2003 and became the first man to score in five World Cups last year before Portugal lost to Morocco in the quarter-finals.
He is currently playing for Saudi club Al Nassr after an acrimonious end to his second spell at Manchester United.
Ronaldo’s appearance off the bench in the defeat by Morocco equalled the previous mark of 196 caps held by Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa.
He left the pitch in tears following Portugal’s shock 1-0 loss against the North Africans.
Since leaving Europe, Ronaldo has scored nine goals in 10 matches for Al Nassr.
He was replaced as the starting striker by Goncalo Ramos during the World Cup, with the Benfica youngster scoring a hat-trick in a last-16 win over Switzerland.
But veteran coach Fernando Santos stepped down following the tournament and new boss Roberto Martinez has immediately put his faith in Ronaldo, who also captained the side.
There were questions over whether his 20-year international career had ended in Qatar as Ronaldo will be 39 by the time Euro 2024 kicks off.
But Martinez, who left his role as Belgium coach after the World Cup, has strongly defended his decision to keep Ronaldo in the fold.
“I do not look at the age,” said Martinez when he announced his first squad last week.
The Spaniard added his squad announcement was the “starting point” for Euro 2024, suggesting Ronaldo is likely to be involved if Portugal qualify for the tournament in Germany.
Portugal made the perfect start to their qualification campaign with a straightforward win against Liechtenstein.
Cancelo scored the only goal of the first half in the eighth minute but the floodgates opened after the break.
Bernardo Silva doubled the advantage less than two minutes into the second period before Ronaldo hammered a penalty into the bottom corner.
A powerful free-kick from the edge of the box flew through the hands of goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel to complete the scoring.
Ronaldo was substituted late on for Ramos, with the much expected changing of the guard put on the back burner.
Ronaldo adds the international appearance landmark to an impressive list of individual records.
He is the leading goalscorer in European Championship finals with 14 goals and has netted a record 140 times in the Champions League.
Ronaldo has also finished as the top-scorer in three of Europe’s top five leagues — in England, Spain and Italy.
Portugal will visit Luxembourg in their second Group J qualifier on Sunday.
They have also been drawn alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland and Slovakia.


Man Utd owners await revised offers for Premier League giants

Man Utd owners await revised offers for Premier League giants
Updated 23 March 2023

Man Utd owners await revised offers for Premier League giants

Man Utd owners await revised offers for Premier League giants
  • Reports said bidders were initially told they had until 2100 GMT on Wednesday to submit new offers, but that has now been extended
  • Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad AI Thani, the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank, and Ratcliffe, the founder of chemicals giant INEOS, remain the front runners

LONDON: Manchester United’s owners were awaiting fresh bids Thursday from a Qatari banker and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe after a deadline passed for revised offers to buy the Premier League giants.
Reports said bidders were initially told they had until 2100 GMT on Wednesday to submit new offers, but that has now been extended. It is unclear when the new cut-off will be.
Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber AI Thani, the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank, and Ratcliffe, the founder of chemicals giant INEOS, remain the front runners should the American Glazer family, who own United, give up control of the club.
Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus threw his hat into the ring on Thursday, with a bid he said will give fans the chance to own 50 percent of the club.
“My bid is built on equality with the fans,” Zilliacus, founder and chairman of investment company Mobile FutureWorks, said in a statement.
“My group will finance half of the sum needed to take over the club, and will ask the fans, through a new company that is being set up for this specific purpose, to participate for the other half.”
The Glazers have angered many United supporters by saddling the club with huge debts since they took over in 2005. They appeared ready to cash out at an enormous profit when they invited external investment in November.
However, they could yet shun the option of selling a controlling stake in the club, with other parties understood to be interested in a minority shareholding.
The Times reported US hedge fund Elliott Investment Management, which sold AC Milan for $1.3 billion last year, had made a bid to buy a minority stake.
A first round of bidding took place last month and it has been reported there are as many as eight separate potential investors in the club.
The BBC said several other proposed investors made their submissions by the Wednesday deadline.
No figures have been revealed but one or more of the initial bids was understood to be in the region of £4.5 billion ($5.5 billion).
That would make Manchester United — who have not won the Premier League for a decade — the most expensive sports club in history, although it would be short of the £6 billion valuation reportedly placed on the Old Trafford side by the Glazers.
Sheikh Jassim is bidding for 100 percent control, aiming to return the club to its “former glories.”
A source close to Sheikh Jassim’s bid told AFP he remains confident his bid is “the best for the club, fans and local community.”
Ratcliffe, a boyhood United fan, wants to buy the combined Glazer shareholding of 69 percent of the 20-time English champions.
The 70-year-old told the Wall Street Journal this week he was not interested in paying “stupid prices” for one of football’s most iconic clubs.
Ratcliffe, who already owns French club Nice, said his interest in United would be “purely in winning things,” calling the club a “community asset,” rather than a financial one.
He visited Old Trafford last week along with INEOS representatives, a day after a delegation from Sheikh Jassim’s group toured the club’s stadium and training ground.
A Qatari purchase of United would boost the sporting profile of the Gulf state months after it hosted the 2022 World Cup.
Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City’s fortunes have been transformed since a takeover from Sheikh Mansour, a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, in 2008.
In 2021, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund bought a controlling stake in Newcastle.
Amnesty International has called on the Premier League to tighten ownership rules to ensure they are “not an opportunity for more sportswashing.”
If Sheikh Jassim’s bid succeeds, it would also raise the question of whether Qatar is shifting its attentions away from Paris Saint-Germain — currently home to the trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe — who were bought by Qatari investors in 2011.
United, three-time European champions, have not won the Premier League since Alex Ferguson led them to a 20th English title in his final season before retiring in 2013.
But they are enjoying a renaissance under Erik ten Hag’s management this season and ended a six-year trophy drought by lifting the League Cup last month.


UEFA to investigate Barcelona for its referee payments

UEFA to investigate Barcelona for its referee payments
Updated 23 March 2023

UEFA to investigate Barcelona for its referee payments

UEFA to investigate Barcelona for its referee payments
  • The European soccer body asked Thursday for an investigation into the matter
  • Champions League regulations in effect since April 2007 allow for clubs to be removed from European competitions if they were involved in fixing matches

GENEVA: Barcelona are facing a new legal threat from UEFA, including a possible Champions League ban, because of their payments of millions of dollars to a company linked to a Spanish refereeing official.
The European soccer body asked Thursday for an investigation into the matter, which is already being pursued by prosecutors in Spain.
Champions League regulations in effect since April 2007 allow for clubs to be removed from European competitions if they were involved in fixing matches. Further disciplinary sanctions can follow.
UEFA said Thursday it asked disciplinary inspectors to “conduct an investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework by FC Barcelona in connection with the so-called ‘Caso Negreira.’”
Court documents show Barcelona paid 7.3 million euros ($7.7 million) from 2001-18 to the company of José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice president of Spanish soccer’s refereeing committee.
Prosecutors in Spain have formally accused Barcelona of corruption in sports, fraudulent management and falsification of business documents. An investigating judge will decide if this will lead to charges.
No evidence has yet been published that referees or individual games were actually influenced.
Barcelona have consistently denied any wrongdoing or conflict of interest, saying they paid for technical reports on referees but never tried to influence their decisions in games.
Any proof of manipulated games in the past 16 years could see UEFA exclude Barcelona from its competitions for one year and prosecute a disciplinary case.
Barcelona have a 12-point lead in the Spanish league and are almost certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League — an entry that would pay tens of millions of dollars to a club that posted record losses last year.
The burden of proof for UEFA is stated in regulations for the Champions League and other club competitions.
“If, on the basis of all the factual circumstances and information available to UEFA, UEFA concludes to its comfortable satisfaction that a club have been directly and/or indirectly involved, (since April 27, 2007), in any activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level, UEFA will declare such club ineligible to participate in the competition,” the rules state.
In previous cases of suspected match-fixing, clubs including Fenerbahce, Metalist Kharkiv and Skenderbeu were banned from UEFA competitions in decisions that were upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Fenerbahce were withdrawn from the 2011-12 Champions League by the Turkish soccer federation, seeming to be under pressure from UEFA, after being implicated in manipulating games to help secure the previous season’s league domestic title. The club were later banned for two more seasons.
Former Albanian champion Skenderbeu are serving a 10-year ban after a UEFA investigation into match-fixing for betting scams, including Champions League qualifying games and Europa League group games in 2015.