After chaos vs. Argentina at the Olympics, Morocco concedes in stoppage time in 2-1 loss to Ukraine

Morocco players react after they were caught by a 98th-minute sucker punch against Ukraine in the Olympics football on Saturday. (Reuters)
Morocco players react after they were caught by a 98th-minute sucker punch against Ukraine in the Olympics football on Saturday. (Reuters)
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Updated 28 July 2024
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After chaos vs. Argentina at the Olympics, Morocco concedes in stoppage time in 2-1 loss to Ukraine

After chaos vs. Argentina at the Olympics, Morocco concedes in stoppage time in 2-1 loss to Ukraine
  • Ihor Krasnopir scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win for 10-man Ukraine at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
  • Ukraine’s late win left all four teams in Group B tied on three points after Argentina shook off defeat to Morocco by beating Iraq 3-1

PARIS: There was no reprieve for Morocco this time.
After the chaos and violence that marred the end of their 2-1 win over Argentina in the Olympic men’s soccer tournament, Morocco conceded late again against Ukraine on Saturday — and this time the goal stood.
On Wednesday, Morocco fans rushed the field and threw bottles in protest when Cristian Medina appeared to score an equalizer in the 16th minute of stoppage time for Argentina — causing the game to be suspended for around two hours. That goal was later disallowed by VAR for offside.
But there was no sign of a repeat of those scenes when Ihor Krasnopir scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win for 10-man Ukraine at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
Morocco looked like they were edging closer to the quarterfinals after Soufiane Rahimi’s 64th-minute penalty leveled the game at 1-1. The forward, who took his total to three goals for the Paris Games, won the spot kick when he was fouled by Volodymyr Saliuk. Saliuk was sent off for the offense.
Ukraine had taken the lead in the 22nd through Dmytro Kryskiv.
Ukraine’s late win left all four teams in Group B tied on three points after Argentina shook off defeat to Morocco by beating Iraq 3-1 on Saturday in Lyon.
Argentina 3, Iraq 1
While Iraq threatened to pull off another surprise when Aymen Hussein leveled the game 1-1 in first-half stoppage time, goals from Luciano Gondou and Ignacio Fernandez sealed victory for Argentina.
Thiago Almada, who Argentina coach Javier Mascherano said had a watch stolen when the team’s training base was robbed earlier this week, opened the scoring with a volley in the 14th at Stade de Lyon.
Gondou’s far-post header in the 62nd restored Argentina’s lead after Hussein’s goal and Fernandez curled in a long-range shot from the edge of the box in the 85th.
“There were two options: dwell on what happened or look ahead. We focused on what we can control, which is to play football,” Mascherano said.
Spain 3, Dominican Republic 1
Spain reached the quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over the Dominican Republic in Bordeaux.
Goals from Fermín Lopez, Alex Baena and Miguel Gutierrez made it two wins from two for Spain in Group C.
Lopez scored in the 24th, but Angel Montes de Oca evened the game in the 38th.
The Dominican Republic’s Edison Azcona was sent off before halftime. Baena restored Spain’s lead in the 55th and Gutierrez sealed the win in the 70th.
Spain’s men are aiming to add to a golden period for their nation’s soccer teams after the women’s team won the World Cup last year and the men won the European Championship earlier this month.
Egypt 1, Uzbekistan 0
Ahmed Koka scored in the 11th minute and Egypt beat Uzbekistan to move a step closer to the knockout phase.
Egypt are in second place in Group C, behind Spain, which they play on Tuesday.
A draw would be enough to see them advance.
The Dominican Republic play Uzbekistan and are third on one point.


Bilbao edge Las Palmas to close on Champions League qualification

Bilbao edge Las Palmas to close on Champions League qualification
Updated 21 min 48 sec ago
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Bilbao edge Las Palmas to close on Champions League qualification

Bilbao edge Las Palmas to close on Champions League qualification
  • The Basque side sit fourth with five games to go
  • Bilbao also have a Europa League semifinal against Manchester United to come

BARCELONA: Inaki Williams fired Athletic Bilbao to a 1-0 home win over Las Palmas in La Liga on Wednesday to strengthen their chances of direct qualification for next season’s Champions League.
The Basque side sit fourth with five games to go, eight points clear of fifth-placed Villarreal who suffered a 3-0 defeat at Celta Vigo, also on Wednesday.
Bilbao also have a Europa League semifinal against Manchester United to come, and should they win that they will play the final in their home stadium.
Five La Liga sides qualify for the Champions League this season. Sixth-placed Betis are a point behind Villarreal ahead of their encounter with rock-bottom Valladolid on Thursday.
A fifth-minute goal from the elder Williams brother after he turned a defender in the box and side-footed home with the outside of his boot was enough for all three points.
Bilbao needed two sharp saves from Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon before half-time as relegation-threatened Las Palmas went down fighting.
Barcelona inched closer to the title with a 1-0 win over Mallorca on Tuesday which took them seven points clear of Real Madrid, who play Getafe away later Wednesday.


Juve’s top-four dream hits the snooze button in Parma loss

Juve’s top-four dream hits the snooze button in Parma loss
Updated 23 April 2025
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Juve’s top-four dream hits the snooze button in Parma loss

Juve’s top-four dream hits the snooze button in Parma loss
  • Juve sit fifth on 59 points, one behind Bologna who occupy the final Champions League spot
  • The second half unfolded in the same lifeless fashion as the first

MILAN: Juventus stumbled to a 1–0 defeat at Parma on Wednesday, failing to impress with a sleepy performance as they slipped out of the top four with the season now edging toward its conclusion.
Juve sit fifth on 59 points, one behind Bologna who occupy the final Champions League spot, with five rounds remaining. Parma, meanwhile, took a significant step away from the relegation zone and have 31 points — six clear of 18th-placed Venezia.
The first half was a dull affair, with both sides appearing to have already clocked off for an early end-of-season break, drifting through the motions and barely creating any real chances until the final minutes.
Mateo Pellegrino lit up the home crowd right before the break, soaring through the air in first-half stoppage time to meet a looping cross and head the ball with pinpoint precision into the net for the only goal of the match.
The second half unfolded in the same lifeless fashion as the first, with Juve applying some late pressure but failing to find an equalizer.


Jeddah gears up for the AFC Champions League Elite finals

Jeddah gears up for the AFC Champions League Elite finals
Updated 23 April 2025
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Jeddah gears up for the AFC Champions League Elite finals

Jeddah gears up for the AFC Champions League Elite finals
  • The finals feature seven matches taking place in a new format
  • Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli topped their groups with 22 points each

JEDDAH: Football fans throughout Asia are turning their eyes to Jeddah, as the coastal city known as the Bride of the Red Sea gears up to host the AFC Champions League Elite finals from April 25 to May 3,2025.
The finals feature seven highly anticipated matches taking place in a new format with all matches played in King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City.
Saudi clubs secured their places in the final rounds after impressive performances in the group stage. Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli topped their groups with 22 points each, undefeated, while Al-Nassr finished third with 17 points after just one loss.
Four-time Asian champions Al-Hilal SFC of Saudi Arabia will face Gwangju FC from South Korea.
Yokohama F. Marinos of Japan will face Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, with both sides aiming to win the title for the first time.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli, will be at home to take on Thailand’s Buriram United while Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale will meet 2011 champions Al-Sadd SC of Qatar.
The winners of the Al Hilal-Gwangju tie will meet the winners of the Al Ahli-Buriram clash while the victors of Marinos-Al-Nassr will square off against the Frontale-Al Sadd winner in the semi-finals.
The first quarterfinal is scheduled for April 25, with the second and third last-eight ties on April 26, and the final one to be played on April 27.
The semifinals will be contested on April 29 and 30 with the final at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on May 3, with ultimate glory on the line and a record prize worth $12 million.
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Al-Nassr, is one of the tournament’s most prominent players and is out to add the AFC Champions League title to his impressive record.
Despite being 40 years old, Ronaldo as scored seven goals to date, proving his value to his team in its bid for the title.
As the matches draw closer, Jeddah is preparing to welcome thousands of fans from across the Kingdom and beyond.

Quarterfinals
Al-Hilal vs. Gwangju FC
Al-Ahli vs. Buriram United
Yokohama F. Marinos vs. Al-Nassr
Kawasaki Frontale vs. Al-Sadd
Semifinals
Al-Hilal or Gwangju FC vs. Al-Ahli or Buriram United
Yokohama F. Marinos or Al-Nassr vs. Kawasaki Frontale or Al-Sadd


Champions League spot would be ‘Premier League trophy’ for Man City: Nunes

Champions League spot would be ‘Premier League trophy’ for Man City: Nunes
Updated 23 April 2025
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Champions League spot would be ‘Premier League trophy’ for Man City: Nunes

Champions League spot would be ‘Premier League trophy’ for Man City: Nunes
  • The Portugal international scored a last-gasp winner against Aston Villa on Tuesday
  • Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Chelsea are the other sides in the mix for a top-five finish

LONDON: Matheus Nunes says Champions League qualification would be Manchester City’s “Premier League trophy” after a poor campaign by their stellar standards.
The Portugal international scored a last-gasp winner against Aston Villa on Tuesday to lift Pep Guardiola’s men to third in the table, four points ahead of seventh-placed Villa.
With Liverpool on the brink of the Premier League title and Arsenal sitting comfortably in second place, five clubs are battling for the three remaining places in Europe’s top club competition next season.
Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Chelsea are the other sides in the mix for a top-five finish.
City, who were hunting a fifth straight league title at the start of the season, suffered a costly collapse in form from late October.
But they can still end their season on a high, with Sunday’s FA Cup semifinal against Forest at Wembley coming hot on the heels of their vital win against Unai Emery’s Villa.
“This is our Premier League trophy now, to qualify for the Champions League,” Nunes said after scoring his first league goal for City in his second season at the club.
“I think it’s massively important for us, in terms of everything, the club, in terms of the players, the mentality.”
The 26-year-old admitted though that Champions League qualification for the 15th season running and FA Cup glory would not equal a good campaign.
“The club’s standards are much higher than this,” he said. “We know that there is not the standards we want this club to be at.
“But this is our reality now and we have to accept it. And we just have to go for it like it’s the Champions League, the Premier League trophy.”


NEOM SC promoted to SPL after beating Al-Arabi 3-0 in Saudi 1st Division

NEOM SC promoted to SPL after beating Al-Arabi 3-0 in Saudi 1st Division
Updated 22 April 2025
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NEOM SC promoted to SPL after beating Al-Arabi 3-0 in Saudi 1st Division

NEOM SC promoted to SPL after beating Al-Arabi 3-0 in Saudi 1st Division
  • A brace by Ahmad Abdo, and a goal by Saeed Bin Rahma were enough to promote the Tabuk-based club to first-tier SPL

RIYADH: NEOM Sports Club were promoted to the Roshn Saudi Pro League on Tuesday after defeating Al-Arabi Club 3-0 in the Saudi First Division.
A brace by Ahmad Abdo, and a goal by Saeed Bin Rahma were enough to promote the Tabuk-based club from the second tier of Saudi football to the first-tier SPL.
Celebrating their promotion after their win, NEOM said on X: “With the determination of heroes, we made history. Officially, Neom Sports Club is promoted to the Roshn League.”