Al-Hilal return to winning ways, Al-Nassr stumble

Al-Hilal return to winning ways, Al-Nassr stumble
Al-Hilal defeated Al-Fayha 2-0 on Friday to cut Al-Ittihad’s lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League to just four points while, despite another Cristiano Ronaldo special, Al-Nassr were held to a 2-2 draw by Al-Shabab in the Riyadh Derby. (X/@Alhilal_EN)
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Updated 08 March 2025
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Al-Hilal return to winning ways, Al-Nassr stumble

Al-Hilal return to winning ways, Al-Nassr stumble
  • With just 2 wins in last 6 league games, pressure was on Al-Hilal
  • Al-Nassr draw 2-2 with Al-Shabab to be 10 points behind leaders Al-Ittihad

RIYADH: Al-Hilal defeated Al-Fayha 2-0 on Friday to cut Al-Ittihad’s lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League to just four points while, despite another Cristiano Ronaldo special, Al-Nassr were held to a 2-2 draw by Al-Shabab in the Riyadh derby.

With just two wins in the last six league games, the pressure was on Al-Hilal but a first-half goal from Mohamed Kanno eased the worries of the defending champions. The midfielder was left unmarked near the penalty spot from a Ruben Neves corner from the right and headed home powerfully.

It put a spring in the step of the visitors but it was not until the 90th minute that Al-Hilal were certain of the three points. Aleksandar Mitrovic has been injured since January but was never going to miss when Salem Al-Dawsari pulled the ball back and the Serbian striker stroked home. It was not a vintage performance but the win was more than welcome for under-fire coach Jorge Jesus.

Back in Riyadh, Al-Nassr drew 2-2 with Al-Shabab and are now 10 points behind the leaders Al-Ittihad.  

It all happened toward the end of the first half. Abderrazak Hamdallah opened the scoring against his former club, putting Al-Shabab ahead from the penalty spot. Daniel Podence was brought down just inside the area and up stepped the Moroccan to smash the ball into the corner.

But Al-Nassr were ahead by the break. Two minutes into added time, the Yellows equalized. Al-Shabab cleared a left-sided Ronaldo free-kick that bounced out to Ayman Yahya who lashed it home from just inside the area.

Seven minutes into added time Ronaldo put Al-Nassr ahead. The 40-year-old picked up possession on the right side of the area and then smashed the ball home into the roof of the net for his 18th league goal of the season.

It was all looking good but, seven minutes into the second half, Al-Nassr were reduced to 10 men as Mohammed Al-Fatil was adjudged to have bundled over Podence as the Portuguese star ran for goal.

Midway through the second period Al-Shabab took advantage of their one-man advantage and were back on level terms when Mohammed Al-Shwirekh headed home from a corner.

Just 10 points separate the top five teams with 10 games remaining. It is all still to play for.


Alcaraz waiting on results from medical tests to see if he will play in Madrid

Alcaraz waiting on results from medical tests to see if he will play in Madrid
Updated 8 sec ago
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Alcaraz waiting on results from medical tests to see if he will play in Madrid

Alcaraz waiting on results from medical tests to see if he will play in Madrid
“I feel fine physically,” the 21-year-old Spaniard said
Alcaraz won the Madrid title in 2022 and 2023

MADRID: Carlos Alcaraz said Tuesday he is feeling fine but will wait on results from medical tests to decide whether he will play at the Madrid Open.
The third-ranked Alcaraz needed treatment on his upper right leg during his straight-set loss to Holger Rune in the Barcelona Open final on Sunday.
“I feel fine physically,” the 21-year-old Spaniard said. “I’ve had tests, and we’ll see what the results say. I’m used to playing with discomfort, so let’s hope I can play and enjoy Madrid.”
Alcaraz, who won in Monte Carlo earlier this month, is expected to have his opening match later this week. He is the No. 2 seed.
Alcaraz won the Madrid title in 2022 and 2023. He is in the same half of the draw as three-time champion Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed.
Alexander Zverev, who overcame Alcaraz for the No. 2 ranking in the world after winning in Munich last weekend, is the top seed in Madrid. Defending champion Andrey Rublev is the seventh seed.

Rahul powers Delhi to big win over Lucknow in IPL

Rahul powers Delhi to big win over Lucknow in IPL
Updated 49 min 20 sec ago
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Rahul powers Delhi to big win over Lucknow in IPL

Rahul powers Delhi to big win over Lucknow in IPL
  • Chasing a modest 160 for victory, Delhi rode on Rahul’s 42-ball knock and a second-wicket partnership with Abishek Porel, who hit 51, to achieve their target
  • Delhi, with six wins in eight matches, bounced back from their previous defeat to table-toppers Gujarat Titans and are second in the 10-team table

LUCKNOW, India: India’s KL Rahul hit an unbeaten 57 to steer Delhi Capitals to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants and get his side back to winning ways in the IPL on Tuesday.
Chasing a modest 160 for victory, Delhi rode on Rahul’s 42-ball knock and a second-wicket partnership with Abishek Porel, who hit 51, to achieve their target with 13 balls to spare at Lucknow’s home ground.
Delhi, with six wins in eight matches, bounced back from their previous defeat to table-toppers Gujarat Titans and are second in the 10-team table.
Seam bowler Mukesh Kumar set up victory with his four wickets as he helped pull Lucknow back from 87-0 to 110-4 and then a below-par total of 159-6.
“Once we picked up two quick wickets, we got the momentum and all the bowlers did well to restrict them under 160,” Delhi skipper Axar Patel said.
In reply, Delhi lost Karun Nair for 15 bowled by Aiden Markram, a part-time off spinner, but Porel and Rahul combined to get the chase on track in their stand of 69.
Markram struck again to get the left-handed Porel out after his 36-ball knock, which was laced with five fours and one six.
Rahul stood firm and along with Axar, who made 34, put on an unbeaten stand of 56 to steer the team home with a winning six from Rahul.
Rahul hit his third fifty of the season to go past 5,000 runs in the IPL — making him the quickest player to achieve the feat in the T20 tournament.
Earlier, openers Markram (52) and Mitchell Marsh (45) combined the right dose of caution and aggression to steer Lucknow to 87 inside 10 overs.
South African batter Markram raised his fifty and alongside Australia’s Marsh forced Delhi to rotate their bowling options.
Sri Lanka pace bowler Dushmantha Chameera struck first to send back Markram caught out, and the wicket triggered a mini collapse.
Australia’s left-arm quick Mitchell Starc got the big wicket of West indies left-hander Nicholas Pooran, bowled for nine.
Mukesh then got two wickets in one over, including Marsh, and Lucknow wobbled.
Lucknow subbed out Marsh and got Ayush Badoni as the impact player, and the 25-year-old repaid the decision by regularly finding the boundary.
Badoni made the most of a dropped catch by Tristan Stubbs on three to smash 36 off 21 deliveries.
Badoni hammered Mukesh for three successive boundaries in the 20th over but the bowler bowled him on the fourth ball.
Skipper Rishabh Pant dropped himself down to number seven but faced just two balls before being bowled by Mukesh on the final delivery of the innings.
“We knew we were 20 runs short,” said Pant. “In Lucknow, the toss plays a big part. Whoever is bowling first, they get a lot of help from the wicket. We just had to stay back, we just couldn’t get it away.”
Wicketkeeper-batsman Pant, who went to Lucknow for a record bid of $3.21 million in the November auction, has scored 106 runs in eight innings with a highest score of 63.


Chances of Alonso staying in Leverkusen ‘50-50’, says CEO

Chances of Alonso staying in Leverkusen ‘50-50’, says CEO
Updated 22 April 2025
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Chances of Alonso staying in Leverkusen ‘50-50’, says CEO

Chances of Alonso staying in Leverkusen ‘50-50’, says CEO
  • Carro told reporters that “my gut feeling is that it’s 50-50” Alonso would stay
  • “If a team he has played for comes, we would sit down and discuss it and we wouldn’t stand in his way”

MADRID: Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro said Monday the club had a 50-50 chance of holding onto manager Xabi Alonso amid rumored links between the coach and Real Madrid.
Carro also revealed the club had a “gentlemen’s agreement” with Alonso, allowing him to leave to coach one of the clubs he played for as a player for a fee.
Alonso, who played for Real and last year took Leverkusen to an unbeaten league and cup double, has been linked with the top job at the Bernabeu, with current coach Carlo Ancelotti rumored to be headed for the exit.
Speaking ahead of the Laureus Sports Awards, where the club is nominated for breakthrough of the year after their debut Bundesliga win last season, Carro told reporters that “my gut feeling is that it’s 50-50” Alonso would stay.
“Xabi has no exit clause, but we have a gentleman’s agreement. If a team he has played for comes, we would sit down and discuss it and we wouldn’t stand in his way,” he said.
Carro said the club “needs clarity” and “the decision needs to be in the next three or four weeks. We cannot wait until the end of the season.”
“We are not naive, the position of the coach is very important for a club and it is true that we are preparing for next season with him.
“We have worked with him every day; he is fully committed to this preparation.”
After winning the title last season, Leverkusen have fallen back slightly and sit eight points behind league leaders Bayern Munich with four games remaining.
Leverkusen were eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern and were knocked out in the semifinals of the German Cup by third-division Arminia Bielefeld
Despite the drop off, the club is still on track for its second best points total.
Carro also said he believed star midfielder Florian Wirtz, 21, “has a contract until 2027 and I believe he will play for us next year.”


Damac seek to end winless run against Al-Nassr in Saudi Pro League clash

Damac seek to end winless run against Al-Nassr in Saudi Pro League clash
Updated 22 April 2025
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Damac seek to end winless run against Al-Nassr in Saudi Pro League clash

Damac seek to end winless run against Al-Nassr in Saudi Pro League clash
  • The last time Damac defeated Al-Nassr was in Matchweek 25 of the 2021 season

RIYADH: Damac will be aiming to end a 1,474-day winless streak against Al-Nassr when the two sides meet on Tuesday in Round 29 of the Saudi Pro League.

The last time Damac defeated Al-Nassr was in Matchweek 25 of the 2021 season, securing a 3-2 victory.

Since then, Al-Nassr have dominated the fixture, with the overall head-to-head record showing eight wins for Al-Nassr, one for Damac, and two draws across 11 meetings.

Al-Nassr have scored 23 goals in those encounters, while Damac have managed nine.

Heading into Tuesday’s match, Al-Nassr sit third in the league standings with 57 points, recording 17 wins, six draws, and five losses this season. Damac are in 11th place with 31 points from eight wins, seven draws, and 13 defeats.

Later in the evening, Al-Ahli will take on Al-Wehda at King Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Makkah.

Both teams head into the contest on the back of strong performances. Al-Ahli thrashed Al-Fayha 5-0 in their last outing, while Al-Wehda claimed a valuable three points away at Al-Taawoun.

In their previous 29 league meetings, Al-Ahli have won 15 matches compared to just three victories for Al-Wehda, with 11 draws between them. Al-Ahli have scored 41 goals in those games, while Al-Wehda have netted 19.

Syrian striker Omar Al-Somah, a former Al-Ahli player, is the all-time top scorer in this fixture with 10 goals. The biggest margin between the sides came during the 2020–2021 season, when Al-Ahli secured a 4-2 win. Their most recent meeting was in Round 12 earlier this season, with Al-Ahli edging a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Algerian star Riyad Mahrez.

Al-Ahli currently occupy fourth place with 55 points, while Al-Wehda are battling relegation in 15th place with 26 points.


Norwich sack Thorup and name Wilshere as interim coach

Norwich sack Thorup and name Wilshere as interim coach
Updated 22 April 2025
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Norwich sack Thorup and name Wilshere as interim coach

Norwich sack Thorup and name Wilshere as interim coach
  • Norwich lost 3-1 at Millwall on Monday
  • “Jack Wilshere ... will take charge of the first team on an interim basis ” Norwich said

LONDON: Norwich City have sacked Danish manager Johannes Hoff Thorup following a poor run of results and appointed his assistant and former England midfielder Jack Wilshere as interim coach until the end of the season, the Championship club said on Tuesday.
Norwich lost 3-1 at Millwall on Monday and have slipped to 14th place in the second-tier table with 53 points.
Sporting Director Ben Knapper said: “Whilst we made this appointment with a long-term focus and in line with our wider club strategy and direction, unfortunately recent results and performances have deemed it necessary for us make a change.
“Jack Wilshere ... will take charge of the first team on an interim basis for our two remaining Championship fixtures” Norwich added on their website.
The 33-year-old former Arsenal player Wilshere has been assistant coach at Norwich since October 2024.