SHANGHAI: Brazilian international Hulk scored one and made another as Shanghai SIPG all but sealed their spot in the AFC Champions League semifinals with a 4-0 first-leg rout of Guangzhou Evergrande on Tuesday.
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Evergrande are on course to retain the Chinese Super League (CSL) title but barring a miracle they are out of this quarterfinal all-Chinese tie even with the home leg to come.
Shorn of key midfielder Paulinho, the Brazilian who last week moved to Barcelona, Scolari’s men only woke up very briefly after the break but by then they were 2-0 down and their dreams of a domestic and continental double dead.
Two second-half goals in as many minutes by Chinese international Wu Lei, one fed by Hulk, put the tie out of sight.
Scolari, who repeatedly shook his head at Monday’s pre-match press conference after rain played havoc with his training plans, revealed after the match that the air conditioning in the away changing room at Shanghai Stadium was broken.
“We are in a sauna!” the Brazilian veteran coach exclaimed to the press in English, with temperatures hovering around 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) in the city even as night fell.
He refused to blame the defeat on that but his Evergrande side did feel the loss of Paulinho, he said.
“SIPG deserved the win tonight,” added Scolari, who like opposite number Andre Villas-Boas is a former Chelsea manager.
“Hulk is very strong, he has pace and he creates a lot of chances. He’s very threatening.”
In the formidable form of Hulk, SIPG had a forward who was a muscular menace throughout.
Twice early on he shot weakly at Evergrande goalkeeper Zeng Cheng and midway through the first half he was snuffed out by the overworked Zeng.
Next Hulk teed up the €60 million man Oscar, his fellow Brazilian who had a quiet game, but he too shot straight at Zeng.
Then Oscar saw a right-footed curler from distance whistle past Zeng’s far post.
Scolari spread his arms out in despair on the sidelines and gestured to his defense to engage their brains.
But they did not and after attacking midfielder Wu went over under minimal contact in the box, Hulk stepped up to ram home the penalty on 38 minutes.
It was his seventh goal in the Champions League this season.
On the brink of halftime Villas-Boas’s men made it 2-0, skipper Wang Shenchao popping up at the backpost to bundle the ball in.
No doubt Scolari gave his men a halftime grilling and Evergrande, two-time Champions League winners, started the better in the second period.
But Wu punished them with just over an hour on the clock with a classy solo effort and on 64 minutes he scored again after being played in by the rampaging Hulk for 4-0 and game over.
“Excellent performance, great attitude from the players. We proved our power and ambition,” said Villas-Boas, whose SIPG has hit a rocky patch of form in the CSL to drop out of the domestic title race.
“The referee should have sent off two Evergrande players, but he forgot,” deadpanned the Portuguese, without saying which players he was referring to.
The second leg is on Sept. 12.
Rampaging Hulk fires Shanghai SIPG to big win
Rampaging Hulk fires Shanghai SIPG to big win
Delhi down Rajasthan to stay in IPL play-off race
- Delhi posted 221-8 courtesy of Jake Fraser-McGurk’s 20-ball 50 and an attacking 65 by Abishek Porel at their home Feroz Shah Kotla ground
- Rajasthan looked good in their chase after Samson’s fifth half-century of this season but his dismissal turned the match in Delhi’s favor
NEW DELHI: Skipper Sanju Samson’s 86 went in vain as Delhi Capitals beat Rajasthan Royals by 20 runs on Tuesday to stay in the hunt for an IPL play-off berth.
Delhi posted 221-8 courtesy of Jake Fraser-McGurk’s 20-ball 50 and an attacking 65 by Abishek Porel at their home Feroz Shah Kotla ground.
Rajasthan looked good in their chase after Samson’s fifth half-century of this season but his dismissal, a catch in the deep which was ruled clean by the third umpire, turned the match in Delhi’s favor.
Rajasthan, who are yet to confirm their play-off spot, lost three more wickets in the next two overs and Delhi restricted the opposition to 201-8 for their sixth win in 12 matches.
“We had it in our hands, it was 10-11 runs per over which was achievable but these things happen in the IPL,” Samson said after the loss.
Inaugural champions Rajasthan, placed second behind toppers Kolkata Knight Riders, have eight wins in 11 matches and still favorites to make the top two in the play-offs.
Top four teams will make the play-offs but number one and two will have the advantage of getting an extra match to enter the final on May 26 in Chennai.
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav returned impressive figures of 2-25. Fast bowlers Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar also took two wickets.
But the batters set up victory after Fraser-McGurk, who raised his 50 in 19 balls, and Porel attacked in an opening stand of 60.
Rajasthan lost wickets after the openers departed but Tristan Stubbs hammered 41 off 20 balls in a late charge to take the total to 221-8.
Stubbs was helped by Gulbadin Naib, who hit 19, and Rasikh Salam, who hit two sixes in his nine runs, as Delhi got 53 runs from the last three overs.
The in-form Samson, a wicketkeeper-batsman who has amassed 459 runs, attempted to set up the chase only to depart in the 16th over when Shai Hope caught the batsman off Kumar.
Hope’s foot was parallel to the boundary rope but the third umpire ruled it out and a disappointed Samson walked back after a chat with the on-field officials.
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin led the Rajasthan bowling with figures of 3-24.
Yuzvendra Chahal took his 350th T20 wicket — first Indian to achieve the feat — when he got skipper Rishabh Pant, a left-hand batsman, caught out at fine leg for 15.
Strong Day 4 showing from World’s Top 10 as Saudi Smash livestream viewership surpasses 2 million globally
- Trio of Top 10 players progress to women's singles last 32; four of men’s Top 10 also progress
- Over 260,000 hours of Saudi Smash action watched on WTT Livestream & Livestream Replay; impressions reach 10 million
JEDDAH: The world’s best players were back in full flow at Saudi Smash 2024 with several top seeds securing statement wins on Tuesday. After some sensational upsets 24 hours prior, the table tennis elite showed their quality and skill on Day 4 of Saudi Arabia’s latest international sporting event – moving within touching distance of the latter stages with some exceptional play and performances.
With the highest-ranked Saudi and Chinese players in action across 29 matches in Jeddah, a wonderful blend of local and international fans watched on as the Men’s Singles round of 32 took centre stage at King Abdullah Sports City. World number 2 Fan Zhendong, French fifth seed Felix Lebrun, Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto (#9), and Germany’s Dang Qiu (#10) all progressed to the last 16 with impressive victories.
A trio of top 10 players also moved within one match of the Women’s Singles quarter-finals. China’s world number 1 and Saudi Smash favorite Sun Yingsha secured passage to the next round alongside her countrywoman Chen Xingtong (#6). Mima Ito (#10) also progressed, setting up a highly anticipated all-Japanese showdown with Miyuu Kihara on Wednesday.
Day 4 came to a close on Table 1 inside the Infinity Arena as hometown heroes Ali Alkhadrawi and Abdulaziz Bu Shulyabi faced off against the Men’s Doubles top seed pairing of Wang Chuqin and Ma Long – the world’s number 1 and 3 ranked players. The Chinese duo progressed to the quarter-finals following a high-quality clash.
Despite falling short against the Men’s Doubles favourites, Ali Alkdahrawi – the Kingdom’s highest-ranked player – was full of optimism ahead of Saudi Smash 2025 and beyond. He said: “Playing against the world’s best pairing is invaluable experience for both of us and the occasion was all the more special because of our home supporters. We’re blessed and fortunate to have received the best support possible in this event. We really enjoyed today’s match and went into it with high confidence. It stands us in good stead as we look to continue our development and we can’t wait to return for next year’s second edition.”
Organised by the Saudi Table Tennis Federation (STTF) and World Table Tennis (WTT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Sport, Saudi Smash is the newest WTT Grand Smash event and one of three major tournaments in the WTT Series Calendar.
Since Saudi Arabia’s first officially sanctioned table tennis event started, its influence and impact have been felt around the globe with accumulated livestream views on WTT channels surpassing two million. Over 260,000 hours of Saudi Smash action have also been watched across livestream and livestream replays – where impressions have also exceeded 10 million.
Running until May 11, Saudi Smash combines the precision and skill of the world’s best table tennis players with the dynamic and entertaining experience of a WTT Grand Smash with 240 of the world’s best men, women, and doubles athletes from 55 countries competing.
The Saudi Smash joins an incredible year-round schedule of international sports in Saudi Arabia and is a part of the Kingdom’s investment in sport, which aims to inspire its people to enjoy active and healthy lives as part of the country’s Vision 2030 cultural transformation.
Tickets to Saudi Smash are on sale here.
For the complete player list, visit here.
UAE claims 9 medals on opening day of Jiu-Jitsu Asian Youth Championship
- It is the first time that youth competitions have been included in the continental championship
- UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team excelled in the jiu-jitsu discipline, securing nine medals, including two golds and two silvers
ABU DHABI: The Jiu-Jitsu Asian Youth Championship kicked off at Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City with hosts UAE amassing nine medals on the opening day.
Featuring competitions for athletes under 16, 18, and 21 years old, the youth championship is part of the eighth Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship held under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, from May 3-8.
It is the first time that youth competitions have been included in the continental championship.
The inaugural day witnessed competitions across various disciplines including duo-classic, show, jiu-jitsu, and jiu-jitsu fighting. The UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team excelled in the jiu-jitsu discipline, the only discipline it is participating in, securing nine medals, including two golds and two silvers.
Najla Hashem (-48 kg) and Haneen Alkhoori (-57 kg) won gold for the hosts, while Ali Alnajar (-40 kg) and Hamdan Alnajar (-48 kg) won silver. Alyazia Aljneibi (+63 kg), Ghala Al-Hammadi (44 kg), Zayed Al-Hosani (+77 kg), Saif Al-Balushi (44 kg), and Saif Hamad Al Ameri (62 kg) won bronze.
Hyo-Joo Kim relishing chance to play Aramco Team Series event in home country
- ‘Unique format of the event excites me,’ golfer says
- $1m pro-am competition is first for Ladies European Tour in South Korea
LONDON: South Korean golfer Hyo-Joo Kim says she is “excited” about playing in an Aramco Team Series event in her home country later this week.
The series is heading to Seoul for the second leg of a five-location global tour, as the Ladies European Tour makes its debut in South Korea, at the New Korea Country Club.
The event runs from Friday to Sunday and will see 36 teams — each comprising three professionals and one amateur — competing for the team title, before the professionals battle it out on the final day for the individual title and a share of the $1 million prize pot.
Kim said that playing in front of a home crowd would be a major source of motivation to clinch her first Aramco Team Series in her debut year.
“I’ve heard from those on tour how special Aramco Team Series events are and how they are set up like a major. As soon as I heard the series was heading to Korea for the first time there was no doubt that I would be competing,” she said.
“The unique format of the event excites me. I’ve never played in a tournament quite like it. I’m looking forward to competing with some of my fellow LPGA players here on Korean soil and exciting the passionate crowds.”
Kim will be joined by American Danielle Kang, who is on the hunt for her first win since 2022. The 2017 KPMG PGA Championship winner is no stranger to the city and has Korean heritage.
“I’m thrilled to be participating in the Aramco Team Series in Korea,” Kang said.
“I absolutely love the team aspect of this series and can’t wait to play alongside a great field of golfers from both the LPGA and LET. I am very thankful for this opportunity and excited to compete.”
Saudi fighter Al-Qahtani faces Morocco’s Bendaoud as PFL tournament makes MENA debut
- Iraq’s Ali Taleb faces Jordanian Nawras Abzakh in the bantamweight division co-main event
- The first of four PFL MENA Season events takes place in Riyadh
Riyadh: Abdullah “The Reaper” Al-Qahtani headlines the fight card when the Professional Fighters League stages its first PFL MENA event in Riyadh on May 10.
The capital hosts the opening instalment of a four-event sport-season format featuring the region’s top fighters in a groundbreaking initiative with SRJ Sports Investments.
The action at the Green Halls in Riyadh will feature fights in the featherweight and bantamweight divisions, with the best Middle Eastern and North African fighters competing in a PFL playoff win-and-advance format.
Al-Qahtani takes on Morocco’s Taha Bendaoud in a featherweight bout, while the co-main event features Iraqi fighter Ali Taleb, who will meet Jordan’s Nawras Abzakh in a bantamweight showdown.
PFL MENA Fight Card
Featherweight main event: Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. Taha Bendaoud
Bantamweight co-main event: Ali Taleb vs. Nawras Abzakh
Bantamweight: Xavier Alaoui vs. Rachid El-Hazoume
Featherweight: Islam Reda vs. Adam Meskini
Bantamweight: Tariq Ismail vs. Jalal Al-Daaja
Bantamweight: Elias Boudegzdame vs. Hassan Mandour
Amateur female atomweight: Hattan Alsaif vs. Nada Faheem
Featherweight: Maraoune Bellagouit vs. Motaz Askar
Featherweight: Ahmed Tarek vs. Abdelrahman Alhyasat
Showcase featherweight: Mido Mohammed vs. Yazeed Hasanain
Showcase flyweight: Malik Basahel vs. Harsh Pandya
