JEDDAH: Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus has revealed his delight at his team’s 2-1 win over Al-Ittihad in the semifinals of the King’s Cup on Tuesday night, with particular praise for the “extraordinary” match-winner Saud Abdelhamid.

Brazilian forward Michael had given Al-Hilal the lead in the 25th minute at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah before Serbian teammate Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was sent off three minutes before half time.

Morocco international Abderrazak Hamdallah equalized for the reigning Saudi Pro League champions after 67 minutes, before Abdulhamid scored in the 81st minute to take his team to the King’s Cup final on May 31. They will meet the winners of Wednesday’s second semifinal between Al-Nassr and Al-Khaleej.

“Saud Abdulhamid is extraordinary. In the 90th minute he is still going at full speed,” said Jesus. “He can always improve, and I expect the best from him. Saudi players in general are open to developing tactically.”

He added: “We fought for more than 60 minutes (with the one-man) deficiency, and after conceding the equalizer we were better in transitions and controlled the match.”

The Portuguese coach has set his sights on completing a hat trick of triumphs this season.

“We have three championships this season,” Jesus added. “The league is close, we already achieved the (Saudi) Super Cup, and now we have reached the (King’s) cup final. This is a wonderful thing, and we are continuing to achieve our goals.”

He added that excluding Salman Al-Faraj from the starting lineup had been a “tactical” decision.

RIO DE JANEIRO: Thirty years to the day since his death following a crash that sent shockwaves around the world, Brazilians will pay homage Wednesday to Formula One superstar Ayrton Senna — a beloved symbol of national pride comparable only to compatriot Pele.

Fans of the three-time Formula One world champion are expected to flock to Senna’s grave in a cemetery in his hometown of Sao Paulo, where he was laid to rest after his tragic accident at the Imola circuit on May 1, 1994.

Some will take part in a fun-run staged on the twists and turns of the Interlagos motorsport circuit, where Senna scored two emotional Formula One victories near the end of his career in 1991 and 1993.

A wave of television programs have been aired to mark the anniversary, while an exhibition titled ‘I, Ayrton Senna da Silva — 30 years’ will open in Rio de Janeiro Wednesday after a nationwide tour.

The exhibition features an artificial intelligence-powered recreation of Senna’s voice recounting the defining moments of his turbulent life and career.

On Rio’s famous Copacabana beach, a procession of fans old and young have been stopping to take photos with a bronze sculpture of Senna, arms aloft and waving a Brazilian flag in triumph.

Among them was Joao Paulo Bertoloni, 30 — only a baby when Senna died aged 34.

“I didn’t get to see him live, but everyone was a fan of him in my family,” Bertoloni said.

“My father, my grandparents... Everyone told me about Senna. Brazil came to a standstill on Sundays when he was racing,” the business manager said.

Marilane Mattos, 66, can still vividly recall the moment she watched on television as Senna’s Williams car hurtled off the Imola track at about 190mph and plowed into a wall.

“It was horrible, it still makes me sad today,” she told AFP. “But I prefer to remember the good times. He was a simple guy like us.”

Senna’s legacy in Brazil has extended far beyond the sporting theater.

The Ayrton Senna Institute was recognized by UNESCO in 2004 for its educational projects which aim to help children from poor neighborhoods.

“Ayrton always said that if you wanted to change things you had to start with education,” Viviane Senna, Ayrton’s sister and president of the institute, said in a recent video posted on social media.

Founded six months after Senna’s death, the institute claims to have benefited some 36 million students in 3,000 Brazilian cities and towns.

For Brazilian writer Ernesto Rodrigues, author of the biography “Ayrton: The Hero Revealed,” Senna remains an important cultural figure because he “restored self-esteem to Brazilians” at a time the country was grappling with political and economic crises.

“His name is on streets throughout the country. Every time his name is mentioned, he gives Brazilians a sense of pride. His legacy has been largely preserved,” Rodrigues said.

The Brazilian government declared three days of national mourning for Senna, who died in an Italian hospital of head injuries after the crash.

A million Brazilians turned out to pay their respects in Sao Paolo, crowding the airport and lining city streets to catch a glimpse of his coffin before a private burial.