LONDON: Bafetimbi Gomis has called on Al-Hilal not to get ahead of themselves after they beat Al-Duhail 3-1 in the AFC Champions League.
That victory was the Riyadh club’s second straight win in this year’s competition and leaves them top of Group C, three points ahead of the Qatari club and five ahead of UAE champions Al-Ain and Iran outfit Esteghlal F.C.
Al-Duhail’s new signing Shoya Nakajima’s 75th-minute strike had canceled out a first-half Carlos Eduardo goal, but Ali Al-Bulayhi put the hosts ahead again in the 77th minute. Gomis, one of the stars of the show, then put the result beyond doubt with a well-taken finish with 10 minutes left at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh.
It was yet another impressive performance from Al-Hilal, the sort of showing that has already made them one of the favorites to go all the way in the AFC Champions League this year.
But keen to keep his teammates’ feet on the ground, the Riyadh giants’ big summer signing has warned them to focus on the job at hand and take it one match at a time.
“It was a team job (against Al-Duhail),” the French striker said. “The staff, the players, the fans — together we’re stronger. Keep our focus lads.” He added: “Thanks to the fans for your support.”
Al-Hilal’s form in the continental competition this year is in stark contrast to 12 months ago when, having reached the final of Asia’s premier club competition just months before, they fell at the first hurdle, exiting at the group stage.
What has made the performances all the more impressive is that they have beaten both UAE and Qatar champions without four key men. Omar Abdulrahman, Salman Al-Faraj, Abdullah Otayf and Nawaf Al-Abed are all currently out of action with injuries.
Al-Hilal’s next continental clash is away to Esteghlal on April 8.
Gomis tells Al-Hilal heroes to keep feet on the ground
Gomis tells Al-Hilal heroes to keep feet on the ground
- It was the Riyadh club’s second straight win in this year’s competition and leaves them top of Group C, three points ahead of the Qatari club
- Gomis, one of the stars of the show, put the result beyond doubt with a well-taken finish with 10 minutes left at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh
Inter continue Scudetto march after Champions League humbling
- Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan bounced back from Champions League elimination with Saturday’s 2-0 win over Genoa which continued their march toward the Serie A title.
Federico Dimarco’s brilliant volley just after the half-hour mark and Hakan Calhanoglu’s second-half penalty were enough for Inter to extend their already huge lead over AC Milan at the top of the table to 13 points.
Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto.
Inter, whose fans unloaded a collection of anti-Milan chants in anticipation of the derby, have dropped just two points in 15 league matches and have been a cut above the rest in Italy’s top flight this season.
Their domestic dominance comes in stark contrast to the humiliating manner in which they were dumped out of the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night.
A 5-2 aggregate defeat to the Norwegian minnows cast doubts over not just the quality of Cristian Chivu’s team but of Italian football as a whole.
There was plenty of quality in Dimarco’s opener however, the Italy full-back beautifully placing a first-time finish from a tight angle after exchanging passes with Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Little else happened in a humdrum encounter until Alex Amorim handled a cross from Luis Henrique, whose shot had been tipped onto the post just moments before.
Calhanoglu calmly stroked home the spot-kick on his return to action following niggling muscle problems which have caused him issues since before Christmas, sealing the points for Inter.
Big Rom back
Romelu Lukaku kept Napoli on course for a Champions League spot with a last-gasp winner in the champions’ 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Verona, the Belgium forward’s first goal of the season.
Lukaku forced home Giovane’s cross to snatch the win for third-placed Napoli with the last kick of the game at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.
Napoli had looked like dropping points in northern Italy when Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro levelled Rasmus Hojlund’s early opener in the 65th minute.
But Lukaku, who only played his first game of the season in late January, gave Napoli a huge win with both Como and Atalanta pushing for a top-four placing.
“I was a dead player before coming here,” said Lukaku to DAZN.
“This season has been difficult, but we’ve got to aim high.”
Napoli’s title defense is all but over as they trail Inter by 14 points after an injury-ravaged season.
Napoli were missing key midfielders Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Anguissa on Saturday, as well as captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Verona, under interim coach Paolo Sammarco following the sacking of Paolo Zanetti earlier this month, are 10 points from safety after a 12th straight match without a win.
Como, who face Inter in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday, strolled to 3-1 victory over strugglers Lecce to continue their push for a first-ever qualification for European football.
Cesc Fabregas’s team are two points behind Roma, in fourth and Juventus’ opponents on Sunday, and five behind Napoli.
Como are also two points ahead of sixth-placed Juve who face Roma trying to stay in touch with the Champions League places after being eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition by Galatasaray on Wednesday.
