DUBAI: Brazil star Neymar endured an Asian Champions League debut to forget as Al Hilal had to score deep into injury-time to salvage a 1-1 at home to Uzbekistan’s Navbahor in Riyadh on Monday.
Neymar, signed last month from Paris Saint-Germain for a reported EUR90 million, was making his first start for the record Asian champions having debuted on Friday as a substitute in the Saudi Pro League victory at home to Al Riyadh.
Runners-up in last year’s Champions League, Hilal were fortunate not to lose their Group B opener having gone behind on 52 minutes at King Fahd International Stadium to Toma Tabatadze’s expert finish. Navbahor, the 2022 Uzbekistan Super League runners-up, were competing in the Champions League for the first time.
However, Hilal defender Ali Al Bulaihi rescued a point for the four-time champions in the 100th minute, rising unmarked in the Navbahor area to head home Michael’s corner.
Neymar, who earlier this month became Brazil’s all-time lead goalscorer, had largely a night to forget. The forward was subjected to some particularly robust treatment from Navbahor, and was incensed just before the hour when he was trod on after being dragged to the ground.
Moments later, Neymar was booked for pushing over an opponent and then angrily kicking the ball at the player as he lay on the pitch.
Neymar did have a chance get Hilal back into the game three minutes from time, but his close-range header was straight at Navbahor goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov. Yusupov then made a spectacular save in injury-time to deny Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, although he could do nothing to prevent Al Bulaihi’s leveller.
Also in Group D, Iranian debutants Nassaji Mazandaran won 2-0 away to India’s Mumbai City.
Meanwhile, Saudi champions Al Ittihad began their quest for a third Champions League title with a comfortable 3-0 victory at home to Uzbekistan’s AGMK in Jeddah.
Ittihad, back-to-back winners in 2004 and 2005, went into the Group C opener without Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema, who was injured, but struck twice in six minutes early in the first half.
Haroune Camara, starting in Benzema’s absence, opened the scoring at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium on 10 minutes before Romarinho soon doubled the hosts’ advantage.
The Brazilian got his second of the night four minutes before half-time, as Nuno Espirito-Santo’s side eased to the three points.
In the group’s other fixture, Iraq’s Air Force Club held 2007 runners-up Sepahan, of Iran, to a 2-2 draw in Irbil.
In Group B, two-time Asian champions Al Sadd drew 0-0 at home with UAE side Sharjah — Algeria’s Baghdad Bounedjah missed a second-half penalty for the hosts — while Jordan’s Al Faisaly sunk to a 1-0 defeat in injury-time to Uzbekistan’s Nasaf in Amman.
The group stage, which this year returned to a home-and-away format for the first time since early 2020, runs until mid-December, with the 10 pool winners and the six best second-placed teams advancing to the knockout rounds. That begins in February. The final takes place, across two legs, in May.
Neymar and Al-Hilal suffer scare in Asian Champions League
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Neymar and Al-Hilal suffer scare in Asian Champions League
Sevilla beat Al-Ittihad 1-0 to take Antonio Puerta Trophy
- La Liga club host annual match in honor of former player who died aged 22 in 2007
- Match is latest pre-season friendly for both clubs ahead of the start of their domestic leagues in August
DUBAI: La Liga club Sevilla FC defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad 1-0 to claim the Antonio Puerta Trophy at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in Seville on Friday night.
Lucas Ocampos scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot after 42 minutes.
The annual friendly has been hosted by the Andalusian club since 2008 in honor of former player Antonio Puerta who died from heart disease in 2007 at the age of 22.
This was the 13th hosting of the match, which was not contested in 2015, 2018, 2020 or 2021. Sevilla now have won won the trophy 11 times.
The match was also the latest outing for both clubs ahead of start of their respective domestic campaigns.
Al-Ittihad will play two more friendlies against Real Betis (Aug. 3) and Inter Milan (Aug. 7) before kicking off their Saudi Pro League season with a match against Al-Kholood on Aug. 24.
Sevilla will launch their La Liga campaign on Aug. 16 at Las Palmas.
SAFF announces second season of Women’s Football Clubs Development Fund Program
- Total support fund has increased to SR60m, representing SR10m rise from previous season
- 70 women’s clubs to receive support across various leagues and tournaments
- SAFF has introduced new criteria to ensure continuous growth and professional development of women’s game
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has announced season two of the Women’s Football Clubs Development Fund Program.
The announcement is part of the SAFF’s commitment to nurturing and promoting women’s football across the Kingdom.
For the 2024-25 season, the total support fund has increased to SR60 million ($15.99 million), representing a SR10 million rise from the previous season.
Building on the success of the inaugural season, the SAFF said the season’s program will extend its support to 70 women’s football clubs participating in various competitions, including the SAFF Women’s Premier League, SAFF Women’s First Division League, SAFF Women’s Second Division League, SAFF Women’s Cup, SAFF Women’s U17 Tournament and the Women’s Futsal Tournament.
As part of the enhanced program for the new season, SAFF has introduced new criteria to ensure the continuous growth and professional development of women’s football.
The new criteria for women’s football clubs include sponsorship criteria requiring clubs to attract sponsors; scouting criteria mandating the appointment of an official scout by clubs; medical criteria requiring clubs to appoint a doctor and issue medical reports; fan criteria encouraging increased attendance at matches; nutrition criteria requiring clubs to appoint a nutrition specialist; technology criteria mandating the use of GPS to assess player fitness levels, and women’s futsal criteria necessitating the establishment of an organizational structure, the appointment of a head coach, and the appointment of a team manager.
Lamia Bahaian, vice president of the SAFF, said: “We’ve seen incredible progress in women’s football over the past year, and the increased support fund for this season is a clear indication of our commitment to pushing even further. Our aim is to create more opportunities for women in football and build a strong foundation for the sport in Saudi Arabia.”
She continued: “With the expansion of our program, we’re not only increasing the number of participating clubs but also enhancing the quality of the teams participating in our competitions. We’re focused on providing the necessary resources and support to help our players, coaches, and teams thrive. This season promises to be an exciting chapter for women’s football, and we’re eager to see the continued growth and success of our athletes.”
Last season, significant strides were made with the hiring of 18 Saudi coaches, and 91 percent of clubs’ head coaches now hold an A coaching license. Additionally, 24 percent of clubs have coaches with a pro license, highlighting the increasing professionalization within women’s football.
Further achievements include the establishment of U17 teams by 56 percent of clubs, providing a platform for young female footballers to develop their skills.
The SAFF said 87 professional contracts were signed with Saudi players, marking a significant milestone in the development of women’s football in the Kingdom.
‘Sevilla FC is open to the world,’ says club president ahead of Al-Ittihad match
- Jose Maria del Nido Carrasco speaks to Arab News about the Antonio Puerta Trophy, his club’s links to Saudi Arabia and football’s development in the Kingdom
DUBAI: La Liga club Sevilla on Friday night take on Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad in the annual Antonio Puerta Trophy match, which is also part of the pre-season preparations for both teams.
Arab News spoke to Sevilla President Jose Maria del Nido Carrasco about the clash with Al-Ittihad and the state of Saudi Arabian football.
Here are some of his comments.
On the idea behind the Antonio Puerta Trophy …
Antonio Puerta is one of the biggest legends of our club. He was key in the first Europa League title we won in 2006 and in the ones that followed in the subsequent months. His passing was a hard blow for the club and the fans, which is why we honour him every year with this match. We always try to invite high-level teams to offer him the best possible tribute.
On playing Al-Ittihad in the 2024 edition …
We are in the middle of the preseason preparing the team. I believe that by that day, the 26th, we will have had 20 days of training since we started on July 6. We want to continue training, implementing the game model of our new coach. We expect Sevilla fans to enjoy a good match, ensure competitiveness, and let all of us who love football start to see what Sevilla will be like in the upcoming season.
On the Saudi Pro League project …
The growth of the Saudi Pro League is very interesting. For clubs like Sevilla FC, where part of our business model is based on selling players to generate profits that allow us to make new investments, it is important to have emerging markets willing to invest. The key now is for them to maintain that level of investment, build solid structures in the clubs, professionalize all areas, and invest in formation for youth teams to allow also a technical improvement in local players.
On Sevilla’s attendance at the World Football Summit in Jeddah last December …
Our experience at this summit was very positive. Different members of our club were able to see firsthand how football is developing in Saudi Arabia, and we can expand our network of contacts in the region to continue generating alliances and synergies.
On Sevilla’s ties with Saudi Arabia …
We have had different trips to Saudi Arabia. Our head of artificial intelligence, Elías Zamora, visited to showcase the tools we have and can offer to the general football market and specifically to Saudi Arabia. Additionally, through our sporting management, we can share our extensive knowledge, our transfer policy, and our scouting policy, which has been recognized in recent years and further improved with artificial intelligence. We aim to create bonds where we can learn from them, and they can learn from Sevilla Football Club.
On exporting Sevilla’s renowned scouting methodology …
At the beginning of the 21st century, we started a scouting policy that allowed us to find players unknown to the market. These players came to Sevilla Football Club, we maximized their performance, achieved sporting successes in the form of European qualifications and national and European titles, and then we sold them, generating significant profits that we reinvested in new signings. When this practice became more common in football, we introduced a new factor: artificial intelligence. This sporting know-how can be offered to the Arab market to give them the ability, through artificial intelligence and the scouting of each club, to have an effective player acquisition and sales policy.
On Sevilla’s global relationship-building …
Sevilla Football Club is a club open to the world. Our internationalization plan aims to grow our fan base worldwide, and to do that, it is important to continue building relationships with clubs from different regions. We are also open to play as visitors against other clubs if an attractive opportunity arrives.
Moussa Diaby joins Al-Ittihad from Aston Villa
- Moussa Diaby joins fellow Frenchmen Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante in Jeddah
RIYADH: Frenchman Moussa Diaby has joined Al-Ittihad, the club announced on Thursday.
The Jeddah team posted an announcement video with the player wearing Ittihad’s black and yellow jersey.
He will join the Tigers on a five-year contract after successfully passing a medical exam in Alicante, Spain, a club statement said.
“Hello Tigers, I am here,” Diaby announces in the video, holding a vintage rotary phone.
“I am thrilled to join Al-Ittihad and be part of a project that aims to build a strong team reflecting the club’s rich history and values. I look forward to collaborating with my new teammates to achieve victories and bring joy to our dedicated fans,” said the Frenchman.
“Diaby has an impressive track record, having played in the top leagues of France, Germany, and England, where he has showcased his talent and skill as a winger,” the statement read.
Domingos Oliveira, the CEO of Ittihad, said: “Our sports committee identified the need to strengthen the winger position with an exceptional player, and we are confident that Moussa Diaby is one of the top players who stand out globally in this role.”
The 25-year-old midfielder played 54 games for English Premier League side Aston Villa, including 25 appearances last season during their impressive fourth place finish.
In Spain, the player was welcomed by the team’s sporting director, Ramon Planes, and introduced to his new teammates and the technical and administrative staff.
He joins fellow Frenchmen Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante in the west coast city.
The left-footed Diaby, a pacy and versatile player, is not known for scoring lots of goals but his attacking threat will be an advantage for the Tigers.
Ittihad had a disappointing season last year with a fifth place finish, after winning the Saudi Pro League title a year earlier.
The Jeddah side has brought in veteran French player Laurent Blanc as coach to boost their chances against the other big three clubs in the SPL: Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli.
Ittihad are currently in pre-season training in Spain and will play Seville on Friday.
IMG signs 5-year deal to become broadcast producer of Saudi football events
- The partnership with the Saudi Pro League and Saudi Arabian Football Federation will start next season and cover Roshn Saudi League, Saudi Super Cup and King Cup matches
- ‘The SPL is poised to deliver an unparalleled football-viewing experience to fans around the world through technology, innovation and talent,’ says SPL CEO Omar Mugharbel
RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League and Saudi Arabian Football Federation have agreed a new five-year production-partnership deal with global sports, events and representation company IMG.
Beginning next season IMG will take the role of broadcast producer for the Roshn Saudi League, King Cup and Saudi Super Cup, with the aim of providing best-in-class production quality, innovation and consistency across the events.
The organizations said on Wednesday said that broadcasts in coming seasons will feature more dynamic storytelling and captivating content highlighting the excitement of the matches and celebrating the culture and passion that drive the sport.
This will enable partners to provide deeper insights and elevate the levels of engagement and entertainment, they added, to enhance the viewing experience for fans around the world and foster a deeper connection with the league.
SPL CEO Omar Mugharbel said the agreement represents a significant step forward for the league as its transformation and growth continues on and off the pitch.
“Our collaboration with IMG reflects our commitment to bringing world-class production standards to Saudi football, with the league the central host producer,” he added.
“By leveraging the expertise of IMG and maintaining strong partnerships with local and regional distributors, the SPL is poised to deliver an unparalleled football-viewing experience to fans around the world through technology, innovation and talent.”
Barney Francis, IMG’s executive vice president of studios, said: “The Saudi Pro League is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing leagues in global football, with fans around the world now tuning in to watch thrilling action between some of the game’s biggest stars.
“In today’s battle for attention, it’s critical for rights holders to take control of their narrative and innovate. We are excited to help SPL take its content offering and storytelling to the next level for viewers and broadcasters, and to provide opportunities for local broadcast and production talent to be part of the journey.”
The organizations said IMG will help the SPL and SAFF implement advanced remote-production technologies so that producers can oversee matches taking place in several cities on the same day and ensure the highest production standards are maintained regardless of location.
IMG produces content for some of the world’s biggest football leagues and other sporting events, including the English Premier League, Major League Soccer for Apple TV, CBS coverage of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, Ultimate Fighting Championship, and golf events including The Open, Ryder Cup and the DP World Tour.
