ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates: Al-Hilal beat Al-Ittihad 4-1 in the final of the Saudi Super Cup on Thursday to stay on course for an unprecedented quadruple.
The trophy, lifted in Abu Dhabi’s Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, is the first of the season for the Riyadh giant but is unlikely to be the last as the team is also 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr at the top of the Saudi Pro League with just seven games remaining.
Al-Hilal, also in the semifinal of the Asian Champions League and the Saudi King’s Cup, has also expanded its world record winning streak for top-tier teams to 34 consecutive games in all competitions.
Three days after defeating Al-Nassr in the semifinal, during which Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing Ali Al-Bulaihi, two goals from Brazilian winger Malcom did the damage for Al-Hilal. Salem Al-Dawsari and Nasser Al-Dawsari sealed the win with late goals.
“It was a difficult game and I am very happy to score two goals,” Malcom told Saudi television. “We are also happy to collect our first title of the season but we are chasing more trophies.”
Ittihad striker Karim Benzema, signed from Real Madrid last summer, was unable to find the target while colleague Abderrazak Hamdallah made up for missing a penalty by getting on the scoresheet.
The Moroccan forward featured in a controversial incident at the end of the match, however, as he seemed to get involved in an altercation with a fan standing close to the field. The supporter was led away by security personnel.
In 2023, the Super Cup was expanded from a single game between the league champion and King’s Cup winner to include the runners-up from both competitions. It was also moved to Abu Dhabi.
Al-Hilal returns to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday to take on Al-Ain in the first leg of the Asian Champions League semifinals as it seeks a record fifth continental title.
The club’s potentially record-breaking season comes after it spent about 350 million euros ($380 million) on player transfers after being taken over by the Saudi sovereign wealth operation, the Public Investment Fund which is controlled by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Al-Hilal beats Al-Ittihad 4-1 in final of the Saudi Super Cup
https://arab.news/r87jh
Al-Hilal beats Al-Ittihad 4-1 in final of the Saudi Super Cup
- “It was a difficult game and I am very happy to score two goals,” Malcom told Saudi television
Sports minister Prince Abdulaziz meets with Saudi national team ahead of World Cup qualifiers
- Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal met with the players and head coach Roberto Mancini
JEDDAH: The Saudi sports minister visited the national football team at their training camp in Jeddah on Saturday as the players prepared for their 2026 World Cup qualifying matches.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal and Yasser Al-Misehal, president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, met with head coach Roberto Mancini and his team before the start of their training session.
The Green Falcons host Indonesia in the opening match of round three on Thursday, before traveling to China for the second match on Sept. 10.
Prince Abdulaziz emphasized the importance of the current period in the Asian qualifiers, and asked each player to put in their best effort.
The prince expressed confidence in the players' ability to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Al-Misehal thanked the minister for his support, and continuous monitoring of the national teams, stating that everyone was working towards achieving their best for Saudi football.
Why Ivan Toney’s move to Al-Ahli is one of Saudi Pro League’s biggest statements yet
- The England international was wanted by several Premier League clubs but will now form a formidable forward line with Riyadh Mahrez and Roberto Firmino in Jeddah
LONDON: The future of Ivan Toney has been one of the talking points of the summer. It has now been settled. The England striker has signed for Al-Ahli in a deal that is meaningful both on and off the pitch for the player, the club, and the Saudi Pro League.
A front-line of Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino and Toney is one that no defense in the world would relish facing, but it is one that the 17 other SPL teams will have to deal with in the coming season. The Jeddah giants swooped for Toney on Friday, doing a deal with Brentford that will keep the forward, who scored 72 goals in 141 appearances for the club, in Jeddah until 2028.
The 28-year-old is not the biggest name to head to Saudi Arabia since Cristiano Ronaldo shocked the world by joining Al-Nassr in December 2022. Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Neymar have won some of the biggest prizes in the game, and all play in the SPL. Mahrez joined Al-Ahli from Manchester City, who were European champions at the time; Benzema was the Ballon D’Or holder when he headed to Al-Ittihad from Real Madrid; and Kante is a World Cup winner. Toney joins Al-Ahli from Brentford, a mid-level — at best — English Premier League team.
Brentford may not be title challengers, but there were teams who are — such as Arsenal — who were very interested in Toney. The Gunners may regret missing out. Brentford are also sure to be happier selling their star forward to a club in a different league and not having to put their fans through the painful experience of Toney coming back to West London to do what he does best: score goals.
What will please Al-Ahli fans is that this is a star player, in demand, moving from the English Premier League at what should be the peak of his career. Toney has already shown that he is a force to be reckoned with, scoring against some of the best defenses in the world while playing for one of the league’s smaller teams that had, until just over three years ago, never played in the Premier League. In the 2022-23 season, only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane scored more.
Last season wasn’t so memorable for the Northampton-born striker who worked his way up through the lower leagues to reach the top. He was banned for most of it for gambling offences.
The inactivity perhaps cost him time with the national team but he still played a part as England reached the final of the European championships, and his no-look penalty in the shootout win over Switzerland in the quarter-finals made headlines around the world.
His prowess from the spot (he has scored 30 out of 32 in non-shootout situations) is just one reason why fans will be excited. Toney is not just a recognized talent but one with something to prove. He still wants to show whoever the new permanent England boss is going to be that he deserves to be starting for his country.
The SPL was well-represented at the Euros and Toney will have seen first-hand how solid Al-Nassr’s Aymeric Laporte was as the defender impressed in the final when Spain defeated England 2-1.
Toney will have a chance to make up for that disappointment with trophies. Al-Ahli finished third last season, a good showing on their return to the top tier after a surprise relegation. The platform is there for a genuine challenge for their first championship since 2016 and there is also the AFC Champions League to look forward to. The forward line is not just mouthwatering on paper, but should spell danger for defenses around across Asia.
Mahrez recorded more assists than any other player in the league last season. The two should relish playing together. Then there is Firmino, now looking fully settled into life in Jeddah. Toney is not only great in the air and a deadly finisher, but can play as a single striker or part of a pair. A potential partnership with Firas Al-Buraikan, the top-scoring Saudi striker last season with an impressive 17 goals, will have Al-Ahli’s famous green army of fans rubbing their hands in anticipation.
They, as well as Toney, could be in for quite a season.
Al-Ittihad overcome Al-Taawoun after another last-gasp Aouar winner
- The Algerian star had also scored a stoppage time winner against Al-Okhdood on the opening day of the Saudi Pro League season
JEDDAH: Houssem Aouar on Thursday night secured a stoppage time victory for Al-Ittihad when his 98th minute goal condemned Al-Taawoun to a 2-1 loss at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.
On the opening day of the season, Aouar had scored in the 94th minute as Ittihad overcame Al-Okhdood 1-0 at Al-Hazem Club Stadium. And last night’s late intervention means that Laurent Blanc’s team now join Al-Hilal, Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ettifaq on a maximum of six points at the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
Al-Taawoun had shocked the 2022-2023 champions by taking the lead on 59 minutes thanks to Musa Barrow’s stunning long-range strike, but Karim Benzema levelled the score after 70 minutes with a superb back-heel flick from Moussa Diaby’s low cross.
Al-Taawoun looked to have escaped with a draw as the match drifted into stoppage time but a penalty award for a foul on Diaby — and the sending off of Awn Al-Saluli — allowed the Algerian star Aouar to have the last word.
Meanwhile Al-Shabab, having lost on the opening match day of the season to Al-Ettifaq, bounced back with a 1-0 win at Al-Khaleej thanks to Yannick Carrasco’s winner on 60 minutes.
In Thursday’s first match, Al-Riyadh defeated newly promoted Al-Kholood 3-1 at Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Stadium.
Al-Nassr one step closer to history in AFC Women’s Champions league
- Riyadh club secured their second successive victory to top Group A in the Preliminary Stage of the AFC Women’s Champions League
- First half goals from Lina Boussaha and Ruth Kipoyi set the Riyadh side on path to victory before star striker Clara Luvanga sealed 3-0 win against Laos’ Young Elephants FC
RIYADH: Back-to-back Saudi Women’s Premier League champions Al-Nassr secured a second successive victory in the preliminary group stage in the AFC Women’s Champions league to top Group A going into the final round this weekend.
The Riyadh club, representing the Kingdom as the first Saudi side to compete in Asia’s premier continental women’s club competition, provided a dominant display on Tuesday on their way to sealing a 3-0 victory against Young Elephants FC of Laos.
Algerian midfielder Lina Boussaha opened the scoring with a stunning free kick ahead of half time, before new summer signing Ruth Kipoyi doubled Al-Nassr’s advantage going into the half time break. The former Galatasary attacker darted into the box before sending a stunning strike into the top corner for her first goal for the Riyadh club.
Sandro Mendes’ side started the second half as they finished, with Tanzanian striker Clara Luvanga firing a low finish for her third goal in two AFC Women’s Champions League matches.
Following strong displays in her first matches for the club, 15-year-old Saudi starlet Basma Al Shenaifi believes she’s learning from the best in her first professional season. She said: “It means so much to me to be playing at this level. The girls have been so helpful, I’m always learning from them.
In every training session they always come and help me so I can improve my game. They have inspired me to play with confidence, not be afraid to make mistakes. It’s been a great start to the season for me.”
Tuesday’s win sees Al-Nassr sit atop Group A with two wins from two matches, setting up a table-topping clash with UAE-side Abu Dhabi Country Club in the final fixture of the Group A Preliminary Stages.
Al-Nassr stopper Sara Khalid sees her side continuing to build on its strong foundations following two consecutive shutouts to make progress towards the goal of achieving AFC Women’s Champions League qualification.
Sara Khalid said: “Before we came into the group, we said the aim was to win the three games. We have 6 points so far so we’re working towards the next 3 points now.
“There has been a really strong chemistry between myself and the backline so far which is positive. We have been training well together to develop that, and with every game, we enter with the aim of keeping a clean sheet to not concede no matter who the opponent is. We’ve managed to keep the two clean sheets which has helped us build our way into the game. We have our identity, our style, and we’ll keep building on this”.
In the early match on Tuesday, Abu Dhabi Country Club of the United Arab Emirates snatched a late 1-0 victory against Myanmar's Myawady Women FC thanks to an 88th-minute winner from Fatima Al Marzooqi to secure two wins from two matches in the group.
With the final round of fixtures commencing on Saturday, Young Elephants FC will face Myawady Women FC at the Al-Nassr Club stadium, while joint group leaders Abu Dhabi Country Club and Al-Nassr compete for the top spot in Group A at Al-Awwal Park.
For more information on the Preliminary Stages of the AFC Women’s Champions League in Riyadh, visit: saff.com.sa
Al-Hilal edge 5-goal thriller against Damac to lead league table
- Moussa Dembele winner maintains maximum for Al-Ettifaq after 1-0 win over Al-Okhdood
RIYADH: Al-Hilal maintained their 100 percent start to the season with a 3-2 win over Damac at Kingdom Arena on Wednesday night, and now top the Saudi Pro League table with three matches of the second round still to be completed on Thursday night.
With Senegal forward Habib Diallo a constant threat, Damac had several chances to go ahead as the first half progressed. But it was Aleksandar Mitrovic who opened the scoring for the champions in the fifth minute of stoppage time, heading home from Mohammed Al-Qahtani’s deflected cross.
However, Damac stunned Jorge Jesus’ men with two quick-fire goals at the start of the second half to take an unlikely lead. Guinea forward Francois Kamano equalized four minutes after the break with a looped shot that sailed over Yassine Bounou into the net.
And only four minutes later the visitors went ahead through Diallo’s close-range finish. Both goals were set up by Ramzi Solan.
Saudi Arabia international midfielder Musab Al-Juwayr leveled the score on 73 minutes with a firmly-struck volley from inside the penalty area after Damac goalkeeper Florin Nita failed to clear substitute Yasser Al-Shahrani’s corner.
The equalizer set up a grandstand finish, and it was no surprise when Mitrovic completed Al-Hilal’s comeback with his second of the match on 84 minutes.
The Serbian forward finished smartly from close range after Renan Lodi’s cross was deflected into his path by Al-Juwayr’s inadvertent touch. Despite a nervous VAR check, the officials confirmed Mitrovic’s fourth SPL goal of the season.
In the first match of the day, Al-Ettifaq claimed their second 1-0 win of the season, overcoming Al-Okhdood at home thanks to Moussa Dembele’s 63rd minute strike.
With Steven Gerrard’s team yet to concede a goal this season, they joined Al-Hilal and Al-Qadsiah as the only teams so far with six points out of six at the top of the table.
Meanwhile, Al-Wehda defeated promoted Al-Orobah 2-1 with a 93rd minute goal by Murad Khadhari at King Abdulaziz Sport City Stadium.
The home team had taken the lead through former Al-Hilal forward Odion Ighalo in the first minute, but Ziad Al-Hunaito replied for Al-Orobah just after the hour as teams went in at half-time all-square.
It looked like the points would be shared until the late intervention by Khadhari, who had scored in Al-Wehda’s season-opening 3-3 draw against Al-Riyadh last week.
