YOKOHAMA: Harry Kewell’s Yokohama F-Marinos fought back to claim a narrow Asian Champions League final advantage over Hernan Crespo’s Al Ain on Saturday with a 2-1 first-leg win in Japan.
Mohammed Abbas scored in the 12th minute for United Arab Emirates side Al Ain but Yokohama’s Asahi Uenaka levelled midway through the second half before substitute Kota Watanabe grabbed the winner six minutes from time.
The second leg will be played in the UAE in a fortnight’s time.
Kewell and Crespo were meeting as coaches almost 20 years after facing each other as players in the UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul.
Crespo was part of the AC Milan side that took a 3-0 half-time lead before Kewell’s Liverpool famously came back to draw 3-3 and then win on penalties.
Kewell has led Yokohama to their first Champions League final only four months after taking over at the Japanese club.
Al Ain are the UAE’s most successful club and they are playing in the final for the fourth time, having won it in 2002 and reached the decider in 2005 and 2016.
Yokohama made a bright start in front of almost 55,000 home fans and Elber and Yan Matheus both had attempts at goal within the first five minutes.
But Al Ain threw a spanner in the works with the opening goal just over five minutes later when Abbas stuffed home the rebound after goalkeeper William Popp had denied Soufiane Rahimi.
The UAE side thought they had scored a second in the 30th minute when Matias Palacios fired the ball between Popp’s legs, only for a VAR check to rule it out for offside.
Yokohama had several chances to get back on level terms and Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa had to tip a Takuya Kida shot onto the crossbar with one of them.
Nam Tae-hee then missed a gilt-edged opportunity in first-half injury time with the goal at his mercy.
Yokohama were much scrappier in the second half but they got their equalizer when Matheus’s cross picked out Uenaka to head home in the 72nd minute.
Yokohama substitute Watanabe put the ball in the net again in the 84th minute only to be flagged for offside.
But the goal was allowed to stand after a VAR check, giving Yokohama a precious lead to take into the second leg.
amk/tym
Harry Kewell’s Yokohama edge Hernan Crespo’s Al Ain in Asian Champions League final first leg
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Harry Kewell’s Yokohama edge Hernan Crespo’s Al Ain in Asian Champions League final first leg
- Yokohama made a bright start in front of almost 55,000 home fans
- The second leg will be played in the UAE in a fortnight’s time
Saudi golf professionals sign new partnerships with SAL
- By sponsoring Khalid Attieh and Faisal Salhab, SAL is reinforcing its commitment to nurturing talent
- Last Friday saw conclusion of 2025 SAL Golf Cup at scenic Nofa Golf Resort
RIYADH: SAL Logistics Services have announced the signing of sponsorship agreements with Saudi professional golfers Khalid Attieh and Faisal Salhab. The announcement was made during a ceremony at Dirab Golf & Country Club in Riyadh, attended by Rayan Al-Bakri, chief strategy, development & execution of SAL, and the athletes.
Under the partnerships, the national provider of logistics solutions will support the professional journeys of the athletes by equipping them with the necessary resources, providing an integrated marketing and media platform that highlights their presence in tournaments and sporting events, and enabling them to represent the SAL brand in local and international championships. The players will also take part in joint initiatives that promote the connection between sports and the logistics and supply chain ecosystem.
With the new sponsorship of Attieh and Salhab, SAL is aiming to reinforce its commitment to nurturing national talent and promoting global sportsmanship.
Al-Bakri said: “We are proud to sponsor a distinguished group of Saudi golfers who represent the Kingdom in major regional and international tournaments. These partnerships reinforce our belief in the importance of investing in national talent and linking their sporting achievements to the Kingdom’s transformational journey toward becoming a global center across multiple sectors, including sports and logistics, in alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.”
Last Friday saw the conclusion of the 2025 SAL Golf Cup at the scenic Nofa Golf Resort. The event wrapped up a full year of monthly competitions that brought together more than 100 golfers and strengthened the local golf community across the Kingdom.
This year’s champions were crowned based on cumulative points earned throughout the season. Gerard Hattie claimed the Division A title with 1,510 points, while Mark Day secured the Division B championship with 1,300 points, both demonstrating consistency and strong performance throughout the year.
The event also featured Saudi professional golfer Othman Al-Mulla, sponsored by SAL, who took part in the tournament and presented additional prizes to the competition winners, adding a professional and inspiring touch to the celebration.
