RIYADH: Al-Taawoun football club’s Argentinian coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena said on Tuesday before taking on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Super Cup’s semifinal that their chances are the lowest among the four contenders.
“Our team is technically the weakest among the participating teams in the tournament, and we aim to achieve a good result through our participation,” he said as he addressed a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s second semifinal.
Pro League Champions and Super Cup holders Al-Hilal face Al-Ahli on Tuesday in the first semifinal of the Saudi Super Cup, the competition that is the curtain-raiser of the Saudi Arabian football season of 2024-2025.
“The psychological factors and passion are in our favor. I believe our training camp in Slovenia was good, where we focused on preparing the team physically. We have no injuries, which gives us a moral boost, and our team is physically ready to face Al-Nassr,” added Arruabarrena.
Al-Taawoun coach said the match will be competitive between two big teams.
“Al-Nassr is a strong rival with big names, and we aim to make a distinguished appearance, as the team did last season. We aspire to win the title and start a new season differently,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dutch player Ashraf El-Mahdioui explained that the preparations for the season’s competitions were good.
Addressing the same conference, El-Mahdioui said: “We expect a good match between the two teams. We began the season with a special training program, and we are ready for the confrontation.
“At the end of last season, we were good. I believe we will present a great match against Al-Nassr, given the great confidence we have.”
Al-Taawoun made it to the Super Cup competitions after finishing fourth in the Roshn Saudi League standings last season.
The traditional curtain-raiser of domestic football in the Kingdom, the Saudi Super Cup will see Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli, Al-Taawoun and domestic treble winners Al-Hilal competing for the prestigious trophy in Abha between Aug. 13 and 17.
The four clubs will compete for the honor at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Stadium in the picturesque city of Abha for the first time. This year’s tournament continues with the expanded four-team format introduced in 2023.
Also on Tuesday, Al-Nassr’s Portuguese coach Luís Castro said: “The team’s summer camp was difficult, the results were unexpected and negative, which may affect us in the new season, but by the end of the camp, we recovered all our players and prepared well for the semifinal match against Al-Taawoun.”
Al-Nassr’s Spanish defender Emeryk Laporte, added: “In Abha, we represent a big club in Saudi Arabia, and our goal is to return to Riyadh with the championship title, as we have a group of stars through whom we can achieve victories.”
‘Our team is technically the weakest’ says Al-Taawoun’s coach ahead of Saudi Super Club clash
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‘Our team is technically the weakest’ says Al-Taawoun’s coach ahead of Saudi Super Club clash
- ‘We have no injuries, which gives us a moral boost, and our team is physically ready to face Al-Nassr,’ added Arruabarrena
- Dutch player Ashraf El-Mahdioui says he expects ‘a good match between the two teams’
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka powers her way into the quarterfinals at the Australian Open
- Aryna Sabalenka rolls over the 19-year-old Canadian in just 31 minutes on Rod Laver Arena
- Sabalenka will be up against an even younger player in the quarterfinals, 18-year-old Iva Jovic
MELBOURNE: Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, attempting to win her third Australian Open title in four years, reached the quarterfinals on Sunday with a victory over No. 17 Victoria Mboko of Canada 6-1, 7-6 (1).
Sabalenka, using a high-powered serve that produced three aces in the first set, rolled over the 19-year-old Canadian in just 31 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
Sabalenka was not quite as dominant in the second set — producing a few more unforced errors — against Mboko, who played well enough to beat many players but not the two-time Australian Open champion.
“What an incredible player for such a young age,” the 27-year-old Sabalenka said of the young Canadian. “It’s incredible to see these kids coming up on Tour. I can’t believe I say that. I feel like I’m a kid.”
“She pushed me so much, and I’m happy to be through,” Sabalenka added in her on-court interview.
Sabalenka led the second set 4-1, and then failed to convert three match points while leading 5-4. Mboko slowly took back the momentum and forced a tiebreaker only for Sabalenka to dominate.
It was the 20th straight tiebreak victory for Sabalenka.
“I try to — not to think this is a tiebreak and play point by point, and I guess that’s the key to consistency,” she said.
Sabalenka won this Grand Slam in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up last year against Madison Keys. The Belarussian has also won two US Open titles.
Sabalenka will be up against an even younger player in the quarterfinals — 18-year-old American Iva Jovic.
The No. 29-seeded Jovic defeated Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-1 on John Cain Arena in just 53 minutes as she advanced to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
In a later match Sunday on Rod Laver Arena, the top-seeded man Carlos Alcaraz of Spain faced American No. 19 Tommy Paul for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Alexander Zverev and Coco Gauff, the third seeds on the men and women’s side, also played later for spots in the quarterfinals.
