BEIRUT: The AFC Champions League Elite 2024-25 league stage draw in Kuala Lumpur on Friday puts three leading Saudi clubs in highly competitive home and away matches.
Roshn Saudi League clubs Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli will each play eight games, four home and four away, according to the recently revamped men’s continental club competition that will feature two leagues of 12 teams in West and East regions.
Pro League champions and Super Cup holders Al-Hilal play four home games against Iran’s Persepolis and Esteghlal, Iraq’s Al-Shorta and Al-Gharafa of Qatar. Their away matches will be against Qatar’s Al-Sadd and Al-Rayyan, and Al-Ain and Al-Wasl of the UAE.
Al-Nassr, meanwhile, play four away matches against Persepolis and Esteghlal of Iran, Iraq’s Al-Shorta and the Qatari club Al-Gharafa. They will host Emirati clubs Al-Ain and Al-Wasl, Qatar’s Al-Sadd and Al-Rayyan on their home pitch.
The third Saudi representative, Al-Ahli, host Iraq’s Al-Shorta, Qatar’s Al-Gharafa, and Persepolis and Esteghlal of Iran at home. They play four away matches against the UAE’s Al-Ain and Al-Wasl, and the two Qatari clubs, Al-Sadd and Al-Rayyan.
The West region pot includes reigning champions Al-Ain of the UAE, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli, Qatar’s Al-Sadd, Al-Gharafa and Al-Rayyan, Iranian clubs Persepolis and Esteghlal, Iraq’s Al-Shorta, Uzbek club Pakhtakor, and Al-Wasl of the UAE.
The East region pot includes Japan’s Vissel Kobe, Kawasaki Frontale and Yokohama F. Marinos, Korea’s Ulsan HD FC, FC Pohang Steelers and Gwangju FC, and Shanghai Port FC and Shanghai Shenhua FC of China, Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim FC, Australia’s Central Coast Mariners, Buriram United from Thailand, and the winner of preliminary stage tie between Chinese club Shandong Taishan FC and Bangkok United of Thailand.
Also on Friday, the draw for the AFC Champions League Two 2024-25 put Saudi Arabia’s Al-Taawoun FC in Group B with Iraq’s Air Force Club, Al-Khaldiya SC of Bahrain and Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr.
Four groups in the East and West respectively will contain the 32 teams competing for the ultimate prize of being the inaugural winners of this new competition.
The new season features three club championships for the Yellow Continent: the AFC Champions League Elite; the AFC Champions League Two; and the AFC Challenge Cup.
AFC Champions League Elite draw puts top Saudi clubs with competitive fixtures
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AFC Champions League Elite draw puts top Saudi clubs with competitive fixtures
- RSL clubs Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli will each play four home and four away
- AFC Champions League Two draw puts Al-Taawoun in Group B with Iraq’s Air Force Club, Al-Khaldiya SC of Bahrain and Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr
Messi dazzles as Miami beat Vancouver to win MLS title
- Argentina superstar Messi provided assists for two goals and helped create another to spark wild celebrations before a rapturous home crowd at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale
FORT LAUDERDALE, United States: Lionel Messi inspired Inter Miami to their first ever MLS Cup title on Saturday, playing a leading role in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in Florida.
Argentina superstar Messi provided assists for two goals and helped create another to spark wild celebrations before a rapturous home crowd at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Miami took the lead after an early Edier Ocampo own goal but were left reeling by Ali Ahmed’s second half-equalizer for Vancouver.
But Messi then laid on an assist for Argentina international team-mate Rodrigo De Paul to put Miami 2-1 up before supplying the pass for Tadeo Allende’s injury time goal that sealed victory.
Miami’s first Major League Soccer crown provided glittering vindication for co-owner David Beckham, the former England and Manchester United star who had long dreamed of bringing success to Miami.
“There was a lot of sleepless nights, but I always believed,” Beckham said afterwards. “I always believed in bringing the team here, and when I found the right partners I knew anything was possible.
“We always promised our fans that we would bring success, and bring the best players, and today we’ve achieved that.”
Vancouver — spearheaded by German legend Thomas Mueller — had looked the likelier victor after recovering from Ocampo’s eighth minute own goal to level through Ali Ahmed in the 60th minute.
The Whitecaps almost took the lead moments after the equalizer, with Emmanuel Sabbi’s shot crashing off both posts in the 62nd minute as Miami escaped.
But with the Whitecaps in complete control, the Canadians were stunned when Miami regained the lead after a blunder by midfielder Andres Cubas.
Cubas took too long in possession and was robbed by Messi, who skipped clear before releasing De Paul to provide the clinical finish.
Vancouver never recovered from that hammer blow and Miami started the party in injury time when Messi played in Allende for the third to make it 3-1.
The win marks the crowning achievement of Inter Miami since the club — which entered the league as an expansion club in 2020 — successfully lured Messi to Miami in 2023.
Saturday’s victory also marked the end of an era for two key figures in Miami’s rise to the top of Major League Soccer, with former Spanish internationals Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets heading into retirement.
