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Lyon and Chelsea win first-leg matches in Women’s Champions League quarterfinals

Lyon and Chelsea win first-leg matches in Women’s Champions League quarterfinals
Lyon's Sara Daebritz, top right, scores her side's second goal during the women's Champions League quarterfinals, first leg, soccer match between SL Benfica and Olympique Lyonnais at the Luz Stadium, in Lisbon, Tuesday. (AP)
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Updated 20 March 2024
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Lyon and Chelsea win first-leg matches in Women’s Champions League quarterfinals

Lyon and Chelsea win first-leg matches in Women’s Champions League quarterfinals
  • Lyon, the record eight-time champion, came from behind to beat Benfica 2-1, while Chelsea ultimately eased to a 3-0 victory at Ajax
  • The quarterfinals continue Wednesday with defending champion Barcelona away to Norwegian team Brann and Hacken of Sweden hosting Paris Saint-Germain
Updated 20 March 2024
AP
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LONDON: Lyon and Chelsea underlined their status as two of the favorites for the Women’s Champions League title by earning first-leg wins on the road in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Lyon, the record eight-time champion, came from behind to beat Benfica 2-1, while Chelsea ultimately eased to a 3-0 victory at Ajax to close in on a second straight appearance in the last four of Europe’s top competition.

The second legs are on March 27.

Lyon still have not lost in either the French league or the Champions League this season, but they needed a second-half comeback to maintain that record.

France forward Delphine Cascarino equalized in the 63rd and Germany midfielder Sara Dabritz headed home a cross from US captain Lindsay Horan for the winner in the 79th in Lisbon.

Benfica were making its debut in the quarterfinals, and Andreia Faria gave the hosts the lead in the 43rd after intercepting a stray pass on the halfway line and running through unchallenged.

Ajax are also competing in the knockout stage of the Champions League for the first time and caused plenty of problems for Chelsea early on at Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, only to concede goals from the visitors’ only two shots of the first half.

England forward Lauren James rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home in the 19th minute for a goal that stood after a VAR check for offside, before Sjoeke Nusken slid in to convert the second in the 44th.

Nusken headed in the third goal in the 83rd to leave Chelsea in total control ahead of the return match at Stamford Bridge, where the club’s men’s team plays.

Chelsea are bidding to win the Champions League for the first time and also are chasing a quadruple of major trophies in coach Emma Hayes’ final season in charge before she takes the helm of the US’ women’s national team.

Hayes’ team lead the Women’s Super League, are into the final of the English League Cup and have reached the quarterfinals of the FA Cup.

The quarterfinals continue Wednesday with defending champion Barcelona away to Norwegian team Brann and Hacken of Sweden hosting Paris Saint-Germain.

Topics: UEFA Women’s Champions League Lyon Chelsea

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A Costa Rican team threatens FIFA with legal action in bid for spot at Club World Cup

A Costa Rican team threatens FIFA with legal action in bid for spot at Club World Cup
Updated 20 November 2024
AP
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A Costa Rican team threatens FIFA with legal action in bid for spot at Club World Cup

A Costa Rican team threatens FIFA with legal action in bid for spot at Club World Cup
  • Team spokesman Marco Vazquez noted that Mexican clubs Leon and Pachuca belong to the same owner, Jesus Martinez, of Grupo Pachuca
  • “We hired a law firm in Spain, and they have all the details,” Vazquez said of potential legal action
Updated 20 November 2024
AP

COSTA RICA: The winningest team in Costa Rica are asking FIFA for a spot in next summer’s Club World Cup and are willing to take legal action if denied.
Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, which have won 30 league titles, want FIFA to enforce the rule that forbids clubs from the same ownership to participate in the tournament.
“The claim is based on the principles of eligibility set in the rules of the tournament,” the club said in a press release.
Team spokesman Marco Vazquez noted that Mexican clubs Leon and Pachuca belong to the same owner, Jesus Martinez, of Grupo Pachuca.
“Those are the rules that FIFA established — there cannot be multi-ownership,” Vazquez said Wednesday. “There are two Mexican clubs from the same owner and the rulebook is clear. What we are asking is to review what FIFA itself established.”
The FIFA-run competition has been expanded from seven teams to 32 and will be staged in the United States from June to July next year.
“We hired a law firm in Spain, and they have all the details,” Vazquez said of potential legal action.
FIFA has not publicly reacted to the team’s announcement and didn’t immediately answer a request for comment.
Alajuelense are the best-ranked team in Central America for the CONCACAF but 40th overall in the region.
CONCACAF has four spots in the Club World Cup. The teams that qualified are: the Seattle Sounders, Monterrey, Leon and Pachuca. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will participate as guests of the host.
All five clubs were announced for the Dec. 5 draw in Miami.
In Mexico, besides Leon and Pachuca, there are another two companies that own two or more clubs in the first division. Grupo Caliente owns Tijuana and Queretaro, while Grupo Orlegi controls Atlas and Santos. TV Azteca owns Mazatlan and has partial ownership of Puebla.
On May 2023, the Liga MX announced that multi-ownership will be forbidden but gave owners four years to sell.
Jesus Martinez Murguia, who runs the Leon club, said they will sell part of the team to comply with the rules but will still have a partial ownership.

Topics: FIFA Costa Rica FIFA Club World Cup Deportiva Alajuelense

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Netflix showcases Ittihad and Ahli episodes of new docuseries at exclusive Jeddah screening

Netflix showcases Ittihad and Ahli episodes of new docuseries at exclusive Jeddah screening
Updated 20 November 2024
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Netflix showcases Ittihad and Ahli episodes of new docuseries at exclusive Jeddah screening

Netflix showcases Ittihad and Ahli episodes of new docuseries at exclusive Jeddah screening
  • Six-part “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff” will be available for streaming on the platform from Thursday
  • Al-Ittihad’s episode is titled, “The struggle to achieve glory,” while Al-Ahli’s is “Counterattack”
Updated 20 November 2024
SALEH FAREED

JEDDAH: Ahead of its official launch on Nov. 21, Netflix gave an exclusive first look at its new documentary series, “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff,” on Tuesday night with two viewing events in Jeddah that showcased episodes covering the city’s two giant clubs.
The screenings were attended by club officials, members of the media, sports bloggers and Al-Ahli’s German coach Matthias Jaissle.
Al-Ittihad’s episode is titled, “The struggle to achieve glory,” while Al-Ahli’s is “Counterattack.”
Two more exclusive screening events will take place in Riyadh on Wednesday to unveil episodes on Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.
Attendees at the Muvi theater in Jeddah were treated to storylines on Karim Benzema’s experiences during his first season at Al-Ittihad, and Jaissle’s leadership at Al-Ahli as the club battled to gain qualification to the AFC Champions League on their return to the Saudi Pro League after relegation two season earlier.
As well as shining a spotlight on Jeddah’s big-name players, the episodes also showcased emerging local talents from the two clubs, such as Al-Ahli’s forward Feras Al-Buraikan, and the 16-year-old striker Talal Hajji of Al-Ittihad.
Jaissle said that he was impressed with the first look at “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff,” and described Al-Ahli’s episode in three words: “Overwhelmed, emotional and authentic as well.”
“I really enjoyed the special documentary on Al-Ahli, and it offers an exclusive look into the world of Saudi league, showcasing Al-Ahli dynamics and individual player journeys,” he said.
Adnan Jastania, a renowned Saudi football analyst who watched Al-Ittihad’s episode, said: “It really shows the drama, excitement and passion for football in Saudi Arabia. I enjoyed the intra-history of Al-Ittihad and the culture of the oldest sports in Saudi.”
Set to launch on Thursday, the docuseries will have six episodes in total and will focus on the battle for the 2023-24 SPL title with focus on then-reigning champions Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ettifaq.

Topics: Al-Ahli Netflix Saudi Pro League Al-Ittihad Al-Nassr

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Greece’s Olympiacos hits out at police death probe

Greece’s Olympiacos hits out at police death probe
Updated 20 November 2024
AFP
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Greece’s Olympiacos hits out at police death probe

Greece’s Olympiacos hits out at police death probe
  • “This latest development... is yet another attempt to blackmail Olympiacos FC, aiming to undermine both the Olympiacos family and its President,” the club said
  • “It follows the unjust collective targeting of our fans“
Updated 20 November 2024
AFP

ATHENS: Greek football powerhouse Olympiacos on Wednesday slammed a probe targeting their top management in connection with the death of a riot policeman at the hands of hooligans last year.
Judicial authorities have called owner and president Evangelos Marinakis to appear next week to answer to possible misdemeanour charges of supporting a criminal organization and fomenting sports violence.
“This latest development... is yet another attempt to blackmail Olympiacos FC, aiming to undermine both the Olympiacos family and its President,” the club, which is also active across several sports besides football, said in a statement.
“It follows the unjust collective targeting of our fans,” it added, which it said was “fueled by specific political and business interests.”
In December 2023 riot officer Yiorgos Lyggeridis was fatally injured by a marine flare fired outside a sports hall during an Olympiacos-Panathinaikos volleyball match near Piraeus.
The 31-year-old died in hospital and stadiums across the country were closed for several weeks as a result of the incident.
More than a dozen people, reportedly hard-line Olympiacos fans, were subsequently placed in pre-trial detention as part of the investigation.
Several of those held are said to be senior members of Gate 7, Olympiacos’s main supporters’ club, and authorities suspect they could not have operated without the knowledge of club officials.
Besides Marinakis, four other members of the club board including Piraeus mayor Yiannis Moralis have been called to appear on Tuesday, where the authorities will decide whether to formalize the charges facing them.
Olympiacos on Wednesday said Marinakis, a shipping and media magnate who is also a majority owner of Premier League side Nottingham Forest and Portugal’s Rio Ave, has a “clear conscience,” “cannot be intimidated and will not back down.”
Piraeus mayor Moralis has also denied any involvement.

Topics: Greece Olympiacos Greek police

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Vieira takes over at struggling Genoa

Vieira takes over at struggling Genoa
Updated 20 November 2024
AFP
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Vieira takes over at struggling Genoa

Vieira takes over at struggling Genoa
  • “Genoa CFC announces that Patrick Vieira has been entrusted with the technical management of the first team,” the club said
  • The 48-year-old replaces Alberto Gilardino who was sacked on Tuesday
Updated 20 November 2024
AFP

ROME: Former France and Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira was named on Wednesday as the new coach of relegation-threatened Serie A club Genoa.
“Genoa CFC announces that Patrick Vieira has been entrusted with the technical management of the first team,” the club said in a statement.
“The new coach will direct the first training session this afternoon after the formalization of the contract at the Villa Rostan headquarters.”
The 48-year-old replaces Alberto Gilardino who was sacked on Tuesday with the club 17th in the table, just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Vieira, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, spent the bulk of his playing career with Arsenal driving them to three Premier League titles and two domestic doubles.
He later went on to play for Juventus and Inter Milan, where he won four Serie A titles, before closing his on-field career with Manchester City.
His management career has taken him to New York City, Nice, Crystal Palace and his last job at Strasbourg which he left “by mutual agreement” in July.

Topics: Patrick Vieira genoa Italian Serie A

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’Rare joy’ as war-hit Sudan reaches African football showpiece

’Rare joy’ as war-hit Sudan reaches African football showpiece
Updated 20 November 2024
AFP
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’Rare joy’ as war-hit Sudan reaches African football showpiece

’Rare joy’ as war-hit Sudan reaches African football showpiece
  • The feat, achieved at the expense of Ghana comes despite the team having to play all their matches abroad and the domestic league being suspended
  • The match marked Sudan’s 10th qualification for the continental tournament
Updated 20 November 2024
AFP

PORT SUDAN: Football fans in Sudan, a country torn apart by war, are savouring a rare moment of pride after the national team qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
The feat, achieved at the expense of Ghana, one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses, comes despite the team having to play all their matches abroad and the domestic league being suspended.
Streets of Port Sudan, where hundreds of thousands of displaced endure agonizing waits for water and health care, came alive after the match, with car horns blaring and ecstatic fans waving Sudanese flags from the windows.
The match marked Sudan’s 10th qualification for the continental tournament, offering a rare moment of happiness to a nation devastated by 19 months of war.
“Our joy after the game... could not truly reflect the emotions in our hearts,” one jubilant fan, Hassan Mohamed, told AFP.
In Port Sudan, the country’s de facto capital since last year, fans gathered in cafes Monday to watch the final group stage match against Angola, played in Benghazi, Libya.
Others followed the action on mobile phones, holding their breath in the final moments, an AFP correspondent reported.
Despite a goalless draw, Sudan secured the second qualifying spot for next year’s AFCON finals from a group that, besides Angola and Ghana, also included Niger.
As the referee’s whistle signalled the end of the game, chairs toppled over as fans jumped for joy.
Celebrations spilled into the streets of the Red Sea port city, where car horns echoed in triumph.
It was only the second time that Sudan, the champions in 1970, made it to the AFCON finals in the last seven editions.
Social media platforms lit up with images of the players, as Sudanese users hailed the team’s qualification as a “rare joy in dark times.”
“Their aim was to bring a smile back to the Sudanese people,” Khalid Omer Yousif, vice-chairman of the Sudanese Congress Party, wrote on X.
Speaking to AFP by phone, sports journalist Nasr Al-Din Al-Fadalabi called the achievement “an impossible smile in a time of sorrow.”
Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by a war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Tens of thousands have been killed and more than 11 million have been displaced, including over three million who fled the country.
Inside Sudan, displaced people face compounding humanitarian crises and the threat of famine, even in areas spared direct fighting.
The war has devastated the country’s infrastructure, crippled the health sector and shuttered most businesses.
Football has not escaped the turmoil.
With the domestic league suspended, Sudanese football has taken a new path.
Home games were relocated to South Sudan and Libya, and the national team trained in Saudi Arabia.
Players have signed contracts abroad, including goalkeeper Mohamed Mustafa in Tanzania.
Sudanese footballers in Libya benefit from local status, while others who played abroad are now in the national team.
Among them is Mohamed Eisa, a star forward who spent years in British leagues and now plays in Iran.
The war has also seeped into football.
In an October match against Ghana, team captain Ramadan Agab mimicked a victory gesture associated with army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, taunting his paramilitary rivals.
Burhan has praised the team in public statements and visits to the football federation.
For many Sudanese, this week’s qualification was a moment of pride and unity.
“Despite the divisions among some and despite so many obstacles... they (the players) have overcome every challenge,” said fan Akrama Ali Karamallah.
“I believe they will go even further, and as they say, nothing is impossible.”

Topics: Sudan Unrest Sudan africa cup of nations Ghana

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