Ahly, Esperance book CAF Champions League final places

Ahly's Egyptian defender #08 Akram Tawfik shoots to score his team's third goal during the second leg of the CAF Champions League football match between Egypt's Al-Ahly and Congo's TP Mazembe at at the Cairo International Stadium in Cairo on April 26, 2024. (AFP)

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Updated 27 April 2024

April 27, 2024 06:20

Ahly, Esperance book CAF Champions League final places

Ahly are seeking a record-extending 12th victory in the premier African club competition
Both clubs have booked final places after 11 clean sheets in 12 qualifying, group and knockout matches

Updated 27 April 2024

April 27, 2024 06:20

JOHANNESBURG: Title-holders Al Ahly of Egypt and long-time rivals Esperance of Tunisia will meet in the two-leg CAF Champions League final during May.

Ahly overpowered TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0 in Cairo to win a semifinal by the same score on aggregate after a goalless first leg last Saturday.

Esperance soaked up constant pressure from Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in Pretoria before snatching a 1-0 win to advance 2-0 overall after also winning 1-0 at home.

Mohamed Abdelmonem, Wessam Abou Ali and Akram Tawfik scored in the second half for Ahly, who are seeking a record-extending 12th victory in the premier African club competition.

Raed Bouchniba came off the bench to score 12 minutes into the second half against Sundowns in a match that lasted 190 minutes after a storm halted play midway through the opening half.

It will be the third time Ahly and Esperance face each other in the final of the Champions League with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians succeeding in 2018.

They also clashed in the semifinals last season with Ahly winning home and away for a 4-0 aggregate triumph.

Both clubs have booked final places after 11 clean sheets in 12 qualifying, group and knockout matches.

Esperance, seeking a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on the outskirts of Tunis on May 18 with the return match in Cairo seven days later.

Sundowns had their chances against Esperance with Peter Shalulile and Aubrey Modiba hitting the woodwork and Namibia captain Shalulile coming close several times.

But the first time Esperance threatened to score they did so as a counterattack ended with Bouchniba racing into the area and firing across goalkeeper Ronwen Williams into the far corner.

Since their lone Champions League title in 2016, Sundowns have reached the semifinals three times and lost on each occasion to north African opponents.

In Cairo, Joel Beya had a goal for Mazembe early in the second half disallowed before a powerful header from Abdelmonem off a corner broke the deadlock on 68 minutes.

A superb cross from veteran Tunisia defender Ali Maaloul was fired into the net by Abou Ali on 83 minutes for his first goal of the African campaign.

Tawfik struck 12 minutes into added time by racing through and slamming the ball across Senegalese goalkeeper Alioune Faty into the far corner.

Gabbia ends AC Milan’s derby pain with late winner against Inter

Updated 23 September 2024

AFP

September 23, 2024 04:25

Gabbia ends AC Milan’s derby pain with late winner against Inter

Milan’s win snapped Inter’s run of consecutive derby victories at six and stopped their rivals from taking top spot in Serie A on goal difference ahead of surprise early league leaders Torino
Goals from Artem Dovbyk, Paulo Dybala and Tommaso Baldanzi gave Roma their first win of the season against Udinese

Updated 23 September 2024

AFP

September 23, 2024 04:25

MILAN: Matteo Gabbia fired AC Milan to a stunning late derby win over Inter Milan on Sunday with a bullet header which earned his team a 2-1 win and local bragging rights, while Roma thumped Udinese 3-0 as fans protested the shock sacking of Daniele De Rossi.

Defender Gabbia rose highest to thump home Tijjani Reijnders’ free-kick in the 89th minute and give Milan a Serie A win which pulls them out of a miserable early season slump.

Paulo Fonseca’s side join Inter on eight points in seventh place thanks to Gabbia’s late winner, which came after Federico Dimarco had levelled Christian Pulisic’s brilliant 10th-minute individual effort just before the half-hour mark.

“They played with a lot of courage today and I think we deserved to win, I can’t remember another team that have created so many problems for Inter like we did today,” said Fonseca to DAZN.

Milan’s win snapped Inter’s run of consecutive derby victories at six and stopped their rivals from taking top spot in Serie A on goal difference ahead of surprise early league leaders Torino.

They will have renewed belief after a difficult start to the campaign, with the pressure relieved on new coach Fonseca whose team were worthy winners.

“They were the better team tonight, we didn’t play as a team and that’s not something you can usually say about us,” said Inzaghi.

Milan were booed off the field after being thumped by Liverpool on Tuesday but fans were fully back on their side after a strong display as the nominal away side at a pulsating San Siro.

They deserved to win after creating the best chances to win the match in the second half and were nearly denied the three points by a fine performance from Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

The Swiss pulled off a sensational save to stop Rafael Leao heading Milan ahead seconds after the restart before diving low to keep out Reijnders 20 minutes later.

Leao again cursed his luck in the 75th minute when at the end of a rapid counter-attack Sommer kept out his close range finish, and seconds later Tammy Abraham flashed a great chance just wide.

But Gabbia sparked a wild party among the Milan fans who could finally celebrate ending their derby hoodoo in the most dramatic fashion.

“It was pretty difficult when things weren’t going well, but this win will really help push us forward,” said Milan youth product Gabbia to DAZN.

“There are always tough moments in life, all we can do is not have regrets at the final whistle and that’s what happened today.”

Goals from Artem Dovbyk, Paulo Dybala and Tommaso Baldanzi gave Roma their first win of the season against Udinese who had been surprise leaders before this weekend but drop down to third, a point behind Torino.

But the match was a sideshow due to the vociferous protests at De Rossi’s dismissal on Wednesday which will continue unless new coach Ivan Juric can ensure continue with the sort of display which moved Roma up to 10th on six points.

“The boys were very sad about Daniele being fired, they were very honest about it and I appreciated that,” said Juric after the match.

Supporters hurled abuse at the team from the stands while the entire Curva Sud section of the Olimpico, where the hardcore supporters stand, was empty for the first half an hour of the match.

By the time those fans started pouring into the stadium Roma were ahead thanks to Dovbyk’s goal, but that didn’t stop loud chants of De Rossi’s name ringing around the stadium.

The anger at De Rossi being fired has been such that CEO Lina Souloukou, who resigned on Saturday morning, had been placed under police protection after online threats made against her and family.

Earlier, Albert Gudmundsson netted a brace of penalties on his Fiorentina debut to fire his new team to their first win of the campaign, 2-1 against Lazio.

Topics: Serie A AC Milan Inter Milan Matteo Gabbia

Marseille stun Lyon with 95th-minute winner after early red card

Updated 23 September 2024

AFP

September 23, 2024 03:45

Marseille stun Lyon with 95th-minute winner after early red card

The match lived up to its feisty billing as one of France’s most intense rivalries with Marseille’s Leonardo Balerdi picking up a yellow card inside 30 seconds
Monaco saw off a battling Le Havre 3-1 to preserve their unbeaten record

Updated 23 September 2024

AFP

September 23, 2024 03:45

LYON: Marseille came from behind to beat Lyon 3-2 away from home after being reduced to 10 men early in the match on Sunday courtesy of a 95th-minute winner by Jonathan Rowe.

The result sent Roberto De Zerbi’s resurgent side second in Ligue 1, level on 13 points with Paris Saint-Germain but with an inferior goal difference.

Ex-Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car opened the scoring for Lyon in a chaotic ‘Olympico’ derby, marked by late goals and an early red card.

Pol Lirola levelled for Marseille, before Ulisses Garcia sent them ahead with under 10 minutes remaining.

Rayan Cherki looked to have claimed a point for Lyon in the third minute of added time only for Rowe to piledrive a winner for Marseille from the edge of the box two minutes later.

The match lived up to its feisty billing as one of France’s most intense rivalries with Marseille’s Leonardo Balerdi picking up a yellow card inside 30 seconds for a heavy challenge on Corentin Tolisso.

The Marseille captain then got his marching orders inside five minutes for a second bookable offense when he hauled down Alexandre Lacazette.

“He made a mistake and he knows it,” said De Zerbi. “But we dedicate this victory to him and he remains our captain.

“In this squad, when someone is in difficulty, we don’t abandon him.”

A man to the good, Lyon dominated but failed to translate this onto the scoresheet.

First-half controversy then continued when deep in added time, Lyon were awarded a penalty for handball after a lengthy VAR review.

Lacazette’s effort from 12 yards was repelled by Geronimo Rulli and the Lyon captain, under intense pressure from the following-in defense, could only blaze the rebound well over the crossbar.

Caleta-Car powered in a 53-minute header following excellent work by Clinton Mata to win the ball and put in a pinpoint cross on the right flank.

But Marseille, despite having subbed off attackers Amine Harit and Elye Wahi, hit back through substitute defender Lirola in the 69th minute when he calmly lifted a one-on-one finish over Lucas Perri.

The shock turnaround continued in the 82nd minute when another replacement defender in Garcia strode onto Lirola’s cross and bounced a first-time finish over the goalkeeper and into the far corner.

The drama was not finished, however, as Cherki bundled in a cross at the near post to seemingly ensure Pierre Sage’s side would share the spoils.

Rowe then stole the show for Marseille as he drove forward from the left wing, beat two defenders and thrashed the ball across Perri and inside the far post.

Monaco saw off a battling Le Havre 3-1 to preserve their unbeaten record.

The Principality side backed up their impressive midweek victory in the Champions League against Barcelona by winning their fourth game in five league outings this term.

Strikes in quick succession midway through the second half by Eliesse Ben Seghir and Folarin Balogun ensured Monaco claimed all three points, after Le Havre’s Daler Kuzyaev had canceled out Jordan Teze’s early opener.

“I’m very pleased with the win, even if it wasn’t the best game of the season,” said Monaco coach Adi Huetter.

Dutch right-back Teze gave the home side the lead inside 10 minutes, before Kuzyaev got the equalizer with an outside-of-the-foot finish that crept into the far corner.

Rested after his exploits midweek, rising star Ben Seghir restored Monaco’s lead with a moment of individual inspiration in the 66th minute.

Receiving the ball 25 yards from goal, he advanced on the packed defense and shaped the ball beyond the goalkeeper with his right foot from 25 yards.

Balogun wrapped up the points four minutes later when he swept home from George Ilenikhena’s pass.

Topics: Ligue 1 Marseille Lyon

Enugu loss ends Nigerian CAF Champions League challenge

Updated 23 September 2024

AFP

September 23, 2024 02:34

Enugu loss ends Nigerian CAF Champions League challenge

Enugu trailed 2-0 during the first half in Luanda against rivals playing 850 kilometers (530 miles) from their Dundo base because the ground there does not meet international standards

Updated 23 September 2024

AFP

September 23, 2024 02:34

JOHANNESBURG: Enugu Rangers were eliminated from the CAF Champions League after losing 3-1 away to Angolan club Sagrada Esperanca on Sunday, leaving Nigeria with no representative in the group stage.
Rangers went out 3-2 on aggregate after building a one-goal lead in the first leg of the second round qualifier last weekend.
The Nigerians have competed in the Champions League four times and never made it to the mini-league phase, where prize money kicks in with $800,000 (715,000 euros) for qualifiers this season.
Enugu trailed 2-0 during the first half in Luanda against rivals playing 850 kilometers (530 miles) from their Dundo base because the ground there does not meet international standards.
Anayor Ogbonna then netted before half-time for Rangers, bringing the clubs level on aggregate at 2-2, but edging Enugu ahead on away goals.
Jaime Pimpao scored the only goal of the second half on 67 minutes to put Sagrada two goals ahead again in the second leg, and they retained that advantage to seal the fate of Enugu.
The other Nigerian qualifiers for the premier African club competition this season, Remo Stars, lost to Moroccan side FAR Rabat in the first round last month.
Sagrada reached the group stage once in three previous appearances and their qualification comes after the surprise failure of fellow Angolans Petro Luanda to be among the 16 survivors.
Petro were held 0-0 at home by Maniema Union from the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday and lost 2-1 on aggregate.
Malian club Djoliba created history after winning 1-0 away to Togolese outfit ASKO Kara in Lome and progressing 2-0 on aggregate.
At the 12th attempt, the Bamako team became the first club from the west African nation to reach the group phase of the Champions League.
Former champions Stade Abidjan of the Ivory Coast, back in the competition after a 54-year absence, FAR Rabat and Al Hilal of Sudan also qualified on Sunday.

Topics: CAF Champions League Enugu Rangers Sagrada Esperanca

Barca rout Villarreal but Ter Stegen hurt, Atletico draw at Rayo

Updated 23 September 2024

AFP

September 23, 2024 02:04

Barca rout Villarreal but Ter Stegen hurt, Atletico draw at Rayo

Flick gave Eric Garcia another start in defensive midfield despite his early red card against Monaco in the Champions League midweek defeat

Updated 23 September 2024

AFP

September 23, 2024 02:04

BARCELONA: Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha struck twice each as La Liga leaders Barcelona romped to a 5-1 win at Villarreal on Sunday but were left fearing a “huge” knee injury to goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Atletico Madrid, fourth, were held to a 1-1 draw at city rivals Rayo Vallecano as Conor Gallagher netted his second goal for the Rojiblancos.
Barcelona’s sixth league triumph in six games was marred by Ter Stegen being taken off on a stretcher after falling awkwardly having collected a cross, with early reports suggesting he could miss the rest of the season.
“I think it will be a huge injury, when he laid down on the field... you can see it directly,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick told DAZN.
Lewandowski netted Barcelona’s first two goals and later missed a penalty in a thoroughly entertaining battle on Spain’s east coast at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica.
Ayoze Perez pulled his team back into the game shortly before half-time and the previously unbeaten hosts had two goals disallowed, with Pablo Torre and Raphinha’s strikes cementing Barcelona’s victory.
After second-placed Real Madrid thrashed Espanyol 4-1 on Saturday the Catalans were able to restore a four-point lead on the champions.
“It’s very important for us that we played a game away from home, we scored five goals and in the end we have three points,” said Lewandowski.
“In the end it doesn’t matter how, as long as we win that’s perfect.”
Flick gave Eric Garcia another start in defensive midfield despite his early red card against Monaco in the Champions League midweek defeat.
The German coach also started reserve team players Gerard Martin and Sergi Dominguez, as well as playmaker Torre in place of the injured Dani Olmo.
Teenage star Lamine Yamal hit the post early on before Lewandowski slotted home in the 20th minute after Torre slipped him in.
Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Conde did well to keep out a bundled effort from the Polish striker but Lewandowski pounced after 35 minutes for his second.
Conde saved Garcia’s header well but the former Bayern Munich hitman converted the rebound with an acrobatic finish from close range.
It was his sixth La Liga goal of the season, taking him two clear of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe in Spain’s golden boot race.
Villarreal were frequently threatening on the counter and Perez gave them a lifeline after the electric Nicolas Pepe set him up.
Ter Stegen thwarted Pepe with a sensational save one-on-one before half-time but the German Barca captain was soon stricken as he fell badly after catching a corner before the break and was replaced by Inaki Pena.
Pepe finished brilliantly early in the second half but his effort was disallowed for a marginal offside call, and Yeremy Pino hit the bar with a header as Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side drove Barcelona back.
Torre extended Barca’s lead with a deflected strike from the edge of the box, a killer blow given Villarreal’s momentum.
Lewandowski hit the post from the spot after Eric Bailly scythed down Yamal and Villarreal’s Thierno Barry had a goal ruled out for offside.
Raphinha ended any hopes of a home comeback, first with a deflected shot and then finishing after a superb Yamal pass left him with just Conde to beat.
“(Ter Stegen) is a very special and important person in the dressing room, this victory is 100 percent for him,” Raphinha told DAZN.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois wrote Ter Stegen a message on social media platform X.
“It hurt me a lot to see you leave the pitch like that,” wrote the Belgian stopper.
“I hope you can recover soon and we see you again in goal.”
In a Madrid derby clash Diego Simeone’s unbeaten Atletico could not find a way past Rayo Vallecano.
Rayo’s Isi Palazon slammed home from close range after 35 minutes and the goal was eventually given after initially being ruled offside.
However Gallagher finished neatly from the edge of the box early in the second half when Alexander Sorloth fed the England international.
“(At half-time Simeone) told us we all had to run, these days anyone who is not running here cannot play,” Atletico captain Koke told Movistar.
“We had chances to get the winner but it wasn’t to be.”
Athletic Bilbao overtook Atletico to move into third with a 3-1 win against Celta Vigo.

Topics: La Liga Barca villarreal

Al-Hilal stroll past Al-Ittihad in top of the table Clasico clash

Updated 22 September 2024

John Duerden

September 21, 2024 23:45

Al-Hilal stroll past Al-Ittihad in top of the table Clasico clash

Updated 22 September 2024

John Duerden

September 21, 2024 23:45

Al-Hilal defeated Al-Ittihad 3-1 in the Saudi Clasico on Saturday to make it four wins from four and move three points clear above the visitors at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings.

It was all too easy for the defending champions as they were three goals up by the end of the first half, in what was an ominous performance for the rest of the league. Red-hot striker Aleksandar Mitrovic scored goals seven and eight this season before Salem Al-Dawsari put it beyond the Jeddah team with an exquisite strike.

While Al-Hilal had won all of their last seven games against Al-Ittihad in all competitions, such a comfortable victory was not expected, as this was not only the first Saudi Clasico of the season, but also a highly anticipated meeting between a top two in great form. With Ettifaq losing 3-0 to Al-Nassr on Friday, the two teams were the only ones left with maximum points, and something had to give in the capital. Before Saturday, Al-Ittihad had been looking very good, indeed, and had enjoyed plenty of rest. But it was not enough.

Al-Hilal, who went to Qatar midweek to defeat Al-Rayyan in the first game of the AFC Champions League Elite, made the early running, roared on by their fans. In just the third minute they were ahead. Ruben Neves floated over a perfect cross from the right and there was Mitrovic at the far post to send a perfect header into the net. The former Fulham forward has been on fire this season.

It was not the start that Al-Ittihad wanted but it got worse 10 minutes later. Brazilian fullback Renan Lodi went over in the area, the referee pointed to the spot and Mitrovic fired home goal number eight of the season. The task for Al-Ittihad became even harder eight minutes before the break but even the impressive number of away fans in Riyadh must have appreciated the third goal.

Al-Dawsari advanced down the left, entered the area and then flicked the ball over Predrag Rajkovic in beautiful fashion. It was a goal from a player at the top of his game playing for a team that simply does not lose. Al-Hilal have won 19 league titles and do not give up three-goal leads. From that impudent strike, it was just a question as to what the scoreline would be.

At halftime, Laurent Blanc had much to do, but the Frenchman is not the first Ittihad boss to struggle against Al-Hilal. Ittihad’s record against their blue rivals has become a real concern. In 24 clashes since 2016, the Tigers had won just one and lost 18. All players present for Ittihad on Saturday knew that winning would be a huge statement to the rest of the league and, indeed, to themselves and their fans. Now the number is 19 losses.

The second half was not quite as dramatic as the first. Al-Dawsari headed over from a good position but Hilal did not seem to be too concerned about getting a fourth.

It was Al-Ittihad who scored next even if it was too little, too late, as it came four minutes from the end. Moussa Diaby, who recorded four assists last week, broke free down the middle and squared the ball left to Karim Benzema, who side-footed the ball into the net for his fifth goal of the season so far. The Frenchman scored once more deep into injury time but it was ruled out by the referee.

In the end, it was a straightforward victory for the Riyadh giants, though the biggest positive for Al-Ittihad and the rest of the league is that there is still much more — and plenty of excitement — to come.

Topics: Al-Hilal

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Ahly, Esperance book CAF Champions League final places

Ahly, Esperance book CAF Champions League final places

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