Chengdu, Al-Duhail secure progress in Asian Champions League Elite
Brazilian striker Felipe scored twice after Yang Ming-yang's header had given Chengdu a 68th minute lead to see off the Thai side, ensuring coach Seo Jung-won and his team will be included in Friday's draw for the league phase in Kuala Lumpur.
Yang met Romulo's corner to put Chengdu in front and Felipe doubled the lead three minutes later as he latched onto a ball over the top of the Bangkok United defence.
Felipe added the third with six minutes remaining at the end of another incisive counterattack.
Al-Duhail, meanwhile, came back from going behind to a third minute close-range strike by Amin Hazbavi to progress.
Ibrahima Bamba powered his header into the top corner in the 11th minute to level the scores and Adil Boulbina put his side in front 13 minutes later with a stunning strike past Seyed Hossein Hosseini.
Krzysztof Piatek hit Al-Duhail's third in the 33rd minute at the end of a rapid break and the Qatari side held on despite conceding in the 93rd minute, when Milan Zakipour netted from close range.
Twenty-four clubs will compete in the league phase of the Asian Champions League Elite when it returns in September, with the participants split evenly into western and eastern leagues.
The top eight finishers on each side of the confederation will advance to the knockout rounds with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final due to be played centrally in Saudi Arabia next April and May.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
a minute ago
- The Independent
Champions Liverpool start with a win but Antoine Semenyo incident mars opener
Liverpool's defence of their Premier League title got off to an unconvincing start but the late 4-2 victory was soured by alleged racist abuse directed at Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo. The winger responded brilliantly with both the Cherries' goals as they came from two down as Andoni Iraola's side exposed the same defensive weaknesses Crystal Palace did in Sunday's Community Shield victory. But forgotten man Federico Chiesa, Liverpool's solitary signing last summer who has barely featured and whose future looked to be elsewhere, volleyed home his first league goal in the 88th minute before Mohamed Salah scored for the eighth time in nine opening-day fixtures. But that did not diminish what was hugely-deserved credit for Semenyo, who did not allow the first-half incident to throw him off his game, as he gave former team-mate and Liverpool's new left-back Milos Kerkez a torrid time. Liverpool had announced the £23million signing of 18-year-old Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni before kick-off but it would be no surprise for this result to hasten the pursuit of Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi with Ibrahima Konate, in particular, looking particularly shaky. It had begun so well with another new signing Hugo Ekitike starting to pay back his £69million transfer fee with a first-half goal, having scored last weekend. But shortly afterwards referee Anthony Taylor halted play, calling Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and Iraola together with the fourth official Farai Hallam to tell them the Semenyo had reported a racist comment from a fan at the front of the Main Stand. It is also understood police visited the officials' dressing room at half-time. Within four minutes of the second half starting Cody Gakpo, via an Ekitike assist, doubled the lead but Liverpool were far from their best on a night when Anfield remembered former striker Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva after their deaths in a car crash last month. In the Kop there was a banner dedicated to Jota's family, who in the week Slot said he expected to be in attendance, which said 'Anfield will always be your home. You'll never walk alone', while Bournemouth fans brought their own which read 'Diogo Jota. 20 Together'. Perimeter hoardings read 'Rest in peace Diogo Jota and Andre Silva', and fans in the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand and the Kop held 'AS 30' and 'DJ 20′ mosaics during the minute's silence while Jota's song was sung at kick-off. Ekitike extended his own tribute by signalling a two and a zero – Jota's now-retired shirt number – with his fingers after his 37th minute goal. The France Under-21 international thought he had been denied by the season's first VAR controversy after just 14 minutes when Marcos Senesi appeared to flick the ball away on the halfway line but VAR ruled it was not a clear handball or the denial of a goalscoring opportunity. Ekitike then benefited from a more fortuitous touch off the defender, latching onto a mistake after his own miscontrol of Alexis Mac Allister's pass to run through and comfortably send Djordje Petrovic the wrong way. He then headed over before half-time but his assimilation into the role vacated by Jota and Darwin Nunez, sold to Al-Hilal, was evident as he laid on the return pass for Gakpo to glide past a couple of defenders and stroke past Petrovic. But when Slot replaced both full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, two of the four new signings making their debuts, Bournemouth clinically exploited the unfamiliarity of midfielder Wataru Endo playing at right-back. David Brooks raced down the left and Konate could not prevent him sending over a teasing, low cross which Semenyo cleverly finished. Slot made immediate changes, bringing on defender Joe Gomez despite just two days' training after three weeks out with injury, to allow Endo to move into midfield and club-record signing Florian Wirtz moving to a false nine for Ekitike. But when Salah, of all people, gave away possession on the edge of the opposition penalty area a fast four-on-two counter-attack saw Semenyo fire home, only for Chiesa, already a cult hero despite his lack of action, to be the saviour. Salah completed the scoring in added-time and was last to leave the pitch, with tears in his eyes, having stood applauding the Kop singing Jota's song.
The Sun
2 minutes ago
- The Sun
Liverpool 4 Bournemouth 2: Chiesa snatches dramatic winner after Semenyo double threatened to snatch draw in thriller
THE Premier League has seen a few extraordinary opening nights down the years but never one to compare with this. Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo - who had earlier reported a Liverpool fan for racial abuse - hammered a sensational second-half double as the champions blew a two-goal lead. 2 2 Yet Federico Chiesa's late volley rescued victory for Arne Slot's side - the Italian's first Premier League goal, a year after his arrival. Chiesa had arrived as a curious late sub for £100million debutant Florian Wirtz - yet ended up stealing the show. It had been a night when Liverpool paid poignant tribute to a fallen hero, Diogo Jota, and welcomed a new goalscoring star, Hugo Ekitike, but were shamed by one vile fan. The Premier League was back and all facets of human life were very much on display. Not least the skill and courage of Semenyo, who equalised with a dash from 70 yards out, a cute dummy of Ibrahima Kobate and the coolest of finishes. It exposed the defensive frailties of Slot's new-look Liverpool - with full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong hauled off after shaky displays when the Reds were 2-0 up through Ekitike and Cody Gakpo. Slot has spent north of £300million this summer and wants to splash out plenty more but his champions - who lost last Sunday's Community Shield to Crystal Palace - are looking vulnerable., Just six weeks after the tragic death of Jota, Anfield put on stirring tributes to the late Portuguese forward - promising his widow and children that 'Anfield will always be your home' before an immaculate minute's silence. But marring it all was the antics of one Liverpool supporter, who was reported for racial abuse by Semenyo, who seemed to cop an earful from a supporter in a wheelchair, as he prepared to take a long throw-in - the incident causing a delay in play. As Slot paraded four new signings, Bournemouth had last season's first-choice back four torn apart, with three of them heading off to some of Europe's grandest clubs - including Liverpool's Kerkez. The Cherries had played a major role in easing Liverpool's path to the title last season by doing the double over runners-up Arsenal. But they knew they had their work cut out due to the quality of the opposition and the emotion of the occasion. Iraola handed debuts to former Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic, as well as French defenders Bafode Diakite and Adrien Truffert. And the Cherries back line was soon under the pump, Ekitike sending a pass to Mo Salah, who cut inside Truffert and bent a shot which Petrovic pushed over the bar. Virgil Van Dijk then headed over from a Salah centre - before Semenyo skied one from six yards from Truffert's cross. The first major controversy of the season did not take long to arrive - Marco Senesi stretched out an arm and handled to deny Ekitike a clear run on goal from the halfway line but VAR did not advise ref Anthony Taylor to award a red card. There had only just been a rousing, signing tribute to Jota on 20 minutes, when Liverpool were shamed by one supporter abusing Semenyo as he wound up to take a long throw-in. Soon, the match was paused while Taylor explained to managers Slot and Andoni Iraola that Semenyo had reported that he'd been racially abused. The winger had just barged Wirtz off the ball firmly but fairly before he was hit with heavy challenges from Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister. Liverpool, who had looked defensively wobbly throughout pre-season, were still being unpicked down the flanks - and Marcus Tavernier soon scuffed a shot from an Adam Smith cut-back. The champions had been by no means convincing before they seized the line on 37 minutes. Collecting a Mac Allister pass, Ekitike ran at the Cherries defence and the ball ricocheted off Senesi before the Frenchman coolly slotted home, giving Petrovic the eyes and sending him the wrong way. Ekitike gestured a two and a zero in tribute to Jota then clasped his hands in prayer. Within a minute, the scorer headed over from a Gakpo centre. Gakpo gave Slot's side a two-goal cushion on 48 minutes, collecting a pass from Ekitike, passing three defenders and side-footed inside the far post. Mac Allister's long-ranger was tipped over by Petrovic but with both of Liverpool's new full-backs struggling defensively, Slot sent on Andy Robertson and Wataru Endo in place of Frimpong and Kerkez. It didn't work for the Reds boss as Bournemouth pulled one back, an artful low centre from David Brooks attacked by a darting Semenyo, whose shot evaded Allison. Suddenly, Liverpool were seriously under the pump, Bournemouth pinning them back before Joe Gomez arrived as Slot's third right-back of the night and Ekitike was withdrawn. Semenyo then pelted forward from well inside his own half to outfox Konate and fire the equaliser. But on a night which was dramatic and unpredictable, Chiesa proved the most dramatic and unpredictable of match-winners in Chiesa, before Salah sealed victory with a tenacious run and clinical winner in injury-time.
Telegraph
2 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Liverpool match halted after Antoine Semenyo complains of racism
Liverpool's opening match of the Premier League season was halted after Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo complained he had been racially abused by a spectator. The champions' game against Bournemouth was briefly stopped by referee Anthony Taylor when he was alerted to the alleged abuse. Minutes earlier, Semenyo had been involved in an exchange with a Liverpool fan in a wheelchair while preparing to take a throw-in, although it was unclear whether this was the matter complained of. After halting proceedings, Taylor approached the touchline to inform Liverpool manager Arne Slot and Bournemouth counterpart Andoni Iraola, as well as respective captains Virgil van Dijk and Adam Smith. Gary Neville, who was at the game for Sky Sports, branded the incident 'despicable'. 'That boy has been racially abused and goes over to a referee and complains about it,' he said. 'It is despicable. I cannot believe what would go through someone's mind. It has happened, it will keep on happening and it is a sorry state.' Fellow pundit Jamie Carragher added: 'Everyone was not sure what was going on. I mean the amount of campaigns we have, kick racism out and different things all across the world. It is shocking to see an incident like that. He was taking long throws on both sides. 'I see a fan that was presumably close to him at that stage. A shocking incident and rightly reported to the referee.' A Premier League statement read: 'Tonight's match between Liverpool Football Club and AFC Bournemouth was temporarily paused during the first half after a report of discriminatory abuse from the crowd, directed at Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo. This is in line with the Premier League's on-field anti-discrimination protocol. 'The incident at Anfield will now be fully investigated. We offer our full support to the player and both clubs. Racism has no place in our game, or anywhere in society. 'We will continue to work with stakeholders and authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.' Semenyo went on to score twice in the second half but could not prevent his side falling to a 4-2 defeat. The Anfield incident took place two days after Tottenham Hotspur summer signing Mathys Tel was racially abused following his miss in their Uefa Super Cup penalty-shoot-out defeat against Paris St-Germain. It also occurred just over a week after Telegraph Spo rt revealed Premier League players would stop taking the knee in the opening round of fixtures. They will now perform the controversial anti-racism gesture on only two occasions this season, to coincide with October's Black History Month. The decision was taken by club captains after England Women stopped taking the kne e following the racist abuse of defender Jess Carter at the European Championship last month.
