Soccer-The week in Asian football
May 12 - Talking points from the week in Asian football:
VICTORY DOWN WANDERERS TO SET UP AUCKLAND SEMI-FINAL
Melbourne Victory will play A-League Premiers Auckland FC in the last four of the end-of-season finals after they secured a 2-1 win over Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 on Saturday.
Zinedine Machach scored Victory's second goal three minutes before halftime to take the four-times champions into the next round, where they will face regular season table-toppers Auckland over two legs.
Western United also advanced after beating Adelaide United 3-2 on Friday and will play second-place finishers Melbourne City.
BENZEMA BRACE MOVES AL-ITTIHAD STEP CLOSER TO SAUDI TITLE
Karim Benzema scored twice as Al-Ittihad increased their Saudi Pro League lead to nine points on Sunday with a 3-0 win over Al-Fayha.
Defending champions Al-Hilal, who are second, will play Al-Orubah later on Monday under interim manager Mohammed Al-Shalhoub needing to win to keep their title hopes alive.
Al-Qadsiah moved up to third with a 1-0 win over Al-Taawoun as newly-crowned Asian champions Al-Ahli lost 3-1 to Al-Shabab to drop to fourth.
KASHIMA FIGHT BACK TO OPEN UP FOUR POINT J-LEAGUE LEAD
Kashima Antlers defeated Asian Champions League Elite finalists Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 on Sunday to maintain their four-point lead in Japan.
Asahi Sasaki gave Kawasaki a seventh-minute lead but goals from Yu Funabashi and Kyosuke Tagawa gave Kashima coach Toru Oniki a win over the club he led to four J-League titles.
Second-placed Kashiwa Reysol beat Fagiano Okayama 2-0 while Kyoto Sanga, in third, were held 1-1 by Nagoya Grampus.
JEONBUK CLOSE IN ON K LEAGUE LEADERS DAEJEON
Daejeon Citizen's lead in South Korea was reduced to three points after they were held 0-0 by FC Seoul on Saturday while second-placed Jeonbuk Motors handed Gwangju FC a 1-0 defeat.
Gus Poyet's Jeonbuk, who have played one game fewer than Daejeon, moved up to second with their win on Sunday, which came courtesy of a Jeon Jin-woo goal in the 40th minute.
Defending champions Ulsan HD are third after their 2-1 win over Jeju United.
MINERO DOUBLE MAINTAINS SHANGHAI SHENHUA'S CSL ADVANTAGE
Saulo Minero scored twice as Shanghai Shenhua maintained their hold on top spot in the Chinese Super League with a 4-0 win over Qingdao West Coast on Saturday.
Liu Chengyu gave Shenhua a sixth-minute lead before a brace from Minero and a fourth by Yang Haoyu sealed a win that keeps them level on 29 points with Chengdu Rongcheng, who cruised to a 4-0 win over Meizhou Hakka.
Shenhua are top on goals scored.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Akash and Nita Ambani worried as heavy rainfall in Ahmedabad interrupts PBKS vs MI Qualifier 2 match; here's why
Not once, but twice, did the start of the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians witness a delay due to rain in Ahmedabad. The sight left MI owners Akash and Nita Ambani visibly worried. Although Ahmedabad received ample rainfall in the lead-up to the playoffs match, which did spark concerns about having a full game at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the forecast showed dry and favourable conditions. However, the start of the match faced two interruptions, right after Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bowl first, keeping the overhead conditions in mind. As the players got ready to come onto the field, with visuals of Mumbai No. 3 Tilak Varma doing shadow batting practice in the dugout, the camera caught the groundsmen running to cover the pitch. A slight drizzle had left them to act promptly, but the covers came off immediately. The Punjab Kings players then walked out amid the pyro techniques, before Iyer was seen running towards the boundary ropes as heavy rainfall started in Ahmedabad. As the remaining players returned to their respective dugouts, Akash and Nita were left concerned, as a washed-out game could end Mumbai's campaign on Sunday. With no reserve day assigned for the Qualifier 2 tie, a washout in Ahmedabad would send Punjab Kings into the final as they finished higher up in the points table at the end of the league stage. The Iyer-led side had ended up as the table-toppers, while Mumbai finished fourth. "If conditions do not permit a Super Over, or subsequent Super Overs within the time available to determine the winner then the team which, at the end of the relevant regular Season, finished in the higher position in the League will be deemed the winner of the relevant play-off match," clarify the IPL's Playing Conditions notice for the 2025 edition of the tournament. Punjab would then face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Ahmedabad on Tuesday's final.
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Soccer-Popovic wants win over 'best team in Asia' in quest for World Cup berth
June 1 - Australia coach Tony Popovic is eyeing victory over Japan on Thursday to not only boost his side's World Cup qualification hopes but further improve the Socceroos' prospects of becoming the strongest team in the Asian confederation. The Australians face Hajime Moriyasu's much-changed squad in Perth knowing a win would take them to the verge of securing a ticket for next year's 48-team finals in North America as runners-up in Group C behind the already-qualified Japanese. "A win is something that we're pushing towards," said Popovic, who led his team to a 1-1 draw when the sides last met in October. "We feel confident we can show an improved performance from what we did in Japan, albeit that was a very good one. "We'll have to be at our best to beat the best team in Asia. That's where we want to get to and to be the best we have to beat the best and they clearly are." The Japanese confirmed their ticket for the finals in March and, as a result, head coach Moriyasu has named a squad featuring eight uncapped players for the trip to Perth. While Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo and Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo have been included in the 27-player line, the Japanese are missing key players such as Kaoru Mitoma, Hidemasa Morita and Ayase Ueda. Australia go into the game in second place in the group, three points ahead of Saudi Arabia with two games remaining, although Popovic will be without goal-scoring midfielder Jackson Irvine, who is sidelined after foot surgery. "It's not their best squad, I wonder what that will look like because when we played them in Japan they had their starting 11 all playing in Europe," Popovic said. "We can see that they have a mixture of J-League players and European based players in their squad. We haven't beaten them often and I'm sure they'll be strong regardless of who they play."
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
India's strong run at Asian Athletics Championships: 24 medals, 8 golds, second place
The Women's 4X100 relay team bagged silver at the Asian Athletics Championships (Image via ANI) India wrapped up a memorable campaign at the Asian Athletics Championships, securing overall second place with a total of 24 medals in Gumi, South Korea on Saturday. Promising javelin thrower Sachin Yadav , steeplechaser Parul Chaudhary and the women's 4x100m relay team provided a 'silver' lining with strong performances on the final day of the continental meet. However, what would have pleased those following Indian athletics most on Saturday, was the sprint medal won by 21-year-old Animesh Kujur. Considered to be India's fastest man, Kujur ran a sensational race to break his own national record of 20.40s to take the bronze medal in the men's 200m event. He clocked an impressive 20.32s. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Pooja also made it to the podium in the women's 800m final, registering a personal best timing of 2:01.89s. Asian Games medallist Vithya Ramraj claimed the third spot in the women's 400m hurdles. India finished with eight gold, 10 silver and six bronze medals. China led the medal standings with a total of 32 medals, including 19 gold. India bettered its gold tally, moving up from six at the previous edition in 2023 and was one gold behind its best-ever – nine gold medals in the 2017 edition. Animesh creates history Kujur became only the second Indian man to win a 200m medal at the continental level. Dharambir Singh had won India's first medal in men's 200m, a bronze (20.45s) at the 2015 Asian championships. 'I'll always cherish this medal. To win even a bronze at the Asian level is huge, so I am very happy. Good curve running enabled me to earn a medal,' Kujur said. Japan's Towa Uzawa claimed the gold (20.12s) and Saudi Arabia's Abdulaziz Abdul Atafi took silver (20.31s). IPL 2025 Winner Prediction: What Greenstone Lobo's Astrology says Martin Owens, Kujur's coach at Odisha Reliance Foundation, had said on Friday that he just wanted his ward 'to step off that track with no regrets'. There was just immense happiness at the end of it all. And it just the beginning for this young sprinter. Sachin shines on debut With his massive frame, standing at 6' 5', Uttar Pradesh's Sachin Yadav made an impressive senior debut at the international level, winning a sensational silver with a personal best throw of 85.16m in the men's javelin throw final. Hailing from Khekra village in Baghpat, Sachin had a previous PB of 84.39m. As expected, reigning Olympic champion, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem won gold with a best effort of 86.40m. Nadeem had won gold at the Paris Games last year with an Olympic record of 92.97m. Another Indian in the fray, Yashvir Singh, impressed with a personal best throw of 82.57m to finish fifth. 'I wasn't worried about competing against a big name like Nadeem. I was looking to achieve my personal best and throw the spear as far as possible. The conditions were tricky, and the wind factor played its part. Poll Which athlete's performance impressed you the most at the Asian Athletics Championships? Animesh Kujur Sachin Yadav Parul Chaudhary Women's 4x100m relay team 'I missed vital training sessions due to ankle and shoulder niggles which hampered my preparation for the meet,' Sachin later said. Back-to-back silver for Parul In the women's 5,000m, Parul Chaudhary won a silver in a national record timing of 15:15.33s. She had previously finished second in the 3,000m steeplechase. In the final, Parul was slow off the blocks and lay third at the end of the first lap. She picked up the pace to surge past her rivals and then overtook Japan's eventual bronze medallist Yuma Yamamoto (15:16.86s) in the final lap to finish on a strong note. Kazakhstan's Norah Jeruto Tanui claimed gold (14:58.71s). Women's 4x100m relay team on podium The Indian quartet of Srabani Nanda, Abhinaya Rajarajan, Sneha SS and Nithya Gandhe started off strongly in the third lane, closer to the inside track. India always looked in contention for a medal finish, though China proved a tough competitor. The team clocked 43.86 behind China, who completed the relay in 43.28. Thailand settled for bronze in 44.26. Pooja, Vithya settle for bronze In the women's 800m final, Pooja claimed bronze with a personal best timing of 2:01.89s. She ran the race in lane five. Her teammate, Twinkle Chaudhary – in lane seven – challenged her teammate for the third-place finish but had to contend with a fourth position. In the women's 400m hurdles, Vithya Ramraj clocked 56.46s to finish with a bronze, behind China's Mo Jiadie, who clinched gold in 55.31s, edging out Bahrain's Oluwakemi Adekoya.
