Soccer-Al-Ittihad seal 10th Saudi Pro League title
(Reuters) - Al-Ittihad, captained by Karim Benzema, clinched the Saudi Pro League title with two matches to spare as they came from a goal down to beat Al-Raed 3-1 on Thursday.
The win moved Al-Ittihad to 77 points from 32 matches, nine points ahead of second-placed Al-Hilal.
A victory was all Al-Ittihad, coached by Laurent Blanc, needed to earn their 10th league title, and the first since 2023, but the already-relegated Al-Raed drew first blood as Omar Gonzalez gave the bottom team the lead from close range after nine minutes.
Al-Ittihad, however, fought back with Steven Bergwijn equalising 12 minutes later. A Danilo Pereira header gave them the lead shortly before halftime.
Two minutes into the second half, Abdulrahman Al-Oboud put the game out of Al-Raed's reach.
The Jeddah-based club still have a chance to win another trophy this season as they take on Al-Qadsiah in the King's Cup final on May 30.
(Editing by Christian Radnedge)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Tennis-Svitolina saves match points to beat Paolini and reach French Open quarters
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 1, 2025 Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in action during her fourth round match against Italy's Jasmine Paolini, as empty seats are seen in the stands REUTERS/Denis Balibouse PARIS (Reuters) -A determined Elina Svitolina battled from the brink of defeat to overcome last year's runner-up Jasmine Paolini 4-6 7-6(6) 6-1 and reach the French Open quarter-finals after a thoroughly entertaining battle on Sunday. Victory came the hard way for Svitolina, who saved three match points in the second set to force a decider. She raised her level from there to earn a last-eight encounter with either 12th seed Elena Rybakina or defending champion Iga Swiatek. "I still can't believe this match finished my way, my head is still in it, in a big battle," said 30-year-old Ukrainian Svitolina, who shed tears of joy after the win. "Jasmine was playing really well and it was really tough. In the end, I'm happy I could stay composed and fight till the very end. Here I am in the next round. "I had to be aggressive, stay focused on my gameplan and take small opportunities to win the second set. It was one or two points that decided it and I'm pleased I could win it. In the third set I played really well to close the match." Fourth-seeded Paolini twice swapped breaks with Svitolina before holding to love in the ninth game of the match and pouncing to claim the opening set with a scorching forehand winner in the next game. The diminutive Italian grabbed a 3-1 lead in the second set but 13th seed Svitolina did not let her challenge fade on Court Philippe Chatrier as she recovered two breaks and saved two match points to make it 5-5 before forcing a tiebreak. The 29-year-old Paolini responded bravely after going 4-1 down and wasted another match point as Svitolina went on to level the contest and pump her fists to loud cheers, before using the momentum to get her nose in front in the decider. Svitolina pulled away by winning four games in a row before her opponent got on the board and she promptly completed the victory with a searing backhand winner to reach the quarter-finals of Roland Garros for a fifth time. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Paris; Editing by Ken Ferris)
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Athletics-Kennedy becomes first Australian to crack 10 second barrier in 22 years
FILE PHOTO: Athletics - World Athletics Indoor Championships - Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park, Nanjing, China - March 22, 2025 Australia's Lachlan Kennedy celebrates on the podium with a silver medal after finishing second in the men's 60m final REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File photo (Reuters) -Lachlan Kennedy became the first Australian sprinter to legally break the 10-second barrier for the 100 metres in more than two decades when he won the sprint event at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on Saturday. Kennedy crossed the line in 9.98 seconds to join national record holder Patrick Johnson as the only Australian to have dipped under the 10-second mark and the first to do so in 22 years. "I was there to win today and bring it home, and I am super stoked to get the win and the time," Kennedy said. "It's so good. I can finally say I run 9! I haven't wanted to rush it or put the pressure on myself, I take every race as it comes and I knew it would come eventually." Kennedy had been locked in a battle with teenage rival Gout Gout to become the first Australian to break the 10-second barrier since Johnson set the national record of 9.93 seconds at the Mito International meet in Japan in 2003. Gout has run a wind-assisted sub-10-second 100 metres but Kennedy is the first of the pair to do so legally, having previously run 10 seconds flat in the heats of the Australian championships in Perth in April. "I'm getting better with every race," the 21-year-old told Australian Athletics. "It's an advantage to have a long season at home. I'm not getting tired, so I'm looking forward to seeing what I can achieve later in the year as we get closer to the World Championships." (Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Saad Sayeed)
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Bouanga's extra time strike takes LAFC into Club World Cup
May 31, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; LAFC forward Denis Bouanga (99) controls the ball against Club America midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo (8) in the second half during a playoff match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at BMO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images (Reuters) -Denis Bouanga scored an extra-time winner to lift Los Angeles FC to a 2-1 victory over Club America in a Club World Cup qualifying playoff match at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday. The winger, who had orchestrated much of LAFC's attacking output in the match, scored the winner in the 115th minute after unleashing a shot that took a wicked deflection on its way into the net. After a goalless first half, Mexico's Club America were awarded a penalty in the 62nd minute, when referee Wilton Sampaio went to the pitchside monitor and ruled that Mark Delgado had fouled Erick Sanchez. Substitute Brian Rodriguez, who made 64 appearances for LAFC between 2019 and 2022, stepped up to the spot and fired his effort past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. LAFC pressed hard for an equaliser and their pressure paid off when Igor Jesus headed home from a corner in the 89th minute to score his first goal for the club and take the match into extra time. The Major League Soccer side go into Group D alongside Brazil's Flamengo, Tunisian club Esperance de Tunis and Premier League side Chelsea. The playoff was held to decide the 32nd team in the Club World Cup after Club Leon were kicked out of the tournament in March due to an ownership rule breach. The Mexican club also had their appeal rejected at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The expanded 32-team Club World Cup runs from June 14 to July 13 in the United States with prize money of $1 billion at stake. (Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
