Wijnaldum ensures Eastern derby ends all square
RIYADH: The Eastern derby ended 1-1 on Saturday as Al-Qadsiah were held by Ettifaq in what was a blow to their chances of a top-three finish, and a place in next season's AFC Champions League.
Newly promoted Al-Qadsiah took the lead, had the best of the possession, chances and the game in general, but could not get the all-important second goal to kill the contest off, and Wijnaldum ensured that they paid the price in the second half.
Al-Qadsiah remain fourth on the Saudi Pro League table, two points behind Al-Nassr and five behind second-placed Al-Hilal.
Mo gets off the mark #AlQadsiahAlEttifaq | #RoshnSaudiLeague pic.twitter.com/5BsAMDRRaJ
— AlQadsiah Saudi Club (@AlQadsiahEN) April 5, 2025
Going into the game, the hosts were on a high after booking their first-ever place in the final of the King's Cup on Wednesday, and all was looking good at the break as they took the lead.
Mohammed Qasem picked up the ball on the left, near the Ettifaq area, and curled a cross into the six-yard box. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tried to get a head on it and did enough to distract goalkeeper Marek Rodak, who could not gather the ball. Instead, it bounced out to Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, who reacted quickly to fire home from close range.
Ettifaq have been in good form, however, since the departure of Steven Gerrard as head coach in late January. Under Saad Al-Shehri, the replacement for the Liverpool legend, the Greens had taken 16 points from their last previous eight games to move up to seventh in the table, though the last match was a defeat against struggling Al-Fayha.
They were always in the game and then, three minutes after the hour, grabbed the equalizer. It came from a similar position on the pitch as Qadsiah's opener. Vitinho curled a free kick into the area for a number of white shirts to attack the ball and Wijnaldum got there first, heading past goalkeeper Koen Casteels.
It was the 11th league goal of the season for the former Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, an impressive return.
Both teams pushed forward in an attempt to take all three points, but in the end, they had to settle for one each.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
4 days ago
- Leaders
Inzaghi named Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal coach after Inter Milan exit
Simone Inzaghi was appointed head coach of Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal, a day after leaving Inter Milan and less than two weeks before the club's opening match at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 49-year-old Italian signed a two-year contract reportedly worth more than 20 million euros ($23 million) per season. 'The Italian genius is here,' Al-Hilal said in a post on social media. Inzaghi's move comes days after Inter were thrashed 5-0 by Paris St Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday — the heaviest defeat in a major European final in the competition's 70-year history. He led Inter to the Serie A title last season and was in charge when they lost the 2023 Champions League final to Manchester City. Inzaghi spent four years at the Milan club. Al-Hilal face Real Madrid in their Club World Cup opener on June 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Short link : Post Views: 13 Related Stories
Arab News
4 days ago
- Arab News
UAE's ‘giant-killing' of Bangladesh not as unlikely as some might think
'Giant-killing' in sport is often associated with cup competitions in soccer, when a team from a lower division beats one placed in a higher division. A recent example was when Plymouth Argyle, near the foot of the Championship — effectively, the second tier of English football — beat the leaders of the Premier League, Liverpool, in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Feb. 9, 2025. There have been many other legendary examples of giant-killing in soccer. Use of the term to describe similar feats in other sports does not appear to be commonplace. Perhaps it reflects the different structure of other sports. At its apex, cricket is not structured by divisions. Only 12 teams play Test cricket against each other. In one-day international cricket (ODIs) and T20 international cricket, the International Cricket Council rates teams according to performance. The Test-playing teams occupy the highest-rated positions in the shorter formats by virtue of their greater strength. Outside of World Cup tournaments they rarely play teams rated in the 20 places below them. Therefore, the opportunities for giant-killing would appear to be restricted. This is not to say that upsets and surprises do not happen. They are part of the natural rhythm of sport. Identifying when they may happen is a challenging task. In Liverpool's case, the manager selected a team consisting of a number of players who were not normally first choice for league matches. Last week I referred to Zimbabwe's defeat of Australia in the group stage of the 1983 World Cup at Nottingham. Two members of the Zimbabwean team met several of the Australian team the evening before the match at the hotel where both teams were staying. The Zimbabweans were surprised to learn of the level of disharmony within the Australian camp and the openness with which it was revealed. This revelation gave them hope and confidence, but it was not until the closing stages of the match that they realised a shock win was possible against an aging Australian team. The part-time players of Zimbabwe triumphed by 13 runs. Afterwards, the Australian captain admitted that 'We knew nothing about them at all. There was no video analysis. We said, 'We'll find out what they're like when we get out there on the park'.' A vastly different environment exists today in which technical analysis of players' performances in different circumstances are forensically assessed, with plans drawn up to promote, expose and counter them. It is not clear if these have led to upsets of smaller nations beating more powerful ones. At first sight, the UAE men's team beating Bangladesh in a three-match T20 series between May 17 and 21 might appear to be an upset. On closer examination, this would be a disservice to the UAE in this format. Prior to the series, Bangladesh were rated ninth in the ICC T20 rankings, compared with 15th for the UAE. The ratings are the result of dividing the total number of points earned by the number of games played. Bangladesh had a rating of 225 prior to the series compared with 181 for the UAE. Although there were only six places separating Bangladesh and the UAE, the reality is that, given the points system of two points for a win and minus two points for a loss, it would take a significant time for the UAE and teams with similar ratings to bridge the gap. This puts the UAE's series win into greater perspective. Bangladesh won the first match by 27 runs, the UAE losing its last seven wickets for 33 runs. In the second match, Bangladesh posted 205 for 5 wickets which the UAE chased down with only one delivery remaining for the loss of eight wickets. Muhammad Waseem top scored with 82. The crucial difference in that match was that the UAE's lower order did not collapse. In the third match, the UAE chased down 163 for the loss of only three wickets, with five deliveries remaining. Alishan Sharafu scored an undefeated 68, assisted by 41 not out from Asif Khan. Earlier, Haider Ali had claimed three wickets for only seven runs. After the series, Litton Das, Bangladesh's captain, noted that his team bowled and fielded in the second half of all three matches, the UAE having won the toss and elected to field. He said that dew was a factor in making the ball more difficult to grip and field cleanly, adding that his team's batting, including his own, had not been consistent enough. This pattern continued in Bangladesh's next series against Pakistan, which the latter won 3-0. As a result, Bangladesh have dropped one rating place to 10th. Although the UAE's rating remained unchanged, the UAE team and their management were understandably delighted with the outcome. Emirates Cricket Board Chairman Nahayan Mabarak Al-Nahayan congratulated the team on their historic series win, saying that 'the team had played brilliantly in the whole series, while the support staff put in the hard yards to make the victory possible, another glorious chapter in our cricketing history.' He added that the board will 'continue to provide the best possible facilities and exposure to our immensely talented players.' The UAE have previously beaten Test-playing countries Ireland, New Zealand and Afghanistan, the last two in 2023. Victory over Bangladesh should, as the chairman remarked, 'give immense confidence and self-belief to our players and make them take on bigger and more established opponents.' It is in this context that giant-killing acts in cricket may be judged — the defeat of a Test-playing, ICC full member being defeated by an associate nation. It was certainly a shock when the Netherlands beat South Africa in the group stages of the 2023 World Cup at Dharamsala by 38 runs. In the same competition, Afghanistan beat England by 69 runs. A year later, the US, as joint host nation of the 2024 T20 World Cup, beat Pakistan in a super over, bowled because the match scores were tied. One of the greatest upsets was achieved by Ireland in the 2011 ODI World Cup in Bengaluru. England scored 327 and, in reply, Ireland slumped to 111 for five. Kevin O'Brien then hammered 100 off 50 deliveries to propel Ireland to a sensational three-wicket victory. Finding a common denominator to explain or forecast upsets remains elusive. In three of the above examples, the defeated full members either looked out of sorts on the day or had broader issues, which affected their performances. In the case of Ireland, O'Brien produced an innings of brilliance, which occasionally and unexpectedly occurs. In more normal patterns it is possible that, as associate nations improve over time with appropriate developmental support from their national boards, the propensity for giant-killing may increase. This is a possibility for the UAE in T20 cricket rather than ODIs, in which their recent performances have put the team in jeopardy of losing its ODI status.
Leaders
5 days ago
- Leaders
Preview: Saudi Arabia Clash with Bahrain in Pivotal World Cup Qualifier
Continuing their journey to the 2026 World Cup, Saudi Arabia resume their Asian qualifying campaign with a crucial match against Bahrain in Group C ninth round at the Bahrain National Stadium on Thursday. The Green Falcons must surpass second-placed Australia to secure a spot in next year's finals. With only two games left, the stakes are incredibly high for both teams. Bahrain, on the other hand, need points to finish within the top four. Saudi Arabia currently sit third in the group table, trailing Australia by three points. Australia occupy the second automatic World Cup spot, making this match pivotal. The team's recent inconsistency, with one win, three draws, and a defeat to Indonesia, has complicated their campaign. Recent Performances and Key Challenges Saudi Arabia's qualifying campaign has seen mixed results, yet they remain hopeful of securing direct qualification. They managed a goalless draw against group winners Japan in their last match, despite only one shot on target. Against their main rivals, Japan and Australia, Saudi Arabia held both to 0-0 draws, showcasing their defensive prowess. However, their poor away form continues to hinder progress, with just one win, two draws, and one defeat in four away games. At the Gulf Cup of Nations, Saudi Arabia reached the semi-finals but were knocked out by Oman, ending their trophy hopes. They are now in a tight race for the second automatic spot with Australia, who lead by three points. Strategic Preparations and Team News Herve Renard's men, who will soon participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, must beat Bahrain to keep pressure on Australia. Saudi Arabia have rallied after a slow start, taking four points from games against China and Japan in March. They warmed up for this month's matches with a 2-0 friendly win over Jordan. However, they lost 3-2 to Bahrain in the Gulf Cup after a goalless draw in last year's reverse fixture. Bahrain, despite never reaching the World Cup, still have a chance to break new ground. They can move onto another stage of AFC qualifying in October if they finish third or fourth. Despite sitting fifth, Bahrain trail Indonesia by three points before hosting Saudi Arabia and visiting China as they cannot afford another loss. Saudi Arabia boss Herve Renard has opted for a youthful squad, with Al-Hilal veteran Salem Al-Dawsari usually starting on the wing. Renard can call upon Ali Majrashi, who recovered from an adductor injury. Abdullah Mado has replaced Jehad Thakri, who sustained a hamstring injury. Muteb Al-Harbi and Mohammed Bakr have been training individually and may miss out, with an eye on next week's home clash with Australia. Dragan Talajic has kept faith with the experienced squad that secured Bahrain's Gulf Cup triumph. Top scorer Mohamed Marhoon is among the familiar faces set to start. Captain Kamil Al-Aswad, with 117 caps, should feature in central midfield, while Waleed Al Hayam helms the defense. Villarreal teenager Sayed Al-Wadaei has been called up but is likely bound for the bench. Possible Lineups and Historical Rivalry Bahrain: Lutfalla, Emmanuel, Benaddi, Al-Hayam, Al-Khalasi, Saeed, Al-Aswad, Madan, Marhoon, Al-Humaidan, and Abduljabbar. Saudi Arabia: Al-Aqidi, Abdulhamid, Lajami, Al-Tambakti, Boushal, Yahya, Al-Ghamdi, N. Al-Dawsari, S. Al-Dawsari, Al-Buraikan, and Al-Sahafi. Thursday's game marks the 40th meeting between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with the Green Falcons boast a significant advantage as they claimed 19 victories, compared to Bahrain's 8 wins, while 12 games ended in draws. Their earlier qualification encounter in the World Cup qualification back in October 2024 ended in a stalemate. However, Bahrain are undefeated in their last three games in this fixture and have lost just one of their last six. Saudi Arabia, the lowest-scoring side in Group C with four goals, are undefeated in their last three games. They head into the clash on a high, being the stronger side. Bahrain, however, are on a run of back-to-back defeats and are winless in their last seven qualifying games. They have the worst home record in Group C, with just two points from four games, and could struggle in this match. Short link : Post Views: 2
