Sharjah to face Singapore's Lion City in AFC Champions League 2
Pursuing the first title
Sharjah aims to secure its first title of the season under the guidance of Romanian coach Cosmin Olăroiu, who is preparing to take over the UAE national team. Having missed out on the ADNOC Professional League title and the President's Cup, the Asian title has become their primary goal to end the season on a high note.
Key players
The team relies on standout players, including Kaio Lucas, who has scored five goals and provided three assists in the tournament, and Luan Martins Pereira, the team's top scorer with five goals and two assists.
Training focus
According to the club's official website, the team conducted a focused training session yesterday, fueled by ambitions to write a new chapter in the club's history. Sharjah topped Group C in the group stage with 13 points and advanced through the knockout rounds, defeating Al-Hussein Jordan on penalties in the Round of 16, and overcoming Al-Ahly in the quarterfinals by the same method. They secured their spot in the final by defeating Al-Taawoun of Saudi Arabia 2-1 on aggregate in the semifinals.
Lion City sailors' momentum
On the other hand, Lion City enters the final with high spirits after winning the Singapore League title last week, marking their second local title since 2021. They topped Group F with 10 points, advanced past Muangthong United in the quarterfinals, and eliminated Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the semifinals, beating Sydney FC 2-1 on aggregate.
New format of the tournament
This edition of the tournament is the first in the history of the AFC Champions League 2 under its new format, featuring several prominent teams from the continent. It aims to enhance continental competition and provide an additional platform for Asian clubs to achieve regional success.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE President's Cup: Dubai's Shabab Al Ahli beat Sharjah to win title
Dubai-based Shabab Al Ahli defeated Sharjah to lift the UAE President's Cup on Friday night. The Red Knights won 2-1 at the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi to clinch the prestigious Cup for a record 11th time. Sharjah took the lead through Marcos Meloni in the 14th minute, but Yuri Cesar equalised for Shabab Al Ahli in the first minute of stoppage time (45+1). Cesar then scored again in the 64th minute, giving Shabab Al Ahli the decisive advantage. With this victory, Shabab Al Ahli have surpassed Sharjah in the number of UAE President's Cup titles, claiming their 11th title, while Sharjah have won it 10 times. The triumph also marks Shabab Al Ahli's fourth title this season, achieving a historic milestone for the team, having already secured the Adnoc Pro League, the UAE Super Cup, and the UAE-Qatar Super Cup.
Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE football association suspends 2 players for 5 matches, imposes Dh500,000 fine
The UAE Football Association's Disciplinary Committee announced that it would suspend Sharjah Club player Khalid Al Dhanhani and Shabab Al Ahli Club player Sultan Adel for 5 matches in local competitions. The association also fined them Dh500,000 each, and said they would be excluded from the national team roster. This comes after the two players committed a violation inside the national team camp on June 7, 2025. The national team manager, Yani Allah, said the decision comes in accordance with the disciplinary and sanctions regulations for national teams.
Gulf Today
20 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Jordanians bask in glory of 2026 World Cup qualification
Amman: Huge celebrations erupted in Jordan after the national team qualified for the 2026 World Cup, earning a spot in the tournament for the first time following a decisive 3-0 victory against Oman. Fans drove their cars through Jordan's capital Amman late Thursday, honking their horns and chanting victory while others waved the national flag in triumph. 'We are all with you!' and 'It's getting closer, heroes' read messages written into the night sky in a spectacular drone light show. Jordan sealed their place on the penultimate day of Asian qualifying for the 2026 tournament, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Ali Olwin netted a hat-trick as the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up etched their name in the history books. They secured their spot in the World Cup when South Korea defeated Iraq, also on Thursday, 2-0. The royal court published pictures of King Abdullah II wearing a national team jersey as he watched the game from the embassy in London, where he was on a visit. 'This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud,' he wrote on X. 'Special thanks go to our loyal fans who have been our support and encouragement.' Sohad Idrissi, a 48-year-old housewife who watched the game with her siblings, beamed with pride as she told AFP that her side had played 'a beautiful game and deserved to qualify for the World Cup.' Jordanian police stand guard as people celebrate after Jordan qualified for the World Cup for the first time, winning 3-0 over Oman, in Amman. Reuters 'Today the joy is two-fold: there is the joy of Eid al-Adha, and the joy of Nashama qualifying,' she said, using a nickname for the Jordanian team. Fadi Qalanzi, a 21-year-old university student, called the win 'a dream that is finally coming true'. 'Our team put on a beautiful performance, and they truly deserved to qualify,' he added. Osama al-Shreeda, a 60-year-old retired civil servant, also called it a dream come true. 'I've been following Jordanian football since 1978, and a relative of mine used to play with the national team,' he said. Jordan's fans cheer as they watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifier football match on big screens at the Prince Hamza hall in the Sports City in Amman. AFP 'It's a great opportunity for our team and its players to be recognised globally,' he added, calling it an achievement not just for Jordan but for the wider Arab region. 'It was about time, this is a joy we'd been waiting for for a long time,' said 55-year-old schoolteacher Nashat Badr. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's coach said 'this victory belongs to all of us' after steering the Central Asian nation to the World Cup for the first time in their history. A 0-0 draw at the UAE on Thursday was enough to seal the landmark with a game to go in Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams has given traditional outsiders such as Uzbekistan the chance to break into the top ranks of world football. 'We have come a long way and achieved an important result,' their coach Timur Kapadze said, according to the Asian Football Confederation. 'We congratulate our entire people and our president. This victory belongs to all of us. 'Yesterday and today the phone calls have not stopped.' Uzbekistan started competing as an independent nation in the 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Backed by state funding, Uzbekistan are one of Asia's fastest-developing footballing nations. They are ranked 57th in the world. 'Everyone said they would support us and pray for us, the wishes for victory were a great inspiration for us,' said Kapadze, who replaced Srecko Katanec as head coach in January. Agencies
