Sadio Mane hits four as Al Nassr win 9-0 without Cristiano Ronaldo
Al Nassr went on a goalscoring spree on Monday night, recording their biggest ever win in the absence of legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese veteran, who was rested for the game, might lead the Saudi Pro League goalscoring charts with 23 strikes but missed the chance to fill his boots as 10-man Al Okhdood were put to the sword 9-0 by the Riyadh giants. Instead, it was former Liverpool winger Sadio Mane who stole the show with a four-goal haul. Nassr's title hopes are already over for another season with Al Ittihad on the brink of glory, but this big win kept alive their slim chances of securing a return to the Asian Champions League Elite. Al Nassr currently occupy third which would normally be good enough for automatic qualification, but with fifth-place Al Ahli set to return as defending champions, only the league's top two sides are guaranteed places in the 2025-26 competition. That leaves Nassr facing the unlikely scenario of having to make up a five-point gap to second-place Al Hilal across the final three games of the campaign. Ronaldo, who is yet to agree fresh terms to remain a Nassr player next season, could only look on as they posted a club record win at relegation-threatened Okhdood. Stefano Pioli's side dominated from the start and the floodgates opened once Ayman Yahya grabbed Nassr's first in the 16th minute. Colombian star Jhon Duran and Croatian veteran Marcelo Brozovic both notched to extend their lead before the half-hour mark. Mane then scored the fourth of the night from the penalty spot for Pioli's side after Nawaf Boushal had been felled inside the box. Already four down heading into the second half, Okhdood's woes increased when goalkeeper Paulo Vitor was dismissed for a professional foul on Otavio. Duran, deployed as a central striker in Ronaldo's absence, grabbed his second and Al Nassr's fifth before Mane flickered into life with two quick goals to reach his hat-trick. The Senegalese then got his fourth to give Pioli's side an 8-0 lead before Mohammed Maran scored a penalty in injury time to complete the rout. Defending champions Al Hilal delayed handing over their crown to Al Ittihad for a few days at least as they notched a routine 4-0 win over Al Orobah on Monday. Hilal, who have been making headlines off the pitch, eased to victory thanks Aleksandar Mitrovic's first-half strike, a goal from captain Salem Al Dawsari and a late brace from Brazilian youngster Kaio Cesar. Hilal, who dispensed with the services of Jorge Jesus after falling behind in the title race and a poor season in Asian competition, have been heavily linked with a move for Fulham manager Marco Silva. Silva, whose Cottagers side have had a strong campaign despite a recent dip in form, is reported to be the front-runner to replace Jesus. The Riyadh club are also rumoured to be weighing up a move for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian, who has scored 33 goals in 37 games on loan at Galatasaray this season, has a release clause of €75 million for non-Italian clubs. Hilal are six points behind Al Ittihad with three games to play. Laurent Blanc's Ittihad visit already relegated Al Raed on Thursday night with Hilal away at Al Fateh 24 hours later.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
How Jordan became the first Arab team to qualify for 2026 Fifa World Cup
It's somewhat ironic that an Arab coach led Jordan, a football-mad country of 11 million people, to their first-ever World Cup qualification after heavy investments in big-name English coaches had failed to produce results. Unlike Harry Redknapp and the late Ray Wilkins, Jamal Sellami's CV doesn't feature a stint at any of the top European clubs. But it was the Moroccan whose tactical acumen made the difference as Jordan last week became the first Arab team to secure their ticket to next year's World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico. To put things in perspective, the hopes of Saudi Arabia, who have played in six World Cup since their debut at the global showpiece in 1994, are still hanging in balance. A team that famously beat Argentina, the eventual winners, in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, face a tricky fourth-round qualifying campaign, with the nerve-racking playoffs looming, after failing to earn one of the two automatic berths from their group in the third round of Asian qualifiers. Jordan, on the other hand, surprised the pundits with their near-perfect performances in the gruelling battle for the top two positions in their group during the third qualifying round. So how did a small country, which entered World Cup qualifiers only 40 years ago, show such a big ambition to reach the pinnacle of the sport? Jordan came very close to qualifying for the World Cup in 2013 when they advanced to the inter-continental playoffs on the back of some heroic performances in Asia. But their campaign ended in heartbreak when they lost to a star-studded Uruguay team which clinched the spot at the 2014 World Cup. The next two qualifying campaigns saw Jordan try out different coaches, including Redknapp and Wilkins, but a World Cup berth remained elusive. Things started to change for them in 2023 after Hussein Ammouta, a Moroccan coach, took over. It was under Ammouta that Jordan captivated the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar, even pulling off a shock 2-0 victory over South Korea in the semifinals. Hosts Qatar proved too strong for them in the final, but playing their first title-decider in the continental showpiece was a testament to their progress and the scale of their ambition. Inexplicably, Ammouta left the job last year, but Jordan found the ideal replacement in Sellami. The 54-year-old inherited a team that was built to play the waiting game with a solid defensive formation before launching devastating counterattacks. It's with that style of play that Jordan have now galloped into the World Cup finals by clinching the second spot behind South Korea with 16 points from 10 matches in Group B. Striker Ali Olwan led the campaign with nine goals in the qualifiers as Rennes right-winger Musa Al-Tamari, the first Jordanian player in history to play club football in Europe, scored seven goals and Yazan Al-Naimat found the back of the net five times. With just eight goals conceded in the third round, Jordan also had the second-best defensive record behind South Korea in Group B, showing the team's all-round depth. They were virtually assured of a place in the World Cup following their comprehensive 3-0 win over Oman last Thursday with a hat trick from Ali Olwan. Later that night South Korea's 2-0 victory over Iraq confirmed Jordan's World Cup qualification as massive celebrations erupted in the country. While thousands of people hit the streets in Amman, singing, dancing and waving the national flag, King Abdullah II joined the celebrations from London wearing the team jersey. Incredibly, Jordan's historic moment coincided with Eid Al Adha last week. 'This achievement comes after years of hard work from players and the Jordan FA,' said Sellami. 'This historic qualification is for all the people who believed in us.' The celebrations will be even bigger if they pull off a shock win over a World Cup giant next year.
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
Top 10 Middle East footballers to watch at the Club World Cup
The revamped and expanded Fifa Club World Cup may be the biggest chance yet for domestic teams to represent themselves on the global stage. But there will be plenty of national and regional pride at stake, too. Some of the leading players from the Mena region will be vying for attention at the competition in the United States, and they are not solely confined to Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal or the UAE's Al Ain. Here is a selection of outstanding players from the region to look out for this summer. 1). Achraf Hakimi Club: Paris Saint-Germain National team: Morocco Slotted the opening goal in PSG's rout of Inter Milan in the Uefa Champions League final, and was eulogised by many observers as the best right-back in the world. Given's PSG's form, he might expect to go one better than the semi-final exit he managed with the Morocco national team in the Qatar World Cup. 2). Omar Marmoush Club: Manchester City National team: Egypt Scored 15 goals in 17 games in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt before being summoned to City in the January transfer window to try to breathe life into their ailing season. The form of the outgoing English champions did pick up after the arrival of their new Egyptian forward. They may have ended defeated in the FA Cup, but they could make up for that with a trophy in the US. 3). Ali Al Bulayhi Club: Al Hilal National team: Saudi Arabia Makes this list not so much for the merit of his defending as the fact his confrontations with star opponents are usually box office. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Son Hueng-min have all been on the receiving end of the Hilal centre-back's antics. Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Erling Haaland had better be ready. 4). Soufiane Rahimi Club: Al Ain National team: Morocco Asia's MVP when he fired Al Ain to the AFC Champions League crown in 2024, and he then top-scored in the Olympics for Morocco, too. The Garden City club have fallen flat in the time since, going through three managers this season. Rahimi's form has coolled, too, but expect him to revel on the big stage in the US. 5). Mehdi Taremi Club: Inter Milan National team: Iran Cut a disconsolate figure as an unused substitute on the bench in Inter Milan's capitulation against PSG in the Uefa Champions League final. The striker, who has been central to Iran's march to World Cup qualification, will be itching to right some wrongs when Inter face Monterrey, Urawa Reds and River Plate. 6). Ramy Bensebaini Club: Borussia Dortmund National team: Algeria The Algerian defender has been deployed on the left side of a three-man defence as Dortmund closed out a largely disappointing season strongly, most notably with a big win away at Bayer Leverkusen. He might not be everybody's cup of tea: German great-turned-pundit Lothar Matthaus has been one outspoken critic. But Bensebaini is valued by his club and is said to have suitors that include Marseille. 7). Brahim Diaz Club: Real Madrid National team: Morocco The dual-national winger was born in Malaga, signed for the Manchester City academy age 16, and plays for Morocco at international level. He will be looking to aid Madrid's bid to complete a Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup double. 8). Salem Al Dawsari Club: Al Hilal National team: Saudi Arabia An Arabian Gulf great, as a legend of Hilal and the Saudi Arabia national team. His finest moment was his goal in their shock win over the eventual champions Argentina in the group phase of the Qatar World Cup. His celebrity has yet to extend too far beyond Asia, though. His one crack at broadening his horizons ended prematurely with an ill-fated loan spell with Villarreal in Spain in 2018. 9). Wessam Abou Ali Club: Al Ahly National team: Palestine Danish-born but proudly Palestinian, he also acknowledges he feels Egyptian now, given how well loved he has become since joining Al Ahly last year. The striker enjoyed an extraordinary 2024, moving from the Swedish lower leagues in January, then becoming the top scorer in Egypt, and contributing to the CAF Champions League win, which qualified Ahly for this tournament. 10). Oussama Idrissi Club: Pachuca National team: Morocco Netherlands-born and raised, but the tricky left-winger had had a good look around since. He represents Morocco at senior level – having previously played for the Dutch age-group sides – and has found his way to Mexico via Spain. He knows what success tastes like in cross-border club competition, too. Idrissi scored a fine goal as Pachuca beat Brazil's Botafogo to reach the 2024 Intercontinental Cup final, where they lost to Real Madrid.
The National
17 hours ago
- The National
Asia Rugby Championship: Can UAE qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup?
The leading rugby players of the UAE return to national duty this weekend when they host Hong Kong at The Sevens, Dubai. It is the opening fixture of the 2025 Asia Rugby Championship (ARC), which carries with it a direct qualification place at the Rugby World Cup. Expansion The next World Cup, to be played in Australia in October and November 2027, will involve 24 teams, up from 20 last time. The first three World Cups featured 16 teams, while all those from 1999 till the last one, in France in 2023, have had 20. The new format will feature six pools of four teams, with a round of 16 added before the quarter-finals. The tournament duration is reduced from seven to six weeks. For the first time, there will also be a guaranteed participant from Asia other than Japan. Qualifying Twelve teams gained automatic qualification for the tournament by finishing in the top three of their pool at the 2023 World Cup. Four teams have qualified from Europe. Three will qualify from the Pacific – which includes Japan - plus one each from Africa, Asia and South America. There will be an additional qualifier from a South America/Pacific play-off. The final team will be decided via a four-team repechage tournament, to be played in Dubai in November. Asian representation Japan are one of only 10 sides to have played at every Rugby World Cup. No other Asian side has ever played in rugby's showpiece tournament. That is guaranteed to change this time. The winners of the 2025 ARC will qualify directly, while the runners-up will be entered into a repechage system. Play-offs The second-placed side in the Asia Rugby Championship will face a play-off against the second-best side from the corresponding competition in Africa. The losers will be eliminated, while the winners will advance to the last-chance, four-team final qualification tournament. If the UAE do finish second in the ARC, it will be tough. They have played Zimbabwe and Kenya in recent times – each potential opponents in the play-off – and have been soundly beaten. If they were to make it through, though, there would be a significant incentive for them. Home advantage The final qualification tournament will be a four-team round-robin tournament, and is to be played at The Sevens, Dubai – even if the UAE aren't involved. The participating teams will include Belgium, the fifth-placed team from the European section of qualifying, plus the third-placed team from South America. They will be joined by the loser of the play-off series between South America and the Pacific sections, plus the winner of the African/Asia play-off. The winner of the tournament, which will be played from November 8-18, will advance to the World Cup. 2025 ARC fixtures Friday, June 13, Colombo: Sri Lanka v South Korea Saturday, June 14, Dubai: UAE v Hong Kong Saturday, June 21, Incheon: South Korea v UAE Sunday June 22, Hong Kong: Hong Kong China v Sri Lanka Friday, July 4, Colombo: Sri Lanka v UAE Saturday, July 5, Incheon: South Korea v Hong Kong China UAE's form The national team's hopes of featuring in the qualification shake-up soared when they achieved a historic second-place finish in the ARC last year. They managed that by claiming a thrilling comeback win against South Korea in the heat of the Dubai summer, t hen by dispatching Malaysia. If they are to go one better this year, and claim that automatic qualifying berth, they will likely have to do something they have never managed before. Since replacing the Arabian Gulf in the World Rugby competition structure in 2011, the UAE have yet to beat Hong Kong. The UAE's opening day visitors have won the ARC for each other past five years. What the UAE do have in their favour, though, is that they are hosting Hong Kong in the heat of summer. The national team then have away fixtures against South Korea and Sri Lanka.
