Latest news with #AlQadsiah
Arab News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Twisted Minds defend Overwatch 2 crown at ESL Saudi Challenge 2025
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's top Overwatch 2 team, Twisted Minds, have once again stamped their authority on the national stage, successfully defending their title at the ESL Saudi Challenge 2025, held at Riyadh's VOV Gaming Arena. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The high-octane finale saw Twisted Minds overcome a fierce challenge from Al-Qadsiah, who went into the match with a lot of momentum after a decisive win against Team Vision in the semifinals. The final matchup was a showcase of strategy and execution, with Twisted Minds ultimately pulling ahead through superior coordination and championship composure. With the win, they not only retained the title but also secured a berth in the Overwatch Champions Series, the official qualifier for the Esports World Cup. They also claimed the top prize from a $20,000 pool. The ESL Saudi Challenge, launched by ESL FACEIT Group, is part of a broader push to elevate the competitive gaming scene in Saudi Arabia and the wider region. Designed as both a platform for talent and a pipeline to international competitions, the tournament reflects the Kingdom's growing role in the global esports ecosystem. 'The ESL Saudi Challenge is a cornerstone in our long-term commitment to building a thriving and sustainable esports ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region,' said Franck Guignery, the group's senior vice president for MENA. 'Through this tournament, we're not only creating high-level competitive opportunities for local talent but also reinforcing the Kingdom's role as a key player on the global esports map. 'This is just the beginning, we see Saudi and MENA as essential to the future of competitive gaming and we're here to help shape that future.' As Twisted Minds prepare to represent Saudi Arabia in the OWCS, the Kingdom's position as a force in international esports continues to grow. With strategic investments, a strong talent pool and quality infrastructure, the country is no longer just part of the global esports movement it is helping to lead it.
Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Benzema Sparks Al Ittihad, Double Dream Delivered
TDT | Manama Benzema's Magic Al Ittihad fans are still in high spirits after their team won the Saudi Cup with a 3-1 win over Al Qadsiah on Friday night, sealing a domestic double in style. Karim Benzema, the former Real Madrid star, was the hero in Jeddah, bagging a brace to guide Laurent Blanc's side to their 10th cup success. It was a fitting end to a season where they also claimed the Saudi Pro League title. The final wasn't without its drama, with Al Qadsiah down to 10 men late on, but Al Ittihad's class shone through. Benzema, fresh off being named the league's Player of the Season, proved why he's still one of the game's elite, delivering when it mattered most. Final Full of Twists The game at King Abdullah Sports City had its cagey moments early on. Moussa Diaby could've put Al Ittihad ahead in the 21st minute but fluffed his lines. Al Qadsiah had a scare when Nacho's handball in the box went unpunished after a VAR check. Then, in the 34th minute, Benzema broke the deadlock, coolly chesting in a perfect cross from Steven Bergwijn to get the fans going. Houssem Aouar made it 2-0 just before the break, slotting home after Al Qadsiah's keeper Koen Casteels parried a Benzema header. The underdogs hit back in stoppage time with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang converting a penalty, giving them a glimmer of hope going into the second half. Benzema Puts It to Bed After the interval, Al Ittihad played it smart, with Benzema rattling the bar as they pushed for a third. Al Qadsiah stayed in the fight, and Aubameyang forced a sharp save from Predrag Rajkovic. But the game swung decisively when Ezequiel Fernandez picked up a second yellow in the 81st minute, leaving Al Qadsiah a man short. Benzema made them pay in stoppage time, firing in a low cross from Diaby to seal the deal. Aubameyang struck the woodwork late on, but Al Ittihad's defence held strong. It was a performance that mixed discipline with flair, exactly what Blanc has drilled into this squad.
Gulf Insider
2 days ago
- Sport
- Gulf Insider
Three Takeaways: Al Ittihad Wins King's Cup To Complete First Double
Al Ittihad underlined its dominance of Saudi football in 2024-25 as it beat Al Qadsiah 3-1 to win the King's Cup in Jeddah. Less than a week after officially being crowned Saudi Pro League champion for the 10th time, Al Ittihad also added a 10th King's Cup trophy – the first time in the club's history that it has won both titles in the same season. Al Ittihad captain Karim Benzema was his team's hero as he scored twice in the final, while Agerian Houssem Aouar also netted for Laurent Blanc's side. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had given Al Qadsiah some hope but Al Ittihad held out for a historic victory at King Abdullah Sports City, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman presenting Benzema and his teammates with the King's Cup trophy. Here, Al Arabiya English brings you Three Takeaways from Al Ittihad's 3-1 King's Cup final triumph over Al Qadsiah. Although Al Ittihad is widely regarded as the second most successful club – after its great rival Al Hilal – in the history of Saudi football, the Jeddah giant had surprisingly never claimed a Saudi Pro League and King's Cup Double. The last chance Al Ittihad had to achieve the feat was back in 2009. Then coached by Argentine Gabriel Calderon, Al Ittihad lifted the Pro League title but was denied the Double by a rampant Al Shabab, which convincingly won the King's Cup final 2009. The same thing happened to Al Ittihad in 1982, when Al Hilal emerged as 3-1 victor in the King's Cup final. Al Ittihad has also been prevented from winning the Double by circumstance. The King's Cup was not played between 1991 and 2007, and during that time Al Ittihad managed to win both the Crown Prince's Cup and Pro League titles in the same season on two occasions – 1997 and 2003; had the King's Cup been held, Al Ittihad would have certainly been favorite to lift it. But on Friday night, Al Ittihad's fans could finally celebrate a maiden Pro League and King's Cup Double. For Laurent Blanc, it was a third Double of his coaching career, having achieved the feat with PSG in 2015 and 2016. The former France captain also managed to do so as a player with Auxerre in 1996. Blanc had spoken ahead of the final about it being a 'special kind of match' and Al Ittihad's players delivered for their supporters – securing a first King's Cup triumph since 2018. That the Double was completed at Al Ittihad's own King Abdullah Sports City Stadium also made the night even sweeter for the club. 'Al Ittihad fans in Jeddah are a vital part of this club's identity,' Blanc said. On the pitch in Jeddah, it was Al Ittihad's man for the big occasion who again came up with the goods. Benzema's influence this season has been undeniable – both in his role as a senior leader in the dressing-room and with his performances on the pitch. When the pressure has been on in 2024-25, Benzema has consistently delivered. The ex-Real Madrid striker put Al Ittihad ahead in the 34th-minute, completing a move that also involved Moussa Diaby and Steven Bergwijn. That front three has been irrepressible for Al Ittihad over the past few months and it was apt that they combined for the opening goal of the final. Diaby released Bergwijn, whose cross found Benzema; the Al Ittihad captain improvised impressively to chest the ball past Al Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels. Diaby and Benzema were involved again for Al Ittihad's second nine minutes later. French winger Diaby stood the ball up for his compatriot, who saw his powerful header magnificently saved by Casteels. Sadly for the Belgian shot-stopper, his defense did not react quickly enough to prevent Houssem Aouar from stealing in at close range to nod home and double his team's lead. It was the 13th goal of what has been the most prolific campaign of midfielder Aouar's career to date. Al Qadsiah reduced the arrears thanks to a penalty from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in first-half stoppage time but when midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez was red carded in the 81st minute, it left the team from Dammam facing an uphill battle to equalize. And in the 94th minute, Benzema struck again – with yet another clutch contribution for his team. Once more it was Diaby who provided the assist, enabling Benzema to sweep the ball past Casteels for the 25th goal of a magnificent season for Al Ittihad's No. 9. It was fitting that Benzema, this week named Saudi Pro League Player of the Year, was the man to put the exclamation point on Al Ittihad's historic Double triumph. Nine months ago, Al Qadsiah was a newly promoted side whose primary goal was to stay in the Saudi Pro League in its first season back in the top flight. But led by savvy Spaniard Michel, Al Qadsiah has defied expectations from day one – staying around the Pro League's top three for almost the entirety of the campaign. This was chiefly thanks to a series of intelligent summer 2024 signings – including defender Nacho Fernandez from Real Madrid, goalkeeper Koen Casteels from Wolfsburg, and forwards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Julián Quiñones from Marseille and Club America respectively. The latter pair have been sensational for Al Qadsiah. Quiñones finished the season on 25 goals from 33 games and ended as the King's Cup top scorer with five goals. Aubameyang managed 21 in 36 across all competitions and scored in every round of the King's Cup in which he played – netting Al Qadsiah's winner in the semifinal and also bagging in the final. Aubameyang's coolly-taken penalty in Jeddah looked to have helped his team get back into the game, before Benzema's second broke Al Qadsiah hearts. As one of the most consistent sides in Saudi Arabia in 2024-24, a maiden King's Cup title would have been a fitting reward for a fine season for Michel and his players. Al Qadsiah has made a significant impression on the Kingdom's football landscape this season – competing successfully with the PIF-owned 'big four' of Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Nassr and Al Ahli. But it finishes the campaign empty handed. A defeat to Al Hilal last week meant Al Nassr pipped Al Qadsiah to third place in the Pro League; the loss to Al Ittihad means it will be Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, not Al Qadsiah, now competing in the AFC Champions League Two in 2025-26. Still, Al Qadsiah will now regroup and with further smart additions in the coming months, there is no reason that the club cannot be a contender for major trophies again next season.
Observer
2 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Benzema leads Al Ittihad to Saudi Cup win
Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema scored twice to lead his side to a 3-1 victory over Al Qadsiah in the Saudi Cup final on Friday as they completed the domestic double. Laurent Blanc's side dominated the game to win the cup for the 10th time, while Al Qadsiah finished the game with 10 men after Ezequiel Fernandez was sent off in the 81st minute. Moussa Diaby nearly put Al Ittihad ahead but missed a chance in the 21st minute. Al Qadsiah's former Spain defender Nacho escaped conceding a penalty when the ball touched his hand, but the referee didn't award a spot kick despite a VAR check in the 32nd minute. Benzema opened the scoring for the Saudi Pro League champions, using his chest to convert Steven Bergwijn's precise cross 11 minutes before the interval. Houssem Aouar made it 2-0 in the 43rd minute by following up after Koen Casteels saved a header from Benzema. Al Qadsiah's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reduced the deficit from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time. Benzema, who won the SPL Player of the Season, hit the bar after the break, but Al Ittihad were more cautious as they looked to maintain their lead. Al Ittihad keeper Predrag Rajkovic saved Aubameyang's shot in the 80th minute and Al Qadsiah suffered a big blow when Ezequiel Fernandez received a second yellow card, forcing them to play with 10 men for the final minutes. Then 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Benzema scored his side's third goal, firing in Diaby's low cross in stoppage time, before Aubameyang's shot hit the woodwork. — Reuters
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Crown Prince Presents King's Cup to Al-Ittihad
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud attended the final match of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup for the current sports season 2024-25 on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The Crown Prince presented the King's Cup trophy to the winner, Al-Ittihad football club after defeating Al Qadsiah in a match held on Friday evening at Alinma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema scored twice to lead his side to a 3-1 victory over Al Qadsiah in the Saudi Cup final. Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal expressed his sincere gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his generous patronage of this precious occasion and to the Crown Prince for his attendance of the final match. The match was also attended by several princes and officials.
