Latest news with #FirasBenLarbi
The National
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Sharjah beat Lion City Sailors to seal Champions League Two glory
Firas Ben Larbi and Marcus Meloni wrote their names in Sharjah folklore as they scored the goals that sealed the AFC Champions League Two title in Singapore. Ben Larbi had scored the sensational stoppage-time winner in the semi-final win over Al Taawoun that got Sharjah to this point. Then he struck the first goal in a cagey final against Lion City Sailors which appeared to have won it. The home team levelled in stoppage time, but there was enough time for Meloni to net the winner that earned Sharjah continental glory for the first time. Previously, only Al Ain – with their two Champions League titles – from the UAE had tasted success in a major Asian competition. Now Sharjah have added their name to the list. These sides had never met before – the Sailors in their current guise were only formed five years ago – meaning there was no history of animosity between them. And yet there was still an agreeable level of beef. It centred on the host venue. As the side from the AFC's East region, the Sailors had the right to stage the final. Next year, it will be the turn of the West, as the final alternates between the two on an annual basis. Once it was clear Singapore's National Stadium was out of commission for this game – there was a Lady Gaga concert going on instead – Sharjah had lodged a protest about the suitability of the alternative venues. The AFC upheld their complaint about the Jalan Besar Stadium, where the hosts had played their previous home games this season, on account of its artificial pitch. The organisers also initially instructed them to look for a neutral venue elsewhere. That was until they were persuaded that the Bishan Stadium, where they play domestic matches, could be upgraded enough to a sufficient standard. It meant 10,000 people were crammed into temporary stands at a ground – a municipal sports complex in the centre of the island – which can usually cater for around a fifth of that. Sharjah coach Cosmin Olaroiu repeated the complaint on the eve of the game, saying he felt for Sharjah supporters who were unable to get hold of a ticket, given the limited capacity. The observations made by the travelling side have not gone down well in Singapore. Any mention of Sharjah ahead of kick off was roundly booed by the home fans. And someone had obviously been creative in cyberspace, too. Sharjah's Wikipedia page had their nickname listed as Al Yashtaki Malik, meaning The Complain Kings. 'Founded in 1966, Sharjah is considered to be one of the pioneers in complaining since its inception,' the page read. Those who had made the trip from the Emirates were tucked away in a small corner of the stand at the southern end of the ground. They were exposed to the elements. The fans were soaked by incessant rain, but it did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm. If anything, they revelled in it, waving umbrellas, Sharjah scarves, and UAE flags. The weather was a test for the temporarily refitted stadium as much as it was for Sharjah's fans and players. At kick off it was 30 degrees, so cooler than the UAE, but the 78 per cent humidity still made for stifling conditions. One of the many adjustments for the final had been returfing Bishan Stadium's patchy surface. The playing field looked majestic the day before the game, but on matchday there was a heavy thunderstorm in the morning, then steady rain throughout the afternoon. The turf held up well, though, and allowed for slick passing for those who tried. Olaroiu had said before the game that Sharjah's opposition were well organised, and particularly adept at closing the space in defence. That was immediately apparent straight from kick off. As soon as Sharjah touched the ball, the Sailors players retreated into an extremely low block. Lennart Thy, their German centre forward, was isolated and he was himself stood on the halfway line. The away side did find a way through in the 11th minute, only for Caio Lucas's goal to be ruled out for offside in the 11th minute. As Olaroiu also forecast, the Sailors posed a threat on the counter attack. A number of times Sharjah defenders threw themselves in the way of Sailors shots, and Diogo Costa, their left-back, rattled the post with Adel Al Hosani, the Sharjah goalkeeper, beaten. As there had been off the field in the lead up, there was niggle on it, too. Ben Larbi was booked for a rash challenge just before half-time. As Sharjah battled vainly to pick holes in the defence, Ben Larbi did have the ball in the net in the second half. Again, he was offside, from Lucas's pass. Two minutes later, though, he was not to be denied. Khaled Al Dhanhani, Sharjah's right-back, stole in at the far post to turn a cross back across goal. Ben Larbi bolted into the area and crashed the ball into the net. He hurdled the advertising board and embraced Sharjah's delirious fans. Most of the team's bench did the same. Sharjah had one hand on the trophy at that stage, but the home team suddenly seemed infused with belief once it was announced that there would be 11 minutes of stoppage time added on. They struck in the first of them, as Maxime Lestienne shot past Al Hosani from Costa's left-wing cross. Sharjah maintained their poise, though. Adel Taarabt, who had come on as a second-half substitute, got on the ball and linked up with Lucas and Meloni down the left. The latter cut inside and fired a drive into the bottom corner. Sharjah were champions.
Arab News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Sharjah FC win first Asian title with dramatic victory in Singapore
SINGAPORE: Sharjah beat Lion City Sailors 2-1 on Sunday to win the AFC Champions League Two title in dramatic fashion. A second half goal from Firas Ben Larbi looked to have been enough to give the team from the UAE a first continental title at the Singapore home of their opponents. Yet Maxime Lestienne's injury time equaliser appeared likely to send the game into extra-time before the impressive Marcus Meloni won it in the 97th minute. Never stop dreaming. Never stop striving. Sharjah engrave their legacy as the 2024/25 #ACLTwo champions! — #ACLElite | #ACLTwo (@TheAFCCL) May 18, 2025 It was the end of a long run to the final for Cosmin Olaroiu, who now leaves the club to take charge of the UAE national team with a 22nd title as a coach, and his men and it was a hard-fought victory in front of 10,000 fans at the Bishan Stadium. Lion City had the best chances of the first half and the home fans thought that the deadlock had been broken after 35 minutes. Rui Pires found Diego Costa on the left corner of the area and the Portuguese star controlled the ball and then, in the same motion, fired a low shot that came back off the post. One of the visitors' best moments came in added time at the end of the first half. David Petrovic curled a dangerous cross into the area from the left but Luanzinho's header was just a little too high and a little too wide. Midway through the second half Sharjah should have taken the lead. Ousmane Camara rose high at the near post to meet a corner from Meloni but headed just wide with the goal at his mercy. Seconds later, Luanzinho fired into the side-netting. Soon after that, Ben Larbi had the ball in the net, although the Tunisian was clearly offside. Then with 16 minutes remaining Sharjah took the lead to the delight of a sizeable contingent of fans in red and white. Khaled Ibrahim timed his run on the right side of the area perfectly to put the ball across the face of goal for Ben Larbi to tap home from close range. Ten minutes later, Sharjah almost extended their lead. Meloni's clever free kick from the right was blocked by Izwan Mahbud and Cho Yu-min, quick to the rebound, headed over from close range. The hosts pushed forward in search of an equaliser and while they had chances, Sharjah looked fairly comfortable. Then just after 11 minutes added time had been signalled, it was all square. Costa's pass found its way to Lestienne in space in the area, and the Belgian fired home. As all prepared themselves for extra time, Sharjah won it in the 97th minute through a piece of Meloni magic. The Brazilian-born midfielder had possession on the left of a crowded area, made room for himself and then curled a perfect shot from a tight angle into the opposite corner. It was a goal worthy of winning any final. There were some scary moments as the Sailors threw everything forward but this time, Sharjah held on and celebrated in front of their delirious travelling fans. 'It means a lot for us, the country and the fans and we worked so hard for this,' Meloni said. 'The final was like the rest of the competition. I am happy to score the winning goal but this was for the team and the coach, who deserves it.'
The National
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Last laugh for ‘Complain Kings' as Sharjah beat Lion City Sailors to seal Champions League Two glory
Firas Ben Larbi and Marcus Meloni wrote their names in Sharjah folklore as they scored the goals that sealed the AFC Champions League Two title in Singapore. Ben Larbi had scored the sensational stoppage-time winner in the semi-final win over Al Taawoun that got Sharjah to this point. Then he struck the first goal in a cagey final against Lion City Sailors which appeared to have won it. The home team levelled in stoppage time, but there was enough time for Meloni to net the winner that earned Sharjah continental glory for the first time. Previously, only Al Ain – with their two Champions League titles – from the UAE had tasted success in a major Asian competition. Now Sharjah have added their name to the list. These sides had never met before – the Sailors in their current guise were only formed five years ago – meaning there was no history of animosity between them. And yet there was still an agreeable level of beef. It centred on the host venue. As the side from the AFC's East region, the Sailors had the right to stage the final. Next year, it will be the turn of the West, as the final alternates between the two on an annual basis. Once it was clear Singapore's National Stadium was out of commission for this game – there was a Lady Gaga concert going on instead – Sharjah had lodged a protest about the suitability of the alternative venues. The AFC upheld their complaint about the Jalan Besar Stadium, where the hosts had played their previous home games this season, on account of its artificial pitch. The organisers also initially instructed them to look for a neutral venue elsewhere. That was until they were persuaded that the Bishan Stadium, where they play domestic matches, could be upgraded enough to a sufficient standard. It meant 10,000 people were crammed into temporary stands at a ground – a municipal sports complex in the centre of the island – which can usually cater for around a fifth of that. Sharjah coach Cosmin Olaroiu repeated the complaint on the eve of the game, saying he felt for Sharjah supporters who were unable to get hold of a ticket, given the limited capacity. The observations made by the travelling side have not gone down well in Singapore. Any mention of Sharjah ahead of kick off was roundly booed by the home fans. And someone had obviously been creative in cyberspace, too. Sharjah's Wikipedia page had their nickname listed as Al Yashtaki Malik, meaning The Complain Kings. 'Founded in 1966, Sharjah is considered to be one of the pioneers in complaining since its inception,' the page read. Those who had made the trip from the Emirates were tucked away in a small corner of the stand at the southern end of the ground. They were exposed to the elements. The fans were soaked by incessant rain, but it did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm. If anything, they revelled in it, waving umbrellas, Sharjah scarves, and UAE flags. The weather was a test for the temporarily refitted stadium as much as it was for Sharjah's fans and players. At kick off it was 30 degrees, so cooler than the UAE, but the 78 per cent humidity still made for stifling conditions. One of the many adjustments for the final had been returfing Bishan Stadium's patchy surface. The playing field looked majestic the day before the game, but on matchday there was a heavy thunderstorm in the morning, then steady rain throughout the afternoon. The turf held up well, though, and allowed for slick passing for those who tried. Olaroiu had said before the game that Sharjah's opposition were well organised, and particularly adept at closing the space in defence. That was immediately apparent straight from kick off. As soon as Sharjah touched the ball, the Sailors players retreated into an extremely low block. Lennart Thy, their German centre forward, was isolated and he was himself stood on the halfway line. The away side did find a way through in the 11th minute, only for Caio Lucas's goal to be ruled out for offside in the 11th minute. As Olaroiu also forecast, the Sailors posed a threat on the counter attack. A number of times Sharjah defenders threw themselves in the way of Sailors shots, and Diogo Costa, their left-back, rattled the post with Adel Al Hosani, the Sharjah goalkeeper, beaten. As there had been off the field in the lead up, there was niggle on it, too. Ben Larbi was booked for a rash challenge just before half-time. As Sharjah battled vainly to pick holes in the defence, Ben Larbi did have the ball in the net in the second half. Again, he was offside, from Lucas's pass. Two minutes later, though, he was not to be denied. Khaled Al Dhanhani, Sharjah's right-back, stole in at the far post to turn a cross back across goal. Ben Larbi bolted into the area and crashed the ball into the net. He hurdled the advertising board and embraced Sharjah's delirious fans. Most of the team's bench did the same. Sharjah had one hand on the trophy at that stage, but the home team suddenly seemed infused with belief once it was announced that there would be 11 minutes of stoppage time added on. They struck in the first of them, as Maxime Lestienne shot past Al Hosani from Costa's left-wing cross. Sharjah maintained their poise, though. Adel Taarabt, who had come on as a second-half substitute, got on the ball and linked up with Lucas and Meloni down the left. The latter cut inside and fired a drive into the bottom corner. Sharjah were champions.
CNA
18-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Singapore's Lion City Sailors fall to UAE side Sharjah, miss out on AFC Champions League Two title
SINGAPORE: The Lion City Sailors' fairytale voyage came to an end on Sunday (May 18) after they lost to United Arab Emirates side Sharjah in the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) final. Sharjah won the game 2-1 at a packed Bishan Stadium, with a goal from Marcus Meloni sealing the win. Firas Ben Larbi had earlier put the UAE side ahead before the Sailors' Maxime Lestienne levelled the tie in injury time. The Sailors had overcome considerable odds and several top sides, such as Japan's Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Australia's Sydney FC, to reach the final. They were crowned Singapore Premier League champions on Saturday and can still complete a domestic double should they lift the Singapore Cup, where they are slated to face Brunei DPMM in the semi-finals. Sharjah are second in the UAE Pro League. They beat Saudi Pro League side Al-Taawoun 2-1 on aggregate to book their spot in Sunday's decider. Prior to the final, Sharjah had expressed reservations about the decider being hosted at the Jalan Besar Stadium, claiming that it "does not meet the aspirations of the fans and stakeholders". The 55,000-seater National Stadium was ruled out as a venue as it had been booked well in advance for Lady Gaga's Lion City Mayhem concerts on May 18, 19, 21 and 24. This meant that the final was played at Bishan Stadium with improvements undertaken such as the building of three new stands to increase its capacity by more than three times to accommodate about 10,000 spectators. The Sailors booked their place in the final after beating Australia's Sydney FC 2-1 over two legs. In the quarters, the Singaporean side beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima 4-1 on aggregate. All seemed lost for the Sailors after they lost to the Japanese giants in the first leg of the quarter-finals 6-1. But the result was later chalked off, and they were awarded a 3-0 win by the Asian footballing body, as Sanfrecce had fielded a player who was supposed to be serving a three-match suspension. The Sailors then registered a 1-1 draw in the second leg at home. Previously known as the AFC Cup, the ACL2 is the second-tier Asian club football tournament with a revamped format. The last time a Singapore side reached the knockout stages of an AFC club competition was in 2018, when Home United, as the Sailors were previously known, got as far as the inter-zone semi-finals in the 2018 edition of the AFC Cup.
