Latest news with #Jeddah-based
Saudi Gazette
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Al Ittihad end six-year wait to reclaim King's Cup crown
Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Al Ittihad brought the King's Cup back to their trophy cabinet for the first time since 2018 with a 3-1 win over Al Qadsiah on Friday night at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, in front of a packed stadium led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who presented the cup to team captain Karim Benzema. The victory secured Ittihad's 10th title in the competition's history, reaffirming their legacy in one of Saudi football's most prestigious tournaments. It marked a triumphant return to form for the Jeddah-based club, which had endured a six-year drought marked by managerial instability and fluctuating form. Founded in 1927, Ittihad has been intertwined with the history of the King's Cup, winning its first title in 1958. Through eras of dominance and reinvention, the club has consistently remained a powerhouse, from its golden run in the 1990s to this current resurgence under head coach Laurent year's campaign culminated in a powerful final performance, with the squad — featuring global stars like Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kanté, and Moussa Diaby — showing cohesion, composure, and who took over at the start of the season, crafted a balanced squad that blended veteran leadership with youthful atmosphere in Jeddah was electric as tens of thousands filled the stands, with Al Ittihad fans providing deafening support chants echoed as the team lifted the cup in a sea of black and yellow, marking a night to remember for the Tigers title follows Ittihad's Saudi Pro League triumph earlier in the season and sets the stage for another ambitious campaign — both domestically and on the continental stage — with the club eyeing further silverware and a return to its dominant best.
Saudi Gazette
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Crown Prince awards King's Cup to Al Ittihad after 3-1 victory over Al Qadsiah
Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman presented Al Ittihad with the King's Cup trophy on Friday night following their 3-1 win over Al Qadsiah in the final at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. In front of a packed crowd of 60,000, Al Ittihad secured their second trophy of the season with a dominant performance, led by French captain Karim Benzema, who scored twice on the night. Benzema opened the scoring in the 34th minute before midfielder Houssem Aouar added a second just nine minutes later. Benzema struck again in stoppage time to put the match beyond doubt. Al Qadsiah managed a consolation goal through a penalty converted by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in first-half added time. Al Qadsiah's hopes of a comeback faded late in the match when Argentine midfielder Ezequiel Fernández was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. The victory marks Al Ittihad's 10th King's Cup title overall and their sixth under the updated official count of domestic competitions. It also caps a remarkable season for the Jeddah-based club, who earlier clinched the Saudi Pro League title ahead of rivals Al Hilal. The win cements Al Ittihad's dominance in domestic football this season, with Benzema's leadership and goalscoring proving pivotal in both title runs.
Saudi Gazette
6 days ago
- Sport
- Saudi Gazette
Toney earns England recall after standout season with Al Ahli
Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Al Ahli striker Ivan Toney has been recalled to the England national team for the June fixtures against Andorra and Senegal, capping off a stellar debut campaign in the Roshn Saudi League. The 28-year-old forward, who joined the Jeddah-based club from Brentford last August, has emerged as one of the league's standout performers. Toney played a crucial role in Al Ahli's AFC Champions League Elite triumph last month and has scored 22 goals in the domestic league this season. With one match remaining in the 2024–25 campaign, Toney sits second in the Golden Boot race behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has netted 24 goals for Al Nassr. 'Toney deserves to be with us,' said England manager Thomas Tuchel on Friday.'He scored over 20 goals this season, won a major title in Asia, and has made a big impact with goals and assists. I couldn't visit Saudi Arabia as planned in March, so now we're bringing him back to join us.'Toney's last appearance for England came in the UEFA Euro 2024 final loss to Spain. He has earned six international caps to will face Andorra on June 7 in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, followed by a friendly against Senegal in Nottingham on June 10 — a match that could see Toney line up against Al Ahli teammate Edouard Mendy, along with Al Hilal's Kalidou Koulibaly and Al Nassr's Sadio Ahli currently sit fifth in the league table, three points behind fourth-placed Al Nassr, heading into the final matchweek of the season.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Al-Ittihad seals 10th Saudi Pro League title after beating Al-Raed
Al-Ittihad, captained by Karim Benzema, clinched the Saudi Pro League title with two matches to spare as it came from a goal down to beat Al-Raed 3-1 on Thursday. The win moved Al-Ittihad to 77 points from 32 matches, nine points ahead of second-placed Al-Hilal. A victory was all Al-Ittihad, coached by Laurent Blanc, needed to earn its 10th league title, and the first since 2023, but the already-relegated Al-Raed drew first blood as Omar Gonzalez gave the bottom team the lead from close range after nine minutes. ALSO READ | Barcelona wins La Liga 2024-25 title after beating Espanyol Al-Ittihad, however, fought back with Steven Bergwijn equalising 12 minutes later. A Danilo Pereira header gave it the lead shortly before halftime. Two minutes into the second half, Abdulrahman Al-Oboud put the game out of Al-Raed's reach. The Jeddah-based club still has a chance to win another trophy this season as it takes on Al-Qadsiah in the King's Cup final on May 30.
The Star
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Al-Ittihad seal 10th Saudi Pro League title
(Reuters) - Al-Ittihad, captained by Karim Benzema, clinched the Saudi Pro League title with two matches to spare as they came from a goal down to beat Al-Raed 3-1 on Thursday. The win moved Al-Ittihad to 77 points from 32 matches, nine points ahead of second-placed Al-Hilal. A victory was all Al-Ittihad, coached by Laurent Blanc, needed to earn their 10th league title, and the first since 2023, but the already-relegated Al-Raed drew first blood as Omar Gonzalez gave the bottom team the lead from close range after nine minutes. Al-Ittihad, however, fought back with Steven Bergwijn equalising 12 minutes later. A Danilo Pereira header gave them the lead shortly before halftime. Two minutes into the second half, Abdulrahman Al-Oboud put the game out of Al-Raed's reach. The Jeddah-based club still have a chance to win another trophy this season as they take on Al-Qadsiah in the King's Cup final on May 30. (Editing by Christian Radnedge)
