Qatar’s al-Sadd shocked South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 4-2 on penalties in a thrilling AFC Champions League final yesterday after they were deadlocked at 2-2 following extra-time.
Former Portsmouth leftback Nadir Belhadj fired the winner into the roof of the Jeonbuk net, sparking delirium among the al-Sadd players and breaking the hearts of the near-capacity crowd at the 43,000-seat Jeonju World Cup Stadium.
The home side had clawed their way back into the game with an injury-time equalizer, forcing extra-time, but Kim Dong-chan and Park Won-jae both fluffed their spot-kicks amid high drama in the South Korean city.
Photo: Reuters
Jeonbuk, chasing a second Champions League win after lifting the trophy in 2006, came close several times in a nerve-shredding 30 minutes of extra-time, but were repeatedly denied by the underdog visitors.
The victory brought an exhilarating end to a turbulent competition for al-Sadd, who were involved in an ugly mass brawl during their semi-final against South Korea’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings.
Abdul Kader Keita, who was one of the players sent off over the semi-final punch-up, looked to have secured a second continental title for al-Sadd with a second-half strike until Lee Sung-hyun’s headed equalizer in stoppage-time.
Photo: Reuters
Earlier, imperious Brazilian Eninho had put Jeonbuk ahead with a deliciously curled free-kick on 17 minutes, but an own goal by Sim Woo-yeon leveled the scores before Keita’s speared shot gave the visitors the lead.
Al-Sadd goalkeeper Mohamed Saqr saved two penalties, as Jeonbuk stumbled at the last after a free-scoring campaign.
It was a messy but enthralling game, played in front of a raucous crowd, and vindicates al-Sadd coach Jorge Fossati’s pre-match warning that his unfancied side deserved to be in the final.
Despite a barrage of jeers, al-Sadd started brightly with strikers Mamadou Niang and Keita — both back from suspensions after the fight — impressive early on and linking with the excellent Belhadj, who terrorized Jeonbuk’s right side.
And when Eninho scored, the expected Jeonbuk goal glut failed to materialize and al-Sadd equalized near the half-hour mark when a seemingly innocuous Keita cross squirted off Sim’s head and in.
The visitors then shocked the visitors as they took the lead with a sucker-punch counterattack.
Jeonbuk surged back, hitting the post from a corner and winning a series of free-kicks in and around the box, before finally being rewarded with Lee’s goal.
However, despite the presence of ex-Premier League striker Lee Dong-gook, Jeonbuk could not find a way through again and paid the price in the gripping penalty shoot-out.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
RSS