Category: Sports

Riyadh: Al-Hilal soccer team of Saudi Arabia was eliminated from the 2023-2024 AFC Champions League in the semi-finals, after losing to its UAE counterpart, Al-Ain, on aggregate 4-5.

Despite winning today’s match 2 – 1, Al-Hilal lost in favor of Al-Ain on aggregate as it received a humilating defeat of 2 -4 in the away match.

Accordingly, Al-Ain awaits the winner of the semi-final between Yokohama of Japan and Ulsan of South Korea, scheduled to play tomorrow in Japan.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh: The Saudi national cycling team inaugurated its participation in the Gulf Youth Games by winning gold and silver medals in the cycling competitions Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, raising the Saudi number of medals to 57 — 27 gold, 18 silver, and 12 bronze.

The national cycling team gained the first gold medal in the first day of the cycling competitions, with the tripartite, Hussein Al-Safar, Taha Al-Khalifa, and Saleh Al-Zayed, taking first place in the junior category 20 km race with a time of 25:28.

The quartet of Faris Maher, Mohammed Al-Yousef, Amin Mansour, and Salman Al-Salman won the second medal, a silver, for the youth category 40 km race with a time of 51:48.

The cycling team will continue participation in the tournament involving the youth individual 70 km competition and junior 40 km individual competitions on Thursday.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Doha: Umm Salal upstaged defeated Al Duhail 2-0 in Week 21 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium of Al Gharafa club on Wednesday.

Lucas Joao scored a brace in the 48th and 90th minutes for Umm Salal. Reigning champions Al Duhail were hit hard when two of their players received red cards Almoez Ali (after a second yellow card in the 45th minute) and Mohammed Musa in the 87th minute.

Th league’s official website said that, each time The Red Knights were reprimanded, The Orange Fortress gained advantage and scored, thereby spoiling Al Duhails hopes.

The result saw Umm Salal take their own tally to 27 points, while Al Duhail, suffering their ninth loss of the season, remained on 28 points.

The opening goal for Umm Salal was realized as a miss-pass of Al Duhail was intercepted by Victor Lekhal, who then sent the ball to his right for Joao to essay a strong left-foot strike which hit the outstretched right hand of goalkeeper Shehab Ellethy before going in. Joao then returned
into the thick of action just before end of normal time scoring his and the teams second goal.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Rabat – The Club Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Wednesday considered the Moroccan team RS Berkane victorious with a score of three unanswered goals at the expense of USM Algiers, maintaining April 28 as the date for the second-leg game between the two teams at the Municipal Stadium in Berkane.

In a press release, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) said that it has received a copy of the decision of the CAF Club Committee regarding the USM Algiers-RS Berkane game, for the first leg of the CAF Cup semi-final.

According to the FRMF, the Committee also decided to submit this case to the disciplinary jury for possible additional penalties.

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse

Doha: The media preparations for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 are working perfectly, said HE Media Director of the Local Organizing Committee Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani.

Speaking with Qatar News Agency , His Excellency added that the local organizing committee held regular meetings ahead of the kick-off of the sixth edition of the tournament to welcome around 500 media professionals accompanying the participating teams. The media delegations received their permits under a coordination between the organizing committee and the AFC.

Hosts Qatar will kick off the quarter-finals on Thursday against 2016 winners Japan, with the hosts eyeing their first trophy. The top three sides will qualify to the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024 while the fourth-placed team will play an AFC-CAF play-off against guinea on May 9.

HE Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani said that Asian media agencies were keen to cover the prestigious event given Qatar’s thriving record of hosting and the top-notch facilities that st
reamline the media covering. He highlighted the huge experiences Qatari cadres had acquired from the hosting of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 and other sports events.

Highlighting the enormous World Cup Qatar 2022 legacy, His Excellency said that the full-ready World Cup stadiums and all logistical aspects would contribute to producing a high-quality event.

He hailed the great efforts of the local media as an essential partner in the success of any sports championship staged in Qatar.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Marrakech – Chairwoman of Special Olympics Morocco (SOM), Lalla Soumaya El Ouazzani, on Monday chaired the opening ceremony of the 11th National Games (SOM), held until April 26 in Marrakech, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

This ceremony, attended by Wali of the Marrakech-Safi region, governor of the Marrakech prefecture, Farid Chourak, President of MENA Special Olympics, Egyptian Aymane Abdelouahab, representatives of various partner government departments, sponsors and partners, as well as sports personalities, notably former footballer Abdelaziz Bouderbala, former Olympic champion Nezha Bedouane, figures from local sports and civil and military personalities, was marked by a parade of participating teams representing associations and educational centers affiliated with SOM, in addition to the presentation of the different events and competitions.

This 11th edition, held every two years, brings together around 1,500 athletes (men and women) and coaches representing several assoc
iations active in the field of sport for athletes with mental disabilities.

On this occasion, Advisor to the Chairwoman of Special Olympics Morocco, Nezha Bedouane, underlined that since its creation by late Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Amina, SOM has experienced a significant evolution of its system, noting that it is a national institution that takes care of children with mental disabilities.

In a statement to MAP, she explained that these children have always shown a great sense of responsibility and awareness of the importance of the sporting activities that they practice both in Morocco or abroad.

For his part, Abdelouahab said, in a similar statement, that the Kingdom is experiencing significant development in all sporting fields, expressing his admiration for this exceptional opening ceremony, which started to the sound of the National Anthem and was marked by the presentation of participating associations, as well as musical and artistic shows offered by the famous group “Fnair” and volunteers
from different African countries.

National director of Special Olympics Morocco, Nassim Cherradi, noted that this edition brings together more than 44 associations from different regions of the Kingdom, who will compete in 12 events, in addition to the “Healthy Athletes” program and the school program aimed at promoting interaction and meetings between Special Olympics champions and students from educational institutions.

He added that in parallel with the competitions, the “Healthy Athletes” event will be held at the Charifa hospital in Marrakech. It will offer medical screenings in seven different specialties, such as ophthalmology, nutrition, ENT, psychiatry, dental health, general medicine and physiotherapy.

This edition will feature a “Health Messengers” conference aimed at sharing the experiences of sports leaders, in addition to the “Family Health” forum which will bring together members of athletes’ families to discuss their children’s journeys and the importance of sport in their education and dev
elopment, as well as the ‘Unified Champion Schools’ event aimed at promoting educational inclusion.

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse