Ighalo on the double as Al Hilal dent Al Nassr's title hopes

Wed, 19 Apr, 2023

Ighalo on the double as Al Hilal dent Al Nassr's title hopes

Riyadh: Odion Ighalo scored twice from the penalty spot as Al Hilal SFC defeated Al Nassr 2-0 in the Saudi Pro League on Tuesday.

The win meant not only did Al Hilal keep their slim hopes of defending the title alive but also dealt a blow to Al Nassr's ambitions at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.
 
Al Nassr's defeat means Al Ittihad - on 56 points and with a match in hand - are firmly in control of the title race with Al Nassr three points adrift. Al Hilal, who are fourth, moved up to 49 points but have only five matches remaining to Al Ittihad's seven. 

Al Hilal’s ACL history

Tue, 18 Apr, 2023

Al Hilal’s ACL history

Riyadh: The AFC Champions League™ 2022 Final will offer Al Hilal SFC the chance to extend their record as the most successful side in the history of the competition as they chase a fifth title, which would put them two clear of the next best side in the continent.

When the competition was relaunched under the AFC Champions League name in 2002-03, Al Hilal had already been one of a few clubs who had two titles to their name, alongside the likes of Esteghlal, Thai Farmers Bank and Korean duo Pohang Steelers and Suwon Samsung Bluewings, but in the years since then, the club set out on a journey to stand out from the rest.

4 memorable Saudi Arabia v Japan ACL clashes

Mon, 17 Apr, 2023

4 memorable Saudi Arabia v Japan ACL clashes

Riyadh: Between them, clubs from Saudi Arabia and Japan have won a total of 13 continental titles in Asia’s top club competition, and when Al Hilal SFC and Urawa Red Diamonds clash in the AFC Champions League™ 2022 final, they will be reviving a tradition of classic encounters between teams from the two powerhouses.

While there were many clashes between Saudi and Japanese teams in the Asian Club Championship, most famously the 2000 final in which Al Hilal defeated Jubilo Iwata, there is also no shortage of classic encounters in the AFC Champions League era. The-AFC.com looks at four of the best Saudi-Japanese clashes in the competition since 2002-03.

Europe Wrap: Hwang seals Wolves win; Kerr sends Chelsea into final

Tue, 18 Apr, 2023

Europe Wrap: Hwang seals Wolves win; Kerr sends Chelsea into final

Kuala Lumpur: Korea Republic forward Hwang Hee-chan scored in his 50th game in England’s Premier League as Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Brentford 2-0 on Saturday while Australia's Sam Kerr hit the winner as Chelsea reached the Women’s FA Cup final by defeating Aston Villa 1-0 on Sunday. 

In France, Japanese youngster Yuito Suzuki made an impressive debut in Ligue 1, scoring in a crucial victory for relegation battlers Strasbourg, while his compatriots Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda netted for Australian tactician Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic as they inched closer to a second straight league title in Scotland. 
 
Islamic Republic of Iran's Sardar Azmoun bagged an assist in Bayer Leverkusen’s draw with Union SG in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, Japan’s Ayase Ueda scored a double in Belgium and Iraq's Osama Rashid hit a stunner in Portugal, so join the-AFC.com as we review how the Asian stars performed in Europe over the week. 

FIFA confirms Argentina as host nation for FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023

Tue, 18 Apr, 2023

FIFA confirms Argentina as host nation for FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023

Zurich: The Bureau of the FIFA Council has confirmed Argentina as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023.

The decision follows the removal of the original tournament host, Indonesia, as well as a subsequent bid submitted by the Argentinian Football Association (AFA) and an on-site inspection by a FIFA delegation to the South American country last week.