Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: A look at all the latest news from the numerous friendlies taking place across Asia.
AUGUST 3
Eintracht Frankfurt 1 Al Ahli (UAE) 0
An Enis Bunjaki goal on the stroke of half time was enough to secure a win for Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt against UAE Pro League champions Al Ahli.
An error from Salmeen Khamis – which saw the defender slip over on the edge of his own penalty area – gifted possession to Haris Seferovic, who squared the ball up for Bunjaki, and the 18-year-old made no mistake from twelve yards.
Earlier Al Ahli’s prolific Brazilian striker Lima was denied from close range by Eintracht goalkeeper Heinz Lindner, whose sharp near-post save kept the score at 0-0.
Lima had an even better chance when he found himself one on one with Lindner in the second half, but his attempted chip was easily handled by the Austrian international and Eintracht held on for a 1-0 win.
Hamburg SV 5 Al Jazira 1
UAE President’s Cup holders Al Jazira (pictured above in the 2016 AFC Champions League Group Stage) slumped to a heavy defeat against Germany’s Hamburg SV after taking an early lead in their friendly in Lower Saxony.
Peruvian international Jefferson Farfan gave the Emirati club a 1-0 lead on 34 minutes, firing into the bottom corner of the Hamburg net from just inside the penalty area.
But that was as good as it got for Al Jazira, as Hamburg scored twice before half time, first through Aaron Hunt, then via new signing Luca Waldschmidt.
The German side added three more goals after the break with Jatta, Djorou and Gregoritsch all getting on the scoresheet to round out an emphatic 5-1 win.
AUGUST 2
Udinese 1 Al Hilal 0
Two-time Asian champions Al Hilal finalised their preparation for next week’s Saudi Super Cup with a 1-0 defeat against Italy’s Udinese in Gmund, Austria. A goal from veteran forward Cyril Théréau after 30 minutes was enough to secure victory for the Italians as they inch towards their opening Serie A fixture on August 20.
The 33-year-old Frenchman’s left foot volley from close-range left Al Hilal’s newly-signed goalkeeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf with little chance.
Earlier Leo Bonatini – another new signing – went closest to giving Al-Hilal an early lead but failed to get his shot on target.
New Al Hilal boss Gustavo Matosas made eight changes for second half, as he narrows down his starting eleven for next Monday’s Saudi Super Cup against Pro League champions Al Ahli in London.
The match was the second meeting between Saudi and Italian clubs in Austria in seven days after Al Wehda’s 1-1 draw with Palermo on July 27.
JULY 31
Melbourne Victory 1 Atletico Madrid 0
A goal from defender Nick Ansell helped Melbourne Victory defeat a European powerhouse for the second time in eight days, as the locals claimed a 1-0 over an experimental Atletico Madrid lineup in Geelong.
A near full-strength Victory side overcame 2016 UEFA Champions League finalists Atletico – who fielded a number of players from their academy ranks – to follow their penalty shootout victory over Juventus last Saturday in Melbourne.
Australian U-23 international defender Ansell scored the game’s only goal when he got on the end of Fahid Ben Khalfallah’s set piece to guide a header into the net from close range.
The win – in front 16,000 fans at Simonds Stadium, 70km from their home in Melbourne – came ahead of Victory’s FFA Cup round of 32 meeting with Newcastle on Wednesday.
JULY 30
South China AA 1 Juventus 2
Italian champions Juventus brought their Asian tour to an end by coming from behind to narrowly defeat South China AA in Hong Kong.
The hosts took the lead after 21 minutes when an error from Juventus’ Brazilian goalkeeper Neto presented Chan Siu Ki with an opportunity to score, which the Hong Kong national team striker unerringly accepted.
But the winners of the last five Italian Serie A titles were level just five minutes later when Moroccan defender Medhi Benatia got on the end of a heavily deflected corner to poke the ball into the back of the net from less than six yards.
Another goalkeeping error played a significant role in the third and decisive goal, as South China custodian Cristian Mora spilled Stefano Padovan’s long range shot, allowing 21-year-old Lorenzo Rosseti to skip around the Ecuadorian, stroke the ball into the empty net and secure a 2-1 win for the Italians.
JULY 29
Las Palmas 0 United Arab Emirates 1
Omar Abdulrahman and Ali Mabkhout combined to give the Emiratis a 1-0 win over La Liga outfit Las Palmas in San Pedro, Spain.
A typically incisive, lofted pass from Abdulrahman created an opportunity for prolific Al-Jazira striker Mabkhout, who scrambled the ball home from within ten yards in the 27th minute.
The goal came after a bright start from Las Palmas, who were denied by two excellent early Ali Khaseif saves.
The Spanish side created more chances, both before and after the half-time break, but were unable to find an equaliser, giving the UAE a confidence-boosting win as they prepare for next month’s 2019 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Australia.
JULY 28
Cambodia 2 Singapore 1
A Tith Dina strike on the stroke of half time gave Cambodia their first win over Singapore for over 40 years despite finishing the match with ten men in Phnom Penh.
In front of a huge crowd at the Olympic Stadium, the hosts took the lead through a fabulous Chan Vathanaka free kick after 20 minutes but Singapore leveled with a lovely goal of their own from Khairul Amri.
The 31-year-old’s off-the-ball run into the penalty area was rewarded by Izzdin Shafiq’s superb long-range pass, which allowed Amri to steer a looping header over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Cambodia were back in front just before the break when Vathanaka created an opening for 23-year-old Dina, who struck a composed half-volley beyond Singaporean goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud from ten yards.
Singapore were given a lifeline when Hong Pheng was sent off for a second bookable offence with around fifteen minutes remaining, but the Lions – denied twice by the woodwork – were unable to find the equaliser.
Cambodia’s confidence-boosting 2-1 win comes as they prepare for 2016 AFF Championship qualifying tournament on home soil in October.
Lekhwiya 1 SD Eibar 3
Qatar’s Lekhwiya continued their pre-season preparations in Austria with a 3-1 defeat by La Liga club SD Eibar.
New Eibar recruit Unai Elgezabal opened the scoring at the Kaiserwinkl Arena on 23 minutes, before another new signing - winger Pere Milla - doubled the lead early in the second half.
Lekhwiya pulled a goal back through Korea Republic’s 2015 AFC Asian Cup runner-up Nam Tae-hee after 66 minutes, but 20-year-old defender Jordi Calavera put the game beyond doubt for the Spanish side with another goal three minutes later.
Calavera was the third new arrival to score for Eibar in a match which saw Lekhwiya’s star summer arrival Yousef Al Arabi start for his new club.
JULY 27
Palermo 1 Al Wehda 1
Saudi Pro League outfit Al Wehda continued their preparations for the 2016-17 season by earning a draw in their friendly against Italian Serie A side Palermo in Austria.
A penalty awarded on the stroke of half time gave Al Wehda the chance to score, which was duly converted by former Dibba Al-Fujairah and FC Anyang striker Felipe Adao, giving the Mecca-based club a 1-0 lead at the break.
In the second half Palermo looked more threatening, and found an equaliser through a new arrival of their own in Macedonia international forward Ilja Nesterovski on 81 minutes.
Both sides had chances to win the match in the final moments, but neither could find the decisive goal and the friendly finished 1-1.
JULY 26
Al Hilal 2 Lekhwiya SC 1
Austria was the location for a clash between two high-profile West Asian clubs, which saw Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal prevail.
Qatar's Lekhwiya took the lead through an own goal from Mohammed Jahfali in the 22nd minute, and remained in front until Al-Hilal’s Brazilian star Carlos Eduardo equalised early in the second half.
Al Hilal’s comeback was complete when another own goal – this time from Qatar international Mohammed Musa – put them in front for the first time in the 55th minute, and they held on to secure a 2-1 win.
Al Hilal’s victory follows a 1-1 draw against Besiktas last week, and their pre-season campaign continues with a match against Udinese on August 2, before the team meets Al Ahli in the Saudi Super Cup at London’s Craven Cottage on August 8.
Philippines 0 Perth Glory 2
Perth Glory’s pre-season tour of the Philippines ended with a win over the national team at the Quirino Stadium in Bantay.
Goals from youngster Joe Knowles and club captain Richard Garcia secured the 2-0 result against an Azkals team missing a number of regular starters.
Perth Glory return to Australia with wins against the national team and UFL All-Stars following a 0-0 draw with Global FC.
The match in Bantay also served as a valuable hit-out for the Azkals as they prepare to host this year’s AFF Championship, the draw for which is held next Tuesday.
JULY 24
Albirex Niigata 3 Singapore 0
Singapore’s three-match tour of Japan ended with a second defeat, as fast-starting Albirex Niigata cruised to a comfortable win.
Goals to Go Hayama, Ibusuki Hiroshi and Kalil - all within the first 15 minutes – secured the win for the home side, who are currently 15th on the J. League second stage table.
Singapore’s loss came following a 3-2 defeat to Niigata University of Health and Welfare last Wednesday, and a 2-0 win over Japan Soccer College the following day.
The Lions’ Japanese tour is part of their preparations for the 2016 AFF Championship. The tournament’s group stage draw will be conducted in Myanmar on August 2.
JULY 23
Melbourne Victory 1-1 Juventus (4-3 pens)
Australia’s Melbourne Victory surprised a depleted Juventus, defeating the 32-time Italian champions on penalties in their International Champions Cup match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday night.
Juventus, missing a number of their UEFA Euro 2016 stars, took the lead after 58 minutes when a stunning 45-yard strike from defender Carlos Blanco sailed over the head of Melbourne goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas and into the net.
The home team replied seven minutes from full-time with a lovely team goal, finished off by winger Jai Ingham.
Under competition rules the match went to a penalty shootout where Victory shot-stopper Thomas became the hero, making two excellent saves to secure the win.
UFL All-Stars 1-2 Perth Glory
Perth Glory recovered from a slow start to see off a Philippines United Football League All-Stars team 2-1 in their friendly in Rizal.
Perth’s stand-in skipper Andy Keogh wasted an early chance from the penalty spot, and the UFL side took the lead through Kaya FC’s Louis Clark after 13 minutes.
Chris Harold equalised for Perth nine minutes later, before Irishman Keogh put the Australian side in front with a sweetly struck half volley on the stroke of half-time.
Perth’s win follows their 0-0 draw with Filipino league leaders Global FC on Wednesday. Their tour of the Philippines finishes on Tuesday with a match against the Philippine national team.