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Champions Al Hilal Aim for Fourth Asian Football Title

Al Hilal players celebrate winning the Asian Champions League last month. (SPA)
Al Hilal players celebrate winning the Asian Champions League last month. (SPA)
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Champions Al Hilal Aim for Fourth Asian Football Title

Al Hilal players celebrate winning the Asian Champions League last month. (SPA)
Al Hilal players celebrate winning the Asian Champions League last month. (SPA)

Defending champions Al Hilal were Tuesday drawn against UAE's Al Ahli and Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor for the start of their campaign for a record fourth Asian club title in the AFC Champions League.

The Saudi giants beat Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds last month, ending a 19-year wait for their third continental trophy and joining South Korea's Pohang Steelers as the only three-time Asian champions.

They also became the competition's first West Asian winners since Qatar's Al Sadd in 2011, torpedoing a run of victories by clubs from Japan, South Korea, China and Australia.

Two-time winners Guangzhou Evergrande of China, who won the Chinese Super League title this month, will face South Korean side Suwon Samsung Bluewings after being drawn in the same group at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, South Korea's Jeonbuk Motors, who have also clinched the title twice, will face Yokohama Marinos of Japan and Australia's Sydney FC.

Ulsan Hyundai, champions in 2012, were drawn with Shanghai Shenhua from China and Australian side Perth Glory.

"It is quite an evenly balanced" draw, AFC general secretary Windsor John told AFP. "We look forward to another thrilling campaign."

The 2020 season begins with the preliminary stage in January, with the two-leg final scheduled for November.

The AFC Champions League will feature 32 teams in 2020 for the final time, with the tournament set to expand to 40 sides from 2021.

Group A: Al Wahda (UAE), Al Shorta (IRQ), play-off winner, play-off winner

Group B: Al Hilal (KSA), Al Ahli (UAE), Pakhtakor (UZB), play-off winner

Group C: Al Duhail (QAT), Al Taawoun (KSA), Sharjah (UAE), Persepolis (IRN)

Group D: Sepahan (IRN), Al Sadd (QAT), Al Nassr (KSA), play-off winner

Group E: Beijing (CHN), Chiangrai United (THA), play-off winner, play-off winner

Group F: Ulsan Hyundai (KOR), Shanghai Shenhua (CHN), Perth Glory (AUS), play-off winner

Group G: Japan 2nd Club, Suwon Samsung Bluewings (KOR), Guangzhou Evergrande (CHN), Johor Darul Ta'zim (MAS)

Group H: Sydney FC (AUS), Yokohama Marinos (JPN), Jeonbuk Motors (KOR), play-off winner

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Lawson’s Road Back Looks a Little Longer After Suzuka 

RB driver Liam Lawson of New Zealand in action during the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan, 06 April 2025. (EPA)
RB driver Liam Lawson of New Zealand in action during the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan, 06 April 2025. (EPA)
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Lawson’s Road Back Looks a Little Longer After Suzuka 

RB driver Liam Lawson of New Zealand in action during the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan, 06 April 2025. (EPA)
RB driver Liam Lawson of New Zealand in action during the 2025 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan, 06 April 2025. (EPA)

A fortnight that must rank as the most dispiriting of Liam Lawson's young Formula One career ended with a 17th-place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix and his Racing Bulls teammate fielding questions about a potential move up to Red Bull.

The 23-year-old New Zealander made that same move at the end of last season only to be summarily dumped after two races last week in a driver switch that saw Yuki Tsunoda promoted to partner world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

Any pleasure Lawson took from outqualifying Tsunoda on Saturday would have dissipated pretty quickly in Sunday's race when a mistake on the opening lap allowed the Japanese driver to swoop past him and into 13th place.

With overtaking otherwise tricky, Racing Bulls decided to give Lawson an extended stint before pitting in the hope that a yellow flag might give him an opportunity to creep up the field.

The race was all but incident free, however, and Lawson crossed the line in 17th place with only three cars behind him.

"It was a tough start, lap one was really tricky. We'll obviously learn from that," Lawson said.

"We went really long, and I guess, tried something. It just didn't really work.

"I'll keep building. I'm getting used to the car, and pushing it. We had good pace throughout the weekend, unfortunately not when we needed to.

"There's always positives to take away from it."

One might be that having qualified 18th and failed to finish in Australia, before qualifying last in China, Lawson did at least make the cut for the second qualifying session at Suzuka.

A negative in the cut-throat world of Formula One would surely be the performance in the other Racing Bulls car of French rookie Isack Hadjar, who qualified in seventh place and finished eighth.

Hadjar laughed when asked if he would entertain a promotion to Red Bull after earning his first points in his third Formula One race, replying, "I would never refuse a call, that's for sure, but let's see."

Lawson said before the race that a potential future return to Red Bull was "part of the conversation" when he was demoted, but he will need better performances from the Bahrain race next week if he is to stay in that picture.