Saudi Al-Hilal Beats Iran's Nassaji with Hat-Trick in AFC Champions League

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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Saudi Al-Hilal Beats Iran's Nassaji with Hat-Trick in AFC Champions League

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

Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal FC won over its Iranian host, Nasaji Mazandaran, with three clean goals in the match that brought them together on Tuesday at Azadi Stadium in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

The game was part of the second round of the “fourth” group of the AFC Champions League 2023-2024.

Serbian Aleksandar Mitrovic scored the first goal for Al-Hilal in the 18th minute, and Brazilian star Neymar Jr. netted in the 58th minute, before Saleh Al-Shehri had the third score in the 3rd minute of the injury time, SPA reported.

With this result, Al-Hilal raised its standing to share the top spot in Group 4 with Uzbekistan's Navbakhor, with four points each, while Nasaji's score froze at three points, in the third place.



Rafael Nadal to Be Honored with a Tribute at the French Open

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Paris, France - June 6, 2022 Spain's Rafael Nadal poses on the Alexandre III bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower with the trophy after winning the men's singles French Open title REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Paris, France - June 6, 2022 Spain's Rafael Nadal poses on the Alexandre III bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower with the trophy after winning the men's singles French Open title REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
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Rafael Nadal to Be Honored with a Tribute at the French Open

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Paris, France - June 6, 2022 Spain's Rafael Nadal poses on the Alexandre III bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower with the trophy after winning the men's singles French Open title REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Paris, France - June 6, 2022 Spain's Rafael Nadal poses on the Alexandre III bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower with the trophy after winning the men's singles French Open title REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

Retired 14-time champion Rafael Nadal will receive a tribute at the French Open on Court Philippe-Chatrier on May 25, the tournament’s opening day.

“Rafa has left his mark on the history of the French Open in so many ways, that’s why a tribute ceremony will be held in his honor,” French Open director Amélie Mauresmo said on Thursday. “We want the tribute to be special, exceptional. We want it to be a surprise for everyone.”

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion who retired in November, already has a statue rising in the alleys of the clay court Grand Slam. He will also feature in an exhibition in the tournament museum and lend his voice to the official French Open trailer, The Associated Press said.

“We wanted to do the tribute last year, to be transparent, but he refused at the time,” Mauresmo said. “He wasn’t sure that it was his last Roland Garros. Now that he is retired, he is happy to receive it.”

Nadal holds the record for the most French Open titles with 14. His last appearance at the tournament was in 2024 when he lost to Alexander Zverev in the first round.

“Rafael Nadal and Roland Garros are inseparable. We have a strong history together,” said Gilles Moretton, president of the French Tennis Federation. “Amélie and I went to see him not long ago because we wanted to do something important for him. We still had some frustration from last year.”

Organizers also plan to build on the success of the 2024 Paris Olympics by setting up a fan zone with giant screens showing matches. Located at Place de la Concorde in central Paris, the venue will be free and open to up to 5,000 fans.

“We saw an incredible atmosphere last summer in Paris. We plan on surfing on this success,” Mauresmo said.