Al-Hilal Beats Al-Ittihad 4-1 in Final of the Saudi Super Cup

Neymar (C) of Al-Hilal poses with the trophy on the podium after winning the Saudi Super Cup final between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 11 April 2024. (EPA)
Neymar (C) of Al-Hilal poses with the trophy on the podium after winning the Saudi Super Cup final between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 11 April 2024. (EPA)
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Al-Hilal Beats Al-Ittihad 4-1 in Final of the Saudi Super Cup

Neymar (C) of Al-Hilal poses with the trophy on the podium after winning the Saudi Super Cup final between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 11 April 2024. (EPA)
Neymar (C) of Al-Hilal poses with the trophy on the podium after winning the Saudi Super Cup final between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 11 April 2024. (EPA)

Al-Hilal beat Al-Ittihad 4-1 in the final of the Saudi Super Cup on Thursday to stay on course for an unprecedented four football titles this year.

The Super Cup trophy, lifted in Abu Dhabi’s Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, is the first of the season for the Riyadh side but is unlikely to be the last as the team is also 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr at the top of the Saudi Pro League with just seven games remaining.

Al-Hilal, also in the semifinals of the Asian Champions League and the Saudi King’s Cup, has extended its world record winning streak for top-tier teams to 34 consecutive games in all competitions.

Three days after defeating Al-Nassr in the semifinal, during which Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing Ali Al-Bulaihi, two goals from Brazilian winger Malcom did the damage for Al-Hilal. Salem Al-Dawsari and Nasser Al-Dawsari sealed the win with late goals.

“It was a difficult game and I am very happy to score two goals,” Malcom told Saudi television. “We are also happy to collect our first title of the season but we are chasing more trophies.”

Ittihad striker Karim Benzema, signed from Real Madrid last summer, was unable to find the net while colleague Abderrazak Hamdallah made up for missing a penalty by getting on the scoresheet.

In 2023, the Super Cup was expanded from a single game between the league champions and King’s Cup winners to include the runners-up from both competitions. It was also moved to Abu Dhabi.

Al-Hilal returns to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday to take on Al-Ain in the first leg of the Asian Champions League semifinals as it seeks a record fifth continental title.



Former Argentina Coach Sampaoli Takes Over at French Club Rennes

FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
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Former Argentina Coach Sampaoli Takes Over at French Club Rennes

FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )

Former Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli is taking over at French league side Rennes.
The 64-year-old is returning to French soccer following a previous stint with Marseille.
Rennes said late Monday that Sampaoli signed a 1 1/2-year contract, The Associated Press reported.
Sampaoli, who was in charge of Argentina at the 2018 World Cup, replaces Julien Stephan, who was dismissed last week.
Rennes is looking for a jolt after a mediocre spell that saw the team slump to 13th place in the standings, 18 points behind leader Paris Saint-Germain after 11 matches.
“He is a coach who is recognized internationally for his professionalism and humanism,” said Arnaud Pouille, the executive chairman and managing director at Rennes. “He has a strong attachment to his players and staff, and is a loyal and committed man. We need his energy to get the club moving again and to face the competition with determination.”
The much-traveled Sampaoli has also coached clubs in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Spain and Brazil.
Sampaoli abruptly left Marseille in July 2022 after leading the team back to the Champions League, over a disagreement related to the club's transfers of players.