Mitrovic Scores for Al-Hilal in 2-0 Win Over Al-Ittihad 

Football - Asian Champions League - Quarter Final - First Leg – Al-Hilal v Al-Ittihad - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - March 5, 2024 Al-Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic scores their first goal from the penalty spot. (Reuters)
Football - Asian Champions League - Quarter Final - First Leg – Al-Hilal v Al-Ittihad - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - March 5, 2024 Al-Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic scores their first goal from the penalty spot. (Reuters)
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Mitrovic Scores for Al-Hilal in 2-0 Win Over Al-Ittihad 

Football - Asian Champions League - Quarter Final - First Leg – Al-Hilal v Al-Ittihad - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - March 5, 2024 Al-Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic scores their first goal from the penalty spot. (Reuters)
Football - Asian Champions League - Quarter Final - First Leg – Al-Hilal v Al-Ittihad - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - March 5, 2024 Al-Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic scores their first goal from the penalty spot. (Reuters)

Aleksandar Mitrovic and Salem Al-Dawsari scored for Al-Hilal in a 2-0 win over Al-Ittihad, which saw midfielder N’Golo Kanté sent off in the first leg of their Asian Champions League quarterfinal match Tuesday.

Mitrovic converted a penalty six minutes before the break to become joint top scorer in the tournament with eight goals. Three minutes later, Al-Dawsari doubled the lead in the all-Saudi Arabian matchup.

Kanté was dismissed in the 66th minute for a dangerous tackle on former Chelsea teammate Kalidou Koulibaly. Kante will miss the second leg in Jeddah next Tuesday.

“We got two goals in the first half and then we tried to control the game but it was difficult with their counter-attack,” Koulibaly said. “To win 2-0 at home is a good result and we will wait until the second game.”

Karim Benzema, who had right leg muscle soreness this week, was not in Al-Ittihad’s squad.

The winner of the tie could meet Cristiano Ronaldo in the semifinals if Al-Nassr can overcome a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates in the return game in Riyadh on Monday.

In the eastern zone, Jeonbuk drew 1-1 with Ulsan in the first leg between two South Korean teams that have lifted the trophy twice. On Wednesday, Shandong Taishan of China will host Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos.



Messi and Miami Stunned By LAFC In CONCACAF Champions Cup

No way through: Lionel Messi endured a frustrating night in Inter Miami's 1-0 defeat to LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (Frederic J. Brown) - AFP
No way through: Lionel Messi endured a frustrating night in Inter Miami's 1-0 defeat to LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (Frederic J. Brown) - AFP
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Messi and Miami Stunned By LAFC In CONCACAF Champions Cup

No way through: Lionel Messi endured a frustrating night in Inter Miami's 1-0 defeat to LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (Frederic J. Brown) - AFP
No way through: Lionel Messi endured a frustrating night in Inter Miami's 1-0 defeat to LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (Frederic J. Brown) - AFP

Los Angeles FC sent Lionel Messi and Inter Miami spinning to their first defeat of the season on Wednesday, scoring an upset 1-0 victory in their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final first-leg clash.

A 57th-minute strike from Los Angeles-born El Salvador international Nathan Ordaz handed LAFC a precious advantage heading into next Wednesday's return leg in Florida.

"I think we saw a complete performance," said LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo, whose only complaint was that his team had not managed to win by a more convincing margin.

"If we're honest with ourselves we need to be a little sharper in front of goal. If we get the same types of chances next week in Miami we need to be a little more ruthless."

Miami coach Javier Mascherano had few complaints about his team's defeat, according to AFP.

"Obviously we didn't have the best night tonight but it's only the first leg," Mascherano said.

"We have another game next week. We can do what we need to reach the semi-finals."

Unbeaten in nine games across all competitions since the start of the season, Messi and Miami arrived in Los Angeles as the form team of Major League Soccer.

But after a cagey first half that saw neither side manage to get on top, Los Angeles raised their intensity and began causing problems for the visitors.

LAFC fullback Ryan Hollingshead squandered a golden chance in the 54th minute, blasting well wide after bursting into the penalty area on the overlap.

They made the breakthrough three minutes later with the 21-year-old homegrown striker Ordaz spinning away from former Barcelona and Spain international Sergio Busquets and thumping a low shot into the bottom corner past Miami keeper Oscar Ustari.

Argentine superstar Messi, making his first start since returning as a substitute last weekend following a two-week injury layoff, struggled to gain a foothold in the contest.

Instead it was Los Angeles who looked likeliest to score in front of a raucous home crowd of 22,207 fans at the BMO Stadium that included NBA superstar Stephen Curry, Miami team owner David Beckham and Argentina national team manager Lionel Scaloni.

US international Aaron Long headed just over from a free-kick in the 63rd minute, and moments later only a desperate goal-line block from Miami defender Maxi Falcon denied LAFC midfielder Timothy Tillman.

Falcon had one of Miami's few chances in the second half, glancing a header towards the bottom corner that LAFC's former France international goalkeeper Hugo Lloris gathered comfortably.

In a sign of mounting Miami frustration, Busquets was booked for a wild challenge on Cengiz Under.

A disappointing night for Messi was summed up by his failure to make the most of a free-kick in a promising position deep into stoppage time, with the Argentine sending his shot whistling well over the bar as LAFC held on for a deserved victory.