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.



Barcelona Pair Casadó, Martínez Out of Spain’s Nations League Squad Over Injury

Soccer Football - LaLiga - Atletico Madrid v FC Barcelona - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - March 16, 2025 Atletico Madrid's Giuliano Simeone in action with FC Barcelona's Marc Casado REUTERS/Juan Medina
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Atletico Madrid v FC Barcelona - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - March 16, 2025 Atletico Madrid's Giuliano Simeone in action with FC Barcelona's Marc Casado REUTERS/Juan Medina
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Barcelona Pair Casadó, Martínez Out of Spain’s Nations League Squad Over Injury

Soccer Football - LaLiga - Atletico Madrid v FC Barcelona - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - March 16, 2025 Atletico Madrid's Giuliano Simeone in action with FC Barcelona's Marc Casado REUTERS/Juan Medina
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Atletico Madrid v FC Barcelona - Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - March 16, 2025 Atletico Madrid's Giuliano Simeone in action with FC Barcelona's Marc Casado REUTERS/Juan Medina

Midfielder Marc Casadó and central defender Iñigo Martínez are out of Spain's Nations League quarter-final because of injury, the national soccer federation said Monday.
Defending champion Spain visits the Netherlands on Thursday and hosts them on Sunday in the return match.
Casadó hurt his right knee in the second half of Barcelona’s 4-2 win at Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league on Sunday. National team coach Luis de la Fuente has replaced him with Bayer Leverkusen's Aleix García.
Barcelona teammate Martínez also has a right knee problem, though the defender finished the match against Atletico. He has been replaced for the Nations League matches by Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, a member of Spain’s under-21 squad.