عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

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)
TT
TT

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.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Murray to Coach Djokovic Through Australian Open

FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
TT
TT

Murray to Coach Djokovic Through Australian Open

FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

The recently retired Andy Murray is going to team up with longtime rival Novak Djokovic as his coach, they both announced Saturday, with plans to prepare for — and work together through — the Australian Open in January.
It was a stunning bit of news as tennis moves toward its offseason, a pairing of two of the most successful and popular players in the sport, both of whom are sometimes referred to as members of a so-called Big Four that also included Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals and finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He ended his playing career after the Paris Summer Games in August.
Both men are 37 and were born a week apart in May 1987. They started facing each other as juniors and wound up meeting 36 times as professionals, with Djokovic holding a 25-11 advantage.
“We played each other since we were boys — 25 years of being rivals, of pushing each other beyond our limits. We had some of the most epic battles in our sport. They called us game-changers, risk-takers, history-makers,” Djokovic posted on social media over photos and videos from some of their matches. “I thought our story may be over. Turns out, it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome on board, Coach — Andy Murray.”
Djokovic's 2024 season is over, and it was not up to his usual, high standards. He didn't win a Grand Slam trophy; his only title, though, was meaningful to him: a gold medal for Serbia in singles at the Summer Games.
Djokovic has been without a full-time coach since splitting in March from Goran Ivanisevic.
“I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the offseason, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open," The Associated Press quoted Murray as saying in a statement released by his management team. "I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.”
Their head-to-head series on tour includes an 11-8 lead for Djokovic in finals, and 8-2 at Grand Slam tournaments.
Djokovic beat Murray four times in the Australian Open final alone — in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
Two of the most important victories of Murray's career came with Djokovic on the other side of the net. One was in the 2012 US Open final, when Murray claimed his first Grand Slam title. The other was in the 2013 Wimbledon final, when Murray became the first British man in 77 years to win the singles championship at the All England Club.
Next year's Australian Open starts on Jan. 12.