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Perfect Al-Hilal Beat Al-Shorta to Book Asian Champions League Last-16 Spot 

Al-Hilal players celebrate a goal scored during Tuesday's match. (SPA)
Al-Hilal players celebrate a goal scored during Tuesday's match. (SPA)
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Perfect Al-Hilal Beat Al-Shorta to Book Asian Champions League Last-16 Spot 

Al-Hilal players celebrate a goal scored during Tuesday's match. (SPA)
Al-Hilal players celebrate a goal scored during Tuesday's match. (SPA)

Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal won 4-0 against Iraq's Al-Shorta in Riyadh on Tuesday to book their place in the knockout rounds of the Asian Champions League Elite with a fifth win in a row as Al-Wahda from the UAE also confirmed their progress.

Marcos Leonardo scored twice to move Simone Inzaghi's side on to a maximum 15 points from the opening five matches in the 12-team western league phase and qualify for the last 16.

The Brazilian opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time with a bullet header past Hasan Ahmed while Ahmed Yahia's 61st-minute sending off for a second bookable offence left Al-Shorta with what proved to be an insurmountable task.

Goalkeeper Ahmed allowed Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's header to slip through his hands as Al-Hilal doubled their lead two minutes later, while Leonardo nodded in the third with 18 minutes left and Cancelo hit the fourth in added time.

The top eight finishers in both the western and eastern league phases advance to March's Round of 16, with the quarter-finals, semis and final to be played on a centralized basis in Saudi Arabia in April.

Dusan Tadic inspired Al-Wahda to come back from a goal down in the first half to defeat Qatar's Al-Sadd 3-1 in Abu Dhabi and also confirm the Emirati outfit's place in the knockout rounds.

Brazilian striker Claudinho had given Al-Sadd, under new manager Roberto Mancini, the lead from the penalty spot in the third minute of first-half stoppage time but Tadic levelled 10 minutes after the restart.

The former Southampton playmaker showed his class with a strike on the turn that flew into the top corner before hitting his team's second with another emphatic finish 11 minutes later.

Tadic then turned provider with three minutes left to allow Caio Canedo to net their third, sealing the win and confirming Al-Wahda's progress with 13 points from five matches.

"When we don't give our opponents the initiative we are much better and this is the way Al-Wahda should play," said Tadic. "This is how we win the game.

"In the first half I believe we gave them too much space and then everyone can play football. In the second half we didn't give them space and we showed we're a better team than them."

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Sports

Tudor Sees Harsh Reality of Tottenham’s Plight 

Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in London, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in London, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
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Tudor Sees Harsh Reality of Tottenham’s Plight 

Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in London, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
Tottenham's head coach Igor Tudor reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in London, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)

If Igor Tudor needed hard evidence as to the size of his task at Tottenham Hotspur, he got a filing cabinet's worth in Sunday's 4-1 home defeat by Arsenal in the north London derby.

There had been a slight lift in the mood amongst Tottenham fans ahead of the game, a feeling that Tudor might be able to initiate a "new manager bounce" against an Arsenal side showing signs of nerves in the Premier League title race.

Instead, a dominant Arsenal strolled to three points with their biggest league win at their arch-rivals since 1978.

Tudor was left in no doubt that his side are in a relegation battle that ‌could see them ‌drop out of the top flight for the first time ‌since ⁠1977.

"Where is the ⁠goal? What is the level? So today, totally different worlds. I need to be honest. Two totally different psychological and physical worlds," the straight-talking Croatian said of the contrast between the two sides.

"A lack of confidence is very evident in the team. I'm very sad and very angry and everything but in one way it is also good to understand where is our goal. What is the goal of this club?

"What is the goal of this team? What ⁠is this goal of this coach, these players, this staff? To ‌become serious. Serious, not just a group of ‌20 players.

"Each of us look in the mirror and really try, really start to change the habits. ‌Working hard is the only way."

With 11 games remaining, Tottenham are in 16th place, ‌four points above the relegation zone. But their form is shocking, even compared to the two clubs directly below them, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.

They have not won a Premier League game in 2026 and have only won twice at home in the league this season.

Based on the ‌last 12 games, Tottenham are bottom of the table -- five points worse off than West Ham and Forest, who both look ⁠better-equipped for a relegation ⁠scrap.

Apart from a brief spell when Randal Kolo Muani equalized on Sunday, Arsenal toyed with Tottenham and could have won by an even larger margin.

Former Juventus and Lazio coach Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank this month, was correct to point to the crippling injury list that left him with 13 senior outfield players on Sunday while suspended captain Cristian Romero will complete his ban at Fulham next weekend.

That is a match Tottenham dare not lose.

"It was too much Arsenal for us in this moment with the problems we have," Tudor said. "Also it's nice to understand where we are because you prepare in the best possible way then there is the game to show you reality.

"I said to the players, stay quiet, come on Tuesday and restart after these three or four training sessions to work harder than we did until now. To change our habits, to change the state of mind which is now as a team."

Sports

Liverpool Boss Slot Encouraged by Mac Allister’s Return to Form 

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool in Nottingham, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool in Nottingham, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
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Liverpool Boss Slot Encouraged by Mac Allister’s Return to Form 

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool in Nottingham, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool in Nottingham, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(AP)

Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes Alexis Mac Allister is regaining his best form following the attacking midfielder's last-gasp winning goal at Nottingham Forest.

Mac Allister struck deep in added time at the City Ground on Sunday to secure a 1-0 win for the Premier League champions.

The Argentina international sealed victory by pouncing on a loose ball from close range just minutes after he had a goal ruled out by VAR.

"I think what he needed is what he showed in the last six, seven or eight games - a run of games where he's getting back to his usual level that he showed so many times last season," said Slot.

"And he had that level also in the first half of the season but it went a bit with ups and downs, as the team went in terms of performances with ups and downs.

"But I see much more consistency recently -- not only in Macca's performance but in the team performance and many individual performances.

"But I think it's always nice for a player to score, especially if it's in extra time of extra time."

The Dutch boss, whose side are now just outside the Champions League places on goal difference alone following a run of poor results, added: "We needed this goal, we needed that win to be on the right side of things once in a while because we've been so, so unlucky this season.

"And for the first time, at least it felt to me for the first time, we've been a bit lucky this season."

Sports

Wolves, Sunderland Condemn Racist Abuse Directed at Players

22 February 2026, United Kingdom, London: Crystal Palace's Chris Richards and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tolu Arokodare battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire/dpa
22 February 2026, United Kingdom, London: Crystal Palace's Chris Richards and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tolu Arokodare battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire/dpa
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Wolves, Sunderland Condemn Racist Abuse Directed at Players

22 February 2026, United Kingdom, London: Crystal Palace's Chris Richards and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tolu Arokodare battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire/dpa
22 February 2026, United Kingdom, London: Crystal Palace's Chris Richards and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tolu Arokodare battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire/dpa

Wolverhampton Wanderers ‌and Sunderland said they were appalled by the racial abuse directed at their players on social media on Sunday following defeats in the Premier League.

Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare and Sunderland winger Romaine Mundle both received online abuse, ‌with the ‌incidents coming less than ‌24 ⁠hours after Wesley ⁠Fofana and Hannibal Mejbri were racially abused following Chelsea's draw with Burnley.

Wolves said they were disgusted by the multiple instances of abuse ⁠received by Arokodare following ‌their 1-0 ‌defeat by Crystal Palace.

"We stand ‌firmly alongside him, and alongside ‌all footballers who are forced to endure this abuse from anonymous accounts acting with apparent impunity," Reuters quoted ‌the club as saying in a statement.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Sunderland v Fulham - Stadium of Light, Sunderland, Britain - February 22, 2026 Sunderland's Romaine Mundle reacts Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Sunderland, who lost 3-1 ⁠to ⁠Fulham, said they were working with the authorities to identify those responsible for the messages targeting Mundle.

"The abhorrent behavior displayed by multiple individuals is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the Club under any circumstances," Sunderland wrote on their website.