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Bergwijn Double Takes Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad Through in Asian Champions League Playoffs

Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn scored twice inside the opening 38 minutes for Al-Ittihad. (Getty Images/AFP)
Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn scored twice inside the opening 38 minutes for Al-Ittihad. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Bergwijn Double Takes Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad Through in Asian Champions League Playoffs

Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn scored twice inside the opening 38 minutes for Al-Ittihad. (Getty Images/AFP)
Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn scored twice inside the opening 38 minutes for Al-Ittihad. (Getty Images/AFP)

Former champions, Saudi Arabia’s ‌Al-Ittihad booked their place in the league phase of the Asian Champions League Elite on Tuesday with a 4-1 playoff win over Al-Jazira from the United Arab Emirates, while Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor won 3-0 against Jordanians Al-Hussein.

Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn scored twice inside the opening 38 minutes for Al-Ittihad, with Houssem Aouar and Marwan Al-Sahafi also on target for the Jens ‌Wissing-coached Saudi ‌Pro League outfit.

Dostonbek Khamdamov scored ‌in ⁠the seventh and ⁠30th minutes in Pakhtakor's win over Al-Hussein, before Bashar Resan netted his side's third seven minutes into the second half in Tashkent.

Japan's Gamba Osaka needed extra time to defeat Gangwon FC from South Korea, with Gaku Nawata striking ⁠in the 103rd minute to secure ‌a 1-0 win, ‌and Vietnam's Cong An Ha Noi recorded a 2-0 ‌victory against Australia's Adelaide United.

David Henen gave ‌Cong An Ha No a 41st-minute lead and Brayan Perea doubled the advantage in the 64th minute as Mano Polking's team booked their place in ‌the league phase draw, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur next ⁠week ⁠on August 18.

The league phase, which has been expanded from 24 to 32 teams, will begin on September 14 and run until February 17 with the round of 16 to be played over two legs in March.

Winners of those ties will advance to the finals phase, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final played on a centralized basis in Saudi Arabia from April 23 to May 1.

Al-Ahli from Saudi Arabia are the defending champions.

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Sports

Ireland Players Vote to Play Israel Tie despite Gaza Unease

Ireland's Seamus Coleman walks as tennis balls are thrown on to the pitch during the international friendly soccer match between Ireland and Qatar in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) License this photo
Ireland's Seamus Coleman walks as tennis balls are thrown on to the pitch during the international friendly soccer match between Ireland and Qatar in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) License this photo
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Ireland Players Vote to Play Israel Tie despite Gaza Unease

Ireland's Seamus Coleman walks as tennis balls are thrown on to the pitch during the international friendly soccer match between Ireland and Qatar in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) License this photo
Ireland's Seamus Coleman walks as tennis balls are thrown on to the pitch during the international friendly soccer match between Ireland and Qatar in Dublin, Ireland, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) License this photo

Players from Ireland's football team voted on Saturday to fulfil a UEFA Nations League tie with Israel despite player unease over the war in Gaza.

"We carried out a vote amongst the squad to establish their sentiment on fulfilling the (Israel) fixtures," Football Association of Ireland head David Courell told reporters in Debrecen, Hungary, where the game will take place on Sunday.

"It was a significant majority that was returned with the intention to continue," said Courell, AFP reported.

"Based on that, the association took the decision on behalf of Irish football that this fixture would continue as we have always intended to fulfil the fixtures," he said.

Ireland are scheduled to play two Nations League fixtures against Israel, with the first -- officially Israel's home fixture - to be played at the neutral venue in Hungary.

Ireland's designated home match on October 4 was moved from Dublin's Aviva Stadium to Backa Topola, Serbia, following concerns over disruption and security.

Ireland has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, with sympathy often linked to the country's own history of British rule.

Dublin formally recognized a Palestinian state in 2024 alongside Spain and Norway, and has repeatedly criticised Israel over the Gaza conflict.

Israel strongly rejects allegations its conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide.

Since Ireland were drawn in the same Nations League group as Israel prominent Irish figures including sportspeople, as well as fan groups and pro-Palestinian campaigners have protested against the ties going ahead.

Ireland's Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrimsson told the press conference that one unnamed player has decided to withdraw from the squad for the Israel game.

The player's decision triggered the delay of a scheduled press conference on Saturday, and a decision to hold the vote amongst the squad about whether to fulfil the fixture or not.

"Nobody is comfortable playing these games for many reasons," said Hallgrimsson.

"We are trying to tackle it in the best way we can at the moment," he said.

Ireland players will not fulfil any media duties tomorrow, or against Austria in Dublin on October 1st, or around the game against Israel in Serbia three days later, said Courell.

The players will wear black armbands "for all lives lost in the conflict" during Sunday's match with profits from the Austria game to be donated to charity, while the players will also donate their match fees, he said.

There will be no handshakes or a pennant exchange with Israeli players before kick-off, he added.

Sunday's match comes days after national broadcaster RTE confirmed Ireland would again boycott the Eurovision Song Contest next year because of Israel's participation.

In a rare move for a state broadcaster RTE said earlier it will show the game, but without Irish commentary or pundits.

 

 

 

 

Sports

Man City Confident they Can Prove 'Innocence' over Charges, Says Chairman

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is seen before a match. Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 18, 2024. Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is seen before a match. Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 18, 2024. Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo
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Man City Confident they Can Prove 'Innocence' over Charges, Says Chairman

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is seen before a match. Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 18, 2024. Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is seen before a match. Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 18, 2024. Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said Saturday that the club were confident they could prove their innocence after they were reportedly found guilty of more than 100 charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial rules.

News of the decisions reached by an independent tribunal was reported on Friday but no official announcement has been made by the Premier League and there is no firm indication of any potential punishment, according to AFP.

"The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club's innocence is just as strong as when this began," he said in an open letter to City fans on the club's website.

"There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position.

"But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it means I cannot do that at the moment."

"While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed," he said.

"We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our club. We will not give them that opportunity."

Sports

Egypt's Salah Ruled Out of South Sudan Qualifier Due to Artificial Surface

Soccer Football - African Cup of Nations - Qualification - Group B - Egypt v Angola - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - September 25, 2026 Egypt's Mohamed Salah gestures during the match REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Soccer Football - African Cup of Nations - Qualification - Group B - Egypt v Angola - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - September 25, 2026 Egypt's Mohamed Salah gestures during the match REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
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Egypt's Salah Ruled Out of South Sudan Qualifier Due to Artificial Surface

Soccer Football - African Cup of Nations - Qualification - Group B - Egypt v Angola - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - September 25, 2026 Egypt's Mohamed Salah gestures during the match REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Soccer Football - African Cup of Nations - Qualification - Group B - Egypt v Angola - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - September 25, 2026 Egypt's Mohamed Salah gestures during the match REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Mohamed Salah will not travel with Egypt's squad to South Sudan for their second Africa Cup of Nations qualifier because the match will be played on an artificial turf pitch, the Egyptian Football Association said on Saturday.

Egypt were held to a goalless draw by Angola at Cairo International Stadium on ⁠Friday in their ⁠opening qualifier.

Salah, who joined Türkiye's Trabzonspor from Liverpool recently, started against Angola but did not complete the match after coach Hossam Hassan substituted him midway ⁠through the second half.

"The Egypt national team's technical staff, led by Hossam Hassan, has decided to rest Mohamed Salah for the match against South Sudan scheduled for September 29 because of the playing surface," EFA said on social media, according to Reuters.

"It was agreed between the national team's technical ⁠staff ⁠and Mohamed Salah before the Angola match that he would not play against South Sudan, and the technical staff preferred this approach in order to protect the player," EFA added.

The match between South Sudan and Egypt will be played at Juba Stadium, which has an artificial turf surface.