Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite game with Esteghlal of Tehran on Tuesday will be as closely watched in India as it is in Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said in a statement released last Tuesday that Esteghlal had to move its home fixture with Al-Nassr to the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai due to the security situation in Iran.
The decision was greeted by surprise in India as, on Oct. 7, the AFC ruled that Mohun Bagan Super Giants of Kolkata had been “considered to have withdrawn” from the second tier AFC Champions League Two for refusing to travel to Iran to play its Oct. 2 fixture against Tractor SC in the northwestern city of Tabriz.
It is not only Al-Nassr’s game that has been relocated. Tractor’s home game against Ravshan of Tajikistan, scheduled for Wednesday, has been switched to become an away tie. Iran’s national team also had to move its Oct. 15 World Cup qualifier against Qatar to Dubai.
“...(Mohun Bagan) notes that the AFC has indeed recognised the volatility of the situation in Iran and as such, has rescheduled or shifted venues for several games,” a spokesperson for Mohun Bagan told Associated Press, adding that the confederation had taken the same geopolitical instability into account that the club had. “Failing to apply the same standard to Mohun Bagan would result in unequal treatment by the AFC.”
According to the spokesperson, Mohun Bagan had made a request to the AFC that the game’s date or venue be changed before it decided not to travel.
“We consistently communicated concerns about the volatile and unsafe conditions in and around Iran, particularly regarding the safety of players and staff,” the official added.
The Indian Super League club said that it had appealed the decision to the relevant AFC committee and hoped to be reinstated into the tournament.
The AFC did not reply to an invitation to comment.
Al-Nassr has four points from the first two games and can take a big step towards the second round with a win. The revamped tournament now consists of two groups of 12 — divided into west and east geographic zones — with the top eight from each advancing to the Round of 16.
Nassr is going well in the Saudi Pro League with a 97th minute penalty from Ronaldo giving the team a 2-1 win over Al-Shabab on Friday to stay in third place.
“There are a lot of games at the moment and it is not easy,” said Stefano Pioli, Al-Nassr’s coach. “We will do our best to maintain our performances in the Asian Champions League.”
Saudi Arabia has three of the four top teams in Group A. Al-Hilal is first and the four-time winner meets defending champion Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates and could welcome Neymar back to action after a year out through injury. Jeddah club Al-Ahli also has maximum points and travels to Qatar to face Al-Rayyan.
In the eastern zone the top two meet. Gwangju FC of South Korea is making its first ever appearance in Asian competition and is the only team with two wins from two. It takes on Johor Darul Ta’zim of Malaysia.
Australia’s Central Coast Mariners has lost both games so far and head to China to take on Shanghai Port, coached by former Australian international Kevin Muscat, also seeking a first win.
Last season’s defeated finalist Yokohama F. Marinos also travels to China and meets Shandong Tiashan while three-time winner Pohang Steelers of South Korea faces Thailand’s Buriram United.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr Cristiano Ronaldo reacts in a match with Iran's Persepolis during their AFC Champions League soccer match at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran, on Sept. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi), File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu's first shot hit the side of the backboard. Another one soon after hit nothing at all.
After making one of the most memorable shots in WNBA history to win Game 3, the All-Star guard became Ice-cold Ionescu the rest of the way.
Ionescu shot 1 for 19 from the floor on Sunday and Breanna Stewart wasn't a whole lot better, but the New York Liberty got an MVP performance from Jonquel Jones to bail out her fellow two stars.
Jones finished with 17 points and six rebounds in the Liberty's 67-62 overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday night and was rewarded with the WNBA Finals award.
Ionescu finished with five points, though added eight assists and seven rebounds. Stewart shot 4 for 15, ending up with 13 points and 15 boards.
The Liberty built what they hoped was their version of the kind of super-team that wins titles when they brought in Stewart from Seattle and Jones from Connecticut to join Ionescu, their former No. 1 pick.
They got the Liberty to the WNBA Finals last year and to the best record in the league this season, but it appeared they would fall short of a title as Ionescu and Stewart continued to misfire.
Ionescu opened the game by missing her first 13 shots, giving her 15 straight misses dating to Game 4, before finally hitting for the only time all night on a 3-pointer with 3:10 remaining that gave the Liberty a 56-52 lead.
But after Minnesota surged ahead for a 60-58 lead, it looked as if the superstars' struggles were going to doom the Liberty for good. Stewart missed two free throws with 38 seconds remaining but the Liberty batted out the rebound, only for Ionescu to miss a 3-pointer, then another one after New York again regained possession.
The Liberty got it to overtime when Stewart hit two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining in regulation and got baskets from Leonie Fiebich and Nyara Sabally in OT to win it.
New York was hoping to avoid Game 5 entirely after Ionescu's 28-footer gave the Liberty an 80-77 victory in Game 3. But she shot 5 for 16 in Game 4, missing all five 3-pointers, and Stewart was just 5 for 20 for 11 points.
But the 6-for-6 Jones was the workhorse the Liberty needed, finishing with averages of 18 points and eight rebounds in the series. That included 10 points in the first half Sunday to keep the Liberty close while Ionescu and Stewart were combining with just Stewart's five.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) drives against Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the second quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) is double teamed by Minnesota Lynx forward Dorka Juhasz (14) and forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
FILE - Las Vegas Aces' Kelsey Plum, right, defends New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu during the second half in Game 4 of a WNBA basketball final playoff series, Oct. 18, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) battles for a rebound against Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) and Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (6) battle for a loose ball during the second quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) puts up a shot against Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts after scoring against the Minnesota Lynx during the third quarter of Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) reacts after being given the MVP Award after winning the championship against the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA basketball final series, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
