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Al-Ahli Jeddah collapsed 6-1 against Al-Shabab on Friday in Round 12 of the Saudi Pro League, a crushing loss that raises questions about Dutch coach Mario Palhinha's tenure at the Asian champions and leaves the club on 21 points from seven wins and four defeats.
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Al-Shabab — The visiting team climbed three positions to tenth place with 14 points and secured only their third league victory this season. The overwhelming margin marked one of the heaviest defeats in Al-Ahli's recent record, following 6-2 against Al-Ittifaq in October 2018 and 5-1 losses to both Al-Hilal in 2021 and Al-Fath in an earlier season.Al-Ittihad — The defending league leaders drew 1-1 at home to Abha, then ranked last in the standings. Hossam Awwad put Al-Ittihad ahead in the 53rd minute, but Faisal Al-Subiani equalized in the 87th minute, leaving the club with 24 points in fourth place while Abha secured their first point of the campaign.Al-Karmah — The Iraqi side reclaimed the top of the Nujoom League after defeating Dohok 1-0 at home on Friday in Round 12. Egyptian striker Marwan Hamdi scored the decisive goal in the 90+1st minute, securing three points and restoring Al-Karmah to first place after a period of dropped positions.Egypt — National university finalists won the World Aquathlon Championship for the first time in the discipline's history, concluding the event Friday in Sharm El-Sheikh. Egypt topped the overall medal count with 19 total medals, finishing 12 ahead of China in second with 7 and Italy third with 9.Paris Saint-Germain — The Parisian leaders will host Le Havre on Friday at 10 p.m. UAE time in Round 9 of the French league, holding 17 points and a one-point advantage over second-place Rennes. The club has won five consecutive league matches and advanced with strong performances against Manchester City and Barcelona in European competition.Barcelona — Coach Hansi Flick stated Friday ahead of Saturday's Round 11 home match against Alaves that the team "played well" despite losing to both Paris Saint-Germain in European play and Real Madrid in last Sunday's league Clasico, emphasizing confidence in the squad's quality and the lessons learned from those defeats.What to Watch:
Chelsea face Manchester United on Saturday in Round 9 of the English Premier League, with both clubs in difficulty: United sit 16th, one point above the relegation zone, while Chelsea occupy fifth place after exiting the League Cup to Liverpool.
Abu Dhabi hosts the final round Saturday of the Grand Slam judo tournament, with Azerbaijan leading after Round 1 with two gold medals and one bronze; France finished second with one gold and one silver, and Croatia third with one gold and one bronze.