Al Ahli Defeats Auckland FC 1-0, Advances to African-Asian-Pacific Cup Final
Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026, held at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah before a crowd of more than 46,000 fans.
The only goal came in the 63rd minute, scored by Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, the Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday.
With this victory, Al Ahli advanced to the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup final, where they will face African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, the South African side, on September 19.
Tunisia’s Miserable Run Continues After Botswana Draw in AFCON Qualifiers
Tunisia’s poor form continued as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Botswana in their Africa Cup of Nations Group H qualifier in Rades on Monday, extending their winless run to eight games.
It is a second successive draw for the North African side at the start of the continental qualifiers having been held to a 1-1 home draw by Uganda on Thursday.
Botswana lead the pool with two points from as many matches, the same as Tunisia, while Libya and Uganda have a point each. They meet in Hoima on Tuesday.
Thatayaone Kgamanyane put Botswana ahead on 37 minutes but two goals from Hazem Mastouri either side of halftime turned the fixture in the favor of the hosts.
But Tunisia were denied victory when Lebogang Ditsele equalized for Botswana on the hour mark and the sparse home crowd left disappointed once again.
Yoane Wissa was on target as the Democratic Republic of Congo claimed a 2-1 win over Zimbabwe in Harare to move top of Group E with a full haul of six points.
Wissa opened the scoring before turning provider for Samuel Moutoussamy to net a second on the stroke of halftime. Marshall Munetsi scored his third goal in two games late on for the hosts, but the Congolese hung on for the win.
Equatorial Guinea defeated Sierra Leone 1-0 in the other match in the group thanks to a strike from Spanish-born forward Loren Zuniga inside the first minute in neutral Yaounde.
DR Congo head Group E with six points from their two games, followed by Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea with three each, while Sierra Leone are yet to get off the mark.
Burkina Faso moved to the top of Group F as they defeated Central African Republic 1-0 in neutral Casablanca.
RB Salzburg teenager Aboubacar Camara scored the only goal of the game on the hour-mark in his second appearance for the senior national team.
The top two nations in each pool qualify for the 24-team continental finals that will be staged in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17 next year.
Olise Wonder Strike Gives Zidane’s France Win in Belgium
Michael Olise's magnificent late strike gave France a 1-0 victory in Belgium in the UEFA Nations League on Monday as Zinedine Zidane made it two wins out of two since being named coach.
Bayern Munich star Olise, who was one of the outstanding players at the World Cup in which France reached the semi-finals, came off the bench late on with the game in Brussels goalless, and set off from inside his own half to score the winner in the 88th minute.
"He is a pure talent and he loves to just play. You can see it. He feels the game. I am pleased to be at his side," Zidane, who sprinted down the touchline and booted a ball to celebrate the goal, told broadcaster TF1.
The win follows a 1-0 success away to Turkey last Friday in Zidane's first game at the helm after succeeding Didier Deschamps as coach following the World Cup.
France are therefore top of Nations League Group A1 with six points, three points ahead of Belgium and Italy, who won 4-1 in Türkiye on Monday.
Les Bleus play host to Italy next at the Stade de France on Friday on what will be Zidane's homecoming. France will then entertain Belgium next Monday.
"We need a rest now. We have done a lot of travelling and not much training or resting," said Zidane.
"We were really good in every department. Against a really good Belgium side who made us suffer we held out, we played really well, and we were brave.
"We had some difficulties in the second half at times but that was to be expected with all the changes we made. I think we dominated the game. Overall we deserved to win and we got the goal towards the end."
Zidane was without captain Kylian Mbappe here with the Real Madrid striker having returned to his club for treatment after injuring his left knee while scoring the winner against Türkiye.
The French line-up at the King Baudouin Stadium showed nine changes, with goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Chelsea defender Maxence Lacroix the only players to keep their places.
There were notably debuts in defense for Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet, in midfield for Lucas Da Cunha of Como in Italy, and in attack for Esteban Lepaul of Rennes, the top scorer in France's Ligue 1 last season.
Belgium, in contrast, made only two changes to the team that started last Friday's 2-0 win in Italy for what was new coach Mark van Bommel's home bow.
France had the better of the chances with Paris Saint-Germain's Desire Doue cracking a shot off the bar in the first half and Da Cunha striking the post early in the second half.
But the contest was heading to an unremarkable goalless conclusion until Olise intervened, having been sent on in the 77th minute in place of Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola.
The London-born player collected possession inside his own half and advanced all the way to the edge of the Belgian box before curling a shot beyond the reach of Senne Lammens into the bottom-left corner of the net.
Ireland ‘Raised Awareness Worldwide’ in Israel Game, Says Hallgrimsson
Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson said his team had "raised awareness worldwide" about the Gaza conflict after they chose not to shake hands with Israel players before their 3-0 Nations League win in Hungary.
