Saudi ambassador to UK voted MENA diplomat of 2025    Saudi Awwal Bank signs SR2 billion credit facility with Saudi Binladin Group to propel development of King Fahd Sports City in Riyadh    Feast of Flavors and Prizes: LuLu Hypermarket kicks off the "World Food Festival" across Saudi Arabia    Pakistan closes airspace, suspends visaas in tit-for-tat measures against India    Saudia Group signs deal with Airbus for flyadeal's first wide-body aircraft    Saudi non-oil exports surge 14.3 percent to SR26.11bn in February    Saudi, Greek ministers co-chair inaugural meeting of Strategic Culture Committee    Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 26, Palestinian officials say    Trump's trade war olive branch met with derision and mistrust inside China    Ministry of Justice launches centralized court model to enhance judicial efficiency    Kyiv hit by deadly Russian missile and drone attack    Saudi Arabia elected chair of Asia region of World Meteorological Organization    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Super Max Verstappen scorches to pole with record lap in Jeddah    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Leicester right at home on Champs bow
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 16 - 09 - 2016

The Leicester City fairytale has another chapter after it eased to a 3-0 away win in its Champions League debut Wednesday, as Monaco beat Tottenham at Wembley in front of a record crowd for an English club.
On a night of goals, Sergio Aguero hit a hat trick as Manchester City hammered Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-0 at home in a fixture which took place 24 hours late after rain forced the game off on Tuesday, while a rampant Borussia Dortmund smashed Legia Warsaw for six.
[caption id="attachment_85211" align="alignright" width="300"] Manchester City's Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring a goal against Borussia Monchengladbach during their UEFA Champions League match at Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Wednesday. — Reuters[/caption]But the headlines will all be about Leicester, which stunned the football world last season when it went from relegation candidate to Premier League champion in the space of 12 miraculous months.
An away trip to Club Brugge of Belgium was not exactly the stuff of Leicester's European dreams, but it showed some of the verve it has been missing so far this season as Riyad Mahrez struck twice, one of them a sumptuous free-kick and the other a penalty.
"From our first chance we scored and from that point we had the control of the match and Brugge had the control of the ball," said Leicester's colorful Italian manager Claudio Ranieri.
"We played our style. It was good for us to start our story with a victory."
Much tougher tests surely await the Foxes, but this was an accomplished, clinical performance in its first European outing since losing to Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Cup first round in 2000.
Also in Group G are Porto and FC Copenhagen, who played out a 1-1 draw in Portugal to leave Leicester top of the pile after the opening fixtures.
Current French league leader Monaco was also notable winner on the night, stunning Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in an incident-packed encounter at "the home of football" in front of 85,011 fans — a record home attendance for an English club.
Tottenham is back in the Champions League for the first time in five years and, with the capacity at its White Hart Lane stadium reduced due to redevelopment, it opted to play its European matches at Wembley this season.
The iconic Wembley arch was lit up in Tottenham's blue and white, but that was the extent of the home comforts for Mauricio Pochettino's side as it paid the price for a sloppy first-half display.
Goals from Bernardo Silva and Thomas Lemar put Monaco in command and although Toby Alderweireld got one back, Tottenham was unable to turn its second-half dominance into an equalizer in a feisty encounter.
In Madrid, Champions League holder Real had a big scare at home to Sporting Lisbon, as Cristiano Ronaldo — against his boyhood club — and substitute Alvaro Morata struck in the closing minutes to seal a stunning comeback and win 2-1.
Madrid looked to be heading for its first home defeat in the competition for five years after Bruno Cesar's low effort three minutes into the second-half handed Sporting a thoroughly merited lead.
However, in a frantic finale, Ronaldo's free-kick leveled the game — he refused to celebrate — before Morata met James Rodriguez's cross deep into stoppage time to complete a dramatic fightback.
"We started the game a little passively," Ronaldo told BeIN Sports. "But football is like this and Real Madrid are like this. The comebacks form part of this legendary stadium."
In Turin, Gonzalo Higuain and Sami Khedira fired blanks as Sevilla held dominant but wasteful Juventus to a 0-0 draw.


Clic here to read the story from its source.