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LONDON — Liverpool have lived through enough near misses in 30 years not to take anything for granted in October, but an eight-point lead in the Premier League gives Jurgen Klopp’s men a golden opportunity to end that long wait.

The European champions came agonisingly close to fulfilling their title dreams in May, losing out to Manchester City by just one point, despite posting the third-highest points tally in top-flight English football history, with 97.

But they bounced back quickly to lift the Champions League in June and have shot out of the traps with eight straight league wins to take a commanding lead.

Liverpool have not always shone this season. Their past three league wins have come by a solitary goal, but they have shown the tenacity and hunger to get the job done at the same time as an injury-hit City, going for their third title in a row, have lost their edge.

High-flying Leicester’s visit to Anfield on Saturday offered City hope they could cut the five-point gap separating the sides heading into the weekend.

Deep into stoppage time, the Foxes seemed set to do the champions a favour with the sides locked at 1-1, until Sadio Mane tumbled in the box and James Milner coolly slotted away a 95th-minute penalty.

“They didn’t look for a second like a team who won so many games that they don’t have the desire anymore to win another one,” said Klopp.

“It looked like they had never won a game before and I love that fact.”

City feel Laporte loss

A day later, City failed to find the same kind of response as Wolves emerged from the Etihad 2-0 victors after soaking up the hosts’ pressure and hitting relentlessly on the counter-attack.

City’s defensive problems without the injured Aymeric Laporte were ruthlessly exposed as Wolves missed three glorious first-half chances before finally landing a blow with two Adama Traore goals in the final 10 minutes.

Slack defending also cost Pep Guardiola’s men in a 3-2 defeat at newly promoted Norwich last month and the fear for City is that the gap to Liverpool will only grow over the coming months.

Defender Laporte will not be back until after the New Year and City may have to act quickly in the transfer market in January after failing to fill the void left by former captain Vincent Kompany’s departure at the end of last season.

But two seasons of near-perfection have emboldened Guardiola to believe that anything is still possible.

“I know these guys, they can still do it,” said the Catalan coach on Sunday. “We are in October and there’s a long way to go.”

The sides still have to face each other twice, offering City the chance to eat into that gap.

Their clash at Anfield next month is increasingly looking like a must-win for the champions, but even Guardiola has failed to win in his prevous four visits there as City boss and the blue side of Manchester have not won away to Liverpool since 2003.

Five times Liverpool have finished second since they last won a top-flight title in 1989/90.

Rarely in that time have they ever had a better chance to end the long wait to be crowned champions of England.

MILAN — Gonzalo Higuain scored the winner as Juventus inflicted a first Serie A defeat of the season on Inter Milan with a 2-1 victory which sent the defending champions top on Sunday.

Substitute Higuain slotted home on 80 minutes after fellow Argentine Paulo Dybala had opened the scoring in the fourth minute at the San Siro.

Another Argentine forward Lautaro Martinez pulled Inter Milan level from the spot on 18 minutes, but coach Antonio Conte lost in his first meeting against his former club since leaving Juve to take over the Italy national team in 2014.

Juventus moved one point ahead of Inter after seven games as they target a ninth consecutive title, and first under Maurizo Sarri.

“Overtaking at the top is insignificant right now,” said former Chelsea boss Sarri.

“The important things is that we showed a performance of character and personality against a strong team in a high-tension environment. We deserved to win.”

Sarri started with Dybala and Federico Bernardeschi up front alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Higuain — who also scored in Juventus’s 3-0 Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen during the week — began on the bench.

The champions got off to a blistering start with Miralem Pjanic setting up Dybala who took Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic by surprise.

Ronaldo rattled the crossbar and then had a goal ruled out when Dybala was in an offside position.

But Inter got back on level terms when Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt handled the ball, with Lautaro drilling past Wojciech Szczesny.

The hosts were hit with Stefano Sensi going off injured with Sarri making a double substitution after an hour bringing on in-form Higuain and Rodrigo Bentacur.

Ronaldo and Bentancur combined to send Higuain through for the winner, with Szczesny doing well to deny Matias Vecino as Inter desperately pushed forward for an equaliser.

“Juve showed their heavy artillery,” said Conte, who coached the Turin giants to the first three of their current run of eight consecutive titles.

“Congratulations to them, we’ll roll up our sleeves now,” added Conte whose side lost their midweek Champions League game to Barcelona 2-1.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta celebrated moving back to the newly-named Gewiss Stadium with a 3-1 win over promoted Lecce that keeps the Bergamo side third on 16 points.

But Serie A runners-up Napoli are now six points behind Juventus in fourth following a goalless draw at Torino.

“We want to fight for the Scudetto, but our ranking makes us cry a little,” said Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Roma are fifth, a point behind Napoli, with their match against Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico finishing 1-1 after Nikola Kalinic’s last-gasp goal for the hosts was disallowed.

“Sick and tired of this crap costing us games. Too many times already this year,” said Roma owner Jim Pallotta on Twitter.

Joao Pedro’s early penalty after a Gianluca Mancini handball was cancelled out by Luca Ceppitelli’s own goal before half-time.

But what looked like a winner from Kalinic was disallowed without a VAR review for a foul on Fabio Pisacane which saw the Cagliari defender stretchered off.

Roma were furious with coach Paulo Fonseca and his deputy both banished from the sideline before the final whistle.

Roma stay a point ahead of city rivals Lazio, who drew 2-2 at Bologna with Serie A top scorer Ciro Immobile getting both goals for the visitors, to bring his tally to seven goals in as many games.

Lazio’s Joaquin Correa missed a chance for the winner when he sent a penalty kick over the bar two minutes from time.

PARIS — Mauro Icardi scored his first Ligue 1 goal as Paris Saint-Germain stayed two points clear at the top of the table with a 4-0 thrashing of high-flying Angers on Saturday.

The reigning champions had suffered a shock 2-0 loss in their previous home game against Reims, but had no such trouble at the Parc des Princes on this occasion despite their opponents’ surprisingly strong start to the season.

PSG head into the international break in control of the title race, while Nantes leapfrogged Angers into second place following a 1-0 win at home to Nice.

“It’s a good end to this period for us, and with a clean sheet, that’s good,” said Paris coach Thomas Tuchel, who saw three of his recent signings score as Pablo Sarabia and Idrissa Gueye also found the net.

“With the recruits, we have gained personality and experience. We are more reliable.”

Neymar’s late strike rounded off a strong individual display as he continued to repair his relationship with the team’s fans after failing in his effort to force through a return to Barcelona.

“It [the situation] is better, it’s easier,” said Tuchel of Neymar. “It’s up to him to show that he is decisive, that he gives everything.

“He is suffering and working for us. It’s not necessary to talk... He scored another goal today, he did a lot of dribbling, decisive things.

“He is capable of doing more extraordinary things, and it’s to him to show them.”

Tuchel opted to rest Angel Di Maria, as on-loan Inter Milan striker Icardi was rewarded for his first PSG goal in midweek at Galatasaray with a full Ligue 1 debut.

The capital city club remained without the injured Edinson Cavani, while Kylian Mbappe missed out after suffering a setback in his recovery from a thigh problem.

But the first opportunity fell to in-form Angers forward Rachid Alioui, although the Algerian dallied on the ball and home goalkeeper Keylor Navas was able to save with his foot.

Sarabia strikes

The hosts took the lead in the 13th minute, though, as Ander Herrera played in Sarabia, who cut inside and wrong-footed Ludovic Butelle in the Angers goal to net for the first time since joining PSG from Sevilla in the close-season.

The visitors continued to threaten on the counter-attack, with Navas having to beat away Baptiste Santamaria’s long-range drive.

The game was all but ended as a contest eight minutes before the break, as Neymar and Sarabia combined to give Icardi the simplest of tasks to fire into the roof of the net.

Although Spain international Sarabia scuffed a rebound after his initial shot was cleared off the line just before the hour mark, former Everton midfielder Gueye was on hand to tap in his first PSG goal.

But there was little respite for Angers, as Neymar launched a one-man mission in his attempt to get on the scoresheet.

The Brazilian was twice denied by Butelle in quick succession, before the goalkeeper produced a brilliant save with his legs when the world’s most expensive player was clean through on goal.

Neymar eventually found a way past Butelle in the final minute, rounding the keeper and slotting into an empty net to complete a straightforward outing for PSG with his fourth goal of the campaign.

Nigeria international Moses Simon headed in an 86th-minute winner after terrific play from Kader Bamba to earn Nantes a sixth victory in seven matches.

English forward Stephy Mavididi grabbed his first goal for Dijon in a 1-0 win over Strasbourg, while Aleksandr Golovin was sent off for Monaco in a 3-1 loss at Montpellier.

Brest climbed out of the bottom three following a 2-0 defeat of fellow strugglers Metz. Bordeaux jumped up to fourth with a 3-1 win at Toulouse.

BEIJING — Naomi Osaka said that she had just two hours of sleep before crushing title-holder Caroline Wozniacki to sweep into the China Open final on Saturday. 

The 21-year-old Japanese will play world number one Ashleigh Barty of Australia in Sunday’s championship match in Beijing — and will hope to have had a bit more rest.

The Australian Open champion said that she was so hyped up after defeating Bianca Andreescu in three thrilling sets on Friday night that she barely slept.

“I went to sleep at 4:00am, I woke up at 6:00am, so solid two hours, I can’t really sleep after my matches,” said Osaka.

“I just feel like my adrenaline’s up more during the tougher matches so it makes it harder to sleep.”

“It’s definitely been a bit crazy time-wise,” she added, having returned to the court to face Wozniacki less than 24 hours after defeating Andreescu.

But if the two-time Grand Slam champion was exhausted, it did not show in a 6-4, 6-2 victory in 84 minutes against the Dane.

Osaka held off all seven break points she faced against Wozniacki.

The World No. 4 showed flashes of irritation as she let Wozniacki off the hook at 3-3 in the first set, tossing her racquet on the floor.

But in the ninth game, the pressure on the 19th-ranked Wozniacki told, Osaka grabbing the break of service with an arrowing forehand.

Osaka, like Wozniacki a former No. 1, broke her opponent at the start of the second set to underline her superiority, before racing to a thumping win.

The Japanese insisted that she was the underdog against Barty.

They have played each other three times before with the 23-year-old Australian winning twice.

Barty said that she has “never been happier” on and off the court after she saved match point against Kiki Bertens of The Netherlands in their semifinal.

The French Open champion committed 52 unforced errors but still just about emerged victorious in a nail-biting 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) triumph.

Barty, who surged to the top of the rankings in June, said there had been “massive growth” in her mental fortitude when she faces crunch points.

“That’s gone hand-in-hand with adding some new people to my team, trying to work with them behind the scenes,” Barty, who five years ago took a break from tennis and played cricket, said.

“Not just for my tennis — it’s for my life, my health and well being, as well, which has been the best thing.

“I have never been happier off the court, never been happier on the court.”

Thiem vs Tsitsipas 

Top seed Dominic Thiem fought back from a set down to reach the final in the men’s draw — and also book his place at the season-ending ATP Finals.

The Austrian will play Stefanos Tsitsipas after beating Russia’s Karen Khachanov 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 in two hours and 41 minutes.

The 21-year-old Tsitsipas triumphed 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 in a battle of the rising stars against 22-year-old Alexander Zverev.

Thiem, who has now reached the ATP Finals for a fourth time in a row, said: “For me personally, it was one big goal when I started into the season, I’m very, very happy that I made it [the London Finals] again.

“But it’s not because of today’s win, it’s because of all the season.”

Also already qualified for London are Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Daniil Medvedev.

LIVERPOOL — Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes even the European champions have plenty of room for improvement after surviving a huge Champions League scare to beat Salzburg 4-3 after blowing a three-goal lead.

Sadio Mane opened the scoring against his former club before Andy Robertson and Salah put the holders in command inside the first 36 minutes before Salzburg bared their teeth.

The Austrian champions’ teenage striking sensation Erling Braut Haaland was only fit enough for a place on the bench, but they still packed a punch going forward and were rewarded when Hwang Hee-Chan pulled a goal back just before half-time.

Takumi Minamino and Haaland, just four minutes after coming on as a substitute, then brought Salzburg level on the hour mark.

However, Salah had the final word as the Egyptian smashed home the winner 21 minutes from time.

“We opened the door and they were running through, chasing through the door,” said Klopp.

“It’s better to learn the lessons during the game than talk about it after it.

“It was a very important lesson for us to learn. I knew before we have to improve and now everyone knows.”

Liverpool were under pressure to make fortress Anfield count after losing 2-0 to Napoli on matchday one.

Klopp’s men lost all three of their away group games last season, but won all three of their home games to sneak through before going on to win the competition for a sixth time.

Slick attacking football

Normal service looked set to be resumed as the holders roared into a 3-0 lead thanks to some slick attacking football.

“I thought we were outstanding in the first 30 minutes,” added Klopp.

“The momentum changed and it was really difficult to get a foot in the game. We had to wait until they had scored the third goal, then we were able to strike back.”

The Reds are well aware of Salzburg’s pedigree of developing fine young players, and it was one of their former alumni that opened the scoring as Mane exchanged passes with Roberto Firmino before slotting into the far corner.

Another fine team move made it 2-0 as one full-back, Trent Alexander Arnold, crossed for another in Robertson to convert just his second ever Liverpool goal like a striker.

Salah was then on hand to finish from close range after Cican Stankovic could only parry Firmino’s header back into the danger area.

Salzburg have now scored 51 goals in their first 12 games this season and were given hope, as Liverpool eased off the accelerator towards the end of the first half.

The visitors’ fightback began in earnest when Hwang left Virgil van Dijk on the floor as the South Korean turned inside and fired into the far corner.

Klopp was growing visibly frustrated on the touchline as his side failed to cope with Salzburg’s pressing and incisive passing through midfield and even the German could not find a solution at half-time as Salzburg came out flying.

The second Salzburg goal was coming and finally arrived when Minamino volleyed in from Hwang’s cross.

Haaland, who scored a hat-trick on his Champions League debut in the 6-2 thrashing of Genk on matchday one, was then introduced and instantly offered an even more direct threat.

The Norwegian should have scored when he fired into the side-netting with just Adrian to beat, but moments later the 19-year-old tapped in at the back post after a purposeful break from the impressive Minamino.

Anfield was shocked, but not silenced and the home fans helped rouse the Liverpool into a response of champions.

Salah was quickest to react to a Firmino knockdown inside the area and smashed past the onrushing Stankovic to restore Liverpool’s lead and secure a vital three points.

“At 3-3 we had put a lot into it, maybe our guys were a little bit tired and it’s an incredible team we’re playing against,” said Salzburg’s American manager Jesse Marsch.

“The important thing is to learn from this loss to give ourselves a chance to get out of this group.”

BERLIN — After his four-goal haul, Serge Gnabry says Bayern Munich’s 7-2 gala romp at Tottenham Hotspur sent a “big message” to their Champions League rivals.

Gnabry dazzled at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday as Bayern handed their hosts the highest-ever home defeat suffered by an English team in the European competition.

The former Arsenal winger netted his four goals in a devastating second-half spell while Poland striker Robert Lewandowski also scored twice as Spurs’ defence capitulated.

“I think [the other teams know] we are not stopping,” Gnabry told reporters after his first Champions League goals in his 12th appearance at this level.

“After going 3-1 or 4-2 up we could have stopped but we wanted more.

“I think it’s a big message for everyone else.”

German legend and Sky pundit Lothar Matthaeus agreed that Bayern “set an example to their international competition as far as the Champions League title is concerned.

“I don’t want to say that they are title candidates, but this result will give them self-confidence,” he added.

Gnabry is no stranger to claiming goals in high-score wins after a hat-trick on his Germany debut three years ago in an 8-0 romp at minnows San Marino in a 2018 World Cup qualifier.

However, the 24-year-old admits his four goals is something special.

“It’s hard to put it in words. I think the last time I scored four goals was when I was a child,” he laughed.

“I’m very happy with my performance of course and glad I could help the team to such a big win,” he said.

“It was a great performance — one of the best we’ve had so far.”

Tottenham’s early lead by Son Heung-min was wiped out 194 seconds later by Joshua Kimmich as Bayern led 2-1 at half-time after a superb Lewandowski finish just before the whistle.

The second-half belonged to Gnabry as the ex-Arsenal forward broke down the left after the break, burst into the box and drilled into the bottom corner.

He struck again two minutes later, firing home after Spurs’ Harry Winks lost possession.

The hosts pulled back to 4-2 on the hour mark when Harry Kane converted a penalty after a foul on Danny Rose, but it was all Bayern from then on.

Gnabry sealed his hat-trick on 83 minutes after getting behind Spurs’ defence, yet there was still time for Lewandowski to side home a sixth for the Germans.

The result is Bayern’s second highest away victory in the Champions League’s group phase, bettered only by their 7-1 thrashing of Roma in October 2014.

Bayern now have 10 goals from two group games to sit top of Group B having seen off Red Star Belgrade 3-0, and on present form are steaming towards the last 16.

Gnabry was born in Stuttgart, but joined Arsenal’s academy as a teenager before moving back to Germany for spells at Werder Bremen, Hoffenheim and then Bayern recruited him as replacement for Arjen Robben in 2017.

He said knowing his family were watching in London urged him on.

“I believe the pressure helped a bit. My dad said I had to play well”, but Gnabry insisted the German league leaders must stay focused.

“Seven goals don’t happen often but we have to keep our feet on the ground,” warned Gnabry.

“If we do that then performances like that can come more often.”

“It was a great night and we’re in a good place now in the Champions League.”

Germany’s press swooned over his four-star performance with football magazine Kicker full of praise for “Gala Gnabry” while daily Bild enthused “Blimey Bayern!”.

BARCELONA — Antoine Griezmann said he knew it would be tough settling in at Barcelona, but it may have proven harder than he thought.

Barca play at home to Inter Milan on Wednesday looking for lift-off in the Champions League after a goalless draw against Borussia Dortmund made for an underwhelming start to their latest bid for success in Europe. 

Griezmann also has something to prove after two steady but unspectacular months, elevated by moments rather than the consistency Ernesto Valverde would have hoped for when the Frenchman’s 120-million euro release clause was activated last summer. 

“Against Bilbao he was not as involved as we would like,” Valverde said at the start of the season. “But it is also up to the team to allow our strikers to participate more.” 

When Griezmann scored twice in the next game, against Real Betis, before tossing glitter above his head at Camp Nou, it felt like he had made his big introduction and not just because of the theatrics. 

But five La Liga games have since brought only one more goal and assist while a handful of rather muted displays have left a sense of a player finding his feet, despite excelling in La Liga for the past nine seasons. 

After last week’s win over Villarreal, Griezmann was asked about his start at Barcelona. “It’s different,” he said. “It’s a different type of football, a different position and I knew it was going to be difficult to adjust. 

“But I feel like I’m improving every game and that’s it. Three goals, it’s not bad right? I can do better but I just arrived. I work for the team and if I can score or assist, even better.” 

Griezmann has reason to defend himself. He joined a team that after five games had posted its lowest points total in 25 years, with last season’s collapse against Liverpool still lingering, not least for Valverde, whose future is never secure. 

He also arrived as one of the world’s premium strikers but found his new club pursuing Neymar for the duration of the summer, as if the Brazilian might add something he could not. 

There were relationships to repair too, with Barcelona’s fans and players, after Griezmann not only turned them down 12 months before but embarassed them, by announcing his decision in a documentary. 

“I’ve spent very little time with him to be honest,” Lionel Messi told Diario Sport last month. “Since I returned, I’ve been injured and training on my own. 

“They went on tour and when they came back we saw each other a little in the dressing room but I’ve not been there in the training sessions. We’ll have the opportunity to share a lot of things.”

Once in position, Griezmann has been played in “different positions”, three times down the middle as a lone striker and five times on the left of the front three. 

In his eight games, there have been six different attacking combinations, the revolving pair around him involving all of Luis Suarez, Ousmane Dembele, Rafinha, Carles Perez, Ansu Fati and Messi. 

“He is a player who can play in several positions,” Valverde said. “We have to see who plays but it’s clear the system has to accommodate the players.” 

When he announced he would be leaving Atletico in May, Griezmann said he wanted a fresh challenge and he would have been under no illusions about the inevitable dimming of status alongside the likes of Messi, Suarez and Dembele. 

The emergence of the 16-year-old sensation Fati and 21-year-old Perez has added two more into an already-crowded attacking roster. 

But consistency has been hard to come by in a team ridden with inconsistencies and in that context, Griezmann’s start has been encouraging. Against Inter, he will hope for something more.

MADRID — Real Madrid’s revolution was supposed to be built around their attack, but resilience has been the base for the recovery ahead of their Champions League group game at home to Club Brugge on Tuesday.

At the end of last season, as Zinedine Zidane’s dreary run-in came to a close and paved the way for what many expected to be a spectacular summer, polls were published by Madrid’s newspapers asking fans which of the world’s deadliest strikers they hoped would arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero, Mauro Icardi and Robert Lewandowski were some of the names offered up and, in the end, Luka Jovic arrived, the Serbian who has struggled for starts so far and is yet to score a goal. 

Eden Hazard is tasked too with helping fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo, even if the Belgian’s own opening in Madrid has also been underwhelming, stalled by injury and now seemingly a period of adjustment. 

“We would like him to score because it will release him,” said Zidane on Saturday. “But there is no problem with him.” 

Yet, the stalemate against Atletico Madrid, in which neither side ever looked likely to find a winner, was a a stark indication of how Real Madrid have relied on their defence to ease the pressure on their coach.

This is the first time Madrid have kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league under Zidane and in the games against Sevilla, Osasuna and Atletico, they have had to cope with just a single shot on target. 

“Defending is very important, it is the fundamentals,” Zidane said. 

The turnaround has been remarkable from Paris Saint-Germain, whose 3-0 win in the Champions League 10 days ago was Zidane’s worst ever defeat as coach, as well as Levante and Villarreal, who had just scored twice against Madrid in the league. 

When they were floundering last season, the focus was on their lack of goals but Madrid’s defending was arguably just as problematic, with Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Marcelo all woefully out of sorts. 

After missing the loss to PSG, Ramos’ return has coincided with the trio of clean sheets and his performances have been tighter too, more disciplined and less prone to extravagance. 

But perhaps the biggest gains have been made ahead of him, in central midfield where Zidane’s options are light but boosted by two excellent displays from Fede Valverde, who was given a chance in the rotated line-up against Osasuna and impressed enough in defensive midfield to keep his place. 

“I want to highlight Valverde as well,” Zidane said after Osasuna. “He played a brutal match.” 

Ahead of Valverde, there has been more diligence from the front three, with Zidane singling out Gareth Bale for praise a handful of times since his move away failed to materialise in the summer transfer window. 

Zidane’s scepticism around Bale in the past has centred on a belief the Welshman cannot be trusted to defend but against Sevilla it was Bale who was at his own back post in injury tme, hacking a cross clear from danger. 

“Gareth is doing very well,” Zidane said. “Above all he is also helping a lot in the defensive areas and it shows. The team is more comfortable when we all defend.” 

Perhaps as well, there is a sense of a team finding its reality after a fantasy summer, a coming to terms with the need to build this new era not on glamour signings but going back to basics. 

They restart this week in the Champions League too, where PSG’s victory makes the French side favourites to go through top of Group A but a win over Brugge would at least get Madrid on the board.

AMMAN — Jazira play an away game in Beirut against Lebanon’s Ahed on Tuesday in Leg 2 of the final stage of the 16th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup West Asia zone.

Jazira were held to a 0-0 draw by Ahed in Amman last week. They now aim to win the Beirut match as the winner will move to play the East Asia champ for the AFC Cup final set for November 2.

The Jordanian team reached the zone’s final round in dramatic fashion. After losing Leg 1 of the semifinal 3-0 to Syria’s Jeish they reversed their fortune winning Leg 2 of 4-0 to qualify.

Similarly, Lebanon’s Ahed eliminated Wihdat, beating them 1-0 and drawing 0-0 to reach the final of the second-tier Asian club competition.

During this year’s AFC Cup, earlier round saw Jazira eliminating titleholders Kuwait Club in Group B to advance, while Wihdat ended Round 1 atop Group A as the top teams from the three competing west Asian groups (Wihdat, Jazira and Ahed) in addition to the best second placed team (Jeish) moved to the semifinal round of the zone with the winner advancing to the eventual competition final.

In the past 2017/18 season, Jazira lost in the AFC Cup West Asia zone final and failed to reach the continent’s final eventually won by the Iraqi Air Force Club for three consecutive seasons while Faisali bowed out earlier in the event’s semifinals. 

This season, Jazira finished runner-up in the Jordan Professional Football League as Faisali were crowned league champs and won the Jordan Cup as well. Wihdat finished third in the league and beat previous Jordan Cup champs Jazira to win the 36th Jordan Super Cup. 

It’s been over 12 years since Jordanian teams won the AFC Cup. Faisali won in 2005 and 2006, and Shabab Urdun in won in 2007. Other Jordanian teams participating in previous editions include Ramtha, Hussein, That Ras and Ahli. Kuwait Club and the Iraqi Air Force Club are AFC Cup record winners having been crowned champs three times each.

Arab Champions Cup

Meanwhile, Shabab Urdun now await the draw to determine their Round of 16 opponent after they eliminated holders Tunisia’s  in the Round of 32 of the Arab Champions Cup.

Against all expectations, Shabab Urdun won Leg 1 in Amman 2-1 and beat their hosts 1-0 in Tunisia, to advance to the Round of 16.

In 2017, Faisali played for the title of the elite Arab competition but lost to Tunisia’s Esperance Tunis (Tarraji) in the final, after they beat Egyptian giants Ahli twice on their way to the title-deciding match. 

No Jordanian team has won the competition that kicked off in 1980 and had different competitions under five different editions. Faisali were runners-up in 1996 and 2007.

After Faisali and Wihdat opted for the AFC Cup, this year Shabab Urdun represented Jordan at the event for the fifth time. In the past four times, they had never advanced past the preliminary round of 32.

The Arab Champions Cup is an annual competition organised by the Union of Arab Football Associations and contested by elite clubs from the Arab world, all of which are either winners or runners-up of their country’s league or cup competitions.

Founded in 1980, the tournament’s first ever champions were Iraqi giants Al Shorta while conpatritos Iraq’s Al Rasheed (Karkh) are the most successful club in the competition’s history, having won the tournament three times in the 1980s.

Saudi Arabian clubs won the title eight times and Tunisian clubs seven times.

MADRID — Real Madrid regained top spot in La Liga on Saturday after a goalless derby with Atletico that saw them move above surprise package Granada and maintain their small lead over a crowded chasing pack.

Unbeaten Real are a point ahead of promoted Granada and Atletico Madrid after Diego Simeone’s side failed to break down their well-drilled local rivals, whose disciplined performance at the Wanda Metropolitano was deserving of at least the point they gained.

“These matches with Atletico are very physical, this is one of the hardest grounds we have to visit during the season,” Real captain Sergio Ramos told broadcatser Movistar.

“It was difficult to create chances in attack because they leave such little space. The point does little for us though as we wanted the three even more.”

Real are a further point ahead of fourth-placed Barcelona, who won a hard-fought clash at Getafe 2-0 thanks to goals from Luis Suarez and Junior, and Real Sociedad, who can themselves go top on Sunday if they beat a Sevilla side down in eighth but just five points behind Zidane’s leaders.

On a night of few clear-cut chances Atletico probably had the best opportunities but failed to test Thibaut Courtois in the Real goal, while the away side drew a couple of fine saves from Jan Oblak on their forays forward.

The best came 15 minutes from the end, when the Slovenian stopper got down brilliantly to his left to palm away Karim Benzema’s powerful header from a Nacho cross.

Just seconds before Atletico had come to within inches of opening the scoring when Saul Niguez met a corner with a header that flashed just past the upright.

“It was a standard save for a goalkeeper,” said Oblak.

“It was well-placed but I could see the ball and I hope it’s always like that — the fewer goals we let in the better it is for everyone.”

Ter Stegen brilliance

Granada had moved temporarily top of La Liga before the derby after Antonio Puertas’ first-half strike saw them squeeze past rock-bottom Leganes.

Puertas crashed his long-range winner into an empty net after Juan Soriano had come charging out of his goal to close down Roberto Soldado just before the half-hour mark.

A remarkable counter-attack goal launched by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and finished off by Luis Suarez put Barcelona on their way four minutes before the break at Getafe, and Junior’s tap-in shortly after the restart made sure of Barca’s first away win since April.

“This match was crucial for us to rid ourselves of the sensation of never being able to win away,” said Valverde.

“We didn’t play well in the first half but once we took the lead they basically didn’t have any chances.”

Ter Stegen is embroiled in a row with Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer over the Barca stopper’s lack of opportunities with the Germany team.

However he showed his class when he raced out of his goal to stop a Getafe attack before launching a pin-point pass over the home side’s dozing defence to Suarez, who calmly lobbed the opener over David Soria.

“Sometimes when passes come off like this the goalkeeper is just clearing the ball. I don’t know if that is the case here, but regardless he brings us a lot,” added Valverde.

The win was Barca’s second in a week as they attempt to recover from an miserable start that led to questions surrounding Valverde’s future.

Athletic Bilbao lost for the first time this season at home to crisis club Valencia, who bagged their second win of the season thanks to Denis Cheryshev’s 27th minute strike.

“Los Che” had been sent into turmoil when owner Peter Lim sacked Marcelino Garcia Toral earlier in the month.

But despite player and fan anger at Lim’s decision, two draws and now a win after their shock victory at Chelsea in the Champions League have them in ninth on nine points.