Karim Benzema made a triumphant return from injury with a goal and two assists as Saudi Pro League leaders Al Ittihad defeated Ettifaq 4-0 on Saturday.
The former Real Madrid striker missed the previous four games with a muscle problem but was back to his best upon his return, which was too much for Steven Gerrard's struggling Ettifaq.
Benzema netted after 27 minutes following a fine pass from N’Golo Kante but was adjudged by VAR to have been offside. He was in the middle of action again eight minutes later, passing for Kante to open the scoring from just inside the area.
Early in the second half, Benzema extended Ittihad’s lead, pouncing on a loose ball at close range to score his ninth league goal of the season, level with All Nassr great Cristiano Ronaldo and three behind Aleksandar Mitrovic of Al Hilal.
Houssem Aouar made it 3-0 after 66 minutes and, soon after, Benzema’s perfect through pass released Steven Bergwin to add a fourth.
Ettifaq have not won in nine games and are just three points above the relegation zone, increasing the pressure on Gerrard, who was appointed in July 2023.
Last month, the club released Dean Holden, Gerrard's assistant coach, admitting in a statement that results had been unsatisfactory.
“This conference is not the place to talk about dismissing the assistant coach,” Gerrard said on Saturday. “These decisions are the decisions of the board of directors.”
Al Ittihad remained on top, two points clear of Al Hilal, who came back from a goal down to beat Al Shabab 2-1.
Abderrazak Hamdallah put Shabab ahead after six minutes. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic leveled for Hilal eight minutes later, while former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off just before the break.
Nader Al Sharari was booked twice early in the second half as Al Shabab were also reduced to 10 men. After 62 minutes, Milinkovic-Savic curled a free kick into the top corner for the clincher.
Saudi Arabia prepares to welcome World Cup
The kingdom will be waiting for start of the official countdown to the biggest moment in Saudi football history when the Fifa Congress takes place on December 11. There, a vote will be held to officially appoint the hosts for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups.
Saudi Arabia is the lone candidate for 2034 while Morocco, Spain and Portugal have formed a joint bid for the 2030 tournament, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay all set to host a match as part of the centenary edition.
Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup bid received a higher technical score from Fifa than the 2026 joint bid by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA released its bid evaluation report and said the 2034 bid received an overall average score of 4.2 out of 5 even though eight stadiums are still to be built.
All venues – including the planned 92,760-seater King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh – will not be completed until 2032 but three new stadiums are expected to be finished for the Asian Cup which kicks off in January 2027.
Meanwhile, the 2026 bid scored 4.0 having initially proposed 23 stadiums – all of which were already built. Eventually, 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup were announced, with many venues being existing NFL stadiums.
"The (Saudi) bid includes some ambitious stadium projects integrated into unique locations, including the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium located within the Qiddiya development and NEOM Stadium located within 'The Line' development," FIFA's report said.
Neom, a Red Sea urban and industrial development nearly the size of Belgium, is central to the kingdom's Vision 2030 plan to create new engines of economic growth.
But some of the schemes have been scaled back after revaluation of cost and benefit.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
Cherry
Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo
1/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
