Endrick gives Real Madrid edge on Real Sociedad in Copa del Rey semi

TAIF: The Saudi Arabia U-17 national team will look to end a 37-year wait for continental glory when they face Uzbekistan in the final of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup on Sunday.

Kick-off at King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Taif is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. local time.

The Green Falcons are aiming to capture their third title, having previously lifted the trophy in 1985 and 1988. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan are seeking a second championship after first winning the tournament in 2012.

Saudi Arabia finished second in Group A during the tournament’s opening phase, collecting six points from three matches — three points behind group winners Uzbekistan. China placed third with three points, while Thailand finished bottom without a point.

The Saudis began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over China and a 3-1 win against Thailand, before falling 3-0 to Uzbekistan in the final group match. In the knockout stages, Saudi Arabia edged Japan 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the quarterfinals, and again triumphed on penalties against South Korea in the semifinals, winning 3-1 following a 1-1 stalemate.

Uzbekistan dominated the group stage, recording three consecutive victories: 4-1 against Thailand, 2-1 over China, and 3-0 against Saudi Arabia.

They carried their strong form into the quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over the UAE and secured a place in the final after a convincing 3-0 semifinal victory against North Korea.

Both Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan have already secured qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar later this year. They will be joined by fellow Asian qualifiers Japan, the UAE, Indonesia, South Korea, North Korea, and Tajikistan.

BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski was diagnosed with a hamstring injury on Sunday and is set to miss the Copa del Rey final and Champions League semifinal according to Spanish media reports.
The 36-year-old Polish forward, Barcelona’s top goalscorer with 40 goals across all competitions, came off during his team’s 4-3 La Liga win over Celta Vigo on Saturday.
“Tests carried out on Sunday have confirmed that first-team player Robert Lewandowski has a semitendinosus injury in his left thigh,” said Barcelona in a statement, without specifying how long he would be sidelined for.
Spanish media reported Lewandowski could be out for three weeks, meaning he would not be available next Saturday as Barcelona face Real Madrid in the Copa final in Seville.
The La Liga leaders also host Inter Milan on April 30 in the Champions League semifinal first leg, and visit the Italians on May 6.
Lewandowski is set to miss league games against Mallorca on Tuesday and Valladolid on May 3, with a potential return against Real Madrid on May 11, a match which could decide the title race.
Barcelona, who won the Spanish Super Cup in January, are chasing a potential quadruple and are in the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2019.
Coach Hansi Flick has used Ferran Torres through the middle as a replacement for Lewandowski before, and has also experimented with Dani Olmo operating as a false nine.