Malaysia into Suzuki Cup final after nailbiting draw

‘No talks to share WC with other countries’

BANGKOK, Dec 5, (AFP): Malaysia moved into the final of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup on Wednesday in dramatic fashion, eliminating defending champions Thailand courtesy of away goals after drawing the second leg of the semifinal in Bangkok 2-2.

Four days after a first-leg goalless draw in Kuala Lumpur, a 95th minute penalty miss from Thailand striker Adisak Kraisorn ensured that Norshahrul Idlan Talaha’s secondhalf strike was enough to end Thailand’s hopes of a third successive Southeast Asian title.

It was a tense night at the Rajamangala Stadium but the majority of the 40,000 fans were celebrating as Thailand broke the deadlock after 21 minutes in somewhat fortuitous circumstances.

Goalkeeper Farizal Marlias saved Thitipan Puangchan’s header but his clearance bounced off defender Irfan some matches being played elsewhere in the Middle East –

said no such negotiations had taken place.

Governing body FIFA is currently carrying out a feasibility study to see if the first World Cup in the region could be expanded.

Infantino has said that if any tournament enlargement is agreed, it would likely mean matches being played in neighbouring countries, as it would increase the total number of tournament games from 64 to 80.

He has even suggested that could help Middle East peace, at a time when Qatar is at the center of the worst Gulf diplomatic crisis in years.

For the past 18 months Doha has been isolated by countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, states which could potentially benefit from any World Cup expansion, in a bitter regional power struggle.

Serie A has announced the date and venue of the Italian Super Cup, which will be played in Saudi Arabia next month despite calls for the game to be moved after the killing of Washington Post columnist The match between and

will be played on Jan 16 at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.

While the match is slated to be broadcast domestically by RAI, the Italian state TV’s journalists’ union said last month that it was “absurd” and “inacceptable” for the game to be played in Saudi Arabia less than three months after Khashoggi’s killing.

Saudi agents killed Khashoggi in the Kingdom’s Istanbul consulate two months ago.

US intelligence assessments and experts have said that Saudi Crown Prince who controls all levers of power in Saudi Arabia, likely ordered or at least knew about the killing. Saudi authorities say those who killed Khashoggi exceeded their authority, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for five people allegedly involved in the killing.

landed in Madrid on Wednesday as they prepare to face fellow Argentine club and their biggest rivals the Copa Libertadores final second leg amid the biggest security operation for a match the city has mounted.

A noisy caravan of around 5,000 Boca supporters accompanied the team bus in the early hours of the morning as it headed from their Bombonera Stadium to Buenos Aires airport.

An estimated 10,000 fans in total from both teams are expected to travel from Argentina for the twice postponed and then relocated game now being played on Sunday at

Bernabeu stadium during a holiday weekend in Spain’s capital.

With the potential arrival of tens of thousands more Argentines living in Europe, Spanish police have described it as the highest risk match in Madrid’s history.

More than 2,500 officers are expected to be on duty for the ‘Superclasico’, one of the world’s fiercest soccer rivalries. Police have also asked for support from Argentine security. River Plate will leave Argentina at 1700 GMT and are set to land early on Thursday morning in Madrid. Thailand forward Supachai Jaided (second left), fights for the ball with Malaysia defender Shahrul Saad (center), and midfielder Mohamadou Sumareh (second right), during the second leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 semifinal football match between Thailand and Malaysia at the Rajamangala Stadium

in Bangkok on Dec 5. (AFP)