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FRIDAY | MAY 1, 2026

Malaysian Paper

Two penalties, VAR drama shape Champions League semis stalemate against Atletico Gunners left fuming

J ULIAN ALVAREZ’S penalty secured Atletico Madrid a 1-1 draw against Arsenal in a nervy Champions League semifinal first leg clash yesterday. Viktor Gyokeres sent the Premier League leaders ahead from the spot just before the interval after he was fouled, but Alvarez followed suit 10 minutes into the second half after Ben White’s handball. Arsenal were upset at a late penalty decision being overturned following a VAR review when David Hancko made contact with Eberechi Eze in the area. “I’m incredibly fuming,” said Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta. “It’s a clear and very obvious penalty.” Atletico had the better for long periods but Arsenal’s solid defending helped them leave the Spanish capital in a good position to return to the Champions League final 20 years after their last appearance. “Here, you have to suffer,” Arteta told Movistar . “Many teams have suffered here, including some of the best in the world. “We had some good moments in the match and moments where we had to suffer. The margins are very slim.” Atletico captain Koke said his side could be proud of how they played in the second half. “We were the team we have to be – if we play at this level we can win,” Koke told Movistar . “From my point of view they didn’t create much dan ger against us... the team defended well and they just had that penalty.” By contrast his opposite number Diego Simeone was grateful for VAR’s interventions, after the White handball was also only given following a review. The Atletico coach also disagreed with the decision to award Arsenal a spot kick for Hancko’s challenge on Gyokeres, shoving the striker’s back. “The first penalty, in my humble opinion, there is some contact behind and the player throws himself down, in the semifinal of the Champions League, I think a penalty really needs to be a penalty,” said Simeone. “The handball was not given as handball, thanks to VAR it was a penalty, and the second penalty thanks to VAR was not a penalty. Sometimes VAR gives and some times it takes away.” What the game lacked in the dizzying goal rush of Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-4 win over Bayern Munich in the other semifinal the night before, it replaced with tension and a desperation not to fall behind. In a tussle between arguably the continent’s two big gest teams never to lay a finger on the trophy neither wanted to blink first. Atletico still have an old-style defensive reputation MALAYSIA’S campaign in the 2026 Uber Cup Finals ended with a 3-0 loss to defending champions China in the quarterfinals at Forum Horsens yesterday. Opting for a slight reshuffle by leaving out team captain M. Thinaah, Malaysia got off to a difficult start when world No. 33 K. Letshanaa, despite putting up a spirited fight, went down 17-21, 18-21 to world No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi in 47 minutes. Malaysia came close to drawing level through debutants Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting showed no signs of nerves against world No. 1 Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning in first doubles. The world No. 22 pair displayed resilience and solid defence to force a deciding game, but eventually fell 14-21, 21-16, 13-21 after a

but pinned Arteta’s miserly Arsenal back in the early stages, with David Raya tipping Alvarez’s shot around the post. The Gunners, a long way from Arteta’s eve-of-the game demand they dominate proceedings, looked to smash and grab. Noni Madueke, starting on Arsenal’s right flank with Bukayo Saka only fit for the bench, hammered just wide as last year’s beaten semifinalists sporadically emerged from their half. The next time they did, Gyokeres won a penalty. The Swedish striker, who might not have started if Kai Havertz had been fit, exchanged passes with Martin Zubimendi and Hancko clumsily shoved him in the back from behind. Simeone and Atletico veteran Antoine Griezmann begged for the decision to be reviewed but VAR saw no reason to intervene. Gyokeres took the spot-kick himself, walloping it past Jan Oblak, who dived the right way but stood no chance of keeping it out. Three-time runners-up Atletico, back in the semifi nals for the first time in nine years, came out guns blaz ing in the second half. Raya saved Ademola Lookman’s drive with Gabriel blocking Griezmann’s follow-up. The hosts pulled level from the penalty spot after White handled Marcos Llorente’s shot, the ball bouncing up and hitting his arm, which was away from his body. Alvarez took it, and having missed in Atletico’s Copa del Rey final shootout defeat earlier in April, this time made no mistake with an unforgiving blast rivalling Gyokeres’s firsthalf effort. MLS-bound Griezmann looped a shot off the cross bar and then sent the rebound off target as Atletico turned the screw in pursuit of an advantage to take into next Wednesday’s second leg. “What do we have ahead of us? An extraordinary challenge,” said Simeone. “London, Arsenal’s ground, a team that has not lost at all in the Champions League. We have huge hope and we will go there to play with everything we have.” Arsenal thought they had won a second penalty when substitute Eze went down under a sluggish Hancko chal lenge but to their fury the referee changed his mind after a VAR review, deciding the Slovakian defender’s contact was minimal. Arsenal next take on Fulham as they continue their battle with Manchester City for the Premier League title, while with little to play for in La Liga Simeone will rotate heavily, before this tie is decided in London. – AFP

Atletico’s Julian Alvarez (left) vies for the ball with Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi during the Champions League semifinal, 1st leg match at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid yesterday. – AFPPIC

Spirited Malaysia bow out to China in Uber Cup quarterfinals

bounce back stronger in the knockout stage. On paper, China hold the advantage in the singles department, boasting world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi, Li Shi Feng (world No. 8), Weng Hong Yang (15th) and Lu Guang Zu (23rd). However, Yu Qi’s status remains uncertain after he missed two Group A matches against Canada and 2022 champions India, reportedly due to illness. Malaysia are expected to field their top players led by world No. 25 Leong Jun Hao, followed by Justin Hoh (44th), while profes sional shuttler and former All England cham pion Lee Zii Jia (82nd) could be the team’s trump card if the tie is level at 2-2, following his impressive performances Forum Horsens. – Bernama

April 24, runs until May 3. Meanwhile, professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has urged his teammates to remain mentally strong ahead of the Thomas Cup 2026 quarterfinals against China at Forum Horsens today. He said mental resilience will be crucial with the quarterfinals set to be more chal lenging than the group stage. “Mental strength is very important. Team events are never easy, you may win matches, but losing at crucial moments can affect a player’s confidence. “I hope my teammates, whether they win or lose, will stay strong mentally,” he said. Despite the loss to Japan, the 28-year-old remains optimistic that the national squad will

gruelling 79-minute battle. China sealed the semifinal spot in the third match as world No. 4 Chen Yu Fei proved too strong for world No. 37 Wong Ling Ching, win ning 21-10, 21-10 in 36 minutes. Despite the defeat, Malaysia can take pride in reaching the quarterfinals for only the fourth time, matching their best-ever achieve ment in the competition after previous appearances in 2004, 2008 and 2010. The national team had opened their Group B campaign with a 3-2 win over Turkiye before thrashing South Africa 5-0 to confirm their place in the last eight. They finished as Group B runners-up fol lowing a 4-1 loss to six-time champions Japan. The Uber Cup Finals 2026, which began on

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