It was a dramatic night in football, with joy and heartbreak across multiple competitions. China’s U17 national team pulled off a miraculous comeback to advance in the AFC U17 Asian Cup, Al Nassr suffered a shocking last-minute equalizer in the Saudi Pro League, and Atletico Madrid secured a narrow victory in La Liga.
China U17 faced a must-win situation in their final group stage match against Qatar U17. After losing the first two games against Indonesia (0-1) and Japan (1-2), the young Chinese team needed a victory to keep their hopes alive. He Sifan opened the scoring with a curling shot in the 13th minute, and Zhang Bailin added a header from a Wan Xiang assist to make it 2-0. Despite Qatar’s five shots, China’s defense held firm. The win gave China three points, tied with Qatar and Indonesia, but their superior goal difference secured second place in the group. They will now face Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals, marking the third consecutive U17 Asian Cup meeting between the two sides. More importantly, China U17 qualified for the U17 World Cup for the first time in 21 years, a remarkable achievement.
In the Saudi Pro League, Al Nassr hosted Al Hilal in a high-stakes clash. Simakan gave Al Nassr the lead in the 37th minute with a close-range finish. However, a missed one-on-one chance from Coman proved costly. In stoppage time, goalkeeper Bento made a costly error, fumbling a cross and allowing the ball to roll into his own net for an equalizer. The match ended 1-1, denying Al Nassr the chance to secure the title early. Despite the draw, Al Nassr remains five points ahead of Al Hilal with one more game played, keeping the championship in their hands.
In La Liga, Celta Vigo suffered a shock 2-3 home defeat to relegation-threatened Levante. Jutglà scored twice for Celta, but Levante fought back with goals from Aliaga, Adrián de la Fuente, and Bruge to complete a remarkable comeback. The loss was a blow to Celta’s European hopes.
Atletico Madrid edged Osasuna 2-1 in another La Liga encounter. An early penalty, converted by Lookman after a handball by Javi Galán, gave Atletico the lead. Sorloth doubled the advantage with a header in the 71st minute. Osasuna pulled one back through Barja in stoppage time, but Atletico held on to end a two-game losing streak in all competitions.
In the Championship playoff semi-final second leg, Southampton faced Middlesbrough. McGree gave Middlesbrough an early lead, but Stuart equalized with a header. The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, setting up extra time. Substitute Shea Charles scored a stunning long-range winner in extra time to send Southampton to the final, where they will face Hull City.