Cristiano Ronaldo and Belgium’S His Fourth Goal of the Competi- Romelu Lukaku
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FOOTBALL | Page 2 BOXING | Page 7 Aft er Russia, Revived focus shift s Pacquiao stuns to next WC Matthysse hosts Qatar to win crown Monday, July 16, 2018 FOOTBALL Dhul-Qa’da 3, 1439 AH Modric GULF TIMES wins World Cup’s best player award SPORT Page 5 THE MANTLE PASSES His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani holds a football as Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino (C) react during a symbolic transfer of the authority to Qatar to host the World Cup 2022 at the Kremlin in Moscow yesterday. At right, the Amir addresses the audience. Les Bleus beat Croatia 4-2 for second World Cup title with luck and class DPA Moscow rance had a little luck before show- ing their class as they claimed a second World Cup title yesterday, 4-2 over cou- Frageous but tiring Croatia. An own goal from Mario Mandzukic and a penalty from man of the match Antoine Griez- mann, given after intervention from the video referee, put France up 2-1 at half-time, with Ivan Perisic getting a temporary equaliser. Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe wrapped up matters after the break. Mandzukic scored Croatia’s second after a major blunder from France keeper Hugo Lloris. France were a little lucky because Mandzu- kic’s own goal came after a soft free-kick when Griezmann fell under a challenge, and the pen- alty was also disputed when the ball hit Perisic’s hand off a corner kick. Croatia then ran out of steam in the second half, after having played extra-time in the past three games, as France coasted home in the highest-scoring fi nal since England’s 4-2 extra-time win over West Ger- France took the lead out of the blue in the 18th. Griezmann lobbed the soft free-kick into the penalty area from a half-right position, and the ball went into the top left corner off Mandzukic’s head as a group of players rose to meet the ball many in 1966. France won their second title, following 1998 — when they had beaten Croatia 2-1 in the semi- fi nals — and made up for the disappointment of losing the 2006 fi nal to Italy on penalties, and the Euro 2016 decider at home to Portugal. Mbappe was the fi rst teenager to score in a World Cup fi nal since Brazil’s Pele in 1958, and Didier Deschamps became the third man to lift the trophy as player and coach — joining Ger- many’s Franz Beckenbauer and Mario Zagallo of Brazil. Croatia were impressive in their fi rst-ever fi nal and runners-up is their best-ever result under the eyes of Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Emmanuel Macron of France and Kolin- da Grabar-Kitarovic of Croatia; and His High- ness the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- mad al-Thani, among the 78,011 crowd. Coaches Deschamps and Zlatko Dalic fi elded unchanged line-ups as the fi nal started after a France’s Hugo Lloris lifts the trophy as they celebrate winning the World Cup in Moscow yesterday. short closing ceremony featuring US star Will Smith among others. Croatia showed no early ball went into the top left corner off Mandzukic’s back on top and for good another 10 minutes France’s fi rst shot on target in the fi nal as rain via Griezmann, beating Danijel Subasic into the nerves and confi dently dominated the action in head as a group of players rose to meet the ball. later in the fi rst VAR decision in a World Cup fell and a thunderstorm approached. Croatia left corner after having a fi rst shot blocked. the French half, without however threatening Croatia battled back, like in the previous fi nal. A corner from Griezmann hit the arm of came close to a second equaliser three minutes Mbappe scored the fourth from outside the as Raphael Varane headed a cross out of danger three games, levelling 10 minutes later. France Perisic when Blaise Matuidi attempted a near- after the restart when Lloris tipped Ante Rebic’s box six minutes later to match Griezmann on ahead of Mandzukic. failed to clear a free-kick, the ball fell to Perisic post fl ick on, and Argentine referee Nestor drive over the bar. four goals before Lloris gifted Croatia their sec- France took the lead out of the blue in the 18th. who rounded Ngolo Kante and rifl ed home into Pitana harshly awarded a penalty, after a long France, now with more space, made it 3-1 in ond in the 69th, taking up a back-pass and then Griezmann lobbed the soft free-kick into the the right corner from the edge of the box. review, which Griezmann calmly slotted home. the 59th. Pogba played a long ball across half the losing the ball to Mandzukic who scored from penalty area from a half-right position, and the Modern technology then helped France go It was his fourth goal of the tournament and fi eld to the fast Mbappe and received a pass back short range. There was just one goalless draw (France vs Denmark) at the 2018 World Cup. The only edition which had none was in 1954 2 Gulf Times Monday, July 16, 2018 Focus Qatar 2022 Here’s a lowdown of what to expect from Arab world’s first ever World Cupup Aft erer Russia, Russia, ith the Russian greatest sporting showpiece. on-arrival arrangementsments withwithh World Cup con- 90 countries. World Cup focus cluding yester- DATE day, the attention now turns to Qatar Whas turned to Qatar which will Local offi cials originally want- HOME TEAMM host the 2022 edition. Qatar ed to stage the tournament at South Africa in 201010 aarerer so farffar By Gulf Times team and agencies won the bid to host the world its traditional June/July slot the only hosts whoo hhaveave fafailedilled Cup in 2010 beating off stiff but, even though organisers to survive the groupup sstagetage bbutut ermany came out of its shell, South Af- competition. In the eight pledged cooling technology Qatar would be keeneen to aavoidvooid rica exceeded expectations and Russia years since then Qatar has em- in all stadiums, the desert cli- the same fate in ffourour yeyears’ars’ changed negative perceptions when they barked on a massive develop- mate, with summer tempera- time. Automaticallyally enenterednteerreed all hosted the World Cup. Now it’s the ment drive, building gleaming tures of more than 40 degrees as hosts, Qatar’s nationalational tteameaam Gturn of Qatar to show the world what it is capable stadiums, roadways, a metro Celsius, prompted FIFA in 2015 will make its debutt atat thethe gglo-lloo- of. For sure, it will be an event like no other. system and other infrastruc- to move the tournament to the bal stage after neverer pprprevious-revioouus- The fi rst Arab country to host the event are plan- ture. late European autumn, when ly qualifying. ning eight new stadiums for the tournament, with Here are some of the facts temperatures average 25-30 Qatar are currentlyntltly rarrankedankked one completed, two more due this year and the rest about Qatar. degrees. FIFA announced the 98th in the FIFA llistist anandnd aalal-- scheduled to be fi nished by 2021. None is more than dates for the tournament on A replica of the World Cup trophy is seen at a shop in Souq Waqif Khater said it wouldouuld bbee “a 35km from the centre of the capital Doha and all Friday — November 21 to De- in Doha on Friday. (Reuters) phenomenal triumph”mph” iif QQa-a- serviced by a brand new metro system. HOST cember 18. tar could emulatee RuRRussiassssia bbyy Furious construction is visible everywhere in The Gulf nation of Qatar is rah 15km south of the capital, lead to an earlier start. reaching the quarter-fiartrter--fifi nnals.aals. Qatar with gleaming new stadiums and infra- the smallest host of the show- and the four Doha venues. Or- There has been sspeculationpep ccuulation structure projects in full swing. case tournament, covering an VENUES ganisers pledge to reduce the that former Spainn grggreateaeat XaviXaaviv “We are ready based on the path we have set,” area of 11,500 square kilome- Qatar plans to stage the tour- size of several stadiums post- FANS/FAN-FEST could become coach.chch. said Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary-general tres and with a population of nament in eight stadiums. World Cup for use in the do- Qatar hopes to lure tens of of the Qatar 2022 organising committee (SC), in 2.7 million, some 600,000 of The biggest venue is under mestic league and as training thousands of fans to the tour- Moscow with a delegation of more than 100 offi - whom live in the capital, Doha. construction in Lusail City, facilities. nament but the presence of SPORT cials shadowing the Russians. Rich with natural gas and oil some 15km north of Doha. The huge contingents of mostly The World Cup is thetheh biggestbigi geest FIFA have confi rmed that the tournament will reserves, Qatar has the high- stadium will seat more than Latin American fans in Mos- sports event ambitiousitioousu QQatarattar be hosted from November 21-December 18, 2022, est per-capita income in the 80,000 people and host the EXPANSION cow has already prompted has landed so far. TThehehe coun-couo n- but whether it will be a 32-team event or expand to world. opening match and the fi nal.