FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 CRICKET | Page 7 Four-goal Mumbai reach Kane helps IPL fi nal with Spurs punish easy six-wicket Leicester win over KKR Saturday, May 20, 2017 TENNIS Sha’baan 24, 1438 AH Sharapova faces GULF TIMES 10-match marathon to win Wimbledon SPORT Page 5 FOOTBALL / EMIR CUP Sadd fi rst to taste glory at new-look Khalifa stadium Al Sadd players and off icials celebrate with the Emir Cup trophy after beating Al Rayyan in the final at the recently-renovated Khalifa International Stadium in Doha yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil and Shemeer Rasheed Wolves down Rayyan 2-1 to lift their 16th Emir Cup title By Sports Reporter Doha n the end, the wolf pack proved to be stronger than the lions. The fi rst-ever Emir Cup held at the new Khalifa International Stadium yes- Iterday saw Al Sadd defeat Al Rayyan 2-1 in a keenly-contested aff air. This his- toric fi nal, which was preceded by the inauguration of the stadium itself, was an action-packed aff air. And it took an injury-time goal for Sadd to win the trophy. Rayyan had taken the lead through Rodrigo Tabata in the 49th minute. Sadd drew level when Hassan al-Hay- dous converted a penalty in the 56th minute. And then in the 91st minute, Hamroun Jugurtha produced a great fi nish to ensure that it was his team’s Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Ferreira (centre) celebrates his team’s victory in the Emir Cup final yesterday. Al Sadd’s Xavi (right) with FIFA president Gianni Infantino (left) and Personal name on the trophy. Representative of HH the Emir HH Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani (centre). The 45th edition of the Emir Cup fi - In the ninth minute, a crucial save straight at Xavi’s feet but the Spaniard Al-Haydous calmly converted the pen- nal had promised to be a lively aff air be- from Rayyan keeper Oumar Barry denied hit straight at Rayyan keeper Barry. alty and Sadd were level. players produced moments of magic. could have scored the equaliser but he cause of the two teams involved. Both Baghdad Bounedjah the opening goal. But after coming that close it was In the 61st minute, Rayyan coach The fi rst came from Xavi. The Sadd couldn’t connect properly inside the Sadd and Rayyan are known for their Sadd were starting to look more lethal. Rayyan who took the lead. Tabata got Michael Laudrup brought on key strik- skipper controlled the ball with a back box and the chance was wasted. attacking style of play. They also had But in the 14th minute it was Rayyan who the ball inside the box and though his er Sebastian Soria in place of Ahmed heel, took it forward with a header Sadd were the favourites coming into two of the biggest and loudest sets of could have taken the lead. Skipper Tabata fi rst shot was blocked by Sadd keeper Alaaeddine. And Rayyan could have and laid down a great through pass. this match and they proved their met- supporters in Qatar. And that was on delivered one of this trademark freekicks Saad al-Dosari, the Rayyan skipper was taken the lead in the 69th minute if not Jugurtha got to the end of it, ran down tle once again. They have secured a do- display yesterday. but it was just wide of the goal. able to dispatch the rebound into the for the brilliance of the Sadd keeper. the right fl ank, got past one defender mestic double with this triumph. They Right at the start itself, just three Things settled into stasis after this. back of the net. Rayyan fans were delir- Gonzalo Viera header looked like it was and then, as he was being pressurised had won the Qatar Cup and now have minutes into the game Rayyan defender Both teams enjoyed a fair share of pos- ious at their team having taken the lead. going into the goal till al-Dosari pushed by Keder, fi red a great shot into the roof the prestigious Emir Cup against their Musaab Keder managed a strong run session but neither goalkeeper had The tempo of the game picked up af- the ball out just in time. of the net in the 91st minute. name. This is the second trophy for down the left fl ank but his eventual much to do. ter that with Sadd eager for the equal- In the 77th minute, Bounedjah had a Just minutes before the goal, Jugurtha Xavi and coach Jesualdo Ferreira. cross was poor. Three minutes later, The second half began with promise iser. And that came in the 56th minute. chance but his shot was defl ected over had pulled up in the fi eld and was going This is a win the Wolves will remem- Sadd had the ball inside the Rayyan goal for Sadd. Rayyan defender Mohamed Bounedjah was fouled inside the box the bar. to be substituted. But he carried on and ber for a long time to come, having be- but the goal was disallowed because of Abdalmtaal, in trying to head the ball and Italian referee Rocchi Gianluca had Then, just when it looked like the Sadd will be very thankful that he did. come the fi rst team to win a trophy at off -side. clear from inside the box, delivered it no hesitation in pointing to the spot. match would go into penalties, two In the 93rd minute, Sergio Garcia the new Khalifa International Stadium. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, May 20, 2017 FOOTBALL Sights from the Emir Cup fi nal at Khalifa International Stadium PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil and Shemeer Rasheed Al Sadd’s Hamroun Jugurtha celebrates his goal. Al Rayyan’s Rodrigo Tabata (left) in action against Al Sadd yesterday. FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks to the media ahead of the Emir Cup final between Al Sadd and Al Rayyan. Gulf Times Saturday, May 20, 2017 3 FOOTBALL EPL FOCUS Guardiola not keen on diving clampdown Four-goal Kane AFP they do for football.” Guar- Manchester, United Kingdom diola’s main frustration with referees this season is that, in his view, they are less likely to award ep Guardiola has fouls than offi cials in Spain and questioned the need Germany. to ban players for div- However, he also feels that ing, suggesting in- referees fi nd it increasingly helps Tottenham Pstead that it would be better to diffi cult to keep up with the concentrate on giving Premier fast pace of top-level football, League referees help by using and has suggested that they more video technology. need the assistance of video Guardiola believes referees technology. He said: “Sooner need more assistance from or later that is going to happen. television because they fi nd it The technology will help the diffi cult to keep up with play referees to be more fair about punish Leicester because the game is so quick. what happens in the game to The Football Association has make fewer mistakes because passed new rules to come into there are a lot of mistakes. ‘I am in the driving seat but there’s still one more game. I am not resting on my laurels’ force in England next season, “Football today is quicker, which will allow them to use it’s faster. Before referees arrive television evidence to sanction to see a situation, the players divers. Under the new set-up, a are much, much faster that’s panel will review footage each why they need technology.” money to examine cases of al- Guardiola, meanwhile, has leged diving, with suspensions warned Chelsea that City will to be given to any player unani- give them a much closer run mously found guilty. However, next season. The former Bar- Manchester City manager celona and Bayern Munich Guardiola, who has repeatedly manager has suff ered a frus- expressed reservations about trating fi rst year in England, the quality of offi ciating at and is destined to end a season Premier League matches this without a trophy for the fi rst season, has suggested that the time as a coach. football authorities should fo- His team go into tomorrow’s cus their attention elsewhere. fi nal Premier League match at Asked if he thought it was Watford lying 15 points behind necessary to tackle diving, Antonio Conte’s champions. Guardiola said: “No, because Guardiola believes too many everybody makes mistakes. Are home draws this season — we going to review the referees? seven in all — have stopped his No. It sometimes happens. team from mounting a proper “It doesn’t matter what I title challenge. He has called say. My infl uence and my opin- on his players to make sure ion don’t count. Whatever none of their rivals can pull they decide, we’re going to ac- away so easily next season. cept and we’re going to accept Guardiola said: “We were the bans and the cases. I think not in the title race until the diving is not the most impor- end. Normally the big teams tant thing to improve. There always fi ght until the end, and are many other things we can after that you can win or lose. improve. The referees, the ref- “In the Premier League, we erees they know everything. didn’t fi ght until the end for the They are the bosses in those results because two teams were terms. I adapt to the rules, the better than us and we dropped federation, FIFA, UEFA, what a lot of points at home.” Wenger says Arsenal future to be decided end May Arsene Wenger says his at a board meeting.