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SPORT Friday 10 March 2017 PAGE | 21 PAGE | 2222 PAGE | 23 Williamson leads Miracle at Camp NouNou Preparations fightback by injury-hitit as Barcelona on track for FIG New Zealand stun PSG 6-1 Challenge Cup Tabata extends Al Rayyan contract Chinthana Wasala team and Tabata has already Champions League clash splendid 4-0 win over Al Wak- The Peninsula proved he is one of the best against Tehran-based Persian rah in round 23 of the QSL. Troubled Al Kharaitiyat forwards in the country. Gulf Pro League leaders Perse- Al Rayyan are currently he reigning Qatar Regarded as one of the polis. The match will be played placed third in the QSL stand- Stars League (QSL) most consistent players in at the Al Sadd ings, having collected 47 only looking up the table championsions Al recentrecent yearsyears forfor Al Rayyan,Rayyan, thethe StadiumStadium on popointsints fforor ththeireir 14 wwinsin and Rayyan willwill continueconttininue starsttar strikerstrikker iiss alreadyallrer addy thethe Tuesday,TTuesdayy, fivefive gamesgames whichwhich theythey man- to receiveve thethee serv-serv- leadinglleading contributorcontributoor forffoor thethhe MaMarchrch 144 agedaged toto draw.draw. The Peninsula Tices of their talismanicanicc ccaptainappttainn club,club, havinghaving scoredscored 166 goals.goals. andand Taba-TaT ba- LekhwiyaLLekhk wiw ya arearee onon topt of Rodrigo Tabata forr twotwoo moremoore TheThe two-timetwo-o time QFAQFA ta’stta’s menmen thethhe table,table,e, havinghaving collectedcollecec 56 l Kharaitiyat defender years. PlayerPlayer ofof theththe Year,Year, TabataTabata hheadeadd intointo points.ppooints. TheyThT eyey wonwono 1177 gamesg Mohammed Salam (pic- The club officialsls yesterdayyessteerddaay waswas thethe drdrivingiving foforcerce bebehindhind thethhe gamegag me andaannd lostloost onlyonly one.ono e. TheyThey man- Atured) insists that his side is confirmed that the 336-year-old6-yyeeaar--oldl thethe successsuccess of AlAl RayyanRayyan lastlast afterafteer a agedaga e to looking forward to the final three playmaker will noww bebe underuunddeer season,seasonon, becomingbeeccoming the joint-joiintt- ddraw games of the Qatar Stars League contract with the clubclubb tilltill thethe highesthih ghg ese t scorerscs oro ere withwith a tallytally of 2121 ffive (QSL) season as a good opportu- summer of 2020, followingfolloowwinng a goalsgoala s as theythey wentwew ntt onon to liftlift thethe gagamesa nity for the Thunders to pull further two-year contract extension.exteennsioon. QSLQSL FalconFalconn Shield.Shihield. aanandnd are away from the relegation zone. There is no doubtubt ththathat tthehe HavingHaving ssecuredecuuredd Tabata’sTabbata’a’s clccloselyossely fol- Speaking to QSL, Salam Qatari Internationalnal striker’ssttrikkeer’s service,seervice,e AAll RayyanRRaayyyyana lolowedweed byy AAll Sadd stressed that his side are firmly continuation with Al RayyanRayyyaan bebbegangan prpprepara-eppaarraa-- whowhw o arearre placedplp acedd seconds aiming to push further up the QSL will be a major boostoost forffor thethhe titionsions fofforr thttheirheieir withwithh 5454 pointspop intst afterafterr theth 23rd standings. upupcomingpcoc ming AAFCFCC round.round. “We have two big objectives, all of our players are fit and fresh Tabata staysys with Meanwhile,MeMeana whilee, LekhwiyaLekhhww are from the last games of the season for these big three games.” Al Rayyanan alsoalsoso headingheeading ttoo meetmem et their the first of which is staying in the “We are still one of the teams IrIranianananiaan coccounterpartsounteerpartst next Qatar Stars League, while the sec- in the bottom of the league table, Rodrigo Tabataata will week.weeekk. TheThThe QatariQaQ taarii ssideidde wwill be ond is to finish as high as possible but we are all very confident that now be with lookinglookinng toto impressimpresss whenwheh they in the QSL standings.” we can get away from trouble, Al Rayyan tilll the meetmeett EsteghlalEsts eghlh all KhuzestanKhuzezes in “Kharaitiyat has suffered this now we need to double our efforts summer of 2020,020, theirtheir otheroto heh r AFCAFAFC ChampionsCham season for a number of reasons, in the final games of the season. I following a two-yearwo-year LeagueLeLeagguee clashcllaashsh whichwhhichc wwilli take the main reason has to be the feel that our confidence, along contract extension.ension. placeplplace onn MarchMaarchch 14.14.4 change of our professional play- with high levels of concentration ButBBuut theththe clashclaash willwiwil be a ers, who have failed to settle will help us beat the drop” added sternststere n testtet sts forforr DjamelDjjammel Belma-B properly at the club” noted the the defender. Regarded as one of di’sddi’s RedRedd KnightsKnighg tss asas their defender when asked about his Salem concluded the interview the most consistentnsistent meetingmeeetetiinng withwiithh thethhe PersianPerersisia Gulf sides form in the league. noting that this QSL season has players in recentcent ProPro LeagueLeL ague sideside willwill be an The QSL is taking a three week been tough on all the sides in the years for Al RRayyan,ayyan, awawayaya ggame.ame.. EEsteghlalsteghl are break for international football, league; “ This has been the most the star strikerker is currentlycuurrenntly topttop of B afterafter pick- and Salam is sure that can only difficult season for the club since already the inging up two winswins fromfrom their benefit his side. “The break will joining the QSL, many sides are leading oopeningpening twtwoo gamesgames of the help the side, it gives us a chance battling for relegation and the fact goal scorer Al Rayyan captain campaign,campaiign, butbbut thethhe QSLQSL lead- to rest and refocus for the last push the league is being reduced by 12 ersers willwill bebe no easyeasy targetttarg for in the league. It’s also a good has added extra pressure for for the club. Rodrigo Tabata ththee IrIranians.anians. opportunity for us to make sure everyone.” Qatar play Azerbaijan in friendly Rabat back on track in Qatar The Peninsula Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc eam Estrella VDS rider Tito Galicia 0,0 Rabat in action. TMarc VDS rider Tito Rabat will return to action during this week's third and final MotoGP preseason test, set to get under- Coach Jorge Fossati reacts during way today at Losail Qatar's friendly match against International Azerbaijan which was played Circuit. at Jassim Bin Hamad Rabat, who Stadium yesterday. crashed at Sepang, RIGHT: Players vie Malaysia in the first for the ball. preseason test, was BOTTOM: Qatar's forced to sit out the Akram Afif recent sessions at (centre) vies for the ball possession with Phillip Island due to two Azerbaijani players during the friendly. injuries sustained in Azerbaijan won 2-1 yesterday. Malaysia. The Spaniard suffered although we'll need to take the frontrunners ahead of the a distal fracture of the radius, a injuries into account in Qatar, opening race of the season. fracture of the fifth metacarpal this won't stop us from enjoy- Miller said that he is also in the right hand, a fracture to ing a productive test. This test looking forward to keep up the the distal phalanx in the right isn't about pushing for a lap pace at Losail Circuit. foot and a severely lacerated time, it's about working with "I'm feeling really good left knee when he crashed at my crew, rebuilding my confi- after the tests in Sepang and Turn 11. dence with the bike and Phillip Island and I'm looking The former Moto2 World ensuring we are as well pre- forward to carrying that Champion has completed an pared as it's possible to be when momentum into the final pre- extensive four-week rehabili- we return to the Losail Inter- season test in Qatar, where tation program, including an national Circuit for the first race we'll be testing the latest spec- initial stay in hospital to ensure of the season." ification Honda engine for the against infection, and is look- His team-mate Jack Miller first time," Miller said. ing forward to resuming his heads to Qatar looking to build "It's been a good preseason preparations for the 2017 sea- on yet another successful test so far; we've found some son this week in Qatar. in Phillip Island, where the improvements and, step-by- Commenting on the task Queenslander finished inside step, we've managed to go ahead, Rabat said: "The last four the top ten and less than a sec- faster, finishing inside the top weeks have been all about ond from the top. ten last time out at Phillip rehabilitation, working with the Miller will test with the lat- Island. Now we're heading into physiotherapist to recover from est evolution engine in his the final test before the season the injuries and also the Honda RC213V for the first time gets underway and the aim is surgery. in Qatar and he is confident that simple; to make sure we're fully I am still not back to full fit- this will allow him to further prepared for when the lights go ness but I'm fit to ride and close the gap to the current out for the first time in 2017." SPORT 10 MARCH 2017 FRIDAY 21 Australia respect captain Kohli despite 'offensive' claims New Delhi umpire's lbw decision against "We've never done anything the fiasco on his own rivalry when the third Test gets Former India captain Sunil Reuters him in the second Test at like that and we never will." inexperience. underway at Ranchi on March Gavaskar, however, criticised Bengaluru. The former England bowl- "(I was) just completely una- 16 and Saker dismissed sugges- the ICC for not taking action ustralia retain respect for Smith, who did not review, ing coach said the Australian ware that you couldn't do that," tions that Kohli had gone down against Smith. Virat Kohli despite the later admitted to the "brain dressing room was surprised the 25-year-old said of his sug- in Australia's estimations.