Sports Tuesday, October 1, 2019 15 Education City Stadium to host FIFA Club World Cup final

1976 and reopened in 2017 after The 12,000-seater will also Matches at Khalifa International and undergoing a modern revamp. welcome Concacaf champions Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium too The opening encounter CF Monterrey for the first fix- on 11 December, as well as ture in their fourth FIFA Club the double-header of matches World Cup campaign. FIFA.com the Reds take on the winners 2 and 3 three days later, will With all three venues locat- of Match 2 in the semi-final tie take place at Jassim Bin Ham- ed a maximum of 12km from scheduled for 18 December. ad Stadium. That means that central Doha, the FIFA Club A striking, brand-new Another FIFA World Cup SC, who have qualified World Cup 2019 will provide a 40,000-seater that will also 2022 venue, the historic Khal- as the host representatives af- glimpse of ’s compact na- be a FIFA World Cup venue ifa International Stadium, will ter winning the Qatar Stars ture ahead of the FIFA World in three years’ time will host host a double-header on 17 De- League, will play at least one Cup 2022, when the longest the third-place play-off and cember. The fifth-place match game at their home ground. distance between any of the final at the FIFA Club World will be contested there ahead Currently due to face Hieng- eight stadiums will be 70km. Cup Qatar 2019 presented by of the semi‑final showdown be- A computerised view hène Sport in the opener, the Taking place around the Alibaba Cloud. Besides seeing tween the CONMEBOL Liber- of the Education City Qataris could yet advance same time of the year and one of the seven contenders tadores champions – who will Stadium, whis is also straight to the second round with matches kicking off lift the trophy and staging the be entering the fray at this stage to host matches during to play ES Tunis by triumph- from 17:00 (local time), this battle for bronze on 21 Decem- – and the winners of Match 3. the FIFA World Cup ing in the AFC Champions year’s tournament will also ber, Education City Stadium Also capable of welcoming 2022 Qatar. League, which would leave the give teams and fans alike the will also host Liverpool FC’s up to 40,000 fans, Khalifa In- Asian runners-up contesting chance to experience Qatar’s opener in the competition as ternational was inaugurated in the opening match instead. mild winter.

Doubles defeat for Djoko ahead of Japan Open singles debut Al Sadd brace for tough AFP Borna Coric of Croatia and Bel- Tokyo gian third seed David Goffin. Earlier this month, Djokovic World number one Novak was forced to pull out of his US Djokovic, forced out of the US Open fourth-round clash with Al Hilal semis challenge Open with a shoulder injury, Stan Wawrinka due to a nag- suffered a doubles defeat at the ging injury in his left shoulder. Japan Open on Monday, but His return means he could The Wolves host proved his recovery is on track. play out the season and hold off Bruno Soares of Brazil and a challenge to his number one regional rivals in Mate Pavic of Croatia beat the ranking from US Open winner 32-year-old Serbian star and Rafael Nadal. AFC Champions his countryman Filip Krajinovic Later in the day, 2014 US League semis in 6-2, 4-6, 10-4 to progress to the Open champion Marin Cilic of quarter-finals. Croatia downed Japan’s Yuichi Doha today The doubles experts sur- Sugita 6-4, 6-4 in the first vived Djokovic’s powerful round. It was their first tourna- Ayeni Olusegun serves with crisp volleying as ment match after the two prac- Doha their quick court coverage over- ticed together at a tennis acad- whelmed the Serbian pair’s bold emy in Italy. Al Sadd will face their tough- No pressure! shots. “It was a good match. Un- est challenge yet this season in We have prepared well for Top seed Djokovic will make fortunately one of us has to the AFC Champions League his Japan Open singles debut on win,” Cilic said. when they take to the field this game. We know how Tuesday playing Alexei Popyrin, The Croatian added that he against regional rivals Al Hilal strong Al Hilal are, they are a 20-year-old Australian, at the has to “be ready to play well” in in the semi-final first leg at the one of the best teams in Ariake Coliseum, a venue for the second round, when he will Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium Asia. It’s also natural to feel the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. face either Lorenzo Sonego of on Tuesday. the pressure. I feel the His main challengers in the Italy or South Korean Chung Both sides are record- Al Sadd players during a training session ahead of their AFC Champions League semi-final first leg clash Japan event will be second seed Hyeon. domestic title holders in their against Al Hilal. pressure when we’re playing respective leagues. Al Hilal in Qatar or abroad, but we have won the Saudi Arabia for this game. We know how Last year, The Wolves lost ers helped us get the win,” the always play for the win. league 15 times, while Al Sadd strong Al Hilal are, they are to Persepolis in the semis, a Spaniard added. have lifted the Falcon Shield one of the best teams in Asia. feat Xavi Hernandez says his If Al Sadd go on to win the Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez 14 times. It’s also natural to feel the side will try to avoid again. The Champions League trophy, In a continental clash of pressure. I feel the pressure former Barcelona and Al Sadd they will automaticaaly qualify rently sit atop the Saudi do- giants, the teams have also when we’re playing in Qatar or legend was part of the losing for the second round of the mestic league -- they swept claimed Asia’s top honours on abroad, but we always play for team last year, which was also FIFA Club World Cup which aside local challengers Al It- two occassions each. The two the win,” Xavi told reporters his last appearance as a player will be hosted in Doha in De- tihad in the semis, having teams are familiar foes having on Monday. in the continental showpiece. cember. The Wolves will also thumped Al Ahli in the earlier faced each other eight times in After a last 16 victory over “We learned a lot from have a chance to halt high- round. Former Swansea and the AFC Champions League Al , Al Sadd staged a last year’s semifinal against flying European Champions French national team striker since their first meeting at the magnificent comeback in the Persepolis. Things are differ- Liverpool in the semis. Bafetimbi Gomes has led the 2010 edition. This stage of the quarter-final second leg at ent when you’re a player and “We hope to play against a lines for Hilal with seven goals competition is also familiar home against Al Nassr with when you’re a coach. We will big team like Liverpool. That in the Champions League this territory for the pair. goals from Akram Afif, Has- try to win this game, maintain- would mean we have to reach season. Al Sadd were semi-finalists san al Haydos and Baghdad ing our identity as a team with the semifinals. If we win the They will however, hope to in last year’s edition, while Al Bounedjah. a winning mentality. Champions League, we will be change history which shows Al Hilal have reached this phase Having lost the first leg “The support of the fans in the quarters. Even if we face Hilal have only managed one Mohammed Khalifa al Sowaidi finished seventh in the World Endur- four times in their last six in Riyadh, a packed Stadium is very important, like it was Liverpool, we won’t change win in their last eight visits to ance Championship, recently. campaigns. roared the Wolves on to a 3-1 in the game against Al Nassr our way.” Qatari opponents in the AFC “We have prepared well victory. when all the Qatari support- Meanwhile, Al Hilal cur- Champions League. Al Shaqab rider excels at World Endurance Championship Pochettino ‘happy with squad’ ahead of Bayern clash Tribune News Network Home of the Qatari Na- Doha tional Team, Al Shaqab’s En- AFP on “different agendas in the about the need to evolve be drawn on his contract ne- durance Department has a London squad”. every season and find new gotiations, adding: “I would Al Shaqab was in the spotlight squad of 12 riders including But their 2-1 victory ways of motivating the play- prefer not to go too deep into once again when a member two junior riders - and 130 Tottenham boss Mauri- against Southampton on Sat- ers, said he was content with that (contract situation) but of the Al Shaqab Endurance horses. The team participates cio Pochettino said he was urday lifted them to fifth in his squad ahead of the match there is always some move- team claimed a top-10 place at in national, regional, and in- “so happy” with his squad as the Premier League table and against the five-time Europe- ment. the FEI Meydan World Endur- ternational endurance events. they prepare to face Bundes- helped calm nerves. an champions. “I am very ambitious, I ance Championship - Young All of the horses that par- liga leaders Bayern Munich Spurs let slip a 2-0 lead “We are in a position that feel like I have a couple of Horses 2019 that recently con- ticipated in the FEI Meydan in the Champions League on in their Champions League all is possible. I think we have good years left in me. I hope cluded in Italy. World Endurance Champi- Tuesday after a turbulent few opener against Olympiakos a great squad,” he said. “It’s a I can help the team. Al Shaqab rider Moham- onship - Young Horses 2019 weeks. to draw 2-2 but Pochettino big squad, good players.” “It is my eighth season med Khalifa Al Sowaidi and were bred at Al Shaqab’s state- Spurs have struggled to pointed out that they also Defender Jan Vertong- here. I have had a great past his horse, Sa’ada Al Shaqab, of-the-art find consistency this sea- started sluggishly last year. hen, who has been linked and I am feeling great in eve- earned 7th place in the equestrian facility. son after an unsettling sum- “Last season after three with a move away from the ry single way here. That is all event, which was aimed at Endurance horse racing is mer transfer window during games we had only one point. Tottenham Hotspur’s Argentinian Spurs, played down rumours I want to say on that.” 7-year-old horses. a niche equestrian sport that which key players including No one believed in us, and af- head coach Mauricio Pochettino. of dressing room unrest at Pochettino said he would Taking on competitors is rapidly growing in popu- Christian Eriksen were linked ter we got to the final of the the club. like to keep Vertonghen but from several countries, Al So- larity. Al Shaqab’s Endurance with moves that never mate- Champions League (where not how you start it’s how you “I am not going too much that he was not part of the ne- waidi and Sa’ada Al Shaqab Department was developed rialised. they lost against Liverpool),” finish. That is why in a long into that, the mood at this gotiations. covered a distance of 120km. to further promote Qatar’s Last week’s League Cup he said at his pre-match press season you need to be calm, point is good,” he said. “It was “I am open to everything In total, four horses and riders equestrian heritage and to exit to fourth-tier Colchester conference on Monday. you need to be strong in your a good win on Saturday. We but that is a dealing between from Al Shaqab competed in raise and nurture the country’s was a low point and Pochet- “That is why in football of mentality.” showed who we really are.” the club, him and his agent,” the prestigious championship. next generation of riders. tino blamed that setback course it’s important but it’s Pochettino, who talked The Belgian refused to he said. Third edition of Qatar Universities Basketball Cup tips off on October 6

Tribune News Network nership, QBF Secretary Gen- versity at the same time in ment to creating a sports-lov- Federation league. Doha eral, Ali Al Malki said: “We are Qatar.” ing society, and encouraging “This brave decision will extremely proud to be hosting Mohammed Fakhroo, Ex- members of the community allow players to relish in the The third edition of the Qa- the third edition of the Qatar ecutive Director of Outreach – especially young people – to chance to compete alongside tar Universities Basketball Universities Basketball Cup and Institutional Advance- incorporate regular physical national representatives. It Cup (QUBC) – which is be- with Qatar Foundation. ment. QF, said: “Qatar Foun- activity in their routines.” is a unique opportunity for ing organized by the Qatar “The championship will dation Director said, “QF is Commenting on some them to play in a professional Basketball Federation (QBF) see students go up against honoured to collaborate with of the new rule changes, sport atmosphere, enjoy large in collaboration with Qatar each other to prove their bas- the Qatar Basketball Federa- QBF Head of Marketing and university crowds and show- Foundation (QF) – tips off ketball prowess – it is the best tion to deliver the third edi- Events, Samuel Rico said: case the best of university on Sunday, October 6 at QF’s measure for developing play- tion of this popular sports “For the first time, univer- basketball.” Multaqa (Education City Stu- ers who want to compete at tournament.” sities have voted to include The two-month event gets dent Center). the highest “Our partnership with professional players from the underway with the men’s divi- Commenting on the part- level while attending uni- QBF reflects a wider commit- under 21’s Qatar Basketball sions next Sunday at 6.30pm.