Xavi, Sadd Coach Ferreira Hail Abdelkarim's Success
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BOXING | Page 4 NBA | Page 5 Sparks fl y Westbrook as Fury and fuels Thunder, Wilder face off Harden fi res ahead of bout but Rockets fall Friday, November 30, 2018 FOOTBALL Rabia I 22, 1440 AH Neymar inspires GULF TIMES PSG to leave Reds in danger of exit SPORT Page 2 SPOTLIGHT Bach says IOC committed to aiding Korean peace eff orts Reuters would be involved in further Tokyo discussions to “strengthen peace efforts”. “We have committed our- he International selves to this,” the German Olympic Commit- said. tee remains com- “At the very beginning of Tmitted to helping next year, there will be new the Korean Peninsula find talks to get together with lasting peace with its chief the two NOCs of the Korean Thomas Bach praising the states and the two govern- role his organisation and the ments, to see what we can Pyeongchang Winter Olym- do there to strengthen these pics had in easing tensions. peace efforts that are un- Held at the South Korean derway on the political level resort in February, the Winter now.” Games were seen as a turning Relations between the na- point in relations between tions have greatly improved the neighbours, who are still this year, with South Korean technically at war, after a President Moon Jae-in meet- unified Korean team com- ing his North Korean coun- peted in women’s ice hockey. terpart Kim Jong-un at three As their relationship con- different summits. tinues to thaw, the Koreas “I refer to President Moon agreed in September to pur- from the Republic of Korea, sue a bid to co-host the 2032 who has said that we have Summer Games. opened the door to peace Speaking at the General talks with our initiatives on Assembly of the Association the Korean Peninsula and of National Olympic Com- who has that there the IOC Qatar Olympic Committee President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani speaks with International Olympic Committee President Dr Thomas Bach on the sidelines of the Association mittees (ANOC) in Tokyo deserves a lot of credit for of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly in Tokyo yesterday. yesterday, Bach said the IOC this,” Bach added. FOOTBALL Xavi, Sadd coach Ferreira hail Abdelkarim’s success ‘Abdelkarim has been amazing this season and this great achievement is a victory not only for Al Sadd but also for Qatar football. He is a source of great pride for Asian football’ By Sports Reporter has been a remarkable journey and there is Doha still plenty of room for him to grow because he has great potential to perform even better. Abdelkarim was warmly received at the FC Player of the Year Abdelkarim Hamad International Airport by club offi- Hassan is a source of pride not only cials and teammates when he arrived from for Qatar but also for the whole of Muscat. A Asia, Al Sadd captain Xavi Hernan- He also attended Al Sadd’s training where dez said yesterday. the entire team congratulated him and posed Spain and Barcelona legend Xavi was ef- with him for personal photographs. fusive in his praise for his 25-year-old team- Qatar captain Hassan al-Haydos, who is mate who beat some of the best players in Abdelkarim’s colleague at Al Sadd, was also Asia to clinch the continent’s top football all praise for the player. award at Wednesday’s AFC gala in Muscat. “Congratulations to him. His victory is a “Abdelkarim has been amazing this season great achievement for the club too. We hope and this great achievement is a victory not that he will continue to sparkle in the future only for Al Sadd but also for Qatar football. and reach greater heights,” said al-Haydos He is a source of great pride for Asian foot- For his part, Abdelkarim said he was ball,” said Xavi who won eight La Liga titles thrilled with the well wishes he received from with Barcelona. everybody. “I am proud that Abdelkarim is the best “I am very happy and proud to win this player in Asia, this is a great honour for him award. Every player dreams of winning such and fantastic for his future. We wish him all a prestigious award and I thank my fellow the best, his win is a historic moment and we players at the club because without their are extremely pleased for him,” added Xavi. support I wouldn’t have won it,” he said. Xavi’s glowing commendation of Hassan “Football is a team game and without the was further echoed by Al Sadd’s head coach team’s support nothing is possible. I am in- Jesualdo Ferreira, who added: “Abdelkarim credibly happy. It gives me the feeling that continues to display incredible tactical dis- I have contributed something. Even if I had cipline not only in matches but also during not won the award, I would have been happy training. with just my nomination.” “He is one of the most important and Abdelkarim said while he hopes to win reliable players in my team. He has great further accolades with Al Sadd, his ultimate strength and contributes significantly to the ambition is to play for a top European club. team’s success and his performances have “I’m still at the beginning of my career. I continued to grow from strength to strength. am ambitious but I have to continue train- “I am deeply honoured to train the best ing and develop myself further so that I can player in the Qatar League and now in Asia,” win the QNB Stars League with Al Sadd, the said the former FC Porto and Panathinaikos Asian Cup in January and next season’s AFC manager. Champions League. “On behalf of the Al Sadd family, I congrat- Al Sadd captain Xavi (sitting, centre), coach Jesualdo Ferreira (standing, centre) and other team members pose with Abdelkarim Hassan’s AFC Player “But playing in Europe is also one of my ulate Hassan for another outstanding year. It of the Year trophy during a training session yesterday. Abdelkarim is standing next to coach Ferreira. priorities.” Gulf Times 2 Friday, November 30, 2018 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Mertens, Hamsik lift Napoli but battle Neymar inspires for knockouts goes down to the wire AFP Naples League winning coach Ancelotti PSG to leave Reds had warned his team they would be “proper idiots” not to qualify ries Mertens bagged a for the last 16 of this year’s com- brace to add to Marek petition. Hamsik’s early goal as They came out fi ring with DNapoli beat Red Star Mertens almost scoring the Belgrade 3-1 on Wednesday to go opener after fi ve minutes at the top of their Champions League Stadio San Paulo, with a clever in danger of exit Group C but the battle for a place back-heel fl ick from a Jose Calle- in the knock-out rounds will jon assist denied by Red Star go down to the wire in the fi nal goalkeeper Milan Borjan. ‘Everyone was ready to suff er for each other. That was necessary against Liverpool’ round of games mid-December. But minutes later captain Carlo Ancelotti’s Serie A club Hamsik broke through with a AFP have to wait to advance to the close range volley as the club’s Paris knock-out rounds after French record all-time goal scorer fi nd- champions Paris Saint-Germain ing the net for the fi rst time this beat Liverpool 2-1 in France. season. iverpool manager Jur- Hamsik got the hosts off the Veljko Simic had a chance for gen Klopp hit out at the mark after 11 minutes in Naples Red Star but was denied by Na- referee and Neymar as with Mertens adding two more poli goalkeeper David Ospina his side slumped to a 2-1 either side of half-time to lift the with one hand. Ldefeat to Paris Saint-Germain Italians before the fi nal game at And Senegalese centre- on Wednesday that leaves last Anfi eld. back Kalidou Koulibaly almost season’s runners-up dangerous- “I said it wasn’t going to be a grabbed the hosts’ second af- ly close to an early Champions decisive match,” said Ancelotti. ter 28 minutes racing to pick League exit. “We’ve done what we needed up a Jose Callejon cross but his Juan Bernat and Neymar to. We’re top of the group so you header was tipped over by Mi- scored to put PSG in control in have to be positive.” lan Borjan. the fi rst half in the French capi- Napoli now have nine points, Fabian Ruiz sent in a cross for tal, before a James Milner penal- one more than PSG with Liver- Mertens with the Belgian tap- ty on the stroke of half-time en- pool back on six. ping in his fi rst after 33 minutes, sured this pivotal game remained That means a point at Anfi eld completing his brace six minutes in the balance until the death. would be enough for Napoli to after the break to bring his tally PSG knew a defeat here cou- reach the round of 16 at the ex- to 100 goals in the Napoli jersey. pled with an unfavourable re- pense of Liverpool. Red Star were not bowed with sult in the night’s other Group Red Star are fourth on four Camorian forward Ben Nabou- C game could see the ambitious points, but they will fi nish third hane pulling a goal back for the Qatar-owned club eliminated if they win at home to PSG in visitors after 57 minutes.