Juventus Hope to Get Money’S Worth SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL/CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PUNISHMENT Juve Forward Costa Given Four-Match Messi Hat-Trick Ban for Spitting
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MLB | Page 5 FORMULA 1 | Page 6 Yelich ‘Mercedes collects going from 2nd cycle strength to of season strength’ Wednesday, September 19, 2018 FOOTBALL Moharram 9, 1440 AH Focus on Ronaldo GULF TIMES as Juventus hope to get money’s worth SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL/CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PUNISHMENT Juve forward Costa given four-match Messi hat-trick ban for spitting AFP isolated incident,” said Allegri at Milan the pre-match press conference in Spain. “He lost it for a moment which fi res Barcelona to uventus forward Douglas can happen and he asked for for- Costa has been banned giveness. for four matches for spit- “He will serve four games and ting in the face of Sassuolo we will not appeal. Jwinger Federico Di Francesco in “It was a very unpleasant ges- last weekend’s Serie A game in ture, which surprised everyone, Turin, the Italian FA announced a very out of character gesture,” yesterday. continued Allegri. victory over PSV Costa was sent off after being “Tomorrow (Wednesday), I’ll caught by VAR aiming an elbow decide if he’s going to be on the and headbutt before spitting in bench or if he’s in the team. I’m Dembele’s goal was worthy of deciding any match but this was Messi’s night the face of Di Francesco, the son sorry because it was not the kind of Roma coach Eusebio Di Franc- of behaviour to show children, esco, as the champions won 2-1 but he’s the most disappointed AFP Inter strike two late goals Barcelona thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s with his attitude.” to sink Tottenham fi rst goals for the club. Di Francesco had earlier rub- Milan: Inter Milan struck twice late Juventus coach Massimiliano bished claims that he provoked ionel Messi pictures the Champi- on to secure a stunning 2-1 victory Allegri said the club would not be the Brazilian with racist insults. ons League ending with him hoist- over a crestfallen Tottenham Hot- appealing the ban. Costa posted an apology to ing the trophy and it began with spur in their Group B opener at the The 28-year-old was nev- his teammates and fans on his him scoring a hat-trick yesterday San Siro yesterday. ertheless selected in the squad Instagram account on Sunday, Las Barcelona put four goals past PSV Eind- for today’s Champions League although he replied to one com- Mauro Icardi’s superb volley hoven. levelled the scores in the 86th opener against Valencia. ment by saying that people did An early kick-off at Camp Nou meant minute and Matias Vecino headed a “Douglas Costa surprised us, not know what Di Francesco had that before most of the tournament’s teams stoppage-time winner to give Inter but he will prove that it was an said to him. had even named their line-ups, Messi was a victory that for most of the night up and running, his sumptuous free-kick looked unlikely. from the edge of the area nestling in the top Spurs had taken the lead in the ASIA SPOTLIGHT corner, exactly where it was intended. 53rd minute with Christian Eriksen’s Messi would have his second and third deflected eff ort off Inter’s Miranda before the end, but the game was up by and looked comfortable as the full- then thanks to a superb strike from the ex- time whistle approached. No go Pato as sorry cellent Ousmane Dembele. The match was turned on its head Only when Barca were three ahead was though in dramatic fashion as Samuel Umtiti sent off for a second yellow Tottenham suff ered a third straight Tianjin thrashed in card, and with 10 men, Messi completed loss in all competitions. his hat-trick for a 4-0 win. Dembele’s goal was worthy of deciding had raced away on the break but Gaston Champions League any match but this was Messi’s night. Af- Pereiro blasted over and Steven Bergwijn’s ter a miserable World Cup trying to retrieve curling eff ort whistled wide of the post. the irretrievable Argentina, Barcelona’s It was an open game, with Coutinho AFP Yasushi Endo delivered a cor- now-captain proved his quality again to missing a header and then teeing up Messi Macau ner and another Brazilian, the any doubters that are left. to sidefoot high. The Argentinian soon lesser-known Serginho, darted Four goals already in La Liga, seven over- made amends, his eighth free-kick scored in at the near post to head home all, neither age nor Cristiano Ronaldo’s in 2018. He has never scored more in a year. razil star Alexandre Pato unchallenged. departure from Spain appear to have taken The contest bristled at the start of the endured a humiliat- That eff ectively sealed the tie the edge off . But even if Messi remains as second half. Suarez earned Messi a second ing evening as Tianjin for Kashima, who are toiling in good as ever, his team will need others to free-kick within range but this one fl oated Quanjian were smashed the J-League and had failed to step up. Philippe Coutinho was impressive over. Suarez’s delightful chip beat Zoet but B5-0 on aggregate by Japan’s reach the last four of Asia’s top here and, after a diffi cult debut campaign, not the crossbar. Kashima Antlers in the Asian club competition in seven previ- Dembele is fi nding his rhythm. PSV were still in it and could have equal- Champions League quarter-fi - ous attempts. The 21-year-old’s driving run earned ised when Hirving Lozano’s fi nish was nals yesterday. The 29-year-old Pato went Messi his free-kick while a sizzling shot blocked, crucially, by Gerard Pique. Kashima, 2-0 winners at home close once more midway through brought the goal his bustling display de- Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring his third goal Then three goals arrived in 15 min- in the fi rst leg, cruised through the fi rst half when his smart vol- served. against PSV Eindhoven at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona yesterday. utes. First Dembele, after leaving two PSV against the Chinese Super ley from outside the box was Perhaps more importantly, this victory midfi elders for dead with a dragback, un- League side to reach the semi- cleared off the line. was a clean slate for Barcelona. ning their third in a row. “It is a thorn in our Nick Viergever was one of them, for Ajax leashed into the bottom corner. Messi then fi nals for the fi rst time. But just like for the fi rst goal, It was exactly 23 weeks ago that Roma side,” Luis Suarez said. “It’s time to win the in 2014, but it was his rash challenge on latched onto a lob from Ivan Rakitic to slot Former AC Milan forward Pato Kashima went up the other end pulled off one of the greatest comebacks Champions League,” said Messi. Dembele in the 31st minute that conceded home before Umtiti was sent off for a cyni- had a clear sight of goal on three almost immediately, Hiroki Abe ever seen in this competition and sent the PSV’s coach Mark van Bommel knows the free-kick a yard outside the penalty cal block on Lozano. minutes, but he volleyed straight sweeping into the bottom corner. club into a depth of disappointment that, what it feels like to walk out at the Camp area. Messi sized it up and sent it spinning It made no diff erence. Suarez set up at visiting goalkeeper Kwoun The visitors saved the best for in truth, not even winning the double could Nou — he had a successful, albeit short, away from the hand of Jeroen Zoet and into Messi’s third, a brilliant fl ick allowing his Sun-tae and Champions League last, Shoma Doi lashing into the alleviate. Instead, Madrid rubbed salt into spell playing for Barca — but few of his the top corner. captain the last word, after he had also had debutants Tianjin were made to top corner for 3-0 on the night, the wound by making it look easy and win- players did. PSV could have been ahead. Twice they the fi rst. pay 10 minutes later. 5-0 overall. BOTTOMLINE Ferreira breathes easy aft er Al Sadd qualify By Sports Reporter Esteghlal defender Rouzbeh Chesh- “Esteghlal showed that they are have enough experience to deal with Doha mi was dismissed for a second book- a strong team but we showed our the tough matches that are coming up, able off ence almost immediately after strength as well by reaching the semi- both at home and in Asia.” Tabrizi’s goal to halt their momentum, fi nals.” Meanwhile, Persepolis midfi elder l Sadd coach Jesualdo Fer- but it took a last-minute penalty from With the quarter-fi nal behind them, Bashar Resan credited winning men- reira heaved a sigh of relief Baghdad Bounedjah to calm the Qa- Al Sadd will now look ahead to facing tality for his side’s 3-1 win over Al Du- on Monday night after a 2-2 taris’ nerves and confi rm their qualifi - another Iranian side in the semi-fi nal hail in the second leg of the quarter- draw at home with Estegh- cation to the semi-fi nals. after Persepolis booked their spot fol- fi nals on Monday. Alal in the second leg of the 2018 AFC “The game in Tehran was easier than lowing a sensational comeback win The Iranian side came from 2-0 Champions League quarter-fi nals sent this one,” said Ferreira.