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27 Sports Wednesday, December 11, 2019 Arsenal relieved as worst winless run since 1977 ends at West Ham First win in 10 games lifts Arsenal up to ninth LONDON: Arsenal caretaker manager Freddie was an amazing goal and he’ll get better and better.” Ljungberg believes a weight has been lifted off his Not much had improved in Ljungberg’s first two players’ shoulders after a three-goal blitz in nine sec- games since replacing the sacked Unai Emery and it ond-half minutes beat West Ham 3-1 on Monday to end was the same tame and lifeless Arsenal for the first hour the Gunners’ worst winless run in 42 years. against a West Ham side that have won just once in Another miserable night for the Swede seemed in their last 11 games. store when the visitors trailed at half-time to Angelo “I think we dominated the game for 60 minutes and Ogbonna’s deflected header. However, Arsenal suddenly after that in 10 minutes we lose the game,” said West sparked into life after Gabriel Martinelli scored his first Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini, who is under increas- Premier League goal as Nicolas Pepe finally started to ing pressure as his side sit just one point above the rel- deliver on his club record £72 million fee by curling egation zone. home a brilliant second, before crossing for Pierre- Another home defeat means the Hammers have tak- Emerick Aubameyang to secure all three points. en just one point from their last five games at the “It means so much for the players. They have been London Stadium and the home side were booed off at living under enormous pressure and you see it in their full-time. “You understand the boos because the last performances,” said Ljungberg. “You can see the play- five games we played here we didn’t win,” added ers have been a bit low and you see in the dressing Pellegrini. “You cannot concede three goals in every room the relief and how happy they are.” game.” In a first half of precious little good football it A first win in 10 games in all competitions lifts was fitting the opener arrived in scrappy fashion as Arsenal up to ninth and cuts the gap on fourth-placed Ogbonna’s attempted header came off his shoulder and Chelsea to seven points in the battle for Champions deflected off Martinelli to wrong-foot Bernd Leno in League qualification next season. Ljungberg reacted to the Arsenal goal. taking just one point from his opening two games in But one moment changed the course of the game temporary charge against lowly Norwich and Brighton when Sead Kolasinac burst down the left and crossed by making five changes with Martinelli and Pepe among low for Martinelli to slot home his eighth goal of the those coming into the side. season after impressing in the League Cup and Europa Pepe’s inability to make an impact has been one of League. LONDON: West Ham United’s English midfielder Mark Noble (L) vies wirh Arsenal’s German midfielder Mesut Ozil the major reasons for Arsenal’s struggles, but the Suddenly the confidence which Emery and during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Arsenal at The London Stadium, Ivorian looked a new player after curling home his first Ljungberg bemoaned had drained away from their in east London. —- AFP Premier League goal from open play 24 minutes from players in recent times was restored, none more so than time. “Nicolas is an amazing football player, but it is not in Pepe, who cut inside onto his favoured left foot and in for his 13th goal of the campaign. “At half-time, we believe in ourselves, we can go forward and win easy to come from the French league into the Premier curled into the top corner. Freddie told us to play with a higher tempo,” said games. We will take this second half as an example for League and adjust straight away,” added Ljungberg. “It Pepe then turned provider for Aubameyang to slide Aubameyang. “We have the quality in the squad, and if the rest of the season.” — AFP Quick turnaround for new Asian champions Al Hilal HONG KONG: Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal did not have long to savour their Asian Champions League tri- umph before discovering they will face 2015 final- ists Shabab Al Ahli Dubai and Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor in next year’s competition after the group stage draw on Monday. The club from Riyadh defeated Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds to win the trophy last month for the first time since the competition started in 2002. Yokohama F Marinos’ coach Ange Postecoglou New season for baseball begins will take the J-League champions to his native Australia after being drawn to face Sydney FC in Group H, which also features two-time champions By Abdellatif Sharaa and softball games in particular. Jeonbuk Motors from South Korea and a playoff He said he is pleased with the way the winner. KUWAIT: Baseball team celebrated the celebration came out and impressed Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou start of the new season 2019-2020. The those present. Evergrande will challenge for a third title in Group celebration was attended by Public He also thanked Sheikh Fahad Al- F, where they were drawn to play Suwon Authority for Sport Deputy Director Nasser and PAS, who ensure the contin- General for Competitive Sport Dr Saqer uation of this sport and enhance it in Bluewings from South Korea and Johor Darul Al-Ghanim, President of Kuwait Olympic Kuwait, and his role in having the club be Ta’zim from Malaysia as well as the as-yet unde- Committee Sheikh Fahad Nasser Sabah the first in the GCC countries. termined winner of Japan’s Emperor’s Cup. Al-Ahmad, Head of Kuwait Hunting and He gave special thanks to Sheikh Chiangrai United from Thailand will make their Equestrian Club Sheikh Dhari Fahad Al- Dhari Al-Fahad for his support of the debut in the competition in Group E against Ahmad Al-Sabah in addition to ambas- game without which the game would China’s Beijing Guoan and a pair of playoff win- sadors from Canada, France, China, have vanished from Kuwait and have a ners. Group F features Chinese FA Cup winners South Korea, India, Malta, Cuba. recognized club. Shanghai Shenhua, Ulsan Hyundai from South The celebration included a brief He said athletes went through several Korea, Australia’s Perth Glory and another team about the game of baseball, then the sports experience locally, regionally and from the playoffs. teams presented themselves. internationally and now we get into a Persepolis from Iran, who were runners-up in Chairman of the Board of Baseball new challenge which is baseball and 2018, will take on Qatar’s Al Duhail, Al Taawoun Club Saud Abdelaziz Al-Ayoub thanked softball, which practiced by all of both from Saudi Arabia and Sharjah from the UAE in HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- genders, adding that the number of those Group C. Fellow Iranians Sepahan meet 2019 Jaber Al-Sabah and the Amiri Diwan for who are practicing it reached 420 of that he is proud of the two teams of the November and continues until March semi-finalists Al Sadd from Qatar and Saudi their continued support to Kuwait sport both genders and they are from 26 disabled. 2020 and matches are played on Arabia’s Al Nassr as well as a team from the play- and athletes, in general and the baseball countries of various age groups, adding He said the league season started in Thursdays and Fridays each week. offs in Group D. Group A will also feature two teams from the playoff rounds as well as Al Wahda from the UAE and Iraq’s Al Shorta. Benitez rules himself out of The group phase kicks off on Feb. 10 with the Eagles stay alive as Giants two top teams in each group advancing to the last Arsenal and Everton jobs 16, with the final due to be played over two legs on downed in overtime Nov. 22 and 28. LONDON: Rafael Benitez insisted on 2020 Asian Champions League Draw: Monday there is “no chance” he will fill LOS ANGELES: The Philadelphia touchdown which left the Giants 17-3 the managerial vacancies at either Eagles kept their playoff hopes alive ahead. But the Eagles, who left the Group A: Al Wahda (UAE), Al Shorta (IRQ), Arsenal or Everton, but he refused to with an overtime victory against the field to loud boos from their fans at Playoff winner, Playoff winner completely rule out a return to the New York Giants to deny Eli Manning Lincoln Financial Field, rallied strongly a fairytale return on Monday. A Zach after the interval. Premier League. Group B: Al Hilal (KSA), Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Ertz touchdown on the opening drive With quarterback Carson Wentz Former Liverpool and Real Madrid (UAE), Pakhtakor (UZB), Playoff winner boss Benitez is currently in charge of of overtime sealed a 23-17 win for the gradually finding his rhythm, the Chinese side Dalian Yifang after leaving Eagles, who overturned a 17-3 half- Eagles offense started making inroads Group C: Al Duhail (QAT), Al Taawoun FC Newcastle United after the end of last time deficit to stay on target for a into the Giants defense. Running back place in the postseason. Boston Scott went over from two (KSA), Sharjah FC (UAE), Persepolis FC (IRN) season. Arsenal are still looking for a Rafael Benitez permanent successor to Unai Emery It was a disappointing night for yards for the first Eagles touchdown, while Everton, Liverpool’s local rivals, Giants quarterback Manning, the vet- and then Wentz led a 14-play 80-yard Group D: Sepahan (IRN), Al Sadd (QAT), Al sacked Marco Silva last week, and for- Manuel Pellegrini leave the London club.