6 October 6, 2020 Kvitova Reaches First Abdi’s Goal Nominated French Open Quarterfinal for Goal of the Week for Eight Years polis’ net from the penalty spot. positions – is a well-oiled unit that The winner will be chosen by pub- remains so difficult to break down, lic votes in a poll conducted by the- with Al-Nassr managing just two afc.com. efforts on target in 120 minutes of Persepolis FC advanced to the action. AFC Champions League final for Against a strong Al-Nassr front- the second time in three years after line, Persepolis made 26 clearanc- overcoming Al-Nassr on penalties es and 22 interceptions, while the thanks to its defensive strength. back four of Siamak Nemati, Shoja Seven games since kicking off Khalilzadeh, Hussein Kanaani and against AlTaawoun on Matchday Saeid Aghaei, as well as the afore- Three and still no team has been able mentioned midfield duo, won 13 of to breach the Persepolis defense the 15 tackles they attempted. Fo- from open play. It’s an astonishing cus is key, and once again the Teh- PARIS (Reuters) - Czech left-hand- here was reaching the 2012 semifi- record in which only penalties from ran side maintained it throughout. er Petra Kvitova reached the French nals, made her intentions clear from Hamdallah and Al Duhail’s Almoez As so often since 2017, when Open quarterfinals for the first time in the start as she seized on anything Ali – in addition to the scorers in Persepolis reestablished itself as a eight years as she overpowered China’s short to dominate from the baseline, Saturday’s shootout – have found force to be reckoned with in Asia, Zhang Shuai 6-2 6-4 on Monday. moving 4-0 ahead in 15 minutes on Persepolis striker Mehdi Abdi scored a goal in the match against their way past goalkeeper Lak, the- it delivered when the odds looked On yet another chilly day in the Court Philippe Chatrier. Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia in the 2020 AFC Champions League. afc.com wrote. stacked against them, even after the French capital, seventh seed Kvito- Zhang, in the fourth round of a Slam TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Perse- the 2020 AFC Champions League While Lak deserves plenty of late dismissal of Ehsan Pahlavan. It va’s superior firepower proved deci- for only the third time in 33 attempts polis forward Mehdi Abdi’s goal has semi Saturday night. praise for his efforts, the defensive will now be down to an East Asian sive as she posted her fourth succes- having also not dropped a set so far, been nominated for Goal of the Week. He will vie with Moroccan striker unit in front of him – as well as both side to try and break down the sive straight-sets victory. finally began to dig her heels in as Abdi scored a goal in the match of Al-Nassr Abderrazzak Hamdal- Kamal Kamyabinia and Ahmad Persepolis wall come December’s against Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia in lah who found the back of the Perse- Noorollahi in the central midfield finale. With so many big names already out, Kvitova’s error-count increased but twice Wimbledon champion Kvitova she was unable to turn the tide. will sense a golden title opportunity Kvitova had to wait around in the Barca Drop First Points, Real Madrid Go Top as she heads into a quarterfinal against cold as Zhang took a medical time- unseeded German Laura Siegemund. out at the end of the first set, but she With Win Over Levante “It was a great one today for sure,” turned up the heat to get an early said Kvitova, who returned to action break in the second set. MADRID (Dispatches) - FC ho to pick his spot. at the 2017 French Open following World number 66 Siegemund, the Barcelona dropped their first The first 45 minutes were a knife attack six months earlier that oldest player left in the draw at 32, points of the season as they entertaining, but after the left her with career-threatening hand beat Spain’s Paula Badosa 7-5 6-2 to were held to a 1-1 draw in the break Barca began to look injuries. reach her first Grand Slam quarter- Camp Nou Stadium by Sevilla fatigued. Ronald Koeman The 30-year-old, whose best finish final. on Sunday night. made several changes, bring- Sevilla opened the scoring ing Francisco Trincao, Pedri in the 7th minute when Luuk and Miralem Pjanic into the Roglic Claims Last-Gap de Jong fired home with his action, while Sergino Dest left foot after Barca failed to made his debut for the injured Liege-Bastogne-Liege Victory deal with a corner, but Barca Jordi Alba. Despite Trincao leveled barely a minute later having a late shot saved, Bar- when Jesus Navas was unable Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (3rd from right) fights for the ball against Sevilla ca didn’t do enough to win, to clear Jordi Alba’s ball into players during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona while Sevilla looked happy and Sevilla FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Oct 4, 2020. the area, allowing Coutin- with a point. Qatar World Cup Faces Fresh Scrutiny Over Virus ‘Cover-Up’ LONDON (Dispatches) - A report faced allegations that it had bribed alleging that Qatar is covering up the FIFA officials to secure the event. true scale of its battle with coronavi- In April 2020, the U.S. Department rus has blown open the debate sur- of Justice issued an indictment al- rounding the Persian Gulf country’s leging that three South American hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. members of FIFA’s 2010 executive Demands to move the tournament committee accepted bribes to vote from Qatar have been reignited fol- for Qatar to host the event. lowing the release of the 10-page Qatar’s exploitation of foreign PARIS (Reuters) - Tour de France That meant Hirschi, the world cham- document, which was authored by workers is also featured in the new runner-up Primoz Roglic won the Liege- pionship’s road race silver medallist London-based management consul- report. The country recently built Bastogne-Liege Monument classic over and recent winner of the Fleche Wal- tancy Cornerstone Global Associ- new hospitals, but laborers from the 257 kilometers on Sunday, pipping Ju- lonne classic, was second with Tour ates. Indian subcontinent are forbidden lian Alaphilippe on the line just as the champion Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia “By the middle of August 2020, from using their facilities despite the world champion was raising his arms in taking third place. Qatar suffered the world’s highest threat of coronavirus. celebration. For his first race in the world cham- coronavirus infection rate per head A 2019 Amnesty International re- Frenchman Alaphilippe left his pion’s rainbow jersey, Alaphilippe cer- of population,” the report said. port also exposed the inhumane con- sprinting line in a group of five - tainly expected a different outcome. “An internal memo conducted by ditions that thousands of workers hampering Swiss Marc Hirschi in the The Frenchman’s big attack had a leading construction company deceased to their native Nepal and said such a rate “seems grossly un- face in the country. process - and with victory in sight he been widely expected, and eventually in Qatar working on FIFA projects India. This practice goes against derestimated.” “Many migrant workers face low stopped pedalling, making a begin- came 500 meters from the top of the raised concerns that many of its la- the recommendation by health au- Cornerstone, which has provided pay, harsh working conditions and ner’s mistake. Cote de la Roche-aux-Faucons, the borers who were infected had died, thorities around the world. It also consultancy services to the World restrictions on their movement,” Slovenian Roglic, who lost the last climb, some 13 kilometers from but were not reported as COVID-19 suggests that the Qatari authorities Health Organization and the UK’s Amnesty said. Tour’s yellow jersey in the final time the finish line. deaths,” it added. have been misreporting COVID-19 National Health Service, has moni- “Qatar has promised to improve trial earlier this month, pursued his ef- Hirschi managed to follow, with Po- “The concerns are in line with deaths, thereby misleading the glob- tored the development of the Qa- workers’ access to justice, but this fort all the way to the line and crossed gacar and Roglic joining them further questions about the clear discrepan- al health care community.” tar-hosted World Cup since it was promise has not yet been matched first. down the road. cy between the number of infections Cornerstone said: “Qatar claims awarded to the country in 2010. by reality. Until this is fixed, hun- Alaphilippe was later demoted to Another Slovenian, Matej Mohoric, and the mortality rate. only 201 deaths from COVID-19, The report will add to Qatar’s woes dreds of workers will continue to fifth place - the last spot in the leading then joined them in the final straight “The internal memo referred to suggesting a mortality rate of 0.17 over its hosting of the tournament in leave Qatar pennile ss and without group - for moving out of his line and and launched the sprint that Ala- the repatriation of the bodies of the percent.” The firm’s health experts two years’ time. Doha previously justice.” impeding Hirschi. philippe initially thought he had won. Turkish GP Won’t Allow Fans for 2020 Race After All ANKARA (Dispatches)- The Istanbul circuit had should go ahead only behind closed doors.