FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 4 MARATHON EFFORT | Page 8 More shocks as Kipchoge in To Advertise here Morocco lose audacious Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 to Congo, Ivory bid to break Coast held 2hr mark Wednesday, January 18, 2017 TENNIS Rabia II 20, 1438 AH Djokovic, Serena GULF TIMES share stage with record man Karlovic SPORT Page 11 GOLF Major champs Kaymer, Els, Lawrie back for CBQM By Sports Reporter his 11 European Tour titles. pion Chris Wood, his 2016 Ryder Cup Doha “I’m excited about returning to the teammates Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Commercial Bank Qatar Masters as it Andy Sullivan, and in-form World was a regular part of my schedule for Number Nine Alex Noren, who won wo-time Major champion many years and it’s a great tourna- four European Tour titles last year. Martin Kaymer will compete ment,” said Kaymer. Other former champions in the fi eld at the Commercial Bank Qatar “I like the layout, it’s nice weather in include Robert Karlsson (2010), Alvaro Masters for the fi rst time since Doha at that time of year and it has pro- Quiros (2009) and Darren Fichardt T2014 when the long-standing European duced many great winners. Hopefully I (2003). Tour event celebrates its 20th edition have the chance to join that list.” Hassan Al Naimi, President of the from January 26-29. Els won on his tournament debut in Qatar Golf Association, said: “We Four-time Major winner Ernie Els, 2005 and will be playing the event for welcome back Martin Kaymer to the former Open Champion Paul Lawrie a ninth time – and fi fth in succession. Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. As a and Thomas Bjorn, recently appointed Bjorn competed in the tournament’s former World Number One and with Europe’s Captain for The 2018 Ryder fi rst edition in 1998 and has played 12 two Major titles in recent years, he is a Cup, will also compete at Doha Golf times, winning in 2011. true headline draw and the fans will be Club, where all three have lifted the Lawrie, who won in 1999 and 2012, excited about his return. Mother of Pearl Trophy. also competed in the inaugural tourna- “Ernie Els is one of the greatest players Kaymer, 32, made seven straight ap- ment and will make his 18th appearance of the modern generation, with four Ma- pearances in Qatar from 2008 and en- this month, having only missed the jor titles and dozens of pro titles around joyed his best fi nishes in 2012 and 2013, event in 2000 and 2003. The Scot is one the world, and always a crowd favourite. tying for ninth in successive years. of three two-time winners of the Com- It is wonderful to see Ernie and other The former World Number One, who mercial Bank Qatar Masters along with former champions including Paul Lawrie won the US PGA Championship in 2010 Adam Scott (2002, 2008) and Branden and Thomas Bjorn – now in the spotlight and the US Open in 2014, will be a star Grace (2015, 2016). as Ryder Cup Captain – continue to com- attraction in Doha as he seeks to add to The fi eld also includes 2013 cham- pete here, year after year.” IHF MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Saric secures second win for Qatar against Argentina Qatar finish with a four-goal victory at 21-17, and add their second set of two points to the Group D table ound three at the 25th IHF Men’s World Champion- ship saw a low-scoring match dominated by goalkeeping, as Rboth Qatar and Argentina struggled to fi nd the goal past their opponent’s de- fence to fi nish with 38 goals in the en- tire match. Qatar made the best of the situation to fi nish with a four-goal victory at 21-17, and add their second set of two points to the Group D table. The match opened slowly with just one goal in fi ve minutes, to Qatar right wing Abdulla al-Karbi, and it was a sign of how the game would progress. It was not necessarily the goalkeeping that made it so diffi cult to fi nd the goal, though in the ninth when the scoreboard remained at 1-0, Argentina’s Matias Schulz recorded 75 percent while Qatar’s Danijel Sa- ric was on 100 – but only two shots had been taken against Saric while Schulz had faced four, indicating the quality of the defence from both sides, as well as the mistakes in attack. Once al-Karbi broke the drought in the ninth, the 2015 World Champion- ship runners-up added three consecu- tive goals, forcing Argentina coach Ed- uardo Gallardo to call the fi rst time-out as Qatar took a 4-0 lead. Finally Diego Simonet found the goal for Argentina in the 13th minute, taking the score to 1-4, and there it stayed until Youssef Ali added another for Qatar that put the score at 5-1 in the 19th. Schulz was the key factor in keeping Qatar from pulling further ahead, with six saves at 55 per cent at the 20-minute mark, but as the clock ticked on it be- came clear his work was not enough. By half-time Qatar were in front by seven, though neither team could celebrate a strong performance as it was one of the lowest scoring fi rst periods in World Championship history. After the half-time break, both teams woke up a little, and 15 minutes in the score stood at 16-7 in favour of Qatar as Argentina continued to have diffi culty shooting against Saric. Just inside the last 10 minutes the keeper still saved at 60 percent, before he al- Goalkeeper Danijel Saric (left) of Qatar defends against Federico Fernandez of Argentina during their Group D match at the IHF Men’s World Championship at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France, yesterday. (Reuters) lowed Argentina’s 10th goal courtesy of Federico Fernandez in the 54th. appeared too late for the Pan Ameri- With six consecutive goals they closed Qatar responded as Ali Youssef and goal lead (19-14). Qatar’s Bertrand Roine rou and Fernandez scored three between As Qatar led 17-8, at that point it can side – but they were still not done. down the gap to 17-14. Abdulrazzaq Murad reclaimed a fi ve- added two more goals, while Gonzalo Ca- them but it wasn’t enough. (IHF.info) Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, January 18, 2017 FOOTBALL QATAR PLAY OUT 1-1 DRAW WITH MOLDOVA IN FRIENDLY By Sports Reporter Doha atar were held to a 1-1 draw by Moldova in an international friendly match, played at the Jas- sim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha Qyesterday. The hosts made a bright start, when Al Rayyan striker Sebastian Soria opened the scoring in just the third minute. But Moldova equalised through Andrei Co- jocar in the 25th minute, as the teams went into break 1-1. In the second half, Qatar and Moldova failed to fi nd the net ending the match in deadlock. Though the result didn’t go his way, Qatar coach Jorge Fossati will be happy with the work out his players had against a competitive Moldova side. Tough test awaits Qatar ahead as the ‘Maroons’ will next month play their remaining 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying games — against Iran in Doha (March 23) and Uzbekistan in Tashkent (March 28). Qatar striker Sebastian Soria (third right) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Moldova in a friendly match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha yesterday. PICTURES: Anas al-Samaraee Qatar coach Jorge Fossati gives instructions to his players during the friendly match against Moldova yesterday. SPOTLIGHT PREMIER LEAGUE Outside pressure child’s Cameroon’s claim play for Ibrahimovic AFP in training. I’m not happy if I absolutely and the pressure will London don’t win in training so imagine be there.” on Matip baffl es what it’s like in the games. That Pogba’s poor performance is the pressure I put on myself came on the day the Old Traf- wedish star Zlatan Ib- and so your pressure becomes ford hoardings promoted his rahmovic says the pres- like a kindergarten for me. My #Pogba twitter hashtag — Ibra- sure on him that comes pressure is really high. I’m not himovic admitted it was easier from outside is like a satisfi ed until I get what I want. when he started playing as so- Liverpool’s Klopp Skindergarten compared to the What I want is to win.” cial media was not part and par- pressure he places on himself Ibrahimovic, who retired cel of life. “I think football is like every time he trains or plays for from international football fol- that today. With the social me- Manchester United. lowing a disappointing Euro dia, the media building up the Reds had hoped the CFF would respect Matip’s decision to retire The 35-year-old striker — 2016 fi nals, defended team- game,” said Ibrahimovic. who has defi ed the sceptics who mate and the world’s most ex- “When I started to play foot- AFP thought he was too old to fl our- pensive player France midfi eld- ball there was no social media, London ish at United but has scored 14 er Paul Pogba who was slammed none of these things. But it’s goals in 20 Premier League ap- for his below-par performance part of the game now. What is pearances — said the pressure against Liverpool.