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Friday, August 16, 2019 CRICKET Dhul-Hijja 15, 1440 AH Hazlewood in GULF TIMES the wickets on Ashes return SPORT Page 2

FOOTBALL Sheikh Jassim Cup: Al Sadd vs Al Duhail Part III ‘It will be our third game against Al Duhail in 11 days... We want to win this trophy and Al Duhail would want revenge’

By Sports Reporter Doha

aving started his coach- ing career with a bang after leading Al Sadd to the AFC Champions HLeague quarter-fi nals on Tues- day, Xavi has now set his eyes on winning the fi rst trophy with the Qatari giants. The Spaniard masterminded Sadd’s 4-2 aggregate win over Al Duhail in the last 16, giving him a shot at an Asian continental title in his fi rst season as coach. Now he has turned his attention to- wards winning the Sheikh Jassim Cup, the season-opener of the Qatar’s football season. Standing between Xavi and his maiden trophy as manager is once again Al Duhail, who will be keen to avenge their loss in the AFC Champions League, at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium to- morrow. On the eve of the match, Xavi spoke about the importance of winning the Sheikh Jassim Cup but cautioned his players not to take their wounded opponents lightly. The task will be much tougher this time with Sadd missing key players Baghdad Bounedjah, Hamed Ismail and Tarek Salman, who are under suspension after being sent off in the Amir Cup fi nal in May, which Duhail won. Al Duhail coach Rui Faria said he does not believe in revenge in football. Sheikh Jassim Cup trophy. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed Xavi is looking to win his first trophy as Al Sadd coach. “We will miss three players – Baghdad Bounedjah, Hamed Is- season is only just beginning,” he The Champions League win preparing daily for the tourna- against Al Sadd in 11 days and we “Both teams will miss key players. The Sheikh Jassim Cup, mail and Tarek Salman – due to added. over Duhail also confi rmed ment,” he said. are ready for this confrontation. We will participate with 11 players, launched in 1977, over the years, suspension. It will be our third The former Barcelona midfi eld- Sadd’s place in the Club World Xavi also praised his players, We began working since the end of who have ambition and desire to has been played in the month of game against Al Duhail in 11 er urged his players to keep their Cup, which will be held in Qatar who he said “had a winning men- the away match of the AFC Cham- win the match,” he said. August and sets things in mo- days,” said Xavi yesterday. focus and not get carried away by in December. And Xavi said his tality”. “We have great players, pions League, where we analysed Faria said he and his players tion for an exciting season. The “We want to win this trophy the Champions League win. “If team was looking forward to the such as Akram Afi f – he is excel- our mistakes. My team is ready to were not looking at Sheikh Jassim tournament is a one-off match and Al Duhail would want re- we don’t give our 100 percent, high profi le competition. “It’s a lent and can play in the Spanish present a big match and win the Cup as a revenge match against between the winners of the QNB venge. As I said earlier, Duhail we won’t be able to win titles. We great opportunity for us to play league. We are very happy to have championship,” he said. Sadd. “I do not believe in revenge Star League (QSL) and Amir Cup. are one of the best teams in the managed to reach the next stage in in the Club World Cup. There him with us.” Faria revealed that key striker in football. The players are sad Al Rayyan won the previous Middle East. We are ready for the the Champions League because we are only three players in the team Meanwhile, Duhail coach Rui Almoez Ali will miss tomorrow’s after the loss in the Champions edition of the tournament after game. It’s a game of 90 minutes. were able to do just that. And so, who took part in the 2011 edition Faria feels the AFC Champions match along with Mehdi Benatia, League and they will do their best beating Al Duhail 6-4. Al Sadd We need to be motivated and also we need to keep giving our best in and they played against Barce- league loss will have no impact on who had already been ruled out on Saturday but it is not a revenge have the most impeccable record be wary of Al Duhail. We also the Super Cup in order to win the lona. Now it’s time for the others. their game against Sadd tomor- for four months after undergoing match,” the Portuguese manger in the tournament with 14 tro- need to improve our work, as the title,” he said. We are ready for that and we are row. “This is the third match for us a knee surgery in France last week. said. phies.

Qatar win two gold and two bronze medals at West Asia youth athletics meet

Qatar’s Hamza Sowaisi won gold in the shot put event with an 18.98m eff ort yesterday. (Right) Omar Abdulmajeed won Qatar’s first gold in Asian Athletics Association president and IAAF vice-president Dahlan al-Hamad (centre) attends the the championships, topping the 400m hurdles event in 53.42 seconds. Team Qatar also won two bronze medals courtesy Hafiz Madni in opening ceremony of the 3rd West Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday. 800m and Mohamed Khalid Zakaria in 100m sprint. Gulf Times 2 Friday, August 16, 2019 CRICKET

FOCUS FIRST TEST Patel takes fi ve wickets as Sri Hazlewood in Lanka reach 227 for seven AFP the ball even after Mendis com- gave solid support to Dickwella Galle, Sri Lanka pleted his 10th Test half-century as Sri Lanka fought back. Lakmal with a boundary off him. was given out caught at slip when For the next delivery, the pe- he was on nine but he successful- eft-arm spinner Ajaz Pa- nultimate ball before tea, Mendis ly reviewed the decision. tel became the fi rst New attempted to play an expansive “We had lost too many wick- Zealander to claim a fi ve- drive without much foot work ets when I walked in and some- the wickets on wicket haul in Galle as the and was caught at fi rst slip by one needed to hang in there with Ltourists restricted Sri Lanka to Ross Taylor. Dickwella, who was our last rec- 227 for seven at stumps on day The slide continued after ognised batsman,” Lakmal said. two of the fi rst Test yesterday. tea with Kusal Perera (1) and “I just told him that I will hold In reply to New Zealand’s fi rst Dhananjaya de Silva (5) adding to one end up and for him to do the innings total of 249 all out, Sri the misery. scoring. It worked well for us and Lanka were on 143 for two as An- Mathews was dismissed soon when the loose ball was on off er, gelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis after completing his half-centu- I cashed in too. It was important Ashes return laid the foundation for a big total. ry, becoming Patel’s fi fth victim. for us to get closer to their total.” However a lapse of concentra- “I think with surfaces like There were some cheeky shots At stumps, holders Australia were 30-1 — a deficit of 228 runs tion saw Mendis throw away his that off er you something, you’ve played by Dickwella, who is un- wicket in the penultimate ball got to stay patient and ask good der pressure to save his place AFP before tea and they collapsed, questions of the batsman,” Patel having been overlooked for the London, United Kingdom losing fi ve wickets for the addi- told reporters. World Cup. tion of 18 runs. “We know Sri Lankans are Lakmal’s contributions were From 143 for two, Sri Lanka good players of spin, so you’ve welcomed as well as Sri Lanka ustralia’s Josh Hazle- slumped to 161 for seven before got to respect that and make sure know that chasing anything wood marked his entry an unfi nished 66-run stand for you put balls in good areas for above 150 on this track is dicey. into this season’s Ash- the eighth wicket between Niro- long period. I think you’ve got to Resuming from the overnight es with three wick- shan Dickwella and Suranga Lak- keep hanging in and play the long score of 203 for fi ve, New Zealand etsA as England were dismissed mal stopped the rot. Sri Lanka game. Yes, there’s turn, but it’s were knocked out for 249 losing for 258 after the second Test at trail New Zealand by 22 runs. slow turn.” their last fi ve wickets for 46 runs. Lord’s fi nally got underway yes- It was the second fi ve-wicket Off -spinner William Somer- Lakmal claimed the four wick- terday. haul in Test cricket for Bombay- ville joined the party, dismissing ets to fall on day two while Tim World Cup-winning England born Patel, who was tidy with his Akila Dananjaya for a sixth ball Southee was run out. fast bowler Jofra Archer then length on a track that off ered lot duck. Akila Dananjaya fi nished with marked his Test debut with an of assistance for spinners. Lakmal, who had claimed four fi ve wickets, with all his wickets electrifying opening spell but Patel was not afraid to fl ight wickets earlier in the day, then coming on day one. the only wicket Australia lost before stumps was when David Warner was bowled by Stuart Broad. At the close Ashes-holders Australia, were 30-1 — a defi cit of 228 runs. Cameron Bancroft was fi ve not out and Usman Khawaja 18 not out. England suff ered an all- too familiar collapse as they slumped to 138-6 before a seventh-wicket stand of 72 be- tween Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes repaired some of the Australia’s Josh Hazlewood (second from left) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of damage. England’s Joe Denly (not pictured) on second day of the second Test at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, Only opener Rory Burns (53) United Kingdom, yesterday. (Reuters) and wicketkeeper Bairstow, last man out for 52, passed fi fty in the innings. Scorecard Hazlewood, the lone change to the Australia side that won the fi rst Test by 251 runs at Edg- ENGLAND 1st innings S. Broad b Lyon 11 Siddle 13-2-48-1; Lyon 19.1-2-68-3; baston last week, took three R. Burns c Bancroft b Cummins 53 J. Leach not out 6Smith 2-0-6-0 wickets for 58 runs from 22 J. Roy c Paine b Hazlewood 0Extras (b12, lb5, w6) 23 AUSTRALIA 1st Innings overs. C. Bancroft not out 5New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel (second from left) celebrates with teammates after dismissing Sri Lanka’s Kusal New-ball partner Pat Cum- J. Root lbw b Hazlewood 14 Total (all out, 77.1 overs) 258 Mendis (second from right) during the second day of the opening Test in Galle yesterday. (AFP) mins took 3-61 from 21 while J. Denly c Paine b Hazlewood 30 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Roy), D. Warner b Broad 3 off -spinner Nathan Lyon J. Buttler c Paine b Siddle 12 2-26 (Root), 3-92 (Denly), 4-116 U. Khawaja not out 18 Scorecard equalled Australia pace great (Burns), 5-136 (Buttler), 6-138 Extras (b4) 4 Dennis Lillee’s tally of 355 Test B. Stokes lbw b Lyon 13 (Stokes), 7-210 (Woakes), 8-230 wickets with a return of 3-68. J. Bairstow c Khawaja b Lyon 52 (Archer), 9-251 (Broad), 10-258 Total (1 wkt, 13 overs) 30 NEW ZEALAND (o/n 203 for five) Fall of wickets: 1-64 (Latham), K. Perera c Santner b Boult 1 2-64 (Williamson), 3-71 (Raval), Australia captain Tim Paine C. Woakes c Paine b Cummins 32 (Bairstow) Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Warner) J. Raval c De Silva b Dananjaya 33 D. de Silva c & b Patel 5 4-171 (Nicholls), 5-179 (Watling), decided to fi eld fi rst on winning Bowling: Cummins 21-8-61-3 Bowling: Broad 5-0-13-1; Archer J. Archer c Khawaja b Cummins 12 T. Latham c Dickwella b Dananjaya 30 6- 205 (Taylor), 7-216 (Santner), N. Dickwella not out 39 the toss after Wednesday’s fi rst- (2w); Hazlewood 22-6-58-3; 6-3-10-0; Woakes 2-0-3-0 day washout. K. Williamson c Karunaratne b 8-222 (Southee), 9-249 (Boult), A. Dananjaya c Taylor b Somerville 0 Hazlewood backed him up Dananjaya 0 10-249 (Patel) S. Lakmal not out 28 when, with just the ninth ball of ing seven fours but was out he holed out off Lyon. BRILLIANT BANCROFT R. Taylor c Dickwella b Lakmal 86 Bowling: Lakmal 15.2-5-29-4 Extras (w 1, lb 1) 2 the day, his third, he had Jason But although the sunny condi- when Bancroft held a brilliant Archer, replacing the injured (1nb), Kumara 10-1-37-0, Danan- H. Nicholls lbw b Dananjaya 42 Total (for 7 wickets, 80 overs) 227 Roy caught behind by wicket- tions appeared good for batting, diving left-handed catch at James Anderson, England’s jaya 30-3-80-5, De Silva 6-0-20- B.J. Watling lbw b Dananjaya 1 keeper Paine after the batsman wickets tumbled early in the short leg off Cummins. record wicket-taker, was given 0, Embuldeniya 22-1-81-0 Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Thir- fended at a rising delivery out- second session. And England were 138-6 the new ball alongside Broad on M. Santner lbw b Lakmal 13 imanne), 2-66 (Karunaratne), side off stump. Joe Denly (30), shaken up by a when Ben Stokes (13) was lbw on the ground where he had bowled T. Southee run out (De Silva) 14 3-143 (Mendis), 4-144 (Perera), Hazlewood then had England couple of short balls from Cum- the sweep to Lyon. the Super Over that had secured SRI LANKA 5-155 (De Silva), 6-158 (Mathews), W. Somerville not out 9 captain Joe Root lbw for 14 to a mins, was caught behind off Woakes was out shortly after a World Cup fi nal win over New D. Karunaratne lbw b Patel 39 7-161 (Dananjaya). ball that nipped back. Hazlewood. being hit on the head by a Cum- Zealand last month. T. Boult c Perera b Lakmal 18 L. Thirimanne st Watling b Patel 10 Bowling: Boult 13-3-24-1 (1w), Burns, fresh from his maiden But Paine then dropped a low mins bouncer. His second ball cut sharply A. Patel lbw b Lakmal 0 Southee 7-3-17-0, Somerville 20- Test century at Edgbaston, was left-handed chance off Siddle to Bairstow completed a defi ant back up the Lord’s slope and just K. Mendis c Taylor b Patel 53 Extras (nb 1, lb 2) 3 2-78-1, Patel 29-6-76-5, Santner dropped on 16 when Khawaja give Burns, now on 47, another 82-ball fi fty that came after he missed Bancroft’s off -stump A. Mathews c Taylor b Patel 50 11-0-31-0. failed to hold a routine gully reprieve. Burns completed an had managed just 30 runs in his and he beat the bat repeatedly in Total (all out, 83.2 overs) 249 chance off Peter Siddle. admirable 119-ball fi fty includ- six previous Test innings before a thrilling six-over spell.

THIRD ODI King Kohli leads India to victory and overshadows Gayle blitz

AFP Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Scorecard WEST INDIES Jadeja 5-0-26-1 (1w). lassy Virat Kohli up- C. Gayle c Kohli b Ahmed 72 staged rampant Chris Gayle as India defeated E. Lewis c Dhawan b Chahal 43 INDIA (target 255) the West Indies by six S. Hope b Jadeja 24 R. Sharma run out 10 wicketsC in the rain-aff ected third S. Hetmyer b Shami 25 S. Dhawan c Paul b Allen 36 and fi nal One-Day International of their series at the Queen’s Park N. Pooran c Pandey b Shami 30 V. Kohli not out 114 Oval in Trinidad on Wednesday. C. Brathwaite c Pant b Ahmed 16 R. Pant c Paul b Allen 0 Set a revised target of 255 based J. Holder c Kohli b Ahmed 14 S. Iyer c Holder b Roach 65 on the DLS scoring method after F. Allen not out 6K. Jadhav not out 19 Gayle blazed 72 in pacing the home side to 240 for seven off 35 K. Paul not out 0Extras (lb4, w8) 12 overs, Kohli was at his most im- Extras (b1, lb2, nb1, w6) 10 Total (4 wkts, 32.3 overs) 256 perious in compiling an unbeaten Total (7 wkts, 35 overs) 240 Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Sharma), 2-91 114 — his second consecutive ODI (Dhawan), 3-92 (Pant), 4-212 (Iyer) hundred — to pilot his team to Fall of wickets: 1-115 (Lewis), 256 for four with 15 balls to spare. 2-121 (Gayle), 3-171 (Hetmyer), Bowling: K. Roach 7-0-53-1 His 43rd ODI hundred off 99 4-171 (Hope), 5-211 (Pooran), 6-221 (1w), J. Holder 4-0-39-0, K. Paul balls with 14 fours and overall im- Indian players celebrate with the series trophy after winning the third ODI against West Indies in Port of Spain on Wednesday. (AFP) (Holder), 7-236 (Brathwaite) 5-0-39-0 (4w), F. Allen 6-0-40-2, pact on the series ensured him the Bowling: B. Kumar 5-1-48-0 (3w), R. Chase 7-0-43-0, C. Brathwaite double accolade of ‘Man of the As commanding as his innings dismissed both Shikhar Dhawan ODI in a 20-year-international off 29 deliveries and embellished M. Shami 7-1-50-2 (1nb, 1w), K. 3.3-0-38-0 (2w) Match’ and ‘Man of the Series’. was though, the hosts were left to and Rishabh Pant in the same career in which he hopes to still with three sixes and fi ve fours. Ahmed 7-0-68-3, Y. Chahal 7-0- RESULT: India won by 6 wickets This successful chase under rue a straightforward opportu- over. represent the Caribbean in de- Their rampage had taken the 32-1 (1w), K. Jadhav 4-0-13-0, R. (DLS) leaden skies and with the fl ood- nity missed by wicketkeeper Shai Allen had also eff ected the run fence of the World T20 title in 14 West Indies to 114 after ten overs, lights switched on gave India the Hope off all-rounder Keemo Paul out of Rohit Sharma for the fi rst months’ time in Australia, Gayle the most productive ten-over series 2-0 following the aban- when the champion batsman was wicket of the innings but was savaged the Indian bowlers after start to an ODI since the 2015 of the 39-year-old’s innings, and wickets to be the most successful doned fi rst match in Guyana last just on 11. unable to complete his seven- Holder chose to bat fi rst, occu- World Cup. his acknowledgement of the ap- bowler, although he was also the week. He received excellent support, over allotment due to an injury pying only 41 balls with fi ve sixes However, Lewis departed in plause as he departed the fi eld, left most expensive, conceding 68 Kohli’s masterminding of an- as in the previous match, from sustained attempting to save a and eight fours distinguishing his the next over, the fi rst bowled by the distinct impression that he had runs off seven overs. other successful pursuit will Shreyas Iyer with an innings of boundary. typically bludgeoning innings. leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal played his fi nal ODI innings. Mohamed Shami picked up leave Jason Holder and his West 65 off 41 balls in a 120-run third- While Kohli illuminated the Opening partner Evin Lewis while Gayle was well caught by There followed a lengthy rain two wickets but the spinners — Indies team wary of what the wicket partnership that tilted the gathering gloom in at the end of made a bold attempt to match Kohli at mid-off striking out at stoppage and the West Indies lost Chahal, Kedar Jadhav and Yuz- Indian captain will have to off er match decisively India’s way fol- the match, it was Gayle who stole arguably the most destructive Khaleel Ahmed. wickets in the mad scramble for vendra Chahal — were the most with the bat in the upcoming two lowing a brief wobble when left- the show at the start. power-hitter in the international As he left the fi eld, the manner runs on the resumption. economical for India during the Tests in Antigua and Jamaica. arm spinner Fabian Allen had Playing what is likely his fi nal game, his innings of 43 coming of the Indian players’ appreciation Ahmed picked up two more frenetic innings. Gulf Times Friday, August 16, 2019 3 SPORT

TENNIS SPOTLIGHT Triathlete ‘treated Halep survives scare, for heatstroke’ in Tokyo: report Barty beats Sharapova AFP stroke as the mercury soared Tokyo, Japan above 35C in the Japanese capi- tal. World No 1 Naomi Osaka went past Aliaksandra Sasnovich 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2 On the same day, a test event rench triathlete Cassan- for marathon swimming saw Reuters dre Beaugrand was taken several athletes voice concerns Cincinnati, United States to hospital with suspect- about the water temperature. ed heatstroke after an Ol- Doctors have warned the ympicF test event yesterday, ac- Games could see deadly medi- op seeded Ashleigh Bar- cording to Japanese news agency cal emergencies in the sweltering ty overcame a slow start Kyodo, despite organisers cut- Tokyo summer where the mer- to defeat Maria Shara- ting the run to 5km due to stifl ing cury can reach 40C (104F). pova 6-4, 6-1, while Si- heat in Tokyo. Tokyo 2020 offi cials have un- Tmona Halep battled past Ekater- Organisers were not able to veiled various measures such as ina Alexandrova 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in confi rm the report immediately mist sprays, cooling agents and the second round of the Cincin- but the high heat and humidity of even pots of morning glory fl ow- nati Masters on Wednesday. the Japanese summer is becom- ers to beat the heat during next French Open champion Barty ing a major headache for Tokyo summer’s Olympics. double faulted to give Shara- 2020 planners. The suspected heatstroke pova a 2-1 lead in the fi rst set The International Triathlon was not the only controversy at and it looked like an upset could Union (ITU) had already taken Thursday’s triathlon test event be brewing in the showdown the decision to halve the running as two British athletes were dis- between the two former world section of the race “in the inter- qualifi ed for crossing the line number ones. est of athlete safety” given the fi rst holding hands. But an error-prone Sharapova “high heat conditions”. Jess Learmonth and Georgia bowed out after she produced The reported incident was the Taylor-Brown fell foul of ITU six double faults and squandered latest in a string of heat-related rules stating that “athletes who six of her seven break point op- issues to occur during a series of fi nish in a contrived tie situation, portunities. test events with less than a year where no eff ort to separate their “Overall it was a pretty clean to go until the Tokyo 2020 open- fi nish times has been made, will performance,” Barty said. ing ceremony. be disqualifi ed”. “It’s diffi cult to come out On Sunday, about a dozen This handed victory to Ber- against a player like Maria. She’s people fell ill during a rowing muda’s Flora Duffy as an ap- an incredible champion, she test event, with one spectator peal by the British team was knows how to fi ght and she makes showing symptoms of heat- rejected. you earn every single point. “So I was really pleased with the way I was able to hang in CRICKET there today and win some of Ashleigh Barty of Australia returns a shot against Maria Sharapova (not pictured) of Russia during the Western & Southern Open at Lindner those big points.” Family Tennis Center in Mason, United States, on Wednesday. (AFP) Barty earned an early break in the second set when she rifl ed a Ex-New Zealand crosscourt forehand that caught Kyrgios melts down again during Cincinnati loss Sharapova fl at footed for a 2-0 lead. Reuters Struff beat Stefanos Tsitsipas captain McCullum to Sharapova fought hard the Cincinnati, United States of Greece 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), next game, forcing seven deuc- while Serbian teenager Miomir es but was unable to break and Kecmanovic beat fifth-seed coach Kolkata in IPL Barty cruised to the fi nish from ick Kyrgios continued Alexander Zverev 6-7 (4), 6-2, there, winning 11 of the last 13 his feud with umpire 6-4 in two big upsets. AFP him ideally suited to lead KKR games. NFergus Murphy during Struff set up a third round New Delhi and TKR (Trinbago Knight Rid- Barty will next face Anett his second round loss to Karen meeting with ninth-seed Daniil ers) as a head coach.” Kontaveit, who defeated Polish Khachanov at the Cincinnati Medvedev, who beat France’s The Trinbago Knight Riders teenager Iga Swiatek in straight Masters on Wednesday, loudly Benoit Paire 7-6 (2), 6-1. ormer New Zealand cap- is a franchise team in the Carib- sets. abusing the off icial before leav- The second youngest player tain Brendon McCullum bean Premier League. McCullum Wimbledon champion Halep ing the court to smash some in the top 100, Kecmanovic’s was yesterday appointed was part of the TKR squad from had her back against the wall rackets. victory was his first against an head coach of Kolkata 2016-18. against the big-serving Alexan- KnightF Riders in the Indian Pre- One of the most hard-hitting The Australian faces a heavy opponent ranked in the top 10 drova when she dropped the fi rst sanction from the ATP after and he is projected to advance mier League. batsmen of his generation, the set and trailed 5-4 in the second clashing with on-court off icials into the top-50 next week. McCullum, who played for 37-year-old skippered New Zea- but won the next three games for the second time in as many accused him of starting the then left the court for what he Among the other surprises on KKR in 2008-10 and 2012-13, land to the 2015 World Cup fi nal, and elevated her play again in weeks and with Murphy for the shot clock too early. He was ul- deemed a bathroom break, Wednesday, world number five earlier this month announced where they were beaten by Aus- the decider. second time this month as his timately issued a point penalty despite protests from Murphy, Kei Nishikori was beaten 7-6 (2), he was retiring from cricket tralia. World number one Naomi frustration mounted during his at the end of the second set and television pictures showed 6-4 by Japanese qualifier Yoshi- after the GT20 tournament in McCullum was also part of Osaka improved to 4-0 lifetime 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-2 loss. tiebreak after insulting the Irish him smashing his rackets in a hito Nishioka, while Canadian Canada. the 2012 Kolkata Knight Riders against Aliaksandra Sasnovich Kyrgios confronted Murphy umpire using an expletive. tunnel. Denis Shapovalov also lost 6-4, “Brendon has been an integral squad that won the lucrative IPL with a 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2 win. late in the second set and The unseeded 24-year-old Unseeded German Jan-Lennard 6-4 to Lucas Pouille. part of the Knight Riders fam- championship. Osaka, who regained the top ily for a long time,” (KKR) chief He described his appointment ranking after Barty’s early exit executive Venky Mysore said in a as a “great honour”. from the Rogers Cup last week, third round. up a showdown with Venus Wil- round behind straight set wins. tougher match against Yulia statement. “We have fantastic squads in smacked 24 winners as she looks Third seeded Karolina Plisk- liams on Thursday. Svitolina set up a date with Putintseva but prevailed 2-6, “His leadership qualities, both KKR and TKR and I along to sharpen her game before head- ova crushed lucky loser Wang Seventh seed Elina Svitolina, American Sofi a Kenin, who beat 6-4, 6-3 and will next face Rus- honesty, positive and aggressive with the support staff will be ing to New York later this month Yafan 6-1, 6-3 and Donna Vekic ninth seed Aryna Sabalenka and Zarina Diyas 6-4, 6-1. sian Svetlana Kuznetsova, a style, combined with his natural looking to build on the successes to defend her US Open title. knocked out former champion big-serving American Madison Another American, eighth 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2 winner over ability to bring the best out of the both franchises have enjoyed,” he She faces Hsieh Su-Wei in the Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 7-5 to set Keys all advanced to the third seed Sloane Stephens, had a Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska. teams he has been part of makes added.

FOCUS Anger is an energy, and Steyn rode the furious wave to greatness

By Andy Bull morrow you have to face me.’” they had done at any time since The Guardian Anger is an energy. “Dale,” said the 1920s. There had never been his teammate Morne Morkel, a worse time to be a fast bowler. “has enough of it for the two of Which is why everyone else was he fi rst time Dale Steyn us.” It wasn’t just Ponting, he felt fretting about the decline of fast bowled to Ricky Pon- the same way about all the great bowling, worrying about whether ting, he was a 22-year- batsmen. “Ricky, Virat, Michael the pitches were too fl at or the old kid playing his very Clarke, Alastair Cook – I want bats too big or the workloads too Tfi rst game of 50-over cricket for them to go at night time thinking, heavy or the schedule too busy or South Africa. He started with a ‘Ah, I have to face this guy tomor- the laws too unfair. It didn’t deter no-ball, and followed it up with row.’” Steyn got Kohli four times, Steyn, but seemed to spur him on. a second soon after, then a third, Cook fi ve, and Clarke 10, but then The harder it got, the more it hurt; and a fourth, until his captain Clarke once made the mistake of the more it hurt, the angrier he Graeme Smith fi nally decided to calling Steyn a “cheat” during a was; the angrier he was, the bet- pull him out of the attack. game at Newlands. Now, after 15 ter he bowled. It’s why he always Steyn fi nished with fi ve overs years living inside the minds of seemed to go so well on fl at, thank- for 58 runs. Years later it wasn’t the world’s best batsmen, Steyn less pitches in the subcontinent. “I the pain of how poorly he had has fi nally decided to move out. always need that fi re,” he said. “If played that stayed with him but Last week he quit Test cricket, anybody tries to extinguish that the way Ponting treated him later after 93 matches, with 439 wick- fi re or make me be diff erent, then on, after Australia had won. He ets at just under 23 runs each. I am not going to be any use to a blanked him as they were shaking Something snapped in 2007. team. I need the mongrel, the ag- hands. Ponting, who was already He had already been playing Test gro, in my game.” the best batsman in the world, cricket for three years, had taken He fi nished as the only man in likely didn’t think twice about it his fi rst 51 wickets in 13 Tests history to take fi ve-for against but Steyn, who wanted to be the at 30 runs apiece. That winter, nine Test nations, who has, in his best bowler, never forgot the in- New Zealand came on tour. They time, run through every team he sult. had a guy called Craig Cumming has played against. Five for 67 “I was furious inside,” Steyn opening for them. A couple of against Australia at the MCG, said a decade later. “I was like: ‘I years earlier Cumming had faced fi ve for 51 against England at the am going to get this guy, I have down the fastest spell Brett Lee Wanderers, seven for 51 against got my eye on you, buddy. I am ever bowled, when a couple of India in Nagpur, he got the better coming for you.’” In the next his deliveries had been clocked of the best batsmen of his gen- six years, Steyn dismissed Pon- at 99mph on the speed gun. But eration. He was too good for his ting six times, had him bowled, Steyn was something else again. contemporaries, so best meas- caught behind, lbw – the best of Not faster, but harder. “The pull ured, instead, against great bowl- them a duck in the second Test and hook were shots I played ers who came before him. at the Wanderers in 2011, which through my career,” Cumming Steyn was just a few days left Ponting sweating over his said. And he was set, on 48. “Be- ahead of his teammate Hashim place and fretting about his tech- fore I knew it, I was taking off my Amla, who retired from all in- nique. Steyn once said it was the helmet with a bit of blood pump- ternational cricket last week. If most satisfying wicket he took. ing out my face.” Amla, who made 28 Test centu- “Every time I play against you, I The harder it got, the more it played another fi ve years for Ota- liest bowling anyone had seen in took 351 wickets in 68 Tests, av- an era when batsmen were aver- ries, was one of the great players want you to remember who I am,” hurt, the more it hurt, the angrier go, but only one more Test. Steyn more than a hundred years, since erage 21, strike rate 41. Few play- aging more runs per wicket than of his generation, then Steyn was Steyn explained, “I want you to he was, the angrier he was, the took 20 wickets in that series, fi ve George Lohmann fi nished. And ers have taken as many wickets they had done at any time since one of the greatest, an unequivo- go to bed at night and know when better he bowled. for 34, fi ve for 59, four for 42, six he was only just getting started. so cheaply, none have taken them the 1940s, and quicks were con- cal pick to open the bowling in a you are playing South Africa to- Cumming retired hurt. He for 49. It was the cheapest, dead- In the next eight years, Steyn so frequently. And Steyn did it in ceding more runs per wicket than 21st-century World XI. Gulf Times 4 Friday, August 16, 2019 RUGBY

PREVIEW SELECTION McConnochie to make England Wallabies eye debut against Wales

Reuters match approach,” said Jones. London “We are looking at diff erent combinations and have a par- ticular strategy for this game. uaridh McConnochie “The game is very much history as All Blacks will win his fi rst Eng- about ourselves preparing for land cap in a World the World Cup and we are re- Cup warm-up against spectful that we have got such WalesR in Cardiff tomorrow, strong opposition at their days after being included in home ground. We are looking Eddie Jones’s 31-man squad. forward to it. The 27-year-old Bath wing, “The squad has been pro- who was withdrawn from last gressing well this week and face WC pressure Sunday’s team due to injury, I think there is a realisation replaces Anthony Watson, among the squad now that the ‘We have to find out more about other people and to win this World Cup we have had to roll the dice a bit’ and is one of three changes to hard work really starts; noth- the starting XV that played at ing has been achieved.” Twickenham. Maro Itoje comes into the STARTING XV: second row for Charlie Ewels, 15-Elliot Daly, 14-Ruaridh with Courtney Lawes replac- McConnochie, 13-Jonathan ing the injured Tom Curry at Joseph, 12-Piers Francis, 11-Joe blindside fl anker and Lewis Cokanasiga, 10-George Ford Ludlam moving to openside. (captain), 9-Willi Heinz; 1-Ellis England beat Wales 33- Genge, 2-Luke Cowan-Dickie, 19 last Sunday. George Ford 3-Dan Cole, 4-Joe Launchbury, was again named as captain 5-Maro Itoje, 6-Courtney with fl y-half Owen Farrell on Lawes, 7-Lewis Ludlam, 8-Billy the bench. Scrum-half Willi Vunipola. Heinz, his place on the plane REPLACEMENTS: to Japan also secured, wins his 16-Jamie George, 17-Joe Marl- second cap. er, 18-Kyle Sinckler, 19-George “Our selection strategy for Kruis, 20-Jack Singleton, 21- our second game is similar to Ben Youngs, 22-Owen Farrell, the fi rst, so a bit of a mix-and- 23-Manu Tuilagi.

FOCUS Raka, Cros get fi rst caps for France against Scotland

Australia’s head coach Michael Cheika (right) with his players during a training session. (AFP)

Reuters for the fi rst time since 1998, All a lot,” Cheika told reporters in cern for rugby-mad New Zea- added he had also needed to run Wellington Blacks coach Steve Hansen will Melbourne after he made one in- land, whose fans have become an eye over his less-experienced have some big questions to an- jury-enforced change to the side accustomed to success after suc- players before the World Cup. swer. that won in Perth with Adam cess from the All Blacks. “Obviously we’d like to see ustralia have their best Wallabies coach Michael Coleman moving from the bench With the Perth drubbing, al- Ben, Owen and Rieko playing chance of getting their Cheika has been under all kinds to the second row to replace Rory beit after playing half the game better,” Hansen told reporters in hands on the Bledisloe of pressure for the last four years Arnold. with 14 men, coming after a Auckland. Cup since 2002 to- and knows very well that the All “It means a lot when you have home draw against South Africa, “But we’ve made decisions morrowA when they meet an All Blacks typically follow a defeat it, but it probably means more some are already questioning because we’ve got to fi nd out Blacks side facing the prospect to Australia by handing out a when you don’t have it. That whether the All Blacks are losing more about people... in these big of the wheels falling off their bid mauling in the following game. pursuit of trying to get it, some- their aura at just the wrong time pressure cooker situations, and for a third successive World Cup. Recent history is fi rmly times you take a step off and with World Cup so close. you don’t get much bigger than The Wallabies revived their own against the visitors with Aus- say we’ll take the game in our Hansen responded to the con- this one. World Cup prospects by produc- tralia not having beaten the All stride. cerns by swinging the axe and “We have to fi nd out more ing arguably their best and most Blacks in New Zealand since “But that’s only hiding from dropping three formerly fi rst- about other people and to win consistent 80 minutes of rugby in 2001 - a run of 22 losses - and the fact that we haven’t had it choice players in prop Owen this World Cup we have had to more than a decade in their record winless in Bledisloe tests at Eden for a while and we are going to do Franks and outside backs Ben roll the dice a bit. 47-26 win over the world champi- Park for the last 33 years. our best to play well and get hold Smith and Rieko Ioane. “We wouldn’t be doing it if we ons in Perth last week. Cheika, however, also recog- of the trophy, obviously.” Australian media suggested didn’t think that the guys we’re A fi erce backlash is widely ex- nised how close his side were A loss tomorrow to their clos- Hansen was panicking just fi ve putting in are good enough to pected at Eden Park but if it fails to overturning a long period of est neighbours and giving up weeks out from the global show- do the job on Saturday... I don’t to materialise and New Zealand frustration tomorrow. the Bledisloe Cup after 16 years piece and while he confi rmed the think it’s a risk and there’s lots of go three matches without a win “The Bledisloe Cup means would be the cause of major con- trio had been dropped, the coach rewards in it.”

SPOTLIGHT Fijian-born winger Alivereti Raka.

AFP Toulouse scrum-half Antoine Nice, France Dupont. Cros and Ollivon join Gre- gory Alldritt (fi ve caps) at Springboks, Argentina are poles ijian-born winger number eight who is preferred Alivereti Raka and to Louis Picamoles in an ex- backrower Francois perimental backrow combina- Cros will make their tion playing together for the debutsF for France tomorrow in fi rst time. apart ahead of one-off Test a World Cup warm-up match Paul Gabrillagues gets his Reuters tum heading towards the global against Scotland. fi rst start in the second row Pretoria showpiece.“There are a helluva Veteran Camille Lopez, 30, since June last year while in lot of changes in this team, so I wins back his place at fl y-half, the front row Camille Chat guess they will take some time to preferred as starter to Romain starts at hooker in place of outh Africa and Argen- gel,” he admitted. Ntmack, who will sit on the Guilhem Guirado, the team tina could scarcely fi nd “No matter what has hap- bench for the match in Nice. captain who is injured along themselves in more con- pened before this weekend, the Ahead of the September with prop Demba Bamba. trasting circumstances as momentum we will go to the 20-November 2 World Cup in France play Scotland again theyS prepare to meet in a one-off World Cup with will depend on Japan, French coach Jacques in Edinburgh on August 24 test at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow what happens on Saturday. Brunel has been keeping a and complete their three- for which both teams have made “Some of these players will watchful eye on Clermont’s match World Cup prepara- a host of changes. know they are on the plane but gifted Raka, 24, who obtained tions against Italy on August The Springboks are basking in for others it is make or break - French citizenship only last 30 at the Stade de France. the glory of a Rugby Champion- and even if they don’t make the December. “Everybody knows Meanwhile coach Brunel ship success that confi rms their plane there will be six standby his qualities and his eff ective- announced that centre Geof- turnaround in fortunes from a roles to be identifi ed.” ness,” said Brunel. “He has frey Doumayrou, not named struggling side that racked up Argentina coach Mario Ledes- shown them for a while now... in the side to play Scotland, records for the wrong reasons ma has the opposite problem, We are expecting him to be as will miss out on the World Cup two years ago to genuine World trying to identify the 31 players eff ective for the France team as because of an Achilles tendon Cup contenders. he can take to the World Cup he is for his club,.” injury after being named in the Argentina, meanwhile, have with any real confi dence. Gros, for his part, made original squad to go to Japan. been on the slide for some time, He has kept only fi ve players in a strong case for inclusion currently on run of eight test de- the starting XV from last week- at fl anker during a stunning TEAM TO PLAY FRANCE feats in a row and boasting just end’s humiliation in Salta, and past season performance with (15-1): three wins in their last 24 inter- handed out fi rst caps for prop French champions Toulouse. Maxime Medard; Damian nationals. The Boks thumped Mayco Vivas and inside cen- He gets his chance with regu- Penaud, Gael Fickou, Wesley the South American side 46-13 tre Lucas Mensa, while fullback lar back rowers Wenceslas Fofana, Alivereti Raka; Camille in Salta last weekend to lift the Santiago Carreras could debut Lauret and Yacouba Camara Lopez, Antoine Dupont; Rugby Championship for the off the bench. unavailable through injury. Charles Ollivon, Gregory fi rst time in a decade and have He has also selected an inex- Toulon’s Charles Ollivon Alldritt, Francois Cros; Sebas- started to look a much more ac- perienced half-back pairing of also returns at fl anker after tian Vahaamahina, Paul Gabril- complished outfi t under coach scrumhalf Felipe Ezcurra and two years to win his seventh lagues; Rabah Slimani; Camille Rassie Erasmus. Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, who have cap after struggling with Chat, Jeff erson Poirot (cap) They will fi eld a completely South Africa skipper Siya Kolisi. (Reuters) only three caps between them. a shoulder injury. Lopez, Remplacements: Peato overhauled team in Pretoria But for those players seek- dropped after he criticised Mauvaka, Dany Priso, Emerick though, with 15 new starters, injury. While this most certainly Cup squad a fi nal chance to earn changes, Erasmus admits it will ing to break into his World Cup the coaching setup in Febru- Setiano, Felix Lambey, Louis including a return for regular does not apply to Kolisi, Eras- his trust for Japan in what is the be hard to produce the perfect plans, it is an excellent oppor- ary following the sides 44-8 Picamoles, Baptiste Serin, skipper Siya Kolisi, who has not mus is keen to give those play- Boks’ last home game before performance, but he is hoping tunity to put in a strong last- defeat by England, is back in Romain Ntamack, Thomas played a test this year because of ers on the fringes of his World the tournament. With so many to maintain the team’s momen- minute showing. favour and will link up with Ramos. Gulf Times Friday, August 16, 2019 5 SPORT

NBA ‘Crazy’ talk coming from Warriors’ doubters: Green Reuters as they were when Golden State million, according to agent Rich people tried to write it diff erently, Lue would likely possess the New York won NBA titles in 2015, 2017 and Paul. He’ll receive $22.2 million as I said before, they were wrong. associate head coach label if 2018, but Green is thinking posi- in the fi rst year of the deal, with There’s proof in the pudding now the deal is consummated. He tive even when fans don’t con- increases each season and will that you were wrong. And I enjoy was an assistant under Clippers orward Draymond sider them favourites heading take him up to $27.6 million in that just a tad.” coach Doc Rivers twice previ- Green, who recently into the season. the fi nal season. For his career, Green has av- ously – in Boston (2011-13) and agreed to a $100mn con- “I like it,” said Green, who has The deal ensures he’ll be eraged 9.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, with the Clippers (2013-14). The tract extension to stay been with the Warriors for those paired with stars Curry and 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals per 42-year-old Lue helped Cleve- withF the Golden State Warriors, past three titles. “You know, be- Thompson for the next several game with 22 triple-doubles. He land reach the NBA Finals on took exception Wednesday to ing the underdog. It’s been a years, though they’ll be missing was named Defensive Player of three occasions, winning the anyone who thinks the former while since we been the under- Kevin Durant, who went to the the Year in 2016-17 and has been crown in 2016. world champions will struggle to dog. But it brings that underdog Brooklyn Nets via free agency. on the All-Defensive fi rst or sec- Lue was fi red after Cleveland compete in 2019-20. chip back, and I miss that chip. He also believes the contract ond team in each of the last fi ve lost the fi rst six games last sea- “I’ve heard people say we’re I’m pretty sure Steph missed that backs up his play while proving seasons. son. He was 128-83 in three-plus not gonna make the playoff s. chip, and some of the stuff Klay doubters wrong since he became seasons with the franchise. That’s crazy to me,” Green told been texting me this summer, I’m a second-round pick in 2012, LUE LIKELY TO JOIN He was a candidate for the Los ESPN’s Rachel Nichols on The positive he misses the chip. and has spent his entire seven- CLIPPERS’ STAFF Angeles Lakers’ coaching gig Jump. “I mean, that’s just, like, “... So to the oddsmakers, year career with the Warriors Former Cleveland Cavaliers earlier in the off season before that’s total disrespect, but no thanks. You got me where I am during their run to fi ve straight coach Tyronn Lue is close to that club eventually hired Frank diff erent than the disrespect today. I look forward to where NBA Finals. reaching an agreement to be- Vogel. Lue was in contention due we’ve all been getting for years.” they take me again.” “It just tells you that there was come the lead assistant with the to his Cleveland association with Vegas odds for the Warriors to Green’s deal, which begins a method to that madness,” Green Los Angeles Clippers, according LeBron James, but negotiations make the playoff s aren’t as good after next season, is worth $100 told Nichols. “And while so many to a New York Times report. reached an impasse.

MLB FOCUS Jay-Z defends NFL entertainment deal, Pujols passes Beltre, touts furthering Kaepernick’s message

Reuters having a job.” New York The deal, which the NFL an- leads Angels over nounced Wednesday, named Roc Nation the league’s “of- hawn “Jay-Z” Carter fi cial live music entertainment defended the enter- strategists,” with the group tainment deal his expected to play a major role company, Roc Nation, in major events like the Su- madeS with the NFL this week per Bowl halftime show. The during a press conference with league also said the partner- Pittsburgh Pirates commissioner Roger Goodell ship will support its Inspire on Wednesday, amid criticism Change social justice initia- Pujols becomes the all-time foreign-born hits leader in Angels’ win that the deal contradicts Cart- tive, a nonprofi t established er’s support of Colin Kaeper- by the NFL’s owners and the Reuters nick. Players Coalition in December Anaheim Carter and Goodell were 2017 that included $89 million asked repeatedly about in funding from the league. Kaepernick, who has gone Carolina Panthers safety lbert Pujols drove in three runs, unsigned since the end of the Eric Reid – a close friend and and left-hander Dillon Peters 2016 season after drawing na- supporter of Kaepernick’s pitched six solid innings to help tional attention for kneeling who withdrew from the Play- the Los Angeles Angels post a during the national anthem in ers Coalition because he disa- 7-4A victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on protest of social injustice. greed with its vision – criti- Wednesday in the fi nale of a three-game Carter has publicly sup- cised the Roc Nation-NFL series in Anaheim, Calif. ported Kaepernick in the past, partnership Tuesday on Twit- Pujols went 2-for-4 to raise his career including wearing a teamless ter. hit total to 3,168 and surpass fellow Do- Kaepernick jersey during an “I won’t quit playing but minican Republic native Adrian Beltre appearance on Saturday Night I will be a royal pain in the (3,166) for most among players born out- Live in 2017. Asked if Roc Na- NFL’s a** for acting like they side the United States. tion’s partnership with the care about people of colour by Pujols had a two-run single in the NFL goes against his support forming numerous disingenu- eighth to give the Angels a 6-3 lead as they of Kaepernick, Carter said the ous partnerships to address avoided a three-game sweep and won for partnership will actually fur- social injustice while collec- just the fi fth time in the past 19 contests. ther the quarterback’s message. tively blackballing Colin, the Peters (3-1) gave up two runs and four “We forget that Colin’s person who brought oppres- hits during a 94-pitch eff ort. He struck whole thing was to bring at- sion and social injustice to out six and walked one. tention to social injustice,” the forefront of the NFL plat- Pirates right-hander Chris Archer (3- Carter said. “In that case, form,” Reid wrote. 9) struck out 10 in fi ve innings but saw this is a success. This is the Goodell told reporters he his winless stretch reach 12 starts. Archer next phase. There two parts anticipated criticism over gave up four runs (three earned) on fi ve of protesting. You go outside the partnership, but that it hits and two walks. and you protest, and then the wouldn’t prevent a deal from Pittsburgh is 6-25 since the All-Star company or the individual getting done. break. Pujols’ fi rst hit - which snapped the says, ‘I hear you. What do we “I don’t think either one of tie with Beltre - was a run-scoring single do next?’ us expected that this relation- during a four-run, fourth-inning upris- “... Everyone heard, we ship wouldn’t have its critics,” ing. Luis Rengifo delivered a run-scoring hear what you’re saying, and Goodell said. “But you don’t double later in the frame and scooted all everybody knows I agree with let the critics or the negativ- the way around the bases due to a misplay (Kaepernick’s message). So ity overwhelm the chance to by Pirates left fi elder Bryan Reynolds. what are we gonna do? You do something really positive. Peters didn’t start off well, as he walked know what I’m saying? mil- We talked about (Kaepernick’s Kevin Newman and hit both Reynolds and lions and millions of people, situation). We talked about a Starling Marte to load the bases. Newman or we get stuck on Colin not variety of issues.” scored as Josh Bell grounded into a double play, and Melky Cabrera singled to right to Chef suing Raiders’ Brown for $38.5K make it 2-0. Mike Trout walked to start the Angels’ A chef filed a lawsuit against Brees and Arizona Cardinals fourth, and he stole second with two outs. Oakland Raiders wideout wideout Larry Fitzgerald, Pujols followed with the historic single Antonio Brown earlier this among others. “Never once through the right side of the infi eld to summer, alleging the receiver have I had one problem (until score Trout. did not pay a bill of $38,521.20 this). My food is so good and Pujols moved to second on a wild pitch during the 2018 Pro Bowl my mannerisms in someone’s and scored on David Fletcher’s double to in Orlando, ESPN reported home is second to none.” deep left-center. Rengifo added his hit Wednesday. Darren Heitner, Brown’s at- to left to score Fletcher, and the charging Stefano Tedeschi told ESPN torney, told ESPN he and his Reynolds failed to fi eld the ball. It rolled to that Brown – who was still client “expect to be filing a the fence as Rengifo circled the bases. with the Pittsburgh Steel- motion to dismiss the com- Pittsburgh had runners on fi rst and ers at the time – rented a plaint and will let the filing third with no outs in the seventh, but mansion and hired a chef speak for itself.” right-hander Ty Buttrey induced Erik to host nearly 50 fellow Pro Brown, a Miami native who Gonzalez to hit into a double play. Elias Bowlers during the last week was traded from Pittsburgh Diaz scored on the play to pull the Pirates of January. to Oakland this off season, has within 4-3. The lawsuit, which was filed in had other legal disputes in Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani and Kole Osceola (Fla.) County on July Florida recently. Calhoun opened the eighth with singles Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols hits a RBI single in the fourth inning of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 30, alleges Brown wrongfully Two lawsuits were filed off right-hander Geoff Hartlieb, and both Angel Stadium of Anaheim. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports terminated the agreement against him in 2018 stemming runners moved up on a wild pitch. and did not allow Tedeschi from an incident in South With the infi eld playing in, Pujols In the end, Kershaw pitched seven hit a solo homer. The next batter, Cody to retrieve his equipment Florida in April of that year. squirted a grounder past the dive of short- scoreless innings, allowing just two hits – Bellinger, took advantage of a shift that RESULTS and food, per ESPN. It adds One of those – brought by a stop Newman and into center fi eld to drive both singles – and no walks. He also dou- left no one at third base, and he bunted for that Tedeschi was told by a man who claimed his toddler in two. Rengifo added a run-scoring sin- bled, getting one more extra-base hit than a single in that direction. Angels 7-4 Pirates Brown associate not to make was nearly hit by furniture gle later in the inning to make it 7-3. what he allowed to the Marlins. It was Corey Seager then made that strategy Yankees 6-5 Orioles eye contact with Brown while Brown threw off a 14th-story Diaz had an RBI single in the ninth for Kershaw’s seventh straight quality start, pay off , drilling a two-run homer to center Phillies 11-1 Cubs leaving. balcony – was settled in April the Pirates. and he is 5-0 with a 1.40 ERA during that to make it 3-0. Tedeschi told ESPN he paid 2019. The other was brought Dodgers 9-1 Marlins span. Rios doubled the lead by hitting a solo employees and passed up by the unit’s landlord for DODGERS ROOKIE RIOS HOMERS Rios, who played for Florida Interna- homer in the fourth and a two-run shot Cardinals 6-0 Royals other opportunities to work damages and breach of the TWICE IN ROUT OF MARLINS tional University, was appearing in his in the sixth, and Seager’s RBI single in the Red Sox 5-1 Indians for Brown, and he wasn’t apartment agreement. Clayton Kershaw struck out a season- 14th major league game. The 25-year-old seventh gave the Dodgers a 7-0 lead. given a reason for the lack of In January, the mother of White Sox 13-9 Astros high-tying 10 batters, and rookie Edwin fi rst baseman went 3-for-4 with three In the eighth, Rios’ leadoff , 12-pitch payment. Brown’s daughter filed a Rios hit his fi rst two major league homers RBIs and three runs. walk – he hit eight foul balls – led to an- Rockies 7-6 D’backs He said Brown later off ered report with the Hollywood, – doing so in his hometown – as the Los His fi rst homer went 415 feet to center, other Los Angeles rally. Max Muncy ul- Nationals 17-7 Reds to pay through social media Fla., police department saying Angeles Dodgers defeated the host Miami and his second blast went 412 feet to right. timately hit a two-run double for a 9-0 Padres 7-2 Rays advertising. Brown pushed her out of a Marlins 9-1 on Wednesday night. Elieser Hernandez (2-5) took the loss, advantage. “I’ve cooked for countless doorway and to the ground. Kershaw (12-2) struck out the fi rst sev- allowing six runs in six innings. He struck The Marlins, who have been outscored Athletics 9-5 Giants NFL superstars and celebri- Brown was not arrested or en batters he faced, six of them swinging. out seven, walked one and allowed eight 24-2 in the fi rst two games of the three- Brewers 6-5 Twins ties,” Tedeschi told ESPN, charged, and Heitner called The Marlins fi nally got their fi rst baserun- hits, including four homers. game series, never got a runner past fi rst Rangers 7-3 Blue Jays referring to New Orleans the allegations “baseless and ner when Harold Ramirez singled with Los Angeles started the scoring in the base until Curtis Granderson’s pinch-hit Saints quarterback Drew false.” two outs in the fi fth. fi rst inning. With two outs, Justin Turner homer in the ninth inning off Yimi Garcia. Tigers 3-2 Mariners Gulf Times 6 Friday, August 16, 2019 SPORT

GOLF Tiger ‘way better’ entering PGA playoff test at Medinah Sixth-ranked Woods raised fears about his physical fitness by withdrawing from last week’s Northern Trust event

AFP on Friday, that’s for sure.” Washington Woods said tweaking his swing caused his latest injury setback. “If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Things iger Woods said on Wednes- just pop up,” Woods said. “I’m mak- day he feels “way better” after ing tweaks and changes trying to play withdrawing last week with an around this back and trying to be ex- oblique strain, but major con- plosive and have enough rest time and Tcerns remain around the 15-time major training time. That has been the biggest winner entering the BMW Champion- challenge of it all. The forces have got to ship. The most important worry for go somewhere, and unfortunately when Woods at Medinah in suburban Chica- I make any kind of tweaks and changes go, seeking his fi rst victory since cap- to my swing, it’s like a new body part is turing the Masters in April, is to play aching.” his way into next week’s season-ending The 43-year-old was making only US PGA Tour Championship in Atlanta. his sixth start since Augusta National At 38th in the season points stand- alongside Taiwan’s CT Pan and fellow ings, Woods is projected to need a top- American Billy Horschel last night, 11 fi nish to place well enough to reach having played only 13 rounds since the top 30 in points and earn a chance at donning his fi fth green jacket. defending the crown he won last year at The Masters victory capped an East Lake, his fi rst triumph since 2013. amazing comeback for Woods from “This week is no diff erent,” Woods spinal fusion surgery when it appeared said. “I’m trying to win this tourna- his career might be over. Instead, he has ment just like anybody else in this fi eld won 81 career US PGA titles, one shy of and trying to get to East Lake and try- matching Sam Snead’s all-time record, ing to get to a place where a lot of things and has moved within three of tying the changed for me last year and hopefully record 18 major wins of Jack Nicklaus. I can make that happen.” Woods has tasted success before at Sixth-ranked Woods raised fears Medinah, capturing the 1999 and 2006 about his physical fi tness by withdraw- PGA Championships on the course as ing from last week’s Northern Trust well as fi ve BMW Championships at event at Liberty National with his in- nearby Cog Hill. “I’m excited to be back jury, which dropped him out of the top in Chicago,” Woods said. “This is one of 30. After playing the front nine in a the places that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed pro-am Wednesday, hitting full shots playing over the years, and this was the for the fi rst time since last week’s exit, area that I made my fi rst cut on the PGA Woods only chipped and putted over Tour, a long time ago.” the back nine, saying he was glad for Woods also has an eye on the fi eld as the extra rest and felt “way better”. captain of the US Presidents Cup team “It was nice to take those days off and that will play the non-European In- I had to just let it calm down and get a ternationals squad at Royal Melbourne bunch of treatment on it, and it feels so this December, with eight qualifying much better,” Woods said. “Played the for eight automatic US spots conclud- front nine and played well, which was ing after this weekend. While Woods nice to see, nice to feel. Took the back is too far back to play his way onto the nine off , chipped and putted quite a bit US squad automatically, he could make and it defi nitely doesn’t feel like it did himself a captain’s pick. Tiger Woods signs autographs after practice round for the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois on Wednesday. (AFP)

SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Dortmund eye Bundesliga title bid UEFA postpones key Champions League reform meeting amid Bayern transfer trouble AFP premature as we are analysing the big fi ve leagues”. Lausanne feedback and proposals coming However the Premier League, from diff erent parties,” Ceferin which had four teams in the fi - wrote. nals of the Champions League EFA yesterday post- Ceferin added that he did not and Europa League last season, poned indefi nitely a “expect to make a decision this has unanimously opposed the crucial summit with year” on the changes to the for- project. In June 15 clubs in the Europe’s top football mat of European club competi- Italy’s Serie A, where Agnelli’s Uclubs and leagues in which con- tion from 2024, which were pro- Juventus have reigned supreme troversial Champions League posed by the ECA and have faced for almost a decade, reportedly reforms were set to be discussed. fi erce opposition. opposed the reforms, with Juve The meeting, originally sched- Asked by AFP, UEFA said no the only side to openly support uled for September 11 at the new date for the meeting had the changes. Nyon headquarters of European been set. The summit was origi- The rebelling Serie A teams, football’s governing body, was nally scheduled for the day af- which included Napoli and set to bring together the Euro- ter the ECA’s General Assembly Lazio, believe the plans could pean Club Association (ECA) and in Geneva. The postponement lead to a decrease of as much as European Leagues, which rep- comes amid fears over the ECA’s 35% in top-fl ight revenues. Sev- resents leagues from across the proposal, pushed by Agnelli, of en Spanish clubs, but not Real continent. But in a letter seen by a competition reportedly spread Madrid nor Barcelona, are also AFP and sent to ECA president over three ‘divisions’ would against the plans, along with the Andrea Agnelli and head of Euro- threaten domestic competitions. all the Bundesliga clubs, while 17 pean Leagues Lars-Christer Ols- According to reports, the top Ligue 1 sides came out against son, UEFA president Aleksander division would be made up of the project while Paris Saint- Ceferin said he had “decided to four groups of eight teams, with Germain, Lyon and Marseille ab- postpone the meeting of 11 Sep- the top six in each qualifying for stained. tember”. the following edition regardless In May Bayern Munich CEO “We are currently in the proc- of where they fi nish in their do- Karl-Heinz Rummenigge ess of gathering feedback from mestic leagues. slammed the reforms, saying our national associations and I Agnelli has defended the plans that “Champions League is al- feel — more generally — that a as an attempt to save smaller ready the best competition in the Dortmund hope that a flurry of new signings and some newfound swagger will be enough for them to finally dethrone Bayern. (AFP) new discussion now would be clubs from “the protectionism of world”.

AFP en successive titles and securing winning mentality. As diff erent Milan this week has eased the Berlin a domestic double last season as the two clubs are, I want to pressure a little, but coach Niko despite falling nine points be- bring that attitude over to Dort- Kovac said this week that his ‘WHY DIDN’T YOU PLAY?’ SOUTH KOREAN FAN hind Dortmund in December. mund,” he told Kicker magazine squad “still has to strengthen”. s the Bundesliga gets Yet as they prepare to launch this week. Despite defying his critics and FLIES TO SWEDEN TO HARANGUE RONALDO back under way this their title defence against Her- While Dortmund approach securing the double last season, weekend, Borussia tha Berlin today evening, it is the new season with optimism, Kovac is still viewed with scep- Seoul: An angry South Korean Ronaldo — films himself making Dortmund are prepar- Bayern who appear to be strug- Bayern are still trying to shake ticism in some quarters, and has fan flew to Sweden to confront several more attempts to grab ingA to launch an all-out attack gling, while Dortmund have a off their summertime blues. faced criticism for reverting to a Juventus superstar Cristiano the star’s attention, including on Bayern Munich’s seven-year spring in their step. Following the departures of 4-3-3 system in pre-season. Ronaldo for sitting out a waving a sign written in Por- hegemony, and this time they Lucien Favre’s side have bol- senior players such as Hum- Bayern struggled in that for- friendly in Seoul, the latest in a tuguese. “Even when I put the mean it. Having missed out on stered their ranks with a string of mels, Arjen Robben and Franck mation at the beginning of last bizarre row that has prompted a sign right in front of his eyes, I the league title by a whisker exciting new signings, including Ribery, Bayern have spent the season, before a switch to 4-2- police investigation. was utterly ignored,” Kwak says last year, Dortmund hope that Nico Schulz, Thorgan Hazard last few months under grow- 3-1 saw results improve. Yet In an 11-minute clip posted in the video. “You are so nice to a fl urry of new signings and and Julian Brandt. Perhaps most ing pressure to announce major they switched back to 4-3-3 on his Youtube channel, which your fans here but why did you some newfound swagger will be excitingly of all, they have also signings. in the German Super Cup ear- has racked up nearly 3,000,000 do that to us?” he adds bitterly. enough for them to fi nally de- lured former captain and 2014 Though they secured the lier this month, and limped views, Kwak Ji-hyuk approaches The row over Ronaldo’s throne Bayern this season. World Cup winner Mats Hum- services of French World Cup to a 2-0 defeat to an explosive the Portuguese striker at a hotel no-show has spiralled into a “We are going into the new mels back from Bayern for a fee winners Benjamin Pavard and Dortmund side. “We made the in Stockholm. blame game, with the K-League season with the intention of of 38mn Euros ($42.4mn). In a Lucas Hernandez earlier this same mistakes as last year, and As Ronaldo appears in the accusing Juventus of “decep- challenging for the title — no ifs, team which buckled defensively year, their interest in Manches- I hope they don’t happen again,” lobby of the hotel, where Juven- tion” — a claim that was quickly no buts,” said Dortmund CEO in key games during last year’s ter City winger Leroy Sane and moaned Lewandowski after the tus were staying for last week’s rejected by the Italian club. A Hans-Joachim Watzke back in title race, many Hummels ex- RB Leipzig forward Timo Wern- defeat. International Champions Cup police investigation is under June. With captain Marco Reus perience and quiet leadership as er has so far come to nothing. Dortmund, meanwhile, hope final, Kwak shouts in English, way into alleged fraud after a and coach Lucien Favre having the missing piece of the jigsaw The lack of movement has frus- that the Super Cup litmus test “Why didn’t you play in Korea?” criminal complaint was filed made similar comments since, for Dortmund. trated senior players, and at the will set the tone for the entire only to be ignored. against Ronaldo, Juventus and Dortmund appear more confi - Hummels himself has said beginning of August, star strik- season. The real work begins to- Ronaldo remained on the the South Korean agency that dent of winning the title than that he wants to bring some of er Robert Lewandowski publicly morrow, with their opening fi x- bench throughout last month’s lawsuit and prompting a police organised the match. According at any point since their last tri- Bayern’s title-deciding met- demanded the club make three ture at home to Augsburg. From exhibition game in the Korean probe into alleged fraud. to South Korean reports, Kwak umph in 2012. tle to Dortmund. “You have to more signings. then on, there can be no ifs and capital, enraging fans who Kwak — who describes him- plans to fly to Italy next month Bayern have dominated the recognise that Bayern are not The arrival of Croatian winger no buts. This time, Dortmund threatened a class action self as a former die-hard fan of to confront Ronaldo again. league since then, winning sev- the worst when it comes to a Ivan Perisic on loan from Inter mean it. Gulf Times Friday, August 16, 2019 7 FOOTBALL

LA LIGA FOCUS Lampard buoyed Barca will not risk by Chelsea display AFP Istanbul

oach Frank Lampard took great encourage- ment from Chelsea’s display in the UEFA Su- Messi for opener Cper Cup in Istanbul on Wednes- day, despite the disappointment of losing on penalties to English rivals Liverpool. “I think we can get better, there are things I still want us to improve on in terms of how we play slightly, but I am really against Bilbao happy with the performance,” said Lampard after Chelsea held the European champions to a 2-2 ‘We are not going to take risks with any player, even less with Leo’ draw after extra time, only to lose 5-4 in the shoot-out. “To lose AFP the game was disappointing but Madrid if it means Chelsea’s season can be something like how we played today, we’ll be OK.” ionel Messi will not be risked for Chelsea took the lead in Istan- Barcelona’s opening La Liga game bul through Olivier Giroud, but against Athletic Bilbao today, ac- Sadio Mane’s equaliser meant cording to his coach Ernesto Val- the match at the home of Besik- Lverde. Messi sustained a calf injury in tas went to extra time. The Sen- training last week and missed Barca’s last egal star then put Liverpool in and it’s an advantage to them two pre-season friendlies against Napoli. front in the 95th minute, only for going in,” said Lampard, whose They begin their title defence at San a Jorginho penalty to restore par- side next host Leicester City on Mames this weekend and Valverde has ity again. Sunday. said Messi is yet to train ahead of the The decisive moment came “But that said I think it hap- match. “We are not going to take risks after nine successful spot-kicks pens a lot. I don’t want to look with any player, even less with Leo,” when Tammy Abraham’s eff ort like I’m moaning, I’m delighted Valverde said in a press conference. “He was saved by Adrian. However, with our performance, we didn’t hasn’t trained or played with the team. Chelsea were a match for Jur- lose the game because of that but We will wait a while but his recovery gen Klopp’s team for long spells it was a bit frustrating.” process is going well.” and Lampard believed they were Lampard said he had off ered Valverde was also asked about a poten- moving in the right direction af- words of comfort to Abraham, tial move for Paris Saint-Germain striker ter his fi rst competitive game at the 21-year-old who has re- Neymar as Barcelona and Real Madrid the helm ended in a 4-0 defeat to turned after a loan at Aston Villa scrap to sign the Brazilian before the Manchester United. with Chelsea unable to make new transfer window closes on September 2. “You know Liverpool have got signings due to a transfer ban. “I am not in the middle of these issues,” to where they have got, and I Abraham had started against Valverde said. “I focus on the team and have complete respect for Jurgen Manchester United but was on players I have, I can’t think about players Klopp,” said Lampard. “I am a the bench at kick-off Wednesday in other teams. I have always kept a line new manager who’s been here for before replacing Giroud in the of respect in that way because Neymar six weeks or so, and what I saw second half. belongs to PSG. We will see what happens today were things that I want in “He will come back stronger. but I can’t tell you anything about it.” the team. It is part and parcel of being a Barcelona have already spent around Lampard had already twice player at a top level which is what 250mn euros this summer and it is be- been on the losing side in the Tammy now is.” lieved any bid for Neymar would include Super Cup as a player for Chel- Lampard was also delighted players in the deal. Nelson Semedo has sea, including the 2013 shootout with the contribution of USA been among those mentioned as pos- defeat to Bayern Munich. He ad- star Christian Pulisic, who made sible makeweights, along with Philippe mitted that having two days few- his full debut after signing from Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic. er to prepare had been a factor as Borussia Dortmund in January. “It all depends on performance,” Val- the match went all the way. Not 21 until next month, Puli- verde said, when asked about Semedo’s Chelsea played at Old Traff ord sic played 74 minutes and set up future. “Until August 31 everything is on Sunday, two days after Liver- Giroud’s opening goal. “I think open but we think and I hope that Nelson pool beat Norwich City in their there’s a lot more to come. I think stays with us.” Premier League opener. “To have the expectation is right because Barcelona are attempting to win La two more days recovery at this he is a big signing for us, but we Liga for the third time in a row after fi n- stage early in the season, it’s clear must also remember his age, he’s ishing 11 points clear of Atletico Madrid that it aff ects your preparation 20. I am really happy with him.” last season. Even before the possible ar- rival of Neymar, they have been boosted by the signings of Antoine Griezmann Lionel Messi sustained a calf injury in training last week and missed Barca’s last two pre-season friendlies against Napoli. from Atletico and Frenkie de Jong from Messi, Ronaldo and Van Dijk Ajax. “Tomorrow we start the league and Milan, and young gem Lucas Hernandez “Wherever you put him, he reads the De Jong will be tasked with fi lling the our goal is to repeat our success,” Val- snapped up by Bayern Munich. game really well,” said Simeone. “The void left by Pablo Sarabia, who left for shortlisted for UEFA awards verde said. “The most diffi cult thing is to They also lost their defensive mid- best thing about him though is that he Paris Saint-Germain, and Wissam Ben keep winning.” fi elder Rodri to Manchester City after just wants to learn. When this is the case, ad- Yedder, who has joined Monaco. Lausanne: Lionel Messi, Van Dijk has joined Messi a year at the club, while the spat between aptation is always quicker.” Challenging Sevilla for the top four will Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil and Ronaldo, the two iconic NEW-LOOK ATLETICO DREAMING Atleti and Barca over Griezmann’s messy Mario Hermoso, Kieran Trippier and be Valencia, who have endured a similarly van Dijk have been named players of their generation, on OF LA LIGA GLORY AGAIN departure left a bad taste in the mouth. Renan Lodi all appear excellent defensive chaotic summer amid tensions between candidates for this year’s UEFA the shortlist after starring in Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid began the Few would expect Griezmann and the additions while Marcos Llorente from Real Singaporean owner Peter Lim and the Men’s Player of the Year award, defence for Liverpool as they summer by losing six of their best play- 75mn euro ($84mn) Frenkie de Jong not Madrid should prove a shrewd replacement general manager Mateu Alemany, who is European football’s governing won a sixth Champions League ers but are ending it with greater belief to make Barca even stronger, an ominous for silky Rodri. Atletico fi nished 12 points backed by coach Marcelino, over transfer body announced yesterday. and came close to winning their than ever they can beat Real Madrid and prospect given they won La Liga by 11 ahead of Real last season and a series of bad strategy. The prize will be awarded to first domestic league title in 29 Barcelona to the La Liga title, thanks points only three months ago, but Atleti- summer displays from Zinedine Zidane’s one of the trio during the draw years. in part to the exhilarating form of new co look best-placed to capitalise should side — including a 7-3 defeat to their Ma- FIXTURES (ALL TIMES GMT) for the Champions League Messi won the first edition of striker Joao Felix. Diego Simeone was they falter. drid rivals — inspire little confi dence de- Today: Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona (1900) group stage in Monaco on the award in 2011 while Ronaldo tasked with his biggest rebuild since tak- Forward Felix is at the heart of the opti- spite the arrival of Eden Hazard. August 29, after they were has won it on three occasions, ing charge in 2011 after an exodus that not mism following his arrival for 120 mn eu- Zidane was frustrated in his bid to Tomorrow: Celta Vigo v Real Ma- shortlisted by a jury of coaches in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Luka only drained his team of talent, including ros, erasing the pain of the Frenchman’s bring in Paul Pogba, while sidelined play- drid (1500), Valencia v Real Socie- and journalists. Modric is the current holder of star man Antoine Griezmann, but caused exit even before a competitive ball has ers Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez re- dad (1700), Mallorca v Eibar (1800), England’s Lucy Bronze, Ballon the men’s award after winning many to wonder if the team could ever be been kicked. The 19-year-old has dazzled main in the squad. Real reject Julen Lo- Leganes v Osasuna (1900), Villarreal v d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg the Champions League and the same again. during pre-season, his most impressive petegui will be hoping for more patience Granada (1900) and France’s Amandine Henry taking Croatia to the World Cup They lost four defenders, with full- outing coming against Juventus and his at Sevilla, where a frantic transfer win- On Sunday: Alaves v Levante (1500), have been shortlisted for the final in 2018, while Wolfsburg’s backs Filipe Luis and Juanfran going to fellow Portugese Cristiano Ronaldo on dow has seen 12 players arrive, including Espanyol v Sevilla (1700), Real Betis v Real women’s award. All three play Danish striker Pernille Harder Brazil with Flamengo and Sao Paulo, Saturday, when he scored one and set up Dutch international striker Luuk de Jong, Valladolid (1900), Atletico Madrid v Getafe for European champions Lyon. bagged the women’s prize. captain Diego Godin moving to Inter the other in a 2-1 win in Stockholm. and 11 depart. (2000)

ROUND-UP PREMIER LEAGUE Halilhodzic named as Arsenal’s Ozil and Kolasinac ready to play: Emery new coach of Morocco Reuters London ormer Japan boss Vahid bounce back from last month’s Halilhodzic was named surprise last 16 loss on penalties as the new coach of to Benin at the Africa Cup of Na- esut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac Morocco yesterday, his tions. Media reports in Morocco are “good options” for Arse- thirdF job with an African nation. say Halilhodzic got the nod de- nal’s match against Burnley The 67-year-old succeeds Herve spite alleged contact with former after missing the team’s Pre- Renard, who quit after the Africa France boss Laurent Blanc. Mmier League opener due to a security sit- Cup of Nations and has since uation being investigated by the police, taken over at Saudi Arabia. FIFA BANS EX-BOLIVIAN manager Unai Emery said yesterday. “To reach the World Cup FOOTBALL CHIEF FOR LIFE The duo, who escaped unhurt after an fi nals in 2022 is my main objec- FIFA yesterday banned the attempted carjacking last month, were tive,” said Halilodzic, who was former treasurer of South not in the squad at Newcastle United last recently the coach of French club America’s football federation for weekend due to “further security inci- Nantes. Halilhodzic, who left life after an ethics panel found dents” which the club did not elaborate Nantes on August 2 by mutual him guilty of bribery. Romer on. “They came back to train with us on agreement, has also coached Osuna, who also once headed Tuesday,” Emery told reporters ahead of Ivory Coast and Algeria — whom Bolivia’s football federation, Burnley’s visit tomorrow. he took to the second round of was among a group of South “We had (the day) off but they came the World Cup in 2014 for the American football offi cials back to start training. Mesut didn’t train Arsenal’s German midfielder Mesut Ozil (left) and Bosnian defender Sead Kolasinac. (AFP) fi rst time in the country’s his- charged with corruption in 2015 yesterday with illness but he trained to- tory. He was in charge of Japan amid the unprecedented scandal day. The club is working and helping castle and Emery said he would wait until ting better. He’s more close to help us at “They have a very clear structure. They from 2015 until 2018 but was that triggered sweeping reform them. I’m helping them focus on training after tomorrow’s training before deciding the beginning (of the match).” changed last year to a 5-3-2 (formation) axed just two months before the within FIFA. The adjudicatory and preparation. At the moment they are whether to select the striker. Burnley have lost their last 10 matches but the 4-4-2 structure is strong with World Cup fi nals in Russia. The chamber of FIFA’s independent calm... I want to help them to live with “I’m going to decide tomorrow because against Arsenal in all competitions but them. We need to be at our best individu- veteran coach has already made ethics committee said in a state- normality. “They are both good options. now is a small diff erence for my decision Emery is not taking Sean Dyche’s side ally and collectively. his mark in Morocco in lifting ment that it had investigated a I’ll take the decision if they can be with us about the player,” Emery added. “It de- lightly, especially after a 3-0 home win “It’s going to be a very physical match. the African Champions League bribery scheme that ran from on Saturday, we’ll wait for tomorrow.” pends how they will be tomorrow in train- over Southampton in their season opener. We need that adaptation, to be strong and back in 1997 with Raja Casa- 2012 to 2015 in which Osuna was Club record signing Nicolas Pepe, ing. Pepe is training with us, improving “Burnley are in a good moment, they won an important game plan with our struc- blanca. Morocco are looking to accused of “awarding contracts bought for 72mn pounds ($87mn), made with us, knowing us. He’s understanding 3-0 and have had an amazing pre-sea- ture and tactical positioning. They’re their new handler to help them to companies for the media. his Arsenal debut as a substitute at New- our style little by little and physically get- son,” Emery said. very strong with the duels.”

Friday, August 16, 2019 GULF TIMES FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT Adrian the hero as Liverpool beat Chelsea to win Super Cup ‘It’s been a crazy week. I’m really happy for the team, I’m happy to play for Liverpool and happy for the fans’

AFP Istanbul

tand-in goalkeeper Adrian capped a “crazy week” as his save from Tammy Abraham al- lowed Liverpool to beat Chel- seaS 5-4 on penalties and win the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday after a richly entertaining match in Istanbul fi nished 2-2 at the end of extra time. Every penalty in the shoot-out had been successful before Mohamed Salah converted Liverpool’s fi fth kick at the home of Besiktas. Substitute Abraham then had his eff ort saved by Adrian, the new signing only playing in the absence of the injured Allison Becker. “Welcome to Liverpool! It’s been a crazy week. I’m really happy for the team, I’m happy to play for Liverpool and happy for the fans,” Adrian, who signed 10 days ago, said. It was Liver- pool’s fourth Super Cup victory, with their last coming in 2005 on the back of their memorable Champions League triumph in Istanbul. They have now won 13 European tro- phies overall, and how their supporters would love to come back to the banks of the Bosphorus for the fi nal of this sea- son’s Champions League. “It was a very diffi cult game for both teams. It was all about winning it and we did that in the end,” admitted manager Jurgen Klopp. Sadio Mane had earlier been Liver- pool’s star, cancelling out Olivier Gi- roud’s fi rst-half strike to ensure the match ended 1-1 in 90 minutes, and then putting Klopp’s team in front on 95 minutes. But it was perhaps inevita- ble that French referee Stephanie Frap- part would play a role in the outcome of the game. The fi rst woman to take charge of a major men’s match in European com- petition, Frappart gave Chelsea a pen- alty when Abraham went down under contact from Adrian. Jorginho net- ted the spot-kick. He also scored in the shoot-out, but there would be no fi rst trophy as Chelsea coach for Frank Lampard, who lost the Super Cup twice with the club as a player. “To lose the game was disappoint- Liverpool players celebrate with the trophy after winning the UEFA Super Cup at the Besiktas Park Stadium in Istanbul on Wednesday night. (AFP) ing but if it means Chelsea’s season can be something like how we played to- lade-Chamberlain made his fi rst start riguez striking the bar midway through of Firmino helped change things at the van Dijk’s follow-up onto the wood- Mane found Firmino and then day, we’ll be ok,” he insisted. Lampard for Liverpool in 16 months after injury. the fi rst half before Adrian saved from start of the second half, though, with work. Brought on from the bench along latched onto the Brazilian’s cutback has stated a willingness to give youth The England midfi elder released Salah Mateo Kovacic. The opener arrived in Liverpool needing little more than two with Abraham, Mount briefl y thought and fi red home off the underside of the a chance this season, although here for an early chance only for the Egyp- the 36th minute, with Kante fi nding minutes to draw level. he had restored Chelsea’s lead late on bar. But, in the 101st minute, Jorginho he left Mason Mount and Abraham — tian’s eff ort to be saved by Kepa Arriza- Pulisic and the American drawing sev- The Brazilian knocked the ball into but his crisp low strike was disallowed. converted from the spot to bring back aged just 20 and 21 respectively — on balaga. However, he generally struggled eral red shirts towards him before re- the path of Mane, who scrambled home On into extra time they went and, to the the possibility of a penalty shoot-out. the bench. N’Golo Kante played after to make an impact and was replaced at leasing Giroud to score. from close range despite Kepa getting a delight of the crowd, who were mostly Having conceded that spot-kick, Adri- a summer plagued by injury problems, half-time by Roberto Firmino. Shortly after, Pulisic thought he had glove to it. Kepa fared far better in the supporting the European champions, an later produced a fi rm hand to deny while Giroud started and Christian Chelsea had enjoyed the better of the made it 2-0, but his fi ne fi nish was dis- 75th minute, blocking a Salah shot and Liverpool went 2-1 up thanks to that Mount and was at it again as he denied Pulisic made his full debut. Alex Ox- opening 45 minutes, with Pedro Rod- allowed for off side. The introduction then reacting brilliantly to turn Virgil same combination. Abraham to secure the trophy.

FOCUS QATAR STARS LEAGUE Klopp lauds ‘incredible’ Adrian Al Gharafa unveil Ja-cheol AFP Istanbul

urgen Klopp hailed “incredible” UEFA Super Cup hero Adrian and then ad- mitted he had no idea where the goal- keeper even was a fortnight ago. The Spaniard,J only in the side because of an in- jury to number one goalkeeper Allison Beck- er, saved Tammy Abraham’s penalty to give Liverpool a 5-4 shootout win against Chel- sea after the showdown between Champi- ons League and Europa League winners had fi nished 2-2 in Istanbul on Wednesday. The 32-year-old former Betis shot- stopper joined Liverpool on a free transfer to replace the departed Simon Mignolet on August 5, the day after Klopp’s team lost on penalties to Manchester City in the Com- munity Shield. Released by West Ham Unit- ed, he was thrust into the spotlight when he had to replace the injured Alisson in the fi rst half of the Premier League opening 4-1 win against Norwich on Friday. “I don’t know where Adrian was two weeks ago when we South Korea’s Koo Ja-cheol (right) poses with a Al Gharafa jersey and club off icial yesterday. played Man City,” said Klopp after seeing his European champions win the Super Cup for By Sports Reporter them happy. Qatar’s Asian Cup cessful spell in the Bundesliga, the fourth time. Doha triumph is a great indicator of the which saw him play for three dif- “When I spoke to him for the fi rst time it development of football in Qa- ferent teams. was clear he would need time to get fi t, but tar,” he said. Having joined Wolfsburg in we didn’t have that time so he has to be fi t ormer South Korean Koo’s arrival is yet another January 2011, Koo spent time on now, and he was fi t, he played an incredible star Koo Ja-cheol was signal of intent by Al Gharafa to loan at Augsburg before join- game, he made sensational saves.” unveiled by QNB Stars make amends for a disappointing ing Mainz midway through the Adrian made notable interventions dur- Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp (left) celebrates winning the UEFA Super Cup with League outfi t Al Gharafa 2018/19 campaign. After sealing 2013/14 season. A brief stay at ing the game, diving at the feet of Mateo Fat a press conference yesterday. continental qualifi cation in the the Opel Arena was then fol- Adrian (top right) and Andrew Robertson in Istanbul on Wednesday. (Reuters) Kovacic in the fi rst half and batting away a Ja-cheol arrives in Qatar after previous two seasons, the Chee- lowed by a permanent return to Mason Mount strike late in extra time. How- helped us a lot and he can be really proud the back, so I am really happy for the team, having spent the last nine sea- tahs slumped to an 8th place Augsburg, whom he represented ever, he also fouled Abraham to give away of what he did tonight,” added the German happy to get that trophy, that title,” Adrian sons in the Bundesliga. fi nish in the 12-team competi- in the past four seasons to take the 101st-minute penalty which Jorginho manager, who described Adrian as “a proper said. The South Korean’s signing tion and fi nished a staggering 31 his Bundesliga appearance total scored to make it 2-2 after Sadio Mane’s personality in the dressing room”. Klopp was also eff usive in his praise of was confi rmed by the club on points behind eventual cham- to an impressive 211 games. 95th-minute second goal had seemed to Adrian had once been a regular for West the all-female refereeing team, headed August 2 and the midfi elder had pions Al Sadd, despite boasting The 30-year-old also estab- have put the Merseysiders on course for an Ham but did not play in the Premier League by France’s Stephanie Frappart, even if he already joined his new team- the likes of Dutch legend Wesley lished himself as a key player for extra-time victory. last season and his last appearance before was not happy with the penalty awarded to mates at their training camp in Sneijder, Iran star Mehdi Taremi Korea after winning his fi rst cap “In penalty shootouts you’re always lucky arriving at Anfi eld had been an FA Cup de- Chelsea in extra time. “I told the ref team Netherlands. “I m very happy to and ex-Manchester City man in 2008 and captained his coun- but his performance over 120 minutes was feat by third-tier AFC Wimbledon in Janu- that if we had played like they whistled we join the Cheetahs after a nine- Vladimir Weiss. try at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. incredible, making the save from the penalty ary. “Welcome to Liverpool! It was a crazy would have won 6-0, that was my opinion, year spell in Germany. I hope to By joining the Cheetahs, Koo He retired from international was the icing on the cake,” said Klopp. “He week, but with them it’s so easy playing at that they played a brilliant game.” give my best to the club and make brings an end to a long and suc- football after the AFC Asian Cup.