SPORTS MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2013 Points record gives Alonso something to celebrate

SUZUKA: Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso took more com- than seven times world champion Michael remember the points (systems). They will only cele- 2001. Alonso had little to crow about after Sunday’s fort in knocking Michael Schumacher off his perch as Schumacher managed to accumulate. brate they are first in history. “So it’s my time to cele- race, with Ferrari again outpaced by the Red Bulls Formula One’s all-time top points scorer yesterday The record may be scorned by the sport’s histori- brate, my time to enjoy hopefully for many years,” and the Lotus of Frenchman Romain Grosjean. than in keeping the championship mathematically ans, given the change in scoring systems over the said Alonso. Formula One awarded eight points for a In his mind, the title has already been won by open for two more weeks. years and far greater number of races in a season, but win in the early days with only the top five scoring. Vettel and the battle now is to keep Ferrari in second The Spaniard’s fourth place in the Japanese Grand Alonso was not about to overlook the chance to be From 1991, the winner collected 10 points and in place and ahead of Mercedes and Lotus. Prix meant Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, winner for the happy about something. “Today they told me I have 2010 that was increased to 25 with the top 10 finish- “I was always behind someone but the top three fifth race in a row and now 90 points clear with four the record for the most amount of points in F1 histo- ers all scoring. Schumacher won 91 races in a career were always too strong for us. Even without the traf- rounds left, would have to wait until India on Oct. 27 ry, so it’s a happy day - the leading points scorer in F1 running from 1991 to 2012, with a break from the fic, I think the podium was already decided,” said to celebrate his fourth successive title. The result also is something great,” he told reporters. “In six years end of 2006 to 2010, while double world champion Alonso. “Even if Sebastian retires in all four races I lifted Alonso’s career points tally to 1,571 five more time when someone will overtake me, no-one will Alonso has 32 career wins since he made his debut in need to win them all.” — Reuters Vettel grabs Japan GP

SUZUKA: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel won the Japanese Grand Prix yesterday but was made to wait for his fourth successive Formula One title after Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished fourth. The 26-year-old German’s fourth win at Suzuka in the last five years left him with a lead of 90 points over Alonso with four races, and a maximum 100 points, remaining. The next up is India on Oct. 27. Vettel’s Australian team mate Mark Webber, who had started on pole position, finished 7.1 seconds behind in a Red Bull one- two with Frenchman Romain Grosjean taking third place for Lotus on a sunny afternoon at the Honda-owned track. “Ichiban (first), Ichiban,” Vettel shouted in Japanese over the team radio, whooping in delight after taking the chequered flag at the ZARAGOZA: Spanish matador El Cordobes is gored by a bull during a bullfight at La end of a race that hinged on his ability to do two Misericordia bullring during El Pilar Feria in Zaragoza. — AFP stops to Webber’s three. “Great job, thanks a lot for bringing the car back, unbelievable. You’re the best team in the world. Thank you very much Int’l Open football boys, I love you.” It was Vettel’s fifth win in a row, ninth in 15 tournament to kick off races this season and 35th of his career. Asked on the podium about the championship, with the during Eid holidays passionate crowd roaring in approval, he added: “Obviously we have a very good gap but we still KUWAIT: After conducting the Int’l Open 24 Teams will be participating in this presti- keep pushing... it looks very good at this stage football tournament successfully for the gious Tournament and a stiff competition is but it’s not over until its over.” last two years, Real Betalbatim Football awaited between Dubai & Kuwait Teams. Alonso, who became Formula One’s leading Club is all geared up once again for the 3rd Teams vying for the glittering Trophy all-time points scorer, had no illusions about his edition, scheduled on Oct 16, 2013 during and valuable prizes this year will include chances. “Even if Vettel doesn’t finish all of the the Eid Holidays (Ground to intimated via the Champions of last year Siolim United, races I need to win nearly all (of them), so it’s a Facebook). strong contenders Aldona United and new matter of time,” said the Spaniard. The Tournament is organized in fond outfits Emirates Goan (EGSCC) and FC Webber always knew he was going to have a memory of Late Sheikha Huda Bader Bardez from Dubai and around 20 battle on his hands with his team mate but it was Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, and is a renowned Teams from Kuwait namely Grosjean who seized the lead with a storming much awaited feature in the expatriate Santos United, AVC Goa Maroons, Real start from fourth while both Red Bull drivers were football circuits in Kuwait & GCC. Betalbatim, Don Bosco, DHL FC, Veterans slow to react. Vettel made contact with Lewis Last year a total of 24 teams participated United, United Friends, Fahaheel Brothers Hamilton’s Mercedes, with the Briton first suffer- in the football extravaganza and once and Kuwait Goans Association (KGA) ing a puncture that sent him to the back of the again it was a Dubai based Team, Siolim among other teams. field and then retiring. United who took flight with the prestigious Real Betalbatim FC looks forward to “The floor was destroyed... I was a second and trophy to the to add your presence as a large holiday crowd is a half to two seconds off the pace and the car to their collection. expected to witness this tournament. To was pulling to the right. It’s a good job they Among others who shone during the add spice to the tournament two exhibi- pulled me in,” said the 2008 world champion. tournament were Vanxim Divar and Aldona tion matches will be held for the first time The Red Bull emerged unscathed, with the United from Dubai & Goa Maroons and in the history of Kuwait, one for the Ladies team reassuring a concerned Vettel, and the Veterans United from Kuwait. This year also and other for Children (Boys). German settled into third place at the end of the opening lap. “A horrible start and then a fantastic comeback,” declared the beaming Vettel, who took the lead for the first time on lap 13 after Grosjean and Webber had pitted. The lead changed between the three over the race according to pitstops with Webber making his final stop 11 laps before the finish. SUZUKA: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany holds up the trophy to celebrate his vic- The Australian had hoped to claw back the tory during the awarding ceremony of the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix. — AFP deficit but could not get past Grosjean until the penultimate lap, by which time Vettel was nine switched from two to three. Esteban Gutierrez became the first rookie driver seconds clear and out of reach. “Unfortunately we lost too much time at the to score a point this season with seventh place “Mark was going through the tyres a bit quick- end there behind Grosjean for him to have a for Sauber. Nico Rosberg put some points on the er and getting into trouble earlier,” said Red Bull crack at Sebastian but he (Vettel) just made the board for Mercedes, who slipped further behind principal Christian Horner. “It made a huge tyres last extremely well.” Ferrari in third place in the championship, with amount of pressure on the two-stop and would Kimi Raikkonen was fifth for Lotus with Nico Britain’s Jenson Button ninth for McLaren. have been very difficult to beat Grosjean so we Hulkenberg sixth in the Sauber. Sauber’s Mexican Ferrari’s Felipe Massa was 10th. — Reuters Cameroon goalkeeper foils

JOHANNESBURG: Former Liverpool goalkeeper Charles Itandje made a string of superb saves to help Cameroon force a 0-0 World Cup Africa play-off draw in Tunisia yesterday. Given a second chance after Cape Verde were dis- qualified, the Tunisians attacked relentlessly in the ear- ly stages only to be foiled by the 30-year-old France- SEPANG: MotoGP rider Dani Pedrosa of Spain lifts up his trophy on the podium born shot-stopper. after winning the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix. — AP Cameroon captain Samuel Eto’o, back after a short- lived retirement, was always a threat in the first leg of a Pedrosa bags tie offering a ticket to the 2014 finals in Brazil. The teams, who boast 10 World Cup appearances between them, clash again in the second leg in Yaounde on November 17 with the odds favouring the ‘Indomitable Lions’. Malaysia GP Tunisia flew out of the starting blocks with Amine Chermiti having a shot blocked by Itandje with just 10 MALAYSIA: Spain’s Dani Pedrosa won the Malaysian Grand Prix’.” seconds gone at Stade Olympique on the outskirts of . Houcine Ragued and Chermiti again went close the Malaysian Grand Prix for the second With three rounds to go and a maxi- as the ‘Carthage Eagles’ sought an early breakthrough year in a row yesterday but his compatri- mum of 75 points up for grabs, Marquez while Eto’o saw his long-range shot comfortably saved ot Marc Marquez finished second to leads the riders’ standings on 298 points at the other end. move to the brink of clinching the with Lorenzo second on 255 and Pedrosa Itandje had to be at his acrobatic best on 17 min- MotoGP title in his rookie season. third with 244. utes, pushing over a dipping medium-range drive from Pedrosa, nursing a badly injured hip Marquez was handed a third penalty Wissem Ben Yahia. There was no rest for the Cameroon from a crash he blamed on a collision point of the season for his part in the shot-stopper, this time keeping out a Chermiti header with Marquez that ended his race in Aragon collision but Pedrosa still clearly as Tunisia used the flanks to create chances. Eto’o was Aragon two weeks ago, made a point to felt he had something to prove and the victim of a two-foot lunge from behind by Sameh his Honda team mate with a dominant raced off the second row past the pole- Derbaly and recovered to later cut the ball back for Jean Makoun, who should have done better than fire ride to claim his third victory of the sea- sitter at the start. Lorenzo, aware that he wide. Substitute Ben Fakhreddine Youssef and Pierre son. would become less competitive against Webo squandered good chances in a less frenetic sec- Marquez, though, prevailed in a fierce his compatriots on the Hondas as the ond half. Emmanuel Emenike scored both goals as battle with his closest title rival, world race progressed, made an even better Nigeria triumphed 2-1 in Ethiopia to all but seal a fifth champion Jorge Lorenzo, and passed the start and led until he was overtaken by World Cup appearance. Yamaha rider with 11 laps remaining to Pedrosa on lap five. His fierce drive from outside the box brought the claim the 20 points awarded for second Marquez almost followed his team ‘Super Eagles’ level midway through the second half place. Victory for Marquez next week at mate through but Lorenzo held his before calmly converting a last-minute penalty. Phillip Island in Australia combined with ground in a ding-dong battle until lap Ethiopian Girma Adane wasted several good first- half chances and Salahdin Ahmed had a shot cleared anything worse than second place for nine, when the championship leader off the line by Godfrey Oboabona. Lorenzo, who finished third ahead of came storming up the inside. The ‘Waliya Antelopes’ went ahead early in the sec- Valentino Rossi, would hand the 20-year- By this time, though, Pedrosa had ond half when Nigeria goalkeeper and captain Vincent old the world title with two races to already established a strong lead and he Enyeama caught a harmless Behailu Assefa cross TUNIS: Tunisian striker Amine Chermiti (right) vies for the ball against Cameroon�s defender spare. crossed the line an impressive 2.757 sec- behind the goal-line. Ethiopia caused the shock of the Ndoubena Nkoulou (3) during the FIFA World Cup qualification match. —AFP Marquez said claiming the points for onds ahead of the field. mini-league previous stage, winning a group in which half penalty saved by goalkeeper Adi Mbolhi. the Ivorian goals. A foul on him allowed captain the championship race at the sweeping “Great feeling to be back and to win 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa were top seeds. Midfielder Jonathan Pitroipa, voted the best player Drogba to convert a penalty, and his cross forced Sepang International Circuit had been this race after the huge crash, physically Burkina Faso kept alive hopes of a first World Cup at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, was outstanding and Lamine Sane to concede an own goal with only 14 more important than pushing for a sev- it was very hard,” said the 28-year-old. “It appearance through a controversial 3-2 victory over broke the deadlock just before half-time. minutes gone. Algeria in Ouagadougou Saturday. The late winner enth victory of the season. was not an easy week, I wasn’t really able Sofiane Feghouli equalised early in the second half, Kalou was put through by a superb Gervinho pass came from an Aristide Bance penalty that television Djakaridja Kone put the ‘Stallions’ ahead a second time five minutes after half-time and he fired past Bouna “We had a great battle with Jorge and to get out of bed but came back strong replays suggested should not have been awarded. and Carl Medjani brought the ‘Desert Foxes’ level Coundoul to suggest a rout was in prospect.But Dani opened up this gap,” he said. “And to win this one for my fans and for my Essaid Belkalem had his arms behind his back when again. Chelsea old boys Didier Drogba and Salomon Senegal had the final say, Papiss Cisse pouncing on a when I overtook Jorge, I tried to close team. “It’s a little bit of a shame because I the ball struck him on the chest, but the Zambian ref- Kalou were among the Ivory Coast scorers in a 3-1 loose ball to fire home from close range six minutes this gap but it was too much risk. “So I had very strong pace in Aragon too, we eree awarded a spot-kick for hand-ball. Abidjan triumph over Senegal. Gervinho, another for- into additional time. Ghana host Egypt Tuesday in a said, ‘Okay, I will finish second, I will lead could have won but unfortunately I Bance, who stood out with his dyed blond mohawk mer English Premier League performer who moved much-anticipated final first-leg fixture and the return with 43 points and that is enough after crashed.” — Reuters hairstyle, was a relieved match-winner as he had a first- from Arsenal to Roma in mid-year, played a part in all matches will be staged in mid-November. — AFP