TENNIS | Page 4 CCRICKETRICKET | Page 6 Peerless ‘Unbelievable’ Federer rolls India thrash on with win Aussies, win over del Potro Test series Wednesday, March 29, 2017 FOOTBALL Rajab 1, 1438 AH Foul-mouthed GULF TIMES Messi banned for four matches SPORT Page 2 GROUP A Qatar suff er heart-breaking 1-0 defeat to Uzbekistan It was the fifth defeat for the Al Annabi, who now languish at the bottom of Group A on just four points from seven games By Sports Reporter Tashkent Veteran Valentino Rossi is always a threat. atar’s slim chances of clinching an automatic qualifying spot for the 2018 World Cup in Russia dissi- Qpated yesterday after they were beat- en 1-0 by Uzbekistan in their Group A match in Tashkent. It was the fi fth defeat for the Al An- nabi, who now languish at the bottom of the six-team group on just four points from seven matches, and even the prospect of fi nishing third in the group now appear remote. Jorge Fossati’s side were hoping for a miracle after a 1-0 defeat to Iran last week in Doha had left them with the near-impossible task of having to win their next four matches in order to challenge the top guns in the group. But a sensational Odil Akhmedov free-kick in the 65th minute, the ball crashing low into the net after curv- ing around the “wall”, put paid to Qa- tar’s hopes at the same time giving the Uzbeks a decent chance of fi nish- ing second in the group and qualify- ing for the tournament proper for the fi rst-ever time. A 1-0 loss to Syria last week meant Qatari players appear forlorn after their defeat to Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan needed three points to stay within striking distance of sec- ond-placed Korea Republic, but the opening 45 minutes saw the Central Asians struggle to break down a reso- lute Qatar defence. But just as it appeared the hosts Action from the Qatar-Uzbekistan match in Tashkent yesterday. could be in for a frustrating night, Akhmedov curled in a lovely low free- of Sebastian Soria, Rodrigo Tabata consigned them to defeat by the same Jeong-Ho struck in the fourth minute kick from 20 yards to put the Uzbeks and Luiz Junior were kept well in scoreline. as Uli Stielike’s South Korea beat Syr- in front, before the Shanghai SIPG check, except during the fi nal few While Iran, Asia’s top-ranked ia 1-0 to remain second in Group A. midfi elder forced goalkeeper Saad al- minutes of the game when Qatar got team, maintain their four-point Sheeb to tip wide from distance with their act together. cushion from South Korea at the top RESULTS (GROUP A) 17 minutes remaining. But that was still not enough as of Group A, China are second from In a frantic fi nal 10 minutes the the equalizer evaded them and dis- bottom with only three games to go. South Korea 1 (Jeong-Ho 4) Syria 0 visitors’ Luiz Junior had a goal ruled appointment was writ large on their China are pumping huge resources Iran 1 (Taremi 46) China 0 out for off side before Egor Krimets faces as the referee blew the fi nal into football in an eff ort to lift them- uzbekistan 1 (Akhmedov 65) Qatar 0 miscued against his own crossbar, but whistle. selves among the sport’s elite, start- Team M W D L F A D P Uzbekistan held out to remain third Earlier, Iran’s Mehdi Taremi dealt ing with qualifying for only the sec- Iran 7 5 2 0 6 0 +6 17 in Group A, a point behind Korea Re- China’s World Cup hopes a major ond World Cup in their history. South Korea 7 4 1 2 9 7 +2 13 public, who defeated Syria 1-0 earlier blow with a 1-0 win. But they may now have to win all of Uzbekistan 7 4 0 3 6 4 +2 12 yesterday. Marcello Lippi’s team had raised their remaining games against Syria, Syria 7 2 2 3 2 3 -1 8 Qatar’s forwards were once again Chinese hopes with their 1-0 win Uzbekistan and Qatar to reach next China 7 1 2 4 3 7 -4 5 ineff ective and barely managed to over the Koreans last week, but year’s tournament in Russia. Qatar 7 1 1 5 3 8 -5 4 pressure the Uzbek defence. The trio Taremi’s goal straight after half-time Elsewhere, China-based Hong GROUP B Australia end run of draws with 2-0 victory Reuters straight World Cup but their inability Sydney to score from open play had cost them UAE coach Ali quits aft er Australia defeat Australia’s Mathew Leckie (C) dear. celebrates with teammates after They got the best possible start yes- Sydney: United Arab Emirates coach via two playoff s. scoring against UAE. ackson Irvine and Mathew terday when James Troisi swung in the Mahdi Ali resigned on Tuesday after Ali said he had off ered to resign after Leckie headed home corners as fi rst corner of the match and Irvine got a loss to Australia dealt an all but the UAE beat Iraq in a qualifier last Australia got their World Cup up well to head the ball off the chest of fatal blow to the country’s chances November but had been persuaded qualifying campaign back on a defender and into the net. of reaching next year’s World Cup in to stay on. Jtrack with a 2-0 victory over the Unit- Postecoglou stuck with the tactical Russia. “I think after five years, I have done ed Arab Emirates yesterday, ending a switch to wing backs he introduced in Ali, who led the UAE to a third-place my best, we have many achieve- run of four successive draws. last week’s 1-1 draw away to Iraq and finish at the Asian Cup in 2015, called ments,” he told reporters. Jackson struck in the seventh minute the players were still clearly struggling time on a highly successful stint in “This is a very bad time for me, I wish I and Leckie added the second 12 min- to fi nd a rhythm in the unfamiliar for- charge of his country in the wake of could leave the national team in a bet- utes from time to send the 27,328 fans mation. the 2-0 defeat by the Socceroos in ter condition. But this is life, we have at the Sydney Football Stadium home They dominated possession but gave Group B of Asian qualifying. to accept it. happy despite a far from convincing the ball away too frequently and the The loss left the Emiratis, who had “I tried my best with all the tools I display from Ange Postecoglou’s side. deft skills of UAE midfi elder Omar Ab- started their campaign with a stun- have. But the coach is only one part of The UAE opened their campaign dulrahman were always a threat. ning victory away to Japan, fourth in the team. with a stunning win over Japan in The Asian Player of the Year drew the group and clinging to faint hopes “I thank the staff , the team but I think Saitama but a fourth loss since means a brilliant save out of Australia goal- of finishing third and reaching Russia it is time for me to leave.” they are now four points behind the keeper Mat Ryan from a free kick in the leading trio and clinging to slim hopes 17th minute and was constantly prob- of claiming third place. ing for openings. Thailand 4-0 to edge closer to a sixth with a sharp fi nish after eight minutes, As Asian champions, Australia were Meanwhile, Leicester City striker successive World Cup. before Okazaki thundered home a div- Okazaki’s landmark goal, on his killed the contest. Meanwhile, Saudi favoured to grab one of the two au- Shinji Okazaki celebrated his 50th in- Shinji Kagawa gave the hosts the ing header to bring up his half-century 108th Japan appearance, came on 19 Arabia defeated Iraq 1-0 to take their tomatic spots to reach their fourth ternational goal as Japan brushed aside lead in their Asian Group B qualifi er in swashbuckling style. minutes in Saitama and eff ectively tally to 16 points, the same as Japan. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, March 29, 2017 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT Ronaldo nicknamed closed for the weekend. “cry baby” by his Rohr, who has previously man- childhood teammates aged national sides Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso, has Real Madrid forward Cristiano worked mainly with players Ronaldo was nicknamed based in mainland Europe “cry baby” by his childhood since he took charge of Ni- teammates due to the temper geria last year. Messi gets banned tantrums he threw when The former Bordeaux player the team lost or if he did not and coach, who has also receive the ball, managed several European Ricardo Santos played domestic sides, including alongside the four-times world Ajaccio, has said it costs less player of the year for amateur to do so and the facilities are team CF Andorinha in Ma- better than in Nigeria. deira, where Ronaldo’s father Nigeria plan to set up a train- for four matches worked as a kit man. ing camp in France in May and “Cry-baby, yes, because Ronal- play a friendly against Corsica The decision means that the five-times world player of the year will play in only one do already loved to win like he as part of preparations for a loves today and when he lost 2019 Africa Cup of Nations of Argentina’s remaining five World Cup qualifiers and when other kids didn’t qualifier against South Africa pass the ball to him he used to in June.