GGOLFOLF | Page 6 CYCLING | Page 7 Morikawa Roglic in hungry for control as Tour more majors heads to high at US Open mountains Wednesday, September 16, 2020 FOOTBALL Muharram 28, 1442 AH Aubameyang signs new GULF TIMES deal, vows to become Arsenal ‘legend’ SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL / AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Almoez, Ramin score in Duhail’s win over Sharjah QNB Stars League champs are second in Group C with six points AFC caught napping after a misplaced Doha pass from Mohamed Abdulba- set allowed Luiz Junior to collect the ball deep into his own half atar striker Almoez Ali and supply an impeccable pass and new signing Ramin to Almoez who expertly applied Rezaeian scored as Al his fi nish into the bottom corner Duhail got back to win- from the edge of the box to put Al Qning ways in a fi ercely-contested Duhail in the lead. tactical battle in the AFC Cham- Al Duhail picked up from where pions League. The QNB Stars they left off after the restart and League champions beat Sharjah within six minutes, Abdullah al- 2-1 at Education City Stadium Ahrak had won a free-kick just yesterday. outside the Sharjah penalty box Sharjah went into the game in and new signing Rezaeian curled pursuit of their fi rst win in the it perfectly into the top corner to AFC Champions League since double the Qataris’ lead. 2004, having collected one point Five minutes later, Coronado from their fi rst two games. used his trickery to dribble his way Al Duhail, meanwhile, were past two Al Duhail players before looking to make amends having being brought down by Ali inside lost to Al Taawoun on Matchday the box, prompting the referee to Two. point to the spot. The former Pal- Duhail head coach Walid Re- ermo playmaker stepped up and gragui said he was satisfi ed with coolly converted in his trademark the performance of the team. style to half the defi cit. “The result of the match is ex- Despite relative dominance cellent, especially since it is our for Sharjah and coach Abdulaziz fi rst match after the long hiatus. al-Anbari throwing in a trio of With time the team will regain its Al Duhail head coach Walid Regragui. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil attacking players in Khalid Ba- full brilliance, and I am satisfi ed wazir, Saif Rashid and Salem with the performance,” Regragui team is limitless, which ensures fore the half-hour mark, when Saleh, Al Duhail stood tall to see was quoted as saying on Duhail’s he always gives his best.” Ahmed Yasser rose highest to off the match and move up to six website. Igor Coronado had the fi rst meet a cross from a free-kick. points, fi ve points ahead of their Talking about Almoez, he said, chance of the match for Shar- Adel al-Hosani did enough to opponents. “Almoez is an ambitious and dis- jah after eight minutes, but his initially parry it then followed Sharjah’s chances of progress tinguished player who deserves free-kick from all of 30 yards out through with a sweeper-style to the next round are now hang- to be present in all matches. Eve- sailed over the crossbar. clearance. ing on their ability to collect the ryone knows that Almoez is a Al Duhail’s best chance of the Five minutes before the end three points in the reverse fi xture Al Duhail’s Almoez Ali (centre) in action during the AFC Champions League Group C match against Sharjah leading player and his love for the opening period came just be- of the fi rst half, Sharjah were on Friday. at Education City Stadium yesterday. SPOTLIGHT Al-Haydos rues missed opportunity as Al Sadd held by Al Ain By Sports Reporter slipped before managing a shot. er at the far corner, while Laba Doha At the other end of the pitch, missed the chance to equalise goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb need- when he hit the post. ed to come out of his area to head A few minutes after the hour l Sadd captain Hassan a long ball away from Laba. mark, Khoukhi put the ball past al-Haydos admitted Al Sadd equalised just after the his own keeper after rising to his team fell short of half hour mark when 2019 AFC clear a lofted ball into the area expectations after they Footballer of the Year Akram Afi f but instead headed in to gift Al Awere held to a thrilling 3-3 draw fi red in a right footed shot into Ain the equaliser. by the UAE’s Al Ain in the Asian the bottom corner. Chances came left, right, and Champions League yesterday. Al Ain replied instantly centre for both teams as they “We didn’t perform as well we through Kazakhstan internation- looked to break the deadlock be- should have. Now we will have al midfi elder Bauyrzhan Islam- fore the fi nal whistle, in one of to work hard to win the next khan, who controlled the ball a the most lively games so far in the game,” al-Haydos added as Al few yards outside Al Sadd’s area, competition. Sadd failed to defend a 3-2 lead before fi ring in a shot that took Al Ain collected their fi rst because of an own goal scored by al-Sheeb by surprise - the Qatari point to remain in contention, Boualem Khoukhi. keeper rose to meet it to no avail while Al Sadd moved up to fi ve The two sides went into the as the ball crept just under the points ahead of the two sides’ re- game with contrasting fortunes, crossbar. match on Friday. with Al Ain needing to pick up Al Sadd drew level when Santi “We are capable of doing points after opening their cam- Cazorla scored on his AFC Cham- much better. We faced a strong paign with two losses while Al pions League debut; the Spaniard Al Ain team, but we will work on Sadd needed to consolidate their hammered in a low shot with his getting a win in the next game,” position at the top of Group D. right foot from Afi f’s cut-back al-Haydos added. Despite not playing a competi- from the left side of the pitch. “Unfortunately, we conceded tive match in the past six months, Not long after, Baghdad goals in a strange manner and we Al Ain, the inaugural AFC Cham- Bounedjah got his fi rst goal of the need to be careful in the upcom- pions League winners took just current edition and put his side ing games as we are going to face fi ve minutes to open the scoring, ahead after he tapped in Nam really strong teams that want to when Togolese striker Kodjo Laba Tae-hee’s low cross, the latter compete in Asia.” met debutant Wilson Eduardo’s having beaten Bandar al-Ahbabi “We conceded a surprise goal low cross to slot past Qatar inter- to assist his teammate. and this should not happen. We national Saad Al Sheeb. The match sprung to life need to be fully focused from the It was end to end from that again after the fl urry of goals, fi rst minute and until the last, as moment on, as Al Sadd looked with chances at both ends being we are facing strong teams. We to reply in kind with the biggest missed. Khoukhi missed a golden have the ability to return with chance coming down to captain opportunity to increase the dif- better performances in the up- Al Sadd’s Akram Afif (second from right) is congratulated by teammates Baghdad Bounedjah (left), Santi Cazorla (second from left) and Hassan al-Haydos on the right, but he ference when he missed a head- coming games.” al-Haydos after he scored a goal during the AFC Champions League Group D match against Al Ain yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, September 16, 2020 FOOTBALL FOCUS Qatar 2022 stadiums host 2020 AFC Champions Aubameyang vows to become Arsenal League matches hree FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums are playing host ‘legend’ aft er signing new contract to the AFC Champions League (West) matches from the Tgroup stage to the semi-finals. AFP “Everybody knows how spe- club that I feel like I belong here. Along with Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, which is home to former London, United Kingdom cial this club is, I have seen in- “I believe in Arsenal. We can champions Al Sadd, Khalifa International Stadium, Education credible players, passionate achieve big things together. We City Stadium and Al Janoub Stadium are to host matches during players, Invincible players,” Au- have something exciting here the tournament, which began on Monday and will conclude on ierre-Emerick Au- bameyang said. and I believe the best is to come October 3, 2020. bameyang vowed to “I dream of being one of them, for Arsenal.” The tournament will be played over a total of 39 matches with 32 become an Arsenal amongst the best, and staying in Aubameyang moved to Arse- in the group stage, four round of 16 matches, two quarter-finals “legend” as the Gun- the hearts of the fans forever. nal from Borussia Dortmund in and one semi-final. Pners captain ended speculation “I want to become an Ar- January 2018 and has scored 72 over his future by signing a new senal legend just like Thierry, goals in 111 games in all com- Khalifa International Stadium three-year contract yesterday.