CCRICKETRICKET | Page 4 RUGBY| Page 6 De Villiers’ Ireland clinch 74 helps SA Six Nations take lead crown by in 2nd Test crushing Scots Sunday, March 11, 2018 FOOTBALL Jumada II 23, 1439 AH Man United sink GULF TIMES Liverpool, unsavoury scenes at West Ham SPORT Page 2 Qatar’s Adel leads T2 series after solid finish in Dubai Adel Abdulla’s co-driver Nasser al-Kuwari enjoys a light moment in the desert during the Dubai International Baja yesterday. At bottom, the duo in action. Qatar’s Adel Abdulla (right) and co-driver Nasser al-Kuwari celebrate after clinching second position in the T2 race at the Dubai International Baja yesterday. They now lead the World Championship. By Sports Reporter wari had to overcome a 2min 20sec deficit “I thank the Qatar government, the Dubai on the second day if they were to claim Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation maximum T2 points on the second round of (QMMF) and Ooredoo Qatar for their the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies. support. atar’s Adel Abdulla finished a Adel won the second of the event’s two “Nasser, my co-driver, did a very good close second overall in the T2 173.69km selective sections by the mar- job. The entire team did a great job here standings at the Dubai Inter- gin of 59 seconds but was not quite able in Dubai. We arrived in the last very last Qnational Baja after the second to overcome the time delays he suffered moment and it was a big challenge to be desert selective section of 173.69km through on day one and finished an agonisingly on the podium and to be leading T2 now. the UAE’s Al-Qudra Desert yesterday. close 1min 21sec behind his Saudi rival This is a fantastic result. I am proud to The result means that the 2016 FIA T2 Ahmed al-Shegawi . be flying our flag at the top of this FIA World Champion now leads the prestig- “Congratulations for everyone in Qatar, championship.” ious series this year after two rounds. to our Emir His Highness Sheikh Tamim The FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Punctures had hampered the Nissan Patrol bin Hamed al-Thani, this result is a gift Rallies resumes in less than two weeks Y62 driver’s progress on the first day and he for him and all the Qatari people,” said a with the longer six-day Abu Dhabi Desert and fellow Qatari navigator Nasser al-Ku- delighted Adel Abdulla. Challenge on March 24-29. FOOTBALL/AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Duhail jet off to Tashkent to face Lokomotiv By Sports Reporter against Al Kharaitiyat on Friday night. Rayyan tomorrow. They drew the fi rst Doha “We have a very fi t set of players and leg 1-1in Riyadh last week, but a home our bench strength is also good, so we victory in the reverse fi xture would can deal with these situations,” he added. leave the Qatari side in a strong posi- confi dent Al Duhail fl ew The team’s defender Mohamed Musa tion with two games left to play. to Tashkent by a chartered also echoed the coach’s sentiments, Last year’s runners-up Al Hilal are fl ight yesterday for their AFC saying Al Duhail will do their best to currently at the foot of the table after Champions League encoun- beat Lokomotiv again and clinch a spot two draws and one loss, but a win over Ater against Uzbek giants Lokomotiv, in the knockouts. Al Rayyan would mean a 10th succes- barely a day after they wrapped up the “Winning the QNB Stars League will sive knockout stage berth would be QNB Stars League title with an em- motivate us for the match against Loko- well within their sights. phatic 5-0 win over Al Kharaitiyat. motiv. We are here to win,” he said. Al Gharafa take on Saudi side Al Ahli Djamel Belmadi’s side have been re- “This is our fi rst time in the AFC on Tuesday when the sides face off once lentless in their pursuit of excellence Champions League and we want to more after their 1-1 draw last week. this season, winning the league with make a good impression. We are an Meanwhile, Al Sadd will be aiming an unbeaten run spanning 20 matches ambitious team and we are also a close to salvage their pride on Tuesday af- and also serving notice to their conti- knit unit. “It’s this team spirit and to- ter suff ering a 1-0 loss to Uzbekistan’s nental rivals with their display in three getherness that will see us through.” Nasaf last week and missing out on the matches of the Champions League. Winger Mohamed Ismail said that QNB Stars League title. Despite their hectic schedule, coach the team will avoid the mistakes which The 2011 champions are tied on six Belmadi exuded confi dence in his team’s allowed Lokomotiv to score two goals points with Nasaf and Persepolis and fi tness levels, saying they had the re- in the second half last week. a victory would surely stand them in sources to beat Lokomotiv a second time “Sure we made mistakes but I am con- good stead as far as their chances of in two weeks, which will put them in the fi dent we won’t repeat them on Monday qualifying for the last 16 are concerned. knockouts of the prestigious event. because Lokomotiv can be a dangerous Persepolis had few problems in over- “Last week we won 3-2 in Doha and team in front of their home fans.” coming the group’s bottom side Al Wasl I can see no reason why we shouldn’t Meanwhile, Saudi giants Al Hilal ar- 2-0 in Tehran and will now look for beat them a second time on Monday,” Duhail captain Youssef Msakni and Mohamed Musa settle down on their flight to Tashkent yesterday. The team arrived to a rived in Doha yesterday for their second back-to-back wins against the Emirati the Algerian said after his team’s win warm welcome in the Uzbek capital a few hours later. leg clash against Michael Laudrup’s Al side with two tough fi xtures still to come. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, March 11, 2018 FOOTBALL Cardiff maintain promotion push with win SPOTLIGHT Pitch invasions AFP in the second half through Craig Gard- to stretch Fulham’s unbeaten run to 15 Kieff er Moore got one back for Barns- London ner’s penalty and Maxime Colin scored a matches. ley but the 3-1 defeat sees them remain a second deep into stoppage time. Preston had equalised 15 minutes from place above the bottom three. add to beaten But Cardiff held on to move back to time through Sean Maguire but they were Bristol City and Sheffi eld United lost ardiff maintained their push within three points of Wolves ahead of unable to halt the Fulham juggernaut as ground on the top six following goalless for promotion to the Premier the leaders’ derby clash at Aston Villa they slipped four points adrift of the top six. draws at Burton and Ipswich respectively. Hammers’ woes League with a 3-2 win over later yesterday. Middlesbrough consolidated their Millwall leapfrogged Brentford and CChampionship strugglers Bir- Aleksandar Mitrovic extended his su- place in the play-off spots with a third stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games mingham yesterday. perb start to life at Fulham with both successive victory to deepen Barnsley’s as George Saville scored in the fi rst minute Neil Warnock’s side were on course for goals as the Cottagers snatched a 2-1 win relegation fears. for the second time this week. a sixth successive win by half-time thanks at play-off rivals Preston. Daniel Ayala set sixth-placed Boro Saville’s previous quick-fi re eff ort to goals from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, The on-loan Newcastle striker opened on their way in the fi rst minute before came on Tuesday against Hull, who eased Craig Bryson and Callum Patterson. the scoring on 69 minutes and made it in-form pair Adama Traore and Patrick their relegation fears in thrilling fashion Birmingham reduced the defi cit early seven goals in fi ve games in stoppage time Bamford put the hosts in full control. with a 4-3 victory over Norwich. EPL Man United sink Burnley’s English striker Ashley Barnes trips up a pitch invader Reds, unsavoury at The London Stadium, in east London yesterday. AFP dreds of fans charging along the London concourse of a stadium they de- test to gather under the directors box and chant “sack the board” remier League strug- and “you destroyed our club”. glers West Ham were Once more the stewards were scenes at West Ham left facing disciplinary seemingly powerless to inter- action after angry fans vene except to ask West Ham United stifled Liverpool’s exhilarating attack early on at Old Traff ord and raced Prepeatedly invaded the pitch joint-owners David Gold and during a 3-0 loss at home to David Sullivan, whose decision into a two-goal lead with 24 minutes on the clock after a double from Rashford Burnley yesterday that left them to quit the east London club’s just three points above the rel- longstanding Upton Park ground egation zone. for a move to what was the 2012 A week that had already seen Olympic Stadium is a source of a planned protest march by fans some fans’ fury, to leave their against the club’s board called seats, seemingly for their own off as West Ham supporters’ safety.