SPORT Friday 29 September 2017 PAGE | 21 PAGE | 22 PAGE | 23 Tiger Woods Alonso aiming to E England’s Stokes uncertain about decide F1 future ssuspended ‘until future before US Grand Prixx further notice’ Al Rayyan, Duhail set for big battle Fawad Hussain The Peninsula Al Sailiya bounce back thrilling battle is on the cards today when clinical Al with rout of Markhiya Rayyan square off with an aggressive Al The Peninsula 12th minute through Burkina Duhail,A with both the unbeaten Faso striker Traore who fired sides looking to impose their l Sailiya yesterday one in off a direct free kick supremacy in the QNB Stars returned to winning some 25 meters away from the League (QSL) title race at Al Sadd Aways with a command- goalline. It was Traore’s first Stadium. ing 5-2 win over newcomers Al goal of the season. Michael Laudrup’s side has Markhiya in a round-three In the 23rd minute, Al Saili- shown no signs of difficulties in clash in QNB Stars League. yah - sporting blue outfits winning their first two matches Wagner Ribeiro (3), Dragos - jumped to a 2-1 lead when following an all-round display. Grigore (23), Magdi Sedeeq (38), Grigore produced a snapheader On the other hand, Djamel Temurkhuja Abdukholiqov (55) off a Wagner free-kick. Seven Belmadi’s Al Duhail, which com- and Valentin Marius Lazar (85) minutes from the first-half prises mainly of players from scored the goals for Al Sailiya - whistle, Al Sailiya skipper former club Lekhwiya, have also coached by Sami Trabelsi - at Sedeeq fired one home off an stamped their authority with an Al Duhail’s Moaaz Abdulla (second right) and Al Arabi’s Khalifa Ibrahim Al Khalfan (second Al Arabi Stadium. Al Sailiya lost indirect corner kick to take the aggressive display of football in left) vie for the ball possession during their QNB Stars League match played at Al Duhail to Al Sadd last week. visitors to a 3-1 lead. the first two rounds. The goals for Al Markhiya Abdukholiqov added to Al Stadium, in this September 16, 2017 file photo. Al Duhail face Al Rayyan today at Al Sadd Laudrup admits that today’s were scored by Alain Traore (12) Markhiya’s woes when he pow- Stadium. match will be the biggest chal- and Al Mujbil Deyab (88). ered one into the net with a lenge in the new season for his The game barely settled header in the 55th minute as the side that has defeated Al this match. They have a good battle will be in midfield,” Bel- QNB STARS LEAGUE down into a rhythm when Al visitors exhibit their free-flow- Kharaitiyat and Al Khor in their balance in midfield in Nam, madi said before urging his Sailiya grabbed the lead in the ing scoring prowess. first two matches. Karim Boudiaf and Luis Martin players to excel in all areas. Yesterday’s result 4th minute through a spectac- Lazar scored the fifth goal “Myself and Sebastian (Soria) and this will be important in “If we win this battle we can Al Sailiya bt Al Markhiya 5-2 at ular effort from Wagner. for Al Sailiyah in the 85th know the side well, and they breaking down,” he said. control the game. Al Rayyan Al Arabi Stadium In their first serious threat minute. Al Markhiya’s Al Deyab have a strong attack also. We at Al Sailiya goal, Al Markhiya reduced the deficit with a slick need to be strong in all areas of Today’s fixtures produced an equaliser in the finish two minutes from time. the pitch. It will be a interesting 5:45 pm: Al Rayyan vs Al Duhail at game, with two teams with a Al Sadd Stadium Duhail are a very attacking team, strong attacking philosophy and 7:55 pm: Al Sadd vs Al Gharafa at I hope it’s a good game to and I think they will have Ismael Al Sadd Stadium and Afif in defence for this watch.” Belmadi remained coy when 7:55 pm: Al Kharaitiyat vs Al Khor at match. They have a good balance asked about his sides defensive in midfield in Nam, Karim Boudiaf Al Khor Stadium selection ahead of the game. Tomorrow and Luis Martin and this will be “You have to deal with the important in breaking down: Al threat of a good attacking side. 5:45 pm: Al Arabi vs Qatar SC at Rayyan coach Laudrup We believe in what we do and Al Arabi Stadium we will be looking to impose 7:55 pm: Al Ahli vs Umm Salal at ourselves on the team,” Belmadi Al Ahli Stadium said. Al Sadd look to maintain winning run have played together for four Al Rayyan ace Sebastian Meanwhile, Xavi’s Al Sadd not easy to get this coordination. years now,” Laudrup, the former Soria predicted a thriller, hop- are also eyeing full points as they We need to work on this over Danish maestro, told a pre- ing to overcome the tough take on Al Gharafa in their third the season, and we need time,” match press conference opposition. round match at Al Sadd Stadium Ferreira said. yesterday. “Mouhcine Moutouali and today. “It will be a great match “They know each other well, Hamdallah have started well Wolves coach Jesualdo Fer- because of the air conditioning, they have players like Nam Tae with us and along with myself riera said he expects a tough we will not suffering with the Hee, Ismael Mohammed and and Tabata we can cause any fight from former champions Al heat. I am expecting an interest- Yusef Msakni who have been team trouble in the league. I am Gharafa. ing match. I don’t know what to together for a long time, and that looking forward to an exciting “I think that conceding two expect from Al Gharafa because is a big advantage for Duhail match,” he said. goals is not a problems. It is they did not have their profes- heading into this match,” he The Red Knights, however, important that we achieve a bal- sionals for the first match. They Al Markhiya’s Rebin Ghareeb Solaka (left) and Al Sailiya’s added. are also blooming with confi- ance between the defensive and will be eager to get a result “Duhail are a very attacking dence ahead of the crunch tie. attack. Last year we did well against us Bagdad Bounjah will Temurkhuja Abdukholikov vie for the ball possession during team, and I think they will have “Our midfield is one of our with this, but this season we not play in this game as he is their QNB Stars League (QSL) match at Al Arabi Stadium Ismael and Afif in defence for strengths and I believe that the have had many changes and it’s injured,” he informed. yesterday. Pic: Abdul Basit/The Peninsula Ancelotti sacked by Bayern Munich after PSG loss Berlin But Bayern have also parted Bayern Munich’s Italian head in a group game in the competi- AFP company with four Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti gestures tion since a 3-0 reverse in Lyon members of Ancelotti’s back- during the UEFA Champions in March 2001. ayern Munich have sacked room staff, including his son League match against PSG at Bayern are currently third in coach Carlo Ancelotti in Davide. the Parc des Princes stadium the Bundesliga table after six The performance Bthe wake of their Champi- Pressure had already been in Paris on Wednesday. games, three points behind lead- of our team since ons League defeat at the hands building on Ancelotti, 58, with ers Borussia Dortmund, before of Paris Saint-Germain, the club Bayern enduring an inconsistent visiting Hertha Berlin on the start of the announced yesterday. start to the season before losing Sunday. season did not “FC Bayern Munich have 3-0 to PSG in the French capital They have not been so far off parted company with head coach on Wednesday. the pace at the top of the Bun- meet the Carlo Ancelotti as a result of After that game the Italian desliga so early in a season since expectations we internal discussions following was questioned by German 2010/11, when Dortmund went the 3-0 defeat in the Champions media about his tactics and team on to win the title and Bayern put to them,” League group stage match at selection, following his decision finished third. Bayern Munich Paris Saint-Germain,” Bayern to leave Franck Ribery, Arjen Ancelotti led Bayern to a fifth said in a statement on their Robben and Mats Hummels on consecutive Bundesliga title last chairman website. the bench at kick-off. season in his first campaign in Karl-Heinz Former player Willy Sagnol, “The performance of our charge after succeeding Pep the ex-France international who team since the start of the sea- showed that we had to draw The defeat in Paris was Bay- Guardiola at the Allianz Arena. Rummenigge had been serving as an assistant son did not meet the expectations consequences. (Sporting direc- ern’s heaviest since losing 3-0 However, the Bavarians lost to Ancelotti, has been named we put to them,” said Bayern tor) Hasan Salihamidzic and I away to Barcelona in the Cham- to Real Madrid in the quarter- interim coach. The 40-year-old chairman Karl-Heinz had an open and serious discus- pions League semi-final first leg finals of the Champions League has previously coached Bor- Rummenigge. sion with Carlo today and in May 2015. and to Dortmund in the semi- deaux in his homeland.