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SPORT Thursdayy 16 November 2017 PAGE | 30 PAGE | 32-33 PAGE | 36 ATP Finals: Italy axe Ventura IIndia’s Kohli frets over Dimitrov storms after World Cup oopening pair dilemma into last four debacle aagainst Sri Lanka QOC Secretary visits QBWF Xavi set to return as Al Sadd headquarters QNA prepare for Umm Salal clash he Qatar Olympic Com- mittee Secretary TGeneral, Jassim Rashid Fawad Hussain QNB STARS LEAGUE FIXTURES Iceland. Similarly, Meshaal Bar- Al Buenain made an inspec- The Peninsula sham, Hassan Ahmed, Meshaal tion visit to the Qatar Boxing Saturday’s fixtures Al Shammari, Fahd Shnein and and Wrestling Federation l Sadd superstar Xavi 4pm: Al Gharafa vs Al Sailiya at Yousuf Abdul Razzaq will return (QBWF) Headquarters yester- Hernandez is set to Al Gharafa Stadium to the Al Sadd fold after doing day . return to action as 4pm: Al Markhiya vs Al Ahli at duty for the Qatar Olympic team During the visit, the Sec- the Wolves prepare Al Arabi Stadium in two friendlies against its Syr- retary General met with to take on Umm 6:10pm: Qatar SC vs Al Khor at ian counterpart. Yousef Al Kazem, the QBWF SalalA for the Sunday’s QNB Stars Qatar SC Stadium However, the Wolves can President, the meeting also League (QSL) clash at their home Sunday’s fixtures expect a tough challenge from attended by Khaleel Ibrahim ground. 4pm: Al Sadd vs Umm Salal at the Orange Fortress who are Al Jaber, the Director of QOC’s Xavi missed Al Sadd’s pre- also desperate for a victory after Sport Affairs Department, Al Sadd Stadium vious clash against Al Ahli due they slipped to fifth spot, follow- Khaled Al Mass, the QBWF 6:10pm: Al Arabi vs Al Rayyan at to a back injury, however, the ing a 2-3 loss against Al Sailiya Secretary General and senior Barcelona legend has recovered Al Arabi Stadium – who took fourth position in QBWF employees. and took part in Al Sadd’s train- the standings. In the meeting with the ing session on Tuesday to flex Rayyan also defeated Al Sadd in Umm Salal have one of the QBWF officials , the QOC Sec- for Umm Salal clash. ‘Qatar Clasico’ recently. best defences in the 12-team retary General received a Al Sadd, though won their A handsome victory against league, and Al Sadd attackers brief presentation on the Round 7 clash against Al Ahli 2-1 Umm Salal on November 19 will may find it hard to breach their QBWF vision, goals, road map sans Xavi, the seasoned cam- help Al Sadd in regaining the solid resistance. and the prospective partici- paigner will boost them as they second spot and keep pressure Overall, Umm Salal have pation in the next seek a big win against Umm on top-placed Al Duhail, who been doing well since the start championships. Salal after being demoted to have 19 points. of this season, collecting 13 QBWF President, Mr. third spot by an in-form Al The Wolves will also be points from four victories and Yousef Al Kazem highlighted Rayyan side. spurred with the services of one draw. They have lost two the mechanism of perform- Both Al Sadd and Al Rayyan Qatar internationals, such as games. ance at the QBWF and the Xavi Hernandez, have so far earned 18 points with Saad Al Sheeb, Hassan Al Hay- Ivorian striker Yannick ongoing effort to focus on all set for return an exact goal difference (9) but dous, Salem Al Hajri, Boualem Sagbo leads Umm Salal’s chal- Olympian champions and tal- the latter edge the former cour- Khoukhi and Musaab Khader, lenge and Syrian professional after recovering ents who will represent Qatar tesy to scoring number of goals who played in the friendlies Mahmoud Al Mawas lends sta- from back injury. at the international sporting (19 as against the Wolves’ 17). Al against the Czech Republic and bility to their midfield. arenas. QFA President, Oceania Confederation Doha Bank becomes Al Arabi sponsor chief discuss football development plans The Peninsula he Qatar Football Associ- ation (QFA) President, TSheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani met with the President of the Oceania Foot- ball Confederation (OFC) David Chung yesterday at QFA’s headquarters. QFA Vice-President Saoud Al Mohannadi, QFA General Sec- retary Mansoor Al Ansari, and Ahmad Al Henzab (left), Head of Administration and Executive Director of the QFA President office Ali Dawood Properties at Doha Bank and Jassim Al Kuwari, Vice- attended the meeting. president at Al Arabi Club show off the new club jersey The visit of the OFC Presi- with Doha Bank logo as the main sponsor in Doha dent represented a new yesterday. The sponsorship agreement is for a period beginning for Qatar-Oceania of two seasons for the QNB Stars League football team. relations and signaled potential collaboration opportunities between the two parties in the near future. During the meeting, both parties discussed ways of sup- Qatar’s Al Kuwari gets porting the football system, which will be of benefit to both parties and will ensure the elected as executive development of football at all levels locally, regionally and internationally. Bilateral relations concern- member of AVC Qatar Football Association (QFA) President, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani ing football and ways to enhance and develop them further in the handing over a memento to President of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) David Bangkok Assembly included the Presi- future were also discussed. Chung in Doha yesterday. QNA dent, and Mubarak Eid Al There were talks about the pos- Abdullah, Board Member, and sibility of signing a cooperation in the coming period in Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup and legacy that benefits the present he President of Qatar Vol- Vice Chairman of the Beach agreement between the two par- and the OFC and means to applauded the commitment and future generations of leyball Association, Ali Soccer Committee Mohammed ties, which will enhance enhance the cooperation shown by Qatar for wanting to Qatari citizens and residents in TGhanim Al Kuwari, was Salem Al Kuwari. relations and further develop between the two showcase a tremendous and Qatar.” elected as member of the AVC The General Assembly dis- them. The coming period will organisations. memorable event. The OFC President also Executive Office at the meeting cussed several issues, including focus on ways to develop the The OFC President thanked He said: “Qatar has a high wished New Zealand the best of the General Assembly of the the problems of the Kuwaiti, cooperation between the two the QFA President for the warm level of sports infrastructure, of luck for the qualifying match Confederation held yesterday Indian, Philippine and Samoa sides and ways to share knowl- welcome and gracious hospital- which enables it to host the against Peru for the 2018 FIFA in Bangkok, Thailand, with the Federations. edge and experience between ity extended to him during his most important sporting events World Cup Russia which if they participation of 67 members The Association also dis- them. visit to Qatar. and championships. Hosting win, would be their third representing national associa- cussed the annual budget of the They also discussed matters He also praised the current big sports events and tourna- appearance in the global event tions in Asia. Confederation, and new mem- of mutual interest and the infrastructure development in ment leaves the country and and would reflect positively on The delegation of the Qatari bers were elected to the importance of developing them Qatar in preparation from the the region as a whole a lasting football in the Oceania region. Association participating in the Executive Office. 30 SPORT THURSDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2017 ATP Finals: Dimitrov storms into last four London AFP ulgaria’s Grigor Dim- itrov raced into the semi-finals of the ATP Finals with a 6-0, 6-2 demolition of David BGoffin yesterday. Dimitrov has never quite lived up to his billing as the heir to Roger Federer’s throne, but the world number six’s eye- catching rout of Goffin was a reminder he is still young and gifted enough to finally make the Delgado says breakthrough. The 26-year-old unloaded 18 winners to dismiss the Bel- Murray will be gian world number eight at London’s O2 Arena and seal his back to his best spot in the last four with one match to play. London Dimitrov, who defeated Reuters Dominic Thiem in three sets in Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in action during his group stage his Pete Sampras group opener, match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Belgium’s David ormer world number has already made history as the Goffin at the O2 Arena, London, Britain, yesterday. one Andy Murray (pic- first Bulgarian to qualify for the Ftured) has had no season-ending Tour finals. adverse reaction to his recent And, while Federer remains charity game against Roger the title favourite following Federer and assistant coach Rafael Nadal’s injury withdrawal, Jamie Delgado is confident he Dimitrov will fancy his chances will be able to get back to his of becoming the first debutant best after a hip injury brought winner since Alex Corretja in an early end to his season. 1998. his last group match against Becker group. Dimitrov had won game of the first set. Dimitrov mocking cheers from the crowd Murray, who has been out Goffin, another first time Thiem to have a chance of join- three of his four previous meet- was dominating from the base- as he avoided the embarrass- of action since losing to Sam Tour Finals qualifier, had made ing Dimitrov in the semi-finals.