FOOTBALL | Page 3 BASEBALL | Page 5 Hamstring Escobar leads To Advertise here injury leaves Royals in big Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 Messi in doubt win over for qualifi ers Yankees Wednesday, August 31, 2016 TENNIS / US OPEN Dhul Qa’da 28, 1437 AH Energised Nadal GULF TIMES grabs straight-sets win in opener SPORT Page 7 2018 WC QUALIFIERS Qatar can seize the moment against Iran: Milutinovic ‘Qatar have an average age of 25.5 years and players with a lot of quality and experience. This is fundamental. It is always important to start well, and Qatar have a schedule which can help them reach a strong position in the group early on’ right group of players and developing talented youngsters, which he believes Qatar have already achieved. “Qatar have very skillful players and very good coaching staff . There is a young generation of Qatari players who will blend very well with the ex- perienced ones,” he said. “I believe that with the great work which the Qatar Football Association and Aspire Academy are doing the team have the potential to be part of a very positive qualifi cation campaign. It will also be crucial to have the support of the home crowd in Doha. Euro 2016 illustrated how the connection be- tween Iceland’s players and their fans helped the team.” ‘2022 WORLD CUP - A MEETING POINT OF DIFFERENT CULTURES’ Looking ahead to the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the man who has also coached Mexico, Costa Rica and Nigeria said he believed the tournament would be a meeting point for diff erent cultures. “I have been lucky enough to be in- volved in the preparations from the be- ginning, and it has been a great honour to see how this country is preparing to host the most compact FIFA World Cup of all times. I know how well Qa- tar organises sporting events, so I think this will be the greatest tournament ever. It will be an opportunity for dif- ferent cultures from East and West to meet in the middle and celebrate football together. God willing, I will be there to enjoy the tournament.” Qatar coach Jose Daniel Carreno instructs players during a training session ahead of their 2018 World Cup qualifying third round match against Iran on September 1. (Below) Bora Milutinovic. The former China coach concluded by saying that the team he coached By Sports Reporter diff erent teams at World Cup fi nals tant to start well, and Qatar have a “I believe Qatar can make it. to the 2002 FIFA World Cup had a Doha – more than any other manager - be- schedule which can help them reach a They can fi nish in the top two chance to impress in the current round lieves Qatar can make history when strong position in the group early on. or three. Qatar can seize the of qualifi ers: “China qualifi ed for the they begin their third round 2018 FIFA They will face three teams who have moment and it will be important third round in their last game of their ormer China coach Bora Mi- World Cup Russia qualifi ers in Tehran previously played in World Cup fi nals to start well in Tehran in the most second. Expectation is very big in lutinovic knows what it takes tomorrow. - South Korea, Iran and China. How- diffi cult game.” China to qualify for Russia 2018. In to help Asian nations make “In Group A the favourites are South ever, I think Qatar played an excellent recent years the players have gained a history. His team surprised the Korea and Iran, but I believe that Qa- second round of qualifying. teams are close to my heart.” lot of international experience. Their Fworld by winning twenty of twenty- tar and China can qualify,” Miluti- “I believe Qatar can make it. They The Serbian coach, known as the coach has created a mentally strong four possible points in their qualifi ca- novic told www.sc.qa. “My optimism can fi nish in the top two or three. Qa- ‘Miracle Maker’ in the USA for his unit, which is very important for these tion campaign to progress to the 2002 is based on the quality of Qatar’s team. tar can seize the moment and it will work with the home team at the 1994 qualifi ers. The schedule favours China, FIFA World Cup, the fi rst time ever They have an average age of 25.5 years, be important to start well in Tehran in FIFA World Cup USA, reached the and it will be important for the players that China qualifi ed for the world’s and players with a lot of football qual- the most diffi cult game. I will also be second round of the tournament with to believe that they can do it. The team greatest football tournament. ity and experience. This is fundamen- watching the matches between Qatar four of his previous teams. He points will be backed by their fans to achieve Now the coach, who has led fi ve tal in such games. It is always impor- and China with special interest as both to the importance of assembling the the results that they need.” GOODBYE Rooney to end England career aft er 2018 WC AFP Trnava, taking him past David Beck- Allardyce again over the next two years, Rooney has been playing in that po- Burton-on-Trent ham as the country’s most-capped but if selected, I will have enjoyed it. sition under new United manager Jose outfi eld player. Some highs, some lows, but I’ll be an Mourinho since the start of the season, Captain since August 2014, Rooney immensely proud man.” but the former Everton player said he ayne Rooney announced is also England’s record goal-scorer was happy to play anywhere. yesterday that the cam- with 53 goals. ‘MIDFIELDER OR ATTACKER’ “It’s the manager’s decision,” Rooney paign for the 2018 World But in six major tournament appear- Rooney’s most impressive performance said. “We haven’t spoken about that. In Cup in Russia will be his ances with England, he has never gone for England at a major tournament re- the next few days we’ll speak about it Wlast as an England player. further than the quarter-fi nals. mains Euro 2004 in Portugal, when, more, whether it’s as a midfi elder or at- “Realistically I know myself that England crashed out in the group aged only 18, he scored four goals as tacker. Russia will be my last opportunity to do phase at the last World Cup in Brazil Sven Goran Eriksson’s side reached the “It’s only a day we’ve been together, anything with England,” Rooney told a two years ago and, with Rooney as cap- last eight. but you can see he’s a relaxed guy, and press conference at St George’s Park in tain, were humiliated by minnows Ice- England failed to qualify for Euro since we’ve been here the camp has Burton, central England. land in the last at Euro 2016. 2008 and he did not manage to fi nd the been good. It’s just a matter of getting “So I’m going to try and enjoy these “I have had a fantastic international net as they met with disappointment at on the training pitch. two years and hopefully I can end my career so far, played a lot of games and the World Cups of 2006 and 2010. “I’m looking forward to getting back career with England on a high.” enjoyed every minute, but at some Rooney ended an eight-year wait for on the pitch. We have bad memories New England manager Sam Allardyce point it is going to come to an end,” a major tournament goal at Euro 2012, from the last game (against Iceland), confi rmed on Monday that Rooney, 30, Rooney said. but England fell in the quarter-fi nals. obviously. We have to put it behind us. will be kept on as captain for the World “I’m not old, I’m 30 years of age, and Although Rooney was deployed in “It was disappointing the way we Cup qualifying campaign, which begins come Russia I feel that will be the time midfi eld by former manager Roy Hodg- went out of the tournament. You can’t in Slovakia on Sunday. for me to say goodbye to international son during Euro 2016, Allardyce has forget it, but it’s a new era for us, a new The Manchester United striker will football. indicated he intends to use him in a manager.” Now to see how he and Eng- make his 116th England appearance in England’s Wayne Rooney during a training session. “My mind is made up. It is up to Sam number 10 role. land do in this qualifying campaign. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, August 31, 2016 SPORT SA VS NZ, 2ND & FINAL TEST BLITZ England score world Stunning Steyn record total of 444-3 sets up South African series win England batsman Alex Hales (R) celebrates scoring 150 runs during Steyn takes three wickets with his first 11 balls and finishes with five for 33 as New the third ODI against Pakistan at Trent Bridge ground in Nottingham. Zealand are bowled out for 195 despite a defiant innings of 76 by Nicholls Reuters Highest ODI totals Nottingham Scoreboard 1. 444-3 England (v Pakistan) 2016 South Africa, first innings, 481-8 dec ngland piled up a world 2.