ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 16

Guus Til of the Netherlands, (left), challenges for the ball during the World Cup 2022 Group G qualifying soccer match between the Nether- lands and Turkey at the Jo- han Cruyff Arena in Amster- dam, Netherlands. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Dominant Denmark stay perfect France take control of Group D, Portugal overcome Ronaldo’s absence to beat Azerbaijan

ROME, Sept 8, (AP): The way Antoine Griezmann and Karim Benzema linked up together for France, the injured Kylian Mbappé was hardly missed. Griezmann scored twice and was set up by Benzema both times in a 2-0 win over Finland that put the defending World Cup champions in control of their qualifying group for the 2022 tournament. Also, European Championship sem- ifi nalists Denmark extended their per- fect start by dominating Israel 5-0, and Memphis Depay and each had hat tricks as both the Neth- erlands and Norway, respectively, won in routs. Denmark have scored 22 goals and conceded none. With his 39th and 40th goals for France, Griezmann matched Michel Platini for third place on the team’s all-time list behind only Thierry Henry (51 goals) and Olivier Giroud (46). Baktiyor Zainutdinov equalized fi ve minutes into stoppage time for Ka- zakhstan in a 2-2 draw at Bosnia and Herzegovina. SOCCER

France lead Group D with 12 points ahead of Ukraine (5), Finland (5), Bos- nia (3) and Kazakhstan (3). Five players scored as Denmark beat Israel to put the Danes on the verge of securing a place at the 2022 World Cup with barely half of the qualifying games played. After reaching the semifi nals at the European Championship, the Danes Republic of Ireland’s Matt Doherty (right), jumps for the ball with Serbia’s Filip Kostic during the World Cup 2022 group A qualifying soccer match between Republic of Ireland and Serbia, at now have a perfect record of winning Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (AP) all six of their World Cup qualifying games so far without conceding a goal. points from fi ve matches. One more win could secure a spot at Sergej Milinkovic-Savic gave Serbia Governing body itself could technically be partly culpable next year’s tournament in Qatar. the lead in Dublin with a 20th-minute Israel came into the game in sec- header off a corner kick but the hosts ond place in Group F but the closest equalized with an 87th-minute own-goal they came to scoring was when Eran by defender Nikola Milenkovic. Zahavi put the ball in the net early on, Ronaldo was serving a suspension FIFA eyes disciplinary action only for it to be ruled out for offside. for accumulation of yellow cards. He Otherwise, Israel didn’t record a shot was released from the squad after net- on target. ting his 110th and 111th goals in Por- got Denmark go- tugal’s 2-1 win over Ireland last week, ing in the 28th minute with a goal on becoming the men’s all-time top scorer against Argentina and Brazil the rebound after Israeli goalkeeper in international soccer. He had been Ofi r Marciano failed to hold Mikkel tied with former Iranian striker Ali ZURICH, Switzerland, Sept 8, (AP): Disciplinary proceed- adhered to. Damsgaard’s volley. Three minutes Daei at 109 goals. ings were opened by FIFA against Argentina and Brazil on Argentina added to the confusion Tuesday night, saying later, Denmark captain Simon Kjaer Bernardo Silva opened the scoring Tuesday over the chaos that led to their World Cup qualifi er on Twitter that one of its staffers tested positive for COV- headed in his team’s second goal from from inside the area in the 26th minute being suspended after Brazilian health offi cials stormed the ID-19. It did not name the person. a free kick, before goals from Andreas by fl icking the ball into the top corner The Associated Press obtained a Brazilian health minis- Skov Olsen and Thomas Delaney. fi eld to question the quarantine status of players. with the outside of his left foot. André FIFA cited ongoing legal procedures as the reason it could try document sent to a CONMEBOL email address that au- capped the win Steven Bergwijn of the Netherlands Silva, playing in Ronaldo’s position with a fi fth goal in stoppage time, not provide specifi cs on the alleged rule breaches or com- thorities thought they could use to reach president Alejandro and Turkey’s Kaan Ayhan (rear), up front, added to the lead from close ment on whether it could also have been partly culpable, Dominguez. It said a fi nal request for Denmark’s 22nd in just six qualifying challenge for the ball during the World range fi ve minutes later, and Jota sealed games. along with South American confederation CONMEBOL, for a quarantine exemption was rejected Cup 2022 group G qualifying soccer the victory with a header in the 75th. for Aston Villa players Emiliano Mar- Denmark lead the group by seven match at the Johan Cruyff Arena in the saga that led to the game being halted after seven minutes In the fi nal minutes of the match, tinez and Emiliano Buendia, and Tot- points from Scotland, which beat Aus- Amsterdam, Netherlands. (AP) some fans entered the fi eld and took on Sunday. tria 1-0 to move up to second in the photos with Portugal midfi elder Bruno tenham duo Giovanni Lo Celso and group. Fernandes. SOCCER Cristian Romero. Depending on results elsewhere, Winless Azerbaijan stayed in last They had arrived in Brazil on Friday Denmark could guarantee fi rst place place in the group with one point from morning from Caracas, where they’d and a qualifying spot in their next fi ve matches. They host Ireland in the FIFA did not specify which regulations the football fed- beaten Venezuela 3-1 the previous game - Oct. 9 against Moldova. Den- next round in October. erations from Argentina and Brazil were being investigated night. A Sao Paulo state health sec- mark beat Moldova 8-0 in their previ- Serbia will next visit Luxembourg, for breaching. Four of Argentina’s English Premier League retariat document obtained by the AP players were accused of fl outing quarantine requirements in shows the organization received the ous meeting. which are also Portugal’s next op- Romero Scotland managed a win in Vienna ponents. Luxembourg are third in the Sao Paulo and of falsifying Brazilian coronavirus declara- fi rst rumors about players giving false thanks to a 30th-minute penalty from group with six points from four matches. tions by not stating they had been in red-listed Britain in the information to enter the country just before midnight, about 15 Lyndon Dykes, awarded for a foul on Depay’s hat trick led the Nether- previous 14 days. hours after they left the airport. Che Adams following video review. lands to a 6-1 rout of Turkey, while “Following the analysis of the offi cial match reports re- CONMEBOL said it neither asked the health ministry to Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon Haaland also scored three in Norway’s lated to the FIFA World Cup qualifi er match between Brazil register the Argentinians nor received the email with its de- kept his team ahead with a superb save 5-1 win over Gibraltar. and Argentina, FIFA can confi rm that disciplinary proceed- cision. to deny Christoph Baumgartner at a Montenegro and Latvia drew 0-0. ings have been opened involving both member associations,” The same document says Argentina youth team coach corner in the 79th. The Austrian crowd The Netherland lead on goal differ- FIFA said in a statement. “The two teams were asked to pro- Fernando Ariel Batista fi lled the forms for all the players, booed the team at the fi nal whistle. ence ahead of Norway as both teams vide further information on the facts that led to the suspen- although he denied Monday doing so or even being in Brazil. Finishing second in Group F would have 13 points, followed by Turkey sion of the match, which will be gathered and then thorough- Rather than deporting the players, as Anvisa noted was give Scotland a playoff spot and a shot (11), Montenegro (8), Latvia (5) and ly reviewed by FIFA’s disciplinary committee.” within its powers, quarantine was recommended. Argentina at reaching their fi rst World Cup since Gibraltar (0). But FIFA itself could technically be partly culpable, too, was also advised to seek a last-minute exemption from the 1998. Croatia proved they can win without as the organizers of the qualifi er which appointed the match Brazilian government, according to the Sao Paulo state docu- The Faeroe Islands beat Moldova Norway’s Erling Haaland celebrates Luka Modric as they beat Slovenia 3-0 delegate, whose role is to oversee that regulations are being ment. 2-1. after scoring his side’s 5th goal of in their fi ght for a World Cup qualify- Portugal overcame the absence of the game during the World Cup ing spot. Cristiano Ronaldo to comfortably de- 2022 group G qualifying soccer Real Madrid midfi elder Modric feat Azerbaijan 3-0 and take the lead match at Ullevaal Stadium. (AP) missed all three of Croatia’s games in their World Cup qualifying group . during the international break with a Bernardo Silva, André Silva and which conceded late in a 1-1 draw at thigh injury, but the 2018 World Cup Diogo Jota scored a goal each to give Ireland in the other Group A match. runners-up have emerged with two Portugal a two-point lead over Serbia, The away victory gave Portugal 13 wins and a draw. Spanish league postpones pair of games MADRID, Sept 8, (AP): Spain’s top international sports” as it would be the and players were allowed to join their sports authority accepted the Spanish “fi rst time that a domestic league sus- national teams. league’s request to postpone a pair of pended matches because players were FIFA extended the international weekend matches involving teams called up by their national teams.” window to allow South American with players on international duty with It said in a statement that the coun- teams to play a third World Cup quali- South American nations. cil’s decision was “totally illegal” and fi er less than two days before domestic The games between Barcelona and that both FIFA and UEFA supported leagues were due to resume in Europe. Sevilla and Villarreal and Alavés, the federation’s stance. The Spanish The Spanish league had already originally scheduled for Saturday, will league later said it was not aware that rescheduled some matches from Sat- be played at later dates. They have not urday to Sunday to give players more been rescheduled yet. SOCCER time to rest, including Real Madrid’s The Spanish soccer federation home game against Celta Vigo, which had denied the league’s request but either soccer entity had expressed any will mark Madrid’s return to the San- Spain’s sports council ruled in favor kind of support for the federation. tiago Bernabéu Stadium. of the league’s appeal to postpone the The league had tried to block play- Madrid had been playing at their matches. The ruling came in the form ers from going to South America’s training center as the Bernabéu un- of a preventive measure that can still triple-header of World Cup qualifi ers derwent renovation during the coro- be appealed by the federation, which because players would return too close navirus pandemic. The Bernabéu will reiterated its disapproval. to the resumption of matches in Spain. remain under renovation but it will be The federation said the postpone- But the Court of Arbitration for Sport reopened with a limited number of fans Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns to Barbora Krejcikova, of the Czech Republic, during the quarterfi nals of the ments create “a dangerous precedent for ruled against the league’s complaint allowed back in the stands. U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York. Sabalenka won 6-1, 6-4. (AP) – See Page 15

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