HHORSEORSE RRACINGACING | Page 3 ATHLETICS | Page 6 New horse Duplantis, racing season Warholm target to begin on records in October 14 Rome today Thursday, September 17, 2020 CYCLING Muharram 29, 1442 AH Roglic glimpses GULF TIMES Tour triumph from Alpine peaks SPORT Page 7 FOOTBALL / AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Xavi: We need to improve, there’s a long way to go Al Sadd played out a 3-3 draw against Al Ain on Tuesday Duhail should have scored more against AFC Doha Sharjah, says Almoez Striker Almoez Ali believes Al “We had a great performance created several scoring chances l Sadd SC head coach Duhail SC should have regis- and were the better side,” said but failed to convert them. We Xavi feels his team de- tered a more convincing victory Ali. “It was very important for must not make that mistake served to come out against UAE’s Sharjah in their us to win the match in order to again. with more than just a 2020 AFC Champions League increase our chances of qualify- “Our performance, in gen- Apoint from their Matchday Three Group C tie on Tuesday. ing to the next stage. eral, was not as what we had encounter against United Arab The Qatar champions registered “Sharjah are the UAE champions expected. We should prepare Emirates side Al Ain FC in the their second win in the group and they are a strong team but better for the next match and 2020 AFC Champions League, with the 2019 AFC Asian Cup we could have scored more fix the mistakes that we made which ended 3-3. top scorer opening the scoring goals. However, this match is tonight.” Kodjo Laba opened the scor- before Rami Rezaeian added over and we must focus on the The defeat means Sharjah are ing for Al Ain early on. 2019 AFC the second with Igor Coronado next (against Sharjah again on still in search of their first win, Footballer of the Year Akram Afi f pulling a goal back for Sharjah Friday).” with the UAE side rooted at the equalised on 35 minutes, shortly from the penalty spot. Sharjah goalkeeper Adel Al bottom of the Group C stand- before Bauyrzhan Islamkhan While Ali stressed that getting Hosani said the UAE side were ings on one point. hammered home a contender for the three points was important, punished for their mistakes. Al Duhail, with six points, are goal of the tournament to put Al he said Al Duhail’s superior “We didn’t have a good per- second with Saudi Arabia’s Al Ain ahead before half time. performance meant they should formance at all in the first half,” Taawoun leading the standings A debut goal from Santi Cazorla have scored more goals at the said Al Hosani. “However, we and Islamic Republic of Iran’s followed by a Baghdad Bounedjah Education City Stadium. improved in the second half and Persepolis FC (four) third. (AFC) tap-in put Al Sadd ahead be- fore friendly fi re from Boualem Khoukhi put the game back on equal terms. The result meant Al Sadd slipped down to second place on fi ve points after Al Nassr man- aged a win against Sepahan FC, Al Sadd head coach Xavi Hernandez. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil while Al Ain took their fi rst point of the campaign yet remained bot- though; it was normal that all the said the former Al Taawoun boss. “We need to get maximum tom of the group, four points off chances we created would see us “This is an important point for points in the next game. The second place. through but that did not happen.” us, especially for our confi dence players need to rest the day after “We deserved more against For Al Ain, improving on Tues- because we were not at our best. the match, after the magnifi cent Al Ain, and we need to improve day’s result in the reverse fi xture We aimed to pressure Al Sadd’s eff orts they made today. We will ourselves,” said Xavi. “There’s will be vital if they are to avoid players and as soon as we took keep working to our schedule as still a long way to go in the AFC back-to-back group stage ex- possession, we attacked quickly. planned.” Champions League. We cre- its for the fi rst time since 2010 “They looked for spaces to ex- The two former champions ated a number of chances in the and 2011, and head coach Pedro ploit in our team. In the second will go head to head again on fi rst half, but we weren’t good Emanuel knows his side can ill- half, we conceded two goals in Friday in Matchday Four, when a enough. aff ord to waste time. quick succession and we made result will be needed for Al Ain “In the second half the team “We played against excellent some changes to get the points.” in order to keep their chances of was superb and did a lot better, opposition in our fi rst game in six “It’s hard to play every three progression alive while Al Sadd Al Duhail’s Almoez Ali (left) celebrates his goal during the AFC Champions League Group C match but we weren’t lucky enough months, we should be happy with days, but we have been ready for will look to keep pace with Al against Sharjah on Tuesday. (AFP) in front of goal. This is football our performance and the result,” this. Nassr at the top of Group D. SPOTLIGHT Getting back to competition important, says Barshim as he targets Tokyo atar’s high jump icon ship, as the fi rst athlete in his- and will include a review of all the or’s 2.45m record? Mutaz Barshim has tory to retain the High Jump competitions. When it comes to the High seen ups and downs. title put some sort of pressure Jump record, I think no time is a One moment he was on your future undertakings, After the Covid-19 crisis, good time to consider breaking Qjumping to beat the world record, especially with regards to the athletes now have the added it. I think I need to be focused on and the next suff ering a career- Olympic year ahead? pressure of preparing for the my training, and my aim is to set threatening injury. But he has I believe that feeling pressure Olympics. What are your this fi gure as a target during my since successfully returned to is natural for a professional ath- thoughts on Tokyo Games, training. competition and even become lete. I even deem it essential for the challenges it poses for you the fi rst high jumper in history me in all the competitions I par- after London 2012 and Rio What is more important for to retain his world title, when he ticipate in. Nonetheless, I have to 2016? you right now? Focusing did so at home in Khalifa Interna- adapt to pressure, and prevent it I am currently focused on on the Olympics, or gradu- tional Stadium last year. from taking a toll on me, so as to competing in Tokyo. Tokyo 2021 ally returning to competition Then, what was supposed to channel it into positive results. is a great challenge to me person- through the World Indoor be an Olympic year, turned into a ally after London 2012 and Rio Championship and the Dia- pandemic year, and Barshim like Since Covid-19 has brought 2016. Yet, I do think of it as any mond League? most other athletes has been fo- all competitions to a halt, do other milestone in my career, and What’s important to me right cused on training harder for the you think you have more time I shall do my best. But must keep now is to go back to competing Olympics next year. to prepare for the next season, in mind that competing for gold in tournaments, in order to be The Red Bull athlete talks or is it just an additional load may be tough, but it is not im- physically fi t and prepared, as about his injury, the pandemic, in terms of training? possible. would be the case for any athlete the Olympics and more. Not competing in any champi- in my position. Excerpts: onship for a whole season is un- You work very hard with your doubtedly a negative thing, but I coach Stanislaw Szczyrba. What have you learned from After the coronavirus pan- will try to make the most out of it What kind of a relation do you the serious injury you suf- demic threw the tournament by training and exercising. have with him? fered? How did you manage to schedule into disarray, what I defi nitely have a strong bond turn suff ering into a sweeping are your plans for the 2021 You contributed a lot to rais- with coach Stanislaw Szczyrba, success? season? ing awareness on the impor- and it is not just a coach-athlete Injury has taught me that I have started with a return to tance of staying home to limit relationship. It goes beyond track nothing is impossible when there my usual routine and daily train- the spread of Covid-19. Did have to make the right decision, serving public health and safety ships, the Diamond League, and fi eld, and is not limited to is will and hard work. I’ve got ing in preparation for the cham- the quarantine have negative and comply with the rules, even is given utmost importance at and other such competitions? training.