Lekhwiya Star Rayyan Suff Er 5-1 Drubbing Nam Aims for by Al Wahda Asian CL Success Qatar Stars League Champions Take on the UAE’S Al Jazira Today
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NBA | Page 5 AATHLETICSTHLETICS | Page 6 Cavaliers No hurry as sweep Pacers, centenarian Thunder wins gold on the brink for India Tuesday, April 25, 2017 CRICKET Rajab 28, 1438 AH Younis becomes fi rst GULF TIMES Pakistani to complete 10,000 Test runs SPORT Page 7 FOOTBALL AFC ROUND-UP Lekhwiya star Rayyan suff er 5-1 drubbing Nam aims for by Al Wahda Asian CL success Qatar stars League champions take on the UAE’s Al Jazira today AFC Doha ekhwiya midfi elder Nam Tae- hee has lit up the 2017 AFC Champions League so far with impressive performances and Leye-catching goals, but the Korea Re- public international is hoping for even greater success at this year’s conti- nental competition ahead of his club’s match against the UAE’s Al Jazira today. Al Wahda FC’s Argentinean forward Sebastian Tagliabue (C) scores past Al After two wins and two draws in Rayyan SC goalkeeper Omar Barry in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Lekhwiya’s fi rst four continental ties the Qatari side sit top of Group B and a By Sports Reporter off teammate Tagliabue, before Salem win over the already-eliminated Emi- Doha Sultan turned tapped in a Dzsudzsak rati team would see them assured of a free-kick seven minutes after resump- Round of 16 place for a third straight tion. AFC Champions League edition. audi giants Al Hilal progressed With Al Rayyan’s defence hardly The 25-year-old Nam, though, is to the knockout phase of the measuring up to the task, Tagliabue already dreaming of matching and im- AFC Champions League but and Khalil al-Hammadi put the result proving upon the quarter-fi nal plac- SQatar’s Al Rayyan will have to beyond doubt with two late goals to ings the side achieved in 2015 and 2013. wait after suff ering one of their worst keep Al Wahda in contention. “I’ve been involved with the AFC drubbings in recent memory yester- Meanwhile, last year’s runners-up Champions League as a Lekhwiya play- day. Al Ain booked their spot in the round er from day one,” said Nam, a Reading Al Hilal picked up a valuable point of 16 with an emphatic 3-0 victory FC Youth Academy graduate. following a goalless draw against Iran’s over Iran’s Zobahan. “When I joined Lekhwiya, we were Persepolis to take their tally to nine The victory gave Al Ain nine points a young team and we were really look- points from fi ve matches in Group D, from fi ve matches, meaning they can- ing forward to taking part in the AFC while Michael Laudrup’s Al Rayyan not fi nish outside the top two in Group Champions League at that time. suff ered a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of C. Danilo Asprilla put Al Ain ahead in “I was so excited when I scored for Al Wahda in Abu Dhabi. the 25th minute before a missed pen- Lekhwiya in our fi rst-ever match in the Al Rayyan are still in second spot alty by Jerry Bengtson saw them hold AFC Champions League [in 2012]. To with seven points from fi ve games and onto their advantage lead at half-time. be honest, I was a bit nervous playing will have to wait two more weeks to Al Ain doubled their lead with a fi ne in this big Asian tournament, because I fi nd out if they could make the knock- solo eff ort from Omar Abdulrahman was so young at the time. outs for the fi rst time in their history in the 60th minute before Mohamed when they face Al Hilal. Abdulrahman added a third in the 81st ‘The best result we got so Al Wahda’s victory in Abu Dhabi minute to seal all three points. far was the quarter-fi nal, but I was sweet revenge after they lost the Meanwhile, already relegated Bun- hope we can reach the semi-fi nal fi rst leg 2-1 against Al Rayyan but more dyokor ended an 18-match winless and then the fi nal and then lift importantly it also keeps their last 16 streak following a 2-0 victory over Al the trophy. This is the best result I hopes alive having lost three of their Ahli of Saudi Arabia in Group C. can imagine’ four previous games The Uzbek side shot out the blocks Forward Sebastian Tagliabue was at Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent “The best result we got so far was the the hero for the Emirati side, his brace with an early goal when defender quarter-fi nal, but I hope we can reach coming in handy after Al Rayyan Akramjon Komilov headed home fol- the semi-fi nal and then the fi nal and had taken a 21st minute lead through lowing a corner. then lift the trophy. This is the best re- former Barcelona player Sergio Garcia. Al Ahli created several chances but sult I can imagine.” Al Wahda equalised in the 33rd failed to score and Eldor Shomurodov Although it is still early in the year to minute when Jorge Valdivia’s clever then doubled the hosts’ lead fi ve min- speculate who will reach November’s fi - through ball picked out Ahmed al- utes into the second period, while the nal, let alone win the tournament, should Akberi who beat Al Rayyan goalkeeper visitors rarely threatened. Nam and Lekhwiya go all the way it would Omar Barry with a deft shot from With Monday’s defeat, Al Ahli be just the second time a Qatari side has close. missed the chance to make the last 16 lifted the AFC Champions League trophy Just two minutes from half-time, Al with a game to spare and are left fac- – Al Sadd did so in 2011 – since the tour- Wahda were ahead as Balasz Dzsudz- ing a crunch tie with Zobahan next nament revamp in 2002-2003. sak’s well struck eff ort defl ected in month. A second continental title for Qatar would further underline the footballing development the Gulf nation has been pursuing ahead of hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. “The Qatar League and Qatar foot- ball has been developing a lot recently, I can really feel it” added Nam, who was at Valenciennes FC in France before joining Lekhwiya in 2012. “I am defi nitely enjoying my football here more than I was in Ligue 1. Lekhwiya, who welcome Moham- med Tresor back from suspension, suff ered a 3-2 reversal at the hands of El Jaish in the Qatar Cup semi-fi nal on Saturday, while Al Jazira need just two points to wrap up their domestic title after defeating Al Shabab 3-0 in their previous league match. Nam Tae-hee of Lekhwiya. Meanwhile, fi rst meets second in Te- hran as Group A leaders Al Ahli of the Al Ahli got the better of the fi rst en- not lost since late February and on the has been an otherwise impressive cam- United Arab Emirates travel to Azadi counter between the teams when they back of a 10-day break since defeating paign to date. A second successive win Stadium to take on Esteghlal with both ran out 2-1 victors in February but af- Al Wahda in the Arabian Gulf League in in front of home support would make sides eyeing the win that would see ter four games the sides remain level mid-April. the two-time Asian champions strong them put one foot in the last 16 of the on seven points. The visitors will go Hosts Esteghlal’s only defeat on the favourites to advance to a fi rst knockout 2017 AFC Champions League. into the clash full of confi dence having continent came against Al Ahli in what phase since 2013. Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup shows his frustration. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, April 25, 2017 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT DELIGHT Rodgers proud of ‘Best ever’ Messi treble-chasing Celtic turns tables on bitter rivals Madrid Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers with his players. AFP “Obviously 12 months on from Glasgow where they were last year really ‘He is the best player for me in history. The fact he has scored his 500th goal shows shows the level they have gone to, so I’m very pleased,” Rodgers, all of us as Barca fans are lucky to have him identified with the club’ rendan Rodgers spoke of whose side are chasing a record- his pride in his players extending 37th Scottish Cup win, as he moved to within added. “I’m happy for the sup- touching distance of porters. They had a tough one here Bbecoming only the third Celtic last year and you can see their joy manager to claim a domestic tre- and happiness and when it’s like ble for the Scottish giants. that it makes us all happy.” With the League Cup and Rodgers has enjoyed a superb Scottish Premiership title al- debut season in Scottish foot- ready wrapped up, Celtic face ball with his side now undefeated Aberdeen on May 27 in the Scot- domestically in 41 matches this tish Cup fi nal following a 2-0 season. semi-fi nal win over Old Firm ri- But the former Liverpool boss vals Rangers on Sunday. claims he isn’t surprised at being Callum McGregor fi red them on the verge of a historic season. into an early lead before Scott “It might have been diff erent Sinclair added a second from the if you had asked me after the Gi- penalty spot six minutes after braltar game [a 1-0 Champions the break in a dominant display League qualifying defeat to Lin- by Celtic.