Nadal and Serena Win Roland Garros Openers
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FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 4 CRICKET | Page 7 Icardi brace Kishan’s 99 in helps PSG to vain as RCB 2-0 victory at beat Mumbai in Reims super over Tuesday, September 29, 2020 TENNIS Safar 12, 1442 AH Nadal and Serena GULF TIMES win Roland Garros openers SPORT Page 2 FOCUS Lusail SC’s goal is to invest in sports, players: al-Mudahka Lusail SC, launched in 2014, is the first commercial club in Qatar (From left) Lusail Sports Club off icial spokesman Abdulhadi al-Sahli, club President Nawaf al-Mudahka, team captain Khaled Nawaf and Cosette Solutions’ CEO Omar Shamiyeh address a press conference yesterday. By Sports Reporter Doha he Lusail Sports Club Lusail SC President Nawaf al-Mudahka (left) and Cosette Solutions CEO Omar Shamiyeh yesterday. yesterday unveiled the new club and acad- investing in sports and players, all nationalities,” al-Mudahka extend and continue in the fu- emy logos and also an- refi ning them and introducing said. ture and help develop the game Tnounced details of its strategic them to the big clubs and even- On his experience with Lusail among youngsters. and commercial partnerships in tually the Qatari national teams Sports Club, team captain Na- “Lusail Sports Club is the fi rst the coming period during a press so that the players could compete waf said: “Playing in the side has club in Qatar that was set up as conference held at the at the internationally. been a good experience. Me and commercial entity. This is an op- Grand Hyatt Hotel. The President said that the my players have benefi ted a lot portunity for Cosette Solutions The press conference was at- goal of the club is to attract from it. In order to teach young- to be the fi rst marketing com- tended by the club’s President all residents in Qatar without sters all about football skills, I pany to sponsor a sports club and Nawaf al-Mudahka, Executive screening as the club continues encourage them to be part of a to be part of a club that is keen to Director Mohamed Saeed al- to work on its ‘Vision 2026’. competitive and sporting at- develop the game among young- Misnad, team captain Khaled “We have established the Lu- mosphere like the one seen at sters,” he added. Nawaf, the club’s offi cial spokes- sail Football Academy in the the academy.” “One of our most important man Abdulhadi al-Sahli and club Doha Golf Club to support the Omar Shamiyeh, CEO of Co- goals is to develop community sponsors Cosette Solutions’ CEO Executive Director Mohamed Saeed al-Misnad. youngsters falling in the age sette Solutions, the sponsors of sports and to help develop Qa- Omar Shamiyeh. groups of 4 to 16 years old. The Lusail Sports Club, said: “We tari players in all sports fi elds. Addressing the gathering, al- “The club was launched from the club members participated training period is divided into are proud of our sponsorship of We sponsored world champion Mudahka stated the Lusail Sports an idea to educate and train Qa- in the Ramadan tournaments and Al-Mudahka also said that Lu- three stages. Each stage consists Lusail Sports Club and the Lu- Mutaz Barshim, and we seek to Club is the fi rst commercial club tari youth of Aspire graduates amateur competitions,” al-Mu- sail Sports Club, as a commercial of a period of three months and sail Football Academy. We hope help develop future stars also,” in Qatar and was launched in 2014. and amateurs. At the beginning dahka said. club, is primarily concerned with the door is open to residents of that this joint co-operation will Shamiyeh said. FOOTBALL / AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Pakhtakor face Persepolis in quarters, Al Nassr play Al Ahli AFC esting game. We look forward to target is to be champions of Asia, I think we are similar teams. Eve- Doha this type of games. so if we want to be champions, we rything is possible in this game. “Al Ahli may have played extra cannot worry about which team We believe in ourselves and we time in the Round of 16, but they we will face next. will be ready for this game. We l Nassr will face Al Ahli had one extra day of rest com- “Pakhtakor have been a re- played two teams from IR Iran Saudi FC in an all-Saudi pared to us, and one day more in ally good team, so we know we already in this competition, so Arabia tie while Perse- this type of competition will be will have a tough game against we are getting used to it. Ira- polis FC of Iran and Pa- very important, but we are ready them, but on the other hand it nian teams are always strong, we Akhtakor of Uzbekistan will square and we have players who want will be a tough game for them. know that. It will be an exciting off in the 2020 AFC Champions to play and are prepared for the This is football, but we are confi - and strong game.” League (West) quarter-fi nals fol- game.” dent that we will take to the pitch None of the four West Zone lowing the draw in Doha yester- Al Ahli Saudi, who fi nished with only the aim of winning the quarter-fi nalists have won the day. top of Group A, advanced to the match.” AFC Champions League before, Both the quarter-fi nals will be quarter-fi nals after defeating Pakhtakor, in the quarter-fi - with Al Ahli Saudi and Persepo- played at the Jassim Bin Hamad UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli Dubai 4-3 nals for the fi rst time since 2009, lis fi nishing runners-up in 2012 Stadium tomorrow, with Satur- on penalties, with the Round of defeated Iran’s Esteghlal FC 2-1, and 2018 respectively. Al Ahli day’s semi-fi nal also to be played 16 match having ended 1-1 after with the Uzbekistan side having Saudi were also runners-up in at the same venue. The two quar- extra-time on Saturday. advanced to the Round of 16 as the 1985-86 season of the Asian ter-fi nals and semi-fi nal will be “I did not have a preference Group B winners. Club Championship. one-legged aff airs. prior to the draw as all teams “All three teams would have Pakhtakor were semi-fi nalists Abderrazak Hamdallah’s sixth are very strong, but it is inter- been diffi cult opponents,” said in 2003 and 2004 while Al Nassr, goal of the campaign saw Group esting because we face a fellow Pakhtakor assistant coach Pieter runners-up in the 1995 Asian D winners Al Nassr of Saudi Ara- Saudi club,” said Al Ahli Saudi Huistra. “Persepolis are a great Club Championship, will be ap- bia edge domestic rivals Al Taa- head coach Vladan Milojevic. “Al team and we know them quite pearing in their second succes- woun 1-0 in their Round of 16 tie Nassr are a good team. A good well because we faced them last sive AFC Champions League on Sunday. club that of course we respect, The draw for the quarter-finals in the AFC Champions League West were held yesterday. year in the group stage and they quarter-fi nals. “It will be a diffi cult game; we but we are not afraid. are champions of Iran, so we have know that because we played “We came here to give our all, “The Round of 16 is behind us Persepolis — who fi nished top their last 16 tie. to be ready and have to be in good QUARTER-FINAL SCHEDULE against Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro so we will fi ght, play and we will now, and we focus on Al Nassr. I of Group C — sealed their quar- “Coming to the draw ceremony shape but we are confi dent. We September 30 (Jassim Bin Hamad League and we know their quali- see what happens. My philoso- have to concentrate on the state ter-fi nal berth in dramatic fash- we knew it wasn’t going to make played some good games already Stadium) ties,” said Al Nassr head coach phy is to prepare for any oppo- of my players because we had a ion on Sunday with Isa al-Kasir a big diff erence for us, because here and we are looking forward 4:40pm: Al Nassr (KSA) vs Al Ahli Rui Vitoria. “We are ready for the nent in the same way. We treat lot of injuries, but I believe in my scoring an 88th minute winner here there are four strong teams,” to Wednesday to play again. Saudi FC (KSA) game. Both teams want to win, this game the same way we would team and club. I always want to for the Iran Pro League champi- said Persepolis team manager “They had four clean sheets 8:45pm: Persepolis FC (IRN) vs and I think it will be a very inter- any other. enjoy the game fi rst.” ons against Qatar’s Al Sadd SC in Mohamed Ali Peyrovani. “Our and we had three clean sheets, so Pakhtakor (UZB) Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, September 29, 2020 TENNIS FRENCH OPEN ‘The biggest diff erence was Nadal and Serena win confidence. I need to play with more confidence, Roland Garros openers like I’m Serena’ AFP Paris, France afael Nadal began his pursuit of a record-tying 20th men’s Grand Slam title with a straight-sets Rvictory at the French Open while Serena Williams made a slow but successful start in her latest bid to equal Margaret Court’s all- time mark.