CRICKET | Page 2 FOOTBALL | Page 7 Shastri wins Things change, ‘close race’ to I’m counting continue as on Bale, says India’s coach Zidane Saturday, August 17, 2019 RUGBY Dhul-Hijja 16, 1440 AH Wallabies win could GULF TIMES end losing run and NZ’s top ranking SPORT Page 4 FOOTBALL / SHEIKH JASSIM CUP 7:15PM Duhail look to brush aside loss, halt Sadd momentum ‘The loss against Al Sadd in the AFC Champions League is not the end for us. It will not aff ect our desire to win’ By Sahan Bidappa Doha l Duhail midfi elder Ali Afi f has urged his team- mates to put the AFC Champions League Aloss behind them and focus on winning the Sheikh Jassim Cup against Al Sadd today. Qatar football’s season-opening contest between the two domestic giants has added an extra spice to the encounter, which kicks off at 7:15pm at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, after Sadd beat their per- ennial rivals to progress into the AFC Champions League quarter- fi nals on Tuesday. The two teams are expected to battle it out for the QNB Stars League this season, which begins this Wednesday. But before that, they would be keen to lay their hands on the Sheikh Jassim Cup. Undoubtedly, Sadd will go into the contest at their home ground as clear favourites but Duhail can Al Duhail players take part in a training session ahead of their Sheikh Jassim Cup match against Al Sadd. spring a surprise as they did in the Amir Cup fi nal in May. Arabi and Shoya Nakajima bid- good level against Sadd. When the season, and we are ready for While Duhail will be ham- ding adieu to the club, which we start the match, you will see it. We’ve had a positive phase strung by the absence of key has hampered their start to the that we have forgotten our loss recently, especially during the players – defender Mehdi Benatia season. Now it’s up to skipper in the AFC Champions League,” pre-season. The victory in the and forward Almoez Ali, Sadd too Youssef Msakni, who returned he said. Champions League fi xture will will miss the services of Baghdad after a short loan spell at KAS Meanwhile, Al Sadd midfi eld- be a real boost for us, as we look Bounedjah, Hamed Ismail and Eupen, to lead the charge along er Ahmed Sayyar believes that to put more wins on board.” Tarek Salman, who are under with impressive Edmilson Junior, his side is fully prepared to get The Sheikh Jassim Cup, suspension after being sent off in Al Sadd players take part in a training session on the eve of their Sheikh Jassim Cup match against Al Duhail who is sure to dominate the goal- another victory over Al Duhail. launched in 1977, over the years, the Amir Cup fi nal. at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium yesterday. PICTURE: Nasar TK scoring charts the season. Faria Speaking to the media at the pre- has been played in the month of Sadd still look stronger on can also call upon Iraqi prodigy match press conference, Ahmed August and sets things in mo- paper, with Ali Afi f’s younger retirement over the summer and and we are seeking nothing less us a bad team. We learn from our Mohanad Ali, who arrived from said: “It will be a tough game for tion for an exciting season. The brother Akram in prolifi c form, is leading the Wolves now from than a victory, because it will also mistakes. We have young players Al Shorta this summer. both sides. Our team is ready, tournament is a one-off match while South Korea playmaker the dugout. boost our morale for the season in squad, who are talented and Ali Afi f hopes to play a key role mentally and physically, for this between the winners of the QNB Nam Tae-hee, who swapped Du- Ali Afi f asserted that Duhail ahead,” the 31-year-old said. ambitious and want to do well for in today’s match but empha- game, particularly after we quali- Star League (QSL) and Amir Cup. hail for Sadd over the summer, will go into the match deter- “The loss against Al Sadd in the the club this season,” the Qatar sised the role of all the 11 play- fi ed for the next stage of the AFC Al Rayyan won the previous edi- running the show in the midfi eld. mined to win the title. “Al Duhail AFC Champions League is not international added. ers against a strong Sadd side. Champions League.” tion of the tournament after beat- The Qatar league champions players always have the ambition the end for us. It will not aff ect Rui Faria’s men made two ma- “All the 11 players will have to He added: “The Sheikh Jassim ing Al Duhail 6-4. Al Sadd have also look well settled under new to win matches and titles. So it our desire to win the matches for jor changes to their squad over work hard for the team. I hope we Cup title could be a good start the most impeccable record in the coach Xavi, who announced his is a very important match for us the club. One loss does not make the summer with Youssef El can play as a team and present a for the team at the beginning of tournament with 14 trophies. FOCUS On top of the world? Athletes target new records en years on from Usain Bolt’s en 2016), hit by a serious knee injury The main threat would appear to be 9.58sec lightning dash over in 2017, is likely to be a boon to the US 21-year-old Cuban Juan Miguel Eche- 100m which remains seared contingent led by Michael Norman. varria, who cleared 8.83m in June last into the memory, today’s stars The 21-year-old from San Diego, year in Stockholm albeit that was wind Tare targeting a clutch of world records whose 43.45sec earlier this year gave assisted at 2.1m per second above the ahead of next month’s athletics world him the fourth best time to date, goes permitted maximum of 2.0m/s. championships in Doha. boil we have for a long time been well to Doha as favourite over the distance. “For Echevarria, it will come unless Here’s a look at the records most away from the high level which we Compatriot Fred Kerley, who beat he is injured — that’s certain,” fore- likely to fall: knew in the 1990s. Norman in the US championships in casts Powell. “Now we are coming back towards a timing 43.64, is another title hope. “If you are capable of doing 8.60m, 400M HURDLES TRIO level which is even superior.” then you are capable of jumping 9m The event is undergoing a renaissance TRIPLE JUMP: TAYLOR VS CLAYE with a really fi ne jump.” after several years in the background BARSHIM FLYING HIGH Jonathan Edwards’ record of 18.29m His offi cial personal best to date not least owing to the emergence of For fi ve straight seasons, Qatar’s Mu- has stood since 1995 but double Ol- stands at 8.68m, though the world Qatari Abderrahman Samba, 23, and taz Essa Barshim has jumped the sea- ympic champion Christian Taylor indoor champion did jump a wind- 22-year-old American Rai Benjamin, son’s best mark with 2.43m from 2014 leaves nobody in much doubt about assisted 8.92m in Havana last March. respectively holders since last year of in Brussels his best eff ort. That’s also his ambitions to beat it. Echevarria faces competition for the second and third best times ever the closest anyone has come to Javier Qatari 400m hurdler Abderrahman Samba (left) and high jumper Mutaz Essa “The world record is the only reason gold and a potential new mark from recorded — 46.98sec for Samba, and Sotomayor’s world record of 2.45m. Barshim have come the closest to the world records in their respective events. why I am continuing competing,” says South African Luvo Manyonga — 47.02 for Benjamin. Barshim attempted to break the Cu- the triple world champion who came whose personal best is 8.65m. Add Norwegian world champion ban’s world mark at Szekesfehervar in LASITSKENE ALONE What has been lacking for her, within 8 centimetres of putting the Karsten Warholm, who has twice set Hungary in July last year, raising the Whether she can pull out a new world though, is the lack of serious rivals Edwards mark to bed in 2015. MORE MARKS? European marks over the distance this bar to 2.46m. He came tantalisingly mark is one thing. Whether Russian to push her to even greater heights, Taylor’s fellow American Will Claye Five athletes have broken world marks season, timing 47.12sec in London on close on his fi rst two attempts, but the high jump starlet Mariya Lasitskene though there is the additional moti- turned in 18.14m at a June meeting to across the past year. July 20. third ended with him clutching his an- can actually be beaten is another af- vation of next year’s Tokyo Olympics show he is the likely man to push his They include Kenyans Beatrice The trio’s recent exploits are enough kle. He has since undergone a surgery ter she piled up 42 wins in her last 43 having had to miss the Rio Games in rival hardest.