SPORT Tuesday 29 August 2017 PAGE | 25 PAGE | 26 PAGE | 27 Al Attiyah eyes title asas Five-star Shakib Mbappe on verge Overdrive Racing fieldselds puts Bangladesh of stunning strong team in Polandnd on top PSG move Qatar head for Malaysia with eye on 2018 finals Armstrong Vas QNB Stars The Peninsula IFA World Cup 2022 League hosts Qatar’s slender hopes of securing a unveils third place in Group A and with it the tricky Fplay-off route for next year’s new logo World Cup finals in Russia be clear in the last two rounds of The Peninsula qualifying over eight days from today. he QNB Stars League The qualifying race for the unveiled their new logo global showpiece event is gath- Tduring a press confer- ering pace and in the coming days ence held at the Torch Hotel dreams will be fulfilled and oth- in Doha yesterday. ers dashed across the continent The event was attended by as a large part of the Asian con- officials from QNB Stars tingent for next year’s World Cup Coach Felix Sanchez reacts League, QNB and Al Kass. finals in Russia is decided. during a practice session prior “The idea for the logo came Along with Qatar, ambitious to Team Qatar’s departure from combining the two China will also be playing in to Malaysia where they will organizations logo into one,” search of a third place finish in play against Syria in the 2018 said Hassan Al Kuwari, the Group A. Football World Cup Qualifiers. Head of Marketing and Com- The Qatari team held their LEFT: Qatari players in action munication at the QNB Stars final training session yesterday during the practice session. League. at the Khalifa International Sta- The new logo was created dium before heading to Malaysia by the Al Kass creative team. in preparation for the Syrian The third placed teams in are three points behind rounds remaining while Iraq and for the sixth successive tourna- QNB Group, the largest qualifier. each group play each other in a Uzbekistan but are still in with a Thailand can no longer advance, ment going back to 1998. financial institution in the Mid- Earlier on Wednesday, two-legged playoff in October shout of automatic qualification but nine countries still have a Their South Korean neigh- dle East and Africa, announced Qatar’s national team defeated with the aggregate winner facing if they beat Qatar in Melaka on chance, however slender, of bours have an even longer the renewal of its sponsorship Turkmenistan 2-1 in a friendly the fourth-placed team from the Thursday. claiming a ticket to Russia for pedigree and can clinch a ninth agreement with Qatar Foot- match. Central and North America (CON- Uzbekistan coach Samvel next year’s finals. straight appearance if they beat ball Association (QFA) and Qatar’s national team CACAF) qualifying in Babayan has promised his team While United Arab Emirates Iran in Seoul on Thursday and Qatar Stars League Manage- returned from England follow- November. will be ruthless against China, and Saudi Arabia kick off just Uzbekistan lose to Marcello Lip- ment (QSLM) for six seasons ing an extensive training camp A defeat would end Qatar’s who need a win to stay alive, as over a week of crunch ties in Al pi’s China in Wuhan. earlier this month. in Birmingham, during which slender hopes of a third-place fin- they look to set up a winner- Ain today, Japan have the best Qualification has not run Following the mega spon- they played three friendly ish and consign them to the takes-all clash against the South chance of being the fourth team smooth for either of the East sorship, Qatar Stars League matches. ignominy of becoming the first Koreans in Tashkent on August to reach the finals when they Asian powers, however, with was re-branded as QNB Stars The first one saw them beat World Cup hosts not to have pre- 31. host Asian champions Australia coach Vahid Halilhodzic under League. Leeds United 2-0. They then viously qualified for a The Uzbeks are third in Group on Thursday. heavy pressure in Japan and QNB Group sponsors all of lost a match to Nottingham tournament. A, a point behind South Korea, A point clear of the Saudis South Korea under the new QFA and QSLM competitions, Forrest 1-2. The final match Syria, who have been play- and targeting a first appearance and Socceroos in Group B, vic- management of Shin Tae-yong including The Emir Cup, Qatar was against Andorra, which ing their home matches in at soccer’s global showpiece tory in Saitama will secure after the sacking of Uli Stielike Cup, U-23 Championship and Qatar won 1-0. Malaysia because of the civil war, Iran qualified with three Samurai Blue a spot at the finals last month. Sheikh Jassim Cup. Barcelona dethrone Füchse Berlin in Doha; Al Sadd finish fourth The Peninsula A FC Barcelona player prepares to wo years after they were Vardar win bronze knocked out of the trophy shoot at goal during Trace by Füchse Berlin in the their 017 IHF Super penultimate match, FC Barcelona Globe final match The Peninsula 10-minute mark at 4-5. The took revenge against the German against Füchse score remained with a one- side with a four-goal victory in the Berlin at the Duhail C Vardar beat hosts goal advantage for Vardar final to claim the 2017 IHF Super Sports Complex in Al Sadd with a com- midway through the half Globe title. Doha yesterday. Hmanding 18-goal (7-6) before Al Sadd levelled At the Duhail Sports Complex FC Barcelona victory that placed them the score. Keeper Danijel yesterday, their first goals came emerged champions third at their debut IHF Saric saved a penalty against from the team’s Junior players, with yesterday with a Super Globe Championship Ivan Cupic and his team had Dika Mem scoring the opener for 29-25 win against yesterday. the chance to take the lead, FC Barcelona before Kevin Struck the defending HC Vardar had little but they did not capitalise added one for the defending champions. trouble controlling the on the opportunity and from champions. bronze-medal match from there Vardar reopened a Following his goal, Berlin could the first whistle to the last, clear distance. not beat Barcelona’s defence as they held the advantage The Champions League backed by Gonzalo Perez de Var- from the beginning with title holders took a four-goal gas for eight minutes, while the only a brief comeback from advantage into the break, Catalan team scored two more Al Sadd that threatened the and when the match goals before they too were kept European side. resumed showed their dom- quiet by the German side’s keeper Vardar took a 3-0 lead inance as they pushed Silvio Heinevetter. before Amine Guehis added ahead to finish with an In the ninth minute Timothy Vargas scored a long-range shot exceptional performance, making an outside shot from newcomer Jure the first goal for the hosts 18-goal score line in their N’Guessan broke the drought with into the German team’s empty goal two penalty saves, though Berlin Dolenec. As the last 10 minutes after the end of the opening favour. his second goal, after which his – but it soon became clear Barce- still staged a comeback. began the difference stayed at two five minutes. With a 5-1 Vardar’s Daniil French team-mate Mem tallied his lona could not get too comfortable The defending champions lev- for Barcelona (22-20), before Gojun defensive system with Shishkarev finished as top second to pull Barca in front 5-1 as yet. Through the last 10 minutes of elled the score in the 41st with a fast received his third two-minute sus- Timur Dibirov in front, scorer of the match with the clock showed 10 minutes. the first period Berlin recorded a break from Mattias Zachrisson, and pension and therefore a red card. Vardar’s defence was diffi- seven goals, closely fol- Berlin’s Jakov Gojun received 7-4 run that took the margin to the Swedish right wing struck again With the final buzzer drawing cult to break through and lowed by his Russian his second two-minute suspension three by the time the half-time seconds later, pulling the German closer the record EHF Champions even when the Qatari team teammate Dibirov on six. as early as the 14th minute, putting whistle sounded, at which point team in front 18-17. League winners pulled further found their way, ever-reli- In the fifth place play- him in a dangerous position with a Perez de Vargas was clearly a deci- Barcelona coach Xavi Pascual away, leaving little doubt as the able goalkeeper Arpad off, Esporte Clube Pinheiros seemingly inevitable red card wait- sive factor as he finished with a 54% had little choice but to use his final clock ticked down. When Valero Sterbik stood solid in goal. of Brazil beat Tunisia’s ing with just one bad move. save rate for the period. time-out at that point, after which Rivera took Barcelona in front to The hosts managed to Esperance Sportive de Tuni- Barcelona hit 10 goals to Ber- In the second half, Perez de his team found renewed vigour and 27-24 in the 59th, the trophy was close the gap at the sie 32-29. lin’s five in the 19th when Perez de Vargas continued with his reclaimed a two-goal advantage off decided.