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SUNDAY 20 JUNE 2021 Red Bull's Verstappen beats Hamilton to clinch French Grand Prix pole So far it has been a really positive weekend at a track where it has been a bit difficult for us. No points are scored today but it is a great day and we have to finish it off tomorrow.

Max Verstappen Sport |15 EURO 2020 - (GROUP STAGE) - Hungary 1, France 1; Germany 4, Portugal 2 (Group F) ; Spain 1, Poland 1 (Group E) target win over Somalia in second play-off Argentina down Uruguay 1-0 in Sudan edge Libya to seal Arab Cup spot Copa America AP — SAO PAULO THE PENINSULA — Sudan players Argentina beat Uruguay 1-0 on celebrate their Sudan yesterday edged Libya Friday in its second match at victory against 1-0 in an exciting play-off and Copa America, making Lionel Libya yesterday. celebrated their berth at the Messi’s team co-leaders of FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 in Group A with Chile with four style at the iconic Khalifa Inter- points each. national Stadium. Striker Guido Rodriguez Mohammed Abdelrahman scored the only goal at the scored the winner from a spot Mané Garrincha stadium in kick in 15th minute followed by Brasilia with a header in the some desperate attempts from 13th minute after Messi crossed Libya to score an equaliser. from the left. The ball hit goal- Yesterday’s victory, keeper Fernando Muslera’s watched by passionate fans, put right post before going in. Sudan alongside hosts Qatar, Earlier Chile beat Bolivia , Tunisia, United Arab 1-0 on a goal by English- Emirates, Syria, Morocco, Saudi Chilean striker Ben Brereton. Arabia, Egypt and Algeria in the Argentina controlled tournament’s final phase to be nearly all of the game against played from November 30 to an Uruguayan team that December 18. included the powerful Last night at the FIFA World offensive duo of Luis Suárez Cup Qatar 2022 venue, Sudan and Edinson Cavani. started the match in a domi- Argentina’s next match will nating fashion and were be against Paraguay on awarded a penalty following a Monday, the same day that late challenge by Ali Salama on Uruguay will play its second Seif El-Din Malik. match in the tournament Abdelrahman assumed Bin Hamad Stadium. The “We have to respect our World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar. would like to thank Qatar for against Chile. responsibility and sent the goal- winner of the match will opponents in this important,” Oman Abdulaziz Al giving us this opportunity. A victory against Uruguay keeper the wrong way with a confirm a place in Group A Ivankovic told a virtual con- Muqbali hoped the team will con- Oman is a big side and it is a could move Argentina into calmy dispatched spot-kick. along with hosts Qatar, Iraq and ference yesterday. tinue its fine run in today’s match. difficult challenge for us. But, first place in its group and Libya created many oppor- the winner of Bahrain versus “The team is eager to “Our fans expect us to I am hopeful that the players avoid an early knockout- tunities in search of a goal but play-off. qualify for the main stage qualify for this unique tour- will give their best,” said stage meeting with defending they missed execution as Sudan Coached by Branko FIFA Arab Cup, which will be nament and we will do Somalia manager Said Abdel champion Brazil, which is in held on bravely to their narrow Ivankovic, Oman – ranked 80 a matter of pride for the everthying to live up to their Haibeh. Group B. advantage. in the FIFA rankings – will start players,” he added. expectations,” he told reporters Somalia captain Abdu- Today, Oman will be eyeing as favourites against World Oman have shown good yesterday. lasmad Abdullahi said: “We will a spot in the main round when No.197 Somalia. But Ivankovic’s form recently, finishing the For Somalia, today’s match represent our country in a best Qatar confirm they will meet Somalia in the side will not take the opponents Asian Qualifiers as runners- is an oppurtunity to showcase possible way. We are prepared second play-off at the Jassim lightly. up in Group E behind FIFA their skills at a big stage. “We for the match." another friendly in Croatia Germany bounce back to beat Portugal 4-2 THE PENINSULA — DOHA Qatar, coached by Felix REUTERS — MUNICH a pulsating second Group F Sanchez, will play Croatia match in the European Cham- (local squad) at the Aldo Germany benefitted from two pionship yesterday, but Antoine Drosina Stadium on June 30, first-half own goals as they Griezmann equalised for a 1-1 as part of the training camp came from behind to beat draw inside the packed Puskas currently taking place in defending champions Portugal Arena. Croatia. 4-2 in their Group F match The result put France on Qatar will also take on El yesterday, getting their four points to provisionally top. Salvador at the same venue on European Championship last 16 Roared on by over 60,000 July 4. qualification hopes back on fans, they took the lead in first The match will allow Qatar track. half injury time when Attila match practice ahead of this Germany, who were beaten Fiola combined with Roland year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup in by France in their opening Sallai before the wing-back which Qatar were drawn in match, started at breakneck raced through on goal to beat Group D alongside Panama, speed but fell behind against the goalkeeper Hugo Lloris with a Honduras and Grenada. run of play when Portugal Today's Fixtures low shot at the near post. The maroons have just skipper Cristiano Ronaldo France equalised in the 66th sealed the top spot in Group E scored his 107th international 7pm: Italy vs Wales minute when Kylian Mbappe of the Asian Qualifiers for the goal after a swift counter attack. stole in behind the defence to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 7pm: Switzerland vs Germany’s Thomas Mueller celebrates after Kai Havertz Joachim Loew’s Germany latch on to a bouncing long ball and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 scores their third goal against Portugal yesterday. side flipped the script thanks to Turkey from Lloris and though his cross with a tally of 22 points. two own goals within four was only half cleared, The 2021 Gold Cup, which minutes, with Kai Havertz’s a memorable individual display Griezmann was on hand to find can still qualify as they head a VAR review. Lewandowski will take place from 10 July to strike deflected in by Ruben by heading in the fourth on the the back of the net. into Wednesday's final round equalised with a towering 1 August and, for the first time Dias from six yards followed by hour. Spain struggle to 1-1 draw of matches. header from Kamil Jozwiak's in its history, will have a pre- Raphael Guerreiro finding his Diogo Jota pulled one back with Poland Morata broke the deadlock cross in the 54th minute and liminary phase, which be own net from a Joshua Kimmich to offer Portugal a glimmer of Spain striker Alvaro Mor- in the 25th minute, pouncing to four minutes later a Moreno played between 2 and 6 July. cut back. hope in the closing stages. ata's first-half goal was can- sweep home Gerard Moreno's penalty came cannoning off the This phase will determine the A Germany player finally France held 1-1 by pas- celled out by a Robert Lewand- driven ball into the box and, left-hand post, with Morata remaining teams that will join got on the scoresheet after the sionate Hungary owski strike for Poland in a 1-1 though a linesman's flag for missing the rebound and the group stage of the tour- interval when Havertz made it Meanwhile, Hungary took draw yesterday that ensured all offside delayed the celebrations, several more second-half nament that is being held in 3-1 before Robin Gosens capped a shock lead against France in four Euro 2020 Group E teams the goal was awarded following chances. the United States. Al Shaqab Racing’s Lusail Al Hammadi chosen as technical shines with impressive win expert for World Cup in Croatia

THE PENINSULA — DOHA Havlin-ridden FIND (GB) THE PENINSULA — DOHA (Frankel x Spring In The Air) Despite carrying top weight in was the runner-up, further The Executive Committee of the the Betstival Season at Mansion three lengths in front of the International Shooting Sports Feder- Bet British EBF Novice Stakes Charlie Appleby -trained and ation (ISSF) has announced the at Newmarket yesterday, Al Royston Ffrench-ridden Noble appointment of the international and Shaqab Racing’s Lusail (IRE) Truth (FR) (Kingman x Olympic referee Abdullah Ali Al (Mehmas x Diaminda) proved Speralita). Mutawa Al Hammadi (pictured), a decisive winner of the two- The Richard Hannon member of the Board of Directors of year-old heat. runner made a winning debut Qatar Shooting and Archery Associ- Jockey Pat Dobbs never had at York on 13 May before fin- ation (QSSA), as a technical delegate recourse to use the whip, as ishing third at Pontefract on his for Shooting World Cup to be held in Lusail easily dominated the second attempt two weeks later the city of Osijek in Croatian from field to land the spoils in the and returned on Saturday to June 23 to July 3. international events has had a great seven-furlong Class 4 race by double his tally on his third Hammadi’s participation as a impact on representing this sport in a length for trainer Richard career start. Lusail is a son of Lusail, helmed by technical delegate at the major event the way everyone seeks to achieve Hannon. the last season’s top first season Jockey Pat Dobbs, shows the high role Qatari officials its best levels. The aim is to increase The John & Thady Gosden- sire Mehmas, and is the first in action yesterday. besides the shooters occupy in sport. the intensity of the competition,” said trained and Robert winner of the mare Diaminda. “Our presence in the Arab and Al Hammadi. Sport SUNDAY 20 JUNE 2021 15 Kohli leads India revival before bad light intervenes in WTC final

REUTERS — SOUTHAMPTON lapse despite interruptions India’s and New because of bad light, which also Skipper Virat Kohli led India’s Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson walk forced an early tea break. revival and steered his team to off the pitch yesterday. Both teams stuck to their 146-3 against New Zealand strengths with India picking before bad light stopped play both their spinners -- Ravi- in the weather-marred World chandran Ashwin and Ravindra Test Championship (WTC) final Jadeja -- and New Zealand on yesterday. opting for an all-seam attack. Kohli had raised 58 runs Only 64.4 overs have been Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (right) and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton with Ajinkya Rahane when the played in the first two days of shake hands after the qualifying yesterday. players were forced off amid the weather-hit contest which fading light at the Ageas Bowl has a reserve day to make up with only 9.1 overs played in the for lost time. final session. The one-off match marks F1: Verstappen beats The India captain, like the culmination of a two-year several of his team mates, stood cycle of the inaugural WTC, Hamilton to clinch outside the crease to try to launched in 2019 to create a negate any swing and played pinnacle event for Test the moving ball quite late for . French GP pole his unbeaten 44. Rahane, batting on 29, SCOREBOARD REUTERS — PARIS qualifying session for the two looked cagey initially but India 1st Innings races the circuit has hosted gamely hung on to feature in R. Sharma c Southee b Jamieson ...... 34 Formula One championship since joining the calendar in India’s second 50-plus S. Gill c Watling b Wagner ...... 28 leader Max Verstappen put on 2018, with Hamilton winning C. Pujara lbw b Boult ...... 8 partnership. V. Kohli ...... 44 a blinding display in yesterday’s both from pole. After persistent rain washed A. Rahane not out ...... 29 qualifying to seize pole position Nevertheless, it marked a out the entire opening day on Extras (lb2, nb1) ...... 3 for the French Grand Prix welcome return to form for Friday, New Zealand skipper Total (3 wkts, 64.4 overs, 283 mins) ..146 ahead of title rival Lewis Mercedes after two poor Kane Williamson unsurpris- with a that swung late. Cheteshwar Pujara took 36 To bat: R Pant, R Jadeja, R Ashwin, J Bumrah, I Shar- Hamilton. weekends in Monaco and Baku ingly elected to field after Rohit, having made a fluent balls to get off the mark and, ma, M Shami The 23-year-old lapped the and early struggles at Paul Fall of : 1-62 (Rohit), 2-63 (Gill), 3-88 (Pu- winning the toss. 34, left his bat hanging and Tim like Gill earlier in the match, jara) 5.8-kilometer long Paul Ricard Ricard this weekend. Under an overcast sky, India Southee dived to his right to was smacked on the helmet grill : Southee 17-4-47-0; Boult 12.4-2-32-1; circuit in one minute 29.990 Saturday’s qualifying scored 69 runs but lost both pouch the outside edge at third by a rising delivery which sent Jamieson 14-9-14-1; De Grandhomme 11-6-23-0; seconds in his Red Bull, 0.258 session was interrupted by two their set openers in an evenly slip. his neck guard flying. Wagner 10-3-28-1 (1nb) seconds clear of Mercedes’ red flags. Japanese rookie Yuki balanced morning session. Neil Wagner was intro- Pujara made eight before New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Hamilton, who trails Ver- Tsunoda caused the first Rohit Sharma and Shubman duced late in the session and the Boult swung one back in to trap Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ stappen by four points in the stoppage just three minutes Gill raised 62 runs for the left-arm quick struck with his him lbw. Watling (wkt), Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, overall standings and will line into the hour-long session Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult opening partnership before third delivery, dismissing Gill Kohli and Rahane did not Toss: New Zealand up alongside him on the front when he lost control of his Kyle Jamieson separated them caught behind for 28. allow their concentration to row. AlphaTauri at the first corner Valtteri Bottas in the other and ended up in the barriers. Mercedes was third while Mick Schumacher brought Sergio Perez, winner two the red flags out for a second PSL: Kings claim win over Gladiators South Africa all out weeks ago in Baku, was fourth time in the dying seconds of the for Red Bull. opening phase of qualifying, Verstappen’s yesterday when the German spun off into for 298 against WI display, which made him the the barriers. only driver to lap below the one The 22-year-old Haas AP — GROS ISLET, ST. LUCIA minute, 30 second mark, driver, who was 14th when he earned the Dutchman his crashed, nevertheless pro- Quinton de Kock missed out on a second successive century second pole of the season and gressed out of qualifying’s and was out for 96 to drag South Africa to 298 all out in its fifth of his career. opening knockout phase for the first innings against the West Indies on the second day of It also ended Mercedes’ run first time in his career, even if the second Test yesterday. of practice and qualifying dom- he couldn’t take part in the De Kock’s edge off the bowling of Kyle Mayers flicked inance at the Paul Ricard track. remainder of the session. the gloves of wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva standing up and The reigning champions He will line up a career- looped to Shai Hope in the slips for a simple catch. had led every practice and best 15th today. That denied de Kock another ton after his 141 not out in the first Test set up South Africa’s innings win and 1-0 lead in the two-match series. That was de Kock’s first Test since giving up the captaincy. Ahmed Elkhoully storms to another Medium pacer Mayers took 3-28 and Kemar Roach 3-45 victory, bags QDMC crown as West Indies kept on top of South Africa, with the exception of de Kock. South Africa started the day on 218-5 after a delay in the morning because of a wet outfield in St. Lucia. De Kock hit eight fours to once again be the rock of the South Africa innings. Kagiso Rabada cracked 21 from 23 balls at the end to see South Africa to the brink of 300. Chess: Carlsen among stars to feature in Katara event

THE PENINSULA — DOHA Ahmed Elkhoully on the podium after winning the sixth and final round of the Qatar Digital Motorsports Championship (QDMC). Elkhoully Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen of Norway, a seven-time clocked a time of 22:03.475 against a field of 11 participants in the world chess champion, world online round contested at Interlagos (4.309km) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. rapid chess champion, and Elkhoully’s win yesterday was his fourth consecutive in the six-round world blitz chess champion, championship. Qatar’s Khalid Al Maraghi finished second in the sixth along with an array of grand- round (+3.086) while Mansour Dbeissy (Lebanon) clinched third masters from Russia, Belarus, spot (+9.021). Qatar’s Faesal Alyafei and Rashid Almannai finished Uzbekistan, Germany, Spain in fourth and fifth places respectively. Elkhoully wrapped up the and India among others will hugely popular series with a tally of 143 points while Al Maraghi be in action in the second (85 points) secured the second spot overall. Alyafei (69), Sheikh edition of the $12,800 Katara Soud Jassim Al Thani (62) and Khalid Al Abdulla (52) completed International Chess Tour- the top five. The series was hosted by QMMF. Omar Aswat served nament 2021 (Online Bullet as QDMC Observer while Timekeeping Officer was Aaron Limbago. Tournament) which will go Rami Azzam was the Race Director of the championship. into action in Doha today. A large number of entries have been and are still being received as players can reg- Handball: Al Duhail reach final ister till the last moment in the online tournament. The Qatar Chess Feder- ation (QCF) in cooperation with the Cultural Village Foun- dation – Katara will conduct the event till June 23. Commenting on the growing interest in the tour- nament worldwide, HE Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of the Cul- tural Village Foundation -- Katara, said: “The organisation of this tournament online emerged following the state’s precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the coro- navirus (COVID-19). We are confident that this edition too will see a world-class tour- Al Duhail players in action during the semi-final of Asian Club nament worthy of its success Handball Championship against Bahrain’s Al Najma in Jeddah, as in the last year,” he added. yesterday. Al Duhail sealed an emphatic 30-22 victory to sail On the opening day (inde- into the final. In other semi-final, Al Arabi lost to Al Kuwait SC pendent qualifying sessions will 22-23 in overtime. be held each lasting 90 minutes.