CCRICKETRICKET | Page 4 NNBABA | Page 5 Ball injury Boston Celtics as England roll past LA take lead in Lakers for 10th tour game straight victory FOOTBALL Friday, November 10, 2017 Safar 21, 1439 AH Germany to test World Cup GULF TIMES options at Wembley SPORT Page 2 FOCUS Maikel-Verdi duo steal the show on fi rst day of GCT A total of nine riders made it to the jump-off after a intense round of competition, which saw 48 riders taking part RALLYINGAGREEMENT Maikel Van der Vleuten and his 15-year-old horse VDL Groep Verdi TN in action at Al Shaqab yesterday. Qatar joins hands with Czech Republic to develop football By Sports Reporter ciations’ objectives to co-operate and Doha support the development of football in both countries by organising training sessions and camps, friendly matches, he Qatar Football Association development workshops for techni- (QFA) and the Football Asso- cal staff , and exchanging knowledge ciation of the Czech Republic and expertise for the mutual benefi t of (FACR) signed a co-operation both parties. Tagreement yesterday at Al Bidda Tow- General Secretary of the QFA, Man- er. soor al-Ansari, said: “I would like to Prior to the signing ceremony, welcome everyone here today. There Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed is a large scope of work we can co- al-Thani, President of the QFA, re- operate in through this co-operation ceived Roman Berbr, Second Vice- agreement. We have a lot of state of President of the FACR, Rudolf epka, the art facilities in Qatar, this includes FACR General Secretary, and FACR Aspire Zone Foundation, Aspire Acad- delegation in his offi ce to discuss mat- emy and Aspetar which can be used by ters of mutual interests while stressing the FACR in the future.” We have an on the importance of building on the interesting referees programme as we relationship between the two associa- have a very strong presence in Asia and tions and developing it further in the the average age of our professional ref- future for the mutual benefi t of both erees is mid-twenties. parties. “We will look at other opportunities Following the meeting, the QFA Vice to benefi t from the FACR as they have a President Saoud al-Mohannadi and great football history and made many Roman Berbr, Second Vice-President achievements in the football sector. of the FACR, inked the agreement in There will also be a dedicated taskforce the presence of the QFA General Sec- that will oversee how the terms of the retary Mansoor al-Ansari, Executive MoU can be activated in the future for Director of the QFA President offi ce the benefi t of both associations.” By Sahan Bidappa fore Dutchman Maikel van der Vleu- Ali Dawood, QFA Director of Opera- General Secretary of the FACR, Doha ten and VDL Groep Quatro showed all tions of National Teams Department Rudolf epka of FACR, commented: their agility at high speed to take the Ahmed Abbassi, FACR General Secre- “Firstly, we as the Football Associa- lead in 25.60s. tary Rudolf epka, FACR Chairman of tion of Czech Republic, we would like utchman Maikel van der But Zanotelli beat the competition the League Football Association (LFA) to really thank QFA for their great hos- Vleuten and his 15-year-old with his long-striding 13-year-old Dušan Svoboda and General Director pitality and for their invitation for the VDL Groep Verdi TN won Extra Van Essene. The duo showed of STES (FACR’s marketing partner) November friendly games. Dthe feature event in a thrill- tremendous team work, scorching Martin Malík. “They are friendly matches, but ing fashion as the Global Champions home clear in 24.35secs. The upcoming period will witness they are very competitive and we are Tour kicked-off at the Al Shaqab arena Smolders, who made history this the establishment of a joint work- very glad that we played a great game yesterday. season by winning the 2017 tour out- ing group which will study the legal against Iceland, the team that qualifi ed Van der Vleuten beat the time of right at the penultimate leg in Rome, frameworks in detail in order to acti- for the upcoming World Cup in Russia, his nearest rival Belgian rider Gregory threatened to beat Zanotelli’s time vate the agreement. A plan of action and we look forward to playing Qatar Wathelet with Forlap by just .08 sec- with Zinius. But the pair, despite a will also be prepared, which will in- on Saturday.” onds to clinch the 1.50/1.55m CSI5* blazing round, fell 0.3secs short of the clude a report on the most important Commenting on the friendly match class. Brazilian Eduardo Menezes with winning time to settle for runner-up achievements, schedule of activities played against Iceland on Wednesday Poden Farms’ Galip fi nished third. spot. Von Eckermann and Cantin- and events that will bring together the 8 November, the FACR General Sec- A total of nine riders made it to the ero put in some brave manoeuvres, but two associations in the coming period. retary said: “As a spectator attend- jump-off after a intense round of com- had to be content with third place fi n- The agreement is also set to establish a ing a match in Qatar in November, the petition, which saw 48 riders taking ish. framework to strengthen co-operation weather was nice in the stadium and the fi eld. Van der Vleuten was in right between both associations and to en- the players were also happy with it. sync with VDL Groep Verdi Tn as the GCT RESULTS hance football growth and develop- The stadium and pitch quality were in pair took out strides to cross the fi nish CSI5* 1.50/1.55m Table A: Against the ment in the two countries. excellent condition and we were happy line in 37.73 secs. Clock with Jump-Off The signing of the co-operation we won the friendly match against Ice- Wathelet and Forlap quickly found 1. Maikel van der Vleuten (the Nether- agreement demonstrates both asso- land.” top gear. But a slip on the turn back to lands) VDL Groep Verdi Tn. Time: 37.73 the vertical – despite a quick recovery secs. Prize money: 30,360 Euros – would mean they would be a fraction 2. Gregory Wathelet (Belgium) Forlap behind, fi nishing on 37.85 and Wathe- 37.85 secs. 18,400 Euros let ruing his hard luck. Menezes and 3. Eduardo Menezes (Brazil) Galip Galip put in a strong round, jumping 38.99 secs. 13,800 Euros. clear but were not quite quick enough CSI5* 1.45 m Two Phases: A + A, Both to stop the clock on 38.99s. Phases Against the Clock “The fi rst round [Verdi] jumped 1. Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (Brazil) nice, we had a smooth round and it Extra van Essene. Time: 24.35 secs. was quick enough to win the class to- Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanotelli, the winner of the CSI5* 1.45m class. Prize money: 8,250 Euros day. At the moment [Verdi] feels very 2. Harrie Smolders (the Netherlands) good, and very happy. I can use his big paced thriller, Zanotelli fi nished just he’s always fi ghting for me. It’s a fan- Zinius. 24.65 secs. 5,000 Euros stride in a big arena like this so it suits 0.3s ahead of 2017 overall GCT cham- tastic facility here in Doha and all the 3. Henrik von Eckermann (Sweden) him. We put our focus on Saturday for pion Harrie Smolders (the Nether- support we have here from the crowd Cantinero. 24.83 secs. 3,750. the Grand Prix,” said van der Vleuten, lands) on Zinius, with Henrik von is very nice,” the Brazilian added. who got richer by 30,360 Euros on the Eckermann of Sweden taking third on A magnifi cent fi eld of elite riders, TODAY’S SCHEDULE night. Cantinero. including 17 of the world’s top 20 rid- 10:45: National Class 1/1.15m Against In the Global Champions Tour “It was fantastic, I’m very happy ers, lined up for the opening CSI5* the clock (QR10,000) opening event, Brazil’s Marlon Mod- with my horse,” said Zanotelli, who class. Great Britain’s Ben Maher took 13:15: National Class 1.20/1.30m olo Zanotelli registered a sensational took home 30,360 Euros for his eff ort. an early advantage with some deadly Against the clock (QR20,000) round on the 13-year-old Extra Van “I watched Maikel (van der Vleuten, accurate turns on MTF Madame X in a 15:00: CSI5* 1.45m Two Phase Essene to win the CSI5* 1.45m class, who fi nished sixth) and he went fast. time of 27.12s, but the leader board im- (€25,000) which carried a total prize money of My wife said there was one less stride mediately reshuffl ed. 17:30: CSI5* 1.50/1.55m Global 92,000 Euros. to the last and luckily it worked for me. Sweden’s Peder Frericson and H&M Champions League Round 1 (€92,000 QFA Vice President Saoud al-Mohannadi (R) and Roman Berbr, Second In what turned out to be a fast- He’s a fantastic horse, very kind and Zaloubet rocketed home in 26.48s be- individual class winner) Vice-President of the FACR, sealing the co-operation agreement yesterday. Gulf Times 2 Friday, November 10, 2017 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT Russia vows World Cup crackdown on scalpers AFP law being drafted by the government showcase itself as a modern power that Moscow slaps fi nes on individuals that could has shed corruption and other shadowy reach 25 times the price of the ticket’s practices of its post-Soviet past.