FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 CCRICKETRICKET | Page 4 United halt Hot Guptill City’s winning leads NZ to run, Liverpool series win vs crisis mounts Australia Monday, March 8, 2021 TENNIS Rajab 24, 1442 AH Green lights all GULF TIMES around as Federer returns in Doha SPORT Page 7 FOOTBALL Xavi’s Al Sadd crowned QNB Stars League champs Al Sadd beat Umm Salal 3-0 to seal their 15th league success after amassing 50 points from 18 matches Al Sadd players and off icials celebrate with the QNB Stars League winners’ trophy after winning the match against Umm Salal 3-0 yesterday. (Below) Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez. By Sports Reporter health protocol implemented in Umm Salal defence as Al Sadd The stoppages slowed down goal, but determined that there Doha the wake of coronavirus (Cov- looked to double their lead before the pace of the match, but Al was no foul by Soria after the VAR id-19) pandemic. half-time. Sadd were still trying to fi nd an- consultation. Baghdad Bounedjah (34th The second half started in a other goal. They got it in stop- Qatar SC regrouped after l Sadd deservedly minute), Yousef Abdulrazaq similar fashion with Al Sadd page time after Tabata fi red a su- conceding the lead reducing Al emerged as the 2020- (51st minute) and Rodrigo Tabata making inroads. Three minutes perb left-footed drive from edge Arabi’s ball domination, but The 21 QNB Stars League (90+2 minute) scored the goals. into the second half, Bounedjah of the box as Al Sadd celebrated Dream Team were still ahead in champions after they Umm Salal remained on 15 fi red a rocket that struck the left the title-winning victory. terms of possession on the half- Abeat Umm Salal 3-0 yesterday, a points after their ninth defeat. goal-post. Earlier Al Arabi beat Qatar SC hour mark. result that meant they could not In-form Bounedjah made Yousef Abdulrazaq gave Al 1-0, with Sebastian Soria’s goal In the 42nd minute, Al Arabi’s be overtaken irrespective of the the fi rst attempt in the fourth Sadd their second goal three in the eighth minute proved deci- Aron Gunnarsson received a yel- results of their remaining four minute, but his angular strike minutes later, pushing the ball sive in the action-packed match. low card for a foul on goalkeeper matches. from on edge of the box was far over the head of diving Malick Al Arabi moved to 26 points al-Hail as he tried to score fol- Coached by Xavi Hernandez, from Umm Salal goalkeeper Baba from a close range after an assist with seven wins, fi ve draws and lowing a corner. The goalkeeper the Wolves exhibited an out- Malick. from captain al-Haydos. six defeats, while Qatar SC stayed received treatment for the injury. standing level right throughout Captain Hasan al-Haydos fi red Umm Salal tested Al Sadd’s on 28 points after their sixth de- Al Arabi tried to tone down the the season in terms of results and a shot on target from a distance defence on the hour mark with feat. pace of the match in the second statistics that confi rmed their and Umm Salal were lucky to a move, but they failed to pose Al Arabi looked a better side half as Qatar SC returned with an excellence and superiority. evade the threat after Malick got threat on Meshaal Barsham’s from the start keeping most of aggressive approach. Their 15th league success is control of the ball despite fum- goal. the ball possession and their Qatar SC’s Hamed Ismail won all the more creditable because bling. In the 65th minute, Bounedjah strategy to put pressure on the a free-kick 10 yards outside the they are yet to lose a match in the As the clock reached the quar- got a golden opportunity to score opposition gave them the desired box in the 51st minute, but al- tournament so far, with nearest ter of an hour, Al Sadd were his second goal but his hit from a result early. Hail thwarted it. rivals Al Duhail 13 points behind completely in their traditional he tried to block Nam Tae-Hee’s sure at half-hour mark. close range fl ew over the cross- A brilliant cross from Fahad A few moments later, al-Hail with four matches to go. attacking style, putting con- chip near the box with referee Bounedjah, left unmarked, fi - bar. In 72nd minute, Xavi sent Shenain from the left landed punched away the ball from a Al Sadd now have 50 points stant pressure on the opposition, Abdulhadi al-Ruaile handing Al nally broke the deadlock in an- fresh legs in veteran Tabata while in the danger area and while free-kick by Bashar Resan from from 18 matches and can hope hardly giving the ball away. Sadd a free-kick, but al-Hay- other attack from the right with calling back Afi f. goalkeeper Jassim al-Hail failed the left. Qatar SC created more to end the tournament unbeaten They continued to attack dous’ strike from the centre went a perfect fi rst-time fl ick from a Cazorla was carted off for a to grab the ball, it took Soria’s chances, but execution was before the Champions League mostly from the right wing, with wide. close range after receiving a shot treatment after he collided with touch and entered the net de- missing as they continued to trail and other engagements begin. feared striker Akram Afi f and Malick made a superb jumping pass from midfi elder Abdurisag. Roozbeh while racing into oppo- spite an acrobatic effort from Al Arabi. The coronation ceremony took Spaniard Santi Cazorla also mak- save off Bounedjah’s header who Malick guarding his left corner sition’s box. Salem al-Hajri re- defender Khaled Ahmed to clear In other matches yesterday, place after the match, strictly ing dangerous moves. received a long ball from Tae-hee had no chance as the ball landed placed the Spaniard with defend- the ball. Al Rayyan defeated Al Ahli 3-1, adhering to the precautionary Roozbeh Mohamed received near the penalty spot as Umm in his right corner. er Musab Kheder replacing Pedro Referee Khamis al-Marri, in while Al Wakrah beat Al Sailiya measures and approved general a yellow card for a handball as Salal continued to defy the pres- The goal brought no respite for Miguel, 11 minutes before time. his fi rst reaction, disallowed the 1-0. Gulf Times 2 Monday, March 8, 2021 SPORT LA LIGA SERIE A Milan beat Verona to close gap Atletico waste on Inter before Man United trip chance as Real clinch 1-1 draw Benzema’s late equaliser keeps Real in the race for the title AFP Madrid tletico Madrid squan- dered the chance to infl ict a heavy blow on Real Madrid’s La Liga AC Milan’s Bosnian midfielder Rade Krunic celebrates after scoring against Hellas Verona at the Atitle hopes yesterday as Karim Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium in Verona yesterday. Benzema’s late equaliser earned the champions a 1-1 draw and AFP “Today we’ve shown that we Inter before Christmas. kept them in the race at the top. Milan are there, that we are a team and Roma moved up to fourth, Luis Suarez’s fl icked fi nish still believe,” said coach Stefano one point ahead of fi fth-placed early in the fi rst half looked to be Pioli. Atalanta thanks to a Gianluca enough to give Atletico a crucial ade Krunic and Diogo “We are stronger when we’re Mancini goal, ahead of their Eu- win that would have put them Dalot scored in either all together, but we’re also strong ropa League tie against Shakhtar eight points clear of their oppo- half as AC Milan beat with absences. Donetsk in Rome. nents, with a game in hand. RHellas Verona 2-0 to “Ibrahimovic arrived before Mancini jumped highest to But they failed to make their close the gap on Serie A lead- the game, followed the technical turn in a Lorenzo Pellegrini cor- authority count and Benzema ers Inter before next week’s Eu- meeting, and helped to stimulate ner after 24 minutes at the Stadio punished them in the 88th ropa League trip to Manchester us as great champions do. He is a Olimpico, beating second choice minute, his goal earning Real United. pack leader.” goalkeeper Federico Marchetti Madrid a draw that ensures the Krunic curled in a free-kick Rafael Leao started up front in who replaced Mattia Perrin. gap between the two city rivals after 27 minutes with Manches- Ibrahimovic’s absence, and the Roma sit nine points behind stays at fi ve points. ter United loanee Dalot doubling Portuguese forward threatened Inter after the win. It is still a considerable lead Real Madrid’s French forward Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring against Atletico Madrid at the the visitors’ account fi ve minutes after quarter of an hour with a “One more step is missing that Atletico can extend to eight Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid yesterday. after the break to pull Milan three header which went over the bar. to beat the big teams, we need points with 12 matches left if points behind Inter, who host in- The breakthrough came when to improve because something they win their game in hand played a game more. They also a familiar combination down tor. Real Madrid rallied and for a form Atalanta today.