14 Monday, March 1, 2021 Sports PREMIER LEAGUE QNB Stars League schedule amended after AFC CL dates announced for April QSL schedule will witness a neces- DOHA sary period of suspension in March and April. THE Qatar Stars League “It’ll be an ideal prepara- (QSL) has amended the sched- tory time for the players of our ule for the remaining rounds first national team before they of 2020-21 season QNB Stars play in the European qualifiers League. for the 2022 FIFA World Cup The following decisions Qatar in addition to the partic- have been taken: The Week 18 ipation of our clubs in the AFC matches were rescheduled, to Champions League after the be held over three days (6th, AFC announced its new dates, 7th and 8th March, 2021), which’ll be held during the pe- taking into account the clubs’ riod from 14th to 30th April. participation in the 2021 Amir “If the AFC Champions Cup quarter-finals. League matches are not held as Al Wakrah’s match scheduled in April, as the AFC against Al Gharafa has announced, then in Week 21 has been the 2020-21 football preponed to 16th season will end on March, 2021, due 30th April, as we an- to Al Gharafa’s AFC nounced previously.” Champions League Abbassi ex- play-off against Uz- plained, “Co-ordina- bek club FC AGMK tion and consulta- on 7th April. tions are presently Dates of match- under way with all es in the last three parties concerned in rounds (Weeks order to organize a 20, 21 and 22) of QNB Stars tournament, where QNB Stars League have been revised after League and Second Division the AFC confirmed the dates clubs will compete during the Tottenham Hotspur’s Welsh striker Gareth Bale (right) celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal, his second ,during the English Premier League against Burnley at Tottenham for the group stage of 2021 league’s break in April, but Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday. (AFP) AFC Champions League (14th without the Qatari clubs com- to 30th April). The dates and peting in the AFC Champi- venues of QNB Stars League ons League. This tournament games will be finalised later, will be planned in such a way taking into account the teams’ that the players and clubs are Brilliant Bale at the double in positions in the standings and not adversely affected by the in line with the QSL’s policy of duration of the break, which giving equal opportunities to will last around a month, and all clubs. with the aim of making play- Tottenham’s 4-0 over Burnley Ahmed Khellil Abbassi, ers remain fully prepared for Vice-Chairman of Qatar Foot- the resumption of QNB Stars ball Association’s Competi- League. The interest of clubs DPA Tottenham’s recent run of lection by stealing in behind and rifled home an emphatic ing drive from the England tions Committee and Execu- and players remains our pri- BERLIN five defeats in their past six Pre- a sleeping Burnley defence finish. captain before getting down tive Director of Competitions mary concern, especially since mier League matches became to convert Son Heung Min’s Any lingering doubt over sharply to deny Son. and Football Development we’re all moving in one direc- GARETH Bale marked his a fast fading memory as Bale cross - Nick Pope having char- the result was put to bed Spurs are six points shy of at the QSL, said, “The recent tion of taking Qatar football return to a Premier League notched after 68 seconds and itably stayed on his line. when Sergio Reguilon’s cross fourth-placed West Ham with amendments to the league’s further forward.” starting line-up with a brace in set up Harry Kane’s second. There was fleeting defiance clipped off James Tarkowski a game in hand. The likes of Tottenham’s 4-0 thumping of It was 3-0 after the half from the visitors, with Davin- and Lucas pounced. Bale and Alli returning to form Burnley on Thursday. hour thanks to Lucas Moura, son Sanchez forced to make Burnley’s misery deepened means they might be coming Bale had only been named who kept Dele Alli on the a last-ditch challenge on Jay nine minutes into the second out of a mid-season slump at from kick-off twice in the top bench despite the England Rodriguez. half with Bale allowed room the perfect time. flight since re-joining Spurs midfielder’s similarly im- Pope denied Lucas at close for a touch and a clinical finish Burnley are five points from Real Madrid last Sep- pressive European form, and quarters before Bale was given after Son played the provider clear of the bottom three but tember, but a goal in each leg Bale’s eighth goal of his sec- time and space to send a rak- once more. should take nothing for grant- of the Europa League win over ond Tottenham spell came in ing ball into Kane’s path in the Lucas and Bale made way ed with regards to their Pre- Wolfsberger AC persuaded the 55th minute. 15th minute. but Kane and Son remained a mier League future, given the Jose Mourinho to give the Bale wasted little time in The England captain ad- nuisance for the Clarets. wretched ineptitude of what Wales international a chance. making the most of his se- vanced infield from the left Pope pushed over a swerv- they served up here. Pepe completes Chelsea 0-0 Man United: impressive Gunners Blues benefit from comeback SC Freiburg’s Ermedin Demirovic (left) celebrates scoring their first goal with Jonathan Schmid during the German first division DPA tracted by Jamie Vardy. controversial penalty call Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Freiburg in BERLIN It was the fourth time the Leverkusen, Germany, on Sunday. (AFP) Gunners had conceded in DPA ARSENAL ended a run of two the opening six minutes of a BERLIN consecutive away Premier league game in 2021, but it Free-scoring Serie A leaders League defeats with an impres- seemed to spark them into life, MANCHESTER United lost sive 3-1 victory over high-flying with Pepe winning a penalty further ground at the top of Inter beat Genoa 3-0 Leicester City on Sunday. only for VAR to determine he the Premier League table as Mikel Arteta’s men fought was fouled outside the box. they drew 0-0 at Chelsea on DPA linovskyi and Robin Gosens. back from an early Youri Tiele- David Luiz deservedly Sunday, Thomas Tuchel’s men ROME Sampdoria’s Jakub Jankto mans goal to score through equalised six minutes before benefiting from a contentious and Mikkel Damsgaard forced David Luiz, Alexandre Laca- the break, steering a fine head- call relating to a potential pen- INTER Milan beat Genoa 3-0 early saves but it was Ma- zette and Nicolas Pepe, ending er past Kasper Schmeichel from alty against them. Sunday and opened a seven- linovskyi to open the scoring a three-game losing streak at Willian’s free-kick, and the visi- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s point lead at the top of Italy’s into the top left corner on 40 the King Power Stadium in the tors were ahead in injury time. side came into the weekend Serie A. minutes. Gosens then volleyed top flight. The result means Pepe’s shot was blocked 10 points adrift of paceset- Romelu Lukaku stormed under the bar from close range Arsenal closed to within three by the raised arm of Wilfred ters Manchester City, but to strike clinically into the left after the break. points of sixth-place Liver- Ndidi and this time VAR ruled this draw coupled with the corner for the first-minute The Bergamo side, who pool, having played a game in favour of a penalty, allowing leaders’ 2-1 win at West Ham lead and was denied by Mattia had coach Gian Piero Gasper- more, while Leicester stay Lacazette to smash home from on Saturday saw the gap in- Perin after his team-mate Ni- ini suspended, moved level on third and 13 points behind the spot. crease to 12 as Pep Guardiola colo Barella hit the bar. points with third-place cham- leaders Manchester City. Injury problems struck closes in on another Premier Genoa’s Gianluca Scama- pions Juventus, who have Tielemans gave Leicester each team either side of the League title. cca fired at Inter keeper Samir a game in hand. Sampdoria the lead with a precise finish break, with Emile Smith-Rowe While a win for United at Handanovic after a scramble stayed 10th. after being allowed to run un- limping off for the Gunners be- Stamford Bridge would not and Perin saved two efforts “It was an important to checked into the Arsenal box, fore Leicester’s Harvey Barnes have changed a great deal, from Lautaro Martinez in the win,” Gasperini said. “We im- with Kieran Tierney out of was taken off on a stretcher, they will likely feel hard done first half. proved during the game and position and Pablo Mari dis- his left leg in a brace. by, as Callum Hudson-Odoi Chelsea’s German head coach Thomas Tuchel (left) congratulates players After the break the in-form won against a tough team. It escaped unpunished when on the pitch after their English Premier League goalless draw against Lukaku set up full back Matteo is a very balanced league and handling the ball in his own Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on Sunday. (AFP) Darmian to again stun Perin everyone is having problems area during the first period.