CCRICKETRICKET | Page 4 TTENNISENNIS | Page 7 Sri Lankans Federer into back in 13th Basel Pakistan for fi nal, faces T20 match Del Potro FOOTBALL Sunday, October 29, 2017 Safar 9, 1439 AH England come from behind to GULF TIMES beat Spain 5-2 in U17 W Cup fi nal SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL/QNB STARS LEAGUE FORMULA 1 Sailiya extend Vettel takes Mexico pole Qatar SC misery as Hamilton awaits glory as Duhail held DPA THE GRID Mexico City 1st row Once a formidable side – they have won the league eight times – Qatar Sports Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) ebastian Vettel (pictured at bot- Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-TAG Club have been in decline over the years with only sporadic signs of revival tom) took pole position yester- Heuer) day for the Mexican Formula One 2nd row Grand Prix, giving him the best Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) Sbase to try to thwart a coronation for By Sports Reporter Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) Doha championship leader Lewis Hamilton. 3rd row Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was second Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) quickest in qualifying with Mercedes Estéban Ocon (FRA/Force India- atar Sports Club’s misery driver Hamilton only third. The Briton Mercedes) continued yesterday as they holds a 66-point lead over Ferrari’s Vet- 4th row suff ered a crushing a 5-1 rout tel going into the 18th of 20 races and Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull-TAG at the hands of Al Sailiya, would take his fourth world title today Heuer) Qwhile Al Gharafa halted leaders Al Du- with a top-fi ve fi nish if Vettel wins the Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) hail’s winning streak by forcing a 1-1 race. If Vettel is second, Hamilton would 5th row draw in the QNB Stars League. only need a top-nine fi nish. If Vettel Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Renault) Once a formidable side – they have comes outside the top two then the Mer- Sergio Perez (MEX/Force India- won the league eight times – Qatar cedes driver will win the championship Mercedes) Sports Club have been in decline over regardless of his fi nish. 6th row the years with only sporadic signs of Hamilton won from pole in Mexico Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams-Mer- revival. last year and has his work cut out to cedes) A huge defeat against Al Sailiya, who again triumph at the Autodromo Her- Lance Stroll (CAN/Williams-Mercedes) are relative newcomers to the league, manos Rodriguez as he looks to win the 7th row will surely hurt their morale further as title in style on the top of the podium. Brendon Hartley (NZL/Toro Rosso- they languish at the bottom of the table “I gave it everything in the last lap,” he Renault) with just three points from six matches. told Sky Sports. “I could’ve been a cou- Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber-Ferrari) On the other hand, Al Sailiya have ple of tenths of a second quicker but it 8th row been impressive this season, picking wouldn’t be enough to match these guys. Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Sauber-Ferrari) up their fourth win in six matches to be We’re still in for the win — I hope to have Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) placed fi fth behind Duhail Al Sadd, Al a battle with at least one of them.” 9th row Rayyan and Umm Salal. He complained of power issues in fi nal Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas-Ferrari) Yesterday, Al Sailiya thoroughly practice, where he was second quickest Fernando Alonso (ESP/McLaren- dominated their rivals and scored at will for the third session in a row, and was Honda) as they made their intentions clear of slightly off the pace at the crucial mo- 10th row pushing for a top four spot. ment in qualifying despite being fast- Stoff el Vandoorne (BEL/McLaren- Uzbek international Temurkhuja Ab- est in Q1. Four-times champion Vettel, Honda) dukholiqov (14th and 49th) and Roma- who racked up his 50th pole in F1, is not Pierre Gasly (FRA/Toro Rosso- nian Valentin Lazar (45 and 62) scored giving up on another title just yet. “I’m Renault) a brace each while Brazilian Wagner really happy. It’s diffi cult and slippy and Ribeiro netted once (23rd) to complete diffi cult to get everything in one lap,” the the Renaults of Nico Huelkenberg and the rout. German said. Carlos Sainz and Force India’s Sergio Pe- Michael Babatunde (90th-min pen- “I had a moment in turn six, I nearly rez on home tarmac completing the top alty) reduced the margin for Qatar SC. lost it there. But I knew if I could keep 10. After a series of attacks in the fi rst few it clean in the last sector it would be It was a bad day for Torro Rosso with minutes, Al Sailiya’s Brazilian midfi eld- enough. The race pace should be good.” Brendon Hartley’s car grinding to a halt er Wagner broke free of his marker and Valtteri Bottas was fourth in qualify- in Q2 where Williams pair Felipe Massa slipped a near-perfect ball to teammate ing in his Mercedes ahead of Ferrari’s and Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso Abdullah al-Marri who had charged Kimi Raikkonen with Force India’s Es- and Stoff el Vandoorne in the McLarens into the Qatar SC box. However, the teban Ocon, Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, also bowed out. Under-23 player fumbled. Five minutes later, they opened the scoring through forward Abdukholiqov, who fi red in a Wagner Ribeiro celebrates his goal as his Al Sailiya bullet from close range. teammate Temurkhuja Abdukholiqov, who scored With Qatar Sports Club struggling twice yesterday, reacts. to counter Al Sailiya’s pace, the lat- ter doubled the lead with the help of minute later, Qatar international mid- fi elder Luiz Martin Junior charged into QNB STARS LEAGUE STANDINGS The Cheetahs box, but his shot from close range narrowly missed the goal- Team MP W D L F A D P post. Al Duhail 6 5 1 0 21 8 +13 16 El Arabi and Burhan were engaged in Al Sadd 6 5 0 1 15 7 +8 15 a battle again, but this time, the former Al Rayyan 6 5 0 1 17 10 +7 15 was not to be denied. South Korean Umm Salal 6 4 1 1 11 6 +5 13 striker Nam Tae-Hee, sweeping in from Al Sailiya 6 4 0 2 17 9 +8 12 the right fl ank, found El Arabi with a Al Gharafa 6 1 3 2 7 8 -1 6 slick low volley. El Arabi, just a few me- Al Kharitiyath 6 1 2 3 8 10 -2 5 tres away from Burhan, found the net Al Ahli 6 1 2 3 7 13 -6 5 from close with a quick tap into the goal Al Khor 6 1 1 4 5 10 -5 4 in the 25th minute. It was the Moroccan Al Arabi 6 1 1 4 7 15 -8 4 striker’s 11th goal of the season. Al Markhiya 6 1 1 4 4 13 -9 4 Al Gharafa produced the equaliser Qatar SC 6 1 0 5 6 16 -10 3 through Amro, who picked up a re- bound off the crossbar following a pow- erful shot by Martin. Two minutes later, Wagner’s spectacular shot from the ings after Round 6 with 16 points, while Nam produced a bullet from the edge of edge of the box. With seconds to go for Al Gharafa have six. the box. However, his shot sailed past the half-time whistle, Valentin headed Youssef El Arabi opened the scoring the goalpost, with Burhan well beaten. home after Qatar SC goalkeeper Rajab for Al Duhail in the 25th minute, but Al Hamza completely mistimed his charge Gharafa hit back through Amro Abdull- to punch away a free-kick. fattah Seraj in the 56th. RESULTS (HOME Abdukholiqov scored off a penalty Following a cagey start, star striker El in the 49th minute and Al Sailiya went Arabi produced a near-perfect header TEAMS FIRST): 4-0 up. Soon after the hour mark, they inside the Al Gharafa box, but his de- Qatar Sports Club 1 (Michael Bab- scored their fi fth goal through Valentin, fl ection from close range rebounded off batunde 90) Al Sailiya 5 (Temurkhuja who headed home from close. the post, much to the dismay of Al Du- Abdlkholiqov 14, 49 pen; Wagner In the late match, former champions hail camp. Ribeiro 23, Valentin Lazar 45, 62) Al Gharafa held Al Duhail to a gutsy 1-1 Al Gharafa’s seasoned goalkeeper Al Duhail 1 (Yousef El Arabi 25) Al Al Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi draw at the Al Duhail Stadium on Satur- Qassim Burhan was quick to pounce Gharafa 1 (Amro Surag 56) reacts on the sidelines. day. The Red Knights still led the stand- on the rebound in the 22nd minute. A Gulf Times 2 Sunday, October 29, 2017 FOOTBALL LIGUE 1 Cavani double sends PSG seven points clear AFP Neymar was absent for only On 31 minutes Cavani claimed Monaco win comfortably in Falcao absence Paris the second time since his world his 99th Ligue 1 goal when the record signing, the Brazilian Uruguayan ran onto Di Maria’s Monaco shrugged off the for Wednesday’s Champions copping a one-match ban after neat fl ick to round the on-rush- absence of leading scorer League clash with Besiktas in uspended Neymar being sent off in that stormy visit ing Benitez and slide the ball into Radamel Falcao as they Istanbul.