14 Thursday, November 19, 2020 Sports

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers Playing Australian Open straight after quarantine dangerous, warn tennis stars AFP “If we have to quarantine London for 14 days inside a room and then go play a Grand Slam, I Playing the Australian Open mean, I will do it because it’s with no preparation time my job and I have to find a would be “very dangerous”, way, but I think it’s quite dan- Brazilian doubles special- gerous for the players with no ist Bruno Soares warned on preparation I think to go there Wednesday, after lead-up and compete right away. events to the Grand Slam were “I think it’s physically very thrown into further doubt. dangerous.” The stark message came after Australian tennis chiefs flagged “new challenges” around The stark message came the arrival of players during the after Australian tennis coronavirus pandemic. chiefs flagged “new In correspondence with challenges” around the players the ATP, the men’s arrival of players during tennis tour, said arrivals origi- the coronavirus pandemic. nally planned for December were now uncertain, poten- tially disrupting the packed Alexander Zverev, bidding January schedule. to win a second ATP Finals ti- With players facing a 14- tle, said: “If we can’t even prac- day quarantine, any delay could tise for 14 days and we have to make it difficult to hold the high- go out to play the Australian profile ATP Cup and other tour- Open, it’s a lottery,” he said. “I naments before the scheduled mean, you can basically flip a start of the Australian Open in coin who wins.” Melbourne on January 18. The German world num- Brazil’s Richarlison heads the ball to score against Uruguay during their 2022 FIFA World Cup South American qualifier at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo on Tuesday.( AFP) “In discussions with Ten- ber seven added: “I hope we nis Australia over the past 24 do find a way to be able to play hours, we have been informed one or two weeks before the there are some new chal- Australian Open. But in gen- lenges around the previously eral, I just hope the Australian Brazil make perfect start; planned arrival dates for play- Open happens, because right ers and team members,” read now everything is so unsure the ATP’s message, which was that we don’t know.” tweeted by world number 193 Tennis Australia on Mon- Lukas Lacko. day flagged plans to move “We understand there is warm-up events from across easy win for Argentina uncertainty about the start of Australia to the state of Vic- the 2021 season, and we are toria, to mitigate against any AFP team never to qualify for a ther end of the half. chester City striker bought a Gimenez, wrongfooting the working as hard as possible to possible state border closures. Montevideo World Cup finals – picked up The win also extended yard of space on the edge of luckless Campana, who could deliver the best possible calen- But Victoria’s state pre- their first points in a 2-1 victory Brazil’s long reign of domi- the six-yard box. only watch it bounce into the dar of events,” the ATP added. mier Dan Andrews said the Brazil continued their per- over Chile in Caracas. nance over the Celeste, who Almost immediately, Uru- net. Two minutes later, a slick International travel to move was “not a done deal”, fect start to the qualifiers for Victory in Montevideo left have not beaten their fierce guay’s 21-year-old Benifica through ball from the Juven- Australia is still tightly con- particularly since Melbourne the 2022 World Cup with a Brazil on top of South Amer- rivals since 2001. star, Darwin Nunez, turned tus forward put Liverpool’s trolled and all overseas arriv- only recently emerged from a 2-0 win over Uruguay while ri- ica’s qualifying standings on Brazil full-back Danilo inside Roberto Firmino in on goal als must quarantine for two month-long lockdown. vals Argentina stayed in touch 12 points with four wins from Cavani misery the area and rattled Ederson’s but his left foot shot lacked the weeks, while individual states Australia has been rela- with an easy win in Peru. four games. Argentina are sec- Cavani’s sending off with bar after a neat pass from Riv- power to beat Campana. also have their own Covid-19 tively successful in containing First-half goals from Arthur ond on 10 points after beating 20 minutes to go capped a mis- er Plate’s Nico De La Cruz. Brazil gradually got on top restrictions. the virus, with just over 27,700 and Richarlison helped Brazil Peru, with surprise team Ec- erable night for his side, despite Uruguay fashioned an- on midfield as the half wore on, It is also unclear whether cases and 907 deaths recorded to a 2-0 win over Uruguay, who uador third on nine points. having the better of things for other gilt-edged chance when and struck a body blow to Uru- players will be allowed to train since the pandemic began. had Manchester United striker Uruguay are fifth on six much of the first half. Nathan Nandez’s cross from guay’s hopes of a revival when during quarantine. But an outbreak in South Edinson Cavani sent off. points, behind Paraguay on Chilean referee Roberto the right was headed over by Everton striker Richarlison Soares, playing in the dou- Australia, which neighbours Argentina, with Lionel Mes- goal difference after four Tobar showed him a yellow Cavani. Brazil had most of headed in a long cross from bles event at the ATP Finals Victoria, triggered a six-day si pulling the strings, brushed matches. The first four teams in card after his lunge caught the ball, but could find no way Renan Lodi out on the left, to in London this week, said it lockdown Wednesday as offi- aside a limited Peru 2-0 in Lima, South America’s round-robin Richarlison on the ankle. through a well-marshalled score his 8th goal for Brazil. would be tough to play with no cials rush to contain a cluster with goals from Inter Milan’s competition qualify directly for But after a VAR check, that Uruguay midfield. It was a cruel blow just practice. in Adelaide. Lautaro Martinez and Nicholas the World Cup finals in Qatar, changed to red, leaving Cavani They finally broke through before half time, emphasised Gonzalez in a game in which while the 5th placed nation fac- incredulous, and he left the however with their first real when Uruguay skipper Die- they were never troubled. es a playoff against the country pitch reluctantly. chance in half an hour, and go Godin powered a header Ecuador, playing on their qualifying from Oceania. Brazil almost drew first with a large slice of luck. against the Brazil bar from a home turf in high-altitude Qui- Five-time world champi- blood after two minutes of a Feeding on a slick layoff free kick by De La Cruz. to, hammered Colombia 6-1. ons Brazil were fortunate to lively opening, when Uruguay from Gabriel Jesus, Arthur’s Showing slickness on the Paraguay and Bolivia fought be two goals up at half time in keeper Martin Campana par- shot from outside the area ball, Brazil began to cruise in out a 2-2 draw while Venezue- Montevideo after Uruguay had ried a close range shot from took a wicked deflection off the the second half, even without la – the only South American hit the woodwork twice at ei- Gabriel Jesus after the Man- back of Uruguay defender Jose the injured Neymar.

Quick read Mohamed Salah records second positive coronavirus test, to miss Leicester game London: Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah had a second positive coronavirus test, the Egyptian football association said on Wednesday. The Egyptian tested positive for a second time on international duty, having initially returned a positive test last week. The 28-year-old is now self-isolating and is set to miss Liverpool’s home Premier League Brazil’s Bruno Soares (left) and Croatia’s Mate Pavic during their men’s game with Leicester on Sunday and their Champions League clash with Atalanta on November 25. Salah, who is reportedly suffering from mild symptoms, tweeted on doubles round-robin match against Spainiards Horacio Zeballos and Tuesday, saying: “I’m confident I’ll be back on the field soon”.( DPA) Marcel Granollerson at the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London on Wednesday. (AFP) Qatar will host ideal version of football World Cup: SC ambassadors Wael Gomaa, Younis Mahmoud

Tribune News Network “Qatar is dedicated to pre- various sports,” he added. Doha sent the most amazing World Mahmoud said the whole Cup ever and they are prepar- world is waiting for an ideal Former Egyptian footballer ing in the best possible way version of the World Cup Qa- and The Supreme Committee and leave a legacy for future tar 2022, especially in light of for Delivery & Legacy (SC) am- generations,” he added. the continuous Qatari prepara- bassador Wael Gomaa believes Gomaa was named the best tions, distinctive infrastructure, Qatar can overcome all the hur- defender in all three Africa Cup sports facilities and advanced dles, including the existing pan- of Nations victories, while at technologies that were praised demic, to host an exceptional club level he claimed 26 major by the FIFA and all the sports FIFA World Cup in 2022. trophies with Al Ahly, including missions that used them. Since 2019, Gomaa has six CAF Champions League ti- Mahmoud, who made 148 been an ambassador for the SC tles. After retiring from playing appearances for Iraq, also had – the organisation responsible in 2014, Gomaa served as man- spells with top Iraqi side Al for delivering the infrastruc- ager of Al Ahly for one season. Talaba and five Qatari teams, ture and legacy for the FIFA The SC’s ambassador including Al Gharafa, where World Cup Qatar 2022. “The wished that a record number he won a host of honours dur- World Cup in Qatar will be an of Arab teams would qualify Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) ambassadors and former football stars Wael Gomaa (left) and Younis Mahmoud during an ing a five-year spell. unforgettable event in light of for the World Cup in Qatar, online roundtable conference in Qatar on Tuesday. On the international front, the large preparations that Qa- while pointing out that four Mahmoud won the AFC Asian tar is doing in terms of stadi- Arab teams had made it to the with the Generation Amazing ambassador Younis Mahmoud Qatar League is one of the few es by creating a bio-secure bub- Cup with Iraq in 2007, scoring ums, facilities and infrastruc- World Cup in Russia in 2018. programme after taking part was also part of the roundtable leagues in the world that are ble and has also been given the the most goals in the tourna- ture to host an ideal version Gomaa said as ambassa- in a football for development discussion, and said that Qatar currently held with fans,” the responsibility to host East Zone ment and picking up the best of the biggest football event in dor of the SC he will have a activity with Doha schoolchil- was 100 percent ready to host former Iraq striker said. matches. Qatar has become the player award. He became the world,” Gomaa said at an huge role to play in the next dren during last year’s Arabian the World Cup despite the “Qatar’s experience in host- sport capital of the world due to an ambassador for the SC in online roundtable conference two years to promote the work Gulf Cup. He also attended the pandemic ravaging the world. ing the most prominent sport- its enormous potential and ca- 2019, which led to him at- to discuss the role of the SC’s done by Qatar 2022 and high- inaugural Generation Amaz- “Qatar is among the first ing events is also an important pabilities in sport facilities and tending a Generation Amazing ambassadors in highlighting light the ongoing preparations ing Festival, which gathered countries that allowed sports factor. The country already infrastructure and has hosted activity with local school chil- Qatar’s ongoing preparations to organise the tournament. 140 youth from 22 countries. activities to resume during hosted a successful AFC Cham- in recent years many promi- dren at one of the Qatar 2022 for the World Cup. Gomaa is also familiar Iraq football legend and SC this pandemic. And also the pions League West zone match- nent events at all levels and in training sites.