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THURSDAY 29 APRIL 2021 AlA Sadd eye win in 'final' against Al Nassr We are leading the group, but we can’t relax, as we are going tto play against a strong team who reached the semi-finals last year.y But we are ready for the match. All the players are ready tto play, as there are no injuries or suspensions in the squad.

Xavi Hernandez Sport | 23

IPL: 171/3 (M Pandey 61, D Warner 57) vs Chennai Super Kings 173/3 in 18.3 overs (R Gaikwad 75, F du Plessis 56). FIFA Arab Cup: to open campaign on November 30

FAWAD HUSSAIN Group stage will be competed stadiums will play host to the Meanwhile, another leading FIFA Arab Cup Fixtures (Group Stage) THE PENINSULA among 16 sides following a qual- matches while more details on title-contenders, ifying round. the venues and fixtures will be will kick off their campaign GROUP A GROUP C Hosts Qatar will kick off the According to details of the announced in due course, FIFA with a match against Jordan or November 30 December 1 inaugural FIFA Arab Cup when Arab Cup announced yesterday, said yesterday. South Sudan in Group C on Qatar vs Bahrain or Kuwait Morocco vs Palestine or Comoros they will take on a qualifying the group stage will conclude on Qatar will be looking for a December 1. vs Oman or Somalia Saudi Arabia vs Jordan or South Sudan side in the opening match of the December 7, followed by the strong show in Arab Cup to build The regional football pow- December 3 December 4 tournament on November 30, it quarter-finals on December 10 momentum for an exceptional erhouse will play against Pal- Bahrain or Kuwait vs Iraq Jordan or South Sudan vs Morocco was announced yesterday. and 11. performance in the World Cup estine or Comoros on December Oman or Somalia vs Qatar Palestine or Comoros vs Saudi Arabia Drawn in Group A, the The semi-finals will take on home soil. 4, before meeting Morocco on December 6 December 7 reigning Asian champions will place on December 15 while the Speaking on the sidelines of December 7 in their final group Oman or Somalia vs Bahrain or Kuwait Morocco vs Saudi Arabia meet Bahrain or Kuwait to start final and third place play-off are Arab Cup draw ceremony on match. Qatar vs Iraq Jordan or South Sudan vs Palestine or Comoros their campaign in the highly- scheduled on December 18 – the Tuesday, Qatar’s head coach Saudia Arabia’s head coach GROUP B GROUP D anticipated tournament. Al Qatar National Day (QND). The Felix Sanchez said the first target Herve Renard said the FIFA Arab November 30 December 1 Annabi will then face Oman or final of the FIFA World Cup for his side will be to qualify for Cup will be a tough Tunisia vs Mauritania or Yemen Algeria vs Libya or Sudan Somalia on December 3 in their Qatar 2022 will also take place the knockout stage. competition. UAE vs Syria Egypt vs or Djibouti second match before taking on on QND. “Arab Cup is important for “It’s a very good competition December 3 December 4 Iraq - the 2007 Asian Cup cham- The matches for the FIFA us because we can evaluate our and we will have to be focused Mauritania or Yemen vs UAE Lebanon or Djibouti vs Algeria pions - on December 6. Arab Cup are scheduled in a performance one year before the in this tough challenge. I hope Syria vs Tunisia Libya or Sudan vs Egypt A total of 23 teams will similar time slot to the World World Cup. Hopefully, we’re we will do well and go as far as December 6 December 7 feature in the tournament, seen Cup, with kick offs set for going to perform well and we possible in the tournament,” the Syria vs Mauritania or Yemen Algeria vs Egypt as the test event for next year’s 1:00pm, 4:00pm, 7:00pm and can bring some good results,” Frenchman had said at the draw Tunisia vs UAE Lebanon or Djibouti vs Libya or Sudan FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The 10:00pm. Six Qatar 2022 said Sanchez. ceremony. City rally to beat 10-man PSG in first leg REUTERS – PARIS Zidane glad Manchester City took a big step towards their first Champions League final as goals by Kevin De Real still alive Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez earned them a 2-1 comeback win at Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final first leg yesterday. after early PSG went ahead courtesy of a Marquinhos header in the first half, but Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea side lost control after the break with De Bruyne and Mahrez finding the back of the net in the onslaught space of eight minutes to secure City's 18th consecutive away win REUTERS – MADRID in all competitions. Last year's runners-up PSG Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane admitted he then found themselves with a was relieved to finish Tuesday’s Champions League higher mountain to climb as mid- semi-final first leg against Chelsea with his side fielder Idrissa Gueye picked up still in the tie following a 1-1 draw after being a straight red card in the 77th outplayed for large parts of the game. minute for a reckless challenge Real were on the back foot early on and went on Ilkay Gundogan. behind to Christian Pulisic’s goal but equalised The French champions will thanks to a brilliant Karim Benzema strike before need to show next Tuesday the both sides cancelled each other out after the break. same away form that enabled “I’m so happy with the players because we’re them to beat Barcelona at the still alive,” Zidane told reporters. Manchester City’s Riyad Camp Nou and Bayern Munich at “We struggled a bit for the first 25-30 minutes Mahrez (centre) in action the Allianz Arena in previous but then we improved and were much better in rounds if they are to progress. with Paris Saint-Germain’s the second half and had control. We’re happy what City dominated the early pos- Mitchel Bakker, during their we did in the game overall.” session but PSG were the more Champions League semi-final Real had breezed past Liverpool and Atalanta dangerous side with Brazilian first leg match played at Parc in their last two home knockout games but were forward Neymar testing City des Princes in Paris, yesterday. really put to the test by Chelsea’s intense pressing keeper Ederson twice. RIGHT: Mahrez celebrates with game and Zidane credited Thomas Tuchel’s side Marquinhos, returning to the team-mates after scoring their for keeping his team at bay. team from an injury suffered in second goal. “WeWe are googoodd atat pressingpressing teamsteams hihighgh up thethe the quarter-final first leg against pitchh but our ooppo-ppo- Bayern, put the hosts in front PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas. nentsts were very when he headed home Angel Di The visitors were more good,d, veveryry cocom-m- Maria's whipped corner in the attack-minded in the second half petitive.ive. They’ve 15th minute. and they equalised after 64 had 21 games City, overly cautious for fear minutes when De Bruyne, from and not concon-- of being punished on the break, a corner by Oleksandr Zinchenko cededed in 1166 ooff were again exposed on a set- who had just replaced Cancelo, themm ((beforebefore piece when Leandro Paredes sent in a cross and Navas failed Tuesday’ssday’s gamegame)) headed Neymar's corner just to react as it curled into the far and ththeyey proved wide. corner of the net. why.. They are in the Pep Guardiola's City side Navas was beaten again semi-finalsi-finals forfor a lacked their usual composure, seven minutes later when Mah- reason,”on,” he added.added. with Joao Cancelo picking up a rez's free kick flew through an yellow card for a woeful chal- inadequate PSG wall. lenge on Kylian Mbappe. Gueye's dismissal for a wild City's first real chance came tackle on Gundogan made City's in the 42nd minute when Phil task easier and they will take a Foden, played infield by Ber- big advantage into the second leg Zinedine Zidane nardo Silva, shot too close to in Manchester. Abbes lands Gr3 PA Prix Dormane

THE PENINSULA – LA TESTE-DE-BUCH Rahab) who was ridden by Julien Auge Pur-Sang Arabe de 4ans (Gr1 PA), and was campaigned at during which is the equivalent of the Prix du Abbes (FR) (TM Fred Texas x Raqiyah), the winter. Jockey-Club (French Derby) for the carrying the colours of H H Sheikh H H Sheikh Mohammed's Hoggar Purebred Arabian breed, and which Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani, made a De L’ardus (FR) Mister Ginouxx Alfa De forms part of the Chantilly card on winning return at La Teste-de-Buch L’ardus) was further 1¼ lengths behind June 20th. Racecourse in , capturing the in third under Jerome Cabre. Abbes is out of the high class Sheikh Mansour Festival - Prix Dormane It was a special day for the French Raqiyah (Amer) and herself a multiple (Gr3 PA) yesterday. trainer recording a 1-2-3 in this contest Gr1 PA, having won at the highest level With Olivier Peslier in the saddle, as both the runner-up and the third are in France (including two editions of the Thomas Fourcy-trained colt pre- trained by him as well. the Coupe d’Europe), Qatar and vailed by the minimum margin at the With this victory under his belt, Britain, where she provided Olivier Olivier Peslier guides H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani's Abbes to victory main expense of Abdullah bin Fahad Al Abbes cemented his position as the Peslier with Gr1 PA success on the King at La Teste-de-Buch Racecourse in France, yesterday. Pic: Robert Polin Attiyah’s Munir Du Soleil (FR) (Munjizx favourite for the Qatar Derby des George card. Sport THURSDAY 29 APRIL 2021 23 Al Sadd eye win in 'final' against Al Nassr

AFC/THE PENINSULA – RIYADH Al Sadd players take part in a practice session yesterday.

It will be winners take all when Al Sadd SC of Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr clash in their final 2021 AFC Champions League Group D tie at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh today. Al Sadd grabbed top spot from Al Nassr after the Qatar champions beat Foolad Khouz- estan FC on Matchday Five to move up to 10 points, with the Saudi club missing out on vital points when they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Al Wehdat stay second two points adrift. Al Nassr will be under pressure today as they try to secure full points while Al Sadd only need a draw to confirm their place in the Round of 16. The two teams are no VAR set for ACL knockout strangers to one another, having also been drawn together in the 2020 edition. stage and AFC Cup final Al Nassr may beaten Al Sadd 3-1 the last time out but the AFC – KUALA LUMPUR Qatar champions have grown from strength to strength with The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system will be implemented each passing game, recording for the second straight season from the quarter-final stage of three consecutive wins to finish the 2021 AFC Champions League (ACL) and in the AFC Cup final top of the table after Matchday for the first time. Five. After the VAR’s debut in the last edition of the ACL, which Head coach will hope was the first in AFC Club Competitions history, the Asian Football that his charges keep up their Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez and Spanish midfielder during a press conference Confederation (AFC) will continue to set new benchmarks in fine performance, with the leg- yesterday on the eve of their final Group match of the AFC Champions League. Asian refereeing by adding the system in the AFC Cup final. endary Spaniard describing The integration of VAR in AFC competitions started from their 1-0 win against Fololad on “We are leading the group, in their back-to-back matches “Our performances in the the Quarter-final stage of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 before Matchday Five as their best but we can’t relax, as we are against Foolad, but their last five matches were affected the system was adopted across all 32 matches at the AFC U23 display of football yet. going to play against a strong unbeaten streak came to an end by several factors, as we played Championship Thailand 2020. While a draw is all they team who reached the semi- when Al Wehdat stunned the against teams with different The VAR system, which aims to provide minimum inter- need to confirm a seventh con- finals last year. But we are ready Saudi side 2-1 to put their qual- styles, and we were also ference with maximum benefit, is limited to four game-changing secutive appearance in the for the match. All the players are ification hopes at risk. affected by the fitness demands. decisions or incidents, specifically - goal or no goal, penalty- knockout stage, there will be no ready to play, as there are no “This is the final match for We were also affected with the kicks, direct red cards and mistaken identity decisions. doubt that Al Sadd will be out injuries or suspensions in the us, and it will be difficult for us, absence of many key players to avenge their earlier loss to Al squad. like the previous match against who can make the difference in Nassr and finish the group stage “Both teams will play under Al Sadd, and the importance of the team.” players in this match, but we consolation win when they take with a flourish. pressure, as each team wants this match is more because it is “I took the mission of have good cards to replace on unbeaten Persepolis FC of The Spaniard said that to get the result that gets them decisive in determining who leading the team for only four them, and we will enter the at the Pandit Jawaharlal today's match will be like a final to the second round, but we will will qualify,” expressed matches, and still don’t have match with high confidence, Nehru Stadium today. for his team. play for the win. We showed our Menezes. enough idea about the team. We and we promise our fans to fight Al Rayyan are placed at the “Like all the other matches, real performance in the last “We will try to play at the made things harder for our- and do our best until the last bottom of their group with two we have another final, we need match, and we want to repeat same level of the last match selves after we lost the last minute,” said Menezes. points from two draws, to get the three points in the that against Al Nassr,” Xavi said. against Al Sadd, but we don’t match, but we still have a Elsewhere, in Goa, India, including one on Monday when final match to stay first in the Mano Menezes-coached Al know how they will react, but chance in tomorrow’s match. Laurent Blanc-coached Al they were held 1-1 by hosts FC tournament,” said Xavi. Nassr recorded positive results we will play for the win. “We will miss some more Rayyan will be looking for a Goa. to replace IPL: Chennai back Canada on Formula on top after win One calendar over Hyderabad

REUTERS – LONDON AP – NEW DELHI Turkey will replace Canada on this year’s Formula One calendar after the June 13 race in Montreal Chennai Super Kings returned to the top of the Indian Premier was cancelled yesterday for the second year in a An assistant poses with the League with their fifth successive win as they beat Sunrisers row due to the COVID-19 pandemic. racket and sneakers from the Hyderabad by seven yesterday. Formula One said it had extended Montreal’s ‘French Open, 2009’ lot included Chennai’s opening pair of Ruturaj Gaikwad (75) and Faf du contract by two years to take into account the in ‘The Roger Federer Collection’ Plessis (56) featured in an attractive century-stand to cruise their cancellations, securing the race until 2031. at Christie’s auction house in team to 173-3 with nine balls to spare. The race had been scheduled for the Circuit London, Britain, on Hyderabad, which won the toss and elected to bat, made 171-3 Gilles Villeneuve on the weekend after the Tuesday. with (61) and captain (57) con- Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Turkey’s Istanbul suming too many balls for a 106-run second -stand. circuit will be logistically convenient for air freight “The batting performance was superb, but that doesn’t mean coming from Baku. the was not good,” Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh The Turkish race returned last year for the Federer to auction off Dhoni said. “It was a surprisingly good Delhi wicket, there was first time since 2011 and also at short notice to no dew.” bolster a calendar ravaged by the pandemic. Gaikwad’s dominance against the spin saw him smashing 10 Vural Ak, chairman of Istanbul circuit operator Grand Slam memorabilia of his 12 boundaries against Afghanistan’s ace leg-spinner Rashid Intercity, said spectators would be welcome and Khan (3-36) and left-arm spinner Jagadeesha Suchith, who con- hoped the race would lead to a long-term deal. REUTERS – LONDON regarded by many as the greatest player ceded 45 runs off his three overs. There were no races in the Americas or Far ever to wield a tennis racket, is putting With their fifth loss in six games, Hyderabad are at the bottom East last year, with the reduced, 17-round season Millions of Roger Federer fans around various items under the hammer in two of the table with only two points. Chennai lead the table with 10 conducted entirely in Europe and the Middle East. the world might be salivating at the sales in June and July at Christie’s to raise points on a better net run-rate than Royal Challengers Bangalore, Formula One has operated in a bubble since prospect of owning some mementos of money for his foundation. A live auction which also have 10 points after playing six games. the pandemic, with teams and staff regularly the Swiss great’s incredible career after taking place on June 23 will feature 20 Brief scores: SunRisers Hyderabad 171/3 in 20 overs (M tested and many vaccinated while most races he announced he is auctioning off a lots, with each one reflecting one of Fed- Pandey 61, D Warner 57, K Williamson 26 , L Ngidi 2/35, have been held behind closed doors, and is aiming collection of personal items this summer. erer’s Grand Slam titles. Prices will range S Curran 1/30) vs Chennai Super Kings 173/3 in 18.3 overs (R for 23 Grands Prix this year. The 20-times Grand Slam champion, from £3,000 to £70,000. Gaikwad 75, F du Plessis 56, R Khan 3/36). More tests and still more questions about the Tokyo Olympics

AP – TOKYO tested daily for the first three days, and offered his own take on enforcement. then as required. “We will strictly enforce these rules The Tokyo Olympics open in under  All games participants must use ded- and will take care of the full com- three months and there are still more icated vehicles and avoid public trans- pliance by all participants,” he said. “If questions than answers despite the portation for the first 14 days. the situation should require it, we are rollout yesterday of new rule books to  Games participants must eat only in also ready to take even stricter explain how the games will take place specified locations, including catering measures.” in the middle of a surging pandemic in facilities at games venues. Athletes will The timing of the second edition of . be dining in the Athletes Village, which the Playbooks is not ideal. Tokyo, The 60-page, second version of the will be an isolated “bubble.” Osaka and several others areas came “Playbooks” for athletes was released  Game participants will avoid a under a third state of emergency this by the International Olympic Com- 14-day quarantine rule for entering week, and the death toll in Japan from mittee and the local organisers. Ver- Japan, but to do so they must fill out a COVID-19 has passed 10,000. sions for other non-athlete groups are schedule listing their plans for that Polls consistently show 70-80% of to be released later. And a third version period, and also download a tracking people in Japan think the Olympics will come out in June, just weeks before app. should not be held. the Olympics open on July 23.  A decision about capacity at the The British Medical Journal earlier More testing for everyone was the key venues will be made in June. Fans from this month, under an editorial titled highlight yesterday: abroad were banned several months “Reconsider this Summer’s Olympic  All participants will have to pass two ago. and Paralympic Games,” said mass COVID-19 tests before leaving their “We are in a very tense situation,” International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (on a screen) and gatherings such as the Olympics are home country. And they will be tested Tokyo organizing committee president Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee President eikoS Hashimoto during an online still neither “safe nor secure.” upon arrival in Japan. Seiko Hashimoto said after an online meeting yesterday. Bach is expected to be in Hiroshima  Athletes will be tested daily, as will meeting with the IOC. on May 17 to greet the torch relay, those in close proximity to athletes. Athletes will also have to sign a in Playbook. This will apply to ath- as well as those without vaccines. although he said last week his plans  Other games participants will be promise they will follow the rules letes and participants with vaccines IOC President Thomas Bach were still tentative.