RUGBY | Page 6 TENNIS | Page 7 All Blacks Top-ranked eye history To Advertise here Kerber looks Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 in ‘massive’ to end year on game a high Saturday, October 22, 2016 MOTORSPORT Muharram 21, 1438 AH F1 leader Rosberg GULF TIMES shuts out negative thoughts SPORT Page 4 QATAR STARS LEAGUE Sadd too strong for Muaither, Ahli down Arabi 2-1 in derby Wolves defeat newbies Muaither 4-2 while Meshal Abdullah and Mebele help Ahli claim bragging rights over Arabi Al Sailiya substitute Abdulrauf Hus- sein Omer, who scuff ed a great chance in the 91st minute. ALHI DEFEAT ARABI IN DERBY Al Arabi lost their second game of the season and dented their early title hopes as they succumbed to a 2-1 home defeat to fi erce local rivals, Al Ahli, in yesterday’s late QSL kick-off at the Hamad Stadium. Al Arabi were hoping their new star summer singing, former Chilean inter- national and Inter Milan midfi elder, Luis Jiménez, would fi nd his feet for his QSL debut and the club’s fi rst derby with Al Alhi in the 2016/17 season but the mid- fi elder had little impact on the game. As expected with any local Qatari derby, the game maintained a frenetic pace throughout. With possession balanced and both teams stretch- ing themselves from box to box in the opening half, the fi rst clear chance fell to Al Ahli’s Congolese danger man, Firmin Mubele, who produced an amazing piece of skill to put the Briga- Ahli striker Firmin Mubele celebrates after scoring. PIC: Othman Iraqi diers a goal ahead after 24 minutes. Against the run of play, Al Ahli were right to make it 3-2. nearly paid dividends on the 68th minute gifted a penalty after Ahmed Moham- Seconds later Sadd defender Ab- after Hilal Mohammed made a dart- ed al-Sayed, attempted to clear the delkarim Hassan made up for giving ing run into Al Sailiya’s half and struck ball from the edge of his own 18-yard away the penalty by scoring a goal of a sweet ball to Umm Salal’s number 9, box but instead the ball hit teammate his own to make it 4-2. The Qatari Tha’er Bawab, who despite fi nding him- Ahmed Fathi on the arm, leaving the international smashed the ball with self in acres of space was unable to con- referee with little other choice than to the outside of his left foot to give the trol the ball. point to the spot. Al Ahli’s talismanic Wolves all three points. Umm Salal created just a handful of captain, Meshal Abdulla, stepped up Al Sadd’s Abdelkarim Hassan (right) celebrates after scoring against Muaither yesterday. PIC: Shemeer Rasheed chances but on the 83rd minute, their to convert the penalty and made it 2-0 STALEMATE BETWEEN UMM SALAL big number 13, Yannick Sagbo, went with a composed Panenka. By Sports Reporter bled their advantage in the 11th minute In the 62nd minute Muaither’s cap- AND AL SAILIYA shoulder-to-shoulder with Mubark Al Arabi continued to press in front Doha thanks to an own goal from Muaither tain, Alain Dioko pulled one back for In the other early kick-off Umm Salal Eid al-Saadi in Al Sailiya’s box, which of their home crown and on the 91st defender Saeed al-Hadj. his team with a fantastic solo goal. The faced league strugglers Al Sailiya at the led the far smaller defender wearing minute was awarded a consolation Al Sadd’s young defender Hossam Congolese forward dribbled the ball Qatar Sports Club Stadium where the blue to fall to the ground and handle goal as Imoh Ezekiel’s fi ne fun into the l Sadd took on Muaither in Kamal sent in a cross into the box from into the box, lined the shot up with his Orange Fortress were aiming to take the ball within his own 18 yard box 18 yard box and low, fast paced cross round four action of the QSL the right hand side. Hamroun Jugurtha left foot, cut back to his right and then their unbeaten streak to four games. which drew loud penalty appeals from caused Al Ahli’s Dabenke to stab it into at the Al Sadd stadium yes- headed the ball towards the goal and it put the ball into the net, to give the But it ended up a 0-0 stalemate. the Orange Fortress but the referee the back of his own net. terday. The thrilling match came off the keeper into the path of al- Stallions a lifeline. The second half was where all the waved on play. The three points will now see Al Ahli Aended 4-2 in favour of the Wolves who Hadj, who mishit the ball and sent it in Muaither grabbed another goal in action was. Al Sailiya’s number 14, Just two minutes later Sagbo found climb above Al Arabi in the league. were given a scare by the newly-pro- for an own goal. the 78th minute of the game from Paul Efoulou, looked like one of the himself in space within the 18 yard box moted side. In the 43rd minute Al Sadd furthered the penalty spot. Al Sadd defender Peregrine’s most dangerous men and and controlled a long loping pass beau- Results Mohammed Kasola opened the scor- their lead through Baghdad Bounedjah Abdelkarim Hassan brought down from the whistle began picking up the tifully on his chest before bringing the ing in the ninth minute with a towering the Algerian international confi dentially Muaither’s forward, Ayoub Ouadrassi ball in Umm Salal’s half and running at ball down and turning to shoot. But Al Al Sadd 4-2 Muaither header from an accurate Xavi free kick dispatched a right footed volley which in the penalty box with the referee the Orange Fortresses’ defence. Sailiya’s goalkeeper, Gregory Gomis, Umm-Salal 0-0 Al Sailiya to give the Wolves an early lead. Min- found the back of the net after a cross pointed to the spot. Ayoub stepped Umm Salal looked content to sit back was alert enough and saved the shot Al Arabi 1-2 Al Ahli utes after the fi rst goal, Al Sadd dou- from Ali Assad from the left hand side. up for the penalty and slotted it to the and play on the counter, a tactic that The best chance of the game fell to PREVIEW El Jaish qualifi es for semi-fi nal of Arab Table Rayyan face Jaish in high-profi le clash Tennis Tournament By Sports Reporter sides 1-1 draw last time out. from the Champions League run. It Doha This will be Laudrup’s second was a great experience and great ad- game in charge of the Lions and is venture I am so proud of my players. confi dent that his side are success- I trusted my players immensely and SL Champions Al Rayyan fully adapting to his training methods. we showed our quality and identity in takes on top of the table El “I have made some changes to the sys- these games.” Jaish today evening in the tem of play. Time is important and day “For me this match is not a test, I QSL match of the week. by day we are working with the players know the team and the players very QHead coach Michael Laudrup gave his to get well. We have good players who well. They just need to repeat their thoughts on the game at the pre match train hard and are willing to earn so I performance that we have shown in press conference. am optimistic.” the league so far against Al Rayyan” Opening up the press conference After falling at the fi nal hurdle claimed the Frenchman at the Thurs- Laudrup revealed his excitement for against Al Ain in the AFC Champions day morning press conference. the match against El Jaish; “For us it’s League El Jaish coach Sabri Lamouchi Lamouchi ended the press confer- El Jaish’s table tennis team qualified an interesting game. We are playing is expecting a response from his side ence stressing that he is focusing on for the semi-finals of the Arab club the top of a table side. It will be good to when they take on the QSL champions the work of his side going into the championship in Morocco’s city of see the level of Al Rayyan this season. I on Saturday evening. match of the week clash. “I respect Al Agadir after beating Egyptian side am looking forward to the game, there “We need to come back in the league Rayyan they are a big club and have a Maadi 3-2 in the quarter-finals. are lots of good players in each side. El and try and lift the league title. We will big manager now. I am not worried The Qatari side will take on Bahraini Jaish did very well in the AFC Cham- face a good team with a new coach and about Al Rayyan going into the match. side Bahrain in the semifinals of the pions League and where unlucky to a new philosophy; the game will be I am only focusing on El Jaish going tournament, which concludes today. miss out. This will be a tough test for hard for us. El Jaish are in good form at into this match. El Jaish is participating in the Al Rayyan.” the moment, and we will be looking to “My team will not be lacking moti- championship for the first time and “I was pleased with the play against Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup (left) and El Jaish coach Sabri Lamouchi dur- continue this form against the cham- vation after the defeat against Al Ain, the team comprises Ahmed Khalil al- Al Sailiya, we did so many good things.