FF11 | Page 3 CCYCLINGYCLING | Page 5 Hamilton Towering fastest on a solo win for sweltering Formolo as aft ernoon Roglic shines Saturday, August 15, 2020 CRICKET Dhul-Hijjah 25, 1441 AH Pakistan’s Rizwan GULF TIMES frustrates England with fi ne fi ft y SPORT Page 2 QNB STARS LEAGUE Duhail, Rayyan win to set up exciting fi nale in title race With just one round remaining, a victory for Duhail against Al Ahli next week will assure them the title By Sports Reporter Doha he title race for the QNB Stars League title has gone down to the wire as contenders Al Du- hail and Al Rayyan notched up Tcrucial wins yesterday. Leaders Duhail maintained a one-point cushion over Rayyan after Abdullah al-Ahrak’s early goal gave them a nervy win over Al Khor at the Al Sadd Stadium. With just one round remaining, a victory for Duhail against Al Ahli next week will assure them the title. Rayyan too faced some anxious mo- ments yesterday before Yacine Brahimi converted a penalty in the 84th minute as they stayed in contention with a 1-0 win over Al Shahania at the Al Janoub Stadium. For Rayyan to win the title, they need to beat Al Wakrah in their last match and also hope Duhail stumble against Al Ahli. Reigning champions Al Sadd (44 points) are out of contention for the title. At the Al Sadd Stadium, al-Ahrak opened the scoring as early as the ninth minute as The Red Knights held on for an important win, their 15th of the campaign, the most by any team. The defeat, Al Khor’s 11th, left them with 16 points in 11th place. The Knights next play Al Shahania (15 points), who are also facing relegation along with Umm Salal (17 points). Duhail, who had lost to Al Sadd in Week 20, dominated Al Khor right throughout the game. They attacked from the word go and went ahead when al-Ahrak volleyed in the ball from close on the turn after being set up by Almoez Ali following a cross by Ismail Moham- ed from the right. Duhail could have doubled the lead after 15 minutes, but for Al Khor goal- keeper Baba Djibril blocking Paulo Ed- Yacine Brahimi (second left) converted a penalty in the 84th minute as Al Rayyan beat Al Shahania at the Al Janoub Stadium. milson’s eff ort with a full-length dive. Al Khor’s Tiago Bezerra came close the 66th minute with a long shot and under Aziz Ben Askar, who had not lost the fi rst half. Gharafa’s Sofi ane Hanni in the 19th minute with a header that Daryoush fi rst fumbled in collection a match since the QNB Stars League came off the bench in the 57th minute went narrowly wide of the target after Al Duhail’s Abdullah al-Ahrak (left) celebrates with Almoez Ali after scoring of the ball, but was successful before resumed following a long break forced replacing Othman al-Yahri. Lucca Borges curled in a free-kick. against Al Khor during the QNB Stars League match yesterday. Abdulrahman al-Harazi could connect by the coronavirus pandemic, suff ered The Algerian earned a penalty four The duo of Edmilson and Almoez the rebound. Four minutes after Rayy- their 10th defeat. minutes later when he was fouled by kept combining well and the latter fi elder, one of the leading scorers in the Shahania had played out a 2-2 draw in an took the lead, Rezaein’s angular shot The Orange Fortress had held leaders Ayyoub Azzi, but the resultant kick, failed to connect the former’s cross on league, had scored Al Rayyan’s all-im- the fi rst leg. was guided out by Rayyan goalkeeper Al Duhail, Qatar SC and Al Ahli, all to taken by Hanni himself, was blocked by the half-hour mark. At the other end, portant goal against Al Sailiya in Week This time too, Shahania held on, de- Fahd Younis. 1-1 draws, to earn three crucial points Umm Salal goalkeeper Baba Malick. Al Khor’s Helal Mohamed was thwarted 20 as well. spite Rayyan attacking more, till they going into the Al Gharafa game. Umm Salal’s fi rst worthwhile op- by Duhail goalkeeper Mohamed al- Meanwhile, Al Shahania’s woes conceded a penalty late into the game, ELAMIN NETS WINNER FOR That left Umm Salal with their fi n- portunity came in the 65th minute, Jabri. Almoez had two more chances compounded as they stayed bottom of awarded when Saleh al-Yahri ‘handled’ GHARAFA AGAINST UMM SALAL gers crossed ahead of their last-round but Raul Bezerra headed the ball over in the second half. He headed a free- the table with 15 points following their the ball as he and al-Rayyan defender In another match yesterday, Al Gharafa game against Al Sailiya, as the former the bar. Gharafa surged ahead when kick wide in the 71st minute and had 10th defeat. They had been doing well Gabriel Mercado chased a corner kick defeated Umm Salal 1-0 at the Al Janoub face relegation threat. Gharafa, coached Homam came up with a fi rst-time, his placing shot saved by Djibril in the ever since Nabil Anwar took charge of taken by Brahimi. Stadium. Homam Elamin scored the by Serb Slavisa Jokanovic, had taken an thunderous left-foot volley that beat 82nd minute. Al Khor’s Tiago and cap- them replacing Spaniard Jose Murcia The best chances of the fi rst half all-important goal in the 71st minute. unassailable lead for the fourth place, goalkeeper Malick after he received the tain Naif al-Buriki too had opportuni- during the break. were Mercado header off Abdulaziz Gharafa, who had already ensured which will guarantee them a place in ball from a faulty headed clearance by ties during the session. They beat Ahli 3-1 in Week 18, the Hatem’s free-kick being saved by goal- the fourth position despite being drawn the Qatar Cup and possible AFC Cham- Azzi off a cross from the right by Muad At the Al Janoub Stadium, Brahimi fi rst match they played under Nabil, keeper Ebrahim Daryoush and Shaha- by Al Khor in Week 20, moved on to 35 pions League play-off berth next year, Hassan. yet again came to Al Rayyan’s rescue and followed it up with a 2-2 draw with nia’s Ramin Rezaein failing to connect a points, while Umm Salal remained on 17 after the Week 20 results. Umm Salal had a chance to level the by scoring the winning goal against Al Sailiya in Week 19 and goalless draw Jameel Saleem cross from the right. points. It was The Cheetahs’ 10th vic- Gharafa’s Ahmed Alaaeldin, Jonath- score in the 83rd minute, but Fahd Kha- Shahania. The Algerian attacking mid- with Qatar SC in Week 20. Rayyan and Abdulaziz Hatem was at it again in tory this season, whereas Umm Salal, an Kodjia and Homam had chances in lfan hit the side-netting. SPOTLIGHT Qatar to open Copa America campaign against Peru next year By Sports Reporter Next year the tournament played in the last edition’s Copa Doha will be from June 11 to July 10, America in Brazil, where they 2021. For the fi rst time in the drew with Paraguay 2-2 and lost history of the Copa America, to Argentina (0-2) and Colom- sian champions Qatar two countries are hosting – bia (0-1). will take on Peru in Argentina and Colombia. The Qatar play Ecuador in their their opening match opening match will be in Ar- second match on June 17, fol- of the Copa America gentina. The fi nal will be in Co- lowed by matches against Brazil Aon June 13 next year. The tour- lombia. (June 21), Venezuela (June 24) nament, co-hosted by Argenti- Qatar are in Group B along and Colombia (June 28). na and Colombia, was originally with defending champions Group A includes Argentina, scheduled this year, but was Brazil, runners-up Peru, Co- Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bo- postponed after the outbreak lombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. livia and Australia, the other of the coronavirus pandemic. Qatar are one of the two spe- special invitee team. Group A A revised schedule was released cial invitees to the tournament teams play their games in Ar- on Thursday. along with Australia. Qatar had gentina. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, August 15, 2020 CRICKET SECOND TEST SPOTLIGHT Khawaja, Head Pakistan’s Rizwan miss out as Australia confi rm frustrates England England tour AFP Sydney, Australia ustralia’s limited-overs tour of England will go ahead this month at with fi ne fi ft y bio-secure venues, of- Afi cials said Friday, after its play- ers were given government clear- Visitors were 223-9 when bad light led to an early close of the second day ance to travel. The confi rmation ensures Australians will pad up for their fi rst internationals in nearly six months, with Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Lyon and Marcus Stoinis recalled to the squad, while Us- man Khawaja and Travis Head missed out. Australia was originally scheduled to play three one-day and three Twenty20 matches against England in July, but the trip was postponed due to the Wales as we work through the coronavirus pandemic. challenges in front of us.” Detailed biosecurity plans Australia named a 21-man have now been agreed to ensure squad with Maxwell, Lyon and it can go ahead, including gov- Stoinis among notable inclu- ernment exemptions, which are sions, along with three debutants required for Australians to leave — Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams and the country.