FOOTBALL| Page 2 CCRICKET|RICKET Page 7 Mourinho Teenager rocked as Hameed gets To Advertise here Man United England call for Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 get beaten Bangladesh Saturday, September 17, 2016 RUGBY Dhul-Hijja 15, 1437 AH ‘Confi dent’ All GULF TIMES Blacks want fast start against Springboks SPORT Page 6 FOOTBALL Al Sadd off to a cracking start in Qatar Stars League Baghdad Bounedjah twice on target for Al Sadd as the 13-time champions thrash Al Kharaitiyat 4-0 Sports Reporter In an earlier match, goals either side Doha of half time and some last minute hero- ics from goalkeeper Baba Malick helped Umm Salal beat Al Khor 2-1 at Qatar aghdad Bounedjah scored once Sports Club. in each half as Al Sadd thrashed The match started with an early pen- Al Kharaitiyat 4-0 in their alty appeal from Umm Salal after Helal opening match of the new Qatar Mohammad looked to be tripped in in BStars League season last night. the box by Khor defender Wellington Al Sadd, the 13-times champions, Souza. The referee, however, was quick whose thunder has been stolen by Le- to wave for a goalkick which drew early khwiya of late, scored three of their goals protests from The Falcons’ bench and in the second half, leaving minnows Al Head Coach, Bülent Uygun. Kharaitiyat chasing shadows at the Jas- Possession was neatly balanced for sim bin Hamad Stadium the majority of the fi rst half but neither Al Sadd controlled the game from side looked able to produce the quality kick off , largely thanks to their talisman required to penetrate the opposing de- and captain Xavi Hernandez who took fence. That was until Umm Salal mid- a leading role in midfi eld from the fi rst fi elder Ismael Mahmoud made a darting whistle. run down the left wing and drilled an The Barcelona and Spain legend excellent cross which caused Al Khor’s helped Al Sadd break the deadlock after captain, Mostafa Jalal Jafri, to raise an 25 minutes when he delivered a arm and gift Umm Salal a penalty with pin-point pass to fi nd Algerian un- 28 minutes gone. Yannick Sagbo was der-23 international Bounedjah, who quick to step up and send the keeper the controlled the ball on his chest before wrong way to take a 1-0 lead. Al Khor driving it into the back of the net. could have been 2-0 down not long af- Al Kharatiyat went into half-time ter Sagbo scored from the spot after trailing 1-0 but came out strong in the new summer signing, Alef, on loan from opening minutes of the second half, Braga, missed an open goal from fi ve having a goal disallowed after just two yards out after his header went over the minutes when striker Jeremy Bokila was crossbar. deemed off side after poking home from Al Khor nearly went into half time lev- six yards out. el but had a goal disallowed on the 42nd Al Sadd continued to dominate the minute after a clear infringement on game and on the 62nd minute. New Umm Salal’s goalkeeper, Baba Malick. summer signing Jugurtha Hamroun de- The fi rst half ended 1-0 to Umm Salal. livered a through ball to Qatar’s national Al Khor came out strong in the second team captain, Hasan al-Haydoos, who Al Sadd’s Mohamed Kasola heads the ball to safety during his team’s QSL match against Al Kharaitiyat yesterday. Pictures: Jayan Orma and Othman Iraqi half, pressing well and keeping posses- calmly took it around Al Kharatiyat goal- sion. The Knights soon got a well-de- keeper Ahmed Sofyan to make it 2-0. served equaliser after Mouhcine Iajour Just a minute later, Al Sadd nearly poked home a fl ick from a corner after made it three but Sofyan made a fi nger- Umm Salal’s Baba Malick failed to deal tip save after another pin-point delivery with the set piece. from Xavi which found the head of Ibra- Hopes of a point for each team didn’t him Majed. last long, however, as The Falcons scored Al Sadd made sure of all three points an excellent counter-attacking goal after a fi ne solo goal from Ali Asad which which saw Helal Mohammad control saw him drive an 18 yard shot into the a long 25 yard ball from midfi eld before roof of the net on the 77th minute mark. whipping in a lightening cross to Ismail Al Kharatiyat made a late fi nal push, Mahmoud who found himself unmarked with Domingos forcing a fi ne save from on the back post. Al Sadd’s Sadd Abdullah. They also had Al Khor continued to press for an another goal disallowed on the 84th equalisier and two late chances fell to minute, again for being caught off side. Al Khor attacker Mason, who put one Al Sadd rounded off a compelling per- chance wide in front of an open goal formance after debutant Hossam Kamal from six yards out and also drew a last set-up Bounedjah in the 92nd minute gasp save from Umm Salal’s Babba Mal- for his second goal to round off a fi ne Umm Salal players congratulate Yannick Sagbo on his goal against Al Khor. At right, Al Sadd star Xavi gets ick with the fi nal kick of the game, giving opening day win for the Qatari giants. into the thick of the action. all three points for Umm Salal. BOTTOMLINEFOCUS No hard feelings over City dumping — Hart AFP profi le divorce from City. Asked if any welcome messages from his op- He said he did not watch the Man- Turin Guardiola had been honest with him, posite number at city rivals Juventus, chester derby last weekend, won by Hart said: “He was open with me.” legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buff on, City, because “I was training. I’m pret- He added: “Football’s football... and Hart said he wants to make the most ty limited to what I can watch in my orino and England goalkeeper it resulted in me looking for a new club of an experience “few English players” hotel room”. Joe Hart said yesterday he has and, as I said, I’m very happy to be get the chance to have. And, amid concerns his England no hard feelings towards Pep where I am at the moment. “I was looking for an experience out- place could now be at risk, Hart in- Guardiola despite being un- “I absolutely love to play football side of English football,” added Hart. sisted his focus was only on improving Tceremoniously forced out at Manches- and it looked like my options were lim- “Every day at City I trained with players his game. ter City and replaced by Claudio Bravo ited (at City). It was an easy decision from all over the world who’ve managed “Goalkeeping in football is ever- from Barcelona. for me. to make the move to England. So for me evolving. I’m very open-minded to Hart, who joined City as a teenager “I’m very thankful for the oppor- it was an amazing opportunity to experi- improve and learn every day,” said in 2006, signed for the unfashionable tunity and I’m proud and happy to be ence a new style of football. Hart. Serie A club on a season-long loan deal here. I’m looking forward to hopefully “I feel confi dent I can come over “I play football because I love foot- designed to make sure he is “playing having a good season.” here to learn the language and embrace ball. Playing regular football is the regular football again”. Expected to return to the Etihad the culture. most important thing for me. I love Hart began his Serie A career with a stadium at the end of the current cam- “To get the opportunity to try a new playing for my country... but it’s an 2-1 defeat away at Atalanta last week- paign, Hart has fully embraced the league, which a lot of English play- ambition of mine to play fi rst-team end — he was at fault for one of the Italian culture. ers don’t get the chance to do, was too football. goals — a far cry from the razzmatazz He started his press conference at good an opportunity to turn down.” “My options at City were limited so of the world-famous Premier League. to Iceland that sent England crashing out “It was fairly obvious to everyone,” Torino’s Stadio Olimpico by speaking a Although happy to talk about Tori- I’m very grateful to be here. I’m only But the 29-year-old shot-stopper, who of Euro 2016, said he felt no bitterness to- Hart told media when asked about the few words of Italian. no, Hart was more coy when asked on loan here and, technically, I’m sup- suff ered huge criticism for the 2-1 defeat wards new City boss Guardiola. circumstances surrounding his high- And although he has yet to receive about City. posed to go back to City. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, September 17, 2016 FOOTBALL QATAR STARS LEAGUE New UEFA chief says Zinedine Zidane’s sons Theo Champions League and Elyaz, can play for their mustn’t become elite respective youth teams until the appeal decision is made. Newly appointed UEFA “The Court of Arbitration for president Aleksander Ceferin Sport has granted the precau- warned yesterday the Cham- tionary measures that Real pions League should not be- Madrid appealed for following Title hopefuls come an exclusive club for the the sanction issued by FIFA,” wealthiest, saying one of his said a statement issued by priorities would be to examine Real Madrid yesterday.