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CCRICKETRICKET | Page 3 In-form Aussies give Langer ‘brutal’ selection dilemma Tuesday, April 2, 2019 FOOTBALL Rajab 26, 1440 AH Mbappe stunner GULF TIMES ends Toulouse resistance SPORT Page 7 FOOTBALL Esperance bounce back with Tunisian Super Cup Esperance beat Club Athletique Bizertin 2-1 after losing out on the African Super Cup last week By Sports Reporter Doha sperance Sportive de Tu- nis clinched their fourth Tunisian Super Cup title after beating Club Ath- Eletique Bizertin 2-1 in a pulsating match at the Al Duhail Stadium yesterday. It was a happy end to Esperance’s Qatar visit, after they were beaten by Moroccan team Raja Casablanca in the Af- rican Super Cup last Friday at the same stadium. Two goals in the opening 16 minutes paved the way for Es- perance’s victory, with the Tu- nisian giants eager to bounce back from the African Super Cup debacle. Bizertin attempt- ed a fight back and found an equaliser in the 33rd minute after Halim Darragi converted a penalty, but Esperance held on to seal a famous win. The Tunisian Super Cup is traditionally played between the Tunisian Ligue Profession- nelle champions and the win- ners of the Tunisian Cup, and it was being held for the fi rst time in 18 years. Since its return in 1994, the one-off match has been organised only three times in 1994, 1995 and 2001. And Espe- rance retained the title they won in 2001, when they had beaten Sportif de Hammam-Lif 3-1. Yesterday, Esperance’s Youcef Belaili was the star of the show with the Algerian for- ward putting on a brilliant dis- play on the night. Belaili made assists for both the goals, as the Qatar Football Association president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani and Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) president Wadii Jarii present the winner’s trophy to Esperance Sportive de Tunis after they won 30-year-old terrorised Bizertin the Tunisian Super Cup title with a win over Club Athletique Bizertin at Al Duhail Stadium yesterday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed defenders. For the fi rst goal, Belaili Three minutes later, Belaili Darragi coming close in the 28th Aymen Mahmoud on Ibrahim led the play. They should have ment of the match in the 90th ertin did not even come close to skipped past Bizertin clueless played a terrifi c through ball from minute but his shot was blocked Ouattara resulted in a penalty, scored at least three more, but minute when he dived full lunge fi nding an equaliser. defenders Wajdi Jabberi and the half-line to Taha Khenissi, easily by Esperance goalkeeper which Darragi had little problem for poor fi nishing and some out- to make an incredible goal line The Tunisian Super Cup was Wissam Bousnina on the left who slotted home easily to make Moez Ben Cherifi a. in converting. standing work by Bizertin custo- save to deny Khenissi. That bril- hosted by the Qatar Football Asso- and played a perfect ball to Anice it a dream start for Esperance. Five minutes later, Bizertin In the second-half, Esperance dian Thamri. liant piece of work kept his team’s ciation in partnership with Qatar Badri, who slammed it past goal- Two goals down in no time, were given an opening when a denied any real chance for Biz- The 38-year old Thamri, with- chances alive with three minutes Stars League and Supreme Com- keeper Khemais Thamri. Bizertin went on an all-out with clumsy tackle from left-back ertin to equalise as they control- out a doubt produced the mo- of injury time remaining but Biz- mittee for Delivery & Legacy. SPOTLIGHT MOTORSPORT Pogba has ‘big part’ to play at Man Utd: Solskjaer Qatar to host 2020 AFP icon in France. Zidane is a fantastic the right positions anyway. Asia Supersports London manager and he used to be a fantas- “A manager can’t do as much as tic player and I played against him. he used to do anyway. The demands “So Paul has politely answered of modern football mean that you C’ship opener anchester United man- that question. But he is happy here. have to split responsibilities.” ager Ole Gunnar Solsk- He is going to be a big, big part of Solskjaer is preparing his team QNA quarterly meeting for the jaer says Paul Pogba has things here. for the rearranged league game at Doha members of the governing a “big, big part” to play “I have always said that you Wolves as the chase for a top-four council of FIM Asia in its Mat Old Traff ord despite speculation would like to build your team spot heats up. new form. linking the French World Cup win- around him and that has not United will leapfrog Tottenham sian Motorcy- Many issues were dis- ner with a move to Real Madrid. changed at all.” into third place if they win at Mo- cling Federation cussed related to various Real boss Zinedine Zidane is ex- lineux, with Arsenal and Chelsea (FIM Asia) an- motorcycle races, tourna- pected to be busy in the summer DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL? also fi ghting for the remaining two nounced Qatar ment schedule, and some transfer market as he tries to rein- Solskjaer, appointed as permanent Champions League qualifi cation Aas the host of the fi rst laws and regulations, as vigorate a side that crashed out of manager last week after an impres- spots behind Liverpool and Man- round of the Asian Su- well as work to expand the the Champions League in the last sive spell as interim boss, said he chester City. persports Championship, annual activities within 16 and are lagging 12 points behind would be comfortable with the ap- They will have to improve on which will be introduced the various federations leaders Barcelona in La Liga. pointment of a director of football their last performance against for the fi rst time in the in Asia, whether through United midfi elder Pogba last to sit between himself and execu- Wolves, a 2-1 FA Cup defeat two 2020 season, and includes tournaments or training week described Madrid as a “dream Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (left) shakes hands with tive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. weeks ago, the worst performance several rounds, each to be programmes. club for every player” while on in- Paul Pogba (right) after the win over Watford on Saturday. (AFP) “Football has changed and the during Solskjaer’s spell in charge. held separately in diff er- Also, the meetings dealt ternational duty with France and structure at clubs has changed,” he But the Norwegian is confi dent ent countries of the con- with the programmes of Zidane on Saturday hailed him as lieves the midfi elder simply gave a of the international break. said. “Ed and (co-chairman) Joel of making amends this time. tinent. the Asian talents academy “a player who knows how to do straight answer to a question. “Players are available all the time (Glazer) and me are looking at how “We can learn quite a few lessons This was decided dur- in China, which attracts everything”. “I don”t like to talk about other and it’s a diff erent environment this club can be run as smoothly as from that game and we have to,” ing the three-day FIM riders from the 13 to 18 age But Solskjaer is determined that teams’ players,” the Norwegian and it’s more of a general talk. possible. he said. “If we turn up and don’t Asia meetings hosted group, as well as the allo- Pogba, one of the world’s most mar- said ahead of his side’s Premier “Paul is a very nice and polite “We will see what we end up perform to our level against a good by the Qatar Motor and cation of their own three- ketable players, will not be a part of League match against Wolves to- man and he answered a general with but I am happy talking foot- team, we will not get the result we Motorcycle Federation course tournament in Tai- Zidane’s rebuilding plans and be- day. “That is one of the challenges question. Of course, Zidane is an ball with knowledgeable people in deserve.” (QMMF). It was the fi rst wan, Thailand, and India. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, April 2, 2019 SPORT TENNIS SPOTLIGHT Federer goes fourth in rankings aft er Federer ‘sorry’ over Miami triumph AFP THE RANKINGS Paris ATP 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) oger Federer jumped 11,070 pts Tsitsipas preferential up one spot to fourth 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 8,725 in the ATP rankings 3. Alexander Zverev (GER) released yesterday af- 6,040 Rter capturing his 101st career ‘If I get warnings — I 4. Roger Federer (SUI) 5,590 title with his victory over John (+1) got one recently — Isner in Miami. 5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) The Swiss great switched 4,765 (-1) it’s normal’ places with Austria’s Do- 6. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,200 treatment claim minic Thiem, who had briefl y 7. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4,115 AFP climbed to fourth after defeat- 8. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) Miami ing Federer in the fi nal at In- 3,240 (+2) dian Wells two weeks ago. 9. Juan Martin del Potro Rising Greek star Stefanos (ARG) 3,225 (-1) wiss great Roger Federer Tsitsipas moved up to a career 10. John Isner (USA) 3,085 has refuted claims by best of eighth, while Canadian (-1) Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsi- teenager Denis Shapovalov SELECTED pas that the most expe- cracked the top 20 for the fi rst 33.