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FOOTBALL Wednesday, April 21, 2021 Ramadan 9, 1442 AH Mourinho: from ‘Special One’ to GULF TIMES trophy-less stint at Tottenham SPORT Page 3 SPOTLIGHT ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Al Sadd revive Chelsea, Man chances with 3-1 City pull out of win over Wehdat AFC group stage campaign. the half-hour mark, with al- Riyadh Having been competitive in Haydos racing to get onto a de- their fi rst two matches with- fl ected Mohamed Waad strike out a win or a goal to show for before slamming the ball be- l Sadd SC breathed it, the Jordanians were this yond Nawwas at his near post. life into their 2021 time blown away by an Al Sadd There looked to be more pain AFC Champions starting line-up featuring fi ve ahead for Abdullah Abu Zema Super League League campaign AFC Asian Cup winners and when Nawwas denied Cazor- Awith a 3-1 win over Jordan deb- four top class foreign players. laearly in the second half, but The news that Chelsea were taking steps to pull away from the plan was utants Al Wehdat at King Fahd It was three of the foreign there were signs of life when International Stadium yester- contingent who combined for Abdou N’Diaye forced Al Sadd celebrated wildly by Chelsea fans outside their stadium in London day. the fi rst goal, scored within goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham Winless in two prior match- two minutes, with the prolifi c into a brilliant refl ex save af- es, the Qatari champions Bounedjah poking Santi Ca- ter the Jordanians won the ball clicked into gear with a blis- zorla’s corner kick over the line high up the pitch on the hour tering three-goal burst in the from a few yards after a fl ick on mark. It was N’Diaye who opening 26 minutes, with from Guilherme, and it proved proved crucial to Al Wehdat’s , Boualem to be a mere warning for what goal two minutes, winning a Khoukhi and Hassan al-Haydos was to come. penalty when he was clumsily all getting on the scoresheet The Qatari side doubled their fouled by , with before an Ahmad Sameer pen- lead seven minutes later, with Ahmad Sameer dispatching alty sparked an Al Wehdat re- another in-swinging corner the penalty kick to become the vival late on. from Cazorla thundered in by club’s fi rst ever AFC Champi- The result lifts ’s Al Sadd Khouki’s header, which left ons League goal scorer in the to an improved four points from Al Wehdat goalkeeper Ahmad 63rd minute. Al Wehdat were three matches – one behind Nawwas rooted to the spot. denied a second when Barsham group leaders Foolad Khouz- The woodwork prevented saved a low eff ort from Sameer, estan and Al Nassr – while Cazorla from making it 3-0 in keeping Al Sadd’s two-goal Al Wehdat remain bottom of the 12th minute, but Al Sadd’s buff er intact, and setting the Group D with one point at the relentless pressure meant the scene for a Matchday Four re- half-way point of their maiden third goal arrived just before match.

In this handout photograph released by UEFA yesterday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino (C) is watched by European Club Association (ECA) representative and Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaifi (R) as he addresses the UEFA Congress in Montreux, Switzerland.

would consider passing legisla- Reuters Super League without UEFA support ‘driven Manchester tion to stop the breakaway, liken- by self-interest’, says al-Khelaifi ing the plans to creating a cartel. Johnson held a meeting with remier League clubs Montreux: Paris Saint-Germain Qatari added: “Paris Saint-Ger- representatives from the English Chelsea and Manchester president Nasser al-Khelaifi said main holds the firm belief that Football Association, the English City were reported to be yesterday that any proposal football is a game for everyone. and fan groups preparing the paperwork to launch the European Super “I have been consistent on this where he confi rmed the govern- toP withdraw from the breakaway League without the support since the very beginning. As ment would not stand by to allow European Super League less than of UEFA was “driven by self- a football club, we are a fam- the creation of a closed shop. 72 hours after agreeing to join it, interest”. ily and a community; whose “If necessary, in order to pro- Al Sadd players celebrate a goal during their AFC Champions League Group D match against Jordan’s in a major blow for the proposed Al-Khelaifi was speaking after fabric is our fans — I believe we tect that principle of competi- Al Wehdat at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh yesterday. new competition. being re-elected to the UEFA shouldn’t forget this.” tion we will seek, as I said, to the Shortly before the BBC re- Executive Committee as Euro- Al-Khelaifi added, however, bodies earlier on, we will seek the ported that the two English pean Club Association (ECA) that there was a “clear need legislative solution.” PREVIEW clubs were set to back out of the representative for an additional to advance the existing UEFA Amid continued condemna- breakaway competition, in Spain three-year term of off ice. competition model, presented tion and threats, UEFA president the new league went to court to “We believe that any proposal by UEFA yesterday and con- Aleksander Ceferin off ered an ol- stop the soccer authorities from without the support of UEFA cluding 24 months’ of extensive ive branch to the breakaway doz- Qatar’s Duhail face tough thwarting its plans. — an organisation that has and collaborative consultation en, asking them to “think again”. Chelsea and City were among been working to progress the across the whole European The Super League argues it the 12 teams who announced on interests of European football football landscape”. would increase revenues to the outing against Iran’s Esteghlal Sunday that they were setting for nearly 70 years — does not “Paris Saint-Germain will con- top clubs and allow them to dis- up a rival to UEFA’s Champions resolve the issues currently tinue to work with UEFA, the tribute more money to the rest of AFC League without the need for an- facing the football community, European Club Association and the game. Jeddah nual qualifi cation. but is instead driven by self- all stakeholders of the football However, the sport’s govern- The announcement has interest,” the PSG boss said. family — based on the princi- ing bodies, other teams and fan prompted a wave of opposition Saying that European football ples of good faith, dignity and organisations say it will increase steghlal FC will aim to from within the game, political was “at a pivotal moment”, the respect for all.” (Reuters) the power and wealth of the elite go fi ve points clear in world and public opinion, par- clubs and the closed structure of Group C of the 2021 ticularly in England. the league goes against European AFC Champions League The news that Chelsea, owned football’s long-standing model. whenE they play Al Duhail SC at by Russian Roman Abramovich, president Florentino Perez is the tino said that the clubs cannot be Unlike Europe’s current elite the King Abdullah Sports City were taking steps to pull away league’s fi rst chairman. “half in, half out” of the estab- Champions League competi- here today. from the plan, was celebrated The court said in a ruling seen lished framework. tion, where teams have to qualify A fi ve-point lead after three wildly by Chelsea fans who had by Reuters that FIFA, UEFA and UEFA has threatened to ban the through their domestic league, matches would mean a hefty ad- been protesting outside their all its associated federations 12 clubs, who include Manches- the founding Super League teams vantage in the race for the soli- team’s behind closed-doors Pre- must not adopt “any measure ter United and Real Madrid, from would guarantee themselves a tary automatic slot to the Round mier League game against Bright- that prohibits, restricts, limits or domestic and international com- place in the new competition of 16 and the Islamic Republic of Duhail coach Sabri Lamouchi. on and Hove Albion. conditions in any way” the Super petition, with Infantino adding every year. Iran club will fancy their chances Neither Chelsea, Manchester League’s creation. his voice to the backlash. England’s ‘big six’ — Man- after having defeated Iraq’s Al goals have fl owed from diff erent head coach Sabri Lamouchi did City nor the Super League organ- It was not immediately clear “We strongly disapprove... if chester United, Manchester City, Shorta (3-0) and Al Ahli Saudi sources for Farhad Majidi’s side not hide his disappointment af- isation immediately responded to what authority the Madrid court, some go their own way then they Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham FC (5-2). with Mohamed Naderi, Farshid ter the match. However, Al Du- a request for comment. which adjudicates corporate dis- must live with the consequences Hotspur and Arsenal — came un- Al Duhail, meanwhile, will Esmaeili, Cheick Diabaté and hail’s fate is still very much in The moves came shortly after putes, had over the Swiss-based of their choice, either you are in, der fi re from their domestic rivals have to beat Esteghlal after the Mehdi Ghaedi each having their own hands and a win over the Super League won a prelimi- soccer bodies and a source close or you are out. You cannot be half for their involvement, with Ever- Qatar side conceded a stoppage scored two. Esteghlal will mean top spot in nary ruling from a Madrid court to UEFA said the organisation was in and half out,” Infantino told ton accusing them of preposter- time equaliser to Al Ahli Saudi Al Duhail, on the other hand, the group at the halfway stage to stop European soccer body “relaxed” about the ruling. UEFA’s congress in Montreux, ous arrogance. FC on Matchday Two, having were guilty of not putting away and Lamouchi will expect his UEFA and the sport’s global gov- The Super League has been Switzerland. The English Premier League beaten Al Shorta 2-0 in their their chances against Al Ahli players to deliver. erning body FIFA from imposing hoping that a mixture of de- The magnitude of the upheaval said it “unanimously and vigor- opener. Esteghlal will head into Saudi FC on Matchday Two, “The match is important for sanctions designed to stop the fensive court actions and mo- has led political leaders across ously” rejected the plans. the tie oozing confi dence after with the Saudi Arabia club sal- the two teams and I believe that new formation. mentum would lead soccer’s Europe to speak out, and, in some After a meeting with the 14 scoring a group stage-high of vaging a 1-1 draw in added time. the competition has become ex- The company set up to run authorities to accept their new cases, to threaten intervention. clubs not involved, it said it was eight goals in their opening two The Qatar side had 29 total citing because there are strong the new league is headquar- competition within the game. British Prime Minister Boris considering “all actions availa- matches. What makes their start shots, eigh of which were on opponents and all the matches tered in Madrid and Real Madrid FIFA president Gianni Infan- Johnson said his government ble” to stop the new competition. even more impressive is that the target against Al Ahli Saudi and are important,” said Lamouchi. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, April 21, 2021 FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Juma nets New league will with last save football, says touch as Al Wahda beat Real president Al Rayyan ‘Audiences are decreasing and rights are decreasing and something had to be done. We are all ruined. Television has to change so we can adapt’

Al Wahda players celebrate their win yesterday.

AFC top corner while at the other end Margao Omar Khrbin twice had sight of goal, only to miss the target. Yohan Boli almost capped an l Wahda Fares Juma eventful opening to the game headed in with the fi - when he sent a looping eff ort nal touch of the game over the bar before the Qatari to secure a dramatic side took the lead in the 13th A3-2 come-from-behind win for minute. the UAE side against Qatar’s Al Hatem’s free-kick from the Rayyan in Group E of the 2021 left drifted into the penalty area AFC Champions League here and, after the Al Wahda defence This combination of pictures created on April 20, 2021 shows the owners or chairmen of the twelve major European Football clubs that announced the launch of a breakaway yesterday. failed to clear, Khalilzadeh struck European Super League in a potentially seismic shift in the way football is run. (From top left to bottom right) Real Madrid’s Florentino Perez, FC Barcelona’s Joan Laporta, The experienced central de- low and on the turn to give Al Atletico Madrid’s Enrique Cerezo, Juventus’s Andrea Agnelli, Inter Milan’s Steven Zhang, AC Milan’s Ivan Gazidis, Arsenal’s Stan Kroenke, Manchester United’s Joel Glazer, fender rose to meet Abdulla al- Rayyan the lead. Liverpool’s John W Henry, Tottenham Hotspur’s chairman Daniel Levy, Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich, and Manchester City’s Ferran Soriano. Karbi’s cross from the right for Al Nine minutes before the in- Wahda, who scored three times terval, Al Rayyan went close to Reuters thing had to be done. We are all “When you have no income Perez’ Madrid as well as City Earlier Perez claimed the move in the fi nal 24 minutes to over- doubling their advantage but Madrid ruined. Television has to change other than television, you say through to this year’s Champions had been made to save the sport. turn a two-goal defi cit and pick al-Shamsi was again just about so we can adapt. that the solution is to make more League last four. “Football has to keep chang- up their fi rst win of the cam- equal to the task as he pushed the “Young people are no longer attractive matches that fans from “They are the threats of some- ing and adapting to the times. paign. ball away from goal. controversial decision interested in football. Why not? all over the world can see with all one who confuses monopoly Football is losing interest. Some- The game had looked destined There was little the Al Wahda to form a breakaway Because there are a lot of poor the big clubs and we came to the with property,” Perez, who has thing must be done,” Perez said. to end in a draw after Khalil Ib- goalkeeper could do, however, European Super League quality games and they are not conclusion that if instead of hav- been named ESL president, said “Football is the only sport that is rahim latched on to Tim Mata- in the 54th minute when Hatem was taken “to save interested, they have other plat- ing a Champions League we have on television programme El global. Television has to change vz’s through ball to score after extended his side’s lead. Boli col- Afootball” and in part motivated forms on which to distract them- a Super League we would be able Chiringuito. to adapt to the times. We have to Maayed al-Ruwais had earlier lected a long ball into the pen- because “young people are no selves.” to alleviate what we have lost.” “Madrid will not be kicked out think about why 16-24 year-olds halved the defi cit for Al Wahda alty area before pulling back to longer interested” in the game, Real have been joined in the The move has triggered wide- of the Champions League, defi - are no longer interested in foot- with Shoja Khalilzadeh and Ab- Hatem and he made no mistake Real Madrid president Florentino venture by two other Spanish spread condemnation across nitely not. Nor City, nor anyone ball. delaziz Hatem having given Al with his low strike. Perez said yesterday. clubs, Barcelona and Atletico the sport and society but Perez else.” “The new Champions League Rayyan a two-goal cushion. That goal fi nally roused Al Speaking for the fi rst time Madrid. brushed off the criticism and He added: “It’s not going to is supposed to start in 2024,” said But the win means Al Wah- Wahda, with substitute Tim since 12 top European clubs an- Premier League clubs Man- played up the prospect of more happen. I don’t want to get into Perez. “In 2024, all the clubs will da move onto four points from Matavz hitting the post three nounced on Sunday that they chester United, Liverpool, Man- big games. the legal reasons but it’s not go- be dead.” their fi rst three games while Al minutes later while, in the 66th would form a new elite league, chester City, Chelsea, Arsenal “What’s so attractive? That ing to happen. It’s impossible.” Perez claimed the new league Rayyan remain on one point, minute, they halved the defi cit. the new chairman of the Super and Tottenham Hotspur have we play among the big teams, European football’s governing would also help smaller clubs. with the two teams due to meet Ibrahim burst down the right League said football needed to also signed up to the plans. the competitiveness, to generate body also said players could be “They have said it is a league for again on Friday. Al Rayyan had before fi ring in a low centre the evolve and adapt to the times. The founding group of 12 is more resources?” he added. stopped from featuring for their the rich and it’s not true. It’s a looked set to take their fi rst win Al Rayyan defence struggled to “Whenever there is a change, completed by Italian Serie A trio He also said that no club will countries too. league to save football,” he said. of the campaign after opening up clear before al-Ruwais slotted in. there are always people who op- AC Milan, Inter Milan and Ju- be thrown out of the Champions “Any player can be totally calm “The money goes to everyone, a two-goal lead with a dominant Five minutes from time Ibra- pose it... and we are doing this to ventus. League for joining a proposed because that is not going to hap- it is a pyramid. If those above display throughout the opening him went from provider to scorer save football at this critical mo- Perez said the top teams were European Super League (ESL). pen,” 74-year-old Perez said. have money, it trickles down. 60 minutes. when he raced on to Matavz’s ment,” Perez said on the Span- losing money and needed a fresh Perez claimed Paris Saint-Ger- “UEFA is a monopoly and it also “There are 15 teams that gen- Al Wahda goalkeeper Moham- through ball to slide his shot ish TV show El Chiringuito de impetus. main have not been invited. has to be transparent. UEFA does erate value and fi ve will enter on ed al-Shamsi had to be alert to beyond Younis and, with four Jugones. “Together we have lost 5bn UEFA said sides in the tourna- not have a good image in its his- sporting merit. It is not closed. It push Hatem’s fi fth minute shot minutes into injury time, Jumaa “Audiences are decreasing and (euros),” he said. “In two seasons ment will be unable to compete in tory. It has to be open to dialogue is open. We have never thought to safety after the midfi elder’s nodded in the winner to cap a re- rights are decreasing and some- Madrid have lost 400mn.” their future competitions, with and not threatening,” he added. of a closed league.” eff ort looked destined for the markable comeback.

BOTTOMLINE EPL clubs lash out at ‘arrogance’ of Big Six

Reuters “Six clubs acting entirely in League, said the plans of the ‘Big said the Super League is an exam- London their own interests. Six clubs Football supporters Six’ appeared intent on disen- ple of why football governance in tarnishing the reputation of our demonstrate against the franchising supporters across the Europe needs to be reformed. league and the game. Six clubs proposed European Super game. “Weak governance has led us to everal Premier League choosing to disrespect every other League outside of Stamford “This preposterous arrogance this point,” Pace said. “I’m calling clubs yesterday de- club with whom they sit around Bridge football stadium in is not wanted anywhere in foot- on (Prime Minister) Boris John- nounced the plans for the Premier League table. Six London yesterday. ball outside of the clubs that have son and (sports minister) Oliver a breakaway competi- clubs taking for granted and even drafted this plan,” Everton said. Dowden to follow their welcome tionS after England’s ‘Big Six’ betraying the majority of football Fellow Premier League side intervention and now appoint an announced they are founding supporters across our country and Brighton & Hove Albion opposed independent regulator to protect members of the Super League, beyond. the plans too, saying it would English football with legislation.” with Everton leading the way by “At this time of national and “destroy the dreams” of clubs at West Bromwich Albion, an- blasting their “preposterous ar- international crisis — and a defi n- various levels and accused the other founding member of the rogance”. ing period for our game — clubs breakaway teams of a “clear lack Football League, said the six clubs The proposals from 12 of Eu- should be working together col- of respect”. had turned their backs on English rope’s major clubs — including laboratively with the ideals of our “These plans are the latest in football. Manchester City, Manchester game and its supporters upper- an alarming and growing list of “Albion will do everything United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chel- most.” clandestine attempts from a small within its power to preserve the sea and Tottenham Hotspur — The new Super League would group of clubs whose actions integrity of competition the club were met with widespread criti- guarantee hundreds of millions would be wiping out close to 150 helped establish 133 years ago,” it cism. of dollars a year in extra income years of football’s tradition, com- said. Wolverhampton Wander- The other 14 Premier League to the teams involved. But fans petition, and sporting progress ers took a cheeky dig by updating clubs met yesterday along with and other teams say that would through merit,” it said. their Twitter profi le to say “Pre- the English Football Association throw domestic leagues out of Fulham chairman Shahid Khan mier League Champions 2018/19” where they “unanimously and competitive balance and damage said: “The concept will not serve as they fi nished seventh in the vigorously rejected” the plans and the sport. the game or our most important league that season behind the Big are considering action to bring Unlike the Champions League, stakeholders — the generations Six, as if to say the six clubs had the six clubs to account under its open to any team that excels in of fans in England and through- been expelled from the league. rules. domestic play, the original 12 out Europe who have been as loyal “It’s probably too late for a pa- “Everton is saddened and dis- Super League teams guaranteed to their domestic leagues, and rade,” Wolves said, with South- appointed to see proposals of a themselves a place each year. the opportunities they off er, as ampton joining in by congratulat- breakaway league pushed forward Everton, one of the founding they are faithful to their favourite ing them, claiming they were the by six clubs,” the Merseyside club members of the Football League team.” 2014/15 champions after fi nishing said in a statement. who also helped form the Premier Burnley chairman Alan Pace seventh too. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 21, 2021 3 FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT Mourinho: from ‘Special One’ to trophy-less Spurs tenure Yet again, the famously outspoken 58-year-old leaves under a shadow — at odds with senior players, media and fans

AFP of the 2003-04 Champions League, London Porto beat Manchester United with a last-minute goal, and Mourinho an- nounced himself on the European stage ose Mourinho is one of Europe’s by running dramatically from his dug- most successful club managers, out to celebrate wildly with his players. but his trajectory at Tottenham The Portuguese club went on to beat Hotspur tracked a wearily fa- Monaco in the fi nal, and Mourinho was miliarJ arc of initial promise followed by now in the sights of Chelsea’s ambi- bitter recrimination. tious new owner, Russian oligarch Ro- For the fi rst time since the early years man Abramovich. Mourinho paid short of his managerial career in Portugal, shrift to any notion that he might take the self-declared “Special One” leaves time acclimatising to England’s fero- a club without silverware after he was ciously competitive footballing scene. sacked by Spurs on Monday. The tim- “Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m ing was a surprise coming less than a European champion and I think I’m a week before Tottenham have a chance special one,” he said after taking over as to break their 13-year barren run, in Chelsea boss. Sunday’s League Cup fi nal against He put Abramovich’s billions to Manchester City. But notably, it came spectacular use to end the Arsenal- the day after the London club contro- Manchester United duopoly, winning versially set out its intent to join others the Premier League title in his fi rst sea- in a breakaway European super league, son and repeating the feat the following with chairman Daniel Levy unhappy at year before things turned sour. Next how Spurs have become Premiership stop was Inter Milan, who became the also-rans under Mourinho. fi rst Italian side to complete the treble Yet again, the famously outspoken of league, cup and Champions League. 58-year-old leaves under a shadow — At Real Madrid, he tussled with Pep at odds with senior players, with the Guardiola’s great Barcelona side, win- media, and with fans. A serial win- ning the league title in 2012. ner across Europe, Mourinho arrived But he failed to lead them to Europe- at Spurs 17 months ago with a point an glory, the benchmark of success for to prove after his reputation was tar- Real. In June 2013, Chelsea appointed nished by a more than two-year spell in Mourinho — now the “Happy One” — charge of Manchester United. as manager for the second time. Tottenham’s swashbuckling credo is He won a third Premier League ti- “to dare is to do”. But fans hungry for tle in his second season in charge, be- success swallowed their initial misgiv- fore a poor start to the next campaign ings over the appointment of a coach cost him his job. Even though he failed who was ruthlessly pragmatic in his to win the league title at Manches- style of play. “It’s not important how Jose Mourinho arrives at his home in London on Monday after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur. (Reuters) ter United, he still added the Europa we play. If you have a Ferrari and I have League and the League Cup to United’s a small car, to beat you in a race I have ments with players. Much the same dy- this season at Tottenham, including road to managerial success was paved positions at Porto and Barcelona, be- groaning trophy cabinet, before falling to break your wheel or put sugar in your namic had played out in previous spells beating United 6-1 at Old Traff ord and by the arrival in 1992 of Englishman coming assistant coach. out with senior squad members and the tank,” he had said in 2010. at Chelsea and Real Madrid, marked briefl y topping the Premier League ta- Bobby Robson to take charge of Sport- By 2002, Mourinho had experience of club’s directors. And with his stormy While he claimed three trophies at also by running feuds with opposition ble, a barren 2021 has seen the team re- ing Lisbon. Robson appointed the the managerial hot-seat in his own right time in North London also now cut Old Traff ord, including the 2017 Europa managers and the press, and a surly un- peatedly squander winning positions. young sports science graduate as his during spells at Benfi ca and Uniao de brutally short, Mourinho is in unknown League, the end came with a dismal run willingness to admit any shortcomings. After a brief and undistinguished interpreter, and Mourinho followed the Leiria. But it was at Porto that his career territory, a managerial failure for the of results and high-profi le disagree- Despite brief periods of optimism playing career in Portugal, Mourinho’s former England manager to successive truly took off . In the fi rst knockout round fi rst time since leaving Portugal.

PREMIER LEAGUE FOCUS Llorente earns Leeds draw with Liverpool Sacking of Mourinho Reuters defending close to their goal.” Leeds, England His Liverpool counterpart Juergen before Cup fi nal Klopp put on a brave face after his team let victory slip away from their grasp. “It n 87th-minute header from is disappointing of course but we can- ‘crazy’, says Rooney defender gave not say it was not deserved for Leeds,” he Leeds United a 1-1 home draw said. “We had big chances in the fi rst half Reuters with Liverpool in the Premier but didn’t use those. We will fi ght for the London LeagueA on Monday night after the home Champions League with all we have. This side staged a protest against the breaka- a point more in the end. It is always best way Super League prior to the kickoff . to win all the games but if not we have to ottenham Hotspur’s de- Leeds players came out for their warm- shake a bit and go again and that is what cision to sack manager up wearing shirts emblazoned with the we will do.” Jose Mourinho just days slogan “Earn It” under the Champions Sadio Mane fi red Liverpool ahead in the before their League Cup League logo — a reference to the fact that 31st minute when he steered the ball into Tfi nal against Manchester City is the proposed 20-club Super League will an empty net after Trent Alexander-Ar- “crazy”, former England skipper have 15 permanent members with no rel- nold beat Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier Wayne Rooney said. egation. A plane fl ew overhead trailing to a long Diogo Jota pass and squared it to Rooney, who played under a banner proclaiming “say no to super- the Senegalese forward. Roberto Firmino Mourinho when the Portuguese league” while the Liverpool team coach came close to adding a second shortly af- was in charge at Manchester was greeted with fans venting their an- ter the break but Leeds then pegged back United, said Spurs should have ger. The result left Liverpool sixth on 53 the visitors and missed several chances waited until after Sunday’s fi nal you normally tell your players, points from 32 games, one behind fi fth- before Llorente rose above his markers to to pull the plug on the 58-year- what they have to expect, from placed Chelsea who have a game in hand head home a Jack Harrison corner. old’s tenure. one day to the next, is not there and two adrift of West Ham United in Leeds United’s Spanish defender Diego Llorente (left) celebrates after scoring against Substitute Mohamed Salah had scuff ed Spurs have endured a dismal anymore. We don’t have a long fourth. Leeds stayed 10th on 46 points. Liverpool during the Premier League match at Elland Road in Leeds, northern a close-range shot wide for Liverpool mo- run of form this season and fans time to prepare for the game, and Leeds manager praised England, on Monday night. (AFP) ments before Llorente scored his fi rst goal are disgruntled by the team’s it makes it even more diffi cult his team for digging deep to avoid defeat. for Leeds and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain style of play under the former now. It’s even more diffi cult be- “There were periods when one domi- second half when we were losing we had ing for the equaliser. We kept on being spurned a gilt-edged chance to snatch a Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and cause at the weekend they have a nated the other,” he said. “Perhaps in the more continuity when we were search- dangerous even though the opponent was stoppage-time winner for the visitors. Real Madrid boss, who replaced big fi nal, but we have to handle it Mauricio Pochettino in late 2019. and concentrate on us.” “I think it’s crazy doing it be- Hasenhuettl said there was no BOTTOMLINE fore a Cup fi nal,” Derby County doubts about Mourinho’s stand- manager Rooney told report- ing as a manager but added that ers. “It’s strange timing anyway. Spurs had underachieved un- Surely they could have waited der him. “He is maybe the most until after the Cup fi nal if that’s successful manager at the mo- Big crowd and drone-delivered trophy the direction they wanted to go ment,” he said. “He has had such in. Mourinho is a manager who a big impact but hadn’t had a loves winning trophies, that’s very good year with Tottenham, kick off Chinese football season quite clear to see. He’s won a lot they are below what they try to of trophies throughout his ca- achieve. They had a good start AFP for Guangzhou FC shortly before half- reer... I’m sure (Spurs chairman) and then... dropped back. These Shanghai time. However, substitute Wu Shaocong Daniel Levy could have waited are normal in football. When rescued a point for Cannavaro’s men with until the day after the game. If you’re not successful you’re un- four minutes left with another header. there was one manager to set up a der pressure as a manager and crowd of about 30,000 saw Fa- In the other opening-day match, Ma- team to play against City in a Cup there’s the moment when the bio Cannavaro’s Guangzhou FC rouane Fellaini’s Shandong Taishan de- fi nal it’s Mourinho. Tottenham club decides to sack you.” held 2-2 by Guangzhou City on feated Chongqing 2-0. All games in the haven’t had the best of seasons, the fi rst day of the Chinese Su- fi rst stage of the CSL are being played so from that point of view it’s SPURS APPOINT MASON AS perA League season yesterday. As part of a in either Guangzhou or Suzhou, near crazy and a massive risk.” INTERIM HEAD COACH lively opening ceremony at Tianhe Sta- Shanghai, as part of eff orts to thwart the Mourinho said there was no Tottenham confi rmed yester- dium in Guangzhou, the CSL trophy was coronavirus. need for a break from the game. day that former midfi elder Ryan fl own into the arena — delivered by the The 16 teams will be housed in hotels “I’m always in football,” he add- Mason would be in caretaker passenger of a large red and white drone. and kept away from the public. However, ed. charge until the end of the season Italian legend Cannavaro, who is under unlike sport in some countries, support- following the sacking of Mour- pressure following a disappointing last ers will be allowed into some matches, MOURINHO SACKING MAKES inho. Former Spurs and Hull campaign, watched his former champi- with the virus largely under control in SPURS GAME TOUGHER: player Mason, who was forced to ons take the lead in only seven minutes China. China’s ambitions to be a foot- SOUTHAMPTON’S MANAGER retire from playing in 2018, steps when the Brazil-born Chinese inter- balling superpower are under fresh scru- Meanwhile, Southampton man- up from his role as head of player national Alan Carvalho nodded in from tiny after the fi nancial collapse of reign- ager Ralph Hasenhuettl said development at the club. close range. But their local rivals were ing champions Jiangsu FC. Mourinho’s sacking makes it Chris Powell and Nigel Gibbs level nine minutes later thanks to an own But the Chinese Football Association much harder for his side to pre- will help him, while Ledley King goal, and City took the lead at 51 minutes is keen to frame the new campaign as a pare for today’s Premier League stays on as a fi rst-team coach via Ye Chugui. Striker Elkeson, another chance for a fresh start on a more sus- game against Spurs. and former goalkeeper Michel player born in Brazil but now naturalised tainable path, in contrast to the era of Fans watch the Chinese Super League match between Guangzhou FC and Guangzhou “It changes everything,” Vorm returns to the club as a to play for China, had missed a penalty heavy spending in 2016 and 2017. City in China’s southern Guandong province yesterday. (AFP) Hasenhuettl said. “Everything goalkeeping coach. Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, April 21, 2021 SPORT

FOOTBALL Ibrahimovic injury doubt for Milan against Sassuolo Milan: Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a doubt for AC Milan’s midweek Bayern Munich did Serie A home game against Sassuolo, coach Stefano Pioli said yesterday. Ibrahimovic was suspended last weekend as Milan won at the San Siro for the first time in over two months against Genoa. But the 39-year-old Swede not like Flick wresting and French left-back Theo Hernandez have both been hampered with muscular problems. Midfielders Hakan Calhanoglu and Ismael Ben- nacer are also struggling with knocks. “We have problems for Bennacer, Ibra, Calha- control from them noglu and Theo, they all had diff iculties training. Let’s see tomorrow Flick is a players’ man and that meant his tenure at the club could not last longer than 18 exhilarating months (Wednesday),” Pioli said. Ibrahimovic is Milan’s By Andy Brassell top-scorer with 15 goals in The Guardian 17 league appearances this campaign. Veteran Croatian forward Mario Mandzukic t had been a week heavy with a feel- returned after a long injury ing of fi nality; fi rst in Paris, then in layoff against Genoa. “Mand- Wolfsburg. Bayern Munich’s stride zukic did well and made his towards retaining the Champi- presence felt,” said Pioli. “He Ions League had come to a halt in the can’t play for 90 minutes, but French capital, with Leon Goretzka’s I count on him. He will help withdrawal through injury perhaps the us.” straw that broke the camel’s back in a Second-placed Milan are campaign beset with personnel issues. nine points behind city rivals Everything, this time, wasn’t enough. Inter with seven games left, After everything that happened in including against top-four the two legs with Paris Saint-Germain rivals Lazio next Monday, and – the setbacks, the comebacks, the Juventus on May 9. good-but-not-quite-ruthless-enough performances – it felt good to move on BARCELONA’S FORWARD with a relative test against one of the BRAITHWAITE Bundesliga’s surprise packages, and a SPRAINS ANKLE likely Champions League qualifi er, in Barcelona forward Martin Lower Saxony on Saturday. Braithwaite has sprained his Bayern performed to type at Wolfs- ankle and will miss part of the burg, both in terms of Paris and in the title run-in, the Spanish club framework of the personality of the said. Local media reported Hansi Flick era’s team as a whole. They the Denmark international, were sometimes irresistible, sometimes who has scored twice in 11 La extraordinarily careless and never less Liga starts this season, will than totally engaging. miss games against Getafe, The 3-2 win, propelled by another Villarreal, Granada and Valen- two goals from their teenage sensation cia but Barca hope to have Jamal Musiala, was enough to bring a him back for a potential title buzz to the post-match dressing room. decider against league lead- Then Flick spoke and brought a hush to ers Atletico Madrid on May 8. it all. When he told his players that he Barca, five points behind planned to leave Bayern at the end of the Atletico having played a current campaign, they would not have game fewer, will be crowned been shocked. It still hit hard, though. champions if they win all “It was very emotional for all of us,” their remaining games. Manuel Neuer said. “We have to absorb this and process it as a team.” Tho- REAL MADRID WON’T CRY mas Muller, with all his experience, ABOUT INJURIES, acknowledged the human cost of two SAYS COURTOIS unrelenting seasons rolled into one. “It Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick (centre) dropped a bombshell on Saturday by revealing he intends to leave the club at the end of the season. (AFP) Real Madrid goalkeeper was an intense time,” he said. Thibaut Courtois said his side “He didn’t exactly [try and] justify nection and a trust between Flick and ping up to make his thoughts heard, enormously popular fi gure will heap because I’ve never been with her.” would not mope about their himself, but he didn’t have to explain it the players, an uncommon mutual re- which he had already done far too much even more pressure on him. Flick’s Nagelsmann is young, charismatic growing list of absentees to us. As Bayern coach, you need to have spect that was like gold dust. for the liking of some who believe that words thanking CEO Karl-Heinz Rum- and would not only excite, but fi ts with after a 0-0 draw at struggling thick skin.” Of course, his greatest strength be- a Bayern coach should be seen but not menigge, former president Uli Hoeness what Bayern and their young core are Getafe on Sunday dented That last Muller gambit didn’t appear came his greatest hindrance. Flick’s de- heard on matters of substance. and current incumbent Herbert Hainer right now, and what has made them so their title bid. Real have to be delivered as a criticism – Neuer, termination to defend his players to the “FC Bayern disapproves of the uni- – spot the deliberate omission – for attractive under Flick. coped well despite losing a for one, expressed his appreciation that hilt came at a price. lateral communication by Hansi Flick,” their support was a fi nal jab in Saliha- The biggest impediment could be number of influential players Flick had shared his thoughts with the Most recently sporting director Has- read a club statement on Sunday, “and midzic’s direction. the €20mn release clause that Bild in recent weeks and made players before letting the world know an Salihamidzic’s decision to move on we will continue the talks as agreed af- The hot early favourite for the suc- report would be payable to Leip- the short trip to Getafe on via Sky – but as a fact, as an under- from Jérôme Boateng, telling the cen- ter (next Saturday’s) game in Mainz.” cession is RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagels- zig, though in an environment where the back of a 2-1 win over Bar- standing of a shared experience that has tre-half that his contract would not be The confi rmation of his exit is nev- mann – after his side’s goalless draw Borussia Mönchengladbach have just celona last week and a 0-0 been lived vividly not just as a conse- renewed at the season’s end, was seen ertheless little more than a formality with Hoff enheim on Friday, in com- paid €7.5mn to pluck Adi Hutter from draw at Liverpool to make quence of the condensed calendar, but as the potential fi nal straw, but the rela- but Bayern like to be in control, and the bination with the win at Wolfsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt, it seems far from the Champions League semi- by way of the personalities involved. tionship between Flick and Salihamid- agenda has been snatched from them by nudged Bayern closer to this season’s ti- prohibitive. For Flick, the logical next finals. Their personnel prob- The change of atmosphere from Niko zic had reached the stage of untenable their coach. tle – and he would certainly capture the step is replacing Jogi Low in the Ger- lems caught up with them Kova to Flick from the start in Novem- way before. The very public removal Some might say that Flick has been imagination. Nagelsmann gave a fl imsy, many job, a prize that he would cherish. against Getafe, however, as ber 2019 was astonishing – same play- of Boateng, one of Flick’s pillars, from forced to make this move, as the club quasi-denial on Sunday. He won’t forget the enormous highs at they were missing nine first ers, diff erent world. The new man who Bayern’s future was a symptom of the had plenty of time to address the diffi - “I think it’s totally wrong to sit down Bayern, though they will try to move on team players and were for- was already there was tactically astute lack of empathy between the two, rather culties in his dealings with Salihamid- somewhere and say what if,” he said. “I as soon as possible. tunate to leave with a draw, but it was more than his footballing than its cause. zic, who occupies a key role at Bayern can’t sit here and say that I’m going to They could never have imagined 18 which left them three points philosophy that liberated previously For now, the club is expressing its un- but has far from convinced thus far, break up with Lena Gercke (the winner months on just how hard Flick would be behind leaders Atletico. non-plussed players. There was a con- happiness with their head coach step- and whose role in the departure of an of Germany’s Next Top Model in 2006) to replace.

BUNDESLIGA F1 Bayern on verge of Russell issues full apology to Bottas aft er Imola crash

By Giles Richards and, when these points matter as much title as Leipzig crash The Guardian as they do to us right now, sometimes you take risks. It didn’t pay off and I have to AFP take responsibility for that. Berlin eorge Russell has issued a full “Having had time to refl ect on what apology to Valtteri Bottas after happened afterwards, I know I should confronting him in the wake have handled the whole situation bet- econd-placed RB Leip- of their crash at the Emilia Ro- ter. Emotions can run high in the heat of zig suff ered a 2-1 defeat Gmagna Grand Prix on Sunday. the moment and mine got the better of at second-from-bottom The British driver had been admon- me. I apologise to Valtteri, my team, and Cologne yesterday to ished for the incident and for his subse- anyone who felt let down by my actions. leaveS leaders Bayern Munich on quent comments by the Mercedes team That’s not who I am and I expect more the verge of a ninth straight Bun- principal, Toto Wolff , and Russell, who from myself, as I know others expect from desliga title. Cologne Jo- is a Mercedes junior driver and hopeful me. I have learned some tough lessons nas Hector scored the fi rst Bun- of being given a seat with the team in fu- this weekend and will come out of this a desliga brace of his career to end ture, has attempted to ease tensions with better driver and a better person for the a miserable run of nine league Mercedes. experience.” games without a win as Leipzig Russell, who drives for Williams, Russell is now in his third season in F1 suff ered only their fi fth league crashed into the Mercedes of Bottas, at- and last year deputised for Lewis Ham- defeat this season. tempting to pass him on the approach to ilton at Mercedes in the Sakhir GP when The result means Bayern can Tamburello. A furious Russell emerged the world champion had contracted go ten points clear at the top from the wreckage and confronted Bot- Covid-19. Russell performed superbly, of the league table if they beat Cologne players celebrate after tas in his cockpit, slapping his helmet. solidly in front of Bottas and was only ul- Leverkusen at home later. The their win over RB Leipzig in the He later implied Bottas had deliberately timately denied a win by a pit-stop error club world champions could then Bundesliga. (Reuters) defended his position in an unnecessar- and a puncture. Wolff and others widely be confi rmed Bundesliga cham- ily vigorous fashion because he feels his praised him at the time and he was viewed pions this Saturday at Mainz. Timo Horn. Just 100 seconds af- place at Mercedes is threatened by the as highly likely to be given a seat at Mer- After a goalless fi rst-half in ter Cologne conceded the equal- 23-year-old Briton. cedes for 2022. Cologne, the match burst into iser, Hector struck again when Wolff dismissed this notion as “non- Bottas’s current contract ends this life after the break. Germany he collected a fl ick just outside sense” and explicitly condemned Russell year. However, after the crash which al- international Hector headed his the box, holds off his marker and for attempting to make a move that had most wrote off both cars, Wolff empha- side into the lead just 56 seconds fi red into the bottom corner. a very real risk of taking out both cars. sised Mercedes will now have to divert into the second half with the vis- The result boosts Cologne’s Wolff had said he would speak to him funding that was earmarked for upgrades itors’ defence napping. survival hopes with games about the incident and on Monday Rus- to this year’s car, vital in Hamilton’s at- Leipzig hit back on 59 minutes against mid-table sides Augs- sell issued a statement apologising on so- tempt to take an eighth title, into cover- when Malian midfi elder Amadou burg and Freiburg to come be- cial media. ing the costs of the rebuild – a situation Haidara was left unmarked to fore facing strugglers on Hertha “[Sunday] wasn’t my proudest day,” it with which he was clearly displeased. launch his shot from the edge of Berlin away on the last day of the read. “I knew it would be one of the best Hamilton leads Red Bull’s Max Ver- championship, with both drivers having fi nish thus far. F1’s next race is in Porti- the area past Cologne goalkeeper season. opportunities to score points this season stappen by just one point in the world taken one win and one one second-place mao, Portugal on Sunday 2 May. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 21, 2021 5 SPORT

NBA MLB DeJong’s two-homer day helps Cardinals Curry scores 49 to crush Nationals

Reuters Josh Harrison walked and Starlin Washington Castro hit a fl y to right, scoring Bell. The Cardinals broke it open in the fi fth. With the bases load- aul DeJong hit a grand ed and one out, DeJong sent an lead Warriors past slam and a solo hom- 0-1 Ross pitch to left for a grand er, and the visiting St. slam, making it 10-2. With two Louis Cardinals beat the outs, Williams homered to cent- ‘We’ve been playing WashingtonP Nationals 12-5 on er off Kyle Finnegan. Monday. Washington plated three in really well for the past Tommy Edman, Paul Gold- the sixth on a fi elder’s choice schmidt and Justin Williams also by Castro, an RBI-double by couple of weeks’ homered for the Cardinals, who Yan Gomes and an RBI-single Philadelphia were shut out 2-0 in Philadel- by Victor Robles; and the Car- phia on Sunday. dinals added a run in the eighth AFP Cardinals starter Jack Flaher- on Goldschmidt’s single to make Los Angeles ty (3-0) allowed fi ve runs (two it 12-5. Nationals infi elder/out- earned) on six hits over six in- fi elder Hernan Perez tossed a nings. He struck out fi ve. scoreless ninth inning. teph Curry extended his scor- Joe Ross (1-1), who was un- Meanwhile The Boston Red ing streak with an electrifying scored on in 11 innings coming Sox jumped on Chicago White 49-point display as the Golden in, was roughed up for 10 runs Sox ace Lucas Giolito for eight State Warriors upset the Philadel- on eight hits and three walks in 4 runs in the fi rst two innings and phiaS 76ers 107-96 on Monday. 1/3 innings. cruised to victory in a Patriots’ Curry, who scored 47 points in a defeat Ross gave up his fi rst run of Day matinee at Fenway Park. to Boston on Saturday, bagged his 11th the season when DeJong straight game with 30 points or more to homered to left with one RESULTS give the Warriors a crucial victory in their out in the second. fi ght for a playoff berth. The Cardinals added Cardinals 12-5 Nationals It was another spellbinding perform- three runs in the third. Red Sox 11-4 White Sox ance from the Warriors talisman, who is Justin Williams led off fast becoming the frontrunner for this with a single and was sac- Giants 2-0 Phillies season’s NBA Most Valuable Player award rifi ced to second. Edman Mariners 4-3 Dodgers with an average of 31.4 points per game. swung on a 3-0 count and Rays 4-1 Royals Curry’s 49 points included 10 three- homered to center to make pointers – fi ve of them coming during a it 3-0. Goldschmidt fol- Brewers 3-1 Padres 20-point blast of scoring in the fi nal quar- lowed with a homer to left Rangers 6-4 Angels ter. It marked the 21st time in the Golden center. State star’s career that he has bagged 10 The leadoff batter in the or more three-pointers in a single game. fourth, Dylan Carlson, was hit Enrique Hernandez, Alex Ver- The next highest ranked player on the list by a pitch and DeJong walked. dugo and J.D. Martinez each is teammate Klay Thompson, who has Goldschmidt singled to center, homered for the Red Sox, who fi ve games with 10 three-pointers. scoring Carlson. DeJong went earned a split of the four-game Curry’s latest masterpiece left Golden to third, but Goldschmidt was set after dropping both ends of a State coach Steve Kerr struggling to fi nd thrown out at second. After Wil- doubleheader on Sunday. adequate superlatives. “I don’t know liams walked, Flaherty executed Luis Robert doubled in a run what else to say,” Kerr said of Curry. a safety squeeze with two strikes in the fi rst inning to give Chi- and DeJong scored to make it cago a brief lead before Hern- 6-0. andez greeted Giolito (1-1) with RESULTS In the Washington fourth, a leadoff homer in the bottom Nuggets 139-137 Grizzlies Juan Soto walked and Josh Bell half. Verdugo and Martinez fol- Pistons 109-105 Cavaliers doubled. After Kyle Schwarber lowed with back-to-back singles struck out, Soto scored on a wild before Rafael Devers singled in a Jazz 111-97 Lakers pitch and Bell moved to third. run. Warriors 107-96 76ers Bulls 102-96 Celtics Suns 128-127 Bucks Heat 113-91 Rockets Wizards 119-107 Thunder Spurs 109-94 Pacers “When you guys ask me after every game what I think of Steph and his per- Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry now leads NBA in scoring at 31.4 points per game. (USA TODAY Sports) formance, well, whatever I said after the last game – just use that. “Because it’s stride, the gap narrowed and the fi rst abrupt halt. The Sixers’ scoring was led ton had 20 points with 13 rebounds while the same thing after every game – utter quarter fi nished locked at 24-24. by Joel Embiid, who had 28 points with Cameron Payne and Cameron Johnson amazement at this guy’s skill level, heart, The game was tied at 55-55 at half- 13 rebounds and eight assists. Curry’s both cracked double fi gures with 12 and mind and focus. Just amazing to watch.” time, but the Warriors edged into a fi ve- younger brother Seth fi nished with 15 13 points respectively. Giannis Antetok- Kerr described Curry’s record of three- point lead at the end of the third and then points for the Sixers, while Matisse Thy- ounmpo led the Bucks’ scoring with 33 point scoring as “mind-boggling stuff ” Curry’s dazzling late show saw the Dubs bulle added 13. points, while Khris Middleton fi nished that put the 33-year-old in a league of his outscore Philadelphia 32-26 in the fourth Elsewhere Monday, Devin Booker’s with 26 and Jrue Holiday 25. own in NBA history as far as shooting was quarter. Curry had support from Andrew free throw with 0.3 seconds of over- In Denver, Nikola Jokic erupted for 47 concerned. “Kobe Bryant earlier in his ca- Wiggins with 16 points, while Damion Lee time remaining helped the Phoenix Suns points as the Nuggets defeated the Mem- reer had a stretch, and obviously Michael had 12 points off the bench. The win saw squeeze a 128-127 victory over the Mil- phis Grizzlies 139-137 in double overtime. Jordan had some stretches where he the Warriors improve to 29-29 as they waukee Bucks at the Fiserv Forum. Jokic added 15 rebounds and eight as- scored like crazy,” Kerr said. “But nobody’s chase a playoff place from the Western The game ended in controversy, with sists while Will Barton had 28 points as ever shot the ball like this in the history of Conference. “We need every win we can P.J. Tucker adjudged to have fouled the Nuggets improved to 37-20 to re- the game. And even by Steph’s own lofty get,” said Kerr. “We’ve been playing really Booker to set up the winning free-throw main fourth in the West. Utah meanwhile standards, this is above and beyond.” well for the past couple of weeks. We’re for the Suns just when a second period of maintained their lead at the top of the The Sixers had threatened to take a in a good groove and there’s a really good overtime loomed. Booker led the scoring West with a comfortable 111-97 win over commanding grip on the game in the spirit and energy with the team right now.” in a strong all-round off ensive perform- the depleted Los Angeles Lakers at the opening period, jumping out to a 12-point The Eastern Conference-leading Six- ance by Phoenix with 24 points. Chris Staples Center. Jordan Clarkson led the St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt hits a solo home lead against a sluggish Warriors side. ers, meanwhile, slipped to 39-18 as their Paul added 22 points with 13 assists, while Utah scorers with 22 off the bench as the run during the third inning against the Washington Nationals at But once the visitors got into their four-game winning streak came to an Mikal Bridges had 21 points. DeAndre Ay- Jazz cruised to an emphatic victory. Nationals Park. (USA TODAY Sports)

NHL Marleau makes history, but Sharks fall to Knights

Reuters Marleau had a chance to make it 2-0 a few Las Vegas minutes later when he broke in on a breakaway, RESULTS but Lehner turned away his backhand try. Gregor made it 2-0 early in the second period Golden Knights 3-2 Sharks obin Lehner made 29 saves and stopped with his fourth goal of the season, spinning and Wild 5-2 Coyotes all three shootout attempts as the Ve- fi ring a shot from the right circle that bounced Oilers 4-1 Canadiens gas Golden Knights, on a night that off Lehner’s glove and into the net. San Jose’s Patrick Marleau played in his Vegas came back to tie it on a pair of power- Panthers 4-2 Blue Jackets 1,768thR game to pass Gordie Howe and etch his play goals by Stone, the fi rst 53 seconds after Lightning 3-2 Hurricanes name in the NHL record book for most games Gregor’s goal on a defl ection of Theodore’s point Stars 3-2 Red Wings played, won their seventh straight contest, 3-2 shot. on Monday in Las Vegas. The second came early in the third period Senators 4-2 Flames Alex Tuch scored the game-winner in the fi rst when Stone took a Pacioretty pass by the left Predators 5-2 Blackhawks round of the shootout and Mark Stone scored side of the goal and then whipped a shot around two goals for Vegas, which moved into sole pos- Jones inside the far post for his 17th goal of the fi rst period to give the Wild a 1-0 lead. He in- session of fi rst place in the West Division, two season. creased his point total to 37 (18 goals, 19 assists) points ahead of the idle Colorado Avalanche. Marleau was one of the Sharks players who in 44 games this season. The seven-game winning streak is just one shy were unsuccessful in the shootout. Kaprizov broke the team’s rookie record set of the team record, set in 2017-18 and matched over 71 games by Marian Gaborik in 2000-01. just prior to the pandemic pause last season. KAPRIZOV SETS WILD’S ROOKIE POINTS Fischer took advantage of a turnover by Ryan It was the fi fth consecutive multi-point game MARK IN WIN OVER COYOTES Suter to tie the score 1-1 at 14:28 of the fi rst peri- for Stone. Max Pacioretty and Shea Theodore Kirill Kaprizov broke the single-season fran- od with his fi rst tally of the season. Fischer, who each had two assists while Lehner improved to chise record for points by a rookie to help the reached double fi gures in goals in back-to-back 11-1-2 for the season. Minnesota Wild earn a 5-2 win over the Arizona seasons from 2017-19, ended a 43-game drought Nikolai Knyzhov and Noah Gregor scored Coyotes on Monday in Glendale, Ariz. without a regular-season goal. goals while Martin Jones fi nished with 38 saves Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist while Cam Greenway had fi ve goals in the fi rst 22 games, for the Sharks. Talbot made 22 saves for the Wild, who have but none in his next 21 before scoring from in The 41-year-old Marleau, who also was play- won four in a row. close off a feed from Marcus Foligno at 3:37 of ing in his 899th consecutive game, moved past Kaprizov, Jordan Greenway, Marcus Johans- the second period, giving the Wild a 2-1 lead. Howe, who had held the record since Nov. 26, son and Jonas Brodin also scored for Minnesota, Johansson got to a loose puck in the crease 1961, when he played his 1,000th game. Patrick Marleau of the San Jose Sharks skates with the puck during a shootout against the Vegas and Nick Bonino and Matt Dumba added two and pushed it across the goal line to make it 3-1 Marleau, who made his NHL debut on Oct. Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Getty Images/AFP) assists apiece. on a power play at 9:38 of the middle period. 1, 1997, started the contest, and the game was Christian Fischer and Alex Goligoski scored The Coyotes cut it to 3-2 at 1:15 of the third paused at the fi rst stoppage in play for a special Marleau told NBC Sports California afterward. San Jose took a 1-0 lead midway through the and Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves for Arizona. period when Goligoski scored on a slap shot video acknowledgement of the record by NHL “I don’t know how many calls or texts I’ve got. fi rst period. Knyzhov scooped up a puck along as The Coyotes are in fourth place in the West Di- from the left point. commissioner Gary Bettman. It’ll take me a week to get back to them. It’s the boards near the left point and then rifl ed a vision, but only one point ahead of the St. Louis Fiala re-established the two-goal lead for the “Just extremely grateful for all the support been overwhelmingly humbling, to say the snap shot through traffi c and over Lehner’s right Blues, who have played three fewer games. Wild when he scored at 6:20 to make it 4-2. Bro- everyone’s given me throughout my career,” least.” shoulder for his second goal of the season. Kaprizov scored on a power play at 9:19 of the din scored into an empty net with 2:07 left. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, April 21, 2021 SPORT

FIVB BEACH VOLLEYBALL WORLD TOUR SPOTLIGHT Quarterback Smith retires from NFL Qatar’s Younousse AFP released by Washington the fol- Los Angeles lowing month. Smith said Monday he hoped to spend more time with his eteran quarterback family in retirement. Alex Smith announced “I’ll take a little time to enjoy a his retirement from the few of those walks with my wife, NFL on Monday, bring- and my kids have no idea what’s and Tijan enter Ving the curtain down on a 16- coming for them in the back- year career that saw him battle yard,” he said. back from a life-threatening leg Smith was chosen with the top injury. pick in the 2005 draft by the San The 36-year-old former Francisco 49ers, spending eight number one draft pick, who was seasons with the team before released from the Washington joining Kansas City in 2013. He Football Team last month, con- spent fi ve years with the Chiefs Cancun Hub fi nal fi rmed his decision in a video before joining Washington in posted on Instagram. 2018. “Even though I’ve got plenty ‘Sometimes you need to hit a wall to wake up and that’s happened with us here’ of snaps left in me, after 16 years REED RETIRING AFTER 7 of giving this game everything SEASONS I’ve got, I can’t wait to see what Former Pro Bowl but oft-injured else is possible,” Smith said in tight end Jordan Reed is retiring the video. Smith played eight after seven seasons in the NFL, times for Washington last sea- ESPN and NFL Network reported son, completing a remarkable yesterday. Reed, 30, never played comeback after suff ering a com- a full slate of games and missed pound fracture to his right leg in the entire 2019 season due to 2018 that would eventually re- complications from a concus- quire 17 surgeries. sion. It was the seventh docu- At one stage during his recov- mented concussion dating back ery, a fl esh-eating bacterial in- to his college career at Florida. fection almost cost Smith his life Knee and toe injuries also of- and nearly required the amputa- ten sidelined the 6-foot-2 Reed. tion of his leg. “Two years ago, I Reed played in 10 games (one was stuck in a wheelchair staring start) last season in San Fran- down at my mangled leg won- cisco after six seasons with the dering if I’d ever be able to go on Washington franchise, which a walk with my wife again or play drafted him in the third round games with my kids in the yard,” of the 2013 draft. Reed made the Smith said Monday. Pro Bowl in 2016 despite play- “Putting my helmet back on ing just 12 games. He caught was the farthest thing from my 66 passes for 686 yards and six mind. I kept asking myself, ‘All touchdowns. His best statisti- this for a stupid game?’” cal season came in 2015 when he Smith led Washington to fi ve had 87 receptions for 952 yards wins and one loss in his six starts and 11 TDs, all career highs. He last season, helping the team to played in 14 games that season, the NFC East title. His return also a career best. Three seasons earned him the NFL’s Comeback he played in 10 games or fewer. Player of the Year award in Feb- Reed fi nishes with 28 career ruary but he was nevertheless TDs in 75 games (36 starts).

Brady recovering from minor knee surgery Seven-time Super Bowl champi- tion and wore a left knee brace on quarterback Tom Brady, who during the Super Bowl on Feb- led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ruary 7. “We’ll just take it and to the NFL title last season, see how we go and see how is recovering from off season things play out over the course surgery and is optimistic about of the off season,” he said. resuming workouts soon. “A lot of things come up and “I feel pretty good and I push change over the course of the Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan (in black and white) in action during their semi-final against Austrian qualifiers Martin Ermacora and Moritz Pristauz at the FIVB myself pretty hard,” Brady said off season and we’ve got a lot 4-star event at the Cancun Hub in Mexico yesterday. (FIVB) at coach Bruce Arians’ Family of hardworking guys so guys Foundation gala on Sunday. “I will be anxious to get together FIVB Ahmed, who arrived in Cancun “We didn’t play well in our fi rst The top-ranked team in the and we always struggle against feel pretty good. I don’t know if and get to work. “As soon as Doha fresh from a fourth-place fi n- match, but managed to keep FIVB World Ranking, Mol and them, but I’m really happy that I could go this week, but, we’ll I’m ready to throw, that will be ish at last month’s 4-star Katara progressing and here we are. Sorum trailed for the fi rst time we fought until the end. Chris- see how things play out. really important for me. That’s Cup, have won fi ve matches in But the job is not over yet. The in the tournament during Mon- tian and I hate losing more than “It’s a long time between now always a big part of my prepa- atar’s Cherif You- a row after losing their tourna- conditions here are very unique day’s semi-fi nals, but recovered anything and I think that’s what and the beginning of the ration – actually doing what my nousse and Ahmed ment-opener against Russians with the wind and we’ve been from a fi rst-set upset to come makes us one of the most diffi - season, and just be smart about job is.” Tijan entered fi nal of Konstantin Semenov and Ilya talking and fi nding solutions. back and defeat Czechs Ondrej cult teams to play against. To be all these diff erent things that The 43-year-old NFL superstar the FIVB 4-star event Leshukov. Matches against Norway are al- Perusic and David Schweiner, in the fi nal in our fi rst tourna- we have to do and fulfil, but we captured his fifth Super Bowl inQ the Cancun Hub in Mexico, The Qataris also eliminated ways fun, they’re one of the best the winners of the 4-star Ka- ment in the season after a year all take a lot of pride in being Most Valuable Player award, yesterday. reigning world champions Oleg teams in the world right now and tara Cup in Doha last month, in which we had some strug- ready to go and I’m sure we throwing three touchdown The Qatari pair, who defeated Stoyanovskiy and Viacheslav we’re looking forward to playing 2-1 (17-21, 21-14, 15-9) to secure gles and didn’t get to practice will be.” passes to spark the Bucs over Austrian qualifi ers Martin Er- Krasilnikov of Russia in the against them.” their spot in the fi nal. as much as we wanted is amaz- Brady reportedly had been Kansas City 31-9 in the champi- macora and Moritz Pristauz in Round of 16. Currently ranked 13th in the “It’s always challenging ing, I can’t believe it. We missed planning the knee fix for several onship spectacle at Tampa. the semi-fi nal 2-0 (21-17, 21-18), “Sometimes you need to hit world, the Asians are one of the to rally from behind and the playing beach volleyball and it’s months to ease some minor dis- Brady completed 21-of-29 will meet top ranked Norwe- a wall to wake up and that’s few teams on the planet to hold Czechs are such a great team great to be back.” comfort. He did not say where passes for 201 yards and three gians Anders Mol and Christian happened with us here,” said a positive record against the and are on a roll after they won Mol and Sorum have lost in he had the surgery. Brady was touchdowns against the Chiefs Sorum in the fi nal. Cherif, who will play in the fi - Norwegians, having won two of in Doha,” the 23-year-old Mol only two of the 12 gold medal wearing a brace on his left knee and says he plans to play at Cherif, a 25-year-old Rio 2016 nal of a 4-star World Tour event their three matches with the Eu- said. matches they have played so far during a boat parade celebra- least another season. (AFP) Olympian, and the 25-year-old with Ahmed for the fi rst time. ropeans, all of them in 2018. “They play at a great level in their careers.

FOCUS Decision on domestic spectators for Olympics may come in June: Mainichi

Reuters Tokyo The Olympic rings are lit at the waterfront of Czech walker Drahotova fails doping test Odaiba in Tokyo yesterday. (AFP) Czech walker Anezka Draho- weeks before the Berlin race. decision on limits for domestic tova failed a doping test taken “I’m shocked and I don’t spectators for the Tokyo Olym- shortly before she won silver at understand it. I’m not doping!” pics may not be made until June, the European championships in Drahotova said in a statement a month before the scheduled Berlin in 2018, her lawyer said published by Czech media. startA of the games, the Mainichi newspaper yesterday. Drahotova has yet to qualify for reported yesterday. A decision that foreign Lawyer Jan Stovicek told AFP the Tokyo Olympics. spectators would not be allowed was made the Czech Anti-Doping Com- “I expect the Czech Athletic in March, and a decision on the number mittee had reported discrepan- Federation to suspend her. She of domestic spectators to be allowed had cies in Drahotova’s biological won’t be able to compete for been widely expected in April. The games passport and a positive urine weeks or maybe months so it were put off for a year due to the corona- sample. will definitely aff ect her in the virus pandemic which is surging again “A substance from a banned run-up to the Olympics,” Stov- in Japan. Organisers for the 2020 Games group of anabolics was found icek told AFP. said in a statement that, at a meeting of in her urine sample, but there is all the parties involved last month, “it was no word on what the substance agreed that a general decision on spectator might be,” Stovicek said. capacity in venues will be made in April, “We have asked for an analysis with the understanding that Covid-19 of the B sample and for labora- circumstances may necessitate a fl exible tory documents,” he added. approach.” The statement said organisers Tomas Vavra, deputy head of were still discussing the matter with the the anti-doping committee, International Olympic Committee and In- told Czech media that evidence ternational Paralympic Committee. necessary adaptation of the venue to the participate in this summer’s Tokyo Olym- every chance of qualifying, the inter-min- against Drahotova was “clear”. Olympic Games’ operations in mid-May”. pic and Paralympic Games will be given isterial public health board (CIM) has ac- The 25-year-old athlete, who ARTISTIC SWIMMING QUALIFIER TO An operational test event will be held in Covid-19 vaccines in the coming days, cepted to vaccinate them in the coming also competes in cycling, won BE HELD OUTSIDE JAPAN IN JUNE Tokyo in July. A marathon swimming qual- health authorities in Belgium announced days,” read an offi cial statement. To date, the 10-kilometre walk race at An Olympic artistic swimming qualifi er ifi er that was scheduled for Fukuoka in late Monday. The athletes concerned are pri- almost 25% of Belgians over the age of 18 the world junior championships scheduled for Tokyo in May will now be May has already been moved to Setubal, marily those who have not yet qualifi ed have received a fi rst dose and 7.7% the two. in 2014. held outside Japan in June at a location to in Portugal, in June. A diving qualifi er and to take part in the Games, postponed by a The Belgian Olympic Committee played She won bronze on 20 kilo- be decided, world body FINA said yester- test event will go ahead in Tokyo in May, year because of the coronavirus pandemic. down any suggestion of vaccine queue- metres at the senior European day. The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted however. The Tokyo Games are set to run Only a handful of athletes, from sports jumping in the country of 11.5 million which championships in Zurich in the preparations for the start of the 2020 Sum- from July 23 to August 8. such as athletics and cycling, has attained has seen almost 24,000 Covid-related same year before taking the mer Games, already postponed by a year, qualifi cation, according to a Belgian Ol- deaths. “Given the small number of athletes silver in Berlin four years later. in July. FINA said in a statement that the BELGIUM TO VACCINATE TOKYO ympic Committee spokesman. “In order (225) implicated in this decision, the impact She underwent the doping test changes were due in part to “challenges re- OLYMPIC/PARALYMPIC HOPEFULS to give Belgian athletes who wish to take on the general vaccination campaign will be on July 31, 2018, less than two lated to the international calendar and the Around 225 Belgian athletes wanting to part in the Olympic and Paralympic Games practically non-existant,” it argued. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 21, 2021 7

SPOTLIGHT Smith removed as England national selector in revamp London: Ed Smith was removed the concept of a selection panel as England national selector was a system that has been in yesterday after three years in place for 120 years. the role, with the head coach, Accordingly James Taylor, turn to Chris Silverwood, placed in sole previously Smith’s deputy, has charge of picking squads across been moved into a new role all three formats as part of a as head scout and will report revamped system. to Silverwood, who is now Ashley Giles, the manag- handed “overall responsibility ing director of England men, for future squad selections” and announced the news in a state- will continue to pick teams on speed for a Test lift ment yesterday evening, citing matchdays in conjunction with the need for “greater lines of England’s two captains, Joe 'Spin used to be our strength but not anymore. The spinners we have are young' accountability” and noting that Root and Eoin Morgan.

FOCUS New Zealand squad receive vaccines ahead of England trip

New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner receives his first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine yesterday.

Reuters against England, as players from Auckland the IPL would need extended quarantine with Britain add- ing India to its travel “red-list” ew Zealand Cricket on Friday. All-rounder Colin de (NZC) said yesterday Grandhomme said he had re- all of its home-based turned to training following an- players heading to Eng- kle surgery and would be ready to Nland for a two-match Test series play when needed. and the World Test Champion- “Since I’ve had the surgery ship fi nal have received their fi rst the ankle has felt real good and Sri Lankan players warm up during a practice session ahead of their first Test match against Bangladesh at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy yesterday. (AFP) dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. it seems to keep getting better The New Zealand govern- and it feels normal again for a AFP Lakmal is backed by , having won just one of their last nine Test press conference on Tuesday. ment said last month it would change,” De Grandhomme said. Kandy, Sri Lanka who frequently clocks 150 kilometres matches. They suff ered a home series de- “We will get another training session allow athletes to jump the queue “Looks like I’m tracking well at per hour and is making a comeback hav- feat against a depleted West Indies side today. You always have to adjust both in the country’s vaccine rollout the moment and should be ready ing missed a just concluded West Indies in February and lost all their matches in a mentally and physically in international to allow them to participate in to go for ball one if I’m needed.” ri Lanka have long been feared for tour after testing positive for coronavi- tour of New Zealand in March. cricket. I think it is best to be optimistic events of “national signifi cance”. their spin bowlers but the team rus. Lakmal and Kumara are expected to Shoriful, a member of Bangladesh’s rather than worry about it,” he said. The country has also started ad- PAKISTAN’S AMIR JOINS has decided that speed is the fu- share the new ball with Vishwa Fernando, Under-19 World Cup-winning squad, ministering vaccinations to its KENT FOR T20 BLAST ture, and it will be tested against a left-arm seamer who would provide va- made his limited over debut during the SQUADS athletes ahead of their depar- Former Pakistan fast bowler Mo- BangladeshS from today. Off -spinner riety. Karunaratne said he expects former recent tour in New Zealand but has yet ture for the July 23-Aug 8 Tokyo hamed Amir has agreed to join Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Muttiah Muralitharan has the most Test skipper Angelo Mathews to bowl as well to play any Test. The squad also included Olympics. The cricket team will Kent for the second half of the Lahiru Thirimanna, Oshada Fernando, and Rangana Herath is the most although the veteran has only been used uncapped batsman Yasir Ali, who took travel to England for a two-Test English county’s Blast successful left-arm spinner. sparingly in recent Tests. part in a tour of Ireland in 2019 but did Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, series starting on June 2 before campaign this season. Amir will But since Herath’s retirement three Mathews returned early from the Car- not play. Dhananjaya De Silva, Pathum Nissanka, facing India in the ICC World be available for seven of Kent’s years ago, Sri Lankan spin has lost its po- ibbean for personal reasons and Pathum Bangladesh will miss the service of all- Roshen Silva, , Niroshan Test Championship fi nal on June group stage matches and will tency. So Sri Lanka have embraced pace Nissanka who replaced him scored a hun- rounder and pace bowler Dickwella, , Lahiru 18 at Southampton. NZC posted have an option to play in the strategy for the two Test series against dred on his debut. With Nissanka keeping Mustafi zur Rahman. Shakib and Mustafi - Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fern- a photo on Twitter of paceman knockout rounds if they qualify. Bangladesh, to be held in a bio-secure his place and Mathews returning, one of zur were granted leave for the ongoing ando, Dilshan Madushanka, Wanindu Neil Wagner getting his injection The 29-year-old won both the bubble at the Pallekele ground. the batters has to give way. All the indi- Indian Premier League Twenty20 tour- Hasaranga, Ramesh Mendis and Praveen yesterday. T20 World Cup and ICC Cham- And the shift towards pace is a long- cations are that former skipper Dinesh nament, where they are playing for Kolk- Jayawickrama. “He’s the last of our New Zea- pions Trophy with Pakistan be- term strategy, according to skipper Di- Chandimal will lose his place. But the ata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals Bangladesh: , Ebadot Hossain, land-based players to receive the fore retiring from all forms of muth Karunaratne. “Spin used to be our hosts could also make Chandimal wick- respectively. fi rst of two doses ahead of de- international cricket in 2020. , Liton Das, Mohamed strength but not anymore,” he said. “Our etkeeper and axe Niroshan Dickwella. The team travelled to Sri Lanka on parture to England in May,” NZC He had earlier been handed a seamers have done a pretty good job in April 12 and played just one intra-squad Mithum, , Mukidul tweeted. Test players Kane Wil- fi ve-year ban for his involvement recent months. We have Suranga Lakmal BANGLADESH CALL UP match as part of their build-up for the Islam, , , liamson, Mitchell Santner, Trent in the spot-fi xing scandal in the who bowled so well in the Caribbean and UNCAPPED PACER series. “We didn’t have a great prepara- Najmul Shanto, Nurul Hasan, Saif Hassan, Boult and Kyle Jamieson are series against England in 2010 was named player of the series. So we are Bangladesh included rookie pacer Shori- tion but given the circumstances, we have Shadman Islam, Shohidul Islam, Shoriful currently playing in the Indian for his actions as a then-19-year- backing our seamers and see what we can ful Islam in their 15-man squad for the prepared well. We trained for a couple of Islam, , , Premier League. ESPNCricinfo old. Amir’s fi rst match could be get out of them. The spinners we have are opening match . Bangladesh are badly in days, and then played a practice match,” Taijul Islam, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed reported that New Zealand may against Essex at Chelmsford on young and raw.” need of some good results in Sri Lanka, skipper Mominul Haque said in a virtual and Yasir Ali. need to “patch up” the Test side June 25.

IPL Mishra, Dhawan star as Delhi Capitals beat Mumbai Indians

Agencies Pollard, who bowled the 11th over of Mishra came in to bowl the ninth Chennai the innings, provided the all-important Delhi Capitals’ Amit Mishra over that started MI’s collapse. The leg- breakthrough of Smith after the right- celebrates after taking the spinner picked the well-settled Rohit hander was trapped in front for 33. of Mumbai Indians’ and Hardik Pandya in one over after elhi Capitals (DC) registered Dhawan continued playing with Hardik Pandya during Indian both right-handers holed out to Smith their second consecutive vic- confi dence, hitting two fours in the Premier League yesterday. at long-on. tory in the season after beat- next two overs as he was joined by La- (Sportzpics for IPL) MI were 78-4 at the 10-over mark ing the Mumbai Indians (MI) lit Yadav, who kept rotating the strike. before Lalit Yadav struck as Krunal byD six wickets in the Indian Premier While MI didn’t strike in the middle Pandya chopped one on to his stumps. League in Chennai yesterday overs, they kept mounting the pressure DC spinners continued their good Amit Mishra scalped four important on Dhawan and Yadav as DC required work against the MI batsmen as Mishra wickets while Shikhar Dhawan led from 48 off 36. scalped his third wicket, trapping Ki- the top with the bat to get DC over the Dhawan smashed a four and six re- eron Pollard before the wickets for 2. line against MI. spectively on the fi rst two deliveries off Ishan Kishan was joined by Jayant DC, who were chasing a target of Rahul Chahar’s bowling but the leg- Yadav out in the middle as they formed 138, made two changes from the pre- spinner bounced back with a wicket a steady partnership and brought MI vious game, bringing in Shimron Het- after the DC opener was caught in the to 101-6 at the end of 15 overs. Kis- myer and Mishra. In the very fi rst over, deep to a good low-catch by Krunal han brought an end to the boundary Dhawan survived a close call despite a Pandya. drought and went down the ground for stunning fi elding eff ort from Hardik DC skipper, Rishabh Pant was the a maximum off Ashwin in the 16th over. Pandya in the covers. next man to get out as Bumrah’s slower Both Kishan and Jayant Yadav added MI though got an early wicket in did the trick. The left-hander useful 39 runs before Mishra bagged form of Prithvi Shaw after the right- was dismissed after hitting one four as his fourth wicket of the innings and hander was caught and bowled by Jay- DC required 22 off the last three overs. brought an end to Kishan’s stay in the ant Yadav in the second over. Dhawan, Shimron Hetmyer, who joined Yadav crease. who was joined by Steve Smith in the in the middle, got off the mark with a Rabada dismissed Jayant Yadav in middle, carried his rich form into the four as DC were closing in to the target. the penultimate over while Avesh Khan innings and built a steady partnership Bumrah conceded ten runs in the pe- got the better of Rahul Chahar in the fi - with the right-hander. nultimate over after overstepping twice nal over as MI ended their innings with The duo denied MI an additional as DC required 5 in the last over. Het- a total of 137-9. wicket in the powerplay and DC fi n- myer kept his calm and chased down ished with 39-1 at the end of six overs. the total with a crucial four after Pollard BRIEF SCORES Both Dhawan and Smith kept rotating bowled the fi nal over of the innings. Mumbai Indians 137/9 in 20 overs the strike and refrained to play risky Earlier, MI opted to bowl fi rst on a de Kock edged one to the wicketkeeper tions. They further attacked Rabada’s sixth over off Amit Mishra as MI were (Rohit Sharma 44, Ishan Kishan 26; shots, keeping the target in mind. dry wicket in Chennai and made one and walked back to the pavilion. pace and brought up 14 runs off the 55-1 at the end of powerplay. Rohit was Smith creamed two fours off Krunal change – Jayant replaced Adam Milne But the MI skipper and Suryakumar fi fth over. While Surya played with soft dealing in boundaries but Surya on the Amit Mishra 4/24) lost to Delhi Pandya in the ninth over and brought in the playing XI. Marcus Stoinis han- Yadav struck 3 fours and a six between hands for four, Rohit smacked the pacer other end nicked one to Pant and Avesh Capitals 138/4 in 19.1 overs (Shikhar up the fi fty partnership along with dled the new ball responsibility very them as they backed their aggression down the ground for a maximum. Khan broke the 58-run stand, scalping Dhawan 45, Steve Smith 33; Kieron Pol- Dhawan for the second wicket. Kieron well and got an early wicket for DC after and took on Ashwin’s bowling varia- Surya struck two boundaries in the his fi rst wicket. lard 1/9) beat by 6 wickets

Wednesday, April 21, 2021 GULF TIMES

PORSCHE GRAND PRIX SPOTLIGHT Thiem ‘fell into a hole’ but plans for Madrid Alexandrova and AFP ing quarantines and the empty Vienna stadiums “It was extreme in Dubai,” he said. “We were locked in, while ominic Thiem is outside life was normal. You struggling with pan- were allowed to leave the hotel demic-related “empti- at 9 pm and enter an empty sta- ness”, but plans to re- dium. That’s not great,” Thiem Kontaveit power turnD to the clay-court in Madrid said of his last match in March in early May once a knee pain in Dubai, where he lost to Lloyd dissipates, he told an Austrian Harris. newspaper Monday. The 27-year-old said that the After winning the US Open primary reason he pulled out against Alexander Zverev in Sep- of the Miami Open, the Monte tember, Thiem said he was full of Carlo Masters and a tournament “euphoria”, but “in preparing for in Belgrade was a “small issue into second round this season, I fell into a hole.” with my left knee,” that would “There is a certain empti- quickly heal. ness, though it’s not dramatic. “If you aren’t 100 per cent fi t, ‘IT’S CLAY, AND EVERY WIN ON CLAY FOR ME IS SPECIAL’ Last week, I didn’t even watch you’ve already lost,” he said, re- the football Champions League ferring his defeat in the last 16 of WTA because it’s such a tragedy,” he the in February Stuttgart said, adding that he “barely fol- and early exits in both Doha and lowed” the tennis tournament in Dubai. Monte Carlo, which he had de- He said he decided that it katerina Alexandrova’s cided to sit out. would be “smarter to sit it out. indoor prowess won out The world number four spoke You shall only come back when it over her clay aversion of the mental strain of the pan- makes sense.” on her Porsche Ten- demic in an interview with Aus- Thiem is a two-time runner- nisE Grand Prix debut, where trian newspaper Der Standard up at Roland Garros, the second she defeated Karolina Muchova published on Monday. major of the year which is due 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the fi rst round. He said that while rivals such to begin May 24, and said that Coming into this week, Al- as Daniel Evans or Alexander he dreams of winning a medal exandrova’s fi rst-strike power Bublik may thrive without dis- at the Olympic Games in Tokyo game had won her 37 of her pre- tractions, he suff ers with the scheduled for this summer, “if vious 45 matches indoors, dat- restrictions on movement dur- they take place.” ing back to October 2018. But her career record in clay WTA main draws was just 10- 19, and the Russian had yet to beat a Top 30 opponent on the surface. But that changed in Stuttgart, where she struck 46 winners en route to a two-hour, 17-minute victory over the World No.22. “It’s clay, and every win on clay for me is special,” said Al- exandrova afterwards. Muchova had not played since reaching her fi rst semifi nal at the Austral- ian Open in February due to a Musetti sweeps past Lopez left abdominal injury. But in the fi rst set, the Czech showed she in Barcelona had not lost her touch, coming Lorenzo Musetti struck 16 win- Especially in the second set, the up with a series of dropshots ners to power his way into the last three games I was playing and volleys as she came from 1-3 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell really good.” down to take it 6-4. second round yesterday. The Later in the afternoon, Frances Alexandrova had landed just #NextGenATP Italian broke Feli- Tiafoe overcame 17-year-old 49% of her fi rst serves in the ciano Lopez’s serve three times Spanish wild card Carlos opening set, and raising this and won the final 12 points of Alcaraz, recovering from a 1-4 number to 65% in the second the match in a 6-4, 6-3 victory deficit in the second set en was key as the World No.34 over 69 minutes. “Me and my route to a 6-4, 7-6(2) over one turned the match around. She Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in action during her round of 32 match against Czech Pepublic’s Karolina Muchova at the Stuttgart Open, coach are really proud of what hour and 43 minutes. “He is a also played with more focus yesterday. (Reuters) I did, translating practice to the good kid, smart player and well while ahead, with a titanic hold tournament. That’s what we coached by ‘Mosquito’ (Juan for 5-2 after eight deuces prov- Muchova needed to take a against No.8 seed Belinda cessfully made the main draw opponent. She showed off some are working for and I am really Carlos Ferrero), so it got a little ing crucial. medical timeout before the Bencic. this year. The junior World impressive power, striking 17 enjoying it and I’m really happy complicated at the end of the “I felt like if I lost that game on decider, and on resumption Anett Kontaveit, the 2019 No.42 had scored wins over winners - two more than Kon- with this win,” Musetti said. second set and then it was a my serve we were gonna be even her intensity had notice- runner-up to Petra Kvitova, also Jana Fett and Tamara Korpatsch taveit - and three aces. “Looking forward to playing war form there,” said Tiafoe, again, and it would be hard to ably faded. Alexandrova again progressed into round two with to make her WTA main draw However, despite the oc- Felix.” who will next face fourth-seed- play on her serve,” said Alexan- managed to maintain an ear- a 6-2, 6-3 defeat over German debut. casional lapse into cheap er- Musetti, who recorded his ed Argentine Diego Schwartz- drova. “I think I started quite well ly lead, surviving a spate of qualifi er Julia Middendorf in Like 17-year-old Nastasja ror, Kontaveit was able to fo- first Top 10 win over Diego man in the second round. “I like in the fi rst set, but I lost some vi- double faults and saving two one hour and 11 minutes. Schunk against Belinda Bencic cus when it mattered, saving Schwartzman en route to clay. I am an athlete and can sion in my game. In the second break-back points to hold for The unranked Middendorf, on Monday, Middendorf gave a all eight break points she faced the Abierto Mexicano Telcel move. I had a little scare today. set I tried to be more active and 4-1. From there, she rolled to 18, is one of two teenage quali- good account of herself in her to set up a second-round clash presentado por HSBC semi- It’s physical, it’s fun. I like Diego push her, going to the net.” set up a second-round clash fying wildcards to have suc- fi rst match against a Top 100 against No 3 seed Sofi a Kenin. finals (l. to Tsitsipas), sets up and we’ve come close to play- a second-round clash against ing before. We’re good friends.” Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alcaraz, who reached the who is working with Rafael AnyTech365 Andalucia Open Halep targets Stuttgart success on return to clay Nadal’s uncle and former coach, semi-finals in Marbella (l. to Toni Nadal. “I was pretty curi- Munar), is the youngest player Former world number one since a quarter-final exit at the and also here. Hopefully, I can she said. can’t get back home... he’s stuck ous about this match (against in the Top 200 of the FedEx ATP Simona Halep said she has Australian Open in February, stay like that during matches “It’s one of my goals to win this with me. He’s been in Romania Lopez) before playing it, and Rankings. Elsewhere, Australia’s recovered from a right shoulder after experiencing soreness fol- because matches are diff erent tournament as well. I want to for a week,” Halep said. with him you don’t have to Jordan Thompson saved two injury that forced her out of lowing practice sessions. from practice.” win all the claycourt tourna- “We trained very well back rush. You have to stay patient match points at 4-5 in the de- the Miami Open last month “I had more than two weeks’ Former champion ments if possible.” home. Now, he’s here for the and play every point, especially ciding set of a 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(3) and is determined to kick off break and some treatment on Halep has won every major Halep said Australia’s strict first time and it’s nice to have when he’s serving, because he victory over former World No. her European claycourt season my shoulder. I feel much better,” European clay title on the WTA Covid-19 restrictions means her him the whole clay season can [hit] a lot of aces, a lot of 7 Richard Gasquet of France with a long-awaited win at the the world number three told calendar except Stuttgart. coach Darren Cahill will remain because it’s my favourite. To first serves pretty good and he in three hours and 17 minutes. Stuttgart Open. reporters at the WTA 500 event. “I want it badly. It’s a nice in her corner throughout the have him means a lot. I have comes to the net,” Musetti said. Thompson now plays sixth- The Romanian pulled out of “I didn’t have pain in the last few tournament, nice conditions, claycourt swing. confidence when he’s around.” “You have to be really calm and seeded Spaniard Pablo Carreno Miami, her first tournament days that I practised at home the people are nice to me here,” “He’ll be with me because he (Reuters) not lose focus. That’s what I did. Busta. (ATP)

FOCUS South African wheelchair star defi es the odds AFP athlete is a late bloomer, hav- toss, are not fully formed. phased by the gruelling hours of Pretoria ing been coerced by fate into the Born in rural northern Lim- training. sport. popo province with a congen- Eff ortlessly, she serves and “When I got to university, ial defect, her family was never moves with the elegance of a n electrifying slanted was the only bothered, expecting her to do ballerina, quickly pounding her backhand is seamlessly disability sports that was active,” house chores like any other girl. able-bodied opponent into re- followed by a swift 360 she chuckled. But elsewhere, she was alien- questing a water break. degree clockwise ma- So she joined a team which ated. Strapped into the chair, play- noeuvreA of her wheelchair before she credits for helping her to im- “Unfortunately as a child... ers’ movements are restricted South Africa’s top-ranked Paral- prove her style of play. You don’t understand why peo- at the calves and waist, pushing ympic tennis player halts, gazing Within just over a decade ple are looking at you diff erent- them to rely on upper body and sharply across the court. she has shot up the rankings of ly,” Montjane said. arm strength. Grabbing the next ball, lodged wheelchair tennis to become a She was dumbfounded when “Everything is the same, ex- in the metal rims of her light- three-time Paralympian and is she was randomly selected by cept we don’t have our lateral weight titanium wheelchair, currently fi fth in the world. her teachers to represent her movement, we move more in cir- Kgothatso Montjane sends it Aff ectionately known as KG, school in a tennis camp during cular movements,” she said. pirouetting with such agility she made history in 2018 when her senior year - her debut taste Wheelchair tennis uses a two- and precise technique, it is hard she became the fi rst black South of the sport. bounce rule - the fi rst bounce to believe the 34-year-old pro African woman to compete at “I didn’t even know you have must land in the court, while the picked up her fi rst tennis racket Wimbledon. to play it on the court,” she said, second can be anywhere. The by chance and in her late teens. She is now looking to win a her eyes bulging with amaze- Tokyo Paralympic Games are “I’m not a grassroots-crafted medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. ment of the memory. expected to be held for a month, player. I picked up the racket “My goal is to just fi nish in the “They just gave me a racket beginning August 4. at the age of 19,” she told AFP podium,” she said. “It doesn’t and I just had to fi gure it out,” “I’m so lucky my genera- during a training session in Pre- really matter which medal col- she said, burying her face in her tion could go out there and play, toria. our it is.” hands. and... represent my country, I “So, I feel like there is a need Stepping out of her carbon- With limited resources, at carry it with a lot of pride,” she for me to actually catch up. I re- fi bre chair with confi dence, the school they were forced to play said. ally need to grind hard because 1.54 metres tall tennis star wears in the school hall, improvising With a growing list of spon- to become the best player, you a prosthetic left leg. for nets with chairs, she recalled. sors and social media followers South Africa’s wheelchair tennis player Kgothatso Montjane plays a backhand shot during a training session really need to work hard.” Some of her fi ngers on her It’s 7pm (1700 GMT) in the backing her, the athlete has de- at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria on April 13, 2021. (AFP) Unlike most tennis royalty, the right hand, which she uses to capital and Montjane is little fi ed the odds.