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
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NNBABA | Page 5 CCRICKETRICKET | Page 7 Curry scores Mishra and 49 to lead Dhawan star Warriors as Delhi beat past Phillies Mumbai in IPL 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 Baghdad Bounedjah, 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 Tarek Salman, 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 Xavi’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. Premier League and fan groups preparing the paperwork to launch the European Super “I have been consistent on this where he confi rmed the govern- Pto 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. Ewhen 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.