QSL: Former Champions Al Rayyan Eye Umm Salal Scalp in Round Two
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SPORT Friday 10 August 2018 PAGE | 18 PAGE | 19 Nadal routs Paire to Salah, Ronaldo and join Zverev, Djokovic in Messi on Champions Toronto third round League awards shortlist QSL: Former champions Al Rayyan eye Umm Salal scalp in round two FAWAD HUSSAIN Al Rayyan players celebrate after scoring during THE PENINSULA the Sheikh Jassim Cup at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha in this August 1 file photo. DOHA: Al Rayyan are hoping to continue their winning form as they take on Umm Salal in their FIXTURES: ROUND 2 second match of the QNB Stars TODAY League (QSL) at Al Sadd Al Rayyan vs Umm Salal Stadium. Al Sadd Stadium A victory against Umm Salal today will complete a hat-trick 5:30pm. of wins for The Lions in the new Al Ahli vs Qatar SC season. They defeated giants Al Al Sadd Stadium Duhail in the Sheikh Jassim Cup 7:40pm. before overcoming Al Ahli in TOMORROW their first QSL game last week. Al Rayyan coach Rodolfo Al Gharafa vs Al Sailiyah Arruabarrena urged his players Khalifa International Stadium to bring improvement in every 5:30pm. game and termed Umm Salal, Al Duhail vs Al Khor who lost their opening match Khalifa International Stadium against Al Sailiyah, as ‘tough 7:40pm. opponents’. “They (Umm Salal) have SUNDAY what it takes to win and they Al Shahaniya vs Al Kharaitiyat know how to go about it. They Al Sadd Stadium will come hard at us especially 5:30pm. since they lost the opening Al Sadd vs Al Arabi match to Al Sailiyah,” the Argen- Al Sadd Stadium tinean said on the eve of the match. 7:40pm. “From our side, we will do everything to win this game. One A victory against wants to win and that is a good match is not enough to assess Umm Salal today will sign,” Banide said before adding Mubarak brimming with confidence any team’s performance. complete a hat-trick the team was aiming for However, from what we have improvement after loss against of wins for The Lions THE PENINSULA seen, the overall level is good. Al Sailiyah. different. We have our strengths Most teams are almost at the who began their “We are analysing our and weaknesses, but we must not same level. season by capturing problems. The players lost focus DOHA: Qatar SC coach Abdulla allow our rivals to take advantage “Some teams took advantage the Sheikh Jassim at times in the last match against Mubarak (pictured) said that the of our weak points. of their rivals’ mistakes towards Cup title. Al Sailiyah which we lost nar- win against Al Gharafa in the Al Ahli coach Milan Macala the end of their matches. We see rowly through a late goal. Past opening round of the new QNB said that his team is looking that we are improving as a side. is past. We are learning from our Stars League season (QSL) has forward to do well in today’s We have no injury worries, to get good result against Al mistakes.. We can improve day boosted the confidence of his team. match despite losing their except that of key striker Abder- Rayyan. by day. Speaking during a press con- opening match last weekend. razaq Hamdalah, but then he “Each game is difficult and “We have many injury ference ahead of today’s match “The first round is over and was missing in action since the that is football. We know the worries, the main being striker against Al Ahli, Coach Mubarak we could not take any point from end of last season,” he added. potential of Al Rayyan, so we Christian Osaguona and experi- said “All our staff members are it. And we conceded two goals as On the new signing of Argen- have to do more for this game. enced defender Bilal working hard to keep the well. But we are looking forward. tinian striker Jonathan They have depth in their squad, Mohammed. However, we also momentum going.” We are ready for this game.” Menendez, Al Rayyan coach said: but we can win if we play well have depth in our squad. We do “It was good to start off the “Qatar SC are serious oppo- “We are still waiting for his as a team. not play in all tournaments with league campaign with a victory. of Al Ahli. They are coming off a nents for us. It was after a long papers so he can’t play this “We have some problems just 11 players. That has made things a bit easy for defeat, so we are expecting a time that they played such a good match.” within our team, mainly injuries “It is only the beginning and us, right from training, moulding tough game. We have the quality game, against Al Gharafa in the Meanwhile, Umm Salal to key players, and we need time we have to seek solutions to strategy to implementing it on the to make a difference on the field. first round. They look a strong coach Laurent Banide hoped his to find solutions for them. But these problems soon,” added field,” Mubarak said. “Each match is different and side. So we must be extra careful team will overcome injury woes then, all players in our squad Banide. “However, we must be wary my strategy for each game is also against them,” Macala said. AVC Cup: Qatar top Pool C after 3-0 rout of Thailand CHINTHANA WASALA Camilo said after their victory THE PENINSULA Qatari players blocking a dash hit by a Thai player during their AVC Cup Pool C match yesterday. played at the University of Taipei (Tianmu) Gymnasium in Taipei, Chinese Taipei yesterday. “Because team Qatar’s height takes DOHA/TAIPEI: Qatar retained their advantage in blocking and serving, it was winning momentum at the 6th AVC Cup a tough game for us,” Thailand’s coach for Men with a three-set (25-23 25-23 Monchai Supajirakul said. 25-16) victory against Thailand to secure The biggest contributors for the the top spot in Pool C. Qatari win yesterday were Renan Ribeiro The convincing win also assures and Mubarak Hammad who scored 18 Qatar’s place in the quarter-finals of the points apiece. tournament which is underway in Taipei, Team Qatar now tops Pool C, while Chinese Taipei . Thailand and Vietnam will compete It was Qatar’s second consecutive against each other Friday afternoon for win in the tournament, having defeated the second place of the pool. Vietnam in a similar manner on the Earlier, yesterday, the defending AVC opening day at the University of Taipei champions, Iran downed Australia in a (Tianmu) Gymnasium. thrilling four-setter (25-20, 25-22, 18-25, Thailand were able to pose a certain 25-16) to secure their second consec- amount of resistance to keep up with utive win in Pool B. Qatar in the first two sets. However the Meanwhile, in Pool A, the Asian Qataris, led by six feet and eight inches champions, Japan succumbed to their tall captain Mohamed Ibrahim, produced second loss in a row, this time against solid blocking and attacks against their a strong and much more experienced East Asian counterparts in the third set Kazakhstan side. Khazakhstan beat the to take the game. youthful Japanese team 3-1 (25-22 “We are getting better day by day. 25-23 21-25 25-13) in a thriller. We are happy that we win this game. In The tournament sees top nine Asian the third set, it seems like that Thais gave teams in action and will conclude on up this match,” Qatar’s head coach Soto August 15. FRIDAY 10 AUGUST 2018 SPORT 17 Pliskova and Kerber suffer Ducati hope to keep pressure on shock defeats in Montreal Marquez in Austria AFP Austria. Lorenzo, who is REUTERS Maria Sharapova of Russia hits a return against switching to Honda after this her compatriot Daria Kasatkina during day three SPIELBERG BEI KNIT- season, was also looking MONTREAL: The punishing of the Rogers Cup at IGA Stadium in Montreal. TELFELD, AUSTRIA: After forward to Spielberg serve that propelled Karolina Ducati’s dominant display at the “For us to arrive in Austria Pliskova to the top of the tennis Czech Grand Prix, Andrea after the 1-2 in Brno is fantastic world last year proved inef- Dovizioso (pictured) and Jorge and there couldn’t be a better fective against Kiki Bertens at Lorenzo arrive in Austria scenario for Ducati, if I had to the Rogers Cup in Montreal on hoping to further trim the huge indicate an ideal circuit for us,” Wednesday as the Dutchwoman advantage of runaway MotoGP the Spaniard said. cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 victory. leader Marc Marquez. Honda and Marquez The ninth-seeded Czech Ducati’s Italian rider responded after the Czech race failed to record a single ace in Dovizioso won in Brno with by setting the fastest time in a the second-round battle but Spanish team-mate Lorenzo test day on Monday at the Brno committed eight double faults second and Marquez only third circuit. and was broken seven times by for Honda. “Austria is another track the defensive-minded Bertens. The Spaniard’s five victories where Dovizioso and Lorenzo Bertens will next meet and eight total podium finishes are strong, but we were also eighth-seed Petra Kvitova, who in 10 races this season mean he strong there last year so we’ll advanced past Estonian Anett is still comfortably in first place see if it comes down to the last Kontaveit 6-3 6-4 in their in the rider standings, 49 points corner again!” Marquez said.