FOOTBALL | Page 2 NNBABA | Page 4 Tabata Thomas extends stars in Celtic stay at victory over Al Rayyan Warriors Friday, March 10, 2017 CRICKET Jumada II 11, 1438 AH Australia say they GULF TIMES respect Kohli despite DRS row SPORT Page 7 FOOTBALL Miracle at Camp Nou as Barcelona thrash PSG Neymar scored from an 88th-minute free-kick and a penalty in the 91st before setting up Sergi Roberto’s clincher AFP ter, were better positioned on the pitch Barcelona Barcelona’s Brazilian forward Neymar (R) and could do damage,” said the Spanish celebrates his team’s 6-1 victory over Paris coach. Saint-Germain FC at the Camp Nou stadium in “We had chances to make it 3-2 and arcelona were hailed as living Barcelona on Wednesday night. then the refereeing decisions, I don’t legends yesterday after Neymar know if they were right or not, but for helped the Spanish giants pull sure they damaged us. Then in the last off a Nou Camp miracle with a two minutes we lost everything we had Bdying minutes Champions League win recovered in the second-half.” over stunned Paris Saint-Germain. Despite Luis Suarez’s early opener, The Brazilian forward played the a Layvin Kurzawa own goal and Lionel game of his life as Barcelona made up Messi’s penalty, Barca looked down a 0-4 fi rst leg defi cit by winning 6-1 in and out when Edinson Cavani volleyed front of nearly 100,000 ecstatic fans at home what seemed to be the vital away the Camp Nou stadium for an astonish- goal for PSG. ing 6-5 aggregate triumph. However, Neymar restored Barca’s “You have become legends,” head- belief as he fi rstly fi red home a sensa- lined the Barcelona Sport daily while El tional free-kick two minutes from time Mundo spoke of the ‘miracle of a life- and then converted from the penalty time.’ spot. Neymar presided over a fi nal seven And substitute midfi elder Rob- minutes that plunged PSG into a waking erto became the unlikely hero when he nightmare. He scored an 88th-minute stretched to turn home Neymar’s sub- free kick and a penalty in the 91st before lime chip over the defence, leaving the setting up Sergi Roberto’s clincher in score 6-5 on aggregate as the crowd dis- the fi fth minute of injury time, sealing solved into ecstasy. the 6-1 win. “I threw myself at it with everything,” Roberto told BeIN Sports. “We left Paris The win recalled Manchester very down and now this is incredible. United’s injury-time double to “We were prepared for all this. The win the 1999 title against Bayern fans were like 10 extra players and in the Munich in the same stadium, and end this is all for them.” Liverpool’s victory in the 2005 Midfi elder Ivan Rakitic said Barca fi nal aft er being 3-0 down to AC had defi ed the critics after their fi rst- Milan at half-time leg humiliation in Paris three weeks ago. “It’s crazy. After Paris, many peo- The result sent the Spanish giants ple spoke hard about our team but to- storming into the quarter-fi nals and night was special, we made history,” the left PSG in tatters. Croatian told BT Sport. “I know that we have made history. A “We know we are the best team in the team like this can do anything,” Neymar world.” told BeIN Sports. As well as staying on course for a Germany’s football bible, Kicker, sixth title, the 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011 spoke of a “night of magic” while Bild title against Bayern Munich in the same “What defi nes this victory is the faith night went from bad to worse after he taken to hospital but his injuries were and 2015 European champions set a new said simply “Barcelona move moun- stadium, and Liverpool’s victory in the that the players and fans had.” hit a supporter with his sportscar after minor, police told AFP. record by reaching their 10th straight tains...” 2005 fi nal after being 3-0 down to AC The defeat raised questions over the fl ying back home early Thursday. Emery admitted his team went to quarter-fi nal. The French press scrambled to fi nd Milan at half-time. future of PSG coach Unai Emery, as club Around 30 supporters were waiting pieces in the fi nal minutes, but said they Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, words harsh enough to describe PSG’s “It is a diffi cult night to explain with president Nasser al-Khelaifi ominously for the players as they emerged from Le were badly aff ected by the two second- husband of Colombian pop star Shak- shame. words,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique, called it “very hard to accept”. Bourget airport outside Paris. half penalties given by German referee ira, predicted exuberant celebrations “Crushed, trampled on, humiliated,” who will leave the club at the end of the “This is a nightmare for everybody. In chaotic scenes, Italian interna- Deniz Aytekin. among the team’s fans. said Le Figaro newspaper while L’Equipe season. Is Unai Emery still credible? This is not tional Motta’s car accelerated as sup- “In the second-half it changed. The “I would say to the hospitals of Bar- sports daily said “Indescribable.” “It was a horror movie, not a drama, the moment to talk of this. After the porters and photographers obstructed (Messi) penalty got them off to a great celona to hire nurses,” said the father of The win recalled Manchester Unit- with a Camp Nou that I have seen very game, we are all upset,” said the Qatari. the road. One man banged on the ve- start, but I was already calmer because I two. “Tonight people will make a lot of ed’s injury-time double to win the 1999 few times as a player or coach. And PSG defender Thiago Motta’s hicle and was struck by the car. He was could see the team was responding bet- love.” BOTTOMLINE Azerbaijan win Qatar friendly Caixinha set to become Glasgow Rangers boss AFP ment with Scottish Club Rang- Doha ers about the transfer of head coach Pedro Caixinha. “Our club considered the fi - edro Caixinha is set to nancial benefi ts of Al Gharafa become the new Rang- especially when we know the ers coach after getting coach’s contract ends in 45 Pclearance from his Qa- days.” tari club Al Gharafa yesterday to The Doha-based side added move to Ibrox. in Arabic that “the manager’s A deal is expected to be com- desire to exploit the chance of pleted quickly between the moving to Rangers was stronger 46-year-old, Rangers and Qa- than our desire for him to stay”. tar Stars League club Al Ghara- Caixinha moved to Qatar in fa. 2015 after a spell with Santos Caixinha emerged as Rang- Laguna, a Mexican club with ers’ number one choice to re- close links to Celtic. place Mark Warburton last He previously managed week although he won’t be fully Uniao de Leiria and Nacional in in charge for Sunday’s clash his native Portugal after stints with Celtic. on the coaching staff with Action from the Qatar vs Azerbaijan friendly football match at the Al Sadd Stadium yesterday. Azerbaijan Al Gharafa confi rmed his Sporting Lisbon, Panathina- won 2-1 with goals from Terlan Quliyev (52) and Araz Abdullayev (63). Qatar’s only goal was scored by departure, posting on Twitter: ikos, Rapid Bucharest and Saudi Rodrigo Tabata in the 55th minute. The match was closed to the media. “Al-Gharafa reached agree- Arabia. Gulf Times 2 Friday, March 10, 2017 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QSL ROUND-UP Tabata extends Dortmund can name Al Rayyan stay By Sports Reporter for the Red Knights. Esteghlal are Doha currently top of B after picking price for Aubameyang up two wins from their opening two games of the campaign. efending Qatar Stars Lekhwiya will be heading League champions Al into the game on a high, as they Gabon striker’s three goals against Benfica sealed a 4-1 aggregate last 16 win Rayyan have confi rmed regained top-spot in the QSL that club captain Ro- standings following a com- Ddrigo Tabata has signed a new prehensive 3-0 victory over Al AFP Dortmund, Germany two-year contract extension Kharaitiyat in round 23 of the with the club. Al Rayyan revealed QSL season. the news via their offi cial social ierre-Emerick Aubameyang media accounts, confi rming that KHARAITIYAT ONLY says he had a point to prove af- the playmaker will now be under LOOKING UP THE TABLE ter scoring his fi rst Champions contract with the club till the Al Kharaitiyat defender Moham- League hat-trick, but it leaves summer of 2020. med Salam insists that his side is PBorussia Dortmund wondering how long The news of Tabata signing the looking forward to the fi nal three they can keep him. contract will be a major boost for games of the QSL season as a The Gabon striker’s three goals against Rayyan, with the Qatar interna- good opportunity for the Thun- Benfi ca in Dortmund on Wednesday tional striker considered one of ders to pull further away from night sealed a 4-1 aggregate last 16 win the side’s most consistent play- the relegation zone. and capped a man-of-the-match display. ers in recent years for the side. Salam stressed that his side The performance redeemed his fi rst-leg The veteran midfi elder is cur- are fi rmly aiming to push fur- howler when he missed four clear chanc- rently the Lions leading scorer ther up the QSL standings.