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SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2021 DefendingD champion Djokovic unsure wwhether he will continue at Australian Open RightR now I’m - well, I know it’s a tear, definitely, of the muscle. SoS I don’t know if I’ll manage to recover from that in less than twot days. I don’t know I’m going to step out on to the court or not.

Serbia'sS Novak Djokovic Sport | 15

NHL RESULTS: Pittsburgh 4-3 NY Islanders 3, Columbus 6-5 Chicago, Edmonton 3-0 Montreal, Nashville 3-2 Detroit, Carolina 5-3 Dallas

Al Sadd take on Al Ahli as QSL resumes

THE PENINSULA – DOHA a row, we will win the title. It’s Al Sadd players in action during a practice session as the most important title, in my coach Xavi Hernandez looks on. Table toppers Al Sadd resume opinion, because it means that their QNB Stars League (QSL) we have had a really great title hunt today following a brief season,” Xavi said ahead of the interval as they take on Al Ahli Round 16 clash. at Al Sadd Stadium. “Now it depends on Al Sadd The Round 16 fixture kicks to win this title. If we win nine off at 6:15pm. points, for sure we will com- Round 16 Favourites Al Sadd, coached plete the challenge. I am happy Today by Barca great Xavi Hernandez, for the players because I think Al Gharafa vs Al Sailiya are 13 points clear at the top of they deserve this. We worked Qatar SC Stadium the standings, having amassed really hard all season and now, At 3:45pm 41 points from 13 wins, the most it’s the most important part of Al Khor vs Al Kharaitiyat by any team this season. the season.” 6:15pm The only team to stay “We will play in the Qatar Qatar SC Stadium unbeaten this season, Al Sadd Cup also, but now we have to Al Sadd vs Al Ahli have drawn two matches. focus on the league and win this 6:15pm On the other hand, Al Ahli, title.” Al Sadd Stadium currently occupying the sixth Al Sadd had beaten Al Ahli Tomorrow spot with 23 points but the 7-1 in the first leg, but Xavi is Umm Salal vs Qatar SC Nebojsa Jovovic-coached side not ready to take any chances. Al Duhail Stadium is targeting a top four finish. “Our next game is against Al At 4:45pm They have seven wins under Ahli and you know we won the Al Duhail vs Al Rayyan their belt and two draws, but first game 7-1, but this is not Al Duhail Stadium have suffered six defeats. their reality.” At 7:15pm Although they have a clear “They are competing really Al Arabi vs Al Wakrah lead over second placed Al well, they have a good team and Al Arabi Stadium Duhail, the title holders, Xavi is a good coach, and they are relax. We have to continue; we Meanwhile, at Qatar SC Al Gharafa, under the At 7:15pm keen to collect full points in having a very good season. I still haven’t won anything in the Stadium, Al Gharafa face Al tutelage of Slavisa Jokanovic, today's match. think they are not in the best league yet. Sailiya. Later at the same venue, have registered eight wins, Speaking at a pre-match moment now, because they “Of course, we have a big Al Khor will meet Al Kharaitiyat. three draws and four defeats difference of -10 (17 goals for press conference, Xavi pointed started very well and then lost advantage, but we have to Al Gharafa are in a com- with a goal difference of +9 (31 and 27 against). Sami Trabelsi’s out that Al Sadd’s title dreams some games.” maintain it and win the title as fortable position, being placed goals for and 22 against). men played out a goalless draw rested in their own hands and He added: “Still, they have soon as we can.” third in the table with 27 points. Al Sailiya are eighth in the with Al Ahli in Week 15. that they couldn’t afford to lose a good team and good players, “We are favourites to win The Cheetahs beat Al table with 19 points. The Per- Al Sailiya had beaten Al focus at this stage. and they have a strong char- against everybody now, but we Kharaitiyat 2-1 in Week 15 egrines have five wins, four Gharafa 4-2 in the first leg of “Now, everything depends acter, especially the coach, who cannot relax. We still need to before the tournament took a draws and six defeats against 2020-21 season QNB Stars on us. If we win three games in is doing very well. So, we cannot win many matches,” Xavi said. break. their name with a goal League. Flick savours historic World Cup double Packed match schedule FIFA – DOHA responsible for Neymar's By winning the FIFA Club World Cup final, Hansi Flick not only injury: PSG's Pochettino made history with FC Bayern München by matching Barce- lona’s record of six titles. He also REUTERS – PARIS set an individual best-mark: the 55-year-old became the first Paris St Germain person to win both the Club forward Neymar’s World Cup (since 2000) and the latest injury can be FIFA World Cup as coach, blamed on a hectic having done so in 2014 as match schedule Joachim Low’s assistant. and the COVID-19 “Congratulations to my crisis, coach team,” Flick said after the final. Mauricio “They have completed a his- Pochettino said torical feat, they have won six yesterday. titles in one season. Even for the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar Neymar has successful club that is FC Bayern 2020 champions Bayern been ruled out for München, this was the most suc- Munich players on-board four weeks with a cessful season ever. The team their Qatar Airways flight groin injury, Paris St Germain’s Neymar reacts after played outstandingly. The win to Munich yesterday. meaning he will sustaining an injury during the French Cup - was never in danger, we domi- Pic: Bayern Munich miss the first leg of nated and deservedly won the PSG’s Champions Round of 64 match against Caen on Wednesday. final. League last-16 tie “It was very difficult for me especially at such an extreme UEFA Super Cup, DFL Supercup unbeatable,” said Joshua at his former club Barcelona on as well, we were all at the limit, tournament,” said Flick at the and now the FIFA Club World Kimmich. Tuesday. the same goes for me at the time, having sought advice from Cup. Brazil’s Tite won the Club “When you look at the way When you look at the way touchline. The match against dead-ball experts in the This success was no coinci- World Cup in 2002 with Corin- injuries have increased it is because injuries have increased it is Tigres was on eye-level, even Bundesliga. dence, with Flick radically thians and, as Brazil’s head of the huge workload and the though we dominated. They Low jokingly bet his assistant changing Bayern’s game after coach, could lift the World Cup number of competitive games,” because of the huge deserved to be in this final.” an evening meal that Germany taking over. He implemented far title in 2022. Pochettino told a news conference workload and the number Although Flick, a midfielder would not score any goals from greater intensity when pressing, Zinedine Zidane was trium- on the eve of PSG’s Ligue 1 game at of competitive games. We in his playing days, lifted the set-pieces at Brazil 2014. Yet en a higher defensive line and, phant at France 1998 as a player, home to Nice. have played nine Bundesliga title four times with route to the country’s fourth together with his staff, prepared and won the Club World Cup “We have played nine compet- competitive games in Bayern and represented world title, Low’s charges ulti- his team in the best possible way with Real Madrid in 2016 and itive games in about 40 days and of Germany at youth level, he mately scored four times from for the final phase of the Cham- 2017. It is by no means out of the course the circumstances are special about 40 days and of never earned a senior cap for his free-kicks or corners, including pions League during the sus- question that he could take due to COVID-19.” Pochettino added course the circumstances country. After the 2006 World the equalising goal at 2-2 in the pension of play caused by the charge of France that it had “not been contemplated” are special due to Cup he was recruited as assistant group game against Ghana, the pandemic. one day and steer that Neymar, 29, would return to COVID-19: Pochettino to Low, himself newly appointed only goal of the match in the In doing so, he was always them to another Brazil to nurse his injury. as head coach. The pair formed quarter-finals against France, mindful of the need for loyalty World Cup Neymar was injured in a 1-0 win a harmonious duo from the and the all-important opener in from his players, and proved triumph. at Caen in the French Cup on outset, and although Flick kept the semi-finals against Brazil. himself to be an empathetic and However, this Wednesday after a rough challenge by Steeve Yabo but the Ligue a low profile in public, within the Following that triumph, even-handed man-manager. evening, it 2 side’s coach Pascal Dupraz said his player did not cause the Germany set-up he worked Flick worked as an official at “Right from the start, he was Flick injury, adding that the Brazilian’s provocative attitude was also independently in many areas. both the DFB and Bundesliga created a very good atmosphere who did to blame. To the outside world, this side 1899 Hoffenheim before in the team and gave us a lot of it first. “He complains of taking kicks while he controls the ball became particularly clear at the joining Bayern as Niko Kovac’s confi- dence. We had the on his feet because he is an artist,” Dupraz said. 2014 World Cup: whereas Low assistant for the 2019/20 season. feeling we were “He is clever, he adds more, he provokes.... what had previously afforded set- When he succeeded Kovac as bothers me is that he is in the provocation and the piece training little priority at head coach in November 2019, invective.” earlier tournaments due to time it was the prelude to an unprec- For the Nice game, PSG are also without Angel restraints, Flick insisted on edented period of success, that Di Maria, who will also miss the Barca clash at making it a central topic in included a 32-match unbeaten Camp Nou clash on Tuesday, but welcome back Brazil. run in all competitions, as well keeper Keylor Navas. “We wanted to emphasise as glory in the Bundesliga, DFB Hansi Flick They are third in the standings, three points the value of set-pieces again, Cup, UEFA Champions League, behind leaders Lille who host Brest today. Sport SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2021 15 Apologetic Tokyo chief Mori steps down over remarks REUTERS – TOKYO postponed Summer Games are is based on the Japanese words “My inappropriate com- were misinterpreted by the speak and I feel that women scheduled to begin, will further for the Olympic flame and she ments caused a big trouble. I am media, adding he was not prej- have been able to speak a lot.” Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief erode confidence in the organ- was born just days before the sorry,” Mori said at the start of a udiced against women. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Yoshiro Mori resigned yesterday isers’ ability to pull off the event 1964 Tokyo Olympics opened. meeting of senior officials on the “I have been trying to Koike, herself a pioneer as and again apologised for sexist during a coronavirus pandemic. Mori, a former Japanese organising committee on Friday, support women as much as pos- Tokyo’s first female leader, remarks that sparked a global Among candidates considered prime minister, sparked a furore adding that the most important sible, and I have been trying to avoided giving a direct answer outcry, leaving the troubled to succeed him is Olympics Min- when he said during an Olympic thing now is for the Tokyo support women more than men when asked during a news con- Olympics searching for a chief ister Seiko Hashimoto, media committee meeting earlier this Olympics to be a success. so they can speak....” he said. ference who Mori’s successor five months from the start. said. month that women talk too Mori said that though he may “There were times when should be, but said the person The resignation of Mori, 83, Hashimoto, 56, is a seven- much, setting off a global outcry have said something unnec- people would not put their hands should embody Olympic ideals and a former prime minister, time Olympian and pioneering for him to be sacked though he essary, he did not do it inten- up and not speak up, and I would of inclusivity and be somebody only months before the female lawmaker. Her first name refused to step down. tionally and felt his comments go out of my way to say … please the world can accept. Djokovic unsure Defiant Djokovic survives after whether he will Australian Open locks down continue at Australian Open REUTERS – MELBOURNE victory some 20 minutes after mid- MEN'S SINGLES: THIRD ROUND night and his roars of triumph Grigor Dimitrov (18), Bulgaria, def. Pablo Carreno Busta (15), Spain, 6-0, 1-0, ret. REUTERS – MELBOURNE The Australian Open’s last day of echoed around the arena. He was Alexander Zverev (6), Germany, def. Adrian Mannarino (32), France, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. crowds before a five-day lockdown proud to survive but unsure Dusan Lajovic (23), Serbia, def. Pedro Martinez, Spain, 6-7 (6), 7-5, 6-1, 6-4. Defending champion Novak Djokovic faces a ended with irate fans ejected from whether he could continue his bid Aslan Karatsev, Russia, def. Diego Schwartzman (8), Argentina, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. fitness battle to continue in the Australian Open Rod Laver Arena late yesterday, for a record-extending ninth title Milos Raonic (14), Canada, def. Marton Fucsovics, Hungary, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2, 6-2. after suffering what he described as a “muscle and an injury-hampered Novak at Melbourne Park. Felix Auger-Aliassime (20), Canada, def. Denis Shapovalov (11), Canada, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3. tear” during a five-set win over Taylor Fritz on Djokovic rallying to claim victory The action on day five reached Dominic Thiem (3), Austria, def. Nick Kyrgios, Australia, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Friday. in front of empty seats. a crescendo earlier at John Cain Novak Djokovic (1), Serbia, def. Taylor Fritz (27), United States, 7-6 (1), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2. The 33-year-old, seeking a record- WOMEN'S SINGLES: THIRD ROUND It was a surreal finish to a Arena, where U.S. Open champion extending ninth title in Melbourne, was cruising roller-coaster day five, with Dominic Thiem came back to win Aryna Sabalenka (7), Belarus, def. Ann Li, United States, 6-3, 6-1. after winning the opening two sets of his third- Marketa Vondrousova (19), Czech Republic, def. Sorana Cirstea, Romania, 6-2, 6-4. Djokovic digging deep to complete a five-set thriller against home hero round clash but a slip at 1-1 in the third set Garbine Muguruza (14), Spain, def. Zarina Diyas, Kazakhstan, 6-1, 6-1. a courageous 7-6(1), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, Nick Kyrgios. almost derailed his progress. Serena Williams (10), United States, def. Anastasia Potapova, Russia, 7-6 (5), 6-2. 6-2 win over American Taylor Fritz As fans roared Kyrgios to a Hsieh Su-wei, Taiwan, def. Sara Errani, Italy, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5. Djokovic disappeared off Rod Laver Arena after his title defence appeared two-set lead in the atmosphere of Naomi Osaka (3), Japan, def. Ons Jabeur (27), Tunisia, 6-3, 6-2. for treatment and needed further attention doomed due to an apparent side a football match, police on horse- Simona Halep (2), Romania, def. Veronika Kudermetova (32), Russia, 6-1, 6-3. during the third set. strain. back dispersed several hundred Iga Swiatek (15), Poland, def. Fiona Ferro, France, 6-4, 6-3. His hopes looked forlorn when Fritz won Fans were advised well in anti-lockdown protesters directly sets three and four but the 17-time Grand Slam advance that they would need to outside the stadium. Melbourne. Australian Open tour- it brought cases down from over winner showed great resolve to dominate the leave the arena at 11:30pm, half an State Premier Daniel Andrews nament director Craig Tiley said 700 a day to zero, and authorities decider with some superbly accurate serving hour before Melbourne entered a earlier announced the players will enter a biosecure are sensitive to even small out- and groundstrokes. snap lockdown at midnight on lockdown measures after “bubble” from Saturday morning breaks. The tournament, one of the His 7-6(1), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2 win was his Friday to contain a fresh outbreak the highly transmissible similar to ones that have operated sport’s four Grand Slams, was 78th career match victory at the Australian of COVID-19. strain of at tournaments around the world delayed by three weeks and only Open but whether or not he can go for Play was suspended in the COVID-19 for much of the last 12 months. went ahead after more than 1,000 number 79 against Milos Raonic tomorrow fourth set of Djokovic’s match to linked to Serena Williams was out on players and support staff is doubtful. have fans clear out but many left Britain court winning her third round underwent 14 days of quarantine. “Right now I’m -- well, I know it’s a tear, slowly and grudgingly. Some infected 13 match when the announcement Crowds at Melbourne Park definitely, of the muscle,” Djokovic said of the booed and shouted for refunds on people was made. were capped at 30,000 per day at issue on his right side and which he said left their tickets. in Melbourne endured a strict the start of the event - around 50% him unable to move or rotate initially. Djokovic ended up completing 112-day lockdown last year when of the usual attendance. “So I don’t know if I’ll manage to recover from that in less than two days. I don’t know I’m going to step out on to the court or not. I am just very proud of this achievement tonight. Let’s see what happens.” Djokovic was helped by a break in play midway through the fourth set, at around 11.30pm local time, when the fans inside the Rod Laver Arena were told to leave to comply Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in action during his third with Melbourne’s new five-day COVID-19 round match against Taylor Fritz of the US yesterday. lockdown which was due to start at midnight.

Fernando Alonso Anderson rested, 105-4 in 2nd Test, Moeen back as England trail West Indies by 304 runs

make four changes AP – DHAKA

REUTERS – CHENNAI Ben Foakes will substitute Pacer Shannon Gabriel put on F1: Alonso for Buttler behind the stumps an inspirational bowling show England will make four for the rest of the four-test as West Indies took control of undergoes changes in the second test series, while spin all-rounder the second Test against Bang- against India with Chris Moeen Ali will replace Bess in ladesh yesterday. surgery after Woakes vying with Olly Stone the match starting today. West Indies was dismissed for the final seamer’s place, Veteran seamer Stuart for 409 in its first innings after skipper Joe Root said on Friday. Broad is back but Woakes will resuming on 223-5. Gabriel road accident England, who won the have to compete with Stone to (2-31) helped to reduce Bang- REUTERS - LONDON opening match by 227 runs, break into the playing XI. ladesh to 105-4 - still 304 runs have rested James Anderson, “It wasn’t an easy decision,” behind - at stumps on the Spanish Formula One driver while stumper Jos Buttler will Root told a video conference second day. Fernando Alonso underwent return home as part of the about dropping Bess, who (27) and an operation for a fractured team’s policy to keep multi- managed four first innings (6) are at West Indies’ Nkrumah Bonner plays a shot as Bangladesh’s jaw and will remain under format players fresh. . “The message for him the crease. wicketkeeper watches during the second Test observation for the next two Off-spinner Dom Bess has moving forward is to keep Joshua Da Silva earlier match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhak, days following a road accident been dropped after struggling working at that consistency of struck a superb 92 for West yesterday. Pic: BCB while cycling in Switzerland, in the second innings of the first his game, delivering that skill Indies with Nkrumah Bonner his Alpine team said test, while speedster Jofra time and time again. hitting 90 and Alzarri Joseph SCOREBOARD yesterday. Archer will miss the match with “It gives Moeen a great scoring 82. The 39-year-old double an elbow injury. opportunity to come back with Wicketkeeper Da Silva was WEST INDIES first innings (overnight 223-5) eem 24-3-74-0, Taijul 46.2-8-108-4 (nb2), Soumya Kraigg Brathwaite c Najmul b Soumya ...... 47 11-1-48-1 world champion, who was all of his experience.” part of two significant partner- John Campbell lbw b Taijul ...... 36 involved in the accident on Moeen’s 61st test would be his ships which propelled West Shayne Moseley b Jayed ...... 7 BANGLADESH first innings Thursday, is due to make his first since August 2019, Indies past 400. Nkrumah Bonner c Mithun b Mehidy ...... 90 c Moseley b Joseph ...... 44 Formula One comeback this having taken a break from He and Bonner put on 88 Kyle Mayers c Soumya ...... 5 b Gabriel ...... 0 season after two years out of this format that year. runs for the sixth wicket before Jermaine Blackwood c and b Taijul ...... 28 Najmul Hossain c Bonner b Gabriel ...... 4 the sport. Anderson was keen to Joseph joined Da Silva in a Joshua Da Silva b Taijul ...... 92 c Da Silva b Cornwall ...... 21 “Following his cycling play on after a match winning 118-run stand for the seventh. Alzarri Joseph c Liton b Jayed ...... 82 Mushfiqur Rahim ...... 27 not out ...... 4 Mohammad Mithun not out ...... 6 accident yesterday Fernando spell on the final day last “(Da Silva) has been Jomel Warrican c Liton b Jayed ...... 2 Extras (nb 3)...... 3 Alonso was kept under obser- week, but Root justified the really well,” Joseph said. “It is Shannon Gabriel c Mushfiqur b Taijul ...... 8 Total (four , 36 overs) ...... 105 vation in hospital in Swit- team’s rotation policy saying only his third Testand he is Extras (b4, lb 2, nb2) ...... 8 To bat: Liton Das, , , Tai- zerland,” a team statement they had to look at the “bigger showing real maturity with the Total (all out, 142.2) ...... 409 jul Islam, said. picture”. bat and also behind the stumps. Fall of wickets: 1-66 (Campbell), 2-87 (Moseley), Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Soumya), 2-11(Najmul), 3-69 Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport “I think it gives Jimmy the His game is coming along really 3-104 (Brathwaite), 4-116 (Mayers), 5-178 (Black- (Mominul), 4-71 (Tamim) wood), 6-266 (Bonner), 7-384 ( Da Silva), 8-396 ( Bowling: Gabriel 8-2-31-2 (nb2), Cornwall 11-4-18-1, newspaper reported on best opportunity to be fit and well.” Joseph) 9-398 (Warrican), 10-409 (Gabriel) Joseph 8-1-34-1, Mayers 5-1-12-0, Warrican 4-1-10- Thursday that the Spaniard, a available for those last two Bonner looked solid while Bowling: Jayed 28-6-98-4, Mehidy 33-9-75-1, Nay- 0(nb1) keen cycling fan, had been hit games. Ideally, if he’s Da Silva cut fast bowler Abu by a car while training on his available for two of the last Jayed for a boundary past bike near his home in Lugano. three, that’s a huge asset for backward point to begin his day. Hasan. He batted sensibly and Sarkar for 0, after he played a Alpine said they expected us as a team.” Da Silva continued his appeared set for his first ton but lazy shot to short midwicket, Alonso “to be fully operational Root said the team would aggressive approach but off- left-arm spinner Taijul Islam before Najmul Hossain (4) edged to undertake preparation for take a look at the pitch at the spinner Mehidy Hasan broke deceived him with a to the ball to gully. the season”. MA Chidambaram Stadium through to dismiss Bonner 10 take his 100 Testwickets at At 11-2, Mominul The Formula One cham- before deciding whether runs short of his first century. home. Haque and opener Tamim Iqbal pionship is due to begin in Stone or Woakes should play. His knock included seven Joseph hit eight fours and started the repair job. Their Bahrain on March 28, with SQUAD: Joe Root boundaries. five sixes before he edged 58-run partnership was ended pre-season testing in the Gulf (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Joseph counterattacked right behind off Abu Jayed. when the skipper played a cut kingdom from March 12-14. Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben after coming to the crease and West Indies collapsed after shot against offspinner Rahkeem England's Stuart Alonso, who took his titles Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben kept the scoreboard ticking Joseph’s dismissal, losing its last Cornwall to be out for 21. Broad during a with Renault in 2005 and Foakes (wicketkeeper), rapidly. four wickets for 25 runs. Fast bowler Joseph dis- 2006 and has won 32 Grands net session. Pic: Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Da Silva brought up his Gabriel struck twice in his missed Tamim for 44. Prix, last raced in Formula One Twitter/ Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart second Test50 with a reverse- first two overs. He dismissed West Indies won the first of with McLaren in 2018. @englandcricket Broad. swept boundary against Mehidy Bangladesh opener Soumya two Tests by three wickets.