SPORT

Tuesday 22 August 2017

PAGE | 22 PAGE | 23 PAGE | 23 Stenson captures Neymar dazzles World champion PGA Wyndham in home debut Joshua open to Championship for PSG MMA crossover fight QNB renews mega sponsorship deal

The Peninsula

NB Group, the larg- est financial institution in the Middle East and QAfrica, announced the renewal of its sponsorship agreement with Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Qatar Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria Stars League Management poses for photographs (QSLM) for six seasons, whereby with the ball boys and the QNB Group sponsors all of girls after his win over QFA and QSLM competitions, Nick Kyrgios of in including The Emir Cup, Qatar the Cincinnati Open men’s National Teams and where for final at the Lindner Family the first time Qatar Stars League Tennis Center on Sunday. (QSL) shall become the “QNB Stars League”. This sponsorship agreement has already begun since last season 2016-2017 and this occasion is an opportunity to Dimitrov captures reconfirm the support of QNB Group. The sponsorship agreement Qatar Football Association (QFA) and President of QSLM, has been signed by President of the Qatar Football Associa- Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani (right) and first Masters title tion (QFA) and President of QNB Group CEO Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari display the QNB logo QSLM Sheikh Hamad bin Kha- on a football jersey during a press conference held yesterday. lifa bin Ahmed Al Thani and Cincinnati QNB Group CEO Ali Ahmed Al He also noted that the asso- Al Kuwari said: “We believe Reuters Kuwari. ciation of a leading brand such that QNB Group is aware of its With this renewal, QNB will as QNB with the country’s national duty towards society, rigor Dimitrov clinched the biggest title sponsor QFA and QSL champi- national team and its presence and there is no doubt that this of his career and enjoyed a huge con- onships, which include: all alongside local tournaments continued support is the result fidence boost ahead of the US Open Qatar national teams - The show the great value of these of our understanding of this by beating Nick Kyrgios 6-3 7-5 to win Emir Cup - Qatar Stars League leagues and teams, and helps role, which is part of our com- the Cincinnati Open on Sunday. (QNB Stars League) - Qatar Cup achieve the goals sought by mitment to achieve Qatar G With three of the ‘Big Four’ players nursing - U-23 Championship - Sheikh everyone in the world of foot- National Vision 2030.” injuries and Rafa Nadal knocked out in the quar- Jassim Cup - Second Division, ball in Qatar. The Group also will contin- ter-finals by Kyrgios, Bulgarian Dimitrov grasped in addition to the community He also hailed this sponsor- uously strengthen its presence his chance with both hands, winning his first Mas- competitions of Amateur ship agreement, saying it will in all the QFA and QSLM events, ters 1000 series event under a broiling hot sun. League, Universities League - have a positive impact on clubs in addition to working on high- A break in each set was enough for the sev- Universities Cup and the and tournaments organised by lighting their activities among enth seed to claim his third title of the year and Schools League. the Association and QSLM, and the Bank’s staff. seventh of his career. Commenting on the expressed his hopes that other It is worth mentioning that “I’m just happy. There’s nothing else I can say, renewal of the agreement, the national institutions and com- QNB Group has a long history honestly,” the 26-year-old told reporters. QFA President thanked QNB panies will follow the example in supporting and sponsoring “I’m just happy and I’m humbled to have that Group for continuing to spon- of QNB and support commu- sport activities that bridge the trophy in my hands, and especially to win here, sor the Qatari football and for nity-based activities such as gap between the banking and my first Masters 1000. providing unlimited support to sports, which represent an sports sectors and highlight “I always like this tournament. I have played the prominent sports events important aspect of the their identity on the local and it quite a few times and always thought this can hosted by Qatar. progress of societies. international arenas. be maybe one of the first ones, and it is the first Garbine Muguruza of Spain poses with the one.” winner’s trophy after defeating Simona Dimitrov did not drop a set all tournament, Halep of Romania during the women’s final the first player to do so at a Masters 1000 tourna- of Cincinnati Open on Sunday. Umm Salal, Al Khor to meet in Holland ment since Novak Djokovic’s 2007 win at Miami. He was almost impregnable on serve, win- The Peninsula in while at their training camps. Colombian professional ning 52 of his 53 service games. But he was thrilled with his run to a first final Umm Salal recently played Christian Nazarit scored a “Going to the (US) Open, it’s for sure a lot of of the year, having been jeered by the crowd three mm Salal and Al Khor will Dutch outfit Travis and lost 1-0 sensational hat-trick which positivity with it,” said Dimitrov, a semi-finalist weeks ago at the Citi Open in Washington DC when face each other in a while Al Khor picked up a 3-0 was enough to take his side at Open in January. he retired from his match with a shoulder injury. Ufriendly match in the win against Dutch side over the line in an end to end Both players were in their maiden Masters The US Open starts August 28. Netherlands today. Bagdad. encounter. Joaquin Caparros’s 1000 title match but Dimitrov showed more poise In the women’s circuit, Spanish fourth seed The match will take place in Meanwhile, Al Ahli beat men now return to Doha than his 22-year-old opponent, saving a pair of Garbine Muguruza fine-tuned her preparations the Netherlands where both Dutch outfit Magreb 90 3-2 in a tomorrow ahead of the new early break points to set the tone. for US Open by crushing Simona Halep 6-1 6-0 teams are having their presea- pre-season friendly match on Qatar Stars League season Kyrgios’s 31 unforced errors comfortably out- in the final. son training camps. Sunday. The match was part of which kicks off on September stripped his 21 winners, the combustible Australian The Wimbledon champion kept her opponent The match comes as part of the Brigadier’s preseason train- 15 when Al Gharafa and Al Ahli unable to find the magic he produced in his quar- pinned to the baseline and improved her career a series of friendly encounters ing camp exercises in Holland meet at the Al Gharafa ter-final win over Nadal. record to 3-1 against the Romanian second seed. that both sides are taking part which ends today. Stadium. Treasuring wins QREC Curragh Stakes in Ireland

The Peninsula McLiney-owned and J A Stack-trained Good Things Take Time declared the atar Racing Limited’s Treasuring challenge. claimed the Group three Qatar Rac- With C D Hayes in the saddle, she kept Qing & Equestrian Club (QREC) on in the final furlong to go second near Curragh Stakes at the Curragh Racecourse the line. in Ireland on Sunday. The other J A Stack, Sirici, owned by The Ger Lyons-saddled filly won the Michael Slevin came third. She was and 1,000-metre race reserved for two-year ridden by P J Smullen. QREC Racing Man- olds, sponsored by QREC, in 1:2:35m. ager, Abdulla Rashid Al Kubaisi, presented She took the lead in the final furlong the trophies to the winners. and stayed on well. The talented two- “She has done nothing but improve year-old daughter of Havana Gold was from her first run to here”, noted steered by jockey Colin Keane to her third Lyons victory in the colours of H E Sheikh Fahad “I can only imagine she will keep bin Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Qatar improving over the winter into a nice Jockey Ger Lyons guiding Treasuring (left) towards the victory in the Group three Qatar Racing & Equestrian Racing Limited. three-year-old. It’s great for the owners,” Club (QREC) Curragh Stakes at the Curragh Racecourse in Ireland on Sunday. The D Keoghan and Casey he said. 22 AUGUST 2017 SPORT 22 TUESDAY Formula One Pakistan to host World XI, launches eSports World Sri Lanka and West Indies Championship

Lahore London AFP Reuters

akistan yesterday announced ormula One will crown its the return of international We are getting first virtual world cham- cricket to its soil, with three positive signals and Fpion at the season-ending separate sides scheduled to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after visit after years of isolation the doors of announcing yesterday the launch Pover security concerns. of an eSports series to run from international cricket A World XI tour kicks-off in Sep- September to November. tember followed by a short visit by Sri are opening on The new eSports Series is a Lanka for a Twenty20 match in Octo- Pakistan: Najam Sethi partnership with Formula One, ber, then a Twenty20 series against the game developer Codemasters West Indies a month later. and events and competitions “We are getting positive signals and specialists Gfinity. the doors of international cricket are The series will be in three opening on Pakistan,” Najam Sethi, the stages, starting with qualifica- Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, the Pakistan Super League Twenty20 tion events through September told a press conference in Lahore. (PSL). to determine the 40 quickest vir- The tours are seen as a big step But security has dramatically tual drivers, and run on International World XI players celebrating the dismissal of Pakistan All towards Pakistan once again hosting improved across Pakistan in the last two PlayStation4, Xbox One and major international outfits after mili- years, signalling hopes for the slow Stars batsman Shoaib Malik during the second Twenty 20 cricket match Windows PC platforms. tants targeted the Sri Lankan team bus revival of international sport in the at the National Stadium in Karachi in this October 21, 2012 file photo. Live semi-finals will be held in Lahore in 2009, killing eight peo- country. Pakistan yesterday announced the return of international cricket to its soil, at London’s Gfinity Arena on Oct. ple and wounding at least seven In March, Pakistan successfully with three sides scheduled to visit after years of isolation over security 10-11 with the top 20 going on to players. hosted the PSL final in Lahore with Eng- concerns. A World XI tour kicks off in September followed by a short visit the three-race finals at Abu Since the attacks Pakistan has only lish players Dawid Malan and Chris by Sri Lanka for a Twenty20 match in October, then a Twenty20 series Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit on hosted a limited-over series against Jordan, West Indies’ Darren Sammy and against the West Indies a month later. Nov. 24-25. Zimbabwe in 2015 while Bangladesh, Marlon Samuels and South Africa’s The first eSports Series world the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Ireland Morne van Wyk and Zimbabwe’s Sean “We will play a full series with Sri Sethi said he will announce the champion will automatically turned down offers over security fears. Ervine competing. Lanka in the UAE after which Sri Lanka names of World XI players in the com- qualify for the following year’s Pakistan has also been forced to The match’s success pushed the PCB will come to Lahore for a Twenty20, so ing days, with the team being semi-finals. play their cricket in the UAE for the past to expedite efforts to convince more things are shaping up,” said the PCB managed by former England coach Formula One managing eight years including two editions of teams to play in Pakistan. boss. Andy Flower. director Sean Bratches said in a statement that the new series represented “an amazing oppor- tunity for our business: Legends bemoan Windies’ strategically and in the way we engage fans.” US-based Liberty Media, woes as ‘a cricketing tragedy’ who took over Formula One in January, have targeted gaming as a growth area to drive reve- London mentating on cricket,” Boycott wrote. nues and connect with younger Reuters “They can’t bat and can’t bowl. I take audiences. no pleasure out of saying this as I played Coach Nick Pothas (left) reacts Some of Formula One’s par- he gradual decline of West Indian against some of the greatest players the as he talks with Sri Lanka ticipants are already embracing cricket is hardly a new phenomenon world has ever seen wearing the maroon captain Upul Tharanga. the world of eSports, with Tbut the latest capitulation of a once- cap of the West Indies. McLaren executive director Zak dominant test match power has brought The halcyon days of those thrilling Brown saying all teams could genuine expressions of sadness through- 1980s and early 1990s teams, when eventually have their own vir- out the sport. Ambrose and his fellow pace demons tual counterpart. The defeat by an innings and 209 runs inspired fear and batting blasters like Viv C oach slams selection McLaren, going through in the first day-night test in England at Edg- Richards looked so imperious on English tough times but still the second baston at the weekend left both Caribbean tours, have never felt more like most successful team in terms of legends and old international foes alike pre-history. policy after SL defeat race wins, launched in May a bemoaning what they saw as Windies The problems that have beset the sport “World’s Fastest Gamer” initia- cricket crashing to rock bottom. in the Caribbean for so long were high- tive to recruit a simulator driver With a callow visiting team looking lighted brutally in the Edgbaston debacle. Dambulla “You get frustrated. Am I angry from virtual racing. helpless in the absence of their best play- The West Indies may be the Twenty20 AFP with the players? Absolutely not. Several race drivers, includ- ers and losing 19 wickets in one woeful day world champions but the mainstays of that The players work as hard as any- ing Red Bull’s Dutch teenager on Saturday, the overwhelming feeling was triumph - like Chris Gayle, Marlon Samu- ri Lanka’s cricket coach Nick one can ask of them. Max Verstappen, are also active summed up by former England captain els, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy Pothas has blamed outside “They’ve been superb. Support gamers. Michael Vaughan, who worries about yet - now play lucrative T20 tournaments Sinterference for a string of poor staff have been out of this world. The all-electric Formula E more humiliation for the visitors. around the world rather than representing performances, saying frequent Brilliant. They work endless hours series has already staged a vir- “I really fear that this series could be the West Indies after constant pay disputes changes to the selection line-up had with planning and helping the boys. tual race between all of its one of the saddest for Test cricket,” Vaughan with Cricket West Indies. made his job “very difficult”. You can’t fault anyone within that drivers and gamers. The winner told the BBC, before the second test that The world T20 win and the under-19 Pothas hit out after Sri Lanka, changing room.” in Las Vegas last January was starts in Leeds on Friday. team’s world championship victory last year who suffered a 3-0 Test whitewash Sri Lanka’s woeful run has con- Dutch virtual racer Bono Huis, According to another former captain tell of talent and potential that can still be at home last week, went down to tinued since their first-round exit in who collected a $200,000 Geoff Boycott in the Daily Telegraph news- harnessed in the Caribbean game. India by nine wickets in the first of the eight-team Champions Trophy jackpot. paper, there could be no room for English Yet at Test level, the internal conflicts five one-day internationals in in June followed by an embarrass- In New York in July, Formula gloating because the Windies surrender at have led to serial under-performing with Dambulla on Sunday. ing 3-2 ODI loss to minnows E livestreamed over mobile Edgbaston had been so “painful to watch.” the Windies having not won a test series “You do get angry - to say ‘too Zimbabwe at home. The Sanath phones a virtual race between “This West Indies lot are the worst away from home, other than against the many cooks’ is probably accurate,” Jayasuriya-led selection committee gamers and race drivers for fans Test match team I have seen in more than ‘minnows’ Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, for the former wicketkeeper-batsman has fielded 40 players in ODIs since around the world to watch. 50 years of watching, playing and com- 22 years. told reporters in Dambulla. taking over in May last year. Stenson captures PGA Wyndham Championship Greensboro tournament by a stroke, and his sixth before the start of the tour playoffs Golf World Reuters career title took him past compatri- on Thursday. ots Jesper Parnevik and Carl Schniederjans also shot 64 to Rankings enrik Stenson shot a sizzling Pettersson, who both have five. finish in second place on 21-under, 1. (1) Dustin Johnson (US) final round six-under-par 64 “I’m very happy with the way I the 24-year-old keeping up the pres- 2. (2) Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) Hto win the Wyndham Champi- closed out this week, really had to sure on Stenson with three birdies 3. (3) Jordan Spieth (US) onship by a stroke on Sunday and keep on making birdies because Ollie in his final four holes. 4. (4) Rory McIlroy (Britain) claim his sixth PGA Tour title, the was surely not backing down and Davis Love III, at 53 seeking to 5. (5) Sergio Garcia (Spain) most by a Swede. there were a few other guys push- become the oldest winner in tour 6. (9) Henrik Stenson (Sweden) Playing machine-like golf, Sten- ing me as well,” Stenson told history, finished eight shots adrift in 7. (6) Justin Thomas (US) son missed only nine greens in 72 reporters. a tie for 10th. 8. (7) Jon Rahm (Spain) holes and backed up his fine long “The two biggest things why I’m The final event of the regular 9. (8) Jason Day (Australia) game with a hot putter at Sedge- sitting here as the champion was my season was also a last chance for 10. (10) Rickie Fowler (US) field Country Club in Greensboro, putting and my approach play with some players to secure spots in the 11. (11) Alexander Noren (Sweden) North Carolina. my mid irons and short irons.” top 125 on the FedExCup points list, 12. (12) Brooks Koepka (US) The Swede took the lead by reel- It was Stenson’s first win in 13 thus keeping their tour cards for next 13. (13) Matt Kuchar (US) ing off three consecutive birdies months since his British Open tri- season. 14. (16) Francesco Molinari (Italy) Henrik Stenson poses with from the 15th hole, the last courtesy umph at Royal Troon, where he also Among the winners was Amer- 15. (15) Justin Rose (Britain) the trophy after winning the of a 25-foot putt, before parring the set a scoring record. ican Martin Flores, who made a 16. (14) Tommy Fleetwood (Britain) 17. (17) Paul Casey (Britain) Wyndham Championship at demanding 18th to edge young The top-ranked player in the hole-in-one with an eight-iron at the 18. (18) Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spain) Sedgefield Country Club in American Ollie Schniederjans. field, Stenson relished his role as the 16th and finished equal seventh, Greensboro, North Carolina 19. (19) Adam Scott (Australia) Stenson finished at 22-under- tournament’s alpha male with most jumping from 139th to 118th on the 20. (20) Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa) on Sunday. par 258, the lowest ever tally at the of the big boys taking the week off points list. TUESDAY 22 AUGUST 2017 SPORT 23

Wood joins Burnley from Neymar dazzles Leeds for record fee in home debut London AFP Paris PSG’s Neymar (left) urnley have signed AFP celebrates with New Zealand Marco Verrati after Bstriker Chris eymar starred scoring one of their Wood from Leeds in a from beginning six goals during club-record fee to end on his the French Ligue reported to be £15m home debut for 1 soccer match (€16.4m), the Premier Paris Saint- League side announced NGermain, scoring twice in a against Boxers (left) of the Philippines and yesterday. 6-2 thumping of Toulouse Toulouse FC The 25-year-old in Ligue 1 on Sunday. in Paris on Australia’s Jeff Horn stand together following their official moves to England’s top The Brazilian superstar Sunday. news conference ahead of their WBO fight flight after finishing last had a hand in everything in , Australia in this file photo. Pacquiao’s rematch season as the Champi- else his new side did at the with Horn has been confirmed for Brisbane later this year, onship’s top scorer with Parc des Princes as they the city’s mayor said yesterday. 27 goals. recovered from the shock In all he scored 44 of falling behind early on to goals in 88 appearances a Max Gradel goal. Pacquiao - Horn rematch for Leeds. Neymar got the equal- Wood, who joins on iser and he later completed a four year deal, is the rout in stunning style confirmed for Brisbane Burnley manager Sean after further goals from Dyche’s first signing of Adrien Rabiot, an Edinson Brisbane packed crowd of 50,000 saw the transfer window. Cavani penalty, Javier Pas- Reuters former schoolteacher Horn The New Zealander tore and Layvin Kurzawa. upset Pacquiao for the WBO returns to the English Marco Verratti was sent ilipino boxer Manny Pac- welterweight belt in an unani- Premier League after off for PSG midway through quiao’s rematch with mous 12-round decision last brief spells with West the second half and Tou- The same duo com- FAustralian Jeff Horn has month. Bromwich Albion and louse at one point came bined as PSG went in front, been confirmed for Brisbane Quirk said Brisbane Mar- Leicester City. back to 3-2, but they were Rabiot playing a one-two PSG star slams later this year, the city’s mayor keting, the city council’s major “My ambition has ultimately blown away by with Neymar before beat- said yesterday. events subsidiary, would be re- been to play in the Pre- the world’s most expensive ing Lafont with a low strike Brisbane Lord Mayor Gra- engaged for negotiations with mier League for years,” player. into the bottom corner from Barca bosses ham Quirk had earlier promoters and Duco Wood told the club’s It was PSG’s third win 25 yards. threatened to pull funding with- Events. Clarets Player HD. in as many league outings The second half was Paris out confirmation from the “It was a matter of Manny “I’ve had tastes of this season and they join quieter before coming to AFP Pacquiao camp but said he had Pacquiao deciding whether he being in there but I’ve reigning champions life after Verratti was been reassured at a meeting wanted to take up that clause never had the chance to Monaco and Saint-Etienne harshly shown a second aris Saint-Germain’s world with promoters yesterday. in the contract to give a rematch give it a proper bash,” he in having the maximum yellow for catching Chris- record signing Neymar “I have had a meeting ear- in the event that he lost,” Quirk said. nine points to their name. topher Jullien in the Plaunched a scathing attack on lier today which has confirmed added. “Coming here I feel Saint-Etienne visit the Toulouse area in the 69th his former club’s directors, saying that Manny Pacquiao will def- Horn’s surprise win over I’ve got a proper oppor- French capital next Friday minute. “Barca deserve much better”. initely be in Brisbane this year 38-year-old Pacquiao caused tunity to do that. I’ve and will be dreading the Soon after, the referee The people in charge at the Cat- for a rematch with Jeff Horn,” controversy, with many observ- never started a Premier prospect after this latest gave a harsh decision the alan giants “are not the people who Quirk told local media. ers outraged by the decision. League game and this exhibition from PSG’s new other way, awarding a pen- should be there, for the direction of The fight is expected to be But a WBO scoring review what I want to do,” he superstar. alty for a foul on Neymar Barca,” Neymar told reporters after held in November at the same later endorsed Horn as the said. Neymar had a part in all when Toulouse striker scoring twice on his home debut as stadium where a rightful winner. -born of his side’s goals in last Andy Delort appeared to PSG thumped Toulouse 6-2 in Ligue Wood has scored 20 week’s 3-0 win at Guin- play the ball. 1 on Sunday. times in 52 appearances gamp, scoring one in his Cavani scored from the “I want to speak the truth, I’m for New Zealand. first game in French foot- spot, the goal his 11th in his very sad with them,” said the Brazil- He played in the ball since his stunning last 11 Ligue 1 games, but ian star who cost the Paris club a World champion 2010 World Cup as an world-record transfer, and Toulouse quickly pulled world record €222m ($261m) to prise 18-year-old, and went he was again at the centre another one back when the from Barcelona. on to became the of everything here. giant Jullien headed in from “I spent four years there and I was youngest captain of the Gradel, making his first a corner with 12 minutes very happy. At the start, I was happy. Joshua open to ‘All Whites’ when he led appearance for Toulouse on left to make it 3-2. I spent four beautiful years there and the side for the first time loan from Bournemouth, Yet there was to be no I parted happy. But with them (the in November, 2014. volleyed the away side in grandstand finish from the club’s directors), no. MMA crossover fight The new recruit front in the 18th minute but visitors, as instead substi- “For me, they are not the people could make his debut Neymar had already seen a tute Pastore -- the man who who should be there, for the direc- for his new employers shot strike the top of the bar has lost his place to accom- tion of Barca,” said Neymar. London taking on an MMA fighter, as early as tomorrow’s before that. modate Neymar -- curled “Barca deserve much better and AFP albeit with conditions. League Cup second The Brazilian then saw in a superb fourth. the whole world knows it.” “I like fighting. I’d do what- round tie at Blackburn a header tipped onto the Neymar’s corner was Despite securing the massive fee orld heavyweight ever,” the IBF and WBA Rovers. post by Alban Lafont before headed in by Kurzawa. But for Neymar, Barcelona are struggling boxing champion heavyweight champion told Burnley opened the he equalised just after the Neymar had to have the last to replace him before the transfer WAnthony Joshua (pic- Britain’s Press Association in new season upsetting half-hour, setting up Rab- word and somehow engi- window closes. The club have had tured) has revealed he would comments published champions Chelsea 3-2 iot for a shot that was neered himself space in the bids in excess of €100m for Liver- be willing to take on a mixed yesterday. before falling 1-0 to pushed out by the away area in stoppage time pool’s Philippe Coutinho and martial arts fighter at some “I’d probably get beaten. West Brom at Turf Moor goalkeeper before follow- before finishing to make it Dortmund’s Ousmane Dembele point in the future. The only thing that they can’t on Saturday . ing in to convert the loose 6-2 and bring the Parc des turned down. The relative merits of the do is submissions, but they can ball. Princes crowd to its feet. two sports are up for debate as kick, elbow, bite -- whatever Ultimate Fighting Champion- they want. Just no ship superstar Conor McGregor submissions. prepares to make his boxing “I can’t beat a guy (via sub- Real ease past Deportivo in La Liga opener debut against Floyd May- mission). That takes a lot of weather in Las Vegas on time to learn the skills and sub- Saturday. missions, which I don’t have Madrid Borja Valle in the dying embers Real Madrid’s Gareth McGregor’s total lack of the time for. AFP of the match. Deportivo were left Bale celebrates after boxing experience has proved “But when it comes to pure to rue two big opportunities scoring their first goal a bone of contention for many aggression and fighting rules, eal Madrid’s winning streak missed by Florin Andone in the in the build-up to the fight, but I can definitely fight, so I don’t against Deportivo de shows no signs of abating first 10 minutes, whilst the Roma- Joshua said he would enjoy mind that. la Coruna in A Coruna, as the European champi- nian international also saw a late “It wouldn’t be a problem. R Spain on Sunday. ons began their defence of La penalty saved by Keylor Navas. If you look at most boxers Liga with a comfortable 3-0 win Zidane made four changes who’ve crossed over to MMA, at Deportivo la Coruna. from the side that completed a they get beaten on the ground. Gareth Bale, Casemiro and 5-1 aggregate hammering of Bar- “James Toney, Roy Jones, Toni Kroos were on target for the celona in the Spanish Super Cup they were phenomenal box- visitors, but Madrid’s night at La on Wednesday. ers, but they just couldn’t Riazor ended on a sour note Victory in midweek sealed a compete in the cage because when captain Sergio Ramos was fourth trophy for Zidane’s men of the ‘ground and pound’ shown the 23rd red card of his in as many months after lifting game.” Real career. La Liga, the Champions League Joshua, who will not “Clearly I am not happy with and UEFA Super Cup. be ringside on Satur- what happened with Sergio,” said However, far from their lead on 20 minutes as Bale from the edge of the box found day, believes Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. invincible form of late, Real were pounced on Karim Benzema’s the top corner. Mayweather will “I don’t like seeing my play- lucky to escape unpunished from scuffed shot to fire into an Andone missed another “probably” win by a ers get sent-off, but we can’t a slow start. unguarded net for his first goal chance for a consolation when “landslide”. change it now.” Navas flew to his left to turn of the season. his poorly hit spot-kick was eas- Joshua, 27, is await- Ramos could have been dis- Andone’s first effort from a nar- A wonderfully worked team ily turned behind by Navas two ing confirmation of his missed earlier in the second-half row angle to safety, but should goal followed six minutes later minutes from time before Ramos next title defence when he only received a yellow have been beaten when the for- as Real moved the ball all over saw red. against Bulgarian card for a slap on Deportivo ward fired straight at the Costa the pitch before Marcelo’s low Madrid move to the top of the Kubrat Pulev, which is defender Fabian Schar. Rican when clean through cross was turned home by table thanks to their better goal expected to take place However, he tied a record for moments later. Casemiro. Bale turned provider difference ahead of Barcelona, either in Las Vegas in 18 red cards in La Liga with a sec- There was no way back for for Real’s third just after the hour who beat Real Betis 2-0 earlier November or in Cardiff in ond booking for an elbow on Deportivo once Madrid took the mark as Kroos’s deflected effort on Sunday. October.