Established 1961 15 Sports Sun day, January 7, 2018 shut down UAE to win 23rd

Fans hurt as railing collapses

By Ahmad Jabr

KUWAIT: Oman were crowned the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup champions after beating the UAE 5-4 in penalty shootouts in the final, played in front of a capacity crowd at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on Friday. But the award ceremony was marred when a glass barricade shattered after Omani fans rushed to greet their national team players, who had approached the stands. Between 20 and 30 fans were reportedly injured after falling to the ground, but no serious injuries were reported. They were rushed to Farwaniya Hospital. Earlier, Oman’s goalkeeper Fayez Al-Rusheidi blocked UAE midfielder Omar Al-Amoodi’s penalty shot in regulation time and again in the penalty shootouts to help his team win their second Gulf Cup after their victory in the 19th edition that the sultanate hosted in 2009. Both teams failed to score in regular time, sending the match into extra time, which also end- ed goalless. Oman dominated most parts of the match, having more possession and being more dangerous to the UAE net. But the most dangerous opportunity in the match came for the UAE when the referee called for a penalty kick in injury time. But Amoodi, considered one of the tournament’s best players and among the region’s most promising talents, failed to convert as Rusheidi was able to block his shot. Play had started slowly, and the first real scoring opportunity came in the 15th minute when Oman’s : Oman’s players celebrate after winning the Gulf Cup of Nations 2017 final football match between Oman and the UAE at the Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad Stadium in Jameel Al-Yahmadi’s header went above the post. Play on Friday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat went back and forth in the next 15 minutes, with Oman taking slight advantage in possession, before the UAE from both teams. Oman’s Ahmed Al-Jneibi fired a shot slowed down significantly after 20 minutes of back- Both teams managed to convert their first four started attacking more and taking some control to close that missed the target five minutes after play resumed, and-forth action, and no serious threats were seen until penalty kicks, before Rusheidi blocked Amoodi’s shot. the first half. and the UAE went immediately for a counterattack that the penalty shot in injury time. The extra period ended Mohsin Al-Khaldi then scored for Oman, giving his time The second half started with a rise in tempo pace ended with Amoodi’s shot going off target. The pace with no real chances at both ends. the victory and sending fans into a frenzy.

Coutinho set to join Barcelona Lingard stunner

BARCELONA: Barcelona and Liverpool have agreed a propels Man Utd deal in principle for Philippe Coutinho to move to the Spanish giants for 120 million euros ($144 million) with add-ons worth another 40 million euros, a report said to FA Cup win yesterday. Barcelona-based Sport newspaper said Coutinho MANCHESTER: Jesse Lingard’s latest wonder strike would join Barca this month on a deal for five seasons, and substitute Romelu Lukaku’s late effort secured although it said the details of the deal were still to be Manchester United a 2-0 victory over Championship finalised. high-fliers Derby in the third round of the FA Cup on “The club reached a deal in principle yesterday Friday. Both attempts, which came in the final six min- evening with Liverpool on the final amount of the deal,” utes, were worthy of a highlights package in the first Sport reported. Another newspaper, Mundo Deportivo, FA Cup tie involving Premier League giants United in said Liverpool were demanding 160 million euros for 13 years not to be televised live. 25-year-old Coutinho, but that the sum would be made United had lost just one of their previous 35 FA Cup up of the transfer fee and other “variables”. games against lower-league sides but were heading for Coutinho’s departure would be a blow to Liverpool a replay until one-time Rams loanee Lingard, with his as he is just rounding into top form, scoring six goals in eighth goal in 10 games, smashed home a swerving the last seven games of 2017. Crucially though, acquir- volley, with Lukaku then adding a second having bro- ing the playmaker would allow Barcelona to move on ken from the halfway line. from the bitter experience of losing his Brazil teammate “I was feeling that we were close to scoring and we Neymar last summer to -backed Paris Saint- LIVERPOOL: This file photo shows Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho attempting a shot at never stopped trying,” said United boss Jose Germain for a world record 222 million euros. goal during the English Premier League football match. — AFP Mourinho, who said the Championship was approach- Coutinho’s age is also highly attractive to Barca, ing Premier League quality. “But when you get past 80 whose three main stars, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and minutes and the goal hasn’t come, you fear the second Andres Iniesta are all in their thirties. Iniesta, at 33, has French sport daily L’Equipe reported yesterday that Coutinho played no role in Liverpool’s 2-1 victory match. But the team kept trying so I knew the goal shown signs of fatigue this season. Another report said Liverpool were lining up Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez to over city rivals Everton in the FA Cup on Friday. could arrive. Coutinho could arrive in Barcelona and could be a replace Coutinho, although other reports have indicat- Liverpool’s winner was scored by Virgil Van Dijk, the “It was a great shot by Jesse Lingard in the top cor- spectator at Barcelona’s game against Levante at the ed that the Merseyside club would prefer to sign Dutch defender signed last week from Southampton for ner, he’s in a moment of confidence where things go Camp Nou today. Thomas Lemar from Monaco. £75 million ($101.7 million, 84.5 million euros). — AFP well for him. He’s a good professional and a fantastic kid in the dressing room.” Last month’s League Cup exit and a 15-point deficit to Manchester City in the Premier League had placed extra importance on this Leicester escape competition, and that was evident with the strong line- up Mourinho deployed. Lingard, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford could all with FA Cup draw have scored inside an entertaining 19 minutes that sug- gested the television executives might have been wrong to snub the match. Derby were encouraged by a against lower-league couple of runs from former United youngster Tom Lawrence, while Marcus Olsson forced Sergio Romero Fleetwood to tip his header over the crossbar, with Alex Pearce heading the resulting corner into the Stretford End. LONDON: Former Premier League champions That was a good opening but nothing like the one Leicester City came within a whisker of suffering an FA Rashford spurned 10 minutes before the break. For Cup shock yesterday but clung on to draw 0-0 at low- once Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s delivery was perfect and an er-league Fleetwood Town while Middlesbrough elimi- unmarked Rashford glanced a header onto a post from nated Sunderland. six yards out. It was the type of miss that epitomised The big news before kick-off was that Leicester’s why Mourinho is reluctant to consider him as a central- star striker Jamie Vardy was denied an emotional return striking alternative to Lukaku, whose arrival for the to his former club due to a groin injury while Riyad disappointing Mkhitaryan would soon come. Mahrez was also missing from the teamsheet. In a first Before the interval there was still time for Rams half of little incident a much-changed Leicester side stopper Scott Carson to make two saves, one a routine almost fell behind in the opening minutes when defend- stop from another Rashford header and the other a er Aleksandar Dragovic played a loose back pass, palm over the top from a Pogba free-kick destined for sending goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic scrambling to keep the top corner.—AFP the ball out. The visitors, revitalised since Claude Puel took the helm earlier this season, enjoyed the lion’s share of possession on a crisp January day on England’s northwest coast but offered little consistent threat going forward. Fleetwood, who play in League Matches on TV One, English football’s third tier, upped the ante in the second period, putting pressure on the Leicester (Local Timings) defence and going close to taking the lead. FLEETWOOD: Leicester City’s English midfielder Matty James (L) vies with Fleetwood Town’s English striker Puel threw on midfielder Marc Albrighton and for- Conor McAleny during the English FA Cup third round football match between Fleetwood Town and SPANISH LEAGUE ward Shinji Okazaki but Fleetwood continued to Leicester City at Highbury Stadium in Fleetwood. — AFP Leganes v Real Sociedad 14:00 threaten, earning a succession of corners. The League beIN SPORTS HD 3 Barcelona v Levante 18:15 One side came within inches of winning in the dying beIN SPORTS HD 3 seconds when Ashley Hunter struck the ball from dis- money-spinning replay at the King Power Stadium. Middlesbrough beat northeast rivals Sunderland 2-0 in Athletic de Bilbao v Deportivo Alaves 20:30 tance and it deflected off Leicester’s Yohan Benalouane “Leicester has a strong team but we could have won it an all-Championship clash. The third round sees teams beIN SPORTS HD 1 onto a post. Jakupovic fumbled it back onto the post and we certainly deserved the draw. “Our young play- from the Premier League and Championship enter the Villarreal v Deportivo La Coruna 20:30 before gathering the ball, ensuring a replay. ers showed ability, we took them right to the wire but fray in the famous cup competition, throwing up the beIN SPORTS HD 3 “I would prefer to get it done in 90 minutes,” said unfortunately we didn’t win.” potential for shocks as the minnows seek to unseat Celta de Vigo v Real Madrid 22:45 beIN SPORTS HD 3 Fleetwood manager Uwe Rosler when asked about the In the other lunchtime kick-off yesterday, famous opponents.—AFP