NNBABA | Page 5 GGOLFOLF | Page 7 Warriors’ Curry Leishman fi res says ‘no panic’ career-low 61 aft er big loss to to lead Byron Rockets Nelson Saturday, May 19, 2018 FOOTBALL Ramadan 3, 1439 AH FA Cup fi nal won’t GULF TIMES defi ne United’s season: Mourinho SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL / AMIR CUP Duhail aim for unprecedented domestic treble ‘Rayyan are a diff icult opposition. They have not won anything this season... This will give them a huge motivation’ By Sahan Bidappa Doha l Duhail will be gunning for an unprecedented domestic treble when they face Al Rayyan in the AAmir Cup fi nal, which will kick- off at 10:15pm tonight. Duhail have been unstoppable this sea- son, having won the QNB Stars League and Qatar Cup title, and they will be heavy favourites to clinch their third tro- phy as curtains come down on Qatar’s domestic football season at the Khalifa International Stadium. There is a touch of invincibility in the way Duhail have gone about their busi- ness so far. They have been unbeaten in the season, having not lost a match in any of the tournaments they have played. Djamel Belmadi’s side are also in line to win the AFC Champions League after Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup (left) and Al Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi address a they cruised into the quarter-fi nals on press conference on the eve of the Amir Cup final yesterday. PICTURES: Jayan Orma Tuesday. They have showed their prow- ess in the continental championship too when they became only the second team to open their campaign with seven suc- cessive wins. On Tuesday, they overpowered Al Ain at home to make it eight wins in a row, with an 8-3 aggregate win over UAE Champions surely making them a strong contender for the Asian title. At home, Duhail have raised the bar and much of that credit goes to Belmadi, who has marshalled his team effi ciently. So it wasn’t surprising to see the Algerian be- ing voted as the best coach at the Qatar Football Association’s (QFA) awards cer- emony on Thursday night. The 42-year-old is a shrewd tactician, who has consistently been producing excellent results. His method has been keeping it simple and not complicat- ing things, with Duhail’s game revolv- ing around one-two touches and playing with speed. Belmadi made it big when he led Qa- Al Rayyan’s Rodrigo Tabata (left) leads his teammates during a training session on the tar to the Gulf Cup triumph in 2014 and eve of the Amir Cup final against Al Duhail at Khalifa International Stadium yesterday. has not looked back since then. He also enjoyed as much success with Lekhwiya, season against their arch-rivals and into out in the second phase as they stuttered whom he led to four league titles before the Amir Cup fi nal. to a third-place fi nish. They also suff ered it was merged with El Jaish last year and Belmadi, while acknowledging that his a heartbreaking 4-6 loss on penalties to Duhail was created. team is having a special season, called on Al Sadd in the Qatar Cup semi-fi nal. His players too have responded to him his high-fl ying players to focus on the fi - Laudrup wants his players to put the by playing some spectacular football, nal and take Rayyan seriously. “Rayyan setbacks of the season behind and pro- and were duly rewarded as Duhail players are a diffi cult opposition. They have not duce performance worthy of a fi nal. swept the QFA awards. won anything this season and will have “We have prepared well for the fi nal. Captain Youssef Msakni won the Player opportunity to so tomorrow. This will It’s the last game of the season and it’s of the Year Award, while Qatar’s talented give them a huge motivation,” Belmadi a fi nal, so we want to give out all. There youngsters Almoez Ali was named the said yesterday are no matches next week or week after, Best U-23 Player. Their teammate Youssef He singled out Rayyan’s attacking mid- so we want to fi nish on a high. We did not El Arabi had his hand on top scorer trophy fi elder Rodrigo Tabata’s as a major threat, concede any goals in the Amir Cup so far after he amassed 26 goals in the season. but showed confi dence in his players. and that augurs well for us,” Laudrup said Tonight, Al Rayyan will have a diffi cult “We will try to be well organised and have yesterday. task on their hand as they look to stop the a good balance in the team. We know they Rayyan have been in impressive in the formidable Duhail strike force. Msakni have good players like Tabata who can Amir Cup though. Tabata’s brace pow- will sit out of the Amir Cup fi nal, with the score goals,” he said. ered them to a 3-0 win over Al Gharafa in attacking midfi elder recuperating from “But until now we have played good the semis, after they had won with a simi- cruciate ligament knee surgery he un- teams with good players and have done lar scoreline in a dominating performance derwent in the USA last week, which also well so far. For example, Al Ain scored against Al Arabi in the quarter-fi nals. ruled the Tunisian out of the World Cup lots of goals at home and also in the AFC Tabata has been at the heart of Rayy- next month. Champions League, but we beat then an’s performance so far, and they will But they have enough quality in their easily. We will take Rayyan very seriously. depend heavily on the midfi elder again. line-up to trouble Al Rayyan defence. But we are confi dent and will go into the His partnership with Sebastian Soria will Apart from Almoez and El Arabi, Duhail game with focus,” he added. hold to key fortunes. have South Korean playmaker Nam Tae- For last year’s fi nalist Rayyan, tonight’s Last year’s loss to Al Sadd is still fresh Hee, which has been outstanding so far title clash will be an opportunity to fi nish in Tabata’s mind and he wants to end the in the midfi eld. He has been instrumental the otherwise disappointing season on a season on a happy note. “It was disap- in Duhail success, creating goals for his high. Michael Laudrup’s men went down pointing to lose in the fi nal last season. teammates. to Al Sadd in the fi nal last year, and face an- We hope for a better result tomorrow. In the Amir Cup semi-fi nal against Al other daunting challenge against Duhail. We have worked very hard in the last few Sadd, Tae-Hee was the man of the match After a promising start to their QNB weeks and that gives us confi dence that as he guided Duhail to fourth win of the Stars League campaign, Rayyan fi zzled we can win the title,” said Tabata. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, May 19, 2018 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT WORLD CUP All in the FA Cup fi nal won’t defi ne mind: Pogba to France United’s season: Mourinho teammates United have one last chance to finish AFP the campaign with silverware when London they face Chelsea in a heavyweight rench midfi elder Paul Pogba says he and his Wembley showdown today France teammates must approach the World Mourinho has been slammed for CupF fi nals in June with the AFP Watford, United Kingdom adopting overly cautious tactics in right mindset as that counts several big games as United were often more than technical ability. The made to look ponderous in comparison 25-year-old Manchester United ose Mourinho insists he won’t to stylish City’s commitment to attack. star — capped 51 times and a regard Manchester United’s sea- Some fear Mourinho — aiming to win pivotal member of the side that son as a failure even if they lose the Cup for the fi rst time since Chelsea reached the Euro 2016 fi nal only against Chelsea in today’s FA beat United in a dull 2007 fi nal — will to lose to Portugal in extra-time JCup fi nal. Mourinho’s side have one last adopt a conservative approach at Wem- — said that France had the tech- chance to fi nish the campaign with sil- bley again rather than go on the off en- nical ability to do well in Russia. verware when they face their manager’s sive. Asked if he felt a duty to ensure the “I’m confi dent with the former club in a heavyweight Wembley Cup fi nal was a memorable aff air for the Manchester United’s French squad, with the players showdown. watching world, the 55-year-old admit- Portugese manager that we have,” said Pogba. “I’m United fi nished second in the Premier ted he had a diff erent view than many Jose Mourinho. (AFP) sure we can do something in League, trailing 19 points behind cham- on what can be considered an enter- this World Cup but I don’t want pions Manchester City, and suff ered taining match. to be over-confi dent. We have a embarrassing exits from the Champions “I don’t understand these words, do nice team but the World Cup is in League and League Cup against Sevilla you think 6-0 is entertaining? I don’t your head too, it’s not just tech- and Bristol City.