Ferreira Wants Al Sadd to Be at Their Best in Crucial Home
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SPORT Monday 7 May 2018 PAGES | 25 PAGE | 27 Leader Jason Day Fans, rivals unite gets feet wet to in support of secure lead Ferguson Mumbai beat Xavi extends Qatar stint by ‘at least 6 months’ Kolkata by 13 AFP Asked why he was playing on, he 2022 when the Gulf state hosts the name in the Qatari domestic replied: “Because it depends on my World Cup. league. runs to remain DOHA: Legendary former Barcelona physical condition. Maybe in December The announcement that he will Although the league season and Spanish midfielder Xavi Hernandez I decide to continue.” continue playing comes almost two has ended in Qatar - Al Sadd fin- in play-off hunt has upset his own plans to retire and The decision is unexpected as Xavi decades to the day he made his first ished runners-up - Xavi is still announced he will extend his career had signalled that the current season team debut for Barcelona against involved in two cup AP until at least the end of this year, he would be his last before he focuses on Leida back in 1998 and became syn- competitions. said yesterday. earning his coaching badges. He even onymous with the club’s tiki-taka style Xavi has so far added three MUMBAI: All-rounder Widely expected to end his illus- spoke about not being about not being of play. He went on to make more than more trophies to his collection Hardik Pandya kept trious playing career at the end of this able to cope with the physical 700 appearances for the Catalan while playing in the Gulf and is defending champion Mumbai season, the World Cup champion and demands of professional football. giants, winning eight La Liga titles and approaching playing 1,000 games Indians in Indian Premier four-times Champions League winner But he has now had a change of 31 trophies in all, which was a record throughout his long career. League contention with a told he feels fit enough to continue heart. when he left Spanish football in 2015 He has also been 13-run victory over Kolkata playing a little longer. Xavi, who won 133 caps for Spain, to move to Qatar. named as a global Knight Riders yesterday. “I have decided to continue at had been expected to take the reins Xavi had already extended his ambassador for Hardik hit an unbeaten least six months more,” said the at Al Sadd from next season and has original two-year contract to play this the 2022 World 35 off 20 balls to lift his team 38-year-old, who plays for Al Sadd. been tipped to be the Qatar coach in season and remains the biggest Cup. Xavi Hernandez to 181-4 after Kolkata captain Dinesh Karthik chose to field. Hardik then took 2-19 to restrict Kolkata to 168-6 as Mumbai moved to fifth with eight points from four wins. Ferreira wants Al Sadd to be at Kolkata is third on 10 points after winning five of its 10 games. Kolkata seemed to be cruising to victory after their best in crucial home tie Robin Uthappa (54) capi- talized on an early dropped RIZWAN REHMAT between this stage of the event Cup matches,” Ferreira said. assistants. The fourth official will AL SADD SC catch to hit his first half- THE PENINSULA and the preliminary stage. Now “Al Ahli is a powerfulp team be Hussain Abuyahya.yy century in this year’s IPL. we are playing the do-or-die with a bigbig history.history. They have Al Sadd have Uthappa and Nitish Rana DOHA: Al Sadd’s Portuguese stage of the league and we must done outstandinglyutstandingly wellwell in AFC been in superb form (31) featured in an 84-run coach Jesualdo Ferreira be at our best to cross this stage,” Championspions League butbut we willwill at home, where third wicket stand after yesterday delivered a rallying Ferreira said during a pre-match play to get tthehe bestbest resultresult they won all three Mayank Markande dropped call to his players, saying they press call. for us of their Group C an easy chance at mid-on have ‘to be at their best’ for their “Al Sadd have done well as this matches to advance when Uthappa was on 4. key AFC Champions League though they suffered because of stage,”” to the last 16 as Uthappa pounced on the round of 16 clash against Saudi injuries to many players and sus- the All runners-up. Algerian striker Baghdad chance, hitting six fours and Arabia’s Al Ahli today. pensions, especially when we Sadd coachoach Bounedjah has been one of the form players three sixes, including four Al Sadd have been in impe- went to Iran and Uzbekistan. said. on the continent and leads the scoring charts successive boundaries in one rious form at home winning Having said that, I am confident “Wee are happyhappy to be with seven goals. They progressed to the over off Ben Cutting. three consecutive AFC Cham- that we will not be affected by playingg this stagestage of the tour-tour- semi-finals of Qatar’s Emir Cup with a 4-0 But Markande broke pions League matches in the last the absences. The team is in high nament.t. WeWe havehave donedone realreal hardhard victory over Al Khor to ensure they go into through in the 13th over few weeks but the Doha giants spirits and the players are ready work too reach this stage,”stage,” Fer-Fer- the clash with Al Ahli on form, although they when Uthappa holed out in will be without three key players to give their best,” the 71-year- reira said.aid. are without the suspended defender Pedro the deep to Cutting and in Ali Asad, Jugurtha Hamroun old added. Influentialluential AlAl Sadd midfieldermidfielder Correia after his booking in the final group Hardik dismissed Rana in the and Pedro Miguel for the home Ferreira will be pleased to Abdelkarimkarim Hassan saidsaid yes-yes- match ruled him out of the first leg. next over to reduce Kolkata game at Jassim Bin Hamad welcome back Spanish midfield terday: “We havehave to workwork vigor-vigor- to 115-4. Stadium. star Xavi Hernandez and feared ously inn thethe entire matcmatchh to win AL AHLI SAUDI FC Hard-hitting Andre Hamroun is recovering from Algerian striker Baghdad this encounter.ncounter. We seekseek the Russell (9) and Sunil Narine a knee problem while Ali is Bounedjah back into Al Sadd fold supportrt ofof our fansfans as ttheyhey are Quarter-finalists last (5) also perished while going nursing a muscle cramp, the club after the two missed Al Sadd’s a vital part ofof our campaign. year, Al Ahli were unbeaten for big shots and, despite said on its website yesterday. Amir Cup clash against Al Khor This willill be a toughtough match but in Group A, winning four Karthik’s unbeaten 36 off 26 Miguel will also miss the game two days ago. our aimm is to win this game.”game.” from six to finish on top of balls, Mumbai always looked due to suspension, the club “My appeal to all the football Al Ahli,Ahli, whowho toppedtopped Group the standings to qualify for in control to deny Kolkata’s confirmed. fans in the country to fill the A with 14 points, reached Doha the knockout rounds for the chase. Al Sadd qualified for the pre- stadium for the match against Al on Saturdayurday evening.evening. fifth time in seven years. The Jeddah side will Brief Scores: quarters as runners-up from Ahli. I am not just talking about Christopherristopher James ofof Aus-Aus- be looking to make up for the disappointment Mumbai Indians: 181/4 Group C with 12 points, a notch Al Sadd fans but I am addressing tralia hasas beenbeen namednamed as refereereferee Al Sadd’s coach of narrowly missing out on the Saudi Pro (Suryakumar Yadav 59, Evin behind Iran’s Persepolis. all football fans. We want to see for the match. DDavidavid EdwardEdward aandnd Jesualdo Ferreira League title to Al Hilal in mid-April by pro- Lewis 43; Andre Russell 2/12) “There is a difference what we saw during the Qatar Anton ShchetininShchetinin areare hishis ducing a strong run on the continent. Kolkata Knight Riders: 168/6 (Robin Uthappa 54, Dinesh Karthik 36 not out; Hardik Pandya 2/19) ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS Man City lift Premier League trophy Rahul stars in YESTERDAY: Rajasthan win Arsenal 5 (Aubameyang 14, 75, Lacazette 45, Kolasinac 54, Iwobi 64) AGENCIES Burnley 0 Chelsea 1 (Giroud 32) INDORE: KL Rahul’s blis- Liverpool 0 tering knock of 84 runs off 54 Manchester City 0 deliveries helped Kings XI Punjab defeat Rajasthan Huddersfield 0 Royals at Holkar Stadium in Indore yesterday. PLAYED ON SATURDAY Alongside Marcus Stoinis, Bournemouth 1 (Fraser he stitched a blistering 63-run 37) Swansea 0 partnership to keep Punjab Everton 1 (Davies well alive in the race for the 90+5) Southampton 1 playoffs. (Redmond 56) The win moved Kings XI Leicester 0 West Ham 2 Punjab up to third position on (Joao Mario 34, Noble 64) the Indian Premier League Stoke 1 (Shaqiri 43) (IPL) points table. Crystal Palace 2 Brief scores (McArthur 68, Van Aanholt Rajasthan Royals: 152/9 86) (Jos Buttler 51, Sanju Samson 28, Shreyas Gopal 24; Mujeeb Watford 2 (Pereyra 2, Ur Rahman 3/27, Andrew Tye Gray 28) Newcastle 1 2/24) (Perez 55) Kings XI Punjab: 155/4 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (centre) celebrates with the trophy, players and staff after winning the Premier League title West Brom 1 (Livermore in 18.4 overs (Lokesh Rahul at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Britain yesterday.