MMOTOGPOTOGP | Page 2 GOLF | Page 6 South African Johnson fi res rookie Binder 65 to take one- wins in Brno on shot lead at PGA ‘insane’ bike Championship

Monday, August 10, 2020 FOOTBALL Dhul-Hijjah 20, 1441 AH Juventus bet on GULF TIMES Pirlo becoming new Zidane, Guardiola SPORT Page 7 Progress at Qatar 2022 fi nal venue — Lusail Stadium

Construction work on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final venue, Lusail Stadium, is on in full swing. “The #Qatar2022 final venue is making steady progress! The 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium will become the centerpiece of Lusail City, Qatar’s city of the future. Its futuristic design takes inspiration from the bowls and vessels used in Qatar and the region for centuries,” Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy tweeted yesterday. Three of the World Cup venues have already been opened — Khalifa International Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium and Education City Stadium. Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor too is nearing completion, and is expected to be opened later this year.

FORMULA 1 Verstappen steps up to end Mercedes’ winning start Hamilton finishes second to stay 30 points clear in the standings; Bottas third, while Leclerc and Albon round out top 5

Reuters Silverstone, United Kingdom Racing Point owner Stroll slams ‘unsporting’ rivals ed Bull’s Max Verstap- pen won Formula One’s Reuters integrity — and that of my team 70th Anniversary Grand Silverstone, United Kingdom — are beyond question.” Prix at Silverstone yes- Racing Point’s car has been Rterday to end Mercedes’ domi- dubbed the ‘Pink Mercedes’ nant start to the season and be- acing Point owner because of its similarity to the come Lewis Hamilton’s closest Lawrence Stroll angrily 2019 Mercedes. challenger. Raccused Formula One The two teams have a close In a race dictated by tyre wear rivals of ‘unsporting behaviour’ relationship, with Mercedes and strategy, six-times world yesterday and rejected sugges- providing their engines and champion Hamilton swept past tions his team had cheated in gearboxes. Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bot- designing a car based on last Williams also use Mercedes tas two laps from the end to take year’s title-winning Mercedes. engines, as will McLaren next second place and stay 30 points Ferrari, McLaren, Renault year, but both are independent clear in the standings. and Williams are intending to constructors who risk losing Hamilton, who gained an extra appeal a stewards’ decision out if smaller outfits can run point for fastest lap, also equalled to fine Racing Point 400,000 competitive ‘cloned’ cars. Ferrari great Michael Schumach- euros ($471,440) and dock Racing Point’s stand-in driver er’s record of 155 career podium them 15 points in a row over Nico Hulkenberg qualified fi nishes and extended his own copied parts. third, behind the two Mercedes, unmatched scoring run to 38 rac- Racing Point, who employ 500 for Sunday’s 70th Anniversary es in a row. people at their Silverstone Grand Prix. “I didn’t see it coming, but af- factory, say they broke no rules “I am appalled by the way ter the fi rst stint it seemed like we and are also considering an Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and were really good on tyres,” said appeal. Williams have taken this oppor- Verstappen as he celebrated a “I do not often speak pub- tunity to appeal, and in doing ninth career win that lifted him to licly, however I am extremely so attempted to detract from 77 points with Hamilton on 107. angry at any suggestion we our performances,” said Stroll. “I didn’t really have a lot of have been underhand or have “They are dragging our name tyre issues at all. We just kept cheated — particularly those through the mud and I will not pushing.” comments coming from our stand by nor accept this. An unhappy Bottas dropped competitors,” said Stroll, who “My team has worked tirelessly to third overall on 73 points after is also executive chairman of to deliver the competitive car starting on pole position in a race British sportscar maker Aston we have on the grid. I am truly run, like all the others, without Red Bull’s Max Verstappen jumps out of his car after winning the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone yesterday. (AFP) Martin, in a statement. upset to see the poor sports- spectators due to the Covid-19 “I have never cheated at manship of our competitors.” pandemic. Hamilton and Bottas had both throughout was evident, the His teammate Sebastian Vet- and he ended up making three anything in my life. These Stroll said he would take “all “As a team, we were sleeping at suff ered late blowouts at the pre- youngster replying to a team tel, a four-times world champion stops. accusations are completely necessary actions” to prove the some point when Max managed vious weekend’s British Grand warning about his tyres by say- who is leaving at the end of the Renault’s Esteban Ocon was unacceptable and not true. My team’s innocence. to get ahead of us and my strat- Prix at Silverstone, when Hamil- ing he was not about to sit behind year, had another dismal after- eighth with McLaren’s Lando egy was far, far from ideal. Lots ton won on three wheels, in try- “like a grandma”. noon — spinning on the opening Norris ninth and Russian Daniil to learn from today, I think,” said ing to eke out a one-stopper. “We haven’t really had an op- lap and fortunate not to take out Kvyat taking the fi nal point for 4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +1:09.669 the Finn. Pirelli had brought softer tyres portunity in all the races so far other cars before dropping to last AlphaTauri. +29.289 Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton Mercedes had won the delayed this time and Mercedes were suf- to push them and I could see we and fi nishing 12th. The sixth round of the cham- 5. Alexander Albon (Red Bull) (Mercedes) 1:28.451 season’s four previous races, and fering in a fast-changing two- were pushing them. I tried to put Red Bull’s Alexander Albon pionship is at Barcelona’s Circuit +39.146 taken every pole, but Verstappen stop race with Verstappen able to the pressure on, they had to pit, I took fi fth and the Racing Points de Catalunya next weekend. 6. Lance Stroll (Racing Point) Drivers’ standings (top 3) was alone among the top 10 on run a longer fi rst stint to seize the did my own pace,” he said. of Lance Stroll and stand-in Nico +42.538 1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 107 pts the grid to start on the hard tyres initiative. Hamilton ultimately made his Hulkenberg were sixth and sev- RESULTS (top 10) 7. Nico Hulkenberg (Racing Point) 2. Max Verstappen (NED) 77 and it paid off in a race celebrat- “The tyre’s not going to blow, second pitstop with 11 laps to go, enth. 1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +55.951 3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 73 ing the championship’s birth at right?,” Hamilton asked about his using his fresh tyres to quickly Hulkenberg had started third 1:19:41.993 8. Esteban Ocon (Renault) Silverstone in 1950. rear left with 17 laps to go. “We pass Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc be- as a replacement for Covid-pos- 2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +1:04.773 Constructors’ standings (top 3) think it’s OK. It’s just the blister- fore targeting Bottas. itive Mexican Sergio Perez but +11.326 9. Lando Norris (McLaren) 1. Mercedes 180 pts ‘LIKE A GRANDMA’ ing,” came the reply. Leclerc ended up fourth after his hopes of a fi rst podium at the 3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) +1:05.544 2. Red Bull 113 Mercedes were mindful that Verstappen’s confi dence doing just one stop. 178th attempt faded at the start +19.231 10. Daniil Kvyat (AlphaTauri) 3. Racing Point 56 Gulf Times 2 Monday, August 10, 2020 SPORT

MOTOGP TENNIS World No. 2 Halep to South African rookie decide on US Open aft er Prague event

Reuters Mumbai, India

Binder wins in Brno orld number two Simona Halep will take the fi nal deci- sion on her partici- Wpation in the US Open after play- ing this week’s WTA Tour event in Prague, the Romanian said yesterday. on ‘insane’ bike Women’s world number one Ashleigh Barty has opted against Morbidelli on Yamaha-SRT and Zarco on a Ducati-Avintia finished second and third travelling to New York to play the hardcourt Grand Slam amid the AFP Covid-19 pandemic, making the Brno, Czech Republic 28-year-old Halep the top draw with tough protocols to hold the at this year’s event. tournament from Aug. 31 with- “I will decide after this tour- out spectators. rad Binder created a se- nament for sure,” Halep told “I know it’s very strict, it’s a ries of fi rsts as he won Reuters by telephone, adding little bit stressful in my opinion,” the Czech MotoGP yes- that the conditions are “tough” Halep said from Prague. terday to make come in the US. “But they need those rules for trueB “a day I dreamed about “I need to get a feeling, I need the security, the health is most since I was a little boy”. to see what changes they (the US important, they have to take care It was the 24-year-old Bind- Open organisers) are gonna make of everyone. It’s tough for eve- er’s fi rst MotoGP win in only his with travelling and stuff . rybody to travel these days. But third race in the elite division, “And then I will be able to de- everyone can take their own de- it was also a fi rst victory at this cide, take the fi nal decision.” cision and they know their prior- level by a South African and for Besides Barty, the women’s ity. the KTM team. draw has also lost other top-10 “My priority is my health, the Binder opened his MotoGP players in No 5 Elina Svitolina mental part and I don’t want to account at the main expense and seventh-ranked Kiki Bertens stress myself for anything. My of Italian Franco Morbidelli on due to their concerns about the fi nal decision, when I take it, will Yamaha’s satellite SRT bike and pandemic. be based on these.” Frenchman Johan Zarco on a The United States has over Halep is the top seed at the Ducati-Avintia who came third. 5mn cases of Covid-19 and al- Prague Open where she will face “My team put an absolutely most 162,000 people have died, Slovenia’s Polona Hercog in the insane motorbike underneath according to a Reuters tally. opening round. me this weekend,” said Binder. Concerns remain whether “This break was not easy and “I had no idea we were capa- players would face mandatory we will struggle a little bit to ble of winning but I had a feeling quarantine if they travel to Eu- come back,” Halep said, adding it could be good.” rope from the US for claycourt that she was happy to have been Behind closed doors on a hot events in September. able to spend some “normal” life and sunny afternoon, French- Organisers USTA are creating a at home after the rigours of the man Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha- bio-secure ‘bubble’ in New York Tour for many years. SRT), winner of the fi rst two rounds of the season and world championship leader, fi nished CYCLING seventh to increase his lead in the riders’ standings to 17 points over Spaniard Maverick Vinales (Yamaha) who was only 14th in Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder (right, also inset) leads Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Franco Morbidelli during the Czech MotoGP race Injured Jakobsen’s the GP. at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, yesterday. (AFP) With reigning champion Marc Marquez still absent nursing a victory and climb to the top of +7.517 teammate Evenepoel broken arm, Binder followed MotoGP detects fi rst coronavirus case the world championships. 6. Miguel Oliveira (KTM-Tech3) Quartararo in grabbing his ahead of Czech race Britain’s Sam Lowes was sec- +7.969 chance. ond while Joe Roberts of the 7. Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha- wins Tour of Poland Binder was the fi rst rookie Reuters “Local health authorities will United States third. SRT) +11.827 MotoGP winner since Marquez Brno, Czech Republic now decide on the duration of Another Italian, Dennis Fog- 8. Takaaki Nakagami (Honda- AFP Dane Jakob Fuglsang in second in 2013 and he was followed self-isolation they are required gia of Honda, won his fi rst Grand LCR) +12.862 Krakow, Poland with Briton Simon Yates in third home by two more surprising to undertake,” it said. Prix in the third tier Moto3 level 9. Jack Miller (Ducati-Pramac) after fi ve days of racing in the front-runners. otoGP said one person More than 5,500 tests have earlier, while second placed Al- +15.013 77th edition of the event. For Morbidelli it was a fi rst from its world cham- been carried out on all pad- bert Arenas extended his world 10. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) abio Jakobsen’s fellow Team Ineos’ Richard Carapaz podium fi nish. Mpionship paddock has dock personnel before double- championship lead. +15.087 Deceuninck-Quick Step pulled out after a crash on Sat- “It was a nice race overall, I tested positive for the new header races in Spain last A second Honda rider, the Standings (top 3) rider Remco Evenepoel urday despite leading the over- started well, I did what was in coronavirus and is in isolation month and Sunday’s competi- Japanese Ai Ogura, came third 1. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) 59 pts won the Tour of Poland all standings before Evenepoel my plan, to make my rhythm ahead of the Czech Republic tion in the Czech Republic. for his second podium of the 2. Maverick Vinales (ESP) 42 yesterdayF as teammate Davide grabbed the yellow jersey with a and don’t overcook the tyres,” Grand Prix in Brno yesterday. The race in Spain’s Jerez circuit season. 3. Franco Morbidelli (ITA) 31 Ballerini clinched the fi fth and 51km solo win on stage four. he said. The person is a member of in July kickstarted the 2020 The motorcycling caravan fi nal stage in Krakow. Italian Ballerini powered to vic- Afer Binder overtook him on promoter Dorna Sports’ team season which was delayed heads to Austria for two events Moto2 results (top 3) Jakobsen was injured in a hor- tory in a bunched sprint by pipping lap 13 and pulled clear, Mor- and was asymptomatic, said due to the novel coronavirus at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg 1. Enea Bastianini (Kalex) 39:13.926 rifying crash on the race’s open- Bora Hansgrohe’s Pascal Acker- bidelli concentrated on preserv- MotoGP, the premier motorcy- pandemic. on August 16 and 23. 2. Sam Lowes (Kalex) +0.423 ing day earlier in the week and mann in second and Team Sun- ing his fi rst podium fi nish. cle racing championship. The MotoGP also said people who The MotoGP fi eld will again be 3. Joe Roberts (Kalex) +5.948 awoke from a medically-induced web’s Alberto Dainese after 188 “I won’t do anything silly and person tested positive twice, had “secondary contact” with without the recuperating Mar- Standings (top 3) coma on Thursday. kilometres which fi nished with try to bring the bike to the end and all close contacts have the infected person had been quez as well as Italian Francesco 1. Enea Bastianini (ITA) 73 pts “For the team the hardest part three laps in the southern city. and catch my fi rst podium.” been put in isolation, it said in a tested as a precaution and that Bagnaia (Ducati-Pramac), who 2. Luca Marini (ITA) 58 of this race was the situation Zarco started from pole but statement. all had tested negative. fell in practice at Brno on Friday 3. Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN) 55 with Fabio,” Evenepoel said after Overall results (top 10) dropped down the fi eld with a and broke a leg. his ninth victory of the season. 1. Remco Evenepoel (DEC) 21:29:50 poor start. He held on to third and I think that he crashed.” moment, I said, OK that can be Moto3 results (top 3) “We’ve been through a lot of 2. Jakob Fuglsang (AST) +1:52 despite disintegrating tyres and The offi cials judged the good,” Zarco said. MotoGP results (top 10) 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) emotions this week and if you see 3. Simon Yates (MIT) +2:28 a penalty imposed for a collision Frenchman was at fault and he While it was Zarco’s seventh 1. Brad Binder (KTM) 41:38.764 39:06.370 how we fi nish it off - two stage 4. Rafal Majka (BOR) +2:32 with Pol Esparago which put the had to ride a ‘long lap’ which podium it was a fi rst for Avin- 2. Franco Morbidelli (Yamaha- 2. Albert Arenas (KTM) +0.205 wins in a row and we take the GC 5. Diego Ulissi (UAE) +3:09 Spanish KTM man out of the meant following an outside lane tia the team he joined after he SRT) +5.266 3. Ai Ogura (JPN/Honda) +0.251 home - I think that we can only 6. Kamil Malecki (CCC) +3:12 race. on the big seventh turn. struggled with KTM last season. 3. Johann Zarco (Ducati-Avintia) Standings (top 3) say that we have been dominat- 7. Wilco Kelderman (SUN) +3:15 “He went wide. I was in, keep- “When I did the long lap, I ex- In Moto2, Italian Enea Bas- +6.470 1. Albert Arenas (ESP) 70 pts ing this race,” he added. 8. Jonas Vingegaard (TJV) +3:18 ing the line and when we touch,” pected three riders to overtake tianini of Kalex led from start to 4. Alex Rins (Suzuki) +6.609 2. Ai Ogura (JPN) 52 Belgian Evenepoel, 20, was 9. Mikel Nieve (MIT) said Zarco. “I did not expect it me. No one overtook and at that fi nish to claim a second straight 5. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 3. John McPhee (GBR) 51 1 minutes 52 seconds ahead of 10. Rui Costa (UAE) +3:19

SPOTLIGHT ‘Recluse’ Serena ready for US Open aft er lockdown AFP said she has spent the past six “I had to make a gym and my Los Angeles, United States months at her home in Florida, husband made a court for me. The sheltering from the threat of the gym is not quite done. The ten- coronavirus. nis court is fun, I go there and it is erena Williams said on Williams has a history of pulmo- my own sanctuary. It’s like, ‘Why Saturday she is pressing nary embolisms which have restrict- haven’t I done this 20 years ago?’”, ahead with plans to play in ed her lung capacity, a factor which she said. the US Open despite a wave she said had prompted her to be a Williams, who is also scheduled ofS player withdrawals from the “little bit of a recluse” this year. to play the Western and Southern upcoming Grand Slam event over “I started social distancing in Open tune-up event in New York coronavirus fears. early March,” she said. before the US Open, admitted that The 23-time Slam winner returns “I don’t have full lung capacity so only tournament play would allow to tennis next week at the inaugu- I’m not sure what would happen to her to properly gauge her fi tness. ral Top Seed Open WTA event in me. I am sure I would be okay but I “Everyone has an opportunity to Lexington, Kentucky, relaunching don’t want to fi nd out. be more fi t now, because we spent her season after a six-month hiatus “I have like 50 masks that I travel so much time at home to work on caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. with, I don’t ever want to be with- ourselves,” Williams said. Williams, who was one of the out one. “Fitness wise, there is going to be fi rst players to commit to the US a tonne of fi tness, but match fi tness Open despite the pandemic, said ‘A LITTLE BIT NEUROTIC’ is diff erent to fi t-fi tness.” her plans remain unchanged, add- “With health concerns I am super Williams, who turns 39 in Sep- ing that she was tentatively plan- careful with what I have been doing tember, meanwhile said she was ning to go to Europe for the re- and everyone in the Serena bubble unable to say whether she would be scheduled French Open. is really protected. at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics “I see myself doing it all if it hap- “It is cool to play tennis, but this in 2021. pens,” Williams said when asked is my life and my health, so I have “That is just looking too far about her schedule during a virtual been a little bit neurotic but that is ahead, I don’t know if Tokyo plans press conference on Saturday. how I have to be right now.” to be in Tokyo, we will have to wait “But I am not planning for the Williams revealed that she had and see,” she said. future, as tournaments got can- been practising on her own court, “I don’t know what to expect. celled I was just like, ‘Let me just built with the same hardcout sur- One thing I have learned is don’t work on today and see what hap- face used at the US Open. She has plan, I am living for the day and for pens.’” also stayed fi t with construction of the moment, in a good way but I am The former world number one a home gym. not making plans too far out.” Gulf Times Monday, August 10, 2020 3 CRICKET

PAKISTAN’S TOUR OF ENGLAND FOCUS England’s Stokes to miss rest of Pakistan Azhar faces big test Test series

AFP Manchester, United Kingdom

ngland star Ben Stokes with only a few days will miss the concluding two Tests against Paki- stan for family reasons, theE England and Wales Cricket Board announced yesterday. Stokes’s father Ged was admit- ted to hospital in Johannesburg two days before Christmas last to rally Pakistan year with a serious illness while following his son’s progress with the England cricket team during With the second Test coming so soon after the first, captain must remind his their tour of South Africa. ries opener against the West In- Ged Stokes, a former New Zea- dies last month — a match regu- players that they dominated England for the majority of the match at Old Traff ord land rugby league international, lar skipper Root missed to attend underwent three operations and the birth of his second child. By Andy Bull they have been stuck in train- spent 37 days in hospital, with Although born in Christchurch The Guardian ing camps for weeks before- his conditions initially described on the South Island of New Zea- hand so have had much more as “critical” before it stabilised. land, Stokes came to England as a time than they usually do to He has since continued his re- 12-year-old when his father Ged y reputation, Paki- prepare for the Tests. But the covery in New Zealand. got a job coaching the Working- stan are a chaotic and fl ip side is that when the games Despite his father’s health ton rugby league club and grew unpredictable team. start, they come fast. West In- problems, Stokes was named up in the nearby West Cumbrian The journalist Osman dies struggled to adjust to the player of the series in England’s town of Cockermouth. Samiuddin,B who has spent years pace of them after winning 3-1 Test series win over South Ged and his wife Deb, Stokes’s trying to make sense of them, the fi rst Test in Southampton. Africa. mother, have since returned to once wrote a brilliant essay Three days later, the very same New Zealand. about those glorious moments bowlers were back out in the ‘STRONG AND STUBBORN’ After impressing in youth when the players would sense fi eld again, fl ogging themselves Stokes, however, spent time at cricket, Ben Stokes, now aged 29, something coming, would slip through more overs. By the Ged’s beside when England re- made his name in the fi rst-class all of sudden into a higher gear, time they made it to the third turned to Johannesburg for the game with Durham. and inexorably wrest control of a Test, they were spent. fourth Test at the Wanderers. At international level, he es- game away from the opposition So, well as the trio of Naseem He later posted a picture of his tablished himself as a leading with a rush of quick wickets. Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Mo- father leaving hospital, praising all-rounder, starring against his “Waqar Younis calls these mo- hamed Abbas, bowled in the last him as “strong and stubborn”. native New Zealand during Eng- ments a tamasha, a spectacle, match, Pakistan’s leadership “Stokes will leave the UK later land’s dramatic Super Over win but also a cross between a roll- team will have to weigh wheth- this week and travel to New Zea- in last year’s World Cup fi nal at ing circus and a fair,” Samiuddin er they should make changes land,” said an ECB statement is- Lord’s. wrote. “It is a tamasha,” Waqar simply to keep everyone fresh. sued yesterday. A quad injury has seen pace- told him: “‘I swear to God, we And they will ask, too, if they “He will miss England’s two man Stokes largely deployed as used to say it, we used to talk will still need two leg-spinners Test matches against Pakistan a specialist batsman in recent about it like this. Chal para now the series is moving to the at the Ageas Bowl (starting) on matches. kaam, chaloji, pakro [‘It’s be- Ageas Bowl. They have certainly Thursday 13 August and Friday He did not bowl at all during gun, come, grab on to it’]’.” Pakistan’s Azhar Ali leaves the field after losing his wicket on the first day of the first Test against England got options; they brought 10 21 August. England’s series-clinching win Now they are up against an at Old Traff ord in Manchester, United Kingdom, on Wednesday. (AFP) fast bowlers over in their squad. “The England and Wales over the West Indies at Old Traf- England team who have some Sohail Khan may be the most Cricket Board, along with the ford last month and sent down wild and unpredictable magic of their Test cricket. four batsmen made a century. the fact that they had wrestled likely of them to come in. He is Stokes family, requests that all just four overs, albeit for a return their own. It is less familiar than So Pakistan fi nd themselves And maybe Azhar does lack that them down to the ground over 36, and has an underwhelm- media respects the family’s pri- of 2-11, in the Pakistan opener at Pakistan’s, because it still feels in the unfamiliar position of instinctive sense of the mo- the previous four days. And if ing Test record of 27 wickets at vacy at this time.” the Manchester ground. so novel, so very un-English, trying to pull themselves to- ment, that native grasp of what Azhar made mistakes in those 41.66. But he took 11 wickets Outstanding all-rounder His absence from the remain- but it’s there all the same, es- gether again after being blown bowling and fi elding changes to fi nal moments, if he waited too during the squad’s two warm- Stokes played in the England side der of the three-match Pakistan pecially when they are batting. apart in a whirlwind hour at the make when, that the most in- long to bring Yasir Shah back up games, and did well dur- that beat Pakistan by three wick- series could lead to a Test re- They have the feeling that, as Joe very end of a match they had spired Test captains have. into the attack, well, he hasn’t ing their last tour of England in ets at Old Traff ord on Saturday to call for top-order batsman Zak Root put it on Saturday night: dominated for four days. Their But still, Pakistan lost the been in this position too often 2016, when he took one fi ve-fer go 1-0 up in three-match series. Crawley, who was left out to “We know anything is possible.” captain, Azhar Ali, is coming in Test only when it felt, to them, himself since he has led in only at Edgbaston and another at the The England vice-captain has balance the side when England It has grown out of the way they for particular stick because of and everyone, except England’s seven Tests. And he was leading Oval. been an ever present in the side felt they needed to play another have played in one-day cricket the way his team let the match batsmen, as though they had al- a pretty raw and inexperienced More than that, Azhar will this season and led the team in bowler because of Stokes’s fi t- in the last four years, when they slip. It doesn’t help his case that ready won it. England’s vaunted bowling attack. have to focus his players on the Joe Root’s absence during the se- ness problems. have proven to themselves, over his own form has fallen away middle-order were all out, they The better test of his cap- fact that they outplayed Eng- and again, that there’s no target since he took the job last No- were fi ve down, and still 160 taincy will be how he rallies the land for most of the match. That so large that it can’t be chased. vember. He has made one fi fty in runs away. Azhar and his team team in the next few days. The strange magic of theirs won’t SPOTLIGHT And because their best batsmen 10 innings since, 118 against Sri took their foot off their oppo- frantic schedule being used in save them every time. Pakistan play in both formats, they have Lanka in Karachi, in an innings nent’s throat just a moment too these unusual series has some should know that just as well as carried some of that energy into when every one of Pakistan’s top soon, but that doesn’t change benefi ts for the touring teams, anyone. Can’t wait for what’s COMMENT to come: Kohli excited England star Buttler feared he had played ‘last Test’ ahead of IPL

AFP “We got some nice momen- hands in the end,” said player of IANS Manchester, United Kingdom tum going and had a good part- the match Woakes after compil- Mumbai, India nership.” ing his highest Test score since an unbeaten century against India at os Buttler admitted he ‘MENTALLY STRONG’ Lord’s two years ago. ndia captain Virat Kohli thought he may have Buttler was also having to con- When Woakes was left out of yesterday took to social me- played his last Test after tend with the fact that his father the fi rst Test during England’s dia to share his excitement at the England wicketkeep- had been admitted to hospital 2-1 series win over the West In- the prospect of leading Royal erJ atoned for a poor display with on Friday, although he has since dies last month, it reinforced his IChallengers Bangalore (RCB) in the gloves by starring with the been discharged. reputation as a ‘nearly man’. the 13th edition of the Indian bat in a three-wicket win over England captain Joe Root, a But he has since been in fi ne Premier League (IPL) which is Pakistan at Old Traff ord. longstanding defender of But- form with the ball before Sat- set to begin from September 19 England had slumped to 117- tler’s place in the Test side, was urday’s innings ended a modest in the UAE. 5 chasing a stiff target of 277 on delighted to see him play a key in- run of scores with the bat at Test RCB — one of only three yet Saturday’s fourth day. nings in diffi cult circumstances. level. to get their hands on the coveted But a sixth-wicket stand of “It says a huge amount about “He’s so, so consistent,” said trophy — have made it to three 139 between Buttler, who made him as a person to carry all of Root. “On and off the fi eld he is fi nals, but have returned with the Raina, the second highest run- 75 on his Lancashire home that and be able to either use it, someone you can always trust to runners-up medal on each occa- getter in the history of the IPL, ground, and Chris Woakes, 84 or park it,” said Root. “Only he deliver exactly what you want. sion. had earlier opined that wickets not out, turned the tide. will know which way he did that. “Over the last couple of years “Loyalty above everything. in Dubai could be similar to the England, however, might “It shows how mentally he just keeps improving and he’s Can’t wait for what’s to come,” ones in Chennai. He had also not have been chasing so many strong he is more than anything, almost on another level.” Kohli said in a tweet with video stated that fi tness and clarity had Buttler, whose Test-match but also how skilful. One of Jos’ England’s victory saw them snippets of his time at RCB. of thought will be the key when keeping has long been a hot big traits is when he’s under halt a run of fi ve successive de- In a chat with his star team- players take to the fi eld after an topic, not dropped Shan Masood pressure he puts in big perform- feats in the fi rst Test of a series mate and South Africa batting unprecedented break due to the and then missed a chance to porters. out and go and play your game.” ances. He can deal with high- and put them 1-0 up in this great AB de Villiers on Instagram Covid-19 pandemic. stump him when the opener was “I’m very aware I didn’t keep Both Buttler, a proven white- pressure.” three-match campaign ahead of in April, Kohli had said that he is “This IPL would be very very on 45 during Pakistan’s fi rst in- well, I missed some chances and ball batsman, and Woakes were When Buttler was out for 75, next week’s clash with Pakistan never going to leave the franchise interesting to see how players are nings. at this level you can’t aff ord to members of the England side England still needed 21 more in Southampton. and will keep attempting to break thinking, you are playing in dif- Masood went on to make a do that, no matter how many that won the 50-over World Cup runs to win. “The most important thing the duck. ferent circumstances, you have Test-best 156 to help Pakistan runs you score. last year. Woakes, however, saw them is we back it (this win) up again “I can never think of leaving a lot of protocol from ICC and establish a lead of over a hun- “Thoughts go through your “We tried to break it down home to a three-wicket victory now,” said Root when asked about this team. To have that loyalty. at the same time you are going dred runs. head that if I don’t score any into a bit of a one-day chase, and when he edged a boundary off the end of a bizarre sequence. Till I am playing IPL, I am never through tests every two-three “I’m quite proud, if I take runs, I’ve maybe played my last scored at four an over, to take the fast bowler Shaheen Afridi. “We’ve got to keep learning. leaving this team. We know we weeks, so I would say coming out those chances, we’d have won game. second new ball out of the equa- “In a way (being 117-5) made up But I couldn’t be more proud of both want to win a title,” Kohli from all those tests you need to two hours ago,” Buttler told re- “But you have to shut those tion,” said Buttler. our minds for us, it played into our the guys.” had said. be clear with your head on what The BCCI will be organising the you are going to do on the fi eld IPL at three UAE venues — Dubai, because at the end of the day Abu Dhabi and Sharjah — from when you are playing a sport, you IPL Chinese sponsor deal suspension ‘not fi nancial crisis’: Ganguly September 19 to November 10 af- need to enjoy your game,” Raina ter it was postponed from March said during a webinar interaction AFP signed a five-year contract in conference on Saturday, the Chinese smartphone apps — received from Vivo. due to the Covid-19 pandemic. on the sidelines of the launch of New Delhi, India 2017 worth more than $330 Press Trust of India reported. including the popular video- Each of the eight IPL teams WTF fantasy gaming app. million to sponsor the world’s “You keep your other options sharing platform TikTok — and stands to lose nearly $4 million CAN’T WAIT FOR IPL TO “There could be Chennai richest cricket tournament. open. It is like Plan A and Plan B.” also taken other measures to from the lost sponsorship, a BEGIN: RAINA wickets. In this pandemic, a lot ndia’s cricket chief Sourav “I wouldn’t call it a financial The 2020 IPL tournament is restrict trade with China. team off icial told AFP Thursday Veteran batsman Suresh Raina of challenges have happened (for Ganguly says the Indian crisis. It is just a little bit of a due to start in the United Arab The IPL and BCCI have tie-ups on condition of anonymity. too expressed his excitement the players) and fi tness is the key. IPremier League’s decision blip,” said Ganguly, the head of Emirates next month. with companies including The star-studded IPL Twenty20 ahead of the IPL start. “Luckily, we are going early in to suspend a lucrative contract the Board of Control for Cricket Vivo said the decision was Paytm, Swiggy, Dream11 and league is a huge revenue earn- Raina took to social media to the UAE, so I think, right now with its main sponsor, the in India (BCCI). mutually agreed. Byju, which all have Chinese er for BCCI and is estimated to share a photograph with Chen- there is humidity in Dubai, the Chinese phone maker Vivo, “BCCI, it’s a very strong founda- Calls for a boycott of Chinese investment. generate more than $11 billion nai Super Kings’ teammates weather is 40 degrees Celsius, following a deadly border clash tion -- the game, the players, firms and products in India According to reports, the BCCI for the Indian economy. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Mu- sandstorm is there, but the best between the two nations is “just the administrators in the past grew after the June 15 clash in was in talks with Indian compa- The tournament normally starts rali Vijay. His Twitter post read: thing in Dubai is you don’t have a blip”. have made this game so strong which 20 Indian soldiers died. nies over sponsorship deals but in March, but was repeatedly “Counting days to get on the fi eld logistics problem, it is 45 min- The IPL last week suspended that BCCI is able to handle all The Indian government has was expected to make less than postponed this year because of and cherish every minute. Can’t utes from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, the agreement with Vivo, which these blips,” he said at an online already banned dozens of the $60 million it would have the coronavirus pandemic. wait for the season to begin @ you go from there to Sharjah it’s mahi7781 @mvj8 @russcsk”. 40 minutes,” he added. Gulf Times 4 Monday, August 10, 2020 SPORT

NBA SPOTLIGHT Vegas, Philadelphia capture top seeds Warren, Pacers in NHL playoff s hand Lakers another defeat ‘As a team, we’re in a groove, good rhythm, high energy, we come out with a lot of eff ort’

Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Mikhail Sergachev (98) hits Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton (21) during the third period of the Eastern Conference qualifications at Scotiabank Arena.

AFP “I was shooting short side all Montreal game so I thought I would change it up a little bit,” Tuch said. Colorado’s J T Compher lex Tuch’s overtime equalised with 62 seconds re- goal gave the Vegas maining in regulation time to Golden Knights a 4-3 force the extra period, only to victory over Colorado watch as Vegas advanced. Aon Saturday and a Western Con- The Golden Knights booked ference top seed in the National a best-of-seven opening series Hockey League playoff s. against the 12th-seeded Black- Joining Vegas with the pre- hawks, who have won the Cup in ferred paths in the Stanley Cup three of the past 10 seasons. chase were the Philadelphia Fly- They upset Edmonton in qual- ers, who got two fi rst-period ifying. goals from Nicolas Aube-Kubel “The Blackhawks have a lot in beating Tampa Bay 4-1 to cap- of Stanley Cup experience, a lot ture the top seed in the Eastern of top players and a world-class Conference playoff s. goalkeeper in (Corey) Crawford,” Both winners completed an Tuch said. “So we’ve got to put a unbeaten run through seeding lot of pucks on the net.” round play in the NHL Covid-19 Colorado will face 11th seed quarantine bubbles, at Edmon- Arizona, which ousted Nashville ton in the West and Toronto in in qualifying. the East, and became the teams Philadelphia 21-year-old goal- to beat when the playoff s begin tender Carter Hart made 23 saves tomorrow. to send the Lightning to their Tuch beat Avalanche goal- fi rst bubble loss. Indiana Pacers forward T J tender Philipp Grubauer high to “We played really hard,” Hart Warren (1) celebrates with the far right corner for his third said. “All the lines are rolling. All guard Malcolm Brogdon (7) goal in as many games with 16 the D are rolling. We did a great and guard Victor Oladipo (4) seconds remaining in overtime to job in there. We got in a lot of after a play against the Los give Vegas the victory. work. Angeles Lakers on Saturday. PICTURE: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

AFP the West. Miami Phoenix improved to 5-0 in the bubble, the team’s longest win streak since 2014, by beat- J Warren scored 39 ing Miami 119-112. points as the in-form The Suns (31-39) moved a Indiana Pacers infl icted half-game behind ninth-place a 116-111 defeat on LeB- Portland in the West playoff ronT James and his stuttering Los fi ght. Angeles Lakers, who have lost Devin Booker led Phoenix three in a row as the NBA play- with 35 points while Bahamas off s approach. Phoenix Suns’ Dario Saric big man Deandre Ayton added 18 Indiana’s win ensured the (20) shoots over Miami Heat’s points and 12 rebounds. NBA’s top regular-season record Andre Iguodala (28) during Paul George scored 21 points will belong to the Milwaukee, the first half of their NBA despite being rested in the fi - despite the Bucks losing 136-132 game on Saturday. nal minutes as the Los Angeles to Dallas in over-time. PICTURE: Ashley Landis/Pool Clippers beat Portland 122-117, “I just feel like I’m in a groove,” Photo-USA TODAY Sports hurting the Trail Blazers’ playoff Warren said. “As a team, we’re in bid. a groove, good rhythm, high en- The Clippers, already rest- ergy, we come out with a lot of ing star Kawhi Leonard for load eff ort. management, improved to 47- “We’re just together. We’ve 22, second in the West. just got to keep the chemistry C J McCollum scored 29 to hot.We just have to keep it up lead Portland, which also had 22 heading to the playoff s.” points from Damian Lillard and The Bucks (55-15) won’t have reserve Gary Trent Jr. the home court advantage that and 21 from Carmelo Antho- usually comes with the top ny. mark. Rodney McGruder, a 26% The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after scoring the winning goal All games are being played in shooter from three-point range, against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday in Edmonton, Alberta. a quarantine bubble at Walt Dis- connected from beyond the arc ney World in Orlando, Florida, to put the Clippers ahead 118-117 due to the coronavirus pan- with 26 seconds remaining. FOCUS demic that halted the season in Lillard missed two free throws March. and LA sank four free throws in The Pacers improved to 4-1 the fi nal seconds to seal the vic- since the restart, closing with tory. Tampa Bay a 13-5 run to beat the Western “It’s a make or miss league,” Conference top seed Lakers, George said. “Got to make who fell to 2-4 in the bubble and them.” Lightning’s 51-18 overall. Lillard responded by saying, That was despite 31 points, “Paul George is a guy sent home eight rebounds and seven assists by me last year in the playoff s so Hedman out aft er from three-time NBA champion they know. James — the only LA starter in The reason they reacting like double fi gures. that is because of what they ex- ankle injury Anthony Davis went 3-of- pect from me. 14 from the fl oor for only eight “I’m not off ended by it.If Tampa: Tampa Bay Light- logged 2:28 of ice time in four points. anything, it should tell you how ning defenceman Victor Hedman shifts. “This stretch right here...it’s much it hurt them to go through left Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay is already without going to strengthen us,” Lakers what I put them through in those Philadelphia Flyers after an ap- Steven Stamkos, who injured his coach Frank Vogel said. situations.” parent right ankle injury in the leg and is uncertain for the start “We’re playing against great George replied on social me- fi rst period and was ruled out by of the Round of 16 this coming defences.That’s the best way dia: “And you getting sent home the team. week. Hedman, 29, had 11 goals to prepare you. I’m optimistic this year.” Tracking back to defend a Fly- and 44 assists in 66 games dur- about our game overall.” Lillard responded by posting: ers attack, Hedman fl ipped his ing the regular season, being Dallas ended with a 7-0 run to “You boys is chumps.”The Blaz- hips to skate backward and ap- named a Norris Trophy fi nalist force overtime at 119-119, then ers (32-39) fell 1.5 games behind peared to tweak the ankle, falling for the fourth straight year, be- scored the fi rst nine in the extra eighth-place Memphis. immediately and staying down coming the fi rst player to do so period on the way to victory. Denver, third in the West, while holding his right skate off since Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom. Slovenian guard Luka Doncic kept pace with the Clippers by the ice. Hedman won the trophy in had an impressive triple double outlasting Utah 134-132 in a He laboured to get off the ice, 2017-18. for Dallas with a game-high 36 double overtime thriller. then limped to the locker room, Through two round-robin points, a career-high 19 assists Nikola Jokic sparked the Nug- banging his stick several times games, Hedman had one assist as and 14 rebounds. gets with 30 points and 11 re- on the railing on his way down Tampa Bay started 2-0. “We just keep improving,” bounds. the tunnel. In his 11th NHL season, all Doncic said. “We have to keep Brooks Lopez each scored 34 to fi rst-round playoff foes fi ghting The Lakers open the playoff s Jamal Murray had 23 points The team announced early in with the Lightning, Hedman has playing like this.” lead Milwaukee. for the fourth seed, meet today against the winner of a six-team and 12 rebounds in his bubble the second period that Hedman 105 goals and 368 assists in 762 Giannis Antetokounmpo and Indiana and Miami, likely and Friday. fi ght for the last playoff spot in debut. was done for the night, having career games. Gulf Times Monday, August 10, 2020 5 SPORT

BASEBALL Tigers hit 4 HRs before an out, crush Pittsburgh Pirates

Reuters He allowed one run, one hit and two walks New York in three innings. Boston starter Zack Godley threw four scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two he Detroit Tigers blasted fi ve homers, walks while striking out three. including four in their fi rst fi ve at-bats, as they powered past the host Pitts- DIAMONDBACKS 3, PADRES 2 burgh Pirates 11-5 on Saturday. Starling Marte and Stephen Vogt hit sixth- TNiko Goodrum, Miguel Cabrera, C J Cron and inning homers off Chris Paddack, and Mer- Jeimer Candelario homered off Pittsburgh left- rill Kelly allowed one run on six hits in six- hander Derek Holland during the Tigers’ fi ve- plus innings as Arizona won at San Diego. run fi rst inning. Marte homered to left on a 3-1 fastball JaCoby Jones also homered for Detroit, which leading off the sixth to snap a 1-1 tie. has scored 28 runs during the fi rst two games of Vogt lined his fi rst homer of the season the series. into the short-porch of right-fi eld seats Cabrera fi nished with three hits and three with two out — a 363-foot drive to make it RBIs, Jonathan Schoop supplied three hits, 3-1. three runs scored and an RBI, while Cron added Both Padres runs came on solo homers by two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. 21-year-old shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. Candelario had his second straight three-hit For the second straight night, Tatis opened game. the game with a leadoff homer, giving the The Tigers hit four home runs in an inning for Padres a quick 1-0 lead after driving a 1-0 the fi rst time since the fourth inning on June 1, fastball from Kelly into the left fi eld stands. 2013 at Baltimore. It was the fi rst time in franchise history they INDIANS 7, WHITE SOX 1 blasted four homers before making an out. Franmil Reyes, Jordan Luplow and Do- mingo Santana each homered to back six ATHLETICS 3, ASTROS 1 shutout innings from Zach Plesac and lift Frankie Montas allowed just two hits over Cleveland to a victory at Chicago. seven shutout innings, and Marcus Semien re- Cleveland broke the game open with a six- corded a piece of Oakland history with a leadoff run fourth inning. home run in a win over slumping Houston. The rally proved to be plenty for Plesac, Semien ended Friday’s 3-2 win with a two- who improved to 1-1 after scattering fi ve out RBI single in the bottom of the 13th inning. hits while recording one walk and seven With Saturday’s leadoff homer, he became strikeouts. the fi rst player in franchise history to deliver the Detroit Tigers left fielder Victor Yoan Moncada helped the White Sox avoid back-to-back big hits. Reyes (22) and centre fielder their second shutout in four games with a Montas (2-1) didn’t walk a batter and struck JaCoby Jones (21) and right solo shot in the bottom of the inning. out fi ve for Oakland, which has won eight fielder Travis Demeritte (50) Moncada has reached base in 19 consecu- straight. celebrate in the outfield after tive games dating to last season, matching Yuli Gurriel had two hits for Houston, which defeating the Pittsburgh Pi- his career high. has dropped four in a row. rates at PNC Park. Detroit won 11-5. PICTURE: Charles LeClaire RANGERS 2, ANGELS 0 YANKEES 8, RAYS 4 (GAME 1) -USA TODAY Sports Joey Gallo’s two-run home run in the sixth Gerrit Cole took a shutout into the fi fth in- inning was all Texas off ence could muster, ning to run his unbeaten streak to 26 games, but it was enough in a victory over Los An- Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading eighth geles in Arlington, Texas. homer and New York posted a victory over It was enough because the Rangers got a Tampa Bay in the fi rst game of a seven-inning combined shutout from starter Kolby Allard doubleheader in St. Petersburg, Fla. and fi ve relievers, who limited the Angels to It was another three-HR game for the Yan- four hits, two from Albert Pujols. kees, who also received a two-run shot from The Angels were 0-for-4 with runners in Mike Ford and Giancarlo Stanton’s solo home scoring position and left six men on base. run. The Rangers didn’t exactly hit the cover It marked the 86th time the Yankees hit at off the ball either, fi nishing with just four least three homers in a game since the start of hits, including two from Todd Frazier. the 2018 season. Allard and Angels starter Patrick Sandoval Ji-Man Choi hit an RBI double, and Jose Mar- matched each other inning for inning from tinez hit a two-run homer for Tampa Bay, which ready this season. Phillip Diehl — completed a one-hitter as six scoreless innings, and Eugenio Sua- the outset. lost for only the fi fth time in 26 regular-season Kershaw (1-1), who was scratched from his Colorado won at Seattle. rez belted a three-run homer in the fi rst, as home games since Aug. 21, 2019. Opening Day start against the Giants and was Charlie Blackmon went 3-for-4 with two Cincinnati posted a second straight win at PHILLIES 5, BRAVES 0 making just his second start of the season, doubles and three RBIs to increase his batting Milwaukee. Jay Bruce homered, doubled and drove in RAYS 5, YANKEES 3 (GAME 2) served up solo home runs to Slater and Mike average to.446. In his second start of 2020, DeSclafani (1- three runs to lead host Philadelphia past At- Nick Anderson retired Aaron Judge — rep- Yastrzemski to break a scoreless tie in the third He also lifted his majors-leading hit total 0) faced hardly any trouble while also striking lanta. J.T.Realmuto added a home run while resenting the tying run with two outs in the inning, then another solo shot to Slater in the to 25. Castellani, a right-hander who was a out six with a walk. Bryce Harper and Didi Gregorius had two seventh inning — and Tampa Bay held on for fi fth. second-round pick out of high school in 2014 This gem followed his 2020 debut, in which hits each for the Phillies, who won their sec- a victory over visiting New York in the second and is considered one of the Rockies’ top he gave up three hits in fi ve scoreless innings ond in a row. game of a seven-inning doubleheader. METS 8, MARLINS 4 pitching prospects, retired the side in order in at Detroit last weekend. Adeiny Hechavarria had two hits for the Anderson recorded his second save by win- J.D. Davis homered and collected a career- each of the fi rst four innings. After rolling to an 8-3 win in Friday’s series Braves, who managed only four hits overall. ning an eight-pitch encounter with Judge with high four RBIs to lead a potent performance He wasn’t able to make it through fi ve in- opener, the Reds wasted no time in putting Phillies starter Jake Arrieta (1-1) tossed DJ LeMahieu on second. by the middle of New York’s order in a win nings to qualify for the victory after opening runs on the board Saturday against Milwau- six scoreless innings and allowed three hits He secured Tampa Bay’s split when Judge over visiting Miami.The Mets won for just the the fourth with a hit batsman and a walk. kee starter Brett Anderson. while striking out six and walking one. fl ew out to center fi elder Kevin Kiermaier, who third time in 10 games. After Phillip Ervin reached on an infi eld It was Arrieta’s fi rst scoreless start since made the catch in front of the warning track in The Marlins, who were trying to match the ROYALS 9, TWINS 6 single and Joey Votto made it aboard via a Aug.6, 2018. left-center. best nine-game start in franchise history, had Jorge Soler hit two home runs — including a one-out error by second baseman Keston Jalen Beeks preceded Anderson and was lift- their six-game winning streak snapped. three-run shot in a six-run fourth inning — to Hiura, Suarez clubbed a towering homer to ORIOLES 5, NATIONALS 3 ed after allowing LeMahieu’s two-run single, The 3-4-5 trio of Davis, Pete Alonso and lead Kansas City over visiting Minnesota. left to make it 3-0. Anthony Santander belted a three-run cutting a 5-1 defi cit to 5-3. Michael Conforto combined for all eight of The Royals hit three home runs in the homer in the eighth, and Pat Valaika and Tampa Bay beat New York for the sixth time the Mets’ RBIs. fourth, the fi rst time they had three in an in- BLUE JAYS 2, RED SOX 1 Pedro Severino hit back-to-back pinch-hit in its last seven home games. Conforto gave the Mets the lead for good ning since August of 2018 against the Chicago Left-hander Anthony Kay pitched 3 1/3 in- solo shots earlier in the inning as Baltimore ral- with a two-run homer in the second. White Sox. nings of scoreless relief, Rowdy Tellez drove lied to win at Washington. GIANTS 5, DODGERS 4 Davis singled in the third to extend his Kansas City clinched its fi rst series victory in the go-ahead run with a groundout in the The Orioles had just two hits through seven San Francisco bombed Clayton Kershaw for hitting streak to a career-high 12 games be- of the season. Nicky Lopez hit his fi rst home eighth inning and Toronto won at Boston. innings as the Nationals carried a 3-0 lead three home runs, two by Austin Slater, and fore Alonso snapped a career-long 10-game run of the season off Thorpe.Cody Stashak Kay (1-0) held Boston to two hits and no into the eighth.But Valaika led off the top half three relievers combined to hold a one-run homer drought with his fi rst round-tripper relieved Thorpe and gave up Soler’s second walks while striking out three to earn his sec- with his pinch-hit homer off Washington re- lead over the fi nal 3 1/3 innings in a victory at since July 31. home run.Salvador Perez followed with his ond career victory. liever Sean Doolittle. Severino then made it two Los Angeles. own monster shot, his third, which went 438 Toronto’s winning run came against Red pinch-hit homers in a row when he followed Johnny Cueto combined with Tony Watson, ROCKIES 5, MARINERS 0 feet to left-centre. Sox right-hander Marcus Walden (0-1). with a blast to left. Tyler Rogers and Trevor Gott on a two-hitter, Ryan Castellani pitched four-plus hitless Chase Anderson made the start in his Blue It was the second straight win for Baltimore, helping the Giants end a two-game skid with innings in his major league debut, and three REDS 4, BREWERS 1 Jays debut after opening the season on the in- as the O’s have outscored Washington 16-3 in a third win in six tries at Dodger Stadium al- relievers — Jeff Hoff man, Yency Almonte and Anthony DeSclafani allowed two hits over jured list with an oblique strain. the fi rst two games of the series.

BOTTOMLINE Browns activate receiver Landry off PUP list Reuters He has 564 receptions for 6,188 yards additional cardiac screening following Cleveland and 32 scores in 96 games with the Mi- a positive test for Covid-19. ami Dolphins (2014-17) and Browns. “I found out I need open heart sur- Joseph, 26, registered 49 tackles, one gery to fi x a bicuspid aortic valve that leveland Browns wide receiver interception and one fumble recovery I was born with,” Smith posted on Jarvis Landry was activated in nine games last season with the Oak- Instagram.”Although this will unfortu- off the physically unable to land Raiders. nately end my 2020 season, it is really a perform list after passing his He missed seven contests with a foot blessing that we found this as my heart physical,C the team announced on Sat- injury.Brown, 26, had two catches for is severely enlarged and wouldn’t have urday. 27 yards in nine games (six starts) last lasted much longer. Landry joined safety Karl Joseph and season. “I found this out after I tested posi- tight end Pharoah Brown in exiting He also is trying to overcome a foot tive for Covid and had to have further the PUP list for the Browns, who also injury. Stewart, 24, recorded 35 tackles testing done as protocol. claimed cornerback M.J. in 10 games (one start) with the Bucca- “The Lord works in mysterious ways, Stewart via waivers from the Tampa neers in 2019. but I could really feel him on this one!” Bay Buccaneers. He was selected by Tampa Bay in the Smith plans to resume his career A fi ve-time Pro Bowl selection, Lan- second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. when he is healthy enough to do so. dry is working his way back following Meanwhile Minnesota Vikings line- “By no means am I ready to be done off season hip surgery. backer Cameron Smith is in need of playing football, there is still so much He has yet to miss a game over his six open-heart surgery and will miss the more I want to accomplish on the fi eld,” years in the NFL. upcoming season. Smith wrote.”I’m going to attack this Landry, 27, caught 83 passes for a Smith, 23, announced over social like everything else I have in life. career-high 1,174 yards and six touch- media on Saturday that he learned of “Already looking forward to the downs last season. his heart condition after undergoing comeback! #SKOL” Gulf Times 6 Monday, August 10, 2020 SPORT

GOLF ATHLETICS Kenya’s Kipruto tests positive for Johnson fi res 65 to coronavirus, out of Monaco meet

Reuters all have to take our responsi- Nairobi bilities,” Kipruto said on In- take one-shot lead stagram. “Unfortunately my Covid-19 test, as part of the enya’s Olympic and Monaco-protocol, came back SCHEFFLER AND CHAMP ONE BACK IN BUNCHED LEADERBOARD world 3,000 metres positive and therefore I can’t steeplechase cham- be part of the Monaco Dia- pion Conseslus mond League on Aug 14. KiprutoK has tested positive “I don’t have any symptoms AFP San Francisco for coronavirus and will miss and I was actually in great the season-opening Diamond shape. I was planning to go for League meeting in Monaco the world record. It has stayed ustin Johnson drained on Friday, the 25-year-old has too long outside Kenya.” eight birdies to fi re a confi rmed. The Monaco Diamond fi ve-under par 65 and Kipruto, whose personal League meeting will be fol- seize a one-shot lead best is eight minutes 0.12 lowed by events in Stockholm, afterD a blistering third round seconds, said he was in great Lausanne, Brussels, Rome/ performance at the PGA Cham- shape ahead of the event and Naples, Doha and a yet to be pionship on Saturday. hoped to break the world determined location in China. Johnson had four birdies on record which is currently held Meetings in Eugene, Lon- the front nine then birdied three by Kenyan-born Qatari Saif don, Paris, Rabat, Gateshead of his fi nal fi ve holes to reach Saaeed Shaheen (7:53.63). and Shanghai have been can- nine-under 201 at TPC Harding “Our World is going through celled due to the Covid-19 Park in San Francisco. a challenging period and we pandemic. It was the eighth straight round in the 60s at the PGA Championship for Johnson, who nearly chased down Brooks Koepka in the fi nal round at Bethpage Black last year before losing by two shots. “I putted really well,” said Johnson, who shot 31 on the back nine. “That was key. But I hit a lot of good shots to give myself some good looks because the fl ags are tucked. The greens are fi rm and fast. So I did hit a lot of quality iron shots.” Americans Scottie Scheffl er (65) and Cameron Champ (67) are tied for second at eight-un- der 202. Two-time defending champion Koepka shot a one- under 69 and is tied for fourth with American Collin Morikawa and England’s Paul Casey on 203. The tournament is being CYCLING played without spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic. Koepka, who is trying to be- come the fi rst since the 1950s to Dustin Johnson putts on the 18th green during the third round of the 2020 PGA Championship golf tournament at TPC Harding Park in San Roglic and Jumbo win the same major three years Francisco, California, USA. (USA TODAY Sports) in a row, looked unfl appable un- til a bogey on the 13th hole began outshine Ineos his back nine struggles. LEADING SCORES AFTER THIRD ROUND A stretch of three straight bo- geys moved Koepka down the 201-Dustin Johnson (USA) 69-67-65 (USA) 73-68-66, Lanto Griff in (USA) 68-68-71, (USA) 72-69-70, Luke List (USA) 72-69-70, trident in Tour test leaderboard but he recovered 202-Scottie Scheff ler (USA) 66-71-65, Cam- Harold Varner III (USA) 72-66-69, Ian Poulter Billy Horschel (USA) 69-71-71, Russell Henley quickly with birdies on 16 and 18. eron Champ (USA) 71-64-67 (ENG) 73-68-66 (USA) 71-69-71, Mark Hubbard (USA) 70-71-70 AFP Roglic, a former ski-jumper Johnson roared home Satur- 203-Brooks Koepka (USA) 66-68-69, Collin 208-Kevin Kisner (USA) 67-73-68, Keith 212-Tiger Woods (USA) 68-72-72, Kevin Paris who came to cycling late, beat day, making birdie putts of 26 Morikawa (USA) 69-69-65, Paul Casey (ENG) Mitchell (USA) 68-72-68, Victor Perez (FRA) Streelman (USA) 69-70-73, Gary Woodland Tour de France champion Ber- feet on the par-4 15th and 20 feet 68-67-68 70-69-69, Adam Scott (AUS) 68-70-70 (USA) 67-72-73, Jim Herman (USA) 71-69-72, nal by 18 seconds with another on the par-3 17th. 204-Justin Rose (ENG) 66-68-70, Tommy 209-Adam Hadwin (CAN) 68-71-70, Charl Tom Hoge (USA) 72-68-72, Viktor Hovland rimoz Roglic won Colombian Nairo Quintana He began his round with a par Fleetwood (ENG) 70-64-70, Daniel Berger Schwartzel (RSA) 73-68-68, Shane Lowry (NOR) 68-71-73, Joost Luiten (NED) 71-68-73, the three-day Tour coming third another 10sec but then drained a 17-foot birdie (USA) 67-67-70, Bryson DeChambeau (USA) (IRL) 68-72-69, Alexander Norén (SWE) 67- An Byeong-hun (KOR) 72-69-71, Sepp Straka de l’Ain yesterday back. putt on the par-4 second. John- 68-70-66, Tony Finau (USA) 67-70-67, Jason 69-73, Nate Lashley (USA) 69-70-70, Justin (AUT) 70-71-71 by climbing to vic- Roglic was delivered to the son made back-to-back bird- Day (AUS) 65-69-70 Thomas (USA) 71-70-68, Harris English (USA) 213-Rory Sabbatini (SVK) 71-70-72, Adam toryP on the Grand Colombier fi nal kilometre after a power- ies on the fourth and fi fth holes 205-Li Haotong (CHN) 67-65-73, Kim Si-Woo 69-71-69, Brendan Steele (USA) 66-71-72, Long (USA) 73-68-72 mountain as defending cham- ful performance from three of before running in trouble on six, (KOR) 69-68-68, Joel Dahmen (USA) 69- Denny McCarthy (USA) 70-69-70 214-Bubba Watson (USA) 70-71-73, Robert pion and his chief rival for the his teammates led by 2018 Giro but even that bogey and a dou- 68-68, Xander Schauff ele (USA) 66-70-69, 210-Brandt Snedeker (USA) 72-66-72, Brian MacIntyre (SCO) 73-67-74, Danny Lee (NZL) sport’s greatest prize Egan winner and world champion ble bogey on the par-4 ninth Matthew Wolff (USA) 69-68-68 Harman (USA) 68-71-71, Bud Cauley (USA) 69-71-74 Bernal shadowed him all the Tom Dumoulin. couldn’t put a damper on his 206-Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 70-67-69, 66-71-73, Kurt Kitayama (USA) 68-72-70, Doc 215-Erik Van Rooyen (RSA) 71-70-74, Matt way. Bernal, on his own against brilliant round. Michaël Lorenzo-Vera (FRA) 66-68-72, Bernd Redman (USA) 73-67-70, Rory McIlroy (NIR) Wallace (ENG) 71-70-74 In this fascinatingly tense Jumbo for 8km of the climb, “The golf course is tough. Ob- Wiesberger (AUT) 68-68-70 70-69-71, Mackenzie Hughes (CAN) 73-68-69, 216-Chez Reavie (USA) 71-70-75, Ryan war of nerves the race pitched clung on as some of the pelo- viously a bogey would have been 207-Jon Rahm (ESP) 70-69-68, Dylan Frit- Cameron Smith (AUS) 71-69-70, Emiliano Palmer (USA) 74-66-76, JT Poston (USA) the cream of the rising Dutch ton’s top climbers fell by the a lot nicer, but I knew I was play- telli (RSA) 70-67-70, Webb Simpson (USA) Grillo (ARG) 70-70-70 67-74-75 outfi t Jumbo-Visma against wayside. ing good,” he said of the ninth 71-68-68, Brendon Todd (USA) 65-70-72, 211-Abraham Ancer (MEX) 69-70-72, Louis 217-Jordan Spieth (USA) 73-68-76, Kang the established elite of the He only lost Roglic over the hole. “I was putting good. I just Patrick Reed (USA) 68-70-69, Patrick Cantlay Oosthuizen (RSA) 70-71-70, Phil Mickelson Sung-hoon (KOR) 70-71-76. mighty British Ineos team. fi nal 100m of the climb and needed to keep on going and put Ineos arrived at the foot of even then the Colombian nev- it behind me.” the Colombier with the last er looked fl ustered. His eight birdies are the most 2020 as he missed the cut at the green went well past the hole par on 17, closed with a six-foot fi rst player from China to win a three Tour de France winners. The pair looks set to lead he has made in any round at a Memorial, withdrew from the and he had to make a seven-foot birdie putt. major, never recovered from that But Jumbo, here at least, their teams in a mouthwater- major, bettering the seven bird- 3M Open with a bad back after putt for bogey. He then bogeyed “I thought I played a lot better and made two more bogeys be- seemed the stronger unit. ing clash at the Tour, which ies he made at the 2017 PGA an opening 78 and fi nished 12th 14 and 15. On 15, he landed in a than my score refl ected,” Koepka fore 18 and fi nished on 205. This fi nal stage of the Tour starts in Nice August 29 and Championship and the 2014 at the WGC event in Memphis. deep rough off the green and his said. “I felt like I played really Tiger Woods saw his chances de l’Ain will also feature on the which looks sure to deliver a British Open. Earlier this year, Koepka was cruising until he chip fell well short, giving him well, putted really well, and the all but extinguished as he strug- Tour de France itinerary, stage defi nitive generational shift. Johnson extended his season got to the most treacherous part another tough chip shot to get on driver I hit great.” gled on the greens for the second 15 culminating with the same Former Tour de France win- victory win streak to 13 years by of the course, the par-4 13th, the green. Third-round leader Li Hao- straight day and shot a 72. climb, on the fi fth of eight ners Chris Froome, 35, and capturing the Travelers Cham- where he made bogey. His three- It could have derailed Koep- tong of China shot a 73 and, like The 15-time major winner mountain days on the coming Geraint Thomas, 34, were pionship. That also halted a hole wobble began with his fi rst ka’s chances but the American Koepka, struggled on the par-4 and reigning Masters champion edition of the Grande Boucle. both clearly working for the 15-month victory drought. bogey of the round. came right back with a four-foot 13th, making a double bogey. is tied for 59th at 212, 11 behind In the fi nal overall stand- 23-year-old Bernal on this His results have been mixed in His shot from the edge of the birdie putt on 16,and, after a But Li, trying to become the Johnson. ings Vuelta a Espana champion race.

RUGBY Crusaders win title with trademark late surge AFP There’ll be another time for that. minutes for the Crusaders to be petition a week early. It was the Christchurch “We’re very mindful that’s ahead for the fi rst time in the Highlanders who looked most Jones says he will still select Saracens players for England the awkwardness of winning it 62nd minute and Brayden Ennor like a champion side in the open- as we’ve done. We understand cemented the win with a try fi ve ing stanza. Jack Whetton won England head coach Eddie Jones has said form is the he Canterbury Crusad- what Liverpool went through minutes from time. turnover ball which paved the main factor when he selects his squad and he will contin- ers needed their legen- when they took the trophy early,” “It was a true fi nal. It had way for the opening try to Shan- ue to pick players from Saracens despite their relegation dary storming fi nish to he said. everything in it. We were on the non Frizell in the second minute. to the Championship. Saracens will drop into the second beat the Otago High- Liverpool were whipped 4-0 ropes for a lot of the game,” Rob- After a series of fumbles and tier at the end of the Premiership season after breaching Tlanders 32-22 and claim New by Manchester City in their fi rst ertson said. costly turnovers, the Crusaders salary cap regulations. Several England internationals, Zealand’s Super Rugby title with game after securing the Eng- “And bang, bang, you score clicked in the 12th minute with including skipper Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Elliot Daly, a game to spare in Christchurch lish Premier League with seven two good tries and that was it.” a long cut-out pass from Bryn Vunipola and his brother Mako, have committed their yesterday. matches remaining, and Rob- Crusaders won three Super Hall to spark a long-range attack future to the club. “There’s no reason why we can’t select Three tries in the fi nal quarter, ertson warned the Crusaders Rugby titles in a row before the involving Sevu Reece, Hall and Saracens players, if they’re in good enough form,” Jones two to George Bridge, secured would not ease up when the face coronavirus crushed this year’s Bridge before Richie Mo’unga told Sky Sports. their fourth successive Super the Auckland Blues in the fi nal competition, replaced by New touched down. “There are a number of very established players there title, but coach Scott Robertson round next weekend. “It doesn’t Zealand’s hastily-arranged do- But the Highlanders refused that have played a lot of test matches and a lot of high immediately shut down talk of mean anything if we don’t do the mestic Aotearoa tournament to lie down. They came back level Rugby so they’ll know how to maintain their level extravagant celebrations, citing job next week,” added veteran between the country’s fi ve Super with a Josh Ioane penalty and an of performance. “Some of those guys have been playing the Liverpool experience of win- lock Sam Whitelock. Rugby sides. 80-metre intercept try to Jona nearly non-stop since the last World Cup, so this oppor- ning a championship before the The little-fancied Highland- The gutsy Highlanders had the Nareki to open up a 10-point tunity to regenerate is a great one and they’ll only come end of the season. ers led for the fi rst 60 minutes better of the fi rst half and were margin. Two penalties to out of this situation better.” “It’s a celebration with cur- against the Crusaders but could ahead 22-13 before the Crusad- Mo’unga reduced the Highland- The Premiership, which has been suspended since March fews tonight,” he said, as he also not hold back the red wave as the ers put the hammer down. ers lead to 17-13 at half-time. due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will resume this month refused to perform the trade- Crusaders took control in the fi - The four-tries-to-three vic- A Michael Collins try pushed with Saracens taking on Bristol Bears on August 15 in the mark breakdance he has pro- nal quarter - a period which has tory snuff ed out the faint title the Highlanders lead out to nine first of their nine remaining games. Jones’ England will duced after previous title wins. produced 40 percent of their hopes held by the Wellington points before the Crusaders take on Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on October “It doesn’t feel quite right. points in the competition. Hurricanes and Auckland Blues wrested control with their three 31 in a rescheduled Six Nations clash. (Reuters) We haven’t fi nished the job yet. Bridge scored two tries in two and eff ectively ended the com- late tries. Gulf Times Monday, August 10, 2020 7 FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Leipzig’s young coach Nagelsmann Juventus bet on ready to mix it with seasoned Simeone

Reuters speak again in the future if Real Munich Madrid were to need a coach Pirlo becoming new and if I were available,” he said. The next week or so in Lis- ulian Nagelsmann is the bon could add increase the youngest head coach list of suitors for Nagelsmann, to take a team to the who at the time of his appoint- Champions League ment by Hoff enheim in 2016 quarter-fiJ nals but any sugges- was the youngest coach in tion he or his RB Leipzig play- Bundesliga history. Zidane, Guardiola ers will be out of their depth Leipzig will be underdogs against Atletico Madrid should against a rugged Atletico side be quickly dismissed. that knocked out holders Liv- ‘A team is made up of dynamics, interpersonal relationships, expressions’ The 33-year-old will take erpool in the last 16. the German upstarts into new Nagelsmann said he is hap- territory on Thursday and ad- py with that tag, but clearly AFP mits a meeting with Atletico believes his side, that fi nished Milan counterpart Diego Simeone third in the Bundesliga, can will be a tough proposition. continue ruffl ing feathers. “We’ll have to be creative “They’re more known in Eu- fi rst coaching job and already and have control. They’re a rope and we’re a young side,” high expectations, Andrea Pirlo’s European heavyweight, espe- he said of Thursday’s clash. arrival at Juventus has sparked cially in recent years,” Nagels- “If I were a Spanish journalist hopes in Italy that he can follow mann, who took Hoff enheim then I’d also make Atletico fa- footballingA greats Zinedine Zidane and into the Champions League vourites. That doesn’t bother Pep Guardiola’s managerial success. before joining Leipzig last year, me. The 41-year-old former Italy and Ju- said in an interview with Mar- “I want us to put in a good ventus star was promoted to the top job in ca. “Diego Simeone has done a performance and if we go Turin just a week after having being ap- great job with a lot of success. through for Spanish media to pointed coach of their U23 side. They’re a solid team that we’ll say that we deserved it.” “Andrea Pirlo is starting a path that have to drill through.” Asked if he had dreamt of maybe one day will lead him to the top of Nagelsmann’s tenacious getting his hands on the tro- the fi rst team,” club president Andrea Ag- side outclassed Jose Mour- phy he replied: “Of course. nelli said on July 31. inho’s Tottenham Hotspur in My biggest dream is to win the A week later, Pirlo has already taken the last 16, winning 4-0 on ag- Champions League. It’s a long over from Maurizio Sarri after the reign- gregate, and it was clear over and complicated road. Every- ing nine-time Italian champions crashed those two ties that while he one left in the quarter-fi nals out of the Champions League in the last respects Europe’s big-name are top teams and we’re happy 16. coaches, he wants to do things to be here.” “A team is made up of dynamics, inter- his way. “I think I’ve devel- Even the absence of top personal relationships, expressions,” said oped my own style, we play the striker Timo Werner, scorer of Agnelli on Pirlo’s arrival at the club. football I like and that I want to 34 goals this season, after his And Pirlo speaks the language of play- play,” he said. big-money move to Chelsea ers, with four league titles won at Juven- He exudes the quiet con- does not unsettle Nagelsmann. tus between 2011 and 2015, before ending fi dence of a man who knows “It’s a good thing that we his playing career in November 2017 after his path, so much so that he don’t have to play with 10 men three seasons in MLS. turned down an approach and that we can replace him,” “Even during the years away from from Real Madrid in 2018, say- he said. “Timo is a super play- the club, I kept the relationships,” said ing it was not “the right step” er who scored a lot, but I see Brescia-native Pirlo. for his career. other players who were in his “It was normal for me to live in Turin “We agreed that we could shadow who can replace him.” and it feels normal to return to work here. “I prefer to be invested with a great responsibility, it makes me feel alive,” he explained, adding his ambition was “to repeat the career I achieved as a player”. Contemporaries Zidane and Guardiola both achieved that feat with with Real Madrid and Barcelona. But Zidane - who famously lost the 2006 World Cup fi nal to Pirlo’s Italy - spent two years with Real Madrid’s B team, and Guardiola the second-tier Bar- celona side, before stepping up and win- ning the Champions League with the fi rst teams. In this file photo taken on May 23, 2015, Juventus’ Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo poses with the Italian League’s trophy in Turin. (AFP) “Guardiola and Zidane? Everyone would like to have their same journey,” naldo’s 100-million-euro ($115 million) has had such a long cycle of victories and Ronaldo’s 37 goals carrying the team both said Pirlo, “but you need to earn it by signing in 2018. changes.” at home and in Europe. gaining experience.” A sauve fashion and wine lover, Pirlo But winning Serie A is not enough as “I’ve had my thoughts on where to put Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso believes is seen as a more natural fi t for the club’s his predecessors Massimiliano Allegri players in the middle of the night, rather RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann. that it will be a steep climb for his former ambitions to build a globally cool life- and Sarri found. And how Pirlo can help than sleeping,” said Pirlo, who also won Italy and AC Milan teammate. style brand to attract untapped markets in Juventus achieve their biggest dream of a two Champions League titles under Carlo “Blessed is he who started immediately North America and Asia. fi rst Champions League title since 1996 Ancelotti at AC Milan. Schedule for Week 21 QNB Stars at Juventus, I say so because this is a dif- “It was a very Juventus decision, very remains to be seen. “What form would I use? The 4-3-3, all League announced fi cult job, it is not enough to have a great natural, we think he could be predes- Former Juventus coach Fabio Capello on and off . career as a footballer behind him,” said tined, he was as a player he can become as believes Pirlo “has very advanced ideas “It really depends on the players avail- The Qatar Stars League (QSL) announced the schedule for Week Gattuso after Napoli were eliminated from a coach,” said chief football offi cer Fabio about football”. able, maybe you fi nd that they adapt bet- 21 of 2019-20 season QNB Stars League. Three matches will be the Champions League against Barcelona. Paratici.“In his head he has everything to “He is a midfi elder on and off the pitch, ter to another system. played on August 13 and 14, 2020, at Al Janoub and Al Sadd sta- “We have to study and work, we sleep succeed. He is a lad who has been with us, he watches and studies everything. He has “Maybe you realise that the players you diums. The decision has been taken in line with the QSLs policy little. I wish him a very big good luck.” played with us, has always been in contact had very important coaches, so he lacks thought were one way, are another way. to give equal opportunities to the teams. The kick-off times and Pirlo’s appointment is however seen as with us. nothing to do well,” said Capello. “At that point you have to adapt. If you venues of matches for the final Week (22) will be finalised later a natural one for Juventus whose global “We are in uncharted territory, no one Juventus conceded 43 goals in Serie A, impose yourself, you waste time and they based on the Week 21 results. (QNA) brand was boosted after Cristiano Ro- has won nine league titles in a row, no one their highest total in nearly a decade, with they don’t deliver.”

EUROPA LEAGUE Man Utd, Inter favourites in unique German fi nale

AFP Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said of gard, who played in United’s 2-0 and Antonio Conte’s men har- Paris the strict health protocols clubs win over Ajax in the fi nal three bour hopes of adding to the three must respect. years ago, is confi dent the team UEFA Cups won in the 1990s. Players and staff will undergo can capture the title for a second “This is an important compe- anchester United, virus testing before departing time. tition. It doesn’t matter where Inter Milan and for Germany and again on the “We can’t wait to get there and and under what conditions Sevilla headline a eve of a match once arriving, a play this game now. 100 per cent you’re playing, you should only quintet of former process repeated for each subse- I want to win it again,” Lingard be focused on the upcoming Mchampions travelling to Germa- quent game in the fi nal tourna- told MUTV. match,” midfi elder Christian ny for a remodelled eight-team ment. “Lifting a trophy is a special Eriksen told Inter TV. straight knockout tournament UEFA has advised teams to feeling you can’t really explain “It’s certainly not as fun play- that will crown the winner of a travel on charter fl ights and and winning it before you take ing without fans, the atmos- Europa League campaign heav- minimise contact with the gen- that confi dence forward. We phere isn’t there. ily disrupted by the coronavirus eral public, strongly recom- have got a mixture of youth and “We’ll try to excite them while pandemic. mending the use of exclusive experience in the squad and for they’re watching on TV, and All games from the quarter- hotels – to which players will the young lads to win their fi rst we’re hoping that we’ll be able fi nals onwards in this season’s largely be confi ned – in order to trophy, it will be perfect for to embrace our supporters again competition will be played be- avoid potential cross-contami- them.” soon.” hind closed doors as one-off nation. Should United advance to the Ukrainian champions Sha- ties across four venues – Co- Masks will not be required for last four they would face either khtar Donetsk, winners of the logne, Duisburg, Dusseldorf substitutes and coaching staff Sevilla – who have won the 2009 edition, play Swiss outfi t and Gelsenkirchen – following a but they must maintain social Europa League and its precur- Basel in the other quarter-fi nal fi ve-month interruption. distancing when seated, with sor, the UEFA Cup, a record fi ve in Gelsenkirchen. While a Champions League players instructed to limit con- times – or Premier League rivals This year’s Europa League fi - berth still awaits the victor of tact as much as possible when Wolves in Cologne on August nal was initially due to be played the fi nal in Cologne on August warming up. Match balls will be 16. in the Polish city of Gdansk in 21, much has changed since the disinfected before kick-off and Wolves are through to a fi rst late May before the health crisis Covid-19 outbreak that brought at half-time. European quarter-fi nal since forced a change of plans. European football to a standstill United, the 2017 winners, face 1972 but were punished by UEFA Gdansk will host next year’s in March. FC Copenhagen in Monday’s in midweek after failing to com- fi nal instead. “There are rules and regula- quarter-fi nal in Cologne while ply with Financial Fair Play re- tions on the bubble that’s go- Serie A runners-up Inter take on quirements. They take on Sevilla ing to travel. We’ve got to stick Bayer Leverkusen in a clash of in Duisburg on Tuesday. Manchester United manager Ole together, stay together in and former UEFA Cup champions at Meanwhile, Inter beat Getafe Gunnar Solskjaer (left) during around the hotel and the train- Dusseldorf Arena. 2-0 in a single-leg last-16 tie training in Cologne, Germany, ing ground,” United manager England forward Jesse Lin- Wednesday in Gelsenkirchen, yesterday. (Reuters) Monday, August 10, 2020 GULF TIMES FOOTBALL

FOCUS ‘Enormous anticipation’ as Bayern plot Barca defeat ‘WE HAVE PREPARED FOR THIS FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND YOU COULD SEE THE RESULT’

AFP halfway line, the ball was worked to Lewandowski who Munich, Germany squared for Perisic to fi re home. Callum Hudson-Odoi, who was linked with a move to Munich at the start of the season, beat Manuel Neuer on reble-chasing Bayern Munich are relishing their 28 minutes only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for an Champions League quarter-fi nal against Barce- off side. lona in Lisbon after Robert Lewandowski netted However, Chelsea pulled a goal back just before half- twice to seal a 4-1 home win over Chelsea on Sat- time. Bayern goalkeeper Neuer could only parry a shot by Turday in the last 16, return-leg tie. Hudson-Odoi and Abraham tapped home the loose ball on “The anticipation is enormous. Barcelona has a good 44 minutes to make it 2-1 at the break. team with very good players, but if you look at the last few Mason Mount forced Neuer into a low save early in the weeks, we can fl y to Portugal with a lot of confi dence,” said second half, while Bayern lost defender Jerome Boateng to Bayern defender David Alaba. a leg injury with an hour gone. He was replaced by Niklas Lewandowski, the Champions League’s top-scorer, Suele as Perisic made way for Brazil playmaker Philippe bagged his 12th and 13th goals in Europe this season and Coutinho. played a part in all four Bayern goals in Munich on Sat- Flick also changed both defensive midfi elders, Thiago urday. Leading 3-0 from the fi rst leg at Stamford Bridge Alcantara and Joshua Kimmich, for the fi nal 20 min- in February, before the coronavirus pandemic halted the utes. It paid off two-fold as moments later Tolisso, on for competition, Bayern progressed 7-1 on aggregate. Alcantara, made it 3-1 when he turned home Lewand- “We can be pleased, it was our fi rst game for a month and owski’s pass on 76 minutes. Alvaro Odriozola, on for Kim- it’s not easy to keep the rhythm,” added Alaba. “We have mich, then supplied the silky cross on 84 minutes which prepared for this for the last two weeks and you could see Lewandowski headed home for his 53rd goal in 44 games the result.” this season. The Bundesliga and German Cup champions will meet Barcelona next Friday in Lisbon for a place in the semi- BAYERN WOULD HAVE TO DO LOTS OF THINGS fi nals. Lewandowski netted a penalty with just 10 minutes BADLY TO LOSE TO BARCA, SAYS MATTHAUS gone at the Allianz Arena. Winger Ivan Perisic then dou- Bayern Munich would have to drastically under-perform bled Bayern’s lead before England striker Tammy Abra- to lose to Barcelona in next week’s Champions League ham tapped home a loose ball to give Chelsea brief hope. quarter-fi nal in Lisbon, according to their former mid- However, replacement midfi elder Corentin Tolisso put the fi elder Lothar Matthaus. result beyond doubt when he fi red home a Lewandowski The Bavarians strolled into the last eight by thrashing pass with 14 minutes to go. Chelsea 7-1 on aggregate while Barcelona were 4-2 aggre- “I am really happy with how we played over the 90 min- gate winners against Napoli. utes, the fi rst 30 minutes we shut Chelsea out,” said Bay- The clash of the clubs with fi ve titles each in the compe- ern head coach Hansi Flick. This was a world-class display tition is the standout tie of the four one-legged quarter- from Lewandowski who added a late header to his pair of fi nals, but Matthaus sees only one likely outcome. assists. He is now four goals short of Cristiano Ronaldo’s “Of course Barcelona have the quality to be at their best record of 17 Champions League goals in 2013/14. in a game,” he was quoted in Marca yesterday. “It’s not a goal of mine,” said Lewandowski when asked “But I think Bayern would have to make a lot of mistakes about Ronaldo’s record.“We have a few more games in the and do a lot of things badly to lose to this Barcelona.” knock-out round and I am just as happy creating goals as Barcelona have won only two of their 10 games against scoring them.” Bayern and manager Quique Setien would inevitably come The Poland star was also coy when asked about a rivalry under scrutiny if they fall to the Bundesliga giants on Fri- with Barcelona star Lionel Messi. “We have to perform well day. While Bayern do look favourites, Matthaus believes and show our quality as a team against a good Barcelona the fact that the tie is over one leg, rather than the usual side, it’s a big game for everybody.” two because of the re-organisation caused by the Covid-19 After a ruthless display in the fi rst leg, Bayern picked up pandemic, means that the form book could go out of the where they left off six months ago. They took the lead when window. “In a one-off game, things can happen. You do Serge Gnabry, who scored twice in London, spotted the run something bad and you’re out. You can correct these things Bayern Munich’s Robert into the box of Lewandowski, who was tripped by Chelsea in two-legged ties,” he said. Lewandowski celebrates goalkeeper Willy Caballero. The Poland striker was initial- Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto suggested the pressure will be scoring their fourth goal ly fl agged off side, but VAR ruled otherwise. Caballero was off the Catalans, having reached their objective of arriving against Chelsea in their booked and Lewandowski converted the resulting penalty in Lisbon for the climax of the tournament. Champions League Round for his 12th goal in seven Champions League games. “We don’t know what we’ll need against Bayern,” he of 16 second leg match in He turned provider on 24 minutes as Bayern kept up the said. “But we’re going to prepare for the game and see their Munich. (Reuters) pressure. After Mateo Kovacic lost possession near the weaknesses. Our goal was to be in Lisbon and now we are.”

SPOTLIGHT MOVE Barca back themselves against Bayern Willian confi rms Chelsea exit aft er despite nervy path to quarter-fi nals seven years Reuters reer with Corinthians in Sao Reuters London Paulo, joined Chelsea from Barcelona Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013 and made over 300 appear- razilian midfi elder ances for the club, winning arcelona insist they Willian has con- two Premier League titles. have as much chance as fi rmed he will leave He was out of contract this Bayern Munich of win- Chelsea after seven summer and had failed to ning their Champions B‘wonderful’ years at Stamford agree a new long-term deal LeagueB quarter-fi nal despite a Bridge. with the club. far from convincing 3-1 win over The 32-year-old, linked “In August 2013 when I re- Napoli on Saturday. with a move across town to ceived the off er from Chelsea, First-half goals from Clem- Arsenal, posted a farewell let- I was convinced that this was ent Lenglet, Lionel Messi and ter to the club’s fans on Twit- where I had to play,” he said. Luis Suarez sent Barca on their ter. “Today I am certain that way into the ‘Final Eight’ tour- “The time has now come to it was the best of decisions. nament in Lisbon where they move on. I am certainly go- There were so many happy will face the German champions, ing to miss my team mates,” times, some sad, there were who crushed Chelsea 4-1 for a he said. “I leave with my head trophies and it was always 7-1 aggregate win in their last 16 held high, safe in the knowl- very intense.” second leg. edge that I won things here Spanish midfi elder Pedro Barca’s 4-1 aggregate win and always did my best in a also announced he was leav- over Napoli may have looked re- Chelsea shirt!” ing the club on Sunday after sounding on the scoresheet but Willian, who began his ca- fi ve years. was anything but, as Gennaro Gattuso’s Italian side dominated the second half after Lorenzo Insigne scored at the end of the fi rst. Still, Barca coach Quique Se- tien said his side should not be underestimated against Bayern, who swept to a domestic dou- ble this season in contrast to the Barcelona’s Argentine forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match Catalans losing out on the Span- against Napoli at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on Saturday. (AFP) ish title and failing to win any other silverware. great team, one of the candidates the Champions League by their count for less. complimentary of Barcelona, “It will be tough for us be- to win the competition, but it’s inability to see out comfortable “Every game is its own dif- saying the German champions cause they’ve had an excellent 11 versus 11 over 90 minutes.” fi rst leg results, surrendering a ferent world and that is true were the overwhelming favour- season and dominated their tie. Barca beat Bayern in the 4-1 lead over AS Roma in 2018 now more than ever. There are ites to win next Friday’s clash. It will be diffi cult for us but also semi-fi nals in 2015, the last and a 3-0 advantage over Liver- no favourites in this Champions “Naturally Barcelona have for them. They are an excellent year they won the competition, pool last year. League, anyone can win or lose a enough quality to produce the team, but so are we,” Setien told which avenged a 7-0 thrash- Midfi elder Sergi Roberto said one-off game,” he said. best of themselves in one game, a news conference. ing on aggregate at the hands of the fact that ties will be played “Every match will feel like a fi - but I think Bayern will have Barca striker Luis Suarez add- the Germans in the last four in over one match rather than two, nal so we are going to have to be to make many mistakes and ed: “In a one-off game anyone 2013. due to the competition being re- very concentrated.” do many things wrong to lose has a chance, so it’s perfectly The Catalans have been scheduled due to the Covid-19 Former Bayern great Lothar against this Barcelona,” he told balanced, 50/50. Bayern are a haunted in the last two years of pandemic, means form will Matthaeus, however, was less Sky Sport Germany.