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Monday, October 3, 2016 CRICKET Muharram 2, 1438 AH Ton-up Azam GULF TIMES anchors Pakistan’s series win over WI SPORT Page 11 QATAR ARABIAN WORLD CUP Al Mourtajez superb in Chantilly victory

By Satya Rath won the Qatar International Stakes, slow start from his gate number 10 Chantilly, France which was run as part of the Qatar start but was soon into his groove Goodwood Festival in July. He now at the halfway mark, blitzing past has to win the HH Emir’s Sword, to his rivals and letting the guard l Mourtajez looked un- be run in Doha in February 2017 to down till the fi nish. stoppable in winning the win the $1,000,000 bonus, and the “He’s very diff erent for other Qatar Arabian World Cup, kind of form he is in at the moment, horses,” Auge was quoted as saying winning by an imperi- it would be a surprise if he can’t in media reports before the race. Aous four-and-a-half lengths to not manage the feat. “His big action, the big stride just only repeat his 2015 feat, but also The Arabian runner has looked takes him along and it is possible to stay in line for the Doha Triple unstoppable wherever he has run that he can change gear and sprint Crown. this season, with as many as seven at the end of the race. He is the best The Al Shaqab Racing cham- Group 1 wins, coming into the Arc Purebred Arabian horse that you pion colt started slowly but had too weekend and most of his wins have will see in the world. Some Arabi- much speed for his 14 rivals in the been by big length margins. ans can change speed, but this Ara- 2000m Group 1 race, sponsored The Qatar Arabian World Cup, bian is exceptional because he runs by Al Emadi Enterprises. Mehdaaf established in 2008, is considered like a thoroughbred.” Athbah fi nished a distant second, as the equivalent to the Qatar Prix Barring the HH Emir’s Sword beating HH Sheikh Abdullah bin de l’Arc de Triomphe for Purebred earlier this year, where he was Khalifa al-Thani-owned Tayf in a Arabians with a prize money of beaten by Gazwan, Al Mourtajez photo fi nish at the Chantilly race- 1,000,000 euros. has been unstoppable this sea- course here. Under long-time jockey Julien son. Yesterday’s win extended the Jockey Julien Auge rides Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Mourtajez to victory in the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA) at Chantilly racecourse in The son of Dahess has already Auge, Al Mourtajez had a rather streak. France yesterday. PICTURE: Juhaim

HORSE RACING FOUND LEADS O’BRIEN’S ‘It’s a great feeling to saddle the first three home in an Arc, there’s not much to beat it, but it’s all down to a fantastic team ARC SWEEP eff ort... what makes it amazing is that they are all by Galileo’

HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani (right) presents owners Michael Tabor (second from right) and David Smith (second from left) with the trophy after Found won the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Chantilly yesterday. PICTURE: Juhaim Jockey Ryan-Lee Moore (left) and his ride Found are led in after their Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe win yesterday. (AFP)

By Satya Rath Galileo out of Red Evie, was the sur- 14th-place fi nish. Dual Derby hero four times before and she has been un- but after breaking well he was trapped She had proved her quality at the Chantilly, France prise winner of the 2016 Arc, leading Harzand, one of the Arc contenders be- lucky this season, with so many close three wide early on and couldn’t get age of two, winning her maiden race stablemates Highland Reel and Order hind Postponed, ended a distant ninth. second-place fi nishes. We came here in. It meant he met the big bend on the on her very first start in August 2014, of St George for a remarkable one-two- “It’s unbelievable… First, second very hopeful and had our eye on this wrong lead and then he didn’t quicken and then ran directly into the Group 1 n upset of upsets marked the three fi nish for trainer Aidan O’Brien. and third in the Arc, it’s just incred- for a long time,” the 46-year-old Irish up like he can. It’ a big disappointment Moyglare Stud Stakes in September. Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Tri- Ridden by Ryan Moore, she trailed ible. Words can’t describe it. It’s just trainer said. as we went in hoping we would win, but She finished well in third place, de- omphe, the blue riband race early but was always well positioned to amazing,” said Michael Tabor, one of “It’s a great feeling to saddle the fi rst the main thing is we still have a horse spite her lack of experience. She then of the Arc weekend, at the mount her challenge. And she did it in the three owners of the fi lly. “This is three home in an Arc, there’s not much to go to war with and we can take him went to Longchamp for the Total Prix AChantilly racecourse here yesterday. the long straight, getting past the pace- the time of the year for her. We knew to beat it, but it’s all down to a fantastic home and see how he comes out of Marcel Boussac (Group 1), winning by Neither the pre-Arc favourite, nor setting Vedevani from the Aga Khan we had a chance, but this is the Arc… it team eff ort. And what makes it amaz- this.” over two lengths in a race that brings any of the closest contenders, came stable at the 400m mark and never feels so unreal.” ing is that they are all by Galileo...it’s Runner-up in the Tattersalls Gold together all the best two-year-old anywhere near. Rather it was the turn looked back thereafter. Found’s trainer O’Brien was over the indeed a privilege to be here,” he added. Cup, Coronation Cup, Prince of Wales’s French and European fillies. Since of three Irish outsiders to shine in glory Arc favourite Postponed, on an un- moon. “I’m so delighted for everyone. I Fifth-placed Postponed’s trainer Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks and Irish May this year, she has been succes- in the 5,000,000 euros 16-horse race, beaten streak dating back to July 2015, couldn’t have imagined anything high- Roger Varian said he was surprised to Champion Stakes on her last fi ve starts, sively place second. run over 2400 metres on the historic could only fi nish fi fth, while Japan’s er in my career than this. After all, this see him not being able to quicken up at Found fi nally got her head in front when It was time to end the jinx and she course, and all from the same stable. Arc jinx continued when their big hope is the Arc… I still feel it’s a dream. She the right time. “(Jockey) Andrea (Atze- it mattered the most to end her brides- couldn’t have asked for a better occa- Found, a four-year-old bay fi lly by Makahiki hardly threatened in a poor has run over a mile-and-a-half only ni) said he felt great going to the post, maid’s tag in Europe’s richest race. sion to do that. Gulf Times 2 Monday, October 3, 2016 SPORT

HORSE RACING Wuheida, National Defense among winners on Arc day Al Shaqab’s Karar second in Qatar Prix de la Foret; Speedy Boarding wins Qatar Prix de l’Opera Longines in a photo finish

By Satya Rath Chantilly, France

uheida won the opening race of the Arc day, the 300,000 euros Total Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium WDes Pouliches, with a stirring fi nishing run in the fi nal stretch at the Chantilly racecourse here yesterday. It was her maiden Group 1 victory in only her sec- ond career start. The two-year-old fi lly, under Nor- wegian William Buick, was trailing favourite Dabyah till the fi nal 200 me- tres of the 1,600m race before her late burst ended the fl owing run of the tir- ing Dabyah, who was then edged out by Promise To Be True on the line to end a close third. Charlie Appleby, who saddled Du- bawi’s daughter, said he was expecting a good performance from her. “I am de- lighted with how she came from behind to win. We had been preparing her hard for the Arc and I am so happy she has de- livered. The further she goes, the better she will become,” the trainer said. It was a start-to-fi nish sprint for the imperious National Defense in the 350,000 euros Qatar Prix Jean-Luc La- gardere (Grand Criterium), the second race of the Arc afternoon. The Brit- ish raider, under local jockey Pierre- France Galop president Edouard de Rothschild (centre) and Total E&P Mena Charles Boudot, won the 1,600m Group Al Emadi Enterprises CEO Mohamed al-Emadi (second from left) with the winners of the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, after president Stephane Michel with the winners of Total Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium 1 race by four-and-a-half lengths National Defense won the race yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim Des Pouliches after William Buick rode Wuheida to victory in the race. ahead of Salouen and Whitecliff sofdo- ver in that order. quette Head-Maarek, the celebrated It was a photo fi nish in the 400,000 part by Al Shaqab Racing’s Jemayel be- l’Abbaye de Longchamp, a Group 1 second in the Qatar Prix de la Foret, a “We have had a terrible year as the female horse trainer from France. The euros Qatar Prix de l’Opera Longines, fore her challenge fi zzled out in the fi nal 1,000m sprint, it was the fast-fi nishing Group I race run over 1,400m. The colt, horses were sick for a long time. But 68-year-old Head-Maarek, who twice with Speedy Boarding managing to 400 metres. It was the second succes- Marsha, under Luke Morris, who took under experienced jockey Gregory Be- they are coming back to themselves saddled Treve to win the Qatar Prix de chin past Pleascach in the 2,000m sive Group 1 success for the British fi lly the honours ahead of Washington, DC noist, started from stall 12 but made now and we knew this one had a good l’Arc de Triomphe, trains and lives in Group 1 race. So Mi Dar fi nished third after Darley Prix in Deauville in August. and Mecca’s Angel. good ground to fi nish behind the pacy chance,” said his delighted trainer Cri- Chantilly. in a race which was led for the better In the 350,000 euros Qatar Prix de Al Shaqab Racing’s Karar fi nished Limato. Suedois fi nished third.

Al Shaqab’s Shalaa races to sixth straight win A DAY AT THE ARC

Agencies Morny and Middle Park Stakes (Gr1) London in 2015, Shalaa is trained by John Gosden. “We would love to have been in fter 371 days of absence, the Commonwealth Cup and July Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) Cup,” said Gosden, “but it was not returned successfully Sat- to be and we have been fortunate to urday to Ascot in the John have this prep race for two weeks’ AGuest Bengough Stakes (Gr3), over time. He was just full of himself and 1,200m. I told Frankie he was carrying his On a soft ground, Shalaa, ridden stick just for balance - not to use it. by Frankie Dettori, did not detach He will come back for the Champion himself, but he managed to pass Sprint but we know softer ground the post in front, which makes it his compromises a horse, who is all sixth consecutive win. Winner of about pure speed.”

A general view of the grandstand at the Chantilly racecourse yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim and AFP

Jockey Frankie Dettori leaps off Al Shaqab Racing’s Shalaa after the win in the John Guest Bengough Stakes (Gr3) at Ascot on Saturday. (Racingfotos) Gulf Times Monday, October 3, 2016 3 FOOTBALL

PREMIER LEAGUE FOCUS Pochettino City suff er fi rst Guardiola revels in win over ‘great’ City loss as London duo close in AFP London

Arsenal — Spurs’ north London rivals — won 1-0 at Burnley thanks to Koscielny’s disputed winner ottenham Hotspur man- ager Mauricio Pochetti- no hailed a “great, great victory” after his side Tproduced a magnifi cent show of force to beat Manchester City 2-0 yesterday. An early Aleksandar Kolarov own goal and a 37th-minute Dele Alli eff ort at White Hart Lane saw Spurs condemn Pep Guar- diola to his fi rst defeat as City manager. In the process, Spurs climbed to within a point of leaders City and now boast the last unbeaten record in the Eng- lish top fl ight. “It was a great, great victory for us against this opposition. I am very happy,” Pochettino said. “Sometimes when you have a plan, it is good, sometimes less so, but Manchester City are a great team. It is diffi cult to play against them. We need to follow this af- ter the international match and we have more tough games af- ter the international break. The belief and faith in the way that we work needs to be consistent from the start of the season and we need to concentrate that all the way to the end of the season.” Guardiola, who had gone un- beaten in his fi rst 11 games as City manager, had no complaints about the outcome of the match. “They were better,” he said. “We were not in the right positions, so congratulations to them. (Los- ing) is part of the game, part of our job. I never thought that we would not lose a game. You can’t Tottenham’s Dele Alli (left) celebrates with Erik Lamela after scoring his team’s second goal in their 2-0 win over Manchester City at White Hart Lane in North London yesterday. (Reuters) imagine that. It is normal to the process. Sometimes it happens AFP fi ne saves. “This is the best performance all season and it can help us improve. London and could have been one of these fat results in the “I am not here for the talk English Premier League results Premier League, it could have been 5-0 or 6-0,” around me; I am here to do my United manager Jose Mourinho said. “We had big job. It is October, you cannot im- anchester City suff ered their fi rst de- Burnley 0 Arsenal 1 (Koscielny 90+3) Sunderland 1 (Van Aanholt 83) West Brom 1 (Chadli chances, with amazing saves and big misses.” agine my team is already done. I feat under manager Pep Guardiola as Leicester 0 Southampton 0 35) Stoke manager Mark Hughes said: “I’m really am new here. So far it has been Tottenham Hotspur underlined their Manchester United 1 (Martial 69) Stoke 1 (Allen 82) Swansea 1 (Fer 8) Liverpool 2 (Firmino 54, Milner pleased with the performance. We had a game plan an amazing performance, but Premier League title credentials with a Tottenham Hotspur 2 (Kolarov 9-og, Alli 37) 84-pen) and we executed it to the letter.” Turning to Grant’s we need more, we have to work M2-0 win at White Hart Lane yesterday. Victory saw display, former United striker Hughes said: “He’s a more. It is what it is.” Manchester City 0 Watford 2 (Deeney 50, Success 65) Bournemouth 2 Spurs move to within a point of leaders City. Played Saturday (Wilson 31, King 62) good keeper, a great character and we are pleased And later yesterday, Arsenal — Spurs’ north Hull 0 Chelsea 2 (Willian 61, Costa 67) West Ham 1 (Payet 57) Middlesbrough 1 (Stuani 51) he is with us.” London rivals — won 1-0 away to Burnley thanks Elsewhere, strikers Jamie Vardy of Leicester to Laurent Koscielny’s disputed winner deep into and Charlie Austin of Southampton both missed stoppage time as Arsene Wenger’s men closed to the right positions, so congratulations to them. I looked as if he might have been off side and handled chances in a drab goalless stalemate, with Eng- within two points of top spot. am not here for the talk around me; I am here to do the ball into the bargain, but Koscielny’s goal stood land caretaker manager Gareth Southgate among Meanwhile, reigning champions Leicester City my job. It is October. You cannot imagine my team despite Burnley protests. the crowd at the King Power Stadium before nam- were held to a goalless draw by Southampton while is already done.” At Old Traff ord, it looked as if substitute Antho- ing his fi rst squad for the forthcoming World Cup Manchester United endured a frustrating 1-1 draw The result gave Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino ny Martial’s 69th-minute goal would give United qualifi ers against Malta and Slovenia. at home to Stoke City. An Aleksandar Kolarov own just his second league win over Guardiola in 10 victory over a Stoke side who started the day bot- The draw left Leicester marooned in mid-table, goal and a Dele Alli strike gave Spurs victory and matches, and the fi rst since Espanyol beat Barcelo- tom of the table. But a mistake by United goalkeep- with hopes of a successful title defence fading fast. they could even aff ord for Erik Lamela to squander na in the coaches’ fi rst such encounter in February er David de Gea led to Joe Allen’s equaliser eight Leicester, however, defeated Porto in midweek to a second-half penalty. 2009. “It was a great, great victory for us against minutes from time, the point gained seeing Stoke secure a second successive victory in their maiden It was Guardiola’s fi rst defeat in 12 games as this opposition. I am very happy,” Pochettino said. leapfrog Sunderland. Champions League campaign and manager Clau- City manager and followed a mid-week 3-3 draw Newly promoted Burnley appeared to have se- United wasted numerous chances, with world- dio Ranieri was not downbeat over yesterday’s at Celtic in the Champions League that ended his cured a well-deserved point at Turf Moor until, in record signing Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimov- result. “Everything is a new experience,” he said. side’s perfect start to the season. “They (Totten- the 93rd minute, Koscielny, stationed virtually on ic among the off enders as Stoke goalkeeper Lee “I’m very relieved because Southampton deserved Tottenham Hotspur manager ham) were better,” said Guardiola. “We were not in the goal-line, got on the end of a corner routine. It Grant, on loan from Derby County, made several to win.” Mauricio Pochettino. (Reuters)

SPOTLIGHT BOTTOMLINE It could have been Klopp admonishes ‘static’ Liverpool 6-0, whines Mourinho AFP what former American tennis player Brad Swansea, United Kingdom Gilbert would term “winning ugly”. “It is always very important that even when it aft er Stoke draw is not a brilliant performance, you are still iverpool manager Jurgen Klopp able to win,” he said. AFP they go at the other end and said he was infuriated by his “I have enough fi ngers to count the Manchester, United Kingdom score the goal and get a point.” team’s fi rst-half performance af- brilliant games in the season. That’s how The Portuguese boss added: ter they came from behind to win it is. Ten is a big number and we’ve al- “You can sometimes have draws L2-1 at Swansea City. The German lost ready had a few. That’s why the reaction anchester United where what you do does noth- both England midfi elder Adam Lallana in the second half was so important. I manager Jose Mour- ing to change the result. “The and Serbia defender Dejan Lovren to in- didn’t think this would be a game where inho said his side players and I did everything. I jury during Saturday’s game, ruling both we would be that bad because there was could have scored six made changes, everyone was players out of international duty. no sign in training that we should be this Mgoals after their “best perform- giving more and more but today But it was his side’s sloppiness that bad. That shows we are still learning.” ance all season” saw them held we could be here all day without concerned him most of all, despite a win Klopp said Lallana and Lovren would to a 1-1 draw by Premier League winning the game. that saw Liverpool close to within two miss their respective countries’ forth- strugglers Stoke City at Old “We will play worse and win points of Premier League pace-setters coming World Cup qualifi ers with groin Traff ord yesterday. games...We had 90 minutes of Manchester City. “I was very angry,” injuries. “At this moment they have no It looked as if substitute An- control, we had 90 minutes of Klopp told reporters at his post-match chance for their national teams,” he said. thony Martial’s 69th-minute ambition. We played really well press conference. “Hopefully I have 15 or 16 days to get goal would give United all three and it was a good home per- “I am 49 years old and I have lost a lot them back on the pitch again for the next points against a Stoke side who formance and we created lots of of games and unfortunately will lose a lot game. It was wet here, but there was no started the day bottom of the chances.” more, but today made no sense. It was not sign that things like this might happen table. But a mistake by United The United manager also con- a day when we should have lost because during the middle of the week. It is not goalkeeper David de Gea led to fi rmed that there were no injury we could have done so much better in the too nice.” Joe Allen’s equaliser eight min- problems going into the interna- fi rst half. We were all angry at half-time, Swansea manager Francesco Guidolin utes from time, the point gained tional break, meaning Phil Jones but at ourselves, so I told them we had refused to be drawn on media speculation seeing Stoke leapfrog Sunder- remains the only player on the to show we are better and show why we that he is set to be replaced by either Ryan land. sidelines. were here. It looked like we were here to Giggs or former United States coach Bob United wasted numerous Meanwhile a delighted Grant be in a football game, but I wanted them Bradley. “I am not worried about my fu- chances, with world-record said: “It’s a great day for me per- to show we are here because we want to ture, but I am worried about our position signing Paul Pogba and Zla- sonally. More important is the win a football game.” in the table,” said the Italian, whose side tan Ibrahimovic among the of- point. It’s a much needed one.” Liverpool were left facing a shock de- are one place above the relegation zone. fenders as Stoke goalkeeper Lee Stoke manager Mark Hughes feat when Leroy Fer capitalised on weak “That is all that concerns me. I am Grant, on loan from Derby, made added: “I’m really pleased with defending to put struggling Swansea very disappointed for the team. We have several fi ne saves. “This is the the performance. We had a game ahead in the eighth minute. But Roberto played against very strong teams in this best performance all season and plan and we executed it to the Firmino equalised in the 54th minute be- Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp was unhappy despite win over Swansea. (Reuters) period, but I am confi dent because I saw could have been one of these fat letter. Joe Allen was absolutely fore winning the penalty that James Mil- my team play for 95 minutes with charac- results in the Premier League, immense for us.” ner converted to secure all three points at Swansea did well, but we were really too fi cult. We were never compact enough for ter and also with quality in the fi rst half. If it could have been 5-0 or 6-0,” Turning to Grant’s display, the Liberty Stadium. static. There was no movement. We knew counter-pressing situations. After the we play this way, I think we can turn our Mourinho told said. former United striker Hughes “It was a bad start,” Klopp said. “We what they were going to do in training, goal it didn’t immediately become better, situation around soon. My team is a good “We had big chances, with said: “He’s a good keeper, a great were not ready for this game and it is my which would be similar to what they did but it did eventually.” team. I am sure we have the qualities to amazing saves and big misses. character and we are pleased he responsibility to make sure we are ready. against (Manchester) City, but it was dif- Klopp went on to extol the virtues of have a good future.” We chased the second goal and is with us.” Gulf Times 4 Monday, October 3, 2016 FOOTBALL

SERIE A Higuain scores brace as Juve go four clear of Napoli Juventus position at the top of the table was strengthened as Napoli suff er their first loss of the campaign to Atalanta

AFP Milan BACCA SPARKS STUNNING MILAN FIGHBACK OVER SASSUOLO In a late match, a second-half penalty from Car- onzalo Higuain hit a brace as Juventus los Bacca sparked a stunning fi ghtback as AC capitalised on Napoli’s shock defeat at Milan dominated a thrilling seven-goal thriller Atalanta to go four points clear in Serie 4-3 at home to Sassuolo. Vincenzo Montella’s A with a 3-0 win away at Empoli yes- hosts looked to be on their way to a resounding Gterday. home defeat after a goal apiece from Francesco Massimiliano Allegri’s men travelled to the Acerbi and Lorenzo Pellegrini immediately after Carlo Castellani stadium, where the hosts’ best the restart gave Sassuolo a 3-1 lead by the 56th result against the Bianconeri was a scoreless minute. But Colombia striker Bacca revived draw in 2008, confi dent of ensuring that they Rossoneri hopes when he stepped up to beat An- would remain on top of the table going into the drea Consigli from the penalty spot after Luca international break. Antei was ruled to have hauled down M’Baye Yet the Turin giants missed a host of fi rst-half Niang in the 69th minute. chances before Argentine striker Paulo Dybala The San Siro had been quickly silenced early fi nally broke the deadlock on 65 minutes with in the opening half when Matteo Politano lev- a close-range strike. It opened the fl oodgates, elled for the visitors just a minute after Giacomo Higuain pouncing on Mario Lemina’s precision Bonaventura’s ninth-minute opener. pass only two minutes later to beat Lukasz Sko- But the stadium erupted only four minutes rupski from the edge of the area. after Bacca’s strike, thanks to an 18-year-old Three minutes after that, the Argentine midfi elder whose maiden Serie A goal will be cheekily dispossessed Marco Zambelli yards remembered for years to come. Manuel Locatelli from the Empoli goal to round the Polish ‘keeper came off the bench to replace Milan captain Ric- for his second of the day. Higuain moves on to cardo Montolivo on the hour and barely 15 min- seven goals in all competitions this season, six utes later he almost burst the Sassuolo net with in Serie A, in which he is level with compatriot a stunning half-volley from the edge of the area Mauro Icardi of Inter Milan. following a poor clearance. “The lads did great on what is a diffi cult Locatelli’s exuberant celebrations illustrated ground to play at,” Allegri said. “They had a few his disbelief and he was quickly mobbed by his counter-attacks because we didn’t fi nish the job Rossoneri teammates, but Milan weren’t fi n- off on several occasions, but it was a diff erent ished. Minutes later, Gabriel Paletta rose above story in the second half. Once we scored, every- the Sassuolo defence to meet M’Baye Niang’s thing became much easier.” superb cross from the left side of the area to beat Juventus are aiming for a record sixth con- Consigli with a powerful angled header that re- secutive Serie A title this season and their posi- stored Milan’s lead 13 minutes from the fi nish. tion at the top of the table was strengthened as Milan suff ered a nervous finale, teenage goal- Napoli suff ered their fi rst reverse of the cam- keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma producing a fi ne, paign in Bergamo. Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri, one-handed save to stop Politano claiming a late speaking immediately after a 4-2 win over Ben- share of the points. But Montella’s men held on fi ca in the Champions League on Wednesday, for a fourth win in seven games that moved them had warned of the potential dangers of their trip up to provisional fi fth, fi ve points behind Juven- to Atalanta. tus, ahead of Inter Milan’s late night away fi x- Napoli enjoyed a bright start, Lorenzo In- ture at Roma. signe’s free-kick whizzing past Etrit Berisha’s RESULTS upright. But the visitors were stunned by And- Empoli 0 Juventus 3 (Dybala 65, Higuain 67, 70) rea Petagna’s ninth-minute opener, and failed Atalanta 1 (Petagna 9) Napoli 0 to recover. Papu Gomez’s cross inched over the Bologna 0 Genoa 1 (Simeone 77) head of Kalidou Koulibaly inside the area, but Juventus’ Gonzalo Higuain (right) vies for the ball with Empoli’s Andres Tello during the Italian Serie A match yesterday. (AFP) Cagliari 2 (Di Gennaro 38, Padoin 56) Crotone 1 after ricocheting off the face of Faouzi Ghoulam (Stoian 90+1) the ball fell kindly for Petagna to drive past Pepe when Berisha got down smartly to palm off the last-ditch attempt to grab a share of the spoils. after their fi xture against Fiorentina was aban- Sampdoria 1 (Fernandes 90+5) Palermo 1 Reina at the ‘keeper’s near post. line. Marek Hamsik, who opened the scoring Gabbiadini, however, saw one late eff ort cleared doned last month due to heavy rain. (Nestorovski 60) It gave Atalanta wings, and Napoli were lucky against Benfi ca in midweek with his 101st goal off the line and, after Reina saved from Alberto Sampdoria looked to be heading for their fi fth AC Milan 4 (Bonaventura 9, Bacca 69-pen, Locatelli not to concede more before the break. Reina for the club, came close with a daisy-cutter Grassi on the resulting counter-attack, Kouli- defeat in seven games when Ilija Nestorovski 73, Paletta 77) Sassuolo 3 (Politano 10, Acerbi 54, clumsily punched a Gomez strike into the air from Milik’s assist. baly nodded over late on. gave Palermo the lead on the hour in Genoa. But Pellegrini 56) and from the resulting corner, Boukary Drame Reina then had to get down smart to smother Elsewhere, Giovanni Simeone’s 77th-minute the visitors saw Alessandro Gazzi sent off for a Torino 2 (Falque 15, Benassi 60) Fiorentina 1 (Ba- saw his drive come back off the crossbar. after Roberto Gagliardini robbed Nikola Mak- strike was enough to secure the points for Genoa second bookable off ence two minutes into add- bacar 84) Petagna headed off -target from another simovic at the byeline to fi re a shot through the in a 1-0 win at Bologna that moved the visitors ed-on time, and Bruno Fernandes’ 95th-minute Played Saturday Gomez cross down the left, while Arkadiusz Mi- ‘keeper’s legs. Sarri replaced holding midfi elder up to provisional fi fth place. Genoa are seven strike sent the Luigi Ferraris stadium into rap- Pescara 0 Chievo 2 (Meggiorini 76, Inglese 85) lik spurned the chance to level before half-time Jorginho with striker Manolo Gabbiadini in a points behind Juventus but have a game in hand tures. Udinese 0 Lazio 3 (Immobile 28, 61, Keita 54)

Bremen give caretaker coach BUNDESLIGA Nouri contract until May Embolo stars as Schalke fl oor Gladbach

Berlin: Werder Bremen have given caretaker for the job description, experience plays an impor- AFP coach Alexander Nouri a full-time contract until tant role,” added Baumann. “We knew Alexander Berlin the end of the season with the 37-year-old charged Nouri and his team would do a very good job, but with keeping them in Germany’s top flight. we can’t give any guarantees.” Having been in charge of the club’s under-23 Nouri has certainly produced decent results chalke 04 ended a run of fi ve consec- side, Nouri was appointed head coach of the sen- from his three games in charge. Bremen were win- utive defeats to move off the bottom ior team a fortnight ago when Viktor Skripnik was ning until two goals in the final five minutes con- of the Bundesliga yesterday with a sacked with Bremen bottom of the table after four signed them to a 2-1 defeat at Mainz in his opening 4-0 thrashing of Champions League sideS Borussia Moenchengladbach as new- straight defeats. game, three days after Skripnik was sacked. But Nouri has been rewarded after picking up a Werder then beat Wolfsburg 2-1 last weekend signing Breel Embolo scored twice. win and a draw from his three games in charge to before drawing 2-2 at Darmstadt on Saturday. “It Embolo, who cost 22mn euros from Ba- steer the club up to 15th — just above the relega- is a big challenge, but we will succeed together,” sel in June, scored his fi rst goals for Schalke tion places. “He has shown in recent weeks that he Nouri said. “It’s been great fun so far and I am look- following a goalless fi rst-half. Schalke fl ew can connect with the team and done an excel- ing forward to the task.” out of the traps after the break at Gelsen- lent job,” said Bremen’s director of sport Frank Bremen’s Senegal defender Lamine Sane and kirchen’s Veltins Arena with three goals in Baumann. “We have come to the decision that he Germany Under-21 winger Serge Gnabry, with six second-half minutes. should get the opportunity to continue the work his second since joining from Arsenal, netted the Cameroon striker Eric Choupo-Moting he started.” goals in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Darmstadt, for converted a penalty with 52 minutes gone. But Nouri is far from assured of remaining in whom Antonio-Mirko Colak scored twice. “We’re The hosts doubled their lead four minutes charge beyond next summer. “We have never performing better as a unit. We have benefited a later when Embolo hit the bottom right cor- made a secret of the fact that in our requirements lot from the new coach,” said Gnabry. ner after Sead Kolasinac’s fi nal pass found him sprinting into the area. It was then 3-0 on 58 minutes when Choupo-Moting’s shot was blocked, but FOCUS midfi elder Leon Goretzka fi red home the rebound. Swiss international Embolo then saved his best for last by breaking through Andreas Christensen’s tackle on the wing. Although the Denmark defender then United States to make rare hauled him down in the area, Embolo got Schalke’s Breel Embolo (right) is overjoyed after scoring a goal as he celebrates with Eric to his feet, rather than waiting for the pen- Maxim Choupo-Moting during the match against Borussia Moenchengladbach. (Reuters) alty, to tap into an empty net with Gladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer out of position on his four chances came in the 67th minute burg, who reached the quarter-fi nals of the visit to Cuba for friendly 83 minutes. when the ball fl ew agonisingly past his out- Champions League last season, 13th in the The result lifted Schalke up to 16th, leav- stretched boot with the goal at his mercy, table while Mainz are 11th. AFP David Bingham, Ethan Horvath and William Yar- ing Hamburg bottom following Saturday’s after Julian Draxler’s cross was palmed away Chaska, United States brough were named on Sunday instead of veteran 2-0 defeat at Hertha Berlin which was their by Mainz goalkeeper Jonas Loessl. RESULTS stalwarts Brad Guzan and Tim Howard. The squad fi fth league loss in a row. Gladbach, who lost Wolfsburg have just one win in six league VfL Wolfsburg 0 Mainz 0 began a training camp in Miami yesterday. 2-1 at home to Barcelona on Wednesday in games this season. Home fans started Schalke 4 (Choupo-Moting 52-pen, Embolo 56, he United States will take on Cuba in a Bingham, Yarbrough and Horvath have a com- the Champions League, drop to ninth. chanting: “We want to see you fi ght” around 83, Goretzka 58) Borussia Moenchengladbach friendly on Friday in just the third ever bined three caps between them and the latter is Earlier, Mario Gomez’s goal-drought 20 minutes before the fi nal whistle. Every 0 meeting between the two nations on Cu- still seeking his fi rst appearance with the national continued in Wolfsburg’s goalless draw with passing minute without a goal just makes Played Saturday ban soil. Three untested goalkeepers were team. “I think the goalkeeper position is unique,” Mainz. The 31-year-old, who has netted me more stressed,” Gomez admitted before Bayern Munich 1 (Kimmich 40) Cologne 1 Tamong the 23 players announced by US coach Ju- said Klinsmann. “Obviously we have the two ex- 29 goals in 68 internationals for Germany, the game. (Modeste 63) rgen Klinsmann yesterday ahead of the Havana perienced guys with Tim Howard and Brad Guzan. joined Wolfsburg from Fiorentina in August He has now failed to score in fi ve matches. Hertha Berlin 2 (Ibisevic 29, 70-pen) Hamburg 0 friendly. The teams have played each other 11 times “Both are in diff erent situations right now — Tim for seven million euros ($7.8mn), saying he “At some point, the ball will have to go in,” Ingolstadt 1 (Hinterseer 90+5) Hoff enheim 2 with the US having won nine and lost just once — a is obviously very busy with the Colorado Rapids wanted to help his new club return to the he added. “But it makes me more stressed (Wagner 11, Demirbay 35) 5-2 friendly defeat on July 20, 1947 in Havana. The and Brad is not getting the opportunity to play at Champions League. and more hectic in front of goal, I can feel Darmstadt 2 (Colak 19, 73) Werder Bremen 2 most recent meeting in Cuba was a 1-0 US win on Middlesbrough. It’s a perfect time to give an open But Gomez has so far failed to score in it. I am confi dent that it is only a matter of (Sane 51, Gnabry 67) September 6, 2008 during qualifying for the 2010 window to three younger goalkeepers.” 450 minutes of Bundesliga action and en- time, but I’m sorry for the team: goals from Freiburg 1 (Grifo 4) Eintracht Frankfurt 0 FIFA World Cup. Four days after the Cuba match, the Americans dured another frustrating afternoon at me would make things easier.” Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Mehmedi 10, Hernandez Klinsmann decided to go for youth in goal as will host New Zealand in Washington, DC. Wolfsburg’s Volkswagen Arena. The best of The draw with Mainz leaves Wolfs- 79) Borussia Dortmund 0 Gulf Times Monday, October 3, 2016 5 FOOTBALL

LA LIGA LIGUE 1 Balotelli beauty Eibar stretch Real’s leaves Nice top

AFP couple of occasions in the fi rst Paris half and Arnold Mvuemba had a free-kick defl ected just wide two minutes into the second half. The winless run, Atletico superb Mario Balo- equaliser duly arrived shortly telli strike four minutes after the hour mark when Cam- from time gave Nice a eroon international Moukandjo 2-1 win over Lorient fi nished nicely from a Mohamed yesterdayA that left them top of Mara pass. the Ligue 1 table going into the Malang Sarr then defl ected international break. a Mara shot onto his own bar as top with easy victory Ricardo Pereira put Nice in Nice found themselves hanging front on the Cote d’Azur but on, but then a moment of magic Benjamin Moukandjo equalised from their Italian striker decided in the second half and it looked as the game in the home side’s fa- ‘The game is 90 minutes long and lately we have started matches very badly’ if Lucien Favre’s side would have vour. Wylan Cyprien fl icked the to settle for a draw until Balotelli ball into the path of Balotelli in- bent in a brilliant late winner. side the area, and he took a touch Beaten 5-2 in Russia by Kras- before curling a powerful shot nodar in the Europa League on into the top-right corner of the Thursday, this result got Nice net for his sixth goal in a Nice back on track and maintained shirt in just fi ve appearances. their impressive unbeaten record Nice are next in action at domestically so far. After eight home to Lyon on Friday, Octo- games, they sit a point clear of ber 14. Earlier yesterday, Pier- local rivals Monaco, who beat rick Capelle’s stoppage-time Metz 7-0 away on Saturday to equaliser gave Angers a 1-1 draw record their biggest ever away at home to struggling Marseille, win in France’s top fl ight. who had taken the lead via Flo- Defending champions Paris rian Thauvin’s defl ected eff ort. Saint-Germain are third, four Lyon were hosting bitter rivals points adrift of the leaders, fol- Saint-Etienne in last night’s late lowing a 2-0 defeat of Bordeaux game. on Saturday in which Edin- son Cavani scored twice to take RESULTS his tally for the season to eight Angers 1 (Capelle 90+3) Marseille 1 league goals. (Thauvin 64) At the Allianz Riviera, Nice Nice 2 (Pereira 11, Balotelli 86) Lori- went in front with just 11 min- ent 1 (Moukandjo 61) utes on the clock as Portuguese Played Saturday full-back Pereira cut in from the Paris Saint-Germain 2 (Cavani 3, 30) right and sent in a shot that sur- Bordeaux 0 prised Benjamin Lecomte in the Nantes 1 (Stepinski 18) Bastia 0 Lorient goal. But the Brittany Metz 0 Monaco 7 (Lemar 7, Ger- side had beaten Lyon in their last main 23, Silva 39, Fabinho 68-pen, outing and they caused problems Carrillo 72, 83, Boschilia 89) for a Nice side showing only two Lille 1 (Eder 75-pen) Nancy 0 changes from the starting line- Dijon 3 (Diony 39, Vanden Borre 81- up that took to the fi eld in Russia og, Riviere 90) Montpellier 3 (Ninga barely 72 hours previously. 18, 25, 58) Jimmy Cabot came close on a Caen 1 (Santini 64-pen) Toulouse 0

Eibar’s midfielder Fran Rico celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Real Madrid during the Spanish league match at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. (AFP)

AFP post was headed home by Gareth Bale for Alves’s heroics couldn’t deny Atletico by Alves once more, Gameiro teed up Madrid his 50th La Liga goal. as he extended his exceptional pen- Griezmann for his sixth La Liga goal of the However, Real were met with a cacoph- alty record with stops from Griezmann season from the rebound. ony of whistles at full-time as they failed and Gabi either side of the Frenchman’s Gameiro should have sealed the three eal Madrid surrendered top spot to convert their pressure into a winner opener just after the hour mark. points fi ve minutes later when he fi red in La Liga as they failed to win after the break. It is the fi rst time Madrid However, Gameiro fi nally sealed a de- straight at Alves when one-on-one, but for a fourth consecutive game have drawn four successive games since served three points for Atletico in stop- again Atletico made the most of the sec- in a 1-1 draw at home to Basque Zidane was a Real player in 2006. page time. New Valencia coach Cesare ond ball as Mario Suarez chopped down minnowsR Eibar yesterday. “It is not a crisis. It is still October and Prandelli watched on from the stands Griezmann. Atletico captain Gabi took Atletico Madrid now lead their city I am not going to go crazy, but something before offi cially taking charge today, but over penalty duties, but again Alves rivals on goal diff erence at the top of the is wrong,” added Zidane. “The only thing other than Alves taking his record of saved couldn’t be beaten from the spot. table despite missing two penalties as I can see we can do is to work harder and penalties to 22 from 45 faced in Spanish Yet, the hosts were fi nally caught out Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro play with more intensity.” football, there were few positives for the deep into stoppage time when Gameiro netted in a 2-0 win at Valencia. Barcelona The European champions badly missed Italian. “It doesn’t make any diff erence to burst through on goal and this time slot- could go top with victory at Celta Vigo in the presence of Luka Modric, who is set to me. I wanted to win the game, which was ted past Alves, sparking wild celebrations late last night match. be sidelined for a month after undergoing the most important thing,” Alves said. “If from Simeone on the sidelines. The population of Eibar would fi t into knee surgery yesterday morning. Eibar I save penalties and it helps the team I am RESULTS Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium could even have retaken the lead when delighted, but if we lose I don’t care.” Valencia 0 Atletico Madrid 2 (Griezmann 63, three times over, and the travelling fans Leon waltzed past Danilo before his rising Griezmann had hit the bar from the Gameiro 90+2) celebrated their fi rst ever league goal drive was beaten behind by Navas. Real spot against Bayern in midweek, but there Real Madrid 1 (Bale 17) Eibar 1 (Fran Rico 6) against Madrid when Fran Rico headed took almost an hour to get fi rm control of was little more the French international Played Saturday home Pedro Leon’s cross despite Keylor the game and Ronaldo had the chance to could do as his well-struck penalty was Granada 0 Leganes 1 (Szymanowski 76) Navas’s best eff orts after just six minutes. snatch the three points when he blasted brilliantly turned behind. Atletico’s qual- Sevilla 2 (Ben Yedder 74, 90+1) Alaves 1 “The game is 90 minutes long and over from point-blank range. ity off the bench paid dividends when (Laguardia 84) lately we have started matches very bad- A super Bale header also came back off they fi nally made the breakthrough in the Osasuna 2 (Roberto Torres 7-pen, Sergio ly,” said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. the post and substitute Alvaro Morata had second half. Leon 45+1) Las Palmas 2 (Gomez 57, Garcia Normal service appeared to have been re- a goal rightly ruled out for off side as Eibar Substitutes Yannick Carrasco and 90+1) Nice’s forward Mario Balotelli leaves the pitch after receiving a yellow sumed just nine minutes later when Cris- held on for a historic point. Fernando Torres combined and despite Deportivo La Coruna 2 (Borges 35, Babel card for taking off his jersey after scoring during the French Ligue 1 tiano Ronaldo’s lofted cross to the back Earlier, Valencia goalkeeper Diego the latter’s eff ort being brilliantly saved 90+2) Sporting Gijon 1 (Álvarez 66) match against Lorient in Nice, southeastern France. (Reuters)

ROUND-UP ‘Forgiven’ Eto’o back for Antalyaspor aft er racism row

AFP Martinez will join the 23 players already se- FORMER MAN UTD STRIKER Istanbul lected on Friday due to “physical doubts over HERD DIES AGED 82 some of those already called up”, the Spanish Former Manchester United and Scotland striker Samuel Eto’o Football Federation confi rmed. David Herd has died at the age of 82, his old club ormer Cameroon international Samuel The Spain squad will meet in Madrid to- announced yesterday. Eto’o was recalled by Turkish side An- day ahead of their blockbuster clash with Italy Herd played a key role in United’s revival fol- talyaspor yesterday after being dropped in Turin on Thursday with only the winner of lowing the 1958 Munich air disaster and scored for allegedly accusing the club leader- Group G guaranteed a place at the 2018 World twice in their 3-1 win over Leicester in the 1963 shipF of racism on social media. Cup in Russia. Revenge will be on Spanish minds FA Cup fi nal. Club chairman Ali Safak Ozturk said the after Italy dumped the holders out of Euro 2016 He also helped United win the English league former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea star at the last-16 stage in June. Spain then travel to title in 1965 and 1967. Herd, who previously had been forgiven after expressing regret for face Albania on October 9. played for Arsenal, scored 145 goals for United. the remarks. Antalyaspor will need all of the He left United for Stoke a month after they won 35-year-old striker’s skill and experience to SHADES OF GREY HAVE the European Cup against Benfi ca in 1968, a improve their current predicament, which sees WALES SEEING RED IN AUSTRIA success in which he played little part having them parked at the bottom of the Super Lig with Wales boss Chris Coleman is hoping his team’s suff ered a broken leg the year before. just two points from six games. World Cup qualifying hopes aren’t derailed in United and Stoke were involved in a Premier Eto’o was included in the side to face Austria on Thursday by being forced to play in League match on Sunday, with players from Galatasaray in Istanbul last night, coming on their grey shirts rather than patriotic red. both clubs wearing black armbands as a mark as a substitute in the 29th minute. Antalyaspor that “some people do not feel respect for me be- player will behave more carefully and make a Austria have worn a red strip at home for of respect to Herd. “Everybody at Manches- took an early fi rst-half lead and Eto’o had a goal cause I am black.” This was seen by many as a dig contribution to the team.” the last 12 years and are likely to stick with the ter United is saddened to hear of the passing of disallowed. at Antalyaspor chairman Ozturk and Eto’o was However the team’s latest defeat and risk of colour when the sides meet in Vienna, leaving David Herd,” the club posted on manutd.com. But one goal from Galatasaray’s Selcuk Inan dropped from the team and told to train alone. relegation will raise new questions over the fu- Wales to go for grey. Wales lost on the only two “We can confi rm that both United and Stoke and two late strikes from former German in- The chairman said that Eto’o had expressed ture of Eto’o and Portuguese coach Jose Morais, occasions they wore grey at Euro 2016 against will wear black armbands this afternoon to ternational Lukas Podolski gave the hosts a 3-1 regret over the posting and had insisted it was a former assistant to Jose Mourinho at Chelsea. England and Portugal in the semi-fi nals but pay tribute to David Herd, who played for both win. The big-spending club had hoped for far not aimed against the club leadership. “We have they won four times in France in red when facing clubs.” better when they signed Eto’o in June 2015 as taken him back into the team again.” INIGO MARTINEZ ADDED Slovakia, Russia, Northern Ireland and Belgium. Herd’s former United team-mate Paddy Cre- the keystone of their bid to fi nd national and He said that racism was a grave accusation TO SPAIN SQUAD “I can tell you no-one wants to wear our grey rand tweeted: “Sad news about my old team even European success for the southern Medi- and Eto’o needed to be more careful in the fu- Spain boss Julen Lopetegui added Real Sociedad kit, I will be happy if I never see that kit again,” mate David Herd. terranean resort city. ture. “These are very important issues not just defender Inigo Martinez to his squad for World Coleman said. “Red is the kit that we will always Great player made my ordinary passes into After criticism of his own performance, Eto’o for this player but players across the world,” he Cup qualifi ers against Italy and Albania yester- want to play in, we love being in the red. It is him great ones. Tremendous shot and strength.” had written on his Instagram account last month said, quoted by Turkish media.”We think our day. something you look at.” Gulf Times 6 Monday, October 3, 2016 TENNIS

SHENZHEN OPEN CHINA OPEN Radwanska closes in Berdych battles past on WTA Gasquet to retain title Final spot ‘Five weeks ago I was in hospital, now I’m sitting here with the trophy. Things are changing very quickly’

Reuters Shenzhen

AFP omas Berdych captured his Beijing fi rst title of the season when he battled past Richard Gas- quet 7-6(5), 6-7(2), 6-3 to gnieszka Radwanska beat Tclinch the Shenzhen Open for the Chinese wildcard Wang second successive year yesterday. Qiang in straight sets in The victory boosted hopes of a the fi rst round of the China seventh-consecutive ATP World OpenA yesterday, leaving her just two Tour fi nal appearance for Berdych, wins away from clinching a place in who is currently ninth in the race, the elite season fi nale. just outside the eight qualifying The Pole needs to reach the quar- spots for London. ter fi nals in Beijing to guarantee her The two players, tied at 7-7 in sixth consecutive appearance at head-to-head meetings ahead of the the eight-player WTA Final in Sin- fi nal, exchanged breaks early on in gapore. She scooped the year-end the fi rst set, before the big-serving crown last year, having qualifi ed for Czech prevailed 7-5 in a tiebreak. the event just a week before when The 31-year-old, who missed the she bagged her second title of the US Open after suff ering from ap- season in Tianjin. pendicitis, continued to heap pres- “I had the situation last year when sure on Gasquet by securing an I had to win the Tianjin Open to early break in the second set, but qualify for Singapore, and I did it,” the third-seeded Frenchman saved said the current world number four, two match points to level the contest speaking to reporters in Beijing. through another tiebreak. “Of course, it was last-minute Playing in his 30th tour fi nal, qualifying. I will try everything to Berdych raced to a 5-3 lead without qualify a bit before that this year.” facing a break point in the deciding Eighth ranked Carla Suarez Nav- third set, and eventually held his arro crashed out in the fi rst round of nerve to secure the 13th ATP title of the China Open, putting her quali- his career. fi cation for the year-ending tourna- “Five weeks ago I was in hospi- ment in doubt. tal, now I’m sitting here with the But the Spaniard’s defeat to Yaro- trophy. Things are changing very slava Shvedova, currently ranked quickly,” Berdych said. “Luckily for at 41, opens the door to players just me, everything is going well, I’m behind her in the so-called “Race to feeling good, sitting here as a win- Singapore” – Venus Williams, Petra ner. I’m just taking all this as a bo- Kvitova and Svetlana Kuznetsova. nus, that I can play and win some A fi rst-time qualifi cation is also in matches.” sight for both Briton Johanna Konta and American big hitter Madison Khachanov wins maiden title at Keys, who both won their fi rst-round Chengdu Open matches. Russian Karen Khachanov pro- Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic duced a stirring fi ghtback to clinch battled past former world number one his fi rst ATP title with a 6-7(4), Jelena Jankovic to secure her second- 7-6(3), 6-3 win over Spaniard Albert round spot in a nail-biting tie break. Ramos-Vinolas in the fi nal of the Caroline Wozniacki faced a three set inaugural Chengdu Open yesterday. battle against Coco Vandeweghe to The 20-year-old, ranked 101st in reach the second round of the China the world, is expected to soar nearly Open, just a week after the former 50 places in the ATP standings after Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic poses with his trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Richard Gasquet of France at Shenzhen Open ATP tournament world number one won her fi rst title humbling fi fth seed Ramos-Vinolas. in Shenzhen yesterday. (AFP) since February 2015 in Tokyo. Playing in his third ATP fi nal, The Dane was sidelined by in- Ramos-Vinolas converted his only jury for much of this year but made break point in the opening set and Murray takes aim at number one ranking in Beijing a strong late-season comeback, looked poised to surge through the reaching the US Open semi-fi nals set but Khachanov forced a tiebreak Andy Murray is hoping to cap his strong season some of the guys that have been there before.” in September and the round of 16 in before surrendering it 7-4. with a late-season run at Novak Djokovic’s long- Murray bagged his second Wimbledon crown and Wuhan to signal her return to form. However, Khachanov levelled the held number one ranking as he arrived in Beijing Olympic gold medal this season. match against the Spaniard when he yesterday. He also reached the final of the Australian and RESULTS bagged a tightly-contested second Six-time China Open winner Djokovic is not in the French Opens, but missed out on a second consecu- 1st round set 7-3 in the tiebreak. Chinese capital to defend his almost flawless tourna- tive Davis Cup win, losing to Argentina. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x3) bt Khachanov, who had beaten three ment record, after an elbow injury picked up earlier “It’s been my best season to date, and I want to try to Wang Qiang (CHN) 6-2, 6-2 seeded players en route to his fi rst in the season forced him to withdraw. finish it as best as I can,” Murray said in Beijing. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) bt Coco ATP fi nal, relied on his strong serv- But there are plenty of late-season points on the The Serbian has maintained an iron-fisted grip on Vandeweghe (USA) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 ice game, including 14 aces in the table — all of which the Serbian is defending after a the world number one since July 2014 but made Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Jelena match, to complete a memorable stellar 2015 — opening the door for the Scot to sum- surprise early exits at Wimbledon and the Olympics, Jankovic (SRB) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7/4) win. “I can’t believe I won my fi rst mit the rankings by the year end. withdrawing with injury from the Cincinnati Open in Roberta Vinci (ITA x13) bt Zheng title,” said Khachanov. If Murray — who skipped Beijing last year — can August. Saisai (CHN) 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 “At this level, all the players are scoop his fifth title of the season at the China Open, There were concerns that injury could cloud his US Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) bt Carla really tough. I was playing against a he would close the 4,695 point gap between him and Open campaign, but the 12-time Grand Slam cham- Suarez Navarro (ESP x7) 6-1, 6-3 guy much higher-ranked than me, the number one by 1,000 points. pion made his seventh final at Flushing Meadows Timea Babos (HUN) bt Danka Ko- so I just had to focus on every goal “I think obviously trying to reach number one is a where he lost to Stan Wawrinka. vinic (MNE) 6-1, 6-2 and keep going. You cannot lose fo- goal,” Murray told reporters in Beijing. Murray will play 94th-ranked Italian Andreas Seppi in Johanna Konta (GBR x11) bt Anas- cus and be relaxed. I was just push- “It’s something I would like to do for the first time, the first round of the China Open. The Scot has come tasija Sevastova (LAT) 6-1, 6-1 ing myself to the limit and I got the which is maybe more of a motivation for me than out tops in their last seven meets. Madison Keys (USA x8) bt Duan second set and then the third.” Ying-Ying (CHN) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1.

COMMENT Nadal slams possible match format change

AFP shorter matches that are more tionally charged matches in re- Beijing predictable in length, making cent history. them easier for broadcasters to His storied rivalry with Roger accommodate. Federer played out in a nearly afael Nadal slammed “If you want to change the fi ve-hour championship match changes being mulled values of the sport, maybe yes,” at Wimbledon in 2008, which by tennis govern- the 30-year-old Spaniard said. fi nally saw Nadal win his fi rst ing bodies to shorten “Tennis has values that we crown at the All England Club. matchesR and make them more need to follow, in my opinion.” Novak Djokovic fell to Nadal TV-friendly, saying yesterday Simon said the shift was nec- at the US Open fi nal in 2013 in that the move goes against the essary to accommodate the a four-set epic often billed as a sport’s “values”. shortening attention span of tennis masterclass. “The kind of matches that stay audiences — another point the This week’s China Open could on (in) the memory and on the former world number one took be the stage for a repeat of the history of our sport are a little umbrage with. fi ve-set thriller between Nadal bit long matches and dramatic “All the sports needs to im- and Lucas Pouille, currently matches that become emotion- prove and adapt to the new ranked at 16, at Flushing Mead- al,” Nadal told reporters in Bei- things. But I am not sure if that’s ows last month. jing. Women’s tennis boss Steve the way — to make the matches The pair are on course to meet Simon told AFP last week the quicker,” Nadal said. in the quarter fi nals, potentially WTA was considering introduc- “You need to put everything allowing Nadal to exact revenge ing super tie-breakers and no-ad together to create a great show, over the Frenchman, who won scoring for singles matches. to create a show (so) that the the deciding tie-break, ousting The potential changes mirror people emotionally feel involved the two-time US Open cham- the still-controversial rule shift in the match.” pion in the round of 16. Nadal made to non-Grand Slam dou- “But I am just a player,” added meets 35th-ranked Italian Paolo bles — on the men’s and wom- the 14-time Grand Slam cham- Lorenzi in the fi rst round, while en’s circuits — a decade ago. pion. The Spaniard has been part Pouille faces wildcard Lu Yen- The new format would create of some of tennis’s most emo- Hsun of Taiwan. Rafael Nadal of Spain listens to reporters’ questions in Beijing yesterday. (Reuters) Gulf Times Monday, October 3, 2016 7 SPORT

MLB SPOTLIGHT Lakers’ Ingram in no rush to Mets clinch wild add pounds

By Tania Ganguli to stop the little calorie thing Los Angeles Times I had going on,” said Ingram, who said after the draft that he was eating 5,000 calories a day bout 60 pounds sepa- to gain weight. “Just knowing card spot with 5-3 rate Brandon In- that it’s going to be a process. gram and Julius Ran- Not trying to add weight too dle, so a one-on-one fast and knowing that it’s go- battleA during practice this week ing to come over the years as naturally favoured Randle. my body matures.” Randle won the training Right now Ingram is focus- camp battle at UC Santa Bar- ing on simply maintaining bara, but the drill gave Ingram weight, rather than gaining win over Phillies confi dence. it. He’ll postpone weight gain “I grew up playing bigger until the off season. guys all my life so it’s nothing And while he won’t be a ‘I’m very proud of what these guys have accomplished and with all the stuff we’ve had to endure’ diff erent,” Ingram said. “See- starter for the Lakers right ing bigger guys doesn’t scare away, that shouldn’t be taken me at all, it just makes me want as an indictment of his size. Marc Carig to battle. Compete against “I’m not nearly as con- Newsday those guys, bigger or smaller cerned with his weight,” Lak- guys, it doesn’t matter. ... ers coach Luke Walton said. “I think I held my own. “I’m more focused on how he’s very step took something He’s a big guy, but I just try developing, how he’s growing out of the Mets. Every to use some of his weaknesses into the NBA game. He’s a lot day brought a new in- against him.” stronger than he appears.” jury, a new hurdle, a new When the Lakers drafted setE of parameters to overcome. Ingram second overall, his Focused practices But for six weeks, the Mets weight became a point of Walton has injected a com- stood in defi ance of fear and fate. concern from some. Ques- petitive element into every They trained their focus on ex- tions arose about whether his practice, with drills, games or tricating themselves from the 6-feet-9, 190-pound frame scrimmages. fringes of the race. Because of it, could handle the NBA. On Saturday the Lakers a franchise so often pockmarked While Ingram did gain fi nished practice with a half- by promise unfulfi lled could re- weight this summer, that court scrimmage. joice in an improbable return to won’t be a focus during his “We did a competition out the postseason. rookie year. Ingram and the of it where we gave each team It became offi cial in a 5-3 vic- Lakers are content to let his fi ve straight possessions,” tory over the Phillies on Satur- body develop at its own pace, Walton said. “Not only do we day, when the Mets clinched one and patience that might save want them going hard. But to the National League’s two wild his body from injuries. me it’s real important that you cards. On Friday, Philadelphia see what’s happening and you Michael Conforto entered into 76ers rookie Ben Simmons kind of adjust during a game. a slide in leftfi eld to track down suff ered a fracture in his right If you have fi ve straight op- Aaron Altherr’s broken bat bloop. foot. The injury came just days portunities, you start to see Jeurys Familia raised his right after the No. 1 overall pick told how a team’s playing you, then hand, trusting it toward the sky. reporters he had gained 33 you start talking amongst each Catcher Travis d’Arnaud clutched pounds since leaving LSU. other on the court. I think we him. And in an instant, they found Tim Grover, a longtime accomplished that today. Guys themselves awash in a sea of blue, trainer who has worked with were really going after each their teammates mobbing them in Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan other. I think we learned that front of the mound. and other stars, speculated on there’s so many layers to each For just the second time in Twitter about a correlation play. I think we learned a lot of franchise history, the Mets have between the injury and Sim- those layers today.” backed up an appearance in the mons’ weight gain. Walton keeps a whiteboard postseason with another, even “Ben Simmons puts on 33 on the practice court where though attrition has left this lbs, now a broken foot,” he said he tracks which players win team as only a shadow of the in a tweet. “Related? For sure. various drills. “Competition crew that won the pennant a Athletes can’t add that much level has been phenomenal,” season ago. weight that quickly w/out im- he said. “It’s always a fi ne line. They will host either the Gi- pacting movement.” You don’t want it to get too ants or the Cardinals, the two ri- The Lakers trainers talk aggressive out there. They’re vals they ultimately outlasted in with Ingram about the injury doing a great job of respecting a dogfi ght that frayed their roster risk that comes with gaining each other, but pushing each and tested their resolve. weight too fast. other. And fi ghting, trying to “I’m very proud of what these “It’s the one reason I tried get wins.” guys have accomplished and with all the stuff we’ve had to endure,” manager Terry Collins said, be- fore the Mets made it offi cial. Little went according to plan for the Mets. By season’s end, Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz had been lost to New York Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson (centre) celebrates with left fielder Michael Confort, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, third baseman season-ending surgery, leaving Jose Reyes and first baseman Eric Campbell after clinching a wild-card playoff berth after a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens three-fi fths of the starting rota- Bank Park. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports tion in tatters. At one point, half of the Mets’ Wright went down, knocked in a have kept him on the disabled 51st save. With that, warts and Cincinnati 7 Chicago Cubs 4 opening day lineup had landed run. Rookie TJ Rivera, undrafted list, tacked on an insurance run bumps and bruises and all, the Cleveland 6 Kansas City 3 on the disabled list, and their and overlooked, added another. with a fl are to right. Mets began their wild celebra- Atlanta 5 Detroit 3 hopes for October had fl ickered. James Loney bashed a two- Colon, expected by now to be tion. Minnesota 6 White Sox 0 Yet, they clinched on the backs run homer to put the Mets ahead in the bullpen, picked up the vic- Toronto 4 Boston 3 of players who wouldn’t have for good, extending his arms tory. And if the Mets advance to RESULTS Tampa Bay 4 Texas 1 been uniform had anything gone skyward and then dropping his the NLDS, the 43-year-old will St. Louis 4 Pittsburgh 3 Milwaukee 4 Colorado 3 according to plan. At the end, it bat like a microphone as the ball front a rotation now occupied NY Mets 5 Philadelphia 3 (10 innings) seemed fi tting. cleared the right fi eld fence. by rookies Robert Gsellman and San Francisco 3 LA Dodgers 0 Arizona 9 San Diego 5 Jose Reyes, given a second Later, Asdrubal Cabrera, with Seth Lugo. Familia slammed Washington 2 Miami 1 Houston 3 LA Angels 0 chance only because David a banged-up knee that should the door in the ninth with his NY Yankees 7 Baltimore 3 Oakland 9 Seattle 8 (10 innings)

NBA Preseason opens with Raptors’ anthem protest

Reuters two years. The protests have provoked an- New York ger among some fans, who see them as a sign of disrespect for the US fl ag and the military. embers of the Toronto Raptors Raptors player DeMar DeRozan, who locked arms in solidarity dur- helped the United States to a gold medal ing the playing of the Cana- at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, dian and US national anthems said this week that a close friend had been Mon Saturday, as protests to draw attention murdered when he was shot 17 times by to racial inequality spread to the National police and that the team was considering a Basketball Association and into Canada. protest. Raptors coach Dwane Casey said The Raptors lined up on the court with he had told his players that if they protest- their arms locked together, as the NBA pre- ed to “do it from the heart, don’t do it just season opened in Vancouver with Toronto for the sake of doing something or saying hosting the Golden State Warriors. something.” The gesture added to protests that began The protests during “The Star-Spangled during the National Football League pre- Banner” have spread since Kaepernick season when San Francisco 49ers quarter- sparked the controversial movement. back Colin Kaepernick stayed seated dur- LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, ing the national anthem. the NBA fi nals’ reigning most valuable Toronto beat Golden State 97-93. In the player, said on Monday that he supported other NBA preseason game, the New Or- athletes who have chosen to protest but leans Pelicans topped the visiting Dallas had no plans to follow in their footsteps. Mavericks 116-102. The Cavaliers open their preseason on The protest by the Raptors, the NBA’s Wednesday when they host Orlando. only Canada-based franchise, was the fi rst Players from several NFL and college at a sporting event where both the Ameri- football teams have protested during the can and Canadian anthems are played be- anthem, either by kneeling or raising their fore the start of a game. fi sts. US women’s soccer star Megan Rapi- Protesting players have been seen as al- noe has also knelt during games. lies of the Black Lives Matter movement, The fi st-raising protests recall the fa- which grew in response to high-profi le mous gesture by US athletes Tommie Smith police killings of unarmed African-Amer- and John Carlos during a medal ceremony icans across the United States in the last at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Toronto Raptors guard Cory Joseph (No 6) shoots against Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at Rogers Arena. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports Gulf Times 8 Monday, October 3, 2016 SPORT

CYCLING BADMINTON China’s Qiao Bin wins Korea Open Qatar is welcoming AFP last week’s Yonex Open Japan Seoul — 16-21, 22-20, 21-18 in a nail- biting 85-minute thriller. “It was a diffi cult match... ising Chinese star but I am glad that I was able to Qiao Bin won the fi nish my international career fi nal round of the with such a good game,” Lee men’s singles at the said after the match. to riders: Merckx BadmintonR World Federation Lee, with 43 titles under his Korea Open yesterday after belt, is the second most suc- crushing South Korean veteran cessful Superseries badminton ‘...with long straight roads through the desert this can make for a very tough race’ Son Wan-Ho. player after Malaysian legend The 23-year-old unseed- Lee Chong Wei. ed player, currently world The 28-year-old multiple By Sports Reporter number 41 in men’s singles, Olympic medallist, includ- Doha defeated the sixth seed, world ing gold in mixed doubles at number eight Son 21-11, 21-23, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 21-7. has been a poster boy of South ith only one week “I’m so thrilled. I have no Korean badminton and been remains before the words to express my feelings,” widely popular in Asia. UCI Road World Qiao said. In the women’s tournament, Championships “I have learned my game by Japanese seventh seed Akane WDoha 2016 kick off in Qatar’s watching many of my seniors. Yamaguchi defeated South capital city, event Ambassador First of all, I should mention Korea’s Sung Ji-Hyun 20-22, and cycling legend Eddy Merckx Lin Dan and Chen Long as my 21-15, 21-18. says it will be showcase for cy- models,” he said, referring to South Korea dominated cling in Qatar. two top Chinese players. the doubles games, with Jung The UCI Road World Cham- Sunday’s game also saw Kyung-Eun and Shin Seung- pionships Doha 2016 are the fi rst South Korean superstar Lee Chan beating China’s Luo time the pinnacle event of the Yong-Dae retire from interna- Ying and Luo Yu 21-13, 21-11 in cycling calendar will be held in tional matches after winning women’s doubles. the Middle East. Merckx came the men’s doubles with Yoo In mixed doubles, another to Qatar for the fi rst time fi fteen Yeon-Seong. South Korean pair Ko Sung- years ago and has been delighted The duo staged an upset Hyun and Kim Ha-Na defeat- to see the Tour of Qatar earning against China’s Li Junhui and ed China’s Zheng Siwei and its place on the international cy- Liu Yuchen — champions at Chen Qingchen 21-14, 21-19. cling calendar since. “Qatar was the fi rst country in the Middle East to organise a professional cycling race. The country developed rapidly over the past decade. Each year I got back and each year there were new roads, new buildings.” “The country is always wel- coming to the professional rid- ers and the people take good care of everything. The Tour of Qatar is well organised as the World Championships will be too.” Merckx is the only rider in his- tory to have won all fi ve monu- ments (Milan–San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liège– Bastogne–Liège, and the Giro di Lombardia), all three Grand Tours (Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a España) and the UCI Road World Championships. Looking ahead to the UCI Injured Braehmer vows to win Road World Championships Doha 2016, the Ambassador back belt from Cleverly predicted that the races may end Germany’s Juergen Braehmer has vowed to win back the WBA in exciting bunch sprints; but light-heavyweight belt he lost to Britain’s Nathan Cleverly after that’s not certain at all. retiring from their world-title bout with injury. The Tour of Qatar is tradition- The 37-year-old Braehmer quit due to a right elbow problem at ally held in January, when the the start of the seventh round of yesterday’s bout in Neu- Doha climate gives professional brandenburg, near Berlin, making Welshman Cleverly a world riders a perfect opportunity to champion for the second time. prepare for the Spring Classics “It happened sometime in the fourth or fifth round, after that that are held wintertime. I could only punch with my left,” said Braehmer, who had a “It’s an excellent place for rid- rematch clause in the fight contract. ers to get in shape in wintertime, “In such a situation, a thousand thoughts go through your mind. because it’s often too cold to “If you continue (fighting), you risk an even worse injury. train or race in the rain and snow “At my age, you wonder even more about that,” added the boxer in Europe,” Merckx explains. who turns 38 on Wednesday. The rematch is scheduled for Feb- In October, the Qatar climate can only start six men, which is ruary. “And then it’ll be even more intense,” said Braehmer. is diff erent, however, and the Positioning and tactics a setback because the more men It was a disappointing way for the German to lose the world title riders need to prepare with this “Because the course is fl at, a team has upfront in the fi nale, he won in December 2013. in mind. “It’s warmer in Octo- the race may very well end up in the better it can position its However, it is only a secondary world title due to the WBA’s ber and this could be an impor- a bunch sprint, but riders with sprinter. If the big sprinters do complicated system. Cleverly is now the ‘regular’ champion tant factor during the races, but a good punch could also end up not have enough support, rid- while Russian Sergey Kovalev — the true title-holder — has been there’s always wind. With long victorious. It depends a little on ers like Niki Terpstra (NED) or elevated to ‘Super’ champion. Having lost the WBO belt to Kova- straight roads through the desert what happens during the race, Zdenek Stybar (CZE) might be lev, who also holds the IBF belt, in August 2013, Cleverly, 29, was this can make for a very tough which teams will have enough able to jump for victory in the delighted to be a world champion again. race. Riders need to be alert con- riders up front to control the fi nal kilometres. The Welshman says he does not care where the rematch against stantly, because the peloton can peloton in the fi nal?” “And if the big sprinters fail to Braehmer takes place. break up into echelons at any Looking to the men’s events, stay upfront all the way to the fi - “Cardiff , London, but we can also come to Germany,” said given time, and whoever is too Merckx said that teamwork will nal, their teams may switch tac- Cleverly. far at the back may miss the de- be important: “The Germans tics and try to attack instead of “It’s so good to be world champion for the second time.” cisive moment in the race.” have good sprinters, but they control the race.” Eddy Merckx

SPOTLIGHT France can provide safe Games in 2024: Hollande

Reuters safety. We have ensured security to pursue what we started,” he Paris for the events I just mentioned. said after handing Bach a gift — It is our main priority and eve- the fl ag of the 1924 Paris Olym- ryone can understand why,” he pics. hould Paris be selected to added. Bach praised the work done so host the 2024 Olympics, France has been struck by a far. “Your project is excellent and France is well equipped series of attacks in the past 20 in line with the Agenda 2020,” he to stage a safe Games be- months, with 130 people killed in said, referring to the IOC’s road- causeS of the security measures coordinated assaults claimed by map for the future of the Olympic that are in place after the recent the Islamic State in Paris on Nov movement. terror attacks, President Francois 13 last year before a truck attacker The host city will be elected in Hollande said yesterday. killed 84 in Nice on Bastille Day Lima on September 13, 2017. Los Angeles and Budapest are this year. Bach then attended a soc- the only other candidates left “I don’t know how the world cer game between refugees and in the running to host the 2024 will be in 2024 but it will be dan- French athletes organised by Paris Games after Virginia Raggi pulled gerous. There is no country, no mayor Anne Hidalgo at a local the plug on Rome’s bid last month, capital that can think they will stadium with the Eiff el Tower as shortly after being elected mayor be protected, immune from this,” the backdrop. of the Italian capital. Boston and said Hollande. “We have to face challenges but Hamburg had already abandoned “We have been facing this real- these challenges are not restricted their bids. ity for a while but we have what to one particular city, or to one “We want to remind you, and it takes to protect an event such particular country,” Bach said. you know it, that France is able to as the 2024 Olympics. We have a “Unfortunately, we are living in host big events — recently with form of preparation that no other a world where all big events and Euro 2016 but also with some 40 country can have, given what has normal citizens have to live with world and European champion- hit us.” this threat of terrorism. ships across all sports these past The head of state added that “This is true for every country years,” Hollande said as he wel- the outcome of future elections, in the world. What is important is comed International Olympic starting with next year’s presi- to see how countries are dealing Committee (IOC) president Tho- dential election, would have no with this challenge. mas Bach at the Elysee Palace. bearing on the candidacy. “And France has shown with “We have the savoir faire and “I am certain that after the the recent organisation of the Eu- the technology for big events but elections that will follow until ros that they can deal with secu- France’s President Francois Hollande (C) and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach (L) leave from the Elysee Palace in we can also ensure appropriate 2024, all the presidents will want rity challenges.” Paris yesterday. (AFP) Gulf Times Monday, October 3, 2016 9 GOLF

REPORT SPOTLIGHT Heckling continues to mar atmosphere Reed helps put at Hazeltine

Reuters “They are our guests... in our Chaska, USA country. I really feel for Dan- ny this week and they’ve been heckling Rory. How can you US in command he 41st Ryder Cup has heckle Rory?” been a riot of colour, World number three Rory costume, cheering and McIlroy had to deal with rowdy great golf between 12- fans on nearly every hole on Sat- Tman teams from the United urday and pointed out a particu- States and Europe performing larly bothersome heckler to offi - in front of an audience of some cials at the seventh hole. 50,000 at Hazeltine National. “Someone just said a few de- aft er Europe rally The circus atmosphere of rogatory things I thought was good fun and sports thrills has out of line. I tried to get him re- also been pierced by rude, un- moved,” the Northern Irishman The irrepressible Reed was the central figure in the last tussle of the session as he sportsmanlike heckling. said. Shouting insults at players “You try to keep the utmost and Jordan Spieth took down England’s Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson of Sweden from the visiting European side respect for who you’re playing is bad enough, but some brazen and for who you’re supporting. hecklers have taken to trying to That particular guy, this is obvi- England’s Justin Rose and Henrik Sten- distract players as they execute ously in the very, very small mi- son of Sweden 2 and 1 on a sun-kissed their shots. nority, just took it a bit too far.” second day. As the Saturday afternoon Spain’s Sergio Garcia, playing World number three McIlroy was fourballs session wore on, heck- his eighth Ryder Cup, put the clearly irked by persistent heckling lers seemed to grow more bold fi gure higher. from the galleries, one day after Willett and perhaps more inebriated. “They have been quite poor. was teased and taunted as a result of his The tightest match of the I’m not going to lie,” Garcia said brother’s midweek rant against the home fourballs made Englishmen about the crowd. “It’s unfor- fans. Danny Willett and Lee West- tunate because I think that 85 Curtis Strange, US captain in 2002, did wood the targets of hecklers. % of the people are great and I not like what he witnessed. At the 16th hole someone love playing in America. My girl- “You hate to see it but it only takes a yelled “No pressure” as West- friend is American. few,” Strange told Reuters on the 14th wood readied for a clutch putt. “But that 15 %, that is really hole. “You want to see the fans root re- At the 17th, a loud spectator bad. It makes them look bad. ally hard for their team and be polite to said “Miss” just as Westwood And I feel ashamed for my girl- the other team. was stroking a putt to halve the friend because I know how bad “They are our guests... in our coun- hole. He missed, providing the she feels when she hears all the try. I really feel for Danny this week and US pair of JB Holmes and Ryan things, but it is what it is.” they’ve been heckling Rory. How can you Moore with their winning mar- US player Jordan Spieth tried heckle Rory?” gin. to quiet the crowd at times, as McIlroy agreed with Strange’s assess- Who knows whether West- did assistant captain Bubba ment after he and Pieters combined for wood would have made the putt Watson. a haul of 10 birdies in a big-hitting duel without the distraction, but it “We just wanted to make with the equally long Johnson and Koep- cannot have helped. sure that everybody could play ka that lasted 17 holes. Westwood missed three putts their game,” Spieth told report- “I think there have been some bound- within fi ve feet over the back ers. “There were times where it aries overstepped, it’s been a tough nine as Europe squandered a would quiet down and then you crowd,” said the Northern Irishman. one-hole lead to lose by one. would get a fan or two that would “I let it get to me a couple of times, “You hate to see it but it only just yell and single people out every now and again you’re going to let it takes a few,” Curtis Strange, the maybe. get to you especially when emotions are 2002 US Ryder Cup captain told “We wanted to just hush them running so high.” Reuters on the 14th hole. “You down so that they were able to Ryder Cup veteran Garcia said 15 % of want to see the fans root really hit under the same conditions the fans had been “really bad” and that hard for their team and be polite we were able to hit under. I think he “felt ashamed” for his American girl- to the other team. that’s fair.” friend. Reed was equally as extravagant as McIlroy with his hollering and shouting Tiger helps Spieth-Reed duo win bragging rights as his seven-birdie eff ort helped floor Olympic champion Rose and British Open winner Stenson. AFP, Chaska, United States: who has missed more than a year The American produced a moment of US stars Jordan Spieth and with a back injury, became Love’s magic at the sixth, sending his approach Patrick Reed won Ryder Cup decider. shot 15 feet beyond the fl ag before it spun bragging rights over Europe’s top “I finally just said to Tiger, ‘Are we back dramatically and disappeared into duo of Justin Rose and Henrik playing them or are we sitting the cup. Stenson, thanks to Tiger Woods them?’” Love said. There was controversy on the 11th getting them the chance. “He said, ‘No, you have to send green when a noisy spectator shouted Reed and Spieth defeated Rio them back out there, they are ‘Rose, get out of the way’ just as Stenson Olympic champion Rose and playing so well.’” was about to putt. British Open champion Stenson Reed and Spieth dropped four of All four players showed their evident 2 and 1 in four-balls Saturday for a the last six holes to halve a morn- disgust, Stenson backed away from his second victory in three matches ing foursomes match they had putt while Rose walked towards the at Hazeltine, having split two led since the second hole against crowd with a face like thunder. meetings Friday. Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Rafa The ‘USA, USA, USA’ soccer-style “We wanted Rose and Stenson Cabrera Bello. chanting reached fever pitch as the quar- again. They wanted to play us But they got another chance in tet approached the 16th green and Reed again,” Spieth said. “We wanted the afternoon against Rose and responded by hoisting his putter high in them in this best-ball format and Stenson. the air in acknowledgement. so we were very pleased to get “We know how stout that team On a less serious note, Mickelson said the call to go back out for our is because they had not lost a how much he was put at ease by wise- fourth match of the week.” match in Ryder Cup play together Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed of the United States react Saturday on the 16th green during afternoon fourball matches of the cracking partner Kuchar in their victory That call almost never came, US until this week. And we love 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. over Garcia and Kaymer. captain Davis Love said, because that challenge,” Spieth said. “We “I had a blast with Matt,” the left- there were several lineups floated hadn’t lost a match in Ryder Cup Reuters morning foursomes 2 1/2 — 1 1/2 but the fered heartbreak in the next match, miss- hander explained. “It was just what for afternoon four-balls pairings, play together until this week, so Chaska,Minnesota US, desperate to avoid a fourth straight ing from inside three feet at the last as he I needed to get me relaxed, to get me some with Spieth and Reed sit- we thought, why not throw us defeat in the biennial team event, rallied and fellow Englishman Danny Willett laughing, to get me enjoying the golf. ting out. against them.” to take the afternoon fourballs 3-1. slid to a one-hole defeat at the hands of “He brings out the best in me by being “We had a lot of scenarios,” Love Reed won four holes in a row irdies galore and thrills aplenty McIlroy, all high-fi ves, fi st pumps and JB Holmes and Ryan Moore. so funny and light hearted, telling stories admitted. “Everybody was texting starting at the fifth, a hole-out characterised another remark- eye-bulging reaction, was as animated as Phil Mickelson and Matt Kuchar never and cracking jokes.” me their lineup. We got a little eagle at the par-5 sixth helping able day of Ryder Cup golf as he has ever been in the Ryder Cup as he trailed in match three, recording a 2 and Smiles were in short supply at the end panicky because everybody had move the US from 1-down to 3-up. the US repelled a Rory McIlroy- and Belgian rookie Thomas Pieters took 1 victory over Sergio Garcia and Martin of Westwood and Willett’s defeat by Hol- a diff erent idea. Even my son After Rose and Stenson pulled inspiredB fi ghtback from Europe to lead by their record to 3-0 this week by beating Kaymer. mes and Moore. threw a lineup out. He’s my cart within 1-down when Rose birdied 9 1/2 — 6 1/2 points on Saturday. Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson 3 and The irrepressible Patrick Reed was the “We just couldn’t back each other up driver.”Woods, a 14-time major 13, Reed won 14 and 15 with bird- The holders briefl y silenced a raucous 1. central fi gure in the last tussle of the ses- on the putts at the right time,” said Mas- winner and US assistant captain ies to help end the rally. Hazeltine National crowd by winning the Ryder Cup veteran Lee Westwood suf- sion as he and Jordan Spieth took down ters champion Willett.

BOTTOMLINE Strange: Ryder Cup a standout on many fronts

Reuters Crowds estimated at 50,000 have “But you’ve got to remember, every They’re all friends. They play the world Chaska,USA turned out for the match play competi- hole is a diff erent 5,000 or 10,000 peo- golf championships together, they play tion that brings out the best in players ple. It’s the Ryder Cup.” the majors together and that’s if they and the partisan passions of their fans. Emotions at this Ryder Cup have don’t play over here. Half their team urtis Strange has played on “That’s what this thing is all about, been fuelled by a losing streak as Eu- plays on the US tour. fi ve US Ryder Cup teams and it’s the big roars,” said Strange. “And rope have won the last three competi- “They have the same thing in com- captained another, but the when you go over there, it’s the other tions and eight of the last 10. mon, trying to be the best they can be.” 61-year-old American says side with the big roars.” Some fans were set off by a scath- Strange remembered when the US thisC week’s 41st edition of the biennial Cheering on your team, and dress- ing, published lampooning of US golf totally dominated the Ryder Cup and it matches at Hazeltine National stands ing for the part, helps make the magic fans by the brother of European player was a much lower profi led event. out. of the event, but sometimes behaviour Danny Willett, whose match Strange “The fi rst year it was a big thing over can cross the line into breaches of golf was following at Hazeltine. here was in 1987 after we lost in ‘85 over ‘It keeps getting bigger and etiquette including unsportsmanlike “I really feel for Danny Willett this there at The Belfry. I was on both teams, better. This year, it’s phenomenal. heckling. Strange noticed the uptick in week. It’s none of his doing, he’s a nice and came back to Muirfi eld Village in Look at all the people. I’ve never disruptive behaviour. young man, a great representation of ‘87 and there it was 25,000-strong out seen such a mass of humanity’ “It only takes a few, doesn’t it,” said his team. You hate to see it. But you there every day. Strange. “They’re policing it pretty have to give him credit, he’s handled it “Whereas in 1983 there was 2,000 “It keeps getting bigger and better. well, I understand, but there’s a lot of well.” people at Palm Beach Gardens. It got This year, it’s phenomenal. Look at all people to police. Strange said the heckling was a big after that.” the people. I’ve never seen such a mass “You want to see the fans root really shame, since there is such good will be- At Muirfi eld Village, under captain of humanity,” Strange told Reuters with hard for their team but be polite to the tween the players in these times. Tony Jacklin, Europe posted a 15-13 vic- a chuckle during Saturday’s fourballs. other. Overall, it’s been like that, but “In my day, there was some animos- tory for its fi rst triumph on US soil, one “The grounds can handle it, the golf there’s a few. You hate to see it. You ity because we didn’t know the guys so that helped turn the Ryder Cup into the course can handle it. And the play has want to respect the other team, they are well,” he said. showcase event it has become in the been out of this world, I think.” File photo of US vice-captain Tiger Woods (R) with Curtis Strange. our guests, in our country.” “But now they all play together. world of sports. Gulf Times 10 Monday, October 3, 2016 SPORT

REPORT SPOTLIGHT McIlroy undaunted despite heckling Three-try blitz headache sets up All Blacks win over Pumas New Zealand needed just 124 seconds to go ahead as Argentina flanker Pablo Matera was penalised and fly-half Beauden Barrett slotted an easy penalty

Rory McIlroy of Europe and his girlfriend Erica Stoll look on dur- ing afternoon fourball matches of the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club on Saturday.

AFP of line,” McIlroy explained. Chaska, United States “Look, these things happen. It’s golf at the end of the day. You try to keep the utmost respect for ory McIlroy says he is who you’re playing and for who getting a sore head from you’re supporting. the hostile fans at the “That particular guy just took Ryder Cup, but he hopes it a bit too far.” theyR keep it up on Sunday be- The incident began after McIl- cause it is all the motivation he roy made a birdie on the seventh needs. hole followed by an enthusiastic “Hopefully I can get a good celebration on the green, ESPN. night’s sleep, take a couple Ad- com reported. vil for this headache I have after As the Northern Irishman All Blacks captain Kieran Read (R) holds up the Rugby Championship trophy after defeating Argentina’s Los Pumas and win the tournament, at Jose Amalfitani stadium in listening to the loudness over the walked to the eighth tee a fan Buenos Aires, Argentina Saturday. last few days and get ready for behind the ropes leaded forward tomorrow,” said McIlroy, who got from the gallery and screamed a AFP into a staredown with one foul- crude remark at McIlroy. Buenos Aires All Blacks fullback Ben Smith (R) is tackled by Argentina’s mouthed fan and had him ejected McIlroy stopped in his tracks, Los Pumas centre Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias during by security. pointed out the fan to security their Rugby Championship match at Jose Amalfitani “It fuelled me a lot. The more and had him ejected from the itle-holders New Zealand scored three late fi rst- stadium in Buenos Aires Saturday. they shouted the better we tournament. “I think there’s half tries to set up a 36-17 Rugby Championship played. I hope they shout at us all been some boundaries stepped triumph over Argentina in Buenos Aires Satur- day tomorrow.” over. Not on my side, anyway, I day. McIlroy and Thomas Pieters don’t think,” McIlroy said. “It’s TTwo yellow cards to the All Blacks aided the Pumas as beat Dustin Johnson and Brooks been a tough crowd. You just they staged a comeback from 29-3 behind at half-time to Koepka 3 and 1 on Saturday af- need to concentrate. I let it get outscore their rivals during the second half without ever ternoon to improve to 3-0-0 af- to me a couple of times out there threatening to win. ter the fi rst two days of the 41st which I probably shouldn’t have. Victory moved New Zealand, who clinched the south- Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National. “Every now and again, you’re ern hemisphere title in the previous round, closer to a They are the fi rst European going to let it get to you, espe- world-record 18 consecutive victories. duo to go three for three in a Ry- cially when emotions are run- The reigning world champions will achieve that feat der Cup since Bernhard Langer ning so high.” if they defeat South Africa in Durban next Saturday and and Sandy Lyle in 1987 at Muir- The 27-year-old McIlroy is Australia in Auckland on October 22. fi eld in Dublin, Ohio. making his fourth Ryder Cup New Zealand needed just 124 seconds to go ahead as As a pairing, world number start after helping Europe to wins Argentina fl anker Pablo Matera was penalised and fl y- three McIlroy and Ryder Cup in 2010, 2012 and 2014. half Beauden Barrett slotted an easy penalty. rookie Pieters have never trailed Saturday was another indica- Argentina responded with plenty of ball-in-hand at- during the fi rst two days at Ha- tion that McIlroy has showed up tacks and skipper Agustin Creevy was unlucky when in- zeltine National. at Hazeltine National in form as correctly penalised with the try-line in his sights. But it was a crude remark from his game has carried over from The speed with which the All Blacks attacked which- an American fan that was on last weekend’s US PGA Tour ever Puma had possession was a feature of the fi rst quar- McIlroy’s mind after they fi n- Championship in Georgia. ter, as was the power of Argentine No. 8 Facundo Isa ished their afternoon four ball The world number three is during his surges. session. coming off a victory at the Tour When New Zealand were awarded a close-range pen- “Someone just said a few de- Championship that also earned alty in front of the posts after 24 minutes they opted for rogatory things I thought was out him a $10mn playoff bonus. a scrum. A second penalty in almost the same position resulted He overthrew at a line-out just metres close to his his conversion veering right, but New Zealand had a in another scrum and this time the gamble of seeking line, All Blacks skipper and No. 8 Kieran Read stole the 26-point half-time advantage. seven points instead of a safe three paid off as Anton ball and set in motion a move that ended with centre The rampant visitors scored again fi ve minutes into Kim edges into winner’s circle Lienert-Brown dived over and Barrett converted. Ryan Crotty dotting down. the second half as Lienert-Brown shrugged off two Argentine toil deserved some reward, though, and Lienert-Brown set up the next try by blocking a kick tackles to create a try for full-back Ben Smith and Bar- at Reignwood they trimmed the 10-point defi cit by three when fl y-half from rival centre Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias and Dagg rett kicked his fourth conversion. Nicolas Sanchez eff ortlessly stroked a penalty between broke free to send hooker Dane Coles over. New Zealand were temporarily reduced to 14 men the posts. Barrett converted both tries and the clinical fi nishing when prop Joe Moody was sin-binned for swinging an Winger Israel Dagg was stopped just short of the Ar- of the visitors had created a 24-3 advantage as half-time arm at Sanchez in an off -the-ball incident. gentine try-line, but it would not be long before New neared. His absence was quickly felt as Isa scored a pushover Zealand unleashed their full attacking might with dev- But the men in black were not thinking of the break try beside the post that Sanchez converted. astating eff ect. and struck again when a Crotty break down the left cul- Loose forward Liam Squire later became the second The fi rst of the three tries came gift-wrapped from minated in scrum-half TJ Perenara darting over. All Black to be sin-binned and full-back Joaquin Tuculet Pumas hooker and skipper Agustin Creevy. Barrett failed for the fi rst time with a shot at goal, scored an Argentine try which Iglesias converted.

IMPRESSIVE AFP, Beijing: Kim In-kyung Mi Jung Hur (-20) and Mirim Lee slipped past two fellow South (-17), as well as Canadian Brooke Koreans to win Sunday’s Reign- Henderson (-19). wood LPGA Classic by a single In Sunday’s play, she sank six stroke. She ended the day of birdies and an eagle, wrapping India’s Bhullar wins Korea Open play in Nankou with an impres- up just one stroke ahead of sive 66 for a four-day total of 268 second place Mi Jung Hur. AFP lion-won ($196,000) cash prize. on holes two, six, seven, 10, 12, 13 at the par 73 Reignwood Pine Kim’s last win was six years Seoul The fi ve-time Asian Tour and 14 to secure his victory. Valley Golf Club, taking home a ago at the 2010 Lorena Ochoa champion has set his sights on In other action Zimbabwean $315,000 cash prize. Invitational. regaining his former glory after pro and Asian Tour rookie Scott It was the 28-year old’s fourth She is the sixth South Korean ndia’s Gaganjeet Bhullar suff ering a wrist injury in Octo- Vincent came in second with 69 LPGA victory and the first of this player to win an LGPA tour event stormed back from a fi ve- ber 2014 that required surgery. and a total of 270 in a tie with season. in 2016. stroke defi cit to win the Ko- “That was probably one of the South Korea’s Kim Tae-Woo. “I felt like today I really played The country’s women have rea Open yesterday, ending worst times of my career so far,” Thailand’s Thitiphun Chuay- with everything I got. I didn’t dominated the circuit, with seven anI Asian Tour drought after sus- Bhullar said. prakong blew his two-stroke really pull back,” she said after wins this season. taining a serious wrist injury two “I worked really hard to over- lead heading into the fi nal round finishing the final round. And Reignwood was no excep- years ago. come all these diffi culties and and fi nished with a disappoint- Kim had ended the first three tion, with players from the coun- The 28-year-old fi red an im- I am glad and am proud of my- ing 75 to end the tournament days of play 17 under, heading try taking the first three spots pressive 67 for a four-day total of self,” he said after fi nishing the with a total of 272, after topping into Sunday in fourth place be- and making eight appearances 269 at the Bears Best Cheongna fi nal round. the leader board for two-straight hind fellow South Korean players in the top 20 overall. Golf Club, winning the 216 mil- Bhullar scored seven birdies days. Gulf Times Monday, October 3, 2016 11 CRICKET

SHARJAH ODI SECOND TEST Sharma helps India build big Azam’s second lead against NZ

AFP Shikhar Dhawan, who got a nas- Kolkata ty blow on his thumb early on in the innings against the left- handed pacer, trapped lbw for 17. straight ton gives ohit Sharma’s domi- Boult’s big wicket was that of nant half-century put India skipper Virat Kohli, who India fi rmly in com- struck a purposeful 45 to lift In- mand of the second Test dia from 43/4. The star batsman againstR New Zealand as the hosts was trapped lbw. stretched their lead to 339 on the Kohli’s departure once again third day in Kolkata yesterday. raised New Zealand’s hopes of a India were 227 for eight at fi ghtback but Sharma made sure Pakistan series stumps in their second innings the hosts kept up the good work with Wriddhiman Saha on 39 and of stretching their lead further. Bhuvneshwar Kumar on eight at Sharma tackled the New Zea- Azam’s 126-ball 123 formed the cornerstone of the Pakistan innings the crease. New Zealand bowlers land bowling with aplomb as the Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner middle-order batsman struck 9 AFP took three wickets each. fours and 2 sixes during his 132- Sharjah Sharma, who scored 82, put on ball stay at the crease. 103 runs for the seventh wicket Sharma got good support from with Saha to get their second number-eight Saha, who scored ast-rising Babar Azam cracked innings back on track after the an unbeaten 54 in the fi rst in- a second successive hundred to New Zealand seamers rattled the nings, as the batting duo enter- guide Pakistan to a dominant Indian top-order with regular tained the raucous home crowd 59-run win over the West Indies wickets. at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. inF the second one-day international in Fast bowlers Henry and Trent “That depth gives you a leverage Sharjah, gaining an unbeatable 2-0 lead Boult shared fi ve wickets be- to play your shots and be aggres- in three-match series. tween them to strike back on the sive and more expressive,” Sharma Azam’s brilliant 126-ball 123 formed two-paced pitch after the visi- said while talking about India’s the cornerstone of Pakistan’s big 337-5 tors conceded a 112-run lead. lower-order batting strength. which also featured half-centuries from “I think over the last two days, Santner’s left-arm spin fi nally Shoaib Malik and Sarfraz Ahmed at you may have seen the wicket got through Sharma’s defenses Sharjah stadium. that it’s not a typical Kolkata after the batsman was caught West Indies put on an improved show wicket. They have relaid the sur- behind to Luke Ronchi, who kept in reply, but fell short after finishing on face and you may seen uneven wickets in place of BJ Watling. 278-7 from their 50 overs with Darren bounces occasionally,” Sharma Saha and Kumar then played Bravo hitting 61 and Marlon Samuels told reporters. through the fi nal few overs in scoring 57. “The conditions were not fading light until the umpires The win leaves the final match — in easy... you can’t relax.” called it a day. Abu Dhabi on Wednesday — of little in- Henry, who had returned with “I think anything that is set, is terest. fi gures of 3-46 in the fi rst in- defi nitely achievable,” said Boult West Indies needed to improve on nings, sent opener Murali Vijay about the New Zealand squad’s their best chase of 285 against Pa- (4) and Cheteshwar Pujara walk- mindset. kistan which came in 1993 at this ing back to the pavilion soon af- “We got to take small steps at same venue, but Pakistan’s varied at- ter the lunch break. a time. If we can set small goals tack kept them at bay. Bravo added Henry trapped Pujara lbw for of batting for half a session and 89 for the second wicket with Kraig 7 on a pacy in-cutter that hit the then a session.” Brathwaite (39) after Johnson Charles outside of the batsman’s front Earlier Indian pacers Kumar was removed for two in the second pad, but TV replays suggested and Mohamed Shami helped over by Mohammad Amir. that the ball might have missed bowl out New Zealand for 204 in Bravo hit three towering sixes and five the leg stump. response to India’s fi rst innings boundaries off 74 balls before he was Boult joined forces to get score of 316. smartly run out by paceman Hasan Ali who knocked the stumps at the non- striker’s end after the batsman aimed SCORECARD for a quick single. Samuels also tried his valiant best India 1st innings: 316 S. Dhawan lbw b Boult ...... 17 during his 52-ball 57 spiced with four (Cheteshwar Pujara 87, Ajinkya C. Pujara lbw b Henry ...... 4 boundaries and two sixes and added 67 Rahane 77; Matt Henry 3-46) V. Kohli lbw b Boult ...... 45 for the fourth wicket with Denesh Ram- New Zealand 1st innings: A. Rahane c Boult b Henry ...... 1 din (34) before fiery pace bowler Wahab overnight 128/7 (BJ. Watling ....1 2 R. Sharma c Ronchi b Santner Riaz (2-48) removed both in successive not out, J. Patel 5 not out) ...... 82 overs. M. Guptill b Kumar ...... 13 R. Ashwin lbw b Santner ...... 5 Kieron Pollard, playing his 100th Pakistan batsman Babar Azam (R) plays a shot as West Indies’ wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (L) looks on at the Sharjah Cricket T. Latham lbw b Shami ...... 1 W. Saha not out ...... 39 one-day international, made 22 and Stadium yesterday. H. Nicholls b Kumar ...... 1 R. Jadeja c Neesham (sub) b Jason Holder, who scored 31 not out, R. Taylor c Vijay b Kumar ...... 36 Santner ...... 6 found the going tough as West Indies Carlos Brathwaite, waving his bat and SCORECARD L. Ronchi lbw b Jadeja ...... 35 B. Kumar not out ...... 8 needed 121 in the last 10 overs and 87 in bowing down in delight. M. Santner lbw b Kumar ...... 11 Extras (b 10, lb 1, w 2) 13 last five. He was finally caught off paceman Pakistan K. Brathwaite run out ...... 39 BJ. Watling lbw b Shami...... 25 Total (8 wickets; 63.2 overs) 227 Earlier Azam anchored Pakistan’s Alzarri Joseph at long-on in the 46th Azhar Ali lbw b Holder ...... 9 D. Bravo run out ...... 61 M. Henry b Kumar ...... 0 Fall of wicket: 1-12 (Vijay), 2-24 highest one-day total against the West over. Sharjeel Khan c Holder b Joseph ...... 24 M. Samuels b Riaz ...... 57 J. Patel c Shami b Ashwin ...... 47 (Pujara), 3-34 (Dhawan), 4-43 Indies, beating the 307-8 they made at Malik was also ruthless as he reached Babar Azam c C. Brathwaite b Joseph ...... 123 D. Ramdin b Riaz ...... 34 N. Wagner lbw b Shami...... 10 (Rahane), 5-91 (Kohli), 6-106 Perth nine years ago. his 38th half-century off 55 balls before Shoaib Malik c Bravo b Narine ...... 90 K. Pollard c Malik b Wasim ...... 22 T. Boult not out ...... 6 (Ashwin), 7-209 (Sharma), 8-215 Sarfraz Ahmed not out ...... 60 C. Brathwaite run out ...... 14 Azam added 169 for the third wicket hitting three successive sixes off left- Imad Wasim b Holder ...... 11 J. Holder not out ...... 31 Extras (b 9, lb 4, w 5, nb 1) ....19 (Jadeja) with Malik who missed his ninth one- arm spinner Sulieman Benn. Mohamed Rizwan not out ...... 6 S. Narine not out ...... 1 Total (all out; 53 overs) ...... 204 Bowling: Boult 14-5-28-2, Henry day hundred by 10 runs, scoring an at- Azam and Malik steadied the innings Extras: (lb2, w12) ...... 14 Extras: (lb8, w9) ...... 17 Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Latham), 15.2-2-48-3, Wagner 13-2-43-0 Pa- tractive 84-ball 90 with six hits over the after openers Azhar Ali (nine) and Shar- Total: (for five wkts; 50 overs) ...... 337 Total: (for seven wkts; 50 overs) ...... 278 2-18 (Guptill), 3-23 (Nicholls), 4-85 tel 8-0-50-0, Santner 13-1-51-3 fence and three boundaries. jeel Khan (24) fell in the space of three Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Ali), 2-40 (Sharjeel), 3-209 Did not bat: S. Benn, A. Joseph (Ronchi), 5-104 (Taylor), 6-122 To bat: M. Shami It was another dominating batting deliveries with the total at 40. (Malik), 4-282 (Azam), 5-320 (Wasim) Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Charles), 2-92 (K. (Santner), 7-122 (Henry), 8-182 Toss: India display by Pakistan, with Azam and Ma- Ahmed, who hit seven fours, helped Bowling: Holder 8-1-51-2 (5w), Joseph 10-0-62-2 Brathwaite), 3-127 (Bravo), 4-194 (Samuels), 5-209 (Patel), 9-187 (Watling), 10-204 Umpires: Richard Kettlebor- (6w), C. Brathwaite 8-0-60-0, Narine 8-0-39-1 (1w), (Ramdin), 6-231 (C. Brahwaite), 7-273 (Pollard) lik shredding the West Indian bowling Azam add another 73 for the fourth Benn 8-0-61-0, K. Brathwaite 3-0-18-0, Pollard 5-0- Bowling: Wasim 10-0-62-1, Amir 9-0-49- (Wagner) ough (ENG) and Rod Tucker at will, and Sarfraz Ahmed finishing it wicket as Pakistan added 97 in the last 44-0 1 (2w), Hasan 9-0-56-0 (2w), Riaz 10-0-48-2 Bowling: Kumar 15-2-48-5, (AUS) with 47-ball 60 not out. ten overs and 55 in the last five. West Indies (3w), Malik 5-2-16-0, Nawaz 7-0-39-0 (2w) Shami 18-1-70-3, Jadeja 12-4-40-1 TV umpire: CK Nandan (IND) Azam reached his second one-day Joseph and Holder took two wickets J. Charles c Wasim b Amir ...... 2 Result: Pakistan win by 59 runs (nb1), Ashwin 8-3-33-1 Match referee: David Boon international hundred with a single off apiece. India 2nd innings: (AUS) M. Vijay c Guptill b Henry ...... 7 Reserve umpire: Nitin Menon

EMPHATIC Du Plessis century sets up big win for South Africa ADAMANT Indian board rejects AFP SCORECARD Johannesburg several key reform South Africa M. Marsh c De Kock b Parnell ...... 19 outh African captain Faf du Ples- Q. de Kock c Tremain b Hastings...... 22 T. Head lbw b Rabada ...... 51 sis overcame a thumb injury to R. Rossouw c sub (Worrall) b Hastings...75 M. Wade c Duminy b Parnell ...... 33 recommendations hit an aggressive century and set F. du Plessis c Smith b Marsh ...... 111 J. Hastings c Miller b Phehlukwayo ...... 23 up a 142-run win over Australia J. Duminy b Marsh ...... 82 J. Mennie b Imran Tahir ...... 1 inS the second one-day international at adopted “important recommen- D. Miller c Zampa b Marsh ...... 26 A. Zampa b Phehlukwayo ...... 8 Reuters the Wanderers Stadium yesterday. F. Behardien c Warner b Hastings ...... 13 C. Tremain not out ...... 0 Mumbai dations” made by the committee Du Plessis made 111 as South Africa W. Parnell not out ...... 8 Extras (lb4, w6) ...... 10 but made no mention of the age piled up 361 for six wickets after being A. Phehlukwayo not out ...... 13 Total (37.4 overs) ...... 219 and tenure recommendations nor sent in to bat. Australia made a bad start Extras (lb1, w10) ...... 11 Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Finch), 2-29 (Smith), he Indian cricket board a “one state/one vote” policy. and were bowled out for 219 in reply, Total (6 wickets, 50 overs) ...... 361 3-55 (Bailey), 4-87 (Marsh), 5-114 (Warner), (BCCI) has rejected some “Wherever they (members) leaving them 2-0 down in a fi ve-match Fall of wickets: 1-70 (De Kock), 2-146 (Ros- 6-183 (Head), 7-185 (Wade), 8-204 (Mennie), of the Supreme Court’s fi nd legal challenges and practical series. souw), 3-296 (Duminy), 4-308 (Du Plessis) 9-213 (Hastings) key recommendations diffi culties, they have given their Du Plessis praised his team for what Bowling: Bowling: Taimed at administrative reform, viewpoints and have not accepted Tremain 10-0-78-1 (2w), Men- Steyn 7-0-37-1 (1w), Rabada 7-0- South Africa batsman and captain he described as “almost a perfect batting nie 10-0-82-0 (1w), Hastings 10-0-57-3 (1w), 31-2 (4w), Parnell 7-0-40-3, Phehlukwayo Faf du Plessis celebrates after reaching a move that could bring sanctions those recommendations,” BCCI and bowling performance. The batsmen Marsh 10-0-68-2 (1w), Zampa 8-0-54-0, 6.4-0-59-2 (1w), Imran Tahir 7-1-31-1, Du- his century against Australia. from the country’s highest judi- President Anurag Thakur told re- laid the basics well and the bowlers were Head 2-0-21-0 (1w) miny 3-0-17-1 cial body. porters. exceptional”. Did not bat: D. Steyn, K. Rabada, Imran Result: South Africa won by 142 runs international newcomers Chris Tremain The Court accepted in July The BCCI said it would not be He singled out opening bowlers Dale Tahir Series: South Africa lead the five-match and Joe Mennie. most of the recommendations of able to provide a 15-day gap be- Steyn and Kagiso Rabada, who both series 2-0 But the bowlers came back reasonably the Lodha Committee, a three- tween the India team’s matches claimed an early wicket and put Austral- Australia Toss: Australia well in ideal batting conditions, conced- member panel it set up to look and the Indian Premier League ia’s batting under immediate pressure. A. Finch c Behardien b Rabada ...... 1 Umpires: Shaun George (RSA), Nigel Llong ing only 107 runs off the next 20 overs be- into the operations of the world’s Twenty20 tournament in 2017, as Australian captain Steve Smith said he D. Warner c Miller b Duminy ...... 50 (ENG) fore Du Plessis and JP Duminy lifted the richest cricket board, which is run per the recommendations, as the felt South Africa’s total was only 20 or 30 S. Smith c De Kock b Steyn ...... 14 TV umpire: Joel Wilson (WIS) scoring rate in a third wicket stand of 150 by politicians and businessmen Champions Trophy in England is runs above par, given the history of the G. Bailey b Parnell ...... 9 Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG) off 111 balls. and has been criticized for a per- scheduled around the same time. Wanderers pitch. Duminy hit 82 off 58 balls with 10 fours ceived lack of transparency. Thakur said a detailed report “But if you are chasing that sort of and three sixes. In their report, former chief would be sent to the Lodha Com- target you need a good start and you need treatment on the fi eld before resuming ing 93 balls, without adding to his bound- Australia were soon in trouble in reply, justice of India RM Lodha and two mittee and submitted to the Su- things to go your way. Every game’s a his innings. ary tally. with Steyn and Rabada building up good of his colleagues recommended preme Court, which has sched- must-win for us now,” Smith said. The injury did not stop him playing “Luckily I don’t use that thumb on my pace. age and tenure restrictions for top uled the next hearing in the case Du Plessis was struck on the left thumb some powerful drives as he went to his bat,” he said. Finch top-edged a catch to square leg offi cials, as well as banning them for Thursday. by a throw from Aaron Finch as he raced half-century off 42 balls. He reached his On a fi eld renowned for high scoring, a off Rabada in the second over and Smith from serving successive terms. The Court had earlier said all through for a quick single to score his fi rst sixth one-day international century off run riot seemed in prospect when Quin- fell to Steyn, with De Kock taking a bril- The BCCI, after a marathon of the committee’s recommen- run. He immediately went down clutch- 84 deliveries with 13 fours. He was even- ton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw made 41 liant diving catch when the Australian special general meeting on Sat- dations must be adopted by the ing the thumb and required lengthy tually caught on the boundary after fac- runs off the first fi ve overs, bowled by skipper glanced the ball to leg. urday, said in a statement it had BCCI.

Monday, October 3, 2016 GULF TIMES MOTORSPORT

FORMULA 1 RALLYING Ogier secures Ricciardo joy France victory AFP vious victories in Monte-Carlo, Porto-Vecchio, France Sweden and the most recent race in Germany in August. It was also his fi rst victory in ebastien Ogier wrapped Corsica, and he could now secure up victory in the Rally of another world title in the next follows Hamilton France yesterday to close race, the Rally of Catalonia, in in on a fourth consecutive two weeks’ time. worldS title. “I really wanted to add this The French Volkswagen driver rally to my list of victories and I fi nished 46 seconds ahead of knew that winning here would Belgium’s Thierry Neuville, of bring me closer to the title,” said Hyundai, and one minute, 10 Ogier, 32. seconds ahead of his Norwegian He could have clinched the ti- woe in Malaysia teammate Andreas Mikkelsen in tle here, but only if both Neuville Porto-Vecchio, Corsica. and Mikkelsen had fi nished well After a troubled weekend on off the podium or been forced to ‘No hard feelings to Lewis but I’ll definitely take the win’ the Mediterranean island fea- abandon. turing a puncture on Friday and Instead he will go into the then a collision with a tree on Catalonia event with a lead of 68 Saturday, Kris Meeke won the fi - points from Mikkelsen, meaning nal two stages yesterday. a second-place fi nish there will For Ogier, it was a fourth win sew up the title ahead of the fi nal in 10 rallies this season after pre- two rallies of the year.

Ogier (left) and co-pilot Julien Ingrassia celebrate their win. (AFP)

SPOTLIGHT I thought I was fi nished: Rosberg

AFP Sepang, Malaysia

ico Rosberg was amazed to have in- creased his world championship lead Nover Lewis Hamilton yesterday after fearing his race was over at the fi rst corner in the Malaysian Grand Prix. Rosberg was hit by Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari and spun 180 de- Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo celebrates his victory in Malaysian Grand Prix on the podium in Sepang yesterday. (AFP) grees, eventually rejoining the race in 21st place having started Reuters sor Petronas but allowed Rosberg to ex- There was no evidence of the misfor- Raikkonen fi nished fourth for Ferrari second on the grid. trol,” said Rosberg, who was de- Sepang, Malaysia tend his championship lead over team tune that would befall Hamilton at the after battling Rosberg for the fi nal po- He then roared through the lighted to fi nish third behind the mate Hamilton to 23 points with fi ve races start when the Briton pulled clear from dium spot, the Finn unable to take ad- fi eld to fi nish third as teammate Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and remaining. pole, keeping the lead off the line ahead of vantage of the penalty handed to his rival Lewis Hamilton’s engine ex- Verstappen. aniel Ricciardo claimed an elu- The Briton, who kept clear of the chaos his team mate and through the fi rst cor- after the German clattered into him while ploded when he was on course “Of course I’m happy with sive maiden win of the season at unfolding behind him to build on a domi- ner. overtaking. for victory with 15 laps to go. the comeback. To get all the way a dramatic Formula One Malay- nant pole, was comfortably on course to Behind him, though, there was a tre- It meant that instead of Ham- back on the podium, I defi nitely sian Grand Prix yesterday, the score a 50th career win when his engine mendous battle for position with Ver- MALAYSIAN GP RESULTS (TOP 10) ilton leapfrogging Rosberg at the didn’t think that was going to be AustralianD handed victory when a race- exploded in a burst fl ames, with 16 cir- stappen and Vettel fi ghting for the same top of the standings, the German possible,” said the German. “In 1. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) 1:37:12.776 leading Lewis Hamilton retired with a cuits of the 56-lap race to run. piece of road only for the Ferrari to tag the 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +2.443 increased his lead from eight general I wished for a better day blown engine. back of Rosberg’s Mercedes that pushed 3. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) +25.516 to 23 points over his Mercedes but that is how it is sometimes.” Ricciardo was shadowed across the line ‘SHOEY’ CELEBRATION the championship leader into a spin. 4. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) +28.785 teammate. Rosberg and Hamilton have by his 19-year-old Red Bull team mate Ricciardo, who lost a certain victory to his The damage from the collision broke 5. Valtteri Bottas (Williams) +1:01.582 “It was a tough one,” said Ros- rarely seen eye-to-eye this season, Max Verstappen, a result that gave the Mercedes rival at the Monaco Grand Prix Vettel’s suspension, ending his race im- 6. Sergio Perez (Force India) +1:03.794 berg. “After turn one I thought I the teammates’ bitter rivalry boil- former champion team a fi rst one-two in May due to a bungled pitstop, was more mediately, and prompting the fi rst of sev- 7. Fernando Alonso (McLaren) +1:05.205 was fi nished. I thought it was all ing over when they crashed into fi nish since the 2013 season-ending Bra- than happy to accept his good fortune in eral virtual safety car periods. 8. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) +1:14.062 over.” each other at the Spanish Grand zilian Grand Prix in their dominant hey- Malaysia. From that point on the race was fi nely 9. Jenson Button (McLaren) +1:21.816 Rosberg seemed to imply it Prix, which Verstappen won. day. “It obviously went the other way at poised strategically with Verstappen ini- 10. Jolyon Palmer (Renault) +1:35.466 was his fellow German Vettel, The angry Englishman even Nico Rosberg fi nished third for Mer- Monaco, so I’ll take this today,” Ricciardo tially gambling on a two-stop strategy as who had been at fault in the fi rst hinted after the race that the cedes, fi ghting back from 21st after being said after marking his fourth career win Hamilton and Ricciardo opted for one less Drivers’ standings (top 3) corner melee, which also in- German team were favouring spun around by Sebastian Vettel at the by drinking champagne from his boot in tyre change. 1. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 288 volved Max Verstappen. Rosberg’s side of the garage. start and also collecting a 10-second time his now famous ‘shoey’ celebration. The Red Bull pair engaged in a lively 2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 265 Vettel will drop three places in But Rosberg had some sympa- penalty for causing a collision with Kimi “No hard feelings to Lewis but I’ll defi - tussle of their own in the second half of 3. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) 204 next week’s Japanese Grand Prix thy for his teammate. Raikkonen in the other Ferrari. nitely take the win,” added the Australian, the grand prix, racing side-by-side be- Constructors’ standings (top 3) as punishment for tipping cham- “For Lewis, I’ve been in his The result prevented Mercedes from who last won at the 2014 Belgian Grand fore Ricciardo gained an advantage, until 1. Mercedes 553 pionship leader. position, I know how terrible it is wrapping up a third straight construc- Prix and had claimed four podiums in the they both pitted one last time after Ham- 2. Red Bull 359 “I just got T-boned by a four- in that moment, so I’m sure he’s tors’ title at the home race for title spon- last fi ve races. ilton’s retirement. 3. Ferrari 313 time world champion out of con- totally gutted,” he told reporters.

BOTTOMLINE Why always me? Hamilton fury at engine failures

AFP “There are many decisive races but “I know we’ve had all these problems Sepang, Malaysia this is one of those. Someone doesn’t but it’s not how we fall, it’s how we get want me to win this year, but I won’t up... I will, we will, NEVER give up!” give up. I will keep pushing.” Mercedes non-executive chairman, furious Lewis Hamilton Mercedes executive director Paddy and former multiple world champi- lashed out at his Mercedes Lowe defended the team, saying there on, Niki Lauda said the team had “let team yesterday, saying was “no pattern” as to why Hamilton’s down” Hamilton. “someone doesn’t want me engines kept failing and Rosberg’s did “I am really upset. We should not let toA win” after his engine exploded into not. him down with an engine failure. It was fl ames during the Malaysian Grand “It is diffi cult. No failure is planned,” a fairly new engine, it was not old in the Prix. said Lowe on Sky Sports television. car,” Lauda told Sky. “No, no,” cried the Englishman as “What went wrong I do not know fl ames appeared at the back of his car ‘INDESCRIBABLE’ PAIN and we will work to correct it.” when leading on lap 41 of the 56-lap “We work as hard as we can to increase The Austrian motor racing leg- race at Sepang International Circuit. reliability. We have eight Mercedes end admitted he needed to put an arm He had looked certain to leapfrog power units in the fi eld and there is no round Hamilton and lift his spirits, after Nico Rosberg at the top of the stand- pattern for why it should fall on Lewis a weekend where the three-time world ings when his power unit — the eighth Hamilton’s car.” champion had dominated until just 15 he has used this season — let go in the Later Hamilton posted a concilia- laps from the end of Sunday’s race. most spectacular fashion. tory statement on his Facebook page in “I am taking him to Japan tomorrow Instead, Daniel Ricciardo and Max which he appeared to backtrack on his in my plane. I hope I can (cheer) him Verstappen enjoyed a one-two for Red Lewis Hamilton’s (also right) Mercedes is engulfed in flames after an engine failure earlier outburst. up,” said Lauda. Bull and Rosberg took the third podium during the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang yesterday. (AFP) “Today, the pain is indescribable,” “The championship is over when the place to increase his lead in the stand- wrote the three-time world champion. last race is over, 23 points is a lot but ings from eight to 23 points with fi ve cal failures this season as he attempts “My question is to Mercedes: we “Someone needs to give me some “I have 100 percent faith in my team, you never know.” races remaining. to secure a third drivers title in a row, have so many engines made for drivers, answers because this is not acceptable. they have worked so hard both at the Hamilton’s post-race press confer- A highly emotional Hamilton, who implied that Mercedes were favouring but mine are the only ones failing this We are fi ghting for the championship track, and factory, and I want to say a ence was cancelled “by mutual con- has suff ered numerous mechani- their German driver Rosberg. year,” Hamilton told BBC radio. and only my engines are failing. HUGE thank you to them. sent” said Mercedes.