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Saturday, November 23, 2019 CRICKET Rabia I 26, 1441 AH Hosts India exploit GULF TIMES Bangladesh’s pink chink to lord at Eden SPORT Page 2

Qatar prepare for Gulf Cup extravaganza

Qatar players take part in a training session at Aspire Academy yesterday. (Centre) Qatar players Abdelkarim Hassan (left) and Hassan al-Haydos during the training session. (Right) Qatar coach Felix Sanchez. PICTURES: Fadi al-Assaad

FOOTBALL Countdown begins: Yemen, Iraq get down to training Gulf Cup will kick-off on Tuesday with hosts Qatar taking on Iraq at the Khalifa International Stadium

By Sports Reporter Doha

emen and Iraq squad, the fi rst ones to arrive for the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup, held a training sessionY yesterday. The prestig- ious tournament will be held in Doha from November 26 to De- cember 8. While hosts Qatar are al- ready training under coach Felix Sanchez at the Aspire Acad- emy, the rest of the participat- ing teams will start arriving from today. Oman players are expected to land in Doha today, while Ku- wait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will arrive tomor- row. Qatar are in Group A with UAE, Yemen and Iraq while Group B is made up of defending champions Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. The top two sides will qualify to the semi-fi nals. Yemen players take part in a training session at the Qatar University Stadium ahead of the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup yesterday. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed The tournament will kick-off on Tuesday with Qatar taking on al-Kamali, Mohamed Barghash, Iraq at the Khalifa International Khalil al-Hammadi, Mohamed Stadium, while Yemen meet UAE Hassan al-Shamsi, Adel al-Hosani, at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Sta- Al Hassan Salih, Majid Suror, Sha- dium. hin AbdulRahman, Jasim Yaqoub, Meanwhile, a welcome recep- Tariq Ahmed, Ali Salih. tion was held for Yemen and Iraq squad, where offi cials explained SOUZA ANNOUNCES BAHRAIN the administrative, organisation- SQUAD al and medical aspects related to Bahrain coach Helio Souza has the tournament. announced a 23-man squad, with Yemen arrived in Doha from Abdulla Yusuf Helal, who plays Bahrain, where they played in for Czech club Slavia Prague be- an Asian Qualifiers group D tie ing the notable exclusion. against Singapore, suffering a 2-1 defeat. Adding to their woes Bahrain squad: Sayed Mohamed is the absence of two key play- Jafar, Walid Alhayam, Ismail Ab- ers. dullatif, Mohamed Yusuf Hardan, Striker Mohsen Qarawi and Thiago Vizandandez, Al-Shibr defender Ammar Homsan were Hashim, Sayed Reda Issa, Ali ruled out of the Gulf Cup even Abdullah Haram, Mehdi Baqer, before the team had their fi rst Mohamed Jassim Marhoon, training session at the Qatar Uni- Iraq players in action during a training session yesterday. Kamil al-Aswad, Ali Jafar Moden, versity stadium. Ahmed Nabil Ghilan, Abdullah Al Qarawi, who plies his trade at Haifi , after his recent exploits for ber squad for the Gulf Cup. The Cup twice before, fi rst in 2007 six years later in Bahrain, tri- Omar AbdelRahman, Mohamed Hazaa, Mohammed al-Rumaihi, Oman club Al Nahda has been Al Nahda of Oman. squad will be trimmed to 24 af- when they defeated Oman 1-0 umphing in extra-time against al-Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Ahmed Mubarak Bogmar, Rashed out of action for some time, so is ter the fi nal training session at in the fi nal on home soil. Ismail Iraq in the showpiece. Zayed al-Ameri, Waleed Hassan, al-Houti, Mohamed Abdulwahab Homsan, who has missed the en- UAE COACH NAMES the home base today, before the Mattar, the tournament’s top Mohamed Marzouq, Yusuf Jabir, Shaaban, Abdulwahab al-Maloud, tire Asian qualifi ers. In their ab- PROBABLE SQUAD squad fl ies to Doha for the tour- scorer, notched the winner in UAE squad: Ali Khusaif, Salim Ismail al-Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil, Hamad al-Dossari, Jassim al- sence, Yemen coach Sami Hasan UAE’s Dutch coach Berr Van nament. Abu Dhabi. Rashid, Khalifa al-Hammadi, Khalid Essa, Ahmed Barman, Sheikh, Mehdi Humaidan, Sayyid al-Nash has included Ahmed al- Marwijk has named a 28-mem- The UAE have won the Gulf They clinched the trophy again Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Bandar al-Ahbabi, Hamdan Zia Saeed Gulf Times 2 Saturday, November 23, 2019 CRICKET

REPORT FOCUS Skipper Williamson dismissal puts Hosts India exploit England in front

Reuters an hour after the lunch break Wellington after a superb spell from Tim Southee in the fi rst ses- sion dragged his side back am Curran produced into the match. The tourists Bangladesh’s pink an unplayable ball to had looked well set to post a dismiss New Zealand big total when they resumed captain Kane Wil- yesterday on 241-4 with Ben liamsonS and put England in a Stokes at the crease on 67 and strong position at the end of eager to push on. the second day of the fi rst Test The all-rounder and Ollie at Bay Oval yesterday. Pope, who overturned an early The hosts ended the day lbw decision on review while chink to lord at Eden on 144-4 and Henry Nicholls on his overnight score of 18, (26) and BJ Watling (six) will dominated the fi rst 30 min- ‘I’ve reached that stage in life where I don’t entertain unnecessary worry about my career’ resume in Mt. Maunganui utes with Stokes in particular today to try and eat into their bristling with aggression. 209-run defi cit after England Stokes raced to 91 and were dismissed for 353 after looked set for his ninth test lunch yesterday. century when he slashed at Williamson had been rested a Southee delivery and was for the Twenty20 matches caught one handed by a diving before the two-Test series and Taylor at fi rst slip. had just four innings since the His dismissal sparked a World Cup fi nal in July, one collapse as England slumped of which was in a fi rst-class from 277-4 to 286-7 and then game last month. 295-8 before Jos Buttler (43) The 29-year-old, however, and Jack Leach, who fi nished anchored New Zealand’s in- 18 not out, combined for an nings with his 31st test half important ninth wicket part- century but was surprised by nership of 52 runs. a ball from Curran that reared Wagner fi nished off Eng- off the pitch. Williamson land’s innings when he bowled was caught in the slips for 51 Stuart Broad for one having off the next delivery after he had Buttler caught at deep reached the milestone. point by Mitchell Santner. Tom Latham had been dis- Santner had actually been missed before tea for eight, off the fi eld signing auto- while Jeet Raval (19) and Ross graphs shortly before Wag- Taylor (25) both fell to reckless ner began his run up and was shots as they holed out in the perhaps unsighted by Buttler, deep in the fi nal session. who had been dropped by Neil Wagner had wrapped Raval in a similar position in up England’s innings about the previous over.

India’s Ishant Sharma (centre) reacts as his teammates applaud during the first day of the second Test against Bangladesh at The Eden Gardens in Kolkata yesterday. (AFP)

Reuters Scorecard Kolkata BANGLADESH 1st innings A. Hossain not out 1 M. Agarwal c Mehidy b Al-Amin 14 S. Islam c Saha b Yadav 29 A. Jayed c Pujara b Shami 0 R. Sharma lbw b Ebadat 21 England’s Sam Curran appeals successfully for LBW to dismiss shant Sharma and his pace New Zealand’s Tom Latham during the second day of the first I. Kayes lbw b Ishant 4 Extras (b8, lb6) 14 C. Pujara b Ebadat 55 colleagues wreaked havoc Test at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui yesterday. (AFP) with the pink ball to put In- M. Haque c Rohit b Yadav 0 Total (all out, 30.3 overs) 106 V. Kohli not out 59 dia in charge of their maiden M. Mithun b Yadav 0 Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Imrul), 2-17 (Mominul), A. Rahane not out 23 Scorecard Iday-night test against Bangla- M. Rahim b Mohammed Shami 0 3-17 (Mithun), 4-26 (Mushfiqur), 5-38 (Shad- Extras (lb1, w1) 2 desh at a heaving Eden Gardens man), 6-60 (Mahmudullah), 7-82 (Ebadat), ENGLAND 1st innings 10-353 (Broad) yesterday. Mahmudullah c Saha b Ishant 6 8-98 (Mehidy), 9-105 (Nayeem), 10-106 (Abu) Total (3 wickets, 46 overs) 174 (overnight 241-4) Bowling: Boult 31-6-97-1 (w1), Armed with the heavily- L. Das retired hurt 24 Bowling: Ishant 12-4-22-5, Yadav 7-2-29-3, Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Agarwal), 2-43 (Rohit), R. Burns c Watling b de Grand- Southee 32-7-88-4, de Grand- lacquered ball, India’s three- N. Hasan b Ishant 19 Shami 10.3-2-36-2, Jadeja 1-0-5-0 3-137 (Pujara) homme not out 54 homme 23-5-41-2 (w1, nb1), pronged pace attack bundled out Bowling: Al-Amin 14-3-49-1, Abu 12-3-40-0, Sibley c Taylor b de Grandhom- Wagner 32-7-90-3 (w1), Santner the tourists for 106 in front of a E. Hossain b Ishant 1 Ebadat 12-1-61-2 (w1), Taijul 8-0-23-0. me 22 6-1-24-0. 60,000-strong crowd which in- Mehidy Hasan c Pujara b Ishant 8 INDIA 1st innings NEW ZEALAND 1st innings cluded Bangladesh Prime Minis- J. Denly c Watling b Southee 74 ter Sheikh Hasina. Earlier, India’s pace trio took “I’ve reached that stage in life Cheteshwar Pujara dived for- Mayank Agarwal (14) nor Rohit J. Root c Southee b Wagner 2 J. Raval c Denly b Leach 19 Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat less than three hours to rout the where I don’t entertain unneces- ward to pouch a low catch to re- Sharma (21) could convert their B. Stokes c Taylor b Southee 91 T. Latham lbw Curran 8 Kohli then smashed fi fties as In- tourists after Mominul Haque’s sary worry about my career. That move Mehidy Hasan Miraz. starts. Pujara and Kohli helped K. Williamson c Stokes b Curran dia, 1-0 up heading into the sec- decision to bat backfi red. After has been a big change,” said the Opener Shadman Islam top- India eclipse Bangladesh’s paltry O. Pope c Watling b Southee 29 51 ond and fi nal match of the two- the lull of the fi rst six overs, Is- 31-year-old. scored for Bangladesh with 29, total with their 95-run stand. J. Buttlerc Santner b Wagner 43 R. Taylor c Pope b Stokes 25 test series, fi nished day one on hant drew fi rst blood, trapping “I’m enjoying my game a lot while Liton retired hurt on 24 Pujara made 55 before edging S. Curran lbw Southee 0 174-3, to be course for their 12th Imrul Kayes lbw en route to an more and the healthy competi- after being hit on the helmet by a Ebadot Hossain, who unfurled H. Nicholls not out 26 J. Archer c Southee b Boult 4 consecutive home series victory. impressive fi gures of 5-22. tion within the pace department Mohammed Shami delivery. his second salute celebration, B. Watling not out 6 Kohli (59 not out) and his dep- New-ball partner Umesh Ya- has also helped me improve.” Mehidy came on as concus- but Kohli went on to complete J. Leach not out 18 Extras: (b9) 9 uty Ajinkya Rahane (23 not out) dav (3-29) immediately ben- India captain Virat Kohli had sion substitute and Mithun re- 5,000 runs as test captain. S. Broad b Wagner 1 will return on Saturday hoping efi ted from a change of ends, predicted close-in fi elders would placed Liton behind the stumps “Their bowling attack is prob- Total: (four wickets, 51 overs) 144 Extras (b2, lb11, w3, nb1) 17 to bat Bangladesh out of the sec- dismissing Mominul and Mo- struggle to catch the harder, when India came out to bat. ably the leading bowling attack Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Latham), ond and fi nal test and sweep the hammad Mithun in the same faster pink balls but his fears Bangladesh needed a second in the world,” Bangladesh coach Total (all out; 124 overs) 353 2-72 (Raval), 3-106 (Taylor), series. over to trigger a spectacular bat- proved unfounded. concussion substitute in Taijul Russell Domingo told reporters. Fall of wickets: 1-52 (Sibley), 4-127 (Williamson) Bangladesh, who were skittled ting collapse. Rohit Sharma took a div- Islam after Nayeem also sus- “They’ve put a lot of side 2-113 (Burns), 3-120 (Root), Bowling: Broad 10-4-20-0, out inside 31 overs, had to call Ishant attributed his success ing one-handed catch to sent tained a hit on the helmet by an- under pressure with their dis- 4-203 (Denly), 5-277 (Stokes). two concussion substitutes af- to his relaxed approach to the back Mominul, Wriddhiman other vicious Shami delivery. cipline, pace and aggression... Archer 14-4-40-0, Curran 10- 6-286 (Pope), 7-286 (Curran), 4-28-2, Leach 12-1-29-1, Stokes ter Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan game after more than a decade in Saha fl ew to his right to cut Indian openers looked at ease they are better than us at the 8-295 (Archer), 9-347 (Buttler), sustained nasty blows to helmet. international cricket. short Mahmudullah’s stay and against the pink ball but neither moment, no doubt about that.” 4-0-16-1, Root 1-0-2-0.

SPOTLIGHT Australia’s Warner makes Pakistan pay for error AFP a year in the wilderness over crease when he was called back Brisbane Scorecard the ball-tampering scandal after TV umpire Michael Gough PAKISTAN 1st innings 240 and there were questions as to picked up that Naseem had again whether his days as an automat- overstepped the mark. AUSTRALIA 1st innings akistan were left to ic choice at the top of the order Warner and Burns were largely rue a basic error from D. Warner not out 151 were over. untroubled during their 222-run 16-year-old debutant J. Burns b Yasir 97 However, in home conditions partnership on a day when the Naseem Shah as Aus- and against an attack that strug- Pakistan bowlers could get nei- M. Labuschagne not out 55 Ptralia opener David Warner gled for sideways movement, ther swing nor spin. plundered the visitors’ attack Extras (b2, lb4, nb3) 9 Warner was in imperious form Naseem looked like he be- with a brilliant 151 not out on the Total (for 1 wicket, 87 overs) 312 as he brought up his fourth Test longed on the big stage with a second day of the fi rst Test at the Fall of wickets: 1-222 (Burns) century at the Gabba. number of bristling spells before Gabba yesterday. In the second last over of the leaving the fi eld late in the day Australia fi nished the day on 9-105 (Nayeem), 10-106 (Abu) day, Warner had another close with an apparent leg injury. 312 for the loss of just one wick- Bowling: Afridi 18-5-44-0 (2nb), shave when he was beaten by But the lack of movement et, 72 runs ahead of Pakistan’s Khan 12-1-43-0, Naseem 16-0- an Imran Khan delivery that meant Warner and Burns were fi rst innings total of 240 and al- 65-0 (1nb), Iftikhar 6-0-26-0, brushed the off stump without able to play him with relative ready in the driving seat. Yasir 28-1-101-1, Sohail 7-0-27-0. disturbing the bails. ease, although he smashed Burns Marnus Labuschagne was Naseem looked impressive on on the elbow two balls before the alongside Warner on 55, with survived a near run-out on 93 debut and regularly bowled at lunch break. the only wicket to fall that of before ending a century drought over 145 kilometres (90 miles) Burns looked certain to join Joe Burns, who made 97 before stretching back nearly two per hour, but he was guilty of Warner in reaching a century sweeping a Yasir Shah (1-101) years. overstepping the mark on a before a lapse in concentration delivery onto his stumps. The 33-year-old, who man- number of occasions, despite saw him drag a Yasir ball onto Warner scored his fi rst Test aged just 95 runs in 10 innings not being called by the umpire. his stumps three runs short of century since a year-long ban for during this year’s Ashes series In the second over after lunch, a second hundred in as many ball-tampering, but only after a against England, reached his he enticed an expansive drive Tests. huge let-off when he was caught 22nd Test ton when he turned from Warner, who nicked the Labuschagne, who was a rev- behind off a Naseem no-ball. Yasir around the corner for a sin- ball to wicketkeeper Mohamad elation on the Ashes tour, re- The mercurial opener was gle in the second over after tea. Rizwan. placed Burns and breezed to an Australia’s batsman David Warner celebrates reaching his century on day two of the first Test against on 56 at the time, and he then Before the Ashes, he spent But Warner had barely left the impressive 55 not out. Pakistan at the Gabba in Brisbane yesterday. (AFP) Gulf Times Saturday, November 23, 2019 3 GOLF

FOCUS SPOTLIGHT American French bogeyman Simpson seizes lead at PGA’s Lorenzo-Vera fi res RSM Classic AFP one-shot lead over fellow Amer- Los Angeles, United States ican Cameron Tringale, South Korea’s Lee Kyoung-hoon and Rhein Gibson of Australia who ebb Simpson are all at six-under par. 69 to stretch lead drained a 35-foot Weather conditions were ideal birdie putt on his for low scores as 90 players broke fi nal hole to shoot par on a sunny day with a light Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm are tied for second at nine-under par 135 Wa seven-under 65 for a one-shot wind blowing. lead after the fi rst round of The In his only other start of this RSM Classic on Thursday. season, Simpson fi nished sev- Simpson recovered from a enth at the Shriners Hospitals slow start to play the fi nal 13 for Children Open. It marked his holes in eight under on the Plan- 13th consecutive fi nish in the top tation Course in St. Simons Is- 30 at the event, a span that in- land, Georgia. cludes three runners-up. This is just the second start of Simpson has a history of the autumn PGA Tour season for strong performances at this Simpson and he credits his cad- tournament. He fi nished one die Paul Tesori with helping him shot out of a playoff last year that keep his focus in the opening was won by Charles Howell, and round. lost in a playoff to Ben Crane in “He told me, no matter how I 2011. started out, to stay patient,” said In 2017, he was forced to with- Simpson, who made bogey on draw at the halfway stage to be his second hole of the day, a par- with his ailing father who died three. “I think he knew scores shortly after. would be good. He helped me The tournament is taking place weather the storm.” on two courses with Simpson Simpson, who birdied four of competing on the more diffi cult his last fi ve holes on Thursday, is Plantation course on Thursday. seeking his fi rst win since the 2018 After the cut is made, the Players Championship. He had weekend fi eld will play both three runners-up last season. rounds at the easier Seaside His score was enough for a course.

Mike Lorenzo-Vera of France tees off during the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai yesterday. (AFP)

AFP Fleetwood, looking for a sec- much better than being three wind really picked up. I think were separated by just one shot. Dubai, UAE ond straight win in two weeks behind,” said the Frenchman, anything under par would have MacIntyre, ranked 11th in the after his Nedbank Challenge who is yet to win on the Euro- been really solid, so 4-under... Race to Dubai, shot a 74 and was triumph, shot a 68, while Rahm pean Tour in 277 starts. I’m happy.” on 145 while, Kitayama, 12th in ike Lorenzo-Vera eagled the 18th hole in his 69. As for his position in the race the race,added a 75 to his over- fi red a second- Wiesberger was nine shots WINNER’S CHEQUE to become the European No1, night 71. round 69 to widen behind the leader at three-un- The 34-year-old was candid the 28-year-old from Southport his lead to three der after a 71. If the results stand enough to admit that the $3mn added: “There’s a lot of diff er- LEADING SECOND ROUND Mstrokes at the half-way stage of as of Sunday, Fleetwood will winner’s cheque, the biggest in ent scenarios and players in the SCORES the DP World Tour Champion- be crowned the Race to Dubai the history of professional golf, mix,” he said. 132 — Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA) ship yesterday. champion for the second time. was on his mind. “You have to be more inter- 63-69 But he was left lamenting a World number two McIlroy, “Last night, I just sat down nally focused just stay in your 135 — Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) triple-putt bogey on the fi nal who could do no wrong in his and tried to forget about it, but bubble. It will just be a great 67-68, Jon Rahm (ESP) 66-69 hole that denied him the chance opening-round 64, struggled I could not. So I just embraced challenge going into the week- 137 — Tom Lewis (ENG) 67-70 to rewrite the record books. throughout the day and came it. I went online and tried to fi nd end trying to do that.” 138 — Christiaan Bezuidenhout The Frenchman’s 12-under home in 74 to slip to tied fi fth out ways I could spend it. I have Rahm was two-over after (RSA) 71-67, Thomas Pieters par 132 matched the lowest 36- place at 138. already looked at some cars that eight holes but fi nished strongly (BEL) 70-68, Rory McIlroy (NIR) hole score in the 11-year history England’s Tom Lewis (70) was I’d want to buy if I win.” on three-under. 64-74 of the European Tour’s season- in fourth position at 137. Fleetwood made three bogeys “I felt odd all day. I missed 139 — Marcus Kinhult (SWE) 68- ending championship. At one stage, Lorenzo-Vera, on a day when the swirling wind quite a few short putts early on,” 71, Justin Rose (ENG) 69-70 England’s Tommy Fleetwood who led overnight by one stroke, in the afternoon posed prob- said the world number fi ve. 140 — Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) and Spain’s Jon Rahm, two play- had moved to fi ve-under par and lems but seven birdies ensured a In the battle for the Rookie of 70-70, Adri Arnaus (ESP) 70-70, ers who can overtake current enjoyed a six-shot advantage. round of 68. the Year title, Scotland’s Robert Thomas Detry (BEL) 69-71 Race to Dubai leader Bernd Wi- But he dropped a shot on the “It was a good day. Played MacIntyre seemed to be opening 141 — Shane Lowry (IRL) 73-68, esberger and become the Euro- 15th and then came unstuck on really well and stayed very pa- a signifi cant gap over the USA’s Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 70-71, Webb Simpson of the United States plays a shot on the 13th hole pean number one, were tied for the last hole. tient,” he said. Kurt Kitayama, but a double bo- Danny Willett (ENG) 69-72, Ra- during the first round of the RSM Classic in St Simons Island, Georgia, second at nine-under par 135. “I think a three-shot lead is “It wasn’t easy today. The gey on the 17th hole ensured they fael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 68-73 United States, on Thursday. (AFP)

ADVANTAGE Kim edges clear at LPGA Tour Championship in Florida AFP “I don’t put any extra pressure “For some reason they’re like re- Miami, United States on myself.” ally cutting into one of the bones Of more importance for Kim in my foot, so I just got it taped up is the fact that a pre-season goal more than it already was,” Hall said im Sei-young conjured of winning three tournaments is later. “Still hurting, but it’s fi ne. I a late eagle to open up a still very much on track. can cope with it.” two-shot lead after the The 26-year-old from Seoul Five players — Brooke Hender- fi rst round of the LPGA won at the Mediheal Champion- son, Lizette Salas, Caroline Mas- KTour Championship in Florida on ship in California in May before son, Marina Alex and Nanna Ko- Thursday. taking the Marathon Classic in erstz Madsen — are three shots The South Korean’s moment of Ohio in July. off the lead after carding four- magic came on the par-fi ve 17th “I set a goal at beginning of the under-par 68s. hole at Tiburon Golf Club, when year to win three tournaments,” World number one Ko Jin- she hit her approach to the edge Kim said. “If I win this tourna- Young fi nished the day six off the of the green before draining a 12- ment I will reach my goal, which lead after a one-under-par 71. foot putt for eagle. is really nice.” A par on the 18th gave Kim a Kim can expect a stiff chal- LEADING FIRST ROUND seven-under-par 65, completing lenge over the fi nal three rounds, SCORES a fl awless bogey-free round that with a crowded fi eld of contend- 65 — Kim Sei-young (KOR) also included fi ve birdies. ers lurking just off the lead. 67 — Nelly Korda (USA), Ryu So- It left Kim as the early front- Three players — Nelly Korda yeon (KOR), Georgia Hall (ENG) runner for what is the richest of the United States, England’s 68 — Brooke Henderson (CAN), tournament in women’s golf, Georgia Hall and Korea’s Ryu So- Lizette Salas (USA), Caroline where the winner will pocket a yeon — carded fi ve-under-par Masson (GER), Marina Alex (USA), record $1.5mn. 67s to start. Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DEN) Kim however said she is not Hall, who like Kim eagled the 69 — Danielle Kang (USA), Brit- thinking about the prospect of a 17th, might have joined the Ko- tany Altomare (USA), Bronte Law record payday in what is the fi nal rean at the top of the leaderboard (ENG), Su Oh (AUS), Chella Choi event of 2019. had it not been for a disastrous (KOR), Jenny Shin (KOR), Hsu Wei- “Even (though) this tourna- double-bogey six on the 13th. ling (TPE) ment really special, I just try to Hall said she had been bothered 70 — Lexi Thompson (USA), Hur make myself comfortable,” Kim by foot pain caused by a new pair of Mi-jung (KOR), Nasa Hataoka said when asked about the record shoes, and needed treatment from (JPN), Jessica Korda (USA), Kim Sei-young of Korea plays a shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, purse. a physio during her round. Megan Khang (USA) Florida, United States, on Thursday. (AFP) Gulf Times 4 Saturday, November 23, 2019 SPORT

TENNIS / DAVIS CUP Tears and torment for Serbia aft er loss to Russia ‘We were up in the tiebreak. We had chances to finish it. We didn’t do it. I messed up in the crucial moments’ Pospisil keeps Davis Cup magic alive as Canada advance

Reuters injury. lineup. Madrid, Spain Pospisil has won all three of his Britain’s Group E decider singles matches without drop- against Kazakhstan went to the ping a set. He beat 12-ranked wire with doubles duo Jamie hatever the pros and Italian Fabio Fognini in Canada’s Murray and Neal Skupski edg- cons of the new-fan- opening group match and then ing Leon Smith’s side home for Wgled Davis Cup Finals, took down 22-year-old Ameri- the second day running. the old competition’s knack of can giant Reilly Opelka, ranked Former world number one Andy inspiring players to upset the 36, on Tuesday. Murray was left out but his form book endures, as Vasek Thankfully there were a few replacement Kyle Edmund beat Pospisil showed on Thursday to hundred Canadian fans inside Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3 6-3. fire Canada past Australia into the sparsely populated 12,500- Alexander Bublik beat Dan the semi-finals. seat centre court at the Madrid Evans 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 to level the The 29-year-old is languishing venue that is hosting the first tie and raise hopes among the at 150 in the world after back edition of the revamped Davis vociferous Kazakh fans, but surgery to fix a herniated disc Cup. Murray and Skupski easily beat sidelined him for six months Canada will face Serbia or Bublik and Kukushkin 6-1 6-4 to this year, but he has lit up La Russia today in what will be clinch it. Caja Magica this week with a only their third semi-final in the In what is being nicknamed the series of stunning displays. competition. World Cup of tennis, Britain will He was the diff erence again on “The sky’s the limit. We don’t face old soccer rivals Germany Thursday, beating 48th-ranked know, with a little luck on our today. John Millman 7-6(7) 6-4 in the side, anything can happen Germany made sure of top spot opening singles, before teaming going into Saturday into the in Group C ahead of Argentina up with Denis Shapovalov later semis,” Canada captain Frank with a 2-1 victory over Chile. Ar- to win the deciding doubles Dancevic told reporters. gentina crept into the quarter- rubber against Jordan Thomp- “It’s been a great run so far.” finals one of the two best son and John Peers 6-4 6-4. A rather chaotic first edition of runners-up and was scheduled Australian hopes were not the new Davis Cup Finals has to take on Spain later yesterday helped when Nick Kyrgios, been blighted by late finishes when the hosts will be without impressive in their group wins with Italy and the US finishing at their number-two player Russia’s Karen Khachanov (left) and Andrey Rublev celebrate after winning the quarter-final doubles match against Serbia at the Davis Cup over Colombia and Belgium, 4am the previous night. Roberto Bautista Agut, whose Finals 2019 in Madrid, Spain, yesterday. (AFP) was surprisingly not named to Pospisil struck the winning vol- father died on Thursday. play against the Canadians. ley after midnight on Thursday Today’s matches have been Reuters pain as he and Troicki had match Team captain Lleyton Hewitt to end a day that also finished brought forward by half an hour Madrid, Spain points at 6-5, 7-6 and 8-7 in the later clarified Kyrgios was the remaining group matches to try and avoid the past-mid- breaker. Troicki missed a return forced out by a collarbone to complete the last-eight night finishes. on Russia’s fi rst match point to ry telling Viktor Troicki spark wild celebrations in the and his Serbian team- Russian camp. mates the revamped “It hurts, it hurts us really bad- Davis Cup Finals don’t ly,” Djokovic said. Tmatter. The Davis Cup Finals marked The 33-year-old was incon- the end of 35-year-old Janko solable yesterday after poking Tipsarevic’s career, another of a routine volley out on Serbia’s the 2010 heroes, and captain third match point in the deciding Nenad Zimonjic described it as doubles rubber of their quarter- the end of the golden generation. fi nal clash with Russia. “At the end, you win as a team He and Novak Djokovic had and you lose as a team. It doesn’t three match points in the fi - matter if somebody wins two nal-set tiebreak before Andrey matches and you end up losing the Rublev and Karen Khachanov match,” he said as the tears began claimed a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8) vic- Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (left) and captain Nenad Zimonjic (right) to fl ow. “It was very emotional be- tory at La Caja Magica to give the console Viktor Troicki after they lost their doubles match against cause it’s Janko’s last....sorry.” Russians a 2-1 win and set up a Russia yesterday. (Reuters) At that point virtually every semi-fi nal against Canada. team member began to cry and Troicki became a national hero In an emotional news confer- win the Davis Cup in the deciding the media broke into applause. in 2010 when he won the fi nal ence, Troicki could barely raise rubber. Now he took it away. I’m “The main thing is that every- point against France’s Michael his chin off his chest. really disappointed with myself.” body knows here how much we Llodra to clinch the Davis Cup for “I probably feel the worst ever. Djokovic claimed a 15th suc- care about each other, how much Serbia in Belgrade, sparking un- I never experienced such a mo- cessive Davis Cup singles win we love each other,” he added. forgettable scenes in which the ment in my career,” he said. when he beat Khachanov 6-3 6-3 Former world number eight team, including Djokovic, shaved “I let my team down and I to level the tie after Rublev had Tipsarevic fi nished off a nerve- their heads on court before par- apologise to them. We were up in thrashed Filip Krajinovic 6-1 6-2 tingling news conference in tying into the small hours. the tiebreak. We had chances to on centre court. forthright fashion. This time there was just gut- fi nish it. We didn’t do it. I messed The 16-times Grand Slam “I will be very short,” he said. wrenching despair as Serbia’s up in the crucial moments. champion needed treatment on “It’s not the wins or the loss- Canada’s Vasek Pospisil (right) and Denis Shapovalov (left) celebrate with Canada’s captain Frank hopes slipped away in the cruell- “I don’t know. God gave me his elbow in the second set of es, it’s that this beautiful sport Dancevic after winning the quarter-final doubles match against Australia in Madrid on Thursday. (AFP) est fashion imaginable. the chance once to be the hero, to the doubles but blanked out the makes you tough.”

MOTORSPORT FORMULA E Bird wins opener NASCAR’s ‘Superman’ casts long with Porsche and shadow with retirement plans Mercedes on podium Reuters impact than you would if you were a lo- Reuters “We’ve done, quite frankly, an Indianapolis, United States cal star. London, United Kingdom amazing job in the off -season. “They’re going to have to fi gure out “Last year was diffi cult and I went ‘How can we help build the next super- through a little bit of a transforma- ASCAR’s season may have just star?’” ritain’s Sam Bird won the tion. A lot of thinking and mental ended but the race is on to un- Johnson, known as ‘Superman’ in the opening race of the For- stuff . Physically, I’m fi tter than ever cover the next generation of sport, claimed his last NASCAR Cup Se- mula E season in Saudi before, massive weight loss,” he superstar drivers, after sev- ries championship in 2016 and will kick Arabia for Envision Virgin added. Nen-time champion Jimmie Johnson off a fi nal season steeped in drama next RacingB yesterday, with series debu- DS Techeetah’s French driver Jean announced plans to retire at the end of year, seeking a record eighth trophy. tants Porsche and Mercedes mak- Eric Vergne, winner of the last two 2020. NASCAR did not respond to requests ing immediate appearances on the championships, retired in the pits With viewership numbers down from for comment, but in a written state- podium. midway through the race. the peak of the sport’s popularity about ment posted to Twitter, Chairman and The 32-year-old fought through Britain’s Alexander Sims led the a decade ago and veterans such as Tony Chief Executive Jim France said Johnson from fi fth at the start to continue his fi eld away from pole position for Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. now re- “made NASCAR a better sport.” record of winning in every season of BMW Andretti but lost the lead to tired in the rearview mirror, Johnson’s An ageing fanbase and diffi culty the all-electric championship dat- Vandoorne with 15 minutes to go, departure will leave a massive pothole in cracking into the millennial market have ing back to the fi rst in 2014/15. with Bird following through to go the road for NASCAR as it looks to claim been key challenges for the sport, even The win was also Bird’s ninth in second, and ended up eighth. a bigger share of the market. as the NASCAR Cup Series saw viewer- Formula E, the third most of any Bird then passed the Belgian for “What you’re going to see this year is ship fi gures stabilise in 2019 after sever- driver. the lead and the safety car was de- drivers who got a chance to race against al years of decline, according to Nielsen Germany’s Andre Lotterer fi n- ployed when Audi’s Daniel Abt their hero... and celebrate him as he re- data. ished second for the Porsche team crashed into the wall six minutes tires,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway “The great thing about NASCAR is with Belgian Stoff el Vandoorne tak- from the end, with racing resuming President Doug Boles told Reuters. “The whenever a big name steps out of the ing third place for Mercedes — with for the fi nal two minutes. way that Jimmie Johnson’s doing this is spotlight or retires, there are a good Audi claiming bragging rights also Britain’s Oliver Rowland was the right way to do it.” number of younger names that can step as powertrain provider to Bird’s fourth for Nissan with Robin Frijns Even so, the 44-year-old Califor- right in,” said Doug Shabelman, chief team. fi fth for Virgin Racing and reigning nian’s impending exit casts a long shad- executive of Burns Entertainment and The Diriyah circuit on the out- Formula Two champion Nyck De ow, experts said. an expert on the value of celebrities to skirts of Riyadh hosts a second race Vries sixth for Mercedes after start- “NASCAR fans don’t follow a geo- brands and advertisers. today. ing third on the grid. graphic team, they follow a driver,” said “NASCAR needs to continue to de- “I think it’s the power of the beard “We were not sure what to ex- Eric Anderson, chair of the marketing velop and do what they can to move that did that,” Bird joked over the pect so we gave it our best and P2 department at Northwestern Univer- some of the drivers and move some of radio, alluding to his new look for is a great way to start and get con- sity. “So (Johnson) has much broader the sport further into mainstream.” the 14 race season. fi dence for the team,” said Lotterer. Gulf Times Saturday, November 23, 2019 5 SPORT

NBA NFL Texans rally past Colts to move atop Antetokounmpo’s big AFC South

Reuters Texans linebacker Benardrick Houston McKinney before sidestep- ping cornerback Johnathan Joseph and dashing into the eshaun Watson end zone. triple-double leads threw two scoring Williams rushed for 104 passes to DeAndre yards on 26 carries while Hopkins, and the the Colts totaled 175 rushing HoustonD Texans reclaimed yards. But the Texans held sole possession of fi rst place Colts quarterback Jacoby in the AFC South with a 20-17 Brissett to 129 passing yards victory over the visiting Indi- and saddled him with his fi rst anapolis Colts on Thursday. loss against Houston in fi ve Bucks over Blazers Watson passed for 298 career starts with the Colts yards with touchdowns of and New England Patriots. ‘I couldn’t get going off ensively. Shots weren’t falling and they were showing a lot of crowds’ 35 and 30 yards to Hopkins, Having mustered only 29 who fi nished with six catches yards in the fi rst quarter, the AFP for 94 yards for the Texans Colts capitalised on a break Los Angeles (7-4). Indianapolis (6-5) had early in the second when won three consecutive games Jabaal Sheard tipped a Watson in Houston including in the pass intended for Fuller that BA Most Valuable wild-card round to eliminate Kenny Moore picked off at the Player Giannis An- the Texans last postseason. Houston 42-yard line. Seven tetokounmpo notched The second Watson-to- plays, all on the ground, later, a career-high 15 assists Hopkins connection erased a Brissett scampered in for a Nin his second triple-double of 17-13 defi cit with 12:34 left in 5-yard touchdown that pro- the season Thursday, leading the the fourth quarter. Houston vided Indianapolis a 7-3 lead Milwaukee Bucks to a 137-129 trailed 17-10 early in the third with 4:28 remaining in the victory over the Portland Trail before Watson completed a fi rst half. Blazers. 51-yard pass to Will Fuller that The interception was the Antetokounmpo added 24 set up a 36-yard Ka’imi Fair- fi rst for Watson at NRG Sta- points and 19 rebounds and Eric bairn fi eld goal with 2:43 left dium in 10 games. Bledsoe added 30 points and the in the quarter. The Texans responded Bucks never trailed on the way to Fuller had seven catches for quickly in reclaiming the lead, a sixth straight win. 140 yards. with Watson and Hopkins The characteristically con- The Colts appeared primed connecting on their fi rst scor- fi dent performance from An- for a season sweep of their di- ing strike to cap a seven-play, tetokounmpo wasn’t lost on vision rivals after mounting 75-yard drive. Portland’s Carmelo Anthony, two touchdown drives that Houston’s 10-7 lead didn’t the 10-time All-Star playing his featured a combined 17 rush- last long, though, as the Colts second game for the Trail Blazers ing plays over 18 total snaps. skilfully used their three since returning from a year-long Indianapolis’ dominance timeouts while covering 58 absence from the league. on the ground was exempli- yards over 10 plays. “Giannis is Giannis,” Antho- fi ed by Jonathan Williams’ Adam Vinatieri hit a 36- ny said. “He’s a tough check. I 13-yard scoring run with 5:36 yard fi eld goal as the half ex- thought tonight we actually did left in the third quarter, a play pired as the teams entered the a pretty good job. Even though in which Williams bulldozed break deadlocked. he had a triple-double, when you look at that, it’s like ‘Oh, he had a hell of a game.’ But I thought, for the most part, we were back on him. We loaded up on him. He found some guys, they made some threes, kind of opened the game up.” The Bucks made their fi rst seven shots – including three three-pointers. After the Trail Blazers re- sponded with a 12-2 run Milwaukee pulled away, stretching their lead to 72-58 at halftime. Antetokounmpo secured his 16th career triple-double – notching double fi gures in three key statistical categories – mid- way through the third quarter despite a slow start shooting. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo dribbles the ball under pressure from Portland Trail Blazers guard Rodney Hood (left) and “I couldn’t get going off en- forward Anthony Tolliver during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports sively,” Antetokounmpo said. “Shots weren’t falling and they back spasms, were also without Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, off ered a sense of “deja vu” said game, and a young Antetok- were showing a lot of crowds. Zach Collins, Hassan Whiteside. Anthony connected on six of 15 Antetokounmpo, whose fi rst ounmpo still fi nding his way in “I tried to fi nd my teammates CJ McCollum led the Trail from the fi eld, draining three career start in the NBA came in the NBA. and they were in the right spots. Blazers with 37 points, 10 assists three-pointers. a game against Anthony’s New “I just remember him being They were able to knock down and six rebounds. Anthony said he felt “more re- York Knicks in December of out there and trying to fi gure out shots, drive the ball hard to roll He was one of six Blazers laxed” in his second game with 2013. what his role was going to be,” hard. players to score in double fi gures Portland, and he thought it was “I remember that game,” An- Anthony said. “He’s here to stay “That’s why I was able to get 15 with Kent Bazemore adding 22 “defi nitely a better game” overall tetokounmpo said. now.” assists. I just did half of the work off the bench and Anthony con- from the Blazers. “It’s my seventh year now, so and my teammates did the rest.” tributing 18. “We played much better as a time fl ies. I’m excited I can go RESULTS Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson throws a pass Portland, whose star guard After scoring 10 points on 4 unit,” he said. against him.” New Orleans 124-121 Phoenix against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half at NRG Damian Lillard was sidelined by of 14 shooting against the New Lining up against Anthony Anthony also recalled that Milwaukee 137-129 Portland Stadium. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

NHL Isles edge Pens in OT, run points streak to 16 Reuters Scott Mayfi eld scored in the Rust picked it up and went in un- the top of the left circle. Gourde New York fi rst period, and Anthony Beau- touched for the breakaway goal. quickly returned a pass to Ser- villier scored in the second for The Islanders scored the gachev, who blasted a slap shot the Islanders. Goalie Thomas game-tying goal on the power past Crawford for his fi rst goal rock Nelson, playing in Greiss made 23 saves. play shortly beyond the midway of the season. Pat Maroon also his 500th career game, Evgeni Malkin scored in the point of the period when Beau- picked up an assist on the play, scored with 43.5 sec- fi rst period, and Bryan Rust villier rebounded a shot by De- which marked Tampa Bay’s 17th onds left in overtime scored in the second for the Pen- rick Brassard and tucked it into power-play goal in 19 games. ThursdayB night as the red-hot guins, who also lost to the Is- the corner of the net as Nelson The Lightning entered the night New York Islanders beat the landers in overtime in Pittsburgh screened Murray with 8:22 re- with the second-best power play Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in on Tuesday and have dropped maining. in the NHL, scoring on 29.6 per- Brooklyn, N.Y., and set a fran- four of fi ve (1-1-3) overall. Matt cent of their opportunities. chise record for points in con- Murray recorded 20 saves. LIGHTNING SINK BLACK- Tampa Bay clung to a one- secutive games at 16. The Penguins took the lead HAWKS WITH LATE PUSH goal lead until midway through The Islanders have gone 15- just 64 seconds after faceoff . Anthony Cirelli, Brayden Point the third period, when Seab- 0-1 in a span that began Oct. 12 Jake Guentzel attempted to and Cedric Paquette scored rook evened the score at 1-1. The to break the previous franchise- backhand a shot toward Greiss, third-period goals, and the veteran defenseman pinched best points streak set in 1978- but the puck skittered across the Tampa Bay Lightning held on for in behind the net and banked a 79 and matched in 1980-81 crease and toward Malkin, who a 4-2 win over the host Chicago shot off McElhinney for his third and 1981-82, the last of which dove ahead of Adam Pelech and Blackhawks on Thursday night. goal of the season. Seabrook’s featured 15 straight wins. New hit the ice as he poked the shot Mikhail Sergachev also scored highlight-reel goal came on his York’s only blemish in its cur- past a sprawling Greiss. for Tampa Bay, which snapped a bobblehead night at the United rent streak was an overtime loss The Islanders tied the score two-game skid. Center, where he has played to the Penguins on Nov. 7, also late in the period following Brent Seabrook and Dylan since 2005. in Brooklyn, in which it blew a Mathew Barzal’s faceoff win Strome scored for the Black- Only 1:17 later, Tampa Bay re- three-goal, third-period lead. deep in the Penguins’ zone. hawks. Chicago has lost back- sponded to pull back in front 2-1. The Islanders’ point streak The puck bounced to Mayfi eld, to-back games after winning the Victor Hedman fi red a wrist shot is the longest in the NHL since whose slap shot from just in previous four in a row. from the high slot, and Cirelli the Tampa Bay Lightning also front of the blue line sailed past Lightning goaltender Curtis tipped it in for his fourth goal of went 15-0-1 in 16 straight games a gaggle of players, and also past McElhinney made 32 saves to the season and his third in the from Nov. 29, 2018 through Jan. Murray, who was screened by improve to 3-1-2 on the season. past three games. The Lightning 3, 2019. The last team to record Anders Lee, for the goal with Blackhawks goaltender Corey made it 3-1 with 7:37 remaining points in at least 17 straight 4:48 left. Crawford turned aside 31 shots in the third period. Point tipped games was the Boston Bruins An Islanders turnover led to but dropped to 4-5-2. Tampa in a feed from Ondrej Palat for with 19 games last season. the Penguins’ second goal a mere Bay broke a scoreless tie when his fi fth goal. Nelson also gave Islanders the 1:09 into the second. Jordan it converted on the power play Strome tallied his fi fth goal lead with 4:52 left in the third, Eberle’s pass in the Pittsburgh with 3:50 remaining in the fi rst to pull Chicago within 3-2 with but Patric Hornqvist scored with zone was intended for Ryan Pu- period. Sergachev faked a shot 2:43 to go, but Paquette’s emp- 29.9 seconds remaining to force lock, but the puck sailed by him from the blue line and instead ty-net goal padded the lead in Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders scores the game winning goal in overtime against the Pittsburgh overtime. and into the neutral zone, where slid a pass to Yanni Gourde near the fi nal minute. Penguins at the Barclays Center in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP) Gulf Times 6 Saturday, November 23, 2019 SPORT

SPOTLIGHT Sevens coaches blown away by son of NZ’s fastest man Russian athletics Wellington: Edward Osei-Nke- tia, the son of New Zealand’s fastest man, has made a big impression on rugby union coaches after turning up to a training camp for potential sevens players in Auckland, lo- offi cials suspended over cal media reported yesterday. Osei-Nketia, the son of 100m national record holder Gus Nketia, attended the de- velopment camp being run by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) as part of a programme to entice anti-doping violations athletes from other sports into sevens. “I’ve never seen an athlete The charges relate to the conduct of (like him) walk through our doors in rugby. And we prob- RUSAF off icials during an investigation ably never will see one again,” NZR high performance sevens into “whereabouts” violations committed talent ID manager PJ Williams told Stuff Media. by high jumper Danil Lysenko Osei-Nketia ran for New Zealand in the 100m at the AFP missed tests or fi ling failures within a world athletics championships Monaco 12-month period is considered a viola- in Doha in September and the tion of anti-doping rules. 1.90m tall 18-year-old, who The AIU has given the accused until weighs 95kgs, is concen- he president of Russian ath- December 12 to respond to the accusa- trating on athletics for the letics and senior offi cials have tions. Shlyakhtin said senior RUSAF foreseeable future. been suspended for “serious offi cials would meet to discuss their re- While he has no plans to breaches” of anti-doping rules, sponse to the case and who would take switch to rugby sevens for Tputting Russian track and fi eld athletes’ over as interim president while he was next year’s Tokyo Olympics, participation at next year’s Tokyo Ol- suspended. longer term he is ruling noth- ympics in further danger. RUSAF spokesperson Natalia ing out. The suspensions came after the Ath- Yukhareva said lawyers were examin- “I’m here trying to learn letics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Thursday ing the accusations. “We only received more as I go as a sprinter, accused the Russian athletics federa- the documents today (Thursday). Our learn the game, learn the tion (RUSAF) of obstructing an investi- lawyers are studying the circumstances people and learn as many gation into high-jumper Danil Lysenko, of the matter and the charges that have diff erent things about rugby a silver medallist at the 2017 World been brought. The ban is provisional, as possible so that one day, Championships in London. the inquiry is ongoing and the details if possible, we can make a RUSAF president Dmitry Shlyakhtin are confi dential,” Yukhareva told TASS switch and I can be on top of and the federation’s executive director news agency. the game,” he said. Alexander Parkin have been provision- The IAAF, now renamed World Ath- “We’ll take it one at a time ally suspended. Lysenko and his coach letics, will discuss Russia’s continuing at the moment but I would have also been suspended. suspension from the sport in a meet- love to do both,” he added of Russia has been banned from com- ing of its decision-making Council in potentially competing in both peting as a country in athletics since Monaco today. In September, World rugby sevens and athletics 2015, after the World Anti-Doping Athletics maintained its ban on Russia at the 2024 Games in Paris,” Agency (WADA) found evidence of competing as a country pending analy- added Osei-Nketia, who has widespread doping in the sport. sis of data from Moscow’s anti-doping a personal best of 10.19 for Some Russian athletes, including laboratory. the 100m. The teenager was Lysenko, have been allowed to compete The World Anti-Doping Agency the subject of a tug-of-war under a neutral fl ag. Last year Lysenko (WADA) reinstated Russia in September between New Zealand and had that status removed by athletics 2018, on condition that it handed over Australian athletics earlier this world governing body IAAF after he a huge cache of electronic data from year after he won the Austral- failed to provide the whereabouts in- the laboratory. Russia has been forced ian 100m title following his formation he is required to give to sub- to deny allegations that it had doctored family’s move across the Tas- mit to doping tests. AIU said Thursday the data after WADA said evidence of man Sea two years ago. a 15-month investigation had found some positive tests handed over by a The Athletics Integrity Unit charged and suspended the Russian Athletics Federation president, Dmitry Shlyakhtin for serious However, he chose to rep- that Shlyakhtin and Parkin had been whistleblower does not show up in the breaches of anti-doping rules, including obstructing an investigation. (AFP) resent the country of his birth involved in the “provision of false ex- data. WADA is due to make an offi cial and then relocated to New planations and forged documents to recommendation on what sanctions 2016 Rio Olympics, with the exception the Court of Arbitration for Sport. doping samples were tampered with Zealand to attend second- the AIU in order to explain whereabouts to take against Russia and the issue of athletics. This latest charge will put wider at the Moscow laboratory. WADAa’s ary school in Wellington. His failures by the athlete”. will top the agenda at a meeting of the Under new rules, WADA has the pow- pressure on Russia, which also faces the executive committee will meet on De- father left Ghana following the The AIU had already said Lysenko body’s Executive Committee on De- er to ban countries from major sporting prospect of missing out on the Olym- cember 9 to assess the latest fi ndings 1990 Commonwealth Games was guilty of three “no-shows” in 12 cember 9. WADA failed to prevent Rus- events including the Tokyo Olympics pics and Euro 2020 football if the World of its independent compliance review in Auckland. months. Any combination of three sian competitors from taking part in the although its decision can be appealed at Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) fi nds committee.

RUGBY FOCUS ‘Giteau Law’ under review as Mayweather hints he may come Australia mull way forward out of retirement next year Reuters Agencies Melbourne Los Angeles

he Wallabies’ quarter-fi nal etired boxing superstar Floyd exit from the World Cup Mayweather Jr on Thursday marked the end of coach hinted he may be coming out Michael Cheika’s tenure of retirement and take part in a Tand may also spell the end of one mixedR martial arts (MMA) event. of his more infl uential policies as The 42-year-old former world cham- Rugby Australia take a fresh look at pion posted on Instagram an image of rules governing national eligibility. himself wearing only boxing shorts and Cheika was instrumental in ush- with his hands wrapped in white tape ering in the ‘Giteau Law’, a 2015 reg- with the caption “Coming out of retire- ulation that allowed players based ment in 2020.” overseas to be selected for national The fi rst of two posts on Thursday duty as long as they had played 60 evening shows Mayweather sitting with tests. With selection previously re- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) stricted to players with domestic president Dana White at what appears to contracts, its implementation al- be a Boston Celtics basketball match. The lowed Cheika to bring centre Matt caption reads: “@danawhite and I work- Giteau and winger Drew Mitchell ing together again to bring the world an- back into the fold for the World Cup other spectacular event in 2020.” in England, where Australia got to The American former champion com- the fi nal. peted in just one exhibition bout at the After announcing New Zealander end of December 2018 in Japan since de- Dave Rennie as Cheika’s replace- feating then UFC lightweight champion ment on Wednesday, RA said it Conor McGregor by technical knockout would turn its attention to the Gi- Michael Cheika was instrumental in ushering in the ‘Giteau Law’, a 2015 in Las Vegas in August 2017. McGregor teau Law after completing its re- regulation that allowed players based overseas to be selected for national famously took a break from MMA to com- view into this year’s World Cup in duty as long as they had played 60 tests. pete in the boxing match. started. She said letting the case proceed view access. Hart Robinovitch, a lawyer Japan. South Africa also had a simi- could fundamentally alter professional for the plaintiff s, did not respond to re- lar policy to the Giteau Law, limit- ly conditioned to play the game we may move the governing body’s UNHAPPY FANS CANNOT SUE sports by requiring athletes to disclose quests for comment. ing selection of overseas players to want to play.” hand. “It’s a diffi cult question when OVER MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO minor injuries, which opponents could Defendants included Mayweather and those with 30 test caps or more, but Like South Africa and New Zea- relaxing the law might mean losing BOUT: US COURT use to their advantage, or risk a slew of Pacquiao, AT&T Inc’s HBO unit, which scrapped it in February. land, Australia has struggled to better players abroad earlier from A US appeals court on Thursday said box- lawsuits. co-produced the fi ght, and promoters In its place they brought in a rule compete with the salaries off ered by Super Rugby in Australia,” winger ing fans who felt cheated after learning “Although the match may have lacked Top Rank and Bob Arum. “We are very that allows any player to be selected northern hemisphere clubs and has Mitchell said. that Manny Pacquiao had been injured the drama worthy of the pre-fi ght hype, pleased,” Daniel Petrocelli, a lawyer for but off ered those based in South seen a number of top players head “I’m a bit torn because I always before fi ghting Mayweather Jr. cannot Pacquiao’s shoulder condition did Top Rank and Arum, said in an interview. Africa top-up payments according overseas after Japan, eff ectively rul- want the best possible team picked pursue class-action litigation because not prevent him from going the full 12 “The court established the very impor- to a ranking system in a bid to keep ing them out of national selection. for the Wallabies and that’s the way the 2015 welterweight bout dubbed the rounds,” Nguyen wrote. “Plaintiff s there- tant principle that while sports fans may the nation’s top talent at home. Less Among them 33-cap centre Samu you get the results that people are “Fight of the Century” proved to be a fore essentially got what they paid for be zealous and passionate they do not than nine months later, the Rass- Kerevi, an explosive 26-year-old thirsting for. I’m saying Australian letdown. The 9th US Circuit Court of — a full-length regulation fi ght between have the right to sue because they are ie Erasmus-coached Springboks seen as a player Rennie could build rugby needs to have a pretty fl uid Appeals ruled 3-0 that fans and pay-per- these two boxing legends.” disappointed in how a contest was con- raised their third Webb Ellis Cup a team around. With Australia’s Su- approach to that 60-test mark and view subscribers who paid hundreds of Nguyen also noted a New York state ducted, or in the outcome.” after beating England in the fi nal. per Rugby sides battling to keep up adapt to the needs of the time.” millions of dollars to watch a “yawner” appeals court had dismissed fraud claims Mayweather’s lawyer Mark Tratos said “Is it right for us? That’s some- with their New Zealand counter- Former Wallabies coach Alan of a fi ght “got what they paid for” when when Mike Tyson was disqualifi ed for the decision shows that ticketholders get thing we’ll have to look at,” RA’s parts in recent years, the idea that a Jones said Australia should be able Mayweather and Pacquiao stepped into biting off part of Evander Holyfi eld’s ear “no guarantee” they will like what they Director of Rugby Scott Johnson more fl exible eligibility policy could to cast its selection net as widely a Las Vegas ring, with Mayweather win- in a 1997 heavyweight bout, because fans watch. HBO did not respond to requests told reporters this week when asked trigger an exodus of talent overseas as possible. “We have to change the ning a unanimous 12-round decision. had paid to see “whatever event tran- for comment. It decided in September about the South Africa policy. “The is an unedifying one for Rugby Aus- Giteau rules. We have to admit we Circuit Judge Jacqueline Nguyen said spired.” 2018 to stop televising boxing. reality is for the fi rst part we need tralia. are ranked sixth in the world,” Jones the plaintiff s suff ered no legal injury from Mayweather-Pacquiao tickets started The Pasadena, California-based ap- to sign the younger players and Yet the thought of the Wallabies wrote in a column. “If a player is Pacquiao’s failure to reveal a four-week- at $1,500 and fetched up to $231,000 on peals court’s decision upheld an August get them to play the game we want having another early trip home good enough to play for Australia it old injury to his right shoulder until the secondary market. Commercial sub- 2017 dismissal by US District Judge Gary them to play, get them appropriate- from the 2023 World Cup in France should not matter where he plays.” three hours before the May 2, 2015, fi ght scribers paid up to $10,000 for pay-per- Klausner in Los Angeles. Gulf Times Saturday, November 23, 2019 7 FOOTBALL

LA LIGA SERIE A Ronaldo left to ‘cool off ’ as injury-hit Juve Real coach Zidane take on Atalanta

AFP Milan

ristiano Ronaldo is ‘99 urges fans to back percent’ certain to miss this weekend’s Serie A trip to Atalanta after Chis four-goal spree for Portugal in Euro 2020 qualifying, coach Maurizio Sarri confi rmed yester- day. Juventus visit fi fth-placed Atalanta today looking to retain under-fi re Bale top spot in Serie A ahead of In- ter Milan before hosting Atletico Madrid in the Champions League ‘Outside, things can happen but inside, we should only look at the football’ next week. “When after seven games in 20 “The problem is on Tuesday days they go to the national team AFP Cristiano returned and said that they all come back full of small Madrid it was good for the fi rst game with problems and little ailments.” Portugal but less in the second,” Inter will be looking to make it said Sarri. “We have developed a perfect seven league games on inedine Zidane has urged Real a programme for him and now, the road this season as they travel Madrid fans to get behind Ga- the goal is the match of Tuesday to Torino, before their European reth Bale and insists he does not against Atletico Madrid,” said trip to Slavia Prague. Conte’s believe the Welshman is happier Sarri adding: “for Atalanta, 99% side face a tough task against the Zplaying for his country than Real Madrid. he will not be available.” Andrea Belotti-powered Torino, Madrid play Real Sociedad at the Santia- Ronaldo had been substituted who ended their six-match win- go Bernabeu today, when Bale is likely to in Juventus’s last two games with less run against Brescia last time feel the frustration of the home support- Sarri saying that the 34-year-old out, and are in 11th position. ers. The 30-year-old sparked outrage in had a “little knee problem”. The Serie A runners-up Napoli the Spanish press this week after he cel- fi ve-time Ballon d’Or winner are in crisis, having slipped to ebrated Wales’ victory over Hungary on was furious after being hauled off seventh, and desperately need a Monday with a fl ag from the crowd that before the hour in their last game result at 14th-placed AC Milan, read: “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order”. against AC Milan. who are themselves fl ounder- The slogan has been adopted by Welsh “We talked on Tuesday, and ing. Cagliari and Lazio will look fans after an interview given by former at certain times you have to left to continue their strong form Madrid player Pedja Mijatovic to Cadena players cool down,” said Sarri. at lowly Lecce and Sassuolo re- Ser last month, in which he referred to “There is no need for explana- spectively. those as Bale’s priorities. It has been in- tions. I’ve coached since the 90s Roma have a chance to move terpreted in Spain as a slight against Real and reactions to substitutions into the Champions League Madrid, particularly after Bale played were the same even in amateurs places as the look to bounce back twice for Wales over the international and sometimes much worse.” from last week’s defeat to Par- break, having missed the last six matches Sarri’s side are just one point ma at home against tailenders for his club through injury. ahead of Antonio Conte’s In- Brescia. One to watch: Carlo An- But, in a press conference yesterday, ter Milan after 12 matches, with celotti’s Serie A runner-up last Zidane refused to criticise Bale. “When Lazio and Cagliari eight points season head for AC Milan amid you look at what he has given to the club adrift of the leaders in joint third. reports he has two games left to and the fans, that is what we are all here Atalanta have gone three league save his job. for: for the club. Gareth is one of the team games without a win, and are Napoli have gone four games and the fans have to be behind us, always. two points off the nalfi Cham- without a win in Serie A to sit I will always be behind my players. Out- pions League berths, before next seventh. The southerners have side, things can happen but inside, we week’s trip to Shakhtar Donetsk. 19 points — 13 behind leaders Ju- should only look at the football.” Sarri said Atalanta were a ventus — their worst tally after 12 While on international duty, Bale ad- tricky team to face. “Annoying games since the 2011-2012 sea- mitted he feels more excitement repre- is an understatement. They play son when they fi nished fi fth. senting Wales, with teammates he has with intensity and aggressive- After being held 1-1 by Salz- grown up with and who speak the same ness but also have great technical burg in the Champions League, language. Asked if Bale is happier playing quality,” said the former Chelsea they travel to Liverpool next for his country than his club, Zidane said: and Napoli boss. “The best defi - week in a key game for the former “I don’t think so, maybe it’s better for him nition was given by (Manchester Chelsea, AC Milan and Real Ma- with the language, but he seemed happy City coach Pep) Guardiola — fac- drid boss. when he scored in the Champions League ing Atalanta is like going to the fi nal. It’s just the language, he said it. In- Real Madrid’s French coach Zinedine Zidane (left) and forward Gareth Bale. (AFP) dentist, you can get out well but FIXTURES (ALL TIMES GMT) side the dressing room here, he’s good.” also with pain.” Today: Atalanta v Juventus ciedad in La Liga. “There is a lot of noise the season and sit only two points behind Atalanta’s fortunes have Zidane would not comment on wheth- Real Valladolid tomorrow. (1400GMT), AC Milan v Na- er Bale’s celebrations were aimed at Real around Gareth but the most important Real Madrid. Lucas Vazquez is out with a slipped following the thigh injury poli (1700), Torino v Inter Milan Madrid or the media’s criticism of him thing for him and for me is to focus on broken toe along with James Rodriguez to Colombian star Duvan Zapata, FIXTURES (ALL TIMES GMT) (1945) for spending too much time playing golf. football,” Zidane said. and Nacho, who are both recovering from Today: Leganes v Barcelona (1200), who scored six goals in six Serie “I’m not going to get into that, it’s not my “He has been away, he has been able to knee injuries. Marco Asensio is a long- A matches before being sidelined Tomorrow: Bologna v Parma Real Betis v Valencia (1500), Granada area,” Zidane said. “What I can tell you is play and now he is back and is available. term absentee after rupturing his cruciate for their last fi ve league games. (1130GMT), Verona v Fioretina, v Atletico Madrid (1730), Real Madrid v Gareth Bale is my player. That’s what in- He can make the diff erence, he is a deci- ligament. Zidane will know his team can- As Atalanta sweat on Zapata’s AS Roma v Brescia, Sassuolo Real Sociedad (2000) terests me.” sive player. If he is fi t, he has shown he is a not aff ord distractions as they sit behind return, Juventus will be without v Lazio (1400), Sampdoria v Bale has not played for Real Madrid key player and he will show it again.” Barcelona on goal diff erence and ahead Tomorrow: Espanyol v Getafe (1100), full-back Alex Sandro, Adrien Udinese (1700), Lecce v Cagliari since October 5 but his recovery came just It remains to be seen if Bale returns to of Atletico Madrid by a point. Barca are Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao (1300), Eibar Rabiot, and Juan Cuadrado. (1945) in time for him to play twice for Wales last the starting line-up against Real Socie- away at Leganes today, while Atletico v Alaves (1500), Villarreal v Celta Vigo There are also doubts of Mi- On Monday: SPAL v Genoa week, meaning he is fi t to face Real So- dad, who have enjoyed a brilliant start to visit Granada. Sevilla, in fourth, travel to (1730), Real Valladolid (2000) ralem Pjanic and Blaise Matuidi. (1945)

TRIBUTE BUNDESLIGA Leclercq, who led Flick cool over Pochettino to Bayern rumours AFP 3-1 last time out in the league when wing- Lens to only title, dies Berlin er Patrick Herrmann netted twice in an impressive display. AFP “Of course our fans are allowed to Paris nterim coach Hansi Flick has brushed dream, but we can’t sing along with them off rumours linking Bayern Munich — we have to stay grounded,” said Rose, to Mauricio Pochettino, but Schalke 43, who took charge of Gladbach after aniel Leclercq, known coach David Wagner insists the ex- leading Red Bull Salzburg to last season’s as the “Druid”, who ITottenham manager would be an asset for Austrian league title. “The fi rst few weeks led Lens to their only the Bundesliga. Flick has been appointed of the season were tough,” Rose admitted French league title in caretaker coach of Bayern Munich until after drawing with Schalke and losing 1998,D has died at the age of 70, at least the winter break, which starts on 3-1 to RB Leipzig in their opening home his former club announced yes- December 22. games. “But from week to week, the belief terday. The Voix du Nord news- He stepped in after Niko Kovac was has grown into what we have been plan- paper reported he suff ered a sacked in early November following a 5-1 ning for and we’re getting stronger.” pulmonary embolism and the thrashing at Eintracht Frankfurt — Bay- With three straight wins under their French side’s former president ern’s heaviest league defeat for a decade. belts, Union will test the league leaders at Gervais Martel said Leclercq died Premier League side Spurs sacked Mauri- Berlin’s An der Alten Foersterei stadium, in Martinique where he lived. cio Pochettino in mid-week and replaced where high-fl iers Freiburg and Dortmund Leclercq, a central defender, him with Jose Mourinho on Wednesday.. have already lost this season. played more than 360 games in but as a coach he worked only in The German media has linked Pochettino Swiss striker Breel Embolo is back from nine seasons for Lens from 1974 the north. to Bayern, but Flick dismissed the specu- injury leaving Rose with all three for- to 1983. He then coached the club In addition to Lens, he had lation yesterday. “For me, it doesn’t mat- wards fi t alongside French pair Alassane for three seasons from 1997 to two periods in charge of Valen- ter which name is in circulation,” he said Plea and new signing Marcus Thuram, 1999 leading them to league and ciennes, guiding the club to pro- in a press conference ahead of Bayern’s who has three goals and four assists in his league cup trophies. motion in his second spell there away match at Fortuna Duesseldorf to- last six league games. Christoph Kramer, He returned to the Stade Felix- from 2003 to 2005. He wrote his day. “I try to be successful with the team part of the Germany squad which won the Bollaert as sporting director from legend in 1998 at Lens, the same — the rest doesn’t interest me.” 2014 World Cup, has shaken off a knee in- 2008 to 2011. He was nicknamed year France won the World Cup Spurs play Bayern in Munich on De- jury to bolster the midfi eld. the “Druid” for his coaching style on home soil. cember 11 having been routed 7-2 at The chasing pack of RB Leipzig, de- as much as for his wispy hair and “He was an idol for the fans,” home by the German giants in the Cham- fending champions Munich, who are distinctive posture. “A part of said Martel. “When we were pions League when Serge Gnabry scored Bayern Munich’s German interim head coach Hans-Dieter Flick, (AFP) third, and Freiburg are all on 21 points Lens has gone,” Martel said. “He champions, he was proud and four goals in early October. So far, Bayern — four behind Gladbach — but only two was fi rst a great player, then as a so happy for them. He often told have won their two games under Flick, in the footsteps of Pep Guardiola, who ant person who did outstanding things at points separate second-placed Leipzig coach he took us to the highest me: ‘people got their pride back’ the assistant coach when Germany won coached Bayern for three seasons until Tottenham”. and Schalke in seventh. level. It was unthinkable to be when life was diffi cult with the the 2014 World Cup, including a 4-0 2016, and current Liverpool manager Jur- Meanwhile, Borussia Moenchenglad- French champion. I don’t know if mines that had closed and many thrashing of Dortmund to go third in the gen Klopp, who led Dortmund to the 2011 bach fans have already been singing about FIXTURES we’ll ever go through this again. people were unemployed.” Bundesliga. The 54-year-old insists he is and 2012 Bundesliga titles. winning the Bundesliga this season, but (all times 1430 GMT unless stated) He was constantly demanding. Leclercq managed to get the “absolutely happy” with overseeing Bay- “He (Pochettino) is one of the best head coach Marco Rose is refusing to sing That reassured the players, even most out of a squad that includ- ern’s eight games until Christmas. “The coaches in the world”, said Wagner along, despite being four points clear. Today: Bayer Leverkusen v Freiburg, if they sometimes feared him.” ed a core of French players who decisive thing is that the club has time to ahead of Schalke’s away match at Werder Gladbach go to mid-table FC Union Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg, Werder Leclercq was from the out- failed to make the World Cup think about what is most important for Bremen today. “If such a coach comes to Berlin today and after a month at the top Bremen v Schalke 04, Fortuna Dues- skirts of another northern town, squad — Tony Vairelles, Guil- it in the future,” said Flick. However up the Bundesliga, then after Guardiola and of the table, their fans are dreaming about seldorf v Bayern Munich, Union Berlin Valenciennes where he started laume Warmuz, Jean-Guy Walle- in Gelsenkirchen, Schalke boss Wagner, Klopp, we would have one of the absolute a fi rst Bundesliga title since the 1976-77 v Borussia Moenchengladbach, RB his career. mme and Frederic Dehu — as well who coached Huddersfi eld in the Premier top coaches here again”. season. Leipzig v Cologne (1730) As a player he had a couple of as Czech midfi elder Vladimir League, was enthusiastic about the mere Wagner believes Pochettino would fi t “Que sera, sera — German champions Tomorrow: Augsburg v Hertha Berlin, stints with Marseille, where we Smicer and Montenegrin striker possibility of Pochettino coming to Bay- “100 percent” into the Bundesliga and next year!” sang home fans at Borussia Hoff enheim v Mainz (1700) helped win a league title in 1971, Anto Drobnjak as key fi gures. ern. Wagner says Pochettino could follow described the Argentinian as a “pleas- Park after Gladbach beat Werder Bremen

Saturday, November 23, 2019 GULF TIMES SPORT

PREMIER LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT QOC hosts entertainment day Mourinho returns for people with special needs he Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) in collaboration with the Qatar Paralympic to the fray as City TCommittee organised the 13th Entertainment Day for people with special needs at the Qatar Sport Club yesterday. The event, which was at- tended by the QOC Secretary- General Jassim al-Buenain and face Chelsea test a number of offi cials from the QOC and the Qatar Paralympic Liverpool have a winnable-looking fixture away to Crystal Palace Committee, featured some sports and entertainment AFP activities dedicated to people London with mental, vision and motor disabilities, including barrier races, athletics and leisure ose Mourinho will inevitably be the events. Participants included centre of attention as he takes charge a number of centres for people of Tottenham for the fi rst time this with special needs including weekend while Manchester City look Qatar Society for Rehabilita- toJ get their Premier League title challenge tion of Special Needs’ female back on track against Chelsea. education and rehabilitation The former Chelsea and Manchester Unit- centre, Noor Institute for the ed manager has been charged with rescuing Blind, Doha International Cen- Spurs’ season after this week’s sacking of tre for Special Needs, and Al Mauricio Pochettino, with the club desperate Tamakon School for Compre- to claw their way back into the top four. hensive Education. Entertain- At the top of the table, runaway leaders Liv- ment Day aims to raise the level Children take part in the 13th Entertainment Day for people with erpool have a winnable-looking fi xture away of awareness for people with special needs at the Qatar Sport Club yesterday. to Crystal Palace but the chasing pack cannot disabilities by giving them an aff ord to allow the gap to widen further. City, opportunity to express their claimed the second place at defeated Oman 2-1 and Saudi licking their wounds after their 3-1 defeat skills by participating in several the GCC Tennis Champion- Arabia 2-1 before going down by Liverpool earlier this month, host Frank sporting events. ship Under 14 & 18 years held in fi ghting against Kuwait on Lampard’s Chelsea, who are one point above Manama, Bahrain. Thursday. Qatar was them in the table, eight points behind Jurgen QATAR FINISH SECOND IN The Qatari team began their represented Nasser al-Yafei, Klopp’s side. Leicester, in second place, ahead GCC TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP campaign with a 3-0 victory Ali Saadi, Meshaal al-Khenji of Chelsea on goal diff erence, travel to Eng- Qatar’s junior tennis team over hosts Bahrain, then they and Sultan al-Malki. land’s south coast to take on Brighton. Mourinho’s fi rst match in charge of Totten- ham will be away to West Ham at the London FOCUS Stadium today but he will not have the luxury of a honeymoon period. The Portuguese boss has a number of issues to sort out, including addressing the woeful away form — Spurs Second Aspetar Clubs and have not won on the road in the Premier League since January. Last season’s Champions League fi nal- Federations conference held ists have had a shocking start to the season, languishing in 14th place in the Premier spetar, Orthopaedic & ence’s scientifi c committee life threatening conditions rep- League after just three wins in their opening sports medicine hos- chairman, said, “The confer- resented by collapses on the 12 games. With their new stadium to pay for, pital organised the ence brought together a diverse fi eld, not only by cardiac arrest Tottenham are reliant on Champions League second Aspetar Clubs group of experts and partici- but also hyponatremia, anaph- revenue but the outlook is not bright. andA Federations Conference, pants and facilitated the shar- ylaxis, heat exhaustion, etc. No team with as low a tally as Spurs have which focused on shoulder and ing of best practices regarding National Sports Medicine after 12 games — 14 points — has ever gone on ankle injuries as well as ath- the management of diff erent Programme, launched by Asp- to record a top-four fi nish. Mourinho, often Jose Mourinho was appointed as Tottenham coach on Wednesday. (Reuters) lete’s collapse on the fi eld. types of medical emergencies in etar in 2009, is a unique initia- labelled a cheque-book manager, has made The event, hosted by Aspetar, the sport setting. It’s a unique tive in the State of Qatar aimed the right noises so far, saying at his fi rst press said. “I think everybody sees how talented the mier League title in 2016. The club have al- is aimed to provide a platform gathering to deal with injuries at developing the quality of conference he will not demand millions to squad is, how many good players we’ve got in ready played all the members of the “Big Six” for educators, researchers, cli- and emergencies on the fi eld. sports medicine services for all spend in the transfer market. the team, but mentality is huge in football.” apart from Manchester City and sit in second nicians from across the country, The objective of this confer- Qatari clubs and federations “I don’t need players, I am so happy with Lampard, who spent a season playing for spot in the Premier League with a winnable to share experience and discuss ence is to help our medical staff and benefi ting all local athletes the players I have, I just need time to under- Manchester City after leaving Chelsea, takes set of matches to come. the latest advancements, inno- guaranteeing the best outcome as well as international athletes stand them better, to know everything about his young side to the Etihad for his fi rst visit vations and academic achieve- for our athletes when facing life competing in Qatar through an them,” he said. “My gift is this squad, the as a manager. ments in the fi elds of trauma, threatening conditions or inju- expert medical team consisting squad is very, very good.” Pep Guardiola’s side host Chelsea in the FIXTURES (1500 GMT UNLESS STATED) emergency and acute care ries that could impact their fu- of doctors, physiotherapists, Over their past 38 league games, Liverpool unusual position of being fourth in the table, Today: West Ham v Tottenham (1230), medicine in sports and com- ture career.” massage therapists and nurses. have tallied 101 points and lost just once, a point and place below the visitors, who have Bournemouth v Wolves, Arsenal v South- petitions. Continual medical The event brought recom- These medical teams are at overcoming champions Manchester City in had six successive league wins. ampton, Brighton v Leicester, Crystal Palace education for all staff is a key mendations based on the best the front line when dealing their most recent outing. Manager Klopp last Chelsea will also be eager to gain revenge v Liverpool, Everton v Norwich, Watford v priority to guarantee the best available evidence in terms of with acute injuries that could for their 6-0 mauling by City last season — be sometimes life threaten- season labelled his players “mentality mon- Burnley, Manchester City v Chelsea (1730) standard assessments and de- assessing and managing shoul- sters” and captain Jordan Henderson says their biggest-ever Premier League defeat. cision making in case of emer- der and ankle injuries. It in- ing. They need to have the right that is a crucial factor in their success. Former Leicester and Tottenham forward Tomorrow: Sheff ield United v Manchester gencies on the fi eld. cludes dislocations, fractures, skills and competences and “Our mentality is just as important as the Gary Lineker believes Brendan Rodgers’ side United (1630) Commenting on the event, ligament ruptures, etc. be up to date on the latest best technical ability of the team,” Henderson are better than the team that lifted the Pre- On Monday: Aston Villa v Newcastle (2000) Dr Raouf Nader Rekik, confer- The second part focused on practice during such events.

OOREDOO CUP Sailiya, Duhail play out exciting draw, Al Khor stun Gharafa

By Sports Reporter Doha

l Sailiya and Al Duhail played out a 2-2 draw, while Al Khor stunned reigning champions Al Gharafa 3-1 in the third roundA match at the Ooredoo Cup yes- terday. In another Group B match, Qa- tar SC and Al Arabi were locked in a 1-1. Duhail and Sailiya were both looking for their fi rst victories in the campaign but could not fi nd the winner. Serigne Mbodji (77th minute) and Meshaal al-Shammari (82nd-minute penalty) scored for Al Sailiya, while Paolo Ed- milson (73rd minute) and Ahmed Yass- er (88th minute) were on target for Al Duhail. Sailiya thus opened their account, whereas QNB Stars League table top- pers Duhail have two points. Duhail had lost big-time to Al Khor (0-7) in the previous round and had drawn 2-2 with Al Gharafa in the fi rst round. The Red Knights too have yet to register a win. Sailiya had lost 0-4 to Qatar SC in the opening round and then suff ered a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Al Arabi. After Al Arabi’s Birkir Bjarnason (left) and Qatar SC’s Moataz Bostami vie for the ball. a barren fi rst half, where neither team made worthwhile attempts at the goal, and Al Arabi ended in draw. Kayke Rod- ball home after Abdenasser Elkhayati the match came to life in the second riguez scored in the 55th minute as Qatar crossed the ball from the left follow- session. It was Al Duhail who drew fi rst SC took the lead, which was neutralised ing a brilliant piece of dribbling. He blood, with Edmilson making an easy by Al Arabi through Abdulla Marafy’s managed to get the ball past goalkeeper fi nish from close. Al Duhail’s Edmilson (third left) with teammates after scoring against Al Sailiya during the Ooredoo Cup yesterday. goal in the 83rd minute. Qatar SC now Loukay Sherif and defender Marc Mar- Sailiya replied when Mbodji headed have seven points and Al Arabi fi ve. tinez and on to Kayke. in a corner kick taken by Bilal Saidani. utes) and Helal Mohammed (89th Gharafa grew into the game and were keeper Osama Kamel rooted to the spot. Possession was even in the fi rst half. Al Arabi soon launched off ensives. The Peregrines went ahead when ref- minute), with Gharafa opening the unfortunate not to score when Muneer The turnaround was completed mid- Al Arabi captain Mohamed Salem al- Hamdi Harbaoui’s long-range rising eree Gamal Hussain Omar awarded a scoring in the 36th minute through Ab- forced a marvellous save from Baba way through the second half when Tia- Hamed came closest to scoring, but his shot went straight to Qatar SC goal- penalty, which Meshaal converted with dulghani Muneer. Djibril. Their fortune changed later on go scored his second of the night with a header off a corner went over. After a keeper Mohamed Ghanem in the 58th ease, after Al Duhail goalkeeper Amine Al Khor moved on to seven points, in the half when Muneer stepped up beautifully-executed free-kick that left goalless fi rst half, Al Arabi almost made minute and Marafy’s shot in the 67th Lecomte fouled Maher Yousef. Just while Gharafa remained on one point with a crisp 25-yard free-kick which he the goalkeeper with no chance as the a breakthrough seconds after the re- minute was blocked by the keeper. when it looked Al Sailiya would snatch from three games following their whipped around the wall and into the ball fl ew to his left. Gharafa struggled to start when Hossam Kamal’s cross from At the other end, Kayke struck a free- their fi rst win came Ahmed Yasser’s second consecutive defeat. An early far corner of the goal. get back on level terms and the hammer the right was cleared to safety by the kick directly into the hands of Loukay. equaliser in the form of an angular shot. chance saw Ahmed Hammoudan fi re In spite of the setback, Al Khor re- blow was dealt late into the game when Qatar SC defence from the goalmouth. Arabi were rewarded for their eff orts Meanwhile, Al Khor continued their just wide when through on goal, while sponded well and levelled the scores Helal curled in a left-footed free-kick Qatar SC did surge ahead when when Marafy fi red in a rebound from good form thanks to a 3-1 victory over Tiago came agonisingly close moments deep into fi rst-half injury time. Tiago from 25 yards to settle the score and Kayke, who scored their all three goalkeeper after substitute Ibrahim Al Gharafa. Al Khor’s goals were scored later when he fi red a free-kick fraction- leapt highest to meet a cross at the back confi rm victory for The Knights. goals against Al Gharafa in the previ- Nasser fi rst took the kick, with Birkir by Tiago Bezerra (45+2 and 58th min- ally over the bar. post and fi rmly head home with goal- In the third match of the day, Qatar SC ous round, was on hand to place the Bjarnasson doing the spadework.