P 8 | FOOTBALL P 14 | BASKETBALL SoLID FoUNDATIoN GUARDED oPTImISm Construction of Al Bayt Stadium-Al Khor City, Traditional powerhouse Al Rayyan start as a proposed venue of the 2022 World Cup favourites to retain the Qatar League title, semifinal, progresses at a steady pace. but their task is easier said than done. WEDNESDAY, NovEmbER 18, 2015 | Vol X | No.42 | QR 2.00 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com Follow us on Qatar become the first team to reach the final round of World Cup Asian Zone qualification as an easy victory over Bhutan ensures Daniel Carreno’s confident wards top spot in Group C. PAGES 6-7 DSP/Fadi Al Assaad DSP/Fadi UK ...................................... £1 UAE ...............................Dh 5 Europe ............................. €2 Yemen..................75 Riyals P 10 | FOOTBALL Oman ...............200 Baisas Sudan ...................1 Pound Bahrain ..................200 Fils KSA .......................... 2 Riyals P 20 | POSTER Egypt .............................LE 2 Jordan ....................500 Fils Euro 2016 must Lebanon ..........3,000 Livre Iraq .................................... $1 SPECIAL Kuwait ....................250 Fils Palestine ......................... $1 IKER CASILLAS Morocco ......................Dh 6 Syria .............................LS 20 COLUMN go on as planned www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, NovEmbEr 18, 2015 3 EXCITEMENT NOW OPINION » The writer can be contacted at: JUST A TOUCH AWAY Editor-in-Chief Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi [email protected] Managing Editor Kumar Ravi Senior Editor/Writer Aswin Abraham Senior Sports Writer N Ganesh Sports Writers Sajith B Warrier Aju George Chris Mohammad Amin-ul Islam Sarath Pookkat Positive developments for Photographers Mohan Vinod Divakaran Fadi Al Assaad Mohammed Dabboos Qatar on and off the field A K BijuRaj Graphic Designers Abhilash Chacko ATAr’S approach on the face of all the unfair higher authorities has helped us become a sporting Gopakumar K criticism hurled at it ever since winning the center par excellence. Joice Michael Qright to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup has been The QoC, headed by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Technical support Shaheen Mohammed “work hard in silence, let success make the noise”. Thani, is continuing its good work, emphasising the Abdul Naser M Slowly but steadily, perceptions are changing. The country’s leadership role in the region. Doha hosted Qatar olympic Committee’s (QoC) vision is to make the the 85th Executive meeting of Heads of olympic country a leading nation in bringing the world together Committees in the Gulf Co-operation Council last week through sustainable sports development. When the and discussed several important topics, including P.o. box: 24598, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 44138065, Fax: +974 44138597 Global Sports Nation Index for 2015 was released last establishing a GCC Sports Day and a sports arbitration www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com week, Qatar found itself among the world’s top 20 committee besides taking more steps to enhance joint Editorial: Tel: +974 44138522, Fax: +974 44138593 ‘sporting nations’ and Doha was placed sixth among action by its member nations. e-mail: [email protected] the cities, with only London, rio de Janeiro, moscow, meanwhile, Qatar has set an example by deciding Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 Tokyo and Paris ahead of it. to constitute a court of arbitration that would settle e-mail: [email protected] Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 The Nation Index was based on the number of disputes relating to sportspersons, clubs and national e-mail: [email protected] high-profile events organised and to be held during a federations within the country. period of 14 years between 2009 and ’22, and it said With such positive developments, the week that Qatar was set to move into the 19th spot. passed by has given us a lot to cheer about. The www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus obviously, Qatar’s success on the global stage has national team’s rout of bhutan on Tuesday en route www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar started making the right noises, with one british to the final round of Asian Zone qualification for weekly already commenting “FIFA’s decision to allot the the ’18 FIFA World Cup in russia was indeed the icing www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar ’22 World Cup to Qatar was not that wide of the mark on the cake. after all”. It goes without saying that sports plays a major role Publishers: ASPIrE Printing, Publishing and Distribution in Qatar. We’ve come a long way and achieved much Printed at ASPIrE Printing Press success through the positive vision and wise guidance of our leaders and, as expected, we’re now taking it Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi © Stories and photographs appearing in this publication may not be reproduced to the next level. The determination of our country’s Editor-in-Chief without the permission of ASPIrE Printing, Publishing and Distribution. INSIDE P 10 | FOOTBALL P 18 | BEACH VOLLEYBALL P 26 | HANDBALL Hungary for more! The sand tunes! Qatar start in style Hungary get the better of Doha successfully hosts the Second Qatar open their campaign in Norway and qualify for the World Tour Qatar open to stake the Asian olympic Qualification European Championship claim for more high-profile events Tournament with back-to-back finals, their first major such as Grand Slam. wins over Uzbekistan and Japan. tournament in three decades. P 22 | EQUESTRIANISM P 24 | MOTORSPORT Publishers: ASPIRE Printing, Publishing and Distribution P O Box: 24598, Doha, Qatar. Fit For Glory! Mission 2016 Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 Portuguese rider Luciana Diniz, Ace Qatari rider Nasser Saleh e-mail: [email protected] astride Fit For Fun, puts up a Al Attiyah does not want to Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 flawless performance at the rest on his laurels as he is eager e-mail: [email protected] Global Champions Tour Final in to extend the all-conquering www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar Doha to emerge as champion. form to next season. www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, NovEmbEr 18, 2015 3 OPINION » The writer can be contacted at: Editor-in-Chief Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi [email protected] Managing Editor Kumar Ravi Senior Editor/Writer Aswin Abraham Senior Sports Writer N Ganesh Sports Writers Sajith B Warrier Aju George Chris Mohammad Amin-ul Islam Sarath Pookkat Positive developments for Photographers Mohan Vinod Divakaran Fadi Al Assaad Mohammed Dabboos Qatar on and off the field A K BijuRaj Graphic Designers Abhilash Chacko ATAr’S approach on the face of all the unfair higher authorities has helped us become a sporting Gopakumar K criticism hurled at it ever since winning the center par excellence. Joice Michael Qright to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup has been The QoC, headed by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Technical support Shaheen Mohammed “work hard in silence, let success make the noise”. Thani, is continuing its good work, emphasising the Abdul Naser M Slowly but steadily, perceptions are changing. The country’s leadership role in the region. Doha hosted Qatar olympic Committee’s (QoC) vision is to make the the 85th Executive meeting of Heads of olympic country a leading nation in bringing the world together Committees in the Gulf Co-operation Council last week through sustainable sports development. When the and discussed several important topics, including P.o. box: 24598, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 44138065, Fax: +974 44138597 Global Sports Nation Index for 2015 was released last establishing a GCC Sports Day and a sports arbitration www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com week, Qatar found itself among the world’s top 20 committee besides taking more steps to enhance joint Editorial: Tel: +974 44138522, Fax: +974 44138593 ‘sporting nations’ and Doha was placed sixth among action by its member nations. e-mail: [email protected] the cities, with only London, rio de Janeiro, moscow, meanwhile, Qatar has set an example by deciding Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 Tokyo and Paris ahead of it. to constitute a court of arbitration that would settle e-mail: [email protected] Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 The Nation Index was based on the number of disputes relating to sportspersons, clubs and national e-mail: [email protected] high-profile events organised and to be held during a federations within the country. period of 14 years between 2009 and ’22, and it said With such positive developments, the week that Qatar was set to move into the 19th spot. passed by has given us a lot to cheer about. The www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus obviously, Qatar’s success on the global stage has national team’s rout of bhutan on Tuesday en route www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar started making the right noises, with one british to the final round of Asian Zone qualification for weekly already commenting “FIFA’s decision to allot the the ’18 FIFA World Cup in russia was indeed the icing www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar ’22 World Cup to Qatar was not that wide of the mark on the cake. after all”. It goes without saying that sports plays a major role Publishers: ASPIrE Printing, Publishing and Distribution in Qatar. We’ve come a long way and achieved much Printed at ASPIrE Printing Press success