MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 SPORTS Al Ain and Al Sadd eye Saudi wins at third time

DUBAI: United Arab Emirates outfit Al Ain and whose first match in charge was the March defeat, knocked out compatriots Al Jazira 4-2 on aggregate we could beat Al Hilal, but in football when you con- Qatar’s Al Sadd are hoping it will be third time lucky warned on Sunday. with talented playmaker adding cede a goal in the first minute and two more goals for them against Saudi opponents in the first legs of “Their key players are Fahad Al Muwallad and the other goal. The Arabian Gulf League side will shortly after, then you know that this is not your their Asian Champions League quarter-finals tomor- Mukhtar Fallatah,” who both scored twice in the 4-1 need the duo on form if they are to take a lead to day,” Ammouta said. row. Al Ain will host Al Ittihad who they finished aggregate win over fellow Saudis Al Shabbab in the Saudi Arabia for next week’s second leg. “We were very disappointed, of course, but we above in group play of Asia’s premier club competi- last 16. The other west Asian quarter-final sees Saudi had to go forward and work hard, especially on our tion despite losing to them 2-1 in Mecca and then “Al Muwallad is a very fast player and Fallatah a league leaders Al Hilal, who ended Uzbek interest in tactical and mental sides. only managing a 1-1 draw at home in their final striker that can score goals with ease. I will prepare the last round by easily beating Bunyodkor, hosting “I expect this important quarter-final between Al match of the pool. my team to stop them, though, and try and starve Qatar’s Al Sadd in Riyadh hoping for a repeat of the Sadd and Al Hilal to certainly be an interesting Saudi striker Mukhtar Fallatah scored both goals these two in particular of possession.” 5-0 thrashing they handed out in group play. game. We respect them, but I believe that we have in the March win for the twice former champions Fallatah’s goalscoring feats are bettered by Al That lopsided defeat for the 2011 winners fol- the qualities within our side to beat them.” and Al Ain’s Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic was wary of Ain’s Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan, who has struck lowed a 2-2 draw in Doha with the Qatari club’s head In the East Asia half, Pohang Steelers will host FC a repeat performance from the 26-year-old, who has 10 times in their eight matches so far as the Abu coach Lhoussaine Ammouta optimistic they could Seoul in an all South Korean quarter-final first leg on six in this ’s competition. Dhabi club has made it through to the last eight for close the gap after edging Iranians Foolad in the last Wednesday with Western Sydney Wanderers taking “I expect them to be hard matches. Al Ittihad the first time since 2006. 16 on away goals. on defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande of have a very young, fast and dangerous team,” Dalic, Gyan scored three times in the last 16 as they “I was very confident that in the second meeting China. — Reuters India beat Pakistan in landmark series

BANGALORE: India defeated Pakistan 1-0 will strategise accordingly (in the next yesterday in an emotionally-charged open- game),” said Pakistan coach Muhammad er to take the lead in a two-match football Shamlan Al-Mubarak. “We need to recover series, the first between the arch-rivals for fast... We are confident about a positive nine years. result.” The hosts hung on to their slender lead India were reduced to 10 men when after captain Sunil Chhetri scored in the Robin Singh received his second yellow 44th minute in front of thousands of cheer- card of the game. The star striker shook his ing home fans at the Bangalore Football head in disappointment as he walked off Stadium. the field. Match officials had initially awarded the Tempers became frayed on a number of goal to striker Robin Singh but changed occasions and angry words were their decision based on the referee’s report. exchanged, reflecting the high tensions Indians regrouped to launch a counter- associated with sporting clashes between attack after Pakistan dominated the pro- India and Pakistan. ceedings in the first few minutes. The football series is the first since India “I am overall happy with the game. toured Pakistan in 2005 in a three-match Pakistan started better but we took it over contest. India suspended sporting ties with and had a lot of possession,” said India its neighbour in the aftermath of the dead- coach Wim Koevermans. “The atmosphere ly 2008 attacks on Mumbai, blamed on mili- in the stadium was simply electric. This is tants from Pakistan. what football is all about. It’s about the That deadlock hurt cricket the most, a fans.” Midfielder Pronoy Halder came close game with which millions are obsessed on to scoring in the 16th minute, only to be both sides of the border. The current foot- thwarted by Pakistan goalkeeper Saqib ball series offers the teams an opportunity Hanif. The hosts squandered at least three to assess their strengths and weaknesses BANGALORE: Pakistan team captain Kaleem Ullah, left, and India’s Pronoy Halder (21) jostle to get control of the ball during the first match of more scoring chances before Chhetri found before the Asian Games in South Korea the two-match friendly soccer tournament between India and Pakistan in Bangalore, India, yesterday. — AP success just a minute from the break. next month. India have long struggled in Pakistan nearly equalised early in the world football and are currently ranked second half, but keeper Amrinder Singh did 150th out of 208 in the governing body well to stop captain Kalleemullah’s close- FIFA’s rankings, while Pakistan are 164th. Federer, Ferrer advance range header from going into the net. The second and final game will be played “Now that we have had a look at India, we on Wednesday. — AFP to Cincinnati final Ivanovic ousts Sharapova in thriller

CINCINNATI: Five-times champion Roger Federer tamed big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic with a comfortable 6-2 6-3 win on Saturday to join Spain’s David Ferrer in the final of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. Federer won all 16 of his service points in the first set and closed out the match in 68 minutes, sending a clear message to his rivals that he is in top shape heading into the year’s final grand slam at the Aug. 25-Sept. 8 US Open. The 33-year-old Swiss, in a rematch of the Wimbledon semi-final that he won in three sets, improved to 6-0 against the Canadian fifth seed and will be playing in his second final in seven days after he lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at last week’s Rogers Cup in Toronto. For Raonic, 23, his usual booming serve produced six aces to Federer’s two, but he also had three double faults compared to none by his opponent. He put a bit of a dent in Federer’s serve in the second set but the Swiss managed to break serve for a third time in the MUENSTER: Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski, center, challenges for the ball with eighth game of the second set, clawing back from Muenster’s Erik Zenga during the German soccer cup first round match between SC a 0-40 hole, to record the straight sets victory. Preussen Muenster and FC Bayern Munich in Muenster, , yesterday. — AP “I’m playing much better (than last year). I can move freely again,” Federer told ESPN after the Bayern make winning match. “I’m happy the results show. It’s more fun playing this way. Now I am playing the right way. CINCINNATI: Ana Ivanovic of Serbia returns to Maria Sharapova of Russia during a match on “It’s great for the confidence to switch from clay day 8 of the Western & Southern Open at the Linder Family Tennis Center on Saturday in to grass and hard courts and keep on playing well. start in German Cup Cincinnati, Ohio. — AFP I’ve had a very complete season so far. BERLIN: Injury-hit Bayern Munich crushed His return came only four days after hold- “This is my eighth final of the season. I hope I outlasted French Open champ Maria Sharapova 6- Ivanovic saved a pair of Sharapova match points third-tier Preussen Muenster 4-1 away yester- ing midfielder Javi Martinez tore a cruciate can win another final here.” 2, 5-7, 7-5 on Saturday to reach the final of the WTA and finally held for five-all. Ivanovic broke two day to bounce back from their midweek ligament and was ruled out for the rest of the Sixth seed Ferrer, playing his first semi-final in Tour’s Cincinnati event. The former world number games later to secure the emotional win with a Super Cup defeat and launch a successful year. Muenster, whose squad is worth just 11 trips to Cincinnati, breezed past Frenchman one will face off for the title, at the last major tune- backhand cross-court winner on second match defence of their German Cup title. over five million euros (6.70 million US dollar) Julien Benneteau 6-3 6-2 to move one win away up prior to the US Open, when she plays Serena point. Ivanovic and Williams will play for the fourth Despite missing half a dozen key players compared to their opponents’ 500 million, got from his 22nd title and second of the year. Williams later. time this season, with the Serb earning a win at the through injury, including Franck Ribery and a late consolation goal when Dutchman Ferrer, who has reached at least the quarter- The American top seed Williams moved within Australian Open. “It will be a very tough one, but Bastian Schweinsteiger, Bayern were eager to Rogier Krohne converted a penalty in stop- finals of all four tournaments he has played since one win of a second pre-Open hardcourt title as first comes recovery,” said Ivanovic. “It is fun to play make amends for Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to page time. crashing out of Wimbledon in the second round, she beat Caroline Wozniacki 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. her and test yourself against the best. It will be a Borussia Dortmund. The hosts then conceded a penalty them- needed just 71 minutes to earn his sixth victory in Ivanovic led by a set and 5-2 but fell victim to quick turnaround.” Williams, who claimed her 61st First half goals from Mario Goetze and selves but new Bayern striker Robert 10 meetings with Benneteau. nerves as the scrambling Sharapova, a five-time career WTA title at Stanford two weeks ago, is play- Thomas Mueller-his 100th for Bayern-put Lewandowski could not get on the scoresheet The 32-year-old Spaniard saved the one break grand slam champion and fellow former number ing a third tournament in a row for the first time them in the driving seat before David Alaba’s after his spot kick was saved on the final whis- point he faced and did not double fault all match one, fought back. Sharapova levelled the sets at since late 2007. She improved her 2014 match thundering drive from 18 metres gave them a tle. Fellow Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, long against Benneteau who was coming off a sur- one each as she clinched the second set with an record to 37-6 with the win over Wozniacki. three-goal cushion early in the second half. who had crashed out against lower-ranked prise win over third seed Stanislas Wawrinka. ace. Ivanovic had to be seen by the doctor in the The 32-year-old said that she needed a set to Substitute Claudio Pizarro, the opponnents in the past three editions of the third set. The Serb suddenly stopped at 15-all in the find her game after a slow start. “I got off to a little Bundesliga’s most prolific foreign scorer of all competition, needed extra time to edge past “Of course I am in a good moment,” said Ferrer. “I am in my first final this year in a Masters 1000, so second game. She went to the sidelines and lay bit of a slow start, but I was definitely in it,” said time, then chipped the ball over goalkeeper regional club Illertissen 3-2. down for a few moments to receive treatment and Williams, who followed up her win in Stanford by Daniel Masuch in the 73rd minute to punch Hoffenheim were much more convincing, I’m happy for that. (I take it) step by step and focus then the match continued. Sharapova’s frustration reaching the semi-finals last week at Montreal, their ticket for round two. beating USC Paloma 9-0 with five goals from for tomorrow.” Federer enters the final having won There was some more good news for Sven Schipplock while Freiburg advanced all 15 meetings with Ferrer, the most recent being a level appeared to grow as the Russian struggled to where she lost to her sister Venus. Bayern as defender Holger Badstuber cele- with a 2-0 win over Eintracht Trier 2-0. three-set victory in the Toronto quarter-finals earli- get a grip on a game which produced seven dou- “I had to get out there and grind out every- brated his comeback after two consecutive Borussia Dortmund have already booked their er this month. ble-faults in the third set. “It was just a matter of a thing.” Wozniacki came to the match after beating cruciate ligament tears, playing his first game second round spot after easing 4-1 past Treatment couple points,” Sharapova said. “There were certain- two top 10 players in a row for first time since the since Dec. 1, 2012. Stuttgarter Kickers on Saturday. — Reuters Ana Ivanovic overcame illness and nerves as she ly a lot of ups and downs. I wasn’t happy with that.” 2010 WTA Finals. — Agencies Hearts edge Hibs in Edinburgh derby

EDINBURGH: Hearts edged a fiery Edinburgh then pulled one back after a great bit of skill there was an awful lot in the game. I thought we with a home win against Livingston, saw Hearts into the lead with only 14 minutes left. derby yesterday to earn a 2-1 victory over from Farid El Alagui in stoppage time. were controlling it and our discipline has proba- Handling return from suspension and Michael The Hearts player nutmegged Robertson Hibernian at Tynecastle, in a match which both However, Hearts held on to claim the three bly cost us,” Stubbs said after experiencing his Nelson restored to the starting line-up as Paul before sending a swerving strike past Oxley and sides ended with 10 men. Both sides were rele- points and move to third, level on points with first derby since joining the club in the summer. Heffernan and Paul Hanlon dropped out. into the net off the post from 20 yards out. gated from the Scottish Premiership last season early leaders Queen of the South and three clear “I didn’t think the scoreline reflected the game The first half was free of major incident until Just four minutes later Robertson’s afternoon but opened their Championship campaigns with of both Hibs and Glasgow giants Rangers in an but it’s all about results.” the 31st minute when Hibs were awarded a con- got worse when he was sent off after picking up wins last weekend. intriguing second tier. For rookie Hearts head troversial penalty. Hamilton collided with his second yellow card of the match when he Hibernian earned a 31st-minute penalty coach Robbie Neilson the win continued his per- Frantic pace Handling as he came to punch a ball clear and pushed his old Dundee United team-mate Prince when referee Willie Collum pointed to the spot fect start to life in the Tynecastle hotseat. “I The derby, the first in the league to take place referee Collum adjudged the Hibernian player Buaben in the box to concede a spot-kick. after debutant Hearts keeper Jack Hamilton col- thought it was very tight and competitive with outside the Scottish top flight, was played at a had been fouled despite the ‘keeper appearing Buaben picked himself up to despatch the penal- lided with Danny Handling in the box, but Liam lots of tackles flying in. Some bits of football frantic pace which resulted in a lack of compo- to have got a touch on the ball first. However, ty past Oxley and give Hearts a two-goal cush- Craig sent his spot-kick wide. broke out but the majority of it was very end-to- sure from both sides. Hibs failed to take advantage as Craig sent his ion. Hearts were reduced to 10 men in the 88th The game only truly came to life in four frantic end,” Neilson, who guided his side to a 2-1 win Hearts handed young keeper Hamilton his spot-kick wide. The home side took heart from minute when Sow was shown a straight red after second-half minutes when Sam Nicholson away to Rangers last week, said. debut after first-choice ‘keeper Neil Alexander Hibs’ miss and ‘keeper Mark Oxley had to be alert catching Michael Nelson in the face with his scored a wonder strike in the 76th minute before “We rode our luck a little bit but over the suffered a broken cheekbone in the victory to get down to stop a Nicholson shot before elbow. Hibs were handed a bit of hope two min- Prince Bauben scored an 80th-minute penalty, piece I think we did enough to merit the win.” against Rangers at Ibrox last weekend and back- Jordan McGhee sent a half-volley just wide. utes into stoppage time when El Alagui showed after Hibs’ Scott Robertson was sent off. Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs said his side’s up Scott Gallacher was injured in training. The game looked to be heading for a goalless great skill to juggle the ball over Danny Wilson’s Hearts had Osman Sow dismissed and Hibs lack of discipline let them down. “I didn’t think Hibernian, who started life in the Championship draw before a wonder strike from Nicholson fired head and volleyed it past Hamilton. — AFP