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NBA | Page 5 James wins fi nal duel with Wade as LA Lakers roll on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 CRICKET Rabia II 5, 1440 AH Hope ton helps GULF TIMES West Indies level series SPORT Page 7 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT Sadd break down Al Arabi’s Icelandic Al Duhail’s defence coach says Qatar is ‘the to go top of league place to be’ This season Al Duhail had gone unbeaten until yesterday but it was evident for a few weeks that a defeat lurked around the corner Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani (L), President of the Al Arabi Club, poses with Icelandic football coach Heimir Hallgrimsson after a press conference in Doha yesterday. AFP success for today, this is a long- Doha term project to build up success for the future,” he said. The Icelander is the club’s ormer Iceland boss He- eighteenth managerial appoint- imir Hallgrimsson said ment since 2010. Qatar “was the place to “A lot of people have warned be” as he was offi cially me that this is a hot seat so hope- Funveiled as the coach of club side fully a guy from Iceland can cool Al Arabi in Doha yesterday. it a little. It’s all up in the air: Al Sadd’s Hassan al-Haydos gets some special treatment from his teammates after the team’s win over Al Duhail. At bottom, fans take a selfie with It is Hallgrimsson’s fi rst job “All the things from the presi- Baghdad Bounedjah. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil since leaving the Iceland post dent, from the club, the conver- and guiding his country to their sations, is that they will support By Anil John of the business end of the tour- through by Jung Woo-young but fi rst World Cup fi nals earlier this me and I feel that they really Doha nament, this was it. the Algerian’s eff ort was saved year, and he admitted even he mean it. Al Duhail made an impressive by Al Duhail goalie Khalifa Abu was “surprised” to end up in the “Sacking coaches two times a start to the match, working up Bakr. Gulf. year doesn’t get you anywhere.” s this the turning point that plenty of speed on the fl anks and The teams were locked in a He said he had been in talks His fi rst match in charge will would end Al Duhail’s stran- threatening the Al Sadd defence midfi eld battle in the second with Bundesliga and Major be on December 21, a cup match glehold on the QNB Stars a couple of times inside the fi rst half, although Al Sadd had a League Soccer sides — Stuttgart against current league leaders Al League? Al Sadd would fi ve minutes. few opportunities they failed to and Vancouver Whitecaps — Duhail, also managed by a coach Ibe hoping it certainly is after And sure enough they were make good of. before being approached by Al who was at this year’s World they demolished the defending the ones to take the lead after In the 50th minute, Bounedjah Arabi, but had no regrets about Cup, Tunisia’s Nabil Maaloul. champions in their rescheduled Italian referee Daniele Orsato back-heeled the ball to Afi f, but choosing a team from the World Hallgrimsson resigned as Ice- Week 9 clash at the Sheikh Jas- awarded them a penalty after his shot was defl ected away for a Cup 2022 host nation. land manager in July after they sim bin Hamad Stadium yester- Boualem Khoukhi blocked Kar- corner. Boualem Khoukhi then “I had some opportunities, were knocked out at the fi rst day to go top of the table with 38 im Boudiaf’s shot with his hand. received a fi ne cross from Has- some discussions with clubs but stage of the World Cup in Russia, points from 15 matches. Moroccan El Arabi, who took the san al-Haydos, but headed over nothing that was more interest- failing to win a game, ending the The 3-1 win was not achieved shot, sent Al Sadd goalkeeper the goal. ing than this one,” he said. Nordic country’s fairytale rise to in a particularly spectacular way. Saad al-Sheeb the wrong way to Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Fer- The 51-year-old has signed a the global stage. But it was convincing, nonethe- give his side a 1-0 advantage. reira then introduced Salem one-and-half-year contract. “The reason I decided to stop less. And more so, it came about Al Duhail’s joy didn’t last too al-Hajri for Jung as his fi rst sub- Hallgrimsson added: “This is a with the national team was be- after Al Duhail had taken the long, however, as Al Sadd equal- stitution in the 64th minute. big, big challenge, a big club, that cause I had been seven years lead in the sixth minute through ised four minutes later, through And after a few more wasted had historical success in the past doing the same job as a national a penalty, converted by Youssef an own goal by Lucas Mendes. chances, al-Hajri struck in the and they would like to have that team coach, and my feeling was El Arabi in the sixth minute of Star Al Sadd striker Akram Afi f 89th minute with a powerful past again.” that I was at a standstill,” he said. play. had made considerable ground shot, dribbling past three Al Du- Al Arabi are currently mid- He added: “For me to improve Over the past few years, Al before unleashing a shot at goal hail defenders inside the penalty table in the 12-team Qatar Stars personally, as a coach, this was Duhail, previously known as Le- only for Mendes to defl ect it area. League at the halfway stage. the place to be.” khwiya, had acquired an aura of into the Al Duhail goal while at- Al Duhail had fi ve minutes of Starved of success in recent Hallgrimsson began his invincibility. It was deserved al- ity. But Al Sadd had run them corner, especially after they had tempting a clearance. stoppage time to restore parity, years, the last of Al Arabi’s seven coaching career in 1993 with an right; after all, they had the best close on a couple of occasions, conceded tame draws against Al As half chances went to waste but it was Al Sadd who found Qatari league titles was back in Icelandic women’s team, Hottur. of coaches and the best of play- missing out by a whisker, most Rayyan and Qatar Sports Club. on either side, the match ap- the net again after Bounedjah 1997. Famously a dentist as well as ers who unfailingly did what was notably in 2016-17 when Al Du- The signs were all there and, as peared headed for a draw, caus- exchanged passes with Afi f and Hallgrimsson said he wanted a coach, Hallgrimsson said he expected of them. When you hail won the title by a mere two- expected, it was Al Sadd who ing consternation for Al Sadd struck from close range with the owners to give him time to would be concentrating only on win the league in the very fi rst point margin (63-61). rose to the occasion. coach Jesualdo Ferreira. two minutes remaining. Al Sadd improve the side, in a league football in Qatar. season of your existence, and This season Al Duhail had With that the Wolves laid The prolifi c Baghdad then held fi rm and the referee where coaches are changed regu- “I am so confi dent that we are then add fi ve more titles in the gone unbeaten until yesterday down the marker for the rest of Bounedjah had a fi ne opportu- soon blew the fi nal whistle. larly and ruthlessly. going to stay for a few years that next six years, there can’t be any but it was evident for a few weeks the season. If Al Sadd were look- nity to put Al Sadd ahead in the Even the dour Ferreira man- “They know that this is not I am not going to do any den- question marks about your abil- that a defeat lurked around the ing for a confi dence boost ahead 34th minute after he was put aged a smile. an instant job, this is not buying tistry.” Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, December 12, 2018 SPORT FOOTBALL Guardiola praises Sterling for confronting racism 'He’s an incredible person. It’s tough in the 21st century to still be in this position, to have problems with diversity’ AFP managers, the players, everyone around Manchester, United Kingdom the world,” he said. “But just for the colour of his skin? Believe me, that’s ri- diculous and that’s why everyone has to ep Guardiola has praised Man- protect from that situation.” chester City star Raheem Ster- Sterling’s teammate Leroy Sane also ling for refusing to be intimi- believes the former Liverpool player dated by the menace of racism has shown great dignity in dealing with Pin football. Sterling endured alleged the abuse. “I think it’s sad this happens racial abuse from a Chelsea fan during still. We all support Raheem and are on City’s 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on his side,” Sane said. “He is a strong guy, Saturday. a good guy. He can handle it and he is The 24-year-old was targeted by the not letting it get him down.” supporter while he was standing near fans on the touchline.

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