FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER 2016 21

Rally of Morocco: Nissan’s Mercedes explains why Adel Hussein slips to second

The Peninsula OILIBYA RALLY OF MOROCCO 2016 Hamilton’s engine blew out Positions after leg 4 (T2 class) ERFOUD MOROCCO: Nissan’s Adel 1. Yasir Saeidan (SAU)/Alexei Kuzmich (RUS) Hussein Abdulla has it all to do over Toyota Land Cruiser 200 14hr 23min 13sec today’s final special stage if he to 2. Adel Hussein Abdulla (QAT)/Sébastian The Briton aims to clinch victory in the FIA T2 category Delaunay (FRA) Nissan Patrol 14hr 38min at the 2016 OiLibya Rally of Morocco. complete a hat-trick 43sec The Qatari, driving a Nissan 3. Abdullah Saleh (SAU)/Michael Orr (GBR) Patrol with support from Nissan of wins at Suzuka Toyota Land Cruiser 15hr 22min 09sec Middle East, Nissan and the 4. Nicolas Falloux (FRA)/Antonia de Roissard while team-mate Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Feder- Rosberg eyes ninth ation (QMMF), ceded his overnight (FRA) Toyota Land Cruiser 16hr 24min 22sec lead to arch rival Yasir Saeidan on 5. Mohammed Al Harqan (QAT)/Nasser Al Kuwari victory of the season the demanding loop stage through (QAT) Toyota Land Cruiser 16hr 26min 17sec the Moroccan deserts around the town of Erfoud and trails the series Reuters leader by 15min 30sec heading into Falloux was second and Qatar’s the final day. Mohammed Al-Harqan was third. The Qatari led the category for Adel Hussein reached the stage finish Series Production Cross-Country in fourth in 4hr 45min 02sec. SUZUKA, JAPAN: Mercedes have Vehicles at the eighth round of the “One stage to go now. This stage pinpointed the cause of the engine FIA World Cup for Cross-Country was actually better for me than the blowout that forced Lewis Hamilton Rallies by 2min 09sec at the start of one yesterday. I wasn’t feeling com- to retire while leading the Malaysian the fourth stage – a 319km section fortable during the first 100km. I lost Formula One Grand Prix, and have that featured a wide variety of desert a lot of time in those early kilometres put safeguards in place to avoid a terrain to test man and machine to and then I came close to the dunes repeat heading into this weekend’s the limit. But he and French navi- and it was better. Tomorrow (Friday) race in Japan. gator Sébastien Delaunay lost the is a new day and the last day of the The Briton’s hopes of leapfrog- lead through the opening rocky kil- rally. I will push right to the end to ging fellow Mercedes driver and ometres to the first passage control try and get back my first position,” championship leader Nico Rosberg check point at 58km and were play- Hussein said. in the standings were hit when his Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team’s British driver Lewis Hamilton reacts as his car is engulfed in flames from ing catch up for the rest of the stage The rally concludes with a pun- engine burst into flames with 16 laps until they reached a series of dunes. ishing 230km selective section the rear during the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia on October 2, 2016. remaining. Saeidan crossed the finish line in through the Erg Chebbi today morn- A Mercedes spokesperson said a time of 4hr 29min 39sec to secure ing that precedes the ceremonial the Briton’s engine lost oil pressure, the race at the Sepang circuit as he year,” said Hamilton, who heads into phone. Mercedes has introduced a the T2 lead, Frenchman Nicolas finish in Erfoud today at afternoon. before suffering a “big-end bearing was forced to retire while leading the race aiming to complete a hat- new “conservative” specification of failure” without any warning. comfortably. trick of wins at Suzuka. “I haven’t oil this weekend, among other meas- As a result Hamilton, who added A fuming Hamilton, who is 23 been thinking about the last race.” ures to prevent another failure. three new power units to his pool points behind Rosberg with just five The 31-year-old spent much of Rosberg, aiming for a maiden win of available engines after taking of 21 races remaining, wondered in the news conference on his phone at Suzuka and ninth of the season, multiple grid penalties in August’s the immediate aftermath whether uploading amusing pictures created said he was not concerned about a Belgian Grand Prix, will this week- “the man above or a higher power” of his fellow drivers seated around similar engine problem hobbling his end run the engine he used on his was conspiring to deny him a fourth him, using Snapchat filters. title bid. way to third place in Singapore last title. “Hey man, we’ve been doing this “I also have all the trust in the month. His team-mate Nico Ros- He cut a distracted and with- a long, long time and it’s the same team that they always do their best berg will stick with the power unit drawn figure in yesterday’s news each time so got to keep adding new to make sure problems like that Adel Hussein Abdulla in action on his T2 he used in Malaysia. Hamilton’s title conference at the Suzuka circuit. things to it,” Hamilton said when don’t happen again,” said the Ger- Nissan Patrol in Morocco, yestedray. hopes were dealt a harsh blow in “I feel the same as probably last asked what he was looking at on his man star. Anti-doping system ‘not broken,’ says WADA’s athletes representative

AP of failing to act sooner on the Rus- anti-doping system. IOC President sian doping problems. They also Thomas Bach has called for the criticized WADA for releasing inves- entire testing system to be inde- tigator Richard McLaren’s report pendent from sports organizations. LONDON: The head of WADA’s ath- on systematic Russian doping just “We have to be solution focused lete commission contends the global weeks before the Olympics in Rio and can no longer afford to become anti-doping system is not “broken” de Janeiro. subject to the politics, conflicted Wladimir Klitschko (left) of Ukraine defends against Britain’s World heavyweight boxing champion Tyson and laments that politics surround- McLaren’s report led WADA to interests and game-playing that Fury during their WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO title bout in Duesseldorf, Germany in November 28, 2015. ing the Russian doping scandal has call for the exclusion of the entire has held us back for so long,” Scott sown “discord” in the fight against Russian team from the Rio Games. said. performance-enhancing drugs. The IOC rejected the recommenda- With WADA’s future role and Beckie Scott, who chairs the tion, instead asking individual sports status under scrutiny, Scott said Furious Klitschko says Briton Fury is World Anti-Doping Agency ath- federations to determine which Rus- the agency should be given the lete committee, urged all sides on sian athletes could compete. autonomy to effectively monitor Wednesday to put aside their differ- “It is unacceptable that when it compliance with global anti-doping ences and work together to combat comes to clean, fair sport, there is a rules, apply sanctions and serve as dragging boxing ‘through the mud’ “an undeniable threat to the integ- sense of discord when there should the “regulatory body” for anti-dop- rity of sport today.” be harmony,” Scott said. ing efforts around the world. In an op-ed released by the “Almost every day someone Scott also said WADA needs bet- Reuters for this month but postponed again with Wladimir. He blocks the world Montreal-based agency, the former new from the Olympic family takes ter funding. The agency’s annual due to an unspecified medical con- title.” Olympic cross-country skier from to the media with the critical claim budget, covered 50-50 by the dition, with Fury making further Fury has also been charged with Canada noted that WADA “has come that the global anti-doping ‘system Olympic movement and national headlines by telling Rolling Stone an anti-doping rule violation by UK under intense criticism and scru- is broken.’” governments, is about $27m. B E R L I N : Wladimir Klitschko has magazine he had taken to drinking Anti-Doping after a urine sample tiny” in the wake of the allegations “The issue has become so deeply “We need to ask ourselves, what accused world heavyweight cham- and cocaine to deal with depression. from February 2015 - nine months of state-backed doping in Russia. divisive and conflicted among stake- is the cost?” she wrote. “What price pion Tyson Fury of throwing boxing “Fury is dragging boxing through before his victory over Klitschko, “’Why?” Scott said. “For suc- holders that it seems athletes have are we willing to pay for clean, legit- into disrepute after the Briton twice the mud,” Klitschko told Bild news- showed traces of the banned stim- cessfully fulfilling their mandate another competitor in the ring — imate sport? We must find new ways called off a fight against the Ukrain- paper on Thursday. ulant nandrolone. He has denied and taking the necessary decisions.” politics,” Scott said. “Cynicism alone of funding the quest for a level play- ian, briefly retired from the sport Klitschko, who lost his titles to doping. “To be clear, ‘the system’ is not will not win the fight.” ing field.” and admitted to substance abuse. Fury in a surprise defeat last year, The 28-year-old on Monday broken,” she added. “If it were, the Scott’s comments were released Scott originally finished third in Fury, WBA and WBO champion, has been waiting for almost 12 announced his retirement from the exposure of systematic and state- three days before an Olympic sum- the 5-kilometer pursuit at the 2002 had been due to defend his titles months for a rematch. sport in an expletive-laden tweet, controlled doping in Russia by WADA mit in Lausanne, Switzerland, that Salt Lake City Olympics, but was against Klitschko in July but pulled “This just shows how unfair only to abruptly reverse the deci- would never have happened.” the IOC says will focus on develop- eventually bumped up to the gold out with an ankle injury. Fury is,” Klitschko’s manager Bernd sion hours later, saying he planned Several IOC members have ing “a more robust, more efficient medal after the two other medal- The fight was then rescheduled Boente told the newspaper. “He stalls to carry on fighting. blasted WADA, accusing the agency and more independent” worldwide ists were caught for doping. Ghana look to revive its sprinting culture

AFP At stake was a one-year inten- hopes the programme will help put that Ghanaians will start domi- can be demoralising for some of sive training programme for the Ghana’s sprinters back on the ath- nating the world by Tokyo 2020 Ghana’s best runners, especially top two men and two women, letics map. and beyond,” stated Brobby. when their competitors in other sponsored by sportswear giant Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Brobby’s ability to acquire big- countries benefit from more insti- KUMASI, GHANA: In 2013, Reks Adidas and the state-run Ghana Ghana had a consistent presence name sponsors for his programme tutional support. Brobby (pictured) founded Gha- National Petroleum Corporation at international sprinting com- has defied the odds. The budget The success of Brobby’s move- na’s Fastest Human (GFH), an (GNPC). petitions throughout Africa with for the youth and sports minis- ment ultimately depends on the annual 100-metre competition Brobby, who competed for runners such as Michael Ahey try has been cut by more than will of the athletes. But he hopes designed to unearth the country’s Ghana’s 4x100m relay team at and George Daniels but the pool 58 percent, from 54.2 million that one day he’ll be watching a best sprinting talent with the hope the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, of talent began to stagnate. “I want cedi in 2012 to 22.6 million cedi Ghanaian run for gold and feel the of boosting future track success. finishing fifth in their semi-final, to make (running) sexy again so ($5.7m) this year. The lack of funds adrenaline rush. 22 FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER 2016 SPORT

Woods is assistant for 2017 Presidents Cup

Reuters in Jersey City from Sept. 28-Oct. 1. Ryder Cup in Minnesota where the competitive golf since the Wynd- “It’s just a tremendous hon- United States beat Europe 17-11, ham Championship in late August our,” Woods, who has paired up could still play his way on to the 2015 while recovering from mul- successfully with his longtime U.S. Presidents Cup team. tiple back surgeries, intends to NEW JERSEY: Tiger Woods, who friend Stricker in the past at both “If that happens, replacing him make his PGA Tour comeback at plans to make his PGA Tour return the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, as a captain’s assistant will be a next week’s Safeway Open in Napa, next week after more than a year on said in a statement on Wednesday great problem for me to have,” said California. In other Presidents Cup the sidelines, has been appointed as after being formally appointed. Stricker. “But if he doesn’t, I’m hon- announcements on Wednesday, one of three vice-captains to United “We’ve been friends for close to oured he accepted this role for the Internationals captain Nick Price Vice-captain Tiger States skipper Steve Stricker for 20 years now, and we’ve been on first time in his impressive Presi- appointed fellow Zimbabwean Tony Woods of the United next year’s Presidents Cup in New teams together ... so for him to have dents Cup career. Johnstone, South African Ernie Els States celebrates during Jersey. the confidence in me, to be part of “Tiger has been a great team and Australian Geoff Ogilvy as his the closing ceremony of Woods will join Fred Couples the crew and help him in any way mate and friend over the years, assistants. the 2016 Ryder Cup at and triumphant U.S. Ryder Cup I possibly can - I’m thrilled to be and I know the United States team The United States have won the Hazeltine National Golf captain Davis Love III as assistants his assistant.” will benefit from the experience Presidents Cup nine times in its 11 Club in Chaska, Minnesota for the biennial team competition Former world number one and camaraderie that only Tiger editions, most recently by 15-1/2 on October 2, 2016 against the Internationals to be Woods, who got his first taste as can bring.” points to 14-1/2 in South Korea last played at Liberty National Golf Club a vice-captain during last week’s Woods, who has not played year. UCI President Cookson eagerly looking forward to 2016 China Open: of each race. I’m absolutely certain park. Cyclists will have to fight hard Svitolina stuns about seeing some highly exciting for victory.” The wind, heat, races.” Cookson, a former rider who terrain and twisting “Doha’s organisational skills are tried his hand at road racing, track, Kerber nature of the Pearl- well known and I feel they will set cyclo-cross and MTB, believed that new benchmarks for future hosts. I the Doha conditions will make the Qatar circuit will simply cannot wait for the UCI Road races difficult: “You don’t need a tall Reuters make the races quite World Championships Doha 2016 to mountain to organise a hard race. begin,” added the top official. The wind, heat, terrain and twisting interesting, says the Cookson, who served as president nature of the Pearl-Qatar circuit will world cycling chief of British Cycling from 1997 to 2013 make the races quite interesting,” he BEIJING: Elina Svitolina (pic- before taking charge of the world added. tured) stayed calm in the face body, was impressed with the level Cookson felt that the traditionally of adversity to secure a surprise of interest cycling has generated in European sport was gradually mak- 6-3 7-5 win over German world the region. “Over the last two years, ing inroads into other parts of the number one Angelique Kerber as the Peninsula cycling has made quite an impact in world. “We are keen to take cycling to the Ukrainian advanced to the the Gulf. I am not just talking about new areas of the world. I am hoping China Open quarter-finals in Bei- governments, but also spectators. You this will be the first of many World jing on yesterday. may think that the Middle East’s hot Championships to come to the Mid- The 16th-seed saved nine DOHA: The course is ready, com- and humid climate is not conducive dle East. More and more tour events of 10 break points in the open- petitors are flying in, and battle for cycling, but people always find are now being organised in the GCC. ing set, six of them coming in a lines have been drawn for the Mid- a way to be there. That is amazing,” Next year, the Tour of Qatar will be topsy-turvy ninth game, before dle East’s first-ever UCI Road World he said. raced as a World Tour event.” unleashing a forehand winner Championships. Cookson had no hesitation in Cookson said he was proud about past the stranded Australian and In just two days, almost 1,000 spelling out the races he was looking how the sport had grown in the pub- U.S. Open champion to seize the riders from 75 countries will descend forward to in Doha. “The elite races lic sphere in recent years. “We’ve first set after 45 minutes. on Doha to try and earn bragging for men and women are the UCI Road witnessed a tremendous change in Svitolina, who stunned former rights for an entire year. World Championships’ blue ribbon fortunes for our sport in the last two Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) President Brian Cookson world number one Serena Wil- Union Cycliste Internationale events. They will undoubtedly be the decades. I come from the UK where liams at the Rio Olympics, rallied (UCI) President Brian Cookson (pic- most exciting events in Doha. cycling activity used to be moderate. from an early loss of serve in the tured) is eagerly looking forward to “In our sport, there is an old say- But all that has changed now. More a bicycle to work helps cut your 2016. Bringing together the world’s second set to break Kerber twice the start of the festival of cycling in ing that ‘it is the riders who make the people than ever are riding bicycles spending on fuel. People are whole- best male and female road cyclists in more on her way to a fourth win Doha. “From our earlier experiences race.’ In Doha too, they will decide on a daily basis. The same is the case heartedly embracing the new culture the Elite, Under-23 and Junior catego- against a top-10 opponent in of the annual Tour of Qatar, we know how hard to go, whether to force the with Switzerland, where I’m cur- of healthy living,” he said. ries for the time trial and road race. 2016. The 22-year-old Ukrainian that the competition in Doha is going pace into the wind, how to tackle rently based. The UCI Road World Champion- Twelve titles of UCI World Champion will next face Australian Daria to be quite strong. The wind is likely crosswinds and so on. These races “People have woken up to the ship Doha 2016 will be held in Qatar’s will be awarded during the historic Gavrilova, who beat Caroline Gar- to play a major role in the outcome are not going to be a walk in the health benefits of cycling. Riding capital between 9 and 16 October event. cia 6-4 6-3, in the last eight.

SCOREBOARD : sweep ODI series D Warner c Duminy b Tahir 117 Q de Kock c Worrall b Tremain 70 A Finch c Rabada b Tahir 53 H Amla lbw b Hastings 45 S Smith b Steyn 108 F du Plessis c Warner b Head 33 AP undermined by the West Indies bowl- for a late charge. But they lost wick- G Bailey c du Plessis b Phehlukwayo 28 R Rossouw lbw b Zampa 18 ers who didn’t give up. They didn’t ets anyway. concede double-digit runs in an Fast bowler , recalled M Marsh c Miller b Steyn 2 J Duminy c Finch b Hastings 20 over in the last 22 overs, and only by Pakistan for the first time since T Head c&b Rabada 35 D Miller () 118 ABU DHABI: Pakistan swept the two boundaries in the last 13 overs. the 2015 , took out M Wade (not out) 17 D Pretorius c Warner b M Marsh 15 one-day international series against Still, the West Indies had never the leg stump of (22), and Extras (LB-3 W-8) 11 A Phehlukwayo (not out) 42 the West Indies 3-0 after winning the chased down 300-plus, and the last fellow opener Kraigg Brathwaite (32) Total (for 6 wkts) 371 Extras (LB-3 W-8) 11 last match by 136 runs on Wednes- five days weren’t helpful. Also batting was lbw to . day. second in the previous two matches, Darren Bravo (17) edged behind, Fall of : 1-110 A Finch,2-234 D Warn- Total (for 6 wkts) 372 Centuries by and the West Indies lost those on runs by having wasted almost four overs er,3-280 G Bailey,4-300 M Marsh,5-325 S Fall of wickets: 1-66 H Amla,2-140 F du captain propelled Pakistan 111 and 59. without scoring, and Marlon Sam- Smith,6-371 T Head Plessis,3-164 Q de Kock,4-179 R Rossouw,5-217 to 308-6, and West Indies, which has This time, they didn’t try and uels (13) was run out by teammate Did not bat: J Hastings, A Zampa, C Tremain, J Duminy,6-265 D Pretorius never overhauled a 300-plus score force the action. Instead, despite Denesh Ramdin, who top-scored D Worrall Did not bat: D Steyn, K Rabada, I Tahir in an ODI, was all out for 172 in 44 needing more than a run a ball, they with 37 before he was run out, but : D Steyn 10 - 0 - 96 - 2(w-1); K Rab- Bowling: C Tremain 10 - 0 - 65 - 1(w-2); D overs. appeared to be trying to save wickets wasted more than five overs. ada 10 - 0 - 86 - 1(w-4); D Pretorius 6 - 0 - 42 Worrall 9 - 0 - 78 - 0(w-2); J Hastings 10 - 0 - West Indies has yet to beat Paki- - 0 ; I Tahir 10 - 0 - 54 - 2; A Phehlukwayo 8 - 0 79 - 2(w-1); M Marsh 10 - 0 - 61 - 1(w-2); A stan on this tour. It also lost the SCOREBOARD - 58 - 1(w-3); J Duminy 6 - 0 - 32 - 0 Twenty 20 series 3-0, and the three- Zampa 7.2 - 1 - 55 - 1(w-1); T Head 3 - 0 - 31 - 1 match test series starts on Oct. 13. Pakistan West Indies Azam’s 117 was his third succes- Azhar Ali b Holder 101 KC Brathwaite lbw b Shoaib Malik 32 sive hundred in the series, only the c Joseph b Benn 38 E Lewis b Sohail Khan 22 eighth instance in ODI history of a Miller lifts South Africa Babar Azam b Pollard 117 DM Bravo c Sarfraz Ahmed b W Riaz 17 batsman hitting three consecutive Shoaib Malik c Ramdin b Narine 5 MN Samuels run out (Mohammad Rizwan) 13 hundreds, and the third by a Paki- stani, after in 1982-83, Sarfraz Ahmed (not out)t 24 D Ramdin run out 37 Reuters South Africa reached 217 for five in and in 1993. Mohammad Rizwan lbw b Joseph 4 KA Pollard c Shoaib Malik b M Nawaz 11 the 32nd over of their reply but an Azhar made 101, becoming the c Bravo b Joseph 4 JO Holder b Imad Wasim 26 unbroken seventh- stand of first Pakistan ODI captain to score Mohammad Nawaz (not out) 4 SP Narine st Sarfraz Ahmed b M Nawaz 0 DURBAN: David Miller blasted an 107 between Miller and all-rounder

three centuries. The crowd in Shar- unbeaten century as South Africa Andile Phehlukwayo (42 not out) SJ Benn c Sohail Khan b Mohammad Nawaz 0 jah reportedly cheered on Sunday Extras: (LB7, NB1, W3) 11 chased down a massive target of 372 saw them home against Australia’s AS Joseph c Shoaib Malik b 2 when he was out for 9, following his Total: (for six wkts; 50 overs) 308 in the third one-dayer against Aus- inexperienced attack. duck in the opening match. There ST Gabriel (not out) 1 3 tralia at Kingsmead on Wednesday The hard-hitting Miller blasted Did not bat: Wahab Riaz, , Sohail were cheers again on Wednesday, Extras (B 1, LB 4, W 6) 11 to clinch the series. 10 fours and a six after going into the Khan but only for his lasting class. Total (all out; 44 overs) 172 The hosts went 3-0 up in the game with a question mark hanging He and Sharjeel Khan rushed to Fall of wickets: 1-85 , 2-232, 3-239, 4-280, five-match contest after winning over his place, having not passed 50 Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-75, 3-87, 4-93, 5-117, 85 in their opening stand. Then he 5-285, 6-303 by four wickets thanks to Miller’s in 19 previous innings. 6-159, 7-161, 8-161, 9-170, 10-172 Pakistan’s batsman Babar Azam and Azam slowly got going by taking Bowling: Joseph 8-0-62-2 (1w), Gabriel 5-0- brilliant 118 in 79 balls. Australian openers Warner and regular ones and twos, and combin- Bowling: Imad Wasim 8-0-29-1; Sohail Khan after scoring century during the Earlier, Australia won the toss (53) bludgeoned their 37-0 (1nb), Brathwaite 4-0-22-0, Holder 10-0- ing for 147 for the second wicket. 7-0-34-1 (3w); Hasan Ali 6-1-13-0; Shoaib Ma- 3rd ODI cricket match against the and posted 371 for six on the back of way to 110 for nought in 13 overs 63-1 (2w), Narine 10-0-47-1, Benn 10-0-51-1, They were separated in the 39th lik 6-0-23-1 (1w); Mohammad Nawaz (3) 9-0- West Indies at the Sheikh Zayed centuries from David Warner (117) while captain Smith was more over, at 232-2, but reasonable expec- Pollard 3-0-19-1 40-3 (1w); Wahab Riaz 8-0-28-2 (1w) Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on and (108). measured as he struck his sixth tations of a score of about 350 were Wednesday. Quinton de Kock made 70 as one-day ton. SPORT FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER 2016 23

Origi to wait for his chance Cesar set for coaching Lekhwiya’s at Liverpool South Korean midfielder Nam Tae Hee Reuters role with Al Rayyan LONDON: Liverpool striker Divock Origi is not too wor- ried about his lack of starts this season and knows that cup along with the Heir Apparent with the club just two points Cup and finally lifting the QSL off the top, and tied with Recently retired star Title with Al Rayyan during the leaders Manchester City midfielder happy 2015-2016 season. in the goalscoring charts, He has also represented he will have to wait for his to help his former Qatar during the 2011 Asian cup, chance. team under new in Doha. The 21-year-old has management of Danish football star Laudrup, been restricted to five Pre- who guided mier League appearances Michael Laudrup (QSL) giants to title glory a little from the bench in the new over a year ago, replaced Fossati campaign, but has scored in at Al Rayyan Club few days ago. each of his two starts in the Fossati, a hugely popular fig- League Cup against Burton The Peninsula ure in Qatar, guided Al Rayyan Albion and Derby County. to a stunning QSL title glory ear- Origi scored 10 goals lier this year in March with five under manager Juergen rounds to spare. Klopp last season, includ- DOHA: The Qatar Stars League “It’s a huge honor for me to ing five in the last six games defending champions Al Rayyan be working with such a prestig- of the campaign. yesterday confirmed that their ious coach in Michael Laudrup, “A manager never former skipper Fabio Cesar, who it is a big opportunity for me to changes his winning team. It recently retired from club foot- learn from him and I hope I can does not matter to me. Klopp ball, is set to be a part of the new do my best for the team” Cesar believes in me and says I management team under Danish said. QSL: Hat-trick hero have to be patient. He asked coach Michael Laudrup. Al Rayyan won their first me to stay calm, which is not The 37-year old had previ- championship in over 20 years easy for a footballer,” Origi ously been training the side in last season, and finished 14 Nam Tae Hee highlight told Belgian news site HLN. the absence of a head coach points clear of nearest rivals El “I want to play and be the since the departure of Jorge Fos- Jaish. of first two weeks decisive player that I was last sati who took over the national Currently they lie fourth in season. I scored 10 goals in duty. the table but only two games no time (so) everything can The Brazilian born mid- of the new season have been The Peninsula turn quickly in football.” fielder joined Al Arabi during played. Liverpool, who are fourth the 2005-2006 campaign. Cesar will now start to focus in the league, host Manches- Cesar then enjoyed two sepa- with the Al Rayyan coaching DOHA: The Qatar Stars League (QSL) has come to a ter United on October 17. Fabio Cesar speaks during a press briefing in this rate stints at both Umm Salal and staff on the side’s upcoming third temporary halt because of the for international qual- file photo. Al Rayyan where he picked up round match against Al Sailiya at ifiers. the Emir Cup and Sheikh Jassim Al Ahli stadium on October 15. The statistics from the previous two rounds of action have been impressive and so far, the new QSL learnt season has seen plenty of goals in just two rounds. Teams have found the back of the net on 48 occa- lesson from sions, with the average goals to game ratio at a high Fit-again Guendogan hopes for comeback 3.43. The early season has seen plenty of action on Euro exit, says the pitch, with Lekhwiya’s 5-4 victory over Gharafa the highest scoring encounter of the season so far. Walker Reuters few years,” he told reporters on In terms of average ground covered in a game it’s Thursday. interesting to note that the two bottom sides in the “I just want to enjoy the league have the top two players on the list. moment and if I am needed I Brazilian midfielder William Schulster of last Reuters HAMBURG: German mid- will be there. I will give it all I placed Muaither has so far covered 24.4km while fielder Ilkay Guendogan is can and I cannot ask for more Kooky Han of Al Gharafa is just behind with 22.2km looking forward to making his at the moment.” over two games. LONDON: England have international comeback after Guendogan is seen as the More impressive perhaps is that the players have learnt from their humiliat- missing almost a year due to a natural successor to former clocked up these distances during the humidity of Sep- ing Euro 2016 exit against string of injuries, but he is not captain and playmaker Bas- tember, highlighting the fitness of the players. Iceland and are eager to yet thinking about the 2018 tian Schweinsteiger, who has Unsurprisingly Xavi leads the way with the most display a more “streetwise” World Cup. retired from internationals. passes in the opening two games of the league. style of play in their World World champions Ger- Injuries, however, have fre- The midfield maestro has so far completed 168 Cup qualifiers against Malta many take on the Czech quently set him back. passes in two matches, significantly more than his and Slovenia, left back Kyle Republic on October 8 and “It would be great if my nearest rival. Walker said. host Northern Ireland three career would be similar to that Al Sadd’s captain also heads up the most forward England have endured days later in World Cup qual- of Bastian Schweinsteiger. We passes category, with 71 over two games. a rocky patch off the pitch ifiers, with Guendogan hoping all know what he has done for Xavi’s composure in the center of the park has also since their shock last 16 to win his first cap since German football,” Guendogan given Al Sadd two wins from two in the opening games loss to Iceland in the Euro- November 2015. said. of the season. pean Championship in June The talented 25-year-old, “It is an honour (to be Lekhwiya currently top the QSL standings and their - losing two managers in the who signed for Manchester named as his successor) but blistering start can be attributed to their accuracy in space of three months. City in the close season and it is not an issue for me. I play front of goal. The Red Knights have taken the joint most Roy Hodgson left fol- has shed almost four kilos as my game which is not neces- German midfielder of shots over the last two games at 39, scoring a league lowing the Euros debacle he returned to fitness, missed sarily exactly like his game. Ilkay Guendogan leading tally of 9 goals. while Sam Allardyce was the 2014 World Cup as well as Everything else is not that This means that ’s side scores a sacked last week following Euro 2016 through injury. important.” goal every 4.3 shots they take. an undercover newspaper “It is great to be here again. He said the 2018 World Cup with tournaments. This is not I want to be healthier and I Lekhwiya’s success in finding the net has also sting. I did not realise it was actually was not yet on his radar and on purpose that I get injured am not thinking about Rus- meant that second round hat-trick hero Nam Tae Hee Walker attributed their such a long time since my last he was simply hoping to stay shortly before,” he said. sia. I am just happy to be fit is the joint leading goal scorer in the league. Euro 2016 exit to a lack of an game.” fit and keep playing at the top “It was extremely bitter to again and reach 100 percent, QSL sides will now be using this key information to alternative game plan. “But I know the feeling of a level. miss the past two major tour- to stay healthy and enjoy the improve their performance ahead of the third round of “I just think we don’t comeback well from the past “I have not been successful naments. Maybe that is why moment.” action which starts on October 14. need to play into their game. I thought probably in the summer, that’s what we did and we didn’t really have a different plan,” the Totten- ham Hotspur defender told Al Gharafa looking to get back to winning ways reporters. “It was ‘we are going to play this way’, and if it didn’t The Peninsula goals in just two games will be a real work, then we didn’t really point of concern for head coach Pedro know what to do. But I feel Caixinia. for the Malta game we have Deadline day signing Rashid different dimensions now. DOHA: Al Gharafa, under the guid- Sumaila will be charged with improv- We have spoken... that if ance of head coach Pedro Caixinia, ing the leaky Al Gharafa backline in something is not working, have lost twice in the opening two the next matches. The Ghahanian we need to go to this plan. games of the season. international defender was signed “And I think as soon as The Cheetahs were blown away from Kuwaiti side Qadsia SC and we just start gelling together by Al Ahli in the opening game of the comes with a solid reputation. Suma- and being a bit more -- Eric season, eventually losing by 4-2. Al lia will have to step up quickly for Dier said it -- streetwise, it Gharafa started the tie perfectly open- his new side, especially after the will be a lot more beneficial ing the scoring on the third minute announced the three week layoff of for England and for us as a through Kristian Nemeth. Two quick captain Bilal Mohammed through group of players.” fire goals from put injury. Former Under-21 man- Ahli ahead in the tie, and the Briga- Young winger Othman Al Yahri ager Gareth Southgate was deers ensured the win with a further is primed to make an impact at the Al Gharafa players put in charge for England’s two goals in the second half from Cheetahs this term. The 23 year training in Doha World Cup qualifiers at Mojtaba Jabbari and Firmin Mubele. old is in his first full season with under coach Pedro home to Malta on Saturday In the second game against Al Gharafa following a loan stint at Caixinha’s guidance and away to Slovenia three Lekhwiya, Gharafa could consider El Jaish, and has already made two in this file photo. days later. themselves unlucky not to have starts for the side. His attacking play England pipped Slovakia grabbed at least a point. The Red was a major influence in the match 1-0 in their opening Group F Knights needed a last minute free against Lekhwiya and Al Yahri will the Gharafa midfield and his experi- partner for Quaye in South Korean looking to get back to winning ways game last month. kick from Nam Tae Hee to give them be hoping to kick on, to improve the ence will be vital if the Cheetahs are international Kooky Han. The former when the QSL resumes on the 15th of The group also includes the 5-4 victory match in a topsy- fortunes of his team. Qatar interna- to push on. Qatar intentional will now have to October. The Cheetahs will be tak- Scotland and Lithuania. turvy encounter. However the fact tional is going into Head coach Pedro Caixinia has focus on his defensive duties, in order ing on fellow strugglers Muaither at that the side has now conceded nine his ninth full season at the heart of seemingly found the perfect midfield to help his side. Al Gharafa will be Al Gharafa Stadium. www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAGE | 21 PAGE | 23 Adel Hussein Fit-again slips to second Guendogan hopeses in Morocco for comeback

FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER 2016 • 6 MOHARRAM 1438 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar South Korea edge Qatar in thriller

Karim Boudiaf (left) of Qatar vies for the Syria dent China’s Son’s goal rescues ball against South Korea’s Jang Hyun- hosts in tense Asian soo and Jung Woo-young during their qualifier in Suwon World Cup 2018 Asian Qualifier played World Cup hopes in Suwon, South Korea yesterday.

Reuters AFP tournament for a second time at Russia 2018. The bustling, bearded forward latched onto a long ball XIAN, CHINA: Syria dented Chi- and prodded his first touch past on- SEOUL: South Korea got their 2018 na’s bid to reach a second World Cup rushing goalkeeper Gu Chao before World Cup qualifying campaign when they pulled off a stunning 1-0 controlling the bouncing ball into back on track with a come- qualifying upset yesterday. the net. from-behind 3-2 win over Qatar Mahmoud Al-Mawas’s breaka- Syria should have made the yesterday as Son Heung-min way goal in the 54th minute settled a game safe in the 73rd minute but maintained his red-hot club form gritty game in Xian which left China Omar Kharbin managed to miss an by grabbing a second-half winner stranded on one point from their open goal from Al Mawas’s invit- in Suwon. first three games in Group A. ing cutback. Syria, despite playing After being held to a surprise Seventy-eighth ranked China their home games at neutral ven- 0-0 draw with Syria in their last have ambitions of hosting and even ues because of the conflict in their Group A game, the Koreans were winning a World Cup, but Al-Mawas country, now climb above China in determined to get on the board dented their hopes of reaching the Group A. quickly and got off to a great start when Ki Sung-yueng fired home Two minutes later, Korean skipper from outside the box with 11 min- Ki released Son into the box with utes gone. a clever pass and the Tottenham That lead lasted just five min- Hotspur forward curled home into Fossati optimistic after Iran on course for Russia, utes however, as Korean defender the far corner of the net. Jeong-ho impeded Andres Son’s goal settled Korean Quintana in the box and Hasan Al nerves, but not for long. Hong, tough 3-2 loss in Suwon Japan outplay Iraq 2-1 Haydos equalised from the pen- who had been booked for hauling alty spot. Qatar stunned the home down Quintana for the penalty, crowd for a second time by taking then picked up a second yellow the lead on the stroke of halftime. card in the 66th minute for foul- The Peninsula appointed Qatar coach said after the AFP Yamaguchi to down Iraq 2-1 and The impressive Quintana har- ing the same player. game. “I am a positive person and still stay on track in Asia’s final qualify- ried Hong out of possession on the Qatar pressed hard for the believe that we can qualify and from ing round. right and after his first attempt at equaliser and Quintana spurned this performance we can take confi- Japan were headed for a morale- goal was blocked Qatar worked the their best chance late on when he SUWON: Qatar coach Jorge Fossati dence. Now we look to the Syria game TASHKENT: Iran stayed on course sapping draw against Iraq when ball back to him and he flicked it bulleted a header straight at Kim was optimistic despite their loss against and, when I looked at how we attacked for a Russia 2018 spot after shifting Yamaguchi smashed a loose ball confidently over Korean goal- from close range. strong South Koreans in the 2018 World down the wings, I think we can win.” Uzbekistan from the top of Asian from a corner through a forest of keeper Kim Seung-gyu. Son, who has scored five goals Cup qualifying fixture took place in Hosts Korea relied on two late goals qualifying Group A on goal differ- legs and into the Iraqi goal. Korea coach Uli Stielike in six games for Tottenham Hot- suwon, South Korea yesterday. to beat Qatar 3-2 after visitors closed ence with a 1-0 victory in Tashkent Genki Haraguchi had put the brought on Kim Shin-wook for spur this season, paid tribute to his “As we expected it was a tough the first half with a 2-1 lead. yesterday. Iran are also the only team four-time Asian champions ahead the second half and the towering captain for steadying their nerves game. Korea Republic started strongly Al Sadd striker Hassan Al Haydos in the group not to concede a goal in with a brilliant flick between his legs hitman made an instant impact, when Korea fell behind. and pressed us and kept the ball well and Sebastian Soria found the net for three matches so far, having previ- before Saad Luaibi nodded Iraq’s standing his ground well to nod Korea, top of the group on but we broke through in midfield and Qatar. Qatar now return to Doha for ously beaten Qatar 2-0 and drawn equaliser after half-time. Hong Chul’s cross back across seven points from three games, this is where we did well. We looked their qualifier against Syria which will 0-0 with China. The result gave Japan their sec- goal and Ji Dong-won swooped travel to Tehran for their next fix- good on the counter-attack,” the newly be played on October 11. In Saitama, Japan needed a 95th- ond win in three games and boosted to make it 2-2 in the 56th minute. ture on October 11. minute strike from substitute Hotaru under-fire coach Vahid Halilhodzic. ‘Iron Lady’ Hosszu hopes to continue domination in Doha

The Peninsula she went on to break the short course world records in the 100m and 200m individual backstroke events and in the 100m, 200m and 400m individ- DOHA: After an amazing perform- ual medleys in Doha. ance in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, The unstoppable Hosszu, who Hungary’s star swimmer Katinka recently opened her own swimming Hosszu did not stop to catch her school in her native Hungary named breath - heading straight into the “Iron Aquatics Swimming School”, FINA/airweave Swimming World used her incredible momentum in the Cup series - with the hope of keep- 2015 World Championships in Kazan, ing her momentum from Rio. Russia to win gold in the 200m indi- Next up for Hosszu is the Doha vidual medal and set a lightning fast leg of the FINA/airweave Swimming new world record of 2:06.12, as well World Cup which will be held at the as another gold medal in the 400m Hamad Aquatic Centre on October individual medley and a bronze in 8 and 9. the 200m backstroke event. The ‘Iron Lady’ picked up her In the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, nickname after she won five medals which marked her fourth Olym- in a 2012 meet in Beijing in just two pic appearance, the 27-year-old days, which prompted the stunned swimmer won the gold medal and Chinese media to ask her if she was absolutely demolished the world made of iron - a question that is as record in the 400m individual med- relevant as ever. ley by almost 2 seconds. China’s Ye Hungary’s star swimmer Katinka Hosszu in action during the FINA Swimming World Cup in Doha. INSET: Hosszu (centre) celebrates a gold medal win. Her first participation came in the Shiwen set the world record at the 2004 European short course swim- 2012 London Games, with 4:28.43, ming championships in which she Hosszu was under that pace after medals in individual events than any Games and I think we achieved that,” in the following Berlin edition where action unfolds during the two-day managed a single bronze medal in 50 meters, 100 meters, 150 meters other swimmer in Rio 2016. she said, adding “I’m very excited to she snagged a jaw-dropping 11 med- gala. Tickets, priced at 20QAR per the 400m medley – Hosszu has been — after every length of the pool and After an amazing display of get right back to competing, espe- als. Hosszu then headed to Moscow person per session, can be obtained steadily developing as an athlete and secured a remarkable final time of swimming supremacy in Rio, it is cially in Doha, where it always feels where she took home 6 medals in online via www.qtickets.com. snagging many medals along the way. 4:26.36. hard to imagine that the Iron Lady like home.” total. Hosszu will be joined by many In 2013 she took two gold medals Hosszu won another gold medal almost quit swimming after a disap- Hosszu jumped right back into The Hungarian swimmer, who other Olympians and World Cham- and one bronze medal in the World and set a new Olympic record in the pointing performance in the London the FINA airweave Swimming World is coached by her husband Shane pions, with the full line-up for the Championships, and an astound- 200m individual medley, and won 2012 Olympics, where she placed 4th Cup series as soon as the Rio 2016 Tusup, will head to Doha after an upcoming FINA airweave Swimming ing 24 gold medals and 6 new world her third gold medal in the 100m in the 400m individual medley. Olympics concluded. In the French incredible year, hoping to continue World Cup – Doha to be revealed records during the FINA/airweave backstroke as well as snagging silver “I am very happy with my per- leg of the World Cup, she took home her massive success in Doha. soon. More details can be found at Swimming World Cup series. in the 200m backstroke. With a total formance in the Rio 2016 Olympics. seven medals including five gold and Doha’s state-of-the-art Hamad www.qatarswimming.com, and fol- The following year proved Olympic medal haul of three gold and I worked very hard since London two silver medals. The swimming Aquatic Centre will be the place to low the event @SWC_Doha on equally successful for Katinka as one silver medal, Hosszu won more 2012 to be in a good place for the next juggernaut continued her domination be when the world class swimming and Facebook.