Super-Sub Gomis' Sublime Goal Takes Al Hilal Into Semi-Final
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Sports Sunday, December 15, 2019 15 Super-sub Gomis’ sublime goal takes Al Hilal into semi-final TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA Saudi club to play Brazil’s SUPER-SUB Bafetimbi Gomis sent FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 debutants Al Hi- CR Flamengo in the last-four lal into the Qatar 2019 semi- finals as his all-important goal clash on Tuesday saw off Esperance Sportive de Tunis at the Jassim Bin Ham- ad Stadium on Saturday. A keenly-contested en- counter between Asia and Africa’s top sides was settled when the French, and Swan- sea, striker produced a sublime moment of skill and cool finish in the 73rd minute to silence a rocking stadium. Such was Gomis’ calm- ness inside the box, that he was well aware of a defender rushing in as he waited and coolly kicked the ball over his head before shaping up again to make his successful and re- sounding strike. The pair had been evenly matched from the outset in a frenetic and lively clash. ES Tu- nis’s Anice Badri was the first to come close, firing just wide, be- fore Al Hilal ended the opening period the stronger as Andre Carrillo’s effort needed both Al Hilal’s French, and Swansea, striker Bafetimbi Gomis celebrates scoring his winning strike in the 73rd minute against Esperance Sportive de Tunis at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Saturday. Moez Ben Charifia and Mo- hamed Yakoubi to keep it out. The Saudi side’s keeper Abdullah Almuaiouf had to be on high alert when full- back Yasser Alshahrani almost scored a comical looping own goal – producing a clawing save that set them on the way to victory. Having been benched as a precautionary measure, Gomis took just eight minutes to produce a magical winner. Rolling off the shoulder of the backline, he conjured a mas- terful flick to deceive the slid- ing defender before slotting into the bottom corner. Mohammed Kanno saw red late on in the 85th minute, but the win tees up a meeting with South American big guns Flamengo on Tuesday. Al Hilal’s Andre Carrillo was named as Alibaba Cloud Match Award winner. Thrilled Al Hilal fans con- tinued celebrating the win till much later after the match and could be seen rejoicing outside Esperance’s fans light up flares as they cheer their team during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final match between Hilal and Esperance Alibaba Cloud Match Award winner Andre Carrillo of Al Hilal with his the stadium. Sportive de Tunis at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Saturday. (AFP) kid at the presentation ceremony. CR Flamengo arrive, Salah’s twin strikes stretch Liverpool’s rush to the stadium EPL lead to 10 as Leicester stumble AFP could be down to as little as LONDON two points should Manchester United beat Everton on Sunday LIVERPOOL tightened their as their poor run continued. grip on the Premier League ti- Frank Lampard’s men tle race thanks to two Moham- have now lost four of their last ed Salah goals in a 2-0 win over five Premier League games Watford which extended their and had only themselves to lead at the top to 10 points as blame as they had 18 shots on second-placed Leicester were goal without finding a way past held 1-1 at home by Norwich. Aaron Ramsdale. Chelsea were also shocked Bournemouth had lost five 1-0 at home by Bournemouth on the spin but got their re- to see their lead over the chas- ward for staying in the game ing pack in fourth further cut, when Dan Gosling skilfully while SheffieldU nited moved flicked a loose ball over Kepa into fifth with a 2-0 win over Arrizabalaga five minutes from Aston Villa. time and VAR overturned a At Anfield, Liverpool kept wrongly-raised offside flag their first clean sheet at home against the midfielder. this season but only thanks “Some responsibility is to Watford’s wastefulness in on the players to take the ball front of goal as the Hornets and have the balls to excite the showed why they are the low- fans,” said Lampard after a est scoring side in the league. Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (left) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the fifth home defeat of the season. Abdoulaye Doucoure and English Premier League match against Watford at Anfield in Liverpool on Saturday.( AFP) “In front of our home fans Ismaila Sarr both failed to it’s evident we aren’t playing make a proper connection especially, you need to show cut the gap at the top to just five his own net by Norwich goal- well enough. We aren’t taking with the goal gaping in the first resilience - that’s the most im- points ahead of that meeting keeper Tim Krul, but the hosts our chances and we have given half and the 40-point gap be- portant thing and we showed had they beaten Norwich and could not press home their away some silly goals.” tween the sides in the table was that,” said coach Jurgen Klopp, Manchester City next weekend. dominance in the second half. Sheffield United for now shown only in the difference of whose side are seven games However, a club record “The players have been are the Blues’ closest chal- quality in the finishing. into a 15-match stretch across run of eight straight Premier brilliant. When you are on that lengers as they moved ahead Salah struck twice as he five competitions in 50 days. League wins for Brendan winning run you believe you of United and Tottenham into rounded off a rapid Liverpool “We had to fight, that’s Rodgers’s men came to an end are going to win every game fifth as John Fleck scored twice CR Flamengo, who were added to the the prestigious list of seven counter-attack from a Watford what we did and that’s why we against the Canaries. but of course it does not work in the second half to inflict trophy-winners from across the globe after winning the CONMEBOL corner eight minutes before won.” Teemu Pukki broke clear like that,” said Rodgers. a 2-0 defeat on Aston Villa, Libertadores for FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019, arrived in Doha on half-time. Leicester will be Liver- and finished calmly for his “We were not 100 percent while Jack Grealish missed a Saturday. The Brazilian club’s players, however, wasted no time as they The Egyptian then set- pool’s next opponents in the ninth goal of the season to put on it. We need to set the reset late penalty for the visitors. went straight to the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium to witness the match tled the home crowd’s nerves Premier League on Boxing Day the visitors in front. button.” Burnley were also victors, between Al Hilal and Esperance Sportive de Tunis, and later between a minute from time when he after the European champi- Leicester levelled before 1-0 over Newcastle, thanks to hosts Al Sadd and Mexico’s Monterrey. Flamengo will play Al Hilal in cheekily flicked home Divock ons head to Qatar for the Club the break when Jamie Vardy’s Reality check for Chelsea Chris Wood’s close-range fin- the semis on Tuesday (December 17), while European champions Origi’s mishit shot. World Cup. header from James Maddi- Chelsea’s hold on the fourth ish in a game of few chances at Liverpool will play Monterrey. The final is scheduled for December 21 “In December and January The Foxes had the chance to son’s corner was turned into Champions League place Turf Moor. at Khalifa International Stadium. (TNN).