Al Duhail Drive Home a Point with Big Win Benatia, El Arabi and Afif on Target for Coach Rui Faria TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA
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Marquez, Lorenzo to lead Repsol Honda show in Qatar Moto GP PAGE 19 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 Man United face Paris Saint-Germain as they aim to overcome 2-goal deficit PAGE 18 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MAN UNITED VS PSG (11 PM) Brazil’s Alves eyes 2022 World Cup Al Duhail drive home a point with big win Benatia, El Arabi and Afif on target for coach Rui Faria TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA AL Duhail put on a command- ing second half performance to beat Esteghlal FC from Iran 3-0 in their opening 2019 AFC Champions League Group C tie at the Al Duhail Stadium on Tuesday. ‘I don’t have an The defending QNB Stars League champions came rac- ing off the blocks, and nearly got their opening goal within expiry date’ 60 seconds of kick-off. Luiz Junior intercepted the ball in midfield and supplied Japa- AFP says he “never doubted” he nese sensation Shoya Naka- PARIS would be back. jima who advanced down the In his second season at left and struck from a narrow INJURY deprived him of PSG, Alves – one of the great- angle. The midfielder’s shot what looked like a last chance est full-backs the game has was saved by Mehdi Rahmati. at World Cup glory last seen – has been reinvented Centre-back Ahmed year, but Dani Alves is now by Tuchel as a midfielder. Yasser also tested the Iranian spurred on by the dream of That may partly be down goalkeeper from distance. His lifting the trophy with Brazil to a lack of alternatives. powerful strike seemed des- in Qatar in 2022. However, Alves insists it is tined for the top corner, but “I don’t have an expiry not about him being unable Rahmati tipped it behind in date. My body is my answer – to get up and down the right the 12th minute. when I see that I can no longer flank in the way he used to. The Red Knights almost got compete, when my head is not The coach, he says, “uses the opener again just before the in it anymore, it will be the me for my intelligence in break through Nakajima who time to stop,” Alves said in an reading games, more than took Bassam al Rawi’s cush- exclusive interview with AFP. for my physical strengths, ioned header first-time from “What I do know is that I because as a midfielder I run the edge of the box but could am going to try to get to the more and I put in more effort not find the back of the net. World Cup in 2022. My ob- than as a full-back. Portuguese coach Rui Far- jective is to fight to get there “It is not about anything ia whose appointment as Du- Al Duhail’s Medhi Benatia celebrates after scoring the opening goal for the Red Knights in the 56th minute of their AFC Champions League – I don’t hold the key, but I physical. I can play at full- hail’s coach earlier this year Group C match against Esteghlal FC in Doha on Tuesday. Al Duhail won 3-0. (PHOTOS: HANSON K JOSEPH) will try.” back, but I can’t mush have had a lot to say in Alves suf- use my reading the dressing room as his men fort sailed wide. fered a serious of the game as came out a different side, tak- Substitute Ali Afif who was knee injury much there. ing the game to their oppo- part of Qatar’s AFC Asian Cup playing for “In the nents and soon were rewarded winning team, sealed victory Paris Saint- middle I can with the lead. with the third goal after a swift Germain in Trophy drive correct a wrong Former Juventus man counter attack. last season’s movement by Mehdi Benatia marked his The Qatari international French Cup “That is why the challenge a teammate, AFC Champions League de- midfielder embarked on a 50- final, barely a (World Cup trophy) sort of think more but with a goal, heading yard jinking run and then ex- month before gets me going. It’s like quickly than a home Murad Naji’s cross to changed a one-two with Naka- the World saying I’ve met the girl of teammate, and open the scoring for Duhail in jima that left him with a simple Cup in Rus- my dreams. What do I say so he gets more the 56th minute. tap in in added time. sia. He had to her? I am going to try out of me there Top scorer Youssef El Ara- Al Duhail travel to Saudi just turned 35 everything. Imagine ending than at full- bi doubled the Red Knight’s Arabia to face Al Hilal on and it would your career as a world back, which at lead in the 74th minute. The Matchday Two, while Es- take him six champion.” the end of the Moroccan latched onto a teghlal welcome Al Ain to Teh- months to re- day is more Nakajima through pass and ran next Tuesday. turn to action. limited – you rounded the goalkeeper be- Meanwhile, in the AFC Since then, he has be- go a little bit that way and you fore slotting into an empty net Group D match played in Jed- come an integral part of are off the pitch.” for a two-goal cushion. dah, Qatar’s Al Sadd club lost Thomas Tuchel’s PSG side Esteghlal who lost to Al to Al Ahli by two goals. and has just been recalled to Keen to stay at PSG Sadd in last year’s knockout the Brazil squad. Alves first moved to Europe stage, saw their frustration RESULTS He is also set to feature with Sevilla in 2002 – and grow with their inability to AL Duhail 3 (Medhi Benatia 56’, when the French club face while he is a very well paid break Al Duhail’s defence and Youssef El Arabi 73’, Ali Hassan Manchester United in their member of a superstar they resorted to shooting from Afif 91’)bt Esteghlal FC 0 Champions League last 16 re- squad now, he claims some- range. Captain Pejman Mon- AL Ahli 2 (Omar al Soma 32’, turn leg on Wednesday lead- times it was “hard” in his tazeri tried his luck but his ef- Omar Al Soma 76’) bt Al Sadd 0. Al Duhail’s Youssef El Arabi jumps over Esteghlal FC goalkeeper Mehdi Rahmati. ing 2-0 from the first leg. early days. Last season’s French Cup After 14 years in Spain he was the 38th trophy won by spent a season at Juventus Alves in a remarkable career before joining PSG in 2017, that has included being part just before the arrival of his Jaris takes overall lead in Amir Cup Bowling qualifying of three Champions League compatriot Neymar. victories at Barcelona. His contract expires at AYENI OLUSEGUN third on the overall standings topped the second bracket in the end of this season, but DOHA after posting 1376 total. ninth position while Indone- ‘The girl of my dreams’ he and his partner, a model, Hong Kong’s Wu Siu Hong sia’s Ryan Lalisang rounded The World Cup is the one enjoy life in Paris – Alves MUHD Jaris Goh of Singa- completed the top three in the out the top 10 with 2496. trophy missing from his CV, himself is a fashion lover. So pore took the overall lead in squad with 1228. The final current cut at 25th so it is little wonder he is could he stay even longer? the qualifying leg of the PBA- The biggest jump of the position is occupied by Jove driven on by the prospect of “It doesn’t depend on WBT Amir Cup 2019 as he day saw South Africa’s Fran- Reolo Marano of Philippines finally winning it with Brazil, me, but if it were down to me won his second high series cois Louw move up to fifth in with 2253, averaging 187.75. even if he will be 39 by the then of course,” he says. award at the Qatar Bowling the qualifying standings with American Kyle Troup time the next tournament “People are marked down Center on Tuesday. a solid five-game swing of 241, kicked off his campaign in comes around. for their age – once you get The 2018 World Men 211, series high 290, 221 and the Amir Cup to lead Squad “That is why the challenge past 30, people look at you Championships Team bronze 233 but finished the block C, Series 1, nine pins ahead sort of gets me going. It’s like a bit funny. When you get medallist followed up on his with 170 which saw him drop of Ghanim Aboujassoum. The saying I’ve met the girl of my to 35, the questions are all performance of Monday to Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong (left) and Muhd Jaris Goh of Singapore to fourth in the squad. World Bowling Tour num- dreams. What do I say to her? ‘when are you going to stop?’ overtake Qatar’s Ghanim with Qatar’s Yousef al Jabir (right) at the Amir Cup Bowling tourna- Singapore’s Alex Chong ber six totalled 1290 while I am going to try everything. Calm down! I decide when I Aboujassoum in the qualify- ment in Doha on Tuesday. finished seventh with 2519 Ghanim recorded 1281 in a Imagine ending your career am going to stop. ing standings. ahead of Mansoor al Awamy tight finish at the top.