14 Monday, October 14, 2019 Sports Qatar, Oman players train ahead of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 & AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers Visitors Oman (left) and hosts Qatar (centre and right) took part in their training sessions in Doha ahead of their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifier. Oman will take on Asian champions Qatar at the Al Janoub Stadium at Al Wakrah on Tuesday. Qatar currently lead Group E with seven points from three games, while Oman have a perfect six from two matches. (PHOTOS: QFA & OMAN FA TWITTER) History-makers Japan floor Scots to reach Neymar limps off as Brazil World Cup quarters draw with Nigeria in friendly AFP ings. SINGAPORE Gabriel Jesus, Firmino and Coutinho all went close for Bra- NEYMAR limped off injured zil, but it was Nigeria who took early on as Brazil played out a the lead in the 35th minute 1-1 friendly draw against a spir- when Joe Aribo burst through ited Nigeria at the Singapore a gap in the South Americans’ National Stadium on Sunday. defence and skipped around The five-time world cham- Marquinhos before firing low pions fell behind in the first half, past goalkeeper Ederson from but Casemiro’s equaliser early close range. in the second period spared The smart strike was the Japan players celebrate winning their Pool A match against Scotland their blushes before Brazil wast- English-born player’s second to qualify for the quarter-final of the 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool at ed a string of chances to leave goal in two appearance for Ni- the International Stadium on Sunday. (AFP) Southeast Asia with a victory geria after the Rangers mid- after also being held by Senegal fielder scored on his debut AFP least 26 and forcing organisers on Thursday. against Ukraine last month. YOKOHAMA to scrap three pool games. The Brazil started well, with Liv- A more determined Brazil needle between the sides quickly erpool forward Roberto Firmi- needed just three minutes after JAPAN’S “Ferraris” hit top resurfaced in Sunday’s typhoon- no firing just wide in the third the interval to draw level, how- gear Sunday as the hosts beat threatened Pool A decider, how- minute after a smart turn near ever, as Real Madrid midfielder Scotland 28-21 in a barnstorm- ever, as both teams put in some the penalty spot. Casemiro slotted home after a ing Rugby World Cup clash to monstrous early tackles. However, Brazil were dealt Marquinhos header had rattled create history by reaching the “For my team, the whole a major blow when Neymar the crossbar following a well- quarter-finals. World Cup, we’ve prepared real- limped off in the 12th minute worked corner. Rampaging wingers Kotaro ly, really well. They’ve put their with what appeared to be a Brazil ramped up the pres- Matsushima and Kenki Fukuo- bodies on the line every week- left thigh problem – the Paris Brazil’s Neymar (right) fights for the ball with Nigeria’s Wilfred Ndidi during a friendly international match sure as the match progressed, ka did the damage for Japan, end,” said Japan coach Jamie Saint-Germain striker replaced at the National Stadium in Singapore on Sunday. (AFP) stretching the Nigeria defence who survived a late fightback in Joseph, who has compared his by Bayern Munich’s Philippe with sharp passing and clever Yokohama to advance as Pool A wide players to Ferraris. Coutinho to bring a premature “During the match he felt a price,” Tite added. with Brazil legend Ronaldo, movement. winners along with Ireland. “But tonight they went an- end to his 101st international muscle injury, so I took him off “My career has taught me who sits second in the country’s Tite’s men poured forward The Brave Blossoms will other level I felt. They gave eve- appearance. as a precaution,” Brazil coach that I would never use a player all-time scoring list behind Pele, in search of a winner with face two-time world champi- rything they possibly could -- Neymar’s return to Champi- Tite said. if he was not in condition to on 62 international goals this Coutinho guilty of wasting a ons South Africa in Tokyo next everyone gave 150 percent and ons League action may now be “Neymar did not have a play. It would be irresponsible week. glorious opportunity with five weekend after making it a per- that’s what it takes to win big delayed, with PSG facing Club muscle issue before the match. of me to risk a player carrying But Nigeria provided reso- minutes remaining when the fect four wins out of four, roared Test matches.” Brugge on October 22 after I would never start a player if an injury.” lute opposition by working hard unmarked midfielder’s weak ef- on by a crowd of 67,000. Scotland needed to win he missed the first two games they had a hint of a problem Neymar will be disappoint- to prevent the South Americans fort was cleared off the line by Fukuoka, scorer of Japan’s while preventing Japan from se- through suspension. like this, I would never pay that ed he was unable to draw level from forging many clear open- Semi Ajayi. try in their 19-12 upset over curing a defensive bonus point Ireland, grabbed two more in -- and they got off to a flying Yokohama with Matsushima start. notching his fifth of the tourna- Early pressure told as fly- ment for the rampant Japanese. half Finn Russell broke through After a war of words between to give them the lead after just Bottas’ Japan win seals 6th world title double for Mercedes the rival coaches in the build-up, seven minutes. But the Japanese AFP “I’m happy, very happy,” “That’s the main point. I just the teams observed a moment’s hit back with Matsushima latch- SUZUKA said the flying Finn Bottas, who wanted to bring home good silence for the victims of the vio- ing onto a superb, one-handed ended a six-month wait for his points for the team.” lent typhoon that swept through offload from Fukuoka to score VALTTERI Bottas jumped third victory of 2019 after win- Ferrari had enjoyed a front Japan on Saturday, killing at his fifth try of the tournament. from third to first with an elec- ning the season-opener in Aus- row lock-out in a rare morning tric start to win the Japanese tralia and the Azerbaijan race in qualifying session caused by Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of April. Typhoon Hagibis but their race Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and “Starting third isn’t easy. I unravelled right at the start. the Finn’s Mercedes teammate had a really nice start, managed Vettel twitched before the ‘Best ever’ Biles increases Lewis Hamilton. to get the lead and then the pace lights went out and his hesita- Charles Leclerc finished was super good, I could really tion enabled the fast starting sixth in the second Ferrari, and control the race,” he added. Bottas to leapfrog from third record to 25 world medals with only Bottas now able to “I’m really proud to be part into the lead. overtake Hamilton in the stand- of the team. A sixth title is really “It was my mistake,” admit- AFP ings, that means Mercedes impressive.” ted Vettel. “It was worse than a STUTTGART clinched an unprecedented “Firstly congratulations to poor start, it was a really poor sixth successive drivers’-con- the team,” said Hamilton, who start. With the lack of pace to- US gymnastics star Simone structors’ world championship now leads the drivers’ stand- day, second place today was Mercedes’ Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas celebrates his Formula One Biles won her fifth gold medal double. ings by 64 points from Bottas. probably the maximum.” Japanese Grand Prix victory at Suzuka on Sunday. (AFP) in the women’s floor final Sun- day to conclude her “best ever” world championships and ex- tend her all-time record to 25 Quick read medals at the competition. Aspire-backed QSBD and LaLiga sign MoU Biles, who won the beam title earlier in the day, claimed TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK the involvement of tenants of Russia reach Euro an unrivalled 19th world gold DOHA such calibre as LaLiga will help 2020, Netherlands following her previous success- catalyse further new business stay on course es in the team, all-around and Simone Biles poses with the five THE recently launched Qa- opportunities for the private vault events in Stuttgart. gold medals she won at the FIG Ar- tar Sports Business District sector, attract foreign invest- RUSSIA sealed their qualifica- “This is really the best tistic Gymnastics World Champion- (QSBD) has marked a major ment and push Qatari entre- tion for Euro 2020 with an em- worlds performance I have ever ships in Stuttgart on Sunday. (AFP) step forward in its goal to be- preneurs forward. It further phatic 5-0 win in Cyprus, while put out,” Biles said proudly after come a leading hub in the re- reinforces Qatar’s status as the Netherlands moved provisionally finishing her fifth world cham- Her double gold success gion for sports innovation by sporting capital of the Middle three points clear at the top pionships with five titles. came within a two-hour spell signing a representative office East,” Naemi added. of Group C with a 2-1 win over The 22-year-old Biles plans after earlier winning the beam of LaLiga as an anchor tenant. Fernando Sanz, Director Belarus. The World Cup 2018 to celebrate when she gets back final as China’s Liu Tingting, As one of the most popu- of International Institutional hosts Russia followed Belgium home to Texas, where “my mom 19, took silver with 16-year-old lar leagues in the world, the Relations and Director of and Italy in booking their place usually likes to throw a worlds team-mate Li Shijia in bronze.