Kohli SPORT Page 3 FOOTBALL Qatar Face Ireland Today, Eye Hat-Trick of Wins by Sports Reporter Doha
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FFORMULAORMULA 1 | Page 2 GGOLFOLF | Page 4 Round 1 to Horschel Hamilton but outlasts Verstappen Scheffl er to win hard to beat Match Play title Tuesday, March 30, 2021 CRICKET Sha’aban 17, 1442 AH Bubble life is GULF TIMES tough, says Indian captain Kohli SPORT Page 3 FOOTBALL Qatar face Ireland today, eye hat-trick of wins By Sports Reporter Doha atar will be aiming to record a hat-trick of wins when they take on Ireland today in the QEuropean Zone FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifi ers at the Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary. After their 1-0 win over Lux- embourg in the fi rst match, Felix Sanchez’s men came back from a goal down to beat Azerbaijan 2-1, with captain Hassan al-Haydos striking twice. Going by Qatar’s and Ireland’s current form, the former will hold the advantage today. Ireland are on a terrible run of results and have yet to win a game during Stephen Kenny’s time in charge. They have drawn four and lost six under the former Dundalk manager. Qatar coach Felix Sanchez (centre) shares a light moment with off icials yesterday in Debrecen, Hungary. There were positive signs in At right, players go through their drills at a training session. Ireland’s 3-2 defeat to Serbia but Saturday night’s 1-0 reversal to But despite Ireland’s woeful cent defeats. That will motivate tinue the good out good run,” Luxembourg has compounded form and injury concerns, Qatar them,” the Spaniard said yester- he added. Ireland’s awful run of form. With coach Felix Sanchez expected a day. Sanchez hinted he will play a Tottenham full-back Matt Do- ‘diffi cult confrontation’ against a “I will be a high level match, strong team – the one he fi eld- Whoever plays will have to give said: “We hope to continue our thing is for the team to provide a herty and Enda Stevens ruled out ‘strong team’. especially from the physi- ed against Luxembourg last their 100 percent. We always good form. We want to play as decent performance. of today’s friendly, 58th ranked “There is no doubt that it cal point of view. They have Wednesday. strive to work hard and prepare a team with a collective spirit, “Personally, I want to help the Qatar will fancy their chances is a diffi cult match against a good players in their line-up. “I have an idea about the team our best to compete in the best which has been key for our suc- team and this is my goal and if I against Ireland, who are 29th in strong team that will be looking We will try to provide the best we will play but will take a fi nal possible way,” he said. cess in the recent past. It doesn’t get the opportunity I will score FIFA rankings. to bounce back from their re- possible level in order to con- decision after today’s training. Meanwhile, striker Almoez Ali matter who scores, the important goals of course,” he said. MOTORCYCLING Vinales, Yamaha back in business with Losail victory Of course, lots can change very quickly in MotoGP. There’s no doubt that every rider will be stronger next weekend We are back.” Those were off , not look uncomfortable doing the rousing words of Maver- so, and going on to win the race in ick Vinales (Monster Energy commanding fashion was simply Yamaha MotoGP) straight stunning. “after he performed arguably his Yamaha’s game, and the vic- best premier class performance tories we’ve seen from Vinales in to date to claim victory at the 2021 recent years, has been to get out Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar. And at the front from the get-go and he’s not wrong. run your own race. Malaysia 2019 The Losail International Circuit is the prime example. It’s been the has only seen one manufacturer trademark for years for the Iwata win there in the last two seasons. factory, and a lot of the time it’s That is, of course, Ducati. Head- worked. But after last season es- ing into the opening race of 2021, pecially, something needed to the Italian manufacturer in the change. And seemingly, some- capable hands of Francesco Bag- thing has. naia, Ducati Lenovo Team team- Both Vinales and Yamaha look mate Jack Miller and Johann Zarco like improved weapons in 2021, (Pramac Racing) were favourites to and what was uplifting to see was continue the trend. What very few the Spaniard speaking with such people expected was a Vinales vic- pride in the post-race Press Con- tory. Not because he isn’t capable, ference about how happy he is but because Ducati’s straight-line with life at home. He’s now a hus- speed and off the mark advantage band and a father to be. A stress- seemed a bit too much to over- free Vinales is obviously a very, come for the Yamahas, especially very quick Vinales. after what we saw in 2020. Many It might have only been Round 1 were proved wrong. of the season, but we learned a lot As the lights went out, Ducati’s from Qatar’s opener. When Vinal- monsters roared into Turn 1 four es says “we are back”, it looks like abreast. Vinales and teammate Fa- he really means it. The Spaniard Maverick Vinales celebrates winning the season-opening bio Quartararo were helpless from won one race last season but it was Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar on Sunday. the front row as Bagnaia, Miller, a largely disappointing year for Zarco and even Jorge Martin both him and Yamaha in general. (Pramac Racing) – from 14th on Yes, they won seven out of 14 rac- the grid – shot into the fi rst corner es, but Vinales and Quartararo’s in P1, P2, P3 and P4. It was unreal title challenges on the latest spec to watch. But what happened next machinery went up in smoke. To proved that Yamaha and Vinales display such a performance that is have turned a corner. pretty much the total opposite of Through the fi rst sector, Vinales what we’ve seen from Vinales and was P9. From there, previously, it Yamaha in recent years is a tell-tail was probably game over in terms sign that the combination is here for Vinales in Iwata blue. Three be the start of what we all came to take anything away from what we There’s no doubt that every rider we’re only one race into a season. of a decent points haul for Yamaha to stay at the top of the Champi- wins in the opening fi ve races was expect though. witnessed on Sunday under the will be stronger at the Losail In- A lot can change over the com- as battling in a pack with diff erent onship for the foreseeable. a dream start to life as a Yamaha It must be said that Yamaha lights. Let’s reiterate: it’s not the ternational Circuit next weekend, ing months. However, Vinales machines is something that has Since winning his fi rst race rider, but fi ve wins – including the have always performed well in the win that was most impressive, it but Vinales has rekindled old feel- has returned to action with an been a huge weak point in the last with Yamaha in Qatar at the start latest triumph – since the famous Qatari desert: Vinales, Valentino was the style of win that has raised ings with his YZR-M1. Winning in almighty bang. Is this form here couple of seasons. So for Vinales to of the 2017 season, it’s fair to say Le Mans encounter hasn’t been Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo have all eyebrows. Of course, lots can such fashion sends out a warning to stay? Time will tell. (motogp. then pick each rider in front of him it hasn’t completely gone to plan the icing on the cake. This might won at Losail. But that shouldn’t change very quickly in MotoGP. shot to the rest of the fi eld, but com) Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, March 30, 2021 SPORT FORMULA ONE Round one to Hamilton but Verstappen is hard to beat Bold strategy and supreme racecraft won the day after Verstappen, who had led testing and every practice session Reuters London ewis Hamilton and Mercedes took top honours in the sea- son’s opening Formula One race on Sunday in Bahrain but LRed Bull’s Max Verstappen will be hard to beat as the championship continues. Bold strategy and supreme racecraft won the day after Verstappen, who had led testing and every practice session, started from pole position with a faster car only to fi nish second. The 23-year-old Dutch driver would surely have won had he not gone off track while passing Hamilton on fresh- er tyres with four laps remaining, and then been ordered to hand back the lead in a key moment of a nail-biting race. “If somebody would have told me this is going to be the result on Sunday, I would have probably not believed it,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff . “I have no doubt that they (Red Bull) are extremely diffi cult to beat. They are the ones that are leading the pack. And I think today, the racing gods were on our side. “It’s not that we have found sudden- Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates after winning the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain ly some awesome performance.” International Circuit in the city of Sakhir on Sunday.