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SUNday, MARCH 28, 2021 Haydos double sees Qatar rally to quell Azerbaijan challenge 2-1

Agencies Debrecen, Hungary

Hassan al Haydos struck a second-half double as Qatar scored their second victory on the trot in the European qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a delightful come-from-behind 2-1 win over Azerbaijan at the Nagy- erdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary, on Saturday. Earlier in the week, Qatar had opened their account on their European sojourn with a 1-0 win over Luxembourg. Qatar, who automatically qualify for the 2022 World Cup as hosts, are playing Hassan Al Haydos celebrates scoring one of his two goals against Azerbaijan in Debrecen, Hungary, on alongside European hopefuls Saturday. as a guest team although their matches are officially classi- and dominated possession, the thick of the action again had only two. fied as friendlies. they had to wait until the 55th three minutes later, taking ad- Felix Sanchez made five Qatar fell behind early in minute for the equalizer. vantage of a Prdro Miguel as- changes to the team that beat An Azerbaijan players vies for the ball in possession of Qatar during their FIFA World Cup 2022 European the match yesterday when That also came via a pen- sist and scoring with a cracker Luxembourg on Wednesday, Qualifiers friendly on Saturday. Ramil Seydeyev struck from alty, with Haydos making no of a shot smashed into the top opting to test the younger the penalty for Azerbaijan in mistake from the spot after corner of the net. players in the team. Moham- Salman, and rak, Mohamed Waad and As- Scoreline: Qatar 2 (Hassan the 16th minute. was fouled inside Qatar had 54 percent ball ed Muntari, who scored the were left sim Madibo started the match. Al Haydos 55’ (P), 58’) bt But although the Asian the box by Sartan Taskin possession and six shots at winner against Luxembourg, out. Homam Al-Amin, Ahmed Qatar play Ireland next on Azerbaijan 1 (Ramil Cup champions never gave up The Qatar captain was in the goal, while Azerbaijan Abdulkarim Hassan, Tarek Alaaeldin, Abdulsalam Al Ah- Tuesday. Sheydayev 16’ (P)) Ducati’s takes maiden MotoGP pole with Losail lap record

Tribune News Network

Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia set the fastest ever lap at the Losail International Circuit to claim his maiden MotoGP pole for the season-opening Barwa Qatar Grand Prix yesterday. Yamaha’s Fabio Quarta- raro had taken the provisional pole with a 1:53.215 lap, but with three minutes remaining, Italian Bagnaia set a blister- ing 1m 52.772s to secure top spot. Quartararo’s teammate Maverick Vinales completed the front row after nudging out Italian veteran of Yamaha satellite team SRT, late in the session. Australian Jack Miller (Ducati) and Frenchman Jo- hann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac) will also start from the second row. After facing electrical dif- QMMF President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai honours Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta. ficulties with his Suzuki, reign- ing champion ended up 10th fastest. Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al Khelaifi poses with Yamaha rider after presenting In the first qualifying ses- him the club’s jersey on the sidelines of the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar at the Losail International circuit sion, two rookies in the form on Saturday. of Jorge Martin (Pramac Rac- ing) and (Es- Starting Grid cord holder at 362.4km/h, his ponsorama Racing) both took last flying lap was his best and turns leading the session, Grids for Sunday’s Barwa Qatar Grand Prix Moto2 it ensured him of a P6 starting MotoGP Front row with Mir returning to P1 by Front row 1. Sam Lowes (GBR/) 1:58.726 slot, it was a time that knocked just 0.005s with his best lap 1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) 1:52.772 2. Raul Fernandez (ESP/Kalex) 1:58.866 onto the third row. of the weekend. 2. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha) 1:53.038 3. Bo Bendsneyder (NED/Kalex) 1:58.959 The Italian spearheads Row After setting two red sec- 3. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Yamaha) 1:53.088 2nd row 3 and he’s joined by Aleix Es- 2nd row 4. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA/Kalex) 1:59.052 tors, Martin then crashed 4. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha-SRT) 1:53.114 5. Joe Roberts (USA/Kalex) 1:59.168 pargaro. Eighth place for the unhurt on his last lap with 5. Jack Miller (AUS/Ducati) 1:53.215 6. Remy Gardner (AUS/Kalex) 1:59.197 Spaniard and Aprilia is a job Bastianini unable to improve. 6. (FRA/Ducati-Pramac) 1:53.286 well done and when you put 3rd row Moto3 Out of nowhere, Takaaki Nak- 7. (ITA/Yamaha-SRT) 1:53.313 Front row things into perspective, it’s even agami (LCR ) snatched 8. Aleix Espargaro (ESP/Aprilia) 1:53.315 1. Darryn Binder (RSA/Honda) 2:04.075 more impressive: the top eight P1 in Q1 on his final flyer to 9. Alex Rins (ESP/Suzuki) 1:53.490 2. Izan Guevara (ESP/Gas Gas) 2:04.278 were all under Marc Marquez’s demote Bastianini out of a Q2 4th row 3. John McPhee (GBR/Honda) 2:04.358 old lap record – that includes 10. Joan Mir (ESP/Suzuki) 1:53.682 2nd row promotion place. That 0.005s 11. (JPN/Honda-LCR) 1:53.721 4. Jeremy Alcoba (ESP/Honda) 2:04.437 the elder Espargaro. Something deficit to Mir proved to be the 12. Pol Espargaro (ESP/Honda) 1:53.930 5. Jaume Masia (ESP/KTM) 2:04.498 to be extremely proud of and difference. Mir edged through 6. Kaito Toba (JPN/KTM) 2:04.673 something to really build on for to Q2 by the skin of his teeth, the Noale camp. with Bastianini and Martin Alex Rins (Team Suzuki well and truly announcing rider unleashed a mindblowing into Turn 1, as Rossi joins two of Ecstar) is the final member themselves on the premier Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia in action at the Losail International Circuit on way to his maiden MotoGP pole lap to return to P1 by 0.266s. his three Yamaha counterparts on Row 3 in P9, with Mir be- class scene in a wonderful first for the season-opening Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar on Saturday. Rossi’s effort put him P3 as The inside the top four. A 1:53.114 ing forced to settle for P10 15 minutes of qualifying. Nak- Doctor demoted Vibales off the is by far the fastest Rossi has – 0.910s back from pole posi- agami and Mir joined the fast- the timing screens were lit up shot to P1 with a 1:53.038 – an- (Yamaha SRT). front row, but the Spaniard lapped in Losail. tion. Work to do on a Sunday est 10 riders from Free Prac- with red sector times. other all-time lap record. New rubber was then fitted then returned the favour to his Joining the 42-year-old on for both Suzukis again, but if tice for Qualifying 2. Bagnaia didn’t improve on After the first couple of fly- for the second set of Q2 barn- old teammate on his final lap to the second row is Miller and there’s one thing we learned And it took Bagnaia one lap his next lap but teammate Mill- ing laps, it was a Yamaha and storming laps. Vinales was the displace Rossi to P4. Zarco. The two Bologna bullets in 2020, never discount the to break the all-time lap record, er did, the Aussie went P1 but Ducati fest at the top, with Aleix leader on the road and the first Bagnaia had said on Friday, will have been hoping for more GSX-RR duo in race trim. Na- a 1:53.273 was set by the Italian Quartararo was an astonishing Espargaro placing his Aprilia to show us what he had left in “We will beat the record in Q2”, in Q2 as the Australian couldn’t kagami is the leading Honda which set us up for a phenom- four tenths under at Sector 3. Racing machine in P6 ahead his locker, the Spaniard made and he stuck to his word. Quar- improve on his first run, but ahead of the opening race of enal first qualifying session of The straight-line speed in Sec- of Zarco. Ahead of those two it a factory Yamaha 1-2. Atten- tararo and Vinales were pleased the middle of the second row is 2021, he and Pol Espargaro the season. Despite the P1 time tor 4 saw the Frenchman lose sat Quartararo, Miller, Vinales, tion turned to Bagnaia who had with front row starts and will be far from a disaster. For Zarco, (Honda Team) will fire off the being an all-time lap record, some time but Quartararo still Bagnaia and Franco Morbidelli Rossi in tow, and the Ducati hoping to beat Bagnaia’s missile the new MotoGP top speed re- line in P11 and P12.