FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 TTENNISENNIS | Page 7 Ronaldo’s 701st Murray wins goal helps fi rst ATP Juve edge title since past Bologna March 2017 Monday, October 21, 2019 RUGBY Safar 22, 1441 AH Brutal Boks GULF TIMES burst brave Japan’s bubble SPORT Page 4 BOXING Sheikh Fahad notches up 13th straight victory By Sports Reporter rather than just rushing in,” Sheikh Fahad Doha told Gulf Times yesterday. “There has been progress under Franck Bohec and I have been working with nd the Sheikh Fahad bin Khalid (Puerto Rican boxer) Carlos A Leon in al-Thani juggernaut keeps roll- training,” he added. ing on. Not the one to pay too much attention Qatar’s fi rst professional box- to rankings and ratings, even though they Aer notched up his 13th straight victory, have seen understandable improvement, this time in Zaragoza in Spain, to keep his Sheikh Fahad said that the team was more slate sparkling clean. focused on “looking at experience and A month after celebrating his 32nd developing the skills”. birthday with a victory in Madrid, the In his previous bout last month against super welterweight boxer was 300-odd Ionut Bogheanu, a straight cross from the km east of the Spanish capital, going up Romanian had briefl y dropped Sheikh Fa- against Romanian veteran Marius Petre had before the latter bounced back for his Sorin on Saturday. 12th victory. Sheikh Fahad won by a knockout in the “I have had no break since my Septem- third round to stay unbeaten in his pro ca- ber bout. I went straight to the gym and reer and pick up his second victory against worked on the mistakes that occurred in Sheikh Fahad bin Sorin. In July, the Qatari had beaten Sorin that bout,” Sheikh Fahad said. Khalid al-Thani with a technical knockout in Leon, Spain. Sheikh Fahad made a winning debut is declared the It was also his third victory with Franck against Hungary’s Bela Sandor in May winner against Bohec as his head coach. Bohec, who has 2016. He has since beaten a string of Romanian veteran been Sheikh Fahad’s longtime trainer, Romanians — Adrian Parlogea (thrice), Marius Petre Sorin took over from Cuban coach Ismael Salas. Gheorghe Ghiompirica (twice), Marius in Spain on “I controlled the bout, and I showed Racaru (twice), Bogheanu (twice), Sorin Saturday. good poise and patience for the fi rst time (twice) and Dumitru Nicu Manea. QNB STARS LEAGUE PREMIER LEAGUE Liverpool strike late, but winning Narrow wins for run ends in 1-1 Duhail, Gharafa draw with United Al Duhail players unleashed shot after shot at the goal, underlining their domination By Sports Reporter Doha ohamed Muntari struck in the 65th minute as Al Duhail pipped Umm Salal 1-0 in the QNB Stars League yesterday. Ml Gharafa also won by a similar margin, beating Al Arabi in the second match of the day, with Sofi ane Hanni scoring the all- Adam Lallana celebrates with Trent Alexander-Arnold after Aimportant goal in the 51st minute. scoring for Liverpool against Manchester United yesterday. Former champions Al Duhail moved on to 17 points with yesterday’s win, while AFP missed. Umm Salal stayed on fi ve. It was Al Du- Manchester The visitors were able to hail’s fi fth victory and Rui Faria’s boys welcome back goalkeeper Al- thus extended their unbeaten run, having isson Becker for the fi rst time drawn their other two games. iverpool failed to in two months after a calf Al Duhail attacked from the onset, record a record- injury, but the Brazilian was with Paolo Edmilson leading the charge. equalling 18th straight rarely tested as United were His long-ranger hit the right upright be- Premier League win, happy to sit back and coun- fore Umm Salal goalkeeper Yazan Naim, butL Adam Lallana’s late ter-attack. who had a good day saving many shots, equaliser saved the European Solskjaer changed his for- thwarted the Brazilian. champions from a shock de- mation to a 3-5-2 in an at- Al Duhail players unleashed shot after feat at Manchester United in a tempt to limit Liverpool’s shot at the goal, underlining their domi- 1-1 draw yesterday. fl ying full-backs Trent Alex- nation. Ali Afi f sent a left-footer wide and Marcus Rashford’s contro- ander-Arnold and Andy Rob- then Yazan blocked a Luis Martin shot. versial goal handed Ole Gun- ertson and it was largely ef- On Umm Salal’s part, Ivorian striker nar Solskjaer’s struggling Red fective as the hosts restricted Yannick Sagbo, coming from an injury Devils a 1-0 half-time lead, the league leaders to precious layoff , skied the ball from close on 30 but they could not hold out few chances. minutes and Nasser al-Nasr had his shot for a much-needed victory Liverpool’s best opening saved by Al Duhail goalkeeper Amine Le- as they left substitute Lallana before the break came when comte. unmarked at the back post to Sadio Mane fi nally found Muntari had a headed goal disallowed level with fi ve minutes to play. some space to counter-at- for off side. Liverpool move six points tack, but from his cut-back Meanwhile, Umm Salal’s Joao Bruno clear of Manchester City at Roberto Firmino fi red too made a goalline save off Karim Boudiaf’s the top of the table, but will close to David de Gea. half-volley in stoppage time as the fi rst still feel this was a missed op- United had not scored in half drew to a close goalless. Al Arabi’s Icelandic player Birkir Bjarnason (R) gets into a tangle with Al Gharafa’s Guedioura Adlane during their QNB Stars League portunity to infl ict more pain their two previous matches On to the second half and Almoez Ali match yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil on a United side sitting 13th in prior to the international took over the main attacking duty of Al the Premier League, just two break, but fi nally produced a Duhail. He made two serious attempts at Week 5 fi xture against Al Sadd, dubbed post. However, goalkeeper Gregory Go- bound, but the ball hit Al Gharafa goal- points off the relegation zone. moment of quality going for- the goal before Muntari was on target off a the Qatar Derby, was deferred due to the mis collected the rebound from the cross- keeper Qasem Burhan. The two most successful ward to take the lead, even if corner kick. The lanky striker’s volley hit latter’s AFC Champions League commit- piece without fail. The second half started and it was Al sides in English football could fortune was also on their side the body of Yazan before going in. ment. Al Arabi’s new recruit from Ice- Al Gharafa earned a penalty in the fi rst Gharafa who surged ahead. Hanni was on not have come into the game for the goal to stand. In the second match, Slavisa Jokanovic- land, Birkir Bjarnason, made his debut as half, but Ahmed Alaaeldin hit his shot hand to place the ball home after Gomis in more contrasting form. Victor Lindelof looked to coached Al Gharafa, with their fourth win, his compatriot and fellow midfi elder Aron against the horizontal and he could not fumbled in collecting a cross from the left However, United answered have upended Divock Origi on now have 14 points, one more than Al Ara- Gunnarsson, nursing an injury, watched connect the rebound either. by Othman al-Yahri, much to the dismay Solskjaer’s calls to rise to the halfway, but no foul was given bi who thus crashed to their fi rst defeat in from the stands. Al Arabi created more opportunities in of home fans. occasion. by Martin Atkinson and as this season’s QNB Stars League. The Al Arabi goal had a close call in the a barren opening session, with their top Al Arabi made desperate attempts at Liverpool were without United broke forward, Daniel However, Al Arabi coached by Icelander 19th minute as Jassem Jaber, attempting scorer and Tunisian striker Hamdi Har- the goal in their bid to equalise and Pierre Mohamed Salah through James’s cross perfectly picked Heimir Hallgrimsson, have the advantage to clear a Muad Hassan cross from the left, baoui being the spearhead. Mohamed Lassoga came up with a dropping header, injury and the Egyptian’s out Rashford to prod past Al- of having played one game less since their headed the ball accidentally into his own Salah El Neel headed a free-kick goal- but the ball went wide of the mark. pace and trickery was badly isson. Gulf Times 2 Monday, October 21, 2019 FOOTBALL LA LIGA CHAMPIONSHIP Wigan put end to Forest’s 10-match Real beaten by unbeaten run AFP advancing on goal. London Instead of shooting, Lowe played the ball out to Gavin Massey, then slotted home the amal Lowe’s fi rst goal for return ball from six yards. Mallorca as Barca Wigan sealed a 1-0 win It was almost 2-0 fi ve minutes that ended Nottingham later, with Charlie Mulgrew’s Forest’s 10-match un- free-kick hitting the woodwork. Jbeaten run in the Championship Forest substitute Lewis Grab- yesterday. ban, squandered a golden oppor- Lowe, signed from Port- tunity to equalise when Wigan’s smouth in the close-season, Mulgrew could only fl ick a cross struck late in the fi rst half at the into his path. go top of La Liga DW Stadium as Wigan climbed With the goal at his mercy, away from the relegation zone Grabban nodded tamely at with their fourth win of the Wigan keeper David Marshall.