Khalifa Stadium Ready for Qatar's Biggest Fixture
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FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 4 NNBABA | Page 5 Hulk hits Celtics survive double but James’ attack Shanghai to take 2-0 ‘dream’ over series lead Thursday, May 17, 2018 TENNIS Ramadan 1, 1439 AH Nadal and Djoko GULF TIMES power on as Thiem crashes out in Rome SPORT Page 7 FOOTBALL / AMIR CUP QFA announces dates for league, local competitions Khalifa stadium ready QNA Doha atar Football Association (QFA) announced that the new season Q2018-2019 will start on August for Qatar’s biggest fi xture 3 and will be preceded by Super Cup, which will be held between the winners For his part, al-Ghanim, head of the Internal of Qatar Cup and HH the Amir Cup on Al Duhail to face Al Security Forces at Lekhwiya, said that there are August 1. special arrangements for the upcoming fi nal. He QFA also said that the second division Rayyan in May 19 final pointed out that there is a comprehensive traf- season will kick off on September 19, fi c plan to avoid congestion on the roads lead- while Qatargas U23 League will start By Sports Reporter ing to the stadium. Al-Ghanim urged the crowd on September 4. Doha to come to the stadium well before the kick-off The start of the season comes early in time to avoid missing out on the action. order to give the Qatari national foot- Al-Kuwari announced that an Iftar party will ball team the opportunity to prepare he Organising Committee of the Amir be held for the fans and organisers at the Qatar for the next year’s entitlements, which Cup have completed their preparations Women’s Sports Hall. The gates will be opened will start with Asian Championship for the May 19 fi nal, which will see Al in the direction of the stadium at 6:45pm. The from January 5 – February 1 in the Rayyan take on QNB Stars League and activities will start off before the Iftar time. UAE. Qatar will also participate in Copa TQatar Cup champions Al Duhail. Al-Kuwari pointed out that the gate numbers America in Brazil in June 2019, first Tournament director Abdullah al-Saai, Cap- 22-23-24-25-26 were allocated to the fans of Al time that an Arab national team will tain Abdullah al-Ghanim of Lekhwiya, and (From left) Qatar Football Association’s Marketing and Communication director Khalid Mubarak Rayyan while gates 2-3-4-5-29 were allocated participate in this tournament. Qatar Football Association’s (QFA) Marketing al-Kuwari, Tournament Director Abdullah al-Saai and Captain Abdullah al-Ghanim of Lekhwiya gave to the fans of Al Duhail. Gates 11-16 are for fam- The current season will conclude and Communication director Khalid Mubarak out the details of preparations during a press conference. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil ilies and gate 12 for people with special needs. with HH the Amir Cup final between al-Kuwari, gave the details at a press confer- He also informed that eight luxury cars and Al Duhail and Al Rayyan on Satur- ence held on Monday at Khalifa International ments for the fi nal have been completed, with He said Al Duhail and Al Rayyan will be train- 250 other valuable prizes will be distributed to day evening at Khalifa International Stadium. only a few more details left to be ironed out, and ing at the match venue the day before the fi nal. the winners through a draw to be held at half Stadium. Al-Saai informed that most of the arrange- the same will be completed in the coming days. He said the ticket sale was going well too. time of the fi nal, which will kick-off at 10:15pm. Gulf Times 2 Thursday, May 17, 2018 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT Alexander-Arnold gets World Cup call as Hart, Wilshere axed Selection of Alexander-Arnold comes after some fine performances in Liverpool’s run to the Champions League final AFP Southgate named Burnley’s Nick of energy and athleticism in the team, London Pope, at 26 the oldest of the three goal- but players that are equally comfortable keepers, in place of Hart and called up in possession of the ball and I think peo- Manchester City’s Fabian Delph, who ple can see the style of play we’ve been rent Alexander-Arnold has can play at left-back or in midfi eld, to looking to develop,” he said. “The selec- been included in England’s take over from Wilshere. Delph hasn’t tion process has been over months re- squad for the World Cup as played for England since 2015, but he ally, it’s not just been the last few weeks. Joe Hart and Jack Wilshere is coming off a Premier League title- We feel the team are improving and we Twere the big-name casualties of Ga- winning campaign with City. want to continue that momentum.” reth Southgate’s youth revolution. Based on the players’ age on the fi rst England face Panama, Tunisia and The England manager confi rmed yes- match-day of the tournament, Eng- Belgium in their World Cup group stage terday that, as widely anticipated, he land have named their third young- matches. Southgate does not have to had omitted both on-loan West Ham est World Cup squad behind the 2006 formally submit his squad list to FIFA goalkeeper Hart and Arsenal midfi elder and 1958 editions. The most capped until June 4. He has put Lallana, Burnley Wilshere were not in his squad for the player, with 52 appearances, is Chelsea duo Tom Heaton and James Tarkowski, World Cup in Russia. defender Gary Cahill, at 32 the second Lewis Cook of Bournemouth and West Hart is 31 and has played 75 times for oldest member of the squad, who was Bromwich Albion’s Jake Livermore on England. Injury-prone Wilshere is 26 included despite missing out in recent a stand-by list in case of injuries. The and has 34 England caps. But 19-year- friendlies, while there was no place for squad are due to begin training together old Liverpool right-back Alexander- Liverpool midfi elder Adam Lallana, next week ahead of friendlies against Arnold will be on the fl ight to Russia who has recently returned from a long Nigeria at Wembley on June 2 and Costa as Southgate has opted for a youthful hamstring injury lay-off . Rica in Leeds on June 7. selection in what he hopes will prove a Chelsea’s young midfi elder Ruben ENGLAND’S 23-MAN SQUAD bold new era for the under-achieving Loftus-Cheek has earned selection Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke), Jordan national team. after an impressive season on loan at Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley) “With Joe, we’ve got three other Crystal Palace. “I believe this is a squad Defenders: Kyle Walker (Manchester City), goalkeepers who have had very good which we can be excited about,” South- John Stones (Manchester City), Harry Liverpool defender Trent seasons and the decision I was faced gate said. “It is a young group, but with Maguire (Leicester), Kieran Trippier (Tot- Alexander-Arnold. (Reuters) with was do I keep Joe in and have ex- some really important senior players so tenham Hotspur), Danny Rose (Tottenham perience around the group. Or give I feel the balance of the squad is good, Hotspur), Ashley Young (Manchester the three guys who have basically had both in terms of its experience, its char- United), Phil Jones (Manchester United), a better season a chance?” Southgate acter and also the positional balance. Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Trent Alexander- said. The 23 players averages just 19 Southgate has included just four Arnold (Liverpool) caps, making them England’s least ex- players — Jordan Henderson, Raheem Midfielders: Eric Dier (Tottenham Hot- perienced World Cup squad since 1962. Sterling, Danny Welbeck and Cahill spur), Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Jesse The selection of Alexander-Arnold, — who played in the last World Cup in Lingard (Manchester United), Jordan comes after some fi ne performances 2014. Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Mar- Henderson (Liverpool), Ruben Loftus- in Liverpool’s run to the Champions cus Rashford, Sterling and Welbeck are Cheek (Crystal Palace), Fabian Delph League fi nal. England’s attacking options. (Manchester City) “The fi rst call up for Trent Alexan- Nobody in the squad has won a World Forwards: Jamie Vardy (Leicester), der-Arnold is well deserved. When we Cup match, but Southgate is confi dent Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), pick young players, it’s not just because England can make an impact as they Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) Harry they are young, it’s because their per- dream of winning the tournament for Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Danny Wel- formances deserve it,” Southgate said. the fi rst time since 1966. “We have a lot beck (Arsenal) ANXIOUS FOCUS With World Cup looming, Neymar Arteta is strong favourite to admits: ‘nobody is as scared as me’ replace Wenger at Arsenal AFP By David Hytner Sao Paulo The Guardian s Neymar, the world’s most ex- ikel Arteta is the pensive player, battles to be fi t for strong favourite Brazil’s World Cup campaign, he to succeed Arsène is aware of the pressure. “Nobody Wenger as manager Ais as scared as me,” he said on Tuesday. The Mat Arsenal, with productive talks Paris Saint-Germain striker has not played having progressed between his since February, but knows that football- camp and the club. mad Brazil hopes he is fi t to lead their team Conversations are so advanced to glory in the World Cup. that Arteta is giving thought to “I know that people are a little anxious, the people he might want in his but nobody more than me, nobody is as backroom team.