SPORT Wednesday 22 August 2018 PAGE | 14 PAGE | 15 Djokovic eyes US Atletico and Valencia Open as ‘Big Four’ open season reunited with draw

MEDAL TABLE (TOP 20) Asiad: Qatar’s Janko, Cherif RANK COUNTRY G S B TOTAL 1 30 18 12 60 2 Japan 12 17 18 47 3 Korea 8 12 14 34 unstoppable in Palembang 4 5 2 5 12 5 Iran 4 3 5 12 CHINTHANA WASALA The luck was on their side 6 North Korea 4 1 3 8 THE PENINSULA as Maldives were disqualified 7 India 3 3 4 10 in their first game of the day, 8 Chinese Taipei 3 2 5 10 DOHA: Qatari beach according to information 9 Mongolia 2 1 4 7 volleyball players Ahmed posted on the Janko and Cherif Samba website. However, they did 10 1 5 7 13 topped their pool with a not mention the reasons 11 Uzbekistan 1 3 6 10 resounding win against South leading to Maldivians’ dis- 12 1 1 8 10 Korea while the men’s 3x3 qualification. As a result, 13 Lebanon 1 1 2 4 basketball team also excelled Qatar walked away with a by winning both their win without making a single 14 Philippines 1 0 4 5 matches on the fourth day of basket. 15 Jordan 1 0 1 2 2018 Asian Games yesterday. In their second math of 16 Macau 1 0 0 1 At the JSC Beach Volley the day, Qatar beat Nepal 17 Vietnam 0 3 4 7 Arena in Palembang, Ahmed 21-8 and later went on to Janko and Cherif Samba out- defeat Syria with a margin of 18 Kyrgyzstan 0 3 3 6 played their South Korean 17-7. 19 Hong Kong 0 2 7 9 counterparts Kim Junyoung The three wins put Qatar 20 0 1 0 1 and Kim Hongchan 2-0 (21-9, second behind Japan in the 21-15) in their second Pool B Group C Standings. Al Annabi match of the preliminary will take on Jordan and Japan round to secure the first win in their remaining group for Qatar yesterday. matches on Friday. Yesterday’s The Qatari duo was no It was a different story match for the South Koreans when it came to women’s 3x3 highlights in the first set which lasted basketball as Qatar lost to only twelve minutes. The China 23-3 in yesterday’s REUTERS South Koreans tried to fight opening game. back in the initial stage of the This is the first time that second set, but the Qatari pre- 3x3 basketball is featuring in : Highlights of day four of the 18th Asian vailed on Palembang beach Asian Games and the 2018 Games in Jakarta and Palembang yesterday. to secure their second win in Asiad features 36 teams from China notch second fencing gold a row. 21 different countries in the Chinese fencer Huang Mengkai has claimed the Samba and Janko half-court version of second fencing gold for China by defeating Choi defeated Kazakhstan’s basketball. Nicholas Edward of Hong Kong 11-10 in the men’s Dmitriy Yakolev and Sergey Meanwhile, Qatari individual foil final. Bogatu in their first match of teenager Noah Alkhulaifi fin- The bronze medal went to semi-finalists Son the preliminary round on ished second in the third heat Qatar’s Cherif Samba (left) blocks a spike by a South Korean player Yong-Ki of and Cheung Ka Long of Hong Monday and now top the of the men’s 50m freestyle, during their second Pool B match of the preliminary round of the Kong. group with one match to go. clocking a time of 24.64 secs beach volleyball competition during the 2018 Asian Games at the Qian Jiarui won China’s first fencing gold in the In their final Pool B tie, at the GBK Aquatic Centre. In JSC Beach Volley Arena in Palembang, Indonesia, yesterday. women’s individual sabre on Sunday. the Qatari men will take on the same heat, his compatriot Ikee continues gold rush Sri Lanka’s Lakmal Medag- Yacob Alkhulaifi finished Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee grabbed her edara and Sashimal Yapa fourth with a time of 24.89 fourth gold of the meet with victory in the women’s tomorrow. secs. 100 metres butterfly. Meanwhile, the second However, the two Qatari China’s Zhang Yufei took silver for her first indi- Liu sets first world record vidual medal at the Games, while An Se-hyeon won Qatari pair, Tamer Abdel- swimmers failed to advance rasoul and Mehdi Sammoud as yesterday’s performance bronze for South Korea. AFP will be looking to topple Ira- placed them in the 37th and China’s Liu Xiang competes Sun wins 400m freestyle nians Arash Vakili and 39th positions in the overall in the women’s 50m China’s swimming sensation Sun Yang won his Bahman Salemiinjehboroun standings. JAKARTA: Swimmer Liu Xiang set the first backstroke final yesterday. eighth Asian Games gold after storming to the finish in their third and final Pool F In the men’s 200m world record in the Asian Games pool and Sun line in the men’s 400 metres freestyle. match today. breaststroke heats, Abdel- Yang grabbed another slice of history as China China’s Liu breaks 50m backstroke Abdelrasoul and rahman Mohamed finished in sped away on the medals table yesterday. world record Sammoud defeated their Mal- 18th overall, clocking a time As fans fumed over ticketing chaos and China’s Liu Xiang broke the world record to open divian counterparts 2-1 on of 2:31.22. emergency services scrambled to douse a the third session of swimming as she clocked 26.98 Monday after losing to Thai- Qatari archers Ibrahim Al raging wildfire, Liu became the first female seconds in the women’s 50 metres backstroke. land’s Surin Jongklang and Mohanadi, Ali Salem and 50m backstroker to go below 27sec. The 21-year-old topped the previous record of Adisorn Khaolumtarn in their Abdelaziz Al Obadi competed Liu, 21, shattered compatriot Zhao Jing’s 27.06 seconds set by her compatriot Zhao Jing in first outing. in their respective events at nine-year-old mark of 27.06, set wearing a 2009. The Qatari duo is cur- the JSC Shooting Range, but bodysuit at the 2009 world championships Lee fails to defend taekwondo gold rently placed at the third failed to impress. in Rome. South Korea’s taekwondo fighter Lee Ah-reum position in their pool. Same fate followed Qatari Triple Olympic champion Sun Yang failed to defend her title after she was beaten 6-5 Elsewhere, at the Gelora fencers as Thkrayat Al powered to his third win of the meet in the by China’s Luo Zongshi in the 57kg category final. Bung Karno Sport Complex Abdulla, Wadha Al Abdulla, 400m freestyle as he equalled Xu Yanwei’s Pauline Lopez of the Philippines and Vipawan in Jakarta, Qatari men’s 3x3 Ahmed Al Quradaghi and Ali Chinese record of eight Asian Games golds. Siripornpermsak of Thailand took bronze. basketball team had a suc- Owaida did not qualify for the “I’ve swum six races in three days but I Irawan earns weightlifting gold for cessful day. next round. hung in there. It’s a nice reward for all the Indonesia hard work,” said Sun. Rio Olympics silver medalist Eko Yuli Irawan A Qatari female fencer (left) in action at the Gelora Bung China, runaway leaders on the 2014 claimed Indonesia’s first gold in weightlifting at the Karno Sport Complex yesterday. medals table, reached 30 golds by the end of Asian Games, winning the men’s 62kg category. day three, with clear daylight between them Vietnam’s Trinh Van Vinh took silver and and Japan on 12 and South Korea’s eight. Uzbekistan’s Adkhamjon Ergashev the bronze. China win gold in shooting, mountain biking TODAY'S COMPETION SCHEDULE OF QATARI ATHLETES Hui Zicheng won gold in the men’s 50m rifle Event Qatar Time Discipline Athletes’ Name/Team's opponents three positions event. Earlier, Yao Bianwa was vic- 1 Air sports 5:00 Paragliding Ali Al Saadi, Abdellatif Al Qahtani torious in the women’s cross country mountain biking competition. 2 Swimming 5:00 Men’s 50m freestyle Noah Al Khulafi, Yacob Al Khulaifi Indian shooter Chaudhary wins gold 3 Swimming 5:00 Men’s 200m breaststroke Abdelrahman Mohammed Indian shooter Saurabh Chaudhary, 16, clinched 4 Taekwondo 5:30 Taekwondo Ahmed Deghbes, Al Rumaihi a gold medal on his debut Games by winning the 5 Fencing 5:30 Men’s Epee Mohamed Ali, Mohamed Fathi, Mohamed Shemari men’s 10m air pistol with a score of 240.7 points, a Games record. 6 Wrestling 9:00 Wrestling 71 Kg Bakheet Bader Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsuda (239.7) led for most 7 Archery 10:00 Compound Farhan Al Saadi, Ahmed Al Abadi, Esraf Khan of the final but had to settle for silver. Another Indian, 8 Volleyball 15:00 Volleyball Qatar Vs India Abhishek Verma (219.3), took the bronze. 9 Handball 16:00 Handball Qatar Vs Saudi Arabia China claim two wushu gold medals China got off to a winning start on Tuesday, 10 Shooting 5:00 Women’s 50m air rifle Matra Al Aseery clinching two gold medals in wushu. Teenager Wu 11 Shooting 5:00 Women’s 25m air pistol Dana Al Mubarak, Nasra Mahmoud Zhaohua won the men’s daoshu and gunshu all-round 12 Volleyball 10:00 Beach volleyball Qatar Vs Iran competition while Guo Mengjiao won the women’s jianshu and qiangshu all-round event. 14 SPORT WEDNESDAY 22 AUGUST 2018

China crush Tajikistan 16-0

AFP Clarkson’s effort in vain who takes top spot in the group. SHANGHAI: Impassioned China previously ham- debate raged in China yesterday mered Hong Kong 7-0 and the as China beat Philippines about the state of the men’s women’s latest goal fest national football team after the sparked debate back home on Chinese women’s side thrashed social media. AP sorry Tajikistan 16-0 at the China’s men’s team are Asian Games. something of a national embar- JAKARTA: The Philippines was Forward Wang Shanshan rassment, qualifying for the vastly improved with Cleveland plundered nine goals -- a World Cup only once, in 2002, Cavaliers guard Jordan Clarkson remarkable hat-trick of hat- when they failed to win a point added to the team to face China tricks -- as China ran riot on or even score a goal. at the Asian Games. Monday in the Indonesian host Tajikistan have shipped 32 Just one problem. city of Palembang. goals in two matches, having Although the US-born China’s women, who con- also been demolished 16-0 by Clarkson led all scorers with 28 sistently outshine their male North Korea at the Asian points, he had to sit out much of counterparts on the interna- Games. the fourth quarter with a cramp tional stage, have easily won The one-sided scorelines in his right thigh. That was the two games out of two at the for the North Koreans and opening China needed, winning Games and face mighty North Chinese matched the tour- 82-80 in yesterday’s Group D Korea on Wednesday to decide nament record. game. Clarkson returned to play the last few minutes of the quarter, and the Philippines Paul Weightlifter Diaz wins first Dalistan missed a 3-point shot with about five seconds left, Games gold for Philippines which could have sealed an upset against the tournament AFP favourites. (86kg, 115kg). Irawan’s almost “After he cramped, Jordan flawless performance of couldn’t play his 100-percent JAKARTA: Weightlifter Hidilyn strength and control was best,” Philippines coach Joseller Diaz won the Philippines’ first capped by a 170kg lift in the Guiao said. “But even without gold medal of the 2018 Asian clean and jerk which raised the him in there we still played Games and “proud Indonesian” roof at the Jakarta International well.” Eko Yuli Irawan triumphed for Expo. Despite the loss, Philippines the hosts on a pulsating day of To screams from his should reach the quarterfinals action yesterday. adoring home fans, Irawan with China heavily favored to Diaz, the silver medallist saluted the country’s president beat Kazakhstan tomorrow. from the Rio Olympics, pipped seated in front of him, broke Houston Rockets young Turkmenistan’s Kristina Sher- into a huge smile and flashed a center Zhou Qi led China with metova by just one kilogramme thumbs-up to the packed 25. The 2.17 meter (7-foot-1) to win the women’s 53kg class. 2,000-capacity venue after blocked a half-dozen shots for Earlier Irawan, also a silver setting a winning total of 311kg. the vastly taller Chinese. China’s medallist in Rio, dominated the Vietnam’s Trinh van Vinh other NBA player, Dallas Mav- men’s 62kg competition to take needed a mammoth personal ericks small forward Ding Yan- Indonesia’s first weightlifting best of 179kg with the final lift yuhang, had seven points. gold of the Games in front of of the competition to snatch Zhou said the young Chinese Raymond Almazan (left) of the Philippines goes for the basket against President Joko Widodo. gold, but he crumpled in the team would learn from the close China’s Zhou Qi in their men’s basketball preliminary Group D game during Veteran Irawan, 29, has attempt. second half, when Philippines the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, yesterday. won multiple major medals in Finally Irawan could savour rallied to take the lead. a senior weightlifting career the golden moment that had “I think we made some mis- stretching back to his bronze at always eluded him in the past, takes today,” he said. “I think The Philippines led 78-75 the 2008 Olympics, but after Olympic bronzes at Beijing when we go back we will learn late in the game, but couldn’t Firefighters tackle large had never before set foot on the 2008 and 2012, silver the lessons from the third and hold on with Clarkson unable to top step of the podium. at Rio two years ago and Asian fourth quarters, and to avoid the play at full speed. blaze outside Asiad venue “I’m a proud Indonesian Games bronzes in 2010 and same mistakes in the upcoming “We have to keep moving on and pleased for the country to 2014. AFP matches. and hope we get to play them extinguish the blaze, as athletes win gold,” Irawan told AFP after President Widodo pre- “We need to give everything (China) again in the tour- competed close by in shooting receiving his medal from pres- sented him with his medal we can to fight for every single nament,” said Philippines guard PALEMBANG: A large blaze and beach volleyball. Chinese ident Widodo. before he saluted again point.” Gabriel Norwood. broke out right next to the Asian shooter Wang Xiaojing, 26, told “I feel like everything I have throughout his country’s Clarkson, whose mother has Clarkson skipped post-game Games site in the Indonesian city AFP that she saw the fire during fought for I have now finally anthem and flag-raising. Philippines heritage that earned interviews, walking directly past of Palembang yesterday as fire- the trap mixed team final but kept achieved.” Trinh consoled himself with him a passport, arrived in reporters to get his leg treated. fighters scrambled to prevent her focus, later taking the bronze Diaz raised 92kg in the silver, and the bronze went to Jakarta just a few days ago after “I don’t see this as a loss,” clouds of smoke affecting medal with teammate Yu Du. snatch and 115kg in the clean Uzbekistan’s Adkhamjon the NBA finally agreed to let him Guiao said. “We formed this competition events. A southerly wind helped and jerk for a 207kg total that Ergashev. play. team only two weeks ago, and Helicopters scooped up prevent too much embar- proved just enough to edge out Irawan began in dominant He hit the third of three Jordan just flew in five days ago. water to douse the flames in rassment for organisers of the Shermetova (93kg snatch, 113kg fashion with 141kg in the snatch, straight 3-point shots to tie the He was able to get into the flow fields bordering the sports world’s second-biggest multi- clean and jerk). good enough for a 5kg cushion game at 55-55 late in the third quickly. We’re a lot better with complex while dozens of fire- sport event, blowing the smoke Thailand’s Khambao Surod- over Ergashev and 8kg over quarter. Jordan Clarkson.” fighters on the ground helped away from the athletes. chana took the bronze on 201kg Trinh. Djokovic eyes US Open as ‘Big Four’ reunited World No. 1 Halep AFP in praise of Djokovic in Cincinnati. World withdraws from number one Nadal, who won the US Open NEW YORK: From the pits of despair in last year to add to his 2010 and 2013 vic- Connecticut Open , record-setting Novak Djokovic now tories, skipped Cincinnati after triumphing eyes a third US Open title in New York in Toronto the week before. AFP where for the first time since Wimbledon The Spaniard clinched an 11th French last year, the sport’s ‘Big Four’ will be Open in June to take his majors tally to 17 reunited. before falling to Djokovic in a five-set, LOS ANGELES: World number one Simona Djokovic became the first man to win 5-hour 15-minute semi-final loss at Halep withdrew from the WTA Connecticut all nine Masters titles with victory over Wimbledon. Open on Monday with a leg injury, the day Roger Federer at Cincinnati on Sunday. Federer also knows that the clock is after losing the Cincinnati final to Kiki Having captured, against all the odds, ticking. Bertens. a fourth Wimbledon in July, the 31-year- The 20-time Grand Slam winner won The Romanian, who cited soreness in old Serb suddenly finds himself as joint- the last of his five US Opens in 2008. her right Achilles, said she still plans to take favourite with world number one Rafael Now 37, Federer would become the part in the upcoming US Open. Nadal to triumph at Flushing Meadows. oldest New York champion in the Open “I need to recover in time for the US Champion in 2011 and 2015, and a five- era should he lift the trophy again on Sep- Open,” she said. time runner-up, Djokovic sat out the 2017 tember 9 and second oldest of all time. This would have been Halep’s third tour- US Open to nurse an elbow injury. But he was knocked out by 2009 nament in as many weeks. She won the WTA His physical limitations were still champion Juan Martin del Potro in the Montreal event before being runner-up in evident when he slumped away from quarter-finals last year having had to nego- Cincinnati, losing in three sets to Dutch- Roland Garros in June after a shock tiate two five-setters in the opening rounds. woman Bertens on Sunday. quarter-final loss to journeyman Marco Despite defending his Australian Open “I really wanted to play it (Connecticut) Cecchinato, threatening to skip Wimbledon title in January, Federer’s hopes of a ninth and I saw that many fans bought tickets to to mend his shattered self-confidence. Wimbledon were blown apart in a five- see me here, but I feel very sore with my Fast forward three months and Djokovic set loss to Kevin Anderson in the Achilles, and I need some rest,” she added. is once again the man to beat. quarter-finals. “I had so many matches in the last two “It’s a wonderful feeling. It’s been a It was his earliest exit at the All weeks, so it’s tough. See you next year, and couple of tough months for me with an England Club in five years. all the best.” injury but then winning Wimbledon and His comeback has been far The 26-year-old Halep will be replaced Cincinnati,” Djokovic said. from smooth after spending in the draw by lucky loser Belinda Bencic of Djokovic’s Wimbledon triumph took his almost a year on the side- Switzerland. Grand Slam title collection to 13, just one lines and has played only American CoCo Vandeweghe also pulled behind Pete Sampras. seven matches since his out of the hardcourt tournament in New He also has 31 Masters, two back from return. The former world Haven on Sunday with a sore right ankle. Nadal but four more than Federer. number one has even In Monday’s action, two-time Wim- He will head for New York buoyed by seen his ranking Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning bledon winner Petra Kvitova overpowered his dominance over his three major rivals nosedive to 378 in the the Western & Southern Open, defeating Roger 2016 champion Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, as well -- he leads Nadal 27-25, Federer world -- making him Federer of Switzerland in the men’s final at Lindner 7-6 (7/3) and fourth-seeded Karolina 24-22 and Andy Murray 25-11. Britain’s eighth-best Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, USA, on Sunday. Pliskova of the Czech Republic was knocked “He’s a great champion,” said Federer player! out by Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 6-3. WEDNESDAY 22 AUGUST 2018 SPORT 15 Bumrah bowls India to brink of victory despite Buttler ton AFP India’s Jasprit Bumrah celebrates to his hundred when he clipped the wicket of England’s Jos Buttler the paceman legside for a 21st NOTTINGHAM, UNITED during the third Test at the Trent four in 152 balls. KINGDOM: Jasprit Bumrah’s Bridge, Nottingham, Britain, yesterday. But the advent of the new dramatic new-ball burst left ball at 223 for four off 80 overs India just one wicket away from swung the day India’s way. victory in the third Test against Bumrah had Buttler lbw England come stumps yester- playing no shot and next ball day’s fourth day. Jonny Bairstow, batting down England were 311 for nine, the order because of a broken still 210 runs adrift of a huge finger suffered while keeping target of 521, at the close. wicket on Monday, had his off- It seemed England might bat stump uprooted for a golden out the day comfortably while duck. Jos Buttler, whose 106 was his Chris Woakes survived the maiden Test century, and hat-trick, with England now 231 recalled all-rounder Ben Stokes for six. (62) were sharing a fifth-wicket But Woakes, who made a stand of 169 that rescued the maiden Test century in England’s hosts from the depths of 62 for innings and 159-run win in the four before lunch. second Test at Lord’s, fell for four But the advent of the new when caught behind off Bum- ball changed the course of the rah’s bouncer. day’s play with fast bowler And 241 for seven became Bumrah taking three wickets for 241 for eight when Stokes was eight runs in five balls as caught by Rahul off medium- England, who had been 231 for pacer Hardik Pandya, who had four, found themselves 241 for stunned England with a first- eight. innings return of five for 28 India India claimed the extra half thought England were 245 for hour in a bid to wrap up the nine when Rashid was caught in match with a day to spare but the slips by India captain Virat England’s last-wicket duo of Adil Kohli -- whose innings of 97 and Rashid, riding his luck for 30 not the day’s play. That meant the what could be just one ball today. It was the 31st occasion in Ashwin’s lbw review on 38. 103 had done so much to out, and James Anderson saw out teams would have to return for After England resumed on 23 their past 62 Test innings since Buttler, 67 not out at tea, cover- establish his team’s dominant for none, India needed just five 2016 that England, who were drove Ashwin for four to surpass position -- but a review by the balls to take a wicket Tuesday. bowled out for 161 in their first his previous highest Test score umpires uncovered a marginal SCOREBOARD Ishant Sharma, from round innings, had lost their fourth of 85, made against India at no-ball. India (I Innings) ...... 329 C Woakes c Pant b Bumrah...... 4 the wicket, had Keaton Jennings wicket having scored 100 or Southampton on debut four Rashid had another break on England 1st Innings (I Innings) ...... 161 A Rashid (batting) ...... 30 (13) caught behind to one that fewer runs. years ago. 22 when dropped by Kohli off India (II Innings) ...... 352-7 dec S Broad c Rahul b Bumrah ...... 20 straightened and he removed Buttler was dropped on one Meanwhile usually attacking Mohammed Shami. England (II Innings) J Anderson (batting) ...... 8 England’s other left-handed by debutant wicket-keeper left-handed batsman Stokes, Stuart Broad, during a 20 on A Cook c Rahul b Sharma ...... 17 Extras (B2, LB16, NB4) ...... 22 opener Alastair Cook (17) with a Rishabh Pant and Stokes -- unlike many of his team-mates, his Nottinghamshire home K Jennings c Pant b Sharma ...... 13 Total (9 wkts) ...... 311 J Root c Rahul b Bumrah...... 13 Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-32, 3-62, 4-62, 5-231, 6-231, similar ball held by KL Rahul at recalled by England just days grafted away and a 147-ball fifty ground, became just the fifth O Pope c Kohli b Shami ...... 16 7-241, 8-241, 9-291 second slip. after an acquittal on an affray was his slowest in Tests. player to complete the Test B Stokes c Rahul b Pandya ...... 62 Bowling: Bumrah 29-8-85-5 (2nb); Sharma 20-4-70- England lost their next two charge following an incident Buttler, in his 38th innings at double of 3,000 runs and 400 J Buttler lbw b Bumrah ...... 106 2 (1nb); Ashwin 22-8-40-0; Shami 18-3-76-1; Pandya wickets on 64, captain Joe Root outside a Bristol nightclub in this level, raced through the 90s wickets before he edged Bumrah, J Bairstow b Bumrah ...... 0 13-4-22-1 (1nb) (13) and Ollie Pope (16) both September last year-- survived with a succession of boundaries with Rahul holding his seventh caught in the cordon. off-spinner Ravichandran off Mohammed Shami and went catch of the match. Atletico and Valencia open Spanish season with draw AP Atletico held on for the rest of coach Diego Simeone said. “But I’ll the first half but Valencia equalized stick to what we did well. These MADRID: Atletico Madrid and shortly after halftime with a great teams are very similar and we had Valencia couldn’t manage more goal by striker Rodrigo, who con- our chances to win the match.” than a 1-1 draw in the opening trolled the ball with his chest after Atletico finished runner-up to Bar- match of the season for potential a cross into the area and fired a left- celona in the league last season, contenders for the Spanish League footed shot into the top of the net. while Valencia was fourth and title on Monday. “We can’t say it was unfair, but secured a Champions League berth. Both teams debuted new if we had won the match it wouldn’t Atletico was coming off a victory signings and came boosted by great be a crazy result,” Rodrigo said. “We over city rival Real Madrid in the seasons a year ago, but it was an faced a great rival and showed that UEFA Super Cup. even match from the start at Valen- we are playing on a high level. Simeone started Monday’s cia’s Mestalla Stadium, with neither That’s what we want to keep doing match with one of the team’s top finding an edge to earn the victory. the whole season.” Gabriel Paulista signings in the offseason, The hosts came closer to nearly scored again for Valencia less forward Thomas Lemar, playing up Liverpool striker Sadio Mane puts the ball into the open net after beating Crystal Palace’s winning and squandered a few great than 10 minutes after Rodrigo’s goal, front with Griezmann and Diego goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey to score their second goal during the English Premier League chances in the final minutes. but his header off a corner struck Costa. Other recently arrived Angel Correa gave Atletico the the post. Daniel Wass had a chance players began on the bench, match at Selhurst Park in south London, on Monday. lead in the 25th minute with a shot on a breakaway with a few minutes including Gelson Martins, Nikola from close range after a great set left, but his shot was saved by Kalinic and Rodri. Martins came in up by Antoine Griezmann, who Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak. as a substitute in the second half, cleared a few defenders before Kevin Gameiro also missed a clear replacing Griezmann. Liverpool’s Milner and sending a perfect ball to the forward opportunity just before the final Wass, one of Valencia’s new behind the defense. Correa had only whistle. signings, was in the starting lineup, goalkeeper Neto to beat and easily “We lacked organization in the while Gameiro, Denis Cheryshev Mane secure win at Palace found the corner. end and I didn’t like that,” Atletico and Michy Batshuayi began on the REUTERS bench. Gameiro and from their opening two games. Palace’s attacking threat Batshuayi entered in While many will feel that Liv- was evident from early on the second half. LONDON: Liverpool’s James erpool’s early form has con- and winger Andros Defending Milner’s converted a penalty firmed pre-season predictions Townsend sent a warning champion Barcelona on the stroke of halftime and that they will be the main chal- when he rattled the bar with made its league debut Sadio Mane added a late lengers to champions Man- a thundering effort from dis- on Saturday with a 3-0 second goal to secure a hard- chester City for the title this tance after cutting on to his win against Alaves with fought 2-0 win at Crystal season, Klopp said he had no left foot. But the game turned a pair of goals by Lionel Palace in the Premier League interest in such talk. as the visitors were awarded Messi at Camp Nou on Monday. “It’s very early. I couldn’t a penalty when Mamadou Stadium. It was an accomplished care less really. We are not Sakho was ruled to have Real Madrid performance from Juergen in a race with other Premier tripped Mohammed Salah. opened with a 2-0 win Klopp’s side who, with Virgil League teams each weekend. Palace felt Salah made a over Getafe with Gareth Van Dijk in commanding I was not 100 percent sure lot of the challenge but, Bale scoring and setting form at centre-half, looked tonight in the first half that despite the protests, Milner up Dani Carvajal’s goal solid at the back as well as a we would score,” said the kept his cool to fire past at Santiago Bernabeu threat going forward. German. “You have to play it Wayne Hennessey and send Stadium. Although they had to wait as it is and be a real chal- the Merseysiders into the In the match that for Mane’s fine solo effort to lenger, play ugly, do all that break with the advantage. closed out the first wrap up the points in stoppage type of stuff. Our target is to Palace’s task was made round, Athletic Bilbao time, Liverpool will be be a difficult opponent. It is harder 15 minutes from time defeated Leganes 2-1 at delighted that after a 4-0 too soon to say anything after when defender Aaron Wan- home thanks to an opening day win over West two match days. You can Bissaka was sent off for Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa (right) challenges Valencia defender Gabriel Paulista injury-time winner by Ham United they made it six discuss whatever you want - bringing down Salah in a during their Spanish League match at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia on Monday. Iker Muniain. points and two clean sheets just do it without us.” goalscoring position.