CCRICKETRICKET | Page 4 BBASKETBALLASKETBALL | Page 7 Pakistan in Coles shines trouble as as Wakrah South Africa outclass fi ght back Al Khor Wednesday, January 27, 2021 FOOTBALL Jumada II 14, 1442 AH Tuchel appointed GULF TIMES Chelsea manager on 18-month deal SPORT Page 2 AMIR CUP Al Sadd cruise into quarters, to face Al Gharafa next Second division side Al Shahaniya came back from a two-goal deficit before going down to Al Gharafa in the penalties By Sports Reporter Doha eigning champions Al Sadd were too good for the second division side Muaither as they romped to a 7-0 win in the Rlast 16 match of the Amir Cup yester- day. At the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, head coach Xavi Hernandez rested many of the regulars but still there was too much quality in the Al Sadd bench strength for Muaither to cope with. Hashem Ali and Youssef Abdel Ra- zaq netted a brace each, while Boualem Khoukhi, Mohamed Waad and Akram Afi f scored a goal apiece. In the quar- ter-fi nals, Al Sadd face Al Gharafa, who edged out Al Shahaniya via penalties yesterday. Hashem Ali opened the scoring in the 10th minute after being set up by Afi f from the left side. He doubled the lead in the 30th minute, with once again Afi f being the provider. While Al Sadd had many chances to score they couldn’t deliver in the fi nal third as they went into the break with a 2-0 lead. However, goals rained in the second half as a ruthless Al Sadd team showed the huge gap between both the sides. Khoukhi made it 3-0 in the 64th minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area. Two minutes later Al Sadd’s Youssef Abdel Razaq (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Muaither in the last 16 match of the Substitute Mohamed Waad found the Amir Cup at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday. net after taking advantage of a Hashem Ali’s pass. and continued the trend of winning by an off ensive team are focusing on being Earlier, Al Rayyan entered the quar- Al Rayyan’s Yohan Boli celebrates after scoring against Al Markhiya at the Jassim The fi fth goal came via Razzaq after a huge margins. The young players put that in future matches. ters after defeating Al Markhiya 1-0 Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed wonderful exchange of the ball between on an impressive show. Bahaa al-Laithi, On facing Al Gharafa in the quarter- thanks to Yohan Boli at the Jassim Bin Afi f and Tabata. Afi f, who was a livewire Hashem Ali and Youssef Abdel Razzaq fi nals, Xavi said: “The Al Gharafa match Hamad Stadium. While Rayyan found at the Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium. strike fi rst converted a penalty in the throughout the match, found the net in were also good, Ali Asad and Salem al- in the quarter-fi nals will be like a fi nal. it hard against the second division side, Moayad Hassan put Al Gharafa ahead 83rd minute before striking a stunning the 83rd before Razzaq scored his sec- Hajri also put in a good performance,” They are one of the three best teams in it was a sweet revenge for them after in the 23rd minute before Jonathan volley in the 90th minute to level the ond in the 90th to complete Muaith- the Spaniard said. the QNB Star’s League. They have good having been knocked out by Markhiya Kodjia doubled the lead just ahead of score and send the game to penalties. er’s miserable night. Al Sadd coach Saad al-Sheeb played ahead of Me- players and it will be a diffi cult match in the quarter-fi nals last year. halftime. But second division side Al But unfortunately for Shahaniya, two Xavi Hernandez was delighted with shaal Barsham against Muaither and for us. We must prepare well before fac- In another match, Al Shahaniya came Shahaniya fought back with two goals missed penalties cost them a place in his side’s comprehensive victory. “We Xavi was pleased with the goalkeeper’s ing them. Our aim is to qualify for the back from a two-goal defi cit before go- in the last ten minutes of the game, the quarter-fi nals. played a good match against Muaither show. Xavi pointed out that Al Sadd is fi nal once again.” ing down to Al Gharafa in the penalties both scored by Ibrahima Gaye. The HANDBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Qatar will go all out for win against Sweden, says Benali Bt Sports Reporter Cairo fter helping Qatar book their place in the last-8 phase of the 27th IHF Men’s Handball World Championship, star Aplayer Youssef Benali has promised to go all out for a victory against Sweden today when the two teams clash for a spot in the semi-fi nals. Qatar on Monday defeated Argen- tina 26-25, but their passage to the next phase as the second-best team in Group II was only confi rmed a few hours later when already-qualifi ed Denmark thrashed Croatia 38-26. “We will fi ght until the fi nal second Qatar’s leading scorer Frankis Marzo is vying with Norway’s Sander Sagosen to of the game against Sweden to snatch a emerge as the tournament’s top scorer. place in the tournament’s semi-fi nals,” Benali told journalists yesterday. “Swe- Frankis Marzo is vying with Norway’s helped set up 37 goals in the six games den are a big team and are also one of Sander Sagosen to emerge as the tour- he played at Egypt 2021, 10 more than the favourites for the World Cham- nament’s top scorer. Chilean back Rodrigo Salinas and Swiss pionship title, so we will be defi nitely Sagosen, the two-time World centre back Andy Schmid. facing a tough opponent. I hope to put Championship silver medallist (2017 “I am feeling very good, both on and on a good performance and help Qatar and 2019) scored 50 goals in the fi rst six off the court right now. I feel fresh, but win the match. It’s certainly possible if games for Norway, and is only one goal you can always be better. When I am on we play to our potential,” Benali added. shy of his performance from two years the court, I want to give 100 per cent He said the team’s performance so ago, when he put netted 51 goals. every time. I also want to be fl awless, far has been exemplary considering Qatar’s Youssef Benali (right) in action against Argentina during the IHF Men’s Handball World Championship on Monday. However, Marzo leads the race after to have a maximum effi ciency. But that their injury problems and the challeng- six games, having scored 53 of Qatar’s can hardly happen, because I shoot a es posed by the coronavirus pandemic. pandemic,” the Qatari pivot said. With Egypt also making the quarters, Arab teams among the best eight teams 136 goals in the event, which amounts lot,” said Sagosen. “The tournament is diffi cult, es- “We succeeded in booking a spot history was created at the tournament in the world. Egypt is a brilliant team to a whopping 36 per cent of his team’s Sagosen has the best effi ciency pecially with so many top teams par- among the top eight teams in the world as it’s the fi rst time two teams from and they could reach the semis. I wish goals. Sagosen is, however, still lead- among the top fi ve backs in the com- ticipating and also due to the lack of despite losing a number of our talented outside Europe have made the cut. them good luck,” Benali said. ing the assists rankings and there, it petition, converting 67 per cent of his proper preparation due to coronavirus players due to injuries.” “It’s a great achievement to see two Meanwhile, Qatar’s leading scorer is not even close. The Norwegian star shots. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, January 27, 2021 FOOTBALL PREMIER LEAGUE FA CUP Bale gets a boost Tuchel appointed with rare praise from Mourinho AFP volved in four competition’s in- London cluding the title race and face out of form champions Liverpool to- Chelsea manager morrow. Should the Portuguese areth Bale’s goalscor- wish for a relaxing moment prior ing performance was to that his Wycombe counterpart labelled as “good” by Gareth Ainsworth, who sings in a Tottenham Hotspur rock band, gave him a tantalising Gmanager Jose Mourinho after the invite. “He (Mourinho) said he Premier League club came from might not be able to sing but I bet behind to beat Championship he can play a mean tambourine,” on 18-month deal side Wycombe 3-1 in their FA said Ainsworth. Cup fourth round tie on Monday Mourinho took the chance to Tuchel’s task will be to get the best out of the £200mn of talent that was brought night. leave Harry Kane, Son Heung- Mourinho’s assessment will min and Tanguy Ndombele on in the close season, including young German attackers Werner and Havertz boost the spirits of the 31-year- the bench with Spurs facing a old Wales star, who has had an brutal schedule across four com- AFP underwhelming second spell at petitions in the coming months. London Spurs since coming on a season But all three were needed in the long loan from Real Madrid.