FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 NNBABA | Page 5 Liverpool LeBron James’ face must-win triple-double test at leaders leads Lakers’ Man City romp Saturday, February 6, 2021 TENNIS Jumada II 24, 1442 AH Djokovic faces GULF TIMES Chardy, Kenin meets Inglis SPORT Page 4 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP Duhail gained valuable experience despite defeat: Benatia By Sports Reporter stronger attack and a more controlling Doha way, but we lost. We returned to our true level in the second half, but we did not succeed in fi nding the equaliser, l Duhail suff ered a narrow 1-0 and I must congratulate Al Ahly and defeat to Egypt’s Al Ahly in the wish them success in their next match.” second round of the FIFA Club Al Duhail head coach Sabri Lam- World Cup Qatar on Thursday, ouchi lamented the diff erence between Abut defender Mehdi Benatia believes the the two teams’ experience, but prom- team gained valuable experience. In a ised his side will be better equipped for match where Al Ahly claimed a fi rst half the tie against 2020 AFC Champions lead through Hussein El Shahat’s eff ort, League winners Ulsan Hyundai. “It was Al Duhail bounced back stronger in the a great honour for me and the players to second half, but fi ne defending by the participate in the fi rst match in this im- African champions saw them holding portant tournament,” Lamouchi said. on for the win. “In such matches, the fi ne details Benatia, 33, admitted Al Duhail’s fi rst are what makes the diff erence, but de- half performance was not up to mark spite the loss, the team gained experi- but said the reigning Qatar Stars League ence and we will try to change some champions have already shifted their things. Al Duhail lacked experience focus towards the fi fth-place play-off and we could have made the diff erence against Ulsan Hyundai, who lost 2-1 to with experience, and we will work hard Tigres UANL. to achieve victory in our next match “We gained exceptional experi- against Ulsan Hyundai.” ence from this match, although we did The Frenchman said Duhail played not succeed in achieving victory,” said better in the second half, but paid the Benatia. “We weren’t good in the fi rst price for a poor fi rst half. “We were half, but better in the second half and cautious in the fi rst half and did not showed our true level. It is diffi cult to take the necessary risk. In the second lose this way because we made a mis- half we went all out in attack and the take in the fi rst goal, but we are now performance of the players improved. looking at the next match. We have to We created more than one opportunity, fi ght and show the same performance but could not score a goal. Unfortu- as we did in the second half. We need to nately, we lost by solitary goal but I do have confi dence and we need to respect not blame the players and in the second the coach’s plan.” half we played well,” he said. Almoez Ali was called in to replace Meanwhile, Al Ahly manager Pit- Bassam al-Rawi in the second half so Mosimane was delighted with his to turn the tide, but the 24-year-old team’s win over Duhail. “We faced striker was left disappointed as he a tough opponent. They have a lot failed to fi nd the back of the net. “We of great players, but we managed to tried to equalise in the second half after achieve our goal and win the match,” Al Duhail defender Mehdi Benatia admits Al Duhail’s first half performance against Al Ahly was not up to mark but said the reigning Qatar Stars League champions the coaching staff made some changes, the South African said. have already shifted their focus towards the fifth-place play-off against Ulsan Hyundai. (Reuters) but the team did not succeed in scoring “I hoped that the team would con- despite our clear possession of the ball,” tinue with the same performance as game, Duhail created several chances Mosimane praised Congo striker well today. He put in a lot of eff ort in ahead of our upcoming match against said Ali. the fi rst half. However, in the end we but we managed to deal with their Walter Bwalya, who was brilliant in the the fi rst half that is why I took him off Bayern Munich. We will have to be very “We played at home with our fans, achieved our target and won the game. pressure in the best possible manner,” match as he setup El Shahat for lone the pitch in the second half. We will concentrated and prepare well for the and we could have appeared with a Moreover in the last ten minutes of the he added. goal of the match. “Bwalya played very learn from our mistakes in today’s game game,” he added. SPOTLIGHT Club World Cup organising committee pays tribute to Rossi Palmeiras, Bayern bid and Maradona Doha: The FIFA Club World Cup 2020 organising com- mittee paid tribute to late football legends Paolo Rossi and Diego Maradona at the Education City Stadium for more silverware ahead of the second round match Al Duhail and Al Ahly. No South American team have won the tournament since Corinthians beat Chelsea in 2012 The committee played clips of Rossi and Maradona Reuters that included their goals for Doha Italy and Argentina. Brazilian club Palmeiras players Maradona, one of the train at the Aspire pitch yesterday. greatest players of all time, eams from two of football’s died at the age of 60 on superpower nations found out November 25. The former Ar- their opponents in the Club gentina attacking midfielder World Cup semi-fi nals on and manager suff ered a heart TThursday as Tigres of Mexico set up a attack at his Buenos Aires showdown with Brazilian club Palmei- home. He had successful ras and Al Ahly qualifi ed to face German surgery on a brain blood clot giants Bayern Munich. earlier in November. Marado- Tigres beat South Korean side Ulsan na was captain when Argen- Hyundai 2-1 and Egyptian side Al Ahly tina won the 1986 World Cup, overcame Al Duhail 1-0 to fi rm up the scoring the famous ‘Hand of last four in Qatar. No South Ameri- God’ goal against England in can team have won the tournament the quarter-finals. since Corinthians beat Chelsea in 2012 Maradona played for and Palmeiras are eager to go one bet- Barcelona and Napoli during ter than in 1999, when they lost 1-0 to his club career, winning two Manchester United. Serie A titles with the Italian The Sao Paulo club won their second side. He started his career Copa Libertadores less than a week ago, with Argentinos Juniors, also beating Santos with a last-gasp goal at playing for Sevilla, and Boca the Maracana stadium. FIFA rules mean Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys Breno Lopes, who scored that winner, in his homeland. He scored cannot participate but in Danilo, Gabri- 34 goals in 91 appearances el Menino and Patrick de Paula, they for Argentina, representing have a young and highly-rated mid- they have fallen at the semi-fi nal stage but never the fi nal, and their top scorer fi nal. The German champions hope huge run of success we had with the them in four World Cups. fi eld, as well as exciting wingers Rony to teams from Japan and the United Andre-Pierre Gignac lauded his team to cap a successful year in which they Champions League win last summer,” A little over two weeks and Gabriel Veron and veteran goal- Arab Emirates. Palmeiras’s opponents after they came from 1-0 down to beat won the Champions League and their said Bayern forward Thomas Mueller. after the death of Mara- keeper Weverton. However, even reach- Tigres are the standout Mexican side of the Koreans. “We came here to make eighth consecutive Bundesliga title and “We want to crown this outstanding dona, fellow Paolo Rossi also ing the fi nal is no longer a given for the recent years, winning fi ve league titles history and we are through a fi rst round whose striker Robert Lewandowski was year by winning the Club World Cup, so passed away at the age of 64. South Americans. When this title was and a CONCACAF Champions League that wasn’t easy,” Gignac said. “We had crowned the Best FIFA Men’s Player of we’re very ambitious concerning this Just as Maradona did four reserved solely for South America and since 2010, all under the guidance of the character to come back.” the Year. Victory in Qatar would be Bay- trophy. As a European team, we are cer- years later at Mexico 1986, European teams before 2005, the Latin Brazilian coach Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti. The winners of the Tigres-Palmei- ern’s sixth title in nine months, a record tainly favourites. We want to underline the Italy forward led his side clubs won 22 to Europe’s 21. Mexican clubs have reached the last ras match will likely face Champions for German football. “The tournament that and win the trophy as well, but it’ll to glory at Spain 1982. In two of the last four years, however, four of the Club World Cup nine times League winners Bayern Munich in the is an opportunity for us to wrap up this certainly be a challenge.” Gulf Times 2 Saturday, February 6, 2021 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT Bayern’s biggest strengths are mentality, quality: Kimmich Kimmich is one of the most important players at Bayern Munich and is preparing for his FIFA Club World Cup debut n an August 2016 entry in The Players’ Tribune, Joshua Kimmich tells his story of learning to play football in his parents’ garden in Ithe small German village of Bosingen.