Is King Kohli Better Than Tendulkar?
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NBA | Page 5 Late surge lift s Lakers over Mavs, Bucks down Jazz Wednesday, January 9, 2019 FOOTBALL Jumada I 3, 1440 AH Iraq stun Vietnam GULF TIMES with late Adnan free kick SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL / AFC ASIAN CUP QATAR VS LEBANON, 7PM DAKAR RALLY Loeb wins Sanchez backs second stage, De Villiers leads Reuters I’m getting a good feeling back, young Qatar squad Lima, Peru because I’ve only done about 100km of testing since the Dakar last year. ine times world cham- “I’m not quite at the same level pion Sebastien Loeb as last year, but it’s working well won the second stage of for the moment”. the Dakar Rally in the Qatar’s overnight leader Nass- NPeruvian desert yesterday, with er Al-Attiyah, who is driving a ahead of opener South African Giniel De Villiers Toyota, opened the road for the taking the overall lead for his rest and dropped back to eighth Toyota team. place, nearly three and a half Qatar will open their AFC Asian Cup campaign against Lebanon today De Villiers, the 2009 Dakar minutes adrift of De Villiers. champion, leads teammate Spaniard Carlos Sainz, the Bernhard ten Brinke by 28 sec- defending champion, was sixth onds with Spaniard Nani Roma overall and lost time with two third in a Mini, 42 seconds off punctures. the pace after the 342km timed Argentine driver Orlando Ter- stage from Pisco to San Juan de ranova, driving a Mini 4x4, retired Marcona. after crashing out halfway through Loeb had started the day 13th the stage. The former stage winner and ended it in fi fth place, one was taken to hospital for checks minute and 56 seconds off the after suff ering back pain. lead but with his 11th career stage Stephane Peterhansel, a record win on the Dakar — even if he 13 times Dakar winner, lost some was almost reeled in by Roma at 15 minutes after a lengthy stop in the fi nish. the dunes during the stage before “In the end, it was a good Mini teammate Cyril Despres strategy, because it was advan- came to the rescue. tageous for us to start behind “We started with some elec- the leaders, even if we were a bit trical problems inside the car: no further back than we would have microphones, no air-condition- liked,” said the Frenchman. ing, no wipers, nothing was OK. I “It was a good special (stage) lost my concentration a little bit, with no major mistakes. I and after I got stuck in a really thought the pace was good. bad place,” said the Frenchman. Peugeot driver Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Daniel Elena in action during the ongoing Dakar Rally 2019. (AFP) Nasser al-Attiyah is ‘clear favourite’ for 2019 Dakar: Sainz Qatar players take part in a training session in Al Ain on the eve of their AFC Asian Cup match against Lebanon yesterday. PICTURES: Fadi al-Assaad Autosport AFC ment in 2000 and, while coach Lima Al Ain, United Arab Emirates “Now they’re in Miodrag Radulovic is delighted the fi rst team to be leading the country to and it’s a group the Finals, he stressed his team arlos Sainz says early atar coach Felix of – in my point would not be overawed by the Dakar leader Nasser Sanchez is confi dent of view – very occasion or the Qataris. Cal-Attiyah has emerged his young squad can talented players “Everybody in Lebanese foot- as a “clear favourite” from the match the best in the with the qualities ball is dreaming about this com- first 84 competitive kilometres Qcontinent as they kick off their petition for 20 years and we’re to compete and of this year’s event. AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 cam- play in Asia, and proud that we’re in this com- Al-Attiyah made light work of paign against Lebanon in Group of course we want pany,” he said. “We’re living the the opening stage of the 2019 E in Al Ain’s Hazza bin Zayed to be here to try to dreams of the players and the Dakar, running second through “Although it is true that last Stadium today. compete against football fans of Lebanon. the dunes behind Sainz before year he made a couple of Sanchez’s squad is one of the everyone,” “We’re in a strong group, but catching the Spaniard’s Mini mistakes and showed that he is most youthful among the 24 na- Qatar coach Felix my players are ready to give a Buggy with around 15 kilome- not infallible in this terrain.” tions represented at the tourna- Sanchez said. good performance and we will tres to go. The Qatari driver claimed that ment, with seven of the players be fi ghting for each point and The Toyota driver will take a he too wasn’t pushing 100% who have travelled to the United each goal. Our focus is on the 1m59s lead into the second on his way to the first stage Arab Emirates having graduated fi rst game. It’s a very important stage. win, with his focus on his own from the side that won the 2014 game. Not decisive, but impor- While admitting that he’s hap- pace rather than Sainz and the AFC U19 Championship in My- tant. I know very well what to pier running behind al-Attiyah, chasing pack. anmar. expect from such a level but I’m Sainz says the first day of run- “Today was a good day. We And with the country contin- sure my players will have the ning proved just how diff icult won the stage [but] we didn’t uing to build towards their host- possibility and the quality to both the experienced dune really push,” he said. ing of the FIFA World Cup in make a performance and we are racer and the Toyota HiLux will “I’m happy with the car and 2022, Sanchez believes the AFC ready for tomorrow’s game. be to beat on outright pace. the BF Goodrich tyre, it’s a new Asian Cup will be the perfect “Qatar is really a very good “The section has been similar tyre for this Dakar. It looks like proving ground for his players. and play in Asia, and of course be drawn on his side’s expecta- going to face in the competition, team, I made a good analysis of to the area we did last year at it’s going really well. “There is a group of players we want to be here to try to com- tions at this year’s tournament to compete and compete well them. They have built a team this stage, so we knew what we “I caught Carlos in the last 15 that played in (AFC U-19 Cham- pete against everyone. as he declared his squad fully fi t and get results. for the world championship, were going to find,” said Sainz. kilometres, but I stayed behind pionship) some years ago and “But we’re going to focus and for the Finals. “How far we will reach is they have very good balance “We have been calm, since him. had a good achievement,” said we can’t look further than the “Everyone is fi ne and ready to diffi cult to say, but I’m quite in the team, they have the best we did not want to open [the “I just needed to keep my the Spaniard, who coached the game against Lebanon because play,” he said. “We know Leba- sure that this group of players player of Asia in the team and second stage]. speed, because it doesn’t U-19 team and also worked with this competition is a few games non. We saw them playing, we are able to compete against all the Spanish coach is a long time “[Tuesday] is already a day to change, one minute or 10 the country’s U-23 squad before and you need to be OK in all of know their strengths and we teams in Asia and it is time to with the players. But also we are push. But the truth is that I see seconds, it’s the same. taking over the senior side. them.” know it will be a hard game and show they have the quality and together almost four years and the Toyotas quite strong. “The plan was to just make “Now they’re in the fi rst team Qatar have twice reached the we’re only focused on that. ability to do well.” we built a good team. We have “Al-Attiyah is the clear favour- good speed. I saw I won the and it’s a group of – in my point quarter-fi nals of the AFC Asian “We’re going to try to show Lebanon will be appearing at our system and we have tacti- ite, he is in the courtyard of his stage with a good time, and I’m of view – very talented players Cup – in 2000 and on home soil that we’re able to compete the AFC Asian Cup for the fi rst cal discipline and I’m optimistic house. happy.” with the qualities to compete in 2011 – but Sanchez refused to against all the Asian teams we’re time since hosting the tourna- about tomorrow’s game.” Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, January 9, 2019 FOOTBALL AFC ASIAN CUP SPOTLIGHT Lippi says China Iraq stun Vietnam facing striker crisis AFP chances for a late equaliser. Al Ain, United Arab Emirates The news did not improve for China as the infl uential Wu, re- portedly linked with Premier arcello Lippi said an League outfi t Wolverhampton infl ux of foreign for- Wanderers last year, was left in wards had decimat- doubt for Friday’s second Group with late Adnan ed China’s striking C clash against the Philippines.