14 Thursday, October 24, 2019 Sports In search of a much-needed win, Umm Salal take on QSC The Orange Fortress have only managed two wins from their last 10 league matches since the last season

Tribune News Network is needed for a team which Doha managed just four league win all last season -- the least num- Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez After one win in seven ber by any of the 12 teams. league matches, Umm Salal “The game against Umm have all to play for when Salal will not be easy. We are Al Sadd proved their they take on Qatar Sports very eager to win having lost Club at the Al Duhail Sta- many points in the recent dium on Thursday. games. Umm Salal will also be worth despite Champions Umm Salal, have lost four looking to make up for their and drawn two matches this lapses. We have put our last season which leaves them close result behind us. We have to League exit, says Xavi to the relegation zone with five think about the upcoming points, two ahead of Thursday’s Umm Salal match, in order to AFC opponents who are 11th. get a positive result that will Riyadh “This game has much im- help us a lot,” said Wesam portance for us. It’s a new and Rizik who replaced Spaniard Al Sadd head coach Xavi I’m proud of my players who big challenge for my team in the Carlos Ferrer as coach early praised the performance of his gave their best. We played league. We have only one win this month. side despite their exit from the good football with great to our credit, like Qatar SC, and “Mistakes are part of foot- 2019 AFC Champions League at ambition. We proved tonight the victory will give us a great ball, but the most important the semi-final stage on Tuesday. that we are a big team and motivation to achieve positive thing is to learn from them. Goals from Akram Afif, results in the coming weeks,” Umm Salal players are known Nam Tae-hee, Hassan Al Hay- achieved a good victory. Umm Salal coach Raul Caneda for their speed and fighting dos and Boualem Khoukhi saw Xavi Hernandez told reporters on Wednesday. spirit, so sometimes the coach Al Sadd defeat Al Hilal SFC 4-2 The Orange Fortress have is forced to choose a defensive in the second leg of the semi- only managed two wins from plan and sometimes this plan finals at the King Saud Univer- against Al Hilal, even when their last 10 league matches Umm Salal coach Raul Caneda (left) speaks to the media during a press conference ahead of their QNB may be unsuccessful espe- sity Stadium in Riyadh, but Sa- we were playing with one dating from last season, but Stars League match against Qatar Sports Club. cially if there are individual lem Al Dawsari and Bafetimbi man down in the first leg. We Caneda believes his team’s for- mistakes,” the former Qatar Gomis’ first half efforts ensured were the better side in the two tunes will chanbe soon. situation will improve,” the target for the club which once over Second Division runners- midfielder said. the Saudi Arabia club advanced matches.” “Our team has great poten- Spaniard said. had Samuel Eto’o on its books. up Muaither to ensure their In the early kickoff on 6-5 on aggregate. “We played with the same tial, but the biggest problem is For Qatar SC, an end to The Kings finished last season stay in the 2019-20 season. Thursday, eighth-placed Al Despite failing to go past strategy, character and ambi- the results. However, over a their constant flirtation with in the relegation playoff posi- With just one win in seven Wakrah will host Al Khor at the semi-final for the second tion in the two matches but we period of time, I am sure the relegation will surely be the tion but pulled off a 1-0 win this term, a change in fortunes the Al Wakrah Stadium. straight year, the 39-year-old were affected by the red card Xavi said Al Sadd proved that (received by Hassan) in the first they are a big team. leg and made mistakes which “It was a wonderful match made things harder for us. because the two sides played “We were affected by the Clasico set for well,” said Spain legend Xavi. absence of two of our key play- Leonard, Clippers outfox rivals Lakers in “Despite the importance ers tonight and we tried our December 18 of the match, the two teams best to make a comeback,” he played wonderful football. I’m said. but La Liga proud of my players who gave The former FC Barcelona ‘Battle for Los Angeles’ as NBA tips off their best. We played good midfielder praised Al Hilal and could appeal football with great ambition said Al Sadd, having learnt AFP other,” Davis said. “We are and desire and had great domi- from the experience of their Los Angeles still learning and just trying to AFP nance in the match. AFC Champions League cam- figure it out. This is game one Madrid “We proved tonight that we paign this year, will be looking Kawhi Leonard and the Clip- of many.” are a big team and achieved a at the future. pers won the opening round of A 19-7 run to begin the The rearranged Clasico be- good victory.” “We should look ahead and Los Angeles’s revitalised bat- fourth quarter helped the Clip- tween Barcelona and Real Ma- Xavi lamented Al Sadd’s keep working hard,” said Xavi. tle for basketball supremacy pers seal the win and hold off drid will be played on December missed chances - in the first leg “We must learn from our mis- on Tuesday, defeating LeBron the Lakers the rest of the way. 18 despite opposition from La in Doha as well as on Tuesday takes in order to improve. James and the Lakers 112-102 The two Los Angeles teams Liga, the Spanish Football Fed- in Riyadh - adding that Ab- “Al Hilal are a good side and in a pulsating season-opening made some of the most signfi- eration (RFEF) confirmed on delkarim Hassan and Baghdad they have a good chance to win clash at the Staples Center. cant changes but the Clippers Wednesday. Bounedjah’s absence through the title,” he said. “Teams in Leonard, who arrived at appeared to have added more La Liga had proposed De- suspension was greatly felt. West Asia have improved a lot the Clippers in the off-season value. cember 4 or 7 and have said “We had many scoring as there are many good players after leading Toronto to the Every one of their bench they are considering an appeal. chances in the two matches and decent coaches.” NBA title last season, wasted players reached double figures “The league does not agree no time roaring back into ac- on Tuesday as they outscored with the decision,” La Liga said tion, leading the scoring with the Laker reserves 60-19. Wil- in a statement. “It is studying 30 points. liams outscored the Lakers re- the documentation to decide “It was great. A lot of emo- LA Clippers Kawhi Leonard shoots over Lakers’ Anthony Davis during a serves by himself. whether to appeal, against Asian qualifiers tions, game one,” said Leon- 112-102 Clipper win at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday. (AFP) He said the Clippers didn’t whom and before what bodies.” ard, who grew up in Riverside, want to just win. That they are An earlier statement from Qatar to take on Bahrain in handball 50 miles east of Los Angeles. rebounds. things and we did some not so tied of playing second fiddle to the RFEF read: “The decision semi-final today at Duhail Sports Hall “I am just happy we came James shot seven-of-19 good things. the Lakers and wanted noth- of the Competition Committee out and got a victory. We had for 18 points and Davis shot “We look forward to get- ing more than to dominate has taken place after analysing Doha: Qatar will take on Bahrain on Thursday in the semi-finals of great practices and some carry eight-of-21 for 25 points for ting some film and seeing some their city rivals. in recent days the proposals of the Asian Men’s Handball Qualification Tournament for Tokyo 2020 over from that tonight.” the Lakers who are hoping of the mistakes we made.” “We always play with a both clubs, who were invited to Olympics. The tournament, which is being held in Doha and ends The Clippers attacked the their offseason changes will The one bright spot for the chip on our shoulder,” Wil- agree a date and decided on De- next Saturday, sees eight teams competing for a single ticket to rim, forced easy turnovers, boost the team’s fortunes after Lakers was newcomer Danny liams said. “For last two cember 18. It has also analysed the Tokyo Games. Qatar finished their group engagements with six used a stingy defence to keep they finished a disappointing Green who scored 28 points by months all the talk has been a report from the RFEF Compe- points, from three wins over Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and India, to James and his new sidekick 37-45 and failed to qualify for hitting 10 of his 14 field-goal about the Lakers versus the titions Area as well as numerous finish on top of Group A, while Bahrain made two wins in Group B Anthony Davis in check. the postseason for the sixth attempts, including seven of Clippers. reports submitted by La Liga, at the ongoing Asian Men’s Handball Olympic Qualification Tourna- Leonard also had six re- season in a row. nine from beyond the arc. “We hear that we are the which are not binding. “At to- ment. While the champions of the tournament will receive a single bounds and five assists, re- “It is the first game,” said Davis said he and James Junior Varsity team, or little day’s meeting, the Committee ticket to the Tokyo Games, the second-placed team will have to serve guard Lou Williams James. “It was a huge test. We will need time to get used to brother, or whatever. We are also analysed the latest reports compete in the play-offs next April. It is the second time in a row finished with 21 points and have a lot of room to improve. each other on the court. pros too. That’s why we have a from both clubs, who maintain that Qatar is hosting the Asian Men’s Handball Qualification Tourna- power forward Montrezl Har- We are a new group with a new “We are both aggressive chip on our shoulder.” their initial proposal to play the ment for the Olympic Games. (QNA) rell tallied 17 points and seven system. We did some good so sometimes we miss each match on 18 December.” Sterling, Mbappe light up Champions League with hat-tricks

thumped Atalanta 5-1 at the Orsic penalty. in Europe this season and will PSG star Mbappe Etihad Stadium to maintain Compared to Sterling, be through to the last 16 with their perfect record in Group C. Mbappe took a sluggish 22 a win at home to Club next took 22 minutes to The Italians had earlier minutes to score his three goals month. score his three taken the lead from Ruslan in PSG’s 5-0 romp away to for- Below them, Real Madrid Malinovskyi’s 28th-minute mer European Cup runners- are up to second after claim- goals in the French penalty, but they were soon up Club Brugge in Belgium in ing their first win in Europe overrun and remain without a Group A. this season. Eden Hazard set giants 5-0 romp point in their debut Champions Mauro Icardi scored twice up Toni Kroos for a first-half League campaign. for the French champions, who strike that handed them a 1-0 AFP Sergio Aguero equalised were without the injured Ney- victory over Galatasaray in Is- Paris from a Sterling assist and the mar but had Angel Di Maria in tanbul. Argentine scored a penalty exceptional form -- the Argen- Meanwhile, there was a Raheem Sterling and Ky- to put City ahead before the tine set up four goals. welcome win for Mauricio lian Mbappe both scored sec- break. Sterling then took over, According to sports statis- Pochettino’s Tottenham, who ond-half hat-tricks in UEFA although City finished with 10 ticians Opta, the last player to crushed Red Star Belgrade 5-0 Champions League action on men as Phil Foden was sent come off the bench and score in north London, three weeks Tuesday as Manchester City, off late on. a hat-trick in the Champions on from their 7-2 humiliation Paris Saint-Germain and Tot- “I should have had four. League was Spaniard Joseba at the hands of Bayern Mu- tenham Hotspur all recorded Riyad Mahrez put me through Llorente for Villarreal in 2008. nich at the same venue. big victories. and I was looking to put one “I wanted to start and I Captain Harry Kane scored Juventus, Real Madrid and on a plate for him. But I went thought I was going to start, twice for Spurs either side of Bayern Munich laboured to through and should have fin- but the coach made his choice a Son Heung-min brace and wins on a night which brought ished it,” Sterling admitted to and I had to accept it. I also an Erik Lamela goal as they 30 goals in eight games, a third BT Sport. wanted to show that it’s dif- moved up to second place in of which were scored by Pre- City’s will seal a place in Paris Saint-Germain’s forward Kylian Mbappe shows the ball to the camera at the end of UEFA Champions ficult to get by without me,” Group B on four points. mier League clubs. the last 16 if they win away to League Group A match against Club Brugge at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges on Tuesday. (AFP) Mbappe told French broad- “We know we have had a Sterling’s three goals came Atalanta next, as nearest rivals caster RMC Sport. tough run of results and that 11 minutes apart in the second Shakhtar Donetsk and Dinamo Ukraine earlier. Brazilian substitute Dodo net- mo’s goals coming in between PSG have a maximum nine was the perfect way to re- half as Pep Guardiola’s City Zagreb played out a 2-2 draw in Yevhen Konoplyanka and ted for Shakhtar, with Dina- from Dani Olmo and a Mislav points, are yet to concede a goal spond,” said Kane.