Five-Goal Thriller Sets Mexico's Monterrey up for Liverpool Clash
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Khalid al Emadi showjumps to Big Tour win in Longines Hathab PAGE 16 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2019 Boucher appointed SA coach Former wicketkeeper-bat says beware of a QATAR T10 LEAGUE wounded buffalo, especially in Africa PAGE 16 ASIA TOWN (6.30PM) Five-goal thriller sets Mexico’s Monterrey up for Liverpool clash TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA IN a heart-breaking result for hosts Al Sadd, Mexico’s Mon- terrey lined-up a glamour tie with Liverpool after kicking off their FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 with an exhilarat- ing 3-2 win. Leonel Vangioni’s aston- ishing strike was the pick of the five-goal thriller, which saw the four-time participants reach the semis for only the second time. Sadd’s coach Xavi gives instruc- Results tions to his players during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup during Monterrey (MEX) 3 the match at the Jassim Bin Ham- ad Stadium on Saturday. (AFP) (Vangioni 23, Funes Mori 45+1, Rodriguez The Mexicans were almost 77) Al Sadd (QAT) 2 ahead in a matter of seconds, with Jesus Gallardo rasping (Bounedjah 66, a shot onto the bar from an Abdelkarim 89) awkward angle. If that was a statement of intent, Vangioni delivered in style. From 30 yards out he unleashed a me- Al Sadd goalkeeper Saad al Sheeb tries in vain as a goal is scored during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final match against Monterrey at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Saturday.( AFP) teorite that he couldn’t have placed better with the help of a step-ladder. His shot hit off the top right-hand corner of the post and went in, sending the visiting fans crazy. Their second was another freak event, but of a different manner. A misplaced back pass from Al Sadd captain Gabi be- came the perfect through ball for Rogelio Funes Mori, who doesn’t miss gifts like that. Hope emerged in the shape of Baghdad Bounedjah, who superbly headed in from 12 yards, only to see the gap widen again when Carlos Rod- riguez thumped a third off the underside of the bar. Abdelkarim Hassan made sure it was a nervy end – and gave the home fans a moment to savour – producing his own rocket from 25 yards out, but it proved too little, too late. Monterrey’s Rodolfo Pizarro was named the Alibaba Monterrey’s forward Rogelio Funes Mori (right) is marked by Al Sadd midfielder Boualem Khoukhi (centre) Al Sadd’s Gabi (centre) battles for the ball against Monterrey’s midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro (left) and Carlos Cloud Match Award winner. during their match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Saturday. (AFP) Rodriguez during their 2019 FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final match.( AFP) FANFARE Monterrey’s fans during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final match between Monterrey and Al Sadd at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Saturday.( AFP) Sports Sunday, December 15, 2019 15 Super-sub Gomis’ sublime goal takes Al Hilal into semi-final TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA Saudi club to play Brazil’s SUPER-SUB Bafetimbi Gomis sent FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 debutants Al Hi- CR Flamengo in the last-four lal into the Qatar 2019 semi- finals as his all-important goal clash on Tuesday saw off Esperance Sportive de Tunis at the Jassim Bin Ham- ad Stadium on Saturday. A keenly-contested en- counter between Asia and Africa’s top sides was settled when the French, and Swan- sea, striker produced a sublime moment of skill and cool finish in the 73rd minute to silence a rocking stadium. Such was Gomis’ calm- ness inside the box, that he was well aware of a defender rushing in as he waited and coolly kicked the ball over his head before shaping up again to make his successful and re- sounding strike. The pair had been evenly matched from the outset in a frenetic and lively clash. ES Tu- nis’s Anice Badri was the first to come close, firing just wide, be- fore Al Hilal ended the opening period the stronger as Andre Carrillo’s effort needed both Al Hilal’s French, and Swansea, striker Bafetimbi Gomis celebrates scoring his winning strike in the 73rd minute against Esperance Sportive de Tunis at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Saturday. Moez Ben Charifia and Mo- hamed Yakoubi to keep it out. The Saudi side’s keeper Abdullah Almuaiouf had to be on high alert when full- back Yasser Alshahrani almost scored a comical looping own goal – producing a clawing save that set them on the way to victory. Having been benched as a precautionary measure, Gomis took just eight minutes to produce a magical winner. Rolling off the shoulder of the backline, he conjured a mas- terful flick to deceive the slid- ing defender before slotting into the bottom corner. Mohammed Kanno saw red late on in the 85th minute, but the win tees up a meeting with South American big guns Flamengo on Tuesday. Al Hilal’s Andre Carrillo was named as Alibaba Cloud Match Award winner. Thrilled Al Hilal fans con- tinued celebrating the win till much later after the match and could be seen rejoicing outside Esperance’s fans light up flares as they cheer their team during the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final match between Hilal and Esperance Alibaba Cloud Match Award winner Andre Carrillo of Al Hilal with his the stadium. Sportive de Tunis at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Saturday. (AFP) kid at the presentation ceremony. CR Flamengo arrive, Salah’s twin strikes stretch Liverpool’s rush to the stadium EPL lead to 10 as Leicester stumble AFP could be down to as little as LONDON two points should Manchester United beat Everton on Sunday LIVERPOOL tightened their as their poor run continued. grip on the Premier League ti- Frank Lampard’s men tle race thanks to two Moham- have now lost four of their last ed Salah goals in a 2-0 win over fiveP remier League games Watford which extended their and had only themselves to lead at the top to 10 points as blame as they had 18 shots on second-placed Leicester were goal without finding a way past held 1-1 at home by Norwich. Aaron Ramsdale. Chelsea were also shocked Bournemouth had lost five 1-0 at home by Bournemouth on the spin but got their re- to see their lead over the chas- ward for staying in the game ing pack in fourth further cut, when Dan Gosling skilfully while SheffieldU nited moved flicked a loose ball over Kepa into fifth with a 2-0 win over Arrizabalaga five minutes from Aston Villa. time and VAR overturned a At Anfield, Liverpool kept wrongly-raised offside flag their first clean sheet at home against the midfielder. this season but only thanks “Some responsibility is to Watford’s wastefulness in on the players to take the ball front of goal as the Hornets and have the balls to excite the showed why they are the low- fans,” said Lampard after a est scoring side in the league. Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (left) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the fifth home defeat of the season. Abdoulaye Doucoure and English Premier League match against Watford at Anfield in Liverpool on Saturday.( AFP) “In front of our home fans Ismaila Sarr both failed to it’s evident we aren’t playing make a proper connection especially, you need to show cut the gap at the top to just five his own net by Norwich goal- well enough. We aren’t taking with the goal gaping in the first resilience - that’s the most im- points ahead of that meeting keeper Tim Krul, but the hosts our chances and we have given half and the 40-point gap be- portant thing and we showed had they beaten Norwich and could not press home their away some silly goals.” tween the sides in the table was that,” said coach Jurgen Klopp, Manchester City next weekend. dominance in the second half. SheffieldU nited for now shown only in the difference of whose side are seven games However, a club record “The players have been are the Blues’ closest chal- quality in the finishing. into a 15-match stretch across run of eight straight Premier brilliant. When you are on that lengers as they moved ahead Salah struck twice as he five competitions in 50 days. League wins for Brendan winning run you believe you of United and Tottenham into rounded off a rapid Liverpool “We had to fight, that’s Rodgers’s men came to an end are going to win every game fifth as John Fleck scored twice CR Flamengo, who were added to the the prestigious list of seven counter-attack from a Watford what we did and that’s why we against the Canaries. but of course it does not work in the second half to inflict trophy-winners from across the globe after winning the CONMEBOL corner eight minutes before won.” Teemu Pukki broke clear like that,” said Rodgers. a 2-0 defeat on Aston Villa, Libertadores for FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019, arrived in Doha on half-time. Leicester will be Liver- and finished calmly for his “We were not 100 percent while Jack Grealish missed a Saturday. The Brazilian club’s players, however, wasted no time as they The Egyptian then set- pool’s next opponents in the ninth goal of the season to put on it.