Established 1961 Sport WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2019 Brady, Goff raring to go as Nuggets’ comeback stuns Grizzlies, Robben mulling Tokyo 25Super Bowl circus kicks off 26 Young, Hawks soar past Clippers 27 move after Bayern exit Qatar hammer UAE 4-0 to reach final Maroons to meet Japan in Asian Cup final • Goalscorers pelted with missiles ABU DHABI: United Arab Emirates’ forward Ismaeil Al Junaibi (C) falls after a challenge from Qatar’s defender Tameem Mohammed (L) during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup semi-final football match between Qatar and UAE at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday. —AFP ABU DHABI: Qatar defied sandal-throwing local fans target of missiles. static defenders on the left edge of the box and curled UAE captain Ismail Matar also looked lively when to storm into the Asian Cup final for the first time The cloud of the diplomatic and trade boycott of his shot into the net off the far post to extend his lead he came on as a substitute and had a shot blocked in with a 4-0 win over hosts United Arab Emirates yes- Qatar that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt as the tournament’s top scorer. the 69th minute, while Saad was again a match for a terday, setting up a decider against Japan in Abu launched in June 2017 hung heavy over the stadium The young striker was showered with sandals looping Ahmed Khalil header. Dhabi on Friday. with the visitors’ national anthem roundly booed by thrown by irate home fans as he celebrated in scenes The breakthrough would not come, however, and Boualem Khoukhi’s early strike and an eighth goal the majority of the crowd of 38,646. that will surely elicit some response from the Asian Haydos scored the third for the visitors on the break, of the tournament from striker Almoez Ali gave Qatar The crowd were stunned into silence in the 22nd Football Confederation. Sadly for the home fans, there cheekily chipping Eisa before grabbing the badge on a 2-0 halftime lead and captain Hassan Al-Haydos minute when Khoukhi cantered into the UAE half on was little response from their team, whose few first- his shirt in celebration to attract a shower of drinks and Hamid Ismail completed the rout in the last 10 the break and launched a speculative shot towards half chances came from crosses launched into the area bottles from angry fans. minutes. goal from the corner of the area that slipped under the from the flanks. Insult was added to indignity in stoppage time The UAE had been hoping to reach the Asian Cup hands of goalkeeper Khalid Eisa. Striker Ali Mabkhout, looking for his 10th goal over when UAE defender Ismail Ahmed was sent off after a final for the second time, but instead look likely to While Eisa should have stopped the first goal, there two Asian Cups, revived UAE hopes with a sizzling VAR review for an elbow to the face of Salem Al-Hajri face sanctions after Ali was pelted with footwear as he was little he could have done about the second 15 long-range drive in the 52nd minute that Qatar goal- and Hamid Ismail beat Eisa for the fourth time to trig- celebrated his goal with Haydos and Ismail also the minutes later. Ali powered his way through a trio of keeper Saad Al Sheeb was forced to tip over the bar. ger another barrage of bottles. — Reuters Bahrain’s request . The Australian Prime Minister’s Praful Patel would oversee the Araibi case. criminal court. It is the court who decides whether to Australia PM, AFC office confirmed that Morrison had written a letter to “I hereby respectfully request Your Excellency to sent Mr. Hakeem to Bahrain or not.” his Thai counterpart Prayuth Chan-ocha asking that take the necessary steps to ensure that Mr AI Araibi is Chatchom said that if the request did not fall in line Araibi be allowed to return home. returned safely to Australia, where he has been granted with Thai extradition law then no request would be urge Thailand “The PM reminded the Thai prime minister that he is refugee status, at the earliest possible opportunity,” made to the court and Araibi would be released when a refugee that has been given permanent residency, he Patel wrote to Prayuth. Araibi was convicted of vandal- his 60-day detention order expires on Feb. 5. not to extradite should be released,” one source familiar with the details ising a police station in Bahrain and sentenced to 10 “The Extradition Act of 2008 stated clearly that for of the letter told Reuters. The Asian Football years in prison in absentia. He denies wrongdoing. a country with no extradition treaty with Thailand, like Confederation (AFC) also wrote to the Thai Prime Bahrain, we have to see various factors including their Bahraini player Minister, a significant move because the regional gov- FIFA APPEAL government request to determine whether it falls in line erning body, which had been criticised for its silence on Thailand’s Foreign Ministry have been consistent in with our laws,” Chatchom said. the case, is run by a leading Bahraini, Sheikh Salman bin saying the case was a matter for their justice system to Bahrain has criticised “external interference” in ABU DHABI: Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison Ebrahim al-Khalifa. decide and yesterday reiterated that stance. Chatchom Manama’s internal affairs and said Araibi can return to and Asian soccer chiefs called on the Thai government Araibi was a vocal critic of Sheikh Salman, a member Akapin, Director-General at the International Affairs appeal against the sentence, noting that others arrested to release footballer Hakeem Al Araibi as prosecutors in of Bahrain’s ruling family and a cousin of the king, when Department, Office of Attorney General of Thailand told with Araibi who have done so have been acquitted. Bangkok yesterday acknowledged receipt of an extra- the AFC President contested the FIFA presidential Reuters that an extradition request had been received Soccer’s world governing body FIFA also released a dition request from Bahrain. election in 2015. The AFC said on Saturday that Sheikh from the Bahrain government. statement yesterday in which Secretary General Fatma Bahraini Araibi, who fled to Australia from his home- Salman had been recused from matters relating to West “We have to see whether the Bahrain request falls in Samoura called on the Thai and Bahraini authorities to land in 2014 and was later granted asylum, was arrested Asia 18 months ago to ensure there were no accusa- line with Thailand’s Extradition Act of 2008,” he said. ensure Araibi could “go back safely to Australia as a in November in Bangkok on an Interpol notice issued at tions of a conflict of interest and that Vice President “If it matches then we will make the request to the matter of urgency”. — Reuters.