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SPORT ThursdayThT ursda 10 November 2016 PAGE | 292 PAGE | 30 I will miss the Bale retains Welshsh locker-room Player of the Yearar banter: Ismail crown Qatar to test fitness in Russia friendly Rizwan Rehmat The Peninsula atar will look to test the Russian resolve in their international friendly today with Qemphasis on giving home players a decent run ahead of next week's 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash against China. This was said yesterday by Qatar coach Jorge Fossati who took over the reigns of the national side in late September. Under Fossati, Qatar lost 3-2 against Korea in an away game before beating Syria 1-0 last Qatari football players train ahead of their friendly match against 2017 FIFA World Cup hosts - Russia which will be played at Al Sadd Stadium today. RIGHT: month for their first points of Qatar coach Jorge Fossati speaks during a press conference yesterday. this phase of the Asian Zone qualifying campaign. This will be the first game kind where we can enjoy the Russian players in action during a training session at the Al Sadd Sports Club in Doha Qatar Squad: Saad Al Sheeb, Mohammed Kasola, between the next two FIFA game and get experience also," Ibrahim Maged, Pedro Miguel, Hassan Al Haydos, Pictures by: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula World Cup hosts - Russia in he said. yesterday. Ali Asad, Hamid Ismail, Salem Al Hajri, Saud Al Hajri, 2018 and Qatar in 2022. Last week, Fossati named a Musa Haron, Rodrigo Tabata, Sebastian Soria, Today's friendly will kick off 27-member squad including Ahmed Alaa, Karim Boudiaf, Ali Afif, Mohamed Musa, Luis Martin, Khalifa Abubakr, Yasser Abubakr, at 7.00pm at Al Sadd Stadium. veteran striker Sebastian Soria Magid Mohammed, Khoukhi Bualem, Ahmed Abdul "Of course it is good to have and Al Sadd forward Hassan Al Maqsood, Ahmed Saleh Khalfan, Al Mahdi Ali, Ab- a friendly game now against Haydos. dulaziz Hatem, Akram Afif and Fahad Shanin. Russia. It should be a very nice After guiding Qatar past Coach: Jorge Fossati opportunity to enjoy this Syria in a home clash on Octo- friendly game and check our ber 6, Fossati has spent a busy Russia Squad: Igor Akinfeev, Soslan Dzhanaev, preparations for China game," time following the national team Stanislav Kritsyuk, Victor Vasin, Georgy Dzhikiya, Fossati said. players during Qatar Stars Ivan Novoseltsev, Fedor Kudryashov, Ilya Kutepov, Andrey Semenov, Roman Shishkin, Midfielders: "But knowing what our sit- League (QSL) clashes the last Yury Gazinsky, Alexander Erokhin, Denis Glushakov, uation is - I mean we cannot three weeks. Roman Zobnin, Dmitry Kombarov, Magomed Oz- forget that our target is five After the clash at Jassim Bin doev, Denis Tkachuk, Alexey Miranchuk, Alexander years when we host the World Hamad Stadium, Fossati will Samedov, Yury Zhirkov, Pavel Mogilevets, Alexan- Cup but we will try to use the lead his side to China where der Kokorin, Kirill Panchenko, and Dmitry Poloz. Russia friendly to check the they play their Asian Zone qual- Coach: Stanislav Cherchesov physical fitness of the players," ifying game on November 15. Fossati said. "Tomorrow we have a tough we will to do our part. We will Fossati said he was not the back. We are only happy to get positive result even if some may "We are trying to take care opponent who play attacking play with our ideas and one to pick Russia for today's a quality side like Russia as we say this is not possible. Yes, Rus- of our players because we have game." strengths," Fosati said at Al Sadd friendly. go into a tough game against sia are a tough European side an important game coming up. "They are very strong in Stadium during a press "This game was decided by China in China," Fossati said. but I have faith in my players," I like playing friendlies of this physical football. But of course conference. the two federations sometime "We are optimistic of a he said. 2022 WC can showcase the wonder of Qatari, Middle Eastern culture: Al Thawadi The Peninsula Al Thawadi also endorsed the He also explained his hopes of rep- Minister Greg Hands noted that UK strong relationships UK companies licating the remarkable social effects businesses have played a key role in assan Al Thawadi, the Secre- have developed with the SC, noting the of the London Olympic Games. every major sporting event since the tary General of the Supreme integral part UK business will play in “Prior to the Olympics, media was Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, and HCommittee for Delivery and preparations for the 2022 FIFA World critical of the organisers and locals said that the UK was looking to sup- Legacy (SC) said that relations between Cup Qatar. The SC has this year voiced their concerns over the poten- port Qatar ahead of 2022. Qatar and the UK have grown ever appointed Impactt Ltd as an independ- tial disruption the event would cause “I have no doubt that the 2022 stronger over our two countries’ rich ent third party workers’ welfare to their daily lives. Afterwards, how- FIFA World Cup Qatar will offer sim- histories. He made these remarks dur- monitor. ever, Londoners were overjoyed at the ilar benefits to Qatar, in line with the ing the at the 'Sport is Great Al Thawadi noted the lengthy his- success of the event, both economi- 2030 Qatar National Vision,” Hands Conference' yesterday. tory of sports hosting expertise the UK cally and in showcasing the diversity said. Run by the UK Department for has to offer, referencing England’s Pre- and friendliness of their great city to “British businesses are well-placed International Trade in conjunction with mier League, Wimbledon and Royal the world,” Al Thawadi said. to support Qatar in both its prepara- the British Embassy in Doha, the event Ascot. "At a time when forces are tions for the tournament and in sought to promote further collabora- “Relations between Qatar and the attempting to drive a wedge between delivering a sustainable legacy. A sig- tion between the two nations’ sports UK have grown ever stronger over our people and to highlight their differ- nificant proportion of the 600 British industries. Other dignitaries in attend- two countries’ rich histories. In the ences, I believe the 2022 FIFA World businesses operating in Qatar are Hassan Al Thawadi, the Secretary General ance included UK Minister of State for field of sports in particular, which is Cup can act as a similar platform to already supporting your World Cup International Trade Greg Hands and integral to both nations’ societies, our promote cultural understanding and preparations and I hope our nation of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Dr. Thani Al Kuwari, Secretary General, cooperation is creating a lasting, pos- showcase the true wonder of Qatari continues to share its wealth of exper- Legacy speaks during the opening of 'Sport Qatar Olympic Committee. itive impact.” and Middle Eastern culture.” tise in sport,” he added. is Great' presentation in Doha yesterday. Rosberg one win away from his first title Sao Paulo anti-clockwise circuit has yet to reward F1 championship swing the momentum either way and Reuters Hamilton with a victory. And yet the Mercedes will be doing all they can to pressure of being within touching dis- Rosberg will be champion on ensure both drivers have no mechani- in in Brazil on Sunday, win the tance of a lifelong dream can play on the Sunday if he wins, regardless cal issues. The memory of his first Formula One title: Nico Ros- mind, and increase the pressure, while of where Hamilton finishes. championship with McLaren in 2008, Wberg's task sounds simple the fickle Sao Paulo weather can wreak secured in Brazil with an overtake on the enough but is a lot harder to achieve. havoc with the best laid plans. If Rosberg doesn't win, the last corner of the last lap just when it The German is one step away from Last year, Hamilton had already won German will still be champion seemed local favourite Felipe Massa had securing his first championship, which the title and his focus was elsewhere. This if he scores seven points more clinched the title, is always there. he will do if he wins at Interlagos regard- time he comes on the back of two suc- than his team-mate. Away from the title battle, both Mer- less of where Mercedes team-mate, triple cessive wins and, like Rosberg, seeking cedes drivers will have to watch out for champion and title rival Lewis Hamilton a hat-trick. Another win for the Briton Hamilton is in unfamiliar territory, Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Max Ver- finishes. would take the battle down to the wire with the title outcome out of his hands stappen and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel The odds are in Rosberg's favour - at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina and, if Ros- even if he wins in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, and Kimi Raikkonen. Vettel must also Nico Rosberg he has won for the past two seasons from berg were to fail to score in Brazil, a but needs no reminding that it is not over watch his language, after turning the air pole position in Sao Paulo whereas the potential 'winner takes all' scenario. until it's over. Reliability, or lack of, can blue in Mexico with his radio rants. SPORT THURSDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2016 27 Hawks end Cavaliers' perfect start Cleveland First loss of season Love had pulled Cleveland within AFP 108-106 with 25 seconds left. First loss of the season Kyrie Irving scored 29 points, he Atlanta Hawks to Cleveland while LeBron James had 23 points, nine handed Cleveland Hawks end rebounds and five assists and their first loss on Tues- an 11-game Love added 24 points and 12 day with a 110-106 losing streak rebounds for Cleveland, who win, breaking a series missed 31 three-point attempts.