SPORT Friday 1 June 2018 PAGE | 18 PAGE | 19 Zidane quits five Pakistan eye rare days after Champions series win as England League win aim for turnaround QFA announces key dates of the new football season RIZWAN REHMAT April 1 to May 11: Amir Cup the AFC Champions League THE PENINSULA quarter-finals - will be April 4: Semi-finals of the Qatar Cup rescheduled if the teams DOHA: The iconic Khalifa Inter- April 18: The final of the Qatar Cup advance in the top club event in national Stadium and the Jassim August 3: Sheikh Jassim Cup (Al Duhail vs Al Rayyan) Asia, it was confirmed. Bin Hamad Stadium will host the A few of the clubs that make first four rounds of the new their base camp at neutral football season that is set to kick venues will follow the pattern off in August, details showed here from last year. However, newly- yesterday. promoted Al Shahaniya may The new football calendar choose Grand Hamad Stadium was officially announced by the as their home club. The decision QFA’s Competitions Committee will be announced in the coming Qatar juniors get after meeting with representa- days. tives of the clubs. Some of the key dates of the The two venues - which will new season include semi-finals be used for matches during the of the Qatar Cup on April 4, 2019. set for England 2022 FIFA World Cup - are The final of the Qatar Cup will be equipped to host games with played on April 18 while the Amir state-of-the-art cooling Cup next year will commence on clash in Toulon technology. April 1. The final of the Amir Cup THE PENINSULA On May 19, the Khalifa Inter- will be played on May 11, 2019, it an equaliser just seconds before national Stadium staged the Amir was announced. the final whistle, Cup final between Al Duhail and The QFA Competitions Com- TOULON, FRANCE: Qatar will Miguel expressed his hap- Al Rayyan in what was the final mittee said the regular 2018-19 take on England today in their piness over the performance of match of the 2017-18 football football season will break in Sep- third clash at the Toulon Inter- the players against China. season. tember, October, November, national Championship. The coach pointed out the The Qatar Football Associ- January and March. Qatar, who lost to Mexico in Qatar team in Toulon is under ation (QFA), the game’s ruling The five breaks will allow their opening clash, produced 19 whereas the Chinese team is body in the country, has con- national teams including Qatar to a fighting 1-1 draw against China fielding a squad which firmed the new season will com- feature in their 2022 FIFA World in the second game on Tuesday. under-21. mence with the Sheikh Jassim Cup Cup qualifying matches and the Qatar is using the eight- The coach also said he is on August 3. 2019 Asian Cup. team event to prepare the expecting a tough fight against The one-off clash will see The Qatar national squad - national juniors for this year’s England. Qatar football giants Al Duhail coached by Felix Sanchez - is AFC U-19 Asian Cup to be held The top three teams at the taking on Al Rayyan. Al Sadd’s players and officials celebrate on the podium with expected to feature in 10-12 inter- in Indonesia in October. AFC U-19 Asian Cup in Indo- The schedule of the QNB Stars the trophy after winning the 2017 Sheikh Jassim Cup at Al national friendlies in the run up After their 1-1 draw against nesia (October 18 to November League (QSL) will be announced Duhail Stadium in this file photo. to the 2019 Asian Cup. China, coach Bruno Miguel said 4) will qualify for the FIFA U-20 on July 3, it was confirmed. Qatar will launch its prepa- Qatar’s participation in the World Cup to be held in Poland The first four rounds of the rations with a training camp in Toulon event is aimed at next year. QSL will see matches held at the The football season will kick Asian Cup to be held from January Austria from June 24 to July 16, it ‘improving the level of our team Qatar won the 2014 edition Khalifa International Stadium and off a month earlier than usual to 5 to February 1 in the UAE. was announced last month. in preparation for the 2018 AFC of the AFC U-19 Asian Cup held Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium to accommodate a busy calendar for QNB Stars League Matches Sanchez has already announced U-19 Asian Cup’. in Myanmar to qualify for the tackle the hot temperature in the the Qatar national team that will involving Al Duhail and Al Sadd a batch of 34 players for the Qatar conceded a penalty 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup month of August. be appearing at next year’s AFC - two of the sides appearing in training camp in Austria. in injury time as China managed which was held in New Zealand. CAF President hails Qatar’s World Cup preparations QNA admiration of the exclusiveness that this will greatly make the hailed the substantial devel- levels, pointing out that Qatar of football in Qatar, evident in finals succeed, especially from opment that he saw at Aspire is always a leader and proactive DOHA: The State of Qatar is the proximity of the hosting the organisational side. Academy, which he had visited in serving football. well-equipped to stage a venues of the Qatar World Cup, Ahmad said he has no seven years ago. He said that He also said that Qatar’s successful and ideal World Cup which, he added, will be the doubt that Qatar World Cup each country needs a similar participation in the 2019 Copa when it hosts the finals in 2022 most accessible tournament will be successful and excellent institute for the sake of devel- America is good for the thanks to its abilities and edition as it allows fans to in light of the full Qatari com- oping the game domestically national team’s preparations capacities, Confederation of attend more than one game in mitment to organize the global and continentally. for the 2022 World Cup as African Football (CAF) Pres- the same day. showpiece. He added that he Ahmad praised Qatar Qatar would take on heavy- CAF ident Ahmad Ahmad said. The CAF president said reviewed the phases of prepa- Football Association’s (QFA) weight national teams and President Speaking during an Qatar is a developed country rations and the under-con- commitment to the partnership have the unique chance of par- Ahmad interview with Al Kass Channel, and its people are open to all struction facilities. with CAF and working con- ticipating in a major Ahmad Ahmad expressed his deep fields, notably football, adding The African football chief stantly to develop it to greater tournament. Sensational Samba creates new records in Rome Abderrahman IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE - CHINTHANA WASALA Norway’s Karsten Warholm was thank-you especially. We are now Samba of Qatar ROME THE PENINSULA placed second in yesterday’s event giving the 400m hurdles the on his way to win MEN'S 400M HURDLES with a time of 47.82 secs and by attention it deserves,” the jubilant the men’s 400m DOHA: Qatar’s 400m hurdles doing so, he updated his own Qatari athlete said. hurdles event 47.48 secs. specialists, Abderrahman Samba national record. “Next, I will race in Oslo - I during the Rome improved his world leading time Turkey’s World Championship take every race very seriously and IAAF Diamond with a record-setting performance silver medallist Yasmani Copello the big goal is always to run fast. League at the New Asian Record to clinch victory at the Rome IAAF was placed third (48.63 secs) in the I don’t know how fast I can run Olympic Stadium in New World Leading Time Diamond League yesterday. high-profile event, which also saw but we will see in the near future,” Rome yesterday. New Diamond League Record At the Olympic Stadium in the Rio Olympic gold winner Samba said. Rome yesterday, the Qatari star re- Kerron Clement from the USA and Later, Samba’s compatriot, New Rome Meet Record wrote the Asian record, Diamond the Kenyan former world Abdalelah Haroun secured the Samba's Personal Best League record and the event record champion Nicholas Bett vying for second position in the men’s 400 with an impressive 47.48 seconds, honours. metres by pushing USA’s Fred New Qatar National Record bettering his own record of 47.57, “It’s a big feeling for me to Kerley to his limits. Kerley won he set in May’s Doha meeting . break not only my personal best with a time of 44.33 secs while Samba’s performance yes- but also the Asian record, the Haroun finished four hundredths terday also erased the previous national record and the Diamond of a second behind him to earn Asian record (47.53 secs) held by League record. I now hope every Qatar’s second podium finish of the Hadi Soua’an Al Somaily of Saudi race will feel like this,” Samba said day. Arabia, established in Sydney, Aus- after his race. USA’s Paul Dedewo was placed tralia 18 years ago. “I say thank you to my rivals third with a personal best of 44.58 The reigning world champion, for pushing me - I told Karsten secs. 18 SPORT FRIDAY 1 JUNE 2018 Capitals edge Knights to Zidane quits Real Madrid level Stanley AP Liga (in 2017).