16 SPORT SATURDAY 8 APRIL 2017 Al Khor secure lifeline after draw The Peninsula YESTERDAY'S QSL RESULTS give Al Khor the lead. Al Sha- into the goal from close range to hania’s best chance of bagging make it 1-0 for the Orange l Khor claimed a hard a second came on the 77th Fortress. Al Khor 1-1 Al Shahania fought point against Al minute when they were Mohsine Moutouali then AShahania to earn a lifeline Al Wakrah 2-2 Umm Salal awarded a free kick right on equalised for Al Wakrah in the at Al Khor Stadium yesterday, a the edge of the 18 yard box. thirty-first minute. After bring- Al Kharaitiyat 2-0 Muaither point that secured their safety Their attempted corner ing down a cross from teammate from relegation. slammed straight into Al Khor’s Maher Yousef at the edge of the The draw also guaranteed two man wall at the near post box, the Moroccan midfielder them a place in next season's teammate evaded the offside though and Al Khor were able smashed the ball into the right Qatar Stars League (QSL). The trap, leaving him with an easy to clear their box and counter. side of the net to make it 1-1. result also meant that Al Sha- finish from just 12 yards out to Al Shahania continued to look Ten minutes later Al Wak- hania will be relegated along give Al Shahania a 1-0 lead. for the win and dominated the rah defender Mohammed Arafa with Muaither SC and Al Despite going behind, Al last 15 minutes of the game but brought down Umm Salal’s Wakrah. Khor didn’t let their heads drop were unable to find the back Mahmoud Mawas inside the box Both sides headed into the and continued to press deep of the net after some deter- to give away a penalty. Yannick fixture high on confidence fol- into Al Shahania’s half. On the mined defending from Al Khor. Sagbo stepped up for the pen- lowing big wins in round 24, but 34th minute, Al Khor’s Brazil- Al Khor guarantee their alty and coolly slotted it in the both were equally desperate for ian playmaker Madson split Al safety for next season with a bottom right corner sending the three points as they looked to Shahania’s defense in two with game to spare whilst Al Shaha- keeper the wrong way to score avoid relegation. a perfectly weighted through nia go into the final round of his second goal of the game. Al Khor knew that a point ball that Al Khor’s Mouhssin the season knowing they’ll be Al Wakrah did not give up would be enough to secure their lajour latched onto, taking one heading down and playing in the fight and were rewarded safety and see them playing in touch before skillfully stabbing the second division next with a goal in the second half. the QSL next season, while Al it over Al Shahania’s goalkeeper season. In the sixty-fourth minute, Shahania knew only three to take the game to 1-1. Elsewhere, already rele- Maher Yousef got his name on points would give their survival The game began to balance gated Al Wakrah and Umm the score sheet with a wonder hopes any chance going into the out in terms of possession but Salal shared points in a four- strike to bring his side level. The final round of the season. neither side was able to find the goal thriller at Al Wakrah Qatari forward was outside the Al Khor looked the brighter back of the net again and the Stadium. box on the left side before he of the two teams and began pil- first half drew to a close at 1-1. It was a highly entertaining sent the ball into the far bottom ing on the pressure from the The second half stared match with both sides showing corner of the net with a power- whistle, forcing Al Shahania to much like the first did, with Al some excellent attacking ful shot from distance to end the sit deep in their own half and Khor dominating possession prowess. match at 2-2. keeping their goalkeeper busy and pressing deep into Al Sha- A first half brace for Yan- Meanwhile, at Al Gharafa in the first 15 minutes. Despite hania’s half. On the 50th nick Sagbo helped Umm Salal Stadium, Al Kharaitiyat beat dominating, it was actually Al minute, Al Khor missed a gain a point from a battling Muaither 2-0. Shahania who found the back golden opportunity when Al Wakrah side, who came back After a goalless first half, The of the net first thanks to a coun- Shahania’s goalkeeper fumbled twice to end the match at 2-2. Thunders put two past Muaither ter attack against the run of a catch from a corner and the Umm Salal opened the scor- to ensure the three points. Even play. ball fell to Wellington Souza ing in the sixteenth minute though Muaither ensured their With 17 minutes on the who was just six yards out. courtesy of Yannick Sagbo. relegation in round 24. Philip clock, Al Shahania’s number 39, Despite being in front of a near Faouzi Aaish squared the ball Birrol's men were searching for Saoud Mohamed, found him- open foal, Souza managed to to Sagbo from the right and the a consolation win in order to end self two on one with Al Khor’s sky the ball over the cross bar Ivorian striker showed great their QSL Season on a happy goalkeeper after he and a and miss the opportunity to instincts and deflected the ball note. Shanghai mist wipes out Al Naimi takes Superpole and win in QSTK first day of China GP The Peninsula Shanghai FIA safety procedures. Only 14 atari rider Mishal Al Naimi Reuters drivers completed timed laps, dominated yesterday's ses- with neither championship Qsions and took the he Shanghai weather all favourite Lewis Hamilton of Superpole of the fourth round of but wiped out the first two Mercedes nor Ferrari's Sebas- the Qatar Superstock 600 Cham- Tpractice sessions for the tian Vettel, winner of last pionship (QSTK) in the last lap at Chinese Formula One Grand month's season-opening race in the Losail International Circuit. Prix yesterday with poor visibil- Australia, setting times. With a lap time of 2:04.343, ity in the city forcing the Teenager Max Verstappen's Al Naimi will start in front of the grounding of the medical sup- opening session-topping effort grid today and will try to extend port helicopter. of one minute, 50.491 seconds the gap that now is only 5 points Drivers were only able to in damp and drizzly conditions ahead of Saeed Al Sulaiti. run for 22 of the scheduled 90 remained the fastest time of the Al Sulaiti, who is not fit 100% minute opening session while day. due to an injury, will start from Mishal Al Naimi (left) and second practice was wiped out The Dutchman's lap was the second place on the grid as Saeed Al Sulaiti in action altogether. more than 15 seconds slower he did a laptime of 2:04.600 in during the third round of Visibility at the track, on the than retired world champion the Superpole. the Qatar Superstock 600 outskirts of Shanghai, was good Nico Rosberg's pole position Young rider Abdullah Al Championship at Losail enough for helicopters to fly, effort last year, an indication of Qubaisi who did well in the International Circuit yesterday. with television choppers hov- the limited benefit of the cur- Superpole, will start in third posi- LEFT: Podium winners of the ering overhead throughout the tailed session. tion in the grid. QSTK Round 3, Mishal Al Naimi, day. Hamilton and Vettel are Later in the evening yester- Saeed Al Sulaiti and Nasser Al Foggier conditions in the city expected to battle for victory on day, the second race of the QSTK Malki pose for a photograph meant the medical helicopter Sunday but will only have a final Round 3 took place. The event after the presentation would have been unable to land hour-long practice session was postponed during last ceremony. at the designated hospital, 38km ahead of qualifying on Saturday month's MotoGP Grand Prix of from the circuit, a spokesperson to prepare for what is predicted Qatar, due to the weather from the sport's governing Inter- to be a wet race. conditions. timings and was the fastest with national Automobile Federation Hamilton, who has yet to Just in the first corner of the a lap time of 2:26.620 yesterday. (FIA) said. drive on the new rain tyres first lap, there was touch between The second fastest driver was Track action has to be halted introduced this year, expressed Ali Al Naimi and Soud Al Thani Mahmoud Al Khalaf, who did a if the medical helicopter cannot apprehension about racing in and both riders crashed without lap time of 2:26.792. fly or if an ambulance cannot the rain, while Vettel goes into major injuries but the race was didn’t have a good start and I will flag off at 11.30am and at Omran Karama was the third reach the designated hospital the weekend feeling more stopped to clean the track. As soon stayed in the back to keep the 2.30pm. fastest, followed by Mansour Al within 20 minutes, according to relaxed.