CRICKET | Page 5 TTENNISENNIS | Page 10 Hyderabad Djokovic hammer downs Mumbai by Murray for 85 runs in IPL Madrid title Monday, May 9, 2016 FOOTBALL Sha’baan 2, 1437 AH Barcelona, Real GULF TIMES Madrid set up fi nal day showdown SPORT Page 3 INTERVIEW Villarreal move a dream come true for Qatar’s Akram ‘I want to do something for Qatar. Playing in the Champions League is an objective for me’ ne of the brightest prospects to representing his national team in the Talking about the players who in- in Qatari football, Akram home FIFA World Cup in six years’ time. spire him, Akram pointed out that Afi f, has expressed his de- “I dream of playing for Qatar in the former FC Barcelona captain Xavi light at joining Spanish La World Cup in 2022. I think we will have Hernandez has helped him greatly in OLiga side Villarreal CF after helping a good team for Qatar 2022, our youth recent months: “Xavi is a big player Belgian outfi t KAS Eupen win promo- team is readying for the Asian Cup in and he gives me advice about how I can tion to the top division – and said he October and they have a good team, we improve,” he added. believes more players have the poten- also won the last Asian Cup in Myan- “Everyone knows that Xavi is one tial to join European sides ahead of the mar. We have a good young generation of the best players in the world. I am 2022 FIFA World Cup on home soil. developing.” inspired by a lot of players from the “It is a dream come true for me to be Akram made his debut for the Qatari Spanish league, Messi, Cristiano, Ney- the fi rst Qatari player in La Liga,” Afi f national side during Qatar’s 15-0 win mar, Iniesta, I like Denis Suarez at Vil- told www.sc.qa in an interview yes- over Bhutan in an Asian qualifi er for the larreal, and they also have some of the terday. “I hope I can be one of the best 2018 FIFA World Cup, and believes his best defenders in the world like Sergio players in La Liga for Villarreal, and country could make it to the fi nals with Ramos.” to help Qatar for the World Cup and the current group of players. represent the players from the Aspire “Our target in the national team is Akram made his debut for the Academy. that we want to play in the World Cup Qatari national side during “I want to do something for Qatar. in Russia in 2018. We have the chance to Qatar’s 15-0 win over Bhutan in Playing in the Champions League is an do so because we have a very good team. an Asian qualifi er for the 2018 objective for me, but fi rst I want to help It is a diffi cult group but nothing is easy FIFA World Cup, and believes his the team, that is the most important in life, and I hope that we can take third country could make it to the fi nals thing.” or second position.” with the current group of players The 19-year-old forward who was The youngster played an important on loan at KAS Eupen in Belgium from part in Eupen getting promoted to Bel- So as he prepares for a new life in one Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd, said gium’s top fl ight, and said the team was of world football’s top tiers, the Aspire he was excited to begin competing for a a fantastic place for Qatar’s future tal- Academy graduate ended by saying the fi rst team place in one of the top sides in ents to develop. experience of playing against the best Spain’s La Liga. “It was a great season for us, we had in the world in Europe is something “I am very happy to sign for Villar- a diffi cult time from November to Janu- that he will greatly benefi t from ahead real, they are a big team and one of the ary, but we played as one team with one of 2022. best teams in Spain. I hope I can learn a heart and kept pushing hard. We got to “I want to learn from the experience lot of things in the next years from the third position and we said ‘why not, we of training with and playing against players and the coaches with the club. can go to the fi rst position’, and I was the best players in the world, and take I know some of the players in the team very happy when we got the promotion that experience back to Qatar with me and the city is very nice so I hope that I to the fi rst division. when it comes around to the 2022 FIFA can do something for the team. “It is a big success also for the Aspire World Cup. I also hope more Qatari “Villarreal will play the Champions Academy, we have a lot of good play- players can play in Europe to improve, League next season so we’ll try to be a ers in Qatar who can come here to play to fi ght, to keep working hard and to diffi cult team to beat in La Liga and go in the fi rst division. I wish for them to learn a lot of things for the World Cup. as far as we can in all competitions. I but when I do I want to play for the fi rst The Doha-born striker, who already trained in the youth team of Sevilla in come here and have the chance to make The World Cup is in our country and it haven’t started training yet at Villarreal, team and I hope to compete for a place.” has some experience in Spain as he fi rst 2012, added that he was looking forward it.” is a big chance for Qatari players.” EMIR CUP Romarinho hat-trick fi res El Jaish into semis By Sports Reporter out really driving home their superior- Doha ity. However, they could have gone ahead as early as in the 16th minute sensational hat-trick by Ro- but Ismail Mohamed hit the post from marinho (Romario Ricardo da close with Al Sailiya’s French goal- Silva) helped El Jaish bounce keeper Gregory Gomis out of position. back from a goal down and Gomis, one of the best custodians Lekhwiya coach Athrash Al Ahli 4-2 in the Emir Cup plying their trade in Qatar, was un- Djamel Belmadi quarter-fi nals at the Abdulla bin Kha- doubtedly the hero for his team by reacts during lifa Stadium here yesterday. pulling off some key saves and denying his team’s match Al Ahli had taken an unexpected lead Lekhwiya before Msakni’s late strike against Al Sailiya. in the 15th minute thanks to a pen- off a corner put paid to his eff orts. alty scored by Ngombo Mubele after Al Sailiya, who fi nished seventh in Mohsin Hassan al-Yazidi was brought the QSL, had only 28 percent of the down but after Ali Sanad al-Nuaimi possession and failed to make much equalised in fi rst half injury time, Bra- headway up front although they de- zilian Romarinho produced a one-man fended stoutly to prevent Lekhwiya demolishing act in a matter of six min- from running away with the match. utes to put his team in the last four of Lekhwiya’s inability to score from the prestigious tournament. good chances continued to haunt Romarinho’s fi rst struck in the 52nd them throughout the match much to minute and came up with two more in coach Belmadi’s frustration. the 53rd and 57th minutes as El Jaish Belmadi had expressed his strong hit a purple patch to overshadow Al desire to add the Emir Cup to his list Ahli. of achievements in Qatar, and short of And although Mubele scored his ripping off his hair he did everything second goal of the match in the 82nd to suggest that he was not enjoying minute, it was too little too late for Al watching his players miss chance after Ahli as they exited the tournament. chance. Earlier, Lekhwiya scraped into the In the 59th minute Mohamed Moosa ner much to Belmadi’s relief. achieved much but we did very well to semi-fi nals with an unconvincing 1-0 headed wide from close and in the “It was a tough match but we should keep them at bay for most of the match win over 2014 champions Al Sailiya. 72nd Chico Flores missed the target have won convincingly,” Belmadi said. before the goal was scored,” said Tra- Star forward Yousef Msakni spared with an attempt of his own. “We kept on missing chances and that blesi. the blushes for Djamel Belmadi’s side In between goalkeeper Gomis also bogged down the team,” he added. “The Emir Cup is a tournament that with an 88th minute goal that proved came up with a couple of saves, in- “In the end though a 1-0 victory is off ers even lesser teams a chance to win the lone saving grace in a match that cluding one off a powerful shot from something we will take. We need to the title. We did that two years ago but failed to live up to expectations. Alain Dioko. play much better in the semi-fi nals.” this time we were unlucky,” he added.