Qatar SC Hold Al Sadd 1-1 to Snap Wolves' Winning Streak
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Faf du Plessis slams 199 as South Africa push Sri Lanka towards defeat TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 paGE 14 Federer to miss Australian Open for the first time in 22 years AFP in July, but in June he had an- Federer will now concen- at 39, is also on the entry list All players must undergo a MELBOURNE other operation that ruled him trate on getting himself ready as she again attempts to equal mandatory 14-day quarantine out for the rest of 2020. for the rest of the 2021 sea- Margaret Court’s record of 24- on arrival, during which they TWENTY-TIME Grand Slam A huge favourite with the son, which includes the Tokyo time Grand Slam singles titles. will constantly be tested for champion Roger Federer will Melbourne crowds, Federer , Olympics and the chance of Federer’s withdrawal COVID-19 but allowed to train miss the Australian Open for hasn’t missed the Australian his first singles gold medal. comes as former world number for five hours a day in a bio-se- the first time in his career as Open since his debut in 2000, “He has made strong pro- one Andy Murray, a five-time cure bubble. he continues his recovery from winning the trophy six times. gress in the last couple of Australian Open finalist, was The men’s and women’s two rounds of knee surgery, “In the end Roger ran out months with his knee and his given a wildcard entry. qualifierswill be held in Doha organisers said on Monday. of time to get himself ready for fitness,” his agent Tony God- Tiley welcomed the and Dubai respectively from The 39-year-old Swiss has the rigours of a Grand Slam sick said in a statement. 33-year-old back to the tourna- January 10-13, with players ar- been out of action since Feb- and he’s very disappointed he “I will start discussions ment, two years after his first- riving in Melbourne from Janu- ruary but recently resumed won’t be coming to Melbourne this coming week for tourna- round exit prompted fears his ary 15 on special charter flights. training and was on the entry in 2021,” said tournament ments that begin in late Feb- career was at an end. Melbourne only emerged list for year’s opening Grand chief Craig Tiley. ruary and then start to build “Seeing him come back, from a months-long lockdown Slam, which will make a de- “We wish him all the best a schedule for the rest of the having undergone major sur- in October following a second layed start on February 8. as he prepares for his come- year,” Godsick added. gery and built himself back up wave of COVID-19, compli- Federer has played in back later in the year and look Swiss ace Roger Federer has played in the Australian Open 21 years to get onto the tour again, will cating planning for the Grand the Australian Open 21 years forward to seeing him in Mel- in a row, but his agent said missing the tournament was “the best Murray wildcard be a highlight,” Tiley said. Slam and how to allow so many in a row, but his agent said bourne in 2022.” decision for him in the long run”. Federer’s absence will be The opening Slam of the players and support staff to en- missing the tournament was Federer sat out most of felt at the Australian Open, de- year, which will be played in ter the country safely. “the best decision for him in the Covid-disrupted 2020 He underwent keyhole The Swiss could only watch spite a top-quality field led by front of at least 50 percent Australia has largely con- the long run”. season after losing to Novak surgery on his right knee in as Rafael Nadal matched his all- world number ones Djokovic of normal crowds, has been tained the coronavirus, although In February, Federer had Djokovic in the Melbourne February, before needing a time men’s record of 20 Grand and Ashleigh Barty. pushed back three weeks to a new outbreak in Sydney has arthroscopic surgery on his semis in January, his last follow-up operation and call- Slam singles titles with a 13th US superstar Serena Wil- February 8 over difficulties sparked fresh restrictions and right knee. He hoped to return competitive match. ing off his season to recover. victory at the French Open. liams, Federer’s contemporary caused by the coronavirus. even state border closures. Qatar SC hold Al Sadd 1-1 to snap Wolves’ winning streak Al Gharafa held by Umm Salal 1-1; Wakrah edge Kharaitiyat 2-1 TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA COACH Xavi Hernandez’s warning to his team Al Sadd ahead of the QNB Stars League clash against Qatar Sports Club wasn’t out of place. “We are facing a team who appear at their best level in the league so far,” Xavi had said. And much to his fears, Qatar SC came up with an in- spired show in their Week 11 match to play out a pulsating 1-1 draw at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium on Monday. While Al Sadd extended Nam Tae-hee of Al Sadd runs in to battle for the ball with Qatar SC’s Ali Karimi during their QNB Stars Qatar Sports Club fans during the Qatar SC-Al Sadd Week 11 clash of the QNB Stars League at the Qatar their unbeaten streak, the League match at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium on Monday. Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium on Monday. only team to do so, as the 12- club tournament reached pre- cisely the halfway stage, they, QNB Stars League Standings however were denied a tenth CLUB MP W L D GF GA GD PTS successive win. 1 Al Sadd 11 9 0 2 37 9 28 29 Consistent scorer Anthony 2 Al Gharafa 11 7 3 1 25 16 9 22 Okpotu put Qatar SC ahead in 3 Al Duhail 11 7 4 0 26 16 10 21 the 31st minute and Santo Ca- 4 Qatar SC 11 6 4 1 18 10 8 19 zorla drew parity for Al Sadd 5 Al Ahli 11 6 4 1 17 22 -5 19 in the 42nd minute with a pen- alty goal. 6 Al Rayyan 11 4 3 4 12 9 3 16 Al Sadd raised their points 7 Al Wakrah 11 4 6 1 12 14 -2 13 tally to 29 and Qatar SC to 19 8 Al Sailiya 11 3 5 3 13 19 -6 12 points. 9 Al Arabi 11 3 5 3 13 20 -7 12 Both teams went into the 10 Umm Salal 11 2 5 4 7 15 -8 10 match in great form, having 11 Al Khor 11 1 6 4 8 21 -13 7 won their last few matches in 12 Al Kharaitiyat 11 2 9 0 8 25 -17 6 succession. Qatar SC had com- pleted their fifth consecutive parried away by diving keeper hamed Benyettou, in the 28th victory, whereas Al Sadd were Shehab Ellethy. minute, swivelled on his feet fresh from their Qatar Clasico In the seventh minute, Ce- and attempted a right-footed victory over Al Rayyan. Action from the Al Wakrah-Al Khairaitiyat match. Al Gharafa’s Ahmed Alaaeldin (2nd right) during the match against ballos charged ahead on the shot into the Al Kharaitiyat Al Sadd attacked from Umm Salal at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium on Monday. right flank, but slipped in a cross goal, but he went wayward the beginning, with the likes Ahmed had a chance to give Al Gharafa showed intent for Omar Ali stationed inside the with his direction as the ball of Baghdad Bounedjah, Nam his side the lead a second time, early on attacking Umm Salal a sliding tackle that brought was blocked by keeper Malick. box. Despite having time and sailed away above the cross- Tae-Hee and Abdelkarim Has- but his shot was blocked by the from the first minute. The for- down Ahmed Alaaeldin. space, Omar fired wayward with bar. Two minutes later, Omar san raiding the rival citadel goalkeeper in the 80th minute. mer champions even won a cor- The referee pointed to the Al Wakrah beat Kharaitiyat his right-footed drive. jumped high on a long cross time and again, giving Qatar Soon, Bounedjah shot wide ner kick in the first 40 seconds. spot and Hanni converted the In what was their fourth Six minutes later, Ceballos, but his snap-header from close SC goalkeeper Jassim Al Hail of the target and Cazorla too Al Gharafa continued with penalty. win in the league, Al Wakrah this time on the right flank of range also went wayward. a harrowing time. hit wide, in the 90th minute, an attacking game and Jona- Pat came Umm Salal’s re- beat Al Kharaitiyat 2-1 at the Al Kharaitiyat goal, slipped in In the 33rd minute, Ev- However, it was Qatar as the deadlock continued. than Kodjia broke into the ply. Adel Alawi clipped in a Al Duhail Stadium thanks to a a cross for Ahmed Moein, who ans Mensah – running down SC who took the lead against Umm Salal box in the sixth neat cross for Rodrigues who 90th minute strike from Jas- drilled a left-footed shot that the flank – clipped in a cross the run of play when Okpotu Al Gharafa held by minute. Kodjia, who dominat- arrived with perfect timing to sim Ali Al Hashimi. was pouched by Ellethy. which was expertly deflected took advantage of a defensive Umm Salal ed throughout the match, fired deflect the ball on the volley Ousmane Coulibaly earlier A few minutes later, Al by Mohammed Osman.