GULF TIMES Kohli Picks
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FOOTBALL | Page 2 RUGBY | Page 4 Premier League NZ players clubs set to vote return to ‘second on return to pre-season’ group training today Monday, May 18, 2020 CRICKET Ramadan 25, 1441 AH Kohli picks ‘Desert GULF TIMES Storm’ as an innings he wishes he played SPORT Page 5 ENCOURAGING QOC announces resumption of sporting activities after July 20 By Sports Reporter announced yesterday. months, infecting scores of tocols in place it will be safe for The Qatar Football Federa- demic forced a stoppage. The 7. Training sessions will start on Doha The Qatar Olympic Commit- highly-fit and highly-paid stars action to resume. tion said yesterday that domes- preliminary stages of the Amir Wednesday, June 10. tee and the Qatar Football As- and raising questions about its The high-profile German Bun- tic tournaments will resume on Cup had just begun when play The QFA and QOC said that sociation put out tweets to this very survival. desliga resumed on Saturday — July 24 and finish on August 26 was called off. the decision to resume the sea- he gradual easing of effect, bringing some much- But with many countries albeit without spectators — while with safety measures in place. Players, officials and admin- son was taken after consulta- coronavirus-related re- needed cheer to sports fans in gradually coming to grips with the South Korean league started The measures will be announced istrators will have to undergo tions with the Ministry of Pub- strictions in Qatar con- the country. the pandemic and gaining valu- almost a week ago. The Serie A, later. testing for the virus on June 8 lic Health, with the safety of all Ttinues with top-class Sport suffered a body blow able insights into how the virus the La Liga and the English Pre- The Qatar Stars League was and 9, according to a QFA circu- concerned personnel including domestic sporting action set to when the virus surged through spreads, confidence has in- mier League are also chalking up in its decisive phase with five lar issued yesterday. QSL players players, staff, officials and -ref resume after July 20, authorities its bastions over the past five creased that with effective pro- plans for resumption. rounds to play when the pan- will be on annual leave until June erees given utmost importance. FOOTBALL / BUNDESLIGA COMMENT Cologne European throw away season will Bayern ease past 2-0 lead at home after finish in August: Mainz fight back to UEFA president share points Reuters Union to stay top Bengaluru, India AFP no excuse for throwing away a two- EFA has a plan to finish the 2019-20 season by Berlin, Germany goal lead in a 2-2 draw with strug- August, including the Champions League and gling Mainz. Europa League campaigns, the European soc- “If you’re up 2-0, you have to Ucer governing body’s president Aleksander obert Lewandowski finish things off — with or with- Ceferin has said. bagged his 26th league out spectators,” fumed goalscorer The majority of European league seasons were sus- goal this season as leaders Uth. pended in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic but a RBayern Munich restarted The hosts took an early lead few leagues have announced plans for a restart in the the Bundesliga season with a 2-0 when Uth, on loan from Schalke, coming weeks. win at Union Berlin behind closed converted a penalty with just six The French and Dutch top-flight campaigns have doors yesterday. minutes gone after the striker was been cancelled but the German Bundesliga restarted Lewandowski netted a first-half brought down in the area. on Saturday and Ceferin expects at least 80 percent of penalty and defender Benjamin Pa- With hugs and handshakes national leagues to finish their vard scored a late header for Bayern banned, and fans excluded from seasons. in Berlin after the Bundesliga be- the ground due to the pandemic, “We have an idea but we have came the first top European league the players celebrated with elbow to wait for the executive commit- on Saturday to resume during the bumps instead. tee of UEFA to confirm the dates. Covid-19 pandemic. Cologne added a second goal I can say that the European sea- Poland star Lewandowski, who when Florian Kainz headed home son will be finished, if everything missed two games with injury be- a cross with just over half an hour is as it is now, in August,” Ceferin fore the league was interrupted in left. told beIN Sports. mid-March, reached 40 goals for However, Mainz came roaring “As things look now, I’m sure... the campaign in all competitions back with an hour played as the that we can finish the European as Bayern restored their four-point visitors knuckled down. season and this means UEFA competition. lead over Borussia Dortmund. Replacement striker Taiwo “I think the majority of leagues will finish the season. Dortmund, who thrashed Schal- Awoniyi, who had only been on for The ones who will not, it’s their decision. But they will ke 4-0 in the Ruhr derby on Satur- five minutes, tapped home from still have to play qualifiers if they want to participate in day, host Bayern in a pivotal fixture close range for his first Bundesliga the European UEFA competition.” in 10 days’ time, another game that goal. Both the Champions League and Europa League are will be behind closed doors due to Cameroon midfielder Pierre yet to complete their last-16 matches. the league’s strict hygiene guide- Kunde floored Cologne and earned Paris Saint-Germain, who were declared Ligue 1 lines. a point for Mainz when he beat two champions, are looking to play their Champions League Union had shocked previous leaders defenders and poked the ball past games abroad after the French government said pro- Dortmund and Borussia Moencheng- goalkeeper Timo Horn to equalise fessional sports would not be allowed to return before ladbach earlier in the season, backed on 72 minutes. September. by passionate home support at their “It was like street football, a huge “Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon... will have to or- Alten Foersterei stadium. game for us,” said Mainz sports di- ganise (matches) in France,” Ceferin added. “If this is rector Rouven Schroeder. not possible, (they) will have to organise it at a neutral EMPTY STANDS IN BERLIN Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski scores their first goal from the penalty spot during the Bundesliga match “For the first game after so many ground. However, with the players’ voices against Hertha Berlin in Stadion An der Alten Forsterei in Berlin, Germany. (Reuters) weeks, it was really good. The guys “If you cannot play in your country, then you have to echoing around the Union stadium, didn’t want to be left behind.” organise it at a neutral ground... I don’t see the reason Bayern dominated their mid-table With Bayern enjoying around ing by the hosts repeatedly frus- Kimmich corner inside the far post. The result leaves Mainz on the why French authorities would not allow them to organ- opponents. 70 percent possession, it was just trated Bayern. Union’s best chance came in verge of the relegation places but ise a match without spectators, but let’s see. It’s out of Thomas Mueller looked to have a matter of time before they took To help grab a second goal to the dying stages when Felix Kroos, four points above the bottom three my power.” given Bayern an early lead on 18 the lead. seal the result, Bayern coach Hansi brother of Germany star Toni, while Cologne are 10th. Euro 2020, scheduled to be hosted in 12 cities across minutes when Serge Gnabry pre- Sure enough when Union de- Flick brought on French winger fired straight at Bayern goalkeeper Europe, has been postponed until next year. sented him with a simple tap-in. fender Neven Subotic fouled Leon Kingsley Coman for his 100th Bun- Manuel Neuer. RESULTS “We’ve had conversations with nine cities and eve- However, the goal was disal- Goretzka in the area on 38 minutes, desliga appearance. n Cologne 2 (Uth 6-pen, Kainz 53) rything is set,” Ceferin said. “With three cities, we have lowed when the video assistant Lewandowski stepped up to slot It was his countryman Pavard MAINZ FIGHT BACK Mainz 2 (Awoniyi 61, Kunde 72) some issues. So we will discuss further. In principle, we referee (VAR) spotted Mueller was home the resulting penalty. who made the points safe on 80 Earlier, Cologne striker Mark Uth n Union Berlin 0 Bayern Munich 2 will do it in 12 cities but if not, we are ready to do it in 10, offside. After the break, dogged defend- minutes when he headed a Joshua said that the absence of fans was (Lewandowski 40-pen, Pavard 80) nine or eight.” FOCUS Record TV audience for Bundesliga restart AFP the coronavirus, Sky had 3.68mn Braut Haaland scored the first in near-empty stadiums, was “over 60 percent”, according Berlin, Germany viewers watching the matches on Bundesliga goal since mid-March Sky Germany broadcast the to DWDL.de yesterday, a record its subscription TV channels in to help Borussia Dortmund rout ‘Konferenz’ on its free-to-view for Sky Germany. Germany. rivals Schalke 4-0 and stay in the Sports News Channel. Having been granted he restart of the Bun- The domestic figure is more title race with Bayern Munich, The idea was to discourage fans permission to restart after the desliga behind locked than double the usual audience who played Union Berlin away in Germany from meeting up to German government approved doors on Saturday at- for a typical round of Saturday yesterday.