14 Sunday, September 20, 2020 Sports Coach Lucescu calls for intensity from Al Hilal ahead of Shahr Khodro clash AFC escu’s biggest challenge will be given a great deal of effort in our best against Al Hilal. DOHA selection, although AFC have the past two games, whoever “We have a lot of young approved the registration of is up for the challenge ahead players, and this was our first AL Hilal head coach Razvan two goalkeepers in response to The current predicament we will play.” ever AFC Champions League Lucescu challenged his play- a crisis that has seen the squad are facing will not allow us While Al Hilal have it all to campaign so we are gaining ers to maintain their inten- severely trimmed due to sev- to rest the players that have play for on Sunday, their op- a lot of experience which will sity ahead of their Matchday eral players testing positive for given a great deal of effort ponents are eyeing more long- help us in the Iran Pro League Five encounter against Shahr COVID-19. Abdullah Al Bishi term benefits as they hope next season.” Khodro FC, who sit bottom and Ahmad Al Jubaya have in the past two games, their first experience of conti- “The match against Al Hi- of the 2020 AFC Champions come in to replace Moham- whoever is up for the nental football will help them lal will be useful to us, and we League Group B, at the Al med Al Wakid and Nawaf Al challenge ahead will play. when they return home at the will do our utmost in terms of Janoub Stadium on Sunday. Ghamdi. end of the group stage. effort to do well in it. The play- Iran’s Shahr Khodro have “We have to keep going Al Hilal coach “We are ready for tomor- ers will benefit from playing been eliminated early on in with the same intensity, we Razvan Lucescu row’s match, but we know against the reigning champi- their maiden appearance in have a huge shot at qualifica- we have missed our chance ons.” the competition after suffer- tion, but the job is not done possession and attack to cre- to qualify even if we win our The last time the two ing four consecutive defeats, yet, and we also want to top ate as many chances, but in final two games,” said Shahr teams met was on Matchday while Al Hilal, the reigning our group,” said Lucescu. the last game we were forced Khodro assistant coach Mo- One back in February, when continental champions, are “The changes we have to sit back and hit on the break hammad Navazi. Al Hilal dominated proceed- just a win away from joining made to our line-up have when we got the ball. “Luck was not on our side ings and came out 2-0 winners domestic rivals Al Ahli and Al forced us to play in a way dif- “The current predicament in the previous two games. We at home courtesy of Andre Al Hilal Razvan Lusescu (right) during the pre-match conference at the Nassr in the round of 16. ferent from the one we are we are facing will not allow us are now focusing on working Carillo’s deflected shot and Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday. Al Hilal coach Razvan Luc- used to. We like to control to rest the players that have for the future, and we must do Bafetimbi Gomis’ tap in. Crystal Palace stun Man United, Leeds win thriller AFP LONDON Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian Results forward Neymar (left) during the MANCHESTER United suffered Leeds United 4 (Helder Costa 5’, 57’; Ma- French L1 match between PSG and a miserable start to their Pre- teusz Klich 41’ (pen), Patrick Bamford 50’) bt Zaragoza, Metz at the Parc des Princes sta- mier League campaign as Wil- Fulham 3 (Aleksandar Mitrovic 34’ (pen), 67’; dium in Paris on Wednesday. (AFP) fried Zaha fired Crystal Palace to Bobby Reid 62’) Arveladze a shock 3-1 win at Old Trafford, Manchester United 1 (Donny van de Beek while Leeds beat Fulham 4-3 to 80’) lost to Crystal Palace 3 (Andros Neymar earn their first top-flight victory Townsend 7’, Wilfried Zaha 74’ (pen), 85’). relishing since 2004 on Saturday. to lead On the second weekend decisive of the new campaign, United Brazil in were playing for the first time Group B test after being given an extra week of rest due to their involve- AFC World Cup ment in the latter stages of last DOHA season’s Europa League. qualifying But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s SHABAB Al Ahli Dubai FC and lethargic side were well below Pakhtakor FC have it all to play AFP their best and Palace took full for when they lock horns in RIO DE JANEIRO advantage thanks to Andros Group B of the 2020 AFC Cham- Townsend’s seventh minute pions League at the Al Janoub BRAZIL coach Tite kept faith strike and Zaha’s 74th minute Stadium on Sunday with the two with a troubled Neymar on penalty against his former club. sides in direct competition for a Friday, choosing him to lead There was a hint of contro- Round-of-16 ticket. the Selecao as they launch versy about Zaha’s goal as VAR Crystal Palace’s Ivorian striker Wilfried Zaha shoots to score their second goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League match The two sides are sepa- their 2022 World Cup qualify- ruled Victor Lindelof had han- against Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on Saturday. (AFP) rated by only one point; Pa- ing campaign next month. dled Jordan Ayew’s shot even khtakor sit second with seven Young Lyon midfielder though the ball was hit with For the first time in six Mitrovic equalised from the Leeds’ opening games sponsibility” for his mistake. points after four games while Bruno Guimaraes comes into force at him from close quarters. years, United were beaten in penalty spot in the 35th min- have seen 14 goals, which is Then Albion boss Slaven Shabab Al Ahli’s late resur- the squad and could make David De Gea saved Ayew’s their opening league game. ute after a foul on Joe Bryan. the most for a top-flight side’s Bilic was sent to the stands after gence took their tally to six his international debut while spot-kick, but VAR intervened It was a chastening start Bryan was penalised him- first two matches since Wolves storming onto the pitch for a fu- points from four matches. Real Madrid striker Rodrygo again to order a retake as Unit- to the season for United, who self for his shove on Patrick in 1962-63. rious rant at referee Mike Dean. Shabab Al Ahli lost to Pa- also returns. ed’s keeper had strayed off his have come under fire from Bamford and Mateusz Klich At Goodison Park, Dominic Matheus Pereira equalised for khtakor 2-1 in their opening The five-time world cham- line and this time Zaha con- fans frustrated at their rela- restored Leeds’ advantage Calvert-Lewin hit a hat-trick in Albion after the interval, but game of the campaign but have pions play Bolivia in Sao Paulo verted from the spot. tively modest transfer outlay with a 40th minute spot-kick. Everton’s 5-2 win over 10-man Michael Keane restored Ever- since underwent a managerial on October 9, then travel to United’s only major close- compared to their title rivals. In the 51st minute, Patrick West Bromwich Albion. ton’s lead and Calvert-Lewin change with Spaniard Gerard Lima to face Peru four days season signing Donny van de Bamford steered a right-footed Carlo Ancelotti’s side fell sealed the points with his sec- Zaragoza replacing Argentine later. The matches were origi- Beek came off the bench and Free-scoring Leeds finish into the bottom corner. behind to Grady Diangana’s ond and third goals. Rodolfo Arruabarrena. nally scheduled for March, but the former Ajax midfielder re- At Elland Road, promoted Leeds struck again six early goal. But Calvert-Lewin After a summer spending “We will go into this game were postponed because of the duced the deficit with a debut Leeds were involved in an- minutes later with a superb equalised and James Rodri- spree, Ancelotti is under pres- as if it were a final because a coronavirus pandemic. goal in the 80th minute. other eye-catching encounter strike from Costa. guez put Everton ahead with sure to deliver a big improve- loss here will mean elimina- The return to international But Zaha, who endured a in their first top-flight home Fulham pulled one back his first Premier League goal ment on last season’s 12th place tion, while a win could vastly play could be a welcome break difficult spell at United before match for 16 years. in the 62nd minute through before Albion imploded. finish and the early signs are improve our chances of pro- for Neymar, who has had a rejoining Palace, showed why After losing 4-3 at champi- Bobby Decordova-Reid and Kieran Gibbs was dis- promising. Having beaten Tot- gression,” said Zaragoza. tumultuous time since losing the Eagles are so keen to keep ons Liverpool on the opening Mitrovic’s towering header missed for pushing James in tenham in their opening game “Each game has its own with the Champions League fi- him amid speculation over his weekend, Helda Costa fired four minutes later set up a the face in first half stoppage- last weekend, Everton have circumstances.