NBA | Page 5 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 2 Curry leads Chelsea close rout of Jazz in on title and as Warriors condemn Boro sweep Jazz to relegation Wednesday, May 10, 2017 CRICKET Sha’baan 14, 1438 AH Stokes fi res IPL vs GULF TIMES England debate with searing T20 form SPORT Page 7 FOOTBALL TOUGH STANCE Lekhwiya thrash Infantino says will talk to Al Fateh, take on Muntari, fi ght racist ‘idiots’ Reuters Persepolis next Manama Qatar giants show intent as they look to emulate Al Sadd who brushed aside IFA president Gianni Infan- tino said he intends to talk all opposition to win the Asian Champions League under Jorge Fossati in 2011 with Pescara midfi elder Sulley FMuntari, the victim of racist abuse in Italian football, and vowed to By Sports Reporter fi ght racist “idiots”. Doha Muntari was booked for complain- ing about racist abuse during a match at Cagliari and subsequently suspend- The player said the referee told him an Lekhwiya emulate the ed, although that sanction was later to stop talking to the crowd and ended 2011 feat of their great local lifted. up showing him the yellow card for rivals Al Sadd by going all the The Ghanaian then walked off the dissent in the 90th minute. Cway to win the AFC Cham- fi eld in protest in the fi nal minutes of The decision to punish Muntari has pions League? the game. been widely criticised and the player It doesn’t seem that a far-fetched Infantino told reporters yesterday himself has said FIFA and UEFA are not scenario after Djamel Belmadi’s that he intended to talk with Muntari taking the issue of racism seriously. showed intent with a 4-1 thrashing and would give him FIFA’s “full soli- But FIFA Secretary General Fatma of Saudi Arabia’s Al Fateh in their last darity”. The FIFA president also said Samoura rejected that charge and said Group B match in Doha yesterday. he would be discussing the issue with the organisation had the structures to The Qatar Stars League champi- Italian Football Federation President deal with the problem. ons had already qualifi ed for the last Carlo Tavecchio about the issue. “I don’t have to call people anytime 16 with a match to spare but yester- “Of course I will speak to Tavecchio, that they have been victim of an abuse. day they hardly displayed any sense I will speak to Muntari as well... We have a committee that is in of complacency as they went on to we will work together,” Infantino, charge of monitoring those actions. top the group with 14 points from six who is in Bahrain for Thursday’s FIFA And the committee will take action,” matches without losing a single one. Congress, said. she told reporters. Lekhwiya will now meet Iran’s Asked what could be done about the “We’ve been very severe in Europe, Persepolis, who fi nished as runners- issue, Infantino said: “Fight. Continue in Latin America — we’ve been regu- up in Group D, in the Round of 16 on to fi ght. It’s good to bring these things larly publicising the action of the com- May 23. out when they happen. We have to mittee on every action that relates to Al Sadd’s amazing run in the 2011 work. We have to work on the people.” racism, homophobic chants and any Asian Champions League under Jorge Infantino said the protocol, estab- kind of discrimination,” she added. Fossati will be always etched in golden lished by UEFA in Europe, with a series Asked for her personal view on the letters in Qatar’s history as they beat of stadium announcements leading Muntari case, the Senegalese offi cial current holders Jeonbuk Hyundai in up to a possible stopping of the game, said that was irrelevant. Seoul to clinch the title. should be applied. “My personal view does not matter. And with Lekhwiya showing no “Unfortunately idiots, there are al- What matters is that the disciplinary signs of relenting despite a hectic sea- Lekhwiya’s Yousef Msakni top and Ali Hassan Afif (bottom) react after scoring against Saudi Arabia’s Al Fateh ways idiots everywhere but we have to committee has to act and the sooner son that sees them on the cusp of a yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil and AFP fi ght them,” he said. the better,” she said. domestic treble, there’s no reason why Muntari said he had complained that “I have my personal feelings on any- they too can accomplish the feat before Kaveh Rezaei netted a 76th winner Results parts of the crowd, including a group body that is treated like he has been their merger with El Jaish next season. for Esteghlal after Al Tawoon’s Mo- of children, had hurled racist insults treated, on the pitch and off the pitch Yesterday, Al Fateh were no match hamed al-Saiari 36th minute strike Group A at him from the start of the game in but I’m not here for my personal mat- for the Qatari outfi t who could have had put them on level terms after Jaber Al Ahli (UAE) 4 (Salmeen Khamis 27, Cagliari on April 30. ters.” scored at least fi ve more goals but for Ansari’s 19th minute goal. Mamur Ikramov 58-og, Asamoah some bad luck and poor fi nishing. Earlier, a Ricardo Goulart dou- Gyan 72, Everton Ribeiro 77) Loko- Lekhwiya took a ninth minute lead ble steered two-time winners motiv (UZB) 0 SPOTLIGHT through Mohamed Musa, who stabbed Guangzhou Evergrande into the Al Tawoon (KSA) 1 (Mohamed in a volley following a fumble by the Al AFC Champions League last 16 as al-Saiari 36) Esteghlal (IRI) 2 (Jaber Fateh goalkeeper Ali al-Mazidi while they drew 2-2 with Suwon Samsung Ansari 19, Kaveh Rezaei 76) trying to stop a powerful Ali Hassan Bluewings.After cancelling out Yeom Group B Indian kabaddi league Afi f shot. Ki-Hun’s opener, Goulart looked Esteghlal Kouzestan (IRI) 1 (Mehdi Yousef Msakni made it 2-0 in the off side as he headed Evergrande 2-1 Zobeydi 86) Al Jazira (UAE) 1 (Hu- 20th minute from a diffi cult angle after ahead on 68 minutes, before Kim maid Ahmed 43) signs $46.7mn deal a crisp pass from the left fl ank by Nam Jong-Woo’s late equaliser caused Lekhwiya (QAT) 4 (Mohamed Musa Tae-hee. some late jitters. 9, Yousef Maskni 20, Ali Hassan Afif South Korean Nam was again at his But the single point was enough to 27, Chico Flores 45+2) Al Fateh (KSA) AFP as Pro Kabaddi league has reached in- creative best when he did most of the take Evergrande, the 2013 and 2015 1 (Chico Flores 87-og) New Delhi credible heights and now proudly stands spadework down the middle and ad- champions, into the knock-out rounds Group G as one of the most successful leagues in vanced into the box but allowed the in second place in Group G behind Ja- Guangzhou Evergrande (CHN) 2 India,” Vivo India CEO Kent Cheng said. better-positioned Afi f to score. pan’s Kawasaki Frontale. (Goulart 17, 68) Suwon Samsung he Indian sport of kabaddi has VIVO, who are also title sponsors of Lekhwiya scored their fourth goal Scolari celebrated wildly on the Bluewings (KOR) 2 (Yeom Ki-Hun 9, received a major boost with the IPL, is not the fi rst Chinese smart- in fi rst half stoppage time with Chico touchline as the Chinese giants erased Kim Jong-Woo 80) Chinese mobile company VIVO phone manufacturer to enter the mas- Flores displaying some great turn of memories of last year’s embarrassing Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) 4 (Rhayner signing a fi ve-year deal worth sive Indian sporting market. feet and shooting home from close. group-stage exit when they were de- T$46.7mn to sponsor the game’s popu- OPPO this year replaced Star India 28, Taniguchi 45, Hasegawa 49, Nara Al Fateh, who fi nished in third spot fending champions. 53) Eastern (HKG) 0 lar league. Pro Kabaddi has held its own to become the major sponsor of India’s with just one win, fi nally registered on Japan’s Kawasaki smashed Hong Group H among the myriad professional sport- hugely popular national cricket side. the scoreboard but they have Flores to Kong debutants Eastern, led by their Adelaide United (AUS) 0 Jiangsu ing leagues to emerge in the wake of the Star India, and its broadcaster Star thank for that after the Lekhwiya star trailblazing female coach Chan Yuen- Suning (CHN) 1 (Ji Xiang 81) lucrative and hugely successful Indian Sports, already backs the Pro Kabaddi miscued an intended clearance from Dubai before a Mamur Ikramov own ting, 4-0 to rise from third place to top Jeju United (KOR) 2 (Chung Woon Premier League Twenty20 cricket tour- as it moves into its fi fth edition with 12 a corner and sent the ball into his own goal in the second half helped them spot. 29, Hwang Il-Su 66) Gamba Osaka nament in 2008. teams duelling it out over more than 130 net. consolidate while Asamoah Gyan and Elsewhere Ji Xiang’s 81st-minute (JPN) 0 Kabaddi attracts impressive viewer matches. “Vivo coming on board as the Meanwhile there were no surprises Everton Ribeiro put the result beyond winner handed Group H table-toppers ratings in a competitive market domi- title sponsor is a signifi cant milestone in Group A as the UAE’s Al Ahli topped doubt.