SPORT Page 7 FIFA WORLD CUP 2022 and AFC ASIAN CUP 2023 QUALIFIERS Qatar Aim to Seal Top Spot ‘There Is Pressure on Both Sides
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FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 CCRICKETRICKET | Page 6 Rashford England labour penalty sees to draw with England past New Zealand in Romania Lord’s Test Monday, June 7, 2021 FORMULA 1 Shawwal 26, 1442 AH Perez wins in Baku GULF TIMES as Verstappen, Hamilton KO’d SPORT Page 7 FIFA WORLD CUP 2022 AND AFC ASIAN CUP 2023 QUALIFIERS Qatar aim to seal top spot ‘There is pressure on both sides. It’s our responsibility with win over Oman to win points’ By Sports Reporter Doha atar aim to seal top spot in Group E when they clash with Oman in the Asian Qualifi ers for the QFIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium today. Unbeaten Qatar have 19 points from seven matches and will just have to avoid defeat against Oman to emerge group winners and directly qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup in China. Oman are second in the group with 12 points from fi ve matches and will have to win all their three remaining group matches to dis- place Qatar from the top. Qatar lead Group E with 19 points from seven matches with second placed Oman seven adrift but with two games in hand – against Afghanistan and Bang- ladesh. Qatar head coach Felix Sanchez (right) addresses the media ahead of their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Qualifiers match against Oman yesterday. (Right) Oman coach Branko Ivankovic Felix Sanchez’s side stretched (right) speaks at the press conference yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil their lead at the top of the stand- ings after defeating India 1-0 team’s inability to put away their cally strong. We need to be at “Every single detail can make should they fail to leapfrog Qa- will retain the same intensity of three points from six matches. on Thursday and a draw against chances against India on Thurs- our best to get a good result. a diff erence.” The Spaniard said tar after the completion of their which saw them rally back to India kept Qatar at bay in the Oman will seal top spot and con- day but will remind his players that Hopefully, we can get the points defender Pedro Miguel is still re- remaining matches against Af- hold Afghanistan last week when second half thanks to some solid fi rm their place in the AFC Asian they can’t aff ord to squander op- we need to qualify for the Asian covering from injury and there- ghanistan and Bangladesh. they clash with India today. defending and with Glen Mar- Cup China 2023 Finals. portunities against an Oman side Cup,” Sanchez said at his press fore is not part of the squad. Oman will head into the tie When the two teams met in tins coming off an impressive With their Matchday Two bidding to steal top spot from the conference yesterday. “Pedro is not on our list. Akram against Qatar having regis- 2019, Bangladesh were disap- debut in Indian colours alongside draw against India in September reigning AFC Asian Cup holders. He added that Qatar’s perform- Afi f was given the green light to tered wins over Thailand (1-0) pointed not to walk away with a rested Sunil Chhetri, Stimac 2019 the only blot in their near Sanchez said Qatar players are ance against Oman will make all play in the last match but didn’t and Indonesia (3-1) in friend- the three points as India scored will be optimistic of his team’s fl awless qualifying campaign, motivated to perform at the best the diff erence in the group. feel confi dent. So we decided not lies and Ivankovic has named a late in the game courtesy of Se- chances against Bangladesh. Qatar will go into the tie having level against Oman on Monday as “There is pressure but pressure to take a risk. Hopefully, we’ll see strong 29-member squad for this iminlen Doungel’s strike. already beaten Oman once in the they seek direct qualifi cation to is on both sides. It’s our respon- him soon,” he added. month’s triple-header, includ- India, who had to play with 10 TODAY’S SCHEDULE Asian Qualifi ers, a 2-1 win at the the Asian Cup. sibility to win points. This is the Meanwhile, Branko Ivankovic’s ing striker Munther al-Alawi and men against Qatar on Thursday, 5pm: Bangladesh v India Al Janoub Stadium in 2019. “They (Oman) are our main game that will make the diff er- Oman are in a strong position to 30-year old Ali al-Busaidi. will be targeting their fi rst win 8pm: Oman v Qatar Head coach Felix Sanchez rivals and it’s a key game. ence so we have to stay focused claim one of the qualifying spots Elsewhere, Bangladesh head of the campaign as Igor Stimac’s Venue: Jassim Bin Hamad wasn’t overly concerned with his They’ve quality and are physi- and avoid mistakes,” he said. for the best second-placed teams coach Jamie Day hopes his team side look to improve on their haul Stadium, Doha HORSE RACING St Mark’s Basilica gives O’Brien his fi rst Qatar Prix du Jockey Club win Agencies Chantilly, France he Irish-trained favourite St Mark’s Basilica was the clear winner of this year’s Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, sponsored by Tthe Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) for the fi rst time this year, in Chantilly, France. Ioritz Mendizabal gave his mount a dream ride yet again, having also guid- ed the Aiden O’Brien ward to a win in the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Group 1) at ParisLongchamp three weeks ago. The QREC-sponsored Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, the French Derby, reunites the best European three-year-old colts and is also known as a stallion-making race, with the likes of Lope de Vega, Shamardal, Dalakhani and Montjeu all former winners. Sheikh Ali bin Jas- sim al-Thani, Ambassador of Qatar to France, and France Galop President Edouard de Rotshchild presented the trophies to the winners. Ioritz Mendizabal rides St Mark’s Basilica to victory in the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club By leading French stallion Siyouni, in Chantilly, France, yesterday. St Mark’s Basilica gave his rivals the slip 300m from the post. Sealiway, Sheikh Ali bin Jassim al-Thani (third from left), Ambassador of Qatar to France, and France Galop President Edouard de den, who trusted me with the ride on could! Millebosc picked up so strongly. representing the Haras de la Gousserie Rotshchild (second from left) presented the trophies to the winners of Qatar Prix du Jockey Club. PICTURES: Zuzanna Lupa Mishriff , and the excellent work by my I’ve always believed in him and he has and Guy Pariente, came in second for agent, Pierre-Alain Chereau. Without proved his class there. He is still very trainer Frederic Rossi. Millebosc, rid- “We always thought he would get ter suited by better ground. Will he get Alain Chereau, my agent, told me that them none of this would have been pos- unexposed and that was only his fourth den by Gregory Benoist in the colours of the 2,100m, even if he has got a lot of 2,400m? We can’t fully say until we I would win him a fi rst Jockey Club. I sible.” race. It’s great to have a good horse and Gérard Augustin-Normand for trainer speed. He had come on a lot since the have tried it. As regards the next step, was surprised at this because when you Rossi, the handler of second-placed we can maybe step him up in distance Stephanie Nigge, was a close third. Poule d’Essai des Poulains. You need to the Eclipse followed by the Champion look at his record we think that he has Sealiway, said, “I had the horse as well come the Autumn. Grégory Benoist O’Brien has won the Epsom Derby have a very good horse to win the Jockey Stakes could be on the agenda.” won everything already. It was the same as I could for today. It’s great to fi nish rode an excellent race. I want to thank eight times even as success in the Qatar Club. His ability to accelerate where it Mendizabal was over the moon with with John Gosden last year. I won him second in the Jockey Club with him.” all my team at home from the bottom of Prix du Jockey-Club had eluded him. counts and his temperament have made this Classic win for a second consecu- his fi rst Jockey Club too. Nigge, was running a colt for the my heart. We might see him out next at “Ioritz rode a very good race, just the diff erence. He is able to adapt to any tive year. “It’s incredible. It’s a huge “A year ago, I never thought I would fi rst time in her young training career, Deauville in August. But I think he will like he rode in the Poule d’Essai,” said type of ground, even if I think that, by privilege to be associated with a horse get back on horses capable of win- was ecstatic about third-placed Mil- be better off in the Autumn with softer O’Brien. looking at his action, he will be bet- trained by Aidan O’Brien. Pierre- ning Classics. It’s thanks to John Gos- lebosc. “I was shouting as loud as I ground.” Gulf Times 2 Monday, June 7, 2021 FOOTBALL COMMENT Indian defender Khan recalls joy of 2019 in Kolkata By Sports Reporter I was so motivated,” Khan wrote football fan and my inspiration.