Sport MONDAY 14 DECEMBER 2020 F1:F Verstappen wins season-ending rrace as Hamilton secures third spot Basically,B we did everything right. Once you start up front you can control the pace a bit more and it makes your life a bit easier. I had to go through a bit of traffic and some back-markers, but overall it was just a very strong race for the team. Max Verstappen Sport | 10 QATAR SENIOR MEN'S BASKETBALL LEAGUE: Al Gharafa Sports Club beat Al Rayyan 105-63; Al Arabi SC beat Al Wakrah 89-82 Sheikh Joaan leads Qatar delegation at OCA General Assembly in Muscat Chairman of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Chairman of the Oman Olympic I would like to thank our Omani brothers for the generous Committee (OOC), are seen upon the Qatari hospitality as we visit the brotherly country to participate delegation's arrival in Muscat, Oman, to in the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia. The attend the General Assembly of the Olympic OCA will choose the host city for the 2030 Asian Games. Council of Asia (OCA). The host city of the We will hold discussions with the heads of the Asian 2030 Asian Games will be announced on NOCs to vote in favour of Doha's bid file on Wednesday. December 16, 2020, during the General Assembly. Liverpool’s Ulsan’s extra-time penalty sets up Jota out for up to two months, Matip injured Doha blockbuster with Persepolis at Fulham REUTERS – DOHA Ulsan Hyundai FC players celebrate after defeating Vissel Kobe in the AFC Champions League semi-final played at Jassim Bin Hamad REUTERS – LONDON Junior Negrao’s penalty deep in extra time Stadium in Doha yesterday. earned Ulsan Hyundai a date with Iran’s Liverpool forward Diogo Jota Persepolis in next week’s final of the Asian will miss the Christmas Champions League after a 2-1 come- fixtures after manager Juergen from-behind victory over Japan’s Vissel Klopp confirmed his knee Kobe in Doha yesterday. injury picked up against FC The Brazilian drove his effort from Midtjylland in midweek was the spot into the bottom corner a minute worse than first thought. from the end of extra time to take Ulsan Jota was injured close to into the final for the first time since their the end of Liverpool’s 1-1 draw only previous Asian title win in 2012. in the Champions League. There they will face a Persepolis side “Yeah, it’s worse than we that qualified for the decider back in first thought and better than October as the leading side from west we then thought,” Klopp said Asia, following a centralised tournament before kickoff in their Premier in Qatar in a biosecure environment due League clash at Fulham to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. yesterday. Ulsan have come through a similar “But he will be out for a event featuring the leading teams from while. We don’t know exactly east Asia and did so as Yoon Bit-garam’s but one-and-a-half, two deflected effort in the 81st minute can- months. It’s pretty similar with celled out Hotaru Yamaguchi’s opener Kostas Tsimikas, by the way. for the Japanese side prior to Junior Unbelievable.” Klopp was Negrao’s late winner. dealt a further injury blow With Andres Iniesta not included in during the 1-1 draw at Fulham Kobe’s matchday squad after aggravating The second, in particular, should have first-time effort beyond Jo Su-huk fol- stayed onside and, with the goal with central defender Joel a thigh injury against Suwon Bluewings given Ulsan the lead after Kim Kee-hee’s lowing Takuya Yasui’s corner. counting, the game went into extra Matip withdrawn at halftime in the previous round, the J-League side punt forward was missed by Junior Ulsan pulled level when the Video time. after suffering a back problem. struggled in the opening 45 minutes. Negrao but fell kindly for Kim In-sung, Assistant Referee intervened to Saves from Daiya Maekawa kept Liverpool are already Ulsan, though, were unable to take only for the unmarked 31-year-old to overturn a decision that had seen their Kobe in the game, but his clumsy chal- without key defender Virgil advantage, with Kim In-sung squandering steer his shot wide of the post. equaliser, which came as Bjorn Johnsen lenge on Junior Negrao in the dying van Dijk after he suffered a a pair of opportunities to put Kim Do- Ulsan were to regret those errors deflected Yoon’s effort over the line, seconds gave Ulsan a penalty, and the serious knee injury in October hoon’s side in front in the space of six seven minutes into the second half as ruled out for an offside in the build- Brazilian scored from the spot to send his and Joe Gomez also because minutes. Yamaguchi struck for Kobe, hitting his up. Replays showed Kim In-sung had team into the final. of a knee injury. Al Sadd warm up for Amir Cup final with big QSL win THE PENINSULA – DOHA great confidence (ahead of the Amir Al Sadd's Santi Cazorla shoots bouncing. In the 74th minute, Hanni, Cup final),”Xavi said after the match. to score against Al Gharafa. found Koo with a neat cross and Al Sadd went seven points clear at the The Amir Cup final will take place slipped in the ball from touching dis- top of QNB Stars league standings with on December 18 - Qatar National Day, tance of the goalline. Koo charged into a dominant 4-1 win over Al Gharafa at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 the Al Sadd box and fired home with at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium venue at Al Rayyan which will be a powerful shot. yesterday. declared open just before the match. Ten minutes later, Afif produced Boualem Khokhi (5), Santi Cazorla In just the second minute of the a deft left-footed flick from an acute (63), Akram Afif (84) and Baghdad fast-paced clash yesterday, Al Sadd angle into the top of the net for his Bongah (90) were on target for the captain Hassan Al Haydous, darting fifth goal of the season. Xavi-Hernandez-coached Wolves as down the right flank, delivered a near- Bounedjah added Al Sadd’s fourth the former champions warmed up for perfect cross for Baghdad Bounedjah, goal in the last minute from close the upcoming Amir Cup blockbuster but Al Gharafa defender Tamim Al YESTERDAY'S RESULTS range. in style. Muhaza kept his nose ahead of the Al Sadd 4-1 Al Gharafa In other matches yesterday, Al Duhail 2-0 Al Arabi Koo Ja-Cheol scored the only goal feared Algerian striker to head the ball holders Al Duhail defeated Al Arabi Al Sailiya 1-3 Qatar SC for Al Gharafa in 77th minute. for a corner. TODAY'S FIXTURES 2-0 thanks to a brilliant double by The result lifted Al Sadd’s points In the fourth minute, Al Gharafa’s Al Khor VS Al Wakrah Edmilson Junior while Al Sailiya lost tally to 25 while second-placed Al Homam Elamin brought down Al At Al Ahli Stadium (5:30pm) to Qatar SC 1-3. Gharafa’s balance remained at 18. Haydous close to his own box with a Al Ahli VS Al Kharaitiyat Third placed Al Ahli has the oppor- Spaniard Xavi was elated after the reckless tackle that saw the Qatar At Al Ahli Stadium (7:45pm) tunity to advance to second spot in big win and expressed his happiness national team skipper writhing in Al Rayyan VS Umm Salal the rankings if they can overcome Al on his team’s performances. pain. At Al Duhail Stadium (7:45pm) Kharaitiyat when the two teams meet “The victory was against one of Khoukhi did not disappoint with at Al Ahli Stadium today. the best teams in the League," Xavi the resultant free-kick, sending the Today’s first match will be played said. ball into the net with a slick shot that between Al khor and Al Wakrah "Al Gharafa is an organised, sailed into the top right of net with Al Al Sadd doubled their lead when free-kick. Cazorla curled in a free-kick while Al Rayyan and Umm Salal will effective and strong team that is very Gharafa keeper Salah Hassan unable Muftah brought down Guilherme that sailed above the Al Gharafa wall be in contest in the final match of fit, and winning it by four gives us to stop the ball. Torres resulting in a long-range and dipped on the goalkeeper before Round 9. MONDAY 14 DECEMBER 2020 SPORT 11 Vodafone, Padel In to hold five major tournaments THE PENINSULA – DOHA February, March and during the holy A mix between tennis and squash, month of Ramadan. padel is the fastest growing racket Vodafone Qatar and Padel In, the first As part of the partnership, Voda- sport in the world due to the fun, easy and only indoor padel club in Qatar, fone’s GigaNet network will power the and social nature of the sport. have partnered to hold 5 major padel Padel In venue giving the organisers This latest partnership with Padel tournaments before May 2021, kicking the seamless connectivity needed to In is a continuation of Vodafone off with the Qatar National Day (QND) hold large sporting events and to live- Qatar’s support of the country’s sports 2020 Tournament. stream the matches for audiences to sector.