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BASEBALL | Page 5 FORMULA ONE | Page 7 Rough night Verstappen for Wainwright fastest in To Advertise here as Cards lose Belgian Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 to NY Mets practice Saturday, August 27, 2016 FOOTBALL Dhul Qa’da 24, 1437 AH No place for GULF TIMES Bastian at United, says Mourinho SPORT Page 3 Barshim wins high jump competition at Athletissima meet in Lausanne Star Qatari high-jumper and Rio Olympics silver medalist Mutaz Essa Barshim won the high-jump competi- tion at the Lausanne ‘Athletissima’ Diamond League meeting on Thurs- day night. Barshim cleared 2.35m on his third attempt which proved to be the winning jump in the end. The Qatar athlete beat Robbie Grabarz into second as the Briton cleared eve- rything up to 2.32m on his fi rst try but found 2.35m beyond his reach. Barshim won the silver medal at the just-concluded Rio Olympic Games, Qatar’s fi rst ever at the Olympics. Aft er competing neck-and-neck with Canadian Derek Drouin till the fi nal stages of the Olympic high-jump com- petition, the 25-year-old lost the gold to the Canadian aft er failing to clear 2.38m three times. His 2.36m leap was enough to get him the silver medal though. Barshim previously took bronze at the London Olympics in 2012 by jump- ing 2.29m, and gold at the 2014 World Indoor Championships in Poland. CONFIDENT Ready to embrace pressure, says Qatar captain al-Haidos ‘I’m very optimistic. We’re more determined than ever to realise the dream we’ve been pursuing for a very long time’ ith just days to go before edition – improving on their failed bid each of our opponents.” Qatar begin the last round to reach Brazil 2014. Despite their past travails in World of Asian qualifying for the “We’re aware of the pressure upon Cup qualifying, Qatar appear in good 2018 FIFA World Cup Rus- us,” al-Haidos continued. “Our loyal shape to challenge this time, having Wsia, captain Hasan al-Haidos is brim- supporters want to see us at the World topped Group C in the previous round ming with confi dence. Cup, which is entirely fair. The pressure thanks to seven wins from eight games. “This time, I’m very optimistic,” he will only build, but we’re determined to That enabled them to progress before told FIFA.com, sharing his hopes in an transform it into positive energy. One of any other team, and their impressive exclusive interview. “We’re more de- our major assets against our opponents tally of 29 goals was also the best on termined than ever to realise the dream will be our combativeness. the continent. Playing out wide or as a we’ve been pursuing for a very long time.” “Like I’ve said before, optimism withdrawn forward, al-Haidos notched The task awaiting al-Haidos and doesn’t spring from hope alone. Eve- fi ve of those strikes in seven appear- Co is a Group A featuring South Ko- rything we’re experiencing at the mo- ances, and he goes into the next phase rea, Syria, Iran, China and Uzbekistan. ment is feeding our ambition. as Qatar’s leading scorer. They kick off away to Iran at the Azadi “Our preparations have been pro- “Our start against Maldives was hard Stadium in Tehran on September 1, and ductive and varied, and we’ve improved work, but after that the wins kept com- will be eager to improve on past results our physical condition in the early part ing,” he said. “We improved in every if they are to hit the ground running. of this season. Our friendly games have match, as our victories against China That game will be the ninth between shown that the players have progressed and Hong Kong just go to show. We only the two nations, Qatar having recorded in terms of technique as well. We’ve put lost on the last day, when we’d already just one win to go with three draws and in a lot of work and we want to see it pay qualifi ed. As for my goals, if I scored four defeats—all three stalemates and one off on the pitch.” a few it was thanks to the work of the loss coming on the road to Brazil 2014. Qatar will be pitting themselves whole team. For me, it’s more important Al-Haidos played in two of those against a trio of former World Cup par- to win and get points than score goals. I games and he is adamant that his team ticipants in Group A, with South Korea, hope I can continue fi nding the net and need to make a strong start. Iran and China having all graced previ- helping my team-mates do the same.” “It’s always important to begin well,” ous fi nals. For al-Haidos, their pres- At 25, al-Haidos could be forgiven for he said. “I don’t think we could have ence makes his team’s mission even fi nding the captain’s armband a heavy had a more diffi cult opening game. It’s more complicated, but he does not view responsibility, but after several years always very tough against Iran, and those sides as clear favourites. of testing himself on the international even more so away from home in front “Experience counts, but football has stage, he feels comfortable in the role. of their fans. But I think we’re ready to changed a lot,” he explains. “It’s diffi cult “It’s an honour for any player. I hope I’m face the challenge this time. We’ve pre- to pick out a favourite to go through. I able to live up to the greats who’ve gone pared well with (head coach) Jose Car- think all the teams will start on an equal before me in recent years, like Mohamed reno. The players have a perfect under- footing. They’ll all be kicking off with a Salem al-Enazi and Mubarak Mustafa.” standing and everyone is determined to lot of ambition and the intention of tak- Leading from the front, the key now meet expectations over there.” ing points, and that’s normal. is to maintain the momentum that has Those expectations have certainly “What will make things diffi cult is spread such belief through the Qatari risen since Qatar was chosen to host the diversity of the teams in this group. ranks. “We’re all going to pull together the 2022 World Cup, which the nation- Some of them are all about pace and to clinch qualifi cation. I know the fans al team will compete in as automatic excellent technique, while others are will be there for us in the stadiums. qualifi ers. While work on stadiums and more noted for their physical power and Everything will depend on what hap- infrastructure continues around the tactical expertise. We’ll be relying on pens on the pitch and I hope this long country, Carreno’s charges have per- our hard work and our coach Carreno road will lead us to a place at Russia formed well in the lead-up to the 2018 to put the right game plans in place for 2018.” (www.FIFA.com) Gulf Times 2 Saturday, August 27, 2016 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT LIGUE 1/ PREVIEW Monaco, PSG ready for domestic duel Blatter fi ghts FIFA AFP Khelaifi told Infosport+, al- Paris though Benjamin Stambouli is on his way out after closing in on a move to Schalke. ith their Champi- Alexandre Lacazette’s su- ons League quali- perb start to the season has fi cation assured, earned him a recall to the Monaco switch France squad following his ban in marathon Wtheir focus to hosting French Euro 2016 omission, and the title-holders and fellow Euro- 25-year-old will attempt to pean hopefuls Paris Saint-Ger- add to his fi ve goals at Dijon. main in Ligue 1 this weekend. While Lyon president Jean- Monaco secured an impres- Michel Aulas has insisted that sive 3-1 aggregate victory over Lacazette will stay, his pres- Villarreal of Spain in midweek, ence central to OL’s hopes of no insignifi cant result as the navigating a Champions League fi nal appeal at CAS principality club attempts to group including Juventus, Se- keep hold of its top players. villa and Dinamo Zagreb, Lille Leonardo Jardim’s side were winger Sofi ane Boufal is likely ‘I cannot give any prognosis how it will be decided. I will accept the verdict. I do hope it placed with CSKA Moscow, Bay- to join the Ligue 1 exodus. er Leverkusen and Tottenham The Morocco international will be positive for me, but we are footballers. We learn to win but also we learn to lose’ Hotspur in Group E of Europe’s is the subject of bids from premier club competition, while Southampton, coached by PSG, quarter-fi nalists each of former Nice boss Claude Puel, the past four seasons, will face and Watford, although the Arsenal, Basel and Ludogorets 22-year-old hasn’t featured Razgrad in Group A. since hurting his knee in April. Having fallen short in the Today’s visit to Nice, win- play-off round a year ago, ners of their two opening clinching their return to the matches, will come too soon group phase should bolster for the coveted Lille man who Monaco’s ability to retain re- has been stepping up his recov- ported Manchester United tar- ery in Doha.