12 Thursday, December 10, 2020 Sports QFA President Sheikh Hamad attends virtual AFC Congress

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President, Qatar Football Association (QFA), and other QFA officials during the AFC Congress online meeting from Doha on Wednesday. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and the other officials during the meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

QFA/AFC hero Diego Armando Mara- ing the meeting. Asian football family for the way portant in life. He also thanked the Qatar hard to ensure that the AFC’s Doha dona – who died on November that they have faced the most “Tough decisions had to Football Association and the finances are secured to fulfil 25 – and the legends of Asian Northern Mariana Islands challenging situations in ‘a year be made. It is never easy post- Qatari Authorities, particularly our vision for the game in Asia. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa football who have passed in FA membership approved like no other’ in AFC history. poning any events, but we the medical professionals, for “Of course, it has affected bin Ahmed Al Thani, Presi- the last year, Shaikh Salman bin Ebra- He once again identified have come through stronger working closely with the AFC our stakeholders, our spon- dent of the Qatar Football As- FIFA chief Infantino, on him Al Khalifa, the Asian the unity and solidarity of as we were able to draw on the to implement the new COV- sors and media partners but sociation (QFA), on Wednes- behalf of the international Football Confederation (AFC) the AFC which has led to the solidarity and unity that Asian ID-19 health protocols which we thank them for having faith day joined the continental football family, thanked the President, congratulated the most solid of foundations in football is famous for. allowed the AFC Champions in the AFC and their continued football family for the virtual Asian football federations for Northern Mariana Islands the last seven years and it was “In June, the FIFA Council League to be played in Doha. support for the game in Asia. AFC Congress. their work through initiatives Football Association (NMIFA) that strong footing that has awarded the joint bid – a his- The final is on December 19. “Good governance, pru- The QFA President was aimed at promoting the FIFA on becoming the 47th full allowed the Confederation to toric bid – by Australia and New The AFC President added: dent financial management, joined by Hani Ballan, mem- mission and goals to develop Member Association of the rise together in the face of the Zealand the right to stage the “It was important to put Asian as seen in our accounts and ber of the Executive Commit- the game across the continent. AFC at the 30th AFC Congress. COVID-19 pandemic. FIFA Women’s World Cup in football back on the field for budgets, as well as our strong- tee of QFA, and Mansour Al Infantino praised Qatar’s Shaikh Salman, said, “We The AFC President said: 2023. It was a cross Confedera- the MAs, teams, players, fans, er unity will see us through to Ansari, QFA Secretary Gen- preparations for the 2022 FIFA are proud to welcome the “Throughout these unprec- tion bid with a single purpose to officials and commercial and a brighter and better 2021.” eral, for the AFC Congress that World Cup, expressing his Northern Mariana Islands edented and uncertain times stage the greatest FIFA Wom- broadcast partners. We could The Congress approved was addressed by President great admiration for the ‘su- Football Association as the we have maintained our focus en’s World Cup in history.” not have achieved so much the audited accounts for Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim perb plans’ to host the game’s newest ordinary member of and we have maintained our Shaikh Salman also without your support.” 2019, as well as the AFC re- Al Khalifa in Kuala Lumpur. top event, saying he saw the fast the AFC family. Under the belief. Yes, there have been praised the sporting integrity While cautiously optimis- vised budget for 2020. The FIFA President Gianni In- pace of development during his leadership of NMIFA Presi- challenges. The AFC was the of the Japan Football Associa- tic about the future, Shaikh Congress also passed amend- fantino also attended the vir- visit to Doha last week. dent Jerry Tan, I have no first Confederation to post- tion by withdrawing their bid Salman emphasised: “There ments to the AFC Statutes in tual meeting. “The next edition of the doubts that the game will con- pone its matches in the face of and the AFC President added are difficult decisions still to line with the Confederation’s The online Congress ob- FIFA World Cup will be the tinue to scale greater heights.” the pandemic, but we showed he was delighted that now Ja- be made. There is still so much determination to display the served a minute’s silence of re- best in the history of the tour- Addressing the Congress, strong leadership and also a pan would be hosting the FIFA of financial instability due to greatest level of Governance spect for Argentine World Cup nament,” Infantino said dur- Shaikh Salman praised the recognition of what was im- Club World Cup 2021. COVID-19 and we are working and Integrity.

QNB STARS LEAGUE Kodjia brace as Al Gharafa go second, Belaili stars for Qatar SC again

deflected out by Al Khor de- Umm Salal edge fender Robert Melki. Beijing FC’s South Korea international defender Kim Min-jae. Beijing Al Kharaitiyat Belaili missed a penalty to- FC will face Ulsan Hyundai in the AFc Champions League quarter-final wards the close of first half as at Qatar’s Al Janoub Stadium at 1pm on Thursday. his shot was blocked by Djibril. Tribune News Network The penalty was awarded when Doha Al Khor captain Helal Moham- Ulsan Hyundai are med fouled Qatar SC’s Un- Al Gharafa rode on Jonathan der-23 player Yousef Kodjia’s brace to an easy 4-0 Ayman. not unstoppable, win over Al Ahli in the QNB Al Khor, who Stars League to go second on could do little in the first half the points table after Week other than Leonardo De Sou- says Beijing’s Kim 8 at the Al Ahli Stadium on za’s shot that was deflected Wednesday. out, showed more purpose AFC tasked with stopping Ulsan, Meanwhile, Youcef Belaili from the start of second half. Doha the K League outfit are faced was the star again for Qatar In one such attack, Ioannis with the equally imposing task SC scoring a brace as they Fetfatzidid headed out a cross Ulsan Hyundai are the 2020 of finding a way past a defence humble Al Khor 3-0 in their from Mohammed Elsayed. AFC Champions League’s which has impressively been match at the Abdullah Bin Al Gharafa’s Jonathan Kodjia celebrates one of his two goals with teammates against Al Ahli in their QNB Not long after, Qatar SC highest scoring club, but they marshalled by one of Korea Re- Khalifa Stadium. Stars League match at the Al Ahli Stadium on Wednesday. Al Gharafa won 4-0. added a third goal, with Belaili are far from unstoppable, ac- public’s key defensive prospects. Umm Salal needed a pen- chipping in the ball past an ad- cording to Beijing FC’s South Beijing have conceded just alty strike from Kayke Rodri- vancing Djibril after the former Korea international defender twice in their last four matches gues in the 90th minute to put it latched on to a through pass off Kim Min-jae. and, with Kim turning in a across Al Kharaitiyat 1-0 at the a counter-attack. The two clubs will meet in superb performance, kept FC Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium. Al Khor, who attacked an eagerly anticipated quar- Tokyo to just one shot on tar- The big action match of more through the wings, had ter-final on Thursday, with get last time out. Al Gharafa saw a double from to be satisfied with Leonar- both clubs coming into the Ulsan Hyundai right-back Kodjia (14th and 25th minutes), do’s shot that went straight clash without tasting defeat in Kim Tae-hwan has seen Kim and a goal from Othman Al to goalkeeper Jassim Al Hail any of their seven matches in close in national team camps, Yahri (35th) to power them to and Mohammed Elsayed’s this year’s competition. and while he respect’s his com- their sixth win of the season. header over the bar. They are two teams at the patriot’s ability, he backed the Al Ahli’s Shane Lowry peak of their powers, but Ulsan Korean team to prevail against scored an own goal in the Umm Salal score have been particularly lethal one of the nation’s highest- 52nd minute to add to The second win during the centralised matches rated individuals on Thursday. Cheetahs’ tally. For Umm Salal, Kayke Rod- in Doha, winning all six of their “I played with him in the Al Gharafa leapfrogged Al rigues scored the only goal of fixtures in the Qatari capital national team and I’ve also Ahli to the second position with the match off a penalty kick in and scoring multiple goals on had a lot of experience of play- 18 points as the latter remained the 90th minute. each and every occasion. ing against him before,” said on 16 points after suffering their It was Umm Salal’s second Yoon Bit-garam, Bjørn Kim Tae-hwan, who spent a second defeat. win, which gave them a tally Johnsen, Júnior Negrão and week in precautionary quaran- Al Sadd, who had beaten Al Qatar SC’s new recruit Youcef Belaili (centre) in action against Al Khor in their Week 8 match of the QNB of seven points. Al Kharaitiyat Kim In-sung - have contrib- tine earlier in the tournament Wakrah 4-1 on Tuesday, con- Stars League at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium on Wednesday. stood on six points following uted 12 goals between them but after participating in a nation- tinued to top the table with 22 their sixth defeat. Kim, Beijing’s top defender and al team camp in Austria. points. snap-header off a corner kick rule out offside, referee Ab- tories in the tournament. The Earlier, after a slow start, a two-time K League champion “I agree, he’s a really good The Al Ahli vs Al Gharafa that narrowly slipped past the dulhadi Al Ruaile allowed the Kings had beaten Al Wakrah Umm Salal found the net, but with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, player, but he’s also in a re- match got off to a fast start Al Gharafa crossbar. goal to stay. 1-0 in Week 6 and Al Arabi were denied by an offside call feels no fear ahead of the clash ally great team with lots of and in just the second minute, Al Gharafa doubled their Al Gharafa then benefited 3-0 in Week 7. They now have in the sixth minute. Adel Ala- with his countrymen. good players. The game is not Al Ahli captain Omid Ebrahi- lead when Sofiane Hanni found from another Al Ahi mistake four wins and 12 points. wi, after receiving a pass from “I know Ulsan Hyundai about one against one, it’s mi curled in a free-kick from Kodjia, stationed unmarked when Lowry, in an effort to Al Khor, with their fourth the midfield by Kayke, charged very well,” said the 24-year- about team against team and distance, but it was slapped near the centre line, with a block a cross from Al Yahri, de- defeat, now occupy the bottom into the Al Kharaitiyat box and old, whose nickname ‘Mon- if we can dominate the game away by Al Gharafa keeper short pass. The Ivorian took off, flected the ball into his own net. position with four points. smartly slipped the ball past ster’ owes much to his as a team, I’m sure that we will Salah Zakaria. outpacing Lowry and charged Six minutes from the final Qatar SC showed their keeper Shehab Mamdouh. The 190-centimetre frame. have a great result.” Al Gharafa opened the into the box. The Al Ahli keeper whistle, Al Gharafa’s Adlene attacking prowess from the ball crashed into the net, but “I’ve played against them a One of Asian football’s hot- scoring after a keeper’s gaffe stepped away from his position, Guedioura fired a bullet a cou- start, with Belaili and An- he was ruled offside. number of times, so I’ve been test prospects, Beijing’s Kim has and alertness on Kodjia’s but Kodjia calmly slotted the ple of yards away from the box, thony Okpotu leading their able to share my experience been linked with several clubs part. Al Ahli keeper Ivanildo ball into the net. but his shot narrowly missed charge, and the latter tested Results with my teammates and we in Europe, with Italian outfit Rodrigues jumped high to Al Gharafa made it 3-0 the Al Ahli crossbar. rival goalkeeper Baba Djibril have had discussions together Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur, catch a loopy long cross from when skipper Moeid Has- as early as the fifth minute. Al Gharafa 4 (Jonathan Kodjia about how to defend against home of national team col- an Al Gharafa player on the san sneaked into Al Ahli box QSC blank Al Khor Hamed volleyed in an 14’, 25’; Othman Al Yahri 35’, them. We’ll also listen well league Son Heung-min, report- flank. Rodrigues fumbled untested, but his shot from Qatar SC blanked Al Okpotu cross from the right Shane Lowry 52’ (OG)) bt Al to the coach’s instructions on edly among his many suitors. and dropped the ball next to close range was blocked by Khor 3-0 as their new recruit that beat a diving Djibril, Ahli 0 how to do so. The 2018 Asian Games Kodjia. The tall striker quick- the keeper. The ball cannoned Youcef Belaili struck in the who was then beaten hands Qatar Sports Club 3 (Hamid “Obviously, I am Korean, gold medallist said that while ly smashed the ball into the off Rodrigues’ chest and went 39th and 72nd minutes to add down by Belaili’s rising shot Ismail Khalifa 20’, Youcef Belaili so I’ve played against them, he does aspire to such a move top of the net. to an unmarked Al Yahri, who to a 20th-minute goal from from distance as Qatar SC 39’, 72’) bt Al Khor 0 and I don’t think they’re an one day, his current focus is Two minutes later, Al Ahli tapped the ball into the empty Hamed Ismail. The win saw cruised to a 2-0 lead. Umm Salal 1 (Kayke Rodrigues unstoppable team.” geared towards leading Bei- skipper Ebrahimi produced a net. After a VAR referral to QSC make a hat-trick of vic- Okpotu had a shot 90’ (P)) bt Al Kharaitiyat 0. While Kim and Beijing are jing to a maiden Asian title.