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Qatar beach volleyball players Cherif Samba (right) and Ahmed Janko celebrate with their gold medals Qatar Olympic Committee President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani (centre), star high-jumper Mutaz Barshim and other off icials with the Qatar during the podium ceremony in Palembang, Indonesia, yesterday. volleyball team ahead of their victory over Japan at the Asian Games yesterday. (Twitter/Qatar_Olympic)

ASIAN GAMES Beach boys Samba and Janko claim gold for Qatar Duo stay unbeaten throughout their Asian Games campaign to win Qatar’s fourth gold; Abubaker wins 800m bronze Qatar equestrian team clinch showjumping bronze

By Our Correspondent Jakarta

atar equestrian team clinched the bronze Qmedal in the showjump- ing event at the Asian Games yesterday. The Qatari team of Sheikh Ali bin Khalid al-Thani, Hamad al-Attiyah, Bassem Mo- hamed and Salman al-Suwaidi finished third, having won gold in the same event at the 2014 Asiad in Incheon, South Korea. Saudi Arabia took gold, ahead Qatar’s Abubaker Abdalla celebrates his bronze medal during the podium ceremony for the men’s 800m. of Japan. Japan represented by Taizo By Our Correspondent In the first set, Rachmawan Sugitani with his horse De Jakarta and Ashfiya briefly led as they Muze Heroine, Shota Ogumori successfully penetrated Qatar’s (Iron Man Sig), Toshiki Masui solid defence through tipping, (Carthagena 6) and Daisuke atar took their gold an off-speed attack aiming to Fukushima (Cornet 36) tallied tally to four after the trick the opponent. In the sec- 12.74 score to walk away with pair of Cherif Samba ond, however, Qatar were able the silver. and Ahmed Janko pre- to read Indonesia’s strategy and Qatar’s Sheikh Ali riding his vailedQ over Indonesia’s Adi Can- were able to anticipate such at- nine-year-old stallion Sirocco, dra Rachmawan and Mohamed tacks. al-Attiyah (Clinton), Basem Ashfi ya in straight sets in the Qatar’s defence was solid. Indo- (Argelith Squid) and al-Suwaidi Qatari team comprising Sheikh Ali bin Khalid al-Thani, Hamad al-Attiyah, Bassem Mohamed and Salman beach volleyball fi nal at the Asian nesia occasionally made success- (Cantaro 32) had a combined al-Suwaidi finished third in the showjumping event yesterday. Games yesterday. ful blocks to add to their score here score of 20.50. The victory took Qatar to 15th and there, but it wasn’t enough. Saudi’s team comprised Ramzy Meanwhile, in the individual al-Duhami. Bassem dropped tomorrow, which will be held spot on the medal standings, and Samba and Janko were able to Hamad al-Duhami with his horse showjumping competition, a place to be ninth, while al- over two rounds. A staggering with two more bronze added yes- handle Indonesia’s attacks and the Ted, Khaled Abdulrahman Al- Sheikh Ali jumped a place and Attiyah slid to 20th from tied 68 competitors from 19 nations terday – won by the equestrian host pair’s defence grew weaker mobty (Desert Storm II), Khaled was in second position after 16th. Al-Suwaidi dropped from are participating in the Jumping team and Abubaker Abdullah in by the second set, clearing Qatar’s Abdulaziz Aleid (Kayenne of De round two of the qualifiers. The 25th spot to 40th. class. The number of nations the 800m – they now have a total path to glory. Rocky Mounten) and Abdullah ace Qatari rider was a mea- After today’s rest day, the rid- has more than doubled from the of 10, a decent if not spectacular Indonesia also won the bronze Waleed Sharbatly (Carrera). gre 0.2 points behind Saudi’s ers will take part in the final last Asian Games in Incheon. haul with four days to go for the and proved more resilient when with their second team of Gi- closing ceremony. under pressure to secure the title. land Ramadhan and Danangsyah Samba and Janko thus re- “It’s been a dream come true Pribadi beating China’s Peng Gao mained unbeaten in the tourna- that we have won the Asian and Yang Li 21-15, 19-21, 15-6. ment in Palembang, Indonesia’s Games gold. We were confi - Meanwhile Abubaker Abdallah Qatar volleyball team keep momentum to reach semis second-largest city, which is co- dent from the start and our win clocked 1min46.38secs to grab hosting the Games along with proved our confi dence was not the 800m bronze behind India’s By Our Correspondent Qatar, who defeated Japan 3-1 set 25-18, but Japan came back by Argentine coach Camilo the capital Jakarta. misplaced,” Samba said. Manjit Singh (1:46.15) and Jinson Jakarta in the semi-finals of the 6th AVC strong in the second to clinch it Soto’s boys prevailed over They won 26-24, 21-17 despite “The Indonesians were tough, Johnson (1:46.38). Incidentally, Cup in Chinese Taipei on August 28-26. Qatar players regrouped Japanese brick-wall defence in the vociferous support the Indo- it’s only that we played the bigger yesterday was Abdalla’s 22nd 14, overcame the Japanese 3-2 themselves in the third to take the hard-fought set. nesian pair enjoyed from their points better. We were better in birthday. atar men’s volleyball (25-18, 26-28, 25-21, 22-25, 24-22) it 25-21, however, Japanese Qatar will take on Iran in the home fans. soaking up the pressure and that In boxing, Qatar’s Thulasima- team registered its sec- in the two hour 24 minutes once again levelled the match semi-final tomorrow. Rachmawan and Ashfi ya were helped us a lot,” Janko added. raan Tharumalingam was beaten Qond successive victory long quarter-final in Jakarta with a 25-22 win in the fourth, Qatar won its first AVC Cup aggressive from the start, and The duo are rated as one of the by Jordan’s Zeyad Eashash 5-0 on over Japan yesterday to march yesterday. extending the encounter to the defeating title-holders Iran 3-2 had Samba and Janko on the de- top 10 teams in the world, with points in the 69kg category. The into the semi-finals of the Asian Qatar team made an impres- decisive final set. Destructive (23-25, 21-25, 25-22, 25-18, 15-10) fensive on several occasions. But decent performances around the Jordanian thus advanced to the Games for the first time. sive start, pocketing the first serves and thundering attacks in the comeback victory. the Qatar pair held their nerve world in the past few years semis. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, August 29, 2018 ASIAN GAMES

ATHLETICS SPOTLIGHT Happy 14th birthday! ‘Idol’ Liu inspires China’s teen divers take the cake

AFP Exiting the pool and even wip- Jakarta ing their faces in perfect syn- chronisation, there was no smile — just a conspiratorial whisper China’s ninth wo 14-year-old divers from Zhang Jiaqi, nicknamed from China became the “Little Fu Mingzia” after the youngest gold medallists Chinese diving great, into the ear at the 2018 Asian Games of her teammate. Twhen they romped to victory in The Chinese also reigned su- the women’s synchronised 10 preme in the men’s synchronised metre platform yesterday. three metre springboard, grab- straight hurdles win Zhang Jiaqi and Zhang Minjie bing gold ahead of South Korea in — fresh from a win at the Wuhan second and Japan in third. World Cup event in June — tum- Cao Yuan, 23, and Xie Siyi, 22, Xie Wenjun crosses line in 13.34sec to tighten China’s grip on 110m hurdles bled into a commanding lead were greeted by a roar from the from their exquisite opening dive spellbound crowd as they came AFP and never looked threatened, se- up for air from their fi nal dive — a Palembang, Indonesia curing the top spot with 361.38. forward four-and-a-half som- Victory was the icing on the ersaults — to confi rm their top- cake for Zhang Minjie, who was spot fi nish. ie Wenjun successfully celebrating her 14th birthday It was the fourth Asian Games defended his 110m yesterday. medal for Cao, a keen piano play- hurdles gold at the Behind the terrifi c teens came er and Olympic champion in the Asian Games yester- North Korean duo Kim Kuk individual three metre spring- Xday to stretch China’s winning Hyang and Kim Mi Rae — who board, as well as the synchro- streak in the race to 32 years — placed fourth in the 2016 Olym- nised 10 metre platform. with a little help from hurdling pic Games in Rio — on 337.86. Xie is the 2017 world champi- great Liu Xiang. Malaysian pair Leong Mun Yee on in the individual three metre Xie, 28, crossed the line in and Nur Dhabitah Sabri bagged springboard. 13.34sec to hand China its ninth the bronze with 310.80. The victories continued Chi- consecutive win in the event Zhang Jiaqi, ranked fi ve in the na’s perfect streak in both the stretching back to the 1986 world, and world number nine women’s synchronised 10 metre Games in Seoul. Zhang Minjie showed no hint of platform and the men’s three After a slow start he overtook nerves as they rolled out a spec- metre synchronised spring- silver medallist Chen Kuei-ru of tacular back two-and-a-half board. Taiwan at the fi nal hurdle, when somersaults and one-and-a-half They have won fi ve golds on his rival appeared to stumble. twists in the fi fth and fi nal round the fi ve occasions each event has “I feel awesome now. The to clinch the gold. been held. pressure is released,” said Xie. “This medal is a very important medal not just for me but also Chinese hurdling, because it has been kept for a long time.” Xie said he had been given “special instructions” before the race by former Olympic champi- on and world-record holder Liu, who is revered as one of China’s greatest ever sportsmen. “He’s my idol, and it is also an aim to catch up with him. But I’m still on the way,” said Xie. “We trained together for sev- en or eight years, and we have similar personalities. Before the match, before I went to Europe, he gave me special instructions. I really thank him.” Xie has been dubbed the “heir to Liu” in China, taking on the mantle of the Olympic gold medallist since his retirement Xie Wenjun of China celebrates his victory in the men’s 110m hurdles final at the GBK Main Stadium in Jakarta yesterday. (Reuters) due to injury in 2015. Liu won the nation’s fi rst ever He’s my elder brother... he’s like Beijing 2008 and London 2012. tain the knee. It’s like a one-time took gold. track-and-fi eld Olympic gold at a family member, team member Xie admitted he had come use thing — it may get broken The only other country to Athens 2004 with a then joint and friend,” said Xie. into the Asian Games with a after using it for a short time.” achieve such a long streak in world record time of 12.91sec. After his Athens gold, Liu’s knee injury of his own. The last time China did not men’s athletics is Japan, who He was also a three-time cham- career was later blighted by “I’m only at 70 percent. I’m win the 110m hurdles was at the won the men’s pole vault at nine Gold medallists Zhang Minjie and Zhang Jiaqi of China pose on the pion at the Asian Games. hamstring injuries, ending his also a bit surprised by the re- 1982 Games in New Delhi, when consecutive Asian Games be- podium for the women’s Synchronised 10m Platform diving event at “Liu Xiang is always there. bids for further Olympic gold at sult,” he said. “I only can main- Yoshifumi Fujimori of Japan tween 1951 to 1982. the GBK Aquatics Center in Jakarta yesterday. (Reuters)

FOCUS Medals tally (top 10)

G S B T The billionaire bronze medallist who holds all the cards 1. China 97 64 45 206 2. Japan 43 38 61 142 AFP guests and conduct interviews, “Bridge is like business. First in the Games — Erick Thohir, the 3. South Korea 32 40 46 118 Jakarta with its own meeting room, a you get the data, the informa- media tycoon who is president fl at-screen TV and a bed where tion. You analyse the informa- of Inter Milan, is head of the or- 4. Indonesia 24 19 29 72 he can take a nap. tion, and then you make a deci- ganising committee. 5. Iran 17 16 16 49 s one of Indonesia’s “We are equal. So no privilege sion. So business, real life and He’s also not the oldest at the 6. Chinese Taipei 13 14 20 47 two richest men, at all,” he said. bridge are the same. Decision- Games: in a bridge competition Michael Bambang Special treatment or not, making is the same,” he said. studded with senior citizens, 7. North Korea 12 8 7 27 Hartono wants for lit- Hartono, who is also Indonesia’s “If you want to be a good Kong Te Yang of the Philippines 8. India 9 19 22 50 tleA — and especially now that he oldest competitor at the Games, leader, and you want to be a suc- takes that honour at the age of has an Asian Games medal in his is now the proud owner of an cessful man, business man, play 85. 9. Uzbekistan 9 15 14 38 favourite pastime, bridge. Asian Games bronze medal in bridge. Never quit, never give Walking slowly with a tetra- 10. Thailand 9 11 33 53 The tobacco and banking the supermixed team event. up,” he added. pod support to the competition 11. Kazakhstan 8 9 30 47 multi-billionaire was instru- Along with his brother Rob- Hartono has been playing table, ‘KT’ says he’s still fasci- mental in persuading organis- ert, Hartono has been named bridge since he was six and he nated by bridge, which he’s been 12. Bahrain 8 3 5 16 ers to include the card game, Indonesia’s richest man by loves the challenge the game has playing since his twenties. 13. Hong Kong 4 12 16 32 slightly incongruously, in the Forbes magazine which also to off er, but he says it’s not his “You must be coordinated, regional Olympics for the first ranked him the 75th wealthiest top priority. you must be careful, there are 14. Malaysia 4 8 8 20 time. in the world. “Number one priority is of things you don’t expect. You 15. Qatar 4 3 3 10 At the Jakarta bridge venue, course family. Number two is must know what’s possible, yet the 78-year-old tycoon is com- ‘BRIDGE IS LIKE BUSINESS’ business. And if I have time sometimes impossible become 16. UAE 3 6 3 12 fortably equipped, as befi ts his Hartono has amassed an esti- I play bridge as a hobby. And possible,” he said. 17. Singapore 3 4 10 17 status as one of the vast South- mated net worth of about $11.8 also another hobby is music,” “When you grow old, you still 18. Mongolia 3 2 5 10 east Asian country’s most pow- bn from tobacco, banking and said Hartono, who also enjoys know what needs to be done, but erful men. communications — using, he tai chi. the refl ex sometimes doesn’t al- 19. Philippines 3 0 12 15 Hartono has his own guarded says, similar skills to those he Hartono isn’t the only Indo- low you to do. You cannot react 20. Vietnam 2 11 13 26 VIP area where he can receive employs for bridge. nesian business fi gure involved as fast,” he confi ded.

BOTTOMLINE Cars, houses, heroes: North Koreans win hearts at Asiad AFP Incheon four years ago. world that the people of Korea are been turned down — most have him how to “crack a rock with an hand-in-hand with the thaw- spilling the beans on previously Jakarta There, every medallist trotted the greatest as one,” +75kg win- been accommodated with huge egg”? ing of global diplomatic relations taboo topics. out a well-worn script of thank- ner Kim Kuk-hyang told AFP af- smiles. At the 2014 Asian Games O Kang-chol cried buckets for culminating in the historic sum- ing leader Kim Jong-un for his ter posing with her South Korean none was entertained. his dead mother after his maiden mit between Kim and US Presi- ‘THEY ARE NOT SCARY’ orth Korea’s athletes inspiration to reporters before counterparts, an astonishing The shackles are off , athletes gold medal in the men’s 69kg. dent Donald Trump in Singapore “The weightlifting champions are not only scoop- being whisked away. statement from a North Korean are revelling and happy to reveal It was a touching moment as in June. who raise the country’s hon- ing record numbers of But over eight days at the Ja- given that the two countries have their personal stories for the fi rst he mourned his mum who passed South Korean observers have our will be rewarded with a new medals at the Asian karta International Expo their technically remained at war for time. away earlier this year and whose been taken aback. “We have house and a new car,” head coach NGames, they are winning hearts athletes have gone off -piste to the past 65 years. Om Yun-chol even thanked ambition had been to see him win never see the North Koreans like Kim Kwang-dok told AFP, for the with an unprecedented charm talk frankly about their nerves, Then she was off to grab tiny South Koreans for helping him to a fi rst title. this,” Yonhap news agency re- fi rst time confi rming something off ensive and will go home as he- fears, emotions and life back 4ft 7in (140cm) Ri Song-gum, win 56kg men’s gold. “I will visit mother’s grave porter Joo Kyung-don told AFP. that had long been suspected roes — rewarded with new cars home while mingling freely with the 48kg class gold medallist, “The passionate support from and give her this gold medal,” he The new open attitude appears in the secretive nation — that and houses. spectators and reporters. and carry her aloft around the the South Korean cheerlead- told reporters, still weeping and to have been encouraged right sporting glory is a way out of At the weightlifting competi- They even were joined by the stage with the pair laughing, jok- ing squad is my source of great unabashed at baring his grief — from the top. grinding poverty. tion which concluded on Monday South Korean weightlifting team ing and punching the air. strength,” he said while posing a huge contrast to the robotic North Korean Sports Minister “Our athletes will get nation- with an eighth gold — smashing to celebrate the end of the com- for pictures. strongmen and women paraded Kim Il-guk, one of Kim Jong- al hero status once they return North Korea’s previous best of petition with an unprecedented SELFIES AND SMILES Was this really the same at previous championships. un’s right-hand men, was in and will get big attention from four in 2014 — the team’s attitude joint team photo. Hardly a single request for a selfi e man who four years earlier had It is an eye-opening change, attendance on Sunday and giv- our people. Everyone will be has been the polar opposite from “I think we have shown the by a fan or Games volunteer has thanked leader Kim for teaching which appears to have gone ing his blessing to team offi cials proud.” Gulf Times Wednesday, August 29, 2018 3 ASIAN GAMES

ROUND-UP SPOTLIGHT India’s women India’s Manjit takes boxers struggle without Kom

AFP “The cut? It’s OK,” he told AFP, Jakarta despite wearing three butterfl y 800m gold; Sindhu plasters to close the wound. He will face Thai Yuttapong uswatun Hasanah set Tongdee in Friday’s semi-fi nal. the Asian Games box- “I will listen and follow my ing tournament alight coach’s instructions for that op- yesterday, becoming ponent,” Ladon added. “I need theH fi rst Indonesian woman ever to focus more closely on what he to win a medal as India’s female tells me.” settles for silver fi ghters struggled without Mary India were left licking their Kom. wounds without all-time great 4x400m mixed relay team grabs silver, while men’s TT team win maiden bronze Meanwhile Manny Pacquiao’s Kom, the fl yweight (51kg) gold proud boxing nation, the Philip- medallist from four years ago, IANS pines, secured their fi rst medal of and former world and Asian Jakarta the men’s tournament through champion Devi. fl yweight Rogen Ladon. Five-time world champion Indonesia’s 20-year-old Kom, the subject of the Bol- our-lap runner Manjit Hasanah showed a touch of ar- lywood biopic, has skipped the Singh turned out to be rogance as she showboated in Asiad to concentrate on winning India’s sole gold medal- the second round and edged her a sixth world title on home soil in list yesterday, a day on lightweight quarter-fi nal by split Delhi in November. whichF it lost two compound ar- decision, 3-2, against India’s chery team fi nals and PV Sind- Pavitra, who goes by just a single Wild celebrations hu gold-medal match, while name. India have just one women’s men’s table tennis team settled “I didn’t think I could beat her, fi ghter left standing, fl yweight for a maiden bronze and India she is very experienced,” Has- Sarjubala Devi, who will try to reached 50 medals at the 18th anah said of Pavitra, 31, who was avoid a medal wipeout when she Asian Games here yesterday. in her fi rst Asian Games and suc- fi ghts China’s Chang Yuan today Manjit led India’s top-two ceeding Sarita Devi, who contro- for a place in the semi-fi nals. fi nish in the 800 metres race versially refused her 2014 bronze Hasanah’s win was greeted with Jinson Johnson, while medal in a judging row, in the by wild scenes of celebration at 4x400 metres relay team, com- 60kg division. the Jakarta International Expo prising Mohamed Anas, Rajiv “My strategy was to box to my among home supporters who had Arokia, Hima Das and MR Poo- coach’s instructions,” she told roared their delight every time vamma, claimed silver, even as reporters. the youngster landed a punch. Pinky Balhara clinched silver, “There were no diffi culties and Hasanah thanked the fans and and Malaprabha Jadav settled I could tell how she was boxing said they had given her a huge for the bronze in the women’s from the fi rst round.” boost. “They gave me the spirit 52kg category of the kurash Indonesia’s women’s boxing (to win),” she told AFP. competition. team was only formed in 2006 It made up for the hosts’ dis- Among other success stories and they have never won a medal appointment when two Indone- of the day, Indian men’s hockey at the Asian Games, until now. sian men missed out on a medal team thrashed Sri Lanka to top Hasanah’s win means she after losing their quarter-fi nals. Pool A and reach the semi-fi nals, is guaranteed a bronze even if Highly fancied Aldoms Suguro while Dutee Chand stormed into she loses her semi-fi nal against lost a 4-1 fl yweight (52kg) split the women’s 200 metres fi nal Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee decision to Uzbekistan’s Jasur- after topping the semi-fi nals. on Friday. bek Latipov. However, India endured de- But India’s 2016 World Cham- And lightweight (60kg) Far- feats in the gold medal matches pionships silver medallist Sonia rand Papendang was unani- in archery to teams from South Lather refused to speak to re- mously outpointed by Thailand’s Korea. While the Indian wom- India’s Manjit Singh (centre) celebrates winning the men’s 800m final ahead of compatriot Kinson Johnson (right) at the 2018 Asian Games porters after the crushing disap- Rujakran Juntrong (5-0). en’s team of Muskan Kirar, in Jakarta yesterday. (AFP) pointment of a unanimous points Thailand again showed their Madhumita Kumari and Jyothi defeat to tough North Korean Jo strength in depth with a clean Vennam lost 228-231, the men’s drought in men’s 800-metre In hockey, striker Akashdeep Son Hwa in the women’s feather- sweep of all fi ve men’s and wom- team comprising Rajat Chau- competition with a timing of Singh scored six goals, while weight (57kg) quarter-fi nal. en’s quarter-fi nalists yesterday han, Aman Saini and Abhishek 1:46.15s, 0.20s faster than Jin- Rupinder Pal Singh, Harman- Filipino Ladon squeaked past winning to the delight of their Verma lost in the fi nal which son, the Asian Championship preet Singh and Mandeep Singh awkward Kazakhstani Azat happy band of colourful and mu- ended in a shootout after both medallist from Kerala. struck thrice each as India fi red Mahemtov to secure at least a sical supporters. teams were locked 229-229. With four of the eight athletes 20 goals past Sri Lanka. Lalit bronze via a 3-2 split decision in In addition to Juntrong, Sindhu also had to settle for a running parallel, Manjit shocked Kumar Upadhyay netted two a battle of southpaw fl yweights. Seesondee and Tongdee, wel- historic silver after going down everyone as the Haryana athlete goals while Vivek Sagar Pras- Ladon had arrested a major terweight (69kg) Ardee Say- 13-21, 16-21 in just 34 minutes to displayed a stunning run in the ad, Amit Rohidas and Dilpreet Philippines meltdown on Sunday lom scored a unanimous points World No.1 Tai Tzu-ying of Tai- fi nal 40 metres. Singh scored one each. India will when he became the fi rst fi ghter to decision over Iran’s Sajjad wan in the women’s singles fi nal. Dutee remained in the hunt now face Malaysia in the semi- reach the last eight after four of his Kazemzadeh while women’s The defeat meant that Sindhu for her second medal as she fi nal tomorrow. more fancied teammates lost. featherweight (57kg) Techasuep became the fi rst Indian to win an timed 23.00 seconds in 200m In squash, India’s men’s and He prevailed even though he Nilawan edged a 3-2 split deci- individual silver medal in bad- semis, even as rising star Hima women’s team remained in fi rm reopened an existing cut over his sion over Kazakhstan’s Saniya minton at the Asiad. It was also was disqualifi ed following a contention to reach the semi- right eye early in the fi rst round. Sultankyzy. the fi rst Asiad individual medal false start. fi nals with group stage wins for Sindhu. In table tennis, Indian men’s yesterday. It was Sindhu’s third loss in team had to be content with a the fi nals of major competi- fi rst-ever bronze medal follow- tions in 2018, after defeats at the ing a 0-3 loss to South Korea in Silver medallist PV Sindhu (left) Commonwealth Games and the the semi-fi nals. G. Sathiyan, and bronze medallist Saina World Championships. Achanta Sharath Kamal and An- Nehwal pose after the podium In athletics, 28-year-old thony Amalraj went down fi ght- ceremony for women’s Manjit ended India’s 36-year ing in their respective matches. badminton yesterday. (Reuters)

BOTTOMLINE Badminton a smash hit as Indonesia excels

Reuters lob their sweaty shirts into the stands, the Jakarta atmosphere can be somewhat daunting for other players. Indonesia’s Huswatun Hasanah (left) fights India’s Pavitra during their “It is a bit tough and you just have to women’s lightweight (60kg) quarter-final boxing match at the 2018 y far the loudest cheers at the focus a lot when the Indonesians are Asian Games in Jakarta yesterday. (AFP) main cluster of Asian Games playing in the other courts and the crowd venues in the heart of the Indo- is shouting in support,” said India’s Saina nesian capital Jakarta over the Nehwal, former world number one, after lastB couple of weeks have been heard ris- fi nishing up a match this week. Korean archer refuses to celebrate ing from the badminton arena. Lucky Mirza, a press relations offi cial aft er beating compatriot Hugely popular in the Southeast Asian for the Games, said the popularity of the host nation, badminton has attracted sport was refl ected in ticket sales, with Reuters forces, yesterday’s final was the thousands of spectators — and millions badminton events selling out days ahead Jakarta last opportunity to win a gold more on television — making it among of the event compared with the mostly and obtain an early discharge. the most-watched of the two-week empty stands at events like athletics or Kim said he performed event’s 45 sports and 167 disciplines. hockey. ottenham Hotspur strik- without thinking about the Even President Joko Widodo was on Although football has taken much of er Son Heung-min is not implications of the outcome. hand yesterday to watch local hero Jona- Asia by storm in recent years, many in Tthe only South Korean “It was just tough to beat some- tan Christie win a gold medal in the men’s countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, India chasing an Asian Games gold one that I know so well after singles, making it one of just a handful of and China still grow up playing badmin- to avoid military service and months of training together,” events he has attended. ton in their backyards or neighbourhood the issue influenced celebra- he was quoted as saying by With a capacity of 7,000, the badmin- sports halls. tion in yesterday’s archery Yonhap news agency. ton stadium has for days been a sea of red Indonesia has a track record of success final in the men’s individual Lee, who won a team silver on and white — Indonesia’s national colours at international badminton competition recurve event. Monday, rued his perform- — along with a sprinkling of fans from In- and have won 26 gold medals in badmin- Kim Woo-jin won the all-Ko- ance. “I am disappointed with dia and China, even during the knock-out ton over 15 versions of the Asian Games. rean contest 6-4 for his third the result, but I have to accept stages. Since badminton became an Olympic Asian Games gold but refused these results because they’re The crowd’s cheers rise and fall with sport in 1992, however, competition from to celebrate his victory over all my own doing,” he said. shots on the court, roars accompanying countries like China, India, Denmark and compatriot Lee Woo-seok. “And the military isn’t all that each smash or groans when the shuttle- Spain has grown markedly. Korean law states that every bad. South Korean men all cock lands out. That mattered little yesterday when able-bodied man must report have to go, anyway. I’ll go “I’ve stopped by some other events several cabinet ministers, an ex-pres- for national service for 21 back and serve the country since I’m here anyway, but I’m defi nitely ident and other senior government of- months before their 28th the best I can.” most excited about badminton,” said Filia ficials joined thousands of Indonesian birthday, while exemption Korean fencer and former Paramita, 26, in between cheering on In- fans in the stands at the arena to cheer is off ered to all Olympic Olympic gold medallist Gu donesia’s star duo, Marcus Gideon and on Christie and the men’s doubles pair- medallists or Asian Games Bon-gil did not rejoice after Kevin Sukamuljo, in the men’s doubles Gold medallist Jonatan Christie of Indonesia holds the Indonesian flag during the ings. champions. beating Oh Sang-uk in the semi-fi nal on Monday. medals ceremony yesterday. (Reuters) When asked if the crowd had helped his Kim secured his exemption men’s individual sabre final last It helps that Indonesia has performed performance in the fi nal against Taiwan’s eight years ago when he won week. Gu said he felt bad for exceptionally well in sport at the Games In addition to Christie’s success, terday. Chou Tien-chen, Christie said: “Defi - two golds in the 2010 Games his compatriot but South Korea — in both individual and team events — Gideon and Sukamuljo beat Mohamed With fans screaming at almost every nitely, not just the crowd, but also my in Guangzhou. But for Lee, subsequently won the team even breaking an otherwise dominant Ardianto and Fajar Alfian in an all-In- point, and some whipped into a frenzy grandma, parents and everyone who sup- already serving in the armed event, Lee’s first Asiad gold. China’s hold on the sport. donesian men’s doubles final later yes- by victorious Indonesian shuttlers who ported me. Thanks to you, I did it.” Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, August 29, 2018 SPORT

CRICKET SPOTLIGHT Pakistan announce schedule for England’s Bairstow Australia, NZ series

AFP Although Pakistan have Karachi hosted a few international matches between 2015-18, Australia and New Zealand akistan yesterday an- refused to visit the country hoping to keep nounced the itiner- due to security fears. ary for their series against Australia and ITINERARY: (PAKISTAN VS NewP Zealand to be played in AUSTRALIA): the United Arab Emirates over September 29-October 2: the next three months. Australia vs Pakistan ‘A’ in Pakistan start the season Dubai with next month’s Asia Cup in October 7-11 Fiestt Test in wicket in fourth Test the UAE from September 15. Dubai They will then host Australia October 16-20 Second Test in ‘If I am not able to keep wicket, then I’d like to think I would play as a specialist batsman’ for two Tests and three Twen- Abu Dhabi ty20 internationals in the October 24 Ist Twenty20 Reuters emirates from October 7-28. international in Abu Dhabi London This will be Australia’s fi rst October 26 Second Twenty20 Test series since the infamous international in Dubai ball-tampering row during October 28 Third Twenty20 ngland’s Jonny Bairstow the Cape Town match against international in Dubai is desperate to keep his South Africa in March. place as wicketkeep- That scandal ended in a PAKISTAN VS NEW er for the fourth Test one-year ban from interna- ZEALAND: againstE India despite fracturing tional cricket for the then- October 31 Ist Twenty20 inter- his middle fi nger at Trent Bridge captain Steve Smith and vice- national in Abu Dhabi last week. captain David Warner. Opener November 2 Second Twen- Bairstow’s place in the side Cameron Bancroft received a ty20 international in Dubai was in doubt after the 28-year- nine-month ban. November 4 Third Twenty20 old was hurt while keeping dur- Following the Australia se- international in Dubai ing the third test. ries, Pakistan will host New November 7 Ist One-day Coach Trevor Bayliss said Zealand in the UAE for three international in Abu Dhabi the Yorkshireman could play as Twenty20 internationals, November 9 Second One-day a specialist batsman, with Jos three one-day internationals international in Dubai Buttler taking over behind the and three Tests between Oc- November 11 Third One-day stumps. tober 31-December 7. international in Dubai “The fi nger feels good. The Pakistan have been forced November 16-20 First Test in swelling has gone down. I’m to play their “home” matches Abu Dhabi going to try and keep wicket in in the UAE since terrorists November 24-28 Second Test training this afternoon as well,” attacked the bus of the visit- in Dubai Bairstow told a news conference ing Sri Lankan team in March December 3-7 Third Test in yesterday. 2009. Abu Dhabi. “You obviously want to play so, if I am not able to keep wick- et, then I’d like to think I would GOLF play as a specialist batsman. “But at the same time, I am desperate to try and keep my place as the keeper.” Olesen faces anxious Bairstow has been England’s leading run scorer in the series with 206 runs at an average of weekend in bid to 41.20. When asked whether he would be expected to step up as a seal Ryder Cup debut specialist batsman, Bairstow re- plied: “I think that is quite a bold Reuters know whether he is defi nitely statement. London in or will have to rely on one “If you look, my stats are bet- of Bjorn’s four wildcard picks. ter when I am keeping wicket A top-seven fi nish would as well, so you are entering un- ome favourite Thor- be enough, although should charted territories when you bjorn Olesen will he fi nish further down Eng- make bold statements like that. have more on his lish duo Matt Fitzpatrick and “I am very keen to keep my mind than winning Eddie Pepperell could sneak spot as keeper, because I like to aH sixth Tour title when he tees ahead of him if they win the think it has gone well over the it up at the Silkeborg Ry Golf title on Bjorn’s home course last 38, 39 Test matches.” Club tomorrow. in central Denmark. “There’s England all-rounder Chris England’s Jonny Bairstow during nets The 28-year-old knows a always a lot of pressure when Woakes has emerged as an injury at Ageas Bowl, West End, Hampshire, strong showing at the Made we play in Denmark and prob- doubt after missing training on England, yesterday. (Reuters) in Denmark event will almost ably a little bit extra this time,” Tuesday. certainly seal a place in the Eu- Olesen told the European Tour “Chris Woakes has tightness ropean team for next month’s website after this month’s in his right quad and has not Ryder Cup but two rivals will Nordea Masters in Sweden. trained today,” an England and be breathing down his neck. “I’ve been playing great for Wales Cricket Board spokesman Sri Lanka warns players of match-fi xing approaches Going into the last event to three or four months so that said. off er qualifi cation points for will probably add a bit more “We will take a view on his in- Sri Lanka cricket chiefs yesterday raised Galle team led by Dimuth Karunaratne beat “Sri Lanka Cricket has also notified the team compatriot Thomas Bjorn’s pressure but if I can keep jury tomorrow ahead of our fi nal a new match-fixing alert after “suspicious Dasun Shanaka’s Kandy by seven runs. managers and the players taking part in the team, seven players have as- grinding and working like I did practice... At this stage, it is not individuals” were kicked out of a Twenty20 “They appeared to be from the Indian sub- tournament to inform SLC immediately of sured themselves a place in this week and last week to get expected that we would bring game. Players have been warned to tell continent. Their excessive use of mobile any approach by suspicious individuals,” the the 42nd edition of the bi- better the results will come.” any additional players into the authorities of any attempt to approach them phones at the stadium aroused suspicion statement said. Sri Lanka has announced annual team event against Olesen has his destiny in his squad as cover.” to fix matches, a Sri Lanka Cricket off icial and they were ordered out,” the off icial said. plans for tougher laws against sports cor- the United States. Olesen oc- own hands and will be confi - England lead 2-1 but suff ered told AFP. The move follows the detection of The board said in a statement that it had ruption and a special police unit to deal with cupies the eighth and fi nal dent after his fourth-placed a crushing 203-run defeat in the suspicious individuals at a Sri Lankan league stepped up anti-corruption measures at SLC match-fixing following a TV documentary automatic spot but is not yet fi nish at the Nordea Masters third test as India fought back game in Dambulla on Saturday, in which a T20 games and team hotels. exposing corruption in global cricket. guaranteed a place in the side. – his fi fth top-six fi nish in his after losing the fi rst two games. By Sunday evening he will last nine events.

RUGBY Wallabies coach Cheika’s job safe: Rugby Australia chief AFP haven’t performed, particularly around Sydney defence,” she said. Argentina call up Leicester “So we will be having conversations Tigers prop Cortes around that. But I don’t think it’s about allabies coach Michael Chei- changing what we’ve got. It’s about what England-based forward Gaston from injuries. The trio missed ka yesterday won the backing else can we bring.” Cortes has been included in a the matches against the of his bosses who pledged World Cup-winning coach Bob Dwyer 30-man Argentina squad for Springboks with Argentina their support ahead of next said fi tness was also an issue, blaming the Rugby Championship matches recovering from a 34-21 loss Wyear’s World Cup despite a dismal run of players and not the coaching set-up for in New Zealand and Australia in Durban to triumph 32-19 in defeats deemed “not acceptable”. their recent woes. during September. Mendoza last weekend. Australia have now lost six of their past “I’m sure they’re not fi t enough,” Dw- The 32-year-old Leicester seven games, and ceded the Bledisloe Cup yer, who led Australia to their fi rst rugby Tigers prop has played four SQUAD to New Zealand for the 16th consecutive World Cup title in 1991, told the Sydney times for the national B team, Forwards (16) year after a 40-12 hammering in Auckland Morning Herald. but this is his first call-up for Matias Alemanno, Santiago at the weekend and a 38-13 thrashing in “In Sydney there were people walking the senior squad, the Pumas. Garcia Botta, Nahuel Tetaz Sydney the week before. with half an hour to go. You can’t really Cortes emigrated to England in Chaparro, Gaston Cortes, The poor form has put pressure on pin that on the Wallaby coaching set-up.” 2012 and made more than 100 Agustín Creevy (capt), Javier Cheika, but Rugby Australia chief Cheika has been adamant that the Wal- appearances for Bristol before Ortega Desio, Diego Fortuny, executive Raelene Castle said he con- labies’ fi tness levels had improved. joining Leicester. Marcos Kremer, Tomas tinued to have the support of her and the “We were getting comments out of the He is the second Europe-based Lavanini, Juan Manuel Legui- board. Wallaby camp that fi tness had defi nitely Argentine to be selected since zamon, Tomas Lezana, Pablo “He is contracted through to the World improved and skill level had improved. the South American nation Matera, Santiago Medrano, Cup and he has a plan – we are across that Well, that didn’t appear to be the case,” recently relaxed a policy of Julian Montoya, Guido Petti, plan and we are comfortable with it,” she said Dwyer. choosing only locals since the Juan Pablo Zeiss said on the rugby.com.au website. But the former fl anker, who was a men- 2015 Rugby World Cup. Backs (14) “But clearly you can’t just ignore the tor to current England coach Eddie Jones Prop Juan Figallo played in Gonzalo Bertranou, Emiliano performances – they’re not acceptable. when he moved into coaching, also backed home and away Tests against Boff elli, Tomas Cubelli, Bautista “So it’s about what we can do to sup- Cheika as the right man for the job. South Africa this month before Delguy, Bautista Ezcurra, port him as an organisation to make sure “My opinion is he is the coach and returning to another English Santiago Alvarez Fourcade, he has what he needs to make sure the that’s that,” said Dwyer. Premiership club, Saracens. Jeronimo de la Fuente, San- Wallabies are successful as we move into “It wasn’t too long ago when he was be- Recently appointed coach tiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Martin that World Cup.” ing hailed as a saviour. He can’t have gone Mario Ledesma has recalled Landajo, Juan Cruz Mallia, Asked to pinpoint an area she felt need- backwards I wouldn’t have thought,” he centre Matias Orlando, hooker Matias Moroni, Ramiro Moy- ed improvement, Castle nominated the said, adding that it was “misplaced” to Julian Montoya and loose ano, Matias Orlando, Nicolas Wallabies defence, which has leaked 78 call for Cheika to be sacked. forward Juan Manuel Leguize- Sanchez points in two games. Australia’s next game is against South mon, who have recovered Coach: Mario Ledesma (ARG). “There are parts of our game that Africa in Brisbane on September 8. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 29, 2018 5 TENNIS

SPOTLIGHT ‘He’s a good guy, everyone loves him’: Nadal hails Ferrer on Slam retirement AFP match. But it’s not a problem. I by a disenchanted coach while New York am a lucky man.” he was once so frustrated by the Ferrer, now ranked at 148, state of his own game, that he shared some of his greatest mo- briefl y quit tennis to work on a afael Nadal hailed close ments in the same arena as Nad- building site. friend David Ferrer as al. He beat the world number one But he collected 27 career ti- “a good guy” and “loved in New York - just one of six wins tles and helped Spain to the Dav- on the tour” after send- in 31 meetings between the two is Cup in 2008, 2009 and 2011. ingR his Spanish compatriot into - on his way to a maiden Slam This year, his passion for the Grand Slam retirement at the US semi-fi nal in 2007. Davis Cup burned as bright as Open on Monday. Nadal got the better of him ever when he defeated Germa- Ferrer, 36, had already an- in the 2013 Roland Garros fi nal ny’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5 in nounced that New York would which was Ferrer’s only run to the fi fth set of the deciding rub- represent his fi nal major be- the championship match at the ber of their quarter-fi nal. fore quitting for good on home majors. At almost fi ve hours, it was ground in Madrid next year. “We shared a lot of important a special victory coming in his His career at the majors end- moments in our careers,” said home town of Valencia. ed sooner than he would have Nadal, a fellow Davis Cup win- But with his ranking at a 16- wanted when he was forced to ner for Spain, after his 6-3, 3-4 year low and with a baby son Leo quit with a left leg injury leading win on Monday. born this year, Ferrer now has with a break in the second set. “He’s a good friend, a very other commitments. But the former world number good person. When he decides to “I was happy when I was three left Arthur Ashe Stadium say goodbye, the tour will miss drawn to play Rafa here, it was a with no regrets. him. The tour loves him.” gift play centre court with him. “It was special because I fi n- Nicknamed ‘The Bulldozer’ “My family were here, my ish my last Grand Slam playing for his unrelenting and dogged wife, my son, close friends. For in the centre court with Rafael, a defence, Ferrer endured numer- me, playing my last Grand Slam very good friend. ous highs and lows in his career. with the chance to see them “Sad because I can’t fi nish the He was locked in a cupboard here, it was a gift.”

US OPEN OPINION Serena attitude defused dress code row, says Wozniacki breezes French Open director

AFP cial media everything goes viral Paris these days,” Forget said. “Serena was perfect, defusing any budding controversy,” he ex- rench Open director Guy plained. past sloppy Stosur Forget says Serena Wil- “The idea with the dress code liams’ attitude defused will be much more fl exible than a potential row over an the one at Wimbledon, which ‘I’m going to celebrate the win today and tomorrow think about the next one’ up-comingF dress code that he in- has hardened over time,” he said. sists will be far less strict than the Wimbledon has a strict all one at Wimbledon, French sports white dress code for it’s June daily L’Equipe reported yesterday. lawn tennis tournament. The idea he said would be to “Our current regulations allow establish a certain level of el- for anything and with no frame- egance or as he put it “a Roland work some feel certain players Garros style”. are a bit too out there,” he said. The move comes hot on the “Why not reconcile elegance heels of a furore following French without harming the creativity tennis federation chief Bernard of designers,” he suggested. Giudicelli describing the “Black Forget gave a few examples of Panther” catsuit American star over-extravagant outfi ts includ- Williams wore at the French ing the denim jeans and fl oures- Open in May as “going too far”. cent leggings once worn by An- Williams at the time took the dre Agassi, Gustavo Kuerten’s announcement in her stride, de- yellow t-shirt in 1997 and Stan scribing her relationship with Wawrinka’s checked shorts in the French Open organisers as 2015. “We have a new stadium wonderful. renovation and new outfi ts “He’s (Guidicelli) been so easy would reconcile elegance, mo- to talk to,” Williams said. dernity and practicality,” he said. “My whole team is basically Forget went on to say that per- French so, yeah, we have a won- haps the completion of the new derful relationship.” look Roland Garros site in 2021 Forget congratulated Wil- might be the perfect time to in- liams on her attitude. “With so- troduce the dress code.

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark returns against Samantha Stosur of Australia during their US Open first match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in New York yesterday. Wozniacki won the match 6-3, 6-2. (AFP)

Reuters looked like she might deliver a Spanish 31st seed after seeing of their matches would now be Yet they said they would not New York second big upset in the women’s off the error-prone Duckworth, extended to the men as well. close the roof on either of the draw when she broke Wozniacki ranked at 448. “He was serving “Upon the recommendation two stadiums due to the heat. early in the fi rst set but the Dane big in the fi rst set and the ball of the U.S. Open medical team, The new 14,000-seat Louis ormer world number broke right back to take a 4-3 was fl ying around,” said 31-year- the Extreme Heat Policy will be Armstrong Stadium does not one Caroline Wozniacki lead she did not relinquish. The old Murray who only returned to implemented immediately for have an air conditioning sys- cruised past error-prone second set was more straight- the tour in June. men’s matches,” the USTA said tem but relies on a fi rst-of-its- Samantha Stosur 6-3 forward as Stosur struggled to “But I started to get into the in a statement. kind natural ventilation system, Serena Williams in action during her first round US Open match against 6-2F to reach the second round of control her forehand on a hot day return games, stood back a little “The men will be off ered a which will be severely put to the Magda Linette at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in the US Open yesterday. that sent balls fl ying and over- more and that gave me more time 10-minute break between the test. New York yesterday. (AFP) The Dane, who is the highest heated fans into the shady sec- to get in the rallies and fi nd my third and fourth set. The roofs on Arthur Ashe seed left in the draw after top tions of Arthur Ashe Stadium. range with my ground strokes.” “The Tournament Referee, stadium and Louis Armstrong seed Simona Halep fell in the Twice US Open fi nalist and At 3hr and 17mins on the new along with the medical team, stadium will likely be shut on fi rst round on Monday, needed New York resident Wozniacki Louis Armstrong Stadium, it was will continue to monitor on-site Friday, however, as rain is fore- Nadal backs Roland Garros rules on less than 90 minutes to get past advanced when Stosur double Murray’s longest match since his conditions, to determine when cast and expected to bring re- dress aft er Serena row the Australian, who commit- faulted on match point. “I’m comeback in a reassuring indica- the Extreme Heat Policy will no lief from the heat. It could also ted 34 unforced errors and eight happy that I got through this tion of his fi tness. longer be in eff ect.” throw a wrench in the tourna- Rafael Nadal voiced support accepted. You have to respect double faults. one,” she said. “I’m going to cel- One fan collapsed in the ment’s busy schedule. on Monday for Roland Garros the game and the place.” The quick and comfortable ebrate the win today and tomor- HEAT RULE IN PLAY stands at the sun-exposed As for the players who have to chiefs who indicated they Williams herself downplayed win was a relief for the 28-year- row think about the next one.” AS MERCURY SOARS court 17 during Petra Kvitova’s cope with the sweltering condi- would institute a dress code at any friction with Giudicelli on old Wozniacki, who was able Former world number one A second day of stifl ing heat win over Yanina Wickmayer, tions, it is all part of the brutal the French Open. the issue. Nadal said that he to get out of the blistering New Andy Murray marked his fi rst and humidity caused havoc causing the chair umpire to halt test that is the fourth and fi nal French Tennis Federation saw no reason the tournament York heat in relatively short Grand Slam tournament in 14 at the U.S. Open yesterday, play while emergency medical Grand Slam of the year. president Bernard Giudicelli couldn’t limit what players order and save energy for her months with a 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, prompting tournament organ- personnel attended. “It’s one of the reasons the created an uproar when he said wear, noting that Wimbledon second-round match against 7-5, 6-3 win over Australia’s isers to implement special rules Elsewhere fans crowded into US Open is the toughest test in comments reported in the did the same with its insist- Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko. James Duckworth on Monday. to provide some relief for suf- the shady sections of the tour- in Tennis,” USTA spokesman French media that some outfits, ence on white. “I really believe The second seed showed Murray, the 2012 champion in fering players. nament’s two stadiums and Chris Widmaier told Reuters such as Serena Williams’ “Black when you have a tournament no sign of the knee injury that New York and playing just his With temperatures soar- fanned themselves furiously yesterday. Panther” catsuit, wouldn’t be like Wimbledon that does what forced her to retire midway fi fth tournament of the year after ing well above 90 Fahrenheit while taking in the fi rst-round Several players requested allowed. they want you cannot say to through her match against Kiki undergoing hip surgery in Janu- (32C) amid crushing humidity, action. Organisers urged every- medical attention due to the “I really believe that sometimes another event that they have to Bertens at the Cincinnati Open ary, last featured in a major at the United States Tennis Asso- one attending the 50th edition heat during their matches on we have gone too far,” Giudicelli do another thing,” he said. earlier this month, moving well Wimbledon in 2017. ciation (USTA) announced that of the tournament in Flushing Monday while some on the told Tennis Magazine. “Why if Wimbledon have their throughout the match. Murray, whose world rank- the 10-minute heat break the Meadows Park to drink plenty women’s side opted to take ad- “The outfit of Serena this year, own rules, why can’t Roland The veteran Stosur, the tour- ing has slumped to 382, goes on women players are granted be- of water and use sunscreen to vantage of the 10-minute heat for example, will no longer be Garros?” nament’s 2011 champion, briefl y to face Fernando Verdasco, the tween the second and third sets protect themselves. break. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, August 29, 2018 SPORT

CYCLING King wins stage 4 as Yates closes gap on leader Reuters RESULTS Madrid STAGE: 1 Ben King (Dimension GENERAL CLASSIFICATION: Data) 4hr 33min 12sec; 2 Nikita 1 Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) 13hr en King earned the big- Stalnov (Astana) at 2sec; 3 Pierre 47min 19sec; 2 E Buchmann (Bora- gest victory of his career Rolland (EF-Drapac) at 13sec; 4 Hansgrohe) at 7sec; 3 Simon Yates by emphatically out- Luis Ángel Maté (Cofidis) at 1min (Mitchelton-Scott) at 10sec; 4 A sprinting Nikita Stalnov 8sec; 5 Ben Gastauer (AG2R) at Valverde (Movistar) at 12sec; 5 inB a summit fi nish on stage four of 1min 39sec. Kelderman (Sunweb) at 25sec. the Vuelta a Espana yesterday. The Team Dimension Data rid- er, 29, triumphed in four hours 33 the general classifi cation with taken the place of Aqua Blue Sport minutes and 12 seconds, two sec- an impressive attack in the fi nal in this year’s Tour of Britain, onds ahead of Astana Pro Team’s four kilometres. King and Stalnov which starts in Carmarthenshire Stalnov. stayed ahead after the day’s early this Sunday. US rider King attacked Ka- break and although Pierre Rolland Aqua Blue Sport announced on zakhstan’s Stalnov a couple of of EF Drapac came within touch- Monday that they would cease hundred metres before the end, ing distance, he was left behind in racing at the end of the season af- storming past him for his fi rst the fi nal sprint. ter talks with another team over stage win since the 2016 Tour of “It’s a dream come true, I didn’t a merger fell apart, and they have California. start believing it until the last kil- now withdrawn from the event Michal Kwiatkowski retained ometre,” said King. altogether. Team Wiggins have his overall lead but the Team Sky “We’ve been building all sea- twice taken part in the Tour of rider lost time on the 162 kilo- son towards this. I raced with this Britain before, with current Team metre ride from Velez, Malaga to team in Austria and the Vuelta a Sky rider Owain Doull fi nishing Alfacar’s Sierra de la Alfaguara, Burgos and we just continue to third overall in 2015. coming in just over three minutes improve. 19-year-old team leader Tom down on King. “Spirits are high and I’m look- Pidcock said: “I’m delighted to The Pole leads Germany’s ing forward to the rest of this have an opportunity to ride in Emanuel Buchmann of Bora- month. For me personally, I’m the Tour of Britain with Wiggins. Hansgrohe by seven seconds with still in shock.” Stage fi ve features Riding in front of British fans is Britain’s Simon Yates in third few fl at areas and sees riders travel always a great experience and and Spain’s Alejandro Valverde 188.7 kilometres from Granada to hopefully our team can give them in fourth. Mitchelton-Scott rider Roquetas de Mar today. plenty to cheer about over the Team Dimension Data’s US cyclist Benjamin King celebrates as he crosses the finish line winning the fourth stage of the 73rd edition of Yates burst into contention for Meanwhile Team Wiggins have course of the race.” ‘La Vuelta’ yesterday. (AFP)

FOCUS MOTORSPORT Ricciardo set for grid penalties in Italy Bolt struggling “It won’t be boring if I have Reuters London to do the same again this year,” said the Australian, who re- tired from last Sunday’s Bel- ed Bull’s Australian gian Grand Prix and is sixth in Daniel Ricciardo is the championship and behind set to collect a grid Dutch team mate Max Ver- penalty for Sunday’s stappen. with football pace, ItalianR Formula One Grand The 29-year-old, who has Prix for the second year run- Italian roots, has won twice ning because of engine chang- this season in China and Mo- es. naco. “I’ve done some of my best Drivers are penalised if overtaking moves there and they exceed their engine al- I plan on doing plenty more locations for the season and this week as it looks likely that Red Bull are set to do that for but working hard I will be taking some engine strategic reasons this weekend penalties,” he said in a team by opting for an upgrade that ‘The most challenging thing for me is the stop and go because I’m not used to picking up speed, preview of the race at Monza. provider Renault has made “It’s obviously not ideal available for those who want going back down, then back again. It’s all about practising and getting used to the system’ but Monza is a power track it. and one that we haven’t been Red Bull would rather take hugely strong at in recent the hit at high-speed Monza, a years. It does mean plenty of fl at-out track where overtak- action and fun for me in the ing is easier, than at the Singa- race though.” pore street circuit that follows Ricciardo, who is joining and where the team expect to Renault at the end of the sea- be more competitive. son, fi nished fourth at Monza “We’re going to try and get last year after qualifying third ourselves into the best situ- but starting 16th on the grid ation we can going to Singa- after engine and gearbox pen- pore, which is probably our alties were applied. next chance of being able to He was named Driver of the give Ferrari and Mercedes a Day after also setting the fast- harder time,” said team boss est lap. Christian Horner.

FOOTBALL Henry not joining Bordeaux as talks break down

AFP placement for the Uruguayan Bordeaux Gustavo Poyet, whose depar- ture from the club is expected to be made offi cial later on hierry Henry will not Tuesday. be the next coach of Poyet was only appointed Bordeaux, with the in January and led the club to French club’s president European qualifi cation at the Tconfi rming to AFP yesterday end of last season, but he was that negotiations had broken suspended earlier this month down. “Yes, we can confi rm after a very public outburst at the end of those negotiations,” directors over transfer policy. Stephane Martin told AFP, fol- Henry, who had been lowing earlier reports in France working as an assistant coach and England that Henry had to the Belgian national team, turned the job down. met GACP in New York at the Sky Sports, the channel end of last week having come for whom Henry worked as a to an initial agreement with Thirty-one-year-old eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt trains with A-League football club Central Coast Mariners in Gosford yesterday. (AFP) pundit for four years before M6. According to reports, quitting last month, said late however, Bordeaux were sur- AFP more intensive session at the I’m not used to picking up speed, substitute. since taking double individual on Monday that he had re- prised by his salary demands Gosford, Australia team’s base in the town of Gos- going back down, then back “I imagine he’ll get some min- gold at the Beijing Olympics in fused the off er to take his first given his lack of experience as ford, 75 kilometres (47 miles) again,” he said. utes on Friday,” said club coach 2008. managerial role since retir- a coach. Reports say he also north of Sydney, yesterday. “It’s all about practising and Mike Mulvey, conscious that He went on to win a further ing as a player. According to wanted three new signings print superstar Usain After some warming up and a getting used to the system. I have thousands of fans are set to turn six Olympic golds and pick up 11 French sports daily L’Equipe, before the transfer window Bolt admitted yesterday jog around the pitch, he took part time so will just learn the ways up and with the match due to be world titles before retiring last Henry felt that he had not closes at the end of this week. he was struggling with in ball drills and while his pass- and keep pushing.” broadcast live on pay-tv. year and pursing his real passion been given suffi cient guar- Bordeaux had already been the tempo of professional ing was fi ne, he was slow to get He said the Jamaican was “do- – football. He remains the world antees by General American turned down by former coach footballS but is working hard to the hang of the movement re- ‘Doing OK’ ing OK”. record holder for 100 metres. Capital Partners (GACP), the Laurent Blanc and Remi raise his fi tness levels ahead of quired. The 32-year-old’s lack of The Mariners hope to turn Bolt “The things we are asking him Bolt said he was seeing slow American consortium ex- Garde, another ex-Arsenal his fi rst trial match this week. football fi tness was also evident into A-League material in time to do are things that he hasn’t improvements in his game. pected to take over Bordeaux player who is now at Montreal The eight-time Olympic and he appeared to tire quickly, for the start of the 2018/19 sea- done for quite some years,” he “For me it’s about just getting at the end of September from Impact in Major League Soc- champion has been given an op- resting more than his team- son in late October, with the club added. fi t and as many touches of the current owners, the media cer. portunity by Australia’s Cen- mates. saying he can stay indefi nitely to “He has played football as ball that I can. The more I play conglomerate M6. As their search for a suc- tral Coast Mariners to fulfi l his Bolt admitted to struggling prove his credentials and earn a an athlete in between athletic the more comfortable I get,” he Despite his lack of expe- cessor to Poyet goes on, in- dream of a soccer career and has with the constant stop-start of playing contract. meets so he has rudimentary said. rience as a coach, appoint- terim coach Eric Bedouet is stepped up his training regime football, more used to a quick They have a pre-season skills. There’s no problem about “It’s all about being focused, ing the 41-year-old would set to take charge of the team since hooking up with the A- fi re sprint on the athletics track friendly on Friday against an that. It’s about being able to do taking my time and being smart have been a remarkable coup in their next game, the Europa League club last week. before winding down. amateur side and Bolt is ex- it at the speed that we do it. It and pushing myself to get to the for Bordeaux, the six-time League play-off , second leg He was put through his paces “The most challenging thing pected to get his fi rst taste of a takes time to adjust.” level I need to be at to be in the French champions. at home to Belgian club Gent with the rest of the squad at a for me is the stop and go because competitive game, but only as a Bolt dominated sprinting starting XI.” They are looking for a re- tomorrow. Gulf Times Wednesday, August 29, 2018 7 FOOTBALL

PREMIER LEAGUE Mourinho calls for respect as Tottenham thump Man United ‘I won more Premierships alone than the other 19 managers together. Three for me, two for them. Respect!’

AFP Manchester

anchester United manager Jose Mourinho called for respect after suff ering the heaviest home defeat of Mhis career as Harry Kane and a Lucas Moura double moved Tottenham joint top of the Premier League with 3-0 win at Old Traff ord. A second consecutive defeat piles even more pressure on the Portuguese coach as United now trail Spurs, Liv- erpool and Chelsea by six points and stand four adrift of champions Man- chester City just three games into the new campaign. The odds on Mourinho losing his job have been slashed in recent weeks as on top of adverse results, he has clashed with the club’s executive vice- chairman Ed Woodward over a lack of signings. However, he railed against Manchester United manager Jose his critics by citing his record of win- Mourinho is animated during his ning the Premier League three times team's loss to Spurs. (Reuters) over two spells at Chelsea. “I won more Premierships alone than the other 19 trips to Old Traff ord under Mauricio managers together. Three for me, two Pochettino. Yet, the Argentine’s half- for them. Respect!” a fi ery Mourinho time words of wisdom made a huge dif- raged at reporters on exiting his post- ference as Spurs came out a diff erent match press conference. side after the break. Mourinho stood in front of Old Traf- David de Gea had already denied ford’s Stretford End at the end of the Kane and Dele Alli had seen a goal- game to applaud the home fans, who bound eff ort defl ected wide by the time didn’t boo his side at full-time despite Kane rose highest from Kieran Trippi- the result. “Today I had the proof the er’s corner to loop a header into the net. best judge are the supporters,” Mour- Hugo Lloris kept his place in the Spurs inho said. goal and retained the captain’s arm- The fans and Mourinho’s response band despite being arrested for drink came after a dominant fi rst 45 minutes driving in the early hours of Friday. Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Moura celebrates with Harry Kane (right) after scoring against Manchester United in the Premier League on Monday night. (Reuters) from the hosts before Spurs took con- And Pochettino’s faith in his skip- trol with two goals in two minutes just per was rewarded when Lloris denied said Pochettino. “It is diffi cult to beat done and the fi nal reckoning could Lucas did rub salt into United Woodward is not expected to bite the after the break. United, though, were Lukaku again with a brilliant save to Manchester United at Old Traff ord. have been even more embarrassing for wounds six minutes from time when he bullet quite so soon. But with United left to rue a series of missed chances by keep Spurs in front. A minute later, they They were better in the fi rst half but we the hosts. Lindelof, on for the injured outpaced Lindelof before fi ring into the already facing an uphill battle just to Romelu Lukaku, particularly when the doubled their advantage when Chris- dominated from then on.” Jones, was handed a reprieve when De far corner. make the top four never mind challenge Belgian fi red wide with an open goal tian Eriksen’s cross was swept home by Mourinho encroached onto the pitch Gea denied Alli after a short back pass Mourinho was goaded with chants of for the title, time is running out for on 15 minutes. Tottenham hadn’t even Lucas. “It is a massive victory for us and to bellow encouragement to his charg- by the Swede before Kane headed wide “you’re getting sacked in the morning” Mourinho to get the 20-time champi- scored in losing on their four previous I am very proud of the performance,” es. But the damage had already been when unmarked from another corner. by the travelling Tottenham fans. ons of England back on track.

Vardy, Cahill retire from England duty SPOTLIGHT London: Jamie Vardy and Gary Cahill announced their inten- Pastore on target but Di Francesco tion to retire from international duty with England yesterday, although both did leave the door open to a return in emer- furious aft er Roma held by Atalanta gency circumstances. Leicester striker Vardy, 31, AFP and Chelsea defender Cahill, Milan AS Roma’s Javier Pastore 32, were both part of Ga- is ecstatic after scoring reth Southgate’s squad that against Atalanta. (Reuters) reached the semi-finals of the avier Pastore scored his fi rst AS Roma World Cup in Russia. goal but still came in for criticism from However, both saw their furious coach Eusebio Di Francesco on playing time limited and be- Monday night after an Emiliano Rigoni braceJ helped Atalanta leave the capital with a lieve the time has come to con- centrate on their club careers. share of the spoils in a 3-3 draw in Serie A. “When you get selected, you Roma got off to a blistering start with want to be playing. If you’re former PSG player Pastore scoring two min- playing week in, week out for utes into his fi rst match at the Stadio Ol- your club, you want to be go- impico with a spectacular back-heel after a ing to England to play as well,” pinpoint Cengiz Under cross. But Atalanta Vardy, who started just once at — who made a raft of changes ahead of their the World Cup in a group stage crunch Europa League playoff game this week dead rubber against Belgium, — proved dangerous, taking advantage of told the Guardian. sloppy Roman defending to pull ahead 3-1 at “If it’s not happening, then Jamie Vardy (left) and Gary Cahill. half-time. for me personally now, at this Belgian defender Timothy Castagne tapped age, it’s better to be at home, “Gareth said that he felt I still think it is time I take a step in the equaliser after 19 minutes and within spending that time with my had a lot to off er, and we’ve back,” he said. “Now I feel is three minutes Argentine Rigoni got his fi rst family and training with my not shut the door completely,” the right moment to do that. goal with the second on 38 minutes. “Javier club, preparing for the next added Vardy. “If the worst I feel hugely proud of what I Pastore? He scored a very nice goal but he too game after the international came to happen and everyone have achieved in terms of over disappeared after the goal, he could not help break.” was injured, then obviously I 60 caps, I have captained my out his teammates,” Di Francesco said. with World Cup winner Steven Nzonzi com- sity and managed to get it back on track. We Vardy only made his inter- wouldn’t say no.” country on a few occasions “He did much better later on in the game. ing on for his debut after arriving from Se- could even have won it at the end.” national debut in 2015 after Cahill had a more decorated which is a huge honour.” I would have changed seven or eight players villa, along with Justin Kluivert. Alessandro Roma, who fi nished third last season, have spending much of his career England career with 61 caps Yet, Cahill too left the door after the fi rst half if I could. We were too bad Florenzi pulled a goal back on the hour mark four points from two games and face a diffi - in England’s lower leagues and stretching back to 2010 and open for a recall if needed by to be real, but we got it back on track. We did before limping off injured with Patrik Schick cult task on Friday at AC Milan, who are reel- scored seven goals in 26 ap- started every game for the Southgate. “I would never shut better in the second half but we didn’t de- thrown into the attack in his place. ing after throwing away a two-goal lead to pearances for his country. Three Lions at the 2014 World the door, if I was ever needed fend well towards the end of the game which But it was Greek defender Kostas Manolas fall 3-2 to Napoli. “This leaves us with a very He has largely played Cup and Euro 2016. How- in the future then obviously is why I got very mad,” added Di Francesco, who pulled the hosts level seven minutes from bitter taste in the mouth, we went very close second fiddle to captain Harry ever, Cahill is yet to feature I’m there.” Southgate will an- whose wrist was bandaged after punching the time, tapping in a Pastore free kick. “It’s cer- to winning,” said Atalanta coach Gian Piero Kane under Southgate, but for Chelsea this season under nounce his first post-World Cup wall of the coach’s bench in frustration. tainly harder in Serie A than Ligue 1, the fi rst Gasperini, whose side are also on four points pledged to make himself avail- new boss Maurizio Sarri and squad for England’s Nations “I wanted balance in the last 10 minutes, two games have been such a struggle,” said after winning their opening match. able if injuries made the likes of admits his club future is his League opener against Spain but we looked like amateur hour out there Argentine Pastore. Champions Juventus’ 2-0 win against Kane and Manchester United’s immediate priority. “In terms and a friendly at home to Swit- with 11 attacking against 11 defending. It’s no “I think after our goal, we got a bit too re- Lazio and Napoli’s comeback against AC Mi- Marcus Rashford unavailable. of my international future I zerland next month tomorrow. way to play.” laxed and allowed them to have the ball. We lan meant both have started their campaigns Di Francesco shuffl ed his side at the break came out for the second half with more inten- with the maximum six points.

Alcacer joins Dortmund on Marseille complete signing Real set to buy back Valencia sign winger Ronaldo Jr joins Juventus Richarlison in Brazil loan aft er Barca struggles of midfi elder Strootman striker Mariano from Lyon Guedes from PSG youth academy squad for US friendlies

Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer has Marseille have completed the signing Real Madrid are set to bring striker Valencia have reached a deal with Paris Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ron- Brazil have called up Everton for- joined Borussia Dortmund on loan of Dutch international midfielder Kevin Mariano Diaz back to the club, a year St Germain to sign winger Goncalo aldo’s oldest son has started training ward Richarlison for their September for the season, with the German club Strootman from Roma on a five-year on from selling him to Lyon, after they Guedes for a reported 40mn euros, the with the Juventus youth academy’s Un- friendlies against the United States and retaining the option to buy him for a fee deal, the French club announced. Roma matched an earlier bid by La Liga rivals Spanish club said yesterday. der-9 team, according to media reports El Salvador. Richarlison, 21, replaced which could rise to 28mn euros. “The revealed that Marseille had agreed to Sevilla, the Andalusian side said. A re- The 21-year-old Portugal international in Italy. Ronaldo, 33, signed for Italian Fluminense striker Pedro, who dropped German club will pay Barcelona 2mn pay 25mn euros for Strootman, with a port said Sevilla had made a bid worth a spent last season on loan with the La champions Juventus this summer from out the squad after injuring his knee in euros for the year-long loan and take potential three mn euros more to come total of 35mn euros including bonuses. Liga team. “Guedes will travel to Valen- Real Madrid. His oldest son Cristiano Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Cruzeiro. charge of the player’s salary,” the Span- in performance-related add-ons. However, Real matched that bid to cia to sign his new contract as a player Jr — who was born in June 2010 — was The former Watford player scored three ish champions said in a statement. The 28-year-old is Marseille’s second beat their rivals to the signature of the of the club,” they said in a statement. photographed training on Monday with times in his first two Premier League Dortmund can buy Alcacer at the end signing of the summer transfer window, 25-year-old. Mariano, who was born in Guedes joined French champions the Juve Pulcini 2010 squad reserved starts for Everton but was sent off in of the loan but Barcelona also have the following the arrival of Croatian inter- Spain but has roots in the Dominican PSG from Benfica in January, 2017 but for Under-9s at Juventus’s Vinovo last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Bourne- right to refuse. Should the forward sign national defender Duje Caleta-Car from Republic, was sold to Lyon a year ago. played just 13 times for the club before ground. Ronaldo’s partner Georgina Ro- mouth. In their first matches since permanently for Dortmund and later be Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. Strootman But Real inserted a buy-back clause in joining Valencia on loan last September. driguez was also present at the training being knocked out the World Cup at the sold to another club, Barcelona would played under current Marseille coach the deal as well as guaranteeing them- Valencia tweeted a picture showing ground. Other senior Juventus players quarter-final stage in July, Brazil play earn 5% of the transfer fee. Alcacer, 25, Rudi Garcia when he joined Roma from selves 35% of any future sell-on. Taking yesterday, Guedes shaking hands have children in the team’s academy the US in New Jersey on Sept. 7 before joined Barcelona from Valencia in 2016 PSV Eindhoven in 2013. He has won 41 that into account, the actual fee paid by with the club's Singaporean owner including Andrea Barzagli’s son Mattia travelling to Maryland to face but failed to earn a regular place. caps for the Netherlands. Real will be under 25mn euros. Peter Lim. and Claudio Marchisio’s son Davide. El Salvador four days later.

Wednesday, August 29, 2018 GULF TIMES SPORT

AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MOTORSPORT Qatar’s Abdulla Almoez strike gives bids for second Duhail narrow win T2 World Title Victory against Persepolis of Iran meant that the Qatari champions matched Korean in Baja Poland Club Ulsan Hyundai’s record of nine consecutive wins in the AFC Champions League By Sports Reporter Szczecin, Poland

atar’s Adel Abdulla heads to north-west Poland this week to Qtake part in the Baja Poland, the ninth round of the 2018 FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies. The Nissan Pa- trol Y62 driver currently trails Saudi Arabia’s Ahmed al-She- gawi by 23 points in the race to claim the T2 World Champion- ship title for drivers of series pro- duction cross-country vehicles. The Qatari and French navi- gator Jean-Michel Polato will be hoping to repeat the win they secured in Hungary earlier this month and close the gap still fur- ther on the Saudi before the fi nal two rounds of the series in Mo- is based in the northern town of rocco and Portugal in October. Szczecin, although the special Abdulla said: “Jean-Michel, stages will be contested over myself and the team have pre- tracks on the military training pared ourselves to try and take ground at Drawsko Pomorskie the victory in Poland. Last year and in the nearby Dobra mu- we had a good result and we won nicipality. Action gets under- this race. It is a little bit tricky way with a super special stage of and a bit sandy in some places in 7.08km on Friday. the forests. There are also some This will be followed by two fast sections. It is a long race and runs through a selective sec- not easy to manage. tion of 220.00km on Saturday Abdulla and al-Shegawi face and two passes through a pair of competition in Poland from lo- shorter stages of 10.50km (Kre- cal drivers Tomasz Baronowski kowo) and (Lubieszyn) 18.50km and Piotr Sawicki and Romania’s on Sunday before the fi nish cere- Laurentiu Claudiu Barbu. mony on Lasztownia island, near “Whoever has the good strat- Szczecin. egy for the two long stages of Al Duhail’s Almoez Ali (left) is congratulated by his teammates after he scored against Iran’s Persepolis in the first leg of the AFC Champions League quarter-finals at the Khalifa 220km will win the race. I can FIA WORLD CUP FOR International Stadium yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil see the Polish T2 drivers being CROSS-COUNTRY RALLIES – T2 strong here as well. We need to STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 8 By Sports Reporter clear-cut chances until halftime and a win to close the gap even more Doha similar theme also ensued as the second before Morocco,” Abdulla said. 1. Ahmed al-Shegawi (KSA) 183pts half kicked off . While Persepolis came out Adel’s challenge for T2 hon- 2. Adel Abdulla (QAT) 160pts with renewed vigour, they could not pose ours this season is being sup- fi rst-half header from Almoez a serious threat except for Mohammad ported by the Qatar Motor and 3. Yuliya Migunova (RUS) 42pts Ali proved the diff erence as Al Ansari’s strike that sailed over the cross- Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), 4. Marat Abykayev (KAZ) 36pts Duhail notched a narrow 1-0 bar following a quick free-kick. Ooredoo Qatar and Nissan Qatar. 5. Alexey Titov (RUS) 25pts win over Persepolis of Iran in In the 77th minute, Al Duhail defender Poland’s premier off -road rally 6. Anders Svensson (SWE) 15pts theA fi rst leg of the 2018 AFC Champions Lucas Mendes tested Alireza Beiranvand’s League quarter-fi nals at the Khalifa In- refl exes with a scorching free-kick, which ternational Stadium in Doha yesterday. the latter tipped over the bar for a corner. The result meant that the Qatari cham- The game went on to end with only a sin- pions matched Ulsan Hyundai’s record of gle goal and Al Duhail could regret not nine consecutive wins in the AFC Cham- taking a bigger advantage to Tehran for pions League. the second leg on September 17. On the eve of the match, Al Duhail head coach Nabil Maaloul had expressed his TIANJIN QUANJIAN LOSE confi dence in his side’s attacking abili- TO KASHIMA ANTLERS ties. Maaloul, who replaced Djamel Bel- Meanwhile in Kashima, Japan, Leo Silva madi at the helm in July, struck to his and Serginho scored second-half goals to Al Duhail striker Youssef El Arabi (centre) attempts to get past Persepolis defenders. words. With talented young players like give Japan’s Kashima Antlers a deserved Almoez Ali, Assim Madibo and Bassam 2-0 victory over China’s Tianjin Quan- with a teasing Endo cross into the box as who lashed the ball home with a sweetly Hisham at his disposal, Maaloul put his jian yesterday. the game remained goalless. taken strike from 10 yards. Kashima con- trust on them. Kashima will travel to Tianjin for the Brazilian Serginho’s header from Mis- tinued in the ascendency and Serginho Al Duhail nearly seized the initiative second leg in three weeks’ time when, ao’s cross bounced back off the post as added a stunning second in the 72nd early on with front man Youssef El Arabi just like in the Round of 16 after defeat- Tianjin continued to hold out, but the minute when he rocketed a left-foot ef- narrowly failing to connect with Nam ing Shanghai SIPG at home, the Japanese visitors then could have taken the lead fort from 25 yards past Zhang to mark his Tae-hee’s header across the goalmouth in side will have a two-goal lead to defend shortly before the interval, only for the AFC Champions League debut in style. the fourth minute. In the 15th minute, the against Chinese opposition. unmarked Yang Xu to head over after be- Tianjin’s star man Alexandre Pato had home side broke the deadlock through The hosts began brightly and had an ing picked out by Wang Xiaolong’s centre been quiet for the majority of the game young striker Ali. Summer signing Ed- early sight on goal when Yasushi Endo from the left. Endo should have broken but the Brazilian’s free-kick with 10 min- milson sent in a teasing cross from the headed wide from close in after a fi ne the deadlock as the hour approached but, utes remaining picked out Kwon Kyung- left and the unmarked Ali headed in with Koki Anzai delivery from the left, and the following good work from Silva and An- won, only for the Korea Republic defend- aplomb to get his second goal of the tour- captain was again off target in the 14th zai, the skipper fi red over from 12 yards, er to place his eff ort wide under pressure. nament. Persepolis then came close to minute as he drilled past the left post. but Brazilian Silva fi nally opened the Paulo Sousa’s side then almost pulled equalising in the 23rd minute, but Omid Go Oiwa’s team continued to dominate scoring on the hour. one back in the fi nal minute but were de- Alishah’s eff ort fl ew just wide of Amine and Kento Misao had an eff ort saved by Shuto Yamamoto picked out Endo on nied by a fabulous low save from Kwoun Lecomte’s goal. goalkeeper Zhang Lu, before Yuma Su- the edge of the area and the captain’s Sun-tae, who got down well to his right to Qatar’s Adel Abdulla is currently in second position in the race to Both teams failed to muster further zuki was inches away from connecting cushioned header found its way to Silva, block Yang’s low drive. claim the T2 World Championship title.

SPOTLIGHT Focus key behind victory over Esteghlal: Sadd’s Bounedjah

By Sports Reporter Bounedjah then chipped in with a brace, the Portuguese coach said: “It is easy Tehran taking advantage of Xavi’s backheeled to say now, after winning, that I ex- pass to score his fi rst of the evening in pected this scenario. But the truth is I the 64th minute. He then converted a did not expect this. I had spoken before l Sadd striker Baghdad penalty nine minutes later for his 11th the game saying that Al Sadd had come Bounedjah credited the team’s goal of the campaign, moving two clear to win and not for a draw or a loss, and ability to remain focused for off Al Duhail’s Youssef El Arabi in the so we had played with the objective of their valuable 3-1 away win scoring race. winning. overA Iran’s Esteghlal in the AFC Cham- Al Sadd held on to their lead for the “I expected that we would win and pions League fi rst leg quarter-fi nals in remaining quarter of an hour to go we managed it despite being a goal Tehran on Monday night. home with an important two-goal ad- down in the fi rst half. We committed The Algerian bagged a brace to help vantage. “We remained focused all the an error and conceded a goal but in the the 2011 AFC Champions League win- way until the end and that is why we second half, we succeeded in making up ners come from behind to defeat Es- managed to come away with the win,” for that and getting the win. I want to teghlal 3-1 at Azadi Stadium. added Bounedjah. congratulate my team for their excel- Young goalkeeper Meshaal Aissa The two goals scored on Monday lent performance not just in this game failed to control a backpass, allow- are Bounedjah’s fi fth double in the but since the beginning of the season ing the ball to go under him and into 2018 AFC Champions League and the and since the start of preseason too.” the back of the net to gift Esteghlal the second in a row, having registered a Ferreira praised his players but want- opener. The goal did not throw Al Sadd brace against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli in ed them to keep their focus for the sec- off , as they recovered and bounced back the second leg of the Round of 16. The ond leg. “The team deserves apprecia- in the second half. And Bounedjah be- 26-year-old is pleased with his contri- tion for their performances until now. lieves his team’s mental strength was bution to the side. “I am happy with our But nothing is done yet. We still have a behind the comeback. attacking intent. This is the fi fth match crucial phase ahead of us, in which we “They scored the fi rst goal through I have scored two goals, but nothing is need to remain focused to clinch quali- an unfortunate goalkeeper mistake,” over yet. We went 50% of the way, but fi cation to the semi-fi nals and also fo- said the striker. “But we remained there is another 50% to go in Doha in cus on the league. I am confi dent in the mentally focused and that helped us the return leg,” he added. Al Sadd’s forward Baghdad Bounedjah scores a goal during the AFC Champions League first leg quarter-final against Iran’s ability of the players to deal with these come back into the game.” Meanwhile, Al Sadd head coach Esteghlal at the Azadi stadium in Tehran on Monday night. (AFP) pressures,” the Al Sadd coach said. Akram Afi f laid the foundation for Jesualdo Ferreira felt that his players “Esteghlal will fi ght because they the comeback after exchanging passes were deserved winners against Estegh- scored more goals. Qualifi cation hasn’t undoubtedly be tough. Football has rounds and we need to prepare well for have nothing to lose. Al Sadd need to with Bounedjah before placing his shot lal. “We played very well. We deserve to been secured yet. We won the fi rst leg taught us that we can’t clinch the tie the second leg,” Ferreira said. prepare fully for the game despite this into the far corner at the hour mark. win by this scoreline and we could have but there is still a second leg that will over just one game in such (knockout) Asked if he had expected this result, deserved victory in Tehran,” he added.