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Saturday, October 10, 2020 TENNIS Safar 23, 1442 AH King Nadal sweeps GULF TIMES into 13th French Open fi nal SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL FOOTBALL / OOREDOO CUP Al Arabi hope Doha to host all to end title drought against AFC Champions Al Sadd today League East games ‘We recognise the huge amount of work undertaken by the QFA’

QFA Secretary-General Mansoor al-Ansari.

to successfully complete the off er the world-class sporting AFC Champions League, despite infrastructure and operational the enormous challenges in and health and safety expertise Al Arabi coach Heimir Hallgrimsson (left) and Al Sadd coach Xavi this unprecedented year, as we that exists in the country to al- Hernandez during the press conference ahead of the Ooredoo Cup promised all our stakeholders.” low for the resumption of com- final on Wednesday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil AFC Champions League (East) will be played between November 18 and December 13, 2020. The AFC Champions League petitive Continental football (East) will resume from the once again.” By Yash Mudgal motivation to complete the ti- AFC AFC General Secretary Dato’ positive collaboration for the Group Stage and continue Doha tle hat-trick of the season after Kuala Lumpur Windsor John said: “We are AFC Champions League (East). through the Round of 16 to the AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE their triumph in Sheikh Jassim extremely grateful for the out- “Everything from the arrival Quarter-fi nals and Semi-fi nals. EAST GROUPS Cup and Qatar Cup this season. standing support of the QFA of the teams, the effi cient im- The venue for the Final, which Group E: FC Seoul (KOR), Beijing t has been almost a decade Wolves coach Xavi Hernan- he AFC Champions and are pleased that we can now migration process, the rigor- is scheduled to be played on FC (CHN), Melbourne Victory since Al Arabi won a title dez admitted his team would League (East) is to be build on the success of the AFC ous health screenings, hotels December 19, 2020, will be con- (AUS), Chiangrai United (THA) and their coach Heimir Hall- miss the top players but felt it is played in Doha, Qatar, Champions League (West) while with biosecurity measures, to fi rmed in due course. Group F: FC Tokyo (JPN), Ulsan grimsson has been forth- a great opportunity for the young after an agreement was looking forward to the remain- the state-of-the-art training QFA Secretary-General Man- Iright about their ambition to end players to make their presence Hyundai FC (KOR), Shanghai Shen- reachedT yesterday between the ing exciting matches in Asia’s facilities and stadiums were of soor al-Ansari said: “We are that drought against a weakened felt. hua FC (CHN), Perth Glory (AUS) Asian Football Confederation premier club competition. the highest possible standard as very happy to provide a safe en- Group G: Vissel Kobe (JPN), Al Sadd side in the 2019-2020 “We are very happy to be play- (AFC) and the Qatar Football “We recognise the huge the AFC insisted that the welfare vironment for the AFC in order Johor Darul Ta’zim (MAS), Ooredoo Cup fi nal at the Abdul- ing in this fi nal. To be honest, Association (QFA). amount of work undertaken by and well-being of the players, to complete the AFC Champi- Guangzhou Evergrande FC lah bin Khalifa Stadium in Al Du- I did not expect that we would The AFC Champions League the QFA, in conjunction with the offi cials and match offi cials was ons League and look forward to (CHN), Suwon Samsung Bluew- hail today. qualify for this game. We have to (East), which will be played be- AFC, the Qatar Local Authori- our top priority. hosting the leading clubs from ings (KOR) “The Ooredoo Cup fi nal is an play with a group of players who tween November 18 and Decem- ties and Ministries, to ensure “Through the planning and the East Zone during Novem- Group H: Yokohama F Marinos important milestone for us as it are not on national team duty. ber 13, 2020, follows the suc- the smooth delivery of the AFC delivery of these extremely ber and December. Qatar knows (JPN), Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors has been a really long time since The fi nal is a big opportunity for cessful completion of the West Champions League (West) and strict and eff ective protocols, I how important football is to FC (KOR), Sydney FC (AUS), Al Arabi won a trophy. It is also a the young players. I’ve told them Zone competition in Qatar. we look forward to a similarly am delighted that we will be able Asia, so is pleased to be able to Shanghai SIPG FC (CHN) good opportunity for us to turn to take advantage of it. These things around. We need to win youngsters are the future of the the trophy,” Hallgrimsson said at club, I hope they enjoy the occa- the pre-match press conference. sion and prove themselves,” Xavi Trophies have been rare for said. Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah wins third stage of Andalucia Rally The Dream Team in the recent The former champions (2010- past; they won their last title in 2011) will have the experience of 1997 — the Sheikh Jassim Cup. midfi elders Rodrigo Tabata and However, the seven-time Qa- Santi Cazorla. tar league champions, whose “This fi nal is a good chance for last league title was also in 1997, our young players in particular. is full of motivation against Al We have plenty of experienced Sadd , whose preparations are players as well. I hope we will be marred by the absence of their successful and emerge as cham- several senior players. pions,” Tabata said. Ten Sadd players are away Al Arabi’s striker Sebastian with the Qatar team preparing to Soria also feels that they have a play Ghana in the international big opportunity today. friendly on October 12 and some “We had more than a month of their foreign players are also to work and prepare for the fi nal on national duty for their friend- after we qualifi ed for it. We’ve lies. trained well. We had played some “I had watched Al Sadd play good games last season. I am Qatar SC the other day in round happy that I am a part of Al Arabi two of the 2020-21 Ooredoo Cup. this season. I already played two They had some 10 players in the matches in this season’s Ooredoo Qatar national team camp, yet Cup and have confi dence in our they had depth in their squad. abilities. We have a big chance,” Al Sadd is always a tough team,” Soria said. said the Icelander. Taking about Sadd’s inexperi- “We had a good pre-season enced side, Soria said, “The most camp, even though a brief one. important thing is the attitude. Chances are same for both teams We must have a strong mentality. in this match. We must be play- Al Sadd may be without many ing at our best. We will also be top players, but we are focusing missing some players due to on our game and winning the national duty and injuries. But Cup. We are in the fi nal because that’s not important. We will we played well in the games prior Qatar’s Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah and French co-driver Mathieu Baumel in action in their Toyota Hilux during the third stage of the Andalucia Rally in Spain yesterday. play to our capabilities.” to it.” Al-Attiyah won the stage after Yazeed al-Rajhi of Saudi Arabia was penalised 10 minutes for overspeeding. The three-time Dakar Rally champion now leads the general Though Al Sadd is not fi eld- In the semi-fi nals, Al Arabi classification going into the final stage. (Twitter/Andalucia_Rally/ODC/Charly Lopez) ing their top team, the 14-time defeated Al Rayyan 2-1 and Al league champions also have the Sadd beat Al Ahli 2-0. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, October 10, 2020 TENNIS

FRENCH OPEN Rafa reaches 13th French Open fi nal Spaniard downs Schwartzman in straight sets in semi-final

Agencies 48 unforced errors and converting Paris, France just three of his 12 break points. “It’s diff erent playing against Djokovic, Federer, Rafa, these guys. welve-time champion Rafael Is not easy playing them fi ve sets be- Nadal reached his 13th French cause you have to play your best ten- Open fi nal yesterday with a nis maybe for three, four hours, fi ve 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (0) win over Ar- hours. Physically it’s very hard,” he Tgentina’s Diego Schwartzman. admitted. For 34-year-old Nadal, it was a “Physically it’s very hard. Mentally 99th win at Roland Garros since his it’s very hard. To improve and to beat 2005 debut and put him just one vic- the best guys on tour, you have to play tory away from equalling Roger Fe- them and you have to beat them. I like derer’s all-time record of 20 Grand to play fi ve sets. I feel really good to- Slam titles. day. Physically I was perfect. He is also into his 28th fi nal at the “But, yeah, it’s tough to keep the majors and has not dropped a set in level really high against these guys for the tournament this year. 6in (1.68m) player aff ectionately maybe more than three hours.” Novak Djokovic, the 2016 champi- known as ‘El Peque’ (‘shorty’), as the Schwartzman, who will break into on in Paris and chasing an 18th Grand 28-year-old was broken again in the the top 10 when the rankings are Slam title, was up against Greek fi fth fourth game. updated on Monday, would not be seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second The Argentine saved a couple of drawn into the debate of who among semi-fi nal later yesterday. set points but dumped the third one Djokovic, Federer and Nadal was the “It’s always incredible to play in the net and the opener was Nadal’s best men’s player ever. here and this is a very special mo- after 65 minutes on court. “I’m not going to say who is better,” ment,” said Nadal after a 10th win in Nadal was comfortably the strong- he said with a smile. “But I can say 11 matches against Schwartzman who er, breaking in the third and ninth the most beautiful thing about these had shocked him in Rome last month. games for a two sets lead. three guys is how diff erent are these “I played a couple of bad points in With the match and his spirit guys on court and outside the court. the third set but Diego is a very tough seemingly drifting away, Schwartz- They are really diff erent. Spain’s Rafael Nadal player. He probably makes more man dropped serve again to go 3-1 “One likes to play on clay, the other celebrates his win breaks on the tour than others. down in the third. one on grass... You know, they are dif- over Argentina’s “It was diffi cult until the end but it But he rallied as Nadal slipped into ferent. Also one lefty, the other one Diego Schwartzman was a positive match for me.” passivity and by the 11th game he was aggressive, the other one is sliding (right) in their French Nadal fought off two break points on back on serve although he remon- like nobody. Open semi-final in a marathon 14-minute opening strated with himself for squandering “For me, the best part is to play with at Roland Garros game. three break points that would have these guys. I’m enjoying a lot because in Paris, France, The world number two then broke left him serving for the set. at this time I can play against these yesterday. (AFP) for 2-0 but Schwartzman retrieved it That was his last chance as Nadal three guys in diff erent tournaments, immediately. stormed through the tiebreaker. so I’m enjoying a lot to see these guys It was a brief respite for the 5ft The Argentine was left to regret his on tour and playing against them.”

PREVIEW Feisty Kenin confronts bulldozing Swiatek for title

AFP At 19, Swiatek is the youngest player Paris, France Kenin vs Swiatek to reach the women’s French Open fi nal since Kim Clijsters in 2001. 4-Sofia Kenin (USA) Iga Swiatek (POL) She has matched the run of compa- ofi a Kenin and Iga Swiatek are 1 Age 19 triot Jadwiga Jedrzejowska — the most the last women standing at a 6 (Highest: 4) Ranking 54 (Highest: 48) outstanding Polish player of the inter- French Open tournament unlike 1 (Aus Open 2020) Grand Slam titles 0war period — who fi nished runner-up any other, full of surprises and 5 Career WTA titles 0at Roland Garros in 1939. heldS in the autumnal Paris chill after it Swiatek is only the second Polish Round 4 2019 French Open performance Round 4 was delayed four months by the coro- Finals (2020) Best French Open performance Finals (2020) woman to reach a Grand Slam final navirus pandemic. HEAD-TO-HEAD: First meeting in the Open era after Agnieszka Rad- Australian Open champion Kenin is ROAD TO FINAL wanska at Wimbledon in 2012. She targeting a second Grand Slam of the L Samsonova (RUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 Rd 1 15-M Vondrousova (CZE) 6-1, 6-2 had never previously been beyond the year while the 19-year-old Swiatek has A Bogdan (ROU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 Rd 2 H Su-Wei (TPE) 6-1, 6-4 last 16. her sights set on becoming Poland’s I Bara (ROU) 6-2, 6-0 Rd 3 E Bouchard (CAN) 6-3, 6-2 The latest in a line of teen stars, fi rst major singles champion. F Ferro (FRA) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 Rd 4 1-S Halep (ROU) 6-1, 6-2 Swiatek is the seventh unseeded wom- Kenin arrived at Roland Garros hav- D Collins (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 QF M Trevisan (ITA) 6-3, 6-1 en’s fi nalist at Roland Garros. Of the ing suff ered an embarrassing double- 7-P Kvitova (CZE) 6-4, 7-5 SF N Podoroska (ARG) 6-2, 6-1 previous six, only Jelena Ostapenko in bagel defeat by Victoria Azarenka in 2017 went on to lift the trophy. Rome, her lone warm-up match on „Swiatek defeated the 21-year-old American in the French Open juniors third “I will need to be on a diff erent level, clay, a surface she used to despise. round in 2016 but this will be their first meeting on the professional circuit. the higher level, even though I’m win- „The 19-year-old, who has never won a WTA title, has been in irresistible form ning easily right now,” said Swiatek. The 21-year-old Kenin is hoping in Paris, dropping just 23 games en route to the final. “I’m going to be, like, an underdog.” her Melbourne experience will „If Swiatek prevails, she will become the youngest player to lift the Suzanne Swiatek, then barely 15, beat Kenin give her an edge over teenager Lenglen trophy since Monica Seles in 1992. 6-4, 7-5 in the French Open junior Swiatek, who has blasted through „Kenin is 16-1 at Grand Slams this year and will rise to a career-high ranking tournament in 2016, but like Ostapenko to the fi nal for the loss of just 23 of 3 if she beats Swiatek. three years ago she goes into Saturday’s games fi nal hunting her fi rst title of any sort at tour level. fi rst Grand Slam fi nal. I’m hoping she’s kind of got on hold,” she recounted. “I Not that Swiatek, whose work with a The American had never advanced as going to be a little bit nervous,” said didn’t have really motivation when I psychologist has helped immeasurably far the quarter-fi nals on clay before this Kenin. knew that everything is shut down. with her laser-like focus, expects to be fortnight, but now stands a win away Kenin’s hunger and desire ranks “It took some time for me to get my overawed by the occasion. from becoming the fi rst woman to cap- among the best, as does her ability to motivation back. I fi nally got it. I feel “Usually I’m that kind of player who ture two Slams in the same season since adjust and counter an opponent armed like I’m playing the best tennis right is playing better under pressure,” she Angelique Kerber won the Australian with greater power as witnessed in her now, as well.” said. “If I’m not going to choke up, I and US Open in 2016. victory over Petra Kvitova. Kenin has gone to three sets in four think everything will be fi ne.” The 21-year-old is hoping her Mel- A fi ve-month shutdown of the sea- of her six matches and will need to be bourne experience will give her an edge son due to the Covid-19 outbreak at her uncompromising best to sub- Sofia Kenin (top) of the US and Poland’s over Swiatek, who has blasted through threatened to check the momentum of due an opponent who has ruthlessly Iga Swiatek (right) will face off for the to the fi nal for the loss of just 23 games. her triumph Down Under, and Kenin swept aside the competition, includ- first time on the professional circuit in “I’ve been there, done that. I know admitted it was hard at fi rst to adapt. ing top seed and favourite Simona the French Open final at Roland Garros what the emotions are getting into your “With the whole pandemic, things Halep. in Paris, France, today. (AFP) ‘Jed’: Last Polish woman to reach French Open fi nal

AFP 1912 in Krakow in southern Poland, the ficult to pronounce, Jedrzejowska was being too critical of a tennis match. title by teaming up with Mathieu Warsaw, Poland daughter of a worker. The family lived commonly referred to in the English- The two later became fast friends and against Yugoslav players Alice Florian near tennis courts and she was fasci- speaking world as ‘Jed’ or ‘Ja-Ja’. they corresponded until his death in and Hella Kovac. Just a few weeks later, nated by the sport from an early age. In Poland, her nickname was ‘Jadzia’ or 1977. Hitler’s invasion of Poland signalled the or 19-year-old Iga Swiatek the When she was 10, her father made her ‘Ya-dzha’. start of World War II. French Open final today is a first racket. According to a biography ONE GRAND SLAM Fbreakthrough but 81 years ago on the website of Polish Radio, she re- HIGH-SOCIETY FRIENDS She reached the final of Wimbledon RETURN TO FRENCH OPEN she had a Polish predecessor, Jadwiga membered keeping it under her pillow. King Gustav V of Sweden, who had in 1937 but lost against a far more She continued playing after the war and Jedrzejowska, who played for the title Her female rivals refused to play played with her on the French Riviera experienced rival, Britain’s Dorothy made it to the mixed doubles final of the at Roland Garros. Here are five things against her as women’s tennis was before the war, tried to get her out of Round. She remembered she was French Open in 1947. She married an en- we know about Jedrzejowska — known a high-society sport. As a result, she war-torn Poland in 1941. She turned “afraid to win” and cried in the gineer, Alfred Gallert, and was involved as “Jed” — the most outstanding Polish trained mostly with men and became down the off er, and refused an invita- cloakroom, although she received a with tennis for the rest of her life. player of the interwar period: Polish champion at the age of 20. tion from Poland’s Nazi occupiers to hero’s welcome when she returned She died in Katowice in southern Po- Polish player Jadwiga Jedrzejowska. move to Germany. to Poland. land in 1980 — at the outset of the Soli- HUMBLE BEGINNINGS NICKNAMES (AFP/Poland’s Museum of Sports and Before the war, she met Charlie Chaplin She lost the 1939 French Open final to darity movement which brought down Jedrzejowska was born on October 15, Because her name was judged too dif- Tourism) in the United States, upbraiding him for Simonne Mathieu but won the doubles Poland’s post-war communist regime. Gulf Times Saturday, October 10, 2020 3 FOOTBALL

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER FOCUS International transfer spending drops over Messi penalty gives 30%, says FIFA report

Reuters ball declined signifi cantly,” said Bern the report. The Covid-19 pandemic brought football to a standstill he amount of money worldwide between March and Argentina winning spent on international June and, although it has re- transfers in the window started since then, most games which closed on Monday have been played without fans or Tdropped by more than 30% com- in front of very limited crowds, pared to the corresponding pe- signifi cantly aff ecting club rev- riod last year amid the Covid-19 enues. pandemic, global soccer body It also caused the transfer FIFA said in a report yesterday. window to be extended until Oct start over Ecuador FIFA announced that a total of 5 to allow for a late start to the $3.92 billion was spent by clubs 2020/21 European club season. worldwide between June 1 and European clubs were by far ‘It was important to start with a win because we know how diff icult the qualifiers are’ October 5 in the transfer window the biggest spenders with a to- this year, compared to $5.8 bil- tal outlay of $3.78 billion. Of lion a year ago. that, $1.25 billion was spent by AFP The number of transfers also English clubs followed by Italian Buenos Aires fell from 9,087 last year to 7,424, teams ($544 million) and Span- down 18%, the report said. The ish sides ($487 million). number of those transfers in- However, the report said the ionel Messi put his Barcelona trou- volving a fee was 1,623 compared women’s game seemed less af- bles behind him to fi re Argentina with 1,222, a decline of 25%. fected and the number of inter- to an opening 1-0 victory over Ec- “Following the interruption national transfers rose from 385 uador in World Cup qualifying on of football for more than three to 522, up more than 35%, while LThursday. months at the tail end of last the amount spent on players The 33-year-old great has been in open season... spending on transfer nearly doubled from $455,000 to confl ict with his club but it had no detri- fees in men’s professional foot- $822,000. mental eff ect on his form as his 13th minute penalty was the diff erence in a tight en- counter. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner unsuc- Barca question ‘doubtful’ signatures in cessfully tried to force his way out of the campaign to oust president Catalan giants in the close season but he seemed much happier in the light blue and white jersey of his country. And Argentina needed him to be on top form in a bid to avoid slipping up at home to Ecuador for the second successive time in an opening World Cup qualifi er having lost 2-0 to the same opponents four years ago. In the surreal atmosphere of an empty Bom- bonera - the iconic stadium in Buenos Aires that is usually bouncing from the passion of fervent fans was left barren by coronavi- rus restrictions - Argentina never looked in danger of another shock defeat. The hosts predictably dominated pos- session but struggled to break down an or- ganised and physical Ecuador outfi t that proved a diff erent proposition to the one dispatched 6-1 in a friendly a year ago. The breakthrough came after a reckless challenge by Pervis Estupinan sent Lucas Barcelona have asked the civil committee in September to Ocampos sprawling in the box, with Messi guard to investigate alleged verify the signatures and on stepping up to lash home his 71st interna- falsified signatures in the cam- Thursday it ended the process, tional goal. “It was important to start with paign to hold a vote of no con- declaring that 19,380 of the a win because we know how diffi cult the fidence to oust club president total signatures filed were valid, qualifi ers are and all the matches are going Josep Maria Bartomeu, local while 1,088 were declared null to be as hard as this one,” Messi said. media reported on Thursday. and 219 were described as With the South American qualifi ers twice A Barca source confirmed the “doubtful”. pushed back from the scheduled start in club’s committee responsible The committee said it would March, it was almost a year since either for counting the signatures had hold a meeting on Friday to team had played a full international and been in contact with authorities announce the next step in the Messi said that inaction contributed to the but had no more information process. The cries for a vote of poor spectacle. on the matter which was report- no confidence came about in “We hoped the level of play would be dif- ed by Radio station Cadena Ser the aftermath of talisman Lionel ferent but it’s been almost a year since we and La Vanguardia newspaper. Messi requesting a transfer in played together, this was our fi rst game back A consortium of fans groups August after their humiliating and the nervousness makes it complicated,” and presidential candidates, Champions League exit after the Barcelona striker said. called ‘Mes que una mocio’ they lost 8-2 to Bayern Munich Ocampos was presented with a glorious (More than a motion) gathered in the single match quarter- chance to double the lead early in the second over 20,687 signatures last finals. half but goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez month in a bid to hold the vote Fans cited a lack of sporting dived full length to keep out his low shot against Bartomeu, clearing the direction and financial misman- from eight yards. Rodrigo De Paul fi red nar- 16,520 votes required to trigger agement as the main reasons rowly wide for the hosts with the last kick a vote. The club appointed a they want to see change. of the match. Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring a goal against Ecuador in World Cup 2022 South American Qualifiers. (Reuters)

SPOTLIGHT Injury time goal gives Uruguay 2-1 win over Chile

Reuters Montevideo Suarez cried over treatment in fi nal days at Barca ubstitute Maxi Gomez scored in injury time Luis Suarez has said he was son matches before agreeing to give Uruguay a barely deserved 2-1 win reduced to tears by Barce- a switch to Atletico on a free over Chile on Thursday and get the home lona’s treatment of him in his transfer. “Not everyone knows side off to a victorious start in their open- final weeks at the club before what happened but the worst ingS World Cup qualifying match for Qatar 2022. leaving for La Liga rivals thing was going to training Uruguay took the lead six minutes before half Atletico Madrid and revealed and being sent to a diff erent time when Luis Suarez scored a penalty awarded he was not allowed to take group from everyone else after handball and with the aid of the video assist- part in training matches. because I was not allowed ant referee (VAR). “Those days were very dif- to play in practice matches,” Alexis Sanchez got the equaliser for Chile 10 ficult. I cried because of what Suarez said. minutes into the second half when he took a neat I was having to go through,” “My wife could see how un- pass from Charles Aranguiz and slid an angled Suarez told the Uruguay happy I was and she wanted shot into the net with his right foot. national team’s off icial media to see me smile again and With the South American qualifi ers twice after scoring in Thursday’s 2-1 when the chance came to join pushed back from the scheduled start in March, it win over Chile in a World Cup Atletico I had no doubts.” was almost a year since either team had played a qualifier. Suarez scored twice goals in full international and both sides tired as the game “I didn’t take the club’s mes- Atletico’s 6-1 win over Granada looked like petering out at a fan-free Centenario sage that they were looking on his debut before two frus- stadium in Montevideo. for a solution for me in order trating goal less draws against However, Gomez, who had only been on the to mix things up very well. I Huesca and Villarreal. fi eld fi ve minutes, gathered a clearance on the edge was hurt most of all by the The striker, 33, gave a tearful of the box two minutes into stoppage time and ri- way they did things, because farewell news conference fl ed a shot low into the net to give the world cham- one has to accept it when a the day before signing for pions in 1930 and 1950 a winning start to their cycle comes to an end.” Atletico while Lionel Messi, campaign. Suarez became Barca’s third his old strike partner, hit out The top four teams in South America’s 10-team all-time top scorer with 198 at the club’s treatment of the group qualify automatically for Qatar 2022 and goals in six years at the club Uruguayan. the fi fth-placed side goes into an inter-regional and helped the team win four “I wasn’t surprised that playoff . Uruguay’s next game is away at Ecuador La Liga titles, four domestic Messi supported me publicly on Tuesday, while Chile return to Santiago to face cups and the 2015 Champi- because I know him too well. Colombia the same day. ons League but was forced He knew the pain I was going In the evening’s earlier game, Peru and Paraguay out with one year left on his through, the feeling that I was drew 2-2 in a match that came alive with four goals contract. being kicked out was what in the second half. After being told by new coach hurt me the most,” added Andre Carrillo put Peru in front after 53 minutes Ronald Koeman he was no Suarez. only for the home side to snatch the lead with a longer in the team’s plans, he “The way they did things was double from Angel Romero. Uruguay’s Luis Suarez shows a T-shirt reading “Stay Strong Nando and Family” after scoring a penalty against Chile during was excluded from the squad not right and Leo knows how However, Carrillo was not to be outdone and their 2022 FIFA World Cup South American qualifier at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo. (AFP) for the team’s three pre-sea- me and my family suff ered.” grabbed an equaliser with fi ve minutes remaining. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, October 10, 2020 FOOTBALL

EURO 2020 Scotland survive Israel shootout, Ireland miss out AFP hosts, but Niall McGinn’s equal- London iser gave Ian Baraclough’s men something to hold on to. And they kept their heads to cotland won their fi rst win the shootout 4-3 as Haris ever penalty shootout Hajradinovic and Edin Visca to beat Israel in the Euro missed for Bosnia. 2020 semi-fi nal playoff s, “We didn’t start anywhere butS there was spot-kick heart- near the way we wanted to, but break for the Republic of Ireland when we got to grips with it and as they lost out to Slovakia. everything fell into place,” said Northern Ireland will host the Northern Ireland captain Steven Slovaks next month for a place at Davis, who became his country’s the postponed tournament next most-capped player on his 120th summer after they too prevailed appearance. on penalties after a 1-1 draw Gylfi Sigurdsson’s double en- against Bosnia and Herzegovina. sured Iceland beat Romania 2-1 Scotland are now one game to set up a fi nal against Hungary, away from their fi rst major tour- who were 3-1 winners in Bul- nament in 22 years when they garia. travel to Serbia on November 12, Scotland’s players run to celebrate after winning the penalty shootout against Israel during the Euro 2020 playoff semi-final at Hampden Park, Glasgow. (AFP) Kosovo’s dreams of reaching but were pushed all the way after a fi rst ever major tournament neither side could fi nd the net in Clarke’s preparations were one of their last 10 internation- as all fi ve of Scotland’s penalty by scoring twice in a 2-1 victory to rue a host of huge chances af- came to end as they were beaten 120 minutes at Hampden. thrown into chaos on Wednes- als, including a 1-1 draw when takers found the net, while David for the visitors in Oslo. ter a 0-0 draw in Bratislava. 2-1 by North Macedonia. “It its another step forward to day when three key players were they visited Hampden in the Na- Marshall saved from Eran Za- The Lazio midfi elder’s fi rst Allan Browne and Totten- Only admitted into UEFA in hopefully making a bit of history ruled out. Stuart Armstrong tions League last month. havi. “Saving the fi rst penalty eff ort was cancelled out by ham’s Matt Doherty then failed 2016, Kosovan hopes were high for the country,” said Scotland tested positive for coronavi- Manchester United’s Scott breaks them a bit and gave us Mathias Normann two minutes to score from the spot and the of making history after they per- boss Steve Clarke. rus, while Kieran Tierney and McTominay spurned the best confi dence,” said Marshall. from time to send the game to Slovaks made no mistakes to win formed strongly in a qualifying “Qualifi cation is still in our Ryan Christie were forced into chance of the game when he “The last four penalties from extra-time. But Milinkovic- 4-2 in the shootout. group containing England and hands. We know we’ve got a self-isolation for being in close headed wide when completely us were a real high standard - the Savic’s incredibly deft chip from “It’s a hard one to take at the the Czech Republic. tough game but it is one that contact with the Southampton unmarked from a corner just be- lads have practised every day. It’s a narrow angle proved a worthy minute and it is heartbreaking,” But instead it is the Macedoni- we’ll look forward to. midfi elder. The goal-threat and fore half-time and Liam Coop- more relief than anything.” winner. said Ireland captain Shane Duff y. ans who have the chance to reach “I can feel there is something creativity off ered by Armstrong er’s header hit the post with the Serbia stand between Scot- Ireland failed to capitalise Northern Ireland upset the a fi rst major international tour- building. It’s another game un- and Christie was badly missed as last action of extra-time. land and a place at the Euros af- on Slovakia’s own problems odds by coming from behind to nament when they face Georgia, beaten and you can feel the ela- Scotland laboured to breakdown However, McTominay re- ter Sergej Milinkovic-Savic up- with coronavirus absentees as beat Bosnia. Rade Krunic opened who beat Belarus 1-0, in the Path tion in the dressing room.” an Israeli side that has won just deemed himself in the shootout staged Norway’s Erling Haaland Stephen Kenny’s men were left the scoring early on for the D fi nal next month.

FRIENDLY SPOTLIGHT Chelsea keeper Mendy injured on Calvert-Lewin gets Senegal duty

AFP fi rst Premier League start against London Crystal Palace last Saturday. “The Senegalese football Federation has announced the helsea goalkeeper Ed- withdrawal from their squad of goal on debut in ouard Mendy has suf- Edouard Mendy due to injury,” a fered a thigh injury Chelsea statement said yester- while on international day. dutyC with Senegal. “The goalkeeper sustained an Mendy picked up the injury injury to his right thigh during during a Senegal training session training on Wednesday and had and has returned to London for a medical examination in a hos- assessment by Chelsea’s medi- pital in Rabat, where Senegal are England’s victory cal team. due to play Morocco tonight. Blues boss Frank Lampard will “Mendy has since returned to hope Mendy can recover in time Chelsea where he will undergo to face Southampton at Stam- further examinations.” ‘HE IS IN REALLY GOOD FORM. HE’S AN ALL-ROUND CENTRE FORWARD’ ford Bridge in his team’s next Mendy was signed to replace Premier League game on Octo- error-prone Spaniard Kepa Ar- ber 17. Chelsea also face Sevilla rizabalaga, who this week ex- in their opening Champions pressed confi dence he can win League game and Manchester back the Chelsea keeper’s jersey. United in the Premier League Kepa, the world’s most expen- following the international sive keeper, kept a clean-sheet break. for Spain against Portugal on Mendy joined Chelsea from Wednesday. Rennes in a £22 million ($28 mil- If Mendy is sidelined by his lion) deal last month. thigh problem, Lampard will The 28-year-old kept his fi rst have to turn to Kepa or Willy Ca- clean-sheet for the club in his ballero.

EPL ‘Underperforming United could get Solskjaer sacked’

England’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin scores their first goal against Wales during their friendly in London. (Reuters) Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. AFP the last few months, England with a total of 54 caps, gave the game, the players saw the a warning that Wales failed to London boss Southgate said: “Really him some food for thought. tactical problems Wales posed heed and Calvert-Lewin ex- Reuters titles with United between 1993- good, he had excellent presence, Aston Villa playmaker Jack to us when they were press- tended his hot streak in the London 2005 and is now a television his runs are a threat, he presses Grealish provided the assist for ing and I thought we fi nished 26th minute. Grealish cleverly pundit, told ITV. “You all have areth Southgate said well and he took his goal well. Calvert-Lewin’s goal and was a strongly.” worked a yard of space to loft a bad days in football. Some of the Dominic Calvert- I thought he could be really lively presence in his fi rst Eng- Wales, without Gareth Bale fi ne cross into the six-yard box, ormer Manchester Unit- players were a disgrace to the Lewin has taken his pleased. land start. “His work with the and Aaron Ramsey, were beaten where Calvert-Lewin timed ed captain Roy Keane United badge. game to “another level” “He is in really good form. ball was very good. We know he for the fi rst time in nine games his run to evade the fl at-footed launched a stinging “Too many bluff ers and, ul- Gafter the in-form Everton striker He’s an all-round centre for- draws those fouls, he’s comfort- dating back to June 2019. Chris Mepham and head past criticism of the club’s timately, these players will cost scored on his England debut as ward. I’ve always liked his gen- able receiving the ball in tight They remain without a win Hennessey. players,F saying they could get Ole his job. The players he has an experimental side beat Wales eral play but it’s the goals that areas and again it was a debut over England since 1984, but In the absence of the rested manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got there - they threw the previ- 3-0 in Thursday’s friendly. are making him another level of he could be really pleased with,” boss Ryan Giggs had one eye Harry Kane, Kieran Trippier sacked if they continue to un- ous manager Jose Mourinho un- Calvert-Lewin opened the player.” Southgate said. Arsenal teen- on their Nations League games was serving as the ninth dif- derperform. der the bus and they will do the scoring at Wembley with his With Tammy Abraham, ager Bukayo Saka lined up at left against the Republic of Ireland ferent England captain under United suff ered a 6-1 ham- same to Ole.” 10th goal this season after net- Ben Chilwell and Jadon San- wing-back and the debutant and Bulgaria. Southgate and the Atletico Ma- mering at the hands of Totten- United moved quickly to ting nine times in six games for cho missing following their gradually grew into the game, It was England’s fi rst game at drid defender celebrated the ham Hotspur on Sunday, their strengthen their squad follow- Everton. The 23-year-old’s fi rst Covid-19 breach and a squad while Nick Pope replaced error- Wembley in 11 months because honour by setting up the second joint worst loss in the Premier ing the Spurs debacle, sign- half strike was followed by an- packed with players who have prone Jordan Pickford in goal of the coronavirus pandemic goal in the 53rd minute. League era - equalling their 6-1 ing Edinson Cavani on a free other maiden England goal as already featured heavily for and produced a composed dis- and the sterile behind closed Trippier swung his free-kick defeat by Manchester City in transfer, Brazilian left back Alex Wolves defender Conor Coady their clubs, Southgate turned play. doors atmosphere meant the to the far post and Coady ar- 2011. Solskjaer’s side, who fi n- Telles from Porto and Uruguay- struck after the interval. to his understudies before Eng- “I thought the players did ‘Battle of Britain’ felt more like rived to guide a half-volley past ished third last season, have an 18-year-old winger Facundo On his fi rst England start, land’s Nations League matches very well. It’s so diffi cult for a phoney war at times. Hennessey from close-range. picked up just three points from Pellistri from Atletico Penarol on Southampton striker Danny against Belgium on Sunday and a new team to come together Calvert-Lewin raised the Ings put the result beyond three games in the current cam- transfer deadline day. Ings got the third goal - his fi rst Denmark on Wednesday. without much experience,” tempo when he got behind the doubt in the 63rd minute, paign and sit in 16th place. Solskjaer’s side face ninth- for his country - with a fi ne It was an encouraging dis- Southgate said. Wales defence and rounded meeting Tyrone Mings’ header “Their performance against placed Newcastle United on Oct overhead kick. Impressed by play as the least experienced “It was not fl uid at the start keeper Wayne Hennessey, only with a superb overhead kick Spurs was disgraceful,” Keane, 17 when they return to action af- Calvert-Lewin’s rapid rise over Three Lions team in 44 years, but we got more and more into to see his shot cleared. It was from six yards. who won seven Premier League ter the international break. Gulf Times Saturday, October 10, 2020 5 SPORT

MLB NHL Vegas trades Stastny to Winnipeg Jets Braves blank Miami, The Blue Jackets also an- Reuters Las Vegas nounced that they signed re- stricted free agent goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks to a two-year, he Vegas Golden Knights two-way contract extension and traded center Paul shipped Markus Nutivaara to the Stastny to the Winnipeg Florida Panthers in exchange Jets yesterday. for Cliff Pu. Wennberg, 26, had Astros bash A’s to TIn exchange, the Knights re- three years remaining on a six- ceived defenseman Carl Dahl- year, $29.4 million contract he strom and a conditional fourth- signed prior to the 2017-18 sea- round pick in the 2022 NHL son. The buyout will save the Draft. Blue Jackets $10.7 million in cash Winnipeg was not on the 10- and clear $4.46 million in cap team, no-trade list for Stastny, space in each of the next three 34, who played in 19 games with years, per TSN. advance in playoff s the Jets in 2018 after being trad- The Blue Jackets selected him ed by St. Louis. with the No. 14 overall pick in the Stastny has one year left on a 2013 NHL Draft. ‘THIS GROUP OF GUYS IS SPECIAL. OUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL IS PRETTY HIGH’ three-year, $19.5 million free- The transaction comes one agent contract he signed with day after Columbus signed fel- Vegas on July 1, 2018, meaning low forward Max Domi to a two- the Golden Knights will clear year, $10.6 million deal. $6.5 million in cap space for the “I wish Alex the best of luck 2020-21 season. and thank him for his contribu- Stastny was a second-round tions, both on and off the ice, to pick of Colorado in 2005. In the Columbus Blue Jackets over 945 career games with the Ava- the past seven years,” Blue Jack- lanche, Blues, Jets and Golden ets general manager Jarmo Keka- Knights, he has scored 726 lainen said. “Decisions like this points (250 goals, 476 assists). In are never easy, but we believe it 71 games in the 2019-20 season, is in the best interest of our club Stastny had 38 points (17 goals, at this time.” 21 assists). Wennberg recorded 22 points Dahlstrom, 25, was a second- (fi ve goals, 17 assists) in 57 games round pick by Chicago in the last season. He collected 201 2013 draft. He played 49 games points (40 goals, 161 assists) in with the Blackhawks before he 415 career games with Colum- was claimed by the Jets on waiv- bus. ers in October 2019. Kivlenieks, 24, made his NHL In 64 career games, the Swede debut with the Blue Jackets in has recorded 10 assists and 12 2019-20, posting a 1-1-2 record penalty minutes. with a 2.95 goals-against aver- The Golden Knights are ex- age and.898 save percentage in pected to be active in free agen- six games, which included four cy, which begins Friday. In the starts. Stanley Cup playoff s, they ad- Nutivaara, 26, has tallied 17- vanced to the Western Confer- 43-60, 30 penalty minutes and ence semifi nals and lost 4-1 to a cumulative +25 plus/minus the Dallas Stars. rating in 244 career games since The Jets lost to the Calgary making his NHL debut with the Flames in the qualifying round Blue Jackets during the 2016-17 of the playoff s. season. He was Columbus’ sev- enth-round pick, 189th overall, BLUE JACKETS PLACE at the 2015 NHL Draft. WENNBERG ON WAIVERS Pu, 22, has recorded two goals The Columbus Blue Jackets and eight assists for 10 points placed center Alexander Wen- with 14 penalty minutes in 63 nberg on unconditional waiv- career American Hockey League ers for the purpose of a buyout, games with the Springfi eld the team announced on a busy Thunderbirds and Charlotte Thursday. Checkers.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kyle Wright delivers against the Miami Marlins during the first inning of game three of the 2020 NLDS in Houston, Texas. (USA TODAY Sports)

AFP body is contributing,” Brantley high.” feats against their American ton – a failure that has inspired Los Angeles said. “It has been a fun ride this The Braves will face either League East rivals. this year’s success. post-season. We’re looking for- the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Voit, who led the major “Experience had a lot to do ward to keeping it going.” Diego Padres, with the Dodg- leagues with 22 home runs in with it,” Brantley said. “We owerful pitching has The Braves swept Miami 3-0 ers hoping to complete a sweep the pandemic-shortened sea- came up short last year. To come lifted the Atlanta in the best-of-fi ve second- later Thursday. son, led off the second inning back and play good post-season Braves to their deepest round series and booked a berth The Astros beat Oakland 3-1 with a homer off Rays starting baseball was our goal. We’ve Major League Baseball in the best-of-seven National in their best-of-fi ve matchup to pitcher Ryan Thompson. been putting quality at-bats to- Pplayoff run in 19 years while the League Championship Series, reach the best-of-seven Ameri- Torres belted a towering two- gether and getting wins.” big-hitting Houston Astros are which starts on Monday. can League Championship Se- run homer into the off of Ryan The Astros feats in 2017 and one round from the World Se- It’s the fi rst time since 2001 ries, which begins on Sunday. Yarbrough that put New York 2018 have been tainted by a ries for the fourth year in a row. the Braves, who lost 95 games Houston will face either the up 4-1 with one out in the sixth sign-stealing scandal, cameras Atlanta pitcher Kyle Wright in 2015, have advanced to the Tampa Bay Rays or New York inning. and banging on trash cans used struck out seven batters over six NLCS. Yankees. The Yankees forced It was Torres’ fi rst home run to alert batters to what pitches scoreless innings and the Braves “It means a lot,” Braves star a decisive game fi ve with a 5-1 of these playoff s and the fthfi were coming, but new manager blanked Miami 7-0 Thursday, fi rst baseman Freddie Freeman victory over the Rays. post-season homer of his ca- Dusty Baker has helped Hou- while the Astros had two home said. “Coming from where we Luke Voit and Gleyber Torres reer. ston recover. runs from Michael Brantley plus were fi ve years ago to where we homered for the Yankees, and The Astros won the 2017 “It’s a team eff ort. We’ve got homers from Carlos Correa and are now is a complete 180. For starting pitcher Jordan Mont- World Series over the Dodgers each other’s backs,” Brantley Jose Altuve in beating Oakland us to be in this situation is com- gomery and three relievers in seven games, lost to Boston in said. “To have a veteran team 11-6. pletely incredible. combined to limit the Rays the 2018 ALCS and went back to that comes to compete every “The guys are swinging the “This group of guys is special. to three hits as New York re- the World Series last year, fall- day and knows how to play bats really well – 1-to-9 every- Our confi dence level is pretty bounded from two straight de- ing in seven games to Washing- playoff baseball, it’s special.” Paul Stastny.

NFL Foles pilots Bears to 20-19 win over Brady’s Bucs AFP fourth down broken up. After his Washington fi nal incompletion, Brady turned to offi cials indicating he thought he had a fourth down remaining airo Santos booted a 38- – but the superstar signal caller yard fi eld goal with 1:13 was mistaken. Brady completed 25 remaining to lift the Chi- of 41 passes for 253 yards and one cago Bears to a 20-19 NFL touchdown. Running back Ronal victoryC over Tom Brady’s Tampa Jones had 17 carries for 106 yards Bay Buccaneers on Thursday. and Succop kicked four fi eld goals. The Bears defeated a Brady team Foles completed 30 of 42 passes for the fi rst time in six attempts for 243 yards, one TD and one in- – the previous fi ve coming when terception. Down 13-0 in the sec- Brady was at the helm of the New ond quarter, the Bears scored two England Patriots. touchdowns in the fi nal two min- For Chicago quarterback Nick utes of the fi rst half to take a 14-13 Foles, however, it was another lead into the break. win over Brady. Foles guided the Chicago’s defense played a key Philadelphia Eagles over Brady’s role in the turnaround as corner- Patriots in Super Bowl 52. In a back Kyle Fuller forced a fum- back-and-forth battle, Foles put ble from running back Ke’Shawn the Bears within fi eld goal range Vaughn and linebacker Robert on their fi nal drive, hitting An- Quinn recovered. Four plays lat- thony Miller with a 10-yard pass er, Foles connected on a 12-yard and David Montgomery with a touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham. 17-yarder. Neither team scored a touch- Tampa Bay – who had edged down in the second half, but the ahead on Ryan Succop’s 25-yard Bears did enough to rebound from fi eld goal with 4:52 remaining – a loss to Indianapolis last weekend had a chance to respond, but their and improve to 4-1. fi nal drive stalled at their 41-yard Brady and the Bucs fell to 3-2 line after Brady failed to connect with their fi rst defeat since they with Rob Gronkowski on third fell to the New Orleans Saints in down and then saw his pass on their season opener. Tampa Bay Buccaneers nose tackle Vita Vea (right) sacks Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles during the third quarter at Soldier Field in Chicago. (USA TODAY Sports) Gulf Times 6 Saturday, October 10, 2020 SPORT

GOLF ALPINE SKIING Shiff rin to miss World Cup opener US Open champ with back injury

AFP home to the United States fol- Paris lowing the death of her father Jeff aged 65 after an accident at home in Vail, Colorado on Feb- wo-time Olympic ruary 2. DeChambeau champion Mikaela Shiff rin’s intended return was Shiff rin announced thwarted when the closing races Tyesterday that a back of last season were called off due injury had forced her to skip the to the coronavirus pandemic. alpine skiing World Cup season- Her appetite and enthusi- opener in Solden on October 17. asm to get back to her day job “After tweaking my back ski- was evident in her post on In- ing last week, I have been ad- stagram. “With all the uncer- grabs Vegas lead vised to sit Solden out to let my tainty throughout this year, we back heal so I can race the rest of are only ONE WEEK (and a day) the season,” she posted on social away from the start of the World ‘I was lucky enough to make a lot of putts to start off my day’ media. Shiff rin called a prema- Cup season and that is some- ture halt to last season to mourn thing to be really excited about. the death of her father. “Okay, maybe my countdown Her run of three successive has been delayed, but the big women’s World Cup alpine ski- countdown is ON and I can’t ing champion titles came to an wait for it to start. end when she fi nished second to “I’m wishing the best to eve- Federica Brignone. ryone racing in Solden, and I’ll Shiff rin said it felt “frustrat- see you all soon.” ing and strange” to miss the gi- Shiff rin won gold in the sla- ant slalom in Austria for the fi rst lom at the 2014 Sochi Olym- time in nine seasons. pics, and in the giant slalom at She added: “Luckily, this in- Pyeongchang four years later jury will heal and I will be back where she also collected silver in in the start soon... (and I can’t the combined. wait).” The 25-year-old’s last A fi ve-time world champi- competitive appearance was in on, she has a total of 66 World Bansko, Bulgaria, in late Janu- Cup wins and is on track given ary. her age to pass not only Lind- She was atop the World Cup sey Vonn’s women’s record of overall standings and en route 82 wins but also the outright for a fourth straight title when record of 86 set by the Swede she left the circuit to return Ingemar Stenmark.

Bryson DeChambeau hits his tee shot on the 9th hole during round one of the Shriners Hospitals For Children Open at TPC Summerlin on Thursday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

AFP well,” DeChambeau said. ments.” from just over 11 feet. in his opening round. His only Los Angeles “There’s no wind out here for Americans Austin Cook, DeChambeau drove onto the other back-nine score so low the most part and you feel like Nate Lashley, Scott Harrington, green at the par-4 seventh and came in the fi nal round of his you can bomb it everywhere and Patrick Cantlay and Harold Var- sank a two-foot birdie putt, then 2017 victory at the John Deere Mikaela Shiff rin of the US. ryson DeChambeau, hit wedges close. ner shared second on 63 with reached the fringe in two at the Classic. playing his fi rst PGA “And I was lucky enough to Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and par-5 ninth and tapped in for In what he expects to be his event since winning last make a lot of putts to start off Americans Brian Stuard, Bron- birdie to seize the lead. only tuneup event for next SPOTLIGHT month’s US Open, fi red my day.” son Burgoon, Andrew Landry, “I’m very pleased with how month’s Masters, DeChambeau aB nine-under-par 62 to seize the The 27-year-old American’s James Hahn and Rob Oppenhe- I played,” DeChambeau said. found 11 of 14 fairways and 16 of lead after Thursday’s opening strategy of blasting the ball as im next on 64. “Didn’t hit it my best but I put 18 greens in regulation or better, round of the Shriners Hospitals far as possible with little wor- Back-nine starter DeCham- it in the right spots a lot of the driving the green on two par-4s Next year’s Tokyo for Children Open. ry about landing in the rough beau made seven birdies in eight time.” with eagle putts on a trio of par- World number six DeCham- brought his fi rst major victory holes starting with an 18-foot DeChambeau, who won the 5 holes as well. beau matched his PGA career- at Winged Foot and a bogey-free putt at the par-4 12th, followed Shriners event in 2018 and “That’s the advantage of pow- marathon delayed low round, including a career- round on Thursday. by a six-footer for birdie at the shared fourth last year, fi red his er in this game now, that you can best run of fi ve consecutive “I’m playing well and I feel par-5 13th and a tap-in par at the only prior PGA 62 in the second do those sorts of things,” De- birdies, in surging to the top of like I have my golf swing under par-3 14th. round of last year’s 3M Open at Chambeau said. “I didn’t make until aft er Olympics the leaderboard at par-71 TPC control and putting well,” De- Then came his birdie run Minneapolis. any of them, but it makes it easy. Summerlin in suburban Las Ve- Chambeau said. “I feel like I can starting at 15, with the only fi nal This was the second year in That’s fi ve birdies right there AFP Marathons worldwide were gas. shoot low on a lot of golf courses putt beyond fi ve feet coming at a row at the Shriners that De- and it makes the golf course a lot Tokyo cancelled or severely scaled back “It was a great day to play and usually that wins tourna- the fi rst when he dropped in one Chambeau made a back-nine 30 easier. this year as the deadly new dis- ease spread. ext year’s Tokyo mara- The 2020 Tokyo marathon was LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP thon has been post- held in March with a reduced fi eld poned until after the of around 200 elite runners. delayed 2020 Olympics, The spokesman said holding organisersN said yesterday, as the the marathon later in 2021 could Malaysia’s Tan matches USA’s Lincicome with 67 coronavirus pandemic continues allow a larger race to take place, to impact sporting events across but added that the number of en- AFP to,” she said. “It was really hard the world. trants was yet to be decided. New York on some of the holes to take the The race was originally set to The news comes as questions fl ag out of consideration. I think I take place on March 7 and include swirl about how and whether the did that really well, and I’m really around 38,000 runners, including Olympics, also forced back a year alaysia’s Kelly Tan proud about that.” top athletes. by the Covid crisis, will go for- birdied three of her Tan opened at the 10th hole But with restricted entry into ward. They are set to open on July fi rst four holes in and made a 25-foot birdie putt the country and rules around big 23, 2021, and organisers insist it shooting a three- then added a seven-footer for events, it is now being pushed can be done safely. underM par 67 to match American birdie at 11 and 30-foot birdie back to October 17 “due to vari- But many countries are expe- Brittany Lincicome for the lead putts at the 13th and 18th holes. ous restrictions related to the new riencing fresh waves of infec- after Thursday’s opening round She made bogeys at the fi rst and coronavirus,” a spokesman for the tion and big questions, including of the Women’s PGA Champion- fourth but answered with a six- Tokyo Marathon Foundation told whether spectators will be al- ship. foot birdie putt at the seventh. AFP. lowed, remain unresolved. World number 189 Tan, seek- “It’s a major championship. ing her fi rst LPGA victory, sank You’re going to make bogeys,” three birdie putts from 25 feet she said. “I just look at it as those and beyond to help off set two bo- things are going to happen. I’m Six Russian weightlift ers banned for doping geys in a tough opening round at not a robot. I’m not going to hit it Aronimink in Newtown Square, to a perfect spot every time. Just Geneva: Six Russian weightlifters The punishments were based on Pennsylvania. keep telling myself to keep giv- were handed doping bans of up evidence of cheating obtained by “Ball-striking was really good ing myself chances and I did that to eight years, the International the World Anti-Doping Agency’s today,” Tan said. “I just feel very well coming home. Weightlifting Federation (IWF) investigation of samples taken like I was hitting to the right “This is a tough golf course, announced. from the Moscow laboratory at spot, giving myself those uphill and I just feel like I hit it to the The group includes Dmitry the centre of the Russian doping looks, and made a few nice 20 to right spots. I could be aggressive Lapikov, bronze medallist at the scandal. 30-footers.” Lincicome managed on my putts and just really nice to 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2009 Eight other cases “are currently four birdies against a lone bogey see those long ones go in. world silver medallist and 2011 pending”, the IWF said, adding as she chases a third major vic- “I think I’m in a good spot.” European champion. three other weightlifters — Alek- tory after the 2009 and 2015 ANA Kelly Tan of Malaysia plays her shot from the 11th tee during the second round of the 2020 KPMG Lincicome birdied the second, The 38-year-old received the sey Emelyanenko, Arsen Boraga- Inspiration titles. Women’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. took a bogey at the par-3 fi fth, heaviest sanction, a competition nov and Feliks Khalibekov — had “Very happy,” Lincicome said. then added birdies at the par-5 ban until August, 2026. been provisionally suspended on “Today it was kind of trusting A third-place pack on 68 in- Marathon Classic and didn’t dence from there,” Tan said. “My ninth, par-4 11th and par-3 17th Maksim Sheiko, European silver doping charges. my process, fairways and greens, cluded New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, crack the top 10 again until Au- ball-striking has been really good to claim a share of the lead, miss- medallist in 2012 and 2013, was IWF acting president Ursula being aggressive, don’t leave the Sweden’s Linnea Strom, Spain’s gust when she shared ninth in and I think that has been a key ing only one green in regulation banned for six years, with Ruslan Papandrea said: “The decisions putts short, and kind of just at- Carlota Ciganda, Mexico’s Gaby the Marathon in only the second and it has been giving me a lot all day despite tricky winds. Albegov (bronze medallist at Lon- are proof that the anti-doping tack the golf course, and it kind Lopez and Americans Danielle event back after a coronavirus of confi dence going into the next “Just trying to be aggressive,” don 2012 and a two-time world system has become significantly of worked, which is really scary Kang and Cydney Clanton. shutdown in February. day.” Her goal for round one was she said. “We left a few putts champion), Egor Klimonov, Yuliya stronger in recent years, notably because this golf course was not Unheralded Tan, 26, produced “I try to tell myself that every to stay calm and wait for oppor- short coming in. It was just tem- Konovalova, and Tima Turieva all thanks to WADA’s powers to easy. It was really windy. It was her best LPGA fi nish with a share day I have a little goal and try to tunities. “Just stay patient, take po with the swing today and try- receiving four year bans. investigate. cold at times.” of fourth as a rookie at the 2014 achieve them and build confi - those 30-, 50-footers if you have ing to swing slow.” Gulf Times Saturday, October 10, 2020 7 SPORT

CRICKET SPOTLIGHT Ashwin shines Test rugby is back with Australia as Delhi see vs New Zealand off Rajasthan grudge match DC now have 10 points while RR sit at seventh place with four

New Zealand’s Beauden Barrett (L) and Caleb Clarke attend a training session in Wellington yesterday, ahead of the first Bledisloe Cup Test tomorrow.

AFP eight years as assistant to Steve That domination has infuri- Wellington Hansen, while the Wallabies ated Australia and the depth turned to New Zealander Dave of emotion heading into Sun- Rennie after Michael Cheika’s day’s clash — the fi rst of four in ew Zealand and Aus- departure. the series, including two in the tralia will play the fi rst Foster said memories of last Rugby Championship — was rugby Test since the year’s failed World Cup cam- underscored by Wallabies cen- pandemic tomorrow paign have already been laid to tre Matt To’omua. Nagainst a backdrop of disagree- rest by the three-time world He proclaimed that Austral- ment and tension after chaos champions. ians “probably want that Bl- caused by the coronavirus “We don’t need that burden,” edisloe Cup back in Australia opened up deep divisions. Foster said. “This is about this almost more than we want the The All Blacks and the Wal- team. World Cup”. labies will take to the fi eld in “It’s about looking at the Rennie has made 13 changes Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates the wicket of Mahipal Lomror of Rajasthan Royals at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium yesterday. front of a packed, largely face- foundations and making sure to the starting XV since the PICTURE: (Sportzpics for BCCI) mask-free crowd in Wellington we set that in this Test and sub- Wallabies’ last outing, the 40- just under a year since their last sequent ones to make sure we 16 demolition by England in the AFP This time Buttler could not got the chance. But according to into the team for the next game games, at the World Cup in Ja- can launch into the next pe- World Cup quarter-fi nals. Sharjah complain. He was one of a host of Ashwin, Delhi coach Ricky Pon- tomorrow. Stokes is fi nishing his pan. riod.” The Wallabies’ Rennie, Only captain Michael Hoop- Rajasthan batsmen to give their ting has approached the Inter- quarantine after arriving late to be The on-pitch hostilities fol- a Wellington native, has never er, playing his 100th Test, and wickets away cheaply in the latest national Cricket Council over with his ailing father in New Zea- low a torrid period this year coached at Test level before, but winger Marika Koroibete sur- avichandran Ashwin won disappointment for captain Steve changing the rules for Mankading land. Smith admitted that the all- when the two unions have quar- he knows exactly what he wants vive from that mauling, while his latest battle with Eng- Smith. Buttler took no chances so that a batsman can be punished rounder lacks practice. relled over the Rugby Champi- from his team. Rennie has gambled on three land’s Jos Buttler a season backing up during Ashwin’s bowl- without being out. The 23-year-old Hetmyer made onship internationals and Su- “We have to be really aggres- debutants in his maiden Test after their ugly ‘Mankad- ing. When facing the Indian all- With Buttler gone, Rajasthan 45 off 24 balls — including fi ve six- per Rugby, whose 25-year run sive, to try to force them to kick starting line-up — lock Har- Ring’ showdown as Delhi Capitals rounder, Buttler looked for a big gave away wickets easily and never es — as the Capitals strengthened has come crashing to a halt. or to turn over some pill,” he ry Wilson and outside backs infl icted a fourth straight Indian hit but sent the ball to Shikhar looked capable of matching Delhi’s their credentials as surprise con- The opening Bledisloe Cup said. Hunter Paisami and Filipo Dau- Premier League defeat on Rajas- Dhawan who made a diving catch 184 for eight off 20 overs. They tenders for the title. Test, the fi rst international rug- After surviving on Zoom gunu. He has also packed expe- than Royals to go back top of the at square leg. were all out for 138 in 19.4 overs. They are now back ahead of by since Covid-19 halted the Six calls with coaches and play- rience on the bench where Scott table. Ashwin gave a huge leap of cel- Smith, who won the toss and reigning champions Mumbai Nations in March, will be fol- ers for part of the year, Foster Sio, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Sim- Last year’s game between the ebration. “Getting that Jos wicket chose to bat second, made a ten- Indians with fi ve wins from six lowed by a second next week in and Rennie get to launch their mons and Reece Hodge have two was dominated by the sports- was important,” he said after the tative 24 before being caught by games. Rajasthan are stuck in sev- Auckland, before the reformat- head-coach careers in front of 237 Tests between them, laying manship row that erupted after game. Delhi’s batting hero Shimron enth among the eight teams with ted Rugby Championship starts a big crowd — days after New the platform for an interesting Ashwin took off the bails at the Despite the sportsmanship con- Hetmyer off Anrich Nortje’s fiery just two wins. in Australia on October 31. Zealand declared victory over closing quarter. bowler’s end when Buttler strayed troversy caused by his manoeuvre bowling. Rahul Tweatia made 38 West Indies big-hitter Hetmyer Among rugby’s many chang- its second wave of Covid-19. Foster opted to start with ar- too far out of his crease looking for last year, Ashwin had given a “fi - and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal 34 put on his most impressive per- es since Japan last year, both There is signifi cance for both guably his top line-up, which a run. There was no repeat in the nal” warning before the game that but noone else go into double fi g- formance of the tournament so far teams have new coaches already teams, as New Zealand rate the includes nine starters from new clash but Ashwin did claim he would do it again. ures. Smith said Rajasthan must to keep up momentum after Aus- looking ahead to the next World Bledisloe Cup as second in im- their 19-7 loss to England in the Buttler’s wicket as his side took a Both sides were probably re- now “turn things around quickly” tralian Marcus Stoinis made 39, Cup in 2023. portance only to the World Cup World Cup semi-fi nals, and has 46-run victory in the sweltering lieved that Ashwin, who was and must face pressure to bring including four sixes, and captain The All Blacks are under and have held it for the past 18 three uncapped players on the Sharjah heat. named Man of the Match, never England star Ben Stokes straight Shreyas Iyer hit 22. Ian Foster, who took over after years. bench. Inconsistent Chennai clash with Bangalore, Punjab take on Kolkata

IANS points in their kitty, the Virat Kohli-led side is have been warming the bench till now. ing end against Delhi Capitals and would aim against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) today in Dubai a step ahead. Moreover, Dhoni himself hasn’t been up to to make a comeback to remain in hunt for a what could be called a must-win game if they CSK’s major concern has been the middle- the mark, failing to fi nish off games. play-off s berth. want to keep their play-off s hopes alive. order. While Shane Watson and Faf du Ples- Their bowling has no doubt improved as they While Kohli has regained his touch, young With just a single win from six games, KXIP hree-time Indian Premier League sis are in good form, the middle-order has let restricted KKR to a chase-able total with their opener Devdutt Padikkal, too, has been decent seem to be over-reliant on skipper Rahul, (IPL) champions Chennai Super Kings them down. star all-rounder Dwayne Bravo also among the with the bat. South African superstar AB de opener Mayank Agarwal and pace bowler Mo- (CSK) have been off -colour so far in Despite restricting Kolkata Knight Riders wickets. Villiers will once again be their key man in the hamed Shami. Barring the trio, the rest of the Tthe ongoing season. They will now be (KKR) to a moderate total in their previous out- Karn Sharma, who replaced leg-spinner Pi- middle-order. If Padikkal along with his open- players have failed to click. up against arch-rivals Royal Challengers Ban- ing, the Yellow Brigade failed to overhaul the yush Chawla, was also decent and is likely to be ing partner Aaron Finch is able to hand a fl ying Nicholas Pooran showed signs of the de- galore (RCB). target by 10 runs. in the playing XI against RCB. start at the top, RCB will certainly have an edge struction he could cause in the middle-order in Both sides have some great weapons in their Kedhar Jadhav’s consecutive poor shows Deepak Thakur, Sam Curran and Shardul over their southern rivals today.. the game against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) armoury; the two have been inconsistent in the too have raised eyebrows. The CSK think-tank Thakur would again be expected to come up Meanwhile, the K L Rahul-led Kings XI but the Caribbean player needs to be consist- ongoing edition. might axe him from the playing XI and include with early breakthroughs. Punjab (KXIP) are yet to fi nd winnings ways. ent. Other hard-hitters like Glenn Maxwell While CSK sit at the sixth spot with just four either N Jagadeesan or Mitchell Santner, who RCB, on the other hand, were on the receiv- The bottom-of the-table team will now be up have been completely silent so far.

FOCUS CYCLING France’s Demare takes sprint Sordo wins four stages to for third stage victory in Giro

AFP The 29-year-old Demare Brindisi, Italy won narrowly on Tuesday in Villafranca Tirrena, then much lead the Rally of Sardinia rnaud Demare more comfortably on Thursday AFP comfortably took the in an uphill fi nishing sprint in Alghero, Italy the fourth stage, the last one on the morning ien Ogier. In the driver championship, Ogier fi nishing sprint in Matera. loop. He then won the two afternoon stages. is second to Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans. ABrindisi yesterday for This time, as the stage ended “I am really happy to come back like this,” As leader, the Welshman had to open the his second straight stage victo- with a straight run of more than paniard Dani Sordo won the last three Sordo said. “We pushed hard and made time road yesterday. “Just impossible,” he said. ry and third on this year’s Giro 1km, Demare’s team-mates led stages and four overall to build a lead with good tyre choices.” Evans did interrupt Sordo’s winning streak d’Italia. him out in a well-organised of more than 17 seconds in the Rally of “We need to stay like this tomorrow, it will by taking the third stage but ended the day in Frenchman Demare, who ‘train’ and he overpowered his SSardinia yesterday. not be easy.” Finland’s Teemu Suninen, who fi fth, 51 seconds behind the leader and 16 sec- rides for Groupama-FDJ, end- rivals in the fi nal metres. The Hyundai driver has not scored a point won the opening stage in his M-Sport Ford, onds behind Ogier. ed the 143km seventh stage The run from Matera was in the World Rally Championship this season lies second. Sordo’s Belgian team-mate Thi- Defending champion Estonian Ott Tanak is from Matera to Brindisi by fl at and, at 143 kilometres, but won in Sardinia last year. erry Neuville, who stalled twice during the nearly two minutes behind Sordo after strug- surging clear of Slovakian Peter jersey. Portuguese rider Joao relatively short and included a He took the second stage and then grabbed day, was second on the sixth and fi nal stage of gling with suspension problems in the morn- Sagan and Australian Michael Almeida of Deceuninck re- stretch of the ancient Roman the lead when he was fastest by 9.4sec on the day to take third from Frenchman Sebast- ing. Matthews to retain the points tained the overall lead. Appian Way.

Saturday, October 10, 2020 GULF TIMES SPORT

HORSE RACING SPOTLIGHT Sheikh Mohamed’s Big Five remains unbeaten Fog ends Mick Agencies Boudot in the fi nal 100m, he future.” Compiegne, France easily pulled clear to hammer Bred by Al Shahania Stud, Schumacher’s practice home an impressive three and Big Five is a son of Frankel. half-length victory in front of His dam is the Group 3-placed wned and bred Mystical Land. Louvain. She has already pro- hopes in Germany by His Highness The winning trainer, Fran- duced two black type win- Reuters Sheikh Mohamed cis-Henri Graff ard, said: ners, including the champion Nurburgring, Germany bin Khalifa al-Tha- “Pierre-Charles gave him Flotilla, winner of the Breed- ni,O the three-year-old gelding a good ride. He has a lot of ers’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Big Five landed a second vic- stamina, which was very help- (Group 1) and the Poule d’Essai ad weather denied Mick tory in the Prix Poggio Ricco ful in this heavy ground. He’s des Pouliches (Group 1). Schumacher his For- (Classe 2) at Compiegne in a late maturing horse and mula One practice de- France yesterday. we gave him time. He’s big Pierre-Charles Boudot rides but and wiped out track This staying type gelding but needed to strengthen, as actionB at the Eifel Grand Prix Big Five to victory in the sat in the last position dur- he never stopped growing. I Prix Poggio Ricco (Classe yesterday, with the medical heli- ing the race. When asked to think he will change a lot this 2) at Compiegne in France copter grounded by fog and cars accelerate by Pierre-Charles autumn. A good horse for the yesterday. (Scoopdyga) unable to run. Organisers had set the clock running for the 90-minute FORMULA 1 opening session at a cold and damp Nurburgring but kept the pit lane exit closed. Sky Sports. After half-hourly updates, “We may try to rearrange at they announced there would be the next races but it will be very no running. The afternoon ses- diffi cult. The next one Portimao sion at the German circuit was (Portugal) is a new circuit for similarly timed out. everybody in F1 so our top driv- Hamilton, Bottas Schumacher, the Formula Two ers will need to practice as well. championship leader and son of “Then we’ve got Imola which seven-times world champion is only a Saturday and Sunday and former Ferrari great Michael, (two day race weekend) and then had been due to replace Ital- to Turkey, again new circuit. And ian Antonio Giovinazzi at Alfa then it’s Bahrain where they’ve Romeo for the morning only. got their F2 races and they need living ‘like hermits’ The debut had attracted glo- to be focused. bal interest, with Schumacher “Very likely the next opportu- stepping onto the Formula One nity now will be Abu Dhabi and stage at the circuit closest to his not earlier.” father’s childhood home in Ker- Schumacher put a brave face pen and one where his father won on his day, telling reporters he fi ve times. still gained valuable experience Britain’s Callum Ilott, second from working inside the team. aft er virus outbreak in the F2 championship and also “Obviously I would have loved a Ferrari Academy driver, had to get out and drive,” said the also been due to take part with 21-year-old. “Nevertheless I think Mercedes team has recorded two positive Covid-19 cases in 24 hours the Ferrari-powered Haas team. it’s great to be here, to get the op- Schumacher and Ilott have portunity to work with the engi- AFP both driven F1 cars before in test neers and also to see the fans. Nurburgring, Germany sessions. “I’m also very sorry for the Ferrari team boss Mattia Bi- fans that they don’t get to see us notto said it would be hard to drive... we don’t know what the ewis Hamilton and Valt- reschedule sessions for the pair, future holds but hopefully I will teri Bottas will have to who could both graduate to For- get to drive a few laps again.” “live like hermits” to mula One next year, before the Race director Michael Masi avoid Covid-19, Mer- Abu Dhabi season-ender. explained that the medical heli- Lcedes boss Toto Wolff said yes- “It’s obviously a shame for copter had to be able to fl y for terday after the team recorded a them. It would have been a great safety reasons because the near- second positive case in 24 hours. opportunity for them here to est hospital was too far away by Talking to reporters at the make their debuts in F1,” he told road should something occur. Eifel Grand Prix Wolff said both drivers were confi ned to their rooms after rain and fog forced the cancellation of opening Miller fastest in French MotoGP practice practice. “They are the most restrict- Jack Miller came out on top in the practice times for this week- ed of the whole group, of the end’s French MotoGP following yesterday’s crash-laden second whole team,” said Wolff , who session at Le Mans. Ducati-Pramac rider Miller posted one minute, confi rmed that Mercedes had 34.356 seconds, shaving nine seconds off the time which gave fl own six replacement staff to Bradley Smith top spot in the morning’s wet opening practice. Germany on Thursday after the Briton Smith was one of five riders to crash and finished back in team was re-tested, resulting 18th, more than two seconds behind the Australian leader. Miller in six team members going into was 0.144sec ahead of Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales, who is third isolation. in the overall standings, and half a second in front of Honda’s “It’s certainly not a great situ- Takaaki Nakagami. Championship leader Fabio Quartararo im- ation for them because you need proved on his disappointing morning by finishing in 11th, 1.133sec almost to live like a hermit — and behind, with Suzuki’s Joan Mir, who is eight points behind the that is what they are doing. Frenchman in the standings, 1.029sec back in ninth. “They are at home, they are not going out for dinners and Mercedes rule out supplying F1 engines they are not meeting other peo- to Red Bull ple. When we do de-briefs, by Zoom or Microsoft Teams, they Mercedes will not supply engines to Red Bull and AlphaTauri are not sitting their engineers in once Honda pull out of Formula One at the end of next year, the room. motorsport head Toto Wolff said yesterday. The Austrian, also “They are in their own rooms Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (left) and teammate Valtteri Bottas attend the drivers’ press conference for the Eifel Grand Prix at the principal and part-owner of the Mercedes F1 team, told reporters and we are all avoiding as much Nurburgring circuit in Nuerburg, Germany, on Thursday. (AFP) at the Eifel Grand Prix that there was no spare capacity. Mercedes as possible any personal con- already supply engines to their works team, to Racing Point tact. It’s just literally stepping The team had announced on inconclusive. Six-time world champion [races] and those guys work so and Williams, and will also be working with McLaren from next into the car and then driving the Thursday that one person from Both of those team members Hamilton who is making a sec- hard to stay safe and be here on season. Ferrari supply their own team, Haas and Alfa Romeo. car and keeping distance.” their travelling race team had were immediately put into isola- ond attempt to equal Michael the weekends.” Honda announced last week they were pulling out as an engine Wolff said he believed Mer- record a positive test ahead of tion along with four others. Schumacher’s record of 91 Mercedes said they are fol- provider. Asked whether Mercedes would be open to supplying cedes had the outbreak under this weekend’s race at Nurbur- The team fl ew six reserve staff Grand Prix victories, described lowing strictly all of the pro- Red Bull, Wolff replied: “No... we are almost in a state that we can’t control. gring. to Germany on Thursday, a de- the events as “a concern”. tocols laid down by the sport’s make power units for all of us. So there is no capacity.” The only “Every loss of an important As a result, the team re-tested cision that maintained the num- Speaking on Thursday, he ruling body the International other remaining supplier is Renault, who will only have their own member in the garage aff ects the everyone at the circuit, an ex- bers at the track, but has thrown said: “It’s sad to hear, for the Motoring Federation (FIA), add- renamed Alpine team next year and will be obliged under the race, but I think we’ve got it un- ercise that resulted in another the champions’ race prepara- guys that work so hard. We ob- ing that they are not releasing regulations to provide engines to Red Bull if requested. der control,” he said. positive test and one that was tions into diffi culty. viously had this week in between any further information.

Al Arabi, Al Ahli pick up contrasting handball wins

Action from the match between Al Arabi (in red) and Al Khor (in blue) during their Amir Cup semi-final at Al Duhail Sports Arena yesterday. Al Arabi won the game 42-19. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed Al Ahli (in green and black) picked up a narrow 30-26 victory over Al Shamal (in white) in their semi-final