Sports Thursday, February 28, 2019 17 Rodgers’ exit clouds QNB STARS LEAGUE Celtic legacy despite domestic success

smaller leagues. Virgil van Dijk and Victor He won all 7 Wanyama left Celtic for South- ampton in recent seasons trophies on before securing big-money moves to Liverpool and Tot- offer during his tenham respectively. nearly three Now Rodgers may see a similar path back to a top-six seasons in charge job in England after a disap- pointing end to his time at Liv- afp erpool, which saw him sacked London in 2015 just a year after nearly winning the Premier League. Brendan Rodgers deliv- Success in Scotland has re- ered on his promise to domi- stored Rodgers’s reputation to nate Scottish football as Celtic some degree, but not enough manager, but his decision to to land either the Chelsea or leave behind the chance to Arsenal jobs when both Lon- win a third domestic treble for don sides changed managers Leicester City is a bitter pill for last summer. many in Glasgow to swallow. That is due to a lack of pro- Rodgers leaves the Scot- gress with Celtic on the Euro- tish champions having won all pean stage. Rodgers registered seven domestic trophies on of- just one win in 12 Champions fer during his nearly three sea- League group games, includ- sons in charge. ing club-record defeats in The Northern Irish- Europe -- 7-0 away at Barce- man landed two league ti- lona and 5-0 at home to Paris tles, two Scottish Cups and Saint-Germain. three League Cups, as well as Worse was to follow this amassing an eight-point lead season as defeat by AEK Ath- over Rangers to put Celtic on ens saw Celtic fall at the third course for an eighth straight of four qualifying rounds Premiership title this season. just to make the Champions “He gave the club so much League group stage, and elimi- and has created so many nation to Valencia last week wonderful memories for the saw the Scottish champions club and our supporters. His crash out in the last 32 of the achievements are historic,” Europa League for a second said Celtic chief executive Pe- straight season. ter Lawwell in an unusually Rodgers can point to a lim- glowing appraisal for an out- ited budget as justification for going manager. his failure to leave a European Yet, by jumping at the rich- mark. es and recognition offered by a His relationship with Law- Premier League return with well was strained by Rodgers’s just three months of the sea- public criticism of the club’s son remaining, Rodgers has lack of spending last summer cost himself some goodwill despite Celtic boasting cash with the Celtic support. reserves of £30 million ($39 On his first day in charge million). of the Glasgow giants, he de- Rodgers contributed to scribed Celtic as “one of the building that fortune with biggest clubs in the world” and Champions League qualifica- a “certainly not a step down” tion for his first two seasons Mohammed Razaq is congratulated by teammates after he scored a goal against Al Gharafa in their QNB Stars League match at the Al Khor Stadium on Wednesday. from the Premier League. and the development of the Three years on, those likes of Moussa Dembele, who words now ring hollow as he also sought pastures new at takes charge of a Leicester side Lyon to become Celtic’s record languishing in 12th, out of the sale at £20 million in August. Al Kharaitiyat stun Gharafa, FA Cup, and with little to play Celtic already seemed to be for between now and the end planning for life after Rodgers of the season. with a series of six-month loan It is just the latest example deals in January designed to of how mid-ranking Premier see them over the line in the keep their hopes alive League clubs now have the league this season before a financial muscle to outma- thorough reassessment in the noeuvre traditional powers in summer. Al Shahania record 3-0 victory over Al Rayyan, their first win since the sides first met in 2012 IKOLI VICTOR Lazar’s second goal made the the presence of Iranian strik- second choice keeper in the winger as he was set on goal result safe in the second half. er Mehdi Taremi, whose last Asian Cup failed his team by pacy Mahmoud Saad. The Romanian turned pro- goal was their humiliating loss when he picked up a ball in Al Ansari wrapped things Bottom of the table Al vider ten minutes later for against Al Sadd in December. mid-air only to allow it to slip up on 71 minutes, firing home Kharaitiyat stuned Al Gharafa Abdulaziz al Ansari to tap-in off his hands. The free ball after another busting run 3-0 for only their third victory from close range. rolled to the part of seasoned from the impressive Lazar. of the season to breathe life in Al Gharafa defensively Results / Fixtures campaigner Razaq to loop it For Kharaitiyat avoid- their quest to escape relega- we were very poor and made Al Kharitiyath 3 - 0 Al Gharafa into the net from outside the ing relegation seems possible tion on Wednesday. big mistakes, while Kharaiti- box for only his second of the with four matches still to play Al Kharaitiyat earned yat were sharp, disciplined Al Shahaniya 3 : 0 Al Rayyan season in the 31st minute. for the Thunders who face Qa- back-to-back wins for the first and hungry. It could have Razaq was denied a dou- tar SC next. time this season, while Wesam been worse for the Cheetahs TODAY ble when his header towards In another shock result, Al Rizik’s side has won only three who only last week crashed of the end of the first half was Shahania made life difficult of 18 QNB Stars League match the AFC Champions League, Al Duhail 18 : 00 Al Ahli parried away by Youssef. The for Al Rayyan and coach Bu- this term. throwing away a two-goal lead Al Sadd 20 : 10 SC impressive Youssef made an- lent Uygun with a 3-0 victory. The result takes them to 9 to lose 3-2 against Iranian other save to stop Mohammed It was their first win over points from 18 matches, three club Zobahan but for the ex- Abdulraab’s direct free kick the Lions in six meetings since behind Al Khor who face Umm ploits of keeper Youssef. The Thunders as they are from 19 metres in the last ac- they first met in 2012. Salal on Friday. The Christian Gourcuff’s fondly called signaled their tion of the half. The result means Shaha- A horrendous error from side was a complete opposite intention early in the match Lazar atoned for his ear- nia go above Al Gharafa to goalkeeper Yousef Hassan of the team that held league when Lazar missed a chance lier miss in the first half with eighth place with 20 points. allowed Mohammed Razaq champions Al Duhail to a draw in a one-on-one position Kharaitiyat’s second goal in For Al Rayyan it was their to score a loop-in which put last weekend. They started the as he fired straight at the the hour mark with a left foot- second successive defeat af- Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers after a Scottish Premiership match the hosts ahead just after the game brightly but lacked the Gharafa custodian. ed shot inside the box. There ter last week’s 4-0 thrashing at Celtic Park Stadium in Glasgow recently. (afp) hour mark before Valentin cutting edge up front despite Youssef who was Qatar’s was no marker to stop the at Al Sadd.

US invites South America Al Sadd face Qatar SC, chance to cement position teams to new 2020 event to win the title depends on We’re desperate our results and not that of afp new tournament. other teams. We have to be New York The winners of the tourna- to win against Al at the top of our focus and ment would earn more than $11 should not make any mis- The United States Soccer million. Sadd: Qatar SC takes during the upcoming Federation wants to launch CONCACAF, the governing matches. a new international tourna- body responsible for football in coach Batista “All matches are impor- ment next year featuring 10 North America, Central Amer- tant. We have lost points sides from South America and ica and the Caribbean, wel- tribune news network to less powerful teams than the strongest teams from the comed the US proposal, saying doha the strong ones. We had lost CONCACAF region. the event would complement our chances of winning the The New York Times said its own regional championship, Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Fer- league in the last few sea- in a report later confirmed by the Gold Cup. reira says the time has come sons. We have to take advan- CONCACAF on Tuesday that “We view this opportunity for the league leaders to ce- tage of the situation,” said USSF president Carlos Cord- positively as it is not intended ment their position in the Ferreira. eiro had sent a letter to the 10 to replace or substitute any table ahead of their QNB Qatar SC coach Sergio federations that make up CON- future editions of the CON- Stars League Week 18 match Batista said his players are MEBOL offering to stage the CACAF Gold Cup and it com- against Qatar SC on Thurs- desperate to collect the full new tournament. plements our vision to contin- day. points against Al Sadd de- The event, which strongly ue providing opportunities for “This is a new opportu- spite their opponent’s at- resembles the successful 2016 our Member Associations to nity for us to cement our po- tacking power. Copa America Centenario held play competitive football at the sition in the league. Every- “The game will not be Al Sadd coach Jesulado Ferreira with goalkeeper Saad al Sheeb during a press conference on Wednesday. throughout the United States, highest level,” the body said in one knows that we have five easy. Our opponents are would be held at the same time a statement. games ahead of us and we playing in an offensive man- Despite Al Sadd’s strength, I their task cut out as they face injured ace striker . as the 2020 European Cham- The US proposal will be consider Qatar SC as diffi- ner. We had seen that es- am very optimistic about my reigning champions Al Duhail Al Ahli, under Spaniard pionship. The proposed event discussed next week in Miami, cult opponents because they pecially during their match team’s ability to achieve a posi- in Week 18 of the QNB Stars Ruben de la Barrera, have 29 would guarantee nearly $200 ahead of a meeting of FIFA’s are in a position that does against Al Rayyan in the last tive result,” Batista. League on Thursday at the Al points to their credit. million to be shared amongst Council on March 15. not match their capabilities, round. Yet, we are ready to New players Jugurtha Duhail Stadium. Al Ahli, who lost 0-1 to the invited teams and their The 2016 Copa America so they will throw everything face them and will try to col- Hamroun and Baha Abdul- Al Duhail are second in the Al Sailiya in Week 17, will be ruling bodies, according to the Centenario was staged at ven- into the game. But we are lect three points. rahman will give additional table with 40 points. keen to get back to the top- Times. It follows discussions ues across the United States to ready. “We are desperate to win strength to the team if selected Portuguese Rui Faria-will four bracket, so they will look held over the past year between mark the 100th anniversary of “We seek to win all up- this match, especially after los- for the game. be in relentless mood against for points as Al Arabi are also officials from CONMEBOL and the South American footballing coming games. Our chance ing in the last round to Al Khor. Meanwhile, Al Ahli have Al Ahli. They will be without vyining for a top-four finish. CONCACAF about a possible showpiece.