Qatar World Cup Will Meet High Standards, Say
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HHOCKEYOCKEY | Page 4 Australia, England grab World Cup semi-fi nal spots Thursday, December 13, 2018 CYCLING Rabia II 6, 1440 AH Team Sky upbeat GULF TIMES despite loss of sponsor’s backing SPORT Page 3 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CSKA dumped out of Europe despite stunning win at Real Madrid AFP second place. home shortly before the interval second half. Paris Home coach Santiago So- after an excellent team move to But Plzen extended their Eu- lari boosted CSKA’s hopes be- leave Real facing an embarrass- ropean campaign when Chory fore kick-off by making seven ing loss. headed in after Kovarik’s volley SKA Moscow stunned changes to the starting XI which At half-time Solari sent on was pushed out by Antonio Mi- a much-changed Real beat Huesca 1-0 in La Liga at the Bale, the two-goal hero of last rante. Madrid with a 3-0 vic- weekend, leaving Gareth Bale, season’s fi nal triumph over Liv- Teenage midfi elder Luca tory at the Santiago Luka Modric, Raphael Varane erpool, with Kroos following Pellegrini was sent off in inju- CBernabeu yesterday, but still and Toni Kroos on the bench. soon after. ry-time after picking up two fi nished bottom of Champi- Real’s youngsters started But it was CSKA who ex- bookings in quick succession, ons League Group G as Viktoria brightly, with Vinicius Junior tended their advantage, as Ar- as Roma’s winless run in all Plzen beat Roma. forcing visiting goalkeeper Igor nor Sigurdsson fi red low past competitions stretched to fi ve The Russian side, who also Akinfeev into a fi ne-one handed Thibaut Courtois in the Real games. downed Real 1-0 in the reverse save, and Marco Asensio then goal with 17 minutes to play. fi xture, had to better Plzen’s re- curling the ball against the It mattered little though, as RESULTS sult to fi nish third and qualify crossbar. Plzen secured a place in the Eu- Group G: At Plzen, Czech for the Europa League. But Viktor Goncharenko’s ropa League last 32 thanks to Republic But Plzen edged out Roma 2-1 CSKA claimed a shock lead Tomas Chory’s 72nd-minute Viktoria Plzen (CZE) 2 (Kovarik in the Czech Republic to render in the 37th minute, as Fedor winner against Roma. 62, Chory 72) Roma (ITA) 1 CSKA’s famous victory ulti- Chalov danced through the Midfi elder Jan Kovarik tapped (Under 68) mately meaningless. makeshift Madrid defence and in to break the deadlock in the At Madrid Holders Real had already pro- bent a left-footed shot into the 62nd minute, only for Turkish Real Madrid (ESP) 0 CSKA Mos- gressed to the last 16 as group corner. youngster Cengiz Under to level cow (RUS) 3 (Chalov 37, Schen- CSKA Moscow’s Fedor Chalov celebrates with teammates after scoring their first goal during the Champions winners, with Roma through in Georgiy Schennikov volleyed for Roma midway through the nikov 43, Sigurdsson 73) League Group G match against Real Madrid in Madrid, Spain, yesterday. (Reuters) FOCUS Qatar World Cup will meet high standards, say football offi cials at FIFA summit From praise for the country’s facilities to support for Qatar’s initiatives in development of football, feedback was encouraging By Sports Reporter Doha ffi cials attending the FIFA Executive Foot- ball Summit in Doha have said they are ex- Opecting 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar to be a memorable edition. Iraq Football Association (IFA) president Abdul Khaliq Masood has said the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will meet “high stand- ards”. Masood said: “The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be ideal in everything. Qatar will meet all requirements — whether it is infrastructure, stadiums, trans- portation or hosting fans, it will Bhutanese Football Federation president Dasho Ugen Tshechup Dorji Syrian Football Federation president Fadi al-Dabbas speaks to the be a World Cup that meets high (right) arrives for the FIFA Executive Football Summit in Doha. media on the sidelines of the summit. standards.” He added: “It will be a unique Qatar with us. Hopefully we will Sudanese Football Federa- world what sports means to peo- World Cup since the distances have an understanding with QFA tion secretary-general Dr Has- ple around this region. I have vis- between two stadiums is very so that we could improve our bi- san Abu Gabal said, “First of all ited Qatar many times before and I less. It just takes minutes to go lateral relations further. We will I would like to congratulate the have witnessed world-class sports from one venue to another. You look to have training camps here QFA on their General Assembly events. Everything about Qatar can actually watch two matches at your great facilities, maybe at held on Monday. Also I take this is great news for the fi rst-time in a day and I am sure we will see the end of January or February. opportunity to congratulate the visitors. From the Hamad Inter- an exciting World Cup.” “We will start a full collabora- QFA President HE Sheikh Hamad national Airport to sports venues, Masood added AFC Presiden- tion next year with training camps, bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani you feel in awe watching the amaz- tial candidate Saud al-Mohanna- workshops and other exchange on being re-elected for another ing infrastructure in the country.” di has every right to compete for programmes. I take the opportu- four-year term. Mr Mansoor al- Philippines FA president and the top post and that he can do nity to thank QFA for their whole- Ansari, the Secretary-General of FIFA Council member Mari- a good job in projecting the im- hearted support extended to us. QFA, has expressed their willing- ano Araneta said, “I thank QFA age of Qatar so that his country “We haven’t had the chance ness to work with us to develop for hosting this gathering. Each has a voice in FIFA. Masood said to visit the World Cup venues the game in a co-operative man- meeting is an opportunity to al-Mohannadi has a likeable per- but at QFA headquarters we got ner. I am sure we could join hands discuss the development of the sonality. QFA President HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani (left) to see the amazing projects that and take the game forward in game. As far as the 2022 FIFA Syrian Football Federation with Iraq Football Association (IFA) president Abdul Khaliq Masood. are about to be completed soon. both countries. Today at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar is concerned, president Fadi al-Dabbas praised Philippines FA president Mariano We know Qatar is preparing eight gathering, there were a number I am confi dent that the event here Qatar’s preparations for the 2022 As for Qatar’s preparations for Dorji said he intends to support Araneta. great venues for the 2022 FIFA of important issues discussed. will have all the ingredients of World Cup. hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the candidature of al-Mohannadi World Cup. I must say QFA is successfully success. I expect great organisa- “I am happy to be here for the he said: “As we have seen through for a seat on the FIFA Council. ciation secretary-general Arslan “The 2022 FIFA World Cup in hosting such key meetings along tion from Qatar.” FIFA gathering. It is a good op- the presentation at the workshop, “Qatar is the biggest supporter Kyyasovich expressed delight on Qatar, I think, would be of a high with FIFA. Such meetings are a Araneta added: “The infra- portunity to state our issues in there are tremendous prepara- of the development of football in visiting the Aspire Academy. level. The World Cup in Qatar will great opportunity for footballs structure here in Qatar is truly front of the football family. It is tions which are on-going. The Su- Asia. The 2022 FIFA World Cup “Everything was high qual- be held in November and Decem- offi cials from around the world world-class. Plus Qatar has great also a good opportunity to dis- preme Committee for Delivery and in Qatar will be seen by future ity. The welcome accorded to us ber and the weather is just great to gather and discuss the game’s experience of hosting top-class cuss football plans,” al-Dabbas Legacy are doing a great job and we generations as a model edition of in Qatar was warm. I have the at this time of the year. I think development.” sports events. I take this oppor- said. He said FIFA offi cials have wish them success.” the World Cup,” he said. “It will same impression about Aspetar, the World Cup in Qatar will be He added: “I feel Qatar hosting tunity to thank the QFA fam- promised to visit Syria during the Bhutanese Football Federation be the best ever. I am sure of this.” the sports medicine hospital. We unique, something that we may the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a great ily for taking great eff orts to have coming months. president Dasho Ugen Tshechup Turkmenistan Football Asso- are carrying a positive image of have not seen before,” he said. opportunity to showcase to the this gathering.” Gulf Times 2 Thursday, December 13, 2018 CRICKET INDIA’S TOUR OF AUSTRALIA SPOTLIGHT Langer ready for India quicks getting pacey track in the thoroughbred second India Test Perth Stadium curator is keen to produce a fast, bouncy wicket for that treatment would not be out of place at the WACA Australia’s Tim Paine is “ready to go” according to coach Justin Langer (not pictured).