SPORT Friday 11 January 2019 PAGE | 18 PAGE | 19 South Africa Australian Open: seek clean Federer to launch sweep against defence against Pakistan Istomin FRIENDLY MATCHES IN DOHA Qatar has a long-term vision to develop football: Bierhoff Today Finland vs Estonia QNA people, and we saw great things detailed work, and enthusiasm you’re still planning, is very Khalifa International Stadium DOHA that I did not expect to be so huge that I saw in the people, Qatar has impressive.” (3.00pm) and detailed. It’s a great vision and a good chance of having a good He said, “I recently watched Football legend and General work that Aspire is doing here.” team at the 2022 World Cup,” Qatar draw against Iceland and Sweden vs Iceland Manager of Germany’s national He added, “It’s great facilities Bierhoff said. beat Switzerland, and they played Khalifa International Stadium team Oliver Bierhoff praised with so much space and quality, Moreover, Netherlands very good football. Switzerland (7.45pm) Qatar’s long-term vision for the with experts from all over the football legend Johan Neeskens then beat Belgium 5-2, so this development of football and sports world, who are developing football also praised Qatar’s preparations shows how much Qatar has been PSV Eindhoven vs Club Brugge in general, stressing that Qatar has and sports, which was very inter- for 2022 during a recent visit to improving. The World Cup can At Aspire Zone Outdoor pitch no. great opportunities to present a esting for me to see how they try Doha. give so much, especially if the host 5 (3.00pm) strong team in the 2022 World to deal with every detail with tech- After hearing about Qatar’s nation is performing well, so I hope Cup. nology. It’s along vision for sure, infrastructure projects and legacy Qatar can keep it up. I also hope Tuesday, January 15 On Wednesday, Bierhoff said: Qatar football want to become programs, Neeskens said, “You the Netherlands qualifies for 2022 Iceland vs Estonia “We spent two incredible days important, it takes some time, but have four years to go but what you and we finally win the tour- At Al Sadd Stadium (7.45pm) Oliver Bierhoff with great hospitality from Qatari I’m sure with all these efforts, have already achieved, and what nament,” Neeskens said. Qatar’s Almoez Ali (centre) celebrates with team-mates after scoring his team’s second goal against Lebanon during the AFC Asian Cup Group E match in Al Ain, UAE, on Wednesday. QSL Cup: Al Kharaitiyat beat Umm Salal 2-0 THE PENINSULA Three minutes from the DOHA first-half whistle, Al Kharaitiyat doubled their lead with a bit of Al Kharaitiyat yesterday beat luck favouring the boys in black Umm Salal 2-0 in their fifth- outfits. A loopy cross from an round clash of the QSL Cup. Umm Salal player landed at the First-half goals from Magid feet of Abdulaziz Al Ansari. The Salmeen and Abdulaziz Al Al Kharaitiyat striker volleyed Ansari powered Al Kharaitiyat home in style, sending the ball - now coached by Wisam Rizq crashing into the net from a shot - to their second win of the inside the Umm Salal box. tournament. Both sides failed to score in Al Kharaitiyat opened the the second half at Grand Hamad scoring at the half hour-mark Stadium. when Magid Salmeen fired Salmeen, captain of Al home off an indirect corner Kharaitiyat, received a yellow kick. After picking up a lose ball, card in the 49th minute whereas Salmeen tapped the ball with a Atef Mohammed (53) and Luiz Sanchez lauds Qatar’s pacy shot that went through the Araujo (56) of Umm Salal were hands of Umm Salal keeper also penalised with yellow Basel Zaidan. cards. patience after 2-0 win Sneijder strikes late as THE AFC disciplined and well-drilled and free-kick opened the scoring players did very well in the last AL AIN the performance of their oppo- before Ali tapped in from close 30 minutes.” Al Gharafa force a draw nents came as little surprise to range to safeguard all three Qatar’s next match in the Felix Sanchez praised his side’s the Spanish coach. points 11 minutes from time, with 24-team tournament is against THE PENINSULA ball into the net for Al Arabi’s patient approach as Qatar made “We knew that this scenario Qatar growing in stature as the North Korea on Sunday, January DOHA first goal at Grand Hamad a winning start to the AFC Asian could happen in the game,” said game progressed. 13. They will meet Saudi Arabia Stadium. Cup UAE 2019 with a 2-0 victory Sanchez. “Lebanon is a very “The other team was very on the 18th. A second-half strike by Wesley Both sides walked off the over Lebanon in Al Ain on competitive team and in every well organised and many timesmes Sneijder yesterday helped Al pitch at half time with Al Arabi Wednesday evening, which came game they lose, they lose only by we reached the last third we Gharafa post a 1-1 draw against holding on to their slender lead courtesy of two goals in the final one goal and it’s difficult to score were not able to shoot, or theyhey Al Arabi. In the 23rd minute of against Group A leaders. 25 minutes of the game. against them. We knew this stopped us or we were not ableble the match, hosts Al Arabi In the second half, Al Bassam Al Rawi and Almoez would be the scenario. to cross,” said Sanchez. “In thethe grabbed the lead in the Group Gharafa upped the ante and Ali scored for the Gulf side as “They were patient and this first half when we got into thethe A clash. attacked the Al Arabi goalmouth they joined Saudi Arabia at the was one of the keys. We found last third we needed to finish the Fahad Khalfan spotted repeatedly. In the 74th minute, top of Group E after the first the chances and it was good for action and in the second half ththee Diego Jardel unmarked close to Dutch international and Al round of matches, with the pair’s us to be able to score. There are players understood and werere the Al Gharafa box and slipped Gharafa skipper Wesley Sne- goals capping an assured display many games that this will happen able to find gaps and to finish.h. in a neat cross. Jardel tapped the ijder exhibited glimpses of his in the second period by the in this competition because all “When you start a tour- ball and charged into the Al former glory days when he Qataris. the teams are really well pre- nament and play in a game Gharafa box even as keeper curled in a superb free-kick to Sanchez’s side were made to pared and have strength and it’s like this, things are more dif- Qasim Burhan stepped out of score the equaliser. work for the points against a not easy to achieve good results.” ficult. The opposition was his position. Jardel easily hood- Al Arabi are still without a Felix Sanchez Lebanon team that was Al Rawi’s 65th minute curling very well organised but the winked Burhan and flicked the win from five matches. Qatar seek winning start at IHF Worlds Al Attiyah extends Dakar Rally lead with stage win QNA Al Shaabi added that the management we tried to COPENHAGEN Angola are one of the best remove the pressure on the teams in Africa and developed players and prepare them psy- The President of Qatar significantly in recent years chologically for the difficult Handball Association Ahmed and therefore the task is very task in the tournament, espe- Al Shaabi confirmed that the difficult especially if we recall cially as the first match achievements of the Qatari the result of the only confron- tomorrow against Angola are team in the last two World tation against Angola in the very important and winning Championships in Doha and tournament, which was in this match will give a motive Paris always put the team Germany 2007, and at that to advance to the second under pressure in every partic- time Angola won and took a round and then to go further ipation, whether in the World place ahead of us in the overall in the competitions. Championships or in any other ranking. He expressed his con- Meanwhile, Qatar handball tournament. fidence in Qatari players to captain Wajdi Sinen said that Al Shaabi said in a press perform strongly and to Qatari team will start their statement today that the team present an honorable level. campaign against Angola in are ready to defend their Concerning securing the the Group D and the match is chances of competing for one eight place in last edition in a gateway to continue the of the qualifying cards for France and before that the squad’s goal and ambition in Group D of the World Cup Ger- second place in Doha, Al the upcoming matches of the many-Denmark 2019, adding Shaabi added that what has tournament. that the first match against always been achieved is a Qatar are in Group D of the Toyota’s Qatari driver Nasser Al Attiyah and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel of France compete during the Angola is a tough and difficult pressure on the team espe- World Championship along Dakar Rally in Peru. Al Attiyah won the fourth stage which ran from Arequipa to Tacna, yesterday to extend match and we hope to achieve cially in this version and this with Angola, Egypt, Hungary, his overall lead.