Almoez's Stunner Nominated for Best Goal of the Asian
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CRICKET | Page 6 West Indies beat England in second Test to clinch series Monday, February 4, 2019 FOOTBALL Jumada I 29, 1440 AH Aguero hat-trick GULF TIMES fi res Man City to 3-1 win over Arsenal SPORT Page 2 FOCUS Almoez’s stunner nominated for best goal of the Asian Cup ‘He got two awards that are very well deserved. He got this because of the group, but he did excellent work’ Qatar players take part in a traditional Arab dance at the Al Kass headquarters to celebrate their Asian Cup triumph after their much-celebrated arrival in Doha on Saturday. By Sports Reporter year when he finished as the Doha leading scorer at the AFC U23 Championship in China, also was all praise for the 22-year- lmoez Ali winning the old forward and stressed that he Most Valuable Player expected even more from him in (MVP) award at the the future. Asian Cup came as no “Almoez is a fantastic player Asurprise but the star Qatari strik- and it’s a pleasure to coach him,” er could well be on course to also said the Spaniard. “He’s 100 pocket the honour for the best percent committed and in each goal of the tournament. game he gives 100 percent and he From fantastic free-kicks to reached this tournament in the sumptuous volleys and brilliant perfect moment. curlers, the tournament saw “We’re very proud of him. He some brilliant goals, but it’s Al- got two awards that are very well moez’s sensational bicycle-kick deserved. He got this because of eff ort in the fi nal that is being the group, but he did excellent talked about across the football work. It’s very well deserved world, not just for the thrill it and we’re proud of him. generated but also for the demor- “It’s not the fi rst time alising eff ect it had on four-time that he has shown this champions Japan. performance and last year Unsurprisingly, the Asian in China he was also the Football Federation (AFC) has top scorer, so he’s on chosen his goal as one of the top- the right way and I’m 10 goals of the tournament, with sure he will be look- fans being able to vote through its ing to do even better website (the-afc.com) to decide in the next tourna- the best. ment and help the Almoez used his left foot to tap team.” down a crisp chip from Akram Mean- Afi f from just outside the penalty while, Al- area, deftly lifted the ball with moez was his right foot to get it to a com- the star at- fortable height, before getting traction as Qa- airborne and shooting past the tar’s triumphant diving Japanese goalkeeper Shu- team returned to Doha ichi Gonda as a host of defenders on Saturday, triggering off were left rooted to their spots. Qatar’s Almoez Ali (second from left) prepares to score a goal during the AFC Asian Cup final against Japan wild celebrations in the country The goal laid the foundation in Abu Dhabi on Friday. This bicycle-kick stunner has been nominated for the best goal of the tournament. with hundreds of thousands of for Qatar’s total domination of citizens and expatriates throng- the Japanese, with Abdulaziz Ha- was a nice goal,” said Almoez. moez would shine in the UAE Hassan al-Haydos, they have ing the picturesque Corniche to tim and Afi f adding to the tally as “Akram and I have been to- tournament. great quality. These players help witness the victory parade. Al Annabi completed an amazing gether for seven years and I know “I think Almoez is a very good each other in attack which is Earlier, the team were accord- run in the UAE against all odds, where Akram will be and where player and we have seen him play very important. It is good for the ed a rapturous welcome when exacerbated of course by the he will pass and he knows what in the Qatar Stars League (QSL). Gulf nations as Qatar has done so they arrived by a special plane on blockade and the fact that their is expected from me, so it’s nor- He is a very diff erent player. I well,” said Mahmoud. Saturday, with His Highness the fans were not able to travel to the mal after seven years that we get knew he would score many goals. “I have played in Qatar for over Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad UAE to cheer their team. along very well together.” For Almoez also, it is great as he 10 years. So I know how good al-Thani personally receiving the Almoez and Afi f have been Almoez’s success however has been able to show his quality these players are. In Qatar, the players, coach Felix Sanchez and together through various age- was not much of a surprise, not in the Asian Cup,” Mahmoud told focus is also on developing the support staff with garlands and group teams and their under- the least for Younis Mahmoud, Goal.com. youth. They are sent to several hugs at the airport. standing of each other was cru- easily the best Iraqi football Mahmoud added that the Ma- foreign leagues at a young age The celebrations continued cial to Qatar’s success in the player and the architect of his roons were impressive in attack and so when they come back to late in the night, with the play- tournament. country’s title triumph in the where they scored 19 goals in Qatar, they become very good. In ers taking part in a traditional “For the fi rst goal I had one 2007 Asian Cup. seven matches apart from merely 2022, Qatar have a good chance to Arab dance at the Al Kass head- defender behind me so I knew I Mahmoud, who won the MVP conceding once in over 630 min- do well in the World Cup because quarters before they retired for could put the ball in any corner, award then and now spends most utes. this team has got the quality.” some well-earned rest after so I tried to put it in the corner of his time in Doha as a football “This group of Qatari players Qatar coach Felix Sanchez, almost a month of strenuous, past the goalkeeper,” he said. “It analyst, said he always knew Al- are very good. In Akram Afi f and who worked with Almoez last non-stop action. Gulf Times 2 Monday, February 4, 2019 FOOTBALL PREMIER LEAGUE FOCUS Lletget, Arriola Aguero treble sinks score to lift USA over Costa Rica AFP moment for me,” Lletget said. San Francisco In the 88th, Lletget sent a pass ahead to Arriola, who lift- Arsenal as Man City ed a right foot chip shot over eserve Sebastian Llet- onrushing Costa Rica goal- get scored and set keeper Esteban Alvarado to up Paul Arriola’s late score the clincher. clincher to power the “He wants me to make an UnitedR States over Costa Rica impact immediately,” Lletget 2-0 in an international football said of Berhalter. “He wanted close in on Liverpool friendly Saturday. me to be creative immediately Lletget scored on a header and thankfully today it came in the 80th minute and fl icked out.” A sixth consecutive away league game without a win sees Arsenal slip down to a breakout pass to set up Ar- The win was especially riola in the 88th as the Ameri- pleasing to Lletget, a 26-year- sixth behind Manchester United, who were 1-0 victors at Leicester earlier yesterday cans improved to 2-0 under old Los Angeles Galaxy mid- new coach Gregg Berhalter six fi elder who suff ered a foot in- days after delivering a win over jury in the same stadium in a Panama in his debut. 6-0 World Cup qualifying win “In the second half the guys over Honduras in March 2017 rose to the challenge — much and was only recalled to the US more off ensive, much more squad last October. bravery. It was a good win for “It’s an amazing feeling, es- us,” Berhalter said. pecially after what happened “You can see how the guys two years ago here when I got are working together. From a injured and they put me away competing standpoint, these for a year,” Lletget said. guys are animals. You could see The Americans, rebuilding how they were going for it.” after failing to reach last year’s In rainy, windy conditions World Cup in Russia, next face in San Jose, California, the US Ecuador on March 21 at Or- squad spoiled the debut of Ar- lando and Chile fi ve days later gentine-born former Uruguay in Houston as they prepare international Gustavo Matosas for the North American Gold as coach of the Ticos. Cup in June and July and 2022 Nick Lima struck the far World Cup qualifying. post in the 54th minute and “This team has a lot going Gyasi Zardes nodded a header for it,” Lletget said. “(Berh- over the crossbar in the 69th as alter) has done a great job so the US side kept the pressure far. The detail he puts into this on Costa Rica. team — I’ve learned so much It paid off 10 minutes from at this camp. Going forward I full time as Wil Trapp lofted think it’s only going to get bet- a high pass to the left side for ter.