Hamilton dedicates MonacoMo pole position to Lauda PAGE 18 SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2019 New Zealand see off India in low-scoring 2019 Cricket World Cup warm-up PAGE 19 GRAND SLAM TENNIS FRENCH OPEN (12 NOON ONWARDS) Coach wants Qatar to play their Sanchez best AFC DOHA relishing AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 champions Qatar are aiming to put out a strong performance in the 2019 Copa America, says head coach Felix Sanchez. Copa America Qatar will become the first West Asian team to participate in the Copa America, and will be joined by AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 runners-up Japan, as the Samurai Blue return to the tour- challenge nament for the first since their inaugural appearance in 1999. “We are looking forward to the event. Our target is to play to our best. It will be a great ex- perience and a great challenge,” said Sanchez, whose contract has been extended till the 2022 There are strong sides like Argentina and FIFA World Cup Qatar. Paraguay. There are World Cup winning “After the tournament sides in that competition. Most of the we will be a better team. Our players are very competitive. sides are top 50. It will be hard but that’s We saw that at the Asian Cup. what we want to do – we want to play They are confident. We are committed to giving our best. against them and learn. Let’s see what stage we are at Qatar coach Felix Sanchez since it has been a long season. We have great motivation to play a great tournament.” Qatar are in Group B of the hungry to prove themselves against five-time world cham- Copa America, where they will against stronger teams. pions Brazil on June 5. face 14-time champions Argen- “I am extremely happy with “It will be a short training tina, Colombia and Paraguay, in the squad. We have a number camp before we travel to the the June 14-July 7 tournament. of stars, not one, who could do US for some days and then to Despite some formidable well in Brazil also. I hope these Brazil. We play Brazil on June opponents lying in wait, a con- players showcase themselves 5. That will be our first game fident Sanchez is looking for- well. I know they will be looked on the Brazil trip. Then on ward to taking on the likes of at by top teams, by big clubs. June 9, we will play a Brazil- Argentina to further improve Most of the players ian club side. This his team. are young and they will allow us to “There are strong sides want to get experi- test the players.” like Argentina and Paraguay. ence,” he said. Sanchez, There are World Cup win- “We are will- however, has ning sides in that competition. ing to learn. It has cautioned the Most of the sides are top 50. It been a long season fans to not expect will be hard but that’s what we for the players. We too much from want to do – we want to play played the Asian Qatar in the Copa against them and learn. Cup followed by America. “We need to arrive and the AFC Cham- “We are hap- compete well. It will be physi- pions League apart from the py with what we did in the cally tough. We have to forget regular football that started in Asian Cup. We are proud to the Asian Cup triumph. It is August last year. But we know see Qatar fans were so happy. not easy at this level. For sure we have to arrive in good con- There was a big support which it is a huge challenge,” Sanchez dition at Copa America. The helps us to be better. But we said to local media. players have the motivation to are appearing in Copa Amer- Qatar displayed some im- do well.” ica for the first time. We are pressive performances in the Qatar have begun prepa- not used to playing against AFC Asian Cup, with players rations for the Copa America South American sides.” like Almoez Ali – who now with a boot camp now un- The Spaniard has called up holds the record of most goals derway, with more players 40 players for the boot camp scored in the AFC Asian Cup, expected to join the squad, but only 23 will make the Akram Afif and Bassam al before continuing their train- squad for Qatar’s Copa Amer- Rawi showing great maturity NEYMAR ARRIVES AT BRAZIL CAMP: Brazil’s footballer star Neymar signs authographs upon arriving in a helicopter at the Granja Comary Sport ing in the United States and a ica challenge, with injuries to and Sanchez believes they are Complex in Teresopolis, Brazil, on Saturday where the national team is training ahead of the Copa America tournament. (AFP) series of friendlies, including some players a concern. PSG coach Tuchel Afghanistan celebrates warm-up win with pride and gunfire extends deal to 2021 REUTERS As the match concluded, PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain KABUL automatic gunfire rang out coach Thomas Tuchel has across Kabul as fans rushed extended his deal with the AFGHANISTAN’S victory into the streets of the Afghan French Ligue 1 champions over Pakistan in a warm-up capital in now a familiar cel- through to June 2021, the match for the Cricket World ebration of cricket success. club announced on Saturday. Cup on Friday was greeted The rise of Afghan cricket The 45-year-old German took with prolonged volleys of cel- has been a remarkable by-prod- over in June 2018 and despite ebratory gunfire and prompt- uct of the decades of turmoil winning Ligue 1 has come ed a rare show of unity in a that forced millions into refugee under scrutiny after the Paris- country split by increasingly camps across the border in Paki- ian club’s defeat to Manches- bitter political divisions. stan, where young men uproot- ter United in the Champions Lifted by a controlled 74 ed from home and with little to League last 16. not out by Hashmatullah occupy them learned the sport. The news cuts short specula- Shahidi and a quickfire 49 On social media, politi- tion that PSG’s Qatari owners from Hazratullah Zazai, the cians set aside brawls in par- would fire Tuchel and hire out- and I’m sure that the best is Blue Tigers chased down Pa- liament and bitter accusations going Juventus coach Massi- yet to come for our club.” kistan’s total of 262 to win of corruption, incompetence miliano Allegri. “I’m delighted Nasser al Khelaifi, Paris Saint- by three wickets in a timely and nepotism to hail the team to extend my contract and Germain chairman and CEO, boost before the World Cup under Gulbadin Naib who commitment to Paris Saint- praised Tuchel’s energy and starts on Thursday. hope to make the semi-finals. Germain,” Tuchel said. modus operandi. For Afghanistan, still “We, the Afghans, de- I’d like to thank the chairman “For a year now, Thomas searching for peace after dec- feated Pakistan in cricket,” Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan (centre) and Hashmatullah Shahidi greet Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz after winning and the whole club for their has been bringing fantastic ades of war, the victory was es- tweeted Amrullah Saleh, a the 2019 Cricket World Cup warm- up match at the Bristol County Ground in England on Friday. (AFP) trust in me and my staff. This energy to the daily life of the pecially sweet because it came former intelligence chief now only reinforces my ambition club, not only for the players, against Pakistan. running on President Ashraf a range of other officials and played Afgan Cricket Team”. terested in gunshots can join to bring this team to the very but for the whole of Paris Many Afghans accuse Ghani’s team for elections in political figures. Amid the congratulations, ANDSF, we need them on the top through hard work,” he Saint-Germain,” Khelaifi said. their neighbour of support- September. In a sporting concession, there was also criticism of the battlefield,” said Abdul Moqim told the club website. “We are delighted to be able ing the Taliban and fuelling “Yes it happened this Gen. Asif Ghafoor, the power- gunfire which regularly greets Abdulrahimzai, a senior offi- “I’m also very touched by the to rely on his qualities on a instability in their country, evening and a massive mark ful head of the Pakistani mili- sporting success. cial in the interior ministry, re- backing of our supporters, long-term basis.” (AFP) a charge which Pakistan, for was registered in history.” tary communications wing, “Celebrating with gunfire ferring to the Afghan National its part, denies. Similar messages came from sent a tweet saying “Well is a shame, those who are in- Defense and Security Forces. Sports Sunday, May 26, 2019 17 FRENCH OPEN Federer, Nadal threaten Djoko bid for historic Slam in Paris AFP PARIS NOVAK Djokovic can be- A bit of golf, a bit of come only the second man in There is an extra history to have twice held all family: Nadal ready four Grand Slam titles at the motivation and same time with victory at the incentive to win Roland French Open. Garros because of the to seek 12th crown However, a returning Rog- er Federer and rejuvenated opportunity to hold DPA Djokovic in the quarter- Rafael Nadal will once again all four Slams. PARIS finals. In 2016, he withdrew stand in his way. injured ahead of his third- World number one Djoko- Novak Djokovic KING of clay Rafael Nadal round match.