Ranieri to the Rescue As Fulham Sack Jokanovic
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FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 2 NNHL|HL Page 5 Italy’s Ranieri Sharks lose named new 3-goal lead, manager of storm back to Fulham beat Predators Thursday, November 15, 2018 CRICKET Rabia I 7, 1440 AH Curran, Buttler GULF TIMES spare England’s blushes in Kandy SPORT Page 7 RALLYING Al-Attiyah poised to end record season in style The Qatari will also be bidding to break his own record of 13 wins in the Qatar round of the regional series By Sports Reporter THE START LIST Doha 2018 Manateq International Rally of Evo X 17. Humaid al-Waili (OMN)/Mohamed Qatar – list of starters: 8. Mohamed al-Meer (QAT)/Ahmad al- al-Mazruii (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer he 2018 Manateq International 1. Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah (QAT)/Mat- Fares (KWT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Evo VIII Rally of Qatar gets underway thieu Baumel (FRA) Ford Fiesta R5 9. Abdullah al-Kuwari (QAT)/Nasser al- 18. Zakariya al-Shanfari (OMN)/Saif al- with a brand new ceremonial 2. Meshari al-Thefiri (KWT)/Saff ah al- Kuwari (QAT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Hinai (OMN) Subaru Impreza WRX STi start with the backdrop of the Thefiri (KWT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 14. Rashid al-Mohannadi (QAT)/Yousef 19. Jarah al-Tauqi (OMN)/Issa al-Wardi Thustle and bustle of Souq Waqif in 4. Adel Hussein (QAT)/Ziad Chehab Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX (OMN) Mitsubishi Lamcer Evo VII downtown Doha today evening. (LEB) Ford Fiesta R5 15. Saleh bin Eidan (KWT)/ Alexei Kuz- 20. Shaun McGonigal (OMN)/Nathan All three regional rally titles were 5. Vojtĕch Štajf (CZE)/Veronica mich (RUS) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Marriott (OMN) Subaru Impreza WRX decided in Kuwait two weeks ago Havelkova (CZE) Škoda Fabia R5 16. Abdullah al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata STi and that means that individual pride 7. Saif Abdullah al-Harthy (OMN)/ al-Hmoud (JOR) Subaru Impreza WRX 21. Henry Kahy (LBN)/Musa Djiyerian and outright wins are at stake on this Salim al-Abri (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer STi (JOR) Škoda Fabia 1.6 weekend’s revised fi nal round in the northern Qatar deserts. The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) have attracted 15 potential teams on the FIA start- ing list, plus National Rally entrants, and competitors from eight nations to the fi nal round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC). This is despite the conclusion of the respec- tive category battles. Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah is still cel- ebrating his record-breaking 14th re- Peerless: Naser Saleh al-Attiyah gional title and the Qatari will also be bidding to break his own record of 13 Ihab al-Shorafa. that it was ready for FIA scrutineering wins in the Qatar round of the regional Abdullah al-Kuwari returns to the checks. series. Mechanical issues cost him and hot seat in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo- There is a further entry for Leba- French navigator Matthieu Baumel the lution X. The Qatari’s standout per- non’s MERC 3 champion Henry Kahy chance to shine in 2017 and opened the formance so far in the regional rally in a two-wheel drive Škoda Fabia 1.6. door for Rashed al-Nuami to take his series was fi rst in Group N and third Route changes forced on rally offi - solitary MERC win. overall in Jordan in 2016. cials by the weather have reduced the Resistance in the R5 category comes Khaled al-Suwaidi is a non-starter competitive distance from 203.40km from Czech rival Vojt ch Štajf in a but there are further local entries for to 153.82km, but the event still remains Škoda Fabia and fellow Qatari Adel Mohammed al-Meer and Rashed al- within the 75% required by the FIA to Abdulla, who makes his debut in a Mohannadi. make it eligible for full championship Ford Fiesta R5 run by Motortune. Abdullah al-Rawahi heads a six- points. The MERC 2 or Group N catego- car entry from the Sultanate of Oman Tomorrow’s Eraida stage has been ry will see the closest competition that also includes entries for Zakaria reduced from 17.02km to 15.87km and with eight Mitsubishi Lancers and al-Shanfari, Saif Abdullah al-Harthy, Al Dhakira has gone from 18.13km three Subaru Imprezas set for battle Oman-based Shaun McGonigal, Jarah to 12.46km. Saturday’s opener at Al through Qatar’s northern deserts. Ku- al-Tauqi and Humaid al-Waili. Khor has been trimmed from 18.37km wait’s Meshari al-Thefi ri has already Saleh bin Eidan returns to the to 13.20km, Al Ghariyah remains un- clinched the title, but Jordan’s Khaled championship and boosts the entry changed and the Al Ruwais special is Juma is heading for the runners-up from Kuwait in a car that was being now 14.22km, as opposed to 27.02km spot in the absence of both he and rival refettled against the clock to ensure in the original itinerary. FOOTBALL Afi f strike helps Qatar shock Switzerland By Sports Reporter Luzano, Switzerland kram Afi f struck late in the match to help Qatar shock Switzerland 1-0 in an inter- Anational friendly at the Sta- dio di Cornaredo in Luzano, Switzer- land, yesterday. The Al Sadd star made good of a pass from Karim Boudiaf from the cen- treline before rounding off Swiss goal- keeper Yvon Mvogo and slotting home from close in the 86th minute. Switzerland, ranked eighth in the FIFA rankings, failed to assert them- selves in the match and paid the pen- alty. It was a rare victory for Qatar against a side in the top 10 of the FIFA rank- ings. Qatar, currently 96th on the list, Akram Afif leaves Swiss goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo in a mess before scoring for had beaten China and Ecuador recent- Qatar in Luzano yesterday. ly but lost to Uzbekistan in friendlies as they prepare for the Asian Cup in And although the Swiss tightened leaving their defence exposed. January. up in the second half and created a few That resulted in Afi f enjoying an un- Qatar yesterday tested the Swiss de- chances, the Qatar defence held fi rm to interrupted run after he received the fence numerous times especially in the thwart their moves. pass from Boudiaf, and he literally tore fi rst half, with Afi f and Almoez Ali go- As the match neared the end, the across the vacant space to score the ing close. entire Swiss team advanced up front, only goal of the match. Gulf Times 2 Thursday, November 15, 2018 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT Chelsea to let Cahill leave on loan as a reward for his service By Dominic Fifield However, he has found himself out of Southampton, West Ham and Fulham, The Guardian favour under Maurizio Sarri and, hav- now under the stewardship of Claudio ing played only 21 minutes in the Premier Ranieri, may seek to keep Cahill in the League this term, was not included among Premier League, while his fi rst club, As- helsea are to reward their captain, the substitutes for Sunday’s draw against ton Villa, where John Terry, a former cen- Gary Cahill, for six years of fi ne Everton. He had made clear his frustration tral defensive partner, is assistant man- service with a loan in January to in September when asked if he could leave ager, could off er an opportunity to excel secure more regular fi rst-team mid-season. “I don’t want to jump the in the Championship. It remains to be Cfootball in a move which will eff ectively gun but, as things stand, probably yes,” he seen whether there will be interest from bring the curtain down on his career at said at the time. “Sometimes you have to abroad. Stamford Bridge. make tough decisions. As it is, I’m not en- Meanwhile, a report also claimed Man- The former England centre-half is out joying things.” chester United are preparing to move for of contract next summer and will depart Sarri has praised Cahill’s infl uence Cahill. According to the Daily Express, on a free, with Chelsea, who normally in the dressing room, and retained him Cahill has been told by Chelsea that they insist their players sign new deals before as fi rst-team captain for all that Cesar will not stand in his way if they receive an sanctioning a loan in order to protect Azpilicueta has eff ectively become the off er which suits all parties in the January their value, making an exception for the on-fi eld captain. Yet Chelsea are increas- transfer window. The report also claims 32-year-old. That is a refl ection of his ingly conscious that Andreas Christensen that Jose Mourinho is ready to make a achievements since joining from Bolton and Ethan Ampadu, young players who move to bring the centre-back to Man- for £7mn in January 2012. Cahill, capped have also found themselves on the fringes, chester United. Cahill won the Premier 61 times, has won two Premier League are growing frustrated at a lack of game League title under Mourinho at Chelsea, titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup, a Cham- time. By permitting Cahill his mid-season while the United manager has been keen to pions League and a Europa League over a move, that pair may be appeased as they strengthen his options in central defence Chelsea defender Gary Cahill (centre) in action during the UEFA Europa League group match against FC BATE glittering career at the club. shift slightly up the pecking order. since the summer.