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SPORT 16 FRIDAY 7 JULY 2017 Uzbekistan and Kyrgyztan players pose with a special banner before their match at the International Football Tournament for U-23 teams at the Aspire Academy. Players float message of peace The Peninsula The rare gesture from two A number of top football Busquets, paid a visit to Aspire visiting teams was witnessed names like Barcelona legend Academy which was jointly n a telling message for world at one of the football pitches at In a touching gesture, visiting Xavi Hernandez, the De Boer organised by the Academy and peace, football players of Aspire Academy where the Uzbekistan and Kyrgyztan teams pose brothers and Spanish goal- Mall of Qatar. IUzbekistan and Kyrgyztan event is being held. behind a banner urging regional keeper Iker Casillas have urged The Spanish stars were the posed behind a banner urging The banner read "KEEP the protesting countries to first to see the progress of the regional leaders keep politics POLITICS AWAY FROM leaders to keep politics out of sport. end their siege against Qatar. new Football Performance and out of sport. FOOTBALL". The blockade against Science extension at Aspire The two teams were pho- The sporting gesture came Qatar has lasted more than a Academy while a video of Alba tographed with the special as the Gulf crisis lingers on the month. signing autograph on the pic- banner before their match at region. Federation (QFA) so So Anabi World body FIFA has Earlier on Wednesday, ture of the Emir H H Sheikh the International Football The tournament has been prepares for this month's Asian explicitly banned political Barcelona stars Gerard Pique, Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Tournament for U-23 teams. organised by Qatar Football Cup qualifiers. interference from football. Jordi Alba and Sergio was posted on Twitter as well. Qatar jump nine spots in latest FIFA rankings LATEST FIFA RANKINGS 1. Germany (+2 places) 2. Brazil (-1) The Peni nsula United Arab Emirates (75) and China 3. Argentina (-1) (77) are above Qatar. 4. Portugal (+4) atar, after a key 2018 FIFA World Syria, ranked 94th in the world, are 5. Switzerland (+4) Cup qualifying win against Asia below Qatar in Asian pecking order. 6. Poland (+4) Qpowerhouse Korea Republic last Qatar Football Association (QFA) 7. Chile (-3) month, have jumped nine spots in lat- three days ago announced that Felix 8. Colombia (-3) est rankings. Sanchez will take over as the interim 9. France (-3) Coached by Jorge Fossati, Qatar coach of the national side that will play 10. Belgium (-3) beat Korea 3-2 at Jassim Bin Hamad Syria and China in their last two 2018 Stadium to climb up the FIFA compu- FIFA World Cup qualifying matches at Top Asian countries on ter. Also known as Al Anabi, Qatar are the end of August and early FIFA computer ranked 79 in the world while they are September. (world ranking before ninth top side in Asia. Meanwhile, Germany leapfrogged country's name) Fossati resigned from his post but Brazil and Argentina to move back atop 23. Iran (+7) saw his team make a massive leap in the FIFA rankings thanks to the team 45. Australia (+3) the FIFA rankings. winning the Confederations Cup last 46. Japan (-1) Qatar were ranked 88 when the week. FIFA rankings were last released by the The world champions beat Chile 1-0 51. Korea Republic (-8) world body. in the Russia-based tournament a year 61. Saudi Arabia (-8) Iran are the top side in Asia though out from the 2018 World Cup to ensure 65. Uzbekistan (-3) the Persian side is ranked 23 in the a first return to the top of the rankings 75. United Arab Emirates (0) world. in more than two years. 77. China RP (+5) Other Asian teams Australia (45), Brazil fall to second and Argentina 79. Qatar (+9) Japan (46), Korea Republic (51), Saudi third, just ahead of European champi- 82. Syria (-5) Qatar players training under the watchful eyes of coach Jorge Fossati in this file photo. Arabia (61), Uzbekistan (65), the ons Portugal. TOUR DE FRANCE Tour de France: Tearful Kittel wins sixth stage S TAGE 6 RESULTS (TOP 15) Troyes, France Germany's Marcel Kittel Greipel and only one behind the 1. Marcel Kittel (Germany / Quick-Step) 5:05:34" AFP celebrates as he crosses the German record of 12 taken by 2. Arnaud Demare (France / FDJ) ST finish line ahead of Germany's Erik Zabel, who won six consec- 3. Andre Greipel (Germany / Lotto) Marcel Kittel won his second Andre Greipel (left) and utive green jerseys from 4. Alexander Kristoff (Norway / Katusha) stage of this year's Tour de Norway's Alexander Kristoff 1996-2001 -- itself a record. 5. Nacer Bouhanni (France / Cofidis) France yesterday, sprinting to (right) at the end of the sixth After Wednesday's fireworks 6. Dylan Groenewegen (Netherlands / LottoNL) victory in the sixth stage before stage of the 104th Tour de on the climb to La Planche des again breaking down in tears. Belles Filles, the overall race 7. Michael Matthews (Australia / Sunweb) France between Vesoul and The burly German, who favourites had a quiet day in the 8. Daniel McLay (Britain / Fortuneo) Troyes yesterday. 9. Ruediger Selig (Germany / BORA) now has 11 Tour stage wins in saddle, with Geraint Thomas total, had also won the second remaining second at 12sec from 10. John Degenkolb (Germany / Trek) stage on Sunday, before the his British compatriot and Sky 11. Dion Smith (New Zealand / Wanty) tears started to flow that time team leader Froome, with stage 12. Adrien Petit (France / Direct Energie) as well. five winner Fabio Aru third at 13. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway / Dimension Data) Frenchman Arnaud Demare 14sec. 14. Marco Haller (Austria / Katusha) was second with Andre Greipel In fact the biggest drama 15. Rick Zabel (Germany / Katusha) of Germany third on the 216km they had was earlier in the day CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 6 sixth stage as reigning champion when a parasol blew across the (TOP 10) Chris Froome retained his race road right in front of the pelo- 1. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 23:44:33" lead. ton, causing several riders to But unlike the previous two take evasive action, although 2. Geraint Thomas (Britain / Team Sky) +12" stages that ended in bunch fortunately they were not going 3. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana) +14" sprints, this time there was no full throttle at that point. 4. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Quick-Step) +25" crash. dash to the line thankfully field to breeze past all challeng- I found it with 250 metres left." Demare, winner of Tues- 5. Richie Porte (Australia / BMC Racing) +39" As the Court of Arbitration passed off without incident. ers and win. That show of force suggested day's fourth stage, may have 6. Simon Yates (Britain / Orica) +43" for Sport rejected an appeal by And Kittel, as he had done "I took the right wheel and Kittel, 29, is back to form he been beaten into second but he 7. Romain Bardet (France / AG2R) +47" world champion Peter Sagan on Sunday, proved too strong for then attacked with 250 metres showed in 2013 and 2014 when had the consolation of taking 8. Alberto Contador (Spain / Trek) +52" against his disqualification for his rivals, reaching a maximum to go," explained Kittel. he won four Tour stages in each enough points to hold onto the 9. Nairo Quintana (Colombia / Movistar) +54" elbowing Mark Cavendish into speed of 71.17kph at one stage, "I knew in finale if I had year. sprinters' green points jersey, 10. Rafal Majka (Poland / BORA) +1:01" the metal safety railings, and out according to official Tour data, good legs, in the final kilometre His victory took him level on although Kittel closed his lead of the Tour, on Tuesday, this as he surged from well down the I would be able to find a gap, and stage wins with compatriot to 27 points. FRIDAY 7 JULY 2017 SPORT 17 Del Potro's Federer and Djokovic march clash halted after woman on as Pliskova crashes out taken ill London Reuters WIMBLEDON Djokovic London RESULTS AFP oger Federer turned brushes aside on the style on Cen- MEN'S SINGLES (2ND uan Martin del Potro's Wimble- tre Court after a ROUND) comparison to don second round clash with rocky start to beat 'Roger Federer (SUI x3) beat Dusan JErnests Gulbis was held up by Serbian Dusan Lajovic (Serbia) 7-6(0), 6-3, 6-2 Tiger Woods 25 minutes after a spectator was RLajovic 7-6(0), 6-3, 6-2 in the 'Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x13) bt Mar- taken ill in the stands yesterday. Wimbledon second round yes- cos Baghdatis (CYP) 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 London With searing temperatures hit- terday while Novak Djokovic ' Dudi Sela (ISR) bt John Isner (USA Reuters ting 30 degrees on Court Three, a also booked his place in the next x23) 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 woman appeared to suffer the round. 'Mischa Zverev (GER x27) bt Mikhail ovak Djokovic said effects of prolonged exposure to The Swiss, trying to win an Kukushkin (KAZ) 6-1, 6-2, 2-6, 3-6, 6-4 yesterday that he was the sun midway through the sec- eighth title, dropped his open- puzzled by John ond set. 'Dominic Thiem (AUT x8) bt Gilles N ing service game and had to McEnroe's comments com- Spectators held umbrellas over Simon (FRA) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 battle hard in the first set before paring the reasons for his the woman while ambulance staff ' outclassing his opponent 7-0 in David Ferrer (ESP) bt Steve Dar- slump in form to personal came to treat her before a stretcher the tie-break.