• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

BASKETBALL | Page 6 CYCLING | Page 7 Argentina, Spain Iturria wins and Serbia Vuelta stage in maintain home region perfect starts breakaway Thursday, September 5, 2019 TENNIS Muharram 6, 1441 AH Dimitrov stuns GULF TIMES Federer to reach US Open semi-fi nals SPORT Page 3 2022 WORLD CUP AND 2023 ASIAN CUP QUALIFIERS SHEIKH JASSIM BIN HAMAD STADIUM, 7:30PM Qatar not taking minnows Felix Sanchez’s men also have India, Bangladesh and Oman Afghanistan lightly for company in Group E By Sports Reporter Doha fghanistan’s status as football’s unknowns will have no bearing on Qatar’s approach as Athey clash in an Asian Group E joint qualifi er for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup at the Sheikh Jassim bin Ha- mad Stadium today. Qatar’s group also includes In- dia, Bangladesh and Oman, with the toppers along with the seven other group winners and four best runners-up advancing to the Asian Cup in China and the fi nal round of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. However, should Qatar — who have qualifi ed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup as hosts — win their group, the seven other group winners and fi ve best second- placed sides will advance to the fi nal round of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The gulf between Qatar and Afghanistan is however enor- mous in more ways than one and doesn’t need elaboration, but that is something which Qa- tar’s battle-hardened coach Felix Sanchez dismissed in his typi- cal matter-of-fact manner when asked if he would be taking the Qatar national team players take part in a training session on the eve of their 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup qualifying match Qatar coach Felix Sanchez is happy that the qualifying campaign for match lightly as Qatar are much against Afghanistan yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil the team is starting at home. stronger “on paper”. “If all the results go accord- ward to a good game,” the Span- matches can be gauged from the and also a great motivation for City in Group A. of Asia’s best, setting up a scin- their historic run when they host ing to team’s strengths on paper iard added. fact that he and his support team the team,” said Sanchez. Another intriguing encounter tillating battle in Manama. Myanmar in Ulaanbaatar. football would be a very boring Today’s match marks the fi rst made a thorough “study” of the Qatar player Aasim Madibo awaits in Group B as Kuwait host In Group D, Hector Cuper’s Asean rivalry is the focus in sport,” Sanchez said at his pre- time Qatar will be playing on Afghanistan team, despite them also echoed the same view. “It’s a Nepal side, who return to this Uzbekistan will be on a mission Group G when UAE 2019 sur- match press conference yester- home soil after their Asian Cup being ranked a lowly 149th in the good for us as players. The World stage of the qualifi ers after more to replicate their last qualifi ca- prise packages, Vietnam, travel day. triumph on February 1 in Dubai. FIFA world rankings. Cup is really close. In fact tomor- than eight years, at the Stadium tion campaign which saw them to Thailand while Indonesia and The Spaniard, who last week After the domestic season “As I said no team can be taken row is the start of the World Cup,” of Kuwait SC in the country’s sail into the fi nal stages, as they Malaysia face-off in what prom- was also given charge of the ended in May, the national team lightly. We have studied them, Also in Qatar’s group, India capital. travel to Palestine, who will be ises to be an exhilarating atmos- country’s under-23 squad, knows embarked on their fi rst-ever as they must have studied us,” will look to new head coach Igor Group C also promises a thrill- just as eager to build on their phere at a sold-out Gelora Bung the importance of making a Copa American campaign in Bra- Sanchez insisted. Stimac to guide them to their ing opener between two West best-ever AFC Asian Cup per- Karno Stadium. strong start to any campaign. zil where they acquitted them- Sanchez also praised the spec- fi rst victory in fi ve meetings with Asian rivals as Bahrain host Iraq. formance in front of their home Group H will see DPR Korea “We are happy to start the selves well, drawing 2-2 with tacular launch of the emblem for Oman at the Indira Gandhi Ath- The home side will be inspired fans. revisit their UAE 2019 group ri- qualifying campaign with a Paraguay and falling to narrow the 2022 World Cup. letic Stadium in Guwahati. by their narrow 1-0 victory over Kyrgyz Republic face a tricky vals, Lebanon, at the Kim II Sung match at home, in front of our defeats against Argentina (2-0) “It shows us we are really get- Elsewhere, Philippines will the Iraqis in the WAFF Cham- trip to Central Zone rivals Stadium in Pyongyang as Sri own fans. That is why it’s all the and Colombia (1-0). ting close to the World Cup. It’s be banking on home advantage pionship fi nal last month, but Tajikistan in what is expected Lanka go up against Turkmeni- more important that we make a The seriousness with which another milestone in Qatar’s when they face-off against a de- the Lions of Mesopotamia have to be an exciting Group F clash stan at the Colombo Race Course big impact. We are looking for- Sanchez takes international journey towards the tournament termined Syrian side in Bacolod proven their mettle against some while Mongolia aim to continue Ground. TENNIS / US OPEN Serena plots Olympic revenge as Svitolina blocks path AFP for the fi rst time. Just really dev- two months after she was throt- Svitolina cites last year’s WTA New York, United States astated about that doubles loss. tled 6-1, 6-1 by the American at Finals title in Singapore as a key Then obviously singles shortly Roland Garros. factor behind her breakthrough after,” Williams recalled after her “It was unbelievable atmos- Slam performances this season. erena Williams will look 6-1, 6-0 quarter-fi nal demoli- phere. I played actually a great “I think I’m generally stronger. to avenge a 2016 defeat at tion of Wang in just 44 minutes. match. I was very young. Not Mentally I’m handling the pres- the Rio Olympic Games Williams, who is seeking a very young, but I was kind of sure points better. Sometimes it’s in today’s US Open semi- 24th major title to match Marga- young at the time. I didn’t have possible that you’re not there on Sfi nal against Elina Svitolina as ret Court’s all-time record, will big wins at that time. For me, it that day, not playing your best. the American targets a record- likely face a far tougher proposi- gave me lots of confi dence,” Svi- But you try to fi nd your own path, equalling 24th Grand Slam sin- tion in fi fth seed Svitolina. tolina said. your own way how to handle gles title. The 24-year-old Odessa native “It gave me the confi dence to those kind of moments,” she said. A run to the last four in New has yet to drop a set at Flushing actually let me believe that I can Williams blasted 25 winners York, bookended by crushing Meadows while taking out two- play consistent against the top in her rout of Wang, who failed routes of long-time foe Maria time former champion Venus players.” to hit a single one, and Svitolina Sharapova and China’s Wang Williams and 2017 runner-up is fully aware of what to expect Qiang, brought up a century Madison Keys. SINGAPORE BOOST from an opponent hunting a sev- of US Open wins for Williams, “She is obviously a fi ghter. Svitolina has backed up her enth US Open title. chasing her fi rst Slam crown She gets a lot of balls back. She Wimbledon semi-fi nal showing “I have to react quickly and try since the 2017 Australian Open. doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. in July, where she lost to eventual to take my chances when I have Williams, who turns 38 later She’s one of those players that champion Simona Halep, with them,” Svitolina said. this month, holds a 4-1 career does everything really well. So I another deep run at Flushing “I think I have to run a lot, like advantage over Svitolina, but have to do everything well, too,” Meadows. all other matches. That’s normal. the Ukrainian triumphed in their Williams said. She is attempting to become And try to react — I played some most recent encounter — a third- Svitolina retains fond memo- just the second Ukrainian to play big hitters in this tournament, round clash at the Olympics in ries of her 6-4, 6-3 victory over in a Grand Slam singles fi nal — a lot, and I have to just react Rio. defending Olympic champion after Andrei Medvedev, who lost quickly with my feet and with my “That was a tough Olympics Williams in Brazil, a watershed in fi ve sets to Andre Agassi at the shots, as well. Then when I have for me. Oh, man.

Load more

  8

Copy Link