SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016 Murray shock for Nadal Kohli sets records with a ton Andy Murray defeats Rafael Nadal to RCB skipper Virat Kohli scores unbeaten PREMIER LEAGUE make it to Madrid Open final PAGE 30 century to set two new IPL records PAGE 31 MANCHESTER CITY VS ARSENAL Attiyah sweeps all stages for grand 10th Jordan win O Abdullah al Kuwari wins MERC 2, fights back in Rally 2 to take second overall positionO Husam Salem retires near the end TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK “We are surrounded, here DEAD SEA (JORDAN) in Jordan, by war and political problems, but we NASER Saleh al Attiyah may want to see sport thrive have eased his pace over the in the region. We are closing stages of the Jordan Rally, but the Qatari was still keen for the WRC to in inspired form and a white- return here.” wash of each of the 19 special HRH Prince Feisal stages was enough to give the Skoda Fabia R5 driver a stag- al Hussein, Chairman, gering winning margin of Jordan Motorsport. 18min 18.4sec. A 10th victory in the RESULTS Hashemite Kingdom and a 63rd in his FIA Middle East 2016 JORDAN RALLY – POSITIONS Rally Championship (MERC) AFTER SPECIAL STAGE 19 career was never really in (UNOFFICIAL) doubt once eventual runner- 1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/ up Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Skoda Fabia R5 Lebanon’s Rodolphe As- 2hr 42min 02.2sec mar was sixth, Jordan’s Ihab 2. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Killian Duffy Al-Shorafa finished seventh (IRL) Skoda Fabia R5 3hr 00min 20.6sec and Qatar’s Rashed Al-Nuami 3. Abdullah Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Adel recovered from a second stage Hussein (QAT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X crash to collect points for eighth 3hr 07min 40.9sec overall. Only eight of the original 4. Khalid Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Giovanni 15 cars reached the end. Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta R5 3hr “Motor sport has a rich tra- 21min 14.5sec dition here in Jordan from the 5. Khaled Juma (JOR)/Faris Al-Tal (JOR) legacy of King Hussein. King Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII 3hr 23min Abdullah is also keen on motor 55.9sec sport and we work as a team to 6. Rodolphe Asmar (LEB)/Joseph Matar promote the sport,” said HRH (LEB) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 3hr Prince Feisal al Hussein, chair- 37min 14.4sec man of Jordan Motorsport. 7. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Hazem Attiyat “We are surrounded, here (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 3hr in Jordan, by war and political 45min 19.2sec problems, but we want to see 8. Rashid Al-Nuami (QAT)/Nicola Arena sport thrive in the region. We (ITA) Subaru Impreza 4hr 14min 42.6sec are keen for the WRC to return Note: FIA Middle East Rally Championship here and want to see what the standings remain provisional and unoffi- promoter requires for this to cial pending the outcome of fuel sam- progress. I am delighted with ples taken at the Kuwait Rally. the work done this week by my The top three winning drivers and their navigators at the Jordan leg of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) near the Dead Sea in Jordan on Saturday. THE SUPER SATURDAY SHOW: AS IT HAPPENED AT THE DEAD SEA AREAS IN TREACHEROUS JORDAN RALLY • Front-end crash damage for second place and the win gap for day two and the roads lot of over steer. It is not easy cars from the international set dictated that Khalifa al Attiyah in MERC 2, but the Jordanian will be clean now.” when you don’t want to push out for a repeat run through the was not able to rejoin the ac- national champion headed to and you want to finish the rally. four stages. tion under Rally2, but five of the the 14.86km of Shuna with a • Kuwari had overtaken Abdul- “We changed all the dampers, other six retirements from leg comfortable outright lead. As- lah al Kuwari, Salem and Juma the hubs and the brakes after • Attiyah slowed his pace over one were permitted to start the mar was an impressive fourth on successive stages to snatch the crash on Friday. The team the remaining four specials, but final eight stages on Saturday. quickest, as Lina Hadadi retired second place and Salem did a great job. I broke the two still continued to set fastest Turkey’s Vidat Diker suffered with mechanical issues. stormed into the MERC 2 lead wheels on the left and steered times, although the re-run of terminal mechanical problems. when Juma’s Mitsubishi Lancer the car off the mountain so that Rawda accounted for Meshari • Attiyah continued to cruise spluttered to a halt at the water we did not roll and we did less al Thefiri’s Mitsubishi with drive • Attiyah led the field in the into the distance through splash and the Jordanian lost damage. We were lucky.” shaft issues. opening Rawda stage with a Shuna and Karamah, as Salem 17 minutes, slipping to sixth massive lead of 11min 164sec. chiselled into Juma’s MERC 2 overall. “The car is fine now. • “I was waiting for this rally from • Salem lost five minutes on Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari restarts in advantage. By the end of the We managed to fix with the 45 last year,” said Nuami. “I broke the penultimate stage and that fifth overall, 1min 36.8sec be- Baptism special and the return minutes at service yesterday,” the engine on the third stage last opened the door for Abdullah al hind fourth place, while Khalid to the Dead Sea for the mid-day said Salem. time and I am happy to be back Kuwari to slip through into third Al-Suwaidi was eighth at the service, Attiyah’s outright ad- on the stages. The crash on the place and snatch maximum start of the 10.64km opener. vantage over Kuwari was 17min • Abdulaziz al Kuwari was in first stage yesterday was bad MERC 2 points. It also deprived Nasser clocked a time of 7min 06.8sec. “It was a good run, positive mood after climbing luck. I had a mistake.” the host nation of a second 50.4sec through Rawda and it no problems,” said Attiyah. “We from fifth to second. “We were successive podium finish after was comfortably quicker than tried to keep a good pace. We just cruising. You cannot com- • A crash accounted for Rakan one of the most dramatic ral- the time set by any of his rivals. try to win the seven points for pare the Group N cars really. I al Rashed and a timing belt fail- lies in recent regional history. Salem clawed 10.7 seconds leg two. I keep the same pace have a small misfire in most of ure brought about Asem Aref’s To add insult to injury, Salem THE MID-DAY BATTLE: The moment when Husam Salem passes back from Juma in the battle this afternoon. We have a good the stages and we still have a demise before service. Only 10 retired before the last stage. Khaled Juma to claim the MERC 2 lead. Al Rayyan thrash Kharaitiyat for a place in Emir Cup semis to the dismay of Rayyan fans. Al Rayyan began the second shaking off his marker. QSL champions RESULTS Two minutes later, Caceres half the way they ended, contin- It was all Al Rayyan as the bounce back from Al Rayyan 3 (Rodrigo Tabata had a clear sight of goal only uing their assault on Kharaitiy- game progressed with Garcia 45’, Sergio Garcia 51’, for his shot to sail harmlessly at’s post. Pascua Jesus beat his dragging his shot wide in the winless run over Ahmed Abonora’s post. man on the left with a dazzling 59th minute. Sebastian Soria 63’) bt Two minutes from time, run, but his cross was cut out Soria finally got his goal AYENI OLUSEGUN Al Kharaitiyat 0; Al Sadd 3 Al Rayyan defender Mousa by the defence with no Rayyan just after the hour mark. The DOHA (Baghdad Bunjah 8’, Haroun Awdowah was lucky player in sight. big Qatari striker latched on to to not have gotten his match- Sergio Garcia made it two a defence splitting ball, skipped AL Rayyan once again re- Hassan Al Haydos 40’, ing orders from the referee for Al Rayyan six minutes into past his marker and rounded minded other teams that their Baghdad Bunjah 64’) bt after a wreckless tackle. the second half with a stun- goalkeeper Abonora and slotted Qatar Stars League (QSL) suc- Gharafa 2 (Mostafa Abdulla Kharatiyat from the result- ning strike from just inside home to take Al Rayyan’s win- cess was not a fluke as they ant free kick thought they had the box. Mousa Awdowah ning lead to three. thrashed Al Kharaitiyat 3-0 in 41’, Vladimir Weiss 75’) gone one up when a player played a lovely diagonal pass Substitute Parou Sadeeqi the quarter-final of the Emir bundled in the ball only for the from the right side of the pitch added pace and creativity to Cup on Saturday. referee to cancel the goal. which Garcia beautifully con- Rayyan’s attack as Kharaitiyat’s Goals from Rodrigo Taba- for it in the early stages. Kharaitiyat were made to tolled on his chest, beating his defence began to tire. Sadeeqi ta, Sergio Garcia and Sebas- Al Rayyan’s Rodrigo Tabata after pumping in the first goal against The Kharaitiyat defence rue their chance seconds later as marker in the process. He then played a lovely pass-and-go with tian Soria were enough to see Kharaitiyat at Grand Hamad Stadium on Saturday.