TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 16

McGinn hat-trick lifts Scottish gloom in San Marino rout Poland, Russia reach Euro 2020 AFP |

ohn McGinn hit a Chicago Fire player Przemyslaw Frankowski made the crucial breakthrough for Poland Jhat-trick as Scotland thrashed minnows San Ma- rino 6-0 in Sunday’s Euro Magomed Ozdoev 2020 qualifier. • Aston Villa midfielder scored for the second McGinn scored three times time in four days in the first half in torrential as Russia qualified KNOW WHAT rain at . for Euro 2020 Lawrence Shankland and Stuart Findlay both grabbed their first international • Georginio Wijnaldum Russia are the third goals during the second double sees Netherlands team to qualify for the half. edge past Belarus 24-team tournament, Stuart Armstrong made it following Group I rivals six in the closing stages of a AFP | Paris Belgium and Italy from match that was in danger of being abandoned as the ball Group J held up with every pass in oland and Russia secured the dismal conditions. their places at Euro 2020 A domestic match would Pon Sunday with victories 32nd minute, shortly after Denis unquestionably have been over North Macedonia and Laptev had spurned a golden abandoned in similar cir- Cyprus respectively, while the chance to give Belarus a shock cumstances but neither Netherlands boosted their hopes lead. team nor the French match of reaching the finals. The Liverpool midfielder officials were looking to try Russia eased to a 5-0 thrash- doubled the advantage before again 24 hours later, as UEFA ing of 10-man Cyprus, with Po- the break with a wonderful 25- Poland’s midfielder Przemyslaw Frankowski (C) scores the opening goal toward Macedonia’s goalkeeper Stole rules dictate. land joining them, Belgium and Dimitrievski yard strike into the top corner, While there was a lim - Italy in qualifying this week by and although Stanislav Dragun it to what can be taken seeing off North Macedonia 2-0. Laifis was dismissed for a nasty tinent, including Saint Peters- Poland remain three points gave Belarus hope early in the from beating the world’s ’s Russia, lunge on Russian full-back Ser- burg in Russia. clear of Austria, who won 1-0 in second half, the Netherlands lowest-ranked team, Steve who reached the World Cup gei Petrov. Poland went into their game Slovenia, at the top of Group G, held on with relative comfort. Clarke’s beleaguered side quarter-finals on home soil last Striker Artem Dzyuba scored against North Macedonia know- with North Macedonia and Slo- “We have to do better than we did move up to fourth spot year, only had to avoid defeat his third goal in two games in ing victory would punch their venia five points further adrift. did in the second half, although in Group I after ending a in to follow Belgium in the 79th minute, before Aleksan- ticket for the Euros. in the end we had things under run of four successive de- qualifying from Group I. dr Golovin and Cheryshev’s sec- They were forced to be patient Dutch see off Belarus control,” Dutch captain Virgil feats. Valencia winger Denis Cher- ond completed the rout late on. by the visitors, who could qual- Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands van Dijk told television channel yshev fired in a ninth-minute Russia will attempt to over- ify through the playoffs after remained at the top of Group C NOS. opener for the visitors, before take Belgium, who beat Kazakh- winning their Nations League ahead of Germany on head-to- “We are now very close to Magomed Ozdoev, who scored stan 2-0 earlier on Sunday, at group if they fail to do so auto- head record with a nervy 2-1 win qualifying for the finals, and ul- Cricket South Africa a fabulous long-range strike the summit when they host the matically. over Belarus in Minsk. timately that’s what counts.” on Thursday against Scotland, world’s number one side on No- But Przemyslaw Frankowski The Dutch lead third-placed Victory in Belfast over the urges supporters to made it two midway through vember 16. prodded home less than 60 Northern Ireland by three points Northern Irish next month be patient the first half. The European Championship seconds after coming on as a after beating Michael O’Neill’s would secure the Oranje a first Any thoughts of a Cyprus finals, which start on June 12 substitute in the 74th minute, side 3-1 on Thursday. appearance at a major tourna- comeback were ended in just next year, are being held at 12 before Akardiusz Milik made Georginio Wijnaldum headed ment since finishing third at the the 28th minute when Kostas different venues across the con- the points safe. the away team in front in the 2014 World Cup.

Leclerc accepts he was to Hamilton in no hurry to win blame for Verstappen collision Formula One title in Mexico AFP | Suzuka

ewis Hamilton said he was South Africa’s batsman Quinton in no hurry to win a sixth de Kock gets bowled L world championship after the AFP | Johannesburg title battle was reduced to a two-horse Mercedes race at the outh African cricket offi- Japanese Grand Prix. Scials yesterday urged the The Formula One circus country’s supporters to be moves on to Mexico in two patient with their struggling weeks’ time where Hamilton, Test side after two heavy enjoying a 64-point lead over defeats in India. Valtteri Bottas, can wrap up The Proteas, rebuilding a third consecutive drivers’ Ferrari’s Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (R-bottom) drives into Red Bull’s after the retirement of sev- crown if he outscores his team- Dutch driver Max Verstappen (R-behind) eral senior players, were mate by 14 points or more. outplayed in every aspect More likely is that the battle Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton takes part in the Japanese GP of both Tests so far. Reuters | Suzuka, Japan will be concluded at the subse- India clinched the three- quent race at the Grand Prix of been pretty shocking, even match series when they errari’s Charles Leclerc the Americas in Austin, Texas. though we’ve won the title,” won the second Test in Fhas accepted blame for a Bottas’s victory at Suzuka he said, after resurgent Ferrari Pune by an innings and 137 collision with Red Bull’s Max and Hamilton’s third place I think Mexico is won in three races out of four runs on Sunday. It followed Verstappen that wrecked both 64 clinched a sixth consecutive generally our worst up to Japan and outqualified an equally punishing 203- drivers’ Japanese Grand Prix points is the lead constructors’ championship for Mercedes comfortably at Su- Hamilton holds over race of the year run win in the first Test in on Sunday. Bottas Mercedes and left the Finn as because of the way zuka. Visakhapatnam. The 21-year-old Mone - the only driver who can catch “I’m hoping for a better “It was always going to be gasque finished sixth but was Hamilton over the final four our car is set up and weekend but I think it’s going a difficult challenge taking demoted to seventh after col- races of the campaign. it’s going to be a tough to be very hard to beat the Fer- on the top team in the world lecting time penalties for the “I think for me it’s never one for us raris with those long straights. –- certainly under their own collision and continuing with tle bit the front (of the car),” been a case of always wanting LEWIS HAMILTON “We have no hope of getting conditions –- at a time when a damaged car, while Verstap- he explained. “Normally you to rush things,” Hamilton told by on those straights, that’s for we have introduced a new pen retired from engine part- need to anticipate those things reporters Sunday adding that sure but even if you look at the team structure,” said Crick- ner Honda’s home race. and I didn’t. So I’m the one to he expected a tough battle from hold an obvious advantage in others, the McLarens are pick- et South Africa chief execu- The Dutchman had accused blame.” his teammate over the final few straight-line speed. ing up some serious speeds on tive Thabang Moroe. Leclerc in the immediate after- The race was won by races. “I think Mexico is generally the straights, so are the Red CSA fired previous coach math of ‘irresponsible’ driving. Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas, with “Valtteri’s driven well all year our worst race of the year be- Bulls so I think it will be a tricky Ottis Gibson and the selec- Leclerc said initially it was the Finn’s team mate Formula long, he’s done a great job to- cause of the way our car is set one. tion panel following a poor a ‘tricky situation’ but later One leader Hamilton third. day and he will most likely do up and it’s going to be a tough “I don’t anticipate (the title World Cup campaign earli- recognised his mistake. Leclerc and Verstappen a very, very solid job these next one for us,” said a downbeat win) will be Mexico. I think we er this year and introduced “I had a poor start. I got a are both now mathematically races, so we still have a battle, Hamilton, who was quick - will be battling for a good few a new structure, to be head- little bit distracted,” he told ruled out of title contention the fight continues,” he added. er on fresher tyres than sec - races.” ed by a team director who reporters. with only the Mercedes driv- Hamilton is not expecting ond-placed Sebastian Vettel in Bottas jumped from third to would be responsible for all “I was on the inside and be- ers still in the running. Ham- an easy time in the rarefied the closing stages at Suzuka but first with an electric start to win team matters who would re- ing behind Seb (Vettel) and ilton leads Bottas by 64 points high-altitude air of Mexico was unable to barge past. in Japan ahead of Vettel and port to a director of cricket. Lewis (Hamilton), I lost a lit- with four races remaining. which should suit Ferrari, who “The last few (races) have Hamilton.