FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 2 AATHLETICSTHLETICS | Page 7 Liverpool Felix says seek to Tokyo will avenge Aston be Olympic Villa mauling swansong Saturday, April 10, 2021 CRICKET Sha’aban 28, 1442 AH De Villiers stars GULF TIMES as Bangalore win IPL opener SPORT Page 4 QNB STARS LEAGUE Champs Al Sadd beat Qatar SC to fi nish season unbeaten Defeats for Qatar SC and Al Ahli ensured Al Rayyan finished third, with Al Gharafa needing to defeat Umm Salal today to finish fourth By Sports Reporter Doha l Sadd earned a rare distinc- tion of fi nishing the QNB Stars League season unbeaten after a 3-0 win over Qatar SC Aat the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium yes- terday. Xavi Hernandez’s men, who had wrapped up the title long ago, fi nished with 60 points from 19 victories and three draws. Meanwhile, defeats for Qatar SC and Al Ahli ensured Al Rayyan fi nished third, with Al Gharafa needing to de- feat Umm Salal today to fi nish fourth. Al Ahli were thrashed by Al Duhail 0-4. Yesterday, Xavi rested several regu- lars with AFC Champions League in mind but still had enough to see off a Under Xavi Hernandez, Al Sadd full-strength Qatar SC side. Abdelkar- finished with 19 victories and three im Hassan gave Al Sadd the lead as early draws to win the title by 13 points. as the third minute. Rodrigo Tabata Al Sadd players celebrate after their win over Qatar SC at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium yesterday. doubled the advantage with a penalty technical and physical condition is kick in the 39th minute and Yousef great; only Akram Afi f is missing be- At the Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium, Abdulrazaq rounded off the tally in the cause of injury.” Dudu and Michael Olunga scored a 76th minute. Al Sadd started with their routine brace each as Al Duhail eased past Al Xavi praised his side’s performance aggression and a move by Abdelkarim Ahli to fi nish their campaign with 47 against Qatar SC and was delighted Hassan and Tabata led to an own goal, points, 13 less than new champions Al to end the season with an undefeated early in the match. Hassan, after reach- Sadd. record. “Today’s performance against ing close to the goal, chipped the ball Al Ahli made many forays initially, Qatar SC was more than excellent, from back past Qatar SC goalkeeper Jassim but it was Al Duhail who scored off their all the players. I’m happy with the re- al-Hail from the left and Khaled Mah- fi rst real chance as Dudu headed in Is- sult, the win, and not losing throughout moudi accidentally struck it to his own mail Mohamed’s cross from the right the league season,” the Spaniard said. goal. fl ank. “I thank the players, the support Hashem Ali set up Al Sadd’s second Al Ahli’s closest chance in the fi rst staff , the medical staff and the manage- goal by winning a penalty kick after half was when Nasser Saleh’s bicy- ment of the club, for everyone’s eff orts racing into Qatar SC’s box with a stun- cle kick went narrowly wide. Al Ahli throughout the season. We won the ning display, before Qatar SC’s Mo- resumed after the break with a surge league without losing and we had the hamed Salem stopped him near the goal and captain Omid Ebrahimi hit a long- best attack and the best defence. Also, with a rash tackle. ranger wide. the league’s top scorer is our striker, Referee Meshari Ali al-Shamari im- Al Duhail then made a couple Baghdad Bounedjah. It’s a great situ- mediately signalled a spot kick and of substitutions, with Luis Mar- ation to be in, and the atmosphere is Tabata struck Al Sadd’s second goal tin coming in for Ismail Mohamed wonderful inside the team. Even the with a confi dent low drive in the centre, and Jassim al-Mehairi replacing U-23 team has won the league title. We with al-Hail diving on his left. Qatar SC Sultan al-Breik. However, Olunga must take advantage of this period that won a couple of free-kicks at the start soon made it 2-0 and added anoth- we are going through, in the upcoming of fi nal session, but could not pose dan- er, which was his team’s third goal, competitions,” he added. ger to Al Sadd’s goal in the presence of as Al Ahli ran out of steam. Dudu Xavi, the former Barcelona and Spain keeper Saad al-Dossari. rounded off the tally as the game midfi elder, previously won the title Later, an impressive shot from a dis- drew towards a close and Al Duhail with Al Sadd as a player in 2018-19 be- tance by Al Sadd’s Eisa was well-saved sealed yet another victory. fore taking over the reins as manager. Al by the goalkeeper by diving on his left, In a late match, Al Rayyan drew Sadd have little time to celebrate, how- before he thwarted Ali Asad’s fabu- with Al Khor 1-1, a stalemate which ever, with the club kicking off its AFC lous try in the 55th minute. In the 63rd did not have any bearing. Rayyan had Champions League group campaign minute, striker Baghdad Bounedjah, sealed the third sport, while Al Khor next week in Riyadh, one of four central along with Ahmed Suhail and Bahaa need to win the play-off to stay in the hubs for the continental tournament. Ellethy, came off the bench. top flight. As for the Wolves’ preparations for Qatar SC were rarely surging in coun- Dudu (right) scored a brace as Al Duhail thrashed Al Ahli 4-0 at the Hamad bin Khalifa stadium yesterday. Rayyan took lead through defender the AFC Champions League matches, ter-attacks and they were barely able to Franck Kom in the 44th minute, but Xavi said: “The toughest tournament pose any danger, losing the ball easily their third goal through Abdulrazaq, who A goal by Qatar SC following a corner side. Bounedjah made an attempt for his Said Mohamed Brahmi converted a awaits us. We are in an excellent period after reaching close to the area as Al Sadd hit the ball in al-Hail’s left corner follow- kick, 12 minutes before time was ruled out fi rst goal of the match a few minutes later, penalty in the 76th minute as Al Khor and fully ready to compete. Everyone’s were solid in defence too. Al Sadd fi red ing an assist by Ali Asad. after Anthony Okpotu was declared off - but al-Hail defl ected his shot on target. shared the spoils. SPOTLIGHT Australian football icon Cahill joins Aspire Academy as Chief Sports Offi cer By Sports Reporter (Sydney United- Melbourne City) to Additionally, Cahill has participated in organization,” said Ivan Bravo, Aspire Doha the English Premier League (Millwall some of Aspire Academy coaching pro- Academy Director General, in welcom- FC and Everton FC), from America’s grams over the past two years. ing the Socceroos’ ex-captain. MLS (NY Red Bulls) to China’s Su- “We are delighted to have such an Cahill commented on his appoint- spire Academy, the world’s per League (Shanghai Shenhua and accomplished footballer on our team ment: “I’m excited and honoured to leading academy for youth Hangzhou Greentown) and India (Jam- of experts. We are very much looking join Aspire, one of the world’s leading sports development, an- shedpur FC). forward to Mr. Cahill’s contribution to sports academies. nounced yesterday the offi cial Cahill was the fi rst Australian to Aspire Academy’s next phase of growth “I’ve been visiting Aspire since my Ajoining of Australian football icon Tim score at a FIFA World Cup. as we forge ahead with sport develop- playing days with Everton and the Soc- Cahill as a new staff in the position of Prior to joining Aspire Academy in ment in the country and internation- ceroos and have been constantly im- Chief Sports Offi cer. his new role as a Chief Sports Offi cer, ally. We are confi dent that his impres- pressed by its world-class innovation The retired Australian international, Cahill has been completing his UEFA sive 21-year playing career in England, and competitiveness. I am looking for- and all-time leading goal scorer for the Coaching Licenses, as well as study- The United States, China PR, India and ward to contributing to the success and Australia national team, having scored ing sports business and management Australia’s National Team, as well as his growth of Aspire as well as developing 50 goals in 108 matches between 2004 at both Harvard and Josoor University. passion and thirst to broaden his ex- my skills in sports management as I and 2018, had an outstanding global He has also undertaken commentary periences in sports management, will embark on this exciting new chapter in professional career - from Australia covering the English Premier League. undoubtably bring added value to our my career.” Gulf Times 2 Saturday, April 10, 2021 FOOTBALL PREMIER LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT Mbappe ‘focused’ on PSG amid Real Klopp’s Liverpool Madrid rumours: coach Pochettino AFP seek to avenge Paris ylian Mbappe is not distracted by rumours of a possible move to Real Madrid, Paris KSaint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino insisted yesterday. Aston Villa mauling The France World Cup-winning superstar has long been linked ‘A lot of things showed us in that game which were a problem that day’ with an eventual move to Ma- drid, who courted him as a teen- AFP ager before he signed for fi rst London club Monaco.