Sport THURSDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2021 AlA Sadd's Boualem eyes silverware in blockbusterb Qatar Cup final against Al Duhail We’reW expecting a strong match as the two teams include most of the first-teamf players of Qatar. So, it’ll be a great summit and we’ve to do our best tto win and defend the title. I’m looking forward to winning the tournament. Boualem Khoukhi Sport | 11 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: LAST 16 - Real Madrid beat Atalanta 1-0; Manchester City beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 Alli scores Late Mendy goal gives Real victory wonder goal as Tottenham over 10-man Atalanta; City win 2-0 advance in AGENCIES – BERGAMO, ITALY Real Madrid’s players celebrate after Ferland Europa League Ferland Mendy popped up with a late Mendy scored the winning winner to earn lacklustre Real Madrid goal against Atalanta AP – LONDON a 1-0 win over 10-man Atalanta in yesterday. yesterday's Champions League last-16 Dele Alli scored with an overhead first leg. kick and set up two other goals as Real's task appeared to have been Tottenham beat Wolfsberg 4-0 in made much easier after Atalanta's the Europa League on Wednesday Remo Freuler was sent off in the 17th to become the first team to qualify minute for denying Mendy a goal- for the last 16. scoring opportunity. Alli, handed a rare start by Tot- Against the 10 men, however, Zin- tenham manager Jose Mourinho, edine Zidane's side, who were missing flicked the ball up after meeting a several high-profile players through right-wing cross by Matt Doherty injury, struggled to break down the then leapt with his back to goal and hosts, and Real had only one shot on directed an acrobatic effort into the target in the rest of the first half. bottom corner in the 11th minute of Atalanta continued to defend dog- the second-leg match in the round gedly after the interval, but Mendy's of 32. The midfielder crossed for superb strike in the 86th minute gave Carlos Vinicius to head in the second the Spanish side a slender lead to take goal in the 50th then played in sub- into the second leg. stitute Gareth Bale to curl a powerful Elsewhere, in Budapest, the Por- 73rd-minute shot into the top corner. tuguese connection of Joao Cancelo Vinicius added a fourth for Tot- and Bernardo Silva combined for tenham, which completed an 8-1 almost identical goals as Manchester victory on aggregate over its Aus- City beat Borussia Mönchengladbach trian opponent. 2-0 to close in on a fourth straight The remaining second legs in the appearance in the Champions League last 32 are staged today. quarter-finals. The Tottenham-Wolfsberg game A 19th straight win for the Premier was played to avoid a clash with League leaders never looked in doubt fellow north London club Arsenal, in the last-16 first leg from the moment which is also at home in the second Cancelo, City’s playmaker at full back, leg against Benfica - although that pounced on a loose pass and swung in game is being played in Athens a cross from the left that the dimin- because of coronavirus utive Silva headed in at the far post in restrictions. the 29th minute. The same combination struck again in the 65th, Cancelo sending over a similar-looking cross this time to the Messi double byline, where Silva nodded the ball across goal for Gabriel Jesus to prod helps Barca into the net from inside the six-yard game since mid-December. City didn’t Guardiola’s most important players box. even need Kevin De Bruyne, its star this season. It was another dominant display player, who was an unused substitute The sight of record scorer Sergio see off Elche by Pep Guardiola’s side, which is on a night Cancelo - a tactically ver- Aguero coming on as a late substitute unbeaten in all competitions in more satile defender - showed off the cre- for his first appearance since Jan. 3 REUTERS – BARCELONA than three months and has won every ative side that has made him one of because of injury capped a night full of positives for City - except Lionel Messi scored twice to help for the fact the margin of Barcelona overcome an uninspiring Manchester City’s victory should have been first half and beat Elche 3-0 at home Gabriel Jesus wider at an empty Puskas in La Liga yesterday. celebrates with team- Arena in Budapest. The The Catalans created little in one mate Bernardo Silva game was played Hungary of their worst first-half displays at after scoring their because of coronavirus the Camp Nou this season but found second goal yesterday. travel restrictions. intercepting a back-pass, only to dally a breakthrough early in the second City’s defense might be on the ball and see his belated attempt when Martin Braithwaite released virtually impenetrable this at a shot blocked. Messi with a classy backheel and the season - Gladbach didn’t The Brazil striker made amends Argentine did the rest. have a touch in City’s box with the second goal, which should Barca, who failed to hold onto a until the 63rd minute and prove enough ahead of the second leg, narrow lead in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at or a shot on target until the scheduled for City’s Etihad Stadium on home to Cadiz, got an all-important third minute of stoppage March 16. City last conceded two goals second goal in the 69th when time - but there was a lack in its 2-0 loss at Tottenham in the Frenkie de Jong burst through the of cutting edge that clearly Premier League on Nov. 21. middle and laid the ball off for Messi annoyed Guardiola, who cut It’s that strong defensive unit to dribble into the net for an 18th a picture of frustration at created by Guardiola that could lead league goal of the season, extending times in the technical area. City to becoming European champion his lead at the top of the scoring Jesus, in particular, was for the first time, after a number of charts. Jordi Alba struck the third a culprit especially when he painful eliminations in recent years. goal from another Braithwaite assist was sent clean through in Guardiola has never reached the sem- to round off a victory which took the 54th minute after ifinals with City since joining in 2016. Barca into third in the standings. Qatar's Cherif, Tijane advance to quarters Qatar's Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan in action during their Main Draw - Pool A matches of the FIVB World Tour - Doha Beach Volleyball Cup at Al Gharafa beach yesterday. The Qatari duo, ranked 13th in the world, won both of their matches yesterday to make it to today's quarter-finals. They defeated Lebanon's Joe/Chafic 2-0 (21-8, 21-11) before outplaying Pavel Shustrov/Alexey Gusev of Russia 2-0 (21-14, 21-17). Meanwhile, M Essam/Ziad defeated their Egyptian counterparts, but lost to Russians Kuvichka/ Kislytsyn. The Qatari pair advanced to the 12th Round and will meet Gambia's Jawo/ Jara today. Qatar's Oughlaf/Abdullah, and Jassim/Nassir failed to advance. THURSDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2021 SPORT 11 Al Sadd and Al Duhail players taking part in practice sessions at their respective training grounds ahead of Qatar Cup final tomorrow. QATAR CUP QSL holds Qatari star targets back-to-back titles with Al Sadd coordination Boualem eyes silverware in meeting head of the final blockbuster Qatar Cup final THE PENINSULA – DOHA THE PENINSULA – DOHA faced with ferocity. But we succeeded He said that Al Sadd are very As part of arrangements and in the last minute to score the winning much familiar with Al Duhail. preparations for the 2021 Boualem Khoukhi, one of the most goal through Santi Cazorla. It was a "We know Al Duhail players Qatar Cup final, the Qatar Stars prominent defenders on the domestic tough semi-final befitting the name of very well. We had beaten them in League (QSL) held a Co-ordi- and Asian football circuit, is one of the the two teams in addition to the the league this season in both legs nation Meeting at its Head- key players in Xavi's Al Sadd outfit as presence of fans, who added to the and our weapon will be to remain quarters in Al Bidda Tower well as the Qatar national team. excitement levels at the venue," focused in the final in order to win. yesterday. Boualem, a member of the Qatar Boualem said. The Al Duhail team includes many The final will be played squad that won the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, "We’re expecting a strong match as outstanding players and they play between Al Duhail and Al Sadd is continuing to have a huge impact on the two teams include most of the first- as one unit, so we’ll face them as one tomorrow at the Al Duhail Al Sadd in their QNB Stars League team players of Qatar. So, it’ll be a great team as well," Boualem said. Stadium. matches and is a towering presence at summit and we have to do our best to He said that the outcome of the The meeting was held in the back when he is in his best form. win and defend the title. I’m looking matches don't always turn out in favour the presence of Hassan Rabiah In an interview with www.qsl.qa forward to winning the tournament," of predictions.