SPORT Wednesday 18 October 2017 PAGE | 30 PAGE | 31 PAGE | 36 Maxwell hopes Tiger Woods SparksSpa bound to fly in new technique cleared to resume ccrucial Al Sailiya, Al leads to Ashes practice Rayyan QSL clash Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho (centre) shoots during the UEFA Champions League Group E match against NK Maribor at the Ljudski vrt Stadium in Maribor, Slovenia yesterday. UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE YESTERDAY’S RESULTS GROUP E NK Maribor 0 - 7 Liverpool Spartak Moscow 5 - 1 Sevilla GROUP F Feyenoord 1 - 2 Shakhtar Donetsk Manchester City 2 - 1 Napoli GROUP G Monaco 1 - 2 Besiktas RB Leipzig 3 - 2 FC Porto GROUP H Apoel Nicosia 1 - 1 Borussia Dortmund Real Madrid 1 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur Reds hit seven as Spurs hold Real Maribor opposition penalty area to demol- Hotspur as they held European Napoli 2-1 yesterday to UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE With three wins in AFP ish woeful Maribor. champions Real Madrid 1-1 at the tighten their grip on TODAY’S FIXTURES three games, City are Firmino opened the scoring Santiago Bernabeu yesterday. Champions League GROUP A firmly on track for the last iverpool eased the pres- and Philippe Coutinho increased Both sides remain unbeaten Group F. Benfica vs Manchester United 16, while Napoli, who have sure on Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool’s lead before Salah’s in this season’s Champions In a much-hyped CSKA Moscow vs FC Basel won all eight of their Roberto Firmino and brace put the Reds four up by League and well placed to clash of the highest-scor- GROUP B domestic league matches Mohamed Salah half-time at Stadion Ljudski Vrt. progress to the last 16. They each ing teams in Europe’s Bayern Munich vs Celtic to date, face a battle to inspired a 7-0 thrash- Firmino netted again after the have seven points after Cristiano five major leagues, City RSC Anderlecht vs Paris Saint Germain progress after their second Ling of Maribor in the Champions break, with Alex Oxlade-Cham- Ronaldo’s penalty cancelled out swiftly went 2-0 up GROUP C defeat of the campaign. FK Qarabag vs Atlético Madrid League yesterday. berlain and Trent Raphael Varane’s own goal in the through Raheem Sterling Chelsea vs Roma It was only City’s sec- After drawing their first two Alexander-Arnold also on the first period. and Gabriel Jesus at the GROUP D ond win in nine games European fixtures and splutter- scoresheet as Liverpool’s goal The sides meet again with top Etihad Stadium and Barcelona vs Olympiakos against Italian sides, but ing in the Premier League, blitz moved them into first place spot in Group H on the line at looked set for another Juventus vs Sporting Lisbon although they preserved Liverpool arrived in Slovenia with in Group E with three matches Wembley on November 1. breezy win. their 100 percent record critics questioning Klopp’s sign- left. Elsewhere, Manchester City But Napoli hit back, in Europe this season, the ings and tactics. A pair of stunning second-half conceded two penalties -- one Ederson having to save a penalty in the 73rd minute, and City man- way they let Napoli back into the But, for once, Klopp’s team saves from Hugo Lloris salvaged that was squandered, one that from Dries Mertens before Ama- ager Pep Guardiola will have been game suggested they are not quite showed a ruthless touch in the a precious point for Tottenham was scored -- as they edged dou Diawara netted from 12 yards grateful for the final whistle. the finished article yet. Chelsea have no margin for error: Alonso London AFP helsea defender Marcos Alonso admitted yesterday that the Premier League cham- Cpions cannot afford to lose another match if they want to successfully defend the title. Antonio Conte’s side are lagging nine points behind leaders Manchester City after losing their last two league matches. The Blues, who host Roma in the Champi- ons League today, crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat at lowly Crystal Palace on Saturday, an embar- rassing setback that followed a damaging 1-0 loss to City at Stamford Bridge. With title contenders Manchester United and Tottenham also in good form, Alonso knows Chelsea are in danger of losing touch with the early pace-setters. Recalling Chelsea’s 13-match winning streak which followed losses to Liverpool and Arsenal early last season, Alonso said he believes the Blues need to be even more consistent if they are to catch City. “We’ve lost a lot of points already. We can- not lose any more games,” Alonso told reporters yesterday. “It’ll obviously be very hard. There are teams playing very good football and there are so many games still to come. 30 SPORT WEDNESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2017 Frylinck gets Under-pressure Maxwell hopes call-up to SA T20 squad Cape Town new technique leads to Ashes Reuters ll-rounder Robbie Melbourne things creeping into my game. the second Test in Chittagong. axed after three matches of the at 26.07 after seven Tests. Frylinck has been Reuters “I had a very one-day tech- “I’ve really honed a tech- one-day international series in Top order batsman Shaun Ahanded a first call-up nique where I was able to work nique that can bat a long period India but former Australia cap- Marsh, who has an average of 36 to South Africa’s Twenty20 ustralia all-rounder the ball sidewards with my of time and I changed a few tain Steve Waugh has backed from 23 Tests, and discarded squad for the two-match Glenn Maxwell (pic- hands. I basically got rid of that things technically to make sure him to make an impression in opener Joe Burns (37.95 from 13 series against Bangladesh tured) is well known and made sure I was holding my I had a solid defence and some- the Ashes if selectors stick with tests) are two players seen push- next week. for his batting pyro- shapeshape a lot longer.” thing that could sustain long him. ing for selection. Faf du Plessis resumes the technics but hopes a TheThe correctioncorrection failedfailed periodsperiods of pressure,” he said.said. “He’s inconsistent but he’s a “There is some good, healthy captaincy after missing the defensiveA tweak to his technique to bring a big score “Unfortunately the way I match winner and there are not rivalry for it and whoever plays team’s last series in England can be key to locking up the con- duringduriingn lastlast got out was a bit disap-disap- too many of them around,” well, hopefully they play well but spinner Imran Tahir and tentious number six spot for the month’smonth’s tourtour ofof pointing, to have the ball Waugh told local media. “If he’s during the Ashes,” said quick bowler Kagiso Rabada Ashes. BangladeshBangladesh just sort of crawl over my managed the right way he can Maxwell. have both been rest, Cricket Since scoring a mature and butbut MaxwellMaxwell body and get to the be a force in test match cricket, “I think it would be a huge South Africa said yesterday. composed century against India saidsaid itit hadhad keeper was a bit frus-frus- there’s no doubt about that. personal accomplishment to “The selection of Robbie in the Ranchi Test in March, the already trating, but the work I “With him he looks like a hold my spot in the Australian provides another opportunity man nicknamed ‘the Big Show’ helped soaksoak did throughout that confidence player so if he gets test team after I’ve had a fair few to explore our depth in the has failed to surpass 50 in seven upup minutes periodperiod showed me that picked I would say to him ‘you doubters, especially in the long important all-rounder posi- Test innings and his selection for out in the mid- was I was doing was the are playing every test match’ and form of the game. tion,” said selector Linda the upcoming series against Eng- dle, as shown by right thing.thing.”” then you will get the benefit.” “So if I could hold my spot Zondi. land is far from assured. a 98-ball Maxwell’s While a handy offspin for that period of time and “Apart from his bowling Australia coach Darren Leh- knkknockock ooff leanlean runrun bowler and an excellent fielder, beyond, that would be strengths he has a proven mann has said Maxwell’s number 3388 in ssawaw Maxwell’s batting average stands exceptional.” record as a finisher with the six spot is up for grabs, leaving him bat. the 29-year-old righthander in “Imran remains our first- a shoot-out with other hopefuls choice spinner in both the in the domestic Sheffield Shield limited overs formats but we in the lead up to the first Test in also need to develop depth in Brisbane on November 23. I had a very one-day technique where I this important area which is Maxwell’s faltering output was able to work the ball sidewards why we have given further prompted a self-analysis and he with my hands. I basically got rid of that opportunities to (Tabraiz) was not impressed with what he Shamsi and (Aaron) saw on video review. and made sure I was holding my shape a Phangiso.” “It was a little bit frustrating lot longer: Glenn Maxwell South Africa host the T20 watching myself back and going internationals in Bloemfon- ‘I don’t like what I see there’,” he tein on October 26 and told local media.