Haydos extends contract, says Al Sadd is my home PAGE 11 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 AFC thanks Qatar FA for hosting return of Champions League in West region Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa during the online meeting on Thursday. He congratulated everyone involved in the hard work that has been required to en- sure that the AFC Champions League Group Stage West region and knockout rounds can go ahead safely. AFC Executive Committee announces updates to 2020 competitions calendar AFC football is something to cel- essary decisions in urgent mat- KUALA LUMPUR ebrate and so is the contribu- ters which relate to the central- Members of various federations of AFC from all over Asia during the meeting, held onlne, on Thursday. tion of the frontline workers. ised competition. It is intended SHAIKH Salman bin Ebrahim “It gives some hope to see that a similar Committee will Al Khalifa, the Asian Football football back and there has be formed in due course for the Members of the Committee congratulated Shaikh Salman and the AFC for keeping the football Confederation (AFC) Presi- been great work in putting in AFC Champions League East world ‘moving forward’ and also thanked the Qatar FA for hosting the matches in the coming dent, on Thursday thanked the place the necessary protocols Zone matches which are now month. Under the banner of #FootballforHeroes, the AFC Champions League (West) will be played Qatar Football Association for and procedures to keep every- scheduled to be played between their willingness to host the one safe, so we are taking the Nov 15 and Dec 13, 2020. under special rules to reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and these include AFC and return of the AFC Champions first steps. We will also work The Executive Committee Host Country Medical Protocols, temperature checks on entry to the Stadium and testing. League in the West region. closely with all the stakeholders also agreed that the final of the At the AFC Executive in Asia and with FIFA to ensure AFC Champions League will be meeting, held online, the AFC that football continues.” played in the West Zone on De- challenges, the AFC U-16 and be cancelled with the UAE Licensing Task Force and the ons League (West), where they President congratulated eve- Members of the Commit- cember 19, 2020 – in a single AFC U-19 Championships, hosting the next event in 2021. AFC Safety and Security Task currently occupy second place ryone involved in the hard tee congratulated Shaikh Sal- match rather than in the tradi- scheduled for Bahrain and Shaikh Salman added: Force for the remainder of the in Group A, after several mem- work that has been required to man and the AFC for keeping tional home and away format. Uzbekistan, have been post- “These are tough times for 2019-2023 term. bers of the club tested positive ensure that the AFC Champi- the football world ‘moving The AFC Futsal Champion- poned until early 2021. everyone connected with foot- The challenges presented by for COVID-19. ons League Group Stage West forward’ and also thanked ship will now be staged in Ku- In view of the logistics in ball – and sport in general. We the COVID-19 pandemic mean The AFC has written to the region and knockout rounds the Qatar FA for hosting the wait but shall be moved from coordinating the five zones are taking steps to ensure the that the AFC Executive Commit- United Arab Emirates Foot- can go ahead safely. matches in the coming month. the original dates in November of the AFC Cup and complet- financial well-being of the AFC tee agreed that it was no longer ball Association (UAE FA) to Shaikh Salman said: “A Under the banner of to new dates between Decem- ing the Inter Zone matches, and its MAs. possible to host the 30th AFC inform them that the request huge amount of work has been #FootballforHeroes, the AFC ber 2-13 to allow Member Asso- the AFC Executive Committee “I am certain that with the Congress in person in Kuala by the UAE FA and the club for undertaken to ensure these Champions League (West) ciations time to prepare them- also agreed that the pandemic unity and solidarity for which Lumpur, Malaysia on December a postponement of the Group matches can kick off on Sep- will be played under special selves for the competition. created complexities which the AFC has become admired 9, 2020. The 30th AFC Con- matches cannot be accommo- tember 14 and the AFC has rules to reflect the impact of The AFC Executive Com- constituted a Force Majeure across football, we can over- gress will now be held online. dated because of the advanced been extremely professional in the COVID-19 pandemic and mittee recognised that the event and, with sadness, led come this latest challenge.” preparations in which many ensuring that the matches can these include AFC and Host pandemic has affected the to the cancellation of the 2020 The AFC Executive Com- Al Wahda unable teams have already travelled go ahead and go ahead safely. Country Medical Protocols, ability of the AFC to deliver competition. The AFC Solidar- mittee approved the 2019 Au- to travel to Qatar for the competition. “These matches will be temperature checks on entry its competitions. With this in ity Cup has also been cancelled dited Financial Statement and Meanwhile, Al Wahda have The matter will now be dedicated to our frontline to the Stadium and testing. mind and taking into consid- because of the Force Majeure the independent Audit Report informed the Asian Football referred to the relevant AFC health and care workers who A sub-committee of the AFC eration the need to prioritise event and will now be played in as well as the revised Budget Confederation (AFC) that they Committees for a decision in have been the real stars in Competitions Committee has the welfare of young players, 2024 and the AFC Futsal Club for 2020. They also approved are unable to travel to Qatar to accordance with the applica- recent months. The return of been formed to make any nec- as well as the travel and health Championship UAE 2020 will the members of the AFC Club compete in the AFC Champi- ble regulations. ACL 2020: Watch out for these stars in Qatar this month AFC Matchday One and Two of the tapped in the opener. record 34 goals is no easy feat, DOHA AFC Champions League this but to then go on and repeat season. Capable of playing SANTI CAZORLA the achievement, finishing as WITH the resumption of the as an advanced or deep-lying The Spanish international top scorer the following the 2020 AFC Champions League playmaker, Resan combines vi- joined Qatar’s Al Sadd SC from season ahead of the likes of drawing ever closer, we profile sion and the ability to find the La Liga outfit Villarreal ahead Bafetimbi Gomis and Omar seven players who could shape target from range, while he also of the 2020/21 season and has Al Somah is a testament to the their clubs’ fortunes in Qatar possesses the skill to dribble his already hit the ground running genuine quality of Moroccan this month. way into the danger zones. in the Qatar Stars League, fir- striker Hamdallah. Having looked at some of ing a brace in his club’s 5-1 The Al Nassr frontman the finest goalscorers in the SALEM AL DAWSARI defeat of Al Kharaitiyat on his also boasts a record few play- tournament, we turn our at- Since the resumption of the debut, and adding another in ers have been able to achieve, tention to a group of stars who Saudi Pro League after the the following game against Al which is to score in the AFC are set to be the focal points COVID-19 enforced break, Al Sailiya from the penalty spot. Champions League with four for their sides to build their Dawsari continued the form Alongside his experience different teams, having first come back from a long term MEHDI GHAYEDI brushed aside Al Rayyan 5-0 success around over the next that was so important to Al Hi- of playing at the top level, got on the scoresheet with injury that sidelined him Widely considered as one of to reach the group stage. few weeks. lal SFC’s continental triumph Cazorla possesses undoubt- Guangzhou R&F in 2015, then for most of the season the most exciting young tal- in 2019. The winger contrib- ed ability and his remark- finding the back of the net prior the UAE Pro League’s ents in the country, Ghayedi DRAGAN CERAN BASHAR RESAN uted four goals and seven as- able comeback from a career with Qatari sides El Jaish and cancellation. has risen in profile every year Pakhtakor’s Serbian forward The 23-year-old Iraq interna- sists as the Blue Waves won a threatening foot injury is a Al Rayyan in 2016 and 2018 A vital cog in Sharjah’s since joining Esteghlal from has had a profound effect on tional joined Islamic Repub- record 16th league title. testament to his resilience respectively, and finally scor- machine, the 28-year-old has Iranjavan Bushehr as an his club since joining the Tash- lic of Iran’s Persepolis FC in Al Dawsari also took and perseverance - something ing two for Al Nassr in 2019 an unparalleled record for his 18-year-old, having previously kent based side back in 2018 2017 from perennial AFC Cup his form into the 2020 AFC head coach and compatriot and adding two more in this club, with 24 goals and 21 as- been part of the IR Iran side from FC Nasaf.