SPORT Tuesday 23 May 2017 PAGE | 25 PAGE | 26 PAGE | 27 Qatar to return from Rooney may have to Ronaldo leads Baku Games leave United to Real Madrid to with 12 medals extend career: Neville 33rd La Liga title QSL champs Lekhwiya ready for 'tough match' in Tehran Rizwan Rehmat The Peninsula atar Stars League (QSL) champions Lekhwiya are expecting a feisty contest Nam Tae-hee against Iranian hosts Perse- Qpolis when the two sides clash in the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League today. Let’s make it The game will take place at Iran's iconic Azadi Stadium where the QSL title winners will play in front of an empty stadium since the Asian ruling a double body has penalised the home club for improper fan behaviour witnessed during a separate clash. "We are facing a difficult encoun- celebration, ter with Persepolis. This is pretty much the case when you face Iranian teams," Lekhwiya coach Djamel Belmadi said says Tae-hee yesterday. "Such games are always very dif- Lekhwiya players in action The Peninsula ficult and complex," Belmadi said during a training session in during a press conference. this file photo. "They have a good team. They ewly-crowned Qatar Football Associa- have strong players with a lot of expe- tion (QFA) Player of the Year Nam rience. Some of their players play for NTae-hee believes his club, Lekhwiya SC, the Iranian national side," Belmadi has it in them to reach the final of the AFC said. Champions League this year, thereby giving "So I expect it to be a tough game, people of Qatar another reason to rejoice fol- not just for us but for both the teams," lowing the successful launch of the redeveloped the Algerian coach added. Khalifa International Stadium. "We don't focus on who is going to After beating an accomplished field – com- play before or during a game. What prising of Al Sadd duo Xavi Hernandez and we are looking at is how we play on Hassan Al Haydos to his first QFA award – the the pitch," Belmadi said in response to South Korean international told www.sc.qa that a question. the people of Qatar fully deserved the redevel- When asked about the absence of oped Khalifa International Stadium. Lekhwiya coach Lekhwiya and Persepolis officials display team jerseys Al Moiz and Youssef El Arabi, Belmadi Djamel Belmadi “They have got back their home of football, said: "Each team has to go through ahead of their AFC Champions League Round of 16 clash. redeveloped as a 2022 World Cup stadium and such situations. Injuries are part and they deserve it,” said the 25-year-old playmaker, parcel of the game. We have to find their overall fifth QSL title win last whose club take on Iranian giants Persepolis at replacements for these two and move month, said his team feels ready the imposing Azadi Stadium in Tehran today. on." despite the absence of some players. Persepolis, Lekhwiya meet “It would therefore be befitting if one of Belmadi, who guided Lekhwiya to "We studied them well. Their team Qatar’s football clubs does well on the Asian has good defenders and some good stage this year,” he continued. AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE players," Belmadi said. for the first time since 2015 “We have built up some experience in the "We have certainly studied each Asian Champions League over the years and ROUND 16 - FIXTURES OF FIRST LEG and every player of Persepolis," he The Peninsula Lekhwiya, though, as the unbeaten believe we can reach the final this year. Today: said. "What we are doing is that we are Qatari team strolled through on top “Persepolis are a tough opponent but we Guangzhou Evergrande FC (CHN) vs looking at our performances and how close contest is expected when of Group B. can return to Doha taking a lead from the first Kashima Antlers (JPN) my players adapt to my plans," he said. Persepolis take on Lekhwiya in The two sides last faced off in leg. We believe we can trouble top clubs from At Tianhe Stadium, Guangzhou Lekhwiya midfielder Talal Al Athe first leg of the 2017 AFC the group stage in 2015, when Perse- China and those from Asia’s major footballing Muangthong United (Tha) vs Kawasaki Qahtani said his team is eyeing a quar- Champions League Round of 16 at Azadi polis played out a 3-0 win at home, nations such as Iran, Japan and Korea this year.” Frontale (JPN) ter-final berth. Stadium today as the sides go head to only for Lekhwiya to gain revenge Evidence from the group stages of Asia’s At Thunderdome Stadium, Nonthaburi "It will be a tough match for both head for the first time since 2015. with the same scoreline in the return premier club competition supports Tae-hee. Persepolis FC (IRN) vs Lekhwiya SC (QAT) sides but we have come here to win. Persepolis advanced to the fixture. After sharing points in Iran, Lekhwiya At Azadi Stadium, Tehran We are confident about a win," Al knockout round following a tense Influential midfielder Karim defeated Esteghlal Khuzestan 2-1 in Doha in (Kick-off at 6.00pm Qatar time) Qahtani said. Match day Six in Group D as Mehdi Boudiaf returns from suspension for Group B in a tough contest. After the Iranian Esteghlal Khouzestan (IRN) vs Al Hilal When asked about the clash being Taremi bagged a hat-trick in a 4-2 the Qatar Stars League champions, champions of 2015-16 had taken the lead, Tae- (KSA) played at an empty stadium, Al Qahtani victory over Al Wahda to secure the but Almoez Ali misses out after he hee equalised with a scintillating left-footed At Seeb Sports Complex, Muscat said: "We played in the Champions second spot. picked up a booking in the 4-1 vic- strike from the edge of the box and QFA Under- League before big fans and we were There were no such worries for tory over Al Fateh two weeks ago. 23 Player of the Year Almoez Ali scored the Tomorrow: not affected by it. Similarly the absence winner. Jeju United FC (KOR) vs Urawa Red of the fans from the match tomorrow He registered 14 goals and nine assists in Diamonds (JPN) will not affect us because we will play level. We have international stars in named Qatar Player of the Year on Sat- his 25 QSL appearances during the 2016-17 cam- At Jeju Sports Complex, Jeju against Persepolis and not the fans." our line-up. I hope we succeed and urday - to produce a winning paign and, according to Qatar Stars League Shanghai SIPG FC (CHN) vs Jiangsu (CHN) "We have quality players who are reach the quarter-finals," he said. performance today. analytics provider STATS, had a passing accu- At Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai capable of facing all conditions and Lekhwiya will be hoping their star The two teams play the return racy of 91.6%. we have professionals of the highest Korean striker Nam Tai-hee - who was clash on May 30 in Doha. Such was his consistency, his pass comple- tion rate even outshone one of the most widely admired passers of the ball the game has ever seen – Xavi, who came in second at 89.2%. “Xavi deserved the award,” said Nam. “He Fossati names squad ahead of key clashes played all the games and helped Al Sadd win two cup competitions. It feels great to win my The Peninsula QATAR SQUAD World Cup qualifying matches. first ever Player of the Year trophy with Xavi The Qatar squad does not include and Haydoos also in contention. I have very atar football coach Jorge Fos- Meshaal Abdullah, Ahmed Abdel Maqsoud, Lekhwiya players since the Qatar high regard for both of them.” sati yesterday named a Boualem Khoukhi, Yasser Abu Bakr, Khalifa Stars League (QSL) champions are Nam will brush shoulders with the Qatar Q 16-player squad for a friendly Abu Bakr, Hassan Al Haydos, Saad Al Sheeb, away in Tehran for their round 16 national team captain again on June 13 in Doha against the UAE on June 6, the Qatar Ibrahim Majid, Pedro Miguel, Abdul Karim game of the AFC Champions League. as his national team seeks to clinch a berth in the Football Association (QFA) has Hassan, Ali Asad Allah, Khadar, Moussa The Lekhwiya players will join the 2018 FIFA World Cup, thereby continuing an confirmed. Harun, Rodrigo Tabata and Omar Bari. Qatar squad once they get back to uninterrupted streak of playing in the world’s big- Qatar will host the UAE before Coach: Jorge Fossati Doha, QFA said yesterday. gest tournament stretching back to Mexico 1986. playing the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qatar currently are at the bottom The South Korean star signed off by saying qualifying match against South Korea of Group A with 4 points. Iran lead the he is focused on the Persepolis challenge. An in Doha on June 13. The Asian Zone Group B clash against Thailand. The group with 17 points, followed by example of the dedication, commitment and pro- Group A game will be the 8th for Qatar June 6 friendly is aimed to give Qatar South Korea (13 points), Uzbekistan fessionalism that has made the 2017 QFA Player in this phase. and the UAE some much-needed (12 points), Syria (8 points) and China Jorge Fossati of the Year one of the league’s leading lights, and The UAE is also preparing for their practice ahead of their 2018 FIFA (5 points). a fan’s favourite over the past six years.