SSPOTLIGHTPOTLIGHT | Page 7 NNBABA | Page 5 IOC bans Beasley 11 Russian fuels Knicks’ winter upset of athletes Celtics Saturday, December 23, 2017 FOOTBALL Rabia II 5, 1439 AH Ronaldo is 100% GULF TIMES fit, says Real coach Zidane SPORT Page 4 FOOTBALL OPINION Defending champs Qatar already a winner as Qatar eye victory 23rd Gulf Cup begins By Anil John that in itself could be a measure of against Yemen sport’s importance, or its insignifi - Sports Editor cance, depending on one’s point of view. ‘We want to start with three points. Then we will think about atar’s resilience during Qatar should easily make the the ongoing crisis will go semi-fi nals where their opponents the next game. We will go step by step in this tournament’ down in history as a glori- could be Saudi Arabia or the UAE. ous chapter in geopolitics That would make things interesting. Qworthy of emulation. It has found Would the players be their normal enough admirers not just in the larg- selves on the fi eld and go about the er Arab and Muslim world but also game as it were just another match? in the West where sentiment against Or would they let their thoughts the blockading countries has reached be known to their rival players and a new high, leaving them desperate engage them in a few verbal volleys for a face-saving exit from the mess laced with political overtones? of their own making. My experience as a journalist in Qatar has shown remarkable pa- Qatar for over 20 years is that most tience, steadfastness and above all Qatari sportsmen are humble to probity throughout the nearly sev- the core, no matter how much suc- en-month blockade, proving that cess they have had. Be it the ace politics needn’t be always nasty. rally driver and shooter Nasser Saleh That bit has been left to Saudi Ara- al-Attiyah or the all-conquering bia, the UAE and Bahrain, and they world champion high-jumper Mu- have gleefully made it a habit of ex- taz Barshim, they are perfect am- celling in it. bassadors for the country, not just The Gulf trio have dragged all hu- in their deeds but also in the way man endeavour – be it commerce, they present themselves. Polite and sport or travel – into their Machi- courteous almost to a fault, they are avellian scheme in a bid to pressure always accessible to the media, the Qatar into submission. Against this perfect antithesis of a typical mod- backdrop, the question naturally ern-day sportsman who makes you arises whether the Gulf Cup can act run around for interviews and plays as a balm, however temporary, and hard to get. calm seething tensions. It’s not as if they have been told Probably yes. For 15 days now, as to act in a certain manner by the au- far as football fans are concerned – thorities. It’s something that they and almost every Gulf citizen is one have naturally imbibed, a manifes- – it will be the game that takes prec- tation of their upbringing and cul- edence. The underlying issues will ture. Several years ago, I interviewed certainly not go away, but they would Younis Ahmed, the then Qatar goal- take a backseat at least as far as the keeper, at a hotel. He had driven fans are concerned. down there to meet me, and then, Ever since the tournament was much to my surprise, also dropped launched in 1970, the Gulf Cup has me home in his swanky car. become the embodiment of regional Given such a background, Qa- pride, maybe a powerful metaphor tari players are unlikely to adopt for success itself, even though it is a confrontational attitude. They Qatar players train ahead of their match against Yemen in Kuwait yesterday. At bottom, coach Felix Sanchez and captain Hassan al-Haydos at their press conference. still not a FIFA-recognised event. will surely give it back if provoked, But cut to the 23rd edition and but one can be pretty much certain By a Correspondent face so we will be very careful in this much has changed. It’s precisely for that they will not be the fi rst ones Kuwait City match. All our focus now is on the fi rst this reason that when Qatar take on to initiate something that might be game against Yemen. This is a tough Yemen today in their opening match deemed unsportsmanlike. competition. We do not take any side of the Gulf Cup in Kuwait, the play- Talking of sportsmanship, it is efending champions Qatar lightly. It is the same with Yemen.” ers are likely to face a whole swirl of apt to mention here that Qatar is al- are confi dent of winning Yemen’s Ethiopian coach Abraham emotions they probably have never ready a winner. Having completed all three points when they take Mebratu said his team has prepared experienced before. preparations to host the Gulf Cup in Don Yemen in their Gulf Cup to spring a surprise. “As you know, we Yemen, upon which much misery Doha, it off ered the event to Kuwait opening match today. have not won a game in Gulf Cup. That has been heaped by Saudi Arabia for once its FIFA suspension was lifted. The match will be played at the is history but we are here to make new almost three years now, is struggling The logical thing now would be to Kuwait Sports Club Stadium, while history. For the match against Qatar, to cope. In the midst of a crippling defend the title they won in Saudi Bahrain take on Iraq in another Group we are ready,” Mebratu said. war, with hundreds of thousands Arabia three years ago. But even if B clash. The Yemen match represents “We are here to make new history at risk for cholera and other deadly they don’t, it won’t dent Qatar’s a solid opportunity to start the tour- for Yemen. We want to make people diseases, its football team still fi nds pride in any way. nament on a winning note and coach happy,” he added. “The group is strong the resolve to play the tournament– Felix Sanchez was keen on ensuring for me. Qatar ended up playing the just that. 2018 World Cup qualifying matches. They also have great experience of playing and doing well in the Gulf Cup tournaments. We respect them. But remember there are no small teams in football,” he said. Meanwhile, the event opened with a glittering opening ceremony attended by Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al- Jaber al-Sabah. He game with intention of winning it,” When asked to comment on the drove into the stadium amid cheers Sanchez told a packed media confer- Yemen team, Sanchez said: “Yemen from the packed stadium. ence yesterday. is a good side. I would say they have a The ceremony featured musical and “When you make a good start, you group of talented players. They have artistic shows expressing the spirit “Our ambition is to play a very good usually do well and settle into a nice some brilliant individual players. of “one Gulf.” The main show was game against Yemen and then get a rhythm. The players have been work- They have our respect. They are a fi ne themed “Our eternal Gulf,” with nine good result also. We want to start with ing very hard. They want to play a bunch of players. We will try to attack songs that welcomed “brothers” from three points. Then we will think about good tournament. We have the po- early.” Arabian Gulf countries, each con- the next game. We will go step by step tential (to dominate),” the Spaniard Qatar captain Hassan al-Haydos veyed a gesture of a competing team. in this tournament,” Sanchez said. added. also echoed Sanchez’s views. “We A plethora of Kuwaiti top singers The Spaniard said that winning the “All the players we have here are have an important match with an am- took part in the show that was fol- fi rst match of any event helps a long obviously the best ones we have. All bitious Yemeni team. We know them lowed by fi reworks amid vibrant cries way in improving the chances of the the players involved in the squad are well. They are a talented side with of joy from thousands of spectators at team winning the tournament. very motivated to do well. We are the players who have very good individual the venue. “We have prepared well. We know defending champions. We want to skills.” In yesterday’s opening Group A it pays when you start well in a tour- compete hard against what are very He added: “Their players help them matches, Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait 2-1 nament. So we are looking at our fi rst good teams. create real problems for any team they while the UAE defeated Oman 1-0. A glimpse of the opening ceremony of the Gulf Cup in Kuwait yesterday. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, December 23, 2017 FOOTBALL FOCUS Dream come true: School students play with PSG stars By Sports Reporter Doha ver 20 students from various Qatari public schools and a number of chil- dren of Qatar Orphans Foundation (Dhreima) had a golden opportunity Oto take part in a training session with Paris Saint-Germain stars at Aspire Zone in Doha. The special event was organised by QNB, the largest fi nancial institution in the Middle East and Africa, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.