Sport FRIDAY 22 JANUARY 2021 Root wants improvement in second Test Sri Lanka are a proud team and have a great record at this ground so we have to play smart cricket again. We can't be happy with what we have achieved on this trip so far, we need to get better. We can't get ahead of ourselves and think we’re something we’re not. Joe Root Sport | 15 England captain QATAR VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE: TODAY'S FIXTURES - Al Sadd vs Qatar SC 4:00pm; Al Arabi vs Al Shamal 6:30pm, Venue: QVA Hall FIFA Club World Cup: QSL champions plan top preparations for Al Ahly clash Al Duhail eye strong show on home soil FAWAD HUSSAIN to preparee for the FIFA Club an important addition to the looking forwardforwar to give a strong THE PENINSULA World Cup.p. team,”team,” saisaidd AAll AAlili bbeforeefore aaddingdding show.show. IfIf we winwin against Al Ahly, “Our preparationspreparations for the thatthat the team willwill do we will meet EuropeanE cham- Adnan Al Ali, Al Al Duhail are aiming to leave a FIFA Clubb WorldWorld Cup willwill bebe itsits bestbest toto get pions BayernBayern Munich. We Duhail Executive mark on their FIFA Club World different fromrom our preparations goodgood results.results. dependdepend on thethe abilities of our Director Cup Qatar 2020 debut with a for the localocal championships.championships. “We playersplayers andand theirthe technical abil- strong performance in the pres- After the withdrawalwithdrawal of the NewNew are thethe ities to appearappear in the way that tigious tournament, the club’s Zealand teameam and reachinreachingg the hosthost teamteam expressesexpresses the Qatari football, “ executive director Adnan Al Ali second stagetage ofof thethe champi-champi- of thisthis he said. said yesterday. onship, wee decided to enter the evente vent “Al“Al Sadd representedre Qatar As representatives of the team in a closed camp to givegive andand wewe in the last editionediti and it is going host nation, ‘The Red Knights’ best possibleble preparations to thethe are to be a last of theth two FIFA Club secured a berth in the next team,” saidd AlAl Ali. WorldWorld Cups plannedp in Qatar month’s top event courtesy of The RedRed KnightsKnights have beforebefore the WorldWo Cup 2022, so their QNB Stars League (QSL) boosted theirheir squad by ropingropingg we are lookingloo forward to title win. in Kenyann strikerstriker MichaelMichael a goodgood performance,” Al Duhail, coached by Olunga andnd Iranian mid-mid- saidsaid Al Ali. Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi, are fielder AliAli KarimiKarimi Reigning Asian pitted against African cham- recently. championscha Ulsan pions Al Ahly in the second in Zurich on January 19. They it. “The match against Al Ahly They alsoalso have HyundaiHy FC and round match following the draw were to meet Auckland City will be difficult and we will be quality playerslayers CONCACAFCO Cham- in the first round but the side ready for it,” Al Duhail’s chief like Qatarr stars pionspion League winners representing the Oceania executive said yesterday. Almoez Ali,Ali, TigresTigre UANL will kick Football Confederation Al Duhail are currently busy Mohammedmed startstart the tournament Al Duhail, coached by withdrew from the compe- in a hectic QSL season, in which Muntari,a ri, with theth opening match Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi, tition due to the COVID-19 they currently stand second Mohammedm ed onon FebruaryFe 4 at the are pitted against African pandemic and quarantine behind Al Sadd. But for the FIFA Moosa besidesesides AhmadAhmA Bin Ali champions Al Ahly in the measures required by New Club World Cup, Lamouchi- Belgian playerplayer Stadium.Sta Zealand’s authorities. coached side has planned Edmilson Junior.Junior. The final of the second round match on Al Ali said the team’s tie special preparations. “We havehave includedincluded a tournamentt will February 4 at Education City against the Egyptian side to be Soon after their Amir Cup number off playersplayers to strengthenstrengthen beb played on Stadium. played at the Education City match against Qatar’s Al Ahli on the rankss (this season) and Almoez Ali February 11 at Stadium will be a tough challenge February 1, Al Duhail will among themem are Ali Karimi and the Education and players must prepare well for undergo a closed training camp Michael Olunga , and they are City Stadium. WINNERS She’s Our Queen corners Pearl glory Horse, Trainer, Jockey T/B PEARL THE PENINSULA - DOHA oughbred Classic Race with Sou- She's Our Queen (IRE), fiane Saadi. Deborah Amanda Clare In a spectacular show of strength Saadi rode the Jassim Ghazali- She’s Our Mountain, Ivan Rossi Queen, ridden and stamina, the Hassan Ali trained 4-year-old colt to a T/B CLASSIC RACE Alabdulmalik-bred and owned ¾-length win in the 2000m run by Ivan Rossi, Perfect Empire (GB), She's Our Queen yesterday won for 4-year-olds. wins the Class 2 the Class 2 Thoroughbred Pearl In the seventh race of the day, Thoroughbred Pearl Gassim Ghazali, Soufiane title on turf at Al Rayyan Race HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin at Al Rayyan Race Saadi Park. Khalifa Al Thani's Off He Goes Park yesterday. KHOR AL ADAID CUP Ivan Rossi rode the Debbie (Casino Prince) landed the Gr3 Off He Goes (AUS), Julian Mountain-trained 4-year-old filly Khor Al Adaid Cup honours with Colin Smart, Tomas Lukasek to a 1¼-length win in the 2000m jockey Tomas Lukasek in the AL AREEQ CUP run for F & M. saddle. Jabalaly (IRE), Ibrahim She's Our Queen clocked a Lukasek rode the Julian Smart- winning time of 2:05.82 as jockey trained 7-year-old gelding to a Saeed Al Malki, Ronan Rossi picked up the top prize of QR 3-length win in the 2800m run for Thomas 57,000. 4-year-olds+ TBs. PUREBRED ARABIAN Mahaarat, who had Alberto In the sixth race, Al Bida Rac- CONDITIONS Sanna in the saddle, and Festive, ing's Jabalaly (Moohaajim x Bahati) Ebraz (GB), Julian Colin guided by Ronan Thomas, finished completed a double landing Al Smart, Tomas Lukasek in second and third places respec- Areeq Cup. tively in the feature race of the Ronan Thomas rode the LOCAL PUREBRED ARABIAN night. Ibrahim Al Malki-trained 5-year- CONDITIONS Earlier Al Wasmiyah Farm's old gelding to a ¾-length win in Barra (QA), Alban Elie De Perfect Empire (Holy Roman the mile Class 2 run for Mieulle, Rashid Ali Al-Marri Emperor) won the Class 2 Thor- Thoroughbreds. Denmark down Qatar’s Frankis Marzo in action with Denmark’s Magnus Saugstrup IOC President Bach says 'no Qatar at World Jensen during their Group 2 match Championship in Cairo, yesterday. Plan B' for Tokyo Games DOHA — THE PENINSULA AGENCIES — TOKYO at this moment, no reason further reducing public support, whatsoever to believe that the Tokyo organisers have Reigning Olympic and world champions There is “no Plan B” for the Olympic Games in Tokyo will repeatedly ruled out postponing Denmark yesterday defeated Asian cham- Tokyo Games, says Interna- not open on the 23rd of July in the Games again. pions Qatar 32-23 in their opening Group tional Olympic Committee (IOC) the Olympic stadium in Tokyo,” Meanwhile, former IOC vice II match at the IHF Men’s World Champi- President Thomas Bach Bach told Kyodo News. president Dick Pound said Tokyo onships in Cairo yesterday. (pictured), who reaffirmed his “This is why there is no Plan Olympics could go ahead without New Capital Sports Hall, Qatar started commitment to holding the B and this is whywhy we are fully fans.fans. And he predictedpred the games well and were neck and neck before the showpiece event this year in an committedcommitted to makemake will open on July 23 despite pre-event favourites took control of match. interview with Kyodo News thesethese GaGamesmes sasafefe and surgingsurging coronaviruscor cases Denmark were leading 17-12 at halftime. yesterday. successful,”successful,” he inin JapanJapan anda around the Qatar attempted to make a comeback but After the Games were post- added. globe.globe. an experienced Danish side gave little room poned last year because of the WithWith thethe “The questionqu is - is to their Asian opponents to seal first victory global novel coronavirus pan- Beijing 2022 tthishis a ‘m‘must-have’ or in main round. demic, Saturday marks six Winter Olympics ‘nice-to-have.’‘nice-to It’s nice Qatar will next take Bahrain tomorrow months until the rearranged onon tthehe horizonhorizon andand to havehave spectators. But before playing against Argentina on January Olympics are due to start on rapidlyrapidly escalatingescalating it’sit’s not a must-have,” 25, hoping to collect full points from the July 23. costs PouPoundnd said in an games. Despite dwindling public interviewint with Earlier yesterday, Hungary started their support and a surge in corona- Japan’s Kyodo mission in Group I of the main round by virus cases across the world, news agency beating Brazil 29:23, at New Capital Sports organisers are adamant the published Hall in Cairo. Games will go ahead. “We have yesterday. Sport FRIDAY 22 JANUARY 2021 15 FACTBOX: Sri Lanka vs England Root wants improvement in Second Test in Galle second Test against Sri Lanka GALLE: Factbox on the second and final Test between Sri Lanka and England, which begins today: WHEN: REUTERS — GALLE 135, though they Jan. 22-26 (10 a.m./0430 GMT) improved markedly in WHERE: England captain Joe Root has warned his the second. Batsman Galle International Stadium players not to get ahead of themselves and Angelo Mathews took MATCH OFFICIALS (all Sri Lankan) to continue improving as they seek to wrap the unusual step of Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena, Ruchira Palliyaguruge up the series against Sri Lanka in the second suggesting his team Third umpire: Lyndon Hannibal and final Test at Galle International Stadium mates look to Root for Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle today.