Sport WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 CocoC Gauff plotting own path to glory I think you want results to happen fast, but I’m also still ddeveloping my game and figuring out how I want to play on thet court and how I want to construct my points. Coco Gauff Sport | 10 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES: QUARTER-FINALS FC Porto vs Chelsea, FC Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain (10:00pm) Real down Liverpool; City edge Dortmund REUTERS – MADRID PSG not out for revenge Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. scored twice as they against Bayern: Pochettino punished a sloppy Liverpool side to win 3-1 at home in REUTERS – MUNICH yesterday's Champions League quarter-final first leg. Paris St Germain will not have revenge on their minds when they The 20-year-old Brazilian play Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final after fired the 13-times European losing to the German team in last season’s decider, manager champions into the lead in the Mauricio Pochettino said yesterday. 27th minute at the Alfredo di Bayern beat PSG 1-0 in the final last year to seal a treble but Stefano stadium after con- Pochettino, who replaced manager Thomas Tuchel midway through trolling a long diagonal pass this season, said this time would be different as they were playing from Toni Kroos from his own a two-legged tie. half which flummoxed the Liv- “The final is not a benchmark match for us, we weren’t there erpool defence. with my staff, we were just spectators,” Pochettino told reporters Marco Asensio put the hosts ahead of Wednesday’s first leg in Munich. further at ease by scoring in the “In addition, it’s going to be played over two matches, the context 35th after a Kroos pass again is different. Revenge exists in sport but for us it’s more of a chal- caused havoc among the vis- lenge to beat such a strong team, maybe the best in the world. It’s iting backline but Liverpool a source of motivation.” looked more settled after the Both sides will be missing key players, with PSG striker Mauro interval and a scrappy Icardi out with a thigh injury while midfielder Marco Verratti and Mohamed Salah strike pulled his Italy team-mate Alessandro Florenzi both tested positive for them back into contention early COVID-19. Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski is sidelined with in the second half. a knee injury while winger Serge Gnabry tested positive for But they failed to build on COVID-19 but Pochettino said the German league leaders had their momentum and Vinicius enough squad depth to remain competitive. struck again in the 63rd Real Madrid’s Vinicius “The strength of Bayern is in its collective,” Pochettino added. minute to repeat the scoreline Junior (right) celebrates “When you win the Champions League and the Club World Cup, of the 2018 Champions League after scoring their third it’s because you have a very good group, not just 11 performing final and put Zinedine goal with Casemiro. players.” Zidane's side in pole position for next week's second leg at Anfield. Manchester City's Phil Manchester City's Phil then had a penalty awarded but rescue early in the second half, Foden (right) scores Foden grabbed a last-minute correctly overturned by VAR saving from Erling Haaland with their second goal. winner as they beat Borussia after a challenge by Can on an outstretched foot as the Dortmund 2-1 in their Cham- Rodri and Dortmund, buoyed German side continued to cause pions League quarter-final first by the reprieve, found some City problems. leg on Tuesday after Marco Reus attacking verve. City had several chances to had netted a late equaliser for Romanian referee Ovidiu extend their lead and paid the the German visitors. Hategan was at the centre of price for their uncharacteristic City took a 19th minute lead things again when City keeper lack of precision in front of goal with a classic counter-attacking Ederson hesitated and Dort- when Dortmund struck six move finished off by Kevin De mund's Jude Bellingham nipped minutes before the end. Bruyne after Dortmund's in and slotted the ball into the Haaland's clever pass on the former Liverpool midfielder net but the 17-year-old was half-turn found Marco Reus, Emre Can had given the ball harshly ruled to have fouled the who had timed his run perfectly away on the halfway line. Brazilian. and beat Ederson with a com- Pep Guardiola's City side Ederson came to City's posed finish. Al Sadd edge Al Rayyan in ‘Clasico’ to stay unbeaten; 10-man Qatar SC hold Al Ahli FAWAD HUSSAIN Al Sadd's Baghdad THE PENINSULA ROUND 21 Bounedjah shoots at the YESTERDAY'S goal during the match Spaniard Santiago Cazorla scored against Al Rayyan yesterday. RESULTS the winner as champions Al Sadd Qatar SC 1-1 Al Ahli edged Al Rayyan 2-1 in a thrilling Al Sadd 2-1 Al Rayyan ‘Qatar Clasico’ to maintain their Al Khor 1-1 Al Duhail unbeaten streak in the QNB Stars TODAY'S FIXTURES League (QSL). Al Rayyan despite the defeat at 6:15pm: Umm Salal vs Al Sadd Stadium last night will keep Al Sailiya at Al Ahli third spot with 34 points, going into Stadium the final round after Al Ahli (33 8:30pm: Al Arabi vs Al points) and Qatar SC (32 points) Kharaitiyat at Al Ahli played out a 1-1 draw, earlier at the Stadium same venue. Coaches Xavi Hernandez and Also yesterday at the Al Ahli Laurent Blanc hug each other Stadium, Al Khor snatched a point after the match. against runners-up Al Duhail with a 1-1 draw, and are now just two points behind 10th placed Umm Salal with 16 points. Although, the title winners have already been decided, all eyes were on the ‘Qatar Clasico’, which lived up to expectations producing fire- works from both Qatar’s football despite securing the league title is header in a 28th minute corner as Bashar Resan Bonyan fired giants. amazing. We will play the final both teams returned to the dug-out equaliser for Qatar SC in the 74th Al Rayyan, coached by round match against Qatar SC with after an evenly-poised first half, minute after Abdulrasheed Ibrahiim Frenchman Laurent Blanc, knew the same approach,” he added. though Al Sadd had an edge in the grabbed lead for Al Ahli in the 40th that they had to come up with a Al Sadd, playing at their home ball possession. minute. Following the hotly-con- special performance to beat Xavi turf, took the lead in the fourth with Al Rayyan made more attacks tested match, Al Ahli stayed fourth Hernandez-coached Al Sadd, who Baghdad Bounedjah scoring an in the second half but a good with 33 points, maintaining a one- now have 18 wins and three draws opener with a hit in the fourth defense by Al Sadd, particularly point lead over fifth-placed Qatar SC. against their name. ‘The Lions’ put minute, receiving a superb pass marking on captain Yacine Brahimi, Qatar SC played the last 30 up an impressive performance, par- from Hashim Ali. It was the Alge- kept them away from leveling the minutes without Cristian Prieto, ticularly in the first half but missed rian’s 21st goal of the season. match after Cazorla’s match- who was sent off for kicking Hernan chances, which proved costly for The match, which already got winning spot-kick in 66th minute. Perez on his chest as the pair fought them. off to a fast start, gained further pace Al Sadd won the penalty kick after for the ball. “We played a very good match with both teams exchanging attacks. Franck Kom committed a foul inside Elsewhere, Giannis Fetfatzidis’ against a great team, and we Yohan Boli was influential in most the box, with Spaniard scoring a spot-kick in the 65th minute gave deserved to win,” Xavi said after Al of Al Rayyan’s attacks while ‘The clean strike beating a diving Fahad Al Khor a 1-1 draw, cancelling Sadd’s win last night. Wolves’ were relying on Bounedjah, Younis to his left. Dudu’s 49th minute goal. “The players were impressive Cazorla and captain Hassan Al Earlier at the same venue, In today’s remaining Round 21 both in attack and defense and I am Haydos, who saw two of his goals 10-man Qatar SC played out a 1-1 matches, Umm Salal will take on Al Al Duhail's Ali Afif vies for the ball possession with an very happy with the victory. The disallowed in the first half. draw against Al Ahli in a crucial Sailiya while Al Arabi will meet Al Al Khor player. team’s commitment to win matches Boli levelled the score with a Round 21 clash. Kharaitiyat at Al Ahli Stadium. WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 SPORT 11 Man City post losses of Roca out, Gnabry doubtful £126m due to COVID-19 REUTERS – MANCHESTER such as Leroy Sane to Bayern as Bayern take on PSG Munich for a reported €45m Manchester City posted net ($53m), were also delayed and losses of £126m ($175m) for the do not appear in the 2019-20 REUTERS – MUNICH 2019-20 season after their accounts. finances took a huge hit from But the club expects to post Bayern Munich midfielder Marc the COVID-19 pandemic, the profits in 2020-21, given the Roca has been ruled out of their Premier League club said deferred revenues and the sub- of their Champions League yestrerday.