TTENNISENNIS | Page 6 AATHLETICSTHLETICS | Page 7 Federer, Djoko Semenya says advance as she never felt Serena pulls supported by out of Cincy other women Thursday, August 15, 2019 CRICKET Dhul-Hijja 14, 1440 AH Taylor rescues NZ GULF TIMES aft er Dananjaya fi ve-wicket haul SPORT Page 8 FOOTBALL / AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Al Sadd were outstanding, says delighted coach Xavi The win over Al Duhail also seals Al Sadd’s place in the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, which will be played in Qatar Al Sadd players celebrate their victory over Al Duhail in their AFC Champions League Round of 16 match on Tuesday. PICTURES: Jayaram/AFP Al Sadd head coach Xavi is all smiles after the win. By Sports Reporter team eff ort that took Al Sadd to “Our players gave an unbeliev- be a tough game against Al Nassr, ment, he is the best coach in the best players in Qatar.” Sadd midfi elder Tarek Salman Doha a quarter-fi nal tie against Saudi able performance over the two we saw their game yesterday – world.” Meanwhile, Al Sadd striker spoke about the diffi culty of their Arabia’s Al Nassr. games. At Al Wakrah in the fi rst they have excellent players but Xavi also spoke about the way Baghdad Bounedjah spoke of his game against Duhail. “The match “We are very happy to qualify leg, we were the better side but our aim will be to reach the semis. the team changed their approach delight after his side progressed wasn’t easy from the very begin- l Sadd head coach Xavi for the quarter-fi nals. I am very today, we were only good in the But now, the team is celebrating by bringing in Khoukhi Boualem to the quarter-fi nals. “I am very ning, as we had expected. But we expressed his delight happy with the team because fi rst half.” and we will then think about the in the second half. “We were suf- happy to qualify for the next played for the win and managed after the Qatar Stars they did an outstanding job. As “They made things very dif- Sheikh Jassim Cup, after that, the fering with the long balls in the stage. We played for the win from to secure things in our favour. We League champions I had said earlier, Al Duhail are fi cult for us in the second half. league and then, the AFC Cham- second half, and so we brought the fi rst minute. Our only goal controlled the game, despite the Asealed a place in the 2019 AFC one of the best teams in the Mid- We created and missed chances pions League.” on Khoukhi to deal with it. Not was to get the victory. We want continued eff orts of Al Duhail to Champions League quarter-fi - dle East with players who have but I have been working on a new Al Nassr will host the fi rst leg just that but he also has a great to thank the fans, who supported try and equalise,” Salman said. nals on Wednesday. Al Sadd saw played together for 7-8 years. So philosophy with the team for the on August 26 with the second leg personality and leadership skills us in both legs,” the Algerian said. “We are delighted that we off the challenge of Qatar rivals our achievement is amazing.” last three weeks. I am very happy three weeks later. so it was great to have him on for “We still have a lot of work to managed to make our fans happy. Al Duhail, scoring a 3-1 win in the The win also sealed Al Sadd’s that we have qualifi ed, I am very When he was compared with the last thirty minutes or so. Af- do. We need to prepare for the They supported us with great second leg of their Round of 16 tie place in the 2019 FIFA Club World happy for the players. Our work current Manchester City and ter he came on, we changed our Sheikh Jassim Cup match, which force in this tough game. We look to advance 4-2 on aggregate. Cup, which will be played in Qatar. continues now, next up we have former Barcelona, Bayern Mu- system a bit, with four defend- we wish to win as well. The forward to seeing their support Strikes by Akram Afi f, Ab- Xavi, who took charge of Al Sadd the Sheikh Jassim Cup match nich coach Pep Guardiola, Xavi ers instead of three and two de- team’s objective is to compete for again in all the upcoming games, delkarim Hassan and an own as head coach after having served (the Qatar season opener against replied: “It’s just the beginning fensive midfi elders. As I said, we all the titles, both in the Cham- be it in the Super Cup, QSL or in goal by Ahmed Yasser secured Al them as a player for four seasons, Al Duhail).” of my career, of course I want to didn’t play Khoukhi last time just pions League and at home. We the Champions League, in which Sadd the win but Spain and Bar- said his team had shown consist- As for the quarter-fi nal clash be successful but don’t compare because he had joined the train- hope fortune will be on our side,” we are looking to go to the far- celona legend Xavi said it was a ency over both legs. with Al Nassr, Xavi said: “It will me with Guardiola. At this mo- ing camp late. But he is one of the he added. thest point,” he added. SPOTLIGHT Qatar’s Yacoub, Yousef to participate in third Big spending Madrid clubs out to deny Barca another title round of FINA World Cup DPA “Griezmann is one of the best Atletico. QNA Barcelona, Spain players in the world,” Barcelona said Diego Simeone’s side beat them Singapore in a statement marking his arrival. 7-3 in July in New Jersey with Diego In pre-season he has established a Costa scoring four goals and Felix arcelona begin the 2019-20 good understanding with Luis Sua- one. atari swimmers Yacoub al-Khulaifi La Liga season with the clear rez and Ousmane Dembele. That partnership between the and Yousef al-Khulaifi will take objective of winning their Lionel Messi has a right calf prob- bruising former Chelsea forward and Qpart in the third round of the 2019 third straight title under Er- lem and will miss the start of the the 19-year-old signing from Benfi ca FINA World Cup, which kicks off today in Bnesto Valverde. campaign but in his absence new has promised much this summer. Singapore. Real Madrid will hope to improve signing Griezmann, along with Sua- Simeone will have to wait to un- Abdulaziz al-Obaidli and Firas al-Saidi drastically on their performance last rez and Dembele have thrived and leash it, however, because Costa is participated in the first round in Tokyo from season when they fi nished third, 19 Barcelona won both games against suspended for the season opener at August 2-4, while Omar Ashraf and Kareem points off the lead, and went through Napoli, 2-1 and 4-0, in their fi nal home to Getafe. Salah participated in the second round held three coaches. warm-up matches. Valencia fi nished fourth last sea- in Jinan, China, from August 8-10. Atletico Madrid were runners- Real’s pre-season was far less im- son and they are expected to be the This year’s FINA World Cup Series includes up last season and with new record pressive. They conceded more goals best of the rest once again, hav- seven rounds, with the fourth round sched- signing Joao Felix having had a very than they scored and coach Zinedine ing signed Celta Vigo striker Maxi uled to take place in Budapest on October impressive pre-season at the club, Zidane was still tinkering with his Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele (left) celebrates a goal with teammate Gomez to reinforce their attack. 4-6, the fifth round in Berlin on October 11-13, hopes are high that they can push for formation in the fi nal friendly of the Antoine Griezmann during a United States La Liga-Serie A Cup Tour match With Girona, Huesca and Rayo the sixth round in Kazan on November 1-3, the title this time. summer — a 2-2 draw with Roma. against Napoli in Ann Arbor, United States, on Saturday. (USA TODAY Sports) Vallecano all relegated last season, and the seventh and final round will take Atletico lost their star player An- Zidane has been vocal about want- La Liga welcomes newly promoted place in Doha on November 7-9. toine Griezmann to Barcelona at ing Gareth Bale sold and Paul Pogba old Eden Hazard with reports in against Salzburg but generally dis- Osasuna, Granada, and Mallorca for The seven rounds can help swimmers the start of the summer when the signed, before the season starts but Spain suggesting Chelsea received appointed as Madrid struggled to the new campaign. qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Doha Catalan club paid the Frenchman’s neither of those requests look like 100mn euros plus add-ons for the fi nd form. The action kicks off tomorrow has been hosting one of the rounds of the release clause of 120mn euro (135mn being granted. Belgium forward. Their worst pre-season defeat when Barcelona travel to play Ath- FINA World Cup Series annually since 2012. dollars).