SPORT Tuesday 7 February 2017 PAGE | 25 PAGE | 26 Davis Cup: Britain, 'Sad' Cook resigns Spain enter as England Test quarter-finals captain Qatar Stars League giants eye ACL berths The Peninsula Al Sadd all set for Estaghlal test fter posting their best AFC Champi- ons League (ACL) performance to date in reaching theA 2016 semi-finals, Qatar Stars League (QSL) giants El Jaish will be looking to build on last year’s campaign. To do so, though, they must first overcome Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor in today’s vital play-off clash. My players understand the Runners-up in last sea- importance of this game. We son's Qatar Stars League, El are ready to give our best. Jaish also enjoyed a superb There is a great buzz in the continental campaign before dressing room. We want to their final four elimination by Al Ain. With former Barcelona win and advance to the next midfielder Seydou Keita skip- stage, says Al Sadd coach pering the side, Sabri Jesualdo Ferreira Lamouchi’s men will be hop- Former Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita (left) and captain of El Jaish team addressing a press conference along with coach ing for another successful stint in Asia’s premier club Sabri Lamouchi on the eve of the AFC Champions League match against Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan in Doha. RIGHT: Coach of competition. Bunyodkor. The winner of El Jaish-Bunyodkor will book a place in the competition's Group Stage. Sixteen teams from various By way of contrast, parts of the continent are vying for the eight final spots in the competition's Group Stage. Bunyodkor have endured a tough time in recent years having failed to progress AFC Champions beyond the Group Stage since League Play-off 2014. El Jaish need a disciplined However, having twice El Jaish vs Bunyodkor reached the last four of the Today at 3.15pm continental tournament in Venue: Abdullah bin 2008 and 2012, the Uzbek side Khalifa Stadium will be hoping a squad brim- Winners will progress to performance, says Lamouchi ming with youthful talent will Group C help recapture former glories. Rizwan Rehmat analyze our opponents and study ready to give our best," Ferreira PREVIOUS MEETINGS Meanwhile,with a total of The Peninsula all the tactical aspects of the said. four Asian championships AFC Champions League game. We will fight the same "There is a great buzz in the between them, the 2017 AFC April 2014 l Jaish coach Sabri Lam- way we fight every game," Lam- dressing room," he said. Champions League Play-off El Jaish 1-2 Bunyodkor ouchi yesterday urged his ouchi said. "Our focus has "We want to win and showdown between Estegh- AFC Champions League Eplayers to produce a 'dis- always been towards the devel- advance to the next stage," he lal and Al Sadd at Tehran’s March 2014 ciplined performance' in their opment of our team in all said. When asked about Xavi's Azadi Stadium is certain to be Bunyodkor 1-2 El AFC Champions League knock- aspects," the El Jaish coach said. presence, the Al Sadd coach said: one to savour with a place in Jaish out clash against Uzbek giants El Jaish's Malian import Sey- "Xavi is a great player. He has Group A on the line. Bunyodkor, calling today's game dou Keita yesterday said: "We been talking to the players which In the AFC Champions Esteghlal vs Al Sadd 'a new challenge'. are ready to fight to win this always means so much to the League era, today’s hosts Today 3:30pm The two sides clash at game. We want to win and team. He has so much experi- Esteghlal have represented Venue: Azadi Stadium Lekhwiya Stadium today. The AFC Champions League advance to the next stage. It is a ence and is a role model for most Iran seven times – second Winners will progress to Lamouchi said his side may matches are completely do-or-die game for us. It is the young players. only to Sepahan – although have the advantage of playing most important match of the "We know what is required Group A different. We wish to succeed the two-time Asian Club on the home soul but he wouldn't season." In another match of us. We seek to get our best Previous meetings: None in our test and get to AFC Championship winners have take the opposition lightly. Champions League group involving a QSL side, Doha giants playing XI on the pitch," the not gone further than the "The real challenge is that we stage: Coach Sabri Lamouchi Al Sadd today face hosts Estagh- coach said. semi-finals (2013). The Play-off Stage of the must win," he told a news con- lal of Iran at Azadi Stadium in "The game could go to extra Like Esteghlal, Al Sadd 2017 AFC Champions ference yesterday. Tehran. time and the players are ready missed out on the 2016 edi- "It is an important game. We Bunyodkor," Lam- Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Fer- for any eventuality," the coach League kicks off today, tion but the Qataris need to put great emphasis on a ouchi said. reira yesterday told a media said. with 16 teams from – continental champions in disciplined performance," he "The AFC conference in Tehran: "It will be Al Sadd player Hossam 1989 and 2011 – will be keen various parts of the said. "My team is entering a new Champions League a tough game against a strong Kamal said: "We must fight to to return to the highest level continent are vying for challenge with this game. We matches are completely differ- side. This is completely differ- win. We are ready, as our coach of Asian club football. And the eight final spots in wish to succeed in our test and ent compared to other ent from our QSL matches. We said. Surely it will be a hard- with former Barcelona vet- the competition's Group get to AFC Champions League tournaments and our team will will be playing in front of a huge fought battle. Al Sadd will deliver eran Xavi pulling the strings Stage. group stage. But for that to hap- be facing a difficult task," Lam- crowd, I am sure." a memorable performance. We in midfield, 2017 could be a pen, we must overcome the next ouchi said yesterday. "My players understand the will fight on the pitch for the campaign to remember. obstacle - and that is "Before every game, we importance of this game. We are result we are looking for." Al Rayyan aim to narrow gap at the top in QSL The Peninsula third place in the QSL standings. two goals in his last three outings. suspension and AFCON and now Michael Laudrup’s side have The veteran attacker will have to it seems that players are coming urrent Qatar Stars league improved significantly in defence be at his very best if Al Rayyan are back at the right time for the Red (QSL) leaders Lekhwiya will during the new year, conceding to defeat the champions elect in Knights. Cseek to cement their palce only three goals in that period. The Lekhwiya. The sides leading scorer Yusef at the top when they take on Lions are currently nine points As for Lekhwiya they have yet El Arabi made an immediate defending champions Al Rayyan behind Lekhwiya and know that to taste defeat this league season, impact for his side on his first in the Round 20 clash at Al Sadd a win could pile the pressure onto and are now only nine rounds match representing Morocco in the Stadium on Friday Djamel Belmadi’s side. away from going the whole sea- AFCON. The former Granada The clash between the two title Laudrup is no stranger to the son undefeated. Last time out they striker notched a hat-trick in the chasing sides promises to be an Lekhiwya set-up having led the bulldozed though Al Khor with a 6-0 win over Al Khor, which took interesting affair and a lot to offer. side to a league and cup double 6-0 victory, which expressed their his tally to 20 goals in just 13 QSL Both sides have enjoyed unde- during the 2014/2015 QSL season. title credentials loud and clear. games. Belmadi will certainly be feated starts to 2017 so far, and will One player who aided him during One of the characteristics of expecting the Moroccan hit-man A file picture of the have something offer as two of the this time was Qatar international this Lekhwiya side is their unre- to be amongst the goals against Al QSL match between leading sides in the QSL take on striker Sebastian Soria who is now lenting will to win, and this Rayyan on Friday, with a victory Lekhwiya and Al each other. at Al Rayyan and could be a key mentality has been provided by over their rivals all but assuring Wakrah played last For the home side Al Rayyan, player in this match. Soria has coach Belmadi. In recent weeks that the title is heading back to month. they have won all six games of rediscovered his goal-scoring Lekhwiya have been missing a Lekhiwya for a fifth time in the 2017 so far, and have consolidated touch in recent weeks, registering host of key players through injury, clubs history. SPORT 7 FEBRUARY 2017 TUESDAY 25 Trump leads Twitter Brady fairytale as Patriots praise of Patriots Houston AFP fightback seals Super Bowl S President Donald Trump was quick off the mark in tweeting his praise of Uthe New England Patriots on Sunday, Houston Goodell – widely viewed as after they authored the biggest comeback in AFP Brady's arch-nemesis -- was Super Bowl history to beat the Atlanta subjected to deafening boos Falcons.