NBA | Page 5 CCRICKETRICKET | Page 10 Robinson Gunaratne wins NBA heroics win To Advertise here slam dunk T20 series Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 contest for Sri Lanka Monday, February 20, 2017 FOOTBALL Jumada 1 23, 1438 AH Ibra strikes to GULF TIMES fi re Man United into FA Cup quarters SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL/ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Lekhwiya take on UAE’s Al Jazira today Al Rayyan, the other Qatar team in the tournament, will clash with Al Wahda in Abu Dhabi tomorrow By Sports Reporter be at their best to outwit Al Jazira, who But Lekhwiya are no pushovers ei- performance to date in the continental Doha are on an eight-game winning streak ther, having reached the quarter-fi nals tournament. in the UAE Pro League. However, Al in 2013 before bowing out to eventual Also today, another debutant, Esteghlal Jazira are also aware that continental winners Guangzhou Evergrande. Khouzestan of Islamic Republic of Iran, ekhwiya and Al Rayyan will club football can be a totally diff erent The made the last eight in 2015 too, will open the competition in Group B by be fl ying the Qatari fl ag in this ball game, having made their exit in the but lost to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal. Apart taking on Saudi Arabia’s Al Fateh, whose year’s Asian Champions League group stage last year with just one point from Al Jazira, the other teams in their only previous appearance came in 2014. which kicks off across the vast to their credit. group are Saudi Arabia’s Al Fateh and Esteghlal Khouzestan caused a major Lexpanse of the world’s largest continent But they are in cracking form of late, Iran’s Esteghlal Kouzestan. upset by claiming their maiden Iran Pro today. while Lekhwiya seem to have lost a bit Elsewhere, the fi rst round of fi xtures League title last year and have a recent With El Jaish and Al Sadd failing to of their spark, having drawn with Al includes a mouthwatering clash be- history that mirrors that of their op- make the group stage of the lucrative Wakrah and Al Rayyan before crashing tween 2015 runners-up Al Ahli of the ponents, who did likewise in winning event this year, the onus is now on de- to a shock 3-1 defeat to Umm Salal in United Arab Emirates and two-time their fi rst and only Saudi Professional fending Qatar Stars League champions recent weeks in the QSL. Asian champions Esteghlal FC the pick League championship in 2013. Al Rayyan and four-time winners Le- Lekhwiya coach Djamel Belmadi, of the day in Group A. Al Ain will attempt to bounce back khwiya to prove that Qatar can hold its however, was confi dent his team can Al Ahli narrowly missed out on win- from the disappointment of their fi nal own when it comes to continental club pull off an opening win against Henk ning the 2015 competition after suff er- defeat to Jeonbuk when they host 2010 football. ten Cate’s Al Jazira. ing a 1-0 aggregate defeat to Guangzhou runners-up Zobahan in Group C on Lekhwiya are the fi rst to see action “We have to shift focus to the AFC Evergrande in the fi nal, while Esteghlal Tuesday – a repeat of last year’s Round as they take on top UAE side Al Jazira at Champions League now despite our return for the fi rst time since 2014 hav- of 16 clash. the Lekhwiya Stadium at 4.50pm today recent setbacks in the Qatar Stars ing seen off Al Sadd on penalties fol- As ever, the home side will look to in Group B, while Al Rayyan meet Al League,” Belmadi said. lowing a scoreless draw to advance via their talisman, 2016 AFC Player of the Wahda, also from the UAE, tomorrow “The continental event is a huge the Play-off s. Year Omar Abdulrahman, to lead them in Group D. Lekhwiya coach Djamel tournament with teams that are very Elsewhere in Group A, 2016 quarter- to victory but the Emiratis will be aware Lekhwiya, who led the QSL by six Belmadi talks to the media strong and we need to be at our best to fi nalists Lokomotiv will be hosted by that Zobahan will be no pushovers after points at one stage before allowing Al ahead of his team’s Asian progress in the tournament and we are Saudi Arabian debutants Al Taawoun the Iranians claimed a 1-1 draw on their Sadd to catch up with them, will have to Champions League match. confi dent about that,” he added. on the back of producing their best last visit to Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. Gulf Times 2 Monday, February 20, 2017 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT STAY FOCUSSED Chelsea’s Conte Spurs and United wary of ‘Double’ talk ease into FA Cup quarter-fi nals File picture of Chelsea manager Antonio Conte. AFP we want to try to reach the end Wolverhampton and win some trophies. ‘We had to recover the right feeling after two defeats. We had to believe in the way “Because when you stay at a great club then your job is this, we work and play and that is what is important. We had lost that a little bit’ ntonio Conte has warned to try to fi ght until the end to try his players to avoid com- to win some trophies. We’re in a DPA placency as they seek good position now but we have to London to become just the third work very hard.” Aclub in the history of English foot- The biggest crowd at Molineux ball to win the Premier League and for 36 years — 30,193 — saw ottenham Hotspur and Man- FA Cup ‘Double’ on two separate Chelsea negotiate the fi fth round chester United, two of the most occasions. tie with second-half goals from successful clubs in FA Cup histo- A 2-0 fi fth round win away to Pedro and Diego Costa. ry, eased into the quarter-fi nals Wolverhampton Wanderers on But the top-fl ight visitors were Tof the competition with respective away Saturday took Chelsea through forced to battle for the victory wins yesterday. to the quarter-fi nals of the FA and withstand a strong fi rst half Harry Kane scored a hat-trick as Tot- Cup, while they maintain a performance from a Wolves team tenham cruised to a 3-0 win at Fulham healthy, eight-point, lead at the that is currently struggling at the on Sunday while Zlatan Ibrahimovic top of the Premier League table. wrong end of the second-tier grabbed the winner in United’s 2-1 vic- That has left Conte’s team on Championship table. tory at Blackburn Rovers. course to join Arsenal, one of their England striker Kane opened the scor- London rivals, and Manchester ‘BOW DOWN TO LINCOLN’ ing for Spurs after 16 minutes and added United in winning ‘The Double’ Meanwhile Conte also joined two more in the second half as they ran for a second time, although the football fans all over the coun- out comprehensive winners against the cautious manager refused to take try in expressing his admiration Championship side. anything for granted. for non-league Lincoln City who After two straight defeats it was the “I think it’s a little early to talk produced one of the biggest FA perfect response by Tottenham, as man- about this,” Conte said.”But for Cup upsets of all-time to win ager Mauricio Pochettino readily admit- sure we are in these two compe- 1-0 at Premier League Burnley ted. titions. earlier on Saturday and reach the “We had to recover the right feeling “In the league we are do- last eight. after two defeats,” he said. “We had to ing a great job to stay on top of “We must bow down to them,” believe in the way we work and play and the table. Now, in the FA Cup, said Conte. “It’s true this is a that is what is important. We had lost we are in the quarter-fi nals and great achievement for them and that a little bit. I’m pleased with this because it also I think that’s the beauty of “I am very pleased, we started the game means we’re doing very well,” the football. It is the FA Cup, it’s in- with great urgency. We tried to show that Italian added. credible. we wanted to go to the next round. I am “We’re working very well but “In Italy, it’s impossible for very happy after two defeats.” honestly, after this game it’s im- this to happen. It’s fantastic be- Christian Eriksen laid on the fi rst two portant to understand that noth- cause it shows that football is goals for Kane, who volleyed both in from ing is easy,” explained Conte, incredible and anything can hap- close range, and Dele Alli fed Kane with who joined Chelsea in pre-sea- pen if you trust in your work, if a neat through-ball as he completed his son after a stint managing Italy’s you have a great will to fi ght and hat-trick with a cool fi nish. national side. to take on the challenge. “We played very well and probably “If someone thinks that for “When you start, the chal- should have had a few more goals,” Kane sure in the league Chelsea will lenge can be impossible but in- said.