NBA | Page 5 AATHLETICSTHLETICS | Page 6 Warriors cut Bekele in a down Blazers, hurry for Westbrook London runs out of gas Marathon glory Friday, April 21, 2017 FOOTBALL Rajab 24, 1438 AH ‘Blood, sweat and GULF TIMES tears’ not enough for beaten Barcelona SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL PREVIEW/QATAR CUP SEMI-FINAL 2 Al Sadd survive Lekhwiya target third Rayyan scare to title of season By Sports Reporter Doha ekhwiya, who are well placed to sweep all the four book fi nal berth titles that form part of Qa- Ltar’s domestic season, will take on El Jaish today in the second Al Sadd will play the winners of today’s second Qatar Cup semi-final between semi-fi nal of the Qatar Cup. A victory for Djamel Belmadi’s Lekhwiya and defending champions El Jaish in the final on April 29 men today would earn them the right to take on Al Sadd in the fi nal after the Wolves thrashed Al Rayyan yes- terday. The Red Knights began the do- mestic season with a bang, winning the season-opening Sheikh Jassim Cup and earlier this month asserted to win the trophy but we will face a their supremacy by clinching the tough challenge,” he noted. Qatar Stars League title for the fi fth Lekhwiya midfi elder Abdurah- time in seven years. man Mohamed added that he fully If they win the Qatar Cup fi nal believed in his team’s ability to win on April 29, then only the Emir Cup the Cup. remains. Victory in Qatar’s most lu- “We are all looking forward to the crative tournament would be a great Qatar Cup. For us the league title was way to cap off the season as Lekhwiya just the beginning. We are hungry would be merging with El Jaish next to win the Qatar Cup again for Le- season with the new club named al khwiya. Duhail Sports Club. El Jaish assistant coach Jean-Marc El Jaish incidentally are the de- Kuentz admitted his side would be fending Qatar Cup champions and up against it, but were ready for the Belmadi made no secret of the fact challenge. that Lekhwiya mean business. “Lekhwiya are the strongest side “This is a new competition for us in Qatar right now. We know that but this season. We are full of confi dence we believe we can cause them some after winning the league title and of problems. I hope we can win and course we plan to go for a victory. It progress to the fi nal. will be a challenge against El Jaish “We are in form and we are the who will be keen to retain their title,” defending champions. The team is said the Algerian. well prepared for the game and we “We always aspire to win titles and have the history to progress and lift after a very challenging league sea- the trophy for a third time. But any- son we enter a major tournament in thing is possible in football,” added the Qatar Cup. Our aim as always is Kuentz. SPOTLIGHT Al Sadd’s Hassan al-Haydos (second from left) is congratulated by his teammates after he scored against Al Rayyan. At bottom Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Ferreira reacts. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil Qatar Cup trophy By Sports Reporter a few chances as the fi rst half ended Doha 3-0 in Al Sadd’s favour. gets grand welcome The Lions kicked into life from the very start of the second half with Par- l Sadd staved off a spirited aguayan international Caceres head- at Toyota booth fi ghtback yesterday to se- ing just wide. Moments later, Garcia cure a 3-2 win over Al Rayy- also had an opportunity to pull a goal Aan and book their spot in the back but his eff ort skimmed just wide fi nal of the Qatar Cup. of the left hand post. The Wolves raced to a 3-0 lead after Al Rayyan eventually made their just 22 minutes, but the game turned possession count on the 53rd minute on the hour mark when Al Sadd mid- when midfi elder Koh Myong-jin fi elder Sami Kasola was sent off for tapped in to make the score 3-1. A low a second yellow card. Sergio Garcia cross from Rodrigo Tabata evaded the scored a spectacular goal for Al Rayy- Al Sadd defence leaving Koh to score an to set up a thrilling fi nal few min- from close range. utes, but Al Sadd held out to stay on Just on the hour mark, the tie swung course for their fi rst title of the sea- in Al Rayyan’s favour after Sadd mid- son. fi elder Kasola picked up his second With the fi rst attack of the game, Al yellow of the game. With the extra Sadd opened the scoring. A cross from man advantage, Al Rayyan pushed left back Abdulkarim Hassan found hard eventually fi nding their second Jugurtha Hamroun who unleashed a goal in spectacular fashion. he Qatar Cup trophy was drilled right footed shot which snuck With 73 minutes on the clock Span- given a grand reception at into the bottom right hand of the goal, ish attacker Sergio Garcia unleashed the Toyota booth by the rep- getting the better of Al Rayyan keeper a fi ne curling shot from just outside resentatives of Abdullah Omar Barry. the box which sailed into the top TAbdulghani & Bros. Co. who are par- Shocked into action, Al Rayyan be- right-hand corner. It was game on as ticipating in the 7th Edition of Qatar gan to dominate the ball and put their Al Rayyan had 20 minutes to fi nd the Motor Show. opponents under pressure. With four equaliser. A large number of people gathered minutes on the clock, Musab Khed- Michael Laudrup’s men streamed at the Toyota booth to take photo- er’s well placed cross found Rodrigo forward looking for a goal which graphs and selfi es with the trophy and dulghani & Bros. Co. Tabata, but his snap header fl ew over would take the tie to penalties. On went home with a smile on their face. Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros. Co. the bar. Tabata again saw a headed ef- the 77th minute, Rayyan’s talismanic The trophy was accompanied by are the Offi cial Automotive Partner of fort loop wide on the seventh minute captain Rodrigo Tabata had the goal at senior QSL offi cials and players from Qatar Cup and the company has been as Michael Laudrup’s side attempted his mercy but his shot on the turn fl ew various clubs, including Soud al- supporting football in the country for to fi nd parity. well over. And fi ve minutes from full Khater of El Jaish, Ahmed Abdelkader the past many years. The manage- On the 20 minute mark, Al Sadd time, a cross fell to substitute Ahmed of Lekhwiya, Ahmad Suhel of Al Sadd ment of Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros. doubled their lead from the penalty stepped up for his side and slotted the Omar Barry in the Al Rayyan goal and Alaaeldin but his header hit the post. and Baskwa Welices from Al Rayyan. Co. took the opportunity to thank the spot. Lions defender Victor Cacares ball into the left hand for his side’s the ball fell to Hassan Haydoos who Al Sadd will play the winners of Present on the occasion were Qatar Stars League management for was adjudged to have handled the second goal of the match. picked out team mate Hamroun who today’s second Qatar Cup semi-fi nal Hisham Ismail, Senior Manager, Toy- bringing the esteemed trophy to the ball in the area, leaving referee Ab- Two minutes later, Al Sadd were was left with the simplest of fi nishes. between QSL champions Lekhwiya ota National Sales, Ahmed Abu Saad, Toyota Booth as well as giving them dulraham al-Jassim little choice but in dreamland as they struck their Al Rayyan again attempted to fi nd and defending champions El Jaish in Senior Manager, Lexus National Sales an opportunity to sponsor this pres- to point to the spot. Hassan Haydos third goal. A cross was mishandled by their way back into the tie but missed the fi nal on April 29. and other offi cials from Abdullah Ab- tigious tournament. Gulf Times 2 Friday, April 21, 2017 FOOTBALL Spain Supreme Court reviews Messi tax case SPOTLIGHT ‘Blood, sweat and AFP as is common in Spain for fi rst of- panies in Belize, Britain, Switzer- spending, as the government strug- Madrid fences for non-violent crimes carry- land and Uruguay to avoid paying gles to bring Spain’s public defi cit ing a sentence of less than two years. taxes on 4.16mn euros ($4.5mn) of down. The court argued in its ruling tears’ not enough A spokesman for the Supreme Messi’s income earned from his im- that the 29-year-old fi ve-time world pain’s Supreme Court yes- Court said the case was being exam- age rights from 2007-09. player of the year “decided to remain terday started reviewing a ined by fi ve magistrates, a process Messi has always maintained he in ignorance” about how his fi nances for beaten Barca 21-month jail sentence hand- that could last several days. knew nothing about how his wealth were managed. Sed to Lionel Messi and his fa- News of the review comes just days was managed and trusted his father It added that if the player was not ther for tax fraud after the Barcelona before Barcelona face Real Madrid with his fi nances.