NNBABA | Page 5 Lowly Suns shock Warriors, Lowry shines for Raptors Tuesday, March 12, 2019 FOOTBALL Rajab 5, 1440 AH Real reappoint GULF TIMES Zidane as coach to replace Solari SPORT Page 3 FOCUS UAE fi ned for crowd trouble in Asian Cup semi with Qatar Reuters (article 65) and organisation of Bengaluru matches (article 64). “The AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee has sanctioned the UAE he United Arab Emirates FA with a fi ne of $150,000 following Football Association was the incidents that occurred during fi ned $150,000 and its na- their Asian Cup semi-fi nal match tional team ordered to play against Qatar,” Asian soccer’s gov- Ta home game behind closed doors erning body said in a statement. after sandal-throwing local fans “In addition, the UAE FA has also marred an Asian Cup clash against been ordered to play one match Qatar, the Asian Football Confed- without spectators... which will eration (AFC) said yesterday. come into eff ect during their next Eventual champions Qatar de- match played on the territory of the feated hosts UAE 4-0 in the semi- UAE during the AFC Asian Cup 2023 fi nal of the continental champion- (qualifi ers).” ship on January 29, a game in which Fans had also jeered throughout forward Almoez Ali was pelted with the Qatar national anthem with footwear as he celebrated his team’s dozens of Emiratis sitting for its du- second goal. ration before standing for the UAE Qatar’s last two scorers — captain anthem. Hassan al-Haydos and Hamid Is- The AFC said the UAE FA must set- mail — were also the target of mis- tle the fi ne within 30 days and warned siles at the Mohamed bin Zayed Sta- it that any future violations may lead dium in Abu Dhabi. to more severe punishment. The AFC said the UAE FA was pe- Qatar sealed their fi rst continen- nalised under a number of articles tal title with a stunning 3-1 win over under its disciplinary code, includ- four-times champions Japan in the In this January 29, 2019, picture, Qatar’s Almoez Ali (left) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the United Arab Emirates in their AFC Asian Cup semi-final ing liability for spectator conduct fi nal. in Abu Dhabi. (Reuters) ATHLETICS IAAF lauds Doha 2019 prep work Diamond League to cut meetings, disciplines by 2020 (From left) IAAF president Sebastian Coe, Russia Taskforce head Rune Andersen and CEO Jon Ridgeon address a press conference in Doha yesterday. (Below) IAAF vice-president and LOC director-general Dahlan al-Hamad. By Mikhil Bhat the very best of athletics. Create a Doha more consistent, fast-moving and action packed format for broadcast- ers, and also provide the fans a really he International Associa- persuasive reason to come back to the tion of Athletics Federations sport, week-in week-out,” IAAF CEO (IAAF) Council expressed Jon Ridgeon said. confi dence in the preparations Under the revamped Diamond Tfor the IAAF World Athletics Cham- League, there will be 12 meetings with pionship Doha 2019, even as the core one fi nal, as against two fi nal meet- principles for a revitalised Diamond ings in Zurich and Brussels currently. League starting 2020 were approved Also the number of disciplines at each yesterday. meeting will be reduced from 32 to 24, The two-day meeting concluded 12 each for men and women, with the yesterday in Doha, which will also host longest distance being 3000m. Also, the biggest athletics extravaganza in each meeting will be broadcast global- September at the Khalifa International ly in a faster-paced 90-minute televi- Stadium. sion event. “I think it is going very well,” IAAF “The IAAF Diamond League is the president Sebastian Coe said at a press way millions of sports fans engage conference, when asked about their with athletics on a top level every year. impression of the preparations for the are satisfi ed and we are doing good.” It is a strong circuit that is celebrat- world championships. The athletics action in Qatar this ing its 10th year but we can make it “I think it is a very important mo- season will kick off with the Asian even stronger and more relevant to the ment for our sport and for Qatar. I Athletics Championship next month, world our athletes and our fans live in know that our teams are working very which will be followed by the 2019 today,” said Coe. closely alongside the Local Organising Diamond League season opener on Asked if Doha will be among the 12 Committee. And we have considerable May 3, 2019. meetings, al-Hamad said, “That deci- confi dence in what we think will be a This year, the annual series of track sion is something that they will take, great world championship.” and fi eld events will enter its 10th year, but I can assure you that Doha is one of IAAF vice-president and LOC and IAAF CEO Jon Ridgeon said it was the countries that is really doing well director-general Dahlan al-Hamad time to take “what was already a great for the athletes and the athletics in added: “I think it (the feedback) was product, and make it better”. presenting Diamond League. We hope good. It is really going great. We saw “The idea was to bring together the that Doha would be in the fi rst group. I satisfaction from our colleagues in the very best one-day meetings in to a think we are doing good but it depends IAAF, and they are here for the Coun- high quality annual international cir- on the evaluations and the decision cil meeting, and we will also be giving cuit, which gives athletes a compelling that they will take.” them a progress report about what is and a rewarding reason to compete so He said the decision on the same is going on in our preparation. Overall we that the Diamond League represents expected soon. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, March 12, 2019 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SERIE A Insigne grabs a point for Ronaldo carries Juve Napoli AFP Milan orenzo Insigne netted a late equaliser for Napoli in a frustrating 1-1 stale- hopes against Atletico mate at Sassuolo on Sun- Lday night to leave Carlo Ance- lotti’s side trailing league leaders Juventus by 18 points as Serie A Diego Simeone’s Atletico — second in La Liga — have not conceded a goal for five games rivals Inter Milan warmed up for next weekend’s derby against AC AFP Milan with a 2-0 win at home to Turin, Italy SPAL. Captain Insigne scored four minutes from time after Do- uventus’s Champions League menico Berardi had put midtable hopes are hanging on Cristiano Sassuolo into a 52nd minute lead Ronaldo pulling off another sen- in Modena. Napoli’s hopes of a sational comeback as the Ital- fi rst league title since 1990 have Jians trail 2-0 to defensive specialists faded as Juventus continued Atletico Madrid going into the last 16, their charge towards an eighth second-leg tie in Turin today. consecutive Scudetto with a 4-1 “We didn’t expect to lose the fi rst win over Udinese on Friday. leg 2-0, but anything can happen, and Napoli are far behind in sec- we want to give a great response in our ond, six points ahead of AC home, in front of our fans,” Ronaldo said Milan, who beat bottom club ahead of the game in the Allianz Sta- Chievo 2-1 on Saturday for a fi fth dium. “These are the great nights, the league win in a row. Inter Mi- fantastic ones: the Champions League lan are a further point adrift in nights,” he continued. “The team is fourth. confi dent of playing a great game and I Inter meanwhile shook off am too. To the fans I say: think positive, pre-derby tensions with Matteo let’s believe. Get ready to come back!” Politano and Roberto Gagliar- The seven-time reigning Italian dini scoring in the second half champions bought Ronaldo last sum- to beat SPAL 2-0 to revive their mer from Real Madrid for 100mn eu- Champions League chase. Lu- ros ($117mn) to end their Champions ciano Spalletti’a side had taken League heartbreak going back 23 years. just a point from their last two The 34-year-old’s stunning overhead games, and desperately needed kick for Real in the quarter-fi nals in Tu- a morale-boosting win to keep rin last April had dumped Juventus out pace with AC Milan before next of the tournament once again. week’s Derby della Madonnina. Expectations are high that he can Argentina star Mauro Icardi reproduce his improbable hat-trick was not present in the San Siro, which lifted Real Madrid past Wolfs- remaining sidelined since be- burg in April 2016 with the Spaniards ing stripped of the captaincy a 2-0 down to the Germans after the fi rst month ago amid a contract dis- leg. Juventus have come from behind in pute. The 26-year-old also re- the elite European competition eight mains uncertain for Thursday’s times — including in the 1996 quarter- Europa League game against fi nals against Real Madrid on their way Eintracht Frankfurt and Sun- to winning the title. They also lifted the day’s derby, both at the San Siro. European trophy in 1985, but have fi n- The race for Champions ished runners-up fi ve times since their League football remains tight last success, including twice in the past with Roma, Torino and Atalanta four years.