CCRICKETRICKET | Page 4 GGOLFOLF | Page 6 Australia, Larrazabal SA captains jolted into hold clear action as Grillo the air talks leads in India Friday, March 9, 2018 FOOTBALL Jumada II 21, 1439 AH Belmadi’s Duhail GULF TIMES on cusp of QNB Stars League title SPORT Page 2 SPOTLIGHT Qatar Airways platinum partner of Bayern Munich Sponsorship begins on July 1, 2018 and lasts until June 30, 2023 By Sports Reporter “Bayern Munich is a club that Doha exemplifi es ambition, innova- tion and integrity at its core. These are values we share, ad- atar Airways an- mire and are fundamental to nounced that it has Qatar Airways.” signed a fi ve-year Since 2011, Bayern Munich partnership agree- have been travelling to Doha for Qment with leading German foot- their winter training camp in ball team Bayern Munich, fur- January at the Aspire Academy ther strengthening Qatar’s role enjoying the world-class facili- as a global leader in sports. ties available to them. Under the new agreement, the Qatar Airways proudly sup- award-winning airline will be- ports a range of exciting inter- come a Bayern Munich platinum national and local initiatives partner until June 2023. dedicated to enriching the glo- Offi cially announced at a bal community that it serves. press conference at ITB in Ger- Qatar Airways, the Offi cial Air- many, the fi ve-season deal, line partner of FIFA, is a lead- commencing July 1 2018, will ing supporter of major global see the airline’s logo adorning sporting events, including the the shirt sleeves of the German 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia league leaders. Hamad Inter- the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, national Airport’s partnership and the FIFA Club World Cup, agreement with the team, ini- refl ecting the values of sports as tiated in January 2016, will be a means of bringing people to- continued with Qatar Airways, gether, something at the core of further strengthening the al- the airline’s own brand message ready strong ties between Qatar – Going Places Together. and Bayern Munich. Qatar Airways has been serv- Qatar Airways Group Chief ing the people of Germany for Executive Akbar al-Baker, who nearly 20 years. The carrier met with Karl-Heinz Rum- now operates 35 weekly fl ights menigge, Chairman of the Board between Doha and Germany – of Bayern Munich, and other double daily non-stop to Mu- club offi cials at ITB in Berlin, nich and Frankfurt – as well as said: “Qatar Airways is delight- daily non-stop to Berlin, provid- ed to be supporting Germany’s ing onward connections to more most-winning team, Bayern than 150 destinations across the Munich. We look forward to Middle East, Africa and Asia Pa- working with, and engaging cifi c. with, the club, the fans, and Yesterday, at a press confer- the people of Germany to help ence during ITB, the world’s make a real diff erence through leading travel exhibition, Qa- this exciting new partnership. tar Airways announced that it Sport is a key pillar of the long- will be introducing its innova- term vision of the State of Qatar, tive First in Business class seat and as Qatar’s national carrier, Qsuite on its fl ights to Frankfurt we welcome the opportunity to from May 2018, as well as Berlin use sport as a means of bringing and Munich by the end of sum- Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker (fourth from left) is seen with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Chairman of the Board of Bayern Munich (third from left) and HE Sheikh Saoud bin people together. mer 2018. Abdulrahman al-Thani, Qatar’s ambassador in Germany (third from right), at ITB Berlin. EUROPA LEAGUE Arsenal stun Milan to ease pressure on Wenger AFP the fi rst time. Arsenal started brightly out for a throw-in. Paris at the San Siro but were lucky not to Colombian keeper Ospina did well concede a penalty when Hakan Cal- to beat Nikola Kalinic to a through ball Action from the Arsenal vs hanoglou stayed on his feet despite ap- when the substitute looked to be in on rsenal claimed an impres- AC Milan match in the Europa pearing to have been fouled by onrush- goal, as Arsenal closed out a much- sive 2-0 victory at AC Milan League yesterday. ing Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina. needed win. in their Europa League last Just moments later Arsenal broke the Borussia Dortmund slumped to a A16, fi rst leg yesterday to ease deadlock, as Mesut Ozil fed Armenian shock fi rst-leg 2-1 loss at home to Salz- some of the pressure on under-fi re Mkhitaryan, a January signing from burg, although Andre Schurrle’s sec- manager Arsene Wenger. Manchester United, to cut inside and ond-half strike did cut the defi cit ahead Henrikh Mkhitaryan drove Arsenal fi re in a shot which defl ected past home of next week’s return game in Austria. into a 15th-minute lead with his fi rst keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma off Le- Kosovo international Valon Berisha goal for the club, and a shellshocked onardo Bonucci. scored twice shortly after half-time to Milan fell further behind before half- The Gunners grew in confi dence af- put Salzburg in control, the fi rst from time as Aaron Ramsey waltzed through ter that strike, with Donnarumma mak- the penalty spot, and leave German gi- to score. ing two good saves late in the opening ants Dortmund facing a surprise exit. Wenger desperately needed a positive period to deny Calum Chambers and La Liga title challengers Atletico Ma- result after coming under pressure for a Danny Welbeck, before Mkhitaryan hit drid eased to a 3-0 victory over Loko- run of four straight defeats, and he got the crossbar. motiv Moscow at the Wanda Metro- just that against a Milan side who saw a But the visitors did double their ad- politano. 13-match unbeaten run ended. vantage before the interval, as Ram- Diego Simeone’s side, who were Gennaro Gattuso’s seven-time Eu- sey ran onto Ozil’s perfectly-weighted dumped out of the Champions League ropean champions now have it all to do through ball and rounded Donnarumma in the group stage after fi nishing behind ahead of the second leg at the Emirates to tap into an empty net. Roma and Chelsea, put themselves in a in seven days’ time. Milan improved in the second half, dominant position thanks to goals from But Arsenal, 13 points adrift of the top but wasted their best chances, failing to Saul Niguez, Diego Costa and Koke. four in the Premier League, will be con- truly test Ospina. Spanish international Costa has fi dent of continuing their bid to return Giacomo Bonaventura scooped a shot now scored six goals for Atletico since to the Champions League by winning over when he should have done better, returning to the club from Chelsea in Europe’s second-tier competition for while Suso drilled a left-footed strike January. Gulf Times 2 Friday, March 9, 2018 FOOTBALL QNB STARS LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT Duhail on cusp Guardiola critical of of title as Al Sadd Man City despite win AFP Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and hope for miracle David Silva to be well-rested Manchester and in-form if they are to de- liver the dream of their Abu Al Sadd will be out of the race if they lose or draw and Duhail win today anchester City Dhabi owners by winning the manager Pep Guar- European Cup for a first time diola criticised his as a number of youngsters and heavily rotated side fringe players failed to impress. Mfor “forgetting to attack” de- “I understand after we see spite reaching the Champions the second half the people League quarter-finals 5-2 on that say the team is not ready aggregate over Basel yesterday. to fight for everything,” added City suffered a first home de- Guardiola. feat in 15 months as the Swiss However, the Catalan coach champions came from behind hopes a three-week break fol- to win 2-1 at the Etihad Sta- lowing Monday’s trip to Stoke dium and salvage some pride will leave his side refreshed for from their last-16 tie after be- the last eight. ing thrashed 4-0 on home turf “We are in the quarter-finals, in the first leg three weeks ago. that is the good news, and after “From tomorrow we will be we will see how we will arrive in happy to be in the quarter- the quarter-finals. finals for the second time in “We have one more game on this club’s history. We are new Monday and then we have three in that position, so we are so weeks off. In 180 minutes it is happy for that,” said Guardiola. 5-2, so we are so happy to be “Even the first half was quite in the next stage.” Leroy Sane good, in the second half we for- was one of few regular starters got to attack, we forgot to play. retained in Guardiola’s starting “Just to pass to pass for itself XI and continued his supreme is nothing, so the second half form by creating the opener. was really, really poor.” Jesus hadn’t started since Guardiola could afford the suffering knee ligament dam- luxury of making six changes age on New Year’s Eve, but had from Sunday’s dominant 1-0 the simplest of tasks to get back win over Chelsea, but still saw among the goals when Bernardo his side extend their aggregate Silva latched onto Sane’s pass advantage early on when Gabri- to produce a inch-perfect low el Jesus tapped home after just cross for the Brazilian.