Sports Friday, September 27, 2019 15 Qatar’s compact World Cup 2022 will be a big advantage for players: Jari Litmanen Former Finland star hails Qatar A compact World Cup is a huge advantage for the national team’s teams, as they will be able growth to stay in one spot. They can stay in one hotel, use SC.QA DOHA the same training facility and be close to the FINLAND football legend Jari stadium. They won’t have to Litmanen believes Qatar’s com- change their programme pact FIFA World Cup will pro- because of anything besides vide a massive boost to players football. As a player, as a as it eliminates the need for tir- ing travel between games. coach, you only need to The former Barcelona and focus on the game. Liverpool midfielder recently visited the Supreme Commit- Former Finland national football team player Jari Litmanen during his visit to the Al Janoub Stadium, one Jari Litmanen with Al Sadd coach and former Barcelona legend – Jari Litmanen tee for Delivery & Legacy to of the venues for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Xavi Hernandez. learn more about preparations Global Ambassador, and his for Qatar 2022 – a tournament besides football. As a player, as has to offer. ums – which will see excess of years. You can see it’s been a ganisation to see big clubs like former Barcelona teammate, which he says will allow players a coach, you only need to focus Litmanen, who became the seats donated to build sport- process. Now, as a host country, Liverpool, to understand how Xavi Hernández, who has re- to only focus on the game. on the game.” first Finnish player to win the ing facilities both in Qatar and Qatar can do anything, I don’t the fans are behaving and how cently taken over as head coach Litmanen, who is widely During Qatar 2022, nobody UEFA Champions League when overseas after the tournament see any limits. There’s no big the traffic is going. Those are of Qatar Stars League team Al considered to be the greatest will have to travel for more than he lifted the trophy with Ajax in is over. Litmanen, who won 137 difference anymore between the important steps ahead of 2022.” Sadd. Finnish player of all time, said: one hour to reach a stadium – 1995, said: “I visited Qatar for caps for his country, also com- big teams like Germany or Bra- Litmanen also had the “I know Xavi from our Bar- “A compact World Cup is a huge and fans will even be provided the first time five years ago and mented on the progress being zil, and small teams like Qatar chance to visit 40,000-capac- celona time and I notice that the advantage for the teams, as they with the unique opportunity to there is plenty to do apart from made by Qatar’s national team, or Finland.” ity Al Janoub Stadium and said Qatari league is getting better will be able to stay in one spot. watch more than one game a football. Qatar 2022 will not which will enter 2022 as con- Later this year, Qatar will Qatar has gone “a step higher” and better because of interna- They can stay in one hotel, use day during the early stages of disappoint anybody.” tinental champions following host the FIFA Club World Cup in terms of technology and ser- tional players and coaches like the same training facility and the tournament. The compact Litmanen also learned their success in the AFC Asian for the first time – something vices available in the venue, him. Xavi has been one of the be close to the stadium. They nature of the event also means about Qatar 2022 legacy plans Cup earlier this year. Litmanen sees as the ideal prep- which will host matches up to greatest players of his time. He won’t have to change their pro- fans will have plenty of time to during his visit, including de- “Qatar has been really good aration for 2022. the quarter-finals stage dur- can do so much for young play- gramme because of anything enjoy all the attractions Qatar tails about the modular stadi- lately, not only in the last couple “It’s a good test for the or- ing 2022. He also met with SC ers,” he concluded. Qatar finish third in ICC Sagbo brace seals first win of the season CWC Challenge League as Umm Salal edge newboys Al Wakrah TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK highest run-makers. Deitz DOHA top-scored in the match with 50, including three fours, shot that went straight to QATAR beat Vanuatu by five while Rasu chipped in with Al Wakrah miss Umm Salal goalkeeper Yazan runs on the Duckworth and 32 in 79 balls. Naim was only the beginning Lewis method and finished Obed and Nalin Nipiko penalty in second of a wave of attacks. third in the ICC World Cup came up with 28 and 23 to half after VAR The Blue Waves equalised Challenge League Group A get their team tantalisingly before long, with Uvini head- in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia closer to the target. intervention ing in Cristian Ceballos cross on Thursday. Pace bowler Gayan from the left. Batting first, Qatar were Munaweera, who was de- TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK Mohamed Benyettou then boosted by skipper Iqbal clared the man of the match, DOHA headed wide off a cross from Hussain Chaudhry (39 in 36 had a fine spell in which he Ousmane Coulibaly before balls with one six and five picked four for 52. Kamran YANNICK Sagbo netted both Ceballos’ left-footed shot went fours) and Mohammed Ri- Khan claimed two wickets goals for Umm Salal in their inches wide of the target. zlan (39 in 76 balls with five for four runs in one over, 2-1 victory over Al Wakrah Al Wakrah earned a penalty boundaries) to 185 all out in while Mohammed Nadeem at the Al Arabi Stadium on through VAR in the 71st minute 49.1 overs. had two for 21. Thursday. after Joao Bruno fouled Beny- Other useful contributors Despite the win, Qatar The Ivorian striker found ettou while chasing an aerial for Qatar were opener Kam- had to be satisfied with the the mark in the ninth and ball. However, the Algerian, ran Khan, who hit 31 off 45 third place as Singapore 79th minutes as the Barzan’s who took the shot himself, hit balls and Khurram Shahzad pulled off an upset four-run Falcons recorded their first straight to the goalkeeper and (22 off 49 balls). victory over Canada in other win of the 2019/20 season. Al hit the rebound over. Simpson Obed and Apo- match. Wakrah Captain Bruno Uvini Afterwards, Umm Salal linaire Stephen shared six This win also came scored for the Blue Waves in Umm Salal Ivorian striker Yannick Sagbo (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Al Wak- found their winning goal, wickets and Jelany Chilia got through the D/L method as the 52nd minute. rah during their QNB Stars League match at the Al Arabi Stadium on Thursday. with the maker and taker be- two for 18. Canada could manage only Al Wakrah rued a missed ing the same as in the first During the chase, Vanua- 191, while chasing a 196-run penalty in the second half ing them in the game late in home a Murad Naji cross from only worthwhile effort for Al goal. Sagbo came up with a tu had a revised target of 177 target in 34 overs. Singa- which could have changed the the second half. the right. Wakrah made in the first half. diving header off a Murad in 44 overs. But they were pore, batting first, had got dimension of tie, while Umm Umm Salal were on the at- At the other end, Ismail Al Wakrah were a rejuve- Naji corner, beating Saoud al restricted to 171. Shane De- 245, which was reduced due Salal had mainly goalkeeper tack from start and they duly Mahmoud’s long-range shot nated lot in the second half. Khater to relieve some pres- itz and Joshua Rasu were the to rain. Yazan Naim to thank for keep- took the lead as Sagbo placed that went over the bar was the Substitute Khalid Muneer’s sure off coach Raul Caneda. FIFA sending Overdrive Racing & Toyota Gazoo Racing delegation to ensure Iran to field blockbuster team at Morocco Rally allows women feature Toyota Gazoo Racing Standings Rally and he teams up with into stadium Thrilling battle branding. Attiyah teams up Gilles Pillot in a second car. with French co-driver Matthieu FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Dutchman Erik van Loon lines AFP between Attiyah, Baumel to head the entry, the Rallies – standings after round 3: up with Frenchman Sebastien ZURICH Qatari knowing that outright Delaunay in the third Hilux Peterhansel 1. Nasser bin Saleh al Attiyah victory would give him the FIA and the Russian duo of Vik- FIFA will send a delegation on cards; F1 star World Cup title for the fifth (QAT) 60pts tor Khoroshavtsev and Anton to Tehran to make sure wom- time since his maiden success 2. Stephane Peterhansel (FRA) Nikolaev crew the fourth Over- en fans are admitted to the Alonso also in 2008. So far this season, At- 51pts drive car. World Cup qualifying match tiyah has taken wins in Qatar 3. Reinaldo Varela (BRA) 35pts Pre-rally formalities will between Iran and Cambodia in fray and Kazakhstan, but did not 4. Yazeed al Rajhi (SAU) 27pts take place in the town of Fes on October 10.