SPORT Tuesday 17 April 2018 PAGE | 25 PAGE | 26 ‘No decision yet’ on Qatar Cross-Country trainer after reports Rally hopes rest with Roach ditched: Pacquiao Al Attiyah and Abdulla QOC President awards the winners at Arabian Camel Festival H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), awards the winners of the Emir Cup Sword events at the ongoing Arabian Camel Festival at Al Shahaniya Racetrack yesterday. The hugely popular event continues today with morning and evening competitions at same venue. AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE IPL: KKR Al Ain secure last 16 berth YESTERDAY'S RESULTS canter to GROUP D Al Hilal SFC (KSA) 0-1 Esteghlal FC (IRN) Al Rayyan SC (QAT) 1-4 Al Ain FC (UAE) 71-run win with win over Al Rayyan GROUP C Al Wasl FC (UAE) 1-2 FC Nasaf (UZB) over Delhi THE PENINSULA Needing just a draw to finish top Persepolis FC (IRN) 1-0 Al Sadd SC (QAT) IANS of the group, Al Sadd pushed DOHA: Marcus Berg struck twice forward in search of the equaliser TODAY'S FIXTURES KOLKATA: Kolkata Knight as UAE’s Al Ain dashed Al Rayyan’s but they were not particularly GROUP B Riders (KKR), riding on Nitish hopes of advancing to the last 16 of effective, with only Xavi Hernandez Al Duhail SC (QAT) vs Al Wahda FSCC (UAE) Rana and Andre Russell’s the AFC Champions League with a and Baghdad Bounedjah coming At Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha heroics, snapped a two-game 4-0 win yesterday. close to scoring in the opening half. Kick off at 5.00pm losing streak in style to register Hussein El Shahat gave the vis- The visitors looked more dan- GROUP A a 71-run victory over Gautam itors the lead in the 11th minute at gerous in the second half and Al Jazira FSC (UAE) vs Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) Gambhir’s Delhi Daredevils in the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Boualem Khoukhi thought he had GROUP H a lopsided Indian Premier Doha before two quick goals early levelled the scores when he finished Kashima Antlers (JPN) vs Suwon Samsung Bluewings (KOR) League (IPL) clash at the Eden in the second half (Omar Abdul- off Bounedjah’s cross in the 62nd GROUP G Gardens here yesterday. rahman 55’, Marcus Berg 58’) took minute. However, the effort was Guangzhou Evergrande FC (CHN) vs Cerezo Osaka (JPN) Put in by their celebrated the game completely away from the ruled out for offside. former captain Gambhir, KKR GROUP B home team. Persepolis looked comfortable saw in-form Rana smash a PFC Lokomotiv (UZB) vs Zobahan FC (IRN) The Swedish striker Berg scored defending their narrow lead and 35-ball 59 with Russell hitting his second goal in the 78th minute goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand had GROUP A a 12-ball 44, which included before Al Rayyan skipper Rodrigo very little to do for most of the Tractorsazi Tabriz (IRN) vs Al Gharafa (QAT) six sixes off Mohammed Tabata gave some consolation in game, until a nervy final 10 minutes, At Yadegar Emam Stadium, Tabriz Shami, to ensure Glenn Max- the dying stage of the game with a when Al Sadd almost broke the Kick off at 7.00pm well’s 22-ball 47 and Rishabh right footed shot from the centre of home crowd’s hearts. GROUP H Pant’s 26-ball 43 went in vain. the box which landed at the bottom First, Bounedjah rattled the Sydney FC (AUS) vs Shanghai Shenhua FC (CHN) Delhi were reduced to right corner. crossbar from close range with a GROUP G 24/3 inside the first three overs Meanwhile, in Tehran, Iran’s stinging strike in the 87th minute, Jeju United FC (KOR) vs Buriram United (THA) with opener Jason Roy, who Persepolis will head into the then just seconds later, Akram Afif hit an unbeaten 53-ball 91 in knockout stage of the 2018 AFC registered what was surprisingly Al FINAL GROUP STANDINGS the last match but now only Champions League as winners of Sadd’s first shot on target but Bei- GROUP C managed 1, Shreyas Iyer (4) Group C, after overcoming Qatar’s ranvand was on hand to palm the RANK/TEAM MP W D L POINTS and skipper Gambhir (8) back Al Sadd with a 1-0 win yesterday. ball away. 1: Persepolis FC (IRN) 6 4 1 1 13 in the hut. Backed by a massive home This result means that Perse- 2: Al Sadd SC (QAT) 6 4 0 2 12 Leg-spinner Piyush crowd, Persepolis needed less than polis finish the group stage as 3: FC Nasaf (UZB) 6 3 1 2 10 Chawla (1/16) got Roy’s back three minutes to go in front. winners of Group C with 13 points, 4: Al Wasl FC (UAE) 6 0 0 6 0 in the last ball of the innings’ Mohammed Ansari whipped in a one ahead of Al Sadd who go GROUP D first over with a slider down tricky cross from the left wing and through as runners-up. Persepolis the leg side which the England Al Rayyan’s Qatari forward Sebastian Soria (left) 1: Esteghlal FC (IRN) 6 3 3 0 12 Al Sadd defender Morteza Pourali- will now face the second-placed batsman missed and went leaps for the ball during the Asian Champions League ganji inadvertently headed past his team from Group A in the Round of 2: Al Ain FC (UAE) 6 2 4 0 10 down the wicket for skipper football match at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in own keeper to give the Tehran 16, while Al Sadd play the winners 3: Al Rayyan SC (QAT) 6 1 3 2 6 Dinesh Karthik to effect a Doha yesterday. giants an early lead. of the same group. 4: Al Hilal SFC (KSA) 6 0 2 4 2 stumping. Rana caught Iyer at first slip off Russell’s bowling while the big wicket of Gambhir fell to U-19 World Cup winner Volleyball: Emir Cup draw ceremony Youssef Ahmed Kanu Shivam Mavi (1/14). (front row - fourth from Pant and Maxwell then left), Treasurer, Qatar associated for a 62-run stand Volleyball Association for the fourth wicket before (QVA), and Saeed Salem the former holed out to Al Jamaani (front row Chawla at deep midwicket off - second right), Board Yadav. From there on, it was Member, QVA, pose all downhill for Delhi as they for a photograph with lost wickets in a hurry. other officials and Earlier, Rana cracked a club representatives fine half century while Russell during the official blasted a 12-ball 44 to propel draw ceremony of the KKR to 200/9. Emir Cup Volleyball Brief scores: Tournament held at Kolkata Knight Riders: the QVA headquarters 200/9 (Nitish Rana 59, Andre in Doha yesterday. Russell 41; Rahul Tewatia 3/18) Picture by: Salim Delhi Daredevils: (129 all Matramkot/ out (Glenn Maxwell 47, The Peninsula Rishabh Pant 43; Sunil Narine 3/18, Kuldeep Yadav 3/32) 24 SPORT TUESDAY 17 APRIL 2018 Calvert stars Pacers snap James’ play-off as Blue Jackets edge Capitals streak; Harden lifts Rockets AP WASHINGTON: Matt Calvert scored 12:22 into overtime, AFP NBA PLAY-OFF RESULTS The Pacers jumped ahead Indiana Pacers guard Victor Sergei Bobrovsky made 54 33-14 after the first quarter and saves and the Columbus Blue Eastern Conference Oladipo (righ) moves against NEW YORK: Forget LeBron led by as much as 23 in holding Jackets overcame two goals In Boston Cleveland Cavaliers forward James making his eighth consec- off the Cavs, who came no closer LeBron James (23) in the first from Alex Ovechkin beat the Boston 113 Milwaukee 107 utive trip to the NBA finals - the than seven points the rest of the quarter in game one of the first Washington Capitals 5-4 on (Boston leads series 1-0) Cleveland Cavaliers star might way. round of the 2018 NBA Play- Sunday night to take a 2-0 In Cleveland have trouble just getting out of “You can’t ease into the play- offs at Quicken Loans Arena lead in the first-round the opening round of the play- Indiana 98 Cleveland 80 offs,” said Cavs coach Tyronn on Sunday. play-off series. offs. (Indiana leads series 1-0) Lue. Calvert’s goal held up Victor Oladipo scored a In Oklahoma City “I thought (Indiana) came in after the NHL situation room game-high 32 points to power Oklahoma City 116 Utah 108 and they attacked us.” James had reviewed the play for a pos- the Indiana Pacers over the host (Oklahoma City leads series 1-0) a triple double in a losing cause sible offside. Calvert was just Cavaliers 98-80 on Sunday in In Houston with 24 points, 10 rebounds and onside when Josh Anderson the opening game of their first- Houston 104 Minnesota 101 12 assists. The rest of Cleveland’s brought the puck into the round NBA play-off series. (Houston leads 1-0) starters only managed 25 points, zone. “Stay calm, stay composed, Kevin Love with 17 rebounds but Columbus heads home play the game I have all year only nine points. for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday long,” Oladipo said of the key to minor setback on the Heat’s title JR Smith had 15 points off the and Thursday two victories his overwhelming day. run, a career first for James. Cavaliers’ bench while Myles away from advancing to the “This was a great team win.” James said falling behind in Turner had 16 points and Bojan second round for the first James had won 21 first- a series just motivates him to Bogdanovic added 15 for Indiana.