18 Sunday, March 31, 2019 Sports FORMULA ONE Messi double sends Barcelona 13 points clear It was a fitting way for the Argentinian to mark his 675th Barcelona appearance AFP Barca struggled to break MADRID down Espanyol early on, with Messi, Suarez and Ivan Rakitic LIONEL Messi continued his all wasting half-chances in the remarkable run of form with first period. a second-half double as Bar- Barcelona saw a penalty celona continued their march appeal waved away by both towards the La Liga title on the referee and VAR on the Saturday with a 2-0 win over stroke of half-time, and Mal- Espanyol. com was denied just after the The visitors gave their hour mark by away goalkeeper city rivals a tough game at Diego Lopez as the Catalan gi- the Camp Nou, but Messi’s ants grew frustrated. chipped free-kick with 19 min- But Messi has been con- utes to play and a late second sistently unplayable this sea- sent the reigning champions son, and he dinked in a won- 13 points clear at the top ahead derful effort from a set-piece of second-placed Atletico Ma- despite Victor Sanchez’s best drid’s game at Alaves later on efforts to clear off the line. Saturday. The three points were Messi has now netted eight sealed in the 89th minute times in his last four games for as Malcom ran clear on the Barca, and leads the way in the La Liga scoring charts with 31 goals, 13 ahead of teammate Messi’s chipped free-kick Luis Suarez. with 19 minutes to play “I had no idea he would and a late second sent the (From left) Ferrari’s German driver Sebastian Vettel (second placed), Ferrari’s Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (pole position) and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (third placed) after hit (the free-kick) like that,” reigning champions 13 the qualifying session ahead of the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sakhir circuit in Manama on Saturday. (AFP) said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde. “I would love to say points clear at the top. that we had planned it, but it’s not true, it’s up to him. He breakaway, before cutting the didn’t need my opinion and he ball across for Messi to sweep Monaco rookie Leclerc wins scored.” a trademark finish low into the It was a fitting way for the bottom corner. Argentinian to mark his 675th Barcelona next visit Villar- Barcelona appearance, which real on Tuesday with a second moved him ahead of Andres successive title looking even maiden pole with lap record Iniesta into second on the more like a mere formality af- club’s all-time list -- 102 adrift ter a sixth straight victory ex- AFP mate who shone in only his team-mate Valtteri Bottas. sius to a little more than 30, it and then Leclerc trimmed the of Xavi Hernandez. tended their unbeaten league MANAMA second race weekend with “The Ferraris have been was the embryonic champion- best time to 1:28.046, leaving He made a low-key re- run to 17 matches. the team. incredibly quick here,” said ship leader Bottas who briefly Vettel playing catch-up after turn to international action in Earlier on Saturday, FERRARI new boy Charles “He deserved it,” said Hamilton. set the early Q1 pace before a team error sent him out in midweek as Argentina lost a fourth-placed Getafe missed Leclerc secured his first pole Vettel. Leclerc rocketed to the top by heavy traffic. friendly to Venezuela, but Val- the chance to solidify their position on Saturday when “Yes, come on!” said ‘Worst spot ever’ a second. “That was the worst spot verde was delighted it did not spot in the Champions League he set a new track record by Leclerc, who is 10 years young- “But that is not all there is to Vettel slotted in as second ever” he complained before affect Messi on Saturday. places as they slumped to a topping a dramatic qualifying er than his team-mate. it and we have to sit down and fastest ahead of Bottas and climbing to second and a top “Messi is the same player 2-0 home defeat by Leganes. session for Sunday’s Bahrain “Tomorrow is the race and work out a way to try and beat Sainz with Hamilton adrift of 10 shootout place. no matter what team he is Uruguayan Michael Santos Grand Prix. it’s where we score points, but them.” his team-mate by two-tenths Out went Renault’s Dan- playing in,” he said. and Spaniard Juanfran scored The 21-tear-old Formula it’s a good beginning... It seems Dutchman Max Verstap- before he improved to third iel Ricciardo, pipped by Rai- “He would be the same if in the second half for Leganes One rookie became the first like we did a good job so I am pen of Red Bull came in fifth and within seven-tenths of the kkonen, British-based Thai he played in Australia... We to give Alaves the chance to Monegasque driver ever to extremely happy.” ahead of Dane Kevin Magnus- Monegasque driver. rookie Alex Albon of Toro Ros- are delighted to have him, it’s move into the top four with a take pole for a world champi- Leclerc became the second sen of Haas. Norris delivered an im- so, Pierre Gasly of Red Bull, a luxury for me to coach him.” win over Atletico. onship race. youngest pole-sitter in F1 his- Carlos Sainz was seventh pressive lap to go through in Mexican Sergio Perez of Rac- Leclerc lapped the Bahrain tory behind Vettel, who quali- for a resurgent McLaren ahead fourth while, after a final scrap, ing Point and Russian Daniil International Circuit in one min- fied three-tenths behind him. of Romain Grosjean in the sec- the men eliminated were Anto- Kvyat of Toro Rosso. ute and 27.866 seconds, beating “In the end, I think Charles ond Haas, Kimi Raikkonen of nio Giovinazzi of Alfa Romeo, Mercedes were first out the mark set by his team-mate did a very good job and he de- Alfa Romeo and British rookie Nico Hulkenberg of Renault, for Q3, but it made no dif- and four-time champion Sebas- served it. I was a bit shy in the Lando Norris in the second Lance Stroll of Racing Point ference as, after Hamilton tian Vettel last year. second sector,” said Vettel. McLaren. and the two Williams men outpaced Bottas, Leclerc Vettel qualified second Five-time world champion After a quiet start in the British rookie George Russell equalled the qualifying to clinch a Ferrari lockout of Lewis Hamilton was less than cooler conditions, the track and Pole Robert Kubica. lap record set by Vettel in the front row and was quick a tenth of a second behind Vet- temperature having dropped The Q2 session began with 1:27.958 before trimming it to congratulate his new team- tel in third ahead of Mercedes from close to 50 degrees Cel- Bottas again before Hamilton on his second rapid run. Al Duhail Stadium to host Tunisian Super Cup The LOC comprises officials African Super Cup finalist Esperance from the Qatar Football Asso- ciation, the Qatar Stars League Sportive de Tunis to face Bizertin (QSL) and Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK tique Bizertin. urges fans to purchase tickets in Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates with teammate Malcom after DOHA The one-off clash will fol- a timely manner. scoring a goal during the Spanish league match at the Camp Nou low after the Total CAF Super Qatar’s decision to host the Stadium in Barcelona on Saturday. (AFP) THE Qatar Football Association Cup 2019 that was won by 2019 Tunisian Super Cup is the (QFA) and Tunisian Football Morocco’s Raja Casablanca result of the strong relationship Federation (TFF) have agreed who beat Esperance at Al between the two countries and that the Tunisian Super Cup Gharafa Stadium. also of the fact that Qatar is the clash will be played at Al Duhail The sale of tickets for the world’s focal point on the foot- Federer schools Shapovalov, Stadium. The venue announced 2019 Tunisian Super Cup is ball scene as the organizer of the earlier was Al Gharafa Stadium. brisk as fans use Q-tickets plat- FIFA 2022 World Cup. books title clash with Isner After the spectacular suc- form to reserve their seats, or- The Tunisian Super Cup is cess of the Total CAF Super Cup ganisers said. an annual clash between the AFP day’s other semi-final. final on Friday, there is a surg- The tickets are also available Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle MIAMI “The long first game helped ing demand for tickets for the at Qatar Sports Club, Al Gharafa 1 champions and the winners me get a read on his serve and Tunisian Super Cup final, or- Sports Club and Villaggio Mall, of the Tunisian Cup. Since its ROGER Federer handed Denis I came out of the blocks well,” ganisers said on Saturday. organisers have announced. return in 1994, the one-off clash Shapovalov a tennis lesson at said Federer, the number four The Tunisian Super Cup The Local Organising Com- has been organized only three the Miami Open on Friday seed who hit 30 winners with final now will be played at Al mittee (LOC) has urged fans to times in 1994 and 1995 And night, winning 6-2 6-4 to just eight coming from his op- Duhail Stadium on April 1, buy their tickets as early as pos- 2001.