SPORT Tuesday 19 September 2017 PAGE | 30 PAGE | 31 PAGE | 34 Mbappe makes Rooney handed Indian attack more winning debut two-year thanth just spin, warns at PSG driving ban AAussie skipper Smith Rally star Al Naimi unveils ‘Tamim Al Majd’ portrait on car ahead of European challenge Qatari rally driver Rashid bin Abdulah Al Naimi’s Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, adorned with the hugely popular portrait of the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Al Naimi will Rashid bin partner Portuguese Abdulah co-driver Hugo Ismael Al Naimi Magahlaes for races across Europe to prepare for the 2018 season. Young Qatari Saad, Ngombo to lead Qatar athletes to make charge at Ashgabat Games their presence felt The Peninsula Ashgabat ive promising Qatari athletes are likely to have a strong The Peninsula influence on proceedings at the Indoor Athletics Arena Fduring the Ashgabat 2017 5th Asian Indoor and Mar- atar, who have included tial Arts Games. key players Abdulrah- Abdalelah Haroun, Tosin Joseph Ogunode, Abderrah- man Mohamed Saad man Samba, Yaser Salem Bagharab and Mahamat Allamine and Tanguy Alban Ngo- Hamdi have all performed impressively in recent months. Qmbo, will be hoping for Haroun, a 400m specialist, won bronze a month ago at a big confidence-boosting win the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London and a sil- tomorrow when they take on ver medallist at the IAAF Indoor World Championships in Samoa in their opening clash of Oregon in the United States a year earlier. the 3x3 basketball competition of Ogunode, younger brother of four-time Asian Games the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial gold medallist Femi Ogunode, made his international sprint- Arts Games. ing debut in 2014 and set a 60m Asian indoor record during Qatar, along with Turkmeni- an event at the Northern Arizona University in the USA. stan, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and The 23-year-old’s time of 6.50 seconds broke a 20-year- Iraq are the favourites for the old mark set by Qatari sprint legend Talal Mansour and is men’s title at the September 17-27 a top contender for 60m gold at Ashgabat. Games which got underway in Samba, 22, has also enjoyed a good season this year. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. He started by winning the 400m hurdles title at the sea- Qatar, who were 2014 FIBA son-opening Doha Diamond League and went on to contest World Cup winners, claimed sil- the 400m hurdle final at the 2017 World Championships ver at the Islamic Solidarity in London. In Ashgabat, he will take part in the 400m and Games in May this year after edg- H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, the President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) speaks 4 x 400m relay and will be a firm medal favourite. ing past Turkmenistan in the Baghrab may be a teenager and the youngest in the with Turkmenistan officials ahead of the opening ceremony of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial semi-final in Baku, Azerbaijan. In Qatari indoor athletics squad, but the 19-year-old, who Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on Sunday. June, the Qataris finished sixth at recently won two silver medals at the 2017 Asian Champi- the FIBA 3x3 World Cup in Nantes, onships, will be a strong chance to round off his season with France. for glory in the women’s at the U-18 Asia Cup in May and opening ceremony of the prestig- a podium finish in the 3,000m at Ashgabat. Around 50 Qatari athletes are competitions. was named best player of the tour- ious event. The event on Sunday Completing the list is high jumper Hamdi, whose sil- competing in a number of sports Mongolia’s men won the nament in Malaysia. saw a colourful opening ceremony ver-medal-winning performance at the recent Islamic events including athletics, chess, chance to participate in the 2017 Earlier on Sunday night, H E unfolding the country’s high organ- Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, marks him as an billiard, swimming, weight lift- FIBA World Tour by qualifying Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, isational abilities in hosting major emerging talent. The 20-year-old also won a bronze at the ing, equestrian, taekwondo, through the challenger in Chinese the President of Qatar Olympic sport events and reflecting its rich 2016 IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, bowling and basketball. Taipei. Committee (QOC) attended the culture and history. Poland. A crowded arena in Ashgabat Iraq have strong players with will become the stage of a fasci- international experience in 5x5 nating competition when the 3x3 Basketball but they lack 3x3 Basketball tournament raises its experience. curtain today. Aleksandr Paskov of Turkmen- It is the third time 3x3 Basket- istan, Tsenguunbayar Gotov of ball has appeared in the schedule Mongolia and Dulguun Enkhbat of of the Asian Indoor and Martial Mongolia are also among the men Arts Games and a format that will to watch. become an Olympic sport at Turkmenistan, 21st in the FIBA Tokyo 2020 is rapidly growing in ratings, are the highest-ranked popularity worldwide. team in the women’s Sixteen teams in the men’s competition. tournament and 12 in the wom- At the Islamic Solidarity Games en’s promise to offer spectacular this year, they downed a powerful action for spectators and make Syria team after overtime in the the competition the hottest ticket quarter-final thanks to a free throw in town. scored by Ayna Gokowa of The Qatari contingent Turkmenistan are among the Turkmenistan. takes part in the opening favourites to claim gold in both Gokowa, Alicia Magarian of ceremony of the 5th tournaments but will not find it Syria and Lea Elvensia Wolobubo Asian Indoor and Martial easy. Kahol of Indonesia are among the Arts Games in Ashgabat, Indonesia, Syria and the players to watch. The latter led Turkmenistan on Sunday. Islamic Republic of Iran will vie Indonesia to gold-medal success 30 SPORT TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe (left) scores a goal past Lyon’s Portuguese goalkeeper Anthony Lopes during the French L1 match against Olympique Lyonnais at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris yesterday. Mbappe makes winning debut at PSG Paris former champions Lyon Three points clear remaining and Lyon looking for AFP emerged with plenty of honour, a deserved equaliser Neymar if not the three points. Sixth successive win passed to Mbappe with the ylian Mbappe played PSG were restricted to just a pushes Unai Emery’s 18-year-old Monaco recruit’s a decisive role on his handful of shots in the first side three points clear close range shot hitting Lopes Parc des Princes period as Lyon’s defence dog- of defending and bouncing off Morel into the debut for Paris gedly refused to roll over. champions Monaco Lyon goal. Saint-Germain on PSG’s best chances came a who had maintained Lyon, losing for the first time KSunday in a thrilling 2-0 win minute from the break when on this season, left Parc des Princes their title push with a over Lyon with both goals a counter attack Mbappe, in fifth place, eight points adrift win over Strasbourg accreditated to the visitors. appearing before his home sup- of the leaders. Lyon’s youngsters proved porters for the first time after Lyon coach Bruno Genesio more than a match for PSG who outings at Metz and Celtic, fed to use his head to stop Lucas reflected: “I don’t think there’s a had to wait until the last quar- Neymar with the Brazilian’s Tousart’s header, then seconds club in France that can compete ter of an hour before Lyon rasping shot boxed away by later Tanguy Ndombele with PSG for the title, but for one defender Marcelo deflected the Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes. unleashed a superb strike from match, yes.” ball into his own goal. On the restart Mbappe was 30m which had sparks flying off Earlier a sizzling Mario Balo- Then four minutes from time switched to take Neymar’s place the crossbar. telli strike ten minutes from time Mbappe rushed onto Neymar’s on the right. On 72 minutes Emery intro- gave Nice a 1-0 win at Rennes assist with his close range shot The second half was only duced Giovani Lo Celso for Julian and Marseille pulled out of an bounding off Jeremy Morel to minutes old when Lyon striker Draxler, and the move proved early season slump when a Clin- settle the electric encounter. Nabil Fekir troubled PSG keeper decisive when Lo Celso crossed ton Njie brace gave the This sixth successive league Alphonse Aerola with a tight- from the left with Cavani nudg- ambitious southerners a 2-0 win win pushed Unai Emery’s side angled shot. ing the ball towards goal with the at Amiens. three points clear of defending On 55 minutes Neymar, outside of his foot before its On Saturday a revitalised champions Monaco who had brought down outside the box deflection off Lyon defender Radamel Falcao grabbed a brace maintained their title push with by Fekir, flicked the ensuing Marcelo. in Monaco’s 3-0 win over Stras- a 3-0 win over Strasbourg 24 freekick over the wall only for a Lopes then did brilliantly to bourg and Saint-Etienne moved hours earlier. diving Lopes to parry the ball save a Cavani penalty awarded up to third with a 1-0 win over Lyon’s visit on paper had away from the top far corner. after Ferland Mendy had felled Dijon. Nantes continued their looked to be PSG’s toughest test The PSG crowd then had its Mbappe.