NNBABA | Page 5 SSWIMMINGWIMMING | Page 7 LeBron picks Doha to kick Gianna’s off FINA number for Marathon All-Star game World Series Wednesday, February 5, 2020 CRICKET Jumada II 11, 1441 AH Dazzling De Kock GULF TIMES powers S Africa to win over England SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL/ AMIR CUP Memory of past glory fi res up Al Rayyan coach Aguirre It was Aguirre who coached Al Rayyan to the title seven years ago against Jorge Fossati’s Al Sadd By Sports Reporter Doha l Rayyan won the last of their six Amir Cup titles in 2013 but since have been upstaged Aby Al Sadd, Lekhwiya and Al Duhail which was formed by merging El Jaish and Lekwhiya. Seven years ago The Lions captained by Fabio Cesar pipped Al Sadd 2-1 in the fi nal, and as the last-16 stage of this season’s edition tournament kicks off today, their coach Diego Aguirre is looking ahead with anticipation. It was Aguirre who coached Al Rayy- an to the title seven years ago against Jorge Fossati’s Al Sadd. It’s obvious that the memories are fresh in his mind and he made no secret about his fondness for the event. “The Amir Cup is a unique tourna- ment which I personally love to be as- sociated with. Al Rayyan have a great history in the event but Al Sadd have been the most dominant team (16 ti- tles),” Aguirre told reporters ahead of his team’s match against second division side Mesaimeer today. This is Aguirre’s second stint with Al Rayyan and obviously he has great hopes. Al Rayyan coach Diego Aguirre speaks to the media ahead of his team’s match Al Sailiya coach Saami Trablesi interacts with the press ahead of his team’s match against Umm Salal. “We have a great opportunity to against Mesaimeer in the Amir Cup. progress in the tournament but fi rst we have to see off Mesaimeer on Wednes- “We achieved a very important win Mesaimeer’s Iraqi coach Raad Abdul fact that we are not under any pres- it,” said Al Sailiya’s Tunisian coach Sami the Amir Cup have been good we are day. I respect all competitors and we will in the QNB Stare League but regret- Latif couldn’t contain his excitement at sure is our psychological weapon,” he Trablesi. hoping to spring a surprise,” he said. go all out for victory. We are fully fo- tably suff ered a big defeat in the AFC the prospect of facing Al Rayyan, claim- claimed. “We know Umm Salal are a very good Trablesi’s counterpart at Umm Salal cused on the fi rst game. We do not want Champions League playoff . Against ing his side has nothing to lose Meanwhile, QNB Stars League sides team and we cannot aff ord to take them Aziz Ben Askar acknowledged that his any surprises.” Mesaimeer we need to play as well as we “There is no doubt that Al Rayyan Al Sailya and Umm Salal will clash in lightly. We cannot aff ord to make any team face a tough task in today’s match. Al Rayyan are coming off a 5-0 drub- did against Duhail.” are superior in all aspects. Therefore we another last-16 match today with the mistakes,” Trablesi added. “Everyone knows Sailiya can be a bing by Iran’s Estheghlal which ended Al Rayyan’s charge will be led by the have nothing to fear or lose,” said Abdul coaches of both teams expressing con- Trablesi rued the fact that Al Sailiya stubborn opposition. We really have their hopes of qualifying for the AFC prolifi c Yacine Brahimi and new recruit Latif. fi dence about progressing to the next haven’t been at their best in the QNB to be positive against them,” said Ben Champions League, but regained their Yohan Boli, the scorer against Al Rayyan, “We will attack with all our might stage. Stars League, having lost seven of their Askar whose team are in the relegation confi dence by handing previously un- although they have a host of other capable and defend stoutly and despite the “The Amir Cup is the richest tourna- 14 matches to languish in seventh spot. zone of the QNB Stars League. beaten Al Duhail a shock 1-0 defeat in players in their ranks too, including the enormity of the task I am optimistic. ment in Qatar. It has a special character “Our players seem to have lost their “We are looking for a morale boost. the QNB Stars League. talismanic veteran Rodrigo Tabata. The players also are confi dent. The and therefore every team wants to win scoring touch but our preparations for Hope the team is up to the challenge.” SPOTLIGHT CRICKET/ U-19 WORLD CUP Baladna announced as sponsor Jaiswal hits ton as India ease into fi nal AFP Jaiswal earlier picked up the key of Al Rayyan football team Potchefstroom, South Africa wicket of Pakistan opener Haider Ali (56) with his part-time legspin as Pa- kistan collapsed from 96 for two in an efending champions India innings where just three players made cruised to a 10-wicket win double digits. HE Sheikh Ali bin Saud over neighbours and arch- Ali and captain Rohail Nazir (62) al-Thani, president of rivals Pakistan in Potchef- helped Pakistan recover after losing Dstroom yesterday to reach the Under-19 Mohamed Huraira and Fahad Munir Al Rayyan Sports Club and Moutaz al-Khayyat, Cricket World Cup fi nal for the seventh cheaply, but only Mohamed Haris, who chairman of Baladna time. hit a brisk 21 off 15 balls, provided any Food Industries seal the India, the record four-time winners additional contribution. sponsorship agreement. of the competition, dismissed Pakistan Left-arm seamer Sushant Mishra for 172 in 43.1 overs before comfortably took 3-28 while right-arm quick Kartik knocking off the runs with 88 balls to Tyagi and legspinner Ravi Bishnoi col- spare. lected two wickets apiece. India will play either New Zealand “The pitch was good, and we didn’t or Bangladesh, who meet in the sec- put enough runs on the board,” said Pa- ond semi-fi nal, for the title at the same kistan skipper Nazir. venue on Sunday. Pakistan will contest “I think Haider and I had a great the third-place play-off in Benoni on partnership, we were at a good position Saturday. at the 25-over mark, but Haider got out By Sports Reporter tiative to sponsor the Al Rayyan success.” He went on to add: “We Yashasvi Jaiswal struck an unbeaten at a crucial point, and the rest of the Doha team, hoping that this co-operation are proud to associate the name of 105 off 113 balls, completing his century batsmen weren’t able to take enough will continue in the future. Baladna with this distinguished and sealing the victory in style with a responsibility.” Baladna chairman al-Khayyat team and the Qatar Football Asso- six over deep mid-wicket. He added: “We learn from all our aladna will be the offi - said: “This sponsorship of Al Rayy- ciation, especially as we realise that “It’s a dream come true for me. To be mistakes, and the boys are confi dent cial sponsor of QNB Stars an Sports Club football team comes Qatar will be the host country of able to do this for my country is a great India’s batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal and happy that we played some good League side Al Rayyan for as a part of our Corporate Social Re- the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the feeling. To score a hundred against celebrates after reaching his cricket in the tournament.” Bthe next two seasons, it was sponsibility policy we have adopted preparations assuring that it will be Pakistan in a World cup semi-fi nal is half-century against Pakistan at the Pakistan, who were back-to-back announced yesterday. in Baladna and all of our companies, the greatest sports event ever under something I can’t put into words,” said Senwes Park in Potchefstroom. champions in 2004 and 2006, haven’t The sponsorship agreement was to take part in serving the Qatari the guidance and leadership of His Jaiswal. beaten India at the U19 World Cup since signed by HE Sheikh Ali bin Saud society and its advancement know- Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim “They bowled well initially and we fours and four sixes as he took over as 2010. al-Thani, the president of Al Rayyan ing that sports is one of the prime bin Hamad al-Thani. wanted to ride that out and we knew we the tournament’s leading runscorer. With political relations on a knife- Sports Club and Moutaz al-Khay- activities our government supports. “This will add another glorious could dominate them after that.” He was ably supported in a leisurely edge, there has been no Test series be- yat, chairman of Baladna Food In- “We consider the success of the chapter to Qatar’s other achieve- Left-hander Jaiswal, who was chase by Divyaansh Saxena who fi n- tween the two countries at senior level dustries. QNB Stars League, with the cali- ments in the fi elds of education, snapped up by the Rajasthan Royals in ished 59 not out, his second fi fty of the since 2007-08 and no white ball series Sheikh Ali praised Baladna’s ini- bre of the players in it, to be our industry, economy, and social life.” the 2020 IPL auction, smacked eight competition. since 2012-13.