Sport WEDNESDAY 10 MARCH 2021 'Slack'' over rates cost Australia World TestT Championship final spot: Langer We've played some great cricket. Losing to India at home that wasw really disappointing, but…we got docked two points for a slows over rate, and that cost us. Australia coach Justin Langer Sport |09 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES: Round of 16 - Second leg: Liverpool vs Leipzig (2-0), Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona (4-1) Education City Golf course. PIC: IBRAHIM KUTTY The battle for Mother of Pearl Trophy to take place at ECGC Stage set for Commercial Bank Qatar Masters FAWAD HUSSAIN Commercial Bank’s Al Abdulla took THE PENINSULA pride to be a part of the prestigious tournament for many years. The Education City Golf Club (ECGC) “We have been the title sponsors made a successful European Tour of the tournament for many years. We debut last year when Spain’s Jorge have been hosting this for many years Campillo edged Scotland’s David now. The direction of the leadership Drysdale in a dramatic play-off to win of the QGA has been tremendous. We the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. try our best to support and compliment Despite strict COVID-19 protocols the QGA in its pursuit to educate and this year, the state-of-the-art golf promote golf to our locals and specially course is set for another exciting battle our Qatari golfers,” he said. for The Mother of Pearl Trophy in “The other side is that Qatar presence of a competitive field. Masters has become a major event as The tournament tees off tomorrow last year over 400 million people with a total of 144 golfers ready to watched the event on TV from around battle in the $1.5m event, offering FROM LEFT: Mike Eriksson, Tournament Director, European Tour; Hussein Al Abdulla, EGM Chief Marketing Officer, the world. Top-notch players are $250,000 to the winner. Commercial Bank; Hassan Nasser Al Naimi, President of the Qatar Golf Association (QGA); Fahad Nasser Al Naimi, coming in Qatar to play in this pres- Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, a four- General-Secretary, QGA; Michael Braidwood, General Manager at Education City Golf Club posing for a photograph. tigious event. We look forward to time European Tour winner is leading support this amazing tournament as the field that also includes Thomas of coronavirus are taken to ensure Commercial Bank; Fahad Nasser Al and ensure that they stay within the it also serves Qatar’s 2030 vision,” Al Detry, Rasmus Hojgaard, Andy Sul- safety of golfers and all stakeholders. Naimi, General Secretary, QGA; and ‘bubble’. But with the support of eve- Abdulla added. livan, Wade Orsmby, Brandon Stone “We are ready to stage another Michael Braidwood, General Manager rybody in this country, it has been easy Braidwood said golf has seen tre- and Aaron Rai. successful edition of the tournament Education City Golf Club also attended in a way and we thank everybody. It mendous growth over the years in With Campillo also ready to defend with participation of top golfers,” Al the press conference. might look easy from the outside but Qatar and ECGC is playing a vital role his title, four golfers will be seeking Naimi told reporters yesterday. Eriksson said with the safety we are actually 144 players and 144 in it. their second trophy in Doha, including “With 500 to 600 persons coming measures in place, the next four days caddies, staff, television people etc. So “I’m really glad with the devel- former champions Justin Harding to country, we have taken precau- will produce exciting action at the out- it is like 500 people so the bubble gets opment and growth of the sport here (2019), Chris Wood (2013) and Alvaro tionary measures to ensure safety and standing golf course. quite big so there has be to be restric- in Qatar. Last year we had a number Quiros (2009). health of all participants. The “It’s really different from the tions in place,” he added. of acquisitions during the event for Qatar Open Amateur Champi- COVID-19 protocols are in place with normal times and we are really “Let’s not forget we have a great schoolchildren, initiatives to draw onship winner Ali Al Shahrani, Jaham golfers to remain in bio-secure bubble thankful to Qatar Golf Association for golf course out there that has been in youngsters to the golf course. We’ve Jassim, Saleh Al Kaabi will represent throughout the event. MoPH has what they have done to be able to play immaculate condition. It is in out- seen families coming to the golf course the home country. approved 20% and so about 2000 here this year. Thanks also to Com- standing condition. We are looking at the club, a lot of kids are coming. During a pre-event press con- spectators would be able to attend,” mercial Bank and Education City Golf forward to the golfers to play in the When we opened ECGC we were keen ference at ECGC yesterday, Hassan he added. Club. We are very very proud to be event to be broadcast to over 500 to draw more people to golf and had Nasser Al Naimi, President Qatar Golf Mike Eriksson, Tournament here and be a part of the Qatar Masters. million households this week. Hope- the right partner and now with support Association (QGA), said strict precau- Director, European Tour; Hussein Al It is indeed difficult for the players and fully, it’ll go smooth and everybody will of Commercial Bank that has tionary measures to combat the spread Abdulla, EGM Chief Marketing Officer, everybody has to take a couple of steps be happy,” he said. happened.” Ten-man Porto stun Juve to reach quarters; Dortmund through AGENCIES – TURIN after he had put the ball in the net, was ini- tially saved before he retook it and scored. Sérgio Oliveira scored in extra time to send 10-man Porto into the quarter-finals of the Pochettino unconcerned by ghosts of 2017 Champions League despite a thrilling 3-2 loss at Juventus yesterday. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain coach Porto, which played most of the second Mauricio Pochettino expressed his disap- leg at a numerical disadvantage after Mehdi pointment that Neymar could not return in Taremi’s sending off, progressed on away time for today's Champions League clash with goals after the matchup ended 4-4 on Barcelona, adding his side should try to forget aggregate. about their huge advantage in the tie. Sérgio Oliveira also netted Porto’s first Neymar missed the first leg of the last-16 goal, from the penalty spot, but Federico tie against his old side due to a thigh injury Chiesa scored twice in the second half to level but his absence barely affected his side, who the tie for Juventus and send the match into romped to a 4-1 win at the Camp Nou thanks extra time. to a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick. Porto appeared to have all but won it The Brazilian had hoped to return for before Adrien Rabiot reduced the deficit three Wednesday’s return leg at the Parc des Princes minutes from time to set up a tense finale. but misses the game as he continues his Elsewhere, in Dortmund, Erling Haaland recovery, although Angel di Maria and Ales- struck once in each half as Borussia Dortmund sandro Florenzi are available to play after drew 2-2 with Sevilla in their last-16 second missing the first leg. leg and advanced to the quarter-finals with “All the medical staff and fitness coaches a 5-4 aggregate win. made a big effort to get him back for this game FC Porto’s Sergio Oliveira scores their first goal against Juventus from the penalty spot yesterday. The Norwegian notched his 20th Cham- and to return overall. It’s a shame because he pions League goal in 14 games - and 10th in was very excited about playing this game,” the competition this season - with a contro- Pochettino told a virtual news conference on versial 54th-minute penalty after having Tuesday. tapped in a Marco Reus cutback against the PSG threw away a four-goal lead in a 2017 run of play to give Dortmund the lead in the last-16 tie with Barcelona by losing 6-1 in the first half. second leg. Sevilla, who made the quarter-finals in “I’m not conditioned by what happened 2018 and enjoyed a strong first half, hit back in the past or have any emotion about it,” said with two goals from Youssef En-Nesyri, the the Argentine, who reached the 2019 Cham- first a 66th-minute penalty followed by a pions League final with Tottenham Hotspur stoppage-time header to make it t 2-2. and succeeded Thomas Tuchel as PSG coach ROUND OF 16 The 20-year-old Haaland has now in January. SECOND LEG: become the all-time top Norwegian scorer in “We just have to try to win the game to Juventus beat Porto the competition, with one more goal than get to the next round and that’s what we’ll try current Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar to do from the first minute. How we both start 3-2 (4-4) Solskjaer, as Dortmund reached the last eight the game is crucial. There’s still 90 minutes Borussia Dortmund for the first time since 2017. to play and we have to be consistent beat Sevilla FC Haaland's penalty, awarded following a throughout the game and imagine that we Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Braut Haaland celebrates with team- 2-3 (5-4) lengthy VAR review for an earlier challenge are starting the tie at 0-0.” mates after scoring their second goal against Sevilla, yesterday.