Josh Hazlewood claims five as India shot out for lowest ever Test score, Australia win by 8 wickets SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2020 PAGE 14 ULSAN HYUNDAI EMERGE ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President, Qatar Football Association awards the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy to Ul san Hyundai’s Yoon Bit-garam at the Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday. Yoon Bit-garam named 2020 AFC CL’s MVP AFC Yoon, 30, admitted that South Korea’s Ulsan Hyudai players celebrate with the trophy after winning the AFC Champions League final against Iran’s Persepolis at the Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday.( AFP) DOHA going behind shook Ulsan Hyundai, especially as they YOON Bit-garam’s phenom- had dominated possession. enal form in the 2020 AFC “We were a bit down after Negrao stars with a double in final against Persepolis Champions League saw the conceding but after Junior Ulsan Hyundai FC midfielder scored the first goal, we went win the Most Valuable Player into the break with renewed (MVP) award following the energy. The coach analysed conclusion of the final at theA l and explained to us how we Janoub Stadium on Saturday. have to tackle the second Yoon played a pivotal role half. For us as players, we just in Ulsan Hyundai winning the wanted to follow the coach’s trophy for a second time as instructions and be disciplined he contributed four goals and and that was the secret to win- marshalled the engine room ning the game. superbly as the Korea Republic ‘Persepolis played a lot side lifted the AFC Champions of long balls into the box but League trophy with a 2-1 win we tried to defend as a team over Islamic Republic of Iran’s and were able to keep them at Persepolis FC in the final. bay,” said Yoon. “This is the happiest mo- Yoon paid tribute to his ment of my career and the teammates, saying he would Ulsan forward Junior Negrao (right) celebrates his goal with midfielder most meaningful day in my not have enjoyed such a Won Du-Jae during the AFC Champions League final.( AFP) life. It was very difficult be- successful tournament if not cause we conceded the goal for them. first, but we tried to chase it “I could not have won this back as soon as possible and award without my teammates. we tried to show our energy to Everyone played their role, we score,” said Yoon. came together as a team and “We proved we are eager to wanted to enjoy our football. win this title. We are very hap- “I cannot be fully satisfied FIFA President Gianni Infantino and AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa present the py with the fact that we could with my performance here; winners’ trophy to Ulsan Hyundai captain at the Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday. (AFP) lift the trophy. I would like to I always have to push myself thank our fans who are follow- to be better and better and go AFP club scene since 1993. ing us in Korea even though it higher. I would like to dedi- DOHA Persepolis had topped from is really late now in Korea. I cate the award to my team- Asia’s west zone in Qatar’s bio- would like to thank the man- mates who helped me and we ULSAN Hyundai Motors won secure bubble after the Covid-19 ager who gave me a lot of trust tried to enjoy the competition the Asian Champions League pandemic forced the Asian from the start of the season.” together.” for the second time in history Football Confederation to halt after a Junior Negrao double the tournament in March. gave them a 2-1 victory over Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, the Iran’s Persepolis on Saturday. 2019 champions, were kicked The South Korean giants out during the group phase also achieved the feat in record after a spate of coronavirus in- fashion, winning their ninth fections in the squad left them consecutive match in the tour- without enough fit players, eas- nament to equal their winning ing Persepolis’ path to the final. streak of 2012 when they won While Ulsan had played Persepolis fans cheer ahead of the AFC Champions League final between Iran’s Persepolis and South the title for the first time. eight games in 23 days in Doha Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai at the Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday. (AFP) But this time they were before Saturday’s final, Perse- even more emphatic, scoring polis had three weeks off and huk to the bottom left corner. Ulsan had their tail up after playing for Seongnam Illhwa at least two goals in each match only arrived in Qatar a few days Ulsan, however hit back in that but they required another Chunma. on their way to the title, an un- ago. The Iranians though bat- the fourth minute of first-half VAR-assisted penalty to score That year his team squan- precedented achievement in the tled gallantly on Saturday, not stoppage time after they were their second goal in the 55th dered a 3-1 first leg away win tournament. only keeping the marauding awarded a VAR-assisted pen- minute advantage to suffer a 5-0 thrash- Persepolis missed out on Ulsan forwards at bay but also alty when Ahmad Noorollahi Mehdi Shiri handled the ing by Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad the Asian crown for the second drawing first blood at Qatar’s Al fouled Yoon Bit-Garam inside ball as Ulsan pressed forward at home to finish runners-up time in three years, having lost Janoub Stadium, built for the the box. and this time Negrao made no “I am very proud of this Ulsan Hyundai players celebrate with coach Do-Hoon Kim after winning to Japan’s Kashima Antlers in 2022 World Cup. Negrao couldn’t believe mistake from the spot, sending team. The players did their best. the AFC Champions League final at Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday. (AFP) the final in 2018. At the stroke of half-time, his luck as goalkeeper Hamed goalkeeper Lak in the other di- I would like to thank the club This was the fifth time in Ulsan defender Park Soo-ho Lak blocked his spot-kick with rection. who trusted me a lot,” said Kim, history that a team from Iran lost his balance in the midfield a full-stretch dive, but the ball Coach Kim Do-hoon who also paid his respects to his Scoreline had fallen at the final hurdle and Mehdi Abdi displayed great rebounded in the Brazilian’s couldn’t hide his emotions after father who died this year. Ulsan Hyundai 2 (Junior Negrao 45+4’, 55’ (P)) bt of Asia’s premier competition, awareness to steal the ball and direction and he was left with guiding Ulsan to victory, hav- “My father passed away this Persepolis 1 (Mehdi Abdi 45’). thus extending the country’s ti- produce a brilliant solo run be- the easiest of tap-ins to score his ing experienced the pain of los- season but I am sure he was tle drought on the continental fore beating goalkeeper Jo Soo- sixth goal of the tournament. ing the 2004 final when he was watching over us from above.” 12 Sunday, December 20, 2020 Sports The Al Sadd team celebrates with the Amir Cup trophy after receiving it from His Highness The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Friday. Al Sadd beat Al Arabi 2-1 in the final to claim the prestigious title a 17th time. Life in Qatar, my coaching philosophy and the FIFA 2022 World Cup project BY XAVI HERNANDEZ to the point where it has now positively im- all, players must enjoy playing football and the pacted more than 500,000 people across ten best way to enjoy football is to have the ball, ITH less than two years until the countries. Some of the projects have included create lots of chances and score lots of goals. World Cup is hosted in the Middle When you walk around Doha and meet building football pitches in refugee camps This is how I lived it as a player, and it is how WEast and Arab world for the first the locals, their passion for football is and implementing sustainable programmes I want my players to experience the game un- time, excitement is really starting to build clear. I must admit that I like practically which ensure the facilities are used effective- der my management. here in Qatar. The country has promised to everything about living in Qatar. The ly. I have attended pitch launch ceremonies From my time here, it is clear that football put on a spectacular show for football fans weather is amazing, with sunshine in Jordan and India – and the impact they is developing very well in Qatar. The World and having seen the pace of development have on communities is huge. Cup project meant that they had to really fo- since I moved here in 2015 – on everything almost every day, and it is a very relaxing While I had initially only planned on cus on developing not only top-class facilities from stadiums and accommodation, to road place to work as the people are really staying in Qatar to finish my playing career, and stadiums to host the tournament, but a and rail infrastructure – I’ve every confi- respectful and friendly. It’s also a very when I was presented with the opportunity national team capable of competing on the dence that it will be an incredible tourna- the programmes put in place to deliver posi- safe country with very little crime, so to take over as the manager of Al Sadd I was biggest stage with the world’s best teams.