Thomas guides Damas to Rodat Al Maida Cup victory PAGE 19 THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 Younousse, Tijan make first knockout QNB STARS LEAGUE round of Katara Beach Open Cup PAGE 19 AL SHAHANIA VS AL AHLI (6.05PM) Attiyah leads top class field into MERC opener TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK The Spanish Mc Racing 2019 Manateq Qatar International Rally LUSAIL team is running a QMMF- backed Ford Fiesta and Skoda LIST OF STARTERS (*UNOFFICIAL) DEFENDING regional rally Fabia R5 for the 1993 regional 1. Nasser Saleh al Attiyah (QAT)/Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Volkswagen Pole GTI R5 2. Abdulaziz al Kuwari (QAT)/Marshall Clarke (GBR) Skoda Fabia R5 champion Nasser Saleh al At- champion Sheikh Hamed bin 3. Meshari al Thefiri (KWT)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X tiyah leads a potential field of Eid al Thani and a return- 4. Khalid al Suwaidi (QAT)/Dmitry Jakochenko (RUS) Ford Fiesta R5 18 FIA cars, seven national en- ing Abdulaziz al Kuwari. Both 6. Nasser Khalifa al Attiyah (QAT)/Nicola Arena (ITA) Ford Fiesta R5 trants and competitors from have vast experience in the 7. Hamed bin Eid al Thani (QAT)/Dale Moscatt (AUS) Ford Fiesta R5 9. Abdulla al Kuwari (QAT)/Hugo Magalhães (POR) Subaru Impreza 13 nations into the start of the MERC: Al-Kuwari gave the 10. Jaralla Jahman (QAT)/Feras Allouh (QAT) Subaru Impreza Manateq Qatar International Prodrive Mini S2000 a first 12. Mohammed Al-Meer (QAT)/Alexei Kuzmich (RUS) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Rally at Souq Al Wakhra on ever outright international vic- 15. Saif al Harthy (OMN)/Mohammed Al-Mazruii (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Thursday evening. tory in Qatar in 2012. 16. Khalid al Mohannadi (QAT)/Loic Minaudier (FRA) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 18. Abdullah al Ruwahi (OMN)/Ata Hmoud (JOR) Subaru Impreza Both the ceremonial The duo will be partnered 19. Rashid al Mohannadi (QAT)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X start (20.15hrs onwards) by Australian Dale Moscatt and 20. Stefano Marrini (ITA)/Nicolas Oscar Diaz (ARG) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X and spectacular new super England’s Marshall Clarke, re- 21. Edith Weiss (DEU)/Lana Sutlovic (CRO) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 22. Asem Aref (JOR)/Faris Al-Tal (JOR) Renault Clio special stage (21.05hrs on- spectively, this weekend. Clarke 23. Henry Kahy (LEB)/Musa Djiyerian (JOR) Skoda Fabia wards) will be filmed live on last sat alongside Kuwari when 24. Ahmad Khaled (LEB)/Dany Kairouz (LEB) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII Al Rayyan television. they crashed out of the Qatar (* subject to FIA technical scrutineering and official start list on Thursday) Attiyah and French naviga- event in 2016, the last season tor Matthieu Baumel missed out where the 39-year-old Qatari The host nation will be rep- in a National Rally behind the on the win last season to Czech had a full programme of WRC resented in MERC 2 by last main FIA event. Entrants in- driver Vojtech Stajf in what de- and MERC events. year’s category winner Abdulla clude Oman’s Zakariya al Shan- veloped into a two-horse race His best season to date al Kuwari, Jaralla Jahman, fari, Jarah al Tooqi and Humaid for the regional title. came when he finished second Mohammed al Meer and both al Waili, Oman-based Briton On this season’s opener in in WRC 2 in the FIA World Khalid and Rashid al Mohanna- Shaun McGonigal and Qatar’s Qatar, Attiyah will not be able Rally Championship in 2013 Autotek mechanics put the finishing touches to Nasser Saleh al Attiyah’s VW Polo GTI R5. di in a five-pronged challenge, Nadim Ziade. to rest on his laurels in the new and won rounds of the WRC’s while Oman’s hopes rest on the Officials have laid on 11 Autotek-run Volkswagen Polo secondary category in Mexico, Arena are back in action for this event last November. The has also received impressive shoulders of young Abdullah special stages, totalling 203.72 GTI R5 that he tested for the Argentina and Australia. an assault at the regional ti- 33-year-old has been absent interest in the MERC 2 or show- al Ruwahi and Saif al Harthy. competitive kilometres, in a to- first time on Wednesday af- Motortune is running a tle in a Ford Fiesta R5. At- from the WRC since finishing room category. Meshari al The- Italian driver Stefano Marrini tal route of 707.71km. ternoon after completing his Ford Fiesta R5 for Qatar’s tiyah last competed in his fourth in WRC 2 in Australia in firi teams up with local naviga- teams up with Argentina’s Nico- The gravel stages on Friday two-day route reconnaissance. Khalid al Suwaidi and his home event back in 1997 and 2016, although he did return to tor Nasser al Kuwari to try and las Diaz in his Mitsubishi and and Saturday will take place in The 13-time winner of the event new Russian co-driver Dmit- retired his Subaru Impreza action the following season, only kick-start the defence of his the well-supported category is the north of the country in the Al faces competition from four R5s ry Jakochenko, while the with steering issues. to roll a Skoda Fabia R5 out of regional crown in style, but the completed by Qatar-based Ger- Ruwais, Al Ghariyah, Al Dhaki- on this occasion, which is testa- 1993 regional series runner- Suwaidi will line up in the his home event. Kuwaiti faces challenges from man lady Edith Weiss and Leba- ra and Al Khor areas before the ment to the renewed interest in up Nasser Khalifa al Attiyah R5 that Adel Abdulla used to The Qatar Motor and Mo- Qatar, Oman, Germany, Leba- non’s Ahmad Khaled. ceremonial finish at Souq Waqif the regional rally series. and Italian navigator Nicola secure a fine second overall at torcycle Federation (QMMF) non and Italy. Seven cars should take part on Saturday evening. Confident Al Shahania take on Al Ahli in QNB Stars League IKOLI VICTOR DOHA AL Shahania will return to QNB Stars League action with a tough Week 19 duel against Al Ahli at the Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on Thursday. Shahania enjoyed their most memorable victory in history recent- ly, thanks to a 3-0 win over Al Rayy- an, and that has boosted the club’s confidence. Not only was it a vital win, but it kept coach Jose Murcia’s side above two former powerhous- es Al Gharafa and Qatar SC in the standings and the relegation zone. Al Shahania coach Jose Murcia addresses the media on Wednesday. Thursday’s opponents are strug- gling with a poor form after two de- to fulfill our ambitions.” ing a strong match,” Ruben noted. feats in a row, their last against Al Talking about their opponent, “I have a good impression of Duhail a scandalous 6-0 whitewash. Murcia said they are a good team and the Al Shahania team and I have For Ahli, it must be an improved would be respected accordingly but great respect for them. It was un- performance that will rectify the noted, “The team is now playing un- derlined in the last round when team’s lapses in their previous two der less pressure, but we are realistic they won against a big team (3-0 matches according to coach Ruben and we are aware of our position in the against Al Rayyan) that is going de la Barrera. league. Now the pressure is on Al Ahli through a good period. We expect Speaking at a press conference because they have a new coach and a tough game, but we hope the re- on Wednesday, Murcia said: “It will they have had two consecutive losses. sult will be in our favour. We feel be a tough fixture, no doubt about it. Meanwhile, Al Ahli Spanish tac- we have a great responsibility ahead It is a foregone conclusion that the tician Ruben de la Barrera said the of us. Winning this match will give teams will fight it out for full points. Brigadiers have prepared well for us huge confidence ahead of the re- “Points are most welcome, espe- the encounter after their embarrass- maining matches,” added Barrera. cially at this stage. We will play with- ing 6-0 rout against Duhail. Thursday’s other fixture involves out pressure and we look forward to “We’ve prepared ourselves well. Al Kharitiyath and Qatar SC. While playing with great optimism. We are There was a great deal of communi- Kharaitiyat enjoyed a 3-0 win over fully aware of the fact that the three cation among the players during the Al Gharafa, Qatar SC suffered 8-1 points would be great in our mission training sessions and they are expect- thrashing at the hands of Al Sadd. AUSTRALIA IN INDIA Khawaja, bowlers humble India in series decider NEW DELHI: A fluent century by Usman Khawaja and incisive bowling helped Australia ease to a 35-run series clinching win in the fifth One-Day Inter- national on Wednesday. Adam Zampa took three wickets to help dismiss India for 237 on the last ball of their innings after Khawaja’s 100 guided the tourists to 272 for nine at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla ground. Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson and Marcus Stoinis The Australian team with the trophy after winning the fifth ODI against India in claimed two wickets each to set up New Delhi on Wednesday. Australia won the series 3-2. (AFP) Australia’s first win in a five-match ODI series after being 0-2 down.