Captain Sharma’s heroics provide Mumbai Indians with first win in IPL 2020 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 PAGE 15 Xavi eyes top group spot as Al Sadd play Sepahan Pakhtakor, TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK Standings DOHA Shabab Al GROUP D WITH Round of 16 qualifica- Club M W D L GF GA GD Pts Ahli progress tion already secured, Al Sadd Al Nassr 5 3 2 0 9 4 5 11 hope to finish their 2020 AFC Al Sadd 5 2 3 0 13 6 7 9 Champions League group Sepahan 5 1 1 3 4 7 -3 4 as Al Hilal stage by topping Group C Al Ain 5 0 2 3 4 13 -9 2 when they take on already ‘withdrawn’ eliminated Sepahan FC on Thursday. AFC Sepahan’s only win in the DOHA competition came in the open- ing game of the tournament We have to win, we want to AL Hilal of Saudi Arabia failed with a 4-0 thumping of Al Ain, finish the group stage well to name the required 13 play- but early optimism quickly and win this group. We are ers for their AFC Champions petered out with a draw and playing against the best in League (West) Group B match three losses following, mean- the competition in the against Shabab Al Ahli Dubai ing the Iranians’ hopes had of the United Arab Emirates on evaporated by the end of Round of 16, so let’s win Wednesday and under the Arti- Matchday Five. this one and see (who they cle 4.3 of the Special Rules Ap- “We have a very impor- play in Round of 16). plicable to AFC Competitions tant and hard game against Al during the COVID-19 pandemic Sadd who are a strong team Al Sadd coach are deemed to have withdrawn and have invested well, which Xavi Hernandez from the competition. makes them one of the con- All matches played by Al tenders to go far in the com- Hilal, who named only 11 play- petition,” said Sepahan boss met, Al Sadd brushed their op- ers, are considered null and Mojtaba Toutouni. ponents aside 3-0 on Match- void according to Article 6 of “This is the AFC Champi- day Two at the Jassim bin the AFC Champions League ons League, and every game Hamad Stadium, with Hassan regulations and therefore Pa- is important to all players and Al Haydos scoring a six-min- khtakor of Uzbekistan and teams. Getting the three points ute brace after Akram Afif had Shabab Al Ahli Dubai have is always important for us. We opened the scoring. progressed to the Round of 16 have the motivation to defend Al Sadd’s Mohamed Waad from Group B. the name of our club, our city stated that his team aiming to Competition regulations and our country, while our do- finish first in Group D of the allowed for 35 players to be mestic league starts soon so 2020 AFC Champions League, registered by each club, but Al we need to prepare the players adding that it was the toughest Hilal registered 30 of which for the upcoming season. in the competition. only 27 travelled to Doha in the Sepahan are without a goal Speaking at the pre-match beginning of the Competition. in the competition in 372 min- press conference ahead of the In order to support the utes, with Mohammad Tayye- final group game with Sepahan, technical preparations of the bi’s 78th minute strike against Mohammed said: “Our group Club affected by COVID-19, Al Ain on the opening match- was the most difficult in the the AFC subsequently allowed day their last sight of goal to Al Sadd players during a training session on Wednesday, ahead of their AFC Champions League last group stage match against Sepahan FC. competition. We hope to finish the addition of two goalkeep- date, but Toutouni said hard in first place in the group.” ers to replace those who had work is the only way to end the Nassr on Monday ensured Al the challenge. “We have to win, we want against Al Duhail in the Round “As you know, Xavi is a for- tested positive for COVID-19 drought. Sadd remain one of three sides Baghdad Bounedjah and to finish the group stage well of 16 and we won, but let’s see mer player. He is used to being and worked with the Qatar “We create a lot of chances, yet to lose a match in the West Pedro Miguel have been ruled and win this group,” said Xavi. what happens. Whether it is Al a winner, and he wants us to Football Association to facili- but our problem is in the final Asia groups of the competi- out of the next game against “We are up against a very good Duhail, Sharjah, Al Taawoun be the same.” tate the timely arrival in Doha touch and finishing. It can be tion, and should they get the Sepahan as both players were team, who are well organ- or Persepolis, All the teams are The youngster added: “I of the replacement goalkeep- resolved but we need to train three points against Sepahan booked during the 1-1 draw ised and know how to defend tough. We are playing against thank the coach for his confi- ers as well as two other play- more and work on improving while Al Nassr fail to beat Al with Al Nassr which resulted and attack. We are in a tough the best in the competition in dence in me. I will strive to use ers who had not travelled and this aspect of our game.” Ain, they would leapfrog them in an automatic one-game sus- group and all three opponents the Round of 16, so let’s win this opportunity, to give my two other officials. Baghdad Bounedjah’s 87th to top spot in the group and pension, due to accumulation are very strong. this one and see.” best and help the team in this Throughout the competi- minute equaliser against Al head coach Xavi is unfazed by of yellow cards. “Last season we played The last time the two sides difficult tournament.” tion, the AFC has maintained an open line of communica- tion with the club and the Sau- di Arabia Football Federation (SAFF) and has dealt with all their concerns and enquiries Coach Regragui calls for good teamwork as in a timely manner. Despite the efforts of the AFC, Al Hilal and SAFF still re- quested a postponement of the Al Duhail set sights on knock-out stage berth match against Shabab Al Ahli Dubai referencing Article 4.3 of the Special Rules Applicable to AFC Competitions During Taawoun’s French the COVID-19 Pandemic. coach says hopes The Article states: “If a Par- ticipating Team/Participating still alive Club has less than thirteen (13) players (including one (1) goal- TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK keeper) available for a Match DOHA for any reason (whether or not relating to COVID-19), the AL Duhail SC and Al Taawoun relevant Participating Team/ FC lock horns on Matchday Six Participating Club shall not be of the 2020 AFC Champions able to participate in the Match. League at the Education City Such Participating Team/Par- Stadium with knock-out stage ticipating Club shall be held places up for grabs for all four Al Duhail coach Walid Regragui speaks to the media ahead of his responsible for the Match not Group C teams on Thursday. team’s Group C AFC Champions League clash against Al Taawoun. taking place and shall be con- One point will be enough sidered to have withdrawn for Al Duhail to reach February before the tourna- from the relevant Competition. the Round of 16, while Al ment was halted due to the Standings “In exceptional circum- Taawoun’s fate is out of their Covid-19 pandemic. GROUP C stances and provided that hands, as they would require Having reached the Club M W D L GF GA GD Pts any rescheduling will not af- the three points in addition to knock-out stages in each of Al Duhail 5 3 0 2 7 7 0 9 fect the match schedule de- a draw in the other Wednes- the last two editions, Al Du- Persepolis 5 2 1 2 4 5 -1 7 termined by the AFC General day game between Sharjah hail have the ambition to go Sharjah 5 2 1 2 13 7 6 7 One point will be enough for Al Duhail to reach the Round of 16, while Al Taawoun’s fate is out of their Secretariat, the AFC Competi- and Persepolis. all the way in the 2020 AFC hands, as they would require the three points in addition to a draw in the other Thursday game between Al Taawoun 5 2 0 3 3 8 -5 6 tions Committee (or any sub- Al Duhail are leading the Champions League and head Sharjah and Persepolis. committee carrying out duties group with nine points. Perse- coach Walid Regragui be- on its behalf) may grant an polis and the UAE’s Sharjah lieves he will need each and to go far in the competition reverse fixture on Matchday not change things as they suf- won the previous match, we exception to the foregoing and both have seven points and every member of his squad to needs the efforts of all players Two, with Mohammed Al fered a 6-0 defeat to Sharjah. would still have needed to win allow the relevant Match to be are placed second and third achieve that objective.