SPORT Tuesday 21 February 2017 PAGE | 25 PAGE | 27 Cricket: England's Man City braced Stokes hits jackpot for Monaco in in IPL auction Champions League Lekhwiya trounce Al Jazira in opener Brace for Youssef Youssef El Arabi In-form Al Rayyan aim strikes twice in Lekhwiya's 3-0 win over Al Jazira in their AFC Champions to start with a flourish League Group B opener in Doha. The Peninsula The Peninsula atar’s Al Rayyan domi- nated the 2016 Qatar Stars oussef El Arabi QLeague season – winning bagged a brace as a the title by 14 points – but their dominant Lekhwiya return to Asia’s premier club claimed a 3-0 vic- competition following a three- tory over Al Jazira in year hiatus will be a thorough theirY 2017 AFC Champions test of their credentials, begin- League Group B opener at ning with the Group D visit of Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium Play-off winners Al Wahda of yesterday. the United Arab Emirates. The hosts opened the scor- Both sides are taking part in ing 11 minutes into the game the AFC Champions League for when El Arabi continued his fine the seventh time although Al goalscoring form of late by Rayyan have never made it out Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup speaking on the eve of heading in Youssef Msakni’s of the group stages, while Al the AFC Champions league match against Al Wahda in cross from the right from six Wahda reached the semi-finals Doha yesterday. yards, before Msakni deservedly in 2007. In that year’s edition Al doubled the Qatari side’s lead Wahda also beat Al Rayyan both with 10 minutes remaining. home (3-0) and away (1-0). the continental stage after miss- C opener today. El Arabi then tapped in from Hosts Al Rayyan are the ing out last year. AFC Champions League run- substitute Ali Afif’s centre in form side with four wins in their Two-time Asian champions ners-up in 2012, Al Ahli come added time to wrap up a com- Youssef El Arabi (left) of Lekhwiya is locked in an aerial battle last five domestic fixtures while Al Hilal do hold the psycholog- into the tie at King Abdullah fortable victory for Lekhwiya as with an Al Jazira player during the AFC Champions League the visitors have won just once ical edge over Persepolis as far Sports City on the back of Sat- the Emiratis’ winless run in the Group B opener at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha in the UAE Pro League since Jan- as the form book is concerned urday’s 2-0 Saudi Pro League continental competition yesterday. Lekhwiya won 3-0. Youssef (inset) scored two uary 14. Al Wahda did, though, having won two and drawn one defeat to Al Nassr and they now stretched to eight games. goals. comfortably defeat Jordan’s Al of their four previous AFC lie seven points behind front- Meanwhile, Chan Yuen-ting, Wehdat 3-0 in the play-offs a Champions league encounters. runners Al Hilal. head coach of Hong Kong's East- who have twice won the Cup in 2002," she told the Asian fortnight ago. The Riyadh club also eliminated By contrast, Bunyodkor are ern Sports Club, will become the competition. Football Confederation website In another Group D clash Persepolis in the Round of 16 yet to begin their domestic first woman ever to guide a The 28-year-old Chan led (www.the-afc.com). today in Muscat, The Sultan two years ago in a 3-1 aggregate league but enjoyed victory in men's team in a continental Eastern to the Hong Kong Pre- "I never imagined or Qaboos Sports Complex will see win. their first competitive action of competition when they kick off mier League title last year, and expected this could happen but a clash of Asian giants when Meanwhile, after claiming 2017 when they eliminated El their Asian Champions League will now test her mettle against now we're going to play against Tehran powerhouse Persepolis their third top-flight Saudi Ara- Jaish in the Play-offs on penal- campaign at Guangzhou Ever- Guangzhou's coach and former him so I feel excited and I'm face Saudi heavyweights Al bian championship, Al Ahli ties earlier this month. grande today. World Cup winner Luiz Felipe looking forward to meeting Hilal. ensured a return to the AFC The club from Tashkent Eastern, the first team to Scolari. him. Persepolis lost out on the Champions League for a third have twice reached the last four represent Hong Kong at Asia's "It's quite amazing, espe- "But I know at this moment 2015-16 Persian Gulf Pro League successive year and will face the of the continental tournament, top club football competition, cially when you watch the all I need to do is focus on our on goal difference to Esteghlal challenge of a youthful FC in 2008 and 2012, but have face a tough opening encounter games when he was coaching team and concentrate on the Khouzestan, but their second- Bunyodkor side that advanced failed to progress beyond the at Chinese giants Guangzhou, Brazil and they won the World work that we are doing." place finish ensured a return to via the Play-offs in their Group group stage since 2014. Qatar University Bartekova clinches skeet title in Qatar League: Stage set for football final Armstrong Vas five Olympic Games from 1988 The Peninsula to 2008, took the silver. Another Russian Marina on Thursday ondon Olympic Games Belikova took the bronze. bronze medallist Danka The 32-year-old Russian, The Peninsula LBarteková of Slovakia won winner of a silver medal at the the women’s skeet title at the 2011 European Shooting Cham- atar University (QU) is set to Qatar Total Open at the Losail pionships in Belgrade, Serbia, play Qatar Aeronautical Shooting Range yesterday. shot 11 targets less then the win- QCollege (QAC) in the final of The 32-year-old, an alumni ner. Barteková shot 53 in the the University League this of University of Matej Bel, Ban- final rounds while Demina had weekend. ska Bystrica, Slovakia, came on a scorecard of 48. The football match will kick top in a field of 32 shooters. Qatar’s Sarah Mohamed fin- off at 7pm on Thursday, February Barteková, a member of the ished eight after failing to score 23, at Qatar Foundation’s Recre- IOC Athletes' Commission since in the three-way shoot-out for ation Center, Pitch 1. 2012, overcame the challenge of the last qualifying place in the In addition, the third place veteran Russian shooter Svetlana final after finishing behind play-off will be played and will Demina in the medal rounds. Vanessa Hauff and Russia’s see Hamad bin Khalifa University "I'm very happy because we Anastasiia Krakhmaleva. Last (HBKU), who lost to QU 2-0 in the had very difficult weather con- year's winner Amber Hill of Brit- Danka Bartekova (centre) of Slovakia, winner of the skeet title at the Qatar Total Open, semi-finals, take on Northwest- ditions. It was thirteen degrees ain came sixth. The final round celebrates on the podium at the Losail Shooting Range, after receiving the winner's cheque ern University in Qatar (NU-Q), and the winds were strong, of the men's skeet will take place from Qatar Shooting and Archery Association (QSAA) General Secretary Ahmed Majid Al Nuaimi who lost to QAC 2-1 in the semi- which reflected in the scores," today, the last event of the nine- yesterday. Svetlana Demina (left) of Russia finished second and Marina Belikova also of Russia, finals. The four-month said the winner. day competition. took the bronze. BOTTOM RIGHT: Bartekova is congratulated by Qatar's Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah. competition saw eight colleges "I am satisfied, although I and universities taking part. have lot of hard work to do and Sponsored by the Supreme Qatar’s Sarah improve my performance. But I Committee for Delivery & Legacy know that I on the right track. Mohamed in action. (SC), the University League, is a "I am happy that i won the joint initiative launched in 2013 first medal of the year. As for the by the Qatar Football Association final round I did not know what (QFA) and Qatar Foundation for to expect. It was focused from Education, Science and Commu- the beginning and found the tar- nity Development (QF) which aims get and my tactics worked, "said to raise awareness about the Barteková. importance of community-based The 55-year-old Demina, a football initiatives and the posi- silver medal at the 2000 Olym- tive impact football has on healthy pic Games having compete at lifestyles. SPORT 21 FEBRUARY 2017 TUESDAY 25 England's Stokes hits jackpot in IPL auction Bangalore Englishmen earn big Wozniacki AFP Davis grabs on the rise ngland players All-Star MVP attracted megabucks $2m in WTA bids in the Indian Pre- All-rounder Ben Stokes on home mier League auction sets a new record for a yesterday, with all- foreigner by joining the Erounder Ben Stokes setting a rankings Rising Pune Supergiants court new record for a foreigner by joining the Rising Pune Super- for more than $2m New Orleans Paris giants for more than $2m. AFP AFP England pace bowler Tymal Mills was the big surprise as he nthony Davis (pictured aroline Wozniacki (pic- went to the Royal Challengers $1.8m above) scored a record tured above) moved up Bangalore for $1.8m, even England pace bowler Tymal A52 points on his home Cto 15th place in the lat- though he has only played four Mills big surprise at auction court as the West team con- est WTA rankings after the Twenty20 internationals.