15 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019 sports Bahrain1Racing driver Italy hammer Liechtenstein clinches Pro Mod title in NHRA series Italy stays perfect in Euro 2020 qualification with 5-0 win in Liechtenstein Andrea Belotti scored• twice for Italy AFP | Rome ndrea Belotti scored a second-half brace as Aalready-qualified Italy overran Liechtenstein 5-0 on Tuesday to stretch their perfect run in Euro 2020 qualifying to eight games and match an 80- year Italian record. Roberto Mancini’s side were assured of top spot in Group J Bahrain1Racing driver Stevie Jackson celebrates with his trophy after a 2-0 win over Greece in Rome on Saturday. TDT | Manama Khalifa on winning the World Federico Bernardeschi gave title and for leading Bahrain- Italy the lead after just two min- ahrain1Racing driver Ste- 1Racing to the highest levels utes in Vaduz but it was not un- Bvie Jackson was crowned of international motor racing.” til the last 20 minutes that the World Champion of the 2019 “Bahrain1Racing is an in- Italy’s forward Andrea Belotti scores a goal ‘Azzurri’ hammered home their E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod spiration to the drag racing domination with four late goals. ances. getting his head to the end of Series in the United States of community not only in the Belotti headed in twice for Brescia midfielder Sandro Freiburg winger Grifo’s corner. America. Kingdom of Bahrain but also a second-half brace with Ales- Tonali, 19, was also given his El Shaarawy, who plays for Behind the wheel of Bah- in the entire region, as one of sio Romagnoli and substitute first international debut in the Shanghai Shenhua, came on for rain1Racing’s supercharged the most competitive outfits Stephan El Shaarawy also scor- second half. Zaniolo after the hour mark, Camaro, Jackson clinched the globally in the sport.” ing near the end. KNOW WHAT “We struggled a bit because and set up Romagnoli for the title on Monday at the zMAX “The team’s success would Mancini celebrated his ninth we didn’t find the second goal third before scoring himself Dragway in North Carolina not have been possible without win in a row as Italy manager right away, but with so many with eight minutes to go. after winning his Pro Mod fi- the considerable efforts and to draw level with the record changes it was inevitable to Belotti completed the rout nal against fellow-American dedication of His Highness run of legendary Vittorio Pozzo Italy have won all eight spend a little time finding the when he dived to meet a Di Steven Whiteley. Shaikh Abdulla. It is also a tes- back in 1938-1939. games in Group J and right chemistry,” said Mancini. Lorenzo cross for his second Jackson, who is fondly nick- tament to the vibrant motor- Pozzo won the first two of now have nine consec- “The important thing is that goal on the night as Liechten- named “Stevie Fast”, was able sport culture we enjoy in the Italy’s four World Cup titles in utive wins all the kids are really involved. stein fell to their sixth defeat in to wrap up the championship Kingdom of Bahrain, which 1934 and 1938 and gold in the “And the truth is that in June, eight games, having held Greece battle with one round still re- has been growing exponential- 1936 Berlin Olympics I will be forced to make choices and Armenia to draws. maining in the 2019 season. It ly year after year.” “I’m more interested in his re- and some good players will have “Liechtenstein brings me is his first title in the Pro Mod On his title victory, an emo- cord of two World Cups and the changes with Paris Saint-Ger- to stay out.” luck, especially here as I got a category of the prestigious tional Jackson was quoted as Olympics, but even just winning main midfielder Marco Verrat- brace last time too,” said Belotti, National Hot Rod Association saying: “This shows that any- Euro 2020 would be enough,” ti the only survivor from the ‘Italy back’ with five of his eight Italy goals (NHRA) series. one who works hard can be a said Mancini. Greece game. With only pride to play, for against the team. BIC lauds the efforts of the champion. The 54-year-old former In- The 26-year-old took the cap- the hosts threatened early with “We’re a completely different entire Bahrain1Racing Team, “This all started in a hospi- ter Milan and Manchester City tain’s armband with Leonardo Dennis Salanovic testing Salva- team from the one that lost the led by HH Shaikh Abdulla, and tal bed in 2018 after I crashed manager took over in May 2018 Bonnucci rested, as Napoli de- tore Sirigu after just one minute. World Cup play-offs to Sweden in particular the determination here [in another race]. HH after Italy’s failure to qualify for fender Giovanni Di Lorenzo got A minute later Italy were two years ago. and skill of Jackson, who has Shaikh Abdulla said we were the World Cup. his senior Italian debut aged 26, ahead with Belotti setting up “It’s right that Italy are back once again proven that he is going to put together a team to Liechtenstein are already with winger Vincenzo Grifo, Cristiano Biraghi who connect- where we belong.” one of the top drag racers in go after the championship and eliminated from the European also 26, getting his first start. ed with Bernardeschi to finish Italy next play Bosnia and the world. that’s what we’ve done.” tournament and they also lost Roma midfielder Nicolo Za- off for his second goal in a row Herzegovina on November 15 BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Jackson will be back in ac- 6-0 to Italy in Parma last March. niolo, 20, made his first senior after Greece last weekend. with Liechtenstein travelling to Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa com- tion for Bahrain1Racing at the With qualification already start having come off the bench Belotti broke through for the second-placed Finland Liech- mented: “I congratulate HH 2019 NHRA season finale in Las in the bag, Mancini rang the in his three previous appear- second with 20 minutes to go tenstein. Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Vegas at the end of the month. Sanchez may Switzerland beat Ireland to keep automatic Euro hopes alive require surgery for ankle injury - Inter AFP | Geneva striker Aaron Connolly his first international start. Reuters | Milan aris Seferovic’s early effort Petkovic kept faith in the Hand Shane Duffy’s late own starting lineup which lost 1-0 to hile striker Alexis goal kept Switzerland’s hopes of Denmark at the weekend. CSanchez may need sur- automatic qualification for Euro The hosts claimed an ear - gery on his ankle after pick- 2020 alive with a 2-0 victory ly lead as Benfica’s Seferovic ing up an injury in their 0-0 over the Republic of Ireland on scored his first international draw with Colombia last Tuesday. goal since last November after week, his club side Inter Although Vladimir Petkovic’s a quarter of an hour. Milan have said. side have already guaranteed McCarthy’s side’s could have Sanchez injured tendons a play-off spot via the Nations equalised with four minutes of in his left ankle when he League, the win means they are the first half to play but Shane was fouled towards the end just a point behind Group D Duffy fired his header straight at of the match and missed leaders Republic and Denmark goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Tuesday’s friendly win over with two matches remaining in Defender Ricardo Rodriguez Guinea. their campaign. missed a chance to make sure Chile coach Reinaldo They also have the better of of all three points when his 77th Rueda had said after the Co- the head-to-head record with minute penalty was saved su- lombia game that Sanchez the Irish as the two teams drew perbly by Darren Randolph. could be out of action for 1-1 in September. Everton right-back Seamus two to three months if the Ireland’s destiny will come Coleman was shown a red card injury required surgery. for a hand ball which resulted in down to their final game of the Switzerland’s forward Haris Seferovic (L) scores his team’s first goal “Alexis Sanchez under- campaign against Denmark, a the spot kick. went medical tests ... Results match they need to win to qual- ager Mick McCarthy told broad- I’ll take it now,” he added. spectively. The home side’s second goal revealed a joint dislocation ify. casters Sky Sports. Captain Duffy and right-back McCarthy, in his second spell came as Duffy deflected an ef- in his left ankle which has “They were dominant in the “It’s a cup final. Beat Denmark Seamus Coleman will both miss as Republic coach, made three fort from Edimilson Fernandes caused damage to the pero- first half but we had a second to reach Euro 2020. I would the fixture in Dublin after pick- changes from Saturday’s draw in injury time into an empty neus longus tendon,” Inter half we can be proud of,” man- have taken that at the start and ing up yellow and red cards re- at Georgia, handing 19-year-old net. said in a statement..