SPORT Sunday 1 October 2017 PAGE | 26 PAGE | 30 PAGE | 31 Ali new member off Thunder’s Westbrookk Mickelson helps 5000 Test club hits jackpot with UUSS grab big lead at defies Sri Lanka $205m deal Presidents Cup Al Arabi edge Qatar SC for first win Rizwan Rehmat The Peninsula Players of Al Arabi celebrate a goal opular side Al Arabi against Qatar SC yesterday produced a in their QNB Stars hard-fought 2-1 win League match at over Qatar SC in round the Arabi Stadium three of the QNB Stars yesterday. PLeague. Picture: Salim Diego Jardel (10) and Mardik Matramkot/The Mardikian (43) scored two-first- Peninsula half goals as Al Arabi - coached by Kais Yacoubi - posted their first win of the new season. In the first two rounds, Al Arabi lost to Al Duhail and Al Sailiya. Qatar SC, who beat QNB Stars League newcomers Al Markhiyah 1-0 last week, yes- terday could not unsettle Al Arabi who were playing on home soil. For Qatar, substitute Yousuf Mohammed Al Kubaisi (63) timid deflection from Turkish Close to the Qatar SC box and The ball ricocheted off Hamza’s Al Arabi goalmouth but his shot In the second match, Umm Salal scored the only goal for his side midfielder Mahamdou Bezannier under pressure from Brazilian hand and landed at Mardikian’s was blocked by home ‘keeper collected full points with a 2-0 playing at Grand Hamad who had only Al Arabi goal- midfielder Bruno Gallo, Jardel feet who quickly slipped the ball Naim. Moments later, Qatar SC’s win over Al Ahli. Stadium. keeper Muhannad Naim to beat produced a left-footed drive that with a low shot in the 43rd Al Kubaisi was not to be denied. Yannick Sagbo gave the win- Underlining their intention from close range following a lob sailed into the net as goalkeeper minute. Following a goalmouth melee ners the lead in the 23rd minute to score first, visitors Qatar SC from the midfield. Muhannad Naim’s dive to his left In the 56th minute, Qatar’s after a corner kick, Al Kubaisi while Mahir Yousef put the issue launched the first attack in the Despite the early burst of proved futile. Al Kubaisi fired one towards the slipped low ball past ‘keeper beyond doubt with an injury time opening minute but a wayward energy from the visitors, Al Arabi Two minutes from the first- Naim for his team’s first goal in goal. finish on a direct shot from opened the scoring through half whistle, Al Arabi doubled QNB STARS LEAGUE: the 62nd minute. Umm Salal now have seven Abdullah Mubarik killed the Jardel in the 10th minute. The their lead. YESTERDAY’S RESULTS The referee allowed nearly points from three matches, with move. Brazilian attacking midfielder Suad Natiq Naji produced a 8 minutes of extra time - forced two wins and one draw and are Continuing the same rhythm, latched on to a lose ball near the left-footed drive from inside the Al Arabi 2 Qatar SC 1 by numerous stoppages - but Al in third place behind leaders Qatar SC in the 5th minute nearly half-line and ran a fair distance Qatar SC box but the ball was Al Ahli 0 Umm Salal 2 Arabi defended stoutly to seal Duhail and Al Sadd, both who ended up scoring but for the towards the Qatar SC goal. blocked by goalkeeper Hamza. their first win of the new season. have nine points. 26 SPORT SUNDAY 1 OCTOBER 2017 Vazirabad storms to Qatar Prix du Cadran win The Peninsula Watrigant took a double in the Qatar Total Arabian Trophy des he Qatar Prix du Juments (4 year old fillies), a Cadran (Gr1) was one Group 1 for Purebred Arabians. of the few big French Both his runners, Muneera and races missing from Jamaheer, finished in the first top French stayer two places. Both of these fillies TVazirabad record. Yesterday, ran last time out at La Teste, the horse owned by Aga Khan again finishing first and second, won in style the event and in in the Prix Nevadour (Group 3 the process to take his third Gr1 PA), where Jamaheer had fin- victory. ished in front of Muneera. The race was led by Mille et Muneera, who runs in the Mille, winner of the 2015 run- colours of Al Nujaifii Racing, ning of the Qatar Prix du had her revenge yesterday, on Cadran, whilst the eventual the softer ground that she winner travelled towards the prefers. rear of the field. Juliet Rose gave her all to Once 450m from the line, retain her title in the Qatar Prix Christophe Soumillon pulled de Royallieu (Group 2) while out Vazirabad and he went eas- Garlingari follows in the foot- ily to the lead to win by just steps of Cirrus des Aigles in the under a length. Qatar Prix Dollar. Mille et Mille came second. Elsewhere, Taareef retains The Czech runner, Trip to Rho- his title in the Qatar Prix Dan- dos, ran well to finish third iel Wildenstein (Group 2), a race seven lengths back. that he had already won in This was Aga Khan’s third 2016. win in the Qatar Prix du Cadran Royal Julius led the race at and a second for the trainer, a decent pace. The eventual Alain de Royer Dupré. winner was held up towards the “He won, but I don’t think rear, become coming on the Owner of Vazibarad, Aga Khan posing with Qatar Prix Du Cardan (Gr1) trophy that we saw Vazirabad at his attack 450 meters from the fin- along with jockey Christophe Soumillon and other members of the winning best today. He was perhaps ishing line. team. Right: Muneera, winner of Qatar Total Arabian Trophy Des Juments 1, in moving a little less well than He came up to join Hathal, action during the race. usual. In the straight, he was before passing him with ease, hanging a bit to the right. He and pulling clear. Taareef won will run in the Prix Royal Oak, by just over a length in front of at a racecourse that he loves, a fast-finishing Buthela. Noor Saint-Cloud. After that, Meydan Al Hawa was third by a little is a possibility. under a length. “I won’t write off the Ascot In the other races, Dice Roll Gold Cup just yet, but he is a wins the first ever edition of the horse that will last, and so we Haras de Bouquetot – Critérium won’t run him if the weather is de la Vente d’Octobre Arqana too hot, or the track too quick,” a new race this year, for 2 year Dupre said. old colts and fillies who were In other races, Ice Breeze bought at the Arqana October gave Prince Khalid Abdullah his Yearling Sale. first win of the weekend in The prize money of this Qatar Prix Chaudenay (Groupe race which is exceptionally 2), the opening race of the Qatar high for a Class 1 (€271,260) Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with attracted 18 runners, and Dice the horse owned by Prince Roll, in the colours of Giacomo Khalid Abdullah finishing first. Algranti was the clear Meanwhile. Damien de winner. Maradona’s Kolkata trip Stamford Bridge to host Aspire4Sport postponed Congress and Exhibition next week Kolkata IANS The Peninsula making it one of the largest rgentine legend Diego gatherings of its kind anywhere Maradona yesterday said eading figures from sport, in the world. Ahis trip to Kolkata would business and technology Club representatives will be postponed from October 2 Lwill gather at Stamford gather to discuss and exchange to October 8 during the FIFA Bridge, London on October 6 views on modern training Under-17 World Cup. and 7, for a two-day event methodologies, using a dynamic Maradona is slated to visit designed to shape the future of and engaging approach com- the city for the second time the sports industry, enhance the prising roundtable discussions, when Chile take on England and fan experience and spread best workshops, master classes, Iraq play Mexico in two group practice in athlete open debates and Star Chats F matches of the U-17 World development. with legends of the game. Cup at the revamped Salt Lake The unique event brings These will be delivered by Stadium here. together unparalleled network- some of the biggest names in The 56-year-old’s visit to ing and business opportunities football such as former Italian the city has now been post- for the sports business indus- coach, Arrigo Sacchi, one of poned for the third time. try. It will review the latest the most influential managers “To the people of Kolkata, I coaching techniques and meth- of all time, Crystal Palace FC would like to tell you that due to odologies practiced by leading manager Roy Hodgson, retired my work obligations in the Arab proponents of the game, help- Former Barcelona star Xavi, who now plays for Al Sadd in the QNB Stars League, Portuguese footballer and Emirates, my visit to India on ing improve sports performance answering questions during the Chat session at the Aspire4Sport conference in this coach Paulo Sousa, former October 2 has been postponed,” globally and supporting the file picture of last year. Xavi’s former team-mate at Barcelona Carles Puyol is also seen. Newcastle coach, Kevin read the English translation of a strategy for developing the Keegan, and former French Spanish post on Maradona’s offi- Qatar 2022 national team. football and assistant coach at cial Facebook page.