FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 6 PSG say Mbappe to stay next season Tuesday, May 21, 2019 GOLF Ramadan 16, 1440 AH Koepka wins fourth GULF TIMES major aft er avoiding fi nal round collapse SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL/AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Xavi’s last match ends in defeat for Al Sadd Al Sadd’s Spanish midfielder Xavi receives gifts from Persepolis off icials during the AFC Champions League group D match at Al Sadd had already qualified for the last 16 of the the Azadi Stadium in Tehran yesterday. It was the final match of the Spain and Barcelona legend’s playing career. Asian tournament and they had hoped a victory would be an apt send-off for their captain yesterday Agencies Tehran avi Hernandez’s dazzling career came to an anticli- mactic end when his side Al Sadd were beaten 2-0 by XIranian giants Persepolis in their last group match of the AFC Champions League yesterday. The 39-year-old midfi eld genius, who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010 besides helping Barcelona win two UEFA Champions League and eight La Liga titles, was cheered by poster-carrying fans at the Azadi Sta- dium in Tehran where already elimi- nated Persepolis put on an improved display to register only their second win in six matches. Xavi was also honoured by the Persepolis management, but Al Sadd’s second defeat in a row, following their 4-1 thrashing by domestic rivals Al Duhail in last week’s Amir Cup fi nal in Persepolis supporters carry a poster of Xavi at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran Doha, must have left him with mixed yesterday. feelings. Al Sadd had already qualifi ed for the the 16th minute and made it count post after goalkeeper Beiranvand was last 16 of the Asian tournament and with Mehdi Torabi waltzing off on a beaten. they had hoped a victory on Monday 30-yard run following a pass from Persepolis made it 2-0 in the 67th would be an apt send-off for their cap- Ahmad Noorollahi and scoring with a minute with Torabi racing down the tain who has been with them for four thunderous drive past Al Sadd goal- left fl ank and passing perfectly for Ali years. keeper Saad al-Sheeb. Alipour, who evaded Tarek Salman’s But although the Spaniard produced They could have consolidated their attempted tackle before a powerful some signature passes and watched a lead in the 60th minute but Al Sadd low shot saw the ball beat al-Sheeb all free-kick late in the game sail agonis- midfi elder Salem al-Hajri found him- ends up. ingly over the goalpost, it was hosts self perfectly positioned to clear the Xavi, however had a great chance Persepolis who made the most of the ball on the goalline after Mohsen Rab- to go out in style but his 81st minute chances that came their way. ikhah had beaten goalkeeper al-Sheeb free-kick just skimmed the top of the Before that though the Persepolis from the edge of the penalty box fol- net and went behind for a goalkick. goal had survived a scare in the fi fth lowing a corner. Al Sadd, who yesterday failed to minute when Xavi collected the ball It seemed all the luck was with score for the fi rst time in six AFC group near the centre and passed to Baghdad Persepolis as Al Sadd were denied by matches, will now have to wait for the Bounedjah but the Algerian’s lob was the woodwork in the 64th minute, late game between Uzbekistan’s Pa- defl ected away by a leaping Persepolis 2018 AFC Player of the Year Abdelka- khtakor and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli to goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand. rim Hassan’s powerful 35-yard shot learn if the top Group D or fi nish sec- Persepolis got their fi rst chance in richocheting of the bottom of the ond. Muneer helps Duhail clinch draw against Hilal Doha (AFC): A late strike from substi- fashion with Al Hilal applying high pres- the off ensive and Sebastian Giovinco tute Khalid Muneer earned Al Duhail sure on their opponents and Rui Faria’s started an attacking move the centre SC a 2-2 draw against Saudi Arabia’s Al men depending on counter attacks to circle, moving the ball out to al-Burayk Hilal in their AFC Champions League do the damage. then Eduardo whose backheel pass Group C match in Doha yesterday. Gomis pressed on Al Duhail goal- found Hattan Bahebri. After a cagey start to the match, Al keeper Khalifa Ababacar, forcing him to The Saudi international midfielder set Duhail hit on the counter to score from concede a throw in which was quickly up Gomis to drive an eff ort from the the first real opportunity. Ahmed Yasser played, finding Mohamed Kanno who edge of the box into the bottom corner sent a cross-field pass for Abdullah fired from inside the box. Ababacar for his and Al Hilal’s second of the night. al-Ahrak who broke the off side trap and spilled his save into the path of Gomis One minute into the three minutes of pulled the ball back for Youssef El Arabi who pounced on the loose ball to fire added time, Edmilson took possession to hit first-time into the top corner in home the equaliser at the half-hour of the ball inside Al Hilal box following the 15th minute. mark. a poor clearance. The Brazilian used Later, a quick exchange of passes deep Al Hilal piled the pressure towards the his trickery to get past his marker and into Al Duhail’s half saw the ball reach end of the opening period and were sent a cross that was deflected off a Mohamed close to doubling their lead through defender. al-Burayk down the right. The full-back Carlos Eduardo who took Gomis’ Muneer controlled the ball with his crossed for Bafetimbi Gomis who went cushioned pass on the half-volley but head and volleyed into the far corner, for the spectacular, but his overhead struck the crossbar seven minutes leaving Al Mayouf helpless to save and kick sailed high over the crossbar. from half-time. earning his side a hard-fought point The first half continued in the same After the break, Al Hilal continued on right at the death. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, May 21, 2019 SPORT SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Superlatives fl ow for Koepka but Koepka avoids challenges ahead Reuters could go to, but Brooks gets him- Farmingdale, US self there via the little chips, via the negative comments he gets from people.” rooks Koepka received Former world number three collapse to win lots of plaudits for his Paul Casey puts Koepka in an PGA Championship vic- elite class of players that he has Btory on Sunday and the seen over his two decades on American will no longer be able tour. to slip into major champion- “His physical attributes on the ships almost unnoticed as he has golf course put him in a category become the man to beat for the that only one or two guys can re- foreseeable future at least. ally compete with when he gets fourth major title Winning four major champi- going, Dustin and Rory (McIlroy) onships in eight starts tends to and some other guys, JT (Justin make a golfer hard to ignore, not Thomas) probably,” said the Eng- that his two-stroke victory over lishman. compatriot Dustin Johnson at All four of Koepka’s ma- Bethpage Black on Sunday sur- jor wins have come on courses prised his peers as he retained his where power was key, but next 'I’m just glad title. month’s US Open and July’s Brit- Graeme McDowell, who will ish Open at Royal Portrush will return to Pebble Beach next test whether he can dominate on we don’t month for the US Open after his courses where fi nesse is just as victory there in 2010, described important as brute strength. 29-year-old Koepka as a cross Not that power is ever a bad have any between Tiger Woods and John- thing but, like a Ferrari stuck in son. rush hour traffi c, there are places “To me Brooks is like Dustin where that extra power cannot more holes with Tiger’s mind, a phenomenal really be put to good use. athlete with an incredible mind- Northern Irishman McIlroy, set, able to go to this deep dark who has been stuck on four ma- to play' place that not a lot of golfers can jor wins since 2014, said the big- fi nd,” the Northern Irishman said gest challenge Koepka faced was on Sunday. being able to manage his time “I hope he really stamps his wisely with the extra demands authority on world golf because and fi nancial opportunities be- he deserves to be there.” ing world number one bring. Koepka openly acknowledges “Big thing for me was... say- playing with a chip on his shoul- ing no to things, just making sure der because he does not believe that golf and your performance his achievements have received is still the number one priority,” the praise they deserve. It is a McIlroy said. mindset McDowell envies. “When you start to win majors “You can’t teach somebody and you start to get all these op- to think the way that Brooks portunities, you have to make the Koepka thinks. I wish I could... most of those, as well, because, use negativity the way he’s able at the end of the day, we’re here to use it.