SPORT Thursday 8 February 2018 PAGE | 32-33 PAGE | 35 PAGE | 36 Over-analysis Maxwell century Nadal signs ‘killing’‘killi football, says powers Australia to on for Queen’s Pochettino T20 win over England challenge QNB STARS LEAGUE: ROUND 16 TODAY Al Gharafa vs Al Duhail At Al Gharafa Stadium 4.40pm Al Rayyan vs Al Sadd At Al Sadd Stadium 6.50pm Al Sadd, Al Rayyan in TOMORROW Al Sailiya vs Qatar SC At Al Ahli Stadium 4.40pm Al Khor vs Umm Salal At Al Khor Stadium 6.50pm SATURDAY Al Kharaitiyat vs Al Markhiya At Al Khor Stadium 4.40pm Qatar Clasico showdown Al Arabi vs Al Ahli At Al Arabi Stadium 6.50pm THE PENINSULA Al Sadd are second in the table with 37 “Our strength is team work points, two behind Al Duhail and as many and not individual players. Ours DOHA: The Qatari giants in the more than third-placed Al Rayyan. is a squad consisting of many star field of football, Al Rayyan and Al players. The return from injury of Sadd will be seeking honours in Baghdad Bounedjah means the QNB Stars League (QSL) Al Rayyan won the first-phase of Qatar another player would be on the standings when the two sides Clasico 2-1. bench,” said Ferreira. meet in the Qatar Clasico today. His counterpart, Laudrup said: At the Al Sadd Stadium today, “The players are excited about the stakes will be high for both teams to suspension, will be back in The Wolves will miss Boualem Qatar Clasico. There can’t be a which possess equally strong line- action. Khoukhi through an injury, but better motivation for them than ups, reputation, history, Al Rayyan are coming off their have at their disposal the services the prospects of playing in this performance, popularity and fan 3-1 win over Al Markhiya, while of Akram Afif, signed on loan from match. So far, we have 11 wins and support. Al Sadd got the better of Qatar SC Villarreal, Spain. we are still four points behind Al Sadd are second in the table by the same score. Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Fer- leaders Al Duhail. with 37 points, two behind Al Al Rayyan’s first-choice goal- reira (Portugal) and his Al Rayyan “So it’s important to win and Duhail and as many more than keeper Omar Barry is experienced counterpart Michael Laudrup gain more and more points as we third-placed Al Rayyan. enough, but will find it hard to (Denmark) are both master tac- will be playing quite often now The Wolves have the likes of contain the Al Sadd offence, ticians and have produced with the AFC Champions League Spanish great Xavi Hernandez, where Algerian ace Baghdad excellent results. And that makes coming up. We must stay focused. Jugurtha Hamroun, Morteza Bounedjah is a doubtful starter the ‘Qatar Classico’ a battle for We are happy with our perform- Mohammad and Hassan Al Haid- even though he trained with the technical supremacy as well. ance so far. ous to match The Lions’ team on Sunday. Al Rayyan won the first-phase “Al Rayyan do not have play- Abderrazaq Hamdallah, Rodrigo Al Sadd custodian Saad Al of Qatar Clasico 2-1, so Al Sadd ers in the Qatar national team due Tabata, Sebastian Soria and Dossari has also proved his met- will look to settle the score. to age factor. Our players like Mohsen Moutaouli. tle, but if Hamdallah and company Speaking during a pre-match Ahmed Abdul Maqsoud and Moroccan striker Hamdallah have their way, he will also be at press conference, Al Sadd coach Mohammed Alaaeldin have the is Al Rayyan’s top scorer with 12 the receiving end. Ferreira said: “The game is cru- potential to make it to the squad,” goals and is the third highest in the In defence, The Lions are cial and we know the importance said Laudrup. list, after Al Duhail’s Youssef El served by Gonzalo Vieira, Mousa of winning it though we still have Today’s other match will Arabi (20) and Youssef Msakni (14). Haroun, Mohammed Alaelddin seven games remaining. The play- also see two top sides taking on Al Rayyan’s playmaker Rod- and Mohammed Juma, whereas ers are aware of it. We had not each other in a crunch tie. QSL rigo Tabata has scored 11 goals Morteza Mohammad, Pedro been playing with a full squad for Table leaders Al Duhail are sure and striker Sebastian Soria nine. Miguel, Abdelkarim Hassan and a long time. However, we won to make life tough for Al Al Sadd’s top scorers are Qatar Hamed Ismail man The Wolves’ many matches. Gharafa when they face off on international Hassan Al Haydous defence. “I have great confidence in my the latter’s home turf. The Red and Algerian attacking midfielder Xavi leads the charge in Al players and we have a policy to Knights, leading the table with Jugurtha Hamroun (eight goals Sadd’s midfield, also consisting of groom youngsters. Al Duhail and 39 points, will be looking to reg- each). The Algerian attacking mid- Al Haydous and Hamroun, while Al Sadd must keep winning as Al ister their 13th victory and Al Sadd and Al Rayyan players vie for the ball possession fielder, who had netted a brace in Al Rayyan have in-form Mohsine Rayyan are close behind. I am also remain as the only unbeaten during a QNB Stars League match in this file photo. their victories in Weeks 13 and 14 Moutaouli and Daniel Goumou to happy that Akram Afif has joined side so far in this season’s and missed their last match due assist Tabata. us. league competition. National Sport Day: Qatar ready to lock QATAR VS UGANDA FIXTURES: Today: President’s XI vs Uganda (T20) 6pm horns with Uganda in one-day, T20 series Tomorrow: Qatar vs Uganda (50-over match) 1pm February 10: FAWAD HUSSAIN Qatar vs Uganda (T20) 6pm February 11: DOHA: As the country celebrates Qatar vs Uganda (50-over) match 9am the National Sport Day, fans will February 13: enjoy international cricket action Qatar vs Uganda (T20) 8am in the next five days with Qatar taking on Uganda national team for a couple of one-dayers and SQUADS Twenty20 each on home soil. QATAR: Inam-Ul-Haq, Mohamed Rizlan, Qatar Cricket Association Mohamed Awais, Malik Faisal, Javed Khan, Iqbal (QCA), under the Presidency of Hussain Chaudhry, Dharmang Hasmukh Patel, Yousef Jeham Al Kuwari has Qalandar Khan, Mohamed Nadeem, Kamran organised the series to celebrate Khan, Tamoor Sajjad, Zaheeruddeen Ibrahim, National Sport Day while the Mohamed Tanveer, Mohamed Imran Ashraf and series will also help the team to Khurram Shahzad prepare for the forthcoming tour UGANDA: Roger Mukasa, Hamu Kayondo of Kuwait. Bagenda, Zephania Arinaitwe, Simon Sseazi, The series between Qatar and Uganda will start tomorrow Shahzad Ukani, Lloyd Paternott, Deusdedit with a 50-over match to be Muhumuza, Brian Masaba, Frank Nsubuga, played at Asian Town Cricket Kenneth Waiswa, Fred Achelam, Irfan Stadium, which will also host all Sahibzada, Henry Senyondo, Charles Waiswa, the matches involving the tour- Trevor Bukenya, Bilal Hassun and Riazat Ali ing side. After the opening match, Shah Officials: Jackson Kavuma, Stephen Ogonji both the teams will lock horns Yousef Jeham Al Kuwari, President of Qatar Cricket Association QCA (centre) presenting a memento to Ugandan team manager Jackson Tikolo, Habiba Kulusumu Anguyo in a T20 match on Saturday, fol- in the presence of QCA and Uganda cricket officials during a press conference held in Doha yesterday.Picture: Abdul Basit/The Peninsula PRESIDENT’S XI: Ushantha (HBK), Gayan lowed by second one-day game (Galfar Al Misnad), Anoop (Tusker), Phillip on February 11 with the final T20 (CBQ), Khalid Khateeb (Royal Stars), Mujeeb-Ur to be played on National Sport Qatar Rugby, Hockey and Cricket National Sport Day,” he said. series against their African coun- shape and are ready for the Rehman (Feroz Youngsters), Shahid (Royal Day on February 13. Federation (QRHCF) Yousef The president added the terparts,” he said. series,” said QCA Operations Stars), Noman Sarvar (Feroz Youngsters), Uganda arrived in Doha on Jeham told a press conference series will help to prepare Qatar Most of the Qatar’s play- Manager Manzoor Ahmad. Mansoor Khalid (Qatar Airways), Mohamed Tuesday night and were received yesterday. for the Kuwait tour where the ers are engaged in domestic “We are hoping for good by top QCA officials. The visitors “We are looking for an excit- team will feature at Asian tournaments with their results against the side which Mirza (Police), Moiz Siddiqui (ex-under-19 will start their tour with a T20 ing series and expecting a lot of regional qualifiers for the ICC respective teams. Apart from is higher in the international player), Awais Junior (Royal Stars), Omran game against President XI today. fans to come to the venue to Twenty20 World Cup in April. that, the national team has rankings. The series will help Hussain (Qatari Diar), Mugheeb (HBK), Waleed “We welcome the Uganda watch live action. We will do our “Our team is working hard also been undergoing exten- the team to gain confidence (CBQ), Harris Butt (Al Feroz), Nafees (Qatari national team for the Bilateral best to host the series in a befit- for the future competitions and sive training sessions. for Kuwait assignment,” he Diar) and Hussain Khan (ex-under-19 player) Cricket Series,” President of ting manner on the occasion of I hope they will benefit from the “The players are in good added. 30 SPORT THURSDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2018 Russia’s Maria Sharapova sits on a motorcycle after France a ‘must-win’ defeating compatriot Vera Zvonareva in the final of the game for Scots, Qatar Open tournament in Doha in this 2008 file picture.