Sport SATURDAY 17 APRIL 2021 Kipchoge warming up for Olympics in Netherlands race My goal is the same - to run a good race and a beautiful race. All of us will enjoy, we will test our- selves, the shape we will have on Sunday, but above is the beauty of the race. EliudE Kipchoge Sport | 15 CRICKET: Pakistan 149 for 7 (Zaman 60, Magala 2-33) beat South Africa (Van der Dussen 52, Ashraf 3-17, Ali 3-40) 144 by 3 wickets Al Sadd eye full points against strong Al Nassr; Al Rayyan face Persepolis THE PENINSULA/AFC – RIYADH Al Sadd players take part in a practice session yesterday a the King Saud University Stadium. Al Sadd will be looking to collect full points against a 'strong' Al GROUP STAGE: TODAY'S Nassr side when the familiar FIXTURES opponents meet on the second matchday in Group D of the GROUP E 2021 AFC Champions League Al Wahda FSCC (UAE) vs FC Goa (IND) today. GROUP B The Qatari football giants Air Force Club (IRQ) vs Pakhtakor will be targeting their first win (UZB) in the Group stage today after GROUP E being denied full points on Al Rayyan SC (QAT) vs Persepolis FC Wednesday following a one-all (IRN) draw against Iran’s Foolad Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Khouzestan where Boualem Kick off at 8:00pm Khoukhi’s last gasp goal saved GROUP D their blushes. Al Nassr (KSA) vs Al Sadd SC (QAT) Al Nassr were also denied King Saud University Stadium (Riyadh) an opening day win by tour- Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez during a press conference yesterday. Kick off at 9:00pm nament debutantes Al Wehdat GROUP D on Wednesday, with the hosts Foolad Khouzestan FC (IRN) vs Al frustrated despite controlling 67 Champions League final defeat competitions after three losses Wehdat (JOR) percent of possession. against Korea Republic’s Ulsan and one draw in the Qatar Stars GROUP B The two teams faced at the Hyundai FC. League. Tractor FC (IRN) vs Sharjah (UAE) same stage last year, with the Persepolis have not lost in However, with only the matches ending 1-1 and 2-2, as their last five matches in all group winners assured of both advanced to the Round of competitions, with their only advancing, Al Rayyan will defi- “The pressure is on Perse- 16. blemish being a 1-1 draw against nitely take the game to Goa. polis and not with Al Rayyan. That, however, is not the Shahr Khodro in the Iran Pro “The result from the last Persepolis and Al Wahda are case this year with only the League on April 3. match was not good for Al the favourites of the group. group winners confirmed of Al Rayyan will be aiming for Rayyan because I think we Last year they (Persepolis) going through, with the three an upset at Pandit Jawaharlal deserved to win and scoring the reached the final of the AFC best second-placed teams from Nehru Stadium after failing to first goal is very important,” said Champions League and a the five West groups also secure three points against FC Blanc. couple of times reached the advancing. Goa. “Against Persepolis, we need semi-finals.” Al Sadd coach Xavi Hern- Their Matchday One to apply the same intensity and The teams met in the group andez yesterday said that he is stalemate means Laurent Blanc’s that is to keep the ball high up stage of the 2017 edition with expecting a strong game. “We trust in our own ended with draws, so naturally men have not tasted victory in and score at least one or two Al Rayyan having the edge with “I know Al Nassr very well, process and players, and we all the teams will be more com- their last five encounters in all goals. one win and a draw. it is an excellent team and they have to keep going,” Xavi said. petitive to get the win now,” compete strongly. Yes, the Responding to a question said Menezes. coach has changed, but it is a about COVID-19 cases “We coaches know the strong team in a difficult group. reported among members of expectations of fans are high, Our goal of the match is to win the Al Nassr squad, Xavi said: and we will need some time to and collect three points in order “This is the first time I’m fill in the gaps. to qualify from the group,” Xavi hearing that some Al Nassr “There are three things that said during a pre-match press players have been infected we will need to focus on. Firstly, conference. with the coronavirus, which is we need to close the distance While the Barca legend was very sad, and I hope that eve- between our defence and not pleased with Wednesday's ryone recovers.” attack. Secondly, we need to be result, he welcomed Al Sadd’s He added: “This will not able to regain possession willingness to fight till the end change anything on the pitch. quickly, and lastly, to be more and will expect a more potent We are preparing well for the organised in our attacks.” outing from Baghdad match in training and we will Elsewhere, in Goa, India, Bounedjah and his team-mates go into the game with full force Laurent Blanc-coached Al at the King Saud University to get the win. It will not be easy Rayyan will face a tough Stadium. for the two teams.” opponent, Persepolis FC of Iran “We expect a really tough “We will play in our usual who will be looking to extend game against one of the best way, the strategy of the team their winning start in Group E. clubs in my opinion,” said Xavi. will be the same. We will enter The 2019 AFC Champions “We played against them twice the match in order to win and League runners-up defeated so we know. The target doesn’t get three points for our cam- UAE’s Al Wahda 1-0 on change, we are still aiming for paign in this difficult group,” Wednesday, while the other all three points.” Xavi said. Matchday One tie saw Al Xavi wasn’t worried about The Mano Menezes- Rayyan held to a goalless draw Mano Menezes taking charge of coached Al Nassr will not be by India’s FC Goa. Al Nassr, and said: “Not lacking in confidence when they Judging by their current expecting much changes to the play the Qatar Stars League form, Yahya Golmohammadi’s Al Rayyan players take part in a way they play. They are more champions. charges have certainly put practice session in Goa yesterday. or less the same team. “The first round of matches behind last season’s AFC Rublev beats 11-time champ Nadal at Monte Carlo Masters Russia’s Andrey REUTERS – MONACO Rublev in action tournament since losing Rafa Nadal suffered a shock to Tsitsipas in the Aus- during his quarter-final defeat by Russian tralian Open quarter-finals, quarter-final Andrey Rublev at the Monte Carlo but had shown no sign of rust match against Masters yesterday as he was over- while dropping only five games Spain’s Rafael powered 6-2 4-6 6-2, only his sixth in his opening two matches. Nadal ever loss at the tournament he has But Rublev proved a very dif- yesterday. won 11 times. ferent proposition with his ultra- The Spaniard was in danger of aggressive style preventing Nadal being thrashed when Rublev led from being able to set the pattern by a break in the second set, having as he usually does on one of his dominated the opener, but showed favourite stages. Nadal had no his trademark grit to battle back. answer to Rublev in the first set Rublev was unrelenting, and looked close to defeat when however, and bludgeoned his way Rublev had points for a double into a 5-1 lead in the second set break in the second set. He dug his after break the Nadal serve three Nadal looks dejected as he leaves after losing his heels in though and clawed his way times. Nadal held serve but the quarter final match against Rublev. back to take the set in 74 minutes. 23-year-old world number eight Normal service had not been then finished it off with a crushing resumed though as Rublev broke forehand winner. unfamiliar look with Rublev up number one Novak Djokovic on at the start of the decider and It was Rublev’s first win against against Norway’s Casper Ruud who Thursday and followed up by although Nadal broke back imme- Nadal and the first time had knocked out 2019 champion Fabio knocking out David Goffin, plays diately, the Russian’s brute force managed to win a set. Fognini 6-4 6-3. In the other half fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. eventually wore down the 20-time The semi-finals have an Dan Evans, who beat world Nadal, 34, was playing his first Grand Slam champion. Sport SATURDAY 17 APRIL 2021 15 Record holder Kipchoge warming up 100-meter champ Coleman to miss Olympics for Olympics in Netherlands race despite reduced ban REUTERS – ENSHEDEENSHEDE ththisis LondonLondon marathonmarathon hadhad wonwo 10 AP – GENEVA time,time, straightstraight races, said he hadhad suf- Kenya’s EliudEliud Kipchoge, the I really feredfered from a blocked eaearr that The man who had been expected to succeed Usain Bolt as Olympic Olympic mmarathonarathon champion race,”race,” he want to affectedaffected his breathing and champion will miss the Tokyo Games after failing yesterday in and worldd record holder, said toldt old runrun a crampcramp in his hip.