FOOTBALL | Page 4 NBA | Page 5 Ronaldo Raptors rip hat-trick injury-hit sends Portugal Warriors to into fi nal regain lead Friday, June 7, 2019 CRICKET Shawwal 4, 1440 AH Coulter-Nile GULF TIMES sparks Australia revival win over West Indies SPORT Page 2 Qatar players line up prior to the start of their friendly international against Brazil on Wednesday night in Brasilia. FOOTBALL Neymar out of Copa after injury during Qatar match RICHARLISON, JESUS SCORE FOR BRAZIL IN 2-0 VICTORY Sanchez praises Qatar performance AFP Rio de Janeiro Qatar coach Felix Sanchez “We managed to keep up with praised Qatar for putting up a the Brazilian team for most of spirited performance against the first half. And in the second razil star Neymar has been Brazil in their international half they really played very well. ruled out of the Copa friendly on Wednesday. He said Sanchez, who guided Qatar to America after tearing an- the Al Anabi acquitted them- their first-ever Asian Cup title kle ligaments during his selves well against the five-times earlier this year, said the experi- Bcountry’s 2-0 win over Qatar in a world champions which had ence of playing Brazil will help pre-tournament friendly, capping stars such as Neymar, Dani Alves, the players no end. a troubled season for the world’s Gabriel Jesus and others in their “The Qatari players have gained most expensive player. ranks. a lot of experience from this en- The injury to the Paris Saint- “This game was very important counter, which will give them a Germain player is a huge blow to for us as because it was part of boost in the upcoming matches host nation Brazil’s preparations our preparations for the Copa in the Copa America, where we for the South American continen- America. Also in the long run will play in a very diff icult group.” tal championship, which begins in it is important because we are Sanchez concluded his remarks just over a week’s time. getting ready to play in the FIFA and wished the speedy recovery A distraught-looking Neymar World Cup in Qatar in 2022,” he of Brazilian star Neymar after covered his face with his hands as added. players coped well with the pres- he suff ered an injury during the he sat on the bench after hobbling The Spaniard said that the sure of playing the Samba Kings. match. from the fi eld in the 20th minute at Brasilia’s Mane Garrincha Stadium on Wednesday. A large ice pack had been strapped to his lower right leg. “Due to the seriousness of the injury, Neymar will neither be fi t nor have time to recuperate suf- fi ciently to participate” in the tournament, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said. The injury comes just nine With his right leg covered by an ice pack, Neymar is helped off the ground by team staff on Wednesday days before Brazil’s opening Copa night in Brasilia. According to the Brazilian Football Federation, he doesn’t have time to “recuperate America game against Bolivia. suff iciently to participate” in the Copa America. It caps a troubled season on and off the fi eld for Neymar, who in the afterwards. In a sign of how sig- League-based players, Richarlison America guests were completely buildup to the match faced accu- nifi cant a fi gure Neymar remains and Gabriel Jesus, scored Brazil’s outplayed as Brazil hit the front in sations that he raped a woman in a in Brazilian life, the country’s far- goals in the fi rst half. Qatar had the 16th minute. Dani Alves picked Paris hotel in May. right President Jair Bolsonaro of- a chance to pull a goal back in the out Richarlison, who rose highest With Neymar ruled out, the fered his public backing for the 96th minute after the referee pe- to head past Saad al-Sheeb for his host nation face an uphill battle to player ahead of the match. nalised Ederson for a mistimed fourth international goal. win South America’s continental “He’s going through a diffi cult challenge following a VAR review, Neymar, who was seen crying championship for the fi rst time moment but I believe him,” said however, Boualem Khoukhi’s on the sidelines, was forced from since 2007. Bolsonaro. At a news conference spot-kick cannoned against the the ground shortly afterwards and Ankle problems ruled him out of Monday, national coach Tite was crossbar. replaced by Everton. the second half of the just-com- bombarded with questions about It was a lively fi rst half in Bra- That did not hamper Brazil, who pleted Ligue 1 season in France. eff ect of the aff air on the squad. silia, where two goals were scored, doubled their lead eight minutes When he did fi nally return to the Attempting to sidestep the is- a penalty was overturned by the later through Jesus following some team, he played as PSG suff ered sue, Tite said he would “not judge” VAR and Neymar left the pitch neat combination play with Rich- Qatar goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb makes a save against Brazil in Brasilia. a shock defeat to Rennes in the Neymar, who he said was “indis- in tears. The maroons had won arlison. French Cup fi nal and then lashed pensable” to the team. seven successive matches head- Brazil will fi nalise their Copa Honduras on Sunday before open- on June 14. Qatar, meanwhile, will guay (June 16) in Copa America out at a supporter in the stands In the match, two Premier ing into the friendly but the Copa America preparations at home to ing the tournament against Bolivia not play again until they face Para- action. Gulf Times 2 Friday, June 7, 2019 CRICKET WORLD CUP REPORT FOCUS Batting, fi elding Coulter-Nile sparks cost Bangladesh against Kiwis, Aussie revival win says Mashrafe Reuters and went on to build a 105-run London partnership with Ross Taylor that put New Zealand in control. Mashrafe refused to criticise angladesh paid the price Mushfi qur for his mistake but was for a below-par batting left ruing the missed opportunity. over West Indies performance and made “If you don’t score big you errors in the fi eld at have to take all your chances,” No. 8’s 92 helps Australia to 288 before Starc scalps five wickets for 15-run victory Bkey moments during their two- he added. “Mushi, I don’t think wicket defeat by New Zealand at we need to go after him. It could the World Cup on Wednesday, happen to anybody because he their captain Mashrafe Mortaza was also trying hard to get him. has said. “He wants to pick the ball and Bangladesh failed to build on suddenly it hits his elbow. Those Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfi qur sort of mistakes always happen Rahim’s 50-run partnership, on the ground.” losing wickets regularly to set a The result leaves Bangladesh New Zealand a target of 245 at sixth in the standings ahead of the Oval, and Mashrafe said his their next match against England men fell at least 20 runs short of in Cardiff tomorrow. a defendable total. Former ODI spinner Abdur “If we could have managed to Razzak said his countrymen score 20 to 30 runs more than we would not be daunted by the did it would have been diff erent,” prospect of facing the favourites he told reporters. “We were very given their World Cup record close, a few runs short but very against England, who Bangla- close.” desh beat at the 2011 and 2015 New Zealand put themselves editions of the tournament. under pressure by losing six “These are diff erent teams... wickets in quick succession to but there is a lot of confi dence give Mashrafe hope, but the con- from those wins,” Razzak wrote test was ultimately decided by in a column for the International Bangladesh’s failure to take their Cricket Council. chances in the fi eld. “(Bangladesh) may not neces- Kane Williamson should have sarily win but they will certainly been run out for eight, but the give them a good game. England Kiwi skipper was reprieved by have more pressure... and we’ve wicketkeeper Mushfi qur, who beaten them in our last two dislodged the bails with his arm, World Cup matches.” Australia’s Nathan Coulter-Nile (right) hits a boundary during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup match against West Indies at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, Britain, yesterday. (Reuters) AFP Scorecard Nottingham, United Kingdom AUSTRALIA WEST INDIES athan Coulter-Nile’s D. Warner c Hetmyer b Cottrell 3 C. Gayle lbw b Starc 21 record-breaking in- A. Finch c Hope b Thomas 6 E. Lewis c Smith b Cummins 1 nings laid the plat- form for Australia’s U. Khawaja c Hope b Russell 13 S. Hope c Khawaja b Cummins 68 N15-run victory over the West S. Smith c Cottrell b Thomas 73 N. Pooran c Finch b Zampa 40 New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner (right) and teammate Lockie Ferguson Indies yesterday as the World G. Maxwell c Hope b Cottrell 0 S. Hetmyer run out 21 celebrate after their win in the 2019 Cricket World Cup match against Cup holders bounced back from Bangladesh at The Oval in London on Wednesday. (AFP) M. Stoinis c Pooran b Holder 19 a top-order collapse to make it J. Holder c Zampa b Starc 51 two successive wins. A. Carey c Hope b Russell 45 A.