SPORTTuesday 6 March 2018 PAGEP | 32-33 PAGE | 34 PAGE | 36 Aussies wrap Stage set for ITTF Shastri sees up Durban World Tour Platinum shades of Khan win Qatar Open in Kohli Matches of AFC ACL: Injury-time goal helps Al Cup in Iraq postponed Gharafa to draw with Al Ahli REUTERS BAGHDAD: Two AFC Cup ARMSTRONG VAS AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE matches involving Iraqi clubs THE PENINSULA have been postponed until Results and fixtures for the AFC Champions April in the hope that FIFA DOHA: A last-gasp equaliser League yesterday will lift a ban on the country from Robert Quijada earned Al Nasaf (0) 1 Al Sadd (0) 0 hosting competitive interna- Gharafa a 1-1 draw with Saudi Persepolis (2) 2 Al Wasl (0) 0 tional games, the Asian Arabia’s Al Ahli in the 2018 AFC Al Jazira (0) 0 Tractor Sazi (0) 0 Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Group A Al Gharafa (0) 1 Al Ahli (0) 1 said yesterday. match here yesterday while Today’s, fixtures (GMT) Al Zawraa were sched- another QNB Stars league (QSL) Sydney vs Kashima Antlers (0830) uled to host Bahraini side club Al Sadd went down fighting Suwon Bluewings vs Shanghai Shenhua Manama Club today, while 1-0 to Uzbekistan’s FC Nasaf in (1000) Air Force Club’s home game Kawasaki Frontale vs Melbourne Victory (1000) an away match. against Malkiya of Bahrain Shanghai SIPG vs Ulsan (1200) Al Ahli came off the blocks was to be held a week later racing and nearly found an but now stand postponed in opener inside four minutes when a decision taken by the foot- striker Mohannad Assiri met ball governing body for Asia. Saeed Al Muwallad’s cross first cross from the left flank. The AFC and the partici- time, but saw his shot saved by As Al Ahli looked set for an pating clubs had given their goalkeeper Qassem Burhan. away win, Dutch midfielder consent to stage fixtures in Despite the quick start, the Wesley Sneijder sent a pinpoint Iraq but FIFA are yet to allow visitors had to wait until the 62th cross for Quijada who watched the country to host competi- minute to finally find a break- his header ricochet off the post tive club fixtures of Asian through. Defender Aqeel then followed through on the tournaments. Balghaith powered in a header rebound to drive home the “FIFA have emphasised into the top corner of Burhan’s equaliser in second half added that the lifting of the ban on goal following Taiseer Al Jassim’s time. playing matches in Iraq Al Gharafa’s midfielder Wesley Sneijder is challenged by an Al Ahli player during the AFC Champions applies only for international League football match at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium in Doha yesterday. friendly matches and that the AFC Cup matches are not Al Gharafa travel to the King leaked more goals but for the Persepolis saw off Al Wasl. friendly games and therefore Abdullah Sport City Stadium in efforts of their defenders and Ahmadzadeh scored with a cannot be staged in Iraq Jeddah for the reverse fixture goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb. volley in the 36th minute without a change in the cur- next Tuesday. Al-Sheeb, however, couldn’t when a long throw-in by Hos- rent ruling by the FIFA In Qarshi, Azizjon Ganiev’s deny the Uzbeks in the 62nd sein Mahini was headed into Council,” the AFC said in a second-half penalty proved the minute when Azizjon Gainev his path by captain Jalal Hos- statement here yesterday. difference as Uzbekistan’s FC scored from the penalty spot seini and Alipour consolidated “As the next FIFA Coun- Nasaf beat Qatar’s Al Sadd 1-0. after Bobir Abdixolikov was in the 41st from the spot after cil is to be held on March Hosts Nasaf looked closer to fouled by Salem al-Hajri. he was felled while trying to 15-16, 2018, the AFC, in order opening the scoring in the first Ruzikul Berdiev’s men then get around Al Wasl goalkeeper to provide the Iraqi clubs half, while Al Sadd struggled. held on to their slender lead for Yousif Abdulla. with an opportunity to play Al Sadd, whose Qatar Stars their second win in the Australian midfielder the matches on home soil League title chances were competition. Anthony Caceres came close to and in accordance with the severely dented last week when Elsewhere,UAE’s Al Wasl reducing the deficit for Al Wasl AFC Cup Regulations 2018 they were beaten 4-3 by leaders suffered their third straight but his free-kick was tipped (Article7.3) have decided to Al Duhail, failed to get their act defeat yesterday as Iran’s Perse- away for a corner by Alireza postpone the affected together against Nasaf who dom- polis dominated Al Wasl for a Beiranvand. matches until April 16 and inated the game and created 2-0 victory at the Azadi Stadium Yesterday’s Group C results 17, 2018.” several scoring chances. in Tehran. leave Al Sadd, Nasaf and Perse- The AFC said it would Players of Al Gharafa celebrate after scoring a goal against Saudi With the injured Xavi not Meanwhile in Tehran, Far- polis level on six points, while Al decide venues for the two Arabia’s Al Ahli during the AFC Champions League football match playing the match, the Qatar shad Ahmadzadeh and Ali Wasl languish at the bottom hav- matches after the FIFA Coun- at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium in Doha yesterday. giants were clearly short on Alipour were on target in a ing failed to open their account cil considers the issue in their inspiration and could have span of five minutes as from three matches. next meeting. Al Duhail and Al Rayyan eye wins THE PENINSULA two weeks ago after Abdullah Al Hafith’s own A positive result in Al Ain would leave the goal. The 2017 runners-up have now not won Iranian side in a strong position at the mid- DOHA: Al Duhail are looking for their third on the continent since the first leg of last way point of the group stage. successive win in Group B of the AFC Cham- year’s semi-final and have yet to score in the Al Ain will have happy memories of the pions League when they host PFC current campaign. last time they met, in the first knockout Lokomotiv at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium Today’s visitors are only a point ahead round last year, when, after Esteghlal won today while Al Rayyan will be looking to pick of Al Hilal but will be far happier with their 1-0 in Tehran, the Emirati team stormed back pionts in the away match in Riyadh. start, having followed a 2-2 draw with to post a resounding 6-1 home victory to The table-toppers fell behind to Al Esteghlal with a 1-1 draw against Al Ain. They advance 6-2 on aggregate. Wahda last week but a Youssef El Arabi brace did, however, lose both group games – 2-1 In Jeonju, in Group E table-toppers Jeon- and a Karim Boudiaf goal saw the Qatari and 4-3 – to the Saudi side in 2017. buk Hyundai Motors take on Tianjin team run out 3-2 winners as they built on The hosts will be without Ali Al Habsi Quanjian at Jeonju World Cup Stadium. their opening-day victory over Zobahan. after the goalkeeper was sent off against The 2016 winners Jeonbuk have returned Lokomotiv, meanwhile, lost 2-0 against Esteghlal, while Al Rayyan welcome back to the competition in fine style, following up Zobahan last time out to slip to third in the their talisman, captain Rodrigo Tabata, after a 3-2 opening-day victory over Kashiwa standings, having eased to a 5-0 victory over the playmaker was suspended for the draw Reysol with a comprehensive 6-0 win Al Wahda in their first game as their con- with Al Ain. against Kitchee SC two weeks ago in a game trasting home and away form followed a Meanwhile, the 2016 AFC Champions that saw Brazilian striker Adriano net a similar trend to their past three League runners-up Al Ain will be seeking hat-trick. campaigns. their first win of the 2018 campaign when Another Brazilian, Alexandre Pato, On Lokomotiv’s only previous trip to they entertain Esteghlal in Group D at Hazza scored a late equaliser away at Kashiwa on Doha, they suffered a 6-2 defeat to Al Sadd Bin Zayed Stadium today. Matchday Two as Tianjin secured a 1-1 draw in the 2015 group stage, although they did The Emirati side, who are without the to leave Japan with a point. The Chinese avenge that loss three weeks later by easing suspended Mohamed Abdulrahman, have Super League team have now won one and to a 5-0 victory in Tashkent. drawn their first two matches, after Al drawn one ahead of their visit to Korea In Riyadh, Al Hilal will be desperate to Rayyan left the UAE with a point following Republic. Defender Hong Jeong-ho is sus- Al Rayyan players bring an end to a five-game winless run in Swedish striker Marcus Berg’s opener from pended for the hosts, who kicked off their K get ready for the AFC the AFC Champions League ahead of the visit the spot two weeks ago. League 1 campaign with a 2-0 victory over of Al Rayyan to King Saud University Sta- Esteghlal drew their opening game 2-2 Ulsan Hyundai last Thursday.