CCRICKETRICKET | Page 4 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 7 NZ win series Messi takes aft er rain brings leadership in early end to his stride to win second Test 6th Ballon d’Or Wednesday, December 4, 2019 Rabia II 7, 1441 AH GULF TIMES SPORT FOCUS My players deserve all the credit, says humble Sanchez Asian Cup champions bounced back after a loss in the opener against Iraq with victories over Yemen and the UAE By Sahan Bidappa Doha elix Sanchez is a calm- ing infl uence in the Qa- tar camp. As the Khalifa International stadium, Ffi lled with more than 44,000 spectators, went berserk every time a Qatar goal was scored against the UAE on Monday, Sanchez merely did a fi st pump on the touchline. Qatar’s head coach is not the one to show too many emotions, be it in a victory or defeat. While the players led by Asian player of the year Akram Afi f celebrated on the pitch after a 4-2 win over UAE to confi rm Qatar’s place in the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup semi- fi nals, Sanchez disappeared into the dressing room. The 43-year-old may well have Qatar coach Felix Sanchez (also left). been planning Qatar’s tactics for the last-four fi xture against Sau- beyond doubt when he headed “We conceded goals too easily di Arabia, which will be held at Qatar’s fourth in stoppage time. at crucial moments against Qa- the Al Janoub Stadium tomorrow. “It was a good game. The draw tar. We lost to a strong team, who Sanchez has been given much was not on our mind. It was our are the champions of Asia. They credit for turning a talented game and the team deserved to have been playing together for a bunch of footballers into Asia’s win. When you have 40,000 fans long time. Unfortunately, a few best but the Spaniard chooses to supporting the team it gives a of our players were injured and stay away from the limelight, as good feeling and motivation. It couldn’t play, we were also a bit he praised his players for their was a nice game for us. We are unlucky,” Van Marwijk said. worth ethic. happy as we could achieve our Van Marwijk is now looking “My players deserve all the target to qualify for the semis,” forward to the future with ut- credit,” said Sanchez on Monday. Sanchez said. most optimism. “Our project “They are working hard because “In the fi rst half, we did not started months ago with new they live the game. They are play for the draw. We started of- players, but there is a positive showing their ability to the world Iraq in the opening game dis- ers showed good level. In the sign. We are now going to rest home side ahead after 28 min- fensively and played with a win- development despite the short and deserve all the success. They rupted their Gulf Cup campaign, fi rst game against Iraq, we were and recover for the semi-fi nals,” utes before Ali Mabkhout pulled ning mentality and scored two preparation period,” said the are really professionals and they albeit temporarily, Sanchez has not lucky but in the second and Sanchez said. one back for the UAE in the 33rd goals. In the second half, we 67-year-old former Netherlands don’t need to be motivated by rejuvenated the Qatar side as the third games we showed our true A draw would have been minute. But Qatar captain Has- scored another two goals, while and Australia manager. me. They don’t have to be pushed shown by their 6-0 thumping of potential, especially in attack enough against UAE for Qa- san al-Haydos made it 3-1 for the we did concede two goals but “We have to work hard to hard in training. My target for Yemen and then an equally au- and scored many goals. We will tar to march into the semis, but Asian champions eight minutes we are happy with our perform- achieve further development. them is to show improvements thoritative 4-2 win over UAE. continue to work hard. My play- Sanchez has drilled in a winning after half time. Mabkhout scored ance,” he added. Our project started a few months ahead of the 2022 World Cup in “I think in all the group games ers have shown great character to mentality into his players, which again for the UAE, his fi fth goal in UAE’s Dutch coach Bert van ago with new players, but there Qatar,” he added. were diff erent. We were upset af- bounce back. We are growing in was on ample display on Monday. three games, after 77 minutes but Marwijk praised the Qatar side, have been positive developments After a shock 1-2 loss against ter the fi rst match, but the play- the competition and that’s a good Afi f scored twice to put the Boualem Khoukhi put the result who he called a ‘strong team’. and we know what we have to do.” (From left) Qatar players Abdulkarim Hassan, Tarek Salman and Almoez Ali take part in a training session during the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup. (Right) Qatar goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb during a training session. PICTURES: Fadi al-Assaad Gulf Times Wednesday, December 4, 2019 2 Arabian Gulf Cup personalities honoured Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF) and Qatar Football Association (QFA) president HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani (third from left) poses with the winners of Gulf Cup awards during a ceremony in Doha yesterday. The ceremony was held to honour personalities for their contribu- tion in the development of the regional tournament throughout its long 50-year history. The awardees are Ali al-Buanain of Bahrain, who hosted the first-ever Gulf Cup in 1970, legendary former Iraq player Hussein Saeed, 1992 Gulf Cup winner Late Mahmoud Soufi of Qatar, 2009 Gulf Cup winner Mohamed Rabie of Oman and two-time Gulf Cup winner Bashar Abdullah of Kuwait. FOCUS Deserved semi-fi nalists, beams Bahrain coach Sousa ‘We were not waiting for the mistakes of the opponent. We executed our game plan well and reached the last-four stage’ By Sports Reporter Doha fter reaching their sec- ond straight Arabian Gulf Cup semi-fi nal, Bahrain coach Helio ASousa felt his side deserved the last-four spot in the 24th edition of the tournament. Bahrain, who are looking for their fi rst Gulf Cup title, entered the semi-fi nals defeating Kuwait 4-2 at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday, and will take on Iraq for a spot in the fi nals tomorrow. Ten-man Iraq played out a goalless draw with Yemen. “We have played a very good game against Kuwait. I think the result is the refl ection of our hard work we have done in the past months. In my opinion we are a Bahrain coach Helio Sousa. deserving semi-fi nalists,” Sousa said. Defending champions Oman es and the objectives that must “The changes that I made in lost out on a spot in the semi- be achieved. I will not stand idly the three games have contrib- fi nals on goal diff erence after los- about this situation. The federa- uted to our march in the tourna- ing to Saudi Arabia (1-3). tion must do what it has to do, ment. We were not waiting for Understandably, Oman coach and as a technical body, we have the mistakes of the opponent. We Erwin Koeman regretted the loss. to play our roles. This team must executed our game plan well and “It is diffi cult to lose in a deci- evolve if we are to fi ght big teams, reached the last-four stage of the sive game and leave the tourna- like the Saudi,” the Dutchman tournament.” ment,” he said. said. Talking about their semi-fi nal Bahrain’s Ali Haram (centre) in action during the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup match against Kuwait on Tuesday. PICTURES: Jayan Orma “We have to evaluate our- Oman lost the match against opponent Iraq, he said, they are selves. We have good players, and Saudi Arabia to fi nish third in the the best in Asia. Bahrain drew with Iraq in the Former champions Iraq, the game for us, I am happy with the Katanec’s side shocked hosts we must develop them, especial- group. Saudi Arabia topped the “They are one of the best teams both their recent World Cup fi rst to secure semi-fi nal spot, outcome of the match. We were Qatar in their fi rst match and in ly after we saw Saudi Arabia and table with six points, followed in Asia. We will play the fourth qualifi ers while they registered a are also confi dent of a good show challenged by the Yemeni players the second defeated two-time its high level of speed at the fi rst by Bahrain, who qualifi ed for the game against them in just three 1-0 victory in the WAFF Cham- against Bahrain. who did well. We have qualifi ed champions UAE 2-0 to claim touch.” knockouts on better goal diff er- months. I am very happy to play pionship held in Karbala in Au- “The match (against Yemen) without a defeat,” said Iraq coach their second successive victory in “I will go back to explain to the ence, having secured four points against them again,” Sousa said. gust. was not easy.