NNBABA | Page 5 TTENNISENNIS | Page 7 Warriors equal Federer shines team record as Djokovic with 14th road survives brutal win in a row test in the heat Friday, January 19, 2018 CRICKET Jumada I 2, 1439 AH India captain kohli GULF TIMES named ICC World Cricketer of the Year SPORT Page 4 FOOTBALL /ASIAN U23 CHAMPIONSHIP DAKAR RALLY Sanchez: Qatar Al-Attiyah storms to ready for ‘very stage win strong’ Palestine ‘We know that from now on, each game could well be our last’ AFC Changzhou atar coach Felix Sanchez be- lieves his side’s perfect record in the AFC U23 Championship group stage will have little bear- Qing on today’s quarter-fi nal showdown with Palestine at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Center. Qatar registered successive wins over Uzbekistan, Oman and host nation China to fi nish top of Group A with a maximum nine points from the opening phase of the Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar and co-pilot Matthieu Baumel of France competition. drive their Toyota in the Dakar Rally yesterday. However, despite Palestine only fi nish- ing as runners-up in Group B with four Agencies that point, but the Qatari pulled points to their name, Sanchez is under no San Juan clear at the very end, recording illusion as to the size of the task that awaits his third stage win of the event. his team. atar’s Nasser Saleh Peterhansel’s second place “We are happy that we qualifi ed from al-Attiyah beat Peu- was enough to make a signifi cant the group stage but obviously that does Qatar stars Almoez Ali (L) and Akram Afif train under coach Felix Sanchez (L) ahead of geot rival Stephane dent in Sainz’s lead in the general not count for the next game,” explained today’s quarter-final match against Palestine. Peterhansel to top classifi cation, as the Spaniard the Spaniard, who guided Qatar to fourth Qthe longest timed special of the fi nished 18 minutes off al-Atti- place at the tournament’s 2016 edition in a diffi cult one for both teams. There is not lenging as the tournament progresses. 2018 Dakar Rally, as Carlos Sainz yah’s pace. Qatar. only going to be pressure on Qatar as we “Playing in an international tourna- edged closer to overall victory. Sainz, however, has retained a “It really does not matter if you have got ity though, and we will try to play a good are satisfi ed with what we have done so far, ment, all the teams we will face in the Al-Attiyah was two min- 45-minute lead over Peterhan- nine or six points from the group stage, game as that is the only way we can get a and are looking to progress even further.” knockout stage are strong. utes quicker than Peterhansel sel in the general classifi cation. because it is just one (knockout) game. result.” Meanwhile, Japan coach Hajime Mori- “We don’t want to dwell on the past through the 523km run between With just 489km of competition What matters is now. Palestine, meanwhile, qualifi ed for the yasu said his team felt no pressure de- too much. We must focus our attention on Chilecito and San Juan, on what left – and with him having had “We know that from now on, each game last eight thanks to a win and a draw to seal spite being the defending champions as what we can do against Uzbekistan.” was the 12th day of the two-week a 10-minute penalty rescinded could well be our last.” second place in Group B, with their last they take on Uzbekistan in today’s second Uzbekistan head coach Ravshan Khay- marathon. on Wednesday – he remains a With the likes of Akram Afi f and hotshot outing against Thailand a sign, accord- quarter-fi nal. darov also acknowledged their recent X-Raid Mini pair Orlando Ter- strong favourite to see out the striker Almoez Ali hitting form just when ing to Sandouqa, that they are improving “Although Japan won the title in the match against Japan would not have a ranova and Mikko Hirvonen had marathon in front and give Peu- it matters, confi dence is clearly high in a match by match. previous edition, there is no pressure, on bearing on Friday’s encounter, insisting led the way during the early kilo- geot a farewell Dakar win. Qatar camp which faced the Palestinians “Of course, this match against Qatar is me or the team,” added the former San- that he was focussing on improving his metres, but soon gave up ground, Toyota’s Giniel de Villiers was in a friendly before both teams travelled to going to be a diffi cult one for us,” declared frecce Hiroshima coach. team. with Toyota driver Bernhard ten a minute up on Terranova to China. the former Palestine Under-16 and Un- “Of course we are here for the win, but “It’s going to be diff erent, as there is a Brinke assuming fi rst place. make up the top three on the day, Nevertheless, Sanchez believes he saw der-19 coach. what’s most important is that my players big diff erence in an international friendly The Dutchman was a minute meaning the latter’s X-raid Mini enough in Palestine’s 5-1 thumping of “We have been working hard in the show their individual qualities and what and an offi cial AFC tournament,” said and a half clear when arriving outfi t is still chasing a fi rst top- Thailand on Matchday Three to suggest group stage to succeed and we have they can do on the pitch.” Khaydarov. at the 90-kilometre mid-stage three stage fi nish in this year’s that Ayman Sandouqa’s side will push his reached a point where we have been get- Japan topped Group B with three wins “The fi rst change we did was mentally, road section, but could not sus- Dakar. young charges all the way. ting better and better. from their three games, and conceded only because only the best teams can qualify tain his challenge for a second De Villiers is now over 20 min- “We are going to face a very strong team “We are going to go into the game in a one goal on their way to the fi nal eight. for this tournament and I’m sure Japan has consecutive stage win, dropping utes behind al-Attiyah and nine who had a very good group stage, especial- positive frame of mind and we are looking Moriyasu admits, however, that their changed. behind al-Attiyah and Peterhan- minutes behind ten Brinke in ly in their last match (against Thailand),” to get the win and go through. match against Uzbekistan will be diff erent “Moving forward, we have analysed sel when the competitive run- what is currently an all-Toyota he said. “We have been taking baby steps to from those they played in the group stage, them, and we in turn, have also changed ning resumed. fi ght for the fi nal spot on the “We have every confi dence in our abil- reach this point. The match is going to be and that games will only get more chal- some aspects internally.” The duo were neck and neck at 2018 Dakar’s podium. Qatar whip NZ in Asian handball Action from the Qatar-New Zealand Group D preliminary match in the Asian Handball Championship in Seoul yesterday. Defending champions Qatar won the opener by a whopping 58-14 margin. Qatar will take on China in their second group game today. Gulf Times 2 Friday, January 19, 2018 FOOTBALL LIGUE 1 Neymar cost Barca over 200mn Neymar scores four as euros Madrid: FC Barcelona shelled out more than 200mn euros ($245mn) for Neymar including his salary and the “countless hidden clauses of the transfer,” Spain’s El Cavani matches record Mundo daily said yesterday. If confirmed, this would be greatly superior to the 57.1mn Runaway Ligue 1 leaders thrashed Dijon 8-0 on Wednesday night euros the club said it paid for his 2013 transfer, or even the AFP 83.3mn euros later estimated Paris by Spanish authorities prob- ing irregularities in the move. The 25-year-old and his eymar scored four times while parents have been ordered to Edinson Cavani equalled Zla- stand trial over the transfer, tan Ibrahimovic’s Paris Saint- as have Barcelona president Germain all-time goalscoring Josep Maria Bartomeu and his Nrecord as the runaway Ligue 1 lead- predecessor Sandro Rosell. El ers thrashed Dijon 8-0 on Wednesday Mundo based its information night. Angel Di Maria struck twice in- on documents handed over side the opening quarter-hour at the to Spanish prosecutors by Parc des Princes before the Argentine Brazilian authorities, which provided the cross for Cavani to net his are also probing the football 156th PSG goal. star for tax evasion. The Neymar marked his return from a rib Spanish judge in charge of the injury with the hosts’ fourth just before case has still not set a date half-time, and the Brazilian made it a for the trial and has to decide hat-trick with two more second-half whether he can accept the lat- strikes as Dijon were mercilessly ripped est information as evidence, apart. Kylian Mbappe piled on further as it arrived after the probe misery for the visitors 13 minutes from was closed, the sources say. time before Neymar notched his fourth The documents were given of the evening from the penalty spot to Brazilian authorities by “the — denying Cavani the chance to make former right-hand man of the club history and eliciting whistles from footballer’s father, Eduardo home supporters.