CRICKET | Page 4 GOLF | Page 7 Gurbaz’s 79 Fleetwood blitz helps fl ies to win Afghanistan record prize in win T20 series play-off glory Monday, November 18, 2019 FOOTBALL Rabia I 21, 1441 AH Ronaldo moves onto GULF TIMES 99 as Portugal qualify for Euro 2020 SPORT Page 2 Qatar’s Al Arabi win Asian Club Handball Championship Al Arabi players pose with the trophy after winning the Asian Club Handball Championship in Samcheok, South Korea, yesterday. Al Arabi defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al Wehda 21-19 in an exciting final. Al Arabi had qualified for the Super Globe by beating domestic rivals Al Wakrah in the semi-finals. At right, a glimpse of the action from yesterday’s final. FORMULA 1 MOTORCYCLING Vinales to be based in Qatar during Max wins crazy race, European winter both Ferraris crash Toro Rosso’s Gasly holds off a charging Hamilton for his first podium finish DPA Sao Paulo, Brazil ed Bull’s Max Verstap- pen captured a Brazil- ian Grand Prix which erupted into life after Rtwo late safety car phases, a collision between Ferrari team- mates Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, and an unlikely second place for Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly. Gasly held off a charging By Sports Reporter ers, which means they go fast, world champion Lewis Hamil- Doha and I need riders that push me. ton but the Mercedes driver was If we overtake each other and under investigation after he lev- we take ourselves down, we are ered Red Bull’s Alexander Albon amaha MotoGP rider very friendly. We don’t have any off the track in a dramatic clos- Maverick Vinales problem. That’s important. ing stage. will be based in sunny “Because, at the end at the GPs Verstappen, who led from Qatar during the Euro- you do the same. It’s with other pole, took the chequered fl ag at Ypean winter so that he can train bikes, but it is the same competi- the 4.309km Interlagos track for throughout the year. tiveness. So that’s the important his third win of the season and The Spaniard, who fi nished point. It’s very good for me.” eighth of his career. third in this year’s champion- Vinales added that being able But the race will be memora- ship which concluded yesterday to use the facilities at Aspire was ble for Ferrari’s late mishap as in Spain, told MotoSprint that “it also a plus point. Vettel and Leclerc came togeth- was very important to fi nd a good “We are also working with As- er and both had to retire with situation for myself.” pire. It’s a highly advanced train- wheel damage, blaming each He elaborated: “I believe that ing academy that has incredible other over team radio. at this point I have to take a step facilities and world-class profes- “Lewis was very quick so I forward physically and mentally. sionals working there. had to keep pushing and all the During the Qatar Grand Prix at “We have just started to de- time,” Verstappen said. the beginning of the season I saw velop the programme for motor- “He pitted early so we had the facilities of the Qatar Motor- cycle riders. At this moment they to be on top of our pit stops we sports Academy and I was im- are developing exercises that will had a good move on him. I could pressed. help me to be better on the bike. control the race with the tyres I “I spoke with those responsible This is very important because had. It was unbelievable. it was for the circuit and they opened the there is in no other sport that a lot of fun out there and great to door for me to use these facilities is similar to motorcycling. So I win the race.” anytime I wanted. I thought about think that at Aspire I will have It had been a largely tactical the opportunity of being able to the chance to work out a very race until Valtteri Bottas had to Race winner Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (right) shakes hands with second-placed Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly on the podium for the Brazilian ride bikes normally in winter when specifi c training programme.” retire his Mercedes with engine Grand Prix at the Interlagos track in Sao Paulo, Brazil, yesterday. (Reuters) in Europe we mostly have to train He said Aspire would also damage with some 17 laps re- indoors. So I decided to move to help him with the mental side of maining. age for both cars, leading to the wing damage in the process. moment – so emotional. in a Renault, Lando Norris in a Doha when Andorra is covered by things. Verstappen pitted again for safety car coming back out. Hamilton attacked Gasly but “Toro Rosso have given me McLaren, Sergio Perez in a Rac- snow.” “They are very good in this fresher tyres while Hamilton Hamilton jumped into the pits was unable to get past to fi nish such a fantastic car since I’ve ing Point and Daniil Kvyat in a The former Moto3 champion area. To stay mentally focused is stayed out in front. When the for fresher tyres, coming out third, but was under investiga- come back. It’s an amazing day.” Toro Rosso. added: “I have already gotten very important. safety car fi nally came in Ham- fourth behind Verstappen, Al- tion by stewards. Carlos Sainz in a Mclaren was Verstappen’s victory was the everything organised and I have He said he has already im- ilton was unable to hold off Ver- bon and Gasly with two laps re- “Massive apologies to Albon fourth and could have hopes of fi rst for Red Bull in Brazil since been able to train with the Qatar proved in this department. stappen, while Albon was able to maining when the race resumed. – the gap was there but it was a podium place if Hamilton is Vettel triumphed with the team Motorsports Academy coaches “I’m now capable of staying force his way past Vettel. He got past Gasly but he completely my fault,” Hamilton sanctioned. in 2013 and ended four straight and I have to say that it’s unbe- calm when we are going through Then with fi ve laps remain- came together with Albon in said. The remaining top 10 places 2019 wins by Mercedes as the lievably good. Also there are very tough moments, for example. ing the Ferraris collided as Vettel trying to force his way past, Gasly said: “This is my fi rst were taken by Alfa Romeo duo season now goes into the fi nal experienced riders who also can That will help to improve my went past Leclerc, their wheels ending the Red Bull driver’s podium in F1 and for sure I will Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio race, in Abu Dhabi on Decem- help you. life… not only my racing life, also touching in race-ending dam- podium chances and suffering never forget it, it’s such a special Giovinazzi, Daniel Ricciardo ber 1. “Most of them are ex-GP rid- my life outside the sport.” Gulf Times 2 Monday, November 18, 2019 FOOTBALL QUALIFIERS AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS Osimhen double Ronaldo moves boosts Nigeria, Diedhiou hat-trick onto 99 as Portugal lift s Senegal Reuters before Badou Ndiaye grabbed Johannesburg, South Africa a fourth for the visitors with 15 minutes remaining. Congo’s Prince Ibarra opened igeria’s in-form for- the scoring as they beat Guinea- ward Victor Osimhen Bissau 3-0 in the other game in struck twice as they the pool, with Junior Makiesse reach Euro 2020 came from a goal down and Silvere Ganvoula also on tar- Nto beat minnows Lesotho 4-2 in get. ‘...it was a potato field, I don’t know how teams of our level are supposed to play’ their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations South Africa edged Sudan 1-0 Group L qualifi er in Maseru yes- in their Group C game Johan- Reuters terday. nesburg to get their fi rst win of Luxembourg The west Africans fell behind the qualifi ers thanks to a goal just to an early strike from Masoabi before the break from midfi elder Nkoto, but led by the break as Lebogang Phiri. ortugal captain Cris- Alex Iwobi equalised and Samuel Burkina Faso’s experienced tiano Ronaldo scored Chukwueze put them in front. forward Aristide Bance netted his 99th international Osimhen had looked the most twice as they beat South Sudan goal as the defending dangerous player on the pitch 2-1 in Group B but Uganda moved Pchampions edged past Luxem- and was rewarded with a second- to the top of the pool with a 2-0 bourg 2-0 in diffi cult conditions half brace as Nigeria claimed a home win over Malawi as Em- away from home yesterday to full haul of six points from their manuel Okwi and Fahad Bayo qualify for Euro 2020. opening two qualifi ers. Lesot- were on target. Bruno Fernandes broke the ho’s second came via a Chidozie In Group A, Mali midfi elder deadlock in the 39th minute and Awaziem own goal. Moussa Djenepo and Mohamed Ronaldo wrapped it up with four Senegal’s Bristol City striker Camara netted fi rst-half goals minutes left to ensure that Por- Famara Diedhiou struck a nine- in a 2-0 win away to Chad, while tugal fi nished second in Group minute hat-trick in the second Guinea’s Issiaga Sylla and Jose B with 17 points, three ahead half of their 4-1 Group I away Kante were on target in a 2-0 of Serbia who drew 2-2 with victory over Eswatini, formerly home victory over Namibia.