Triple Diamond League champ Cheruiyot sets sights on gold in Doha PAGE 14 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 England drop One-day specialist THE ASHES Jason Roy for 5th Ashes Test PAGE 14 5th Test at the Oval (Day 1) Qatar 2022 training sites showcase legacy value – 3 years ahead of tourney India’s goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu reacts after the 2022 World Cup Qualifier Round 2 Group E match against at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Tuesday. (REUTERS) A night to remember, says goalkeeper Sandhu after the match, adding that he SC.QA Draw with Asian hoped the result would inspire DOHA them against Bangladesh and champs fills Afghanistan, the other teams QATAR 2022’s compact con- India with pride in Group E, both of whom are figuration allows for the intro- ranked even lower than India. duction of a new innovative REUTERS “The effort, the will and the accommodation and training NEW DELHI guts shown by everyone in the concept, providing team del- team was truly inspiring. This egations with a home-away- INDIA are unlikely to make it result will help us to keep grow from-home for the duration of to their first World Cup finals as a team and as a nation.” Qa- the tournament – the purpose- this time around but a 0-0 tar enjoyed 63% possession built Team Base Camp (TBC) draw in Doha against Asian and had 13 shots on target but featuring dedicated training champions Qatar in 2022 Sandhu was unbeatable. sites for each team. qualifying on Tuesday has “We have played just two The 41 training sites for filled them with pride. matches, and we have played the teams that will participate The 41 training sites for the teams that will participate in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ are already showcasing their legacy value, with pilot Cricket is king in India with well, that too against two power- in the FIFA World Cup Qatar usage phase well underway ahead of the official launch. football a distant second in the ful teams,” the goalkeeper said. 2022™ are already showcas- list of the country’s favourite “It gives us that added mo- ing their legacy value, with pi- and spectator areas for public same type and quality of play- pating teams have their own and Al Fohood Sports Acad- sports, though most fans rarely tivation and confidence that in lot usage phase well underway training sessions. ing surface, profile, irrigation team base camps during the emy from Oman. pay attention to Indian soccer, football, anything is possible.” ahead of the official launch. Ahmed al Obaidly, Train- and drainage system. These FIFA World Cup™. Some of the chosen loca- instead preferring to watch India’s talismanic forward Several national teams ing Sites Project Manager at the can be used any time of the Al Obaidly emphasised tions include Qatar University, the English Premier League or Sunil Chhetri missed the match including the Algerian team Supreme Committee for Deliv- day during the tournament as that the three years leading Doha Golf Course, Al Sailiya German Bundesliga. with a fever but was thrilled that won the African Cup of ery & Legacy (SC), explained: they are equipped with flood- up to the tournament will give and Onaiza, with public sports Igor Stimac’s team, ranked with the team’s gutsy display. Nations in July have already “Each training site has two nat- lighting to light up the entire the SC plenty of time to pilot grounds included in the legacy 103rd in the world, have given “THAT is my team and used the sites. The sites also ural grass pitches with a three site evenly.” different uses for the training planning for the facilities. a good account of themselves in THOSE are my boys! Can- be used before the 2019 FIFA metre auxiliary area around The training facilities are sites and ultimately highlight The extensive infrastruc- their first two matches in Group not describe how proud I am Club World Cup in December. and a five metre gap between an important pillar of the the legacy use of this state-of- ture at each site also includes E. They led Oman 1-0 in their at this moment,” tweeted the Each training facility for the pitches to guarantee the team base camps, a manda- the-art sporting infrastructure. dressing rooms, a press con- opener last week but conceded 35-year-old. the FIFA World Cup Qatar safety of the players.” tory FIFA World Cup™ host- Teams that have already ference area, a catering and two goals in the last eight min- “Not a big result for the ta- 2022™ will consist of two He continued: “The field ing concept which includes used the pitches include the lounge area, information tech- utes to go down 2-1 at home. ble, but in terms of a fight, as FIFA-compliant floodlit natu- of play in the training sites training facilities and a hotel Qatar national team, Taipei, nology and communications Few gave the side any big as it can get. Huge credit ral grass pitches, ancillary resembles the pitches at FIFA located in close proximity to Iran, Palestine, Kazakhstan, networks and broadcast and chance of coming away with to the coaching staff and the team facilities, team parking World Cup stadiums with each other. Each of the partici- the Qatar Rugby Federation media facilities. anything but a defeat to 2022 dressing room.” hosts Qatar, a team ranked Qatar top the group with 41 places higher than India, four points from two matches, but stout defending and some one ahead of Oman and Af- superb goalkeeping from Gur- ghanistan. The eight group World Cup Basketball preet Singh Sandhu helped winners and the four best run- them earn a point. ners-up advance to the third “Definitely a night to re- round of qualification for the member ...” Sandhu tweeted World Cup. France eliminate USA in major upset AFP Sudan qualify for second DONGGUAN (CHINA) FRANCE blew the Basket- ball World Cup wide open on round of 2022 qualifiers Wednesday by handing the United States their first loss in QNA second time, having avoided the competition in 13 years in KHARTOUM defeat in an away World Cup their quarterfinal clash, pow- qualifier for the first time – ered by a double-double from SUDAN have qualified for the this after six straight defeats big man Rudy Gobert of the second round of the group on the road. Utah Jazz. stage of the African qualifiers After 77 minutes of Soma- The historic 89-79 win for for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. lia stoutly resisting Zimbabwe France eliminates the Ameri- Sudan defeated Chad 3-1 attacks, four goals in some cans early from the competi- on aggregate following a 0-0 crazy closing stages settled tion in China, dashing their draw in the second leg match this thrilling encounter in the hopes of a third straight title. held in Khartoum. hosts’ favour. Khama Billiat’s The prospect of an Ameri- The first leg was played unstoppable stoppage-time can exit had looked increasing- Kemba Walker of the US reacts after his team lost to France. (AFP) in Chad and Sudan won the effort – fired left-footed into ly possible after the USA sent a game 3-1. the top-right corner – ended squad of second-tier stars and French players exult during their Basketball World Cup quarter-final But Mitchell cooled in the World Cup hardware they won A total of ten teams were the hopes of the lowest-ranked the loss is likely to prompt soul- game against US in Dongguan, China, on Wednesday. (AFP) fourth and the French came in Russia last year. through as Round 1 concluded. team involved in Africa’s Qa- searching in USA basketball. back, led by Gobert and sharp- They will first have to get Malawi, Djibouti and Zim- tar 2022 qualifiers. The dra- Gobert, the two-time NBA of the biggest wins for French ed to compete and we did.” shooting small forward Evan past Argentina. In the other babwe all won their ties by matic winner ended a run of 11 Defensive Player of the Year, basketball for sure.” France will play Argentina Fournier of the Orlando Mag- bracket, Spain will face the one-goal margins against Bot- World Cup qualifiers without a had three blocks, including a In a hint of the sniping on Friday, who made it to the ic, who led France in scoring winner of Australia-Czech swana, Eswatini and Somalia win for Zimbabwe. key rejection down the stretch that may result in the United final four by defeating Serbia. with 22 points. Republic, who tipped off later respectively, making for sev- Mozambique, Angola, to help France seal the victory States over the debacle, shoot- The USA loss sets up an Fournier slashed to the Wednesday. eral dramatic finishes. Togo, Rwanda, Guinea-Bissau, in the southern Chinese city of ing guard Donovan Mitchell, enticing consolation match hoop for a driving lay-up to The writing was on the wall Gerald Phiri’s cooly-dis- Namibia and Sudan had an eas- Dongguan. who lead the Americans with with Serbia on Thursday. give France the lead again at for the United States which, patched late penalty saw Ma- ier time of it as they all booked The 7ft, 1in centre called 29 points, hit back at critics of Packed with NBA players, 78-76 with about three min- lacking big names like LeBron lawi through in what set a new their spots in the next round. the win “unbelievable”.