FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 2 GGOLFOLF | Page 6 Barcelona’s Simpson unbeaten marches to season ended four-strike win by Levante at Players Tuesday, May 15, 2018 CRICKET Sha’baan 29, 1439 AH Ton-up O’Brien turns GULF TIMES Ireland debut against Pakistan around SPORT Page 4 FOOTBALL / AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOCUS PSG turn to Tuchel to Bounedjah brace boost Europe steers Sadd into QFs chances 2-2 draw at Al Ahli was enough to give Qatari side a 4-3 aggregate victory By Sports Reporter Doha wo goals from Baghdad Bounedjah helped Al Sadd snatch a 2-2 draw away to Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia in the Reuters second leg of their 2018 AFC Cham- Paris Tpions League Round of 16 clash in Jeddah yes- terday. The draw was enough to give the Qatari side aris Saint-Germain have turned to the un- a 4-3 aggregate win and a spot in the quarter- compromising German coach Thomas fi nals for the fi rst time since 2014. Tuchel to boost the club’s Champions Just like in the fi rst leg, Al Sadd seized the League record after years of relative failure. initiative early on. The 2011 champions found PFormer Mainz and Borussia Dortmund coach the back of the net inside two minutes, with Tuchel signed a two-year contract to succeed tournament top scorer Bounedjah dribbling Spain’s Unai Emery, who achieved a domestic tre- into the box from the left before lashing in a ble but failed to establish PSG as top contenders in fi erce strike past Al Ahli keeper Mohamed al- Europe’s elite club competition. Owais. Despite spending a world record 222mn euros The visitors’ delight did not last long as Al ($265.8mn) to attract Neymar during the close sea- Ahli equalised in the ninth minute through son, the Ligue 1 side were eliminated in the last-16 Claudemir. The Brazilian midfi elder was in of the Champions League by Real Madrid. The Bra- the right place in the right time to nod home a zil forward missed the second leg through injury. header to make it 1-1 on the night. PSG also signed Kylian Mbappe last year, but Al Ahli went on to score another goal and it France’s hottest prospect could not help them reach came just before halftime, when Mohannad the semi-fi nals, which was the team’s goal this sea- Aseri capitalised on Abdelkarim Hassan’s fail- son. ure to clear the ball and tapped in from close The Ligue 1 champions have failed to go past the range to level the aggregate scores in the 39th quarter-fi nals of the Champions League since Qa- minute. tar Sports Investments (QSI) took over in June, 2011. The goal strengthened the home side’s Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah (right) celebrates after scoring a goal against Al Ahli in the second leg of their AFC Champions League Round of 16 “It is with much joy, pride and ambition that I determination and Fathi Jebali’s men went tie in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, yesterday. (Below) Al Sadd’s Xavi (right) in action during the match yesterday. (AFC, AFP) am joining this big club, Paris Saint-Germain,” said in search of a goal to put them in the lead in Tuchel. the second half. Aseri came close in the 62nd Qatari sides in the Champions League. from 25 yards out into the top corner to put “I can’t wait to start working with all these great minute, getting to the end of Abdulfattah Persepolis in front. players who are all amongst the best in the world. Asiri’s cross before somehow miscuing his LATE STRIKE SENDS PERSEPOLIS INTO Al Jazira boss Henk ten Cate responded to With my coaching staff , we will do everything we shot from a couple of yards out. QUARTER-FINALS going behind by introducing striker Ahmed can to help the team reach success, including on the In the 69th minute, the complexion of the In Tehran, Seyed Jalal Hosseini’s 89th minute Al Hashmi for defender Mohammed Fawzi, international scene. match changed dramatically after the referee strike gave hosts Persepolis a 2-1 win over and his attacking intent immediately paid “Paris Saint-Germain has enormous potential awarded a penalty to Al Sadd when Hamid UAE’s Al Jazira in the second leg. Persepolis dividends when Al Hashmi combined with and it is by so far the most exciting proposition in Ismail was brought down in the box by Clau- advanced to the quarter-fi nals on away goals Ali Mabkhout inside Persepolis’ half before football. I am also impatient to get to know the Parc demir. after the tie ended 4-4 on aggregate. setting up Romarinho, who drilled in a shot des Princes, a famous European stadium and one Al-Owais blocked Bounedjah’s initial eff ort Al Jazira survived 45 minutes of one-way from outside the area into the bottom corner that boasts an incredible atmosphere.” but the Algerian made no mistake with the re- traffi c as Persepolis set up shop at their visi- to restore Al Jazira’s aggregate lead in the 70th It is undoubtedly on the European scene that bound to score his ninth goal of the campaign tors’ end of the pitch in pursuit of an early minute. Tuchel will be expected to deliver, PSG having this and send his side through to the quarter-fi - leveller. Persepolis piled the pressure for the re- season won the Ligue 1 title as well as the French nals. Despite the pressure, the Iranians could mainder of the game, but all their attempts and League Cups. Al Sadd had never failed to qualify to the only muster a weak header from Siamak to fi nd a winner were halted by an inspired Tuchel left Dortmund last year with one year left next round in the knockout stages of the AFC Nemati that was saved by goalkeeper Ali Khaseif who denied Godwin Mensha and Ali on his contract because of a strained relationship Champions League after avoiding defeat Khaseif and an effort from Farshad Ahmad- Alipour back-to-back headers inside the fi nal with the club’s board, just after winning the Ger- in the fi rst leg of the tie, and they kept that zadeh that missed the target by a small mar- 10 minutes. man Cup. record intact yesterday. gin as the two sides headed into the break As the strikers failed to fi nd a winner, it was His ability to deal with a locker room fi lled with But the match at King Abdullah Stadium level. skipper Hosseini who delivered, pouncing on big names will be closely monitored. was a feisty one with raucous local crowd ral- The home side fi nally found a breakthrough a poor defensive clearance from Musallem German media reported that the 47-year-old had lying around the home team. While a victory in the 63rd minute after a well-worked at- Fayez to volley home the winner with a minute met with Neymar, who posted a picture of himself eluded them, they ensured Al Ahli have only tacking move saw Ahmadzadeh lay-off a pass to play to send Persepolis into the quarter- on social media wearing the 2018-19 PSG shirt, on lost one of their eight home games against for Ahmad Nourollahi who struck with venom fi nals. Sunday. PREVIEW Duhail favourites, but wary of Al Ain fi ghtback By Sports Reporter Lucas Mendes will return from sus- We know Ain are strong and organised, petition, but they face an uphill task to- Doha pension for the hosts, while both Hus- but we are team for them,” the Algerian day. The UAE champions are unbeaten sein El Shahat and Mohanad Salem do added. on the road this year, and triumphed likewise for the visitors. Brazilian Caio The victory at the Hazza bin Zayed 4-1 the last time they played in Doha NB Stars league champions Al is suspended for Al Ain after his late Stadium in Ain last Tuesday, extended – in last month’s Group D fi nale at Al Duhail will take a command- dismissal in the fi rst leg. Duhail’s 100 per cent record in this Rayyan. The same result on Tuesday ing 4-2 lead into the second Al Duhail’s incredible winning run season’s Champions League. Having would book Al Ain’s place in the quar- leg of the AFC Champions extended to 19 games at the weekend already topped their group with full ter-fi nals. QLeague Round of 16 match against Al when Ali scored the only goal of the points, Belmadi’s side became only the “OK, we did it last month, but Du- Ain at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium on game against Al Sadd to ensure a place second team to open their campaign hail are a better team than Al Rayyan,” Tuesday as they look to seal a place in in next weekend’s Amir Cup fi nal. with seven successive wins. Mamic said. “Like I have said before, the quarter-fi nals. Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi said his However, Belmadi said it was not a everything is possible. We will try to do Goals from Youssef El Arabi and Nam team was not taking things lightly even time to delve on past results and called our best and we have to fi ght until the Tae-hee had the Qatari side two goals though they have two-goal and four on his players to focus on the match.