Sport FRIDAY 4 DECEMBER 2020 Williamson makes hay on green top as West Indies rue decision to bowl first A masterful innings from Kane Williamson, who was 97 not out at stumps, put New Zealand in charge on a day one of the first Test that should have belonged to the West Indies quicks in Hamilton. Kane Williamson New Zealand captain Sport | 15 AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (EAST) Tokyo bt Perth 1-0; Ulsan bt Shanghai 4-1; Beijing draw with Chiangrai 1-1; Melbourne bt Seoul 2-1 Qatar ready to take on Bangladesh FAWAD HUSSAIN the competition to return again THE PENINSULA Qatar are leading Group E with 13 and we are all eagerly waiting points and will confirm their berth for tomorrow’s match,” the Asian champions Qatar are at the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 by coach said yesterday. favourites against Bangladesh Both the teams last met in in today’s Asian Qualifiers Group winning the group. Dhaka with Qatar winning the Qatar coach E clash at home but coach Felix game 2-0 after a thrilling match. Felix Sanchez Sanchez is not taking things for The match will be played at Doha’s Today’s game is also expected watches granted as Al Annabi returns to Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium with to be an absorbing battle as team's training competitive football after a kick off set for 7pm. Bangladesh are seeking to give session on year’s break. a strong fight against the hosts. the eve of the Qatar, who will host their All the 1,800 tickets, which match against continental opponents at Doha’s pitch only and we do not care were made available for the tie, Bangladesh. Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, what is said on social media were sold out in quick time. The are seeking to consolidate top platforms or even the words of match will kick off at 7:00pm A Qatari player position in the group in today’s other coaches,” Sanchez said at today. in action during match. a pre-match press conference Fans will be able to see top training session. Ranked 59th on the FIFA yesterday. Qatar stars including reigning computer, the 2019 AFC Asian “Bangladeshi team is AFC Player of the year Akram Cup champions are leading organised and plays collectively Afif, his predecessor Abdel is very well prepared and we will Group E with 13 points and will and therefore we have to be dis- Karim Hassan and Almoez Ali, give our best to achieve victory in confirm their berth at the AFC ciplined and beware of con- the leading scorer at the 2019 the match and live up to expec- Asian Cup China 2023 by ceding goals and avoid counter- AFC Asian Cup in action, as tations of our fans,” he said. winning the group. attacks,” the Spaniard added. Sanchez named a strong squad Meanwhile, Bangladesh Bangladesh, who are ranked Qatar last played a com- for today’s match. assistant coach Stuart Watkiss 184, are at the bottom of the petitive match against Saudi Accompanying Sanchez in said his team is going into the group. Arabia in the semi-final of Gulf yesterday’s press conference, game with lack of competitive Sanchez yesterday shrugged Cup in December 2019 before Muhammad Waad, who is match practice. “You only get off the favourite tag, saying his coronavirus pandemic disrupted expected to make his interna- truly match-fit by playing com- A glimpse of team will go into today’s match international football action. tional debut today, said he is petitive matches, but unfortu- team's training completely focused . “We are happy to play the ‘ready to give his best’ for Qatar. nately we have still not played session. “We prepare for all matches first official match after a long “I am ready to give my best nearly enough,” Watkiss told The by focusing on our goals on the time. Our players are excited for for the national team. Our team Daily Star. Adailton fires Tokyo into Asian Premier League, EFL Champions League Round of 16 agree £250m virus rescue package AFP — DOHA first time since 2006. Having AFP — LONDON booked their knockout berth Brazilian midfielder Adailton earlier, Ulsan made several The EFL says clubs in Leagues One scored a brilliant solo goal in the changes to their line-up but The Premier League and the and Two -- the third and fourth first half as FC Tokyo edged past Park Jeong-in and Lee Sang- English Football League tiers -- would receive grants worth Perth Glory 1-0 to seal the heon put them 2-0 ahead at the agreed a £250m rescue £50m ($67m). The Premier League second Round of 16 spot from break. package yesterday, ending will provide a further financial Group F in the Asian Champions Bjorn Johnsen then added a months of uncertainty for League yesterday. second-half brace as the lower-league clubs struggling commitment to help the EFL secure South Korean giants Ulsan Koreans recorded their fifth financially during the coro- a £200m loan facility for clubs in Hyundai had already made the straight win. navirus pandemic. the second-tier Championship. cut as guaranteed group “After we qualified for the The EFL said clubs in winners, leaving FC Tokyo and round of 16, I expected a few Leagues One and Two -- the Shanghai Shenhua scrapping players might lose concen- third and fourth tiers -- would continue to suffer significant for second place with both Tokyo’s forward tration but all the players con- receive grants worth £50m financial losses as a result of teams on seven points from five Adailton celebrates centrated and played well,” said ($67m). The Premier League the pandemic, but Premier matches. his goal during the Ulsan coach Kim Do-hoon. will provide a further League shareholders today But Shanghai Shenhua fell AFC Champions “We had a lot of young financial commitment to help unanimously agreed to to a crushing 4-1 defeat by League match players and they did their job. I the EFL secure a £200m loan provide additional funding Ulsan yesterday to exit the tour- against Australia’s asked them to play aggressively facility for clubs in the and support for EFL clubs in nament, while FC Tokyo’s Perth Glory at the with combination play and high second-tier Championship. real financial distress.” narrow win over Perth Glory Education City press, and they did it all very It follows months of The package for Leagues helped them maintain their Stadium, yesterday. well.” Shanghai Shenhua’s Choi negotiations between the two One and Two is understood record of qualifying for the Kang-hee said the Covid-19 governing bodies, who had to be £30 million to be split knockout phase every year pandemic meant they faced a been criticised for their failure between the 48 clubs in those since their continental debut in number of difficulties in playing to reach an agreement. divisions, plus access to a 2012. the competition. The government has con- further £20 million package Adailton was in the thick of “Today we are very happy biggest opponent today but “We understand it’s a pan- sistently said that the Premier of monitored grants. the action in the very first about qualifying for the next congratulations to FC Tokyo.” demic. It’s a special time, and League, rather than the tax- The £30m will be paid minute at the Education City round. Some players who didn’t - Shanghai crash out - we have to play in this kind of payer, must help the EFL. immediately from the Stadium when he went for a play much before played today Shanghai Shenhua’s defeat way, but we hope in the future “Our over-arching aim Premier League to help cover spectacular bicycle kick off a and Adailton scored a very good by Ulsan Hyundai meant they the tournament won’t be played throughout this process has lost matchday revenue. cross from Takuya Uchida only goal,” said Hasegawa. failed to make the last 16 for the with such a tight fixture list.” been to ensure that all EFL The monitored grants can to see the ball sail over the “We tried to score clubs survive the financial be applied for by clubs in goalpost. more goals in the Ulsan’s defender impact of the pandemic,” said need, with a joint EFL and But he compensated for that second half but also we Jung Seung- EFL chairman Rick Parry. Premier League panel ruling miss in style seven minutes later knew the result of the Hyun (right) vies “I am pleased that we on eligibility. with a brilliant 30-yard burst other game (Ulsan for the header have now reached a reso- The Premier League has down the left flank, scoring with were leading 2-0 with Shanghai’s lution on behalf of our clubs committed to cover up to £15 a curling shot past Perth goal- against Shenhua at half forward Bi Jinhao and as we have maintained million in interest and keeper Liam Reddy. time), so we were more during their match throughout this will provide arrangement fees to enable a Two minutes later, Adailton comfortable.” at the Jassim Bin much-needed support and £200m loan to be secured for found himself in a great position Perth Glory’s Hamad Stadium, clarity following months of Championship clubs. to strike again but his powerful Cristian Ola said yesterday. uncertainty.” Culture Secretary Oliver effort from outside the penalty fatigue was a big factor Premier League chief Dowden said: “I warmly area saw Reddy producing a for his team’s poor executive Richard Masters welcome this deal between fine save.