TTENNISENNIS | Page 4 GGOLFOLF | Page 6 Nadal beats Johnson and Dimitrov to Moore in meet Nishikori joint Texas in fi nal Open lead Sunday, April 22, 2018 FOOTBALL Sha’baan 6, 1439 AH Man Utd weather GULF TIMES Tottenham storm to reach FA Cup final SPORT Page 3 BASKETBALL Arabi’s overtime win clinches Emir Cup title By Sports reporter contributed 25 points each for the winners. Doha Arabi took a four-point lead (20-16) in fi rst quarter, but Wakrah came back strongly in the second to curtail the lead to only one point. How- ightning has struck twice for Al Wakrah as ever, Arabi regained a three-point lead at the end Al Arabi clinched the prestigious Emir Cup of the third quarter, before the fourth fi nished at basketball title yesterday. 75-all. Arabi, who defeated Wakrah to win In the overtime, Arabi players were better in LQatar Basketball League in February, once again speed as they scored 21 points, while Wakrah net- overcame a stiff challenge from Wakrah to register ted only 13 points. an overtime victory (96-88) in the fi nal at the Al “The victory is very sweet for us as it has come Gharafa Sports Club. after a long gap. The title win is the result of my This is Al Arabi’s eighth title and it came after a boys’ consistent show this season. We are happy long wait of 24 years. to win two titles this season,” Arabi coach Hatem The credit for Arabi’s victory goes to Nicholas Mamlouk said. Stover, who almost single-handedly swept his side Demarius Armond Bolds’ match-high 38 points to the fi nal of the tournament by scoring an aver- went in vain as Al Wakrah, who had failed to qualify age of 30-plus scores. Stover, who had scored 42 for the Emir Cup fi nals for 16 years, once again failed points in the semi-fi nal against Al Khor, was once to cross the last hurdle. again the top-scorer for his side with 29 points. Other notable contributions for Wakrah came “I am very pleased and honoured to have helped from Earnest Lee Ross Jr (22 points) and Adamu Al Arabi win the title tonight. This is our second Saaka (14 points). title this year after the league crown,” Stover, who was leading scorer for his side in the league, said. Al Arabi players celebrate their Emir Cup basketball Stover also had fi ve assists and six rebounds. win with the winners’ trophy and the off icials at the William Earl Byrd and Khalid Suliman Abdil also Al Gharafa Sports Club yesterday. FOOTBALL / QATAR CUP For second straight year, Sadd beat Rayyan for spot in fi nal Jesualdo Ferreira’s men win 4-2 on penalties after the semi-final was locked at 2-2 in regulation time By Sports Reporter Doha l Sadd edged out Al Rayyan 4-2 on penalties to reach the Qatar Cup fi nal. The tie- breaker was forced after the Ateams were tied 2-2 after regular time at the Al Sadd Stadium yesterday. Hassan al-Haydous, Boualem Khoukhi, Jugurtha Hamroun and Bagh- dad Bounedjah scored the goals for the hosts in the shoot-out. Koh Myong-Gin and Gonzalo Viera converted for Al Rayyan, while Sebas- tian Soria and Rodrigo Tabata missed the target. Akram Afi f (20th) and Hamed Ismail (29th) had put Al Sadd ahead only for Mohsine Moutaouali (43rd) and Tabata (81st) to help Al Rayyan draw level. Al-Haydous was delighted after the victory and was hoping his team will repeat the performance in the fi nal next Friday. “It was a great match, a thrilling one. I want to thank God for the hon- our of winning such a close match. Al Rayyan also played very well. We hope to have another strong performance in the fi nal,” al-Haydous said. After an initial attack on the Al Rayyan goal by Al Sadd and a wasted Al Rayyan’s Ahmed Yasser Abdelazeez (left) and Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah vie free-kick by the former, referee Sal- for the ball during their Qatar Cup semi-final match at Al Sadd Stadium yesterday. man Falahi fl ashed a yellow card on Koh who brought down Pedro Miguel with a rough tackle near the touch line in just the fi fth minute. Seconds later, Miguel rammed his knee into the back of Moutaouali, caus- ing another interruption in play. A relentless Al Sadd grabbed the lead through Akram. Al-Haydous blocked a slow pass from Al Rayyan’s Koh close to his own box and slipped the ball to Bar- celona and Spain great Xavi Hernandez who tapped the cross for Afi f. The Qa- tar Under-23 star fi red a low ball that Al Sadd players celebrate their victory over Al Rayyan after the penalty shootout in the Qatar Cup semi-final match at Al Sadd swung as it reached the goalmouth be- Stadium yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil and Shemeer Rasheed fore smashing into the net despite goal- keeper Barry’s full-length dive. It was hamed Juma. Moutaouali scored for Al Rayyan from the referee went for the Video Assistant Afi f’s fourth goal of the current season Five minutes from the fi rst-half close range, slipping the ball past keep- Referee review. with Al Sadd senior outfi t. whistle, Moutaouali clipped a high ball er Saad al-Dossari following a neat Eleven minutes later, Tabata defl ected Close to the half-hour mark, Al Sadd for striker Soria who went for the snap- cross from Tabata. It was Moutaouali’s a neat ball past al-Dossari to score the jumped to a 2-0 lead after Hamed ran header, but the defl ection went a little fi fth goal of the season. much-needed equaliser for Al Rayyan. almost the entire distance from the wide in one of the best chances for the In the 70th minute, Al Rayyan skip- QNB Stars League’s new champions half-line and slipped the ball into the visitors to score. per Tabata headed from close range, Al Duhail play Al Gharafa in the other Referee goes for the Video Assistant net after being chased by defender Mo- However, three minutes later, but the eff ort was ruled off -side after semi-fi nal today. Referee review during the game. Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Ferreira. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, April 22, 2018 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT Rodgers rules out replacing Wenger as Arsenal eye Enrique 'Arsenal is a fantastic club but, for me, my only focus is on Celtic and doing the very best I can for them' AFP London ‘PROUD’ OZIL SAYS WENGER THE REASON HE JOINED ARSENAL eltic’s Brendan Rodgers distanced himself from replacing Arsene Wenger London: Mesut Ozil said he’s proud to have played under signed a new deal earlier this yesterday amid reports that Luis En- ‘proud to have played under him,” the Germany interna- season, thanks to Wenger. “He rique was being lined up by Arsenal to Arsene Wenger and declared tional told Sky Sports. is the boss who brought me Csucceed their veteran manager. the Frenchman as the reason “Everyone has a lot of here and wanted me to stay so Wenger, whose position has long been under he joined Arsenal. Wenger respect for him. He has won I said I am comfortable here, intense scrutiny, announced Friday he would be announced on Friday he is many titles, developed some I never wanted to leave and bringing down the curtain on his near 22 years leaving Arsenal at the end of good players and has always that’s why I stayed,” he said. in charge of the north London club at the end the season, ending a 22-year played excellent football, so “Now we want to reach our of the season. Rodgers has been touted as a po- reign in which he won three you know as a player if you further goals. To be a creative tential successor but the former Liverpool boss Premier League titles and come here you are going to player like I am, he gives me said: “There’s nothing really in it. I have always seven FA Cups. be able to develop and play that freedom and tells me to said I’m extremely happy here.” Ozil joined the Gunners in that style. He is an honest do my thing. He gives me his Rodgers has revived his reputation in nearly from Real Madrid for a club guy, a very respectful guy, trust and belief and when a two years in Scotland after a troubled end to record 42.5mn pounds in 2013 has a good personality, and coach says something like his three-and-a-half years at Liverpool in 2015, and cited the manager as the everybody wants to play that, especially someone like leading Celtic to the brink of back-to-back do- inspiration for his move. “He’s under him.” him, you are proud and you mestic trebles in Scotland. “I have three years the main reason I came here, Ozil’s own future at the club want to do all you can to fight left on my contract. I am loving every minute of he convinced me and I am had been in doubt until he for him.” being at Celtic from a professional perspective but also my life up here,” he said. Arsenal haven’t won the Premier League title since 2004 and now face a second successive captain Patrick Vieira, also ruled himself out fi nd a replacement for Arsene Wenger for a va- campaign where they will fi nish outside the top of the running.