NBA | Page 5 NHL | Page 6 Heat retire Jagr climbs To Advertise here Shaquille to second on Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 O’Neal’s highest NHL No. 32 jersey points list Saturday, December 24, 2016 FOOTBALL Rabia I 25, 1438 AH Hodgson feels GULF TIMES Rooney still has role to play for England SPORT Page 4 ITALIAN SUPER CUP Milan win title as Juventus leave empty handed, again For the second time in three years, Juventus players leave Doha heartbroken after suff ering yet another loss in the penalty shootout. This time, despite the heroics of skipper Buff on, AC Milan pip them to the post and win the Italian Super Cup By Sahan Bidappa Doha or the second time in three years, Juventus players left Doha heart- broken. The Serie A champions of last fi ve years have somehow Ffailed to fi nd lady luck smiling in their favour in the Qatar capital. At the Al Sadd Stadium last night, 2014 came back to haunt Juventus as they lost the Italian Super Cup — on penalties once again. Back then, the Juventus were pipped to the post by Napoli, this time AC Milan had the last laugh against the Old Lady of Turin. Truth be told, Milan were the better team on the night and deserving win- ners. The San Siro side had numerous chances to score the winner during the regulation time and then in extra time too, but were undone by Juventus goal- keeper Gianluigi Buff on’s mastery. Buff on, playing in his 600th match for Juve, however, was helpless when Mario Pasalic sent him the wrong way to seal a pulsating clash 4-3 (1-1 in reg- ulation time) in Milan’s favour. It was another Gianluigi, though, who was the hero last night. The 17-year-old Milan goalkeeper Donnarumma, who shares his fi rst name with Buff on, showed the compo- sure of a veteran when he fl ung to his left to save Paulo Dybala’s kick one- handed, which proved decisive in the shoot-out. Giacomo Bonaventura had cancelled out a Giorgio Chiellini’s opener as both teams were locked in 1-1 at full time. This Italian Super Cup triumph was Milan’s fi rst piece of silverware, since Rossoneri’s won the same trophy in 2011. Back then Massimiliano Allegri was in charge of Milan, but he was in the opposite camp this time, as cur- AC Milan’s players celebrate winning against Juventus during the Italian Super Cup final match between AC Milan and Juventus in Doha yesterday at the Al Sadd stadium. rent Milan coach Vincenzo Montella savoured his fi rst trophy. Milan also equalled Juventus record of seven Ital- ian Super Cup trophies. “It’s a nice feeling to win. The lads have to see this as a good starting point for the future, as we played on a par with a great side like Juventus,” said a delighted Montella. “We did everything to avoid penal- ties. We have lost twice in Doha and hopefully the third one will go better. I have to compliment Milan, as they put in a strong performance,” Juventus coach Allegri said. This is traditionally a clash between the Scudetto winners and Coppa Ita- HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatar Prime Minister, giving lia holders, but as Juve had won both the gold medal to AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma yesterday. those trophies in 2016, their opponents were Milan, the beaten Coppa fi nalists. trice Evra. act again, fl ying to his left to stop a Juventus’ goalkeeper Gianluigi Milan started the game on nervous The equaliser came in the 39th screamer from the German midfi elder. Buff on reacts at the end of the match. note as Juventus were all over them in minute for Milan when Suso whipped Carlos Bacca had the opportunity to the fi rst 15 minutes. Montella’s men, in a cross from the right and Bonaven- seal it for Milan but could not tap in a lan defender Mattia De Sciglio’s arm, who had beaten Juventus in the league tura ducked slightly to steer his glanc- Juraj Kucka’s cross. which was the last touch of the match. game as recently as October, started ing header into the far top corner. Bacca’s heart must have been in his But the referee would have none of it. out playing too deep. And Juventus Juventus were lucky not to be a man mouth, when Dybala, who replaced In penalties, it was advantage Ju- took advantage of that. less after Stephan Lichtsteiner escaped Miralem Pjanic in the 67th minute, had ventus when Buff on saved a soft kick The Turin side almost went ahead being sent off . The Swiss defender, an golden opportunity to become Ju- from Gianluca Lapadula. But Mario after seven minutes, but Mario Mand- who was already on a yellow, elbowed ventus’ hero . But the Argentine striker Mandzukic hit the bar and parity was zukic’s fi erce shot was blocked by Don- Bonaventura but referee Antonio Da- inexplicably missed his target. restored. With Milan converting the narumma. The Milan goalkeeper was mato failed to spot that. In extra time, Buff on was at his best next three, Dybala was under pressure once again called into action on Ste- In the second half, Milan began from as he kept out a Bacca header, which to score. fano Sturaro’s strike, but on the result- where they had left in the fi rst half. bounced off the ground but was head- And the Argentine messed up again, ing corner Giorgio Chiellini volleyed in They had more possession and looked ing into the net. as Donnarumma produced a sensa- with his shin-pad to give Juventus the the most likely to take the lead. Juventus picked up their intensity tional one-handed save. Pasalic still lead in the 18th minute. But Chiellini defl ected a Suso eff ort and thought they had done the job had to score and he kept his cool to That goal woke up Milan from their and on the corner Alessio Romagnoli’s when Evra found the net in the 111 min- convert and trigger emphatic scenes slumber, as they started to play a high header looped onto the crossbar. For utes. But the Frenchman was clearly among his Milan teammates. pressing game from then on. Milan’s Juventus, their 90mn Euro signing off side. Evra was in action when he “I cannot describe what I’m feeling best player on the night, Fernadez Suso Gonzalo Higuain was off -colour on the found an unmarked Dybala in the box and I don’t even know what was go- went close to scoring the equaliser, big occasion. Though he came close a with three minutes left on the clock. ing through my head! We knew that we but shot wide. Juventus then received couple of times, but was unable to get Dybala, however, once again ballooned had to give it our all, we played on level a setback when the impressive winger past Donnarumma. over the bar from 12 yards. terms with Juventus,” said the young Alex Sandro limped off with a muscu- Sami Khedira had a couple of There was drama in the end when Ju- Donnarumma as he joined his team- lar problem and was replaced by Pa- chances, but Donnarumma was in the ventus appealed for a handball on Mi- AC Milan’s players celebrate with their goalkeeper Donnarumma yesterday. mates for a long night of celebration. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, December 24, 2016 SPORT I WAS THERE... The packed Al Sadd stadium saw a lot of support for both the teams. And they were loud! PICS: Noushad Thekkayil & Shemeer Rasheed SPOTLIGHT ALL PRAISE Milan and Juventus bosses impressed Doha a special place with Aspire Academy for Milan’s Honda ‘It seems as if that was a long time ago. The city has changed rapidly. The facilities now are even more amazing. I hope I go back again with yet another title’ By sc.qa Doha Ali Salem Afifa, Aspire Academy Deputy Director General with apanese attacker Keisuke Hon- Giuseppe Marotta, CEO of Juventus FC (L) and Adriano Galliani, da is no stranger to Qatar. The Vice-President and CEO of AC Milan. 30-year-old led the ‘Samurai Blue’ to a record fourth Asian title in the By Sports Reporter impressed by what l have seen J2011 AFC Asian Cup, emerging as the and it shows how Qatar is as- Doha tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Now tutely planning and setting out he has touched down again in Doha and ambitious goals for success.” says he is “glad to be back”, this time as a he bosses of two of Se- Fellow countryman and Ju- European star as he seeks to win his fi rst rie A’s biggest clubs ventus FC CEO Giuseppe Marot- piece of silverware for AC Milan against visited Aspire Academy ta also commented on the visit Juventus in the Italian Super Cup (which on Thursday morning by saying: “It is clear that Aspire he did end up winning). aheadT of the hotly contested Academy continues to develop Honda, who has scored 36 interna- 2016 Supercoppa Italiana clash and grow and set the bench- tional goals in 82 appearances, told www. between Juventus FC and AC mark for world-leading sport sc.qa that the 2011 win was a special mo- Milan. Played at the Jassim Bin academies. The facilities and ment of his career, but he is no mood to Hamad Stadium in Al Sadd, sport programmes run here are rest on his laurels.