22 Friday, February 3, 2017 SPORTS SPORTS Friday, February 3, 2017 23 Libreville win it was us.” eteran 44-year-old goalkeeper At a Stade de l’Amitie Essam El Hadary saved from that was once again a long BertrandV Traore’s spot-kick to allow way from full, Burkina Egypt to beat Burkina Faso 4-3 on Faso enjoyed the better of penalties on Wednesday as they the game for long spells but secured their place in the Africa Cup came up against an Egypt Saint Petersburg Kristina Mladenovic at the St perfect match and gave me no no time to adjust to the new of Nations final. side transformed under enus Williams blamed Petersburg Trophy yesterday, chance today.” conditions and it paid off. A tense semi-final in Libreville Cuper. Vpoor fitness for her five days after losing to sister Mladenovic raced into a 5-0 “I have a lot of respect for had ended 1-1 after 90 minutes and 55-minute defeat Serena in the Australian Open lead before Williams, who was Venus as I grew up watching extra time, with Roma star Mohamed Salah stunner Kittellaid it off for Roma attack t o final. experiencing problems with her playing. And I’m proud Salah’s superb 66th-minute opener Without the injured Arsenal winger Salah to blast a first- The 36-year-old, seeded her left thigh, chalked up her to play with her on the same for the Egyptians quickly cancelled midfielder Mohamed Elneny, Egypt time strike high into the net. four, slumped to a 6-3, 6-1 first game of the match. court and win.” out by Aristide Bance for Burkina handed a start to Mahmoud Kahraba, Yet Burkina Faso kept going and defeat to her French After taking the opening set Vinci, the 33-year-old Faso. who had come on to get the winner the Egypt defence was breached for opponent in her second in 28 minutes Mladenovic, the Italian and seeded sixth, That goal was the first conceded by in the quarter-final against Morocco, the first time at this Cup of Nations round tie after receiving a world number 51, broke at the needed an hour and 37 minutes El Hadary -- the oldest ever player at while Bance came into the Burkina thanks to giant striker Bance. first round bye. start of the second. to record her second win over the Cup of Nations -- in 653 minutes Faso starting line-up. Steeve Yago’s backheel found “Today I wasn’t in my best She produced two more the 52nd-ranked Petkovic in at the tournament going back to 2010. With him leading the line the Charles Kabore and the captain’s of health,” Williams said. breaks to secure her win their third meeting. Abdallah El Said missed Egypt’s Stallions were the better side in the flighted ball was controlled and “I felt pain in my legs. I and to set up a quarter-final “It was a difficult match,” Niš, Serbia first penalty in the shoot-out but El first half and El Hadary had to save smashed home from close range in had similar feelings during meeting with defending Vinci said. “I started well and ovak Djokovic Hadary kept the Pharaohs in it when from Blati Toure while the impressive one lighting-fast action by Bance, my last match in Australia. I champion Roberta Vinci of led 4-0 in the first but Andrea admitted he saved from opposing goalkeeper Prejuce Nakoulma sent a rising effort. ending El Hadary’s remarkable record also felt some lack of energy. Italy, who prevailed 6-4, 6-4 found a way to come Nyesterday he was Herve Koffi, before denying Traore Trezeguet and Kahraba both of invincibility at the tournament at Definitely it wasn’t the best over German qualifier Andrea back.” wary of rivals Russia from the last kick. threatened Koffi’s goal as the first just short of 11 hours. match in my life. Petkovic. as he returns for For Egypt, the record seven- half ended goalless, while El Hadary El Hadary then needed to be alert “Also she “It wasn’t as easy as Serbia in Davis Cup time champions of Africa, the win batted away another free-kick from to tip over from substitute Banou (Mladenovic) the scoreline indicates,” World Group first round action this weekend. completes a remarkable journey all Traore after the restart. And it looked Diawara in stoppage time, ensuring played really Mladenovic said. The world number two will take on Daniil Medvedev on his the way to the final in their first set to be another classic smash and the game went to the extra period and well. She “Venus is a top player and favoured hard court surface at home in the southern fortress appearance at the tournament after a grab act from the Egyptians as they then penalties. (AFP) has a great champion. For sure it town of Nis on Friday after Viktor Troicki opens seven-year absence. opened the scoring just before the played was difficult for her to come against Russia’s Karen Khachanov. Unbeaten in 24 games at the midway point in the second half. almost here and compete at her best “Russia are a young, motivated team and tournament, they will play Cameroon After some patient a after playing in Australian we must not underestimate them under any or Ghana in Gabon’s capital on build-up play, Open final. circumstances,” warned Djokovic, the only top ten Sunday as they look to reclaim a Ahmed “I tried to play very player featuring trophy they had won three times Elmohamady’s Grivko consistent and this weekend. in a row between 2006 and 2010 ball into the aggressive (tennis) Djokovic said Schedule before their fall from grace. box found from the beginning, he welcomed the Friday (from 1400 GMT): Cameroon and Ghana meet in Kahraba, kicked off Dubai trying to give return to his Viktor Troicki (SRB) v Karen Khachanov (RUS) Franceville in the second semi- who final on Thursday. controlled stana’s Andrey Grivko was her homeland after Novak Djokovic (SRB) v Daniil Medvedev (RUS) a disappointing “They were better than us and and kicked off the Tour of Dubai Saturday (1500): A second round had several chances that they yesterday for punching race leader Dubai defeat at the Viktor Troicki/Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) v Andrey didn’t take,” admitted Egypt’s Marcel Kittel, organisers said. Australian Open Kuznetsov/Konstantin Kravchuk (RUS) Argentine coach Hector Cuper. As John Degenkolb fended to rank outsider Sunday (1300): Burkina Faso, who were hoping off swirling winds to claim the Denis Istomin. Novak Djokovic (SRB) v Karen Khachanov to repeat their run to the final in third stage Kittel was left with Tour “It’s a special (RUS) 2013, will instead go to Port-Gentil a bloodied face after the attack midway through the 200 feeling when Viktor Troicki (SRB) v Daniil Medvedev (RUS) for the third-place play-off on kilometre ride. we are together Saturday. “I was struck by Andrey Grivko of the Astana team,” playing for our Their coach Paulo the German recounted in a statement released by country,” he Duarte said: “Looking organisers. said. “It’s a very special atmosphere every time we get at the match -- “That’s why I had blood on the my face but I didn’t together.” not the penalties fall,” added Kittel, who crossed in 11th place. The fixtures are reversed Sunday with Djokovic because Egypt Kittel posted a picture on his Twitter feed showing playing Khachanov, with Saturday’s doubles featuring won those thanks him bloodied from the blow, and wrote: ‘I won’t Venus new player-coach Nenad Zimonjic. to a goalkeeper accept an apology for this. That has nothing to do “I’m sure with the home fans behind us we will get a with enormous with cycling. What Grivko did is a shame for our major win here,” Zimonjic said. experience -- if beautiful sport.’ Russia won their previous meeting in 2008, defeating a one team had to “My team had prepared well for the sprint but I team including Troicki and Djokovic. (AFP) wasn’t in an ideal position, with my mind perhaps makes on other things.” Astana took to Twitter to say sorry. “The Astana team apologises to Marcel Kittel Napier The rain eased off in and to the Quick Step team for the behaviour of ain and a damp outfield Napier around the time of its rider Andrey during the third stage in the Tour shock forced the abandonment the scheduled 2:00pm start of Dubai,” the Kazakh outfit said. (AFP) ofR the second one-day and the umpires at one stage international between New announced a new time with the Zealand and Australia without game reduced to 37 overs. a ball being bowled in Napier But the outfield never dried exit yesterday. The series will now sufficiently for play to get be decided in the final match in underway and the match was Hamilton on Sunday. abandoned five hours later. New Zealand won the series Barrichello to drive at Le Mans opener by six runs in Auckland Paris, “I’m delighted to hear that They will be driving a on Monday and a follow-up etired Formula One veteran we have been accepted for my Dallara LMP2 car which victory would see them regain takes Rubens Barrichello will 23rd Le Mans and Racing Team the pair have already started the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy makeR his debut driving in the Le Netherlands’ first entry,” ex F1 testing.