SPORT Tuesday 21 November 2017 PAGE | 30 PAGE | 32-33 PAGE | 35 Premier League teamsams Kohli hits 50th ton ProlificProli Curry crafts chasing record in as bad light saves wwin for Warriors Champions Leaguee Lankans over Nets Goal-hungry Al Rayyan eye wins in title chase Rizwan Rehmat The Peninsula ormer champions Al Rayyan will be eyeing wins in the coming matches, coach Michael Laudrup has Fwarned after watching his side demolish Al Arabi 4-2 on Sunday. The victory on Sunday has helped Al Rayyan hold on to the third spot on goal difference though Laudrup’s boys are just a point behind leaders Al Duhail Al Rayyan striker in the title chase. Al Sadd, also with 21 points Rodrigo Tabata like Al Rayyan, are in second (centre) is place. challenged by two “Al Rayyan now has more Al Arabi players confidence as we have won 11 of during their QNB Former Indian cricketer and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador the 12 games we have played in Stars League the league and the QSL Cup. We match in Doha on Sachin Tendulkar (centre) greets participants at the start look forward to more wins in the Sunday. of an event to mark World Children’s Day in New Delhi, coming matches,” Laudrup said yesterday. following his team’s convincing win over Al Arabi. is no problem for us. I say that QNB Stars League Standings Laudrup, the popular Dane, because Al Rayyan is playing said he was expecting a tough attacking football which is Team Matches Won Lost Drew GF GA GD Points Italian FA chief resigns fight from Al Arabi who caved good,” Laudrup said. Al Duhail 8 7 0 1 33 12 21 22 in after conceding two goals in “We deserved to win Al Sadd 8 7 1 0 21 9 12 21 the first half. because we scored three goals Al Rayyan 8 7 1 0 23 12 11 21 after World Cup fiasco “I expected a tough match in the first hour. We were not at Al Sailiya 8 6 2 0 23 13 10 18 because it is a derby match and all lenient in any way and we Al Arabi were playing under a continued in that fashion in the Umm Salal 8 4 3 1 14 13 1 13 Rome down after Italy’s failure to new coach. We do not know second half also. Overall I am Al Ahli 8 2 4 2 9 15 -6 8 AFP qualify for the World Cup last what to expect from them. But I very pleased with our perform- Al Gharafa 8 1 3 4 10 12 -2 7 Monday, but he resisted prom- cannot complain. I am happy ance,” Laudrup said. Al Khor 8 2 5 1 9 15 -6 7 talian FA president Carlo ising to rebuild Italian football and satisfied with Al Rayyan’s When asked why he had Al Kharaitiyat 8 1 4 3 11 19 -8 6 Tavecchio has resigned after from grassroots level upwards. superiority in the (round 8) benched veteran striker Sebas- Al Arabi 8 1 5 2 10 20 -10 5 IItaly’s World Cup qualifying Italy coach Gian Piero Ven- match,” the 52-year-old added. tian Soria and high-scoring Al Markhiya 8 1 5 2 5 15 -10 5 fiasco saw the four-time cham- tura was sacked last “We are in third spot but that forward Abderrazzaq, Laudrup Qatar SC 8 1 7 0 7 20 -13 3 pions miss the finals for the first Wednesday after a 1-0 aggre- said: “The reason for replacing time in 60 years, an FIGC offi- gate play-off defeat by Sweden Sebastien and Hamdallah in the cial confirmed yesterday. saw the four-time champions second half is due to the fact that crushed Umm Salal 4-1 despite score the third and fourth goals,” The 74-year-old handed in miss the World Cup for the first one of them received a yellow conceding an early goal. he added. his resignation during a crisis time since 1958. Al Rayyan now has car and I wanted to prevent him “Just as I predicted yester- “We got a good win. The meeting of the Italian Football Tavecchio was elected pres- from missing the next match day, the match was very number of goals doesn’t matter. Federation (FIGC) in Rome. ident of the FIGC after a landslide more confidence against Al Gharafa.” difficult. Umm Salal are a phys- What is important is the three “He informed us of his res- vote in his favour in 2014 that as we have won 11 Laudrup added. “So I pre- ically strong side and show points. I am happy that we ignation,” Damiano Tommasi, saw 18 of the 20 Serie A clubs ferred to take them out of the great attacking fervour. I didn’t scored four goals as it hasn’t the head of the Italian Players’ back him. He won the vote of the 12 games field.” like our performance in the happened before. ” Ferreira said. Union, told journalists outside despite it coming just weeks after we have played in The Dane applauded striker first 20 minutes but after that, Ferreira informed that his the federation headquarters. making racist slurs, referring to the league and the Rodrigo Tabata on reaching the there was a great improvement. players are exhausted following “Tavecchio took note of a black players who “ate bananas” 100-goal milestone with Al The first half result was fair a string of international commit- change of scenario and the fact before they came to play in Italy. QSL Cup. We look Rayyan’s second goal on considering the performance ments prior to Sunday’s clash. that some elements that in the FIGC elections to choose a forward to more Sunday. of the two teams,” Ferreira “We should know that there past had supported him had new president will take place wins in the coming “Reaching 100 goals is a big said. are exhausted players who are some difficulties renewing this within a delay of 90 days. Ital- achievement for any player and “In the second half, we did not physically fit after playing confidence,” added former ian football now finds itself matches: Laudrup this is great to see in world foot- good work that we failed to do for the national teams recently. FIGC president Giancarlo Abete, without a federation president, ball,” the Al Rayyan coach said. in the first half. We controlled I hope the team is at full strength a member of the federal national team coach, and pres- Meanwhile Al Sadd coach the possession completely and after the end of the next break council. idents of both Lega Serie A and Jesualdo Ferreira said he was after the second goal, we were and before the beginning of the Tavecchio had been under Lega Serie B, the top two satisfied after the Doha giants able to dominate further and second phase,” Ferreira said. increasing pressure to step divisions. BeIN to launch cricket channel after ECB rights deal The Peninsula The channel will screen the “Together, these acquisitions and Yousef Al broadcaster’s portfolio of premium the upcoming launch of our dedicated Obaidly he best of English cricket will soon international and domestic cricket, cricket channel will deliver high-qual- (left), Deputy be broadcast across the Middle including ECB and Cricket Australia ity, in-depth cricket coverage to the CEO, beIN TEast and North Africa (MENA) fol- content, as well as original pro- rapidly growing audience in the MENA Media Group lowing a deal signed yesterday by the gramming, documentaries and region.” and Tom England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) magazine show. “We’re very pleased to welcome Harrison, and broadcaster beIN Media Group. BeIN Media Group Deputy CEO, beIN Media Group to our broader fam- CEO of the Under the six-year deal, beIN Media Yousef Al Obaidly said the deal would ily of broadcast partners and excited England and Group will screen premium cricket bring more of the world’s best cricket by their plans to create their own ded- Wales Cricket clashes including India’s 2018 and 2022 to fans across the Middle East and north icated cricket channel for the first Board, tours to England, as well as the Ashes Africa. “We are thrilled to partner with time,” said ECB chief executive Tom exchange series in the UK in 2019. the ECB at such an exciting time for Eng- Harrison. documents Alongside the agreement, beIN lish cricket, building on a similar “Our international and domestic after signing Media Group has announced plans to agreement signed this month with teams are attracting an ever-expanding introduce a dedicated beIN Sports Cricket Australia,” he said. global audience and this new partner- a deal cricket channel in the MENA region in Earlier this month beIN signed a ship will give even more cricket fans yesterday. 2018 and will broadcast the game in similar deal with Cricket Australia, worldwide an opportunity to follow all more than 24 countries in the Mena starting with the upcoming Ashes the action and excitement from our region. series. game.” 30 SPORT TUESDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2017 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE UEFA Champions League tables ahead of this week’s matches (played, won, drawn, Real Madrid, Barcelona eye lost, goals for, goals against, points): Group A Manchester United 4 4 0 0 10 1 12 Basel 4 2 0 2 8 5 6 CSKA Moscow 4 2 0 2 5 8 6 Benfica 4 0 0 4 1 10 0 progress as Atletico fear exit Group B Paris SG 4 4 0 0 17 0 12 - qualified Bayern Munich 4 3 0 1 8 4 9 - qualified Paris Celtic 4 1 0 3 4 10 3 AFP Anderlecht 4 0 0 4 0 15 0 Group C olders Real Madrid, Roma 4 2 2 0 8 4 8 Barcelona and Chelsea 4 2 1 1 11 7 7 Manchester United Atletico Madrid 4 0 3 1 2 3 3 headline a selection Qarabag 4 0 2 2 2 9 2 of teams who can Group D Hsecure a place in the last 16 of Barcelona 4 3 1 0 7 1 10 the Champions League this Juventus 4 2 1 1 5 5 7 week.