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Saturday, April 7, 2018 FOOTBALL

Rajab 21, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES Guardiola claims

he was offered
Pogba by agent
SPORT
FOOTBALL/ QNB STARS LEAGUE
Page 2

ATHLETICS

Duhail eager to Barshim and

Schippers
avoid upset on confirm for
Ostrava meet
coronation day IAAF
Paris

Al Duhail have 57 points from 21 matches, of which they have won 18 and
W
orld champions Dafne
Schippers and Mutaz
drawn three. A win today will just be the icing on the cake for the champs Essa Barshim will be
making their debut ap-
By Sports Reporter the sixth place as they have 28 points, four more than pearances at the 57th Ostrava Gold-
Doha seventh-placed Al Arabi. en Spike, an IAAF World Challenge
The Peregrines will be without Mohamed al-Marri, meeting, on 13 June, organisers have
who underwent a cruciate ligament surgery at Asp- announced.

H
aving secured the QNB Stars League with
plenty to spare, Al Duhail will be formally
crowned champions at a ceremony after
their last match against Al Sailiya on the
penultimate day of the tournament today.
The Djamel Belmadi-coached side, who have been
in ominous form this season, swatting aside their ri-
vals with ease, including those in the Asian Cham-
pions League, have one matter of interest though: to
finish the QNB Stars League unbeaten.
Al Duhail have 57 points from 21 matches, of which
they have won 18 and drawn three. A win over Al
Sailiya will just be the icing on the cake after a hectic
eight-month long tournament.
“We will play to win so that we end the league
campaign with an unbeaten record. We deal with all
matches with all our strength and seriousness,” Bel-
madi said at his pre-match press conference yester-
day.
“We will be determined to win and also motivated
as we have been in the previous encounters, because
this season is exceptional for us mainly because of the
good results we have achieved.”
The champions should not have any problems see-
ing off Al Sailiya despite the fact that they could be
missing their goal machine Youssef El Arabi because
of a niggle.
“We are competing for all titles this season. We
may miss top scorer Youssef El Arabi for this match.
Overall, we are keen on continuing the good work
with the team and we have all support of the club
management,” said Belmadi.
El Arabi’s absence could help captain and team-
Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi speaks to the media
yesterday ahead of his team’s match against Al Sailiya.
mate Youssef Msakni to overtake him as the top scor-
er of the event.
El Arabi is leading the chart with 26 goals, while
Msakni has 25, the hotshot duo accounting for 51 of
the 81 goals (62%) scored by the team in 21 matches.
Meanwhile, Al Duhail player Murad Naji added:
“We will not be complacent despite winning the
league title with two rounds to spare. There is a
strong desire among all players to win the last game
in the league to coincide with the coronation.”
Irrespective of the result, Al Sailiya are assured of
etar following an injury he sustained during their
0-1 loss to Umm Salal in Week 18 of the QNB Stars
League.
In the second match today, runners-up Al Sadd
will take on Al Kharaitiyat hoping to add to their 46
points.
An upset defeat for Al Sadd coinciding with a Du-
hail win will mean Jesualdo Ferreira’s side will finish
a whopping 14 points adrift of the champions, which
will be difficult to digest.
“We will play Al Kharaitiyat with all the strength
and seriousness to win the game. Our philosophy is
to play all matches with a winning mentality and this
game is no exception. We always seek the first place,
but were adversely affected by some reasons, includ-
ing injuries to many of our players, this season,” said
Ferreira.
“We have a tough time coming up with our quali-
fication for the AFC Champions League Round of 16,
the Qatar Cup and HH The Emir’s Cup. We will do our
best in all of them.
“Our focus, at the moment, is the Al Kharaitiyat
game and we will be happy to finish the league cam-
paign with victory,” said Portuguese Ferreira, adding
his contract with Al Sadd would end at the end of the
season.
Al Sailiya coach Sami Trabelsi said he would be
using the game as preparation for HH The Emir Cup
matches later. “Al Duhail are already champions and
they want to stay unbeaten in the tournament. For us,
we have our reputation at stake, so we will try to win
this game. This is a test game for us ahead of HH The
Emir’s Cup matches,” he said.
A strong men’s high jump clash
has also been announced with
Barshim, the 2017 world champion
and World Athlete of the Year, tak-
ing on neutral athlete Danil Lysenko,
who upset the Qatari in Birmingham
last month to capture the world in-
door crown.
“I am very much looking forward
to my first visit in Ostrava,” Barshim
said. “It will be one of my few com-
petitions outside of the Diamond
League. Of course I will be going for
the meet record of 2.33m and some
more!”
Schippers also is heading there for
the first time.
“It’s great to be in Ostrava this
year,” said Schippers, who success-
fully defended her world 200m title
in London last year. “It is my first
time and I always hear such positive
stories about this amazing meet. I
want to experience this myself now
and perform very well there!”
Schippers will compete in her
specialty in the Czech city, which
later in the summer will host the
IAAF Continental Cup.
Last year the meeting featured a
Czech Republic vs Germany match
in the men’s javelin throw. The
follow-up this year pits a Czech
squad against a World select team.
The Czech quartet is already set
with 2017 world silver and bronze
medallists Jakub Vadlejch and Petr
Frydrych teaming with 2013 world
champion Vitezslav Vesely and Eu-
ropean finalist Jaroslav Jilek.
Meanwhile, the first two confir-
mations on the World select squad
are the two top German throwers,
world champion Johannes Vetter
and Olympic champion Thomas
Rohler.
“I gladly will return to Ostrava,”
said Vetter, who has already thrown
beyond 90 metres twice in 2018.
“I’m looking forward to meeting our
Czech rivals, we are one big family.
The 94.64m meet record by meeting
director Jan Zelezny is a top result
and tough to achieve, but always one
good throw could happen.”
Tom Walsh, the world champion
in the shot put, and Luvo Man-
yonga, the world champion in the
long jump, had previously been an-
nounced.

BOTTOMLINE

Jose admits City superiority, targets second

AFP have and it is easy to go to the record books and FIXTURES
Manchester see that with the number of points we have, we
would normally be in the fight for the title. (1400 GMT unless stated)
“But we are not because City have a very good Today: Everton v Liverpool (1130),

J
ose Mourinho said he will not hide from
the obvious gulf between his side and
champions-elect Manchester City ahead
of today’s eagerly anticipated derby meet-
ing at the Etihad.
Victory for Pep Guardiola’s side would seal
the Spaniard’s first Premier League title after a
season of dominance over their rivals.
It would open up a 19-point gap between the
two Manchester clubs and leave City on course
to set a new record for the largest ever title-
winning margin, currently held by United’s
1999-2000 team, who won the league by 18
points.
Mourinho was uncharacteristically taciturn
ahead of the game, refusing to discuss a number
of topics, although he did confess that he will
not try and talk down City’s obvious superior-
ity in the league table.
“My motivation is to finish second,” he told
reporters yesterday. “I still have the motivation
of finishing top four, mathematically it is not
done. It is a good distance but not done math-
ematically.
“So that’s the first objective but after that I
don’t hide. In practical terms and to continue
into next season especially, to finish second,
third or fourth is exactly the same — you don’t
win the title but qualify for the Champions
League group stage.
“But I prefer to finish third to fourth and I
prefer second to third. We have been second for
many, many months, it is our objective to fight
for that and for that we need points.”
Mourinho was in a sour mood ahead of the
derby and refused even to discuss what he
might have learned from Liverpool’s hugely
impressive 3-0 victory over the champions-in-
waiting in the Champions League this week.
“I’m not a pundit, I’m not going to comment
on the game,” he said, also declining to com-
ment on whether, or where, City deserve to be
ranked among the all-time best Premier League
teams.
“It is not for me to say that, it is for you to say
that,” he said. “You see the number of points we
number of points that makes it very, very dif-
ficult for the team that is second to fight for the
title, which we are not in this moment.”
Mourinho did offer an interesting exchange
when it was pointed out that he had beaten
City this season — in the competition to sign
striker Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal — and he
was asked if that suggested United were more
attractive to players than City.
“Are we?” replied Mourinho. “That’s your
opinion. It’s your opinion.... I don’t know, I
have no idea if they were interested (in Sanchez)
or not. I’ve no idea.”
Meanwhile, Guardiola indicated he is pre-
pared to make significant changes for the Man-
chester derby to keep alive Manchester City’s
faint hopes of reaching the Champions League
semi-finals.
In normal circumstances, winning a derby to
secure the league title would be the undoubted
focus, but Guardiola acknowledges that he has
to have one eye on the second leg of their Euro-
pean quarter-final against Liverpool three days
later.
City are on the brink of exiting the Cham-
pions League after losing 3-0 in the first leg at
Anfield on Wednesday.
With the second leg coming up on Tuesday,
Guardiola is trying to keep his players fresh for
their European challenge.
“It’s a different competition,” he said. “We
are thinking about recovering the players, about
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, Brighton v
Huddersfield, Leicester v Newcastle, Stoke
v Spurs, Watford v Burnley, West Brom v
Swansea, Manchester City v Manchester
United (1630)
Tomorrow: Arsenal v Southampton (1315),
Chelsea v West Ham (1530)
playing in front of our fans, creating a good
game to put them (Liverpool) under pressure.
“They’re almost qualified but we have 90
minutes. The door is almost closed but a little
bit open and maybe there is some space for us
to get in.”
Runaway Premier League leaders City are in
the middle of a relentless schedule, with Tues-
day’s Champions League home match followed
by a Premier League trip to fourth-placed Tot-
tenham four days later.
Guardiola suggested that he would keep his
options open regarding team selection, but is
expected to rotate his squad over the next week.
“We have three massive games — United,
Liverpool and Tottenham,” he said. “We have
just a few days between each game.
“We have to see the condition of the play-
ers. We will have a training session and we’ll
speak with the docs and see what’s the best
team. We’ll pick a team to win the game against
United.
“We are going into it to win it. We have one
eye on Tuesday though.”
 2 Gulf Times
Saturday, April 7, 2018

FOOTBALL
PREMIER LEAGUE

Guardiola claims he was offered

Pogba this season by agent
Manchester City manager rounds on Raiola, who called him ‘a dog’, says agent invited him to buy Man United player
By Jamie Jackson to here. So, no. No way. I am not a good
The Guardian guy. He deserves his players to play
with better guys. But, he knows as well
I am a top manager. Thank you.”

P
ep Guardiola has said he was
offered Manchester United’s
Paul Pogba this season by Mino
Raiola, with Manchester City’s
manager rounding on the agent, who
last month branded him “a coward,
a dog”. Relations between Pogba and
José Mourinho have been strained and
the midfielder was dropped in Febru-
ary. Guardiola claimed he was invited
to sign Pogba two months ago but it
appears he was referring to the January
window, particularly as he said Raiola
also offered him Henrikh Mkhitaryan,
who joined Arsenal that month.
Guardiola’s claim, if true, indicates
Raiola was trying to engineer a move
for Pogba even before the player lost
his starting place. The first indication
of problems between Pogba and Mour-
inho came when the player was with-
drawn at Tottenham on 31 January. The
France international is expected to start
at City on Saturday.
Guardiola mentioned Pogba when
asked about Raiola’s verbal attack on
him. “I will answer him; I don’t under-
stand why I am,” he said. “Finally, the
people discover my secrets – a bad guy.
I’m a coward. I don’t understand why I
am a so bad guy. I never speak with him
so his opinion [about me], I don’t know.
But being a guy who two months ago
offered me Mkhitaryan and Pogba to
play with us. Why?
“Why he offer? He was interested in
Mhikitaryan and Pogba to play with us?
So he has to protect his players and has
to know he cannot bring the players to
a guy like me, like a dog. And compar-
ing a dog is bad. It’s not good. He has to
respect the dogs.” Pressed about Pogba,
Guardiola said: “Pogba is an incredible
player … A top, top player.”
City’s manager was sarcastic when
asked what he thought of the offer. “I
said no,” he said. “We don’t have the
money enough to buy Pogba because he
is so expensive. I’m surprised because I
am a dog. He wants his players to come
Shortly after Guardiola’s comments
became public, Pogba posted a tweet
which appeared to respond to the City
manager. “Say what?” he wrote. Raio-
la denied the conversation had taken
place. “I never spoke to Pep Guardiola.
I would not speak to him about play-
ers, I would speak to Manchester City.
They are a fantastic club with a fantas-
tic manager.”
Raiola’s dislike of Guardiola stems
from the manager’s treatment at Barce-
lona of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Maxwell,
another of his clients. The agent told the
Dutch magazine Quote: “Pep Guardiola,
the coach, is fantastic. As a person he’s
an absolute zero. He’s a coward, a dog.
He’s a classic priest: ‘Do as I tell you –
don’t do what I do.’If Manchester City
win the Champions League this season
it will emphasise what a good coach he
is – but I’ll hate it.”
Guardiola, asked who else he did not
like, said: “I have a lot. One day I will
tell you a list.”
He has a managerial rivalry with
Mourinho that has been acrimonious
but he brushed off the suggestion that
securing the title with a win against
United would be sweeter because of
this. “Listen, when we arrived here it’s
OK, I understand: it’s Pep arrives and
they are both together a year,” Guardiola
said. “But it’s now two years and noth-
ing happened in a special way. What I
want to feel is [winning] the toughest
league by far. The most satisfaction is
from what we have done with our team,
to win the Premier League, to feel that
title, if we are able to, and we will re-
member it. I remember when I was a
young boy seeing Sir Alex Ferguson in
the beginning win titles [with United]
– that’s beautiful, that is what I want to
live with my guys and celebrate it.
“Tomorrow if we don’t do it, OK …
It’s not about Pep v José. In the end
it’s 2018, we [will have been] the better
team and that’s what we want to live if Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola claimed he was invited to sign Manchester United’s underperforming midfielder Paul Pogba two months ago but it appears
it happens.” he was referring to the January window, particularly as he said Mino Raiola also offered him Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who joined Arsenal that month. (Reuters)

SPOTLIGHT LA LIGA

Conte rejects claim he Costa back at Bernabeu for

wants to leave Chelsea Atletico against Real Madrid
AFP
Madrid Atletico Madrid’s
Diego Costa. (Reuters)

Reuters “But this is the moment we have to face with the
London greatest desire to change the situation.”
Conte urged his players to continue fighting
until the end of the season but conceded that
D
iego Costa will walk out
for his seventh Madrid
derby in La Liga tomor-
row, four seasons since
his last at the Santiago Berna-
beu when he scored Atletico’s
winner. Gareth Bale was making
his home debut for Real that day
back in September 2013, in the
same week that Spain requested
approval to snatch Costa from
the clutches of Brazil and call him
up to the national squad.
As he celebrated, Real’s fans
chanted “Costa — he is not Span-
ish”. All the more striking then
that Costa’s shot, guided past
Diego Lopez and inside the far
right-hand post, still remains his
only goal against Real, and the

C
helsea head coach Antonio Conte dis-
missed his former Juventus teammate
Gianluca Vialli’s claim that he “cannot
wait to leave” the Premier League club,
and reaffirmed his commitment to seeing out his
contract. Vialli made the comment in his role as a
pundit for Sky Sports Italia during Chelsea’s 3-1
defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday that left
Conte’s team eight points behind Spurs in the race
to secure Champions League football next season.
“It is not true,” Conte told a news conference
yesterday, two days before Chelsea host West
Ham United in the league. “Gianluca is a friend
but I’m not talking with him for one year, maybe.
It is not true. It’s very difficult for me but since
this season I’m listening to a lot of speculation
about my future... but the only truth is I am com-
mitted for this club, I have a contract for this club,
I’m working very hard for this club. This is the
only truth. The other speculation is not true.”
Conte’s position has come under scrutiny given
his fractious relationship with the club’s hierar-
chy and owner Roman Abramovich’s propensity
to change managers frequently.
The Italian coach, whose contract runs until
the end of next season, pointed out he expected
Chelsea to struggle when he went public with his
displeasure at the club’s failure to strengthen the
squad at the start of the campaign.
“I predicted it would be very difficult for me at
the start of the season. I predicted this,” he said.
a top-four finish may be out of their grasp after
the damaging defeat by Tottenham. “We must be
realistic to understand that this defeat was a bad
defeat for us,” he added.
“But at the same time we have to try to do eve-
rything to fight for a place in Champions League.
It won’t be easy, we must be realistic, but... we
must show pride, desire, the will to fight until the
end of the season. This must be our target in the
season now.”
Defenders David Luiz and Ethan Ampadu are
out of tomorrow’s game, but goalkeeper Thibaut
Courtois and striker Pedro, who both missed the
Tottenham match, could return to the side.
CONTE PAYS RESPECTS
TO CHELSEA ‘LEGEND’ WILKINS
Meanwhile, Conte has paid his respects to Chel-
sea great Ray Wilkins following his death ear-
lier this week, urging his players to “make a great
memory” against West Ham. Wilkins, the club’s
former captain, who died aged 61 on Wednesday
following a cardiac arrest.
All matches this weekend will be preceded by a
moment’s applause in memory of the ex-England
international, whose other clubs included Man-
chester United, AC Milan and QPR. Chelsea will
make their own tribute to a man who worked as an
assistant manager and coach with the Blues, with
memories in the matchday programme, a book of
condolence and a picture montage all planned .
1-0 win his sole triumph against
Atletico’s fiercest rivals. In all
competitions, his record heading
into this weekend’s derby reads
played nine, won one, scored one.
If Costa is looking for positive
omens, however, he might draw
a parallel between his initiation
with Spain in 2013 and the com-
pletion of his renaissance with
the national team last week. Af-
ter spending the first five months
of this season exiled by Chelsea,
Costa is back in favour with Julen
Lopetegui and back in form, for
club and country.
His goal in Spain’s 6-1 win over
Argentina has thrust him into
pole position to start up front at
this summer’s World Cup, while
his opposites-attract partner-
ship with Antoine Griezmann
has been the driving force behind
Atletico’s march into second
place. That position, however,
is what is at stake this weekend,
with both sides now too far adrift
to catch runaway leaders Barce-
lona and neither in any danger
of slipping out of the Champions
League spots. Atletico own the
four-point advantage but Real
have the momentum, having
won 11 out of their last 12, a streak
that includes two wins over Paris
Saint-Germain and Tuesday’s
thumping of Juventus.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the star
in Turin, his spectacular bicycle
kick continuing the Portuguese’s
astonishing goal flurry this year.
He has scored 23 times in 14
games, and at least once in all of
his last nine.
Unlike Costa, Ronaldo is well-
tuned to this fixture too. He has
six goals in his last five meetings
with Atletico. Bale, meanwhile,
was caught stoney-faced on the
substitutes bench while the Juve
fans stood to salute Ronaldo’s
brilliance but the out-of-favour
Welshman may be given a run-
out this weekend.
Zinedine Zidane has been pre-
pared to use Bale in the league,
where it seems the issue of his
defensive resilience is less pro-
nounced.
Barcelona’s players will be
able to watch the derby safe in
the knowledge that any result
strengthens their grip on the
title. The Catalans host 14th-
placed Leganes on Saturday,
already nine points ahead of
Atletico and 13 in front of Real.
If they avoid defeat, Ernesto Val-
verde’s team will equal the Span-
ish record of 38 unbeaten league
matches, set by Real Sociedad
across two seasons in 1978/79
and 1979/80.
Lionel Messi is likely to play,
having come through Wednes-
day’s 4-1 win over Roma un-
scathed after his niggling ham-
string problem. Sergio Busquets,
however, still felt pain at the
Camp Nou from his previously
broken toe and may be rested.
Elsewhere, the league’s four
bottom sides go head-to-head
as Levante, with a seven-point
cushion over the relegation plac-
es, host 18th-placed Las Palmas.
The race for Europa Legue quali-
fication also continues today, as
Sevilla travel to Celta Vigo and
Real Betis entertain Eibar. Vil-
larreal face Athletic Bilbao on
Monday.
FIXTURES (ALL TIMES GMT)
Today: Alaves v Getafe (1300), Celta
Vigo v Sevilla (1615), Betis v Eibar
(1830), Barcelona v Leganes (2045)
Tomorrow: Levante v Las Palmas
(1200), Real Madrid v Atletico Ma-
drid (1615), Real Sociedad v Girona
(1830), Valencia v Espanyol (2045)
On Monday: Villarreal v Athletic
Bilbao
 Gulf Times
Saturday, April 7, 2018 3

FOOTBALL
SPOTLIGHT FOCUS

Klopp slams ‘idiots’

Arsenal thrash CSKA who attacked bus
to move towards AFP The German added: “You can-
London not be happy about that, you
don’t feel ‘it’ any more. Because
of a few idiots it will maybe never

L
iverpool manager Jur- happen again. It changed eve-
gen Klopp has hit out at rything. The atmosphere dur-

Europa semi-finals
the idiots who attacked
Manchester City’s team
bus, saying it would be difficult
for Reds supporters to welcome
their own team to Anfield in fu-
ture. City’s bus was struck by
hurled bottles and cans on its
way into Anfield ahead of their
Atletico Madrid eased past Sporting Lisbon 2-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final shock 3-0 defeat by Liverpool
in a Champions League quarter-
AFP final first leg tie on Wednesday.
London Aaron Ramsey scores during the Europa League Windows were broken and
quarter-final first leg against CSKA Moscow at City had to hire a replacement
Emirates Stadium in London. (Reuters) bus for their return journey, so
ing the game was one of the best
I have experienced but these
things around it changed my
view. It is not OK. It is not how it
should have been.”
Given their arrival at the
ground and the result of the
match, City could have been
forgiven for wanting to make as
quick a getaway from Anfield
as possible. But instead they
stopped to assist a woman who
was involved in a collision with
a car yards from the Arkles pub

A
rsenal romped towards the Eu-
ropa League semi-finals with a
4-1 thrashing of CSKA Moscow
on Thursday night in a match
devoid of any of the political tension that
threatened to overshadow the tie due to
frosty relations between London and the
Russian capital.
Britain has suspended high-level dip-
lomatic contact with the Russian gov-
ernment after former Russian spy Sergei
Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poi-
soned with a nerve agent in the southern
English city of Salisbury last month.
However, with only around 200 CSKA
fans making the long journey west, there
was little bad blood inside the ground for
the quarter-final first leg. And Arsenal
quickly ended any doubt over the contest
on the field as Aaron Ramsey and Alex-
andre Lacazette both scored twice in the
first half to surely put the tie out of CK-
SA’s reach.
“It was a spectacular first half played at
a high pace, but as well an uncomfortable
one for me because they looked danger-
ous,” said Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
“By half-time we scored so many great
goals in the first half, at 4-1 the target was
not to concede anymore and maybe score
one more. We did the first part of the job
but not the second part. But it will help us
to focus completely in the second game
and not go there thinking it is job done.”
It remains to be seen if a more hos-
tile atmosphere awaits Arsenal fans and
players in the Russian capital next week.
However, CSKA coach Viktor Gon-
charenko encouraged the Gunners’ sup-
port and England fans travelling for the
World Cup in June to visit Russia.
“We still welcome you in Moscow,” said
Goncharenko. “We can assure you there
will be great stadiums and great football.
Please come to Russia.”
Languishing in sixth in the Premier
League, 13 points adrift of the top four,
Arsenal’s last realistic hope of qualifying
for next season’s Champions League is
by winning the Europa League in Lyon on
May 16. And that desperation showed in a
thrilling four-goal first 45 minutes.
Ramsey opened the scoring by round-
ing off a fine team move on nine minutes
by firing Hector Bellerin’s cross into the
roof of the net. While CSKA were unable
to cope with Arsenal’s speed of thought
and movement at the back, they exposed
the Gunners’ own defensive weaknesses.
Aleksandr Golovin curled home a won-
derful free-kick after haphazard defend-
ing from Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent
Koscielny to level six minutes later before
Ahmed Musa passed up a huge chance to
put CSKA in front. Arsenal got the slice
of fortune they needed when Mesut Ozil
was controversially awarded a penalty as
he fell under Georgi Schennikov’s chal-
lenge. Lacazette has endured a frustrating
debut season at the Emirates, but made
the most of the cup-tied Pierre-Emerick
Aubameyang’s absence by confidently
slamming home from the spot.
Ramsey then doubled his tally for the
evening in style with an audacious flick
over Igor Akinfeev with the outside of his
foot to give Arsenal some breathing space
from a teasing Ozil cross.
Ozil was again the creator when Laca-
zette also grabbed a double by shooting
into the far corner for his first goal from
open play in nearly three months. Arse-
nal are likely to have to beat the might of
Atletico Madrid to end their season on a
high, though, as the favourites for the
competition eased past Sporting Lisbon
2-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final.
Koke put the 2012 winners ahead in
the Spanish capital after just 22 seconds
and Antoine Griezmann’s 24th goal of the
season put Diego Simeone’s men on the
brink of a fifth European semi-final in his
seven seasons in charge.
Elsewhere, Lazio edged a six-goal
thriller 4-2 against Salzburg as all four
home sides took an advantage into the
second leg. RB Leipzig lead French giants
Marseille 1-0 as German international
striker Timo Werner got the only goal for
the Bundesliga side.
extensive was the damage to the
original. Fans have long greeted
team buses on their way into
Anfield before major fixtures,
and two years ago the Europa
League quarter-final and semi-
final matches against Villar-
real and Borussia Dortmund saw
thousands of fans line the streets
amid a flurry of red smoke flares.
Both matches, however, passed
off without major incident. But
fans may now be barred from lin-
ing the route for future games,
with Klopp reiterating yesterday
his disgust at what had happened
to City on their way into Anfield.
“I have to say, again, apolo-
gies for what happened before
the game,” said Klopp. “It is so
strange because you go with your
own bus through the crowd and
it feels fantastic, it is passion.
Then you come into the stadium
and the first thing I heard is they
smashed the bus of Man City and
it kills everything in that mo-
ment for us.”
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp (right) is hopeful Mohamed Salah
can be fit for today’s league trip to Everton, but will not rush the
forward back into action just for the Merseyside derby. (Reuters)
on Anfield Road, where before
the match their bus had been hit
with bottles and flares.
“The medical staff of Man City
did what they did but it is an out-
standing thing to do and leaves
us even more in a situation where
we think ‘Oof, it was all strange’,”
Klopp added.
Meanwhile Liverpool are set
to give Mohamed Salah as much
time as possible to prove his fit-
ness for today’s Merseyside der-
by against Everton. The Egypt
forward, the Premier League’s
leading scorer so far this season
with 29 goals, came off during
the European success against
English champions-elect Man-
chester City with a groin prob-
lem. “I don’t want to give any-
thing away and I want to wait,”
said Klopp. “It makes no sense to
talk about what we do with boys
in rehab but we’ve tried eve-
rything to make him available.
There are 23 hours to go so let’s
see what happens.”

BUNDESLIGA SERIE A

Bayern eye title with victory Juve bid to keep home fires burning
over Augsburg today AFP
Milan
AFP
Berlin

A
fter a spectacular loss
to Cristiano Ronaldo

R
obert Lewandowski is hoping to con-
tinue his brilliant goalscoring record
against Augsburg and help Bayern Mu-
nich wrap up a sixth successive Bundes-
liga title today. While the Polish striker looks to
add to his tally of 18 goals against Augsburg, vic-
tory for Bayern would see them crowned German
champions for the 28th time.
It would also extend a curious stadium curse
for the Bundesliga giants, who have never won
a league title in their own Allianz Arena. Bayern
have been heavily linked to Eintracht Frankfurt
coach Niko Kovac this week, whose team host
Hoffenheim in a key clash in the race for Eu-
rope. Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund will look
to bounce back from last week’s humiliation in
Munich, while Cologne are in last-chance saloon
when they face fellow strugglers Mainz.
Bayern are famously formidable at home, but
they have never won a Bundesliga title in the Alli-
anz Arena. Of the eight titles they have won since
moving to the stadium in 2005, Bayern have not
wrapped up a single one in front of their own fans.
That run looks set to continue this weekend, with
the champions-in-waiting expected to clinch
the title with a win over Augsburg. Bayern will
be boosted by superstar striker Robert Lewand-
owski, who has scored more goals against Augs-
burg than he has against any other team.
Eintracht Frankfurt coach Niko Kovac has this
week emerged as a favourite to succeed Jupp
Heynckes at Bayern in the summer. Former Bay-
ern player Kovac has impressed many by trans-
forming Frankfurt from relegation candidates to
Champions League hopefuls in recent years.
Frankfurt hope that the speculation is not dis-
tracting their coach as he prepares for a pivotal
clash against fellow European hopefuls Hoffen-
heim tomorrow. After their 6-0 humiliation at
the hands of Bayern last weekend, Borussia Dort-
mund are hoping to bounce back with a victory
over Stuttgart tomorrow. The team has trained
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has
scored more goals against Augsburg than he has
against any other team. (Reuters)
behind closed doors in the last few days, as coach
Peter Stoeger decided to protect his players from
the public eye in a difficult week.
Bayer Leverkusen face RB Leipzig on Monday,
in what could be a decisive fixture in the race for
Champions League qualification. Leverkusen
were given a timely boost ahead of the top-four
clash, when rising star Julian Brandt signed a new
contract, binding him to the club until 2021.
Just one year ago, Cologne celebrated return-
ing to European football with a win over Mainz.
Today, the two teams meet again, but this time it
is a matter of survival. Mainz are currently in the
relegation play-off place, six points ahead of sec-
ond from bottom Cologne.
With just five games left, anything but victory
would effectively doom Cologne to relegation.
FIXTURES
Today: Cologne v Mainz, Freiburg v Wolfsburg,
Borussia Moenchengladbach v Hertha Berlin,
Augsburg v Bayern Munich (1330 GMT), Hamburg v
Schalke (1630 GMT)
Tomorrow: Borussia Dortmund v Stuttgart (1330
GMT), Eintracht Frankfurt v Hoffenheim (1600 GMT)
On Monday: RB Leipzig v Bayer Leverkusen (1830
GMT)
and Real Madrid, Ju-
ventus travel today
to meet Benevento, a side from
outside Naples propping up the
bottom of the Serie A table. Ro-
naldo’s two goals — including a
stunning overhead bicycle kick
— condemned Juventus to a 3-0
defeat in the Champions League
on Wednesday.
Sandwiched in between the
quarter-final return leg trip mid-
week to the Santiago Bernabeu
Stadium is a first-ever clash at
Benevento, who have won just
four games in their first top flight
season. It was a bruising week
for Italian football with AS Roma
conceding two own goals in a 4-1
defeat to Barcelona.
Lazio however eased to a 4-2
home win against Salzburg in the
Europa League. “Now let’s get up
quickly,” urged Juventus coach
Massimiliano Allegri of a season
that can still reap his side the
Scudetto and the Italian Cup.
“There’s a return to the Barna-
beu to prepare, but above all a
championship to win, the sev-
enth in a row, which would have
the taste of a myth. I understand
the disappointment. But I find
it hard to reproach a team that
has tried, against the best in the
world.”
Argentine ace Paulo Dybala was
also unbowed after his humiliat-
ing send-off at Allianz Stadium,
where the applause of Juventus
fans was reserved for Ronaldo’s
spectacular performance. “De-
Cristiano Ronaldo’s two goals — including a stunning overhead bicycle kick — condemned Juventus to a
3-0 defeat over Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.
feats are always bad even when
they come against teams and
champions so strong, but now we
need to move forward: sacrifice,
strength, passion and continue to
improve every day,” wrote Dybala
on Instagram. “Whoever believes
it’s already over is not one of us,”
added Italian midfielder Claudio
Marchisio.
Miralem Pjanic, who was dis-
qualified for the first leg against
Real Madrid, warned Juventus
against underestimating Ben-
evento, who went a goal up in
Turin last November before the
champions came back to win 2-1.
Benevento are fighting a losing
battle for survival as they sit 13
points from safety, despite com-
ing off a 3-0 home win over Ve-
rona midweek. “It’s much like the
match against SPAL,” said Pjanic
of last month’s goalless draw
which ended his club’s 12-match
league winning streak.
Second-placed Napoli — four
points behind Juventus — will
need a win at 14th-placed Chie-
vo after being held 1-1 at Sas-
suolo last weekend if they want
to keep their push for their first
title since 1990 alive. AS Roma,
in third, host Fiorentina before
next Tuesday’s visit by Barcelona
to the Stadio Olympico, looking
to keep ahead of Inter Milan who
are just a point behind in fourth.
Fiorentina are pushing for the
Europa League spots as they sit
four points adrift of sixth place
along with Atalanta and Samp-
doria. Luciano Spalletti’s Inter
travel to Torino after their mid-
week goalless draw against city
rivals AC Milan.
Gennaro Gattuso has just
penned a new three-year con-
tract with AC Milan worth a re-
ported two millon euros per year
despite the derby draw effective-
ly ending their push for Champi-
ons League football next season.
The former seven-time Euro-
pean champions, who are eight
points off the Champions League
places in sixth, host struggling
Sassuolo. Lazio — two points off
the Champions League places —
travel north to Udinese boosted
by their European win.
FIXTURES (ALL TIMES GMT)
Today: Benevento v Juventus
(1300GMT), AS Roma v Fiorentina,
SPAL v Atalanta (1600), Sampdoria
v Genoa (1845)
Tomorrow: Torino v Inter Milan
(1030GMT), Crotone v Bologna,
Verona v Cagliari, Napoli v Chievo
(all 1300), Udinese v Lazio (1600),
AC Milan v Sassuolo (1845)
 4 Gulf Times
Saturday, April 7, 2018

CRICKET
SPOTLIGHT
Cricket
Australia

IPL set to dazzle again announces

player review
Brisbane: Australia’s top
cricket chiefs yesterday ruled

after a chequered decade

Chennai take on Mumbai Indians in today’s tournament opener featuring two IPL heavyweights
Reuters XI Punjab franchise and plans to spend
New Delhi 500mn rupees ($7.69mn) on promotion
during the IPL. Gupta said the spon-
sors are aware of the past scandals but
out stepping down after a
ball-tampering scandal that
shocked the nation, saying it
was “not the time for a witch-
hunt” as a review into player
conduct was announced.
The sport has been en-
gulfed in one of its biggest
crises after former captain
Steve Smith, his deputy
David Warner and batsman
Cameron Bancroft attempted
to alter the ball’s condition in
the third Test in South Africa

T
he 11th edition of the Indian
Premier League (IPL) kicks off
today with two reinstated teams
and a new broadcaster in a fresh
testament to its undiminished appeal
to India’s incurably cricket-obsessed
masses.
Few expected the Twenty20 tourna-
ment to climb out of the morass of spot-
fixing and illegal betting it descended
into five years ago, which eventually led
to bans on its Chennai Super Kings and
Rajasthan Royals franchises.
The IPL not only survived but its
brand value actually grew to an esti-
mated $5.3bn, according to New York-
based corporate finance advisory firm
Duff & Phelps. Last September the
league sold its media rights to Star India
for $2.52bn, the biggest television deal
the game has seen.
“This is perhaps what makes the IPL
brand what it is,” cricket historian Boria
Majumdar told Reuters of the league’s
robust financial health. “Controversies
notwithstanding, cricket continues to
be of the very highest quality and re-
tains centre stage. Also, in the IPL India
wins every day. There is no uncertainty
that an Indian team might or can lose
and it will be all doom and gloom there-
after. This is what draws fans to the IPL
every single day year after year,” said
Majumdar whose new book, ‘Eleven
Gods and a Billion Indians’, will be re-
leased by India and Royal Challengers
Bangalore captain Virat Kohli today.
Sponsors are naturally keen to play
ball. “As sponsor, and we spend money
for publicity,” Mahesh Gupta, chairman
of Kent RO Systems, said. “IPL is a plat-
form which has the widest reach and
quickest reach. It gives you the best re-
turn on investment. So we invest there.”
Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma (centre) speaks with coach Mahela Jayawardene (right) and teammate Kieron Pollard The water purifier brand has come
during a training session at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, ahead of the Indian Premier League. (AFP) on board as the title sponsor of Kings
FOCUS COUNTY CRICKET
believe the league had adequately ad-
dressed those concerns.
“There were issues and they were
rightly examined. In any event you’d
have good people and bad people but
the good people have outnumbered the
bad. Small issues cannot affect a big-
ger brand. It (IPL’s brand value) has not
been affected. It’s become stronger and
stronger and I think this season, with
change in the broadcaster, it is looking
even more attractive.”
IPL’s commercial success has in-
spired several franchise-based leagues
even in other sports, while consolidat-
ing cricket’s stranglehold over young
athletes. “It has made franchise cricket
a lucrative career option. Not playing
for India isn’t the end of the world any-
more,” explained Majumdar. “Playing
well in the IPL allows a cricketer to be a
star, get endorsements, get real serious
money. It turns him into an overnight
celebrity of sorts.”
Chennai return to take on Mumbai
Indians in today’s tournament opener
featuring two IPL heavyweights who
share five titles between them. Ra-
jasthan mark their comeback against
Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday with
both teams forced into a late leadership
change following Australia’s ball-tam-
pering controversy in South Africa.
Former Australia captain Steve Smith
stepped down as Rajasthan skipper
while David Warner relinquished Hy-
derabad captaincy following the scan-
dal. Cricket Australia have banned both
of them for 12 months, while they have
also been barred from this year’s IPL.
Ajinkya Rahane will lead Rajasthan
instead, while New Zealander Kane
Williamson will skipper Hyderabad as
the lone foreigner leading an IPL team
in the April 7-May 27 tournament.
last month. Smith and Warner
were banned for a year and
Bancroft for nine months,
with the trio accepting their
sanctions on Wednesday and
Thursday.
Critics have questioned
whether Cricket Australia’s
role in the affair should come
under scrutiny, but chairman
David Peever said he did
not intend to step down and
that chief executive James
Sutherland’s job was not in
jeopardy.
“James Sutherland’s posi-
tion is not under review, he
continues to retain the full
support of the board,” Peever
told reporters in Brisbane. “In
respect of my own position,
no, I do not intend to step
down, and that hasn’t been
suggested by the board. Our
task now is to work through
this problem and make sure
we come through and cricket
comes through it much more
strongly. I think we will all
come under the microscope
about what is happening in
the organisation. But this
is not the time for a witch-
hunt.”
Peever said the governing
body was “moving forward”
with an independent review
announced last week to
“have a broad remit” and
look into wider cultural and
organisational issues in the
sport. But the players’ union
the Australian Cricketers’
Association (ACA), which has
criticised the bans as dispro-
portionate compared to pre-
vious cases, said the review
was “far from independent”.
“CA establishing its own
review, selecting the reviewer
and then having the findings

IPL 2018 starts with clash of titans South African pacer of the review issued to itself
— particularly as it relates to
its own corporate culture — is

IANS Steyn joins Hampshire far from transparent,” ACA

president Greg Dyer said in a
statement.
Mumbai
AFP The ACA has said the
London inquiry should involve the

D
efending champions Mumbai In- union and CA, so both bodies
dians and and two-time winners could jointly contribute to

Chennai Super Kings, the most
successful teams of the Indian
Premier League (IPL), will begin the 11th
edition of the Twenty20 cricket tournament
with a mouthwatering clash at the Wankh-
ede Stadium here today.
Hosts Mumbai, who have laid their hands
on the coveted crown thrice (2013, 2015,
2017) will be led by India opener Rohit Shar-
ma who is the most successful captain in the
cash-rich T20 league having led Mumbai to
a treble of titles. But today, his wards will be
up against a team who will be eager to re-
establish their dominance after returning to
the tournament following a two-year ban.
CSK have a formidable track record in the
IPL and have notched up the most number
of appearances in the final. Apart from win-
ning the title twice, they have finished run-
ners-up on four occasions.
Chennai are led by India’s 50-over and
T20 World Cup winning captain Mahendra
Singh Dhoni, who will himself have a point
to prove in his twilight days. The southern
outfit has a formidable batting and bowling
line up with the likes of Suresh Raina, back
in the Chennai Super Kings yellow jersey,
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis adding
teeth to their batting.
In the bowling department, England pac-
er Mark Wood and South Africa fast bowler
Lungi Ngidi will lead the pace battery with
veteran offie Harbhajan Singh and celebrat-
ed South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir
taking care of the spin unit.
For Mumbai, apart from Rohit, all-
rounder Hardik Pandya, fast bowler Jasprit
Bumrah, West Indies star Kieron Pollard and
Krunal Pandya have been retained from last
year and are all a force to reckon with. The
Mumbai pace bowling department is also
promising this year with the likes of Bum-
rah, Pat Cummins and Mustafizur Rahman.
This edition will miss the presence of star
Australian players Steve Smith and David
Warner who are serving a one-year ban
due to the ball tampering incident in South
Africa. While Smith has been replaced by
Ajinkya Rahane at Rajasthan Royals, New
Zealand captain Kane Williamson will lead
Sunrisers Hyderabad in place of Warner.
This edition of the IPL will see seven Indi-
ans captaining their franchises, barring Hy-
derabad. Virat Kohli, Rohit, Dinesh Karthik,
Rahane, Gautam Gambhir and Ravichan-
dran Ashwin will fight against each other to
grab the top prize.
Coming to other teams, Royal Challengers
Bangalore (RCB), led by India skipper Kohli,
Chennai Super Kings’ Suresh Raina (left) and Faf du Plessis during a training session at the
Wankhede stadium in Mumbai yesterday. (AFP)
will again hold the aces owing to their team
strength. Aiming to break their final jinx,
RCB have what it takes to lift the trophy
once again. Besides the run machine that is
Kohli, the Bengaluru team boasts of players
of the ilk of swashbuckling batsman AB de
Villiers and promising player Sarfaraz Khan
who were retained.
The franchise bought as many as 21 players
in the auction, among them Chris Woakes
(Rs 7.4 crore), the most expensive purchase
of the franchise. The others includes New
Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon
McCullum and South Africa’s stumper
Quinton De Kock, as also keeper Parthiv Pa-
tel, Mandeep Singh and Manan Vohra. Be-
sides Woakes, their bowling has wrist-spin-
ner Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar
in the spin front and Umesh Yadav, Moham-
med Siraj leading the pace attack. England’s
Moeen Ali and Kiwi Colin De Grandhomme
are seasoned all-rounders too.
Their first match is against two-time
winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) who
will be led by Dinesh Karthik this time. KKR
do not boast of a very strong side on paper
with star Aussie pacer Mitchell Starc being
ruled out with injury.
But the likes of big-hitter Chris Lynn, all-
rounder Andre Russell and Mitchell Johnson
should provide some teeth in the batting
department besides Karthik who is in good
form. Gautam Gambhir, who led KKR to
two titles (2012, 2014) will be leading Delhi
Daredevils this time and the for perennial
underachievers will be looking to shine un-
der him. In the last five seasons, Delhi fin-
ished at the bottom of the points table. In
2013, they finished ninth, in 2014 eighth, in
2015 seventh, in 2016 sixth and in 2017 sixth.
Rajastan Royals, back after a two-year
hiatus, have also not performed that well
since winning the inaugural IPL in 2008.
Royals, led by Rahane, will miss the batting
prowess of Smith but the likes of Ben Stokes
and most expensive Indian buy pacer Jaydev
Unadkat will look to help the Jaipur-based
team fare well.
Hyderabad too will miss Warner, the
highest run-getter in the 2017, but in Wil-
liamson they will not only get a quality
batsman but also a stable leader. Star India
opener Shikhar Dhawan and in-form pacer
Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the key players for
the former champions.
Last but not the least, Kings XI Punjab
under Ashwin have a good-looking team
on paper. Out of white-ball cricket, Ashwin
will have a point to prove while his team will
hope to ride on veterans Yuvraj Singh, Chris
Gayle, David Miller, Aaron Finch, Marcus
Stoinis, and Mayank Agarwal to guide them
to an elusive title. The Punjab-based fran-
chise managed to reach the top four only on
a couple of occasions. They finished third in
the inaugural edition and then came agonis-
ingly close to winning the title in 2014 but
were denied by Kolkata Knight Riders.
S
outh African pace bowler
Dale Steyn has signed
for Hampshire as he bids
to return to fitness fol-
lowing a heel injury that forced
him to miss the recent Test series
against Australia.
The 34-year-old will join the
county in June and train ahead of
South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka,
which starts in July. The plan is
that he will return as the coun-
ty’s overseas player for the final
weeks of the season. During the
training stint in June, Steyn will
fill in for compatriot Hashim
Amla, who will be with Hamp-
shire for the first three months of
the season, for a one-day match
and a four-day first-class game.
Steyn has 419 Test wickets,
just two behind Shaun Pollock’s
South African record. “Dale is
one of the best bowlers in the
OPINION
Rivals unfairly ‘slam boot’ into
Aussies over cheating: Warne
A
ustralian spin legend
Shane Warne has
accused the country’s
rivals of unfairly using
the Test ball tampering contro-
versy to kick the team when it is
down. Warne, advisor to Indian
Premier League side the Rajas-
than Royals, said the cheating
scandal should be used as an op-
portunity for other cricket teams
to reflect on their own conduct.
“It is very disappointing but
I feel that this has given an op-
portunity to others to slam the
boot into Australians without
any reason,” Warner was quoted
as saying by the Press Trust of
India news agency.
The 48-year-old said he
would not defend the conduct of
cricketers Steve Smith and David
Warner, who have been removed
from their leadership positions
world and is extremely motivat-
ed to get going after a frustrat-
ing period on the sidelines,” said
Hampshire director of cricket
Giles White. “It seems a great fit
for both parties — we hope that
we can help him get back to his
best and we look forward to wel-
coming him to Hampshire.”
on the Australian team, and that
he was “embarrassed” as any
other Australian over the affair.
“But anyone who has been
its outcomes. Peever said
former ex-Test opener Rick
McCosker would also chair a
separate player and former-
player driven process to
consider a charter setting out
“standards of behaviour and
expectations of Australian
teams”.
“It is anticipated that this
process will include assess-
ments as to whether changes
to codes and standards
governing player conduct
are required,” said Peever, a
former managing director
of mining giant Rio Tinto.
All three players have been
dumped by sponsors as a
result of the scandal while
Cricket Australia has been
dropped by its top sponsor,
fund manager Magellan.
beaten by Australia, who don’t
like the way the Australians play
the game or they don’t like any
individual in any country have
taken the opportunity to take
boots into the Australians,” he
said in Jaipur.
“I think it is a great opportu-
nity for every single country look
into its own backyards and think
[about] the way they want to
play cricket.”
Smith and Warner have each
been banned for a year by Aus-
tralia and the IPL, keeping them
out of contention for the Indian
tournament, which starts this
weekend. Smith was slated to
captain the Royals, who Warne
led to the IPL title in 2008 dur-
ing the competition’s inaugural
season. Warner was to have been
captain at Sunrisers Hyderabad
and led them to the title in 2016.
 Gulf Times
Saturday, April 7, 2018 5

SPORT
NBA BASEBALL

Cavaliers stun Ramirez

shines as
Wizards, Pacers Red Sox
roll by Rays
pummel Warriors
James helped the Cavaliers claw their way back from a 17-point deficit and hold
onto the number three post-season spot in the Eastern Conference standings

Boston Red Sox designated hitter Hanley Ramirez (13) hits an RBI
against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ninth inning of the home opener
at Fenway Park. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

Reuters nings. Washington starter Stephen

Boston Strasburg (1-1) gave up four runs
on five hits, including two of the
homers, in six innings.

Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) slam dunks during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Quicken Loans Arena. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports
AFP Cleveland is 10-1 since March 17 when
Los Angeles Lue was forced to leave a game in Chicago
with chest pains. Lue says he has changed
his diet and is taking sleep medication as
best player in the league and he does that
every night. You don’t get to see players
like him often,” said Brooks.
John Wall finished with 28 points and
season. Warriors coach Steve Kerr pulled
five players from the game and sat them
on the bench for the final seven minutes
with his team down by 21 points. Kevin
H
anley Ramirez delivered
a walk-off RBI single to
right field with one out
in the 12th inning as the
Boston Red Sox came back to beat
the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in their
home opener Thursday.
Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled off
Rays reliever Andrew Kittredge
(0-2) to lead off the bottom of the
12th inning. Christian Vazquez’s
sacrifice bunt moved Bradley to
third and both Mookie Betts and
Andrew Benintendi walked to set
up Ramirez’s heroics.
Ramirez and Xander Bogaerts
each drove in a run in the ninth
for Boston, which won its sixth
straight game after opening the
season with a 6-4 loss at Tampa
Bay. The Red Sox then won three
in a row over the Rays to cap the
season-opening series.
Matt Duffy hit a two-run blast
for his first homer of the season
for Tampa Bay, which dropped its
sixth straight after coming from
four runs down to beat Boston in
the opener. The Rays have been
outscored 27-11 during their skid.
TIGERS 9, WHITE
SOX 7 (10 INNINGS)
Detroit center fielder Leonys
Martin and third baseman Jeimer
Candelario had RBIs in the 10th
inning and the Tigers scored five
runs in their last two at-bats to
spoil Chicago’s home opener.
Niko Goodrum hit a two-run
homer with two outs in the ninth
inning and Victor Martinez dou-
bled in Nicholas Castellanos to
cap a three-run rally that tied the
game at 7 off White Sox closer
Joakim Soria. Goodrum’s homer
was the first of his career.
Mikie Mahtook singled to open
the 10th inning off Gregory Infante
(0-1) before Jose Iglesias walked.
Mahtook took third on Dixon
Machado’s groundout and scored
on Martin’s grounder to second
base for an 8-7 lead, the Tigers’
first of the game.
ROCKIES 3, PADRES 0
Ryan McMahon drew a four-
pitch, bases-loaded walk from Pa-
dres closer Brad Hand to break up a

T
he Cleveland Cavaliers were al-
ready getting into NBA playoff
mode even before coach Tyronn
Lue returned to the bench on
Thursday night.
LeBron James scored 13 of his 33 points
in the fourth quarter as Cleveland made
sure Lue’s return was a successful one
with a 119-115 win over the Washington
Wizards.
James helped the Cavaliers claw their
way back from a 17-point deficit and hold
onto the number three post-season spot
in the Eastern Conference standings.
“I don’t have a quit bone in me, so if
I’m on the floor I’ve got to try to make
plays happen no matter what the score
is,” James said. “That’s just my mindset.”
he gets set to guide his troops into the
first round of the playoffs.
Jeff Green delivered 21 points and
Kevin Love had 16 for the Cleveland, who
fell behind 104-87 with just over seven
minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Markieff Morris scored a basket with
3:16 left to give the Wizards a 110-100
lead. James then went to work, scoring
six straight points and dishing to Green
for a layup. Rodney Hood made two free
throws to cap a 10-0 surge as the Wizards
failed to put Cleveland away down the
stretch. Wizards coach Scott Brooks said
nothing James does surprises him any-
more. “Like I said before the game, I’ll say
it after the game and probably five years
from now I’ll say the same thing. He’s the
14 assists for the Wizards, who have lost
seven of their last nine and are jockeying
with Milwaukee and Miami for a playoff
seed. Wall was playing in his third game
since returning from knee surgery.
Elsewhere, Bojan Bogdanovic scored
28 points and Victor Oladipo added 21
and the Indiana Pacers pulled away from
the defending champion Golden State
Warriors for a 126-106 lopsided win.
Bogdanovic had a nearly perfect
shooting game for the Pacers who took
the lead for good on Lance Stephenson’s
three pointer with 9:46 left in the first
half. They never allowed Golden State to
get closer than 10 after halftime.
The win gave Indiana their first sea-
son sweep of the Warriors since 2011-12
Durant was included in that group. scoreless tie in the top of the ninth
“I think just caring, caring in general, METS 8, NATIONALS 2 inning and DJ LeMahieu followed
that was the main problem,” Kerr said. Jay Bruce hit a grand slam for with a two-run, two-out single
“It’s hard to win an NBA game if you visiting New York, which also got to lead visiting Colorado over San
don’t put forth an effort at all. homers from Yoenis Cespedes and Diego.
“Yeah, I’m mad. I’m embarrassed. I Michael Conforto, as it defeated The Rockies won three of four
know that this game doesn’t mean any- Washington. games from the Padres and open
thing in the seeding, but the playoffs The three home runs gave the their home season Friday after-
start next week. It was an embarrassing Mets seven consecutive runs in noon at Coors Field against At-
effort, a pathetic effort.” Washington’s home opener. Con- lanta. The Padres concluded a
forto was playing in his first game 1-6 homestand. Hand opened the
RESULTS of the season after recovering from ninth by issuing consecutive walks
Denver 100 Minnesota 96 shoulder surgery, and the home to Trevor Story and Chris Iannetta.
Cleveland 119 Washington 115 run his first hit of 2018. The Rockies loaded the bases with
Utah 117 LA Clippers 95 All of that power helped Jacob no one out when second baseman
Houston 96 Portland 94 deGrom (2-0) win for the second Carlos Asuaje dropped the throw
Milwaukee 111 Brooklyn 119 time in two starts. He allowed from third baseman Christian Vil-
Indiana 126 Golden State 106 two runs on four hits in six in- lanueva on a sacrifice bunt.

BOTTOMLINE

Nashville Predators lock up Presidents’ Trophy

Reuters from the point past Flames goalie Jon Gillies Aleksander Barkov scored his 100th NHL
Washington Nashville Predators defenseman for his 23rd goal and 90th point of the season. goal and Jared McCann got the go-ahead score
Alexei Emelin (L) skates with the The last player in franchise history to reach the with 5:37 left in the third period as host Florida
puck as Washington Capitals 90-point mark in a season was Ilya Kovalchuk kept its slim playoff hopes alive with a win over

R
yan Johansen scored with 5:27 left to
give the Predators a 4-3 victory over
the Washington Capitals on Thursday
night in Washington, and Nashville
clinched the Central Division and Western Con-
ference titles. The Predators, who made it to the
Stanley Cup finals last year, locked up the Presi-
dents’ Trophy later Thursday when the Boston
Bruins lost to the Florida Panthers.
Nashville earned their 52nd victory of the
season, a franchise record.
The game-winning play began when Viktor
Arvidsson fired a shot from the left wing that
Washington goalie Philipp Grubauer got a glove
on. However, the puck then squirted loose in
the crease, and Johansen tapped it into the net.
OILERS 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3
Connor McDavid had three assists to in-
crease his league-leading points total to 106
and Ty Rattie had a goal and an assist as Ed-
monton scored three unanswered third period
goals to pull out a win against visiting Vegas.
Michael Cammalleri, Matt Benning and Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins also scored goals for Edmon-
ton (35-40-6, 76 points), which snapped a
five-game losing streak and won the regular-
season series with the Golden Knights, 3-1.
Oscar Lindberg, Brandon Pirri and Brayden
McNabb scored for Pacific Division champion
Vegas (51-23-7, 109), which had a three-game
centre Lars Eller chases in the
third period at Capital One Arena.
The Predators won 4-3.
winning streak snapped. The Golden Knights
once again rested regulars Marc-Andre Fleury,
Jonathan Marchessault, David Perron, Nate
Schmidt and Reilly Smith in preparation for
next week’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
JETS 2, FLAMES 1
Blake Wheeler and Paul Stastny each scored
as Winnipeg beat visiting Calgary as Jets goal-
tender Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves to tie
Tom Barrasso for the most wins in a season by
an American-born goaltender.
He earned his 43rd victory this season,
equalling the number Barrasso collected in
1992-93 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Wheeler tipped a Dustin Byfuglien slapper
in 2008-09, when the club was in Atlanta.
DEVILS 2, MAPLE LEAFS 1
Keith Kinkaid continued his hot goaltend-
ing with 31 saves, and Patrick Maroon had two
assists as New Jersey clinched its first Stanley
Cup playoff berth since 2012 with the win over
Toronto.
Kinkaid improved to 16-3-1 since Feb. 13
as New Jersey (44-28-9, 97) won its fourth
straight game and improved to 7-0-1 in its past
eight contests.
Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha each scored
for the Devils off nice assists by Maroon. New
Jersey’s Taylor Hall had his league-best, nine-
game points streak snapped in the win. Kinkaid
improved to 10-1-1 in his past 12 games.
CANADIENS 4, RED WINGS 3
Nicolas Deslauriers scored two goals,
Brendan Gallagher continued his scoring
streak against Detroit and Montreal completed
a sweep of the season series the Red Wings.
Deslauriers notched his first two-goal game
since he tallied twice against Vancouver on
Dec. 19. Gallagher collected his sixth goal this
season against the Wings and 31st overall. Gal-
lagher scored in each of the four wins over De-
troit.
PANTHERS 3, BRUINS 2
Boston. The Panthers would be eliminated if
they fail to win either of their two remaining
regular-season games or if the Philadelphia
Flyers pick up at least one point on Saturday
against the New York Rangers.
Barkov, an All-Star this year, scored his 27th
goal of the season. However, it was a rough
night for the Panthers as two of the three teams
they were chasing for the final wild-card playoff
berth in the Eastern Conference clinched posts-
eason berths — the New Jersey Devils and the
Columbus Blue Jackets.
FLYERS 4, HURRICANES 3
Jake Voracek’s goal late in the third period lift-
ed Philadelphia past visiting Carolina on a night
the Flyers could have clinched a playoff spot had
Boston beaten Florida.
Claude Giroux, Ivan Provorov and Michael
Raffl also scored one goal each for the Flyers.
Flyers goaltender Brian Elliott, who had been
out just shy of two months after undergoing
core muscle surgery, had 19 saves in his shaky
return.
The Flyers were 13-7-5 without Elliott and
had three other goaltenders see action — Alex
Lyon, Petr Mrazek and Michal Neuvirth.
Thomas Hickey and Anthony Beauvillier
scored early in the second period for Islanders,
who closed out their home schedule by edging
the Rangers.
 Gulf Times
6 Saturday, April 7, 2018
SPORT
GOLF
Tiger back in Masters
hunt as Augusta
National rips leaders
Round 1 leader Spieth starts second round with double bogey and bogey
AFP
Augusta, Georgia
T
iger Woods began yesterday’s
second round of the Masters
with a bogey at Augusta Na-
tional, which proved formida-
ble in windy conditions as elite golfers
struggled and humbled leaders packed
together.
Woods, a four-time Masters cham-
pion, has been the star attraction in his
return to major competition following
spinal fusion and two top-five showings
in tuneup events.
An opening 73 left him seven adrift,
but adoring fans cheered him and stood
10 deep to catch a glimpse of the 14-time
major champion, new crowds enjoying a
“Tigermania” opportunity some thought
might never come again.
While his last major title came at the
2008 US Open, early struggles for the
leaders ensured his chance to contend as
his second round began and fans dreamed
he might this week close the gap on the
record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus.
Woods saw his approach roll off the
first green and his chip barely held the
putting surface. He then missed an 18-
foot par putt and fell to 2-over for the
tournament, five off the pace.
Augusta National had become a cruci-
ble for contenders in round two, no one
able to pull away on a crowded leader-
board.
As Woods teed off, six players shared
the lead at 3-under, including Austrian
Bernd Wiesberger and American Matt
Kuchar and four players yet to launch
their second rounds — Sweden’s Henrik
Stenson, Canada’s Adam Hadwin and
‘Tin Cup’ Garcia matches Masters infamy with 13 on 15th hole
AFP
Augusta, Georgia
D
efending champion Sergio Garcia
matched the worst one-hole
score in Masters history with an
octuple-bogey 13 at the par-5 15th hole
in Thursday’s opening round at Augusta
National.
And the 38-year-old Spaniard says he
doesn’t feel like he hit a bad shot on the
Sights from the Qatar Gold Trophy and Sword Day
His Excellency Sheikh Thani bin Hamad al-Thani (centre) presents Jassim Mohamed
Ghazali (left) with the trainer’s trophy in the presence of Qatar Racing and Equestrian
Club (QREC) Board member Abdullah al-Sheikh al-Kuwari after Khalifa bin Sheail
al-Kuwari-owned Jethjath won the Qatar Silver Sword race on Thursday.
Jockey Harry Bentley rides Injaaz Stud’s Izzthatright to victory in the Sealine Sprint
Trophy on Thursday. PICTURE: Juhaim
Jordan Spieth hits off the 7th tee during the second round of the 2018 Masters tourna-
ment in Augusta, Georgia, yesterday. (Reuters)
Americans Patrick Reed and Charley
Hoffman.
One stroke adrift were Jordan Spieth,
Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler — who had
faced Augusta’s fury — plus past Masters
winner Zach Johnson of the United States
and Australian Marc Leishman.
Even some past champions were hum-
bled, three-time Masters winner Phil
Mickelson triple-bogeying the ninth to
530-yard hole, even though he plunked
five of them in a row to a watery grave
in the pond guarding the green.
Splash. Splash. Splash. Splash. Splash.
“I don’t know what to tell you. It’s one
of those things,” Garcia said. “It’s the
first time in my career where I make a 13
without missing a shot. Simple as that.
“I felt like I hit a lot of good shots and
unfortunately the ball just didn’t want to
stop. So it’s just unfortunate, but that’s
what it is.”
stand 1-over at the turn and past champ
Fred Couples making triple bogey at 11
and on 1-over after 14.
Wiesberger, who opened with a 70, bird-
ied the par-5 second and par-4 third but fell
back with a birdie at the par-3 fourth.
Kuchar opened on 68 but took bogey at
the fifth.
Three-time major winner Spieth, who
led by two after shooting 6-under par 66
It became a real-life version of the
movie Tin Cup with Garcia in the Kevin
Costner role of Roy McAvoy, who
refuses to quit until he makes a shot
even as his chance at victory vanishes
with balls rolling off the green into the
water.
“I kept hitting good shots with the sand
wedge,” Garcia said. “I don’t know why
the ball just wouldn’t stop.”
Garcia was level for the worst score on
any hole played in Masters history, the
His Excellency Sheikh Thani bin Hamad al-Thani (centre) presents Khalifa bin
Sheail al-Kuwari (left) with the Qatar Silver Sword in the presence of QREC Board
member Abdullah al-Sheikh al-Kuwari after Jassim Mohamed Ghazali-trained
Jethjath won the 1,850m race on Thursday.
Jockey Gerald Avranche (left) rides Molheb Al Naif to victory in the Qatar Silver
Trophy on Thursday. PICTURE: Juhaim
Thursday, started double bogey-bogey.
Reigning British Open champion Spi-
eth sent his tee shot deep into the Geor-
gia pines on both holes, didn’t escape the
trees on his second either time and left
his third shy of the green twice, missing
an 11-footer for bogey at the par-4 first
and a 5-footer for par at the second.
Another bogey at seven dropped Spieth
two off the pace.
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, who can
complete a career Grand Slam by winning
the Masters, opened with a three-putt
bogey and added two birdies and two bo-
geys in the next five holes.
American Tony Finau, the first US PGA
player of Tongan and Samoan descent,
took bogeys at the first, sixth and 11th
holes to stumble back to 1-under after an
opening 68. He suffered a partial left an-
kle dislocation Wednesday when he land-
ed awkwardly while celebrating an ace in
the Masters Par-3 Contest.
China’s Li Haotong, who shot 69 in his
Masters debut, was six-over on Friday’s
front nine.
SPIETH, MCILROY MELTDOWNS
Both McIlroy and Spieth have suffered
notable Masters meltdowns with a green
jacket seemingly in their grasp, Spieth in
2016 when leading by five shots with nine
holes remaining only to endure an Amen
Corner horror show and squander the ti-
tle won by England’s Danny Willett.
McIlroy, 28, saw his 2011 hopes of a
wire-to-wire win vanish with a final-
round 80. McIlroy went on to win his first
major on his next try at the 2011 US Open.
Spieth’s wire-to-wire victory in 2015
marked the only time since 1984 that a
first-round Masters solo leader took the
green jacket.
other 13-stroke efforts coming from
Tommy Nakajima in 1978 at the par-5
13th and Tom Weiskopf in 1980 at the
par-3 12th.
It’s the worst Masters score on any hole
outside famed Amen Corner – the 11th,
12th and 13th holes that often decide
Masters glory.
“With the firmness of the greens and
everything, I felt like the ball was going
to stop,” Garcia said. “Unfortunately, for
whatever reason, it didn’t want to.”
COMMENT
Player calls for ball
rollback as Masters
chairman voices
concern
Honorary starter Jack Nicklaus (right) of the US embraces Gary Player
of South Africa after teeing off during the ceremonial start of the 2018
Augusta Masters on Thursday. (Reuters)
Reuters
Augusta, Georgia
G
ary Player has called on
golf’s ruling bodies to
implement regulations
that would reduce by
50 yards the distance players can
drive the ball.
Speaking on Thursday after
hitting the ceremonial opening
tee shot at the US Masters, Player
spoke of one of his pet peeves,
that, in his opinion, many classic
old courses have become all but
obsolete.
At the home of golf, St. An-
drews, for example, leading pros
can now reach the green with a
good drive on several of the par-
four holes.
“With professional golf, we’re
going to have to cut the ball back
50 yards, at least,” said Player, 82,
who is one of five players to have
won the grand slam of all four
modern majors.
“The ball is such a big prob-
lem.
“We’re seeing guys hitting
400 yards a lot. Dustin Johnson
hit a drive 489 yards ten days ago
(at Austin Country Club in the
WGC-Match Play event).”
Player’s comments came a day
after new Masters chairman Fred
Ridley hinted that the Masters
committee would not sit back
and allow players to render the
hallowed course obsolete.
At Augusta National, how-
ever, the club has bought land
so that it at least has the option
of lengthening several holes, in-
cluding the famous par-five 13th.
St Andrews and some other
old courses have no such option.
Talk of restricting equipment
has become a hot topic recently,
with the game’s ruling bodies, the
United States Golf Association
SPOTLIGHT
McGregor to appear
in New York court
on assault charges
Reuters
New York
M
ixed martial arts
fighter Conor Mc-
Gregor was driven
to a New York City
courtroom yesterday to be ar-
raigned on charges of assault
stemming from a melee fol-
lowing a press event for a series
of UFC fights to be staged at a
Brooklyn arena.
The sport’s best-known ath-
lete and an international star,
McGregor, 29, was dressed in
a blue, long-sleeved golf shirt
that hid his elaborate tattoos as
he was escorted from the police
station where he surrendered the
previous night.
He faces three counts of as-
sault and one count of criminal
mischief following the fracas at
Brooklyn’s Barclay Center on
Thursday evening.
A video of the incident, widely
circulated on social media, ap-
pears to show the Irish-born
McGregor and his entourage us-
ing a metal barricade and other
objects to smash windows on a
bus filled with fighters departing
from the event.
Efforts to reach McGregor’s
representatives were not suc-
cessful. It was not clear who was
representing him at the court
hearing.
McGregor last fought in the
UFC in November 2016, when
and the Royal & Ancient, indicat-
ing they were concerned at how far
players are hitting the ball.
However, the PGA Tour and
the PGA of America have both
said they do not think there is
a problem, comments in line
with the stance of many leading
equipment makers
“We will always do what’s nec-
essary to maintain the integrity
of our golf course,” Ridley said.
“We are intent on making sure
that we maintain the design phi-
losophy the Mr. (Bobby) Jones
and Alister MacKenzie devised,”
Ridley said.
“There’s a great quote from
Bobby Jones dealing specifically
with the 13th hole, which has
been lengthened over time. He
said the decision to go for the
green in two should be a momen-
tous one.
“And I would have to say that
our observation of these great
players hitting middle and even
short irons into that hole is not a
momentous one.
“We think there is an issue
there, not only there, but in the
game generally that needs to be
addressed.”
Leading equipment maker
TaylorMade, whose stable in-
cludes Tiger Woods, Rory McIl-
roy, Justin Rose and Dustin
Johnson, does not support any
rollback on equipment.
“There already are restrictions
(on equipment),” CEO David
Abeles told Reuters.
“I do not believe, nor does
TaylorMade, that limiting ad-
vanced performance is beneficial
to the game of golf.
“I’ve never met an amateur
golfer, or even a professional,
who has walked off the 18th
green at any golf course and said
this game is just too easy, don’t
help me play any better.”
Conor McGregor is escorted by
a police detective after assault
charges were laid against him in
Brooklyn, New York, yesterday.
(Reuters)
he defeated Eddie Alvarez to win
the lightweight belt. But he never
defended the title as he entered
the boxing ring instead, to take
on Floyd Mayweather in August
2017.
His technical knockout loss to
Mayweather was the second big-
gest pay-per-view fight in his-
tory.
In January, the UFC said Kha-
bib Nurmagomedov and Tony
Ferguson would fight for the un-
disputed lightweight title at to-
day’s event, known as UFC 223.
As a consequence, the Irishman
would lose the belt.
 Gulf Times
Saturday, April 7, 2018 7

SPORT
FORMULA 1 SPOTLIGHT

Liberty unveils its

Raikkonen leads post-2020 F1 vision
Reuters It gave no details about any
cap, however, with media reports

Ferrari one-two in
Manama/London
talking of a $150mn annual fig-
ure which would be above what

F
ormula One’s commer-
cial rights holders have
laid out plans for an over-
haul of the sport from
2021 with cheaper and simpler
power units, the implementation
many teams spend but well be-
low that of the biggest manufac-
turer budgets.
Formula One said future rev-
enue distribution must be “more
balanced, based on meritocracy

Friday practice
of a cost cap and a more balanced
distribution of revenues.
Liberty Media, who took over
in January last year, met team
bosses and the governing FIA at
the Sakhir circuit ahead of yes-
terday’s opening practice for the
‘It looks very close between all the teams and we have got some work to do’ Bahrain Grand Prix.
There was no immediate re-
sponse from reigning champions
Reuters Mercedes and Ferrari, the big-
Manama gest and wealthiest teams who
have expressed concern in recent
months about where the sport is
of the current performance and
reward success for the teams and
the commercial rights holder.”
Force India’s chief operating
officer Otmar Szafnauer said his
team were pleased with Liberty’s
proposals.
“It was a presentation and
we all listened and there wasn’t
much interaction,” he said. “My
opinion is it’s going in the right
direction.”
The five-point plan, published
as broad outlines, said there

K
imi Raikkonen led his champi-
onship-leading teammate Se-
bastian Vettel in a Ferrari one-
two at the top of the timesheets
in floodlit free practice for the Bahrain
Grand Prix yesterday.
The Finn was summoned to the stew-
ards afterwards for an unsafe release
from the pits but escaped a grid pen-
alty with Ferrari picking up a 5,000 euro
($6,136.50) fine instead for the misde-
meanour.
The team had told Raikkonen immedi-
ately after the practice stop that there was
a loose wheel on the car and he stopped as
soon as it was safe to do so.
Raikkonen, who was third in the open-
ing afternoon session led by Red Bull’s
Daniel Ricciardo, lapped the 5.4km Sa-
khir circuit in one minute 29.817 seconds.
Vettel, winner last year in Bahrain, was
a mere 0.011 seconds slower.
The two Ferraris were the only ones to
dip into the one minute 29 second brack-
et, with Valtteri Bottas half a second off
Raikkonen’s benchmark with what was
reigning champions Mercedes’ best ef-
fort.
The Finn, who had been second on the
timesheets in the opening practice, ended
the day third quickest with Lewis Hamil-
ton fifth and fourth in the respective ses-
sions.
“Although we were untroubled by any
reliability issues, and we ran through
our programme as expected, it wasn’t
our best day from a performance point
of view,” said Mercedes technical head
James Allison.
“We’ve got more to do overnight and in
the session tomorrow to give us a car that
will allow us to have a good fight in quali-
fying and on Sunday.
“The base is okay but we have not yet
found the sort of edge that we had in Mel-
bourne.”
Vettel snatched an opportunistic win
Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen enters his car during the first practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir yesterday. (AFP)
from Hamilton in Formula One’s season
opener in Australia two weeks ago, taking
advantage of a timely virtual safety car to
pit and stay ahead of the Briton who had
led from pole.
Hamilton’s Mercedes was clearly fast-
est in Melbourne and the four-times
champion arrived in Bahrain as favourite
to make up the lost ground.
His best effort on Friday was 0.655 sec-
onds slower than Raikkonen, however,
with at least some of that down to the
33-year-old running into traffic on his
flying lap.
Hamilton remains on course, though,
to equal Raikkonen’s record of 27 con-
secutive finishes in the points.
“It’s been a normal Friday, we’ve got
through all our programme. It looks very
close between all the teams and we defi-
nitely have got some work to do to try and
see if we can eke out to be ahead of the
others,” said Hamilton.
Max Verstappen ended the day fifth
fastest ahead of Red Bull team mate Dan-
iel Ricciardo.
The former champions had book-end-
ed the timesheets in the afternoon, with
Ricciardo fastest and Verstappen at the
bottom having failed to set a time after
being sidelined by an electrical issue.
The Dutchman got out and helped
marshals push the car back to the pitlane.
Nico Hulkenberg was seventh fastest in
the Renault ahead of Toro Rosso’s Pierre
Gasly while McLaren pair Fernando
Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne rounded
out the top 10.
Yesterday’s two 90-minute sessions
were relatively uneventful although Bot-
tas, on a slow lap, almost collided with
Ricciardo who was going quickly.
heading.
Ferrari, who enjoy special fi-
nancial privileges and a veto on
rules, have warned repeatedly
that they could walk away if they
did not like what was on offer.
“The teams have to digest the
proposals that we’ve made,” For-
mula One’s managing director of
motorsport Ross Brawn, a former
Ferrari technical director and ex-
Mercedes team principal, told
Reuters.
“I think they were all accepted
in good spirit,” he said.
“There’s no doubt there will be
different opinions. I think every-
one, all the teams, is pleased to
see the landscape laid out com-
pletely on some key elements.”
Formula One said future en-
gines needed to be “cheaper,
simpler, louder, have more power
and reduce the necessity of grid
penalties.”
They must also remain road
relevant for manufacturers, and
hybrid, with the rules making it
attractive for any new entrants.
On the thorny subject of costs,
Formula One said that “how you
spend the money must be more
decisive and important than how
much money you spend.”
RUGBY
Fiji start Hong Kong
Sevens in style
AFP
Hong Kong
needed to be more overtaking
and driver skill should be the
“predominant factor” in the car’s
performance.
While cars must remain dif-
ferent from each other, areas
not relevant to fans needed to be
standardised. Governance of the
sport also needed to be simple
and streamlined.
“We are driven by one desire:
to create the world’s leading
sporting brand,” said Formula
One chairman Chase Carey.
“Fan-centred, commercially
successful, profitable for our
teams, and with technological
innovation at its heart.”
These plans would make it
easier for Aston Martin to enter
one day as an engine supplier, the
British sportscar maker’s chief
executive Andy Palmer said.
“We are extremely pleased to
hear today’s news regarding the
future of Formula One,” Palmer
said on Twitter.
“These prospective changes
support many of the require-
ments needed for Aston Martin
to enter the sport as an engine
supplier. This is a very positive
step in the right direction,” he
added.
Gold Coast due to be contested
next weekend, series leaders
South Africa and a number of
other teams have arrived in Hong

F
FOCUS iji got their campaign for Kong with development squads
a record fourth straight made up of young players rather
title at the Hong Kong than their regular stars.

Al-Naimi fastest in Superstock 600

Sevens underway with
a 31-12 victory over Samoa last
night.
The win was — as it always
seems to be with the 2016 Rio
It didn’t seem to affect the
South Africans yesterday night
but their first game was a 45-0
victory over a South Korean team
only making a guest appearance

practice, al-Asam takes QTCC pole gold medallists — built on plen-

ty of dash out wide and lots of
strength through the middle of
the park.
The Islanders were led by the
impressive Amenoni Nasilasila
who added two conversions to
a second-half try that came via
a cross-field dash, bringing the
Hong Kong Stadium to its feet.
“I was pleased with what we
delivered, about the pace and
the power of our game”, said Fiji
coach Gareth Baber afterwards.
“I thought we could have been
a bit tidier at times when we
didn’t have the ball but it’s the
first game — and it’s a win.”
Fiji are at full strength for the
seventh leg of this year’s World
Rugby Sevens Series.
But with the rugby sevens
competition at the Common-
wealth Games on Australia’s
on World Series.
More will be known about
their chances here after the
South Africans’ pool clashes
against Scotland and then Eng-
land on Saturday.
The USA are another side at
full strength as they look to build
on a season that has already seen
them break through for their
first-ever title at their home leg
of the World Series, in Las Vegas
at the start of March.
The Eagles faced what had ap-
peared on paper to be a tricky
opening test against France yes-
terday and it ran according to that
script, with a last-second try from
winger Carlin Isles levelling the
scores at 24 apiece — and saving
the Americans’ blushes.
“We didn’t make life easy for
ourselves but we’re still in it,”
said USA coach Mike yesterday.

Mashel al-Naimi in action during the Free Practice session for the fifth round of the
Qatar Superstock 600 yesterday. Hamad al-Asam took pole positions for today’s Qatar Touring Car Championship races. Hurricanes foil Sharks upset with
late Laumape try

C
hampionship leader
Mashel al-Naimi set the
fastest time in Free Prac-
tice, ahead of today’s
fifth round of the Qatar Super-
stock 600. Under the lights at
the Losail International Circuit
yesterday, al-Naimi was quicker
than his main rival and defend-
ing champion Saeed al-Sulaiti by
0.098 seconds.
Al-Naimi is leading the cham-
pionship race by meagre one point
over al-Sulaiti and the results of
the two races today will deter-
mine which way the title will go.
Nasser al-Malki, who is third in
the standings, was behind the top
in practice, while talented young-
ster Abdullah al-Qubaisi was
fourth fastest.
Meanwhile, Hamad al-Asam
took pole positions for today’s
Qatar Touring Car Championship
(QTCC) races. Al-Asam is second
in the standings with 93 points,
ahead of Adham Eldib, who has 78
points.
The title, however, was already
decided in the previous round,
with defending champion Abdul-
lah al-Khelaifi clinching the title
again this season. Eldib was sec-
ond quickest yesterday, with al-
Khelaifi with starting from third
place.
Today, QSTK Race 1 is sched-
uled at 5:30pm and Race 2 at
7:55pm. The QTCC first race is
at 6:40pm and the second one at
9pm. The entrance is free for fans
at the grandstand and also at the
Paddock.
Qatar Superstock 600 and Qa-
tar Touring Car Championship
are organised by the Losail Circuit
Sports Club and Qatar Motor and
Motorcycle Federation with Pirel-
li Qatar and Inside as sponsors of
both championships.
The Wellington Hurricanes
needed a converted try from
centre Ngani Laumape five
minutes after the hooter to
pip South Africa’s Sharks 38-37
in a Super Rugby thriller at
McLean Park, Napier, yester-
day.
The New Zealand conference
leaders were trailing by nine
points with two minutes re-
maining but Ihaia West slotted
a penalty and the Hurricanes
pack muscled up to build a
platform for Laumape to cross
the line for his second try of
the night.
Flyhalf West, promoted to
start after Beauden Barrett
failed a late fitness test, still
needed to add the conver-
sion to give 2016 champions
Defending champion Saeed al-Sulaiti negotiates a curve at the Losail International Circuit yesterday.
their fifth straight win and
he nervelessly steered the
ball between the posts to the
delight of the crowd.
The Durban-based Sharks,
picking up where they left
off in their 63-40 win over
the Blues in Auckland last
week, scored four tries in
a brilliant display of ag-
gressive forward play and
powerful running from the
backline.
Two tries from centre Lukh-
anyo Am, one from scrumhalf
Louis Schreuder and the last
from replacement forward
Tyler Paul along with the flaw-
less place-kicking of flyhalf
Robert du Preez were still not
enough to upset the Hurri-
canes, however.
 Saturday, April 7, 2018
GULF TIMES
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
Le Clos record bid
flops as Aussies
rule the pool
Hosts claim five golds, led by Chalmers; Scottish siblings pick up cycling medals
AFP
Gold Coast, Australia
C
had le Clos’s bid to become the
Commonwealth Games’ most
decorated athlete hit the skids
yesterday as Australia’s gold-
medal machine clicked into high gear on
Gold Coast.
The South African won the 50m but-
terfly but shortly after stepping off the
podium, his seventh-place finish in the
200m freestyle halted his tilt at a record
19 medals.
It came as Australia claimed a remark-
able five golds in the pool, led by Kyle
Chalmers, who won the 200m freestyle
and anchored their victory in the 4x100m
freestyle relay.
Away from the sport, Queensland po-
lice charged a Mauritian team official
with sexual assault following a complaint
by an athlete over an incident last week.
The team’s former chef de mission has
resigned his post but denied any wrong-
doing in the wake of the accusation, ac-
cording to Mauritian media.
The incident follows several sex abuse
scandals in sports, and comes with thou-
sands of athletes and officials in the Aus-
tralian resort city for the 11-day Games.
However, it remained a storming sec-
ond day for Australia, who grabbed nine
gold medals in total to top the table with
14 overall, ahead of England on nine.
Le Clos was unbowed about his at-
tempt to beat or equal the record of 18
medals held jointly by shooters Mick
Gault and Philip Adams. The South Af-
rican swimmer now has 13 medals with
four events left.
“I am only 25 years old, it’s my third
Games. There are guys here with six
Games,” he said. “I will get the record so
there’s no problem.”
Mitch Larkin won the 100m backstroke
and Clyde Lewis took out the 400m in-
dividual medley — and was so wobbly
afterwards he had to abort his poolside
interview.
Emma McKeon won the 100m butter-
fly and Cate Campbell set a Games record
in her 50m freestyle semi-final, a feat
matched by England’s Adam Peaty in the
100m breaststroke semis.
“I’m always chasing the clock, I’m al-
ways trying to chase a world record,” said
world and Olympic champion Peaty, who
is unbeaten in the event since his victory
at Glasgow 2014.
“When we come out tomorrow it’s
about the race and who wants it more.”
‘IT WAS EPIC’
Australia also grabbed two more golds on
the second night of track cycling, when
Stephanie Morton won the women’s
sprint and Matt Glaetzer obliterated the
field in the men’s keirin.
The hosts have dominated at Anna
Meares Velodrome but Scotland’s
Archibald family had a night to remember
Talib’s record lift wins bronze for Pakistan
(From left to right) Silver medallist Morea Baru of Papua New Guinea, gold medallist Mohamed Aznil Bidin of Malaysia and
bronze medallist Pakistan’s Talha Talib pose on the podium for the men’s 62kg weightlifting event at the 2018 Commonwealth
Games in Gold Coast, Australia. In a close competition, Bidin lifted a total of 288kg (126 in snatch and 162 in clean and jerk) for
his win. Baru lifted 286kg (127 in snatch and 159 in clean and jerk) for his silver, while Talib, aided with a Commonwealth Games
record of 132kgs in snatch, managed a total of 283kgs for his bronze. (Facebook/Talha.Talib.10)
Kyle Chalmers (also inset) of Australia competes during the men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
in Gold Coast, Australia, yesterday. (Reuters)
Scottish siblings Katie (left) and John Archibald won gold and silver respectively, after
the former won the women’s 3,000m individual pursuit, and the latter finished second
in men’s 4,000 individual pursuit yesterday. (Reuters)
when siblings Katie and John won gold
and silver respectively.
Katie, a 2016 Olympic team pursuit
gold medallist, beat Australia’s Rebecca
Wiasak in the 3,000m individual pursuit
self on the world stage,” said Tanfield, 21.
India’s Sanjita Chanu Khumukcham
won the women’s 53kg weightlifting and
Deepak Lather took bronze in the men’s
75kg as the team moved on to four medals
in the first two days.
Their performance comes despite
some DIY rehab and recovery sessions
for India’s weightlifters after their physio
missed the accreditation deadline and
was denied access to the Games village.
Gareth Evans of Wales won the men’s
69kg and Australia’s Tia-Clair Toomey
thrilled the home crowd when she won
the women’s 58kg category with a total
lift of 201kg.
Games champion
boxer ‘bitten’ in ugly
opening bout
New Zealand boxer David Nyika
alleged that his opponent bit
him twice in an “ugly” fight as he
launched his bid for a second Com-
monwealth Games gold yesterday.
The 22-year-old heavyweight
defeated Yakita Aska of Antigua
final, while elder brother John finished and Barbuda 5-0 on Australia’s
behind England’s Charlie Tanfield in the Gold Coast, but said the 91kg bout
men’s 4,000m individual pursuit. was far tougher than the scores
“It was epic... Results just keep on suggested. “It’s probably the closest
coming and it’s good to keep proving my- fight I’ve had. A little bit rugged, but
a perfect start to a long tourna-
ment,” said Nyika, who won 81kg
gold at Glasgow 2014 as a teenager.
“When they don’t want to win, they
want to survive, it’s tough. I copped
a couple of bite marks, a couple of
low blows. It’s a tough fight. He bit
me in the end, but that’s the sport
we’re in. Fair play to him: it’s kill or
be killed.” There was no immediate
response from Aska to the allega-
tion, but the 28-year-old said: “He
is one of the best. He won gold at
the last Commonwealth Games so it
was a bad draw for me. He is a very
strong kid.”
CWG athlete in
serious condition
with malaria
A Commonwealth Games athlete is
in serious condition at a Gold Coast
hospital after being diagnosed with
malaria, officials said yesterday.
The 23-year-old, who has not been
identified, is under close obser-
vation at Gold Coast University
Hospital after being admitted on
Thursday with the mosquito-borne
disease. “The patient received im-
mediate treatment for malaria on
arrival at GCUH,” a statement from
the organising committee said.
“The patient remains admitted to
GCUH in a serious condition and
continues to be closely monitored.”
The statement added that “there
is no locally acquired malaria in
mainland Australia”.
SPOTLIGHT
Lifters Sanjita,
Lather strike
medals
India’s Sanjita Chanu celebrates her gold medal on the podium for the
women’s 53kg weightlifting event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
in Gold Coast, Australia, yesterday. (Reuters)
IANS
Gold Coast
I
ndian weightlifters contin-
ued their highly impressive
medal-winning perform-
ances as K. Sanjita Chanu
and Deepak Lather clinched gold
and bronze respectively, while
squash player Joshana Chinappa,
boxers Amit Phangal and Naman
Tanwar entered the quarter-fi-
nals at the 21st Commonwealth
Games (CWG) yesterday.
Sanjita won in the women’s
53 kilogram category as the Ma-
nipuri star lifted a total of 192kg
which included a CWG record
of 84kg in the snatch and 108kg
in clean and jerk, while Lather
bagged a bronze medal in the
men’s 69 kilogram competition.
He managed 136 kilograms in the
snatch and 159kg in clean and
jerk for a total of 295kg.
India now has four medals here
after weightlifters S. Mirabai
Chanu and Gururaja delivered a
gold and a silver respectively on
Thursday.
Success also continued in the
mixed team badminton event as
India topped Group A and reached
the quarter-finals, after thrashing
unfancied Scotland 5-0.
India’s artistic gymnasts Pra-
nati Das and Pranati Nayak qual-
ified for the individual women’s
all-round and vault finals re-
spectively on a disappointing day
for World Cup medallist Aruna
Budda Reddy.
Das finished 21st in the all-
Indian weightlifters turn physios
after paperwork blunder
India’s weightlifters at the
Commonwealth Games are
having to treat one another’s
aches and pains after their
physio was sidelined by a
paperwork blunder.
Aakrant Saxena was denied
accreditation for the Games on
Australia’s Gold Coast because
the required documents were
not submitted in time by the
Indian Olympic Association,
angry athletes say.
Saxena flew to the Gold Coast
with the Indian team — expect-
ed to be the favourites in the
weightlifting — but was refused
entry to the Commonwealth
Games Village and training and
competition venues.
“I have had a tough time with
my recovery and rehabilitation
between my lifts due to the
absence of our team physio,”
said Gururaja, who uses one
2018 CWG medals table (top 10)
G S B T
1. Australia 14 9 13 36
2. England 9 6 3 18
3. Canada 2 4 5 11
4. Scotland 2 4 4 10
5. India 2 1 1 4
SPORT
around final, with a total of
43.800 points. In the individual
vault, Nayak was fourth with
13.300 points.
India’s women continued to
shine as Joshna was the lone
squash player to reach the quar-
ter-finals after Dipika Pallikal
and Vikram Malhotra lost in the
Round-of-16. Joshna defeated
lower-ranked Tamika Saxby of
Australia 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-4).
The women’s hockey team
bounced back strongly after the
2-3 stunning loss to Wales with
a 4-1 rout of Malaysia in a Group
A match. Gurjit Kaur (6th, 39th
minutes), Rani Rampal (56th)
and Lalremsiami (59th) scored
for India.
In boxing action, Amit out-
played Tetteh Sulemanu of
Ghana 5-0 in the men’s light fly-
weight (49 kilogram), while Na-
man thrashed Tanzania’s Haruna
Mhando 5-0 in Heavyweight
(91kg) division in Round-of-16
actions at Oxenford Studios are-
na here.
At the end of the day yester-
day, India remained in the fifth
spot in the medal table, behind
Australia (36 medals), England
(18 medals), Canada (11 medals)
and Scotland (10 medals).
India has now far rode on the
success of its weightlifters – two
of them rose to the occasion on
Friday. Sanjita outclassed de-
fending champion Loa Dika Toua
of Papua New Guinea, who was a
distant second with 182kg while
Canadian Rachel Leblanc-Bazi-
net took bronze with 181kg.
name and won silver in the
men’s 56kg class.
“Recovery in the village after
training sessions has been
a struggle as there have not
been proper rehabilitation ses-
sions. Our coaches have tried
to compensate for this but the
sessions are not as organised
or as effective.”
Chanu Saikhom Mirabi won
gold in the women’s 48kg
class on Thursday, but she too
struggled to contain her disap-
pointment about the lack of a
proper physio.
“Athletes within our weightlift-
ing team have tried to treat
each other’s injuries because
our physio is not allowed to
come into the Games Village or
for our competition,” she said.
“I have struggled with my
recovery due to the absence of
my physio.”
G S B T
6. South Africa 2 0 1 3
7. Malaysia 2 0 0 2
8. New Zealand 1 3 3 7
9. Wales 1 2 0 3
10. Bermuda 1 0 0 1