SPORT EFL Cup semi-final: Manchester City vs

Burton Albion

Asian Cup, Group E: Qatar vs Lebanon Group F: Uzbekistan vs Oman

FOOTBALL FOOTBALL

05WEDNESDAY 9 JANUARY 2019

It’s something that I clearly

want but I have to be able to

get there and beat a lot of

good players to get it.

Serena Williams on her bid to claim a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam by winning the upcoming Australian Open. T

ODA

Y’S

ACT

ION

NZ sweep Sri Lanka series after Taylor, Nicholls tonsAFP NELSON, NEW ZEALAND

Veteran Ross Taylor and rising star Henry Nicholls both smashed centuries as New Zealand thrashed Sri Lanka by 115 runs in the third One Day International in Nelson yesterday to complete a 3-0 series whitewash.

Taylor top-scored with 137, and Nicholls was unbeaten on 124 off just 80 balls, lifting the hosts to 364 for four after they lost the toss and were sent in to bat.

It was a record ODI score at Nelson’s Saxton Oval, where the average is just 275, and Sri Lanka never looked like reaching the mammoth total.

They were all out for 249 in the 42nd over, throwing away their final four wickets without scoring a run as the series ended with a whimper.

Thisara Perera, who scored a blistering 140 in the second ODI, was again the tourists’ standout performer, racing to 80 in 63 balls.

With the series already decided, Nicholls and Taylor used the dead rubber to send a message to New Zealand selectors ahead of this year’s World Cup.

It was Nicholls’ maiden ODI ton and the 27-year-old will hope his strong Test form is finally transferring to the limited overs format. Taylor’s 20th ODI century tightened the 34-year-old’s grip on the New Zealand record he already holds for one-day centuries.

“I’m getting old and hope-fully I’ve got a few more left in me,” he said.

In his last 11 ODI innings Taylor has scored three centuries and six half centuries.

He came to the crease with New Zealand struggling at 31 for

two but combined with skipper Kane Williamson for a 116-run partnership to steady the innings.

When Williamson departed on 55, Taylor and Nicholls plun-dered the Sri Lanka attack with an aggressive 154-run stand.

Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga had ousted openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro cheaply but was expensive in the long run, leaking 93 runs from his 10 overs.

Sri Lanka’s senior bowlers were all wayward, particularly at the death, as the tourists con-ceded 57 runs in the final three overs.

Sri Lanka made a bright start to the run chase, scoring freely before Tim Southee trapped Dhananjaya de Silva lbw on 36.

The run rate then slowed to a crawl when the tourists lost three wickets for 10 runs to slump to 117 for four, with Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis departing within the

space of two balls. Worse was to come after Perera fell to a spec-tacular one-handed catch from Guptill, triggering a tail-end collapse.

Dushmantha Chameera went with Sri Lanka on 249, only for Danushka Gunathilaka, Malinga

and Nuwan Pradeep to all depart without furthering the score.

Sri Lanka, who lost a two-Test series against New Zealand 1-0, wrap up their tour with a one-off Twenty20 match against the Black Caps in Auckland on Friday.

New Zealand’s players pose for a photo after winning the ODI series against Sri Lanka in Nelson, yesterday.

New ZealandM. Guptill c Mendis b Malinga ............................ 2C. Munro b Malinga ............................................21K. Williamson c de Silva b Sandakan .............55R. Taylor c de Silva b Malinga ........................ 137H. Nicholls not out ...........................................124J. Neesham not out ............................................ 12Extras: (b1, lb5, nb1, w6) .................................13Total: (for 4 wickets; 50 overs) .......... 364Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Guptill), 2-31 (Munro), 3-147 (Williamson), 4-301 (Taylor)Bowling: Malinga 10-1-93-3 (1w), Chameera 8-0-55-0, Pradeep 9-1-77-0 (5w, 1nb), Perera 2-0-8-0, Sandakan 10-0-54-1, Shanaka 6-0-36-0, de Silva 5-0-35-0Sri LankaN. Dickwella c Ferguson b Neesham ............. 46D. de Silva lbw Southee ....................................36K. Perera c Seifert b Ferguson .........................43K. Mendis run out (Williamson/Seifert) ..........0

D. Shanaka lbw Sodhi ......................................... 2T. Perera c Guptill b Ferguson ......................... 80M. Gunathilaka b Ferguson ...............................31P. Chameera c Southee b Ferguson ..................1L. Malinga stumped (Seifert/Sodhi) .................0L. Sandakan not out ............................................0N. Pradeep b Sodhi ..............................................0Extras: (lb4, w7) ...............................................10Total: (all out; 41.4 overs) ................... 249Fall of wickets: 1-66 (de Silva), 2-107 (Dickwel-la), 3-107 (K. Mendis), 4-117 (Shanaka), 5-143 (M. Perera), 6-244 (T. Perera), 7-249 (Chameera), 8-249 (Gunathilaka), 9-249 (Malinga), 10-249 (Pradeep)Bowling: Southee 7-0-46-1 (4w), Henry 8-0-62-0 (2w), Ferguson 8-0-40-0 (1w), Neesham 5-0-34-1, Williamson 5-0-24-0, Sodhi 8.4-0-40-3Result: New Zealand win by 115 runsSeries: New Zealand 3-0

SCOREBOARD

IPL 2019 to be held in India despite election clashAFP NEW DELHI

The Indian Premier League will be held in India, the cricket board said yesterday, quelling speculation that the Twenty20 extravaganza could be held elsewhere owing to a clash with a general election.

The money-spinning contest that lasts 2 months would be held from March 23 with a detailed schedule yet to be announced, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said.

The announcement comes amid widespread reports that the IPL could be moved out of the country due to security concerns as India is to hold general elections by May.

“Based on prelim-inary discussions with the appropriate central and state authorities, it was decided that the 12th edition of the world’s most popular and com-petitive T20 tournament will be played in India,” BCCI said in a statement.

In 2014 when the country last held national polls, the UAE hosted the first two weeks of the IPL. The entire 2009 edition took place in South Africa, again to avoid a clash with elections. State govern-ments say providing security for the IPL is a challenge at a time when they are preoccupied with election duty in the country of 1.25 billion people.

India’s captain Virat Kohli kisses the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Cash bonuses for Indian

heroes after series winAFP NEW DELHI

India yesterday awarded cash

bonuses of up to $85,000 for Virat

Kohli and his players who secured a

historic first Test series triumph in

Australia.

India clinched the four-match

series 2-1 in Sydney on Monday,

sparking national celebrations.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) congratulated

the team and announced a bonus of $21,400 per match for each

player while the reserves will get $10,700 per match.

That means that Kohli and others who took part in all four Tests

will get more than $85,000, doubling their match fees.

Coach Ravi Shastri and his assistants will get $35,650 each.

The BCCI routinely gives bonuses for multi-nation tournaments

like the World Cup or Champions Trophy but extra payments for a

bilateral series is rare.

BCCI awarded cash bonuses of up to $85,000 for Virat Kohli and his players who secured a historic first Test series triumph in Australia.

India rest Bumrah for Australia ODIs, NZ tourREUTERS NEW DELHI

India paceman Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the one-day series in Australia and subse-quent tour of New Zealand after playing a key role in their break-through Test series win Down Under, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said yesterday.

The 25-year-old with an unorthodox sling-arm action was joint highest wicket-taker along with Australia’s Nathan Lyon with 21 from the

four-match series, which the tourists won 2-1. Bumrah sent down 157.1 overs in hot and demanding conditions, the most by a fast bowler in the series and second only to spinner Lyon’s 242.1.

“Keeping in mind the workload of the bowler, it was best felt to give him adequate rest ahead of the home series against Australia,” BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary said in a statement.

“Mohammed Siraj will replace Bumrah in the squad for

the Australia and New Zealand tour.”

Led by Bumrah, the Indians easily out bowled Australia in the Test series, prompting home captain Tim Paine to call it “potentially the best pace attack in the world”.

Beginning on Saturday, India will play three one-dayers in Australia before moving to New Zealand to play five ODIs and three Twenty20 Interna-tionals. Paceman Siddarth Kaul has also been drafted into the squad for the Twenty20 series against New Zealand.

Jasprit Bumrah (centre) will be rested for the ODI series in Australia and subsequent tour of New Zealand.

India squad for the ODIs against Australia

and New Zealand

Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Ra-hul, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Di- nesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, Mahendra SinghDhoni, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuz-vendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuv- neshwar Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, KhaleelAhmed, Mohammed Shami. India squad for T20I series against New

Zealand

Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Ra- hul, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, Mahendra SinghDhoni, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kul-deep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuv- neshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, KhaleelAhmed.

INDIAN SQUADS

Popovich earned

the 1,221st victory

of his career, tying

him with Jerry

Sloan for third on

the NBA’s all-time

list among coaches.

The 23rd-year Spurs

coach trails only

Don Nelson (1,335)

and Lenny Wilkens

(1,332).

Popovich ties for third on victories listREUTERS DETROIT

DeMar DeRozan had 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds and Gregg Popovich continued his climb up the NBA’s career wins list as the visiting San Antonio Spurs defeated the Detroit Pistons 119-107 on Monday.

Popovich earned the 1,221st victory of his career, tying him with Jerry Sloan for third on the NBA’s all-time list among coaches. The 23rd-year Spurs coach trails only Don Nelson (1,335) and Lenny Wilkens (1,332).

San Antonio dominated the last three quarters after falling behind early. Just as they did against the Utah Jazz on Saturday, the Pistons got off to a good start, jumping out to a 21-9 lead with 4:55 remaining in the first quarter.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting for the Spurs, who have won five straight and six of their last seven. Blake Griffin had 34 points and eight assists, and Andre Drummond had 19 points and 14 rebounds in defeat for the Pistons, who have lost five of six.

In other match, James Harden produced another sparkling double-double but this time received plenty of help as Houston extended its home-court winning streak to 10 games with a victory over Western Conference-leading Denver.

Harden paired 32 points with 14 assists. The Rockets also received a career-high 31 points from centre Clint Capela (plus nine rebounds) and 21 points apiece from PJ Tucker and Gerald Green. The Rockets bounced back after having their six-game win streak end on Saturday against the Trail Blazers.

Elsewhere, Marcus Smart drained 3-pointers on consec-utive possessions in the first quarter to begin a game-changing run by host Boston, which went on to beat Brooklyn.

The Celtics have won three straight and four of five. The Nets, who were trying to reach.500 beyond the midway point of the season for the first time since the 2013-14 cam-paign, had a three-game winning streak snapped and lost for just the fourth time in the last 16 games.

Dallas 97, LA Lakers 107

Boston 116, Brooklyn 95

Houston 125, Denver 113

Milwaukee 114, Utah 102

New Orleans 114, Memphis 95

Detroit 107, San Antonio 119

Portland 111, New York 101

Sacramento 111, Orlando 95

NBA RESULTS

06 WEDNESDAY 9 JANUARY 2019SPORT

The participants who successfully completed the first phase of National Officials Certification Course (NOCC), pose for a photograph with the officials of the Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF), in Doha, yesterday. Show jumping judges, stewards and course designers took part in the four-day course which was conducted by FEI certified course designer John Vallance and FEI Level three judges Ahmed Bedoui and Gerald Kuh.

Serena chases Slam history Down UnderAFP MELBOURNE

Serena Williams is back in Melbourne as hot favourite to repeat her 2017 Australian Open win and claim a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam with rivals,

including defending champion

Caroline Wozniacki, battling health

issues and poor form.

Williams won her 23rd title

and seventh at Melbourne Park

while eight weeks pregnant two

years ago, and now attempts to

match Margaret Court’s mark of

24 singles majors on the Austral-

ian’s home soil.

The 37-year-old enters the

tournament ranked 16 in the world

but has proved in the past that

such numbers mean little to her,

despite fresh memories of her

meltdown in losing the US Open

final to Naomi Osaka in

September.

Her 2017 triumph Down Under

gave Williams the outright open

era record for singles majors

ahead of Steffi Graf’s 22, leaving

only Court’s tally of 24 titles -- 13

of which were earned in the

amateur era before 1968 -- for

Williams to chase.

Williams missed her first

chance to match Court when

losing last year’s Wimbledon

final to Angelique Kerber,

and said ahead of

the Australian

Open that she was taking nothing

for granted.

“It’s something that I clearly

want but I have to be able to get

there and beat a lot of good

players to get it,” the American

said.

Regarding the controversial

final against Osaka at Flushing

Meadows -- when she raged

against umpire Carlos Ramos who

imposed three code vio-

lations, the final one

resulting in the

loss of a game -

Williams said

she had put

i t put

behind

h e r

and intended to “move on to

bigger and better things”.

Bookmakers in Australia have

installed Williams as a short-priced

favourite for the title with her US

Open conqueror Osaka -- the first

Japanese player to win a Grand

Slam -- next in the betting.

The 21-year-old Osaka backed

up her US Open win by riding a

wave of fanatical home support

to reach the final of the Pan-

Pacific Open in Tokyo without

dropping a set.

She warmed up for Melbourne

by making the semi-finals of the

Brisbane International last week,

where she blamed a poor attitude

for losing to Lesia Tsurenko.

“I feel like last year I did a lot

of that,” she said. “I’m trying to

change it more, and I think I have.”

While she is the leading light

for the next generation, the world

number four’s status as second

favourite points to a lack of serious

rivals for Williams among the more

established players.

Wozniacki, ranked three,

started last season by winning her

first Grand Slam in Melbourne and

returning to world number one,

but ended it in October with the

bombshell announcement that she

had been diagnosed with rheu-

matoid arthritis.

The 28-year-old Dane insists

she can manage the debilitating

auto-immune condition, which

sometimes leaves her so

exhausted she cannot raise her

arms above her head.

Wozniacki proved she can still

compete by winning in Beijing in

October but whether she can cope

with the gruelling two-week slog

of a Grand Slam remains to be

seen, and she was bundled out of

the Auckland Classic last week in

round two.

World number one Simona

Halep of Romania comes into the

tournament under a fitness cloud

after a nagging back injury cur-

tailed her 2018 season.

Second-ranked Angelique

Kerber has already indicated her

priority for 2019 will be the French

Open, the only Slam to elude the

30-year-old German in her career.

Maria Sharapova has failed to impress since returning from a doping ban and, now ranked 30, is looking some way from the player who won five Grand Slams.

Two-time major champion and former number one Garbine Muguruza was another who had an injury-blighted 2018 which saw her drop out of the top 10.

But the 20-year-old Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus has zoomed up the rankings from 73rd at the start of 2018 to number 11 on the back of tournament wins in New Haven and Wuhan, and is a dark horse to emulate Osaka and achieve a maiden Grand Slam.

Stephens avoids shock to advance in SydneyAFP SYDNEY

World number five Sloane Stephens battled back from the brink of a shock defeat to a qualifier yesterday to join two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in round two of the Sydney International.

Less than a week before the Australian Open -- the season’s first Grand Slam -- the American was twice two points away from losing to 72nd-ranked Ekaterina Alex-androva, who had the former US Open champion on the ropes.

Alexandrova won the first set to love and was serving for the match and two points away from victory in the second set. But Stephens somehow rallied to win 0-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/3).

Earlier, Kvitova avenged her US Open defeat to in-form Aryna Sabalenka.

The Czech, who slumped to 29 in the world after being attacked in her home by a knife-wielding man in 2016, has battled back to number eight and was encouraged by her 6-1, 7-5 win over the Belarusian.

Sabalenka is a form player, racing to number 11 in the world after a stellar 2018 and starting the year by winning the Shenzhen Open.

Kvitova belted 28 winners to Sabalenka’s 11 and won an incredible 85 percent of her first-serve points during the 79-minute contest.

She is aiming for her second Sydney title after lifting the trophy in 2015.

There was no such joy for 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko, whose poor form continued in a 6-3, 6-3 defeat to Australia’s Ash Barty, who is rewarded with a second-round clash against world number one Simona Halep.

After picking up a thigh injury at the Hopman Cup, Garbine Muguruza -- another major winner -- safely nego-tiated her first-round encounter with fellow Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-4.

Last year Muguruza was the top seed and world No.2, but 12 months on she is unseeded and down to 18.

In the men’s draw Aus-tralian teenager Alex De Minaur, a finalist last year, continued his preparations for the Australian Open with a 6-4 6-3 win over Dusan Lajovic.

Towering Americans Sam Querrey and Reilly Opelka are also through to the next round.

Serena Williams of the US in action during the Hopman Cup tennis tournament in

Perth in this January 3 file photo.

AP HOBART, AUSTRALIA

Belinda Bencic has followed up her title at the Hopman Cup with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over second-seeded Mihaela Buzarnescu in the first round of the Hobart International.

Bencic, who combined with Roger Federer to win the inter-national mixed teams event in Perth, Western Australia, on the weekend, kept up her successful start to the season in Australia’s

southern island state. The third set contained nine service breaks, including seven straight, as blustery conditions made it difficult for both players. Bencic had two match points in the 10th game of the third set but dropped serve before winning the last two games to seal her spot in the second round.

“It was an incredibly up-and-down match - very hard work,” said Bencic.

“I’m a really emotional player and then the wind comes

and I’m even more emotional. I feel like ‘Ah, this wind is against me,’ but I have to remember it is for both players.”

Buzarnescu, a finalist last year at Hobart, was one of the four highest-seeded players to lose yesterday.

Sofia Kenin beat top-seeded Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2, third-seeded Zhang Shuai lost to Russian qualifier Anna Blinkova 6-2, 0-6, 6-2 and No. 4 Maria Sakkari was beaten 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 by Magda Linette.

“She was a top 5 player, so I knew I had to play my best to win. I tried to not act like I was nervous, even though I was,” Kenin said.

Seventh-seeded Kirsten Flipkens beat Dalila Jakupovic 6-4, 7-5, 2016 Hobart champion Alize Cornet opened with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Alison Bai, eighth-seeded Alison Van Uytvanck had a 7-6 (5), 7-5 win over Madison Brengle and Viktoria Kuzmova beat Timea Babos 6-3, 6-3.

QEF conducts 1st phase of National Officials Certification Course

Bencic survives scare in Hobart opener

Tomic warms up for Kyrgios clash, Grand Slam with victoryAFP MELBOURNE

Bernard Tomic (pictured above) won his first compet-itive outing of the season yesterday, beating American Jack Sock in a pre-Australian Open tune-up that will also see him take on fellow livewire Australian Nick Kyrgios.

In the opening match of the Kooyong Classic in Mel-bourne, 83rd-ranked Tomic -- who bounced back after on-and-off court issues to win his first ATP title since 2015 at Chengdu in Sep-tember -- overcame Sock in three tight sets.

After winning 5-7, 6-4, 10-6, Tomic is looking ahead to his clash on Wednesday against Kyrgios, who has also been struggling with form and motivation. The pair have never played on the ATP Tour.

“Nick and I have played many many times in practice, we’re good friends. This will be our last opportunity to practise because in five days it’s the Australian Open,” Tomic said after putting in what he termed a decent per-formance against the 106th-ranked Sock.

The formerly troubled Tomic, who failed to qualify a year ago for the Open when he was ranked 142nd and apparently fed up with tennis, now seems to have settled down.

The same may not apply to Kyrgios, who finished his season in October through an elbow injury.

He has spent recent months at home in Canberra, playing basketball and doing charity work while speaking with mental health profes-sionals in hopes of regaining the competitive spirit which once took him to 13th in the world.

On Monday, he played in a Fast4 exhibition event in Sydney along with Rafael Nadal. Sock, who was ranked eighth in the world last January prior to a collapse in form, lost to Tomic on a drop shot gone wrong.

Williams won her 23rd

title and seventh at

Melbourne Park while

eight weeks pregnant

two years ago, and

now attempts to match

Margaret Court’s mark of

24 singles majors on the

Australian’s home soil.

Harrington named Europe captain for 2020 Ryder CupAFP LONDON

Padraig Harrington has been handed the task of defending Europe’s Ryder Cup title in the United States in 2020 after being named team captain yesterday.

The three-time major winner succeeds Dane Thomas Bjorn and becomes the just the second golfer from the Republic of Ireland to take the reins for the tournament after Paul McGinley, who was victorious in 2014.

“I’m thrilled to be named as Ryder Cup captain for 2020, it’s not something I went into lightly,” he said to reporters after his nomination.

Harrington was clear favourite for the role after

receiving high profile support for his nomination from the likes of Rory McIlroy. While his main rival Lee Westwood had expressed his desire to try and qualify as a player.

“You could look at this as being a natural progression from player to vice-captain to captain but it’s not something I take on without a certain amount of trepidation,” he added.

Four-time Ryder Cup winner Harrington, who is not able to play at the moment having broken his wrist falling down the stairs at Christmas, acknowledged the size of the task he faced in winning at Whistling Straits, a course he knows well having competed three times there in the PGA Championship.

07WEDNESDAY 9 JANUARY 2019 SPORT

National Shooting and Archery Team Cup at Losail Shooting Range

The podium winners at the National Shooting and Archery Team Cup in 10m Air Pistol pose for a picture with officials of Qatar Shooting and Archery Association at Losail Shooting Range yesterday. The first event of the year will serve as a preparation for the national shooters and archers for the upcoming international competitions, including the qualifiers for the 2020 Olympic Games. The Team Cup will conclude on January 12 with Trap finals, 25m Pistol Stage 2 and 50m Rifle 3 Positions.

Bayern Munich will bounce back to the top: ThiagoARMSTRONG VAS THE PENINSULA

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara sounded a stern warning to Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund that they will stiff competition from the Bavarians club in the second half of the season.

“They had some awesome moments and we were not that good. But we have won the Bundesliga six times in a row and we want to make that seven. So we are fighting till the end,” said the 27-year-old.

Bayern, the 28-time German champions, are trailing Dortmund by six points after an indifferent first half of the season, but Thiago that the Bavarians would be coming right after them in the second half of the season.

The Spaniard was talking to the media in Doha where Bayern are having their annual winter training camp for the ninth successive season.

The midfielder praised the

facilities at the Aspire Academy.“I think there are three

things here (in Doha). First of all, you have all the facilities here and the fields. Then the weather, which is awesome and then the people. They warmed us from the first moment and we are very happy with.. and the other teams are also happy with everything.”

Commenting on the 2022 World Cup he said: “Here it’s awesome as you can see, with all the facilities Qatar has the stadiums and pitches. We were training in one of the best pitches we have ever trained..I think Qatar is ready,” said Thiago.

The Spaniard said players like him love challenges and facing high-flying Liverpool in the last 16 of the Champions League is once such instance, he said.

“We are excited because all the big players want to play big matches. But first of all, we must prepare for the start of the Bundesliga,” he added.

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara (left) takes part in a training session during their winter training camp in Doha yesterday.

Late free kick goal hands Iraq win over Vietnam AFP ABU DHABI

Ali Adnan swept home a brilliant, last-minute free kick as former champions Iraq twice hit back to beat Vietnam 3-2 in the Asian Cup yesterday.

It was a heart-breaking way for Vietnam to lose in Abu Dhabi, but no more than Iraq deserved for going for the jugular after Humam Tareq had hauled them level on the hour mark.

“The first half was horrible,” said Iraq coach Srecko Katanec.

“We showed nothing that we did in training -- no power, no personality at all. Maybe it was first-game emotions, the players felt the pressure a little bit.” “I knew it would be a tough game,” added the Slovenian. “But the most important thing was the

three points.” Vietnam’s Golden Dragons took a shock lead after 24 minutes in the Group D clash in Abu Dhabi, defender Ali Faez panicking under pressure from Nguyen Cong Phuong and clumsily backheeling the ball past goalkeeper Jalal Hassan Hachim.

Iraq, who defied the odds to win an emotional Asian Cup title in 2007, levelled 10 minutes later through striker Mohanad Ali, who profited from a defensive error to rifle home from the edge of the box.

Cong Phuong restored Viet-nam’s lead three minutes before the break, stabbing in from close range after Nguyen Trong Huang’s shot had been parried by Hachim.

But Tareq lashed home a second equaliser following more

horrific defending from the Viet-namese, who by that point looked to be running out of steam.

A lazy foul on the edge of the penalty area subsequently pre-sented Adnan with the chance to take all three points and he did not disappoint, curling a left-foot shot into the top corner, prompting several Vietnamese players to slump to the turf in despair.

Iraq join Iran on three points after their bitter rivals thrashed Yemen 5-0 on Monday.

Iraq’s circumstances have scarcely improved since thir fairytale success 12 years ago, with security concerns impacting their preparations for tournaments.

But the Lions of Mesopo-tamia will hope to at least match

their run to the Asian Cup semi-finals in Australia four years ago, despite losing several of their top players to retirement.

“If we want to go deep into the tournament we will have to improve,” shrugged Katanec.

“But I have a clearer picture now of our overall condition and we will grow into the tournament.”

Vietnam coach Park Hang-seo, who steered his side to the southeast Asian title last December, insisted he had no regrets. Three-time winners Saudi Arabia laid down a marker as they ruthlessly dismissed 10-man North Korea at the Asian Cup yesterday.

The Saudis tore North Korea apart 4-0 in their opening Group E game.

Yoshida wants Japan to fight Asian Cup pressureAFP ABU DHABI

Japan captain Maya Yoshida has called on his side to cope with pressure to perform at the Asian Cup as they look to make up for their flop four years ago.

The Southampton defender admitted yesterday that several of the Japan team were still smarting from their shock penalty shootout loss to United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals last time out in Australia.

“That was a huge disap-pointment but this is a new team with a new manager,” Yoshida told reporters before the Blue

Samurai’s opening Group F game against Turkmenistan in Abu Dhabi.

“After the World Cup last year expectation is really high,” he added, pointing to Japan’s sur-prise run to the last 16 in Russia, where only a remarkable comeback by Belgium from two goals down prevented them reaching the quarter-finals.

“But unlike the World Cup the expectation on Japan is dif-ferent at an Asian Cup, where we are expected to win. That brings its own pressure obviously and we need to be able to cope with that and not freeze up.”

Japan captured the last of

their record four Asian Cups in 2011, but coach Hajime Moriyasu has brought a new-look team to this year’s tournament, leaving out the likes of Dortmund play-maker Shinji Kagawa and Leicester striker Shinji Okazaki.

Unbeaten in five matches under Moriyasu, the Japanese will rely instead on the mercurial Takumi Minamino and Ritsu Doan.

“We’ve brought in some fresh blood since the World Cup but we have a nice mix of youth and experience,” insisted Moriyasu.

“It’s a chance for the young players to forge their own paths as Japan internationals.” apan

will expect to easily advance from a group also including Uzbekistan and Oman, but the Asian Cup has already thrown up its share of upsets, with holders Australia stunned 1-0 by Jordan in their opening game.

“Australia got beaten, Thailand lost to India and South Korea struggled to win their first game so the first game is hugely important for us,” said Yoshida.

“The first order of business will be to make sure we get out of our group. We have to grow into the tournament step by step.

“The new players have a responsibility to build on what

previous Japan teams have done and fight with pride to add a new chapter in our history. It’s a big tournament for us.”

Meanwhile, Australia must adapt to the defensive style of their Asian Cup opponents as they prepare for a Palestine side who could prove as troubling as Jordan were in their opener, Soc-ceroos assistant coach Rene Meulensteen has said.

Defending champions Aus-tralia suffered a surprising 1-0 loss to Jordan in their opening match in Al Ain on Sunday, dom-inating for long spells but unable to cancel out Anas Bani Yaseen’s 26th minute header in the Group

B clash. The Socceroos, who won the 2015 tile on home soil, face Palestine on Friday in Dubai and Meulensteen said their oppo-nents were likely to set up the same way as Jordan.

“We can expect the same thing from Palestine,” said the Dutchman.

“It’ll be a very defensive setup. This is a team that sets themselves up with everyone behind the ball.

“We will have a lot of the ball and the most important thing for us is to use it well, to be patient, to keep the quality, to keep the speed of play and eventually open them up.

Iraq’s defender Ali Adnan (unseen) kicks a free kick and scores a goal as Vietnam’s goalkeeper Van Lam Dang (bottom) dives during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup Group D match at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, yesterday.

THE PENINSULA AL AIN

Qatar coach Felix Sanchez is confident his young squad can match the best in the continent as they kick off their AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 campaign against Lebanon in Group E at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, UAE today.

Sanchez’s squad is one of the most youthful among the 24 nations represented at the tournament, with seven of the players who have trav-elled to the United Arab Emirates having graduated from the side that won the 2014 AFC U19 Championship in Myanmar.

And with the country continuing to build towards their hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Sanchez believes the AFC Asian Cup will be the perfect proving ground for his players.

“There is a group of players that played in (AFC U-19 Championship) some years ago and had a good achievement,” said the Spaniard, who coached the U-19 team and also worked with the country’s U-23 squad before taking over the helm of the senior side.

“Now they’re in the first team and it’s a group of - in my point of view - very talented players with the qualities to compete and play in Asia, and of course we want to be here to try to compete against everyone.

“But we’re going to focus and we can’t look further than the game against Lebanon because this com-petition is a few games and you need to be OK in all of them.”

Qatar have twice reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup – in 2000 and on home soil in 2011 – but Sanchez refused to be drawn on his side’s expectations at this year’s tournament as he declared his squad fully fit for the Finals.

“Everyone is fine and ready to play,” he said.

“We know Lebanon. We saw them playing, we know their strengths and we know it will be a

hard game and we’re only focused on that.

“We’re going to try to show that we’re able to compete against all the Asian teams we’re going to face in the competition, to compete and compete well and get results.

“How far we will reach is difficult to say, but I’m quite sure that this group of players are able to compete against all teams in Asia and it is time to show they have the quality and ability to do well.”

Lebanon will be appearing at the AFC Asian Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2000 and, while coach Miodrag Radulovic is delighted to be leading the country to the Finals, he stressed his team would not be overawed by the occasion or the Qataris.

“We’re in a strong group, but my players are ready to give a good per-formance and we will be fighting for

each point and each goal. Our focus is on the first game. It’s a very important game. Not decisive, but important. I know very well what to

expect from such a level but I’m sure my players will have the possibility and the quality to make a per-formance and we are ready for tomorrow’s game.

“Qatar is really a very good team, I made a good analysis of them. They have built a team for the World Cup, they have very good balance in the team, they have the best player of Asia in the team and the Spanish coach is with the players for a long time.

“But also we are together almost four years and we built a good team. We have our system and we have tactical discipline and I’m optimistic about tomorrow’s game.”

The match will kick off at 7.00pm today.

Also Today, Japan will meet Turkmenistan in their Group F clash while Uzbekistan take on Oman in the remaining fixture of the day.

SPORTWednesday 9 January 2019

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Toyota’s Qatari driver Nasser Al Attiyah of Qatar and his co-driver Matthieu Baumel of France compete

during the second stage of the Dakar 2019 between Pisco and San Juan de Marcona, Peru, yesterday.

Loeb wins Dakar 2nd stage AFP SAN JUAN DE MARCONA, PERU

Frenchman Sebastien Loeb claimed victory in the second stage of the Dakar Rally raced across challenging desert dunes yesterday, as main rivals Stephane Peterhansel and Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah had days to forget.

Nine-time world rally champion Loeb, driving a private Peugeot entry after the French car manufacturer’s decision to withdraw from the race, held off the Mini of Nani Roma over the last few kilometres of the second of ten stages between Pisco and San Juan de

Marcona in Peru to win by eight seconds.Dutchman Bernhard ten Brinke,

driving a Toyota, was third at 1min 20sec, while South African Giniel de Vil-liers finished fourth to take over as race leader.

Frenchman Peterhansel, who has won the Dakar six times on the motorbike and seven times in a car, paid the price after running his Mini aground in the dunes, eventually finishing 15 minutes behind Loeb.

Peterhansel’s team-mate Al Attiyah, a double Dakar winner in 2011 and 2015, saw his overnight lead disappear as he could only finish 11th, 7:37 off the pace.

QMMF announces route details for Manateq Qatar Cross-Country RallyTHE PENINSULA DOHA

Officials at the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) have announced further details of the chal-lenging route that competitors will face at the Manateq Qatar Cross-Country Rally (QCCR), the opening round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.

The event gets underway with a ceremonial start on the Pearl on Feb-ruary 21. Timed action fires into life on February 22 with a short desert stage of 102km and this will define the starting order for the first of the longer selective sections.

The following two days of com-petition across the length and breadth of the deserts of Qatar will run for 313km and 338km, respectively, with final stage distances subject to forth-coming route checks.

The fourth stage on February 24 will offer almost 350km of timed competition but this will be divided into two stages by a road liaison section of 56km. The FIA recom-mends that the last timed test is shorter than the rest and the QMMF have duly arranged 270 kilometres of competition to decide the outcome

of the rally on February 26. In a pro-visional route of 2,059km, compet-itors will tackle 1,367km of timed competition. The finishers will then be convoyed to the Pearl for the prize giving ceremony.

Rally officials have also announced a generous prize fund for winners in all categories. The top five in the T1 category will receive gen-erous cash awards, with $10,000 for the winner, down to $4,000 for fifth place.

The winner of the T2 category for series production cross-country vehicles will r e c e i v e $8,000 - with prize money paid down to fifth place - and the T3 winner will earn $6,000 down to a prize of $3,000 for third place.

Entries close on Feb-ruary 5 and at reduced rates on January 22.

Entries for rounds of the 2019 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies

must be done online on the FIA website. All competitors must com-plete the online entry form at https://registrations.fia.com to be eligible to score points in the World Cup and associated competitions.

Further information about the rally can be obtained by contacting QMMF, Losail Sports Arena, Al Wusail, North Relief Road, PO Box 8708, Doha, Tel: +974 443 79885, Fax: + 974 443 79732, E-mail: info@qmmf.com.qa and davypatterson777@gmail.com or the QMMF’s official web

site, www.qmmf.com

‘Youthful’ Qatar look to draw first blood

Qatari players in action during a practice session on the eve of their opening match of the AFC Asian Cup against Lebanon in Al Ain, UAE, today.

Qatar’s coach Felix Sanchez speaks during a pre-match press conference, held in Al Ain, UAE, yesterday.

Qatar have twice reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup – in 2000 and on home soil in 2011.

Sanchez’s squad is one of the most youthful among the 24 nations represented at the tournament, with seven of the players who have travelled to the UAE having graduated from the side that won the 2014 AFC U19 Championship.