CRICKET | Page 4
India pick
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Sha’baan 11, 1440 AH
GULF TIMES
SPORT
FOOTBALL
Hallgrimsson looking forward
to Amir Cup challenge
‘Al Arabi are a big club with big ambitions... I like the people around the club’
Al Arabi coach Heimir Hallgrimsson.
By Anil John
Doha
H
eimir Hallgrimsson,
the first ever football
coach from Iceland to
ply his trade in Qatar,
is hoping the prestigious Amir
Cup brings better tidings for Al
Arabi after an underwhelming
show in the QNB Stars League
where they finished sixth
among 12 teams.
The former Iceland player
and coach who helped his
country qualify for the World
Cup for the first time – in
Russia last year – didn’t have
a clear idea about what to ex-
pect when he took over at Al
Arabi, a world away from his
native North Atlantic island
nation.
But after about five months
into his job in Qatar, the
CRICKET
Smith, Warner recalled for Australia’s World Cup defence
AFP
Sydney
S
teve Smith and David
Warner completed their
remarkable comeback
from the ball-tampering
scandal that rocked cricket when
they were yesterday selected in
defending champion Australia’s
World Cup squad.
But there was no room for Josh
Hazlewood or Peter Handscomb
at the tournament in England
and Wales.
It is the first call-up for the
former captain and his deputy
since the expiry last month of
year-long bans for their part in
“sandpapergate” in Cape Town
that had wide repercussions for
Australian cricket.
Then-coach Darren Leh-
mann quit and all the top brass
from Cricket Australia left after
a scathing review said their “ar-
rogant and controlling” win-
at-all-costs culture was partly
to blame for players bending the
rules.
QFA president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani (right) and other officials during the draw ceremony yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram
51-year-old sports a relaxed,
if not a fully contented, look.
The heat – of the desert as well
as of the seat he occupies – has
yet to get to him, judging by his
demeanour and the absence of
any tan on his skin.
And yes, he has learned to
punctuate his quotes with an
“Insha Allah”.
“I was given a lot of advice by
people when they heard I was
moving to Qatar. It’s a totally
different place to where I come
from,” Hallgrimsson told jour-
nalists after the draw ceremony
for the 47th Amir Cup was held
at the Marsa Malaz Kempinski
yesterday.
“But it was I who was com-
ing here and it was up to me to
adjust with Qatar, and not the
other way round.”
Al Arabi will start off on
April 26 in the third round
against the winners of the sec-
David Warner and Steven Smith (right) are in action in the Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals respectively.
Both players were eligible for
the final two games of Australia’s
recent limited-overs tour against
Pakistan, but selectors preferred
that they eased themselves back
at the Twenty20 Indian Premier
League.
Both grabbed the opportunity
Karthik and
Rahul for World
Cup, Pant left out
ond round match between Al
Shamal and Umm Salal on April
20. Both clubs present a tricky
challenge, but Hallgrimsson
has no complaints.
“I am looking forward to the
Amir Cup. “It’s a nice cup com-
petition. I am quite satisfied
with the draw but in the end it
depends how you play.”
Hallgrimsson was hired in
December to revive Al Arabi’s
fortunes in the QNB Stars
League but even their most op-
timistic fans knew it would be
a tough ask for them to mount
a fightback and salvage a top-
four finish.
“When I came in, Al Ara-
bi’s chances (of a good finish)
were more or less over,” Hall-
grimsson, who is also a quali-
fied dentist, admitted.
“In football you have to deal
with the good and the bad. We
have had some good wins, but
and have been in good touch,
particularly the bombastic
Warner who has made a blister-
ing return.
“As far as I’m concerned they
have done everything that’s
been asked of them in the last
12 months,” said one-day skip-
we have also had bad days.”
But he is happy with the
vibes he has been receiving in
Qatar, more so from the Al Ara-
bi management.
“Al Arabi are a big club with
big ambitions. They have not
won anything for a long time
but I like the people around the
club. They are totally commit-
ted and supportive.”
The “Dream Team” as they
are called, have a great history,
having won the league seven
times and the Amir Cup on
eight occasions.
But their last league win
came in 1997 and their last
Amir Cup title in 1993 after
which they have largely strug-
gled to cope as other teams got
their act together and began to
dominate the domestic scene.
In case Al Arabi are able to
clear the first hurdle, they will
enter the quarter-finals, from
per Aaron Finch, adding that he
didn’t believe their return would
be destabilising.
“Knowing them both person-
ally as I do, I don’t think there
will be any issues whatsoever.
They are both great, great guys.”
Their return has left coach
where the top four teams in the
QNB Stars league – winners Al
Sadd, runners-up Al Duhail, Al
Sailiya and Al Rayyan will start
their campaign.
As for the draw, on April 20,
Al Shamal will take on Umm
Sala at Thani Bin Jassim Sta-
dium while Al Wakrah face Al
Khor at the same venue in a late
fixture.
A day later, Al Markhiya take
on Al Kharaitiyat at Grand Ha-
mad Stadium while Muaither
face Qatar SC at the same venue.
In the third stage of the tour-
nament on April 26, Al Arabi,
Al Gharafa, Al Shahaniya and
Al Ahli will take on the winners
of the second round.
In the fourth round on May
2, Al Duhail, Al Sadd, Al Saili-
yah and Al Rayyan will play the
winners of the third round.
The semi-finals will be
played on May 11 and 12 while
Justin Langer with a dilemma
on the back of Australia win-
ning eight one-day interna-
tionals on the trot, against India
and Pakistan.
All the top order have been fir-
ing, and it is Handscomb who is
the fall guy despite averaging 43
FOOTBALL
Messi fit for Barca
as United attempt
another comeback
Page 2
the title clash will be
staged on May 16.
The winners of the fifth
round matches will play
against each other. Win-
ner of this match will be
crowned champions of
the 47th Emir Cup, the
final will be held at Al
Wakrah Stadium on 16
May 2019.
The draw ceremony
yesterday was also at-
tended by QFA presi-
dent Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa bin Ahmed
al-Thani, secre-
tary general Man-
sour al-Ansari and
members of the
QFA executive
co m m i t te e ,
besides club
chiefs and
coaches of
some teams.
in 13 games this year. The deci- As with the batsmen, Austral-
sion to drop him means the team ia’s selectors faced a bowling co-
only has one wicketkeeper in nundrum as they target a record
Alex Carey. sixth World Cup triumph.
Pat Cummins will spearhead
ROCK-SOLID BATTING the attack while Mitchell Starc,
Australia’s recent red-hot form the 2015 World Cup player of the
has been built on the back of a tournament, has been recalled
rock-solid opening partnership after being sidelined with a mus-
between Finch and Usman Kha- cle tear since early February.
waja. But Hazlewood, who has been
The decision for Langer now is out of action since January with
whether to retain that combina- a back injury, missed out, with
tion when the 50-over World Cup chief selector Trevor Hohns
begins at the end of next month saying the focus was on having
or move one of them down to him ready for the Ashes Test se-
make way for Warner, who tradi- ries in England which begins in
tionally opens the batting. August.
Shaun Marsh, Smith, Glenn Jhye Richardson, who dislo-
Maxwell and all-rounder Marcus cated his shoulder last month,
Stoinis make up the middle order. makes the grade along with
“There’s so much flexibility in Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason
our order and there will be a lot Behrendorff.
of options,” said Finch. “There’s Hazlewood and Handscomb
been a couple of hard decisions were instead named in both Aus-
made on the 15, but there’s go- tralia’s one-day A squad, which
ing to be some even tougher ones will play games in England while
with the 11.” the World Cup is on, and their
Selectors opted for two spin- four-day A squad to face English
ners in Adam Zampa and Nathan county sides in the build-up to
Lyon and five quick bowlers. the Ashes.
 Gulf Times
2 Tuesday, April 16, 2019
FOOTBALL
SPOTLIGHT
Leeds United become first Generation Amazing partner club
L
eeds United have become
the first strategic part-
ner club for Generation
Amazing after agreeing
to work together to develop an
innovative knowledge exchange
programme over the next four
years in the fields of legacy, CSR
and education.
Generation Amazing is the
human and social legacy pro-
gramme initiated during Qatar’s
successful bid for the FIFA World
Cup 2022 in 2010 that uses the
power of sport to positively im-
pact lives and create sustainable
social development in communi-
ties.
Commenting on the an-
nouncement, the secretary-
general of the Supreme Commit-
tee for Delivery & Legacy (SC),
the organisation responsible for
providing the infrastructure re-
quired to host the FIFA World
Cup 2022 and associated legacy
programmes, Hassan al-Thawadi
said: “Generation Amazing was
an integral part of our successful
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Messi fit for Barca
as United attempt
another comeback
Valverde’s men head into the second leg at home with a slender 1-0 advantage
AFP
Barcelona
B
arcelona coach Ernesto
Valverde has said Lionel
Messi is in “perfect”
condition to face Man-
chester United in the second
leg of their Champions League
quarter-final today.
It is four years since Barca last
reached the semis of Europe’s
premier competition but a 1-0
victory at Old Trafford makes
them firm favourites ahead of
the return at Camp Nou.
Messi was among 10 play-
ers rested for the goalless draw
against Huesca on Saturday af-
ter a hefty challenge from Chris
Smalling last week left him with
a swollen nose and cheek.
“He is fine,” said Valverde at a
press conference yesterday. “He
has recovered perfectly from the
blow he suffered. He was fine af-
ter a couple of days.
“It is true that during the
match he was a little stunned
but he is in perfect condition
and does not have any problems
ahead of tomorrow’s game.”
Valverde said Ousmane Dem-
bele could also feature after he
played for 67 minutes against
Huesca, having recovered from a
hamstring injury. “I don’t know
to what extent because he has
been out for four weeks,” Val-
verde said. “But he is ready to
play.”
Barcelona have lost only one
home game in the Champions
League in 10 years but United
will take hope from their last 16
comeback against Paris Saint-
Germain, when they overturned
a 2-0 first-leg defeat to go
through.
“That memory from PSG
will help the players and us as a
team, that we know we can turn
things around,” coach Ole Gun-
nar Solskjaer said.
“Barcelona here at the Nou
Camp is a difficult prospect but
the memory will live with the
players, it’s not long ago.”
Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre
ter Stegen is confident his team
can avoid a repeat. “The good
thing is we play differently to
PSG,” he said. “But United are
dangerous and the result from
the first leg is dangerous, it is a
very small advantage.”
OLE BACK TO BARCA
Solskjaer might also draw upon
his own experience of the Camp
Nou, in 1999, when he scored a
93rd-minute winner as United
came from 1-0 down to beat
Bayern Munich 2-1 in the Cham-
pions League final.
“Of course it’s a fantastic
memory for me. It’s the only
bid to host the FIFA World Cup
in 2022 and a symbol of Qatar’s
commitment to football and in-
ternational development.
“Beginning in Syria, Lebanon,
Pakistan and Nepal, this ini-
tiative has grown exponentially
since, by utilising the power of
football to transform societies
and communities. This excit-
ing new partnership with Leeds
United – and Sheffield FC – will
assist us in enhancing the foot-
ball-centred programmes that
we provide across our Generation
Amazing network. We look for-
ward to working together to ef-
fect real change on the ground in
communities most in need.”
The signing ceremony of the
memorandum of understand-
ing took place at the home game
between Leeds United and Shef-
field Wednesday at Elland Road
on April 13.
The value-in-kind partnership
will see both sides engaging in
joint CSR and football for devel-
opment initiatives, and partake
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (second from right) takes part in a training session with teammates on the eve of their UEFA Champions League
quarter-final second-leg match against Manchester United in Barcelona, Spain, yesterday. (Reuters)
Solskjaer will use ‘gut feeling’ to pick United team for Barca
Reuters
London
M
anchester United
manager Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer will let his
“last little gut feeling” decide
his starting lineup for today’s
Champions League quarter-
final, second leg against
Barcelona.
Alexis Sanchez and Nemanja
Matic were part of United’s
22-man travelling squad as they
look to overturn a 1-0 first-leg
deficit.
Chilean forward Sanchez, who
scored 47 times in 141 appear-
ances with Barca between 2011
and 2014, has not featured
since picking up a knee in-
jury against Southampton last
month, while Matic is recover-
time I’ve been on the pitch here,”
Solskjaer said.
“I dont mind if we score in the
93rd minute. If we get to injury-
time we are a fit team.”
Barcelona’s recent history in
this competition has been more
painful as United look to follow
Juventus, Atletico Madrid and
Roma in sending them out in the
in knowledge transfer oppor-
tunities across their respective
fields of expertise.
“We are delighted to be join-
ing hands in the fields of educa-
ing from a muscle injury.
United lost the home leg
against Paris Saint-Germain in
the previous round 2-0 before
turning the tie around in the
French capital, and Solskjaer is
quarter-finals for a fourth year
in a row.
“It has been hard,” said Ter
Stegen. “We are another year
older and we want to make sure
it doesn’t happen again. We have
to take those losses into account
and use them to move forward.”
Valverde urged his players to
seize the opportunity. “I think
tion, football for development
and legacy for this innovative
partnership with a club that has
such an important history and
an equally exciting future in the
hopeful his players can serve
up a repeat at the Nou Camp.
“I think I’ll be so focused, so
concentrated,” Solskjaer told
the BBC.
“I’ll have my last little gut feel-
we all take examples of things
happening in the past and use
them to spur us on,” he said.
“That’s fine but I prefer to take
charge of your own destiny. You
won’t be given something that
falls from the sky. We have to
earn it.”
United’s greatest threat in re-
cent weeks has tended to come
English game,” said Mushtaq al-
Waeli, senior adviser to the sec-
retary-general at the SC.
Leeds United chairman Andrea
Radrizzani said, “This is a great
ing on who to play.
“Because against PSG I had a
team in my mind when we trav-
elled in the morning, walk out
into the stadium, see the stadium
and you say ‘nah, I’ll change, I
need to do this, he needs to play’
and it turned out ok.”
The Nou Camp has an added
significance for Solskjaer after
he scored a stoppage-time
winner in the 1999 Champions
League final against Bayern
Munich at the stadium in
United’s treble-winning season.
“That goal has been mentioned
a few times, yes,” the 46-year-
old said.
“So many people have con-
gratulated me and talked to
me about that night. They say
‘it was the best night of my life
but don’t tell my wife’ — that
kind of thing.”
on the counter-attack but Sol-
skjaer insists they cannot afford
to sit back.
“There are freak results
against Barcelona when you
have 10 or 15 per cent possession
and they don’t win but normally
they do win,” Solskjaer said.
“We need to stamp our author-
ity on the game.”
opportunity for Leeds United to
deliver some ground breaking
initiatives, ensuring we provide
role models in countries around
the world, providing pathways
for our communities to learn, de-
velop and express inner qualities.
“Together we can provide
amazing legacies we all can be
proud of, using powerful brands
to create opportunities.”
So far more than 250,000
beneficiaries have been reached
through Generation Amazing
across seven countries in the
Middle East and Asia — Qatar,
Nepal, Pakistan, Jordan, Leba-
non, the Philippines and India.
Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest
football club, as well as the Josoor
Institute, a centre of excellence for
the sports and events industries
inspired and developed by the SC,
will join Generation Amazing and
Leeds United in the implementa-
tion of the partnership.
Al-Waeli continued: “It is a
pleasure to have Leeds United
become our first strategic part-
SPOTLIGHT
Juve’s old guard
bidding to finish job
against Ajax kids
AFP
Turin, Italy
C
ristiano Ronaldo will
spearhead Juventus’ old
guard as they look to fin-
ish the job today against
Ajax’s impressive young guns in a
quarter-final clash between two
sides desperate to end years of
Champions League heartbreak.
Juventus have the edge on
away goals thanks to Ronaldo’s
125th Champions League goal
in a 1-1 draw in Amsterdam, but
Ajax’s David Neres ensured the
teams will start on a knife-edge
in Turin in a repeat of the 1973
and 1996 finals.
Juventus have put their bid to
wrap up an eighth consecutive
Serie A title on the back burner
as they focus on their European
ambitions.
Massimiliano Allegri lined out
with a young squad against lowly
SPAL on Saturday and the cham-
pions fell to a 2-1 defeat when a
point would have sufficed for an-
other Scudetto.
“The Scudetto will come
sooner or later,” said Allegri,
whose side hold a 17-point lead
on second-placed Napoli with
six games left. “If we had put
all our starters in, it would have
been easier to win it, but there is
the goal to obtain on Tuesday.”
Juventus have won the Cham-
pions League twice, most re-
cently in 1996 when they beat
Ajax in the final.
Four-time winners Ajax won
their third consecutive title in
1973 at the expense of Juventus,
last lifting the trophy in 1995.
Allegri said he was prepared
for “a difficult match against a
very impressive team”.
Ronaldo was rested at the
weekend along with regulars Le-
onardo Bonucci, Blaise Matuidi,
Alex Sandro, Mario Mandzukic
and Miralem Pjanic.
Teenager Moise Kean’s
fine form continued with the
19-year-old scoring his sixth
goal in as many games.
Captain Giorgio Chiellini,
however, remains a doubt with
the 34-year-old defender re-
covering from a calf injury, with
Daniele Rugani a possible re-
placement.
But Ronaldo remains Juve’s
key weapon.
The 34-year-old was signed
for 100mn euros ($117mn) last
summer, and pocketed an an-
nual 31 million-euro salary to
help Juventus win a competition
Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo (right) and Mario Mandzukic take part in
a training session in Turin, Italy, yesterday. (Reuters)
ner club and join an expanding
global network together with
Sheffield FC, and we look forward
to showing the passionate sup-
porters of these clubs more of our
joint programmes and legacy ini-
tiatives through both Generation
Amazing and the Josoor Institute
over the coming four years.”
The partnership will contrib-
ute to the objective of Generation
Amazing; to positively impact one
million lives through football for
development outreach and edu-
cation by 2022, thus empowering
new generations of young leaders
to transform their communities
through football. To date, Genera-
tion Amazing has reached over 28
communities, via its football for
development programmes and the
construction or refurbishment of
community pitches.
Recently, Generation Amazing
ambassador Xavi Hernandez vis-
ited the programme in Mumbai,
India, to kick-start the construc-
tion of a community pitch there.
(sc.qa)
they have finished runners-up
in a record seven times, most re-
cently in 2015 and 2017.
Ronaldo has played a leading
role in all of his five previous Eu-
ropean triumphs, including with
the tie-clinching, 97th-minute
penalty for Real Madrid against
Juventus last season in the quar-
ters.
He has scored five goals this
campaign, one against Manches-
ter United and a hat-trick which
rescued Juventus in the last 16,
second leg against Atletico, be-
fore returning from injury to
score against Ajax.
DE JONG DOUBT
The financial clout of Dutch
league leaders Ajax is signifi-
cantly less than Juventus.
The club, who are captained by
19-year-old defender Matthijs
de Ligt, spent a reported club-
record 45mn euros last summer
on new signings to bolster their
Champions League hopes.
Defensive midfielder Daley
Blind arrived from Manchester
United, and forward Dusan Tadic
from Southampton, to provide
leadership for a young squad
where the average age is 24 years.
Ajax’s strike-force of 22-year-
old Neres, Dusan Tadic and Hak-
im Ziyech have proven effective
this season.
Veteran Klaas-Jan Huntelaar,
35, also hit form with a hat-trick
in a 6-2 win over Excelsior in the
Dutch league at the weekend.
But midfielder Frenkie de Jong,
21, is uncertain to start after go-
ing off clutching his hamstring.
Neres stole the limelight with
his seventh goal in eight games
against Juventus in Amsterdam,
but Barcelona-bound De Jong
was outstanding in midfield.
Both teams produced memo-
rable second-leg comebacks in
the round of 16.
Ajax overturned a 2-1 home
defeat by Real Madrid to oust
the three-time holders with a
stunning 4-1 victory at the San-
tiago Bernabeu to reach their first
quarter-final since 2003.
Ronaldo’s hat-trick rescued
Juventus, who lost 2-0 against
Atletico Madrid in Spain.
While Juve are looking to reach
a third semi-final in five seasons,
Ajax have not made it to the last
four since 1997.
The winners would go through
to a semi-final against the win-
ners of the all-English tie be-
tween Manchester City and Tot-
tenham Hotspur.

LIGUE 1
PSG title party
delayed again after
big loss at Lille
Thomas Tuchel’s side suffer their biggest league defeat in a decade
AFP
Paris
P
aris Saint-Germain
missed the chance to
seal their sixth Ligue 1
title in seven years for
the second week running on
Sunday after a 5-1 hammering at
Lille, their biggest league defeat
in 10 years.
Thomas Tuchel’s side could
have been crowned champi-
ons in record-equalling time
last weekend but failed to beat
Strasbourg, and they fell short
again on Sunday despite need-
ing just a point in a match that
saw them have to play with 10
men for 54 minutes and lose
both captain Thiago Silva and
Thomas Meunier to injury.
The loss was PSG’s worst do-
mestic defeat since going down
4-0 at Bordeaux in 2009, and
the first time they had conceded
five goals in the league since an-
other 5-1 defeat at Sedan way
back in 2000.
However they are still 17
points clear of second-placed
Lille and if they win at Nantes
tomorrow they will still win the
league with six matches to spare.
“We are going to be champi-
ons, but you have to lose in the
right way,” said Kylian Mbappe,
who had two goals ruled out for
offside.
“We can’t lack personal-
ity like that, and concede three,
four, five goals. Losing happens,
but that is not normal.”
World Cup winner Mbappe
had already had one goal chalked
off by the officials when a comi-
cal Meunier own goal set Lille on
their way after six minutes.
Probe finds ‘substantial’ Infantino gifts to prosecutor, but no graft
DPA
Geneva
C
ostly gifts by FIFA presi-
dent Gianni Infantino
to a local prosecutor did
not amount to corruption but
possible tax evasion, a special
investigator in Switzerland has
concluded.
The investigator decided that
legal proceedings would be
stopped, his spokesman said
yesterday.
The head of the global football
SERIE A
Inter boost CL hopes with win at Frosinone
Reuters
Rome
I
nter Milan recorded a 3-1
win away at relegation bat-
tling Frosinone on Sunday
to strengthen their grip on
third place in Serie A.
Luciano Spalletti’s side were
under pressure to deliver a result
in order to avoid being dragged
into a tight race for Champions
League qualification, after AS
Roma and AC Milan won on Sat-
urday.
A header from Radja Naing-
golan and an Ivan Perisic penalty
in the first half put Inter in con-
trol before Francesco Cassata
pulled one back for Frosinone as
they improved after the break.
However, Matias Vecino’s
stoppage-time strike sealed a
win that keeps the visitors five
points clear of Milan in fourth
place with six rounds remaining
in the league season.
Inter have 60 points, giving
them breathing space from a
tight-knit chasing pack of Milan
(55), Roma (54), Atalanta (52),
Torino (50) and Lazio (49). Ata-
lanta and Lazio both have a game
in hand.
But Inter coach Spalletti had
Lille’s Nicolas Pepe (centre) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal against Paris Saint-Germain during their Ligue 1 match in
Villeneuve d’Ascq, near Lille, on Sunday. (AFP)
But PSG looked set to seal the
title when Juan Bernat levelled
soon after and Mbappe roofed
what looked like his 28th league
goal of the season in the 13th
minute, only to see that one also
rightly disallowed.
Silva left the field with a knee
injury soon after and after Meu-
body spent more than 15,000
Swiss francs (15,000 dollars)
on expenses for prosecutor
Rinaldo Arnold and his family,
including flights, Champions
League final tickets and hotel
reservations, according to
the final report by the special
investigator, who is also a
prosecutor.
“These were substantial, unu-
sual benefits,” the report said,
but it did not find an indication
that Infantino’s long-time and
close friend Arnold paid back
the favours by helping the FIFA
Inter Milan’s Radja Nainggolan (centre) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against
Frosinone during their Serie A match in Frosinone, Italy, on Sunday. (Reuters)
concerns about his team’s fail-
ure to kill the game off until the
last few minutes.
“We saw that the moment we
feel remotely safe or comfort-
able, we can run into a devas-
tating setback,” he said to Sky
nier was pulled off, Bernat was
then handed a debatable straight
red card in the 36th minute for a
tug on Nicolas Pepe despite a
VAR check.
Attacker Pepe slotted home
Lille’s second five minutes after
the break when he latched onto a
superb Jonathan Ikone through
chief as a prosecutor.
The special investigator also
looked into a meeting that Ar-
nold set up between Infantino
and Switzerland’s top federal
prosecutor, Michael Lauber,
who investigates several foot-
ball officials for graft.
Arnold introduced himself to
Lauber not as a colleague but
as a friend of Infantino, the
report said, concluding Arnold
did not act illegally.
However, the special investiga-
tor filed criminal charges for tax
evasion against Arnold.
Sports Italia.
“It happens to everyone, but
probably more to Inter. When
you think it’s all in hand, rather
than finish it off, you get timid
and soft.
“Frosinone had nothing to
ball and after that the floodgates
opened.
Jonathan Bamba smashed
home the third 14 minutes later
from another Ikone assist and
two fine headers from Gabriel
and Jose Fonte in the final 20
minutes completed the rout and
put Lille eight points ahead of
lose, so their only objective was
to impress and get a great result
in an important fixture. A defeat
won’t make much difference to
them at this point.”
Frosinone went into the game
buoyed by recent wins over
third-placed Lyon.
“Putting five past PSG doesn’t
happen to everyone, even if they
did only have 10 men, but we
played well tonight,” Pepe told Ca-
nal+. “We’ve still got six matches
left and we need to win at least
three or four to be assured of the
Champions League next season.”
Parma and Fiorentina, the first
time the club had ever achieved
back-to-back victories in the
top flight.
However, the second-bottom
side’s hopes of producing an up-
set were soon dealt a blow when
Nainggolan rose unopposed to
head in a Danilo D’Ambrosio
cross.
The visitors doubled their
lead shortly before halftime
when Raman Chibsah hauled
down Milan Skriniar in the area
to concede a penalty, which
Perisic dispatched in composed
fashion.
Frosinone were back in con-
tention with just over an hour
played when Cassata’s low strike
from the edge of the box beat
Samir Handanovic, despite the
goalkeeper getting a hand to the
shot.
Inter striker Mauro Icardi
headed over a great opportu-
nity from six yards out, but Ve-
cino put the result beyond doubt
when he finished off a counter
attack with a drilled shot in
stoppage time.
Frosinone remain in 19th
place with 23 points and are two
places and eight points adrift of
17th place, currently occupied
by Bologna.
FOOTBALL
FALLOUT
FIFA bans disgraced
ex-Brazil football
chief Marin for life
AFP
Geneva
F
IFA yesterday slapped a
lifetime ban on the dis-
graced former boss of
Brazilian football, Jose
Maria Marin, after a US court
convicted him of massive cor-
ruption.
The 86-year-old Marin was
one of the key figures swept up in
the graft scandal that began with
a series of stunning arrests in
2015 and subsequently upended
world football.
He had already been sentenced
to four years in a US prison after
a court in New York found him
guilty in connection with nearly
$6.6mn in bribes from sports
marketing companies in ex-
change for contracts to broadcast
major tournaments.
But the decision from FIFA’s
independent ethics judges de-
finitively confirms that Marin is
finished in football.
FIFA’s ethics committee said
SPOTLIGHT
African whistleblower
fired after accusing
boss of corruption
Reuters
Johannesburg, South Africa
A
frican soccer’s ruling
body has fired a senior
official after he made
corruption accusations
against the organisation’s presi-
dent in a potential blow to FIFA’s
efforts to clean up the game after
a raft of scandals worldwide.
The Confederation of African
Football (CAF) sacked general
secretary Amr Fahmy after the
Egyptian accused his boss Ah-
mad Ahmad of bribes and misuse
of hundreds of thousands of dol-
lars, according to officials and an
internal document.
The document, sent on March
31 by Fahmy to a FIFA body
that investigates alleged ethics
breaches and seen by Reuters,
accuses Ahmad of ordering his
secretary-general to pay $20,000
bribes into accounts of African
football association presidents.
They included Cape Verde and
Tanzania.
The document also accused
Ahmad of costing CAF an extra
$830,000 by ordering equip-
ment via a French intermediary
company called Tactical Steel.
Furthermore, it accuses him of
harassing four female CAF staff,
whom it did not name; violating
statutes to increase Moroccan
representation within the organ-
isation; and over-spending more
than $400,000 of CAF money on
cars in Egypt and Madagascar,
where a satellite office has been
set up for him.
LATEST FIFA CONTROVERSY
Senior CAF officials, speaking
on condition of anonymity, said
Fahmy was fired after compil-
ing the document with the al-
legations against Ahmad, from
Madagascar, who took the top
African soccer post two years
ago.
CAF confirmed to Reuters that
Gulf Times
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 3
in a statement that Marin had
participated in various bribery
schemes.
Judges “banned him for life
from all football-related activi-
ties (administrative, sports or
any other) at both national and
international level”, a FIFA state-
ment said.
FIFA also imposed a 1mn Swiss
franc ($1mn) fine against Marin,
once one of the most powerful
figures in world football.
Following his May 2015 arrest
at a luxury hotel in Zurich, Marin
spent five months in a prison in
Switzerland before being extra-
dited to the United States.
He posted bail of $15mn and
spent two years living in luxury
at Trump Tower, the Fifth Av-
enue skyscraper best known
for housing the penthouse and
company headquarters of the US
president.
But his life of excess dramati-
cally came to a halt at his sen-
tencing in August, when he broke
down in tears over the “night-
mare” his family had endured.
Fahmy lost his job at an executive
committee meeting in Cairo on
Thursday, prior to the draw for
the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
It declined to give more details
about the reason for his dismiss-
al. “There’s no explanation. It’s
the Executive Committee deci-
sion,” communications director
Nathalie Rabe said in an e-mail
exchange with Reuters on Sun-
day.
Ahmad, who is also a vice-
president of world governing
body FIFA, did not respond to
requests for comment on the al-
legations against him.
Requests for comment to the
football presidents and authori-
ties of Cape Verde and Tanzania,
and to Tactical Steel in France,
were also not immediately an-
swered.
Fahmy was replaced by Mouad
Hajji, from Morocco.
The allegations against Ahmad
follow a string of scandals re-
lated to FIFA’s practices in Latin
America and Asia in recent years,
which have led to the indictment
and jailing of numerous senior
football administrators.
The corruption scandals first
broke in 2015.
The CAF case is potentially
problematic for FIFA president
Gianni Infantino — set to be re-
elected unopposed in June for a
four-year term — as Ahmad is
one of his deputies.
FIFA declined comment.
“The Ethics Committee does
not comment on potential ongo-
ing proceedings nor on whether
or not investigations are under-
way into alleged ethics cases,” a
spokesperson said.
Ahmad, 59, served as Minister
of Fisheries in Madagascar and
in the country’s senate before a
quick rise to the CAF presidency.
His accuser Fahmy, 35, was ap-
pointed as general secretary in
late 2017, keeping up a family tra-
dition that stretches across three
generations.
4 Gulf Times
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
CRICKET
WORLD CUP SQUAD
India pick Karthik and Rahul, Pant left out
Reuters
Mumbai
D
inesh Karthik pipped
young Rishabh Pant
to the second wicket-
keeper’s spot in India’s
World Cup squad yesterday and
all-rounder Vijay Shankar also
made the cut.
There was not much suspense
hanging over chief selector MSK
Prasad’s news conference to an-
nounce a 15-member squad led
by Virat Kohli as most of the
players picked themselves.
With Mahendra Singh Dhoni
the undisputed first-choice
wicketkeeper, the selectors
preferred Karthik’s experience
to the raw aggression of the
21-year-old Pant.
“We felt Rishabh Pant or DK
will come into the playing XI
only if Mahi (Dhoni) is injured,”
Prasad told reporters, say-
ing Karthik’s superior keeping
and reputation as a “finisher”
clinched it for the 33-year-old.
“In crunch matches, who can
be the best guy who can handle
the pressure? For that reason,
the decision went in favour of
IPL
Malinga, Pandya
help Mumbai thrash
Bangalore
Mumbai Indians Hardik Pandya gestures after scoring the winning runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore during their 2019 Indian Premier League match at the Wankhede
Stadium in Mumbai yesterday. (AFP)
IANS
Mumbai
H
ardik Pandya’s (37 un-
beaten off 16) quickfire
cameo down the order
handed Royal Chal-
lengers Bangalore their seventh
defeat this season as Mumbai In-
dians won their Indian Premier
League (IPL) tie at the Wankh-
ede Stadium yesterday by five
wickets.
Despite a great start, Mumbai
faltered during the slog overs but
Pandya rescued his side as they
clinched the contest with an
over to spare.
Chasing a competitive 172 for
victory, Rohit Sharma (28 off 19)
and Quinton de Kock gave a per-
fect start to Mumbai’s innings,
Dinesh Karthik. Otherwise, Pant
is full of talent, there’ll be time
for him. It’s unfortunate for him
that he missed out.”
India boast a formidable top
order including captain Kohli
but the team have been searching
for a reliable number four bats-
man and Shankar beat Ambati
Rayudu to the spot.
“What Vijay Shankar offers
taking them to 52 for no loss in
the initial five overs. Moeen Ali
was the first to strike as his off-
break delivery clattered Shar-
ma’s stumps, leaving Mumbai at
70/1 in the eighth over.
Just three balls later, Ali once
again jolted the hosts as he
picked de Kock (40 off 26) in
front of the wickets.
Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar
Yadav then forged a 33-run part-
nership as they repaired the ma-
jor damage but Yuzvendra Cha-
hal packed both of them back in
short time to leave Mumbai reel-
ing at 129/3 in the 16th over.
It seemed Mumbai would suf-
fer a batting collapse but it was
Pandya who made sure to help
his team cross the line as the all-
rounder and his brother Krunal
Pandya (11 off 21) took Mumbai
DINESH KARTHIK KL RAHUL
is three-dimensional,” Prasad also bat lower down the order,
said. Prasad said. Kuldeep Yadav and
“Apart from his batting, he Yuzvendra Chahal will share In-
can bowl and he’s a fantastic dia’s slow bowling duties but the
fielder...We are looking at him prospect of a hot English sum-
as number four. We have Dinesh mer also prompted the selection
Karthik and Kedar Jadhav also, of spinning all-rounder Ravin-
so we have plenty of options at dra Jadeja.
number four right now.” “In the last one-and-half
Lokesh Rahul made the squad years, it’s the two wrist-spinners
as a back-up opener, but could who have won us games,” Prasad
Malinga picked four for 31 while Pandya
hit an unbeaten 37 off 16 balls
to 148 before the latter became a runs on board. Kohli was trying
victim of Mohamed Siraj. to force a Jason Behrendorff de-
With 22 needed off the last livery through the off-side, got
couple of overs, Pandya showed cramped, and ended up giving
his cameo with the bat as he an inside edge to de Kock behind
smashed Pawan Negi for the the wickets.
required runs in just an over to Parthiv Patel (28) showed
help Mumbai register their fifth some resistance, taking his side
win this season. near the 50-run mark before he
For Bangalore, Chahal and Ali was sent back by Hardik Pandya
picked couple of wickets each. in the seventh over. De Villiers
Earlier, AB de Villiers’ scintil- was then joined by Ali and the
lating knock (75 off 51) with Ali’s duo denied the hosts any further
50 off 32 propelled Bangalore to wicket, anchored the innings
171/7. and took the team past the 100
Despite some early blows, de run mark.
Villiers and Ali anchored Banga- Enroute, they also notched up
lore’s innings with a valiant 105- their respective half-centuries
run partnership for the third with the team looking comfort-
wicket before Lasith Malinga able at 144/2 in 17 overs.
(4/31) rattled the middle order. Malinga finally shattered the
The visitors lost their skip- partnership by packing Ali back
per Virat Kohli (8) with just 12 in the 18th over. The Sri Lankan
said of Yadav and Chahal.
“In the second part of the
tournament, wickets might be a
bit more drier. That’s where we
feel Jadeja will come in handy.”
Hardik Pandya remains India’s
first-choice all-rounder.
The showpiece event in Eng-
land and Wales starts on May 30.
India begin their bid for a third
World Cup title against South
pacer went on to rock the lower
middle order, sending back Mar-
cus Stoinis (0), Akshdeep Nath
(2) and Negi (0) to the hut in
quick succession.
De Villers finally departed try-
ing to convert a single as he fell
short of the crease. The South
African superstar’s knock was
laced with six boundaries and
four maximums.
Behrendorff and Pandya also
picked a wicket each.
BRIEF SCORES
Mumbai Indians: 172/5 in 19
overs (Quinton de Kock 40,
Hardik Pandya 37 not out;
Moeen Ali 2/18) beat Royal Chal-
lengers Bangalore: 171/7 in 20
overs (AB de Villiers 75, Moeen
Ali 50; Lasith Maling 4/31) by 5
wickets.
Africa in Southampton on June 5.
Teams have to submit their 15-
man squads by April 23 but in-
jury replacements can be named
until May 23.
“We all debated and felt that
this is the best possible team
that can give us the best pos-
sible result. So there is no point
in changing it, unless someone is
injured,” Prasad added.
FOCUS
Poor form puts
Amla’s World Cup
place in jeopardy
AFP
Johannesburg
S
outh Africa’s selectors
will reveal on Thursday
whether veteran bats-
man Hashim Amla will
be part of the country’s squad
for the 2019 Cricket World
Cup.
Amla, 36, is one of South
Africa’s all-time great one-
day international players but
his recent form has been poor,
while increasing age has meant
that he has slowed down in the
field.
Amla scored only 51 runs in
four innings in South Africa’s
shock Test series loss against
Sri Lanka earlier this year and
did not play in the first three
one-day internationals against
the tourists, although Cricket
South Africa stressed he had
not been dropped.
He was due to play the final
two one-day games against Sri
Lanka but withdrew because
his father was seriously ill.
After more than a month out
of cricket, Amla returned for
the Cape Cobras franchise in a
domestic Twenty20 competi-
tion in early April but his first
three matches yielded only
28 runs. He showed signs of
promise for the Cobras on Sun-
day with an innings of 32 – his
joint-highest score in any form
of cricket since a one-day se-
ries against Pakistan in January.
With captain Faf du Ples-
sis, Quinton de Kock, Rassie
van der Dussen, David Miller
and JP Duminy all seemingly
certain of selection, there is
probably room for only two
more top-order batsmen in a
15-man squad.
Bangladesh to call Shakib back from
IPL for World Cup camp
Bangladesh will ask star all-
rounder Shakib al-Hasan to
return from Indian Premier
League and join the team’s
World Cup preparation camp
next week, the nation’s Cricket
Board said yesterday.
Shakib is currently in India
with his IPL franchise Sunris-
ers Hyderabad.
“Our camp is beginning. I have
asked to send a letter to Shak-
ib immediately to come back.
Let’s see how he responds to
this,” said Bangladesh Cricket
Board president Nazmul Has-
san in Dhaka.
Shakib played just one game
this season, picking up one
wicket for 42 runs in 3.4 overs
against his former franchise
Kolkata Night Riders.
It was the only competitive
game for Shakib since return-
ing from an injury he picked
up during the Bangladesh Pre-
mier League final in January.
In a star-studded line-up
featuring Australia’s David
Warner, England’s Jonny
Bairstow, New Zealand’s Kane
Williamson, and Afghani
RISHABH PANT
SQUAD
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit
Sharma (vice captain), Shikhar
Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Vijay
Shankar, Mahendra Singh
Dhoni(wicketkeeper), Kedar Jad-
hav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra
Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuv-
neshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah,
Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja,
Mohamed Shami.
OUTSTANDING FIELDERS
Amla’s rivals, Aiden Markram
and Reeza Hendricks, have
both been in good recent form,
with Hendricks named man-
of-the-series in the recent
Twenty20 series against Sri
Lanka after a poor one-day se-
ries had seemingly scuttled his
chances.
Markram and Hendricks are
outstanding fielders.
The other big debate ahead
of the squad announcement is
the identity of a back-up fast
bowler to the likely trio of Ka-
giso Rabada, Dale Steyn and
Lungi Ngidi.
Newcomer Anrich Nortje
was impressive in the one-day
series against Sri Lanka and al-
though he was forced to with-
draw from the Indian Premier
League with a shoulder injury
he is expected to be fit for the
World Cup.
While he has not played in
a one-day international since
February last year, Chris Mor-
ris has been picked by sev-
eral experts in their preferred
World Cup squads because he
can bowl at more than 140 kph
and is a hard-hitting lower-
order batsman.
Three wickets for the Delhi
Capitals against Sunrisers Hy-
derabad on Sunday took his
total to 11 in six matches in this
year’s IPL.
Andile Phehlukwayo and
Dwaine Pretorius are likely
to be picked as all-rounders,
while Imran Tahir and Tabraiz
Shamsi are South Africa’s
probable spin bowlers.
It is unlikely that a back-up
wicketkeeper to De Kock will
be chosen, with Miller seem-
ingly being groomed as an
emergency gloveman.
stan duo Rashid Khan and
Mohamed Nabi, Bangladesh
is concerned Shakib might
not get more matches in the
coming days.
Unable to get enough games,
Shakib recently invited his
personal coach Mohammad
Salahuddin to India in order to
keep him ready for the World
Cup.
Bangladesh will start their
preparation camp for the tour-
nament on April 22 and the
team will leave for the UK in
early May. They are scheduled
to play a tri-nation tourna-
ment in Ireland from May 5-17.
The World Cup will be held in
the UK from May 30 to July
14 with Bangladesh starting
their campaign against South
Africa at the Oval on June 2.
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 5

SPORT
NBA NHL

Blue Jackets push

Bucks, Trail Blazers Lightning to the
brink of elimination

deliver messages AFP a way. We have a lot of skill in

New York this room, we need to use it.”
The Lightning played Game
3 without a pair of major con-

G
oaltender Sergei Bo- tributors: right winger Nikita
brovsky made 30 saves Kucherov and defenseman Vic-
to lead Columbus to a tor Hedman.
3-1 win over the visiting The NHL’s leading scorer with

in playoff openers
Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday
night, lifting the Blue Jackets to
a commanding 3-0 lead in their
opening-round playoff series.
Cam Atkinson had a goal and
an assist, and Matt Duchene and
Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied for the
‘It was fun. We did a good job of playing hard and playing together’ Blue Jackets, who have won 10
of their last 11 games, including
AFP three steals. He was backed by seven of eight to close the regu-
Los Angeles C.J. McCollum, who added 24 lar season and earn the second
points from nine-of-24 shoot- wild-card spot in the Eastern
ing with six rebounds and Conference.
128 points, Kucherov was sus-
pended one game on Saturday
for a hard hit on Markus Nuti-
vaara late in Friday’s 5-1 home
loss.
“(Kucherov) is a big part of
our team,” Lightning coach Jon
Cooper said. “The leading scorer
in the League. He’s definitely go-
ing to be an MVP finalist, so any-
time you take someone like that
out of the lineup, as well as Hed-

M
ilwaukee showed
why they are the
Eastern Conference
kingpins and Gian-
nis Antetokounmpo proved he
is worthy of a league MVP as the
Bucks trampled all over the De-
troit Pistons on Sunday.
Antetokounmpo had 24
points and 17 rebounds in just
24 minutes, as the Milwaukee
began their hunt for a playoff
championship ring with a 121-
86 blowout of the Pistons in
game one.
“It was fun,” said Greece’s
Antetokounmpo.
“We did a good job of playing
hard and playing together.
“The coach told us at half-
time to stay together, keep re-
bounding the ball and run it
down.
“I am just glad we got a win.”
Antetokounmpo and the
Bucks ran roughshod over the
hapless Pistons all game and the
35-point deficit was flattering
to the visitors.
Detroit tried everything to
stop the ‘Greek Freak’ and the
only time they did was when
centre Andre Drummond
shoved him to the floor with
both hands which got Drum-
mond thrown out of the game
by the referees.
Antetokounmpo was nine for
17 from the field and one of five
from three-point range.
Drummond threw a kiss to
the Fiserv Forum crowd as he
headed to the showers but it
might as well be the kiss of
death for the Pistons against the
NBA’s top team (60 wins) in the
regular season.
Seven Bucks scored in dou-
ble figures. Eric Bledsoe had 15
points, and Brook Lopez and
Khris Middleton each added 14.
George Hill came off the bench
to score 16 points.
Detroit played without for-
ward Blake Griffin, who has
missed five of the last eight
games with a sore knee.
Elsewhere, the Portland
Trail Blazers snapped their 10-
game postseason losing streak,
defeating the Oklahoma City
Thunder 104-99 to claim
their first playoff win in three
years.
The Blazers have endured a
miserable record in the playoffs
in recent years, suffering back-
to-back first round sweeps in
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks against Detroit Pistons’ Thon Maker in game
one of the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports
2017 and 2018 against Golden
State and New Orleans.
On Sunday however Port-
land’s three-year wait for a
postseason win came to an end,
as Damian Lillard inspired a
battling victory over the sixth-
seeded Thunder.
Lillard went nine-of-21
from the field on his way to 30
points in 38 minutes, adding
four rebounds, four assists and
three assists. Turkish interna-
tional Enes Kanter meanwhile
reminded his former Thun-
der team-mates of his talent,
posting a double-double of 20
points and 18 rebounds.
Lillard said Kanter’s fired-
up contribution had tipped the
balance for the Blazers.
“Any time you’re going up
against a team you played for,
in the most important series of
the year, you’re going to want to
play well,” Lillard said.
“And you’re going to want to
come out on the winning side.
“We understood that he was
going to come out ready to
play. And he was the MVP of
the game, especially down the
stretch.
“He had a huge presence and
played a big part in us winning
this game.”
Also, Kyrie Irving scored 20
points as the Boston Celtics
shrugged off the injury absence
of Marcus Smart to defeat the
Indiana Pacers 84-74.
Irving was among five play-
ers to make double figures as
Boston drew first blood in the
best-of-seven series opener at
the TD Garden.
Boston had gone into the
game reeling from news that
Smart is set to miss the opening
two rounds of the playoffs after
suffering a torn oblique.
However the fourth-seeded
Celtics had too much firepower
for the fifth-ranked Pacers on
their way to a deserved victory.
Kyrie Irving and Marcus
Morris scored 20 points apiece
for Boston, which won hand-
ily despite shooting just 36.4
percent. Al Horford recorded a
10-point, 11-rebound double-
double for the Celtics, while
Jayson Tatum chipped in with
15 points and Gordon Hayward
had 10. Joseph finished with 14
points and Bojan Bogdanovic 12
for Indiana.
RESULTS
(all series best-of-seven):
Eastern Conference
Boston 84-74 Indiana
(Boston leads series 1-0)
Milwaukee 121-86 Detroit
(Milwaukee leads series 1-0)
Western Conference
Portland 104-99 Oklahoma
(Portland leads series 1-0)
Houston 122-90 Utah
(Houston leads series 1-0).
Bobrovsky stopped
16 shots in the third RESULTS
period, as Tampa Bay Islanders
tried to rally from a 2-0
deficit but couldn’t do Columbus
so in front of a raucous Winnipeg
crowd at Nationwide Las Vegas
Arena.
The Columbus Blue
Jackets are on the verge of their
first ever playoff series win, but
that’s hardly the headline in the
first-round playoff matchup
against the Presidents’ Trophy-
winning Tampa Bay Lightning.
On Sunday, Ondrej Pal-
at scored a goal, and Andrei
Vasilevskiy made 27 saves for the
Lightning, who dropped their
third straight game for the first
time this season and have lost
five consecutive playoff games.
The Blue Jackets can close out
the series in Game 4 in Colum-
bus today.
Tampa Bay, which tied an
NHL single-season record with
62 regular-season wins, will
try to avoid being the first-ever
Presidents’ Trophy winner to be
swept in the first round.
“I’m happy about the way
we’ve gone about our business,”
Blue Jackets coach John Tortore-
lla said. “We have a lot of work to
do. We’ve got to be really careful
here.”
Teams that lead a best-of-
seven NHL playoff series 3-0
have a series record of 186-4.
“We started to make some
plays,” Lightning forward Tyler
Johnson said.
“Throughout the game and
throughout the series, I thought
we were keeping it too simple in
Columbus Blue Jackets’ Sergei Bobrovsky knocks the puck away
from Tampa Bay Lightning’s Adam Erne (centre) during the third
period of Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during
the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs in Columbus, Ohio. (AFP)
4-1 Pittsburgh
3-1 Tampa Bay
6-3 St. Louis
6-3 San Jose
man, but I thought we battled.”
Hedman, the reigning Nor-
ris Trophy winner as the top
defenseman, suffered an undis-
closed injury, did not skate with
the team on Saturday and was
scratched.
Columbus opened the scor-
ing after defensemen Seth Jones
and Zach Werenski kept the puck
alive in the Tampa Bay end early
in the second period.
Werenski fired a shot that At-
kinson redirected, and the puck
caromed to the opposite circle,
where Duchene swept in a back-
hander at 1:44 for his second ca-
reer playoff goal.
Columbus soon made it 2-0
after the Lightning’s Ryan Calla-
han went off for interfering with
Werenski.
Bjorkstrand took a pass from
Jones and blasted a goal at 8:25,
giving the Blue Jackets their
fourth marker in eight power
plays against the league’s top
penalty-kill unit.
Tampa Bay finally scored at
4:40 of the third period when
Palat put in his own rebound to
make it 2-1.
Bobrovsky stopped a pair of
quality chances late in the last
five minutes before Atkinson
scored an empty-netter with one
minute left to seal the win.

MLB

Diaz HR helps Astros stretch win streak to nine RAYS PUT AWAY BLUE JAYS WITH
Reuters
RESULTS FIVE-RUN EIGHTH
Boston
Guillermo Heredia capped a five-run eighth
Astros 3-2 Mariners
inning with a two-run, pinch-hit home run
Phillies 3-1 Marlins

A
ledmys Diaz led off the seventh in-
ning with a home run to break a tie
as the Houston Astros rallied to de-
feat the host Seattle Mariners 3-2
on Sunday afternoon, extending their win-
ning streak to nine games.
Jose Altuve’s homer streak ended at five
consecutive games, but the Astros swept the
three-game series at T-Mobile Park to pull
within a game of the first-place Mariners in
the American League West.
Right-hander Gerrit Cole (1-2) pitched six
strong innings for his first victory of the sea-
son. He gave up two runs on four hits with no
walks and 11 strikeouts.
Seattle’s Mitch Haniger led off the bottom
of the first with a home run off Cole, hitting
a 1-2 pitch into the bullpen in left field. That
gave the Mariners homers in each of their
first 18 games to begin the season, extend-
ing their major league record. The Mariners
made it 2-0 in the third as Haniger and Do-
mingo Santana hit back-to-back doubles
with two-outs. Mariners left-hander Marco
Gonzales, who gave up just one hit and kept
Houston off the scoreboard through the first
five innings, ran into trouble in the sixth.
Tony Kemp led off with a single to centre
field and advanced to second on a one-out
single by Altuve. Alex Bregman then singled
to right to load the bases. Michael Brantley
to help the visiting Tampa Bay Rays defeat
Rockies 4-0 Giants the Toronto Blue Jays 8-4 on Sunday after-
Royals 9-8 Indians noon. Mike Zunino added a two-run, pinch-
hit single in the eighth as the Rays took two of
White Sox 5-2 Yankees three games in the series and have now won
Pirates 4-3 Nationals six of their last seven games, all on the road.
Rays 8-4 Blue Jays Freddy Galvis and Billy McKinney homer-
ed for Toronto, McKinney also adding two
Rangers 8-7 Athletics doubles. Rays starter Charlie Morton gave up
Dodgers 7-1 Brewers four hits, three walks and one run over 4 2/3
Braves 7-3 Mets innings. He struck out four. Adam Kolarek (1-
0) pitched one perfect inning to pick up the
Cardinals 9-5 Reds
win. Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman (0-3)
then grounded a two-run single to right field surrendered three hits, four walks and three
to tie the score and end Gonzales’ afternoon. unearned runs while striking out five in four
Right-hander Brandon Brennan struck out innings. The Blue Jays scored once in the first
Carlos Correa and Yuli Gurriel to end the in- when leadoff batter McKinney doubled and
ning. Galvis singled him home.The Rays answered
Gonzales, who had won each of his first with an unearned run in the third. Michael
four starts of the season, went 5 1/3 innings Perez singled, Blue Jays second baseman
and surrendered two runs on five hits, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. threw errantly on Ji-Man
two walks and three strikeouts. Choi’s two-out grounder, Avisail Garcia
Brennan, who was selected in the Rule 5 walked and Brandon Lowe hit an RBI single.
draft in the offseason, opened the season Gurriel was replaced at second base by
with eight scoreless appearances before Diaz Alen Hanson in the fourth, but the Rays
lined the first pitch of the seventh over the scored two unearned runs in that inning.
left-field wall to give the Astros a 3-2 lead. Kevin Kiermaier reached second base on
Houston right-handers Hector Rondon, Stroman’s throwing error after a bunt. Willy
Ryan Pressly and Roberto Osuna combined Adames followed with an infield single, Perez
for three hitless innings of relief, with Osuna walked, and Austin Meadows and Yandy Diaz Houston Astros’ Aledmys Diaz (centre) celebrates with Jose Altuve (right) after hitting a home run in the
earning his seventh save of the season. each produced RBI groundouts. seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports
6 Gulf Times
Tuesday, April 16, 2019

SPORT
MOTORSPORT SPOTLIGHT

Chinese F1 hopeful
Mercedes look more Zhou gets a taste of
things to come

dominant than ever

‘Considering it was a real struggle this weekend, I’m really grateful for the result’
Reuters
Shanghai

Z
hou Guanyu had a
whirlwind week at his
home Chinese Grand
Prix but it was merely
a taste of what the Shanghai
teenager faces if he achieves
the dream of becoming his
country’s first Formula One
driver.
With nearly 1.4 billion peo-
ple, China is the world’s most
populous country but 15 years
on from its first Formula One
race it is still waiting for a driv-
er to fill one of the 20 slots on
the starting grid.
Zhou is seen as the coun-
try’s most promising prospect
to date, however.
In January he joined the
Renault Formula One team
as a development driver and
academy member after win-
ning two races in the hotly-
contested European Formula
Three championship last year.
This year the former Fer-
rari driver academy mem-
ber has graduated to Formula
Two, the feeder series that was
previously GP2 and has pro-
vided a steady flow of drivers
to the Formula One grid. “I’m
not thinking about being the
first one of something,” the
19-year-old told Reuters at the
Shanghai International Circuit
before the 1000th Formula
One world championship race.
“I’m trying to be, like, just
reaching my own goals I set
when I was young. I think also
if I reach that I’ll be the first
ever Chinese in Formula One.
“That’s definitely making
myself proud, also make the
country, the Chinese motor-
sport history, to have much
more people following motor-
sport, following me and fol-
lowing the racing.”
Zhou is not the first Chi-
nese hopeful to make it to the
brink of Formula One, with
compatriots Ma Qing Hua
and Dutch-born Ho-Pin Tung
both testing Formula One cars
in the past. The latter was even
Renault’s reserve in 2010, the
first Chinese driver to fill such
a role, after the company that
owned his management agen-
cy Genii Capital bought a large
stake in the team that raced as
Lotus for a period.
But Zhou, whose love of
motorsport began when he at-
tended the first Chinese Grand
Prix as a five-year-old in 2004,
is the first to sign a deal with
a manufacturer team and is
showing promise.
He finished in the points
in both races in this month’s
Bahrain season-opener, in-
cluding fourth in the Sunday
sprint race, and is one place
ahead of Michael Schumach-
er’s son Mick in the standings.
SECOND RACE
A homegrown driver on the
grid would only add heft to
the sport’s push to expand in a
key market, with Formula One
keen to add a second race in a
country with a rapidly emerg-
ing middle class.
“The last few years I didn’t
actually get much chance to be
here in the grand prix and I was
doing more stuff in Europe,”
said Zhou, whose week of PR
appearances and fan events
culminated in a demonstration
drive in a 2012 Formula One
car in downtown Shanghai and
at the track before the race.
“This year, coming back,
walking around Shanghai,
there’s people knowing me
from the city.”

Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton prepares to get out of his car after arriving in the pits following his victory in the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. (AFP) Dakar Rally to be held in ‘unknown’
Reuters past five years, completed a hat- Wolff were still talking about started to tail off. This weekend, a seamless pitstop on Sunday, Saudi Arabia in 2020
London trick of successive one-two fin- luck, small margins and tough they were a bit up and down. while Ferrari invoked team or-
ishes at Sunday’s Chinese Grand battles ahead after winning “I think we’re over-delivering ders in a move that backfired. The Dakar Rally will be held in Saudi Arabia from 2020, organis-
Prix. Formula One’s 1,000th world a little bit at the moment to our The battle for supremacy is ers announced yesterday, offering contestants an “unknown
between Mercedes and Ferrari,

T
he first three races of
the Formula One season
have made a mockery of
pre-season predictions
that Ferrari would set the pace
and leave Mercedes struggling to
keep up.
The standings may not tell the
full story, and luck has played a
part, but on paper Mercedes are
more dominant than ever while
Ferrari have fallen well short of
expectations.
“We’ve soon got to stop talk-
ing about Ferrari this, Ferrari
that, Ferrari amazing power...
because they are not delivering,”
said former grand prix driver and
Sky Sports commentator Martin
Brundle.
Mercedes, the team that have
won every championship for the
The only reason Mercedes
cannot claim a perfect start is
the introduction this season of
a point for the fastest race lap,
with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc
quickest in Bahrain and Red
Bull’s Pierre Gasly in Shanghai.
Otherwise, they have done
something that escaped even
Ferrari during the golden era
when they won six successive
constructors’ titles and Michael
Schumacher five championships
in a row between 2000-04.
The last team to start a sea-
son with three successive one-
twos was Williams, with Nigel
Mansell and Riccardo Patrese, in
1992.
And yet five times champion
Lewis Hamilton, teammate Valt-
teri Bottas and principal Toto
championship race.
“Considering it was a real
struggle this weekend, I’m really
grateful for the result, said Ham-
ilton, Sunday’s winner.
SOLID WEEKEND
The Briton was right to point out
it would have been a different
story if Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari
had not lost power while lead-
ing in Bahrain but ‘could have,
would have, should have’ never
won anything.
“I’m just not sure they’ve re-
ally hooked up a proper solid
weekend just yet,” said Ham-
ilton, now back in the overall
championship lead.
“It was looking like it was go-
ing to be a solid weekend for
them in Bahrain and then it
true potential but there’s still
more to come,” he added.
Ferrari were quicker down
the long main straight in China
but Mercedes, whose engine has
been the best of recent years,
gained through the corners.
China was seen as a track
where Ferrari would have the
upper hand but it was Mercedes
whose drivers lined up first and
second on the grid.
“Our car is maybe a bit drag-
gier than theirs,” said Wolff. “On
the speed and power we need to
leave no stone unturned but in
terms of managing the tyres, the
downforce levels helped obvi-
ously.”
The champions also got their
strategy spot on, double-stack-
ing their drivers brilliantly in
with Honda-powered Red Bull
challenging for podiums, but
Ferrari leave China with more
pressure on them.
Nico Rosberg, the retired
champion who won the 2016
title with Mercedes, agreed the
Italians had work to do.
“I’m hearing from the Ferrari
guys that they’ve got their car in
the wrong aerodynamic window
at the moment,” he said. “They
need to make changes internally
but it’s going to take time.
“They are only very good at
the ultra-high speed tracks at
the moment and as soon as there
are more corners, then they are
struggling. So they’re in the
wrong place at the moment with
the car.”
landscape and uncharted terrain”.
“After 30 years of discovering the beauty of Africa and a decade
of adventure exploring the spectacular landscape of South
America, a new chapter in the history of Dakar will be written
as the world’s biggest rally makes its Middle East debut in Saudi
Arabia,” ASO said in a statement.
The Dakar has been held in South America since 2009. The
gruelling multi-stage rally was previously held in Africa but was
relocated after terrorist threats in Mauritania in 2008.
Dakar director David Castera described the relocation to Saudi
Arabia as “a voyage into the unknown”.
“By going to Saudi Arabia, it is of course that aspect that fasci-
nates me,” Castera said. “I’m convinced that such a feeling will
be shared by all the riders, drivers and copilots. As the director
of the event, it’s a massive challenge to be faced with a blank
page with limitless possibilities.”
Castera said Saudi Arabia offered up “a monumental geography,
made for the most audacious itineraries”.
“We are spoilt for choice. Sports, navigation, a will to surpass
oneself: all these aspects will naturally be glorified on this terri-
tory made for rally-raids.”

RUGBY

Former Aussie captain Horwill to hang up boots

AFP led the franchise to its first profes-
sional title, beating the Crusaders
London
in the then-Super 15 final.
Horwill joined Harlequins in
Cup when Wayne Pivac steps into
the vacancy left by Warren Gat- Folau handed sack notice over comments
land. Israel Folau’s career was warranted termination of his
“I feel Wigan need a more ex- hanging by a thread yes- employment contract. He

F
ormer Australian rugby
captain James Horwill an-
nounced yesterday he is
to retire at the end of the
season.
The 62-time capped lock, who
turns 34 next month, could yet
bow out on a high note by skip-
pering his English Premiership
side Harlequins to the title.
Horwill – who led out Australia
16 times including during the 2011
World Cup campaign – said his
body had reached its limit after 13
years of top level rugby.
“I have given this great game
everything I have, and I feel I can
no longer give what is needed to
play at this elite level,” he said in a
club statement.
“Rugby has been a big part of
my life for many years; never in
my wildest dreams would I have
envisaged the incredible journey it
has taken me on.
“Winning the Super Rugby title
(2011) at the Queensland Reds and
being asked to captain my coun-
try are just some of the moments
I will look back and cherish for a
lifetime.”
Paul Gustard, Harlequins head
of rugby, hailed Horwill as a “war-
rior”.
“James is a true warrior of our
great game; the ultimate profes-
sional and someone you always
want on your side,” said Gustard.
“It’s been an honour and a
pleasure to work alongside him at
Harlequins.
“His resilience and character
have made him the role model he
is today and will continue to be
long after his retirement.”
Horwill made his professional
debut in 2006 for the Queensland
Reds and earned international
recognition in 2007, making his
Test debut against Fiji.
Despite his youth, Horwill was
handed the Reds captaincy in
2008 and the second-row forward
2015 and was named club captain
ahead of the 2017/18 season. His
final home appearance will be on
May 3 against Leicester although
he will hope his side make it to the
play-offs.
They are presently in the fourth
and final spot, three points better
off than Wasps with three matches
of the regular season remaining.
EDWARDS SPURNS WIGAN
ROLE TO STAY WITH WALES
Shaun Edwards said Monday he is
to stay on the Wales coaching staff
after the World Cup and not after
all take up the head coach post at
rugby league club Wigan.
The 52-year-old Englishman
had agreed a three-year contract
with the league club where he is
regarded as a playing legend hav-
ing won three world club chal-
lenges, eight titles and nine Chal-
lenge Cups in his time there.
However, Edwards said he be-
lieves Wigan require a more ex-
perienced head coach and will
remain with Wales after the World
perienced rugby league head
coach than myself, to give the
club and the people of Wigan
the best team possible,” said Ed-
wards, who has established him-
self as one of the finest defence
coaches at Test level of his gen-
eration.
“The Wigan deal I recently
received is very favourable to all
other offers I have had so far.
“For me, this is not about
money, this is about Wigan War-
riors getting the best man for the
job which, at the moment, I feel is
not me.”
Wigan are presently being
coached by another former play-
er in Adrian Lam, but he has only
a 12-month contract as it was ex-
pected Edwards would move in in
2020.
“For us now our next steps are
to confirm the coaching structure
for 2020 and beyond and draw a
line under the last few months
and give our loyal fans the clarity
they deserve,” said Wigan chair-
man Ian Lenagan.
terday as the star Wallabies
fullback was given 48 hours
to respond to a code of
conduct breach notice or be
sacked over anti-gay com-
ments. The deeply religious
30-year-old sparked uproar
last week for a social media
post saying “Hell awaits”
homosexuals, with national
team sponsor Qantas among
those complaining. He was
embroiled in a similar row
last year, but has stood by his
comments and said he was
prepared to choose his faith
over rugby. Rugby Australia
chief Raelene Castle moved
to sack him, saying he had
been repeatedly warned
about his social media use
but ignored the overtures
and refused to apologise at a
meeting on Friday. As such,
his actions were considered
“a high-level breach” of the
Professional Players’ Code
of Conduct which she said
has 48 hours to either accept
the sanction or have the
matter referred to a hearing.
Folau has indicated he plans
to fight to save his career.
“At its core, this is an issue
of the responsibilities an
employee owes to their em-
ployer and the commitments
they make to their employer
to abide by their employer’s
policies and procedures and
adhere to their employer’s
values,” said Castle. “Follow-
ing the events of last year,
Israel was warned formally and
repeatedly about the expecta-
tions of him as player for the
Wallabies and NSW Waratahs
with regards to social media
use and he has failed to meet
those obligations.
“It was made clear to him
that any social media posts
or commentary that is in any
way disrespectful to people
because of their sexuality will
result in disciplinary action.”
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, April 16, 2019 7

GOLF
ACCOLADES SPOTLIGHT

All hail Woods! Epic win a

family affair
Trump, Obama, for Woods
AFP Woods recalled her devo-
tion when his glory was only a

join Tiger frenzy

Augusta
dream.
“She’s driving me to the tour-

T
iger Woods finally naments when I’m 11 years old,
showed his children why the pee wee tournaments when
their father kept fight- I start at 7 a.m. and she’s un-
ing through pain trying folding the road map. She did all
to swing golf clubs, his victory that,” Woods said.

Aged 43, Woods became the second-oldest Masters Sunday at the Masters literally a
win for all ages.
Woods captured his 15th ma-
“She’s always there. She’s
always present in every round I
play.”

winner, trailing only Jack Nicklaus who was 46 in 1986 jor title, and first since the 2008
US Open, with a one-stroke vic-
tory at Augusta National for his
fifth Masters green jacket.
“It’s special to me, to my
friends and family,” Woods said.
“And I think everyone who was
here got a chance to witness
something that was amazing.”
It also was the first time
daughter Sam Alexis, 11, and
son Charlie, 10, have seen their
famous father win a major title
except in videos.
“For them to see what it’s
like to have their dad win a ma-
jor championship, I hope that’s
something they will never for-
get,” Woods said. “I hope they
are proud of their dad.”
The moment allowed Woods,
who famously hugged his late
father Earl off the 18th green at
Augusta after his first major win
in 1997, to re-enact the moment
Sunday but as the 43-year-old
father, hugging his kids.
“This has meant so much to
me and my family. It’s something
I’ll never ever forget,” Woods
Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates after said. “To have them there and
making his putt on the 18th green to win the Masters then now to have them see their
at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday. Pops win, just like my Pops saw
me win here, it’s pretty special.”
Earl Woods, who died in 2006
at age 74, taught Tiger how to
AFP is just fantastic!” golf and defied doctors to watch
Augusta Schauffele says loss to Tiger ‘like a dream’ Woods also set a record for
the longest gap between Mas-
his son at the 1997 Masters.
“My dad shouldn’t have come
Augusta: Xander Schauffele, about how I played, just be- ters triumphs, the 14 years since in ‘97. He had heart complica-
Woods battled chronic back
pain for years before undergoing
a last-chance spinal fusion sur-
gery in 2017 that enabled him to
return to peak golf form and be
able to play with his children.
“The kids are starting to un-
derstand how much golf means
to me and some of the things
I’ve done in the game,” Woods
said.
“Prior to comeback, they
only knew golf caused me a lot
of pain. If I tried to swing a club
I would be on the ground and
struggled for years and that’s
basically all they remember.
“Luckily I’ve had the pro-
cedure where that’s no longer
the case. We’re creating new
memories for them and it’s
just very special.”Woods said
his children’s love helped him
withstand the down times when
he feared even walking without
pain.
“It means the world to me,
their love and support,” Woods
said. “I just can’t say enough
about how much that meant to
me throughout my struggles
when I had a really hard time
moving around, just the infec-
tousness of their happiness. I
was going through a tough time
physically.
“I was very fortunate to be
given another chance to do
something I love to do, but more
importantly, I’ve been able to

P
resident Donald Trump
and Barack Obama were
among those hailing
Tiger Woods on social
media after his 11-year major
drought was ended by a thrilling
and emotional Masters victory on
Sunday.
“Congratulations to @Tiger-
Woods,” tweeted the US presi-
dent Trump, who played a round
of golf with Woods earlier this
year. “A truly Great Champion!”
“Congratulations, Tiger!”
former president Obama tweet-
ed. “To come back and win the
Masters after all the highs and
lows is a testament to excellence,
grit, and determination.”
As Woods went on a charge
on the back nine at Augusta Na-
tional with birdies at 13, 15 and
16 to win by a stroke and claim
his 15th major and fifth Masters,
social media lit up in a frenzy of
congratulations.
“I am literally in tears watching
@TigerWoods this is Greatness
like no other,” tweeted 23-time
Grand Slam tennis champion
Serena Williams.
“Knowing all you have been
through physically to come back
and do what you just did today?
Wow Congrats a mn times! I am
so inspired thank you buddy.”
Fellow golfers and former
greats of the game were also
quick to hail Woods’ achieve-
in only his second Masters, was
alone atop the leaderboard for
a brief moment during the late
stages of the final round on
Sunday but said falling short
to Tiger Woods in a major was
like a dream.
Schauffele, who was playing
two groups ahead of Woods,
ended up one shot back of the
five-times champion and when
asked about the experience at
Augusta National was anything
but bitter.
“Like a dream, honestly,” said
the 25-year-old Schauffele.
“It’s what I watched as a kid.
It’s what I watched growing up.
Just everything about it, and
for me to be a part of it and
give it a good run... it was an
incredible experience today.”
Schauffele, who began the day
five shots back of overnight
leader Francesco Molinari,
rolled in an eight-foot birdie
ment in returning to the summit
of the sport after multiple sur-
geries and a string of off-course
problems since his 14th major
win at the 2008 US Open.
Just two years ago his back pain
was so bad Woods thought he
might never play again, let alone
win another major.
“Very few people really
know what @TigerWoods has
putt at the par-four 14th hole
that put him into the lead for all
but a couple minutes.
But despite being in conten-
tion at the year’s first major,
the American was not at all
surprised by the small turnout
for his post-round news confer-
ence.
“Just what I witnessed, I know
it’s what everyone is going
to talk about; that’s why this
room’s barely full. I know
where everyone’s at,” said
Schauffele.
“It’s hard to really feel bad
been thru to get back to this
point,” tweeted four-time ma-
jor champion Rory McIlroy,
who finished in a tie for 21st
on Sunday.
“So cool seeing him with
Tida, Sam, Charlie, Erica and
the rest of the team behind 18
green. Couldn’t be happier for
him! What a great day for golf!”
added McIlroy after an emotional
cause I just witnessed history.
It was really cool coming down
the stretch, all the historic
holes, Amen Corner, 15, 16,
Tiger making the roars.”
Schauffele’s four-under-par 68
was one shot shy of the day’s
low round and earned him
his fourth top-10 result in his
eighth major championship
start.
While Schauffele failed to
secure his first major title, he
left Augusta National confident
he will be in the mix on the
hallowed layout again and per-
haps produce a result that will
command more attention.
“I did have my 30 seconds in
the sun with the lead and it
was a really cool feeling,” said
Schauffele. “And like I said, it
just proves to my team and I
that we can contend and that
we can win on this property.”
(Reuters)
Woods hugged his mother, chil-
dren and partner Erica Herman
after his winning putt.
Aged 43, Woods became the
second-oldest Masters winner,
trailing only Jack Nicklaus who
was 46 in 1986.
“A big ‘well done’ from me to @
TigerWoods!,” said Nicklaus on
social media. “I am so happy for
him and for the game of golf. This
his last win in 2005 eclipsing tions and wasn’t supposed to participate in my kids’ lives in a
the old mark set by South Af- fly,” Woods said. “But he flew way that I couldn’t for a number
rican Gary Player who won his and came. Gave me a putting of years.
second Augusta crown in 1961 lesson on Wednesday night and “For a while there I couldn’t
and his third in 1974. “For most the rest is history.” even walk. Now I’m able to play
an impossible task. But not for Woods also hugged his golf again and do it at an elite
you,” said South African legend mother Kultida, a 75-year-old level. I’m just very blessed to
Player on Twitter. “Congratu- Thai woman who nurtured and be able to have that opportu-
lations Tiger. So special for you toughened Tiger as a youth. nity again.” Woods has no doubt
and your family. So great for the “It’s amazing. It’s 22 years. where his most meaningful trip
game of golf. Simply unbelieva- Life goes on. There’s one con- with the green jacket will come
ble.” Other US Sports stars were tinuity. My mom was there,” — his son’s school class.
quick to join in on Twitter. “A Woods said. “I said, ‘We did it. I “I’m excited about show and
big BIG congratulations to @Ti- love you so much, mom.’” tell at school,” Woods said.
gerWoods for winning the Mas-
ters!!” NBA icon Magic Johnson
tweeted. “The roar of the Tiger
is back!”
“Congrats Tiger! What a per-
formance,” the New England Pa-
triots’ six-time Super Bowl-win-
ning quarterback Tom Brady said.
Woods finally found time to re-
spond to all his well-wishers late
on Sunday night.
“I can’t thank my family,
friends and fans enough for their
support. Having my family by my
side today is something I will nev-
er forget,” he posted on his Twit-
ter feed, @TigerWoods, along
with a picture of him wearing his
newest of five green jackets.
“To not only be able to play
again, but to be able to win again,
is something I will forever be
grateful for. Tiger Woods’ family, daughter Sam Alexis, son Charlie Axel, mother
“This jacket sure is comfort- Kultida Woods (L) and girlfriend Erica Herman, smile as he approach-
able.” es them after he won the 2019 Masters.

BOTTOMLINE

Nicklaus major record in play again for Woods

Reuters “Nobody wants their record to be neighbours in south Florida who often Joint Masters runner-up Brooks
Augusta broken, but I certainly wouldn’t want play with Woods, expressed a mixture Koepka expects Woods to challenge
Tiger to be hurt and not able to do it,” of excitement and trepidation. Nicklaus’s record.
Nicklaus told Golf Channel. “He’s got “It keeps 18 (majors) in play,” Fowler “I think 18 is a whole lot closer than

T
he Tiger Woods major watch,
stagnant for so long that it
had almost been abandoned,
is back on and Jack Nicklaus
might yet be proved correct.
As the years ticked by from 2008
and an injury-riddled Woods got
stuck for more than a decade on 14
major titles, four short of Nicklaus’s
record, the “Golden Bear” kept saying
he still thought his mark was in jeop-
ardy.
Such talk, while Woods battled a
potentially career-ending back injury,
was widely dismissed as little more
than politeness from someone who
could hardly say anything else.
But in winning the Masters at Au-
gusta on Sunday to end an 11-year
major drought, Woods crept within
three of catching Nicklaus.
me shaking in my boots!”
Though the odds are still against
43-year-old Woods, who is racing
against Father Time as well as a fused
spine that could cause more problems,
it is no longer inconceivable to imag-
ine him winning three or four majors.
The next two are at venues well
suited to his game and where he has
won — the PGA Championship at
Bethpage and the 2000 US Open at
Pebble Beach where he triumphed by
a massive 15 strokes.
Then it is the British Open, at Royal
Portrush in Northern Ireland, where
nobody in this year’s field has played
a tournament.
His peers think Sunday’s victory
could loosen the dam wall, if not com-
pletely open the floodgates.
Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas,
told a small group of reporters amid
what for Augusta National amounted
to frenzied scenes outside the club-
house as thousands of spectators con-
gregated hoping to catch a glimpse of
the new champion.
“I don’t doubt that this is going to
be his most special one yet. To get his
15th after a long wait, after a lot of
years away from competitive golf, be-
ing in a position where he wasn’t sure
he was going to play again, it’s cool
stuff.” Thomas acknowledged he had
needed to be convinced Woods could
win another major.
“I thought today was going to be big
in how he handled it,” said the 2017
Honorary starters and former Masters champions Gary Player of South Africa PGA Championship winner.
and Jack Nicklaus stand on the first tee during the First Tee ceremony to start the “He’s been there a lot, more than
first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11. Nicklaus is the anyone, but it had been a while since
record holder with 18 majors, a feat which Woods is expected to surpass. he had a chance to win here.”
people think,” he said.
More immediately, Woods can be-
come the most prolific winner in PGA
Tour history.
He now has 81 victories, one short
of Sam Snead, whose record could
be tied as soon as next month, when
Woods is likely to make his next ap-
pearance, at the Wells Fargo Champi-
onship in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Then it will be the PGA Champion-
ship from May 16-19, where the focus
will be back on the pursuit of Nick-
laus’s record.
Woods, however, preferred to savour
his fifth Green Jacket.
“I don’t know if he’s worried or
not,” Woods said when asked whether
Nicklaus should be concerned at being
caught.
“I’m just enjoying 15.”
 Tuesday, April 16, 2019
GULF TIMES
Al Shaqab’s Khattab wins in France
Trainer Thomas Fourcy (third from right) and connections pose with Al Shaqab Racing’s Khattab and jockey Jerome Cabre (second from right) after the victory in 2000m
Prix De Carthage – Hannibal (Group 2 PA) in Toulouse, France yesterday. Earlier in the evening, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani’s Al Hazm too emerged
victorious in the seven-furlong Prix Denouste with Olivier Peslier riding Didier Guillemin’s charge to the win. PICTURES: Robert Polin
MOTORCYCLING
Rins wins GP of
the Americas as
Marquez crashes
Marquez, who started on pole, had scored six consecutive victories in Texas
AFP
Austin, Texas
S
pain’s Alex Rins swept to victory
in the Grand Prix of the Ameri-
cas on Sunday, claiming his first
career MotoGP win after compa-
triot Marc Marquez crashed out of con-
tention.
Suzuki rider Rins held off a fero-
cious challenge from Italy’s Valentino
Rossi over the closing stages to take the
chequered flag at Austin’s Circuit of the
Americas in Texas.
Australia’s Jack Miller on a Ducati fin-
ished third.
Rins’ maiden win brought Honda rider
Marquez’s long reign of dominance in
Austin to an end.
Marquez, who started on pole, had
scored six consecutive victories in the
Texan city heading into this weekend’s
event, the third leg of the 2019 MotoGP
World Championship.
But his challenge ended when he
crashed on turn 12 of the ninth lap while
leading.
Rins meanwhile was left to celebrate
after becoming the first man to win in
Texas in all three categories. He won
the Moto3 race in Austin in 2013 and the
Moto2 event at the circuit in 2016.
“I am so happy I don’t have words to
describe how I feel. When I crossed the
finish line my emotions exploded,” the
23-year-old said afterwards.
“Suzuki has done a great job, and cre-
ated a wonderful motorbike. And to beat
Valentino, who was my idol when I was a
kid, is incredible for me,” he added.
Italy’s Andrea Dovizioso, who finished
TENNIS
Struff upsets birthday boy
Shapovalov in Monte Carlo
Reuters
Paris
C
anadian Denis Shapovalov en-
dured a birthday to forget as
he suffered a 5-7 6-3 6-1 de-
feat to unseeded German Jan-
Lennard Struff in the opening round of
Monte Carlo Masters on Monday.
Shapovalov, who turned 20, was com-
ing off a spectacular run to the Miami
Open semi-finals but struggled to redis-
cover his service rhythm as he finished
with 10 double faults in his first clay
court match of the season.
The 15th-seeded Shapovalov fought
hard to clinch the opening set but found
fourth on Sunday, moved to the top of
the overall standings with 54 points, fol-
lowed by Rossi (51), Rins (49) and Mar-
quez (45).
“I’m sorry I couldn’t get the win,”
Rossi said afterwards. “When I saw that
Marquez had fallen, I thought it was
possible. But in the end Rins was just too
good.
“It’s a shame because I have not won
in a long time but we will keep trying,”
added Rossi.
Earlier, Marquez had looked to be
surging towards a seventh straight win in
Austin after rapidly opening up a decent
gap from his pursuers.
But with Marquez three seconds clear
after completing eight laps, disaster
struck when he fell, leaving Rossi in the
lead.
Rins meanwhile gradually closed on
Rossi and overtook the Italian with four
laps to go.
That set the stage for a thrilling duel
over the closing stages, before Rins held
on to cross first.
Earlier, Switzerland’s Thomas Luthi
of the Kalex team won the Moto2 race,
finishing ahead of Germany’s Marcel
Schrotter in second and Spain’s Jorge
Navarro in third.
In the Moto3 event, Aron Canet took
the line honours after taking advantage
of a late crash from Japan’s Tatsuki Su-
zuki.
Suzuki had looked poised to claim first
but crashed with five laps to go to allow
KTM rider Canet to take the honours.
Canet completed the 17-lap race in
39min 6.761sec, with compatriot Jaume
Masia finishing second and Italy’s And-
rea Migno third.
himself immediately on the back foot
when Struff claimed an early break point
in the second set.
Struff converted two more break point
opportunities to seal the second set be-
fore a Shapovalov double fault allowed
the German to tighten his grip on the
match with an early 2-0 lead in the de-
cider.
Struff, who won 72% of first-serve
points, completed the turnaround in just
under two hours.
British number one Kyle Edmund let
an early lead slip and won only one of the
final 13 games in a 4-6 6-3 6-1 defeat by
Argentine Diego Schwartzman.
Earlier, Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut
File photo of Alex Rins
recovered from a set down to beat John
Millman 3-6 6-1 6-1 and set up a sec-
ond-round meeting with compatriot and
11-time winner Rafael Nadal.
World number two Nadal will be play-
ing his first match on Wednesday since
injuring his knee at Indian Wells last
month.
If the 32-year-old lifts the trophy again
on Sunday, he will be the first player to
win an ATP Tour event on 12 occasions.
“It’s the start of the important clay
season for me,” Nadal told a news confer-
ence.
“I hope to be healthy and I hope to be
ready to compete well. This tournament
is important for me, and I hope to be
competitive from the beginning.”
Nadal expects intense competition
for clay court honours this season, with
Djokovic, top seed in Monte Carlo, aim-
ing to gather momentum on his way to
a personal sweep at the French Open by
lifting his fourth straight Grand Slam ti-
tle.
Last year’s runner-up in Paris Domin-
ic Thiem is high on confidence after win-
ning the title in Indian Wells last month,
and while Federer is not part of the Mon-
te Carlo field, he is scheduled for a clay-
court comeback at Madrid next month.
“We can’t predict the future. I hope
to be one of them, but you never know,”
Nadal added.
LOCAL SPORT
Third edition
of roller-skating
event concludes
By Sports Reporter
Doha
T
he third edition of the
Roller Skating Cham-
pionship, organised by
Gery’s Sports, conclud-
ed successfully with participa-
tion of as many as 120 players at
Aspire Zone recently.
Gery’s Sports chairperson
Iman Amna al-Mashiri gave
away the trophies medals and
certificates to the winners.
The tournament saw com-
petition across several catego-
ries. Following the prize-giving
ceremony, al-Mushairi thanked
the sponsors who supported the
third edition of the competition.
Aspire Zone hosted the tourna-
ment for the second year in a
row, after the first edition was
held at the Al Ahli Sports Club.
The third edition saw major
Qatari participation alongside
the countries of America, Egypt,
SPOTLIGHT
‘Emotional’ Nadal
inspired by Woods’
Masters triumph
AFP
Monte Carlo
A
n “emotional” Rafael
Nadal yesterday said
he watched spellbound
as Tiger Woods rolled
back the clock to win a fifth
Masters title and cap his come-
back from back surgery.
Spain’s world number two, a
keen golfer himself, expressed
nothing but admiration for
Woods, who has fought through
at least as many physical chal-
lenges as he has himself.
“It was amazing,” Nadal said
as he prepared for his Wednes-
day start at the Monte Carlo
Masters, his first event in a
month since withdrawing with
knee issues at Indian Wells be-
fore a semi-final against Roger
Federer.
“I’m a big fan of him. Like I’ve
said hundreds of times, that he’s
probably my favourite sports-
man in the world since a long
time ago.”
Nadal could not help but
compare his own years of fitness
problems to those of Woods,
who has faced multiple back
surgeries and other roadblocks
when it looked like his career
might be close to ending.
“There have been tough years
for him,” 17-time Grand Slam
winner Nadal said. “I cannot
be happier about the victory of
yesterday.
“If you imagine all the process
and all the hard work that he had
to do to be back on a golf course
— all the things that he did...
File photo of Rafael Nadal.
SPORT
Sudan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Brit-
ain, India, the Philippines, Sri
Lanka and Ethiopia.
She praised the competition
this year, stressing that the goal
is to spread the game in Qatar,
especially as Gery’s Sports hopes
to create a large base of players,
and eventually form a team that
participates in foreign competi-
tions.
She said: “The tournament
held at Aspire Dome was marked
by quality participation, with
lots of fans of roller-skating in
Doha, and saw some amazing ef-
forts by the participants, much
to the delight of the public and
the jury.”
She said that she is proud to
organise the third edition of the
competition that had 44 girls
and 76 boys in pursuit of victo-
ries. The edition was held with
the support of The One Minute
Photography and Solutions, De-
cathlon, McDonald’s and Spring
Aqua.
“And, finally, to win a Grand
Slam again, especially in Au-
gusta, probably his favourite
one, means everything for him.
“I really know a little bit how
hard he worked to be back. I was
very emotional yesterday.”
Woods claimed a one-shot
victory at Augusta on Sunday to
win his 15th major title, but first
since 2008.
Nadal, a 17-time Grand Slam
champion, attended Woods’
Hero World Challenge event in
the Bahamas in 2017, while the
golfing great has watched Nadal
play at the US Open on multiple
occasions.
Nadal seemed particularly
struck by the fact that Woods
celebrated his victory with his
family on the 18th green.
“The celebration of yesterday
when he was walking with the
family, was one of the moments
that I won’t forget.”
The 11-time Monte Carlo
champion added that his own
drive to succeed on court has
not diminished despite his his-
tory of injuries.
“I never needed an inspira-
tion. I’ve always been able to
come back, it’s nothing new for
me.
“I’ve been in comeback situ-
ations many times; I’ve always
done well.
“One day it won’t be the
same, but what happened dur-
ing the last year for Tiger is an
inspiration for everyone.
“He’s a good example of pas-
sion for sport... discipline, in
terms of hard work... and love
for the game.”