THE PENINSULA

JAKARTA: Qatar progressed to the semi-finals of the AFC U-19 Championship yesterday following a 7-3 extra-time win over Thailand that also saw them book a spot at next year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup.

A Brilliant double from Abdulrasheed Umaru (99,117) and goals from Hashim Ali (13), Nasser Al Yazidi (21), Ahmed Suhail (87), Khaled Mansour (106) and Youssef Ayman (120) rounded up Al Annabi’s total against their strong East Asian counterparts.

Head coach Bruno Pinheiro’s charges, AFC U-19 champions in 2014, were made to dig deep by their Southeast Asian opponents as a quartet of late goals saw them advance to the last four where they will meet the winners of today’s quarter-final tie between South Korea and Tajikistan.

“We are of course very proud to be going to the FIFA U-20 World Cup. All of Qatar will be proud of the players. We now have three days to recover both physical and mentally before our semi-final. Our target now is, of course to reach the final, because when you are in the last four, that is all you want to do – win the game and be in the final,” the jubilant Qatar

head coach said after yesterday’s win.The late drama rounded off

a classic evening of football, one which had swung one way and then the other before Qatar struck to seal a sensational victory and leave Thailand to rue what could have been.

After a cautious opening to proceedings at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, it was Qatar who struck first, Ali making the most of Anuson Jaiphet’s

wayward defensive pass to curl a sublime shot beyond Thailand g o a l k e e p e r N o p p h o n Lakhonphon in the 13th minute.

With Thailand already on the backfoot, the West Asians wasted little time in doubling their advantage, this time Al Yazidi – starting his first game of the com-petition – scoring with aplomb following Umaru’s excellent run eight minutes later.

Qatar continued to press as

first Al Yazidi fired narrowly over the bar from an angle and then Khaled Saleh forced Nopphon into a fine sprawling save shortly after the half-hour mark.

In the final minutes of what had been an excellent first period for the Qataris, Saleh went close again with a driven effort from distance, before Thailand spurned their first genuine chance of the game, Salah Zakaria diving at the feet of

Korawich Tasa when the striker was clean through on goal. Thailand refused to buckle after the break, and they reduced the deficit within three minutes of the restart as Tasa raced onto Kittipong Sansanit’s astute pass and planted a firm shot past Zakaria.

For a moment, Qatar – pos-sibly remembering their second half struggles against Indonesia – were rocked, and Korawich

almost restored parity on 56 minutes only to see his delicate lob over Zakaria land inches wide of the far post.

Sensing a way back into the game was there for the taking, Thailand dramatically drew level on 61 minutes as Ahmed Al Min-hali’s clearance fell to Sakunchai Saengthopho who brilliantly found the top corner from 20 yards.

Thirapak Prueangna then lashed home Ekanit Panya’s delivery to put Thailand ahead with only 10 minutes remaining, before Suhail found the net with a sublime free-kick to throw Qatar a lifeline and send the game to extra-time.

With both sides under-standably tired, Qatar duly regained the advantage on 99 minutes, Umaru sliding the ball past Nopphon after being found by Mohammed Waad Abdul-wahhab to register his sixth goal of the campaign.

Khaled Mansour then struck within the opening seconds of the second period of extra-time, Umaru added a sixth and Youssef Ayman bagged another in the final seconds to eventually seal Qatar’s victory and edge his side closer to continental glory and guarantee themselves a fourth appearance at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

SPORTMonday 29 October 2018

PAGE | 28 PAGE | 29Vinales ends

Yamaha’s winless streak

Super Federerwins 99th career title

Squash: Qatar to host next year’s World ChampionshipsARMSTRONG VAS THE PENINSULA

DOHA: Qatar will host the 2019-20 Men’s World Squash Champion-ships, the Professional Squash Asso-ciation (PSA) announced here yesterday

The 40th edition of the iconic championships, the most pres-tigious and lucrative tournament of the PSA Tour Calendar, will take place between October 31 - November 8, 2019 at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex and will make a return to Qatar for the fifth time.

In all, 64 players including the 56 highest ranked players and 8 wild card entrants will compete for the share of the $325,000 total cash prize up for grabs at the tournament.

Qatar had previously hosted the sport’s pinnacle tournament in 1998, 2004, 2012 and 2014, with the 2014 final between Egyptian duo Ramy Ashour and Mohamed El Shorbagy going down in history as one of the sport’s greatest ever matches.

“We are delighted to announce that the 2019/20 PSA Men’s World Championships will take place in Qatar next season and are looking forward to seeing the world’s greatest players return to the country for what promises to be an exciting week of action,” said PSA Chief Executive Alex Gough.

“Qatar is a major destination on the international squash scene and has hosted some incredible tour-naments and matches down the years. There is also a promising crop of young Qatari players starting to make their mark on the PSA Tour, including Abdullah Al Tamimi, who is on the verge of making the world’s top 20.”

“The Qatar Squash Federation has taken the tournament to another level in terms of the pres-entation and production values of the event in recent years and we are looking forward to working with them over the coming months,” he added.

Meanwhile, India’s Sourav Ghoshal, who is taking part in the ongoing Qatar Classic 2018 was happy that Qatar will host another world championship.

“It’s great news. Qatar Classic is a very good example of how to hold platinum-level (PSA World Tour Platinum) events. They have done a fantastic job in the past and I think they have the capacity to do organise big events and I am sure they will do even better next November,” Ghosal said

while talking to reporters yesterday.“I have played here (Qatar) in a

World Championship in the past and have enjoyed the hospitality and the organisation has been of the top order,” he added.

Qatar Squash Federation (QSF) Secretary-General Tariq Zainal said: “Hosting the PSA Men’s World Championships for the fifth time is another proof of Qatar’s com-mitment to the development of our sport. Over the years, Qatar has grown to be a global destination for top sporting events of which squash occupies a major place in the top hierarchy. We are happy and pre-pared to host once again a memo-rable event that promises to be the best ever.

“I’m sure all the players and participants are looking forward to

the wonderful hospitality and superb organization of which Qatar is reputed for. We believe the cham-pionships will be another oppor-tunity for squash fans, especially in the region, to enjoy watching their beloved players compete at the topmost level of the game. It will also provide an opportunity for upcoming stars to gain valuable experience which a tournament of such nature provides. We are delighted to host this tournament and we look forward to welcoming the world in 2019.” Tareq added.

The 2019/20 PSA Men’s World Championships will replace the Qatar Classic, PSA World Tour Platinum event on the PSA Tour cal-endar next season. The Qatar Classic will return to the calendar for the 2020/21 campaign.

Qatar players and officials celebrate after winning their AFC U-19 Championship quarter-final match against Thailand yesterday.

Qatar strike late to seal U-20 WC spotBeat Thailand 7-3 in extra-time to advance to the semis

Qatar Squash Federation (QSF) Secretary-General Tariq Zainal (left) shaking hands with the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Chief Executive Alex Gough during a press conference held in Doha yesterday. PIC: IBRAHIM KUTTY

Qatari judoka Nasser Mohammed Al Attiyah celebrates after winning the gold medal during the World Championship of Martial Arts held in England. In the heavyweight class of Tang Soo-do, Al Attiyah, who was also the only participant from the Gulf, defeated Australia’s Ryan Stevens to win the gold.

Qatar's Al Attiyah wins gold at Martial Arts Worlds

El Shorbagy advancesTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Defending champion Mohamed El Shorbagy of Egypt dropped a game to Hong Kong’s Tsz Fung Yip but recovered in quick time to make it to the next round of the 2018 Qatar Classic in Doha yesterday.

The World No.1 took 34 minutes to win 11-3, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9. Also advancing to the next round were Borja Golan, Paul Coll, Mazen Hesham, Diego Elias, Adrian Waller, Tom Richards and Simon Rosner. YESTERDAY’SRESULTS

Borja Golan (Esp) bt Greg Lobban (Sco) 3-0 (13-11, 11-8, 12-10) [7] Paul Coll (Nzl) bt Cesar Salazar (Mex) 3-1 (13-15, 11-7, 11-6, 11-4) Mazen Hesham (Egy) bt Daryl Selby (Eng) 3-1 (3-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-3) [8] Diego Elias (Per) 3-1 Raphael Kandra (Ger) 3-1 (10-12, 11-4, 11-3, 11-5) Adrian Waller (Eng) bt Omar Mosaad (Egy) 3-0 (11-0, 11-2, 11-5) [1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) bt Tsz Fung Yip (Hkg) 3-1 (11-3, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9) Tom Richards (Eng) bt Ryan Cuskelly (Aus) 3-1 (5-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7) [4] Simon Rosner (Ger) bt George Parker (Eng) 3-0 (11-3, 11-3, 11-5)

AFP

DUBAI: Pakistan downed Australia by 33 runs in the third and final Twenty20 inter-national in Dubai to register a 3-0 whitewash yesterday.

Pakistan made 150-5 in their 20 overs with Babar Azam (50), Sahibzada Farhan (39) and Mohammad Hafeez (32 not out) their main run scorers.

Mitchell Marsh finished with 2-6.In reply Australia were bowled out for

117 in 19.1 overs, with Ben McDermott and Mitchell Marsh scoring 21 each. Spinner Shadab Khan took 3-19.

Pakistan won the first match by 66 runs in Abu Dhabi followed by 11 run victory in the second in Dubai.

Brief Scores: Pakistan: 150/5 (Babar Azam 50,

Sahibzada Farhan 39, Mohammad Hafeez 32 not out, Shoaib Malik 18; NM Lyon 1 for 33, AJ Tye 1 for 30, A Zampa 1 for 25, MR Marsh 2 for 6)

Australia: 117 all out in 19.1 overs (AT Carey 20, BR McDermott 21, MR Marsh 21; Faheem Ashraf 1 for 8, Mohammad Hafeez 1 for 16, Hasan Ali 2 for 14, Shadab Khan 3 for 19, Usman Khan 1 for 22)

AFP

SHANGHAI: Xander Schauffele bagged the biggest victory of his young career yesterday, chasing down Tony Finau to win a nail-biting WGC-HSBC Champions in a play-off.

Schauffele, the 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year who celebrated his 25th birthday on opening-round Thursday, started the final round three strokes behind fellow American Finau at a windy Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai.

Schauffele had some early wobbles but closed strong, including crucial birdies on the final two holes to record the lowest score of the day -- a four-under 68 -- catching Finau

to force the play-off.Replaying the par-five 18th in sudden-death,

Finau handed Schauffele the advantage when his tee shot leaked into a fairway bunker.

Schauffele reached the green in two, and Finau faced a do-or-die birdie putt from the fringe of

the green, which just missed.Schauffele’s win comes

with a $1.8m victor’s purse and

moves him a top the standings in the young FedEx Cup 2018-2019 season.

28 MONDAY 29 OCTOBER 2018SPORT

AFP

PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA: Maverick Vinales powered to a dominant victory at the Australian MotoGP yesterday as newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez was dramatically forced out after a frightening high-speed collision.

The Spanish rider, who started second and took the lead after Marquez retired, scored his first win of the year to break Yamaha’s 25-race win drought, taking the chequered flag ahead of Andrea Iannone on a Suzuki.

Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso was third, strengthening his bid to finish runner-up in the world cham-

pionship as his nearest rival, Val-entino Rossi, could only manage sixth.

“It feels amazing,” said Vinales. “I didn’t think I could win, but the bike was perfect. It means a lot to me, particu-larly in Australia because it’s

a place I love to be.”“This track suits me really

well and maybe that’s why I could give a little bit more.

“The season has been difficult, I needed that win, Yamaha need that win to give us the motivation to start again next year,” he added.

While he celebrated, there

was disappointment for Honda hotshot Marquez, who sealed his fifth world title in motorcycling’s premier class in Japan a week ago.

While he won at Phillip Island in 2015 and 2017, he also has the bizarre record now of failing to finish on three occasions after clinching the world title in Japan (2014, 2016 and 2018).

He was lucky to escape injury after Yamaha’s Johann Zarco shunted him on lap six as they were screaming down the track at 250 kph.

The Frenchman skidded off through the gravel, but gave a thumbs up to show he was unhurt.

Marquez managed to stay on his bike but his back seat was mangled and his suspension appeared damaged, forcing him to call it a day.

It was his first non-finish of the season, having won the last three races, but he refused to blame Zarco.

“I feel very lucky. I will not com-plain because it was a racing incident,” he said in the pits.

“The most important thing is that we are both okay. Luckily I won the championship last week, but unfortunately another non-finish for me at Phillip Island.”

Marquez started from pole, and in dry conditions on the demanding

and picturesque circuit he was super-aggressive from the word go.

Dovizioso, who was fourth on the grid, quickly stormed into second behind the Spaniard, with hometown hero Jack Miller third.

But then it all went pear-shaped for Marquez, leaving the race wide open.

Vinales took full advantage and began clocking fastest laps, bursting away from the pack, which was left in a dog fight for the minor podium places.

Iannone had set the pace during the practice sessions and Marquez had tipped him to win, but the Italian was content to just get on the podium in his best result of the year.

“I thought we had the potential to win the race, but when I made a mistake on corner four, I lost four or five positions,” he said.

“I started to recover but I felt the tyres were beginning to go a bit.”

In other racing, Spain’s Albert Arenas won an exciting and fierce Moto3 battle on a KTM bike that saw a spate of ugly crashes and several riders taken to the medical centre for check-ups.

Another KTM rider, South Africa’s Brad Binder, took out the Moto2 crown for his third win of the year.

Vinales ends Yamaha’s winless streak

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Spanish rider Maverick Vinales celebrates on the podium after winning the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island yesterday.

Red Sox stun Dodgers and reach brink of World SeriesAFP

LOS ANGELES: The Boston Red Sox, fueled by homers from Steve Pearce and Mitch Moreland, erased a four-run deficit to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-6 and move to the brink of a ninth World Series crown.

Moreland smashed a three-run pinch-hit homer in the seventh inning and first baseman Pearce belted a game-tying solo shot in the eighth and a three-run double in the ninth as Boston seized a 3-1 lead in Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven championship final.

The Red Sox, who boast an imposing 6-1 road record this post-season, can wrap up a ninth World Series title, and a first since 2013, with a victory in game five at Dodger Stadium.

After outlasting Boston 3-2 in an 18-inning game three marathon on Friday, the Dodgers looked poised to build on that victory when Yasiel Puig clubbed a three-run home run off Red Sox starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez to cap a four-run sixth inning for Los Angeles.

Rodriguez, who made a brief appearance out of the bullpen in game three and became the first pitcher since 1924 to start a World Series game on zero days’ rest, was up to the task through five innings.

But he hit David Freese to lead off the sixth before Justin Turner smacked a one-out double just inside the third base line. Pinch runner Enrique Hernandez reached third and the Red Sox intentionally walked Manny Machado to load the bases with one out.

Cody Bellinger hit a ground ball to Pearce and the throw home caught Machado at the plate. But catcher Christian Vazquez’s throw back to first for an attempted double play was

off target, allowing Turner to score the game’s first run.

That brought up Puig, who raised his arms as he rounded the bases while Rodriguez, who had scattered just two hits over five scoreless innings, threw his glove on the ground in disgust as the ball sailed into the left field bleachers.

The cushion was all but gone an inning later thanks to Moreland’s 437-foot pinch-hit blast off Dodgers relief pitcher Ryan Madson.

Madson was the third pitcher of the inning, brought in after Dodgers starter Rich Hill walked Xander Bogaerts and struck out Eduardo Nunez and reliever Scott Alexander walked Brock Holt.

Moreland drilled the first pitch he saw from Madson over the wall in right field.

With the lead down to one, Roberts turned to Kenley Jansen to pitch the eighth and the Dodgers closer gave up a game-tying solo homer to Pearce, the second batter he faced.

The Dodgers threatened in the bottom of the eighth but pinch hitter Yasmani Grandal struck out to end the inning stranding runners on first and third.

Boston took the lead for the first time in the ninth inning, when Rafael Devers’ singled in the go-ahead run off reliever Dylan Floro.

Pearce added a three-run double and scored on Bogaerts’ single to stretch the lead to 9-4 as the Red Sox battered the Dodgers bullpen.

Dodgers pinch hitter Enrique Hernandez raised hopes of an improbable comeback with a two-run homer in the ninth, but Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel held on for the final three outs.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland hits a home run against the

Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the 2018 World Series at Dodger

Stadium in Los Angeles, USA on Saturday.

Schauffele wins in windy Shanghai

Xander Schauffele

Warner walks off after being ‘sledged by Phil Hughes’ brother’AFP

SYDNEY: David Warner’s decision to walk off mid-innings in a Sydney grade game was sparked by comments from the brother of his former Test teammate Phillip Hughes, who died in 2014 after being hit by a ball, reports said yesterday.

The former Australia vice-captain, who is serving a 12-month ban from international and state cricket for his role in a ball-tampering scandal, was batting for his club Randwick-Petersham at the time on Saturday.

He left the field but returned shortly afterwards following the inter-vention of teammates, and went on to score a majestic 157.

Cricket Australia’s website said the fielder involved was Jason Hughes -- the brother of Warner’s former Test teammate Phillip, whose tragic death rocked the sporting world.

It claimed that what started as goading from Hughes soon turned personal and Warner -- who has a fierce on-field reputation -- decided to leave before it escalated.

Sydney’s Daily Telegraph alleged that Hughes called Warner “a dis-grace” and “weak”.

Neither Hughes nor Warner has made any comment.Warner was fielding on November 25, 2014, when Phillip Hughes

was struck by a bouncer bowled by Sean Abbott during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Hughes, 25, later died from bleeding on the brain, sparking an out-pouring of grief. At the inquest, Warner said Hughes had been one of his “closest mates” and he missed him every day.

Pakistan complete 3-0 whitewash against Aussies

Pakistani players celebrate after the dismissal of Australian cricketer Chris Lynn during their third and final Twenty20 international in Dubai yesterday.

29MONDAY 29 OCTOBER 2018 SPORT

This is a very special

moment for me in my

career and it will give

me plenty of

confidence for the

season coming ahead.

I am really pleased.

Ukraine’s young

tennis star Elina

Svitolina

Svitolina beats Stephens to lift WTA Finals trophy in three-set thrillerREUTERS

SINGAPORE: Elina Svitolina stretched every sinew in a bril-liant display of defensive tennis to register the biggest win of her career when she rallied for a 3-6 6-2 6-2 triumph over Sloane Stephens in an enthralling WTA Finals title decider yesterday.

Ukrainian Svitolina had arrived in Singapore woefully out of form, but the baseliner gathered momentum as the tour-nament progressed, winning all three pool matches and semi-final before subduing a fast-starting Stephens.

“This is a very special moment for me in my career and it will give me plenty of confi-dence for the season coming ahead, I am really pleased with my performance,” Svitolina said as she received the Billie Jean King trophy.

Stephens, who looks decep-tively casual but possesses supreme speed and athleticism,

settled the quicker against a nervous-looking Svitolina, breaking at the first opportunity to lay down an early marker.

After a lacklustre start, however, Svitolina began warming to her task and found some range and depth to fashion two break-back points but Stephens’ forehand was dialled in and she moved 3-0 ahead when the Ukrainian’s backhand faltered.

Svitolina finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth game, able to placate the Stephens forehand with some brilliant defence, but the American con-tinued to pound away at the corners to maintain her break advantage.

Counter-puncher Svitolina continued to plug away, holding another tight service game to stay alive in the opener, but Stephens sealed the set when her opponent could only find the net with a backhand from deep behind the baseline.

There was very little to choose between the players as the match proceeded and it was Svitolina’s turn to make the initial breakthrough in the second set when she capitalised on untidy play from Stephens to edge a break ahead.

The Ukrainian was pumping her fist enthusiastically after every winning point as her opponent suddenly appeared lethargic, her energetic play rewarded with a third break of the set to send the contest into a decider.

The world number seven was dictating terms as a leaden-footed Stephens struggled to match Svitolina’s relentless pace and once the Ukrainian moved 3-0 ahead after edging two epic games, the American could sense her chances were slipping away.

Stephens made one final effort to fight her way back into the match, but Svitolina kept the points long to force her opponent into unforced errors as she

sought winners and wrapped up a memorable victory when Stephens skewed a backhand wide.

“I am super happy that I was able to finish off the season the

way I did. Obviously, it was not the result I wanted but I worked really hard to get here, am proud of my play and really pleased with what I did this week,” Stephens said.

Svitolina’s triumph was her 13th victory in 15 finals and should fill her full of confidence as she looks to make a Grand Slam breakthrough in the new season next year.

WTA Finals winners since 2003SINGAPORE: List of WTA Finals winners since 2003, when the tournament was changed to its current format of eight singles players divided into two round robin groups:

2003 Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat Amelie Mauresmo (France) 6-2 6-02004 M Sharapova (Russia) beat Serena Williams (US) 4-6 6-2 6-42005 Mauresmo (France) beat Mary Pierce (France) 5-7 7-6(3) 6-42006 Justine Henin (Belgium) beat Mauresmo (France) 6-4 6-32007 Henin (Belgium) beat Sharapova (Russia) 5-7 7-5 6-32008 V Williams (US) beat Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 6-7(5) 6-0 6-22009 Serena Williams (US) beat Venus Williams (US) 6-2 7-6(4)2010 Clijsters (Belgium) beat C Wozniacki (Denmark) 6-3 5-7 6-32011 P Kvitova (CR) beat V Azarenka (Belarus) 7-5 4-6 6-32012 Serena Williams (US) beat Sharapova (Russia) 6-4 6-32013 Serena Williams (US) beat Li Na (China) 2-6 6-3 6-02014 Serena Williams (US) beat Simona Halep (Romania) 6-3 6-02015 A Radwanska (Poland) beat Kvitova (CR) 6-2 4-6 6-32016 D Cibulkova (Slovakia) beat A Kerber (Germany) 6-3 6-42017 Wozniacki (Denmark) beat Venus Williams (US) 6-4 6-42018 Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) beat Sloane Stephens (US) 3-6 6-2 6-2

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina holds up the winner’s trophy after defeating Sloane Stephens of the US in their singles final match at the WTA Finals in Singapore yesterday.

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina hits a return against Sloane Stephens of the US at the WTA Finals in Singapore.

South Africa’s Kevin Anderson serves the

ball to Kei Nishikori of Japan during

their final match at the Open ATP

Tennis Tournament in Vienna, Austria,

yesterday.

Anderson wins title as Nishikori suffers 9th straight final defeatVIENNA: Kevin Anderson won his second title of the season at the Erste Bank Open yesterday, sealing his place at next month’s ATP finals.

The eighth-ranked Anderson defeated Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-6 (3), handing his opponent his ninth straight defeat in a final.

Anderson, who also won in New York in February, earned a fifth career title but first at a higher-level ATP 500 event. He became the sixth player to qualify for the eight-man, season-ending event in London. A winner of 11 events, Nishikori hasn’t triumphed since winning in Memphis in February 2016.

Roger Federer’s title wins since 20142018: 4 TITLES Stuttgart (Outdoor/Grass), Rotterdam (Indoor/Hard), Australian Open (Outdoor/Hard), Basel (Indoor/Hard)2017: 7 TITLES Basel (Indoor/Hard), ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai (Outdoor/Hard), Wimbledon (Outdoor/Grass), Halle (Outdoor/Grass), ATP

World Tour Masters 1000 Miami, (Outdoor/Hard), ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells (Outdoor/Hard), Australian Open (Outdoor/Hard)2015: 6 TITLES Basel (Indoor/Hard), ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (Outdoor/Hard), Halle (Outdoor/Grass), Istanbul (Outdoor/Clay), Dubai (Outdoor/

Hard), Brisbane (Outdoor/Hard)2014: 5 TITLES Basel (Indoor/Hard), ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai (Outdoor/Hard), ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (Outdoor/Hard),

Halle (Outdoor/Grass), Dubai (Outdoor/Hard)

Switzerland’s Roger Federer celebrates winning the final against Romania’s Marius Copil at the

Basel Open in Basel, Switzerland, yesterday. Federer won 7-6, 6-4 to bag his 99th career title.

Federer wins 99th title BASEL: Roger Federer won his 99th career ATP Tour title yesterday, beating qualifier Marius Copil 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the Swiss Indoors final.

A ninth title at Federer’s hometown event in Basel, where he was once a ball boy, matched the nine he won at the Halle grass-court event in Germany.

Federer rallied from trailing by a service break in each set against the 93rd-ranked Romanian, whose serve was measured at 243 kph (151 mph) in his opening service game.

The top-seeded Swiss clinched when Copil sent a backhand into the net.

Federer’s title was his first in more than four months since winning on grass at Stuttgart in June.

He closed the gap on the all-time singles titles list to Jimmy Connors, who leads with 109.

30 MONDAY 29 OCTOBER 2018SPORT

Barcelona’s Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates his goal during the La Liga match against Real Madrid at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona yesterday.

Suarez smashes a hat-trick as Barca blow away Real MadridAFP

BARCELONA: Football giants Barcelona ran riot in the Clasico yesterday as Luis Suarez scored the hat-trick that will surely spell the end of Julen Lopetegui’s spell as Real Madrid coach.

Barcelona were 5-1 winners at the Camp Nou, dominant for all-but a 15-minute spell after half-time when the otherwise hapless Madrid briefly threatened a comeback.

All the failures that have underlined their recent problems under Lopetegui were on show here, poor finishing, dreadful defending and key players per-forming well below par, let alone their best.

Philippe Coutinho scored the first and Arturo Vidal the last but in between the game belonged to Suarez, who terrorised Madrid from start to finish and made light of Lionel Messi’s injury-enforced absence.

For Lopetegui, it is now one win in six games, as Madrid fall seven points behind Barcelona, who return to the top of the

table. This defeat was reminiscent of the 4-0 thrashing that spelt the end of Rafael Benitez’s time in charge two years ago but while Benitez survived two more months, Lopetegui may not last the week.

Much was made of this being the first Clasico without either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in 11 years but Suarez’s master-class will mean this contest lives long in the memory.

Madrid looked dazed in possession and dizzy out of it as Barca repeatedly opened them up down the left early on.

Sergio Busquets was allowed time to wait for Jordi Alba’s zooming run past both Gareth Bale and Nacho, with the full-back’s touch on the run perfectly pushed into the area.

Suarez rushed past but Coutinho held his ground by the penalty spot, where Alba found him with the cut-back. It was the move’s 30th pass, the most for a goal in a La Liga Clasico in 13 seasons.

On the touchline, Lopetegui stood motionless. Varane clapped but his team-mates looked shell-shocked. Sergio

Ramos thrashed a pass across his own box to Nacho, who hacked it to the feet of Arthur, his shot parried away by Courtois.

Still, Barca needed the help of VAR for the second. Suarez was too quick to the ball at the near post and Varane bundled him over.

It was a clear penalty, which Suarez converted for his seventh goal in 11 games against these opponents. His eighth and ninth were still to come.

Gerard Pique should have headed in while a promising Madrid free-kick somehow ended with another Barca sprawl on the counter-attack. The visitors were fortunate to be only two down at half-time but the game was a mirror image after the restart.

Varane had gone off, with a muscle problem the club said, for Lucas Vazquez, with Nacho moving to centre-back. Vazquez was key to Madrid’s goal, his dis-guised pass allowing Isco to pick out Marcelo, who finished for his third in three games.

Suddenly, it was Barca making the

mistakes. Sergio Ramos headed over, Luka Modric hit the inside of the post and Isco’s finish was blocked after Rafinha ran into trouble.

Madrid were less transformed at the back, where Suarez acrobatically volleyed onto the post before Alba fired just wide. As Madrid’s momentum faded, Suarez landed the knock-out blow.

Sergi Roberto chipped a cross into the box but the ball had neither the pace nor the angle to be headed in easily. Suarez, however, generated both himself to leave Courtois stranded.

If that was a masterclass in adaptation, his third was a demonstration of finesse. Ramos was pushed off the ball by Sergi Roberto, who freed Suarez. Suarez feathered the ball over Courtois for his hat-trick.

Madrid were finished but the humil-iation was not over yet as Ousmane Dembele crossed for Vidal to head home a fifth. Suarez could even have had a fourth in injury-time but Courtois saved. Five was more than enough.

Rescued Thai football team honoured by Man UnitedAFP

MANCHESTER: The team of young Thai footballers who captured the world’s attention when trapped in an under-ground cave for more than two weeks this summer enjoyed a day to remember at Manchester United’s Old Trafford yesterday.

Having met United manager Jose Mourinho and first team stars on Saturday, they were guests of honour as the Red Devils faced Everton in the Premier League.

The 12 youngsters from the “Wild Boars” club, aged between 11 and 16, and their coach spent 17 days trapped underground before being rescued in a multi-national operation.

And they were invited to United’s Carrington training ground to meet Mourinho and first team stars on the eve of the Everton game.

Mourinho hugged every member of the squad and posed for photographs before signing souvenirs.

Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Ashley Young, Andreas Pereira and Fred also met the young players, whose predic-ament attracted worldwide attention last summer.

The youngsters have already experienced a taste of Manchester United folklore, having appeared alongside the club’s former forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a US talk show hosted by Ellen Degeneres.

The 12 players were accompanied by two coaches, family members and Thai government official Wer-achon Sukondhapatipak.

Sat in the Old Trafford directors’ box, all wearing United scarves and bobble hats, they received a rap-turous welcome from the home support when intro-duced to the crowd before kick-off.

United, meanwhile, held a minute’s silence before kick-off, in joint memory of Remembrance yesterday and the helicopter crash on Sat-urday evening involving the aircraft belonging to Leicester Ci ty owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

EPL ResultsEnglish Premier League results yesterday:Burnley 0 Chelsea 4 (Morata 22, Barkley 57, Willian 62, Loftus-Cheek 90+2)Crystal Palace 2 (Milivojevic 45+1-pen, 83-pen) Arsenal 2 (Xhaka 51, Aubameyang 56)Manchester United 2 (Paul Pogba 27, Anthony Martial 49) Everton 1 (Gylfi Sigurosson 77-pen)

Played on SaturdayBrighton 1 (Murray 48) Wolver-hampton Wanderers 0Fulham 0 Bournemouth 3 (Wilson 14-pen, 85, Brooks 72)Leicester 1 (Ndidi 89) West Ham 1 (Balbuena 30)Liverpool 4 (Salah 10, Mane 66, 87, Shaqiri 84) Cardiff 1 (Paterson 77)Southampton 0 Newcastle 0Watford 3 (Pereyra 10, Deulofeu 19, Success 80) Huddersfield 0

Playing today: Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City (2000 GMT)

Arsenal’s 11-game winning run ends at PalaceREUTERS

LONDON: Arsenal’s 11-game winning run ended in a 2-2 Premier League draw at Crystal Palace yesterday as two penalties by Luka Milivojevic earned the hosts a battling point.

Palace captain Milivojevic, who missed a penalty at Everton last week, converted one just before halftime, after Shkodran Mustafi tripped Cheikh Kouyate, the South London side’s first goal at home in five games this season.

Granit Xhaka equalised with a fierce free kick early in the second half and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a controversial second for Arsenal five minutes later.

Milivojevic’s second penalty six minutes from time earned Palace a point to move Roy Hodg-son’s team up to 14th.

Arsenal, who had won 11 successive games in all competitions, stayed fourth but lost ground on London rivals Chelsea who crushed Burnley 4-0.

“I didn’t have doubts, but you feel some pressure after last week when I missed,” Serbian international Milivojevic said. “I got good power to both and shot both very well so I’m very happy.”

His manager Roy Hodgson was among those who felt Arsenal’s second goal should have been disallowed for handball by Alexandre Lacazette.

“I’m not even happy to end up with one point especially when you see how clear the handball was,” he said.

“It was tough to concede an equaliser after working so hard for the 1-0 lead. I thought the attitude of the players and the way we got in

control of the game again after going behind, it was a very deserved equaliser. I’m very happy with the performance. I’m just a bit sad it didn’t give us the three points.”

Arsenal manager Unai Emery did not seem too dismayed by a missed opportunity to join Chelsea in the top three.

“I think the draw is not bad for us,” he said. “Looking at the 90 minutes two teams deserved this result. Our team was very competitive for 90 minutes and had a very good attitude. I am disappointed with the result but our work is good.”

An end-to-end game burst into life after quarter of an hour.

Visiting goalkeeper Bernd Leno, preferred to Petr Cech, was beaten by Wilfried Zaha’s effort which hit the outside of the post, and Andros Townsend put his effort wide.

Arsenal responded with opportunities for Lacazette and Hector Bellerin.

Mustafi survived an appeal for a penalty after Jordan Ayew went down but was penalised for his trip on Kouyate and Milivojevic gave the home side a halftime lead.

Arsenal lost Bellerin for the second half, Stephan Lichtsteiner deputising, but they went ahead in a dominant quarter of an hour spell.

Palace were unhappy with the second goal, however, claiming with justification that Laca-zette handled before Aubameyang jabbed the ball just over the line.

They shook off the frustration with substitute Max Meyer hitting a post and when Zaha, dan-gerous as ever, was tripped by Xhaka, Milivo-jevic did a captain’s job again to end a run of three defeats.

Arsenal’s Bernd Leno waves to fans after the match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, London, Britain yesterday.

31MONDAY 29 OCTOBER 2018 SPORT

Stage set for thrilling team final at Aspire Dome FAWAD HUSSAIN THE PENINSULA

DOHA: With qualifying rounds concluded yesterday at the 48th edition of Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Doha 2018, stage is set for thrilling finals starting today, with men competing for team title at Aspire Dome.

European champions and Rio Olympic silver medalists, Russia topped the qualification round which took place on the first two days of the Doha Worlds, nevertheless, today’s final offers intriguing action with top 8 eight team eyeing glory.

Out of 45 teams which took part in the men’s team quali-fying round, China, Japan, USA, Britain, Brazil, the Netherlands and Switzerland besides Russia advanced to the final.

Russia, starting as favourites today, finished just above China in the qualifying round and is expected to get even tough com-petition in final as Olympic champions Japan, which fin-ished third in qualifying will be looking to defend their 2015 Glasgow Worlds crown.

Russian ace Nikolai

Kuksenkov said his team was ready hoping the team will show a consistent performance.

“It’s good to have younger stars. We have to change some little things, but I think eve-rybody is ready and in shape, and we just need to do our rou-tines. That’s it,” he said.

China, powered by defending world All-around champion Xiao Ruoteng will be a force to reckon with. Ruoteng, who also led the All-around qualifying said his team was tar-geting a top 3 finish.

“We’re a young team and we don’t expect to win the gold. Maybe the best result is the top three. There are so many strong teams, and the one who per-forms best in the final can have the gold. We believe in our-selves,” said the Chinese star.

Japan will be hoping to

avoid mistake after they struggled in spots in qualifying with four missed routines on Pommel Horse.

The men’s team final will start at 4pm today and will be followed by the women’s team final tomorrow.

US name five-member team Meanwhile, Sam Mikulak

will lead a five-member US men’s team in today’s final.

2017 world medalist Yul Moldauer, Akash Modi, Colin Van Wicklen and Alec Yoder are the other members in the Qatar-bound squad that was announced by the USA Gym-nastics following a two-day competition held at a selection camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Only Mikulak and Moldauer have World Championships’ experience while the former also has Olympic experience.

The Worlds will feature a team event in addition to com-petition in the individual all-around and on each apparatus.

Mikulak, who will turn 26 next month, has won every US all-around title since 2013 and finished as high as sixth in the all-around at the 2013 World

Championships. This will be his fourth Worlds, though he’s still seeking his first individual medal. He finished just off the podium in fourth place during the high bar competition at the 2016 Olympics and 2013 Worlds.

Moldauer won the 2017 national title in Mikulak’s absence, and finished seventh at last year’s Worlds in Montreal, Canada.

“Beyond blessed and honored to be representing the United States of American in Doha Qatar, for the 2018 World Championships. I just want to say thank you family, coaches, schools and friends/teammates for getting me to where I am,” tweeted Moldauer, whose third-place finish on floor exercise marked the only medal for the men’s team at last year’s edition.

The team also boasts of a solid All-Arounder in Modi, who came sixth at the nationals while the team will be supplemented by Yoder and Van Wicklen, who thrive more on specific events.

Yoder, a 2014 Youth Olympic Games bronze medalist, won his first US title this summer on the pommel horse -- a weak event for the US team.

Xiao Ruoteng will spearhead China in men’s team final today.

Today: Men’s Team Tomorrow: Women’s Team

Oct 31: Men’s All Around Nov 1: Women’s All Around Nov 2: Men’s Indi. App.Nov 3: Women’s Indi. App.

DOHA WORLDS: FINALS

We wanted Doha Worlds to be distinctive, says Al MeerTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: The Organising Committee of the 48th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Doha 2018 was always keen to deliver a distinctive first of its kind event in the Middle East and the on-going tournament is a reflection of that according to Mohammed Abdullah Al Meer (pictured), vice chairman of the finance committee.

“The organisational success of the World Cup since the start of the championships reflects the keenness to produce this edition in a distinctive way, especially as it is one of the largest tournaments in the world,” said Al Meer.

“Everyone from the Organising Committee is striving for success and to ensure a flawless and top-class first such event in Qatar,” he said.

“We are also pleased that the organisation has been appreciated by the International Gymnastics Fed-eration (FIG) and the gymnasts and officials.

“The success of Doha Worlds is also continuing on the financial side. The Organising Committee has suc-ceeded in developing a strategy for this current version, which is one of the most common versions in terms of number of teams and players. This was a challenge at all levels, espe-cially finance.”

“The Organising Committee has also sought to diversify the income from the championship. We thank all government agencies and sponsors for the support provided, and we wish to continue for further success of the championship in a manner that suits the reputation of sport in the country and confirms the international status of Qatar,” he added.

Russia, China fail to catch up USA in women’s qualifyingFAWAD HUSSAIN THE PENINSULA

DOHA: Rivals Russia and China yesterday dominated the women’s team qualifying round but USA finished the preliminary stage on top and will go as favourites to win the title at the 48th edition of Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Doha 2018.

Russia, after an overall good show at Aspire Dome yes-terday, finished second with 165.497 points, falling around 9 points short of America’s Sat-urday’s tally of 174.429 points. China followed Russia on third with 165.196 points, while Canada (163.897) and Brazil (162.529) secured fourth and fifth positions respectively.

With 8 berths available in tomorrow’s final, Japan, France and Germany completed the frame. As expected it was a tight contest between the Russian and Chinese gymnasts and the formers should be happy to finish second after costly mis-takes by Angelina Melnikova.

“Because it was compe-tition, I think we were nervous and that’s why we had some mistakes,” Russia’s Aliya Mus-tafina said yesterday.

“Our cooperation, our coaches and of course our mood have to be proper.”

China’s Liu Tingting said her team needs to avoid mis-takes in battle for the title.

“We’ll try to fix the problems we faced today, because we still have one day to go before the team final.”

The top three remained unchanged in women’s all-around qualifying with American superstar Simone Biles, who brushed aside kidney stone on Saturday, leading the coveted list fol-lowed by team-mate Morgan Hurd and Japan’s Mai Murakami.

After a shaky performance in the team event, Russia’s Mel-nikova did well to take 5th spot in all-around event. Canada’s

Elsabeth Black was also impressive finishing 6th in all-around and was confident of doing well in the final.

“I’ll probably keep the same routines, try to clean things up and work on the con-sistency,” she said.

On her team which finished fourth in qualifying, she said: “I’m very proud of how eve-ryone on the team did. They all

held themselves up high — chins up and a positive attitude — and really put it all out there on the floor.”

Russia’s Angelina Melnikova during the women’s qualifying round at Aspire Dome, yesterday.

China’s Zhang Jin during floor qualifying yesterday. PICTURE: SYED OMAR

THE PENINSULA

DOHA: The Qatar National Anti-Doping Commission (QADC) has established a medical effectiveness team at the on-going 48th Artistic Gymnastics World Champi-onships Doha 2018 at the Aspire Dome in order to warn athletes against the dangers of doping.

Besides co-ordinating with the International Gym-nastics Federation (FIG) for the worlds championships, the QADC is also spreading awareness about the ills of doping and advising athletes to stay clean to achieve success in sport and life.

The effectiveness has been widely shared, especially among athletes as well as the public. The risk of taking med-ically prohibited drugs has

been identified and how to avoid them.

Dr Hassan Al Imam, the Testing Coordinator of QADC said, “We have been keen to establish this activity on the sidelines of the World

Gymnastics Championships in order to emphasise the importance of staying clean and avoiding doping.

“The risks are very high and must be completely avoided because of their neg-ative effects on health. It may cause genetic problems for future generations,” he added.

He noted that he was sat-isfied with his interaction with the gymnasts participating at the Doha Worlds, considering that the achievement and effectiveness of their success is very high and satisfactory.

QADC Consultant Nasser Al Saad has been highlighting about the importance of such events in sports competitions, especially since some athletes may not have a complete idea of the seriousness of taking stimulants.

“We are trying to reach

athletes, trainers, managers and all those working in the sports field because steroids are a great danger to the health of any athlete and eve-ryone must have the full knowledge of their serious damage they can cause,” he said.

Pamphlets containing information on the dangers of doping, how to cope with and overcome them, how to control the doping process and the need for athletes to be fully responsible of the threat were also distributed.

It is worth noting that the Qatar National Anti-Doping Commission (QADC) National Committee for the Prevention of Doping tests and monitors the athletes participating at the Doha World Gymnastics Championships being held at the Aspire Dome.

We have been

keen to establish

this activity on the

sidelines of the

World Gymnastics

Championships in

order to emphasise

the importance of

staying clean and

avoiding doping:

Dr Hassan Al Imam

QADC spreads awareness on doping

RIZWAN REHMAT THE PENINSULA

DOHA: In an effort to tap into the country’s young racing talent, the Qatar Motorsport Academy (QMA) was officially launched during the final round of the WorlSBK Championship that concluded at Losail International Circuit (LIC) on Saturday night.

Khalid Al Remaihi, Vice-President and General Manager of Losail Circuit Sports Club (LCSC), was joined by Jose Luis Cardoso, a former MotoGP and WorldSBK rider, and Markus Egger, Director of Sport and Strategy, Aspire Academy, at the announcement ceremony held at LIC on Friday.

Qatar, which built the region’s first and only bik race track in Sep-tember 2004, remains the home of bike events in the Middle East. The LIC opens the MotoGP season every year with a night race for the last many years. The same venue also stages the WorldSBK leg besides scores of bike events on a regular basis.

Al Remaihi said on Friday: “We have made this announcement because we know this country has huge racing talent. We have been working on this plan for sometime now. We want to train young kids the right way with expert help coming from Jose Luis Cardoso and Aspire Academy.”

He added: “We talked about this project during the MotoGP week in March this year. We wanted to have an academy to look after the younger gener-ation. We worked very hard to make this launch. The aim of the academy is to provide the chance of learning racing to as many young Qataris and for others from the region.”

Al Remaihi said: “Hopefully our friends at Aspire Academy and at Dorna, we will have a great experience in building young riders.”

Over the years, Qatari bike

riders have featured in Moto2 Championship winning races. Young Qatari riders have also taken part in Spanish Champi-onship to gain experience and to impress manufacturers with their improving skills.

Two seasons ago, LCSC joined hands with QMMF to launch a new championship for local riders - the Qatar Super-stock 600.

Al Remaihi at the time said: “This is a perfect platform to nurture young talent. It’s an opportunity for local riders from the region, even from Turkey and neighourbourg countries to par-ticipate. It is our pleasure to have finally a championship like this where the competition level is

same for everyone. It is your talent that proves if you are good or not. Also it is a great chance for us to assess our riders. Eve-rybody is welcome to join us.”

Cardoso, the Head of QMA, said he looked forward to sharing his experience with young Qatari riders with high racing ambitions.

“For me, I want to thank LCSC for giving me this oppor-tunity to build a new generation of riders. We will be working on what will be a big project. We will be doing our work very seri-ously and deliver quality. We will give opportunity to boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 16 years,” Cardoso said.

He added: “We will have

testing in the program. We will have road and off-road situations with many different coaches from Qatar and Europe. They will teach them the right way. This kind of project is very exciting and challenging. We can make great work. We will have a great future for riders in this country.” D u r i n g t h e o f f i c i a l announcement ceremony, Egger applauded the LCSC for launching the academy initiative.

Egger said: “First of all let me congratulate Khaled Al Remaihi and his team on this great project. We have never worked on motorpsort as of yet. We are com-pletely new to this sport. We are ready for this challenge. I have

seen enormous racing talent in Qatar. There is great interest. We needed to get involved.” He added: “We have been talking ‘what is the best way to get involved?’. In Qatar Motorsport Academy, our role is not tech-nical. What we can do is look

after the elite athletes’ physical and mental condition. We have loads of expertise in this field. Athletes in any sport need to have top physical and mental conditioning and this is where we have a great deal of expertise.”

SPORT10.00PM 11:00AM

Tottenham Hotspur vs

Manchester City

India vs West IndiesFOOTBALL CRICKET

27MONDAY 29 OCTOBER 2018

To be honest I don’t know

what to say but I can’t get

over it. Since him being with

the club the club has done

well, and I don’t know what’s

going to happen now.

Leicester City fan on fate of club owner Srivaddhanaprabha

We know this country has

huge racing talent. We

have been working on this

plan for sometime now. We

want to train young kids

the right way with expert

help coming from Jose

Luis Cardoso and Aspire

Academy: Khalid Al Remaihi,

Vice-President and General

Manager of Losail Circuit

Sports Club

At the QMA, there will be both theoretical

and practical lessons in all types of tracks

with experienced instructors leading them.

These lessons will take place on Tuesdays

and Saturdays. For the development of

motorcycling activity, the academy will add

notions of physical preparation and nutrition,

thus completing a very high level and well-

rounded programme.

LCSC, Aspire Academy join hands to launch Qatar Motorsport Academy

Racing season kicks off on WednesdayTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Qatar Racing and Eques-trian Club (QREC) management, led by QREC Chairman, Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, is gearing up for a new season of exciting horse racing as the action shifts to the Al Rayyan racetrack starting on Wednesday.

Preparations continued after the start of the new season was postponed due to the heavy rains across Doha last week.

The new season is expected to be rich with thrilling racing, fulfilling QREC’s vision and strategy of enhancing Qatar’s excellent standing in the horse racing world and maintaining the remarkable reputation of Al Rayyan Park.

The Al Ruwais Cup Day, orig-inally the third meeting in the official programme, will kick off the 2018-19 season on Wednesday.

With a mix of sprints and middle distance races on dirt, the eight-race card should be the perfect meeting to get the horses, the trainers and the jockeys going. The races of the first and the second race meetings will be distributed throughout the season appropriately in terms of horses and distances.

The feature race, for Purebred Arabians, carries a total prize money of QR 100,000 while the three maiden races have a prize pot of QR 45,000 each and the other four races ranging between QR 50,000 and QR 60,000. The Late Rabiah Saad Al Kaabi Cup Day will follow on turf on Thursday, 1 November. The card will include as many as 11 races after having added two races. The added

races are Race 10 – originally Race 1 of the programme’s second race meeting – for Local Thoroughbred Maiden Plate (3 Year Olds) (1,200m) with a purse of QR 45,000 and Race 11 – orig-inally Race 5 of the programme’s second race meeting; a Purebred Arabian Plate (3 Year Olds) (1,600m), which carries a purse of QR 60,000.

The new season includes some prestigious international

races, culminating with the HH The Emir’s Sword Festival, which will be held in February 2019, with the two $1m features, the H H The Emir’s Trophy (Gr1) for Thoroughbreds and the H H The Emir’s Sword (Gr1 PA) for the Purebred Arabians, as the high-lights of the three-day flagship Festival.

The H H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani Trophy Day is also scheduled for December

2018 while the HH Sheikh Abdulla Bin Khalifa Al Thani Cups and Trophy Day and the HH The Emir’s Sword Trials Day will be held in January 2019.

The Qatar Oaks, the Derby and the The Late Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Al Thani Trophy (Qatar National Day Trophy) meetings will be held in December 2018, while the Qatar Gold Sword and the Qatar Gold Trophy Day will be held in April 2019.

A file picture of last year’s racing action at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club.

Cavaliers dump Lue after 0-6 NBA start: ReportsAFP

WASHINGTON: Tyronn Lue, who coached the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2016 NBA title, was fired Sunday after the club’s latest loss in a league-worst 0-6 start, according to multiple reports.

The decision came after Indiana beat the Cavaliers 119-107 Saturday with assistant Larry Drew being promoted to interim coach.

Lue took over the LeBron James-led Cavs in January 2016 after the mid-season firing of Dave Blatt and guided Cleveland to its first NBA crown and the first for any team in the city since the 1964 NFL Browns. James, who left the Cavs for the Los Angeles Lakers in the off-season, tweeted his appreciation for Lue on Sunday afternoon.

“T Lue thanks for the memories and more impor-tantly our partnership bringing a (trophy) to that deserved city/fan base. U know how to find me,” James tweeted.

TO

DAY

’SA

CTIO

N

Khalid Al Remaihi (centre), Vice-President and General Manager of Losail Circuit Sports Club (LCSC), is seen along with Jose Luis Cardoso, a former MotoGP and WorldSBK rider, and Markus Egger, Director of Sport and Strategy, Aspire Academy, at Losail International Circuit.