CRICKET | Page 2 PREMIER LEAGUE | Page 4

Rain halts Ten Hag back

Bangladesh under pressure at
victory bid United after brutal
against Pakistan reality check

Tuesday, September 3, 2024 TENNIS

Safar 30, 1446 AH
Draper, Medvedev
GULF TIMES advance as champ
Gauff humbled

SPORT at US Open
Page 3

ARSHAD FINISHES SIXTH IN 100M T34 FINAL AT PARIS PARALYMPICS

Qatar’s wheelchair racer Ali Arshad finished sixth in the men’s 100m T34 final at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at Stade de France yesterday. Arshad, who clocked a personal best of 15.20 secs in the qualifying round
on Sunday, finished the final in 15.42 secs with Thailand’s Chaiwat Rattana clinching the gold medal with a time of 14.76 secs – his personal best mark and area record. Tunisia’s world record holder Walid Ktila claimed
silver medal in 15.14 secs while Canada’s Austin Smeenk took the bronze after clocking 15.19 secs. Australia’s Rheed Mccracken (15.31 secs) and UAE’s Mohamed Othman (15.40 secs) respectively completed the top five in
yesterday’s final. Arshad’s time was better than Finland’s Henry Manni (15.64 secs) and China’s Wenhao Gong (15.67 secs), who finished in seventh and eighth positions respectively. The Qatar athlete will now look for his
maiden Paralympic medal in the 800m T34 event which will start on Friday. “I am overall satisfied with my performance in the 100m because it was a tough field,” Ali said after the event. “I am hoping to be better in the
800m event as I have gained good experience now.”

SPOTLIGHT PARIS PARALYMPICS

Guity wins battle of

Qatar QTerminals amputee sprinters
AFP he said. “But at about 50 metres,

Classic attracts top

Paris I was like, whoa, I’m in this, I got
a good start, I’ve done everything
right... I felt like everybody (else in

S
herman Guity of Costa Rica the race) was sleeping on me. I’m
was a clear winner of the happy with the gold, but I’m defi-
eagerly awaited men’s T64 nitely not satisfied. I’m still hun-
100m at the Paralympics gry. Tomorrow night, I’ll get the

squash stars again

yesterday, leaving the world’s fast- gold in the high jump.” Frech was
est amputee sprinters in his wake. also fifth in the long jump earlier in
Guity crossed the line in a Para- these Games.
lympic record of 10.65sec ahead of
world champion Maxcel Amo Manu GABRIELZINHO WINS THIRD
from Italy who clocked 10.76sec. SWIMMING GOLD
Reigning Paralympic champion Brazilian swimmer Gabrielzinho

This year’s event will feature both men’s and women’s draw Felix Streng of Germany picked up
the bronze medal one hundredth of
said he felt like “a rocketman” af-
ter he won his third gold medal
a second further back. of the Paris Paralympics when he
By Sports Reporter “I am very happy with this re- raced to victory in the 200 metres
Doha sult. I didn’t expect it. I ran against freestyle S2 final with another re-
very strong athletes. It was a Para- markable performance.
lympic final and I had to give it my The 22-year-old, who has no

T
he 21st edition of the highly-antici- all,” 27-year-old Guity said. arms or hands and whose legs are
pated Qatar QTerminals Classic is set Two-time champion Jonnie atrophied, clocked 3min 58.92sec
to showcase top-quality professional Peacock of Great Britain had to in the La Defense Arena, with neu-
squash action in Doha at the Khalifa settle for fifth place in 10.91sec tral athlete Vladimir Danilenko
International Tennis & Squash Complex from and US sprinter Hunter Wood- and Chile’s Alberto Abarza Diaz
September 30th to October 5th. hall, whose wife is newly crowned finishing second and third re-
This year’s event will feature both men’s and women’s Olympic long jump spectively. The third gold for the
women’s draw, building on the success of the champion Tara Davis-Woodhall, Brazilian, who full name is Gabriel
previous year, with reigning champions Ali was sixth in 10.96sec. Geraldo dos Santos Araujo, follows
Farag and Hania El Hammamy returning to Earlier, 19-year-old American his successes in the 100m back-
defend their titles. Ezra Frech won the first Paralym- stroke and 50m backstroke.
Farag, the men’s top seed and a three-time pic title of his career by taking a “It’s a feeling of a mission ac-
winner of the Qatar Classic, will be aiming to closely-fought T63 100m in a per- complished, a duty accomplished.
continue his dominance on the Khalifa Com- sonal best time of 12.06sec. The Because I came to Paris to get the
plex glass court. Farag’s triumph in the 2023 Californian, an above-the-knee three golds,” said Gabrielzinho.
event was part of his exceptional season, amputee, ran into the arms of his “So I’m really happy.”
where he secured seven victories, making it family in the front row at the Stade At Tokyo 2020, the Brazil-
his best season ever on the PSA Squash Tour. de France after crossing the line. ian picked up two golds and one
In his opening round, Farag will face the tal- Frech revealed he had only been silver. Now he has achieved his
ented Indian player Ramit Tandon. using the 100m as preparation for goal of going one better. Speak-
New Zealand’s Paul Coll, the world No 2, his favourite event, the high jump, ing after the race, silver medallist
had an outstanding 23/24 campaign, clinching today. “I was treating this as like Danilenko described Gabrielzinho
four titles, including two Platinum level events a warm-up for high jump. Go out as “the rocketman”.
and one Gold level event. Coll was one of only there, get the blood flowing, have It was a statement the Brazilian
two players who managed to defeat world No 1 a good race, and then come back later agreed with, adding with a
Ali Farag multiple times last season. With ad- tomorrow and win high jump,” chuckle.
justments made to his game during the sum-
mer, Coll will be eager to surpass his previous Ali Farag, the men’s top seed and a three-time winner of the Qatar Classic, will be aiming to
achievements and challenge for the top spot in continue his dominance at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
the world rankings.
Diego Elias, the newly crowned world available to score a win over the world No 3. Championships title. Gohar has closed the
champion, and Mostafa Asal, the recent Brit- On the women’s side, defending champion gap between herself and ElSherbini at the top
ish Open champion, are the No 3 and No 4 Hania El Hammamy will be looking to regain of the world rankings and is determined to de-
seeds respectively. Both players will be aim- her top form after a challenging second half of throne her compatriot. With her powerful and
ing to close the gap on Farag and Coll in the the previous season. El Hammamy, currently relentless style of play, Gohar will be a formi-
rankings. Elias, who claimed his first Plati- ranked world No 3, claimed two Platinum dable force throughout the season.
num event title in the Qatar Classic in 2021, event titles last season, including the prestig- Meanwhile, the Organising Committee of
will look to carry his World Championships ious British Open. She will face USA’s Sabrina QTerminals Qatar Classic Squash Champion-
form into this tournament. Asal, featuring in Sobhy in her opening fixture as she looks to re- ship 2024 has announced that tickets for the
his third Qatar Classic, will be determined to join the race for world No 1. event will be on sale online starting Septem-
surpass his previous semi-final exits and add Nour ElSherbini, the top seed, aims to go ber 1, while tickets will be available at the sales
more major titles to his name after his recent one step further this year and secure the title outlet at the Khalifa International Tennis and
British Open success. after finishing as the runner-up in the last two Squash Complex soon.
Local favourite Abdulla Al Tamimi, Qatar’s women’s events held in Qatar. ElSherbini, who On the occasion, Tariq Zainal, Secretary-
No 1, will rely on home advantage as he com- tops the draw for the second consecutive year, General of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel
petes in his ninth Qatar Classic. Al-Tamimi’s will face former world No 3 Joelle King in the and Badminton Federation and Tournament
best finish came in 2022 when he reached the first round. Director, stated: “We are pleased to announce
quarter-finals. In this year’s edition, he faces a Nouran Gohar, the No 2 seed, ended the the hosting of a new edition of the QTerminals Hunter Woodhall of United States, Sherman Guity of Costa Rica and
tough challenge in the first round against No 3 23/24 season in exceptional form, winning five Qatar Classic Squash, and we are eagerly look- Felix Streng of Germany in action during the men’s 100m T64 Final at
seed Mostafa Asal and will need all the support consecutive events, including her first World ing forward to welcoming all the players.” Paris Paralympics yesterday. (Reuters)
 Gulf Times
2 Tuesday, September 3, 2024

SPORT
CRICKET

Bold Bangladesh eye historic

Test series sweep in Pakistan
PACERS HASAN MAHMUD AND NAHID RANA SHARE NINE WICKETS AS BANGLADESH SCENT WIN
AFP
Rawalpindi

P
acemen Hasan Mahmud
and Nahid Rana shared
nine wickets yesterday to
set Bangladesh on course
for victory over Pakistan before
rain stopped play on the fourth day
of the second Test.
Hasan took 5-43 while Nahid
added 4-44 - both career-best
figures - in dismissing Pakistan
for 172 in their second innings
and giving the visitors a target of
185 to secure a 2-0 series win in
Rawalpindi.
Openers Zakir Hasan and Shad-
man Islam raced to 42 without loss,
with Zakir hitting two sixes and Bangladesh’s Nahid Rana bowls during the fourth day of the second
two boundaries, before rain clouds and last Test against Pakistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in
gathered and bad light suspended Rawalpindi yesterday. (AFP)
play one over after the tea break.
Bangladesh lead the two-match shy away from that,” said Gillespie, teetering on 136-8. Salman, who
series 1-0 after a surprise win in who is coaching Pakistan for his top-scored with 47, added 27 for Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud (second left) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan’s
Rawalpindi last month, their first first series. “We know what can the last wicket with Mir Hamza Mohamed Rizwan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium yesterday. (AFP)
in 14 Tests against Pakistan. happen, but we took six for 26 in before Hasan wrapped up the in-
They have won only two series the first innings so we know that we nings with his fifth wicket, getting uted to my team’s good position.” liant catch by Najmul Hossain at missing Shakeel and went to lunch
away from home - against the West can have an impact with the ball.” Hamza caught in the slip. The morning session belonged to mid-off as the opener failed to with figures of 3-22 off five overs.
Indies in 2009 and Zimbabwe in Pakistan had been 117-6 at “It’s very joyful,” Hasan said of 21-year-old Nahid, who dismissed keep down a drive off fast bowler
2021 - and need another 143 runs lunch, with Mohamed Rizwan and his first five-wicket haul. “We’re Shan Masood (28), Babar Azam (11) Taskin Ahmed. BRIEF SCORES
on the final day yesterday to secure Salman Agha fighting to save the very happy to win the first game and Saud Shakeel (two). Nahid then had Pakistan skipper Bangladesh 262 and 42 for 0
victory. hosts before Hasan ended their 55- and now have a chance to win an- Pakistan took their overnight Masood caught behind by Liton (Zakir 31*) need another 143 runs
Pakistan head coach Jason run stand. other one.” score of 9-2 to 47-2 in 10 overs on off a wild shot before getting the to beat Pakistan 274 and 172
Gillespie acknowledged that Bang- Hasan had Rizwan caught be- “We tried to bowl according to Monday before Bangladesh broke prized wicket of Azam, caught at (Agha 47*, Rizwan 43, Mahmud
ladesh were favourites. hind for 43 and had Mohamed Ali our plans and kept taking wickets,” through with three wickets for 18 slip off a sharp delivery in his next 5-43, Nahid 4-44)
“The odds are probably in fa- caught in the slips on the next ball he said. runs. over. First Test: Bangaldesh won by 10
vour of Bangladesh and we don’t for a golden duck to leave Pakistan “I am delighted that I contrib- Saim Ayub fell for 20 to a bril- Nahid grabbed his third by dis- wickets

SMALL FOURTH-DAY CROWD AT LORD’S A WORRY FOR ENGLAND CAPTAIN POPE

LONDON: England stand-in captain Ollie fourth-day sales as well. The lack of specta- in four innings since taking charge this series
Pope said he had been surprised by the tors was certainly noticed by Pope. in the absence of the injured Ben Stokes. .
meagre attendance at Lord’s on Sunday as his “It was kind of weird,” he said. “I think a few of “I’m not going to put down my average shots
side wrapped up a convincing series victory us have been strolling in each day and it was to the fact that I was captain this week,” said
over Sri Lanka. just like ‘jeez, it seems quiet today’. I’m not Pope ahead of a third Test at his Oval home
While the opening three days of the match sure if people expected the game to be done ground starting on Friday.
saw the ground close to its 31,000 capacity, by day four or not.” Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva, who
only some 9,000 spectators were present as made one of three fifties for the tourists on
England completed a 190-run win after tea ‘Smashed it’ Sunday along with Dinesh Chandimal and
on the fourth day of the second Test to take On the field, Gus Atkinson extended his Lord’s Dimuth Karunaratne, admitted he had erred
an unassailable 2-0 lead in a three-match love affair with a five-wicket haul on Sunday in opting to field first after winning the toss.
contest. after the fast bowler scored his maiden first- De Silva’s decision was compounded by Sri
Large crowds for Tests have long been taken class hundred in England’s first innings, Lanka only managing 196 in reply to Eng-
for granted at Lord’s, which styles itself as the The 26-year-old also took 12 wickets on his land’s first-innings 427.
‘Home of Cricket’. Test debut, against the West Indies at Lord’s “We need to do well in the first innings - a
The cost of tickets may have been an issue, in July. minimum of 320 is a must,” he said.
however, with the cheapest price for adults “He’s smashed it so far in his Test career,” said But with England 216-6 in their first innings,
on Sunday morning starting at £95 ($125) - Pope of Surrey teammate Atkinson. Sri Lanka were in the game only for Root and
although Under-16s were admitted for £15. “I’m sure he’s just going to keep developing Atkinson to regain the initiative for the hosts.
England’s encounter with the West Indies at and get better and better as a Test bowler.” “Once the ball had got soft, Joe Root smartly
Lord’s in July, part of a 3-0 whitewash of the Joe Root’s twin hundreds in this match meant started rotating the strike and put the loose
Caribbean side, was all over inside three days he set a new England record of 34 centuries ball away to the boundary,” said De Silva. “We Empty seats are pictured in the stands at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London
and that may have had an impact on advance in a Test career, but Pope has yet to reach 20 lost the grip of the game after that.” on Sunday. (Reuters)

MOTORSPORT
AGCFF REFEREES SEMINAR
HELD IN DOHA
Horner says Red Bull are
caught in a vicious circle
Reuters
Monza, Italy

R
ed Bull’s loss of form
after dominating last
season stems from car
balance issues creating a
vicious circle for the Formula One
A referees assessors seminar involving the member countries of champions, according to team
the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF), which lasted for boss Christian Horner.
three days, concluded yesterday at the InterContinental Doha. The The team won 21 of 22 races in
closing ceremony was attended by Hani Taleb Ballan, Chairman 2023, the most one-sided cam-
of the Referees Committee at Qatar Football Association (QFA), paign ever, with triple champion
who distributed certificates among the participants in the seminar. Max Verstappen taking 19 of
International lecturers Ali al-Turaifi and Ismail al-Hafi headlined those victories.
the seminar with their speeches. Ballan conveyed to them the Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix
greetings of President of AGCFF HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin stretched Red Bull and Verstap-
Ahmed al-Thani and thanked the lecturers for their presence to help pen’s losing streak to six races and
develop the refereeing system in the Gulf region. Ballan underlined left the Dutch driver 62 points
the support of AGCFF president and urged referees to deliver their clear of McLaren’s Lando Norris Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and team principal Christian Horner (right) before practice at the Italian Grand Prix
best on the field of play during Gulf Clubs Championship, AGCFF with eight rounds remaining. inside Autodromo Nazionale Monza on Saturday. (Reuters)
League Champions (which will be launched for the first time this Verstappen told reporters at
year) and the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup, which is scheduled to be held Monza after finishing sixth that time. I think actually really going tyre wear. He said Ferrari win- simplify a few things,” he added.
in December this year in the State of Kuwait. Secretary-General of his car had become a monster, and through the data, there were is- ning rather than McLaren was a “When the car is in the (perform-
AGCFF Jassim al-Rumaihi was also present. felt both titles were now at risk. sues there at the beginning of the help but Red Bull needed to find a ance) window, it works as pre-
“I think this circuit has exposed year in the characteristic. quick solution or suffer the con- dicted or closer to prediction. But
the deficiencies that we have “I think others have obviously sequences. that window is so small, that’s
in the car versus last year,” said made a step and as we’ve pushed “Based on today’s perform- what we have to work on. We have
Horner, speaking to media in the the package harder it’s exposed ance, you’d say both (titles) are to broaden its operating window.”
team hospitality. the issue.” under absolute pressure,” he Despite Verstappen’s concern,
“You can see that we have a Some of that, he added, had added. “We were the fourth fast- Horner said the champion was
disconnection in balance that just been seen as far back as Austin est car today and that’s the reality. showing no sign of panic.
isn’t working. last year when Red Bull were three We’ve got to turn it around.” “He’s working with the engi-
“As soon as you end up in that races into a seven-race winning Horner recognised there was neers, he’s explaining very clearly
situation, you’re harder on tyres. run. a discrepancy between the data where the issues are, he’s putting
You end up compensating, you The Briton said Verstappen and emerging from the wind tunnel the time and effort in,” he said.
move the balance around, you se- team mate Sergio Perez had tried and that seen at the track but said “He was in early this morning,
cure one problem and you create to compensate by calming the the McLaren appeared to be sim- he was on Zoom calls last week,
another. So you just end up in a rear of the car but that had con- pler and more effective. he’ll be on the simulator before
vicious circle. sequences for the front, result- “Perhaps we’ve gone a little too the next race and he’s really work-
“I think it’s been there for some ing in understeer and excessive complex and perhaps we need to ing hard at this.”
 Gulf Times
Tuesday, September 3, 2024 3

SPORT
TENNIS / US OPEN

Draper, Medvedev, Pegula

in quarters, Gauff humbled
SABALENKA BEATS MERTENS TO SET UP CLASH AGAINST OLYMPIC CHAMP ZHENG
Reuters/AFP
New York

J
ack Draper became the first
British man since Andy
Murray in 2016 to reach the
US Open quarter-finals by
seeing off Tomas Machac of the
Czech Republic yesterday.
The 22-year-old left-hander
came through 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 and has
yet to drop a set at the tournament
where he made his breakthrough in
2023 by reaching the fourth round.
Also yesterday, American sixth
seed Jessica Pegula reached the
US Open quarter-finals for a sec-
ond time after securing a 6-4 6-2
win over 20-year-old Russian 18th
seed Diana Shnaider while un-
seeded Czech Karolina Muchova
knocked out Italian fifth seed Jas-
mine Paolini, beating the French
Open and Wimbledon finalist 6-3 Jack Draper of Great Britain returns a shot against Tomas Machac of Czech Republic during their fourth-round match on Day 8 of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis
6-3 to reach the quarter-finals. Center in New York yesterday. Centre: Jessica Pegula celebrates after beating Diana Shnaider. Right: Daniil Medvedev of Russia returns a shot against Nuno Borges of Portugal. (AFP)
Muchova, 28, had reached the
US Open semis last year. Third seed Gauff fought her way so it was nice to come back and do lor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe all ing finalist in 2022, 3-6 6-4 6-3 stay as long as I can and enjoy this
Former champion Daniil back into the match after going a better this year,” said Draper. marched into the quarter-finals in 6-2. Fritz was later joined in the beautiful court, beautiful atmos-
Medvedev of Russia crushed Por- set down but ultimately 19 dou- The British player hailed Mur- the bottom half of the draw which quarter-finals by Tiafoe, another phere.”
tuguese outsider Nuno Borges bles faults and 60 unforced errors ray, the former world number one was left wide open after the third- player hoping to take advantage of Sabalenka will next face Olym-
in straight sets. 2021 New York meant her first defence of a Grand and 2012 US Open champion, who round exit of four-times cham- the early exits of Djokovic and Car- pic champion Zheng Qinwen, who
champion Medvedev won 6-0, Slam title was destined to end in retired from the sport following pion Novak Djokovic. Zverev, still los Alcaraz to end America’s 21- beat Donna Vekic 7-6(2) 4-6 6-2 in
6-1, 6-3 in 1 hour and 51 minutes to disappointment. the Paris Olympics. searching for his first Grand Slam year wait for a homegrown men’s a rematch of the Paris gold medal
reach the quarter-finals. “Mentally and emotionally, I “He’s a legend and an icon and if title at the age of 27, reached the champion. final.
Medvedev, 28, fired 9 aces in his gave it my all,” said 20-year-old I have half the career that he had I quarter-finals at a major for the Alexei Popyrin ousted Djoko- Zheng finally secured victory at
resounding win. Gauff, who will now drop out of the will be a happy man,” he said. 13th time after coming from a set vic in a huge shock on Friday but 2.15am yesterday - the latest finish
Earlier, Coco Gauff ’s US Open top five in the world rankings. The 25th seed goes on to face down to beat American Brandon was unable to progress any fur- to a women’s match at the Grand
title defence ended in a 6-3 4-6 Navarro moves on to play Spain’s either Alex de Minaur or Jordan Nakashima 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-2. ther as Tiafoe, roared on by a noisy Slam. It beat the previous record
6-3 loss to fellow American Emma Paula Badosa, who thrashed Wang Thompson. Draper, who models “I’m still very motivated,” said evening crowd on Arthur Ashe, ran finish of 2.13am set in 2021 when
Navarro in the fourth round, the Yafan of China 6-1 6-2 in the first when he is not playing tennis and the German, who lost to Dominic out a 6-4 7-6(3) 2-6 6-3 winner. Maria Sakkari beat Bianca An-
reigning women’s champion be- match of the day at Louis Arm- featured in a Vogue photo-shoot Thiem on a deciding set tiebreak Women’s second seed Aryna dreescu in the fourth round.
coming the latest big name to make strong Stadium to reach the last on the eve of Wimbledon this year, in the 2020 final. “I still want to Sabalenka, the runner-up to Gauff Former men’s world number one
an early exit at Flushing Meadows eight in New York for the first time. was supported from his player’s achieve some of my dreams. I still last year, continued her impres- Andy Murray said matches should
this year. box by the magazine’s editor-in- want to achieve some of my goals sive form to move into the last not finish so late.
Gauff had been looking to avenge Draper on fire chief Anna Wintour. that I have. I’m happy with the lev- eight with a 6-2 6-4 victory over “The tennis scheduling situa-
her fourth-round loss at this year’s Draper has only dropped serve “Every player has his own style. el of tennis I’m playing. We’ll see her former doubles partner Elise tion is a total mess,” Murray wrote
Wimbledon but Navarro stunned once over his four matches, win- It’s important to show your tennis how this week goes.” Mertens. on social media platform X.
the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium ning 47 of 48 service games and style and style in general,” added The fourth seed will next face “I really enjoy playing here,” “It looks so amateurish having
with an aggressive all-round dis- saving 20 of 21 break points. Draper. another American in Fritz, who said Sabalenka. “The crowd are matches going on at 2,3, 4 a.m. Sort
play to reach the quarter-finals for “I lost on Louis Armstrong Sta- In men’s action, Alexander overcame a sluggish start to beat amazing. I just don’t want to leave it out,” the Scot added, tagging the
the first time. dium in the same round last year Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, Tay- Norwegian Casper Ruud, the los- early here, you know. I just want to governing bodies of the sport.

GOLF
TURKISH OLYMPIC SHOOTER
AIMS TO TRADEMARK STANCE Scheffler crowns dominant
ANKARA: Turkiye’s Olympic pistol
sharpshooter Yusuf Dikec has filed to
trademark his nonchalant stance at the
Dikec’s apparent sangfroid inspired a
flood of memes online, some compar-
ing him to fictional spy James Bond,
season with FedEx Cup title
Paris Games that went viral around the while billionaire Tesla founder Elon
world, his coach told AFP yesterday. Musk shared a video of himself striking
His coach Erdinc Bilgili said that the the stance.
move to protect the commercial use His pose also became widely imitated
of his pose with the Turkish Patent and among his fellow athletes since he
Trademark Office came in response to won silver, Turkey’s first medal in the news channel TRT Haber reported.
others trying to trademark it without mixed-team 10m air pistol, with team- The Turkish trademark office did not
Dikec’s say-so. mate Sevval Ilayda Tarhan. Chelsea immediately respond to AFP’s requests
“After being informed of numerous striker Nicolas Jackson also copied it for comment. In an interview with AFP
trademark registration initiatives on Sunday as he celebrated scoring at the beginning of August, Dikec said
carried out without Yusuf Dikec’s against Crystal Palace in the Eng- there was a natural explanation for his
knowledge, we submitted an applica- lish Premier League. Various bits of hand-in-pocket technique.
tion about a week ago,” Bilgili told AFP, memorabilia bearing his likeness have “I only do it to keep my body more
adding that the “other applications gone on sale, T-shirts, mugs and mobile stable, to keep my balance. There’s
have been rejected”. phone covers among them, Turkish nothing more to it,” he said.

ANNOUNCEMENT

McIlroy to cut ‘as many as 9 events’ in 2025 Scottie Scheffler of the US celebrates with his son Bennett after winning the FedExCup and
the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. (AFP)
Reuters
Dublin AFP the season finale and he ended the week on
Washington 30 under after closing with a 67.
Morikawa would have beaten Scheffler by

R
ory McIlroy admitted that a two strokes in a regular format and for a mo-

W
busy schedule had him crawl- orld number one Scottie Schef- ment he put his rival under real pressure.
ing to the finish line in 2024 fler crowned his remarkable Scheffler shanked a bunker shot on the
and said he might reduce his season by winning the PGA eighth making his second straight bogey as
commitments in 2025 by as many as Tour’s season-ending Tour Morikawa made a birdie to reduce the gap to
nine tournaments. Championship and with it the $25mn FedEx two. But as so often Scheffler did not let the
“I feel like the tournaments came Cup title with a four-stroke win at East Lake setbacks turn into a real momentum shift as
thick and fast, and obviously with the Golf Club in Atlanta. he proceeded to make three straight birdies
Olympics thrown in there, as well, this Scheffler began the final round with a five- from the ninth and then his eagle on the par-
year, it sort of condensed everything a stroke lead over Collin Morikawa but saw 5 15th put Morikawa out of sight.
bit,” said McIlroy, who finished in a tie that advantage cut to just two after back-to- Scheffler praised his caddie Ted Scott for
for ninth at the season-ending Tour back bogeys on the 7th and 8th but he recov- helping him recover and make sure of the
Championship on Sunday at Atlanta. ered to secure his seventh win on the PGA win.
Despite the admittedly exhausting Tour this season. “Nine was a huge turnaround. Teddy
season, McIlroy still closed with a flour- He is the first player to win seven PGA gave me a nice pep talk there on the back of
ish, shooting a 5-under-par 66 in the Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot on the seventh hole during the final Tour events in a year since Tiger Woods in the 8 green because I kind of looked at him
final round Sunday. The Northern Ire- round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. (AFP) 2007 and his remarkable season has also in- like, ‘man, I don’t know about this, this isn’t
land native and fan favourite finished at cluded a Masters win and an Olympic gold. looking so hot right now’. He kind of gave me
16 under for the tournament, tied with McIlroy said he still has five events had a runner-up finish on the PGA Tour For the past two years, Scheffler had en- a little pep talk and then I was able to hit a
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Ireland’s planned for the fall and will look toward this season and seven top-10 finishes, tered the Tour Championship as number one really nice iron shot in there and got things
Shane Lowry. eliminating events for the 2025 season while earning $10.9mn in official prize in the rankings but had failed to close out rolling,” he said. “He really is a huge part of
“It’s been a long season, and I’m go- that begins Jan 2 with The Sentry at Ka- money. and clinch the FedEx Cup and having led the the team. I don’t know if I’d be able to do any
ing to just have to think about trying palua, Maui, Hawaii. After finishing a disappointing sec- standings for most of this year he was de- of this without him on my bag.”
to build in a few extra breaks here and A 26-time winner on the PGA Tour, ond at the US Open in June, McIlroy lighted to get his reward. Morikawa, who collected $12.5mn for his
there next year and going forward be- McIlroy won two PGA events this past did have three top-10 finishes to close “I try not to think too much about the past second place, was pleased with his effort but
cause I felt like I hit a bit of a wall sort of season, the Zurich Classic of New Or- out the season but also missed the cut or think too much about the future,” he said. said Scheffler provided the perfect example
post-US Open, and still feel a little bit of leans with Lowry as his partner in April at The Open Championship in July and “But I think two years ago was pretty of how to close out a golf tournament.
that hangover,” McIlroy said. and the Wells Fargo Championship finished tied for 68th at the St Jude tough, having a good lead going into the last “Nothing fazes him. Whether I was close
McIlroy has won the Tour Champi- in Charlotte, North Carolina, by five Championship in August. round and not playing my best and then los- in gaining some ground or he was gaining
onship three times, most recently in strokes over Xander Schauffele the fol- “I’m usually sort of like a 22 (tour- ing. And then last year I just had a pretty off ground, it didn’t change how he walked or
2022 when he held off Scottie Schef- lowing month. He also had one victory nament) sort of person,” McIlroy said. week so was fairly disappointing. how he played or how he went through every
fler and South Korea’s Sungjae Im by a on the European Tour, taking the Dubai “But again, that was when I was sort of “So to come in with a lead for the third shot,” he said.
stroke. Scheffler finished off the Tour Desert Classic by a stroke in January. in my 20s and didn’t have the responsi- time and be able to finish it off is definitely Sahith Theegala finished third for a $7.5mn
Championship victory Sunday at East McIlroy said he had 27 events sched- bilities that I do now. I’m going to try to pretty sweet,” he added. reward, six shots off the lead while Xander
Lake Golf Club, winning by four strokes uled in 2024, with 19 of those on the on cut it back to like 18 or 20 a year going Scheffler began the week on 10 under-par Schauffele, Russell Henley and Australian
over Collin Morikawa. the official PGA Tour schedule. He also forward, I think.” under the staggered scoring system used for Adam Scott ended tied for fourth on 19-under.
 Tuesday, September 3, 2024

GULF TIMES FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT

Salah belongs at highest level: Ex-Liverpool defender Carragher

AFP his late 30s and winding down then in his of ‘if’. At this moment he is one of ours and
London head. He will be looking at breaking every I am really happy with him being one of
record he possibly can, either in the Pre- ours and he played really well. I don’t talk
mier League or Liverpool. about contracts from players but I can talk

F
ormer Liverpool defender Jamie “I think he is aware of his status and I for hours about how Mo played today.”
Carragher believes Mohamed find it very difficult to see Mo Salah in the Salah is just one of three major Liverpool
Salah will want to play at the high- Saudi league, for instance, next season. He players out of contract at the end of the
est level until his late 30s and is is playing that well at one of the biggest season, along with captain Virgil van Dijk
targeting Premier League and club records clubs in the world.” and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
despite uncertainty over his future. In July 2022 Salah signed a new three- However, on the field all is well for the
The Egypt international put the ball year deal, reportedly making him the high- Reds as new manager Arne Slot has made a
firmly in the club’s court after scoring and est-paid player in the club’s history on serene start to the daunting task of replac-
setting up two goals in Liverpool’s 3-0 around £350,000 ($460,000) a week. Liv- ing Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool have won their
victory at Manchester United on Sunday. erpool reportedly rejected a £150mn offer first three Premier League games without
Salah has less than a year left to run on his from Saudi’s Al Ittihad for Salah last year. conceding to sit behind Manchester City at
contract at Anfield and said no discussions The Egyptian has scored 214 goals for the top of the table on goals scored.
have taken place with the club on extend- Liverpool since joining in 2017, putting “It’s a great result. Everyone knows it’s
ing his deal. “Nobody in the club talked to him fifth on the club’s all-time scoring very important for the city and for the fans
me yet about contracts so I was just like, charts. “I had a good summer and had a – and for the manager with his first game
‘OK, I play my last season and see at the long time to myself to try to stay positive in here,” added Salah.
end of the season’,” he said. because as you know it’s my last year at the “We’re so happy for the result. If you
Salah is 32 but Carragher does not be- club,” Salah said. “I just want to enjoy it want to fight for the league this is the sort
lieve that will be a barrier to the forward and I don’t want to think about it. I feel like of game you need to win. I’m glad we man-
and therefore should not be for Liverpool. I’m free to play football and then we’ll see aged to win it. The manager likes us to
“I’m not sure it will be his last year. I think what happens next year.” press high. We scored from all those situa-
Mo Salah is a little bit like (Cristiano) Ron- New Liverpool boss Arne Slot refused tions. There’s not a big difference from Ju-
aldo,” he said. to be drawn on the issue of Salah’s future rgen at the start and in time we’ve changed
“Most footballers think 35 is the time to after the win against United. Asked about the system a little with the way we play.
finish. I think Mo Salah will be looking at the player’s comments, Slot said: “It’s a lot We’re adapting.”

PREMIER LEAGUE
Retirement won’t be a ‘difficult
decision’, says Ronaldo

United’s Ten Hag Lisbon: Cristiano Ronaldo has

ruled out any immediate thought
of retirement from international
football as he believes he still has
plenty to give Portugal, he told a
winner, who has been playing
for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia for
almost two years now, failed to
score as he appeared at a record
sixth European Championship

under pressure
press conference yesterday. this year, with Portugal exiting in
“When the time comes, I’ll the quarter-finals. In spite of the
move on. It won’t be a difficult criticism he received in the press
decision to make,” the 39-year- Ronaldo said he “never consid-
old said ahead of Thursday’s ered leaving the national team”
Nations League clash with and he has retained the backing
Croatia in Lisbon. “If I feel like I’m of coach Roberto Martinez.

after reality check

no longer contributing anything, “People’s expectations of the
I’ll be the first to leave,” he national team were too high,”
added, citing the example of his said Ronaldo, adding that the
former team-mate Pepe, “who bad times in a footballer’s life
left through the front door” after “allow you to evolve”. After
announcing his retirement from Thursday’s meeting with Croatia,
the game last August at the age Portugal remain in Lisbon to face
of 41. The five-time Ballon d’Or Scotland on Sunday.
‘It is just third game in the season, we have to build a new team’
AFP
London LIGUE 1

PSG’s win at Lille good

E
rik ten Hag is already back under ex-
treme pressure at Manchester United
after flunking his first big test since the
club decided to keep faith with their
Dutch manager.
United’s chastening 3-0 home defeat at
test for the Champions
the hands of Liverpool on Sunday left them
languishing 14th in the Premier League table
just three games into the season. Co-owner
League, says Enrique
Jim Ratcliffe, seated alongside the new Old Reuters begin their quest for a long-await-
Trafford hierarchy, had his head in his hands Paris ed maiden European title.
as United showed all their old failings against “There’s the match against Brest
their bitter rivals. after the break and that will have

P
Ten Hag’s side went toe to toe with Arne aris St Germain’s 3-1 win nothing to do with the Champions
Slot’s men for the first half an hour but costly at Lille in Ligue 1 on Sun- League and its new format. I can’t
errors from Casemiro and clinical finishing day was a good test ahead know what that will be like,” the
from Luis Diaz put the visitors in total com- the Champions League, Spanish manager said. “My team
mand at half-time. Mohamed Salah scored coach Luis Enrique said, as their is showing signs of confidence but
his customary goal against United in the 56th opponents will also feature in Eu- we still lack physical rhythm in
minute and Liverpool saw out the game with rope’s elite club competition start- several of our players. The Cham-
relative ease in a rapidly emptying stadium. ing later this month. pions League is very different and
For long-suffering United fans, it appears Goals from Vitinha, Bradley full of new things.”
to be a case of rinse and repeat. The club, who Barcola and Randal Kolo Muani PSG’s win on Sunday took them
have not won the Premier League since Alex earned French champions PSG two points clear at the top of Ligue
Ferguson’s final season in charge in 2013, ap- their third win in three league 1. Vitinha put PSG ahead on a
pear to be stuck in a seemingly endless cycle games this season against feisty stiflingly hot night in northern
of mediocrity despite multiple changes of per- Manchester United’s chastening 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Liverpool left Erik ten Hag’s Lille. However, they are already France with a penalty and Bradley
sonnel on and off the pitch. men languishing 14th in the Premier League table just three games into the season. (AFP) looking ahead to their Champions Barcola doubled their lead.
Ten Hag was handed a contract extension League opener on September 18 Edon Zhegrova pulled one back
in July but only after United had considered new midfield recruit from Paris Saint-Ger- like I’m Harry Potter, that is what you have against Spanish side Girona. in the second half to give the home
alternatives following a season in which they main, was not available while another recent to acknowledge. If you see Manuel Ugarte, he Lille face Portugal’s Sporting a side hope at the Stade Pierre-
finished a lowly eighth in the Premier League. arrival, defender Leny Yoro, is injured along didn’t play so far in the season, not one match day earlier in their first Champi- Mauroy, but Randal Kolo Muani’s
United’s 2-1 victory against Manchester City with Mason Mount, Luke Shaw and Rasmus minute.” ons League game since the 2021-22 stoppage-time header wrapped up
in the FA Cup final in May proved vital after it Hojlund. Whether or not United now regret their de- season as they secured their spot the win for the defending French
seemed likely the Dutchman would be sacked. But United looked short of ideas and qual- cision to stick with Ten Hag, former Manches- in the competition through last champions.
The embattled Ten Hag was forced to de- ity against Liverpool, who have won all three ter United captain Gary Neville believes he will month’s playoffs. Luis Enrique’s side appear to
fend himself after Sunday’s defeat, which fol- of their Premier League games under new boss be given until Christmas to turn things around. “It was an away game against a be coping just fine since the de-
lowed a last-gasp win against Fulham and a Slot. Former Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro “It is a time for a bit of calm,” he said. “It’s the team who play in the Champions parture of their all-time leading
defeat at Brighton. “It is just the third game in was at fault for both of Diaz’s goals and was international break, which is probably well- League, who already played several scorer Kylian Mbappe, with PSG
the season, we have to build a new team,” said hauled off at half-time while forward Marcus needed for United. But Erik ten Hag is going to games and have a very different having won all three games so far
the 54-year-old. “I explained this so many Rashford looked desperately short of form and have to get the club into a position challenging rhythm to us,” Enrique told report- this season, scoring 13 goals in the
times, we will build this new team, we have confidence. for the Champions League towards Christmas ers. “It was a very good test for us, process.
young players and players to build in. It is clear United’s paucity of options was laid bare or else he is going to be in trouble.” it was a Champions League match They head into the September
we have to improve but at the end of the season by the fact that Ten Hag was forced to turn September’s international break has come at for us. I’m pretty happy with the international break with a two-
I am confident we will have a big chance to lift to 20-year-old Toby Collyer, making his Pre- the right time for Ten Hag – United are next in team’s performance.” point lead at the top of the table
another trophy.” mier League debut. Ten Hag pleaded for pa- action at Southampton on September 14. But PSG and Lille are among the from Marseille, Nantes, Monaco
The former Ajax boss can point to mitigat- tience over Ugarte. “We have to build him in the United manager faces some sleepless nights clubs preparing for a revamped and Lens, and on this form it will
ing circumstances – Manuel Ugarte, United’s the team, it will take time,” he said. “It is not as he tries to figure out a way to stop the rot. Champions League format ex- take something special to knock
tended to 36 teams playing eight them off the summit.
fixtures in the first round or league Meanwhile, Lille coach Bruno
FOCUS phase. Enrique’s side will have an- Genesio was left to regret the deci-
other test in Ligue 1 after the in- sion to deny his side a late equal-
ternational break when they host iser, when Tiago Santos scored but

Mbappe relieved to score first La Liga goals Brest, also playing in the Champi-
ons League, four days before they
the goal was disallowed by VAR for
an extremely tight offside.

Reuters the teammates, the fans ... they have

Madrid always been with me. Giving me confi-
dence to score goals for this club.”
Coming off a disappointing 1-1 draw

R
eal Madrid forward Kylian at lowly Las Palmas on Thursday, and
Mbappe said scoring his first still without midfielder Jude Belling-
La Liga goals for his new club ham due to a leg injury, the home side
on Sunday was a relief af- made another slow start against Betis.
ter drawing a blank in their first three But they finally got on the scoresheet
league games of the season. The France with Mbappe’s brace - the first a close-
captain netted a second-half double to range effort in the 67th and the second
give the defending champions a hard- eight minutes later with a penalty after
fought 2-0 win over Real Betis, earning Vinicius Jr was brought down.
them their second league win of the “It’s a great moment. I was re-
new campaign. ally looking forward to scoring in
“I’ve been happy ever since I ar- this mythical stadium, the best in the
rived here,” Mbappe said. “People world,” Mbappe said. “But the most
have given me a lot of affection here, important thing is the victory. We had
even when I didn’t score, which was to win after Las Palmas, even though
for three games. For some that doesn’t we faced a difficult game, as they all Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani (right) celebrates with Desire
seem much but for me it was a lot! are against rivals here. But we are Real Doue after scoring against Lille during the French Ligue 1 match at the
However, during the process, the club, Madrid. And we won at last.” Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, northern France. (AFP)