 | Jaish, Umm Salal post victory IKOLI VICTOR DOHA THE Qatar Stars League resumed celebrating 'Qatar United' as football fans from different nationalities thronged to witness a QSL match between Al Jaish and Al Ahli at the Al Arabi Stadium on Friday.
...
|
|
| | Ahmad victorious in under-19 category | | DOHA JORDAN'S Ahmad Alsarraj pocketed the under-19 category title as he downed seeded local player Omer Ahmed in three games at the Doha Junior Open Squash Tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex on Friday.
Alsarraj twice rallied from behind in the match and managed to overturn the deficit before registering a 11-9 11-6 11-8 victory in the final.
Omer got ahead in the first and third games. But the Jordanian kept calm and controlled the front to force the rival make mistakes or hit weak returns. He quickly pounced on the chances and converted them to his advantage before bagging the crown in 36 minutes.
The under-19 class had many upsets and the final one was produced by Abdulla al Tamimi, who had won the title in the previous event last week. He jolted top seed Suleman Khan of Pakistan by 11-8 11-2 11-3 in a match for the third place.
He won it gain some consolation for missing out on the final.
Ibrahim Abulaban, also of Jordan, capped his fine run in the under-13 class with the title. After upsetting two Qatari seeded players in the previous matches, he faced second seed and compatriot Abed Alkader in the final.
After dropping the first game, he got back his rhythm and went on to clinch the next three games to emerge the champion.
... |
| | Hameli edges Carella for pole | | TEAM Abu Dhabi's pole specialist Ahmed al Hameli will start the first race of the 2012 UIM H2O Formula 1 Boat World Championship Series – Qatar Grand Prix - from the first place in Doha Bay on Saturday afternoon.
Hameli was the last driver in the final qualifying session and managed to edge Qatar Team's defending world champion Alex Carella by 0.55 of a second in the shoot out to finish on the top of the time sheets.
Khalid Saleh al Shamlan, the third driver from Qatar Team in the F1 class, had a promising start and took the seventh place. Shaun Torrente, also from Qatar Team, will start the race from the back as the engine of his boat broke down and had to be replaced.
Fourth last year in the overall standings, Hameliwas the only driver to clock a sub-45-sec time among 20-driver field.
Twice former world champion Sami Selio of Team Mad Croc F1 took the third place, Thani al Qamziof Team Abu Dhabi was fourth quickest and Yousef al Rabayan of F1 Atlantic Team surprised all to round out the top five.
"I am very delighted to have won the pole position of the first race of the season.
The water was rough but I had a perfect finish and will begin the race on Saturday from the top place," commented Hameli.
Qatar Team's Formula 1 Racing Head had mixed feelings.
He was pleased with the way Shamlan launched his F1 career and made it to the third qualifying session, finishing as the seventh fastest driver. Carella's second place was also fine with him but he felt sorry for Torrente's engine problem.
... |
| | Man U loses to Bilbao, City falls in Lisbon | | THE TWO Manchester clubs are facing a battle to stay in the Europa League after slumping to surprise losses in the first legs of their last-16 matches on Thursday.
United was outclassed at home by Spanish side Athletic Bilbao, losing 3-2 after going ahead through the first of Wayne Rooney's two goals.
Fernando Llorente, Oscar de Marcos and Iker Muniain were the scorers for Bilbao, which could have won by a bigger margin at Old Trafford after running the English champions ragged for large spells with its fluid movement and passing.
City lost 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon thanks to an impudent back-heeled goal by Brazilian defender Xandao, but the Premier League leaders at least have the return leg at home to come next Thursday.
It was a successful night for Spanish clubs with Valencia beating PSV Eindhoven 4-2 and Atletico Madrid winning 3-1 against Besiktas. But the night belonged to Bilbao, which gave United one of their most difficult evenings at home for years.
"We were well beaten. They were the better team," United manager Alex Ferguson said.
Bilbao has been rejuvenated under veteran Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa and with the emergence of a golden crop of youngsters. The team was expected to give United a tough game after climbing to fifth place in the Spanish league, but no one could have expected such domination from the away side.
... |
|
|
|
|
