CHINTHANA WASALA THE PENINSULA

Qatari rider Faris Saad Al Qahtani yesterday exhibited a brilliant routine astride Hidiene to claim the top spot in the medium Tour Individual Event as the Longines Hathab Qatar Equestrian Tour's seventh round kicked off at Al Shaqab Indoor Arena.

This was the first occasion the popular tour staged a round at the state-of-the-art equestrian facility after the Qatar Eques-trian Federation hosted all six previous rounds this season.

Al Qahtani yesterday grabbed the honours astride the Al Shaqab-owned eight-year-old mare after completing the fastest routine (29.49 secs) among a 44-strong line-up to get richer by QR7,500.

Verona, guided by Mohammed Khalifa Albaker, spent a time of 31.05 secs to com-plete the same task. Albaker, who is cur-rently sitting in the second spot in the Medium Tour overall rankings with five more rounds to go, yesterday won QR6,000 in prize money as he went on to push his Medium Tour title hopes.

The third place yesterday was won by Salmeen Sultan Al Suwaidi who completed the round in 31.34 with Aslan 69. Al Suwaidi won QR4,500 after booking the podium spot.

Lamm Addiction Z, with Rashid Towaim Al Marri in the saddle, finished fourth while Frenchwoman Cyrine Cherif, the leading show jumper in the Medium Tour standings, completed the top five with Brennus Ville-longue at the Al Shaqab Arena.

Medium Tour winners were presented awards by Omar Al Mannai, Vice-Chairman of the Longines Hathab Organising Committee

Meanwhile, in the Medium Tour team event, Team Limited Edition Cars captured the top honours following impressive per-formances of Albaker (Verona, 31.05 secs) and Mohammed Saeed Haidan (Miss Chili 32.48). They won QR15,000 fin-ishing the task ahead of second placed Team Al Kass (Al Suwaidi/Aslan 69 and Nasser Al Ghazali/Hurry Up) and Exxon-mobil (Cherif/ Brennus Villelongue and

Jassim Al Jaham Al Kuwari/ Sandro Girl).Earlier, the Small Tour competition

which offered a total of QR20,000 in prize money, was won by Mohammed Nasser Al Qadi who completed a flawless 54.07-second routine with Vlacido.

The victory yesterday lifted Mohammed to the second spot in the Small Tour standings as he added QR5,000 to his account.

Gibria-B, with Hamad Nasser Al Qadi in the saddle, was able to finish the same task in 54.91 seconds, but he had to satisfy with the second spot on the podium. Hamad won QR4,000 in prize money. Cornett Des Forrets, guided by Khalid Ali Al Adba,

completed the podium with a run which was completed in 55.03 secs as an impressive number of 20 riders completed the Small Tour with no faults.

In the presence of Hamad bin Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah, President of the Qatari and Asian Equestrian Federations as well as the Chairman of the Longines Hathab Organising Committee of the Longines Championship, Al Mannai and Ahmed Salem Al Ali, Director of the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund Depart-ment, crowned the Small Tour winners.

The seventh round of the 12-leg series concludes today with Big Tour and Open Class competitions.

SportSATURDAY 2 JANUARY 2021

Klopp urges Premier League to keep goingIt is understandable (to have concerns), but we try to do everything to keep the boys as safe as possible and I think the competition can go on. People want to watch it and, in this case, we are not part of society because usually we isolate, we go to the training ground and stuff like that, so I think we really can carry on.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp

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QVA SENIOR LEAGUE: Al Arabi beat Al Sadd 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-20); Al Shamal beat Al Gharafa 3-1 (25-22, 25-18, 22-25, 25-21)

Klopp urges PL to keep going despite rising virus casesREUTERS – LONDON

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp believes the Premier League must avoid imple-menting a “circuit-breaker” shutdown to help reduce COVID-19 infections, saying the safety measures in place will ensure the competition is not affected.

West Bromwich Albion manager Sam Allardyce had earlier this week called for a temporary suspension of the league following a record number of positive cases in a week. The surge in infections led to the postponement of Everton’s clash with Man-chester City on Monday and Tottenham Hotspur’s home game against Fulham.

Klopp is ready to put Liv-erpool’s title defence on hold if needed but stressed the role football can play in these uncertain times.

“It is understandable (to have concerns), but we try to do everything to keep the boys as safe as possible and I think the competition can go on,” Klopp told reporters ahead of Mon-day’s trip to Southampton.

“People want to watch it and, in this case, we are not part of society because usually we isolate, we go to the training ground and stuff like that, so I think we really can carry on."

Faris Saad Al Qahtani guides Hidiene over a hurdle during

the medium Tour Individual Event of the seventh Round of

the Longines Hathab Qatar Equestrian Tour at Al Shaqab Indoor Arena

yesterday.

Omar Al Mannai, Vice-Chairman of the Longines Hathab Organising Committee with officials during the podium ceremony of Medium Tour Team event. BOTTOM: The podium winners of the Small Tour posing for a photograph with the officials.

QSL: High-flying Al Sadd take on struggling Al Kharaitiyat in Round 7 THE PENINSULA – DOHA

Title favourites Al Sadd will look to extend their unbeaten run when they take on Al Kharaitiyat at home as the 12th round of the QNB Stars League kicks off today.

Al Sadd go into the game with extra confidence after showing impressive perform-ances in the first half of the season as the Xavi Hernandez-coached Wolves top the table with 29 points to remain as the only unbeaten team so far.

Apart from two drawn fix-tures, including last week's one-all stalemate with Qatar SC, Al Sadd have dominated the season with a huge goal dif-ference of 28 in their favour.

Their opponents are not having an enjoyable run this season, as Al Kharaitiyat are sitting at the bottom of the table as of now. They have managed to collect six points from two victories, but having lost nine matches, the most by any team, Al Kharaitiyat are in dire straits.

However, Xavi yesterday said that he is not going to underestimate Al Kharaitiyat's strengths.

“We play against the team last in the table but they are a good team. I respect the coach Yousuf Adam a lot; he has had a good performance and I think

he is a very good coach,” Xavi said during a pre-match press conference.

“He’s doing a great job in the country and I think they deserve more points. They don’t deserve to be in the last position.”

Xavi is predicting a difficult match against Al Kharaitiyat.

“It will be difficult because all the clubs are really motivated

against Al Sadd. So we have to take care. If we relax, we may lose points and it will be really difficult. “We have to respect Al Kharaiti-yat, they have a good team and good players, and it will be tough to get the three points.”

Al Kharaitiyat coach Yousef Adam admitted the confronta-tion will be difficult, but nothing is impossible.

“Undoubtedly, everyone in the team is well aware that Al Sadd are a big team and have distinguished players. The match against them will be difficult. The psycholog-ical aspect during preparation is very important," Yousef said.

“There is nothing impossible in football even though everyone expects that Al Kharaitiyat will lose to Al Sadd as it is a match

between the leaders and the last-placed side in the stand-ings, but football does not know the impossible, as I mentioned," Yousef said.

In today's match, Al Sadd will be without their prominent stars Akram Afif and Boualem Khoukhi as they are suffering from COVID-19 infection. The club yesterday announced that one of their key players, defender Tarek Salman has been ruled out of today's game after sustaining an injury.

In other matches today, Al Rayyan will meet Al Sailiya at Al Sadd Stadium (18:45) while Al Wakrah take on Al Ahli at Al Arabi Stadium (18:45).

Al sadd's Rodrigo Tabata in action during a practice session.

COMP. (1) SMALL TOUR, 100/115CM, PRIZE MONEY QR20,000Rk Horse Rider Ph.1 Prize Money1 Vlacido Mohammed Nasser Al Qadi 54.07 QR5,000

2 Gibria-B Hamad Nasser Al Qadi 54.91 QR4,000

3 Cornett Des Forrets Khalid Ali Al Adba 55.03 QR3,000

4 Apple Bee Mohammed Saeed Haidan 56.49 QR2,000

5 Dusty Khalifa Abdulla Al Khaldi 56.71 QR1,400

COMP. (2) MEDIUM TOUR (INDIVIDUAL) 120/135CM, PRIZE MONEY QR30,000 Rk Horse Rider Ph. 1 Ph. 2 Prize Money 1 Hidiene Faris Saad Al Qahtani 33.19 29.49 QR7,500

2 Verona Mohammed Khalifa Albaker 34.12 31.05 QR6,000

3 Aslan 69 Salmeen Sultan Al Suwaidi 31.22 31.34 QR4,500

4 Lamm Addiction Z Rashid Towaim Al Marri 33.25 31.62 QR3,000

5 Brennus Villelongue Cyrine Cherif 33.20 32.40 QR2,100

COMP. (2) MEDIUM TOUR (TEAMS): PRIZE MONEY QR30,000Horse Rider Ph. 1 Ph. 2 Prize Money1: Team Limited Edition Cars 63.53 QR15,000Verona Mohammed Khalifa Albaker 34.12 31.05

Miss Chili Mohammed Saeed Haidan 31.10 32.48

2: Team Al Kass 63.02 (4) QR9,000Aslan 69 Salmeen Sultan Al Suwaidi 31.22 31.34

Hurry Up Nasser Al Ghazali 34.11 (4) 31.68 (4)

3: Team Exxonmobil 68.27 (4) QR6,000Brennus Villelongue Cyrine Cherif 33.20 32.40

Sandro Girl Jassim Al Jaham Al Kuwari 33.09 (4) 35.87 (4)

Al Qahtani guides Hidiene to Medium Tour victory

LONGINES HATHAB QATAR EQUESTRIAN TOUR: ROUND 7 - DAY 1 RESULTS

TODAY'S FIXTURESAl Sadd vs Al Kharaitiyat

Al Sadd Stadium (16:15)Al Rayyan vs Al SailiyaAl Sadd Stadium (18:45)Al Wakrah vs Al AhliAl Arabi Stadium (18:45)

TOMORROWUmm Salal vs Al DuhailQatar SC Stadium (16:15)

Qatar SC vs Al GharafaQatar SC Stadium (18:45)

Al Arabi vs Al KhorAl Arabi Stadium (18:45)

Al Kharaitiyat coach Yousef Adam (left) and Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez speaking during press conferences yesterday.

REUTERS – CHRISTCHURCH

Canterbury fast bowler Matt Henry was called up to the New Zealand squad for the second Test against Pakistan, starting tomorrow at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, to replace the injured Neil Wagner, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said yesterday.

Wagner is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks after sustaining fractures in the toes of his right foot during the first test at Bay Oval, which the hosts won by 101 runs.

Henry, who has 30 Test wickets, is being rewarded for his recent form which saw him register figures of 6-53 for New Zealand ‘A’ against Pakistan Shaheens in December. The 29-year-old has also taken seven wickets from four Ford Trophy matches this season for Canterbury.

“Matt has been in good form with the ball,” coach Gary Stead said. “We’re still a couple of days out from the Test, so need to take a look at the surface while also assessing our options for best possible team make-up.”

15SATURDAY 2 JANUARY 2021Sport

South Racing Can-Am team eyes success at Dakar RallyTHE PENINSULA – JEDDAH

The South Racing Can-Am Team will be aiming to secure victory and further podium success in the SSV T4 category at the 2021 Dakar Rally, starting in the Saudi Arabian coastal city of Jeddah today.

The Germany-based preparations company has entered six cars under the South Racing Can-Am Team banner, four under the Monster Energy Can-Am Team arm and two further SSVs entered as the Energy-landia Rally Team.

Qatar’s Khalifa Al Attiyah, Chilean Francesco Lopez, Dutchman Kees Koolen, Spaniard Fernando Alvarez, Saudi driver Saeed Al Mouri and Portuguese driver Lourenço Rosa drive the South Racing Can-Am Team entries.

After a four-year lay-off from top-flight competition, Al Attiyah returned to com-petitive action at the recent Ha’il Baja and sealed victory at the final round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas on his debut with the new team. The younger brother of Dakar front-runner Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, Khalifa will team up with former Italian enduro rider and 2018 African Eco Race winner Paulo Ceci in the first of the South Racing Can-Ams.

Al Attiyah, 42, will also be making his Dakar debut on an event where Ceci makes his first appearance as a nav-igator after five finishes on a motorcycle between 2010 and 2016. The pair only met for the first time at the start of the month before the Ha’il

Baja events, but showed enough potential to suggest they will be challenging for the Dakar podium.

Koolen was crowned as the 2020 FIA T4 World Champion in mid-December and he and fellow Dutchman Jurgen van der Goorbergh head to the start of the Dakar in confident mood.

Koolen will be tackling his 12th Dakar and second in an SSV after taking part pre-viously in cars and trucks and on bikes and quads. His best finish was eighth on a quad in 2018 and he was classified as the 17th SSV in 2020.

Francesco ‘Chaleco’ Lopez is one of the most experienced Dakar compet-itors and a veteran of nine events - one in Africa, seven in South America and the last event in Saudi Arabia. He switched to driving an SSV in 2019 to claim victory and won two stages in 2020 on his way to second overall.

Lopez will be partnered by fellow countryman Juan-Pablo Latrach.

Alvarez and fellow Spaniard Antonio Gimeno Garcia crew the fourth of the six South Racing Can-Ams.

The Grupo Conarpesa-backed driver currently resides in Buenos Aires and has tackled numerous FIA events around the world with South Racing.

Saudi Arabian driver Saeed Al Mouri will tackle his home event in a Can-Am. Renowned as a world-class driver in the drifting disci-pline, Al Mouri has also tackled rounds of the FIA Middle East rally series and cross-country events in the Gulf region. He teams up with Uruguay’s Sergio Lafuente.

The Portuguese crew of Lourenço Rosa and Joaquim Dias will tackle the event for the first time in the sixth of the South Racing Can-Am Team X3s.

South Racing has also built four Can-Am Maverick X3s for the Monster Energy Can-Am Team. Brazilian Reinaldo Varela, Pole Aron Domżala, Spaniard Gerard Farrés and young American Austin Jones drive the four team SSVs with their respective co-drivers Maykel Justo, Maciej Marton, Armand Monleón and Gustavo Gugelmin reading the road

books and offering vital nav-igational expertise on the demanding desert special stages.

South Racing will also run a pair of Can-Am Mav-erick X3s, running under the Energylandia Rally Team banner, for the Polish duo of Marek and Michal Goczal.

Marek, 45, is the owner of Poland’s largest theme park, Energylandia, and will be taking part in his first Dakar alongside the expe-rienced Rafal Marton. The event also marks a Dakar debut for 29-year-old younger brother Michal and his navigator Szymon Gos-podarczyk, the latter taking part in his fourth Dakar.

Action gets underway with an 11km Prologue in Jeddah today and that will determine the starting order for the opening selective section of 27km between Jeddah and Bisha tomorrow.

The event concludes on January 12.

Support for the Monster Energy Can-Am Team comes from Method Wheels, Tensor Tires, Motul, Jjuan Brake Systems, Bell, Lazer and OMP.

Henry replaces injured Wagner for second Pakistan Test

South Africa seek series win against wounded Sri LankaREUTERS – JOHANNESBURG

South Africa will seek a first series win in four attempts when they host injury-hit Sri Lanka in the second and final Test starting at The Wanderers in Johannesburg tomorrow, but both will also be focused on keeping their players on the pitch.

This will be especially important for the tourists, who return home directly after the Test for a money-spinning two-match series against England in Galle that starts on Jan. 14.

Key all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva will be missing having picked up an injury in the first test, a crushing innings and 45-run defeat in Pretoria, while seamers Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara also sustained muscle injuries, as did leading batsman Dinesh Chandimal.

The Lankans leading fast bowler Suranga Lakmal did not play in the first game and remains doubtful in what has been a horror run of injuries brought about by a lack of adequate preparation time, according to team officials.

Just getting 11 players through the second Test unscathed will be a major aim and South Africa coach Mark Boucher has sympathy for his opposite number Mickey Arthur.

“It’s very difficult in these times to prepare,” Boucher told reporters. “We

haven’t had a lot of cricket - games have been postponed or cancelled. We are having to think out of the box continuously to try and get our work-loads up in order to bowl 20 overs a day.

“It’s easier for batters to work on their fitness. You can do shuttles. But it’s difficult to bowl 20 overs in your back garden. You have to try to sim-ulate a game situation.”

Fortunately Sri Lanka brought an extended 21-man squad for the tour, so do have replacements on hand if required.

South Africa will keep the same top six batting line-up that scored 621 in their only innings in the first test, and may recall fit-again fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.

They have gone into matches on the bouncy Wanderers pitch with an all-seam attack in the past, but Boucher, who was appointed a year ago, says it is unlikely this time round.

South Africa have lost successive home Test series to Sri Lanka and England, and away in India, and so can end a period of dismal failure in the five-day game, even though neither side is likely to reach the final of the ICC Test Championship that is scheduled for Lord’s in June.

They have won both previous tests against the Lankans in Johannesburg by an innings.

Toyota’s Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel of France taking their Hilux for a test drive prior to the technical checkup in Jeddah, ahead of the 2021 Dakar Rally which flags off tomorrow.

Three-time champion Al Attiyah gears up for Dakar Rally

Holders Juventus face uphillbattle as Serie A resumes

REUTERS – TURIN

Serie A has b e c o m e almost a formality for

Juventus over the last decade but the Turin side are suddenly facing an uphill battle as they chase a tenth successive title this season.

Juve host Udinese as Serie A resumes tomorrow after a 10-day Christmas break which has given them plenty of

time to reflect on a their dismal 3-0 home defeat by Fiorentina.

Leading scorer Cris-tiano Ronaldo spent part of that period in Dubai, a trip that raised eyebrows in Italy where ordinary cit-izens are under a Christmas and New Year lockdown and subject to s e v e r e t r a v e l restrictions.

In their first season under Andrea Pirlo -- a man with no pre-vious coaching expe-rience -- Juventus find

themselves in sixth place with 24 points, 10 adrift of leaders AC Milan but with a game in

hand.Juve have become used to letting

their rivals do the chasing in the last few seasons and the last time they were in a remotely similar situation was back in 2015-16 when they were seven points behind the leaders at the similar stage.

Pirlo has insisted from the outset that his team are “under construction” and the Fiorentina debacle came just as they appeared to be taking shape with a 3-0 win away to Barcelona in the Champions League and a 4-0 drubbing of Parma.

“I’m trying to put my ideas together, the players are understanding them, and we continue on this game plan started in September,” said the bearded, moody-looking coach after the Fiorentina match.

Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur con-fessed that the players had approached the Fiorentina match in the wrong frame of mind.

Although midtable Udinese are no pushovers, the real battles begin after-wards as Juventus visit leaders AC Milan on Jan. 6, host fourth-placed Sassuolo four days after that and visit second-placed Inter Milan on Jan. 17.

Milan, who visit a Benevento side led by their former coach and striker Filippo Inzaghi, are still unbeaten with 34 points although their mounting toll of injuries -- including 39-year-old forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic -- finally appears to be catching up with them.

Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan, who host lowly Crotone in another Sunday game, have cut their neighbours’ lead to one point.

Having won their last seven league games, they are starting to look like favourites in what is turning out to be the most unpredictable title race for years.

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Qatar's Khalifa Al Attiyah and Paulo Ceci

NEW ZEALAND SQUAD FOR THE SECOND TEST:Kane Williamson (c),

Tom Blundell,

Trent Boult, Henry,

Kyle Jamieson,

Tom Latham, Daryl

Mitchell, Henry

Nicholls, Mitchell

Santner, Tim Southee,

Ross Taylor, BJ

Watling, Will Young.

It’s very difficult in these times to prepare. We haven’t had a lot of cricket - games have been postponed or cancelled. We are having to think out of the box continuously to try and get our workloads up in order to bowl 20 overs a day. It’s easier for batters to work on their fitness. You can do shuttles. But it’s

difficult to bowl 20 overs in your back garden. You have to try to simulate a game situation: South Africa coach Mark Boucher

QOC Beach Games: Al Ahlam, Qatar B win 3x3 basketball titlesAction during the Qatar Olympic Committee Beach Games at Aspire Zone yesterday. Al Ahlam and Qatar B emerged men's and women's 3x3 basketball champions respectively after overcoming their opponents in yesterday's finals. In other finals held at the Aspire Zone, Al Shaqab defeated Yasmeenat Tunisia to win the women's beach handball title while Team Al Maha emerged women's beach volleyball champions.

Qatar B Team players celebrate after winning the women's basketball title.

Action during the men's 3x3 basketball final.

Leading scorer of Serie A, Cristiano Ronaldo