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Daniel Deusser had a quiet weekend coming into the final day of the Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines, but the German World No 3 rose to the occasion when it mattered. On the final night of the prestigious championship, Deusser saved his best for last as he clinched the Grand Prix 1.60m class at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab yesterday. Deusser astride 10-year-old bay Killer Queen Vdm was the fastest combination in the jump-off with 38.90-second scorching run under the floodlights. Austrian Max Kuhner and the nine-year-old Electric Blue P came second in 39.39 secs, with Frenchman Roger Yves Bost taking third spot with 14-year-old Sangria du Coty in 39.68 secs. “It feels great to have won this event. Killer Queen has long strides and she runs tight lines,” Deusser said after getting richer by €135,300. “I had never won this Grand Prix. It was pretty tough today, but my horse did great. I’m really happy. This ring with long lines is very nice for her. She won with her big canter today,” the 38-year-old added. Eighteen combinations advanced to the second round of the quality 41-rider field, which was followed by a jump-off for the double clear combinations. Kuhner set the pace with his lightning bay Electric Blue P, while Bost had to balance Sangria du Coty just too often and was about 0.29 seconds slower than the Austrian.  Deusser remained neck-and-neck with Kuhner until halfway through the jump-off course, but flew past him on the final line with Killer Queen Vdm and finished half a second faster. Julien Epaillard – who had won thrice in the past two days – looked good to beat Deusser’s time but the Frenchman got a bar on the second-to-last obstacle with Alibi de la Roque and had to settle for seventh spot. “It’s difficult to say what was the hardest in the final run. A lot of riders had gone fast. I had to do as fast as possible. My horse has a huge stride and having long lines helped. In smaller arenas, it was the biggest difficulty for me, but here, it was not as much a problem,” Deusser said. Omar al-Mannai, the Event Director of the Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines, was pleased with the turnout for the championship and was looking forward to next weekend’s Longines Global Champions Tour opener. “We spent three great days of high performance sport. We had fun around the venue at the festival area. The atmosphere was incredible. It was nice for everyone who came here. I hope everyone enjoyed their time. Lots of things to do for next weekend as well,” al-Mannai said. Earlier, Patrik Kittel made it two victories in a row with 14-year-old gelding Delaunay Old to win the Dressage CDI5* Grand Prix Freestyle, with the pair having also won on Friday. Kittel and Delaunay Old scored 79.290 percent to top the field as the Swedish rider took home €27,173 in prize money. “I came here with the goal of being among the top three and we really succeeded. I’m really happy. You can’t be more than happy when you win. I had a much better feeling today. Delaunay came more into the program and relaxed in a different way,” said Kittel. Morgan Barbançon and Sir Donnerhall II Old, France’s leading combination, scored 76.450 percent to place second, as the duo did in the Grand Prix on Friday. Spain’s Juan Matute Guimon and Quantico were third on 76.400 percent. Meanwhile, Ireland’s Kate Dwyer on Snowdon Faberge took the Grand Prix Special on a personal best score of 70.043 percent. Dwyer was in tears as the judges read out the score as she became the first Irish rider to win at Grand Prix Special at five-star level. Last to go in the six-horse class and riding her 14-year-old gelding Snowdon Faberge, Dwyer beat Belarus’ Hann Karasiova into second place. “I am a little bit in shock but so happy. I just felt today I really had him with me in that ride, he was taking me every step of the way. When I came up that last centre line I was like ‘oh my goodness, this is what it feels like’. I am delighted with his performance and I know this is only the tip of the iceberg of what he can give me,” a delighted Dwyer said. Following a 10th place finish in Friday’s Grand Prix, Dwyer said her aim was to break the 70 percent mark and was overjoyed to have done that. “I finally hit the 70 percent. There were tears in my eyes. It is so lovely to hear it, and it’s not that often you hear it, so I am delighted and really proud. When I looked back and saw my mark I just couldn’t stop the tears, I just couldn’t believe it,” Dwyer said. RESULTS Showjumping — Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Grand Prix presented by Longines 1. Daniel Deusser (GER); Horse: Killer Queen Vdm; Jump-off time: 38.90 secs; Prize money: €135,300     2. Max Kuhner (AUT); Elektric Blue P; 39.39 secs; €82000     3. Roger Yves Bost (FRA); Sangria du Coty; 39.68 secs; €43,050       Showjumping - CSI5* Table C (239) 1.45m 1. Annika Axelsson (SWE); Horse: Haloubet Hitchcock; Time: 59.44 secs; Prize money: €6350     2. Jur Vrieling (NED); Fiumicino van de Kalevallei; 60.75 secs; €5080 3. Titouan Schumacher (FRA); Eliot Brimbelles Z; 60.81 secs; €3810   Dressage — CDI5* GP FS - Grand Prix Freestyle to Music 1. Patrik Kittel (SWE); Horse: Delaunay Old; Percentage: 79.290; Prize money: €27,173 2. Morgan Barbançon (FRA); Sir Donnerhall II Old; 76.450; €21,739      3. Juan Matute Guimon (ESP); Quantico; 76.400; €16,304        CDI5* GPS - Grand Prix Special 1. Kate Dwyer (IRL); Horse: Snowdon Faberge; Percentage: 70.043%; Prize money: €5882.35     2. Hanna Karasiova (BLR); Zodiak; 69.106%; €4705.88     3. Jill de Ridder (GER); Whitney 341; 69.085%; €3529.41   Para Dressage CPEDI3* Freestyle IV (IV FS) 1. Rodolpho Riskalla (BRA); Horse: Don Frederic 3. Percentage: 76.875%; Prize money: €1200 2. Lotte Krijnsen (NED); Rosenstolz; 75.458%; €1000 3. Philippa Mary Johnson (RSA); Lord Louis; 73.875%; €800   CPEDI3* Freestyle V (V FS) 1. Ciska Vermeulen (BEL); Horse: Rohmeo; Percentage: 75.792%; Prize money: €1200 2. Valentina Strobl (AUT); Bequia Simba; 72.708%; €1000 3. Ulricke Dekeyzer (BEL); Cleverboy Van d’Abelendreef; 71.333%;  €800   CPEDI3* Freestyle I (I FS) 1. Jens Lasse Dokkan (NOR); Horse: Aladdin. Percentage: 77.278%; Prize money: €1320 2. Magdalena Cycak (POL); Sybilla; 64.445%; €1000   CPEDI3* Freestyle II (II FS) 1. Pepo Puch (AUT); Horse: Fuerst Chili; Percentage: 79.111%; Prize money: €1320 2. Martina Benzinger (GER); Fritzzantino; 71.222%; €1000 3. Annemarieke Nobel (NED); Highlight; 69.723%; €800   CPEDI3* Freestyle III (III FS) 1. Rixt van der Horst (NED); Horse: Findsley N.O.P.; Percentage: 77.167%; Prize money: €1320 2. Barbara Minneci (BEL); Stuart; 73.333%; €1000

Julien Epaillard’s winning juggernaut continued at the Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines Friday, with the Frenchman clinching the feature class on the second day of the championship.  Epaillard, who had won both the showjumping events on the opening day, did not put a foot wrong Friday at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab as he combined with 11-year-old stallion Virtuose Champeix to claim the CSI5* 1.55m class.  The 41-year-old had also won the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix Doha title last year, and there seems to be no stopping him at Al Shaqab. Going by his current form, Epaillard will now be a heavy favourite for Saturday’s Grand Prix 1.60m — the big money event of the championship.  “Yes, it was an amazing show. My horse is in top form,” gushed Epaillard after another terrific win, “I did not have the best control in the jump-off. But I am very happy. I wish I could get the Grand Prix trophy tomorrow. I would like that. My horse is only 10 years old. Not so much experience for the moment. But we will try and do the best tomorrow,” he added.  Twelve riders made it to the jump-off in the speed class and it looked like Scott Brash would walk away with the victory, after the British rider completed the round in 34.11 seconds with Hello Shelby.  But Epaillard, who was second but last rider at the start, beat Brash’s time hands down, coming home in 33.41 seconds aboard Virtuose Champeix. Austria’s Max Kuhner gave some anxious moments to Epaillard, when he scorched the course with Elektric Blue P but had to settle for second spot after timing 33.81 secs. Brash took the last podium spot with Hello Shelby – the pair having finished second on Thursday.  Spain’s Eduardo Alvarez Aznar and Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, shared the fourth place aboard Seringat and Best Boy Z respectively, after timing an identical 34.84.   Earlier, in the 1.50m CSI5* class, Switzerland’s Jane Richard Philips eased to victory aboard her 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood-mare, Kenia Van ‘T Laerhof. The pair stopped the clock in 59.72 seconds. France’s Roger Yves Bost with Castleforbes Talitha came second, while Filippo Marco Bologni of Italy finished third with Diplomat.  Meanwhile, Sweden’s Patrik Kittel rode Delaunay Old to victory in the Dressage CDI5* Grand Prix. Kittel and the 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding scored 74.413 percent. The pair was on Sweden’s team at the 2017 European Championships and competed in last year’s World Cup Final.  Morgan Barbancon and Sir Donnerhall II OLD, France’s leading combination, were second on 72.326 percent. The duo that competed at the Europeans last September may also have earned a start at the Las Vegas World Cup Final that would be their third straight annual championship.  Germany’s Matthias Alexander Rath and 12-year-old stallion Foundation posted a personal best 72.034 percent for third place.    RESULTS  CSI5* Table A (238.2.2) 1.55m  1. Julien Epaillard (FRA); Horse: Virtuose Champeix; First round time: 75.55 secs; Jump-off time: 33.41 secs; Prize money: €48939      2. Max Kuhner (AUT); Elektric Blue P.  78.44 and 33.81 secs; €29660      3. Scott Brash (GBR); Hello Shelby; 78.56 and 34.11 secs; €22,245    CSI5* Table A (238.2.1) 1.50m  1. Jane Richard Philips (SUI); Horse: Kenia Van ‘T Laerhof; Time: 59.72 seconds; Prize money: €12,775  2. Roger Yves Bost (FRA); Castleforbes Talitha; 61.21 seconds; €10,220  3. Filippo Marco Bologni (ITA); Diplomat; 61.23 seconds; €7,665     Dressage -- CDI5* GP - Grand Prix (GP)  1. Patrik Kittel (SWE) Horse: Delaunay Old; Points: 74.413%; Prize money: €7500  2. Morgan Barbançon (FRA) Sir Donnerhall II Old; 72.326%; €6000  3. Matthias Alexander Rath (GER) Foundation 2; 72.304%, €4500     Para Dressage  CPEDI3* Individual III (III Ch Ind)  1. Rixt van der Horst (NED); Horse: Findsley N.O.P; Total points. 70.980; Prize money: €660  2. Barbara Minneci (BEL); Stuart; 69.069; €500     CPEDI3* Individual II (II Ch Ind)  1. Pepo Puch (AUT); Horse: Fuerst Chili; Points: 75.539%; Prize money: €660  2. Martina Benzinger (GER) Fritzzantino; 70.147%; €500  3. Annemarieke Nobel (NED) Highlight; 66.667%; €400     CPEDI3* Individual I (I Ch Ind)  1. Jens Lasse Dokkan (NOR) Horse: Aladdin; Points: 75.238%; Prize money: €660  2. Magdalena Cycak (POL); Sybilla; 63.036%; €500     CPEDI3* Individual V (V Ch Ind)  1. Ciska Vermeulen (BEL); Horse: Rohmeo; Points: 71.667%; Prize money: €600  2. Valentina Strobl (AUT); Bequia Simba; 69.286%; €500  3. Ulricke Dekeyzer (BEL); Cleverboy Van d’Abelendreef; 69.048%; €400     CPEDI3* Individual IV (IV Ch Ind)  1. Rodolpho Riskalla (BRA); Horse: Don Frederic; Points: 74.959%; Prize money: €600  2. Philippa Mary Johnson (RSA); Lord Louis; 71.179%; €500  3. Lotte Krijnsen (NED); Rosenstolz; 71.098%; €400    Saturday’s schedule   8.30am-9.15am: Dressage Grand Prix Special Test (CDI5*): Indoor Arena  10.25am-12.15am: Longines Hathab Open Class 1.15/1.25m: Outdoor Arena  10am-1.30pm: Para Dressage Freestyle Test (CPED13*): Indoor Arena  1.30pm-2.45pm: Longines Hathab Big Tour 1.30/1.45m: Outdoor Arena  2.15pm-4.45pm: Dressage Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Freestyle Presented by Longines: Indoor Arena  3.30pm-4.30pm: Showjumping Table C 1.45m (CSI5*): Outdoor Arena  5.10pm-5.25pm: Arabian Horse Show: Outdoor Arena  5.30-8pm: Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Grand Prix presented by Longines 1.60m: Outdoor Arena

There is no stopping Julien Epaillard at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab. The Frenchman, who had won the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix Doha title last year, continued his love affair with the magnificent arena as he clinched both the showjumping classes on the opening day of the Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines yesterday.   The 42-year-old was in a class of his own as he first won the CSI5* Two Phases 1.45m with 10-year-old chestnut gelding Alibi de La Roque, before bagging the main event of the day — CSI5* 1.50m — with 11-year-old stallion Virtuose Champeix. Incidentally, Epaillard and Virtuose Champeix had also combined to win the opening day event at the last year’s CHI Al Shaqab.   “I’m very happy with both my wins today. The feature class was a very fast race, but the horse performed fantastically. It’s always a pleasure to come back to the Al Shaqab arena and win here. Al Shaqab has one of the best facilities for horses and riders and I enjoy competing here,” said Epaillard, who bagged a combined purse of €30,075.   Epaillard has been in red-hot form recently having won many events in Europe and is considered as one of the fastest riders at the moment. Yesterday, he lived up to the billing in the 1.50m class. In a close contest with Britain’s Scott Brash, Epaillard crossed the finish line in 64.09 seconds with Virtuose Champeix blazing the course with mix of speed and precision. Brash was just .16 seconds behind on his trusted 11-year-old bay Hello Shelby, while the Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten took the final podium spot with Dana Blue in 65.87 seconds. “Even though we finished second, I’m not disappointed. It was a good round and I’m looking forward to the next few events,” said Brash.   In afternoon’s two phases 1.45m class, Epaillard had taken the top spot with Alibi de La Roque after timing 32.74 and 25.10 seconds in two rounds. Van der Vleuten was second this time with Edinburgh (32.99 and 26.18 secs), while Italian Emanuele Gaudiano was third on Kingston van het Eikenhof (31.23 and 26.27 secs) . Earlier, the opening day of the championship began with the para-dressage competition at Al Shaqab’s indoor arena. Allowing a fair competition and to create the opportunity for riders of all skills to achieve their goals in equestrian sport, the competition was conducted in grades depending on the disability, according to FEI (International Equestrian Federation) standards.   Norway’s Jens Lass Dokkan topped the first competition, the Grade 1 with his 12-year-old gelding Aladdin. The 58-year-old, who is aiming to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, tallied 73.988 points. If selected for the Tokyo Games, Dokkan will be the only rider on the start list to have competed at every Games since the sport made its debut in Atlanta 1996.   Dokkan has picked up a trio of bronze medals in Sydney in 2000, and a silver in Beijing in 2008. There have been few silvers and bronzes at European and World level too and he continued to show his skills at Al Shaqab yesterday. Dokkan, who is a grade I rider, with the highest level of impairment, started riding at four years old, before taking a break from it between the ages of eight and 15 and slowly developing his dressage skill.   The other para-dressage competitions were won by Pepo Puch of Austria on Fuerst Chili; Rixt van der Horst of the Netherlands astride Findsley NOP; Brazil’s Rodolpho Riskalla on  Don Frederic and Belgium’s Ciska Vermeulen on Rohmeo.   RESULTS   CSI5* Table A (238.2.1) 1.50m   1. Julien Epaillard (FRA); Horse: Virtuose Champeix; Time: 64.09 seconds; Prize money: €23,725       2. Scott Brash (GBR); Hello Shelby; 64.25 seconds; €18,980       3. Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) Dana Blue; 65.87 seconds; €14,235       CSI5* Two Phases (274.2.5) 1.45m   1. Julien Epaillard (FRA) Horse: Alibi de La Roque; Time: 32.74 and 25.10 secs. Prize money: €6,350   2. Maikel van der Vleuten (NED); Edinburgh; 32.99 and 26.18 secs, €5,080       3. Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA); Kingston van het Eikenhof; 31.23 and 26.27 secs. €3,810   Para Dressage   CPEDI3* Team I (I Team)   1. Jens Lasse Dokkan (NOR) Horse: Aladdin; Total: 73.88 points; Prize money: €330       2. Magdalena Cycak (POL); Sybilla; 62.679 points; €250   CPEDI3* Team II (II Team)   1. Pepo Puch (AUT); Horse: Fuerst Chili; Total: 74.293 points; Prize money: €330   2. Martina Benzinger (GER); Fritzzantino; 71.363 points; €250   3. Annemarieke Nobel (NED) Highlight; 66.263 points;  €200       CPEDI3* Team III (III Team)   1. Rixt van der Horst (NED); Horse: Findsley NOP; Total: 72.500 points; Prize money: €330   2. Barbara Minneci (BEL) Stuart; 64.804 points; Prize money: €250       CPEDI3* Team IV (IV Team)   1. Rodolpho Riskalla (BRA); Horse: Don Frederic; Total: 74.500 points; Prize money: €300   2. Lotte Krijnsen (NED); Rosenstolz; 71.000 points; €250   3. Philippa Mary Johnson (RSA); Lord Louis; 70.500 points; €200     CPEDI3* Team V (V Team)   1. Ciska Vermeulen (BEL); Horse: Rohmeo; Total: 72.132 points; €300   2. Valentina Strobl (AUT); Bequia Simba; 69.690 points; €250       3. Kevin van Ham (BEL) Eros Van Ons Heem; 67.287 points; €200   Longines Qatar Equestrian Tour Hathab   Dressage Level 1   1. Ali Mohamed al-Marri (QAT); Horse: Fernhill Friendly Touch. 69.828 points.   2. Jessica Waldon (GBR) Lusso Del Castegno; 69.655 points   3.Saeed Hamad al-Rashdi (GBR) Graffiti De Lully Ch    Dressage Level 2 1. Mohamed Nasser al-Qadi (QAT); Horse: Gin Tonic van de Kranenburg. 69.286 points 2. Abdulaziz Ghanim al-Nuaimi (QAT); Bandito; 68.571 points 3. Ali Mohammed al-Qadi (QAT); Guiness; 68.214 points  TODAY’S SCHEDULE   9am-11am: Longines Hathab Small Tour 1-1.15m: Outdoor Arena   9.45am-12.45pm: Para Dressage Individual Test (CPED13*): Indoor Arena   1pm-3pm: Longines Hathab Medium Tour 1.20-1.30m: Outdoor Arena   3pm-6pm: Dressage Grand Prix Test (CDI5*): Indoor Arena   3.45pm-5.15pm: Showjumping Against the Clock 1.50m (CSI5*): Outdoor Arena   6pm-6.45pm: Al Shaqab Competition for Children 1.00m: Outdoor Arena   7.30pm-9.30pm: Showjumping with Jump-Off (CSI5*) 1.60m: Outdoor Arena

The Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines will begin from today with the world’s leading riders and horses set to enthral the crowd at the magnificent Longines Arena at Al Shaqab. In its’ seventh year, the current edition of the CHI Al Shaqab will lead a stellar cast led by German showjumper Daniel Deusser, who is currently third on the Longines global rankings.  The impressive entry list also includes Sweden’s double Olympic silver medallist Peder Fredrickon (ranked number five), Belgium’s Pieter Devos (No 6 and winner of last year’s CSI5* Grand Prix in Doha), Olympians Edwina Tops-Alexander (Australia), and Scott Brash (Great Britain). CHI (Concours Hippique International – International Equestrian Competition) is the official title awarded by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) to international equestrian competitions with three or more equestrian disciplines. CHI Al Shaqab is one of only five CHI competitions worldwide and the first and only equestrian event of its kind in the Middle East and Asia (Mena) region. The three-day world-class international equestrian competition will see riders compete in the Olympic disciplines of showjumping, dressage, and para dressage. A total of 88 riders from 23 countries have arrived in Doha, with some edge-of-the-seat action set unfold over three days. There will be plenty of Qatari flavour too as three home riders also will be in action. Leading the home challenge is Bassem Mohammed, who competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics and won the 2017 LGCT Doha leg Grand Prix at Al Shaqab. Faleh Suwead al-Ajami, Salman Sultan al-Marri and Rashid Towaim Ali al-Marri are the other home hopefuls. The Longines Hathab National series will also form part of the three-day show including Small Tour, Open and Big Tour class. There will also be a competition for children and an Arabian Horse Show on the final day, Saturday. Also featuring during the championship will be a competition for riders at the International Youth Camp from all over the world. “The competition is bigger and better than ever before, with riders from five continents taking part. The world’s top 51 athletes in show jumping, 19 in dressage and 17 in para dressage will make the event more appealing to the fans,” said Omar al-Mannai, Commercial Manager, Al Shaqab, and Event Director, Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines. Al-Mannai said this year’s competition will be important one for the riders as they look to seal their sport at the Tokyo Olympic Games later this year with individual Olympic ranking points at stake. “Since CHI is for Olympic events of equestrian, it gives our riders the chance to compete and excel alongside the world’s best and gain experience and learning. We have some of our top riders from Qatar participating and we wish them the very best and hope that they would be successful. We also have riders from Kuwait and wish them all the success too,” he added. On the preparation front, al-Mannai said: “We have ensured all needed arrangements. As a former rider I have looked at what needs to be catered to a rider’s needs. From the turf of competition to accommodation, the knowledge and experience has been put to use to ensure the championship runs smoothly and efficiently. We also have great support from Qatar Foundation. This year we are also using facilities of Qatar Foundation for accommodation.”  Al-Mannai also spoke about the international youth camp, which kicked off last week and will continue until the completion of the Global Champions Tour on March 7. “We first launched the global youth camp last year. This year’s camp, which started a few days ago, has more than 50 children, from 11 European nations as well as Brazil, Palestine and Qatar, in it. It’s designed to help young riders polish their skills. Not only will they watch international show jumpers from close quarters, but they’ll also attend interactive sessions with them,” said the official. Al-Mannai said the high quality event will once again provide valuable experience to the Qatari riders. “A lot more Qatari riders will be taking part in the eighth round of the Longines Hathab – Qatar Equestrian Tour, which will be held alongside CHI Al Shaqab. It’ll be a great opportunity for our athletes to see and learn from some of the best in the business,” said the former rider. Alejandro Berdegue, Sport Coordinator, Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines, informed that moving horses from overseas to Qatar has been a huge operation. “We had three different cargos on three flights within six hours of difference of Qatar Airways to transport the horses and it was all smooth and safe. The organisers here have a great team and vets for the horses. The venue of Al Shaqab is also the very best.” A large turn-out of people is expected on the three days of competition and various provisions have been made including free shuttle service at ten-minute intervals from Al Shaqab Metro Station to Longines Arena Al Shaqab for all fans and families. “The entire championship will also have family-oriented entertainment including cultural shows and performances. Cafes and restaurants around the periphery of the competition arena have also been put up. Our reliance on a large area for spectators will encourage them to come and enjoy. There will be raffle draws, prizes, coupons and in kind gifts from Al Shaqab,” informed al-Mannai.

Salman Mohamed al-Emadi won the feature event at the His Highness The Amir’s Sword Showjumping Championship yesterday. The Qatari rider piloted his 15-year-old gelding The Toymaker to victory in the Big Tour and received the Amir’s Sword from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the Qatar Equestrian Federation’s outdoor arena. Al-Emadi’s victory also rewarded him with a Lexus car. The Big Tour class was held over two rounds. Al-Emadi, who was placed sixth after the first round on Friday, put on a clinical show with The Toymaker in the second as the duo galloped the course in 60.12 seconds to trump the 145cm class. Mubarak Yousuf al-Rumaihi finished runner-up with Casal Des Forets after clocking a time of 44.81 secs, while last year’s winner Faleh Suwead al-Ajami led Carport to third place in 46.38 secs. Both al-Rumaihi and al-Ajami registered quicker timings than al-Emadi but were undone by eight penalties they accumulated. On the other hand, al-Emadi reaped benefits for making just one mistake. The Qatari rider said this was his most important accomplishment of his career. “My joy is indescribable. After years of attempts, I am finally able to gain the great honour of winning the sword of His Highness the Amir. This is my biggest achievement, even though I have won various championships, including at the Asian Games,” al-Emadi said. “I was determined to win the precious sword. The competition was stronger than last year. There were many riders with the new horses so it wasn’t easy out there. I had to be at my best today and I could win only because I did conceded fewer penalties than others. In the end it was just a matter of small margins,” he added. Al-Emadi also paid credit to his participation in the annual Longines Hathab series, which is held over 12 legs, for his improvements. “Hathab is a very rewarding series. Not just me, it has benefited all the riders as it’s held over 12 legs. This victory will only make me perform better in the future Hathab legs,” he said.  Meanwhile, al-Rumaihi wasn’t too disappointed with runner-up finish as he was riding an inexperienced eight-year-old gelding Casal Des Forets. “I didn’t expect to win honestly as my horse is still very young and was competing in his first major championship. I was lying in seventh position after the first round, so to finish second overall is a great effort,” he added. Defending champion al-Ajami was also happy with his third-place finish, after coming into the second round in eighth place. “It was a tough competition as there were many strong performances from the elite riders. I have been doing well on the circuit and I hope I can make it to the Qatar’s Olympic team,” he said Results Big Tour | Table A, Two rounds against the clock, Art. 273.3.3.1 | 135/145cm | 1. Salman Mohamed al-Emadi. Horse: The Toymaker, Rd I: Faults: 0; 0; Time:79.70secs; Rd II: Faults: 1; Time: 60.12 Prize: Lexus Car 2. Mubarak Yousuf al-Rumaihi. Casal Des Forets, Rd I: Faults: 4;0; Time: 74.40secs; Rd II: Faults: 4; Time: 44.81secs; QR11,200 3. Faleh Suwead al-Ajami. Carport, Rd I: Faults: 4; 0; Time: 77.04secs; rd II: Faults: 4; Time: 46.38secs; QR9,000. Future Riders | Table A, One round against the clock, Art. 238.2.1 | 85/100cm 1. Majed Abdulrahman al-Awadh. Horse: Ubor; Faults: 0; Time: 41.05secs 2. Lolwa Ali Atat. Animo’s Boy Van De Dennehoeve Tat; 0; 43.57secs 3. Mohammed Ibrahim al Hor. Zaragossa; 0; 43.58secs. Future Riders | Table A, One round against the clock, Art. 238.2.1 |70/85cm 1. Jassim Adel al-Saegh. Joly’s Arno; 0; 40.59secs 2. Fahad Abdulkarim Abed. Leslie Ann 2; 0; 41.27secs 3. Haya Khalid al-Hitmi. SITA; 0; 44.91secs

Zamalek clinched their fourth CAF Super Cup in an impressive fashion after a 3-1 win over Esperance Sportive de Tunis at the Al Gharafa stadium yesterday. The Egyptians giants were playing their first Super Cup match — which pits the winners of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup — since 2003, and they put on a relentless display in front of a packed crowd to take home the title.  Youssef Obama opened the scoring for Zamalek in just the second minute. Abdelraouf Benguit made it 1-1 by converting a penalty in the 54th minute but Zamalek were back in front just four minutes later thanks to Achraf Bencharki’s cool finish, and the forward once again struck in the injury time to cap a memorable night for the Cairo-based side.  For Esperance, it was another bitter pill to swallow as they lost a second consecutive Super Cup title clash, after having gone down to Moroccan side Raja Casablanca at the same venue 12 months ago. And it was Patrice Carteron, who came back to haunt them again. The French coach had led Casablanca to victory last year and he once again plotted Esperance’s downfall on the night.  The Tunisians – back-to-back winners of the CAF Champions League – have now gone without a Super Cup title since 1995, the only time they have won the title in five appearances. Zamalek’s Confederation Cup victory was their first continental silverware since winning the CAF Champions League 18 years ago, and looked like they are keen to make up for the lost time.  Carteron’s men were right on the money from the whistle, as Obama put Zamalek ahead in the second minute, the midfielder heading in a lovely cross from Mohamed Abdel-Shafy, with Esperance goalkeeper Ben Cherifia unable to do much.  It was a dream start for Zamalek as they were all over the Esperance side in the first ten minutes. The Tunisians had got first look at the rival goal in the 12th minute when Ilyes Chetti struck a fierce shot but Abdul Shafi was alert to the danger.  Four minutes later, however, Moustafa Mohamed went close to doubling Zamalek’s lead, but the forward’s dipping shot from close range went over the bar. Mohamed was in the thick of action again with a rasping curling attempt flying narrowly over the top of Cherifa’s goal.  Zamalek had another golden opportunity in the 39th minute with Zizo having acres of space at the back post to control and shoot – but Chetti got his body in the way to make a spectacular save.  While Zamalek were constant a threat on the counter-attack, Esperance found it difficult to break their opponents’ defence. Zamalek came to Qatar with a 12-match unbeaten streak, a run that stretched back to mid-December and included eight clean sheets.  But Esperance were let back into the game three minutes into the second half after Mahmoud Hamdi handled the ball in the box. Referee Victor Gomes initially waved to play on but changed his decision after a lengthy VAR review, where he went to the pitchside monitor to have a look.  Benguit thumped his spot-kick into the top corner, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. But their joy lasted barely four minutes. With the Esperance defence wide open, Bencharki had an easy run to the box, and the forward curled a low shot across Cherifia and into the bottom corner.  Esperance introduced striker Yassine Khenissi four minutes thereafter in place of Ghanaian Kwame Bonsu in pursuit of a comeback. But Mooine Chaabani’s could not get past the Egyptian team’s defence. Bencharki then completed his brace in added time with another cool finish to send Zamalek fans into raptures.

Sir Geoff Hurst is a bundle of energy. The scorer of the only hat-trick in a World Cup final, which helped England win the tournament in 1966 with a 4-2 victory over West Germany, his enthusiasm for the game is infectious.  The former England striker – who also won FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup medals with West Ham in his illustrious career – was in Qatar for a short visit. Hurst was part of the National Sport Day celebrations yesterday as he refereed a tournament for international property and construction consultancy Gleeds. Hurst is 78, but looks much younger and can dazzle the room with his witty anecdotes. In a wide-ranging interview with Gulf Times, the English legend spoke about Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup, memories of his magical night at Wembley and much more. Excerpts:    Q. You have been coming to Qatar since 2005, what are your impressions of the country?  A: It’s my third visit to Qatar. Last year I came here and my first was in 2005.  I enjoyed my visit last year. It’s very different from what it was in 2005. I have been to one or two Arab countries before; it’s a different culture and I enjoy being here. I spent two years coaching in Kuwait from 1982-84. It’s nice going to different countries and cultures.   Qatar has changed dramatically over the years. I can see many changes in a short time since my visit last year. I can see so much construction going on. It’s just enormous and amazing. You are going to need that when hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world come to Qatar for the World Cup. I think that was an issue they spoke about. Like when the fans come, where they going to stay? Someone was speaking about housing fans on cruise ships here. I think that is fascinating and that will be fun.     Q:  Qatar will make history in 2022, when it will become the first Arab country to host the FIFA World Cup. How important is it to host the tournament in new countries and regions? A: I think every country is different. And of course, every country is different when it comes to hosting the World Cup. It’s very different and unusual and because of that it makes interesting for a different culture to host the World Cup. I firmly believe every country should have an opportunity to host the World Cup. It’s fantastic what they are doing here and I am convinced it will be a successful World Cup.   There will always be negatives. When any World Cup comes around there has always been negativity – Russia was a good example. But after the World Cup in Russia every single English person I spoke to said the tournament and hospitality of the Russians was fantastic. I don’t go around with negativity. As a person I am positive, as a player I was very positive. It’s going to be a great World Cup in Qatar.     Q: Qatar’s World Cup will be played in November and December. Do you thinking holding the tournament in the middle of the traditional European season will have any negative impact? A: I think the Premier League and other leagues will adjust for one year.  I don’t think that is an issue. They have had plenty of time to plan for it. That cannot be a problem. It’s great that they have moved the World Cup to winter. When it was first announced, they said it will be held in summer and naturally there was some criticism because it was going to be too hot for the players.  I have experienced that. I have played In Mexico World Cup in 1970 and we played there in the summer there and it was hot. We played in a city called Guadalajara which is at 5,000 feet, so we were playing at an altitude. There were a couple of games in which I played and I was getting a dizzy spell and had to rest more than I would normally do.   Now they have quite rightly decided to move the Qatar World Cup to winter. If it’s that hot, not only it’s not good for the players but also for the fans, who will be walking around. That would spoil their enjoyment.    Q: What advice would you give to the Qatari players before the World Cup?  A: My advice for them is to be 100% focused and dedicated on their performance and fitness. One important thing to be successful is for the team spirit to be good. I think it’s a fundamental requirement for a successful national team. The manager needs his players to commit that. Alf Ramsey (England’s 1966 World Cup winning coach) for me was good in a way, because when a player didn’t want to be part of the team, then it was a goodbye. Ramsey was left with a very good bunch of players and hard-nosed, dedicated players and that for me has always been a fundamental reason for success. I have talked to other international players who have won the World Cup and they say they were successful because the team they played in had great team spirit.      Q:  Do you think England can be strong contenders for the 2022 World Cup?  A: I think they will. I am very positive about the England team at the moment. I think under Gareth Southgate we have improved and done well. The English fans prior to Southgate’s tenure were getting very disappointed and disillusioned with the English team. We were not having a full house at Wembley. But since Southgate has taken over, we have seen 80-9000 people packed at the stadium. At the Brazil World Cup in 2014, we played two group games and we were out. That’s the World Cup and in the Euros we lost against Iceland. That was the worst game I have seen. The fans want their team to play well so there was a bit of disillusionment during that period. But now the situation has changed dramatically. Now there is lot more interest back home.      Q: Do you think that Southgate can lead England to Euro Championships success this summer?  A: I do fancy England’s chances of winning the Euros. The last 16, semis and final will be played in London, which I see as a big advantage for the home team. I can certainly see us winning. We are a young side. It’s different now to my times, because there is a smaller percentage of English players playing the league. Southgate now is selecting players very unusually, for, they have hardly played for their clubs.  I think Callum Hudson-Odoi for example was picked for England having hardly played a game for Chelsea. In my time that was unthinkable. I had to play for three years, my club West Ham was doing very well and I was scoring goals. Still it was three years before I was picked for England. I made the West Ham first team in the 1962-63 season. Nowadays it’s different. Having said that, Southgate is harnessing raw talent who are without experience into a good unit. Overall, Southgate’s managerial style and what he’s doing, and the way they’re playing, is just fantastic. There is a team spirit and camaraderie, which I think was missing for a long time.    Q: Is the memory of scoring a hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final against West Germany at Wembley still fresh in your mind? A: The memories are still fresh and it’s also fresh in fans’ mind. I still get people of my generation talk about the memories of that final, where they were and what they were doing at that time. That’s one of the most enjoyable things when you win the World Cup in your country. Those memories last forever for people and I always enjoy when people talk about it.      Q: Do u think your feat of scoring a hat-trick in the final of a World Cup will ever be matched?  A: No! I sometimes say yes because nothing is impossible in football. You can never tell. Who would have thought Liverpool will win the championship this year so easily? They are 22 points ahead at the moment. And also, who would have thought Liverpool, one of the greatest clubs, will take 30 years to win another title? Manchester United under Alex Ferguson achieved so much, but currently they are languishing in seventh spot. So anything can happen in football and that’s the beauty of sport. It’s very unpredictable. What is true is scoring has become lot harder. Teams that are winning the World Cup are not some of them who are scoring many goals. We scored 11 goals when we won. In 1956, Jules Fonte scored 13 on his own. It’s statically a lot tougher, so on that basis you can say it’s a lot harder to equal my record. Q:  According to you who will be favourites for the title in Qatar?    A: I would say usual suspects are not far away. France are a very good team at the moment. The Germans have not done quite as well in recent years but they have been dominant for a long time. I think England is still in the mix, and in another two years if the players continue to develop we have a chance. Brazil and Argentina are always around. Portugal has a good young team, and I think they will do very well in Euros this year and if they can do then they can be a force at the World Cup. Having said that, you can sit and predict here of who will in Qatar in three years’ time but you can never be sure of what is going to happen.     Q: Your former team West Ham is languishing in 18th spot in the Premier League. What according to you is the reason for their decline?  A: We are in a very difficult position, in bottom three. It’s going to be a hard battle between now and the end of the season to get out of trouble. I think (manager) David Moyes has been a good acquisition. I was surprised that, when he got us out of trouble for the first time we didn’t keep him.  He is a very experienced manager who did well at Everton.  I think he is a good choice, but he has taken over at a very difficult time and now it’s a tough battle. And we have very difficult fixtures ahead, with most of the matches against top teams. The last game was very disappointing, because were 3-1 up against Brighton and we drew the game. We lost two points and that makes a huge difference at this time of the season.     Q: Who according to you is the best player – Messi or Ronaldo?  A: I lean towards Messi. Both are great players, even if they had played in any other era.  I just favour Messi a little bit. I have always felt that Ronaldo and Messi playing at two great clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain was great. Them playing in attacking teams meant they scored lots of goals.  But what’s good about Ronaldo going to Juventus is – even though they are a dominant club – he is still doing very well there at his age. I think his attitude is very good and he keeps himself fit. But I always felt Messi is the best player and it’s nice to choose between two of them.

Liverpool are finally the champions of the world and the Reds owe it to Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian forward struck another crucial winner to break the hearts of his countrymen as Liverpool edged past South American champions Flamengo 1-0 in the final to clinch the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar at the Khalifa International Stadium Saturday. Firmino, who had come in as substitute to stroke home a stoppage time winner in the semi-finals against Monterrey on Wednesday, was the hero for Liverpool again. With the game ending goalless after 90 minutes and going into extra time, Firmino broke the deadlock in the 99th minute after a classic Liverpool counter set it up for the forward. Captain Jordan Henderson found Sadio Mane with a long ball, with the Senegalese then drawing the Flamengo goalkeeper Diego Alves forward before slipping the ball to Firmino, who then cleverly slowed things down and smashed into the net. Liverpool's Alisson lifts the trophy as they celebrate after winning the Club World Cup   Liverpool's Jordan Henderson and teammates celebrate Liverpool's Naby Keita celebrates with the trophy and teammates  Flamengo did get a couple of chances to take the final to penalties, with Lincoln getting the best one of the night in the final seconds. But the substitute blazed it over as the Liverpool defence stood firm to seal a historic maiden title. This was after high drama in the stoppage time of regulation time, when Liverpool were awarded a penalty by Qatari referee Abdulrahman al-Jassim for a foul on Mane by Flamengo full-back Rafinha. Flamengo players protested furiously with al-Jassim, who then had a long look at the pitch-side monitor in a VAR review before overturning his decision. The replays showed Rafinha had clipped Mane just outside the box as the Liverpool midfielder was poised to shoot. Flamengo and Rafinha heaved a sigh of relief, with the defender’s yellow card also rescinded by the referee. Flamengo, however, ran out of legs in the extra time as Liverpool dug deep to come out triumphant. Liverpool's Roberto Firmino celebrates scoring their goal Liverpool's Joe Gomez in action with Flamengo's Bruno Henrique Flamengo's Pablo Mari in action with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold in action with Flamengo's Bruno Henrique It was also sweet revenge for Liverpool, who had lost to Flamengo in the 1981 Intercontinental Cup final, a precursor to the current tournament. Liverpool had also gone down to another Brazilian side, Sao Paulo, 0-1 in the final in 2005 in Yokohama, Japan. Victory in Doha meant Jurgen Klopp’s men became the second English side after Manchester United in 2008 to win the global club competition. Captain Henderson, who lifted the trophy as Jamie Webster’s Allez Allez Allez rang out at the Khalifa, said the mental strength of the side pulled them the through. "It was an interesting game. I am sure it was interesting to watch but we kept going, good performance and mentality shined through. We could have scored a couple more. Overall delighted with the result and performance in difficult conditions,” Henderson said. "We have found a way for a long time now. Some late goals, we just want to keep going, keep improving. Keep working hard and putting in performances like that," he added While Liverpool were clearly the better side on the night, they lacked the killer punch, wasting plenty of scoring opportunities. But that has been the story of Klopp and his men this season, who have made a habit of winning from difficult situations. However, it had looked like Liverpool won’t take it till the end when they started with a frenetic pace in the first ten minutes. Forty seconds into the game, Liverpool almost had a dream start. With Flamengo still seemingly in their warm ups, Firmino was sent through but the Brazilian’s shot just looped over the bar. Liverpool were all over Flamengo with crowd favourite Mohamed Salah setting up a great chance for Naby Keita, who could only strike it over. Trent Alexander-Arnold too had a pop at the goal as the Reds looked well in control before Flamengo settled into the game. Flamengo came back strongly though, with coach Jorge Jesus’ tactic to stop his full-backs getting out of the midfield stopping Liverpool. In fact the Copa Libertadores champions dominated possession as Bruno Henrique and Gabrie Barbosa made life difficult for the Liverpool defence, who welcomed back Virgil van Dijk. Joe Gomez had to make a brilliant slide-in tackle to deny Pablo Mari, who was played in by Henrique, for the Brazilians’ best chance of the first half. With Klopp visibly frustrated on the touchline, Liverpool upped the ante in the second half. But it played similarly to the first half as the Reds missed couple of glorious chances. Firmino though was unlucky to have seen his one-bounce shot in the 47th minute ricochet off the post and go out of play. Two minutes later, Trent Alexander-Arnold cut a ball back to Mohamed Salah, but the Egyptian shot it wide of the post. At the other end, Barbosa fired at the Liverpool goal with Alisson doing well to make a save Meanwhile, Firmino had another chance but the unmarked Brazilian failed to control the ball as Alves claimed it easily. By then it was an end-to-end contest as Barbosa scuffed a left footer after played through by Henrique. Salah, who walked away with Golden Ball award for best player of tournament, thought he had put Liverpool one-nil up when he buried the ball into the net in the 76th minute, but the off side flag was already up. Flamengo also survived another scare when Henderson’s shot from outside the box was tipped over by Alves. The penalty drama in the end added another twist to the final, before Firmino made sure Liverpool kept their date with destiny.

Monterrey coach Antonio Mohamed had promised to put up a strong fight against European champions Liverpool and his players did more than just that at the Khalifa International Stadium yesterday. The Mexican side were on par with the Premier League leaders for most of the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar semi-final encounter, but a cruel injury-time goal from Roberto Firmino knocked them out of the competition. While Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp heaved a sigh of relief at the final whistle after a narrow 2-1 win, he will know his side will have to fare much better against South American champions Flamengo in Saturday’s final, if they are to become club world champions for the first time. Klopp yesterday went in with five changes from last week’s league win over Watford, with Sadio Mane, Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold warming the bench while influential defender Virgil van Dijk missed out due to cold. That meant the German manager was forced to start with a makeshift defence with captain Jordan Henderson playing as centre-back alongside regular defenders Joe Gomez and Andy Robertson, with James Milner taking the right-back role. Liverpool did dominate the early proceedings and controlled possession but Monterrey was just waiting for the counter-attack. The Mexican side’s forwards Dorlan Pabon and Rogelio Funes Moria gave a tough time to Liverpool’s back four. But it was Mohamed Salah’s terrific assist that put Liverpool in front. After the Egyptian star was denied by the Monterrey defence in the eighth minute, Salah provided an excellent reverse ball pass for Naby Keita four minutes later. While Salah’s ball pierced through the Monterrey defence, Keita timed his run to the box perfectly to put Liverpool ahead. If the Reds thought they would run away with the game, they were wrong as Monterrey hit back immediately. With Jesus Gallardo’s shot blocked by Alisson Becker, the rebound was latched onto by Rogelio Funes Mori, who controlled the ball with his first touch and then slammed the ball into the net, with the Liverpool goalkeeper diving in vain. With a spring in their step after drawing level, Monterrey looked much bigger threat than their fancied opponents. In fact, Liverpool were bailed out of trouble on few occasions by Alisson, with the Brazilian keeper enjoying a terrific game. In the 27th minute, Alisson dived to his right to block a Pabon shot from 30 yards. He was called into action again ten minutes later with the Liverpool stopper having to deny the Monterrey captain with a crucial late save, which fell to Gallardo but the defender was late onto the ball. Salah, meanwhile, continued to cause Monterrey trouble but his back flip pass for Milner was saved by Argentine goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero. With two minutes remaining for half time, Keita too had a chance for his second goal, but failed to put it past Barovero after having almost rounded the keeper. Monterrey began the second half brightly and could have had their lead if not for Alisson’s intervention. In the 50th minute, the goalkeeper produced another excellent save, this time palming away a dangerous free-kick from Pabon from the edge of the box. Liverpool did have chances at the other end, but Keita’s left-footed low shot was chested away by Barovero in the 58th minute. With time running out, Klopp brought in Mane for ineffective Xherdan Shaqiri, while Alexander-Arnold replaced the veteran Milner, who made his 200th appearance for the club yesterday. Klopp also had a touchline argument with Mohamed, with both managers shown yellow card by the referee. Mane did have an opportunity to calm Klopp’s nerves in the 68th minute, but the Senegal forward’s shot was easily grasped by Barovero. With extra time looming, Klopp called on Firmino in place of Divock Origi and the Brazilian duly rewarded his manager with a crucial goal. In the first of the three-minute stoppage time, Monterrey players heart was broken as Firmino tapped in from a close range after a sumptuous ball from Alexander-Arnold. Klopp later paid tribute to Alisson for saving Liverpool’s blushes. “All you need is Alisson. He was there in the decisive moments. A really hard game and then you can bring on the boys. We have brought in a few kids and see what we can do line-up wise. We want to play the final and see what we can do,” he said. The Liverpool manager praised the atmosphere at Khalifa, with 45,416 fans packing the stadium. “Wonderful goal, great game, super atmosphere,” he said.

It’s been little over four years since Jurgen Klopp took over the reins of Liverpool and in that period the German has transformed the Reds to world beaters, which even the Anfield faithful would have not dreamt of. Unlike his off-the-pitch demeanour, where he is always sporting a smile or cracking a joke or two for the cameras, Klopp is an intense manager. He is a man with a bundle of energy when on the touchline, always making gestures or screaming at his players. His energy has rubbed on to his players and the club. The 52-year-old led Liverpool to the European title earlier this year – their first since the miracle of Istanbul in 2005, and now they are in a race of their own to win their first English Premier League title since 1989-90. Before that, though, Klopp’s men will be eyeing to become the first Liverpool side to clinch a FIFA Club World Cup title. They take on the Mexican side Monterrey in the semi-finals today at the Khalifa International Stadium, and there is little doubt that they go into the contest as the overwhelming favourites. The last time Liverpool came close to winning the club continental championship was in 2005 in Japan, where they lost to Brazilian side Sao Paulo 0-1. Klopp has brought in a full-strength squad to Qatar, while fielding a second string side of academy players for last night’s League Cup match against Aston Villa in Birmingham, which shows the importance they have given to the Club World Cup. Having won the UEFA Super Cup earlier this year, this is another opportunity for Klopp and his men to add one more title to Liverpool’s trophy cabinet. The German had had a terrible record in finals, until this year. The former Borussia Dortmund manager lost six major finals in succession, including last year’s Champions League loss to Real Madrid. Having had a taste of titles, he would want to continue his winning run in Qatar. And Klopp has a carefully assembled squad to do so. Of the 18 players he inherited from his predecessor Brendan Rodgers in 2015, only four are still at the club – Adam Lallana, Divock Origi, James Milner and Nathaniel Clyne. While he has splurged huge money on defender Virgil van Dijk and goalkeeper Alison Becker, he also has made some shrewd signings by bringing in Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. Besides finding players with the right physical and technical abilities to fit into his preferred high-pressing game approach, Klopp has also been careful with the types of personalities he has brought into his squad. Spain and Barcelona midfield great Xavi Hernandez credits Klopp for overhauling the Liverpool squad and making them a powerful force in European football. “What stands out for me with Klopp and Liverpool is their intensity,” Xavi, the current coach of Qatar champion Al Sadd, told FIFA.Com last week. “The intensity they play with both in defence and attack, the high press by the front three who occupy the space between the lines and do their pressing there. They’re a very difficult team to attack. Physically they’re very strong. They win all the second balls and they also work really hard on their tactics. They’re dominant in so many areas of the game,” Xavi said in a tone of awe. Yesterday on the eve of their semi-final against Monterrey, Klopp did not give too much importance to ‘best team in the world’ label nor did he consider his side as the favourites for the Club World Cup title. “Look, it is not important if, and I not sure about that, we were the “best football team in the world” in the summer, the last game or whatever – it is only important what we will be tomorrow night,” he said. “Nobody cares about what happened three days ago, five days ago or six days ago. We need to show we are ready and that’s the only thing we are concerned about. I am an optimistic person, but it is not that I think before a game that we have it already won. We are ready to work hard tomorrow night, we will make sure we find a line-up to work hard. We respect the opponent a lot. We are not here to just show up, we are here for football and will try to show that. It will be difficult,” the Liverpool manager said. On the other hand, Monterrey’s coach Antonio Mohamed, while acknowledging Liverpool as the red-hot favourites, said his team would ensure it would not be a walk in the park for the European champions today. The CONCACAF Champions League winners are making their fourth appearance in the tournament, and sealed a semi-final date with Liverpool after a 3-2 win over local side Al Sadd on Saturday. “We have a big ambition to play against Liverpool and we came to compete strongly at this mega-tournament,” he said. “Jurgen Klopp is one of the best managers and Liverpool maybe the best team in the world right now. We have made a huge effort to reach this stage and have come to compete irrespective of which team or manager we are facing. We came here to play and win the match with our weapons. We didn’t come to participate in this tournament and let Liverpool win against us. Nothing is impossible in football,” the Argentinean added. Monterrey will be without Vincent Janssen, the former Tottenham Hotspur striker, due to injury. The Mexican side will rely on forward Rogelio Gabriel Funes Mori, the twin brother of former Everton defender Ramiro Funes Mori, for goals.

With a dream semi-final date against Liverpool dashed, Al Sadd head coach Xavi Hernandez was yet to overcome the disappointment of missing out on a marquee clash at the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar. Sadd went down to Mexican side Monterrey 2-3 in the quarter-finals on Saturday and will now play for a fifth place play-off against African champions Esperance Sportive de Tunis at the Khalifa International Stadium today. On the eve of the match against the Tunisian side, Xavi seemed to be still carrying the wounds from the Monterrey encounter. The Spaniard, while admitting his team would look to end their campaign on a high, said Sadd played better than Monterrey but without much luck. “We were better than Monterrey in the last match, but we didn’t have luck on our side,” Xavi said. “We wanted to reach the semi-finals of this tournament but we couldn’t win the last match so we have to play for the fifth place. But we are still excited to finish this competition in the best way,” he said. Despite dominating possession against Monterrey, Sadd were wasteful in front of the goal. That along with a couple of defensive errors in the first half cost them badly, despite mounting a comeback in the second half. Xavi, however, reiterated his belief in his players and was pleased with their show in the tournament. “I am happy with the performance of my players. I am proud of them. We are at the same level with Monterrey. We were better than them in the quarter-final. I think we are competing really well, we have to adjust some things and we are not far off from other teams,” the Spain and Barcelona great said. Xavi felt Sadd will have to work hard to beat Tunis, who were undone by substitute Bafetimbi Gomis’ stunning goal as Asian Champions League winners Al Hilal snatched a narrow 1-0 win. “They (ES Tunis) have good players like we have at Al Sadd. They are fighters and warriors, and have a very good coach. They are working very well and that is why they are here. They are the champions of Africa and we will have to work hard to beat them,” he said. Sadd will be without goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb, who had to be substituted in the second half after suffering a shoulder injury against Monterrey. Qatar’s under-23 goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham, who filled in for al-Sheeb, is set to start today. On the other hand, Tunis have historically lost to Asian clubs and the African champions would want to set the record straight. The Tunisians have lost to Sadd 1-2 in the only time the two teams played against each other at the 2011 edition of the tournament, while Saturday’s loss to Hilal was another hard pill to swallow for them. “African teams are not winning against the Arab clubs for a long time. The reason may be they each have five to six professional players in the side, and then they have good infrastructure. But, we are looking to break this record against Al Sadd (today),” ES Tunis assistant coach Majdi Traore said. “Al Sadd are a very strong side but we will play for victory. We played this match last time and we won,” he said.  “We played a good last match technically and only lost after a late goal. The players are in good state mentally and are determined to win this match to win fifth place,” said Traore.  ES Tunis goalkeeper Rami Jridi did not see much of a difference between Tunis and Sadd. “Al Sadd are a tough side and it will be a difficult match. Al Sadd have a good history but we are also the African champions,” he said.

Al Sadd were the dark horses going into their FIFA Club World Cup Qatar quarter-final match against Monterrey, and the Qatar giants put on a valiant fight before going down 2-3 in a pulsating encounter yesterday. The Mexican side were too good for Sadd in the first half, but the hosts never gave up as they twice reduced a two-goal deficit in the second half before running out of time at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. Monterrey will now gear up for a marquee semi-final showdown with European champions Liverpool on Wednesday at the Khalifa International stadium, while Sadd will play a fifth place play-off tie against African champions Esperance Sportive de Tunis on Tuesday. Sadd started on a positive note but goals from Leonel Vangioni (23rd minute) and Rogelio Funes Mori (45 +1) gave Monterrey the advantage at half time. While Sadd ignited comeback hopes with a Baghdad Bounedjah header in the 66th minute, Carlos Rodriguez’s strike ten minutes later restored Monterrey’s two-goal advantage. Sadd were back in the contest after a stunner from Abdelkarim Hassan in the 89th minute, but could not force the game into extra time in the six added minutes. “I am very disappointed but proud of the players for what their effort. We made many mistakes that helped the Mexican team. But we deserved more than that and could have taken the game to extra time,” Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez said. “We must learn from our mistakes. But I am happy with most of the players and how they played. But in football the result is most important and we committed too many mistakes to lose today,” he added.  On the match eve, Xavi had urged his players to play without fear and embrace being the dark horse for the clash. While the hosts did put on a much better show in the second half, they weren’t clinical enough in the first even as Monterrey took their chances. Unlike against Hienghene Sport last Wednesday, where they scraped to a 3-1 extra-time win, Sadd were punished by the South American champions for wasting too many chances. Monterrey did go close after just 98 seconds, when Jesus Gallardo hit the bar, but in the next ten minutes Sadd had a chance to take the lead through Akram Afif and Nam Tae-hee. In third minute, Asian best player of the year Afif’s shot was blocked by Marcelo Barovero, and the Monterrey goalkeeper did not do much when South Koream international Nam whipped over the post. On the other hand, Vangioni struck a belter to give the CONCACAF Champions League winners an early lead in the 23rd minute. The defender picked up a ball from 35-yards and unleashed a left-footer, which hit the top of the right-hand post and then slammed into the net. Afif and Hassan did try their luck from outside the box but could not find the target before Sadd captain Gabi’s blunder at the stroke of half time put the hosts two goals behind. The Spanish midfielder played a back pass to Boualem Khoukhi, but could only find a lurking Mori, who squared up Sadd keeper Saad al-Sheeb and calmly put it into the net. Afif had enough time in the remaining seconds of first half to pull a goal back but the forward’s corner from the left was cleared by Barovero. Sadd came in with a lot more intent in the second half but Barovero was again on hand to parry a shot from Hassan al-Haydos. While Xavi’s men did enjoy more of the possession, Monterrey were always a threat. Captain Dorlan Pabon went close a couple of times, but Sadd defenders were able to thwart the danger. Afif did have another big opportunity in the 65th minute, but the 23-year-old once again shot wide. A minute later, however, Bounedjah gave his side a hope when he bundled in a Khoukhi cross. Monterrey were back in control though, when Pedro Miguel lost the ball in the midfield to Jesus Gallardo, who then passed it to Rodriguez to drill into the net. When all the hopes seemed to die down, Hassan’s thunder strike from 25 yards in the 88th minute gave Sadd a slim of a chance. But the Monterrey players were clever in running down the clock as Sadd players ran out of gas.

*FIFA Club World Cup Qatar kicks off A spirited Hienghene Sport gave Al Sadd a scare before the hosts won 3-1 in a play-off match as the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar kicked off Wednesday. At the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Sadd needed extra time to beat Oceania winners Hienghene to seal a place in the quarter-finals against Mexican side Monterrey. Sadd looked for a comfortable win when Baghdad Bounedjah put them in front in the 26th minute, but Hienghene hit back immediately after half time when Amy Roine drew level. Al Sadd's Abdelkarim Hassan celebrates after scoring a goal  Al Sadd's Abdelkarim Hassan (third from left) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal   With Sadd players spurning chance after chance, the game went into 30-minute extra time, where Abdelkarim Hassan scored after a howler from Hienghene goalkeeper Rocky Nyikeine, before Pedro Miguel relieved pressure on coach Xavi Hernandez with a strike in the 114th minute. Qatar league champions Sadd have not been at their best form, having lost three of their last four league matches. And they looked lackluster once again against a Hienghene side, who are made up mostly of part-timers. Sadd manager was not too happy with his players for wasting plenty of opportunities to score. "We had many chances to score. We concede just a little bit. They didn't look like scoring in the second half apart from early on. We suffered too much, we did more than them but we missed too many chances. Monterrey will be very difficult side on Saturday," the Spaniard said. Going into Wednesday’s contest, Hienghene were always the underdogs but they battled hard against one of the best teams in Asia. Felix Tagawa’s men were surprise winners of the Oceania Champions League and are the first New Caledonian side to qualify for the Club World Cup. They are based in a remote part of New Caledonia with a population of just 2,500, five hours away from the country’s capital, Noumea. Hienghene does not possess the quality of Sadd, so it was obvious that they would sit deep and look to attack on counter. While the hosts dominated, Hienghene had their fair share of chances in the first half. Sadd did have couple of chances in the opening minutes but it was Hienghene who had first real shot at the goal. In the ninth minute, forward Jefferson Dahite’s right footed shot hit the side net. Four minutes later, Hienghene goalkeeper Rocky Nyikeine, was called into action with Gabi and Bounedjah both trying their luck. Nyikeine, however, was equal to the task, blocking both the shots easily.  Roine, meanwhile was a constant threat to the Sadd defence, and the forward tested Saad al-Sheeb from outside the box with Sadd stopper diving to his left to make a save. In the 25th minute, Roine should have put Hienghene into the lead. Captain Bertrand Kai played in a perfect cross into the box, with Roine having beaten defender Pedro Miguel to the ball but the forward could not add power to his header as al-Sheeb made a regulation save. Roine was still lamenting his close miss, when Bounedjah made no mistake at the other end to put Sadd ahead. Hassan delivered a cross from the left-hand flank, which was tapped in by Bounedjah. There was a VAR review for the goal with Bounedjah seemed to be offside but a little nick off the defender on the way through meant the Algerian was played onside. In the 39th minute, Akram Afif thought he had doubled Sadd’s advantage when the Qatari forward had slotted the ball into the net after Boualem Khoukhi’s free kick was palmed away by Nyikeine. But the goal was disallowed after a VAR review by Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal, who deemed Bounedjah had obstructed Nyikeine as he looked to save Afif's follow-up shot. Hienghene got the second half under way and they equalised within a minute after the break, but not before the visitors were made to wait for the goal to be given. Roine had slotted the ball to the bottom right corner after nudging Khoukhi just outside the box but the referee ruled a foul by Hienghene forward. Upon watching a VAR review, Ghorbal reversed his decision as Roine went on a celebratory run with his teammates joining him. There was more VAR drama in the 69th minute and Sadd were at the receiving end again. After Nyikeine had denied Bounedjah with a brilliant save, substitute Hassan al-Haydos fierce shot hit the net. But the referee cut short al-Haydos’ celebration after Bounedjah, who had made the pass to his teammates, was offside. Sadd had numerous chances to finish the game with Afif having couple of golden chances. While the 23-year-old’s header whisked past the post, he was also guilty of shooting wide as the game went to extra time. While Hienghene continued to defend stoically, a mistake from goalkeeper Nyikeine undid all their good work. After confusion with defender, while clearing a Sadd attempt, Nyikeine gave a back pass to his teammates. With referee awarding a free kick to Sadd inside the box, Hassan blasted past a wall of defenders from close range. With Hienghene’s spirits crushed, Pedro added another goal with six minutes remaining to keep Sadd in the tournament.

Qatar roared back into the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup contention with a thumping 6-0 win over Yemen at the Khalifa International Stadium. The Asian champions bounced back from a shock 1-2 loss to Iraq in their opening match on Tuesday, with a clinical performance Friday. Abdelkarim Hassan started the rout with a brace, before he completed his hat-trick, while Almoez Ali, Abdullah al-Ahrak and Akram Afif found the net once each. Felix Sanchez’s men will now take on the United Arab Emirates in their final Group A match on Monday, in what is now a winner-takes-all showdown. A draw against UAE would ensure a semi-final spot for the hosts as they have a better goal advantage. Qatar's players celebrate their goal  Iraq, who earlier in the day beat UAE 2-0 for their second consecutive victory, became the first team to seal their place in the semi-final. Iraq now can finish as Group A table-toppers with a victory over Yemen on Monday. Before the kick-off, Qatar players stood in unison with a flag in support of their teammate Bassam al-Rawi, who underwent a surgery to his leg, which he injured during Iraq match. Al-Rawi, watching from his hospital bed, would have been proud of his mates. It was a must-win game for Qatar and Yemen, unarguably the weakest side among eight teams in the tournament, bore the brunt of the hosts’ attack. Qatar raided Yemen’s goal from the very first minute, but they were found wanting in the final third. That was until Hassan opened the scoring in the 30th minute after which the goals rained down at the Khalifa Stadium. After a Boudiaf header was not completely cleared by Yemen midfielder Nasser al-Gahwashi, Hassan took full advantage of the blunder to tap in for Qatar’s opener. In the 32nd minute, Boualem Khoukhi spurned an easy chance after he was late to get a touch into Afif’s cross. Hassan, however, got into the scoresheet in the 37th minute with a thunderous left-footed strike from 30 yards, that brushed Yemen goalkeeper Saleem Saeed’s right hand but had enough power to smash into the net. Qatar had couple of chances but went into the break with a two-goal lead. Upon resumption, Yemen threatened a comeback but a dangerous move from Omar al- Dahi was thwarted by Khoukhi inside the box. It was a wake-up call that Qatar needed as they went into overdrive. Almoez, who has struggled in recent matches, got a much-needed boost with a goal in the 57th minute. The Asian Cup MVP exchanged a 1-2 pass from Afif, before unleashing a left-footer past a hapless Saeed. Qatar were awarded a penalty in the 72nd minute, after al-Gahwashi handled a ball from Ismail Mohamed in the box. Afif, Qatar’s designated penalty-taker, generously handed the ball to Hassan, who then completed his hat-trick. Youngster al-Ahrak then made it 5-0 with the substitute scoring from outside the box. Afif, meanwhile, also had enough time for himself to score in the 89th minute and complete a dominating win. Qatar coach Sanchez was a happy man as it was exactly the kind of response he expected after his side’s defeat to Iraq. Against Yemen, Qatar bossed the contest with 20 shots fired, of which 11 was on target. They also enjoyed a whopping 79% possession. Now Sanchez will hope for a similar performance against UAE, as the Qatar eye their fourth Gulf Cup title.

Iraq once again proved they are strong contenders for the title at the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup, with a second straight win Friday. Srecko Katanec’s side showed they are the team to beat after a comprehensive 2-0 win over the United Arab Emirates in the Group A match at the Khalifa International Stadium. Captain Alaa Abdul-Zahara led from the front as he provided an assist for the first goal and scored the second, which was enough for Iraq to seal a straightforward victory. While UAE enjoyed a slightly better percentage of possession, Iraq clearly dominated the contest. They also had five shots on target to UAE’s two. With a game against lowly Yemen to come, Iraq are the favourites to finish as Group A toppers and look a serious threat for their fourth Gulf Cup title. Iraq's forward Alaa Abdul-Zahra celebrates after scoring  Having been forced to field a second string side against Qatar after eight of the Al Shorta club players arrived only on the match eve, Iraq were back to full strength Friday. Katanec even benched Mohamed Qasem, who scored a brace against Qatar, and Al Duhail starlet Mohanad Ali. That only showed how impressive was Iraq’s victory against the Asian champions Qatar and they continued their fine show Friday. It took just six minutes for Iraq to get on the board, as Abdul-Zahara released a perfect ball past two UAE defenders and found Alaa Abbas in the box, with the striker taking one clean swipe to put his team ahead. Iraq were lucky not to concede a penalty in the 18th minute after goalkeeper Mohamed Hameed Farhan brought down a charging Ali Saleh just outside the box. Farhan was only shown a yellow card by Belgian referee Alexandre Boucaut, with UAE players protesting for a penalty in vain. The ensuing free kick, though, almost brought an equaliser for the UAE. Ali Mabkhout, who had scored a hat-trick in UAE’s win over Yemen in the opening match, struck well from the edge of the box from the right side, but Farhan read the ball well, leaping to punch the ball with his right hand. While UAE sensed an opening, Iraq looked more likely to increase their lead. In the 32nd minute, Iraq midfielder Amjad Attwan attempted an ambitious strike from 45 yards but it landed safely into the hands of Mohamed al-Shamsi. Five minutes later, Iraq doubled the lead with UAE defenders once again caught napping. This time it was the turn of captain Abdul-Zahara to get onto the scoresheet. Ali Adnan played a cross into the box with Abdul-Zahara rising between two defenders to head the ball into the net. Iraq started the second half in the same way as they did in the first. Three minutes after the break, Ali Faez Atia’s header missed the target by a whisker. Mohanad Ali, who replaced Abbas in the 62nd minute, had a great chance two minutes after coming in but the Duhail forward, despite having all the time in the world, hit straight to al-Shamsi. While UAE looked for a breakthrough, the only time they troubled Iraq was in the 72nd minute when a Mabkhout shot was parried away by Farhan. Iraq could have sealed the contest with a third goal after being awarded a penalty. Referee Boucaut initially ignored calls for spot kick after Iraq’s Mohamed Reda Jaleel was caught by the high boot of Khalifa Mubarak in the box. But after a VAR consultation and then watching the replay himself, Boucaut awarded a penalty to Iraq. Defender Adnan stepped forward to take the shot but his weak right-footer was easily saved by al-Shamsi, diving to his right.

Qatar’s Gulf Cup campaign began on a sour note after the hosts went down to Iraq 1-2 in the opening match at the Khalifa International Stadium Tuesday. Mohamed Qasem was the hero for Iraq as he stunned the packed 37,890 crowd with two goals in nine minutes in the first half. Abdelaziz Hatim brought Qatar back into the contest with a strike in the 49th minute, but Felix Sanchez’s men could not find the equaliser. Watched by His Highness The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who inaugurated the 24th edition of the tournament, Qatar started on a bright note. Qatar’s Abdelkarim Hassan (centre) vies for the ball during the Gulf Cup match against Iraq Qatar fans wave flags ahead of the match against Iraq Qatar coach Felix Sanchez However, they were guilty of wasting many chances. Iraq, on the other hand, were highly impressive, well organised and grabbed their chances. In fact they had to start the match with a second string XI, with coach Srecko Katanec choosing not to field any of the eight players who played for their club Al Shorta against Mauritanian side Nouadhibou in Arab Club Championship second round match on Monday. While Iraq was second to Asian champions Qatar in quality on the pitch, they made up for it with their huge physical presence and big heart. Qatar coach Sanchez was clearly disappointed with the result, but the Spaniard was optimistic his men would bounce back in the remaining two Group A matches against Yemen and the UAE. “Of course no one wants to lose, especially in such a game like this. You are playing at home in front of your fans. And it’s the first game in the competition and we know that we are the champions of Asia. But it does not give you the three points before the start of the game. You need to play,” he said. “What we can do is work hard in this strong group and ensure that we are stronger in the next game and take the points. I believe we deserved something from this game because of the chances we created. We tried but as I said we need to be better in the next game,” he added. Sanchez had predicted a difficult match due to Iraq’s physically natured game and that’s what he got. “As I had said before, it was a difficult match. We have always found it difficult against Iraq and credit to them for the way they played today,” he said. Things could have been different, though, for Qatar had Almoez Ali and Abdelkarim Hassan converted the chances they got. Almoez, who has failed to reach the heights of his Asian Cup high, had a bad day in the office. On more than one occasion, he fluffed an opportunity to score. The striker’s, and also Qatar’s, biggest chance came in just the fourth minute, with the Duhail forward needing just Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hasan to beat. But Almoez's strike was way off the mark. Hassan, who was a constant threat from the right flank, also had a great chance but could not find the side net. In defence too, Qatar players struggled to find the rhythm, with Bassam al-Rawi’s blunder gifting Iraq the breakthrough in the 18th minute. After an Iraq corner was cleared by goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb, the ball landed into Qasem, who crossed the ball into the box, intending to find his teammates. But in a shocking case of misjudgment, al-Rawi chose not to intercept as the ball evaded two Iraqi players as a helpless al-Sheeb watched the ball slam the net. Iraq doubled the lead in the 27th minute, but this time it was due to Qasem’s brilliance. The 22-year-old midfielder caught onto a loose ball from outside the box and struck a fierce left-footed which beat al-Sheen comfortably. With their backs against the wall, Qatar went into the half-time with plenty to ponder. Sanchez made a change after the break, bringing in Hatim for Yusuf Abdrisag and the move paid dividends quickly. Just three minutes into the second half, Hatim capitalised on a mistake from Iraq defender Mostafa Mohamed to score from close range. Having pulled a goal back and with home crowd behind them, Qatar came close to finding the equaliser many times, but the resilient Iraqi held on for a famous victory. Now Qatar will turn their attention to Yemen on Friday, which is already a must-win affair for them if they are to keep their hope of a fourth title alive. Iraq, meanwhile, will have all their Al Shorta players ready to face the UAE on Friday.

Iraq coach Srecko Katanec wasn’t a happy man yesterday. With only 13 players, including two goalkeepers at his disposal in training, the Slovenian was frustrated with his side’s preparation ahead of the Gulf Cup opening game against Qatar today. Hammam Tariq and Bashar Resen will miss the tournament with their clubs – Ismaily of Egypt and Iran’s Persepolis – denying them permission to join the Iraq squad. But what has angered Katanec is the unavailability of eight players, who will arrive in Doha today as they were playing the Arab Club Championship second-round match for Al Shorta against Mauritanian side Nouadhibou yesterday. “It is difficult to have so few players, so it is very difficult to predict what will happen. This is a new experience for me and I hope to be successful in any decision I make,” Katanec said yesterday. He was not sure whether he will field eight Al Shorta players against Qatar, saying he would take a decision only hours before the match. “I do not know what I will do, whether they will play or not against Qatar. There are eight players with Al Shorta and I may put them on the bench. I just have to watch the game and tomorrow I will decide what to do,” he said. “I will explain to the players my plan for the match against Qatar. I have new players in the team and playing against one of the best Asian teams is wonderful and the atmosphere here is very wonderful. Tomorrow everything is possible and our situation is difficult, but I have no excuses,” he added Katanec, however, said the absence of key players will present an ideal opportunity for the youngsters to show their quality. “This Gulf Cup is a good opportunity for new players in the national team. All the players are aware that the opportunity given to them was deserved and I expect them to surprise me by playing at a great level,” he said. Regarding the exclusion of forward Justin Meram, who plays for Major League Soccer club Atlanta United, Katanec said: “These are technical matters and only I get to choose the players, no one else. I have my experience and I know very well what the players need and there is nothing personal matter between me and any player. I am not afraid to be dismissed even if I lose all three games, all I need is to work very seriously,” the plain-speaking coach said. The Iraqi team is hunting for its fourth Gulf Cup title, having previously won in 1979, 1984 and 1988. Under Katanec they have usually punched above their weight and can spring surprises this time too. The 55-year-old was appointed as Iraq coach last year with the responsibility of taking the Lions of Mesopotamia to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They currently lead Group C in the World Cup and Asian Cup joint qualifiers on the back of a dramatic win over early favourites Iran earlier this month.

Among many things, the Doha IAAF World Championships will be best remembered for breaking barriers and giving the Arab world one of its biggest sporting extravaganzas. Qatar will of course host the showpiece football event – the FIFA World Cup in just over three years’ time, but before that the country has showed its efficiency by hosting a spectacular global sports event. Last night, as the curtains came down at the Khalifa International Stadium after ten days of action packed with drama, extraordinary performances, world records and the emergence of new sporting heroes, Qatar’s reputation as a great sporting destination has been enhanced further. IAAF President Sebastian Coe later described the Doha Worlds as the best in history in terms of the quality and depth of performances produced by the athletes of more than 200 nations and lauded Qatar’s efforts in creating best of the conditions. “The world’s athletes have put on the best show in the history of the IAAF World Athletics Championships, according to the competition performance rankings which are used as an objective measure of the quality of international competition. These performances are incredible but credit must also go to the facilities and conditions provided by the host country. Doha has created conditions on the field of play and in the warm up that are unsurpassed," Coe said. (From L to R) USA's Michael Cherry, Wilbert London, Rai Benjamin and Fred Kerley pose with their national flags after winning the Men's 4x400m Relay final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on Sunday. On an action-packed all-finals show last night, the United States sealed their dominance in the track by clinching three more gold medals, taking their tally to 14. In total, the US athletes went home with 29 medals, of which 11 was in silver and four in bronze for their best result at a World Championships in 12 years. Kenya, thanks to their middle distance runners, finished second with 11 medals in total and Jamaica was third with 12. The championships ended with 4x400 men’s and women’s relays, where US were comfortable winners. The American women comprising 400m champion Dalilah Muhammad and silver medallist Sydney McLaughlin, Phyllis Francis and Wadeline Jonathas set a world leading time to crusie to an easy win. Francis, starting off the blocks, gave US a comfortable lead, as McLaughlin, Dalilah and Jonathas closed out the race in 3:18:92 seconds. Poland set a national record to take silver, while Jamaica took bronze. The men’s relay played out in a similar pattern as the US team — Fred Kerley, Michael Cherry, Wilbert London and Rai Benjamin — finished more than a second clear of Jamaica in 2:56.69secs, with Belgium coming third. The third gold on the night for US came in the women’s 100m hurdles with Nia Ali recording a personal best time of 12.34secs to edge past compatriot Kendra Harrison. The 2015 world champion Danielle Williams took bronze for Jamaica. Ali, who earned 2016 Rio Olympic silver a year after having son, Titus, earned her first world title a year after having daughter, Yuri. She took a victory lap with both kids with four-year-old Titus running in his own lane. Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, USA’s Allyson Felix and Chinese race walker Liu Hong had all won gold medals within a year or two of giving birth and now Ali has joined the ‘super mom’ list. “It's super special. I have never won an outdoor world title. I am ecstatic. Shelly-Ann, Allyson, all the ladies who have come back from child birth are an inspiration for me and I am so excited to be able to pull of the world title,” Ali said. Williams and Harrison went into the final as top contenders for the gold, but the 30-year-old Ali surprised the field by taking the lead at the half way stage. She then held on even as Harrison and Williams threatened to pass her. Jamaica’s Tobi Amusan was fourth in 12.49. It was just the second time in history, after the 1987 Worlds final, in which four women have bettered 12.50. The men’s 5000m final was lopsided as it can get as Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya stormed into a comfortable win in 3:29.27 secs. Cheruiyot led from gun to tape and finished more than two seconds clear of Algeria’s London Olympics 2012 champion Taoufik Makhloufi. Bronze went to European indoor champion Marcin Lewandowski in a Polish record of 3:31.46. Nia Ali of the US celebrates winning gold with her child in the Women's 100 Metres Hurdles Final at the Khalifa International Stadium Cheruiyot ended a run of silver medals as he had come second at the 2017 world championships and the last two African championships. Last night, the Kenyan knew he was miles better than the rest and ran a race that was beyond all of his rivals. Cheruiyot said he took the initiative to avoid being jostled. "You see that there is a lot of pushing so we were trying to avoid the challenges," he said. "I felt the support of Kenyans in the crowd and it was amazing. The Olympic season is coming so I need to work harder." Meanwhile, Germany's Malaika Mihambo added the long jump world title to her 2018 European gold. The world leader put on a dominating performance, with her winning jump of 7.30m coming in her third attempt. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk of Ukraine was runner-up with a 6.92m jump, just a centimeter ahead of Nigerian Ese Brume. "That was so amazing," said Mihambo, who added 14 centimetres to her career best. "It was a difficult competition but I'm really glad I came through. In training I don’t remember having managed a jump like that. Today I showed I am capable of such a great jump. I am over the moon. There was a really tight moment for me, that third attempt. The third attempt, it had to work. I told myself, ‘You have to make this one valid no matter what. And it worked,” the 25-year-old added. Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei holds the national flag after winning the Men's 10,000m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha In the men’s 10,000m, Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei won his first world title as Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha ran out of steam in the final sprint. Rhonex Kipruto added a bronze to Kenya's tally. Cheptegei, who took silver behind Farah at 2017 Worlds, clocked 26:48.36, the world’s fastest time in five years. In a surprise result, the men’s javelin throw gold went to Grenada's Anderson Peters. Magnus Kirt of Estonia settled for sliver after he injured his shoulder and was unable to take his final throw. Johannes Vetter won bronze for Germany. The 21-year-old, who became Grenada’s second world champion after one-lap star Kirani James, took the lead in his very first throw of 86.89, which was not unsurpassed on the night. World leader and Diamond League Trophy winner Magnus Kirt’s best throw was 86.21, while defending champion Johannes Vetter of Germany’s could only muster 85.37. Peters, who was shocked at his gold medal winning distance, said: “I didn’t think 86m would be enough to win gold. I was up against 90m men throwing high 88s all season. I just believed in my coach and the work we did all season. I want to tell my fellow Grenadians that everybody can do it, if I can do it. It’s possible for everybody to become a world champion. You just have to want it as badly as I do.”