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Felix Sanchez is a calming influence in the Qatar camp. As the Khalifa International stadium, filled with more than 44,000 spectators, went berserk every time a Qatar goal was scored against the UAE on Monday, Sanchez merely did a fist pump on the touchline. Qatar’s head coach is not the one to show too many emotions, be it in a victory or defeat. While the players led by Asian player of the year Akram Afif celebrated on the pitch after a 4-2 win over UAE to confirm Qatar’s place in the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup semi-finals, Sanchez disappeared into the dressing room. The 43-year-old may well have been planning Qatar’s tactics for the last-four fixture against Saudi Arabia, which will be held at the Al Janoub Stadium Thursday. Sanchez has been given much credit for turning a talented bunch of footballers into Asia’s best but the Spaniard chooses to stay away from the limelight, as he praised his players for their worth ethic. “My players deserve all the credit,” said Sanchez on Monday. “They are working hard because they live the game. They are showing their ability to the world and deserve all the success. They are really professionals and they don’t need to be motivated by me. They don’t have to be pushed hard in training. My target for them is to show improvements ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar,” he added. After a shock 1-2 loss against Iraq in the opening game disrupted their Gulf Cup campaign, albeit temporarily, Sanchez has rejuvenated the Qatar side as the shown by their 6-0 thumping of Yemen and then an equally authoritative 4-2 win over UAE. “I think in all the group games were different. We were upset after the first match, but the players showed good level. In the first game against Iraq, we were not lucky but in the second and third games we showed our true potential, especially in attack and scored many goals. We will continue to work hard. My players have shown great character to bounce back. We are growing in the competition and that’s a good sign. We are now going to rest and recover for the semi-finals,” Sanchez said. A draw would have been enough against UAE for Qatar to march into the semis, but Sanchez has drilled in a winning mentality into his players, which was on ample display on Monday. Afif scored twice to put the home side ahead after 28 minutes before Ali Mabkhout pulled one back for the UAE in the 33rd minute. But Qatar captain Hassan al-Haydos made it 3-1 for the Asian champions eight minutes after half time. Mabkhout scored again for the UAE, his fifth goal in three games, after 77 minutes but Boualem Khoukhi put the result beyond doubt when he headed Qatar’s fourth in stoppage time. “It was a good game. The draw was not on our mind. It was our game and the team deserved to win. When you have 40,000 fans supporting the team it gives a good feeling and motivation. It was a nice game for us. We are happy as we could achieve our target to qualify for the semis,” Sanchez said. “In the first half, we did not play for the draw. We started offensively and played with a winning mentality and scored two goals. In the second half, we scored another two goals, while we did concede two goals but we are happy with our performance,” he added. UAE’s Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk praised the Qatar side, who he called a ‘strong team’.  “We conceded goals too easily at crucial moments against Qatar. We lost to a strong team, who are the champions of Asia. They have been playing together for a long time. Unfortunately, a few of our players were injured and couldn’t play, we were also a bit unlucky,” Van Marwijk said. Van Marwijk is now looking forward to the future with utmost optimism. “Our project started months ago with new players, but there is a positive development despite the short preparation period,” said the 67-year-old former Netherlands and Australia manager.  “We have to work hard to achieve further development. Our project started a few months ago with new players, but there have been positive developments and we know what we have to do.” 

Bahrain’s dream of landing their first Arabian Gulf Cup title is alive after their thrilling 4-2 win over Kuwait at the Khalifa International Stadium yesterday. Bahrain had gone into the contest in fourth place in Group B, with just one point from two matches. But they leapfrogged Oman and Kuwait with a stunning display in their final group game. With defending champions Oman losing to Saudi Arabia 1-3 at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium around the same time, Bahrain players erupted in joy at the final whistle. While Saudi qualified as Group B toppers with six pints, Bahrain finished on four points, the same as Oman. But a better goal difference to Oman sealed their place in the semis. On Thursday, Bahrain will take on Group A winners Iraq, while hosts Qatar play Saudi in a mouth-watering second semi-final. In a see-saw contest, Bahrain got on to the scoreboard first when Ali Madan gave them the lead in the stoppage time of the first half. Kuwait levelled after Yousef Nasser converted a penalty in the 59th minute, before Jassim al-Shaikh restored Bahrain’s lead in the 69th minute. Thiago Augusto made it 3-1 for Bahrain in the 83rd minute. Ahmed Zanki, however, kept Kuwait’s chances alive by the reducing the deficit with an 85th minute strike. With Kuwait running out of time for an equaliser, Augusto sealed the deal for Bahrain with a stoppage time goal. Both the teams went all out in attack in search for the opening goal, but lacked the accuracy in the final third. Kuwait were dealt a double blow in the first half after midfielder Talal al-Fadhel had to make way for Fahad al-Ansari in the 34th minute, while captain Bader al-Mutawa too got injured with Zanki replacing the forward in the 43rd minute. Al-Mutawa’s injury seemed to have an effect on his teammates as they conceded two minutes after his substitution. With al-Fadhel bringing down Madan, the referee pointed to the spot which the latter converted duly to give Bahrain the lead. Kuwait started the second half in earnest and equalised after they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Zanki. Nasser stepped in to convert the penalty. In the 65th minute, Kuwait thought they had taken the lead after Nasser slammed it past goalkeeper Sayed Jaffer. But upon a VAR review the goal was overruled as Nasser had committed a foul. Four minutes later, al-Shaikh piled on Kuwait’s misery after he scored from outside the box. With Bahrain needing another goal to get past Oman on goal difference, they continued to attack. And it was Augusto, who came in as substitute in the 77th minute, who found the net after receiving a cross from Sayed Dhiya. Zanki kept Kuwait in the game with a goal in the 89th minute, but Augusto’s goal in the dying seconds ensured Bahrain’s place in the semis. Bahrain’s Portuguese coach Helio Sousa said his side deserved to go through to the semis. “We played a very good game, which showed the hard work we had put in in the last few months. I have 23 players here and they are ready to give it their all. Most of them played a key role in our triumph at the West Asian Championship,” he said. “We have a very impressive team and what they are showing in this tournament is proof that we are one of the best teams in Asia,” Sousa added. Kuwait coach Thamer Enad was disappointed after his side’s defeat and lamented the loss of key players due to injuries. “We were not in a top condition today. Three back-to-back matches in short time had an effect on our players. We had to make changes due to injuries and we suffered on the pitch due to that,” he said.

Fresh from being named as the Asian Player of the Year, Akram Afif inspired Qatar to the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup semi-finals with a 4-2 win over the United Arab Emirates on Monday. Qatar needed just a draw in their last Group A match at the Khalifa International Stadium, but victory was never in doubt after Afif put the hosts 2-0 up inside thirty minutes. Ali Mabkhout converted a penalty to revive UAE’s hopes at half-time, but a 53rd minute strike from captain Hassan al-Haydos restored Qatar’s two-goal advantage. Mabkhout kept UAE in the contest with a goal in the 77th minute, but the visitors could not find an equaliser even as Boualem Khoukhi headed in for Qatar’s fourth goal in injury time. Qatar finished Group A with six points, having lost to Iraq in the opening match. Iraq, meanwhile, emerged as the group toppers with seven points after a goalless draw against Yemen at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium on Monday. Qatar will play Saudi Arabia, who beat defending champions Oman 3-1 on Monday, in the semi-finals on Thursday. Afif, who had missed his coronation as Asia’s best player at yesterday’s AFC Annual Awards ceremony in Hong Kong, had a spring in his step every time he touched the ball. The Al Sadd forward has been a revelation since he burst onto the scene at the Asian Cup earlier this year, where his 10 assists and one goal helped Qatar win their maiden continental title. Last night, a crowd of more than 40,000 got a closer look at Afif’s talent as the 23-year-old put on a show. Afif was not just a constant threat every time he went forward, but also acted the provider for most of Qatar chances. “It’s a great day for him and Qatar,” head coach Felix Sanchez said after the game. “We are very happy for him. I have known him since 2006, football is his life. He always works hard and is a thorough professional. He deserves every accolade that will come his way. He showed his quality again today,” the Spaniard added. The UAE defence looked shaky from the beginning as Mohamed Barqesh failed to read a long ball from Khoukhi. Abdulkarim Hassan, Qatar’s hat-trick hero against Yemen on Friday, raced into the box only to see his shot hit the side net. Almoez Ali had a chance to put Qatar ahead in the 20th minute but swiped his shot wide. The striker, however, made amends two minutes later. After UAE defender Mohamed Marzooq took forever to clear the ball, Almoez intercepted the ball which landed into Afif’s feet and the midfielder steered the ball into the bottom right-hand corner. UAE were under the pump thereafter as the hosts raided the goal repeatedly and it was another error from Barqesh that saw Qatar double their advantage in the 28th minute. Barqesh had handled the ball in the box, which referee Sato Ryuji had failed to spot. But after a lengthy VAR review, the Japanese referee handed the penalty to Qatar, with Afif sending al-Shamsi the wrong way to put his team in command. UAE were let back into the game after Qatar goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb conceded a penalty as he brought down a charging Bandar Mohamed in the box in the 33rd minute. Mabkhout, the UAE’s all-time top scorer, put the ball in the left-hand-side of the net, to keep his side in the game at half-time. Afif continued to be a threat in the second half but was unlucky not to get his third goal after his shot hit the top bar in the 48th minute. Al-Haydos though got Qatar’s third five minutes later. The Qatari captain started the move from the midfield and passed the ball to Almoez, who lost the ball in a melee with UAE defenders, but al-Haydos was on hand to slam the ball into the net. Mabkhout, however, gave UAE a glimmer of hope when the forward headed the ball in from a corner in 77th minute. It was 29-year-old’s fifth goal of the tournament, making him the top-scorer of the competition. With Qatar coach Sanchez ringing in changes by substituting Afif and al-Haydos, UAE sensed an opportunity. But on the night, Qatar players remained composed and thwarted UAE’s attack. To make the victory much sweeter, Khoukhi scored off a header in the last minute of the contest. As the final whistle was blown by Ryuji, the home crowd erupted in joy even as the Qatar players lined up to show gratitude to the fans for their support. “Congratulations to all of Qatar, the fans and the players,” a delighted Sanchez said. “We played a good match in both the halves and created many chances while converting some of them. We deserved the victory,” he added.

*Exciting day on cards with semi-final spots up for grabs It’s a blockbuster day at the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup, with four matches scheduled on Monday to decide the three semi-finalists. Iraq has already sealed a spot in the semis, with two victories in two matches, but it hasn’t been a smooth sailing for the rest of the seven teams. At the Khalifa International Stadium, Qatar will take on the United Arab Emirates in their last Group A game with the hosts needing just a draw to enter the last four. After their loss to Iraq in the opening game, Qatar bounced back in splendid fashion with a 6-0 rout of Yemen. That huge win on Friday has given the Asian Champions a five-goal advantage, which means Qatar needs just a point against the UAE. However, head coach Felix Sanchez has cautioned his players to approach the game with a positive mindset and not to settle for anything but a victory. “We are going for a win because playing for a draw is dangerous. It is always important to look for three points. It will be a difficult game but we feel very confident,” the Spaniard said on the eve of the game. The Qatar coach has called on the home fans to fill the stadium in large numbers and cheer for their team. “I hope the stadium will be full. We need to have the support of the fans. The fans motivate us and they push us to give our best,” Sanchez said. The last time Qatar faced UAE was in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup in Abu Dhabi in January this year, where they romped to a 4-0 victory en route to winning their maiden continental title. It’s expected to be a close contest this time around. Like Qatar, UAE beat Yemen in their first match at Gulf Cup, but lost to an impressive Iraq side in their next game. UAE coach Bert Van Marwijk conceded Qatar will start as favourites, saying his team lacks experience compared to the hosts. “Qatar has players who have been playing for years with each other, and this has shown in their performance. Our project started months ago with new players, but there is a positive development despite the short period of preparation,” he added. Meanwhile, in Group B all the four teams – Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are in contention for a place in the semi-finals. Saudi, who were shocked by Kuwait in the opening game, threw the group wide open when they beat Bahrain on Saturday. Monday in an 8pm kick-off at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, Saudi will lock horns with defending champions Oman, who lead the group with four points. In another match, Kuwait take on Bahrain around the same time at the Khalifa International Stadium. While a draw for Oman would be enough to make it to the last four, Saudi, Kuwait and Bahrain will all need victories to ensure a place in the semis.

Saudi Arabia resurrected their 24th Arabian Gulf Cup campaign with a dominating 2-0 win over Bahrain at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium Saturday. The Saudis were under pressure coming into the match, having been shocked by Kuwait in the opener, but put on an assured display to calm the nerves in the camp. Goals from Abdullah al-Hamdan and Mohamed al-Khabrani in each half gave Herve Renard’s side three points, and now would need a victory against defending champions Oman in the final Group B game tomorrow to book their place in the semi-final. For Bahrain, who are in fourth position in the group with just one point, courtesy their drawn game against Oman, they need to beat Kuwait tomorrow and also hope Saudi will lose to Oman. Defending champions Oman are top of Group B with four points, while Kuwait sit in second place with three points and a +1 goal difference.   Renard had blamed Saudi’s defeat to Kuwait due to lack of preparation, but last night his side looked ready and were in total command against Bahrain. They controlled the possession from the beginning and should have scored more. In total, Saudi had 15 shots to Bahrain’s 10, but the former had six on target while the latter had only three, that too in the final stages of the match. With a 3-1 loss to Bahrain affecting their goal difference, Renard played three strikers upfront in the aim of reducing the deficit. While they enjoyed plenty of spaces in the wide areas, Bahrain with four defenders on the back and a defensive midfielder playing in a central role, were tough to break down. Al-Khabrani thought he had put Saudi ahead in the 10th minute, when he bundled in from close range past Bahrain’s goalkeeper Waleed al-Hayam. But the defender was ruled to be off-side and the goal was disallowed. Saudi continued to create many chances, but lacked the final touch. Bahrain, meanwhile, had an opening in the 25th minute but Thiago Augusto’s attempt was blocked by goalkeeper Fawaz al-Qarni brilliantly. It needed a special strike from al-Hamdan to open Saudi’s account in the 29th minute. After receiving a ball from Salem al-Dawsari in the edge of the box, the 20-year-old Al Shabab striker turned swiftly and fired into the top corner. There were two clear chances for Bahrain around the one-hour mark, which they spurned. Saudi, meanwhile, took their chances as they doubled the lead in 58th minute. Bahrain defenders could only watch as al-Khabrani headed in from a corner. Bahrain upped the ante in search of a goal or two, but there was no serious threat for Saudi’s defence to counter.

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.

Kuwait are not the force they once were, but at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium Wednesday, they rolled back their glory years with a stunning 3-1 win over Saudi Arabia in their Gulf Cup opener. The ten-time champions, the most among eight teams, were clinical in front of the goal, with Ahmed al-Dhefiri and Sami al-Sanea giving them a two-goal advantage after the end of first half.  Mubarak al-Faneni then added the third in the 90th minute as Thamer Enad’s men made a sensational start to their campaign. Saudi scored a consolation goal through Feras Tariq in effectively the last kick of the match, but it was a below-par show from Herve Renard’s side, who have their task cut out in the remaining two matches. Three-time champions Saudi, billed as one of the tournament favourites, made a bright start and should have gone a goal up as early as in the 10th minute. Kuwait defender Fahad al-Ansari misplaced his back pass, which was quickly latched onto by Tariq, who then passed the ball to Yahya al-Sheri. But the Saudi captain let go off a golden opportunity by shooting wide of the goal. They had another opening in the 34th minute, but Tariq could only hit the side net. Saudi clearly had the upper hand in the match, but a lapse in concentration put them a goal behind. After a free kick from 45 yards was blocked by the Saudi wall, the ball landed into Kuwait’s Bader al-Mutawa, who played a clever through ball to al-Dhefiri. The midfielder then outsmarted Saudi defence with a quick run into the box and slotted it past goalkeeper Fawaz al-Qarni. Saudi players had barely recovered from the opening setback when Kuwait doubled the lead in the injury time. Al-Mutawa was the provider again as the forward put in a brilliant assist to al-Sanea, who equally timed his run to perfection, ran towards the box and dribbled past al-Sheri and flicked the ball into an empty post. A fight back was expected from Saudi in the second half, but they could not muster any decent chance. In fact, Kuwait had two great opportunities to put the game into bed, which they spurned. But they were not to be denied the third goal. With Renard packing his players in front, substitute al-Faneni took advantage of the empty wide spaces, ran into the box and unleashed a right-footed strike into the net. Saudi pulled a goal back in the dying seconds, but the game was well beyond them at that point. Saudi will next take on Bahrain on Saturday at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, with the Green Falcons needing a victory to stay alive in the tournament. The high-flying Kuwait will face Oman, which is also scheduled for Saturday at the same stadium.

Defending champions Oman played out a goalless draw with Bahrain in a Gulf Cup Group B match, which came to life only in the second half. At the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium yesterday, both the sides started on a cautious note and there was little to separate them at the final whistle. Oman had the better of chances in the first half, but Bahrain will feel they should have walked away with three points as they had more than few opportunities in the end to grab a winner. Oman will be indebted to goalkeeper Faiz al-Rusheidi, whose double save in the 74th minute denied Bahrain a winning start.  “If you can’t win, do not lose,” said Oman coach Erwin Koeman, heaving a sigh of relief. While Oman were fancied to win the contest, Bahrain’s recent record suggested they would give a tough fight. Helio Sousa’s side is currently second in the World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers in Group C, behind leaders Iraq and ahead of Asian powerhouse Iran. They are also the reigning WAFF Cup champions but are yet to taste the Gulf Cup glory. Oman too are having a great run in the qualifiers, lying second in Group E to Qatar. In fact, Koeman’s charges have only lost once — a 2-1 defeat against Qatar in the qualifiers – since they were knocked out of the Asian Cup in last 16 in January. Koeman since taking over from fellow Dutchman Pim Verbeek has instilled the confidence in his side, which was on display in the early stages of the match yesterday. They were also boosted by sizeable Omani fans in the stands, including 100 students who were specially flown in to Doha to support their side. While Bahrain dominated the possession, only Oman could create any goal-scoring opportunity in the first half, albeit it was far and few though. The first real opening came in the 30th minute, when forward Al Mandhar al-Alawi got past Bahrain defender Sayed Mahdi and was through on goal. But the midfielder’s tame shot was easily saved by Sayed Shubbar. In the beginning of the second half, both sides did not concede much in their half but with 15 minutes the game sprung into life. The vital moment of the game was in the 74th minute when al-Rushaidi made a brilliant double save. The Oman goalkeeper dived to his right to block a fierce shot from Komail Hassan, before on rebound Mohamed Saad pounded the goal post again, only for al-Rushaidi to get up quickly and make another save. On the counterattack, Muhsen could have put Oman ahead but hit straight to Shubbar. Oman had a huge slice of luck in the 76th minute when Saad’s header hit the top bar. There were couple of decent openings for Bahrain the dying minutes but they could not get past al-Rusheidi. Sousa rued Bahrain’s missed opportunities, but was proud of his bunch of players, who he said were still developing. “It was a difficult game as we expected. We created spaces against a good team with good quality. We had our chances in the last 20 minutes. On another we could have scored two goals but I can’t fault in the efforts of my players,” he said. “We are a young team compared to Oman and Qatar. We are still building the side and they can only improve from here. We started with a different line up today and they showed they can compete at the highest level. We won the WAFF title and we will try to win this too,” the Portuguese added. Oman coach Koeman was not too pleased with the results, but conceded his team was lucky to escape with a draw. “We had a decent game. Till the 75th minutes we had our chances but they also had two big chances. The draw is an OK result. Now we will focus on the next two matches,” the Dutchman said. “But I am happy we did not concede any goal. They have some tall players, who troubled us with in the box. We had our chances too and we should have scored. We did not succeed in this,” he added. Oman will next play Kuwait on Saturday, with Bahrain taking on Saudi Arabia on the same day.

The 24th Gulf Cup, which began yesterday in Doha, is touted to be a close contest. While Asian Champions Qatar will be the frontrunners for the title, Saudi Arabia will pose a tough challenge for the hosts. Saudi have won the Gulf Cup three times, but the last of it came in 2003, a drought Herve Renard’s side will be keen to bring an end to. They begin their campaign today against Kuwait at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, with Renard hopeful of a good start despite having limited time to prepare for the big event. Eight of his players were part of the Al Hilal squad which won the AFC Champions League title on Sunday, and reported to national duty only yesterday. They also had to tinker with the squad at the eleventh hour after Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed al-Owais and Al Nasr defender Abdullah Mado were forced out due to injury. Renard said it was important for his side to win against Kuwait today. “We are happy to participate in this tournament, although the Hilal players have joined late, yet we will try to give out best,” the Frenchman said yesterday. “We know we will play against a good team and we have to be ready for tomorrow’s game which is the most important for us in the tournament despite some absences of key players. But we will try to provide a good picture of Saudi football,” he added. Saudi have not had happy memories recently in big tournaments. At the AFC Asian Cup earlier this year, they were knocked out in the last 16 by Japan, and finished bottom of their group in the 2019 WAFF Championship without a win to show, albeit with second string players. But since then their fortunes have improved. They are undefeated in the World Cup and Asian Cup joint qualifiers and come into the Gulf Cup as one of the fancied teams. Renard will be heavily dependent on eight Hilal players, with winger Salem al-Dawsari set to be the key man. “We are a good defensive side but offensively we are not that fantastic. At this time, we trained with 12 players and a goalkeeper but I expect every player to be ready for the competition,” said Renard, who has in the past taken Zambia and Ivory Coast to Africa Cup of Nations glory. “We came to know about the participation in the Gulf Cup after the game against Uzbekistan, where we put in an outstanding performance to win the match. Later we drew against Paraguay without the Hilal players and we provided a good defensive performance,” he added. Kuwait, meanwhile, have won the Gulf Cup ten times, the highest among eight teams. But their glory days are well past them, with their last triumph achieved in 2010. Thamer Enad’s side have three victories in the World and Asian Cup qualifiers and will be aiming to continue their fine form against the Saudis. Kuwait have a formidable squad led by forwards Bader al-Mutawa and Yousef Nasser, who can unlock any defence on their best day. Enad was upbeat about Kuwait’s chances in the tournament and said his side had prepared well. “We started training about two months ago for the World Cup qualifiers and have played three games. So our preparations have been good and we are ready for the Gulf Cup,” he said. “All eight teams have an equal chance of qualifying for the final. This is a great tournament and I’ve also played in this. There is pressure from fans and media but we enjoy it,” Enad added.

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.

On the eve of their 24th Arabian Gulf Cup opener against Iraq, Qatar coach Felix Sanchez was repeatedly asked about the historic Asian Cup triumph earlier this year. Sanchez, by now well versed with unpredictable nature of football, knows not to rest on past laurels. “The Asian Cup is long over and we have to forget about that. This is another tournament, another start,” Sanchez said yesterday. “But we start with the same ambition, same possibilities,” he added. In the regional tournament such as Gulf Cup, any team can beat anyone on a given day. In the 2017 edition of the tournament in Kuwait, not many put their money on Oman to lift the trophy, but under veteran Dutch coach Pim Verbeek they did exactly that. So, while Asian champions Qatar are undoubtedly a dominant force in the region, they will be wary of the threat posed by Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE. Sanchez’s men will have home support to rely on though, a huge factor in a big tournament. But the pressure of playing at home can also put a burden on players, which Sanchez is aware of. “It is good to play under pressure in the Gulf Cup, as we did in the Asian Cup and Copa America. We have to deal with each game separately,” the coach said. Qatar’s previous triumphs came in 1992, 2004 and 2014, and are no doubt the strongest contenders among eight Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation teams to lift the title on December 6. Other than Iraq, they will lock horns with Yemen and the UAE in Group A. Group B comprises defending champions Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. Qatar’s opening match today at the Khalifa International Stadium could be a slightly easier one than they expected due to the turmoil in Iraq’s camp. The unavailability of key players has disrupted Iraq’s preparations with eight of their players taking part in Arab Club Championship second-round match for Al Shorta against Mauritanian side Nouadhibou. They are expected to join the squad in Doha today but Iraq coach Srecko Katanec, who had only 13 players, including two goalkeepers at training yesterday, was not too hopeful of fielding a full-strength squad against Qatar. Having said that, Qatar should be wary of Iraq, who are leading their group in the World Cup and Asian Cup joint qualifiers after their stunning 2-1 win over Asian powerhouse Iran earlier this month. “The teams we will play against are strong and Iraq are a good team. We have played against them three times recently and are well organised. They are here to compete and we know this very well. Yes, it is a difficult game but I am happy to face Iraq,” Sanchez said. “A good start tomorrow is very important. It’s not that if we win tomorrow we will go on and win the tournament and if we lose we will do badly in the tournament. But a good start against Iraq gives you a good feeling for the following games. Iraq are physically strong and have good quality players and we know it’s going to be a difficult game,” the Spanish coach added. Sanchez will expect the strike force of Almoez Ali and Akram Afif to rack up goals as they did in the Asian Cup triumph. He will also rely on the returning Abdulkarim Hassan in defence, with captain Hassan al-Haydos and Karim Boudiaf running the show in midfield. The emergence of Youssef Abdel Razzaq and a few other youngsters will also add to Qatar’s arsenal. “Our aim is to take on game at a time. UAE and Iraq are difficult sides. We’ve have to play really well. We had played the UAE in the Asian Cup. We had a good result against them. But the Gulf Cup is a new tournament. If we’ve to progress to the knock-out stage, we must play with a positive frame of mind,” he said. Sanchez admitted selecting the squad has given him a happy headache, with the depth of availability of Qatari players. He was pleased though the team was on right track ahead of the 2022 World Cup, which Qatar will host. “We are looking forward to start the competition as a part of our 2022 World Cup preparations. We had a good preparation after we came back after playing Afghanistan in Dushanbe, Tajikstan. The boys are in a good frame of mind. Playing in Doha is important. The support of the fans will motivate us,” he said. Meanwhile, captain Hassan al-Haydos was hopeful the Qatar team can give the fans another reason to celebrate. “Iraq are a good side. It’s going to be a tough match. Gulf Cup has a special flavour. We want to make our people happy with another great victory as we did at the Asian Cup in January,” he said.

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.

Head coach Felix Sanchez announced the Qatar squad yesterday for the 24th Gulf Cup, with captain Hassan al-Haydos declaring that Al Annabi will be at their best in the prestigious championship. Qatar is hosting the Gulf Cup for the fourth time and will be gunning for their fourth title, and a grand double to add to their historic AFC Asian Cup title they won in the UAE in February. Qatar’s previous triumphs came in 1992, 2004 and 2014, and are undoubtedly the strongest contenders among eight Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation teams to lift the title on December 6. Sanchez’s men will start their campaign against Iraq tomorrow at the Khalifa International Stadium, with matches against Yemen and the UAE to follow. Group B comprises defending champions Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. Sanchez has kept faith in the core squad that won the Asian Cup, with few youngsters joining the experienced stars. The Spanish coach recalled left back Abdulkarim Hassan, the best player in Asia 2018, who had missed a few matches recently. Qatar have not had an ideal preparation as they have failed to show their Asian Cup-winning form in the World Cup and Asian Cup joint qualifiers. They struggled to a narrow 1-0 win over a lowly Afghanistan in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, last week. Despite that, Qatar is leading their group, which consists of reigning champions Oman, whom they beat 2-1 at home last month. Post their victory in Dushanbe, Sanchez chose to give two days of rest to his players, giving them a breather after a hectic league and international schedule, so that they could be fresh for the Gulf Cup challenge at home. Since Friday, the squad has been training at the Aspire Academy, focusing on recovery and fitness. While fatigue would no doubt be an issue, Qatar has enough quality in their ranks to beat any of their rivals. Captain al-Haydos was hopeful the home fans will get to see top-class performance from his side. “We have finished the Asian Cup qualifiers and are now solely focusing on the Gulf Cup,” he said. “We have not been at our best recently. But we hope to return to our top form for the Gulf Cup. The championship is being held in Qatar, which will motivate us to raise the bar,” al-Haydos added. Star striker and the MVP at the Asian Cup Almoez Ali said: “The Gulf Cup is not an easy tournament and the competition will be tough as the teams are very strong. All the matches will be a tight contest but we are ready for the challenge.” Qatar squad: Saad al-Sheeb, Pedro, Salem al-Hajri, Tariq Salman, Abdulkarim Hassan, Boualem Khoukhi, Hassan al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Bassam al-Rawi, Almoez Ali, Karim Boudiaf, Ismail Hamad, Mohamed Montari, Ahmed Fathi, Mohamed Salah, Fahd Shanin, Youssef Abdel Razzaq, Musab Khader, Abdul Aziz Hatem, Fahd Younis, Mahdi Ali, Abdullah Abdul Salam, Mohamed Bakri. Iraq to miss star players Meanwhile, Iraq will be forced to field a depleted XI for their match against Iraq, with several of the players returning to their club sides. The Iraqi team is hunting for its fourth title, having previously won in 1979, in 1984 and 1988. But their chances this time has taken a severe beating due to the unavailability of several influential players. Hammam Tariq and Bashar Resen will miss the tournament with their clubs – Ismaily SC of Egypt and Iran’s Persepolis – denying them permission to participate in the tournament. Major League Soccer club Atlanta United has also recalled forward Justin Meram. The team’s preparation is also affected by the call up of eight international players by the Iraqi Police Club for their match against Mauritania’s Nouadhibou in the Arab Club Championship today. Iraqi Football Federation member Yahya Kareem said: “The Gulf Cup has put us in a difficult position. The management of the police club insisted on their eight players joining their squad for the Arab Club Championship match. It will greatly affect our chances against Qatar.” He pointed out that the coaching staff will have to rely on several substitutes. Iraq captain Ahmed Ibrahim, who will take part in the Gulf Cup for the fourth time in a row, said his players will give their best. Kuwait squad arrive in Doha Kuwait squad arrived in Doha yesterday for the Gulf Cup. Head coach Thamer Enad has included 28 players in the squad, with five players to be excluded from the final list after the training session at the Qatar University Stadium today. Midfielder Talal al-Fadhil is part of the squad after he trained with the team in the last two days. Al-Fadhil was sidelined with a recent injury that kept him out of the World Cup and Asian Cup qualifying match against Nepal last week. Kuwait will kick off their campaign with a Group B match against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

He was Pakistan’s lone participant at the ANOC World Beach Games. And he didn’t disappoint his fans back home. Mohamed Inam produced a scintillating performance to clinch the 90kg gold in beach wrestling, beating Georgia’s Dato Marsagishvili at Katara Beach Monday. Inam lived up to his top billing as the two-time world beach wrestling champion by clinching a 5-2 win. He was dominant throughout as he won all his matches to top the Group A, before winning his semi-final and final bouts. Inam is a double Commonwealth Games gold medallist (2010, 2018) in 84 and 86 kg freestyle and has received the Pride of Performance award from the government of Pakistan. He had qualified for the Qatar Beach Worlds after finishing as runner-up in a qualifying tournament in Rio, Brazil, in May. In the semis, Inam recorded an easy 3-0 win over Pedro Jacinto Garcia Perez of Spain. His toughest bout was in the final, where Marsagishvili looked to pull off a shock result. The Georgian took a 2-0 lead with just a point more required to win gold, but Inam was not the one to give up so easily. The Pakistani made it 2-2 with two throws, and with seconds remaining in the first period, produced a 3-point takedown to clinch a thrilling contest. Ahead of his trip to Doha, Inam had hoped to fulfil his dream of winning a gold medal at the World Beach Games, and he truly struck to his word. “I trained very hard for this after missing the World Wrestling Championship in Kazakhstan last month. It was not easy but I was confident of winning gold at the World Beach Games. I have been training hard at home too, but training myself, and then also teaching and training other juniors at my gym is tough. I picked up an injury almost two months ago and underwent surgery,” Imam said. Gold, silver and bronze medal winners in Aquathlon (Women) at Katara Beach Winners of the gold, silver and bronze medals (Men) in Aquathlon at Katara Beach Meanwhile, Spain enjoyed another golden double Monday after Kevin Vinuela and Francisca Tous won the men’s and women’s aquathlon events Monday. In a physically challenging event, which consists a 2.5 kilometre run, a 750 metre swim and a second 2.5 kilometres on the pavement, the two Spaniards took the top honours. Vinuela came home to win the men’s race in 26min 55sec, while Tous was a convincing winner of the women’s race in 29:38. Belarus netted a full set of medals across the two Waterski Jump events, with a gold and bronze in the women’s and silver in the men’s. After a disappointing showing in the preliminary event, finishing bottom of the six qualifying skiers, Aliaksandra Danisheuskaya rallied to produce a spectacular winning jump of 49.5m to claim the water ski jump gold at the Leqtafiya Lagoon. Her compatriot, 2018 European silver medallist Hanna Straltsova, managed 49.0m on her third attempt, finishing third, with Jutta Menestrina of Finland also making the podium in second place after nailing a 49.3m jump. The men’s bouldering gold was won by Japan's 20-year-old world bouldering champion Kai Harada with a total score of 3132 points at the Aspire. His Japanese teammate Keita Watabe took silver, while bronze went to Germany's Philipp Martin. The women’s bouldering event was also won by a Japanese, with Miho Nonaka cruising to victory with a total tally of 4142 points. Switzerland’s Petra Klingler took silver, while Slovakia’s Urska Repusic bagged bronze.

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.”

Sifan Hassan is in a league of her own. The Dutch star completed an unprecedented double after she cruised to victory in the 1,500 metres, to add to the 10,000m title she had won a week ago at the IAAF World Championships in Doha. No woman or man had won 1500 and 10000 double before in the history of the World Championships or Olympics. But that was until Sifan put on a masterful run at the Khalifa International Stadium last night. During the course of her stunning run, Sifan repeatedly looked behind to see how close her rivals where to her. But she didn’t have to bother as the 26-year-old was clearly way ahead before posting victory in a championships record time of 3:51.96 seconds. Sifan’s dominance was such that defending champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya was a distant second in 3:54.22, with Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay in third in 3:54.38. The winning time was the sixth-fastest 1500m run in history and just two seconds shy of the 3:50.07 world record set by Genzebe Dibaba in 2015. “This is amazing for me. This is such an honour,” said Sifan. “I am showing what you can do with the hard work. It was amazing when I crossed the finish line and saw that time. I am so happy as this was a hard win for me. I felt very good after 10,000m so I decided to go for 1,500m. I have been working hard for 1,500m this season. It looked this was easy for me but it took so much hard work,” she added. Sifan was the overwhelming favourite with Kipyegon, making a comeback from the birth of her first child, poised to give her a tough fight. But as it turned out, Sifan ran her own race, jumping onto the lead after 300m and never even ceded an inch as she stormed to the finish. Shot Put The men’s shot put final was no short of a world class as championships records tumbled like nine pins. In the end, American Joe Kovacs won arguably the greatest shot put competition in history with the joint-fourth-best throw of all time — 20.91 meters. Kovacs’ victory margin over Rio Olympic champion Ryan Crouser and 2017 world champion Tom Walsh was a mere one centimetre. It was Kovacs’ second world title after he had won in 2015 in Beijing. He had won silver at the previous Olympics and Worlds. The 30-year-old’s winning throw came in his last attempt. Joe Kovacs of the US celebrates winning gold in Men's Shot Put Final at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha “It is a time to celebrate,” said Kovacs. “Coming to this competition, I was hoping for a new PR and then I saw Ryan throwing far, the others throwing far, I just cannot be happier to get the gold medal. This everyday hard work, it just paid off. This is definitely the final which made the history,” he added. Defending champion Walsh had set the bar high in the final with his very first throw of 2.90m, which was the championship record, but Crouser also saved his best for last, matching New Zealander’s mark. Crouser walked away with silver ahead of Walsh, who had only one legal throw in the competition. “It was an unbelievable competition with a lot of fireworks in the round six. This final was crazy and I am so happy to be part of. I am really happy with my season. Every meet except for one was over 22 metres, which is a standard for shot putting. I wanted gold but to see Joe (Kovacs) throw a personal best in the last throw, I can't complain,” Crouser said. TRIPLE JUMP Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas won her second consecutive world title in the triple jump. The 23-year-old’s second jump of 15.37m was enough for her on the night to clinch the gold medal. “It’s been a long and successful year,” said Rojas, who became the fourth back-to-back winner. “I came out to break the world record -- I tried in the first three rounds but then I felt tired and my legs didn’t respond as I wanted. But I am super happy and grateful.” Venezuela's Yulimar Rojas celebrates winning the Women's Triple Jump final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships  Jamaican star Shaneika Ricketts, who upset Rojas to take the Diamond League title in Zurich in August, had to settle for silver with a jump of 14.92m jump. Veteran Catherine Ibarguen showed she still can compete with the best as the 35-year-old won bronze after leaping a distance of 14.73m. Meanwhile, there were plenty of shocks in the qualifications of the 100m hurdles and javelin throw as the three Olympic champions were dumped out. Brittney Reese, long jump champion in 2012; Brianna McNeal, 100m hurdles champ in 2016; and Thomas Rohler, javelin king in 2016, all failed to progress to today’s final. Reese was knocked from 12th to 13th place overall from the two groups of long jump qualifying. The American was only able to produce a best of 6.52m. In the men’s javelin, Germany’s Thomas Rohler and 2018 Diamond League champion Andreas Hoffman failed to hit the 84m qualification mark, with only four of them earning the automatic entry. Hofmann could only muster 80.06m, while Rohler had a best of 79.23m. Their compatriot Johannes Vetter hurled the javelin at 89.35 and will be the overwhelming favourite to win the title.

With Sydney McLaughlin breathing down her neck, Dalilah Muhammad knew she had to better her best. And that is precisely what the Olympic champion produced at the Khalifa International Stadium last night. After having had to settle for silver at the 2013 Moscow and 2017 London Worlds, Dalilah bagged that elusive 400m hurdles gold medal by breaking her own world record at the IAAF World Championships in Doha. It was the 29-year-old’s second world record in the space of three months and it couldn’t have come at a better time for her. McLaughlin, long anointed as Dalilah’s heiress apparent, gave a tough fight to her American compatriot but had to settle for silver in a personal best of 52.23, just .03 off Dalilah’s old record. Jamaica's Rushell Clayton took bronze with her own PB of 53.74. “This means so much. It is difficult to describe. I just wanted the world title so much but to break the world record again is fantastic,” said Dalilah. “I just decided to go for it from the start and I felt Sydney coming at me around hurdle nine, then I just gave everything I’d got. It hasn’t really sunk but it feels good,” she added. After the race, Dalilah was still coming to terms with her world record feat. “I did not expect to break the world record today, I was definitely just trying to win that race. Two world records, that sounds quite crazy, now that it is done. My coach told me that it is possible and I just had to go there and believe in it. I believe that we can drop under 52s, the race was so tight, that was anybody's race tonight. It was so close, we will continue to push each other. It is definitely possible,” she said. USA's Dalilah Muhammad celebrates after winning and poses next to the screen reading the new world record in the Women's 400m Hurdles final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships in Doha  Dalilah knew she was under pressure from the U-20 champion and was off the blocks quickly, but McLaughlin was not far off either at the 200 mark. However, around the top bend, Dalilah raced to the lead and further increased it in the straight line before the prodigious young talent McLaughlin made a last-ditch effort from the 100m to catch her senior rival. Dalilah though held on to win, after which McLaughlin was the first one to congratulate her compatriot. “I knew it would be fast but I didn’t think it would be that fast, said McLaughlin. “I did everything I could and at least US got one-two. I gave it everything I had, I’m still young, and every day is a new experience for me,” the 20-year-old added. In another stunning race which sent the packed crowd into raptures, Kenyan Conseslus Kipruto defended his 3000m steeplechase title. Kipruto had his heart in his mouth as he crossed the line with Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma in photo finish, but as the big screen flashed his name as a world champion, the Kenyan climbed on top of a hurdle as he celebrated his dramatic win. Kipruto’s winning time was 8:01.35, with Girma just 0.01 seconds behind. A Kenyan or a Kenyan-born man has won every Olympic and world title in the steeplechase since the 1988 Seoul Games. “I said I’m going to win, I’m going to take the victory to Kenya,” Kipruto said. “That’s what I promised the nation before we came to the start line.” Kipruto joined Moses Kiptanui, Saif Saaeed Shaheen and Ezekiel Kemboi as multiple steeplechase gold medallists at the Worlds. “It was a very strong competition. The Ethiopians really pushed hard because they knew I was kicking. They had their plans before the race started. But I had made my own plan and wanted to go in front to control the race, but it was not possible. But in these big championships experience matters a lot. I set my mind and my heart very well. When I got to the start line, I told myself, ‘I’m going to do it’. This strong mentality helped me win the race,” he added. The 18-year-old Girma had powered into the lead with about 120m go, but Kipruto gave a final push and stole the gold from the Eithopain’s feet. Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco was third in 8:01.36. Meanwhile, Yaime Perez of Cuba won the women’s discus after a 69.17m throw, which came in her penultimate attempt. Her countrywoman Denia Caballero took silver in 68.44m, while former champion Sandra Perkovic has to settle for bronze, which was her fourth successive Worlds medal. The 28-year-old Perez finished fourth at the two previous World Championships and no-marked in the Olympic final having led the qualifiers. But she exorcised those demons with a composed performance. “I am very happy and grateful to my physio Abdel Kurgia. I was injured three days ago and I thought I would not be able to recover. My life could not be enough to thank him for this medal,” Perez said, “This is my fourth World Championships and I always arrived in top shape but left without medals. It shows that you should never give up. I would like to thank my coach Hilda Elisa Ramos for supporting me,” the Cuban added.