Markiya’s stunning victory over

Al Sadd talking point of Round OneThe dust has now settled on a frantic opening round of QNB Stars League action, which saw 24 goals and plenty of interesting results. Here in our regular feature Talking Points we will go over the moments that mattered. Promoted sides impress in opening matchesNewly-promoted Al Markiya provided the performance of the weekend with a shock 2-1 win over last seasons Qatar Cup winners Al Sadd. Yusef Adam’s side showed plenty of composure to come from behind to beat Sadd 2-1. Most people wouldn’t have given the new boys a chance against Al Sadd, but were masterfully set up to take the Wolves on the break. This was further underlined when substitute Mohamed Salah scored two late goals to seal a memorable opening day victory for Markhiya. Likewise, Qatar SC showed plenty of poise in attack and just missed out on the points in a 3-2 defeat to Al Duhail. The Kings took their chances when it mattered, and looked set to share the points with the Red Knights, before striker Yusef El Arabi bundled in a injury time winner for the former champions. Veteran coach Gabriel Calder?n set his side up perfectly, and summer signing Habib Habibou impressed in his role as lone striker holding up the ball well for the more than willing midfield runners. Despite losing the points Qatar SC fans will be hopeful that they will be avoiding a relegation battle this season. It certainly promises to be an interesting match when both sides take on each other on Friday evening. Youthful outlook at Al Gharafa?Jean Fernandez’s Al Gharafa fought hard to pick a well deserved point in a 1-1 draw against Al Ahli, in the opening match of the QNB Stars league season. More impressive from the Cheetah’s was that majority of the squad for the game was U23 and formally part of the Gharafa youth set-up. This summer Gharafa changed their direction in the transfer market, opting to invest in exciting youth prospects rather than seasoned local players. The initial gamble certainly seems to have paid off, with Gharafa playing a fast-paced attacking brand of football. Fernandez will be hoping that his young stars can step up again when they take on Umm Salal on Thursday evening, in the opening match of round two of the QNB Stars League. Sailiya set to surprise this seasonMany sides in the QNB Stars League opted for a vast overhaul in playing staff over the summer. However Al Sailiya elected for stability, keeping the majority of their professional and local players with former Al Sadd man Nadir Belhadj being the only signing of note for the Peregrines. Prior to the start of the league, head coach Sami Trabelsi revealed that this was one of the best group of players that he was worked with at the club. The Sailiya squad certainly proved their coach right on Saturday evening, picking up an impressive 3-1 win over Al Arabi, which included a brace from midfielder Wagner Ribero. The team know each other well and providing the results keep coming, Trabesi’s side could be a surprise package this season.(qsl.com.qa)Leishman fends off Rose to win BMW ChampionshipAFPChicagoMarc Leishman fired a final-round 67 on Sunday to complete a wire-to-wire victory in the BMW Championship, beating Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler by five strokes. Australia’s Leishman had seized control of the penultimate event in the US PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs with a scintillating 62 on Thursday.He started the fourth round at Conway Farms with a five stroke lead that twice dwindled to two shots over Rose before Leishman finished confidently, with birdies in three of the last four holes. He rolled in a 19-footer from the fringe at the 72nd hole to celebrate his third US PGA Tour title with a 23-under par total of 261.The victory was a vindication after Leishman was unable to close out a win two weeks ago at TPC Boston, where his challenge was doomed by five bogeys on the back nine. “There’s probably a few little scars from two weeks ago,” Leishman said. “I was really determined to not let that happen again, to try and give myself a big enough buffer that I could get it done. And I got it done.”Leishman’s 261 was a record total for the tournament and his 23-under tied the tournament low in relation to par, set by Dustin Johnson last year. England’s Rose had seven birdies — and an ill-timed bogey at 17 — in a 65 for 266.Fowler had five birdies in his four-under 67 to join Rose on 18-under. Former world number one Jason Day of Australia was alone in fourth after a 69 for 268. Leishman, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, moved to fourth in the FedEx Cup standings going into the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta. Only the top 30 players in the standings advance to the season finale, where a $10mn playoff bonus will be up for grabs.The four players who moved into the top 30 this week included Masters champion Sergio Garcia of Spain, who jumped from 34th to 25th in the standings with a tie for 12th. Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson of the United States came up just short in his bid to book a Tour Championship berth.Garcia was embroiled in a lengthy rules discussion at the 18th, where his second shot landed on the rocks aside a creek. Eventually the Spaniard took a drop and made a par that was enough to punch his Tour Championship ticket.“I had the possibility of playing it against the rock because it was flat,” Garcia said. “The grandstand on the right side of the green was in my way, so I was able to get relief from that. So, (I) dropped inside the hazard.”Garcia played alongside Mickelson, whose bid to book his trip to East Lake included an eagle at the 15th. The American played the final three holes in one-under par, but finished 34th in the FedEx Cup standings.Asked if the delay as Garcia considered his options bothered him before his own birdie attempt, Mickelson quipped: “No. I needed that extra 38 minutes to read that putt.”Leading final-round scores (USA unless noted):261 — Marc Leishman (AUS) 62-64-68-67266 — Justin Rose (ENG) 67-68-66-65, Rickie Fowler 65-64-70-67268 — Jason Day (AUS) 64-65-70-69269 — Matt Kuchar 67-68-67-67, Jon Rahm (ESP) 69-68-65-67271 — Tony Finau 65-72-70-64, Jordan Spieth 65-70-71-65272 — Anirban Lahiri (IND) 67-71-68-66, Webb Simpson 66-73-65-68, Patrick Cantlay 67-65-70-70273 — Brooks Koepka 71-70-69-63, Kevin Chappell 69-67-70-67, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 68-65-72-68, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 68-68-68-69, Pat Perez 70-67-67-69, Cameron Smith (AUS) 66-68-69-70, Lucas Glover 68-70-65-70, Chez Reavie 68-67-67-71274 — Zach Johnson 67-71-72-64, Xander Schauffele 72-70-65-67, Luke List 68-70-67-69, Sean O’Hair 70-69-66-69, Phil Mickelson 66-69-69-70, Ryan Moore 69-66-67-72, Scott Brown 69-66-67-72275 — Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 69-73-66-67, Gary Woodland 67-67-72-69, Bud Cauley 69-66-71-69, Keegan Bradley 65-72-68-70, Stewart Cink 67-66-70-72, Charley Hoffman 64-71-67-73Australia’s Marc Leishman poses with his family after winning the BMW Championship golf tournament in Lake Forest, Illonios. (USA TODAY Sports)