Sports

LIVERPOOL — Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone defended his side’s approach after dumping Liverpool out of the Champions League with a 3-2 victory after extra time at Anfield to progress to the quarter-finals, winning 4-2 on aggregate.

The holders looked to have ended Atletico’s dogged resistance when Roberto Firmino put them ahead in the last-16 tie after Georginio Wijnaldum’s first-half header forced the second leg into an extra 30 minutes.

However, Liverpool were made to rue a host of missed chances to kill the tie off in 90 minutes as Llorente twice curled home from outside the box before Alvaro Morata twisted the knife by breaking away to score in added time of extra time.

Defeat ends Jurgen Klopp’s proud record of never losing a two-legged European tie as Liverpool manager and he took a swipe of Atletico’s defensive tactics.

“The way they play, I don’t get it,” said Klopp. “They could play proper football, but they stand deep and have counter-attacks.” 

It remains to be seen if and when Atletico will play in the last eight due to the chaos caused across the continent by the new coronavirus.

But Simeone basked in another famous European night for the side he has twice led to the final in his eight years in charge.

“We play to win, with the arms that we have,” said Simeone. “Respecting our identity, the characteristics of our players and exploiting the defects of our rivals.”

Oblak ‘best in the world’

A packed Anfield played its part in trying to roar Liverpool onto another Champions League conquest as, unlike in numerous countries across Europe, no restrictions have so far been put on supporters attending games in the United Kingdom.

But it was the nearly 3,000 travelling fans in attendance, despite the fact games in Spain will be played behind closed doors for the next two weeks, that celebrated a stoic rearguard display from their side.

The European champions did not manage a single shot on target in a 1-0 defeat in Madrid three weeks ago, but Jan Oblak was quickly put to work.

But Oblak was helpless as Liverpool levelled the tie just before half-time through Wijnaldum’s powerful downward header.

The goal did not change Atletico’s approach as they played a risky game and relied on Oblak to keep them in the game.

The Slovenian saved from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Firmino, while Andy Robertson hit the bar as Liverpool missed a number of chances that ultimately came back to cost them.

“I have no doubt Oblak is the best goalkeeper in the world,” added Simeone.

Despite Liverpool being on the brink of a first Premier League title in 30 years, their number nine Firmino had not scored at home all season until four minutes into extra-time.

The Brazilian’s header from Wijnaldum’s cross came back off the post and perfectly back into his path to slot home with Oblak grounded.

“Everybody who saw the game tonight knows it could have been different,” said Klopp. “I loved our first 90 minutes, but we scored the second goal too late.”

However, no sooner had Liverpool gone in front for the first time in the tie than Atletico hit back with a sucker-punch.

The visitors had barely tested stand-in Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian, but the loss of Alisson Becker to a hip injury eventually proved Liverpool’s downfall.

Adrian fired a simple clearance straight to Joao Felix, who fed Llorente and he found the bottom corner.

“The pass was not helpful. Adrian is a super player, I love the boy, but in this moment, it is the wrong decision,” added Klopp.

Llorente had joined Atletico from bitter rivals Real Madrid in a controversial move in June.

But the man whose father and great uncle, Francisco Gento, also played for Real, made himself a Rojiblanco hero with a second that secured Atletico’s place in the last eight with another precise low finish in added time at the end of the first half of extra time.

Another former Real player Morata then broke away and finished calmly to inflict Liverpool’s first Champions League home defeat since 2014.

AMMAN — Jordan Motorsport  announces that the Jordan Baja, round three of the 2020 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, has been postponed because of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

The event had been scheduled to run through Jordan’s stunning Wadi Rum on April 16-18, according to the Jordan Baja Media Service.

Jordan Motorsport CEO Zaid Balqez said: “Unfortunately, this decision has been forced upon us given the global magnitude of the pandemic.

As part of the measures that have been taken internationally, and since the announcement by the World Health Organisation that Covid-19 is a pandemic, the Jordanian government has taken several preventative measures on entry restrictions for certain nationals into the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.” Jordan Motorsport is hopeful that a date can be agreed with the FIA to run the event at a later date this year.

AMMAN — Kazakhstan and India have finished with the most boxers to qualify for this summer’s Olympic Games following the Asian/Oceanian qualifiers in Jordan, but the host nation had plenty to cheer about by finishing with a gold medal, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

Following a superb nine days of action, the finals night delivered a finale to remember, and it was Kazakhstan and India who shared top honours with nine boxers from each nation booking their Tokyo 2020 spots.

But it was China who excelled on the last evening with four boxers securing gold medals.

The host nation ended with a brilliant five boxers securing their places, with the icing on the cake coming from Zeyad Ishaish finishing as the gold medal winner for the Welterweight 69kg division.

He didn’t even need to fight on finals night with his Indian opponent Vikas Kirshan not making the weight and being unable to fight. Ishaish can now expect a lofty ranking place in his pursuit for Olympic gold in four months’ time. He was presented his medal by HRH Prince Feisal, president of the Jordan Olympic Committee.

Meanwhile, teammate Mohammad Al Wadi’s tremendous run ended with a defeat against the World Champion and World No. 2 Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov.

Wadi was in brilliant form all the way through the competition, but he met formidable opposition in the Uzbek fighter who recorded a unanimous decision.

Jordan will be delighted with their efforts from hosting an event which was switched to Amman from the Chinese city of Wuhan just 45 days before the event started.

The other final bouts:

Women’s Flyweight (51kg)

A deducted point in the third round proved costly for fourth seed Tsukimi Namiki, of Japan, who lost on a split decision to China’s 2018 World Champion Yuan Chang.

Women’s Featherweight (57kg)

World No. 1 and reigning Asian Champion, Yu-Ting Lin, of Chinese Taipei, secured Amman gold by beating 19-year-old Sena Irie, of Japan.

Women’s Lightweight (60kg) 

There were no seeds in the final which went the way of impressive Korean fighter, Yeonji-oh, who overcame the challenge of India’s Simranjit Baath.

Women’s Welterweight (69kg)

Third seed Hong Gu, of China, picked up maximum ranking points by beating top seed, Nien-Chin Chen, of Chinese Taipei, with a split decision to take championship gold.

Women’s Middleweight (75kg)

First seed beat second when Qian Li picked up China’s third gold medal of the evening by overcoming Australia’s Caitlin Parker.

Men’s Flyweight (52kg)

A ferocious first round knock-out landed the gold medal, China’s fourth, for Jianguan Hu, after he floored Thailand’s Thitisan Panmot.

Men’s Lightweight (63kg)

The fight of the night was a Central Asian classic which went the way of the bloodied Elnur Abduraimov, of Uzbekistan, who overcame losing the first round to beat Kazakh fourth seed, Zakir Safiullin, on a split decision.

Men’s Middleweight (75kg)

Another fantastic contest saw tournament top seed Eumir Marciel, of The Philippines, follow up his World silver medal with gold in Amman by beating Kazakhstan’s Abilkhan Amankul on a split decision.

Men’s Light Heavyweight (81kg)

Reigning World Champion, Bekzad Nurdauletov, 21, lived up to his billing as top seed by beating Australian newcomer Paulo Aokuso, who had earlier beaten the second seed on his way to the final.

No. of Qualifiers to 2020 Olympic Games

Kazakhstan9

India9

Uzbekistan7

China6

Jordan5

Australia5

China Taipei4

Thailand4

Japan3

South Korea2

Philippines2

Iran2

Tajikistan2

New Zealand1

Mongolia1

Vietnam1

AMMAN — The diminutive Mohammad Al Wadi and his Jordanian teammate Zayed Ishaish have booked their spots for Wednesday’s finals night at the Asian/Oceanian Olympic Boxing qualifiers being held in Amman, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

With five Jordanians already guaranteed berths for this summer’s Tokyo 2020 Games by reaching the last four in their weights, it was Al Wadi and Ishaish who managed to take the extra step into the final and improve their rankings.

Wadi fought back from losing the first round to earn a split decision over big-hitting Van Duong Nguyen of Vietnam, and book a place in the Featherweight 57kg final against World No. 2 Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov of Kazakhstan.

“The strategy was to make it a tight fight and beat him by counterattacking and it worked,” said Wadi. “I am focused now on gold here and then going onto Tokyo to win there.”

Ishaish, the World No. 8, put down an early marker for this summer’s gold medal in the Welterweight 69kg by beating World bronze medallist and reigning Asian champion, Bobo-Usmon Baturov of Uzbekistan.

“I told my son Rashid last night that I will reach the final and become the No. 1 in Asia, so I didn’t want to let him down,” said Ishaish. “I’ve shown today that I can be the best and, God Willing, I will win the gold medal for Jordan this summer.”

He will fight the impressive Vikas Kirshan of India in the final after the former professional outpointed world bronze medallist Ablaikhan Zhussupov of Kazakhstan.

It wasn’t to be though for Zeyad’s older brother, Hussein, who won the first round against the tournament’s Heavyweight 91 kg top seed, Vassilly Levit, but the Kazakh turned the screw in rounds two and three to secure a split decision win. He will fight New Zealand’s second seed David Nyika in Wednesday’s final.

Obada Al Kesbeh came out firing too in a brilliant first round against Lightweight 63kg fourth seed, Zakir Safiullin, but the Kazakh composed himself to win rounds two and three to take the narrowest of split decisions.

There was a last four defeat too for Odai Al Hindawi in the Light Heavyweight 81kg who battled well against top seed and fellow southpaw, Bekzad Nurdauletov of Kazakhstan, who will now meet Paulo Aokuso of Australia in the final.

The Middleweight 75kg final will see top seed Eumir Marciel from The Philippines take on Kazakhstan’s Abilkan Amankul. The Super Heavyweight +91kg final will be between Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan and Justis Huni of Australia.

Also in the evening session, World No. 5 and top seed in the women’s Middleweight 75kg division, Qian Li of China beat India’s Asian Champion Rani Pooja to set up a final with Australia’s second seed Caitlin Parker who won a split decision against Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Ryabets.

Six-time world champion Mary Com of India saw her run ended in the women’s Flyweight 51kg semifinal by Yuan Chang of China, who will fight Japan’s Tsukimi Namiki for the gold medal after she defeated World Champion and tournament top seed Hsiao-Wen Huang of Chinese Taipei.

There will be no seeds in the women’s Lightweight 60kg final after India’s Simranjit Baath beat the final one standing, Shih-Yi Wu, of Chinese Taipei. The other semifinal contest went the way of Korea’s Yeonji Oh, who saw off the challenge of Thailand’s Sudapom Seesondee.

Wednesday’s final session will get underway at 5pm in Prince Hamzeh Hall with 13 finals taking place — eight men’s and five women’s.

PARIS — Tyrrell Hatton held off a stellar field to claim his maiden PGA Tour title at Bay Hill on Sunday, while Tiger Woods announced he would miss this week’s Players Championship through injury.

Here, AFP Sport looks at three talking points in golf as the world’s leading players gear up for the sport’s “fifth major” at TPC Sawgrass:

McIlroy primed for title defence

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy appears set for a strong showing as he bids to become the first player to successfully defend the Players title this week despite more Sunday disappointment at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The four-time major winner started the final round two shots behind leader Hatton, but slipped back with a four-over-par 76.

But the Northern Irishman has now posted seven consecutive top-five finishes and will be the favourite to win again on the Stadium Course.

“There’s a lot of similarities between the start of this year and the start of last year,” McIlroy told pgatour.com.

“A lot of chances, not converting, but knowing that the game’s pretty much there.”

“Hopefully if I just keep putting myself in those positions, it’s only a matter of time.”

Woods facing race 

to be fit for Masters

Two-time champion Tiger Woods will sit out of the Players due to his ongoing back problems, raising questions about whether he will be fit to defend his Masters crown at Augusta next month.

The 44-year-old has not played since finishing last of the players to make the cut at the Genesis Invitational in February and is still waiting to claim a record-breaking 83rd PGA Tour victory.

“Back just not ready,” Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg told Golf Digest and ESPN. “Not concerning long term, just not ready.”

But the 15-time major winner has said he is focused on being in top form for the majors in the latter stages of his career as he bids to overhaul Jack Nicklaus’ all-time record of 18 triumphs in golf’s four big tournaments.

“The idea is to peak around Augusta,” Woods told reporters two weeks ago in a conference call.

Hatton strikes blow 

for Europe in US

A week after former US Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger was criticised for belittling the European Tour when speaking on TV commentary about Tommy Fleetwood’s ultimately failed bid to win a maiden PGA Tour title, Fleetwood’s fellow Englishman Hatton did just that at Bay Hill.

Hatton, who rose to 22nd in the world rankings on Monday, had already won four times on the European circuit.

The 28-year-old proved that the Europeans can still mix it in the United States by holding off Marc Leishman to win one of the PGA Tour’s “elevated” events and secure a three-year exemption.

Now Hatton will be eyeing becoming the first Englishman to emerge victorious at the Players.

“It’s hard to kind of think about next week at the moment with the sort of potential celebrations we have got later today. I don’t think I’ll be in any fit state at least until Wednesday”, Hatton, who will be hoping to be part of a second straight European Ryder Cup team at Whistling Straits in September, said.

“But next week’s going to be interesting and hopefully an Englishman can finally win that trophy.”

AMMAN — Mohammad Al Wadi secured a storming quarter-final win at a raucous Prince Hamzeh Hall to become the fifth Jordanian boxer to book a place at this summer Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games through the Asian/Oceanian qualifying event being held in Amman until Wednesday, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service. 

With a last four place good enough to secure Olympic qualification, Wadi overturned a first round deficit to win the judges’ decision against Korea’s Sangmyeong-ham, and join teammates, Hussein and Zeyad Ishaish, Odai Al Hindawi and Obada Al Kesbeh on the plane to Japan this summer.

“I have worked solidly for four years for this,” he said. “I haven’t seen my family for a month because we have all trained so hard for our Olympic dream. This is it now. I want to go on and win a gold medal. The crowd was amazing. Thank you to everyone for coming out to see me. I have made you proud I hope.”

Wadi’s performance has earned him a Featherweight 57kg semifinal date with Vietnam’s big hitting Van Duong Nguyen on Tuesday.

Kesbeh faced Tajikistan’s Bakhodur Usmonov, the man who beat him in last year’s Asian Championship final, but launched a blistering attack from the first bell, and sustained his aggression throughout to land a unanimous verdict from the five judges.

“I can’t tell you how much this means to me to reach my second Olympics,” said the 2016 Rio Olympian, who joins brothers Hussein and Zeyad Ishaish and Odai Hindawi on the plane to Tokyo. “I learned a lot from last year’s final against him and kept to the plan that we made to beat him. That is four of us for Tokyo now. We have the support of His Majesty King Abdullah and the Royal family so this win comes from my heart for all of Jordan.”

His semifinal opponent on Tuesday will be fourth seed Zakir Safiullin after the Kazakh beat Ashkan Rezaei, of Iran.

At the other end of the 63kg draw, third seed Chinzorig Baatarsukh, of Mongolia, saw off world bronze medallist, Manish Kaushik, of India, and will next meet China’s Qiong Maimaititu who beat Commonwealth Games gold medallist Harrison Garside, of Australia, with a split decision.

Another big story of the day came in the opening bout of the morning session when the women’s Featherweight 57kg World Champion and World No.1, Nesthy Petecio, was beaten by Sena Irie, a native of this summer’s Olympic host city Tokyo.

Following a brilliant fight, the 19-year-old Japanese fighter won on a split decision and was understandably elated.

“I have two reasons to be happy because I not only beat the world No 1, I also booked a place in the Olympics in my Tokyo home,” she said. “We fought at the world championships last year and I suffered from her power, but today I felt much stronger!”

She will next fight Korea’s Aeji Im who booked her semifinal passage and Olympic place with a win over India’s Sakshi Chaudhary.

The other 57kg weight semifinal will see Australia’s Skye Nicolson, seeded three, fight second seeded Yu-Ting Lin, of Chinese Taipei, after they overcame Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag, of Mongolia, and Junhua Yin, of China, respectively.

World No. 1 Amit Panghal, of India, survived a tough fight with Carlo Paalam, of The Philippines, to advance to the semifinals of the men’s Flyweight 52kg category. He will come up against Jiangun Hu, of China, who stunned fourth seed Saken Bibossinov, of Kazakhstan, to book his Olympic ticket.

The other two boxers to book their passage to Tokyo 2020 by reaching the semifinals were Australia’s Alex Winwood and reigning Olympic and World Champion, Shakhobdin Zoirov, of Uzbekistan.

AMMAN — There were remarkable scenes at the Prince Hamzeh Hall in Al Hussein Youth City as three Jordanian boxers booked their spots for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service. 

Cheered on by HRH Prince Feisal, president of the Jordan Olympic Committee, and other members of the Royal family, brothers Hussein and Zeyad Ishaish, and Odai Al Hindawi all won their quarter-final bouts at the Asian/Oceanian qualifying event, meaning they automatically secured spots for this summer’s Games by reaching the semis.

After watching his brother and Al Hindawi qualify earlier in the morning session, Hussein, 25, produced a boxing masterclass to stop Samoa’s Ato Faoagali in the second round of their Heavyweight 91kg fight to secure his second Olympic appearance following Rio four years ago.

“After watching Zeyad and Odai, I wanted to qualify in style so was delighted to stop him,” said Hussein. “I am so proud of my brother as well, and I promise this summer you will see headlines of the Ishaish brothers doing something special in Tokyo.”

He will next fight Olympic silver medallist and No. 1 seed Vassily Levit, of Kazakhstan, who beat Davlat Boltayev, of Tajikistan, on Tuesday morning.

The other 91kg semifinal will involve Uzbekistan’s Saniar Tursunov and New Zealand’s double Commonwealth Games gold medal winner David Nyika.

Earlier, Zeyad maintained a relentless pace on the front foot throughout his Welterweight 69kg fight with Samoa’s Marion Ah Tong, and forced two standing counts on his way to a unanimous verdict from the judges.

“Thank God I was able to win a tough fight,” he said. “I did it for my family and all of Jordan. My dream was always to fight at an Olympics and it has come true. I want to go on and win this Championship now and then plan for Tokyo.”

He will next fight top seed Bobo-Usman Baturov in Tuesday morning’s semifinal after the 25-year-old Uzbek beat China’s Qiong Maimaititu. The other semifinal sees the impressive ‘Indian Tank’ Vikas Kirshan take on world No. 5, Ablaikhan Zhussupov, of Kazakhstan.

Hindawi appears to be in the form of his life as he booked a Light Heavyweight 81kg semifinal spot and Tokyo 2020 berth with a stunning defeat of Thailand’s Jakkapong Yomkhot.

And after his unanimous judges’ decision, Hindawi said the best is yet to come.

“This is the first step,” he said. “The Olympics was a dream but not anymore. I am very excited and believe I can go on to win a medal in Tokyo. I am not alone, this is a team effort with my coach and everyone else behind me. I thank them all for their support.”

He will next box top seed Bekzad Nurdauletov, of Kazakhstan, who beat Tajikistan’s Shabbos Negmatulloev, on Monday evening.

The other semifinal will see Sachin Kumar, of India, fight the impressive Paul Okuso, of Australia, after they won fights over Daxing Chen, of China, and Manh Nguyen, of Vietnam respectively.

The morning session got underway with some top class women’s action, with former World Champion and Olympic bronze medallist Qian Li, of China, being the first fighter of the tournament to book an Olympic spot after beating Myagmarjargal Munkhbat, of India, in the women’s Middleweight 75kg division. The top seed will now fight Rani Pooja, of India, in Tuesday night’s semi-final after she defeated Pomnipa Chutee.

Jordan still has two more boxers involved, with Obada Al Kesbeh and Mohammad Al Wadi bidding to book their Olympic places on Monday.