Sports

AMMAN — The second title of 2020 football season agenda saw Faisali beat Jazira to win the 37th Jordan Super Cup — the second major competition on the annual football calendar.

Jordan Football Association (JFA) Professional League and Cup champs Faisali came back from 1-0 down to tie league runner-up Jazira in the second half before going on to win the penalty shoot out 4-3.

The Super Cup has now been won by Faisali a record 17 times out of 25 final appearances, Wihdat have won 13 times, Ramtha and Shabab Urdun twice each, while Jazira, Hussein and Ahli won once each.

Last week, Wihdat beat Ramtha 2-1 to win the 33rd JFA Shield — the first of the football season competitions. Wihdat claimed their record 10th Shield title while Ramtha, who have not won a major competition recently, and are five time Shield champs, last won the Jordan Cup in 1990-1991 and the Shield in 2001.

The JFA Professinal League kicks off on Thursday.

Regionally, Faisali and Jazira are playing the 17th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup — the second-tier Asian club competition. Faisali last lost to Lebanon’s Ansar 4-3 and dropped to last in Group B after holding Syria’s Wathba 0-0 in their first match. Jazira also lost 2-0 to Bahrain’s Riffa’ SC, and remained last in Group C after they lost 1-0 to Oman’s Dhofar in their first match. 

AMMAN — Over 250 boxers from 38 nations have arrived in Amman for the second leg of the Boxing Road to Tokyo series – the Asian/Oceanian Qualifying Event – which will be held from March 3-11, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

The competition will be staged at the Prince Hamzeh Hall, where 174 men and 77 women boxers, including a number of Jordanian hopefuls, are expected to compete for 63 Tokyo 2020 places.

It’s not the first time that Asian and Oceanian boxers have met in an Olympic qualifier, and some of the best athletes in the world are aiming for an Olympic spot.

Asia is well known for being a boxing powerhouse with fighters from the continent claiming 13 medals at the Olympic Games Athens 2004, and 12 in Beijing four years later. Since women’s boxing events were added to the Olympic programme, Asian boxers have earned a total of 16 medals in London and 17 at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. 

Furthermore, Asian boxers finished atop of the list at all recent world-level competitions. Last year, at the World Men’s Elite Boxing Championships held in Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation, they pocketed 15 out of the 32 medals.

Asian women boxers’ results are in line with the trend too, as they obtained three gold, four silver and 10 bronze medals at the 2019 Women’s World Boxing Championships in Ulan-Ude, Russian Federation, and eight out of 10 gold medals at the 2018 Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India.

Nations to watch

Uzbekistan comes first in the list of “nations to watch” in Amman, as their team finished top of the medal standings both at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and at the 2019 World Men’s Elite Boxing Championships.

Kazakhstan is certainly their biggest challenger with their Central Asian rival claiming gold medals at all Olympic Games editions since their first participation in 1996. In Amman they will face strong contenders from China, the Philippines, Chinese Taipei and Mongolia.

India is also in the spotlight. Since the country won its first Olympic boxing medal back in 2008, the sport has been growing steadily, and their team is now considered one of the strongest in the world. IOC Boxing Taskforce Athlete Ambassador Mary Kom (51kg) will be the team’s biggest hope during this Asian/Oceanian Qualifying Event.

Oceania’s Australia and New Zealand are also among the nations to watch: 13 Australian athletes and nine New Zealand amateur boxers have set out on their biggest assignment of their boxing careers as they chase qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games. There are great expectations for David Nyika, the New Zealand amateur boxer, who won the men’s light heavyweight division at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the men’s heavyweight division at the 2018 edition.

MADRID — Quique Setien admitted it was strange to take charge of a club sitting top of the table but Barcelona’s new coach heads into the Clasico on Sunday with a chance to take charge of the title race. 

Barca can go five points clear of Real in La Liga with a victory at the Santiago Bernabeu, where they have won on their last three visits and not lost in the league since 2014. 

Setien’s appointment on January 13 was greeted with a mixture of intrigue about the return of a purist coach at Camp Nou and scepticism that a 61-year-old, whose last jobs had been at Real Betis, Las Palmas and Lugo, had been given the keys to one of the biggest clubs in the world. 

Yet six weeks into his tenure, Setien has brought some stability, at least on the pitch, given continuing political blunders off it mean another crisis never feels far away. 

“Those things are significant but they don’t affect me,” Setien said after the spat between Lionel Messi and sporting director Eric Abidal earlier this month. 

“And my job is to make sure they affect the players as little as possible.” 

Setien met with Pep Guardiola after watching Manchester City defeat Real in the Champions League on Wednesday and it seems inconceivable the subject of how best to beat Zinedine Zidane’s side did not come up. 

But while the pair share common ground over their views on how the game should be played, the first stage of Setien’s tenure has been as much about fighting fires as tweaking tactics. 

In that way, he might have taken tips from Zidane, the Frenchman whose suitablity to Real at least in part stems from his ability to exude calm, even in the most trying moments. 

Zidane has handled pointed questions this season about his own future, an injured 100 million-euro ($109 million) signing Eden Hazard, numerous controversies around Gareth Bale and a Clasico postponed due to riots. 

‘Come from the bottom’

At Betis, Setien was not known for his subtlety in press conferences but if he was not already aware how significant that part of his new job would be, he will be now. 

“I’ve come from the bottom, I’ve got used to working with what I have,” said Setien last month, when asked about the board’s failure to sign a striker. 

“We spoke about the issue for one minute,” he then said in reference to Messi’s dispute with Abidal. “I’m interested in the football. Anything else is something I can’t control.” 

Given the unpopularity of Barca’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu, it appears increasingly likely the club’s elections could be called early this summer and it will not have been lost on Setien that change could have implications for him too. 

Rival candidate Victor Font is heavily linked to former midfielder Xavi Hernandez, who rejected an approach from the current board before Setien got the call. 

But if Setien was as surprised as anyone, he also pledged to make the most of the opportunity and it has been noticeable how willing his players have been to adjust. 

“Little by little we adapt to what he wants,” Messi said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo this month.

“It is not easy because we spent a lot of time with Valverde playing differently and today they ask us to do something else. But the truth is we are learning and we have a lot to learn.” 

Messi also called for “tranquillity” and in recent weeks Barcelona have gradually, if not entirely convincingly, strung together some results.

They now have five wins from their last seven games, with the latest match a valuable 1-1 draw away to Napoli in the Champions League to leave them well-placed, unlike Real, to reach the quarter-finals. 

And in the league, victory against a shaken opponent this weekend would effectively move them six points clear given a superior head-to-head record, with a favourable run-in to come. 

It means while question marks persist over Setien’s past and future, in the present, and on the pitch, Barcelona head into the Clasico the steadier of the two. For Setien, that is no mean feat.

MADRID — Kevin De Bruyne orchestrated a dramatic Manchester City comeback on Wednesday as they stunned Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Madrid looked on course to edge a cagey contest after Isco’s smart finish early in the second half, but De Bruyne teed up Gabriel Jesus in the 78th minute and then tucked away a penalty in the 83rd.

A pulsating finish also saw Sergio Ramos sent off for preventing Jesus from going clear and Madrid’s captain will now be banned for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 17, when City’s two away goals will make them heavy favourites to go through.

Pep Guardiola sprung another Champions League surprise by picking a line-up nobody predicted, with De Bruyne up front and Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho all on the bench.

But his gamble paid off handsomely, even if Nicolas Otamendi made the mistake that led to Isco’s opener while an injury to Aymeric Laporte meant Fernandinho had to be introduced midway through the first half.

Laporte was seen walking around the pitch, but must now be doubtful to play in Sunday’s League Cup final against Aston Villa.

Guardiola insisted on Tuesday that UEFA’s two-year ban, pending City’s appeal, would not act as a spur for his players but it was very much on the minds of their travelling fans, who were singing against European football’s governing body from almost the first minute.

Either way, City now have a golden opportunity to make a statement by knocking out Real Madrid, the competition’s most successful club in its history.

Zinedine Zidane’s team was more predictable, even if Toni Kroos, one of his most consistent performers, was left on the bench.

These are the sort of nights when Gareth Bale can find his best but Vinicius Junior took the spot on the left.

Tentative start

The opening half was tentative, summed up by Ederson at one point playing for time by stalling on the ball and being allowed to by Madrid, who also refused to press him.

If both team’s priority was to stifle, they were largely successful as City seemed content to let Madrid have the ball, as long as Jesus and Riyad Mahrez were ready to race away on the break.

Jesus cut inside Raphael Varane and had a clear sight of goal only to shoot straight at Thibaut Courtois. On the stroke of half-time, the Brazilian struck again, this time after a weak Thibaut Courtois punch, but Ramos blocked and Fede Valverde hacked away from the line.

In between, Real went close too. Karim Benzema’s header was palmed out by Ederson and Vinicius looked certain to tap in the rebound yet slipped at the crucial moment, five yards out and with the goal at his mercy.

Laporte had gone off but City enjoyed their best spell after the break.

Casemiro carelessly conceded possession and De Bruyne tore away, feeding Mahrez, who cut in and curled wide. Jesus drove another shot straight at Courtois.

Zidane considered a change and Bale warmed up, only for Madrid to take the lead.

Otamendi failed to control a Rodri pass and Vinicius broke, with Kyle Walker and Fernandinho rushing to meet him.

They left Isco free behind them and Vinicius picked him out, giving the Spaniard a simple finish.

The hosts smelt an opportunity for a second as Dani Carvajal weaved through and Ramos’ volley was deflected over by Fernandino.

But Bale and Sterling both came on and shortly after, the tide turned.

In the 78th minute, De Bruyne’s clipped cross was too high for Ramos at the back post and Jesus behind him nodded down, his header enough to beat a weak right hand from Courtois.

And five minutes later, City scored again, this time Carvajal at fault, sliding late on Sterling in the area. De Bruyne made no mistake with the penalty and it was City’s fans still singing, long after the final whistle.

LONDON — Frank Lampard admitted Chelsea were given a “reality check” by Bayern Munich as the Germans pushed his team to the brink of Champions League elimination with a 3-0 victory in the last 16 first leg on Tuesday.

Serge Gnabry scored twice in three minutes early in the second half and Robert Lewandowski bagged Bayern’s third goal to complete a masterful display from Hansi Flick’s side at Stamford Bridge.

Bayern are odds-on to finish off Chelsea in the second leg in Munich on March 18 after inflicting the Blues’ heaviest European home defeat.

Lampard conceded Chelsea had been outclassed from start to finish and urged his players to learn from the chastening experience.

“That’s football at this level, the levels of Bayern were fantastic. It was a harsh lesson for the players. It’s the reality of the Champions League,” Lampard said. 

“If you give people of that quality enough chances they will score goals.

“There is a lot to their team, players that have been there a long time. We have to respect that.

“But we weren’t confident on the ball, that was my biggest disappointment, from start to finish.”

It was a night when all of the problems that have dogged Chelsea at times during Lampard’s first season were on display.

Chelsea were toothless up front with Lampard’s decision to start Olivier Giroud instead of Tammy Abraham backfiring.

They lacked organisation at the back and drive and creativity in midfield, with a lack of leadership also notable as they lost their heads with the tie slipping away.

Jorginho will miss the second leg after earning a needless booking for arguing with the referee, while Marcos Alonso will also be suspended following his late red card for whacking Lewandowski.

Lampard could not hide his frustration and made it clear few of his players came out of the match with any credit.

“I learned about the players. We have to show character. They need to use it to positive effect,” Lampard said. 

“When you have an eye-opener like tonight, the only answer is to say ‘I’m not going to look at anyone else in the team but myself. Who was my direct opponent and how did I do?’ 

“I thought the only player who showed that personality who looked like he could play in any team was [Mateo] Kovacic.”

Lampard’s side have now lost eight matches at Stamford Bridge in all competitions this season, their most in a single campaign since 1985-86.

They have often been better away from home, but it would take a miracle, at the venue where they beat Bayern in the 2012 Champions League final, to make the quarter-finals now.

“We have to go and play with pride and not consider the scoreline too much,” Lampard said.

“I’m more concerned about the big picture and how quickly we can recover in the Premier League.”

Bayern are the third team in Champions League history to win their first seven games. 

By their high standards, this group had endured a troubled season domestically, but they have rounded into form since Flick replaced Niko Kovac as manager.

Gnabry’s second superb performance in London this season, following his four-goal haul in the thrashing of Tottenham, showcased the poise and precision flowing through Bayern’s play at present.

Asked if he was surprised Gnabry hadn’t made the grade at Arsenal at the start of his career, Flick said: “I’m happy about this!

“I’ve known Gnabry quite a long time. I saw how he played at Arsenal, and you could just tell what he could do.

“Playing in Germany he’s now just doing fantastically well and with Bayern he’s really developing well. It was a really good result for us. The team performed exactly as we had planned.”

AMMAN — Jordan Motorsport is proud to announce that final preparations are now under way for the Jordan Baja, round three of the 2020 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas and a brand new counting round for the 2020 FIM Bajas World Cup. The event takes place across Jordan’s stunning Wadi Rum on April 16-18, according to the Jordan Motorsport Media Service.

The draft supplementary regulations (subject to approval) for both the FIA and FIM events were issued on Monday and mark the second successive season that the event has counted for the prestigious FIA series and a first for motorcycles and quads running in the FIM category.

Jordan Motorsport CEO Zaid Balqez also confirmed that competitors will tackle a super special stage of 2.85km in Aqaba on April 16 before the pre-event press conference and ceremonial start are held later in the evening in the city.

The competitive action in the deserts will take place over two days, with competitors tackling a 245km Salhiyah selective section on the morning of April 17 and a second shorter Bait Ali section of 130km in the afternoon, split by remote servicing at Camp Ali and surrounded by some of the most beautiful terrain on the planet. 

On April 18 the action is centred around the world famous Wadi Rum. Competitors will cross picturesque martian-like sandy terrain and weave their way through the majestic rocky outcrops over a 212km timed section before the finish in Aqaba. 

The area is known the world over for the numerous Hollywood blockbuster movies that have been filmed there and is often referred to in world motor sport circles as the “Baja on Mars”.

Both events will be fought out over 589.85 competitive kilometres in a route of 829.26km laid on by FIA Clerk of the Course George Khoury, his deputy Omar Zarour and their team at Jordan Motorsport. Fareez Nabulsi will work alongside Zarour and the team as senior officials on the FIM event. 

FIA entries are now open to cars complying with FIA T1, T2, T3 and the new T4 regulations, while non-complaint machines may be permitted to enter a National category running at the rear of the field.

Rally headquarters will be located at the Mövenpick Hotel in Aqaba for a third year. 

Entries close at reduced rates for the FIA event on March 15 with a final deadline of March 29. FIM competitors have until March 5 to qualify for reduced rate entries.

This year’s FIA Baja series will be fought out over eight rounds in Russia, Dubai, Jordan, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Poland and Portugal. Round one was held in St. Petersburg earlier this month and victory fell to the local driver Vladimir Vasilyev.

The revised FIM Baja calendar consists of six rounds in Portugal, Dubai, Jordan, Spain, Hungary and Portugal, with round one taking place around the town of Serta on March 27-29.

LYON — Anthony Lopes describes Cristiano Ronaldo as “extraordinary”, and the Lyon goalkeeper knows how big a job he faces keeping his Portuguese international colleague quiet when the French side face Juventus in the Champions League this week.

“I have been lucky enough to play alongside him. He is the captain and an extraordinary personality, a great man,” Lopes told AFP when asked about playing with Ronaldo.

Lopes, 29, was born near Lyon and has spent his entire club career there. But thanks to his Portuguese roots he has won seven caps and been to two major tournaments with Ronaldo, including Euro 2016 which Portugal won.

“I have gone to major tournaments with him, the Euro and the World Cup, where you have to develop links to those around you, and to do what he does every day is quite incredible,” Lopes added. “Players today take great inspiration from him.”

On Wednesday, Olympic Lyon host Ronaldo and the Italian giants in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Lyon are massive underdogs against a Juventus side in a hurry for Champions League success given the massive investment they made in Ronaldo, who recently turned 35.

Last year it was Lionel Messi who put Lyon to the sword at this stage, scoring twice as Barcelona won 5-1 in the second leg after a goalless draw in France.

“When you play Barca or Juve, the danger comes from everywhere,” Lopes said, adding: “All eyes will be on Ronaldo, especially in the stands.”

Lyon want to become regulars in the Champions League knockout stage, but they only just scraped through their group and have since lost star player Memphis Depay to a serious knee injury.

Off-field progress

Olympic Lyon are currently seventh in Ligue 1, seven points adrift of the Champions League qualifying spots for next season.

Coach Rudi Garcia has struggled to win over supporters who were unimpressed at the decision to appoint him in October after the failed experiment with Brazilian novice Sylvinho.

“We know our future and our chances of being in the Champions League again next season will go down to the wire,” Lopes said.

Lyon president since 1987, Jean-Michel Aulas prefers to point out that they remain in every competition — they face Paris Saint-Germain in both the French Cup semifinals and the League Cup final.

Supporters are impatient for a first trophy since 2012, too long for a club who are France’s second-richest behind PSG.

The latest Deloitte Football Money League ranking of the world’s richest clubs has Lyon 17th with revenue of 220.8 million euros ($240m).

They are well behind PSG’s 636 million euros, and Juventus on 460 million euros. Nevertheless, Lyon’s potential is clear.

In 2016 they opened a stunning 59,000-seat stadium which has hosted the women’s World Cup final. Their women’s team is Europe’s best, and the club recently bought Reign FC, the US team of Megan Rapinoe.

Lyon’s stock market-listed holding company, Olympic Lyon Groupe, is expected to soon welcome French former NBA star Tony Parker onto its board — Olympic Lyon Groupe holds a sizeable stake in ASVEL, the local basketball club which is France’s most successful.

But fans fear Olympic Lyon ever-growing off-field status will not be matched by on-field results.

“We know not many of the supporters wanted Rudi Garcia, but it is down to the president, the board and me to make decisions,” sporting director Juninho told Le Progres.

The Brazilian, a legendary former player, returned last summer but his attempts at building a new team have not yet convinced.

Lyon sold stars like Nabil Fekir, Tanguy Ndombele and Ferland Mendy in the close season, while sizeable investments in new signings have yet to bear fruit.

“We have an inconsistent team, but there are no bad guys. Most of the players are 24 or 25, have not won many trophies, and lack a bit of the culture that existed at the club when I played,” said Juninho.

How they could have done with the Brazilian in his pomp against Juventus. Getting the better of Ronaldo and co. is a huge challenge for Lyon’s current crop.

BERLIN — A year after being dumped by Germany head coach Joachim Loew, Thomas Mueller is set to showcase why he is so important for Bayern Munich — and Robert Lewandowski — at Chelsea in the Champions League.

Alongside Erling Braut Haaland, Bayern’s star striker Lewandowski is joint top-scorer in the Champions League with 10 goals going into the last 16, first-leg clash on Tuesday.

In order to keep him fresh, Mueller was a second-half replacement in Friday’s 3-2 league win over bottom side Paderborn when Lewandowski netted twice.

The Poland striker is on a career-high 38 goals after 32 games in all competitions and is happiest with Mueller alongside him.

“It’s easier with Thomas next to me, he helps me out a lot,” Lewandowski has said of Mueller.

“We always have one player more in the penalty area when he plays, I have more space and not always two or three opponents against me.”

It’s no coincidence that Lewandowski is enjoying his highest goal tally just when Mueller’s 14 assists in Germany’s top flight also puts him near his personal best. 

The 30-year-old is back to his best after significant setbacks for club and country in 2019.

Alongside fellow 2014 World Cup winners Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng, Mueller was told last March he was no longer needed by Germany as Joachim Loew rebuilt his squad following the 2018 World Cup debacle.

Then last autumn, Mueller found himself repeatedly benched by Bayern to make room for Philippe Coutinho, who is on loan from Barcelona.

When Niko Kovac was sacked in November, caretaker coach Hansi Flick restored Mueller to the starting line-up, often at Coutinho’s expense, and he has flourished.

Mueller was superb in their recent 4-1 win at Cologne, drawing defenders to create goals for Kingsley Coman and Lewandowski as Bayern raced into a 3-0 lead after 12 minutes.

Flick is probably wise to pick Mueller, who joined Bayern as a schoolboy in 2000 and made his first-team debut in 2009 just before his 19th birthday.

Such lengthy service means he has the ear of the club’s senior bosses and an unhappy Mueller is never good for a Bayern coach in the long run.

His relationship with Pep Guardiola became strained after Mueller was benched for the 2016 Champions League semi-final, first-leg defeat at Atletico Madrid. 

Mueller was part of a disgruntled group of senior players whose complaints contributed to the sacking of Guardiola’s successor Carlo Ancelotti in 2017 after poor results.

Mueller then became so frustrated under Kovac that his wife Lisa criticised the coach in a social media post just before he was replaced by Flick.

What makes Mueller unique is that he is neither a striker, nor an attacking midfielder, but describes himself as a “Raumdeuter” — an interpreter of space.

He is at his deadliest with perfectly-timed runs and quick passes so that his presence in the penalty area creates space for Lewandowski.

“I like to be active in the space in behind the opposition’s midfield,” Mueller has said on his favourite position.

“That’s where I can hurt the opponent most. I’m a mix between a striker and a midfielder — I’m a ‘Raumdeuter’.”

A key member of the 2013 team which won the treble of Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League titles, Mueller has won the domestic league eight times, lifting the cup in Berlin on five occasions.

He has scored 38 goals — 10 of those at World Cup finals with five each at South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 — in 100 appearances for Germany.

His current form means he could yet play for Germany at a major international tournament this summer having been named in the preliminary German squad for the Tokyo Olympics.