Kuwait among 24 teams in Asian Cup draw – Qatar on track to host 2022 WC: Brazil Minister

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KUWAIT CITY, Oct 17, (Agencies): Kuwait is among 24 football teams in the draw for the qualifying rounds of the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Asian football Cup, said a statement for the Kuwait Football Association (KFA).

In a press statement released Monday, the association said it received an official statement from the AFC on teams participating in the final qualifying rounds to be held in the UAE in 2019. The Kuwaiti team was among the best third place winners, said KFA. AFC will announce the time of the draw later on, the statement added.

Qatar is on track and right path in terms of its preparations to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Brazilian Minister of Sports Leonardo Picciani said on Sunday.

Picciani made his remarks during a visit to Qatar’s Aspire Academy.

Describing his visit to the academy, Picciani said “It is a fantastic experience to visit Aspire Academy’s superb facilities.

“The philosophy here, which focuses on preparing kids for life and equipping them with sports skills and a good education, is superb,” he said.

“This is one of the best sports academies I have ever seen in the world and Qatar will be served well by the work and initiatives underway at Aspire,” the minister said.

Minister Picciani shared some of the experiences his country has learned from recent two mega sports events (FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics), by saying “our experience with 2014 World Cup taught us that you galvanize a nation and get everyone behind a common goal when you integrate and involve people in the event.

“From what I have seen going round Aspire Academy, Qatar is on track and right path in terms of involving the nation and the people in the 2022 FIFA World Cup project.

“As a result, I am sure Qatar will host an excellent World Cup in 2022,” Picciani added.

Over the last two years, Brazil hosted to two biggest sporting events in the world, the FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympics.

Australia could play their World Cup qualifier against Thailand on neutral territory if efforts fail to keep the match in Bangkok following the death of King Bhumibol, Football Federation Australia said Monday.

The venue for the November 15 match has been in limbo since the world’s longest-reigning monarch died Thursday aged 88, after years of ill health, plunging Thailand into mourning.

Bhumibol’s death prompted the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) to ask FFA if the match could be moved or postponed.

FFA chief executive David Gallop said there were encouraging signs the match would take place as planned, although Kuala Lumpur or Singapore were options.

“It does look encouraging,” Gallop told reporters. “We’re hopeful the game will now be locked into Bangkok.

“Talks between the government and the Thai football association we understand are happening today.

“Thai football fans will want to see their team play, obviously our condolences to the family (of the king) and the whole country, but we’re hopeful the Socceroos match will go ahead now in Bangkok.”

The South African Football Association says former national team captain Neil Tovey is in critical condition after a heart attack, his second in two years.

Tovey, who captained South Africa to its best soccer moment with victory at the African Cup of Nations, suffered the heart attack at a training session on Sunday. The 54-year-old Tovey is the technical director at the South African Football Association.

Tovey was hospitalized in February 2015 after suffering a series of heart attacks.

After the latest attack, SAFA quoted his brother Mark as saying he was rushed to a hospital and doctors were “battling” to stabilize him.

Tovey led South Africa to the African title in 1996 and was presented with the trophy by Nelson Mandela.

Israel has arrested the coach of a Palestinian football club after his team posed with a banner celebrating a gunman who killed two Israelis, his lawyer said on Monday.

Maher Abu Sanina was arrested on Sunday morning, lawyer Mohammed Mahmoud said, a week after players for the Jerusalem-based Hilal Al Quds club posed with a banner hailing Misbah Abu Sbeih as a “martyr” and “hero” before a game.

On October 9, the 39-year-old Palestinian went on a shooting rampage in Jerusalem, killing a police officer and a 60-year-old Israeli woman before being shot dead.

Abu Sanina will appear in court on Wednesday, Mahmoud said.

Police said details of the case were under gag order.

The incident was highlighted by Israeli officials last week ahead of discussions at FIFA’s executive committee about banning six Israeli clubs based in settlements in the occupied West Bank.

FIFA decided on Friday to delay the decision, with president Gianni Infantino now expected to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano extended his contract with the Catalan giants until 2019 on Monday.

Mascherano, 32, has become a vital figure at the heart of the Barca back line since being converted into a centre-back by former Barca boss Pep Guardiola after arriving from Liverpool in 2010.

The Argentine international has won 16 trophies, including four La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues in 290 games in a Barca shirt.

Mascherano’s buyout clause is set at 100 million euros ($110 million).

Eden Hazard believes he has been given more freedom to score goals after being pushed to a central attacking role under Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.

The 25-year-old Belgian winger struck four goals in the Premier League last season but has already racked up three after the opening eight league games this campaign, with Conte opting for a wing-back formation in recent games.

“When you are strong defensively you bring confidence to all the team, and it is more easy to score goals,” Hazard, who scored a goal in Saturday’s 3-0 hammering of champions Leicester City, told Chelsea’s website (www.chelseafc.com).

Hazard also scored back-to-back goals for his country in World Cup qualifying wins over Gibraltar and Bosnia earlier this month.

“I play more inside the pitch and we play also this system in the national team. For the strikers, we have more freedom, and even when we lose the ball if we press together we can get it back, and it is a good system for Chelsea,” he added.

“It is always good to be on the scoresheet. I am a striker so I try every game to score and my confidence is good. I scored two goals for the national team and one this weekend and I hope to score more in the next game.”

Chelsea, fifth in the league standings three points behind leaders Manchester City, host Manchester United on Sunday.

Nigeria Premier League defender Izu Joseph has been shot dead in his hometown of Okaki in oil-rich southern Bayelsa state, it was reported on Monday.

The player’s father said Joseph was killed accidentally by troops battling Niger delta militants on Sunday.

Initial reports said Joseph was killed at a restricted area by soldiers on a raid, with his identity as a footballer only established after he had been shot.

The powerful central defender joined Shooting Stars from Bayelsa United when the Ibadan club were still in the second-tier Nigeria National League.

He was man of the match at champions Rangers when Shooting Stars drew 1-1 this past season.

The Sports Writers Association (SWAN) commented: “It is indeed a great loss not only to 3SC, but also to the football fraternity in Nigeria.”

It urged government to beef up security across the country to prevent a “recurrence of the avoidable incident that claimed the life of our valuable footballer, Izu Joseph.”

Nigerian troops are deployed to the Niger delta where militants have been attacking oil facilities since the start of the year, cutting output and hammering government revenue at a time of low crude prices.

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