Sports

AMMAN – Having girls take part in football in particular and in sports in general is a step forward for both Jordan and rest of the Middle East region, former Real Madrid player Michel Salgado said.

The Chevrolet brand ambassador said he was fascinated seeing so many girls playing football in the Kingdom.

“It is really fascinating especially in this part of the world as life is really complicated for them,” he told The Jordan Times during an interview.

Salgado played for Real Madrid for 10 years, joining the Spanish team in 1999. The right-back player helped his team win several trophies including four La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League title.

During a 15-year period in Spain, Salgado — who appeared in 343 La Liga games, scoring seven goals — represented the Spanish national team, collecting more than 50 caps and appearing in one World Cup and one European Championship, according to Wikipedia.

The Spanish ex-player, in Jordan for the second time, ran a training session in the Kingdom on Monday and Tuesday as part of the delivery of 5,000 ultra-durable footballs to 50 schools in Jordan by the Asian Football Development Project, Asian Football Confederation, and One World Play Project and its partner Chevrolet.

 “I am really happy to see them [girls] get into sports and compete to be good in football,” Salgado said.

He stressed the importance of Jordan hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2016.

“The opportunity of hosting the World Cup in Jordan will be massive and a great exposure for the country and the region as well,” he added. 

He noted that Jordan must be ready for the contest and show the world that the Kingdom is a special place. 

Salgado said football is an important part of education because it is special and teaches children how to work as a team. 

“For example, by bringing these balls to the children, we can bring them hope and fun, and that is what they need,” he told The Jordan Times. 

Salgado said the events he took part in Jordan will encourage children to work hard and be good footballers. 

“I think the children who live in difficult situations will find their way out through football,” he added. 

Salgado noted the importance of focusing on grass-roots projects.

“The association [Jordan Football Association] started to work very well with grass-roots projects and that is what I am trying to do in the Middle East. By encouraging the federations to invest money in grass-roots projects because they are the future. Investing money on the senior team is a short-term solution,” he added. 

Commenting on the national team’s chances at the Asian Football Confederation’s 2015 Asian Cup in Australia, he said: “I am expecting something very good from Jordan in the Asian Cup.”

Jordan plays in Group D and takes on Japan, Iraq and Palestine. 

“I know coach Raymond Wilkins because I worked with him on TV and I think he is well prepared for the job. It is going to be vital to change the mentality of the players in Jordan, though. He has got the knowledge and the experience,” he said. 

He noted that Real Madrid might win the Champions League in 2015. 

“There is no doubt that Real Madrid has a big chance to win the Champions League, doing something historical by winning two contests in a row,” he said.

DOHA — Qatar Sports Club (QSC) have allowed head coach Radhi Shenaishil a leave of absence to take charge of his native Iraq at next month’s Asian Cup.

“With the spirit of sincere cooperation in the Arab sports world, which we hope will lead to friendly ties between the Arab people, the Qatar Sports Club Board decided to accept the request of the Iraq Football Association,” QSC said in a statement on Sunday.

The former international defender took charge of Iraq previously in 2009 before standing aside for Bora Milutinovic prior to the Confederations Cup campaign that year.

The 48-year-old represented his country at the 1996 Asian Cup, where he was named in the team of the tournament as they reached the quarter-finals.

MADRID — With defending champion Real Madrid away at the Club World Cup in Morocco, this week’s Copa del Rey fixture list puts rival challengers, including Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, in focus.

Real Madrid and Sevilla played in advance and the champions set the pace by easing past Cornella with a 9-1 victory on aggregate.

Barcelona seek to improve on a 4-0 first-leg win at Huesca when they host the third-tier side at the Camp Nou on Tuesday, while Atletico seek to build on their 3-0 away win against L’Hospitalet on Thursday.

Here are some things to know about this week’s Round of 16 return leg Copa del Rey matches:

Minus Dani

Barcelona will be without Dani Alves’ defence-splitting passes that have helped Lionel Messi continue breaking goal-scoring records this season.

The club said Sunday that medical tests confirmed Alves had injured a muscle in his right leg and would not play against Huesca.

His “availability for future matches” would be determined by the evolution of his injury, a club statement said.

Stopping the rot

Top tier side Celta Vigo started the season well, losing only one of 11 matches, and upset Barcelona by winning 1-0 at the Camp Nou on November 1.

Then Celta lost five in a row, including a 2-1 defeat at second-division Las Palmas.

Celta have gone six games without a win and Argentine coach Eduardo Berizzo will hope to stop the rot when his side hosts the Canary Island club on Tuesday.

Best behaviour

Atletico coach Diego Simeone will hope his team returns to winning ways at home after losing 1-0 to Villarreal in the league at the weekend, his first defeat there since May 12, 2013, when Barcelona won 2-1.

The reigning Spanish league champion Atletico will be on their best behaviour as they host minnows L’ Hospitalet.

A large police presence is expected at the Vicente Calderon after a Deportivo La Coruna supporter died following violent clashes between radical fans outside the stadium on November 30.

L’ Hospitalet is a working class suburb of Barcelona.

Improving fitness

Coach David Moyes is beginning to see some effects from the extended training sessions he introduced at Real Sociedad when he arrived and said he thought the squad looked unfit.

So far, Moyes has coached his team to one victory, two draws and one defeat, 4-0 at Villarreal.

Sociedad managed a first-leg 0-0 draw at Oviedo, who is top of their group in Spain’s Segunda B League.

Moyes’ team missed a chance to win the Basque derby on Sunday drawing 1-1 with  Athletic Bilbao.

MANCHESTER, England — Out of the Champions League and marooned in mid-table in the Premier League, Liverpool can find solace in their turbulent season by reaching the semifinals of the English League Cup this week.

Lose to second-tier Bournemouth on Wednesday, though, and the pressure will grow on Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.

Bournemouth will be no pushover, either. Unbeaten since September, the south-coast club is top of the League Championship as it chases a place in the Premier League for the first time and has already beaten top-flight opposition in the League Cup this season in West Bromwich Albion. Bournemouth are also looking for revenge after losing 2-0 to Liverpool in the FA Cup last season.

A long trip south for a match against in-form and fired-up lower-league opposition in a compact Dean Court Stadium? It has all the makings of a cup upset.

Chelsea also play away to second-tier opposition in Derby, managed by former England coach Steve McClaren, while Southampton visit third-tier Sheffield United Tuesday.

Tottenham are at home to Newcastle on Wednesday in the other last-eight match.

Here are some things to know about the League Cup quarter-finals:

Mignolet won’t return

Dropped for Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday, Simon Mignolet won’t be returning to Liverpool’s team for the trip to Bournemouth.

Liverpool manager Rodgers said the Belgium goalkeeper is out for “an indefinite period” and that Brad Jones will start at Dean Court.

“It is something that can happen to keepers, taking them out of the firing line and give them time to reflect,” Rodgers said.

Mignolet had started 93 straight league games but came under pressure after a string of mistakes and nervy displays. 

Bournemouth revived

In 2008, Bournemouth were in the bottom tier of the English league, endangered by a 17-point deduction for financial problems and on the verge of going out of business.

Six years on and saved by the money of a Russian billionaire, the club has no ceiling on its ambitions.

Bournemouth are one of the upcoming teams in English football under the stewardship of a young coach in Eddie Howe, who is considered one of the country’s brightest managerial prospects.

Even if Bournemouth lose on Wednesday, Dean Court could be welcoming the likes of Liverpool on a regular basis next season. A 5-3 win over Cardiff on Saturday lifted the team to the top of the League Championship and it is one of the favourites for promotion. 

Mourinho’s desire 

It may be the least of Chelsea’s priorities this season but manager Jose Mourinho has been taking the League Cup seriously.

“He wants to win every competition that he is up for,” Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas said of Mourinho. “He has already told us he wants to win this trophy. It is the first trophy of the season and he wants it.”

Mourinho failed to win a trophy in his first season back at Chelsea in his second spell at the London club. But the Blues are top of the Premier League and also one of the favourites for the Champions League.

Fabregas is available again after suspension and Mourinho must make a call on striker Diego Costa, who may not be risked for a third match in seven days.

Also

Southampton head to Sheffield United having lost four games in a row in the Premier League to puncture early-season optimism and drop the team from second place to fifth.

United reached the FA Cup semifinals last season and has been in the headlines this season for their aborted attempt to sign Wales international Ched Evans following his release from prison after serving half of a five-year sentence for rape.

GENEVA — Defending European champion Real Madrid were perhaps most impressive in the group stage with a perfect record, contributing six of the club’s current Spanish record streak of 20 straight wins.

Madrid advanced with two matches to spare and their 11-point lead over runner-up Basel was a competition record.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a Champions League-record 17 goals last season, has five so far, allowing Lionel Messi to build a 75-72 lead in their ongoing duel for the all-time competition scoring record.

In a season of heavy scoring and lopsided wins, even Messi’s eight goals for Barcelona does not top the standings.

Shakhtar forward Luiz Adriano has nine — matching Ronaldo’s group-stage record last season — with eight scored against BATE Borisov of Belarus.

The Ukraine champion’s 7-0 and 5-0 routs of BATE were among 15 matches in the group stage won by at least four goals. There were just 16 such wins in the past two group phases combined.

Also, half the teams in Monday’s draw racked up double-figure goal difference in the groups.

Monaco bucked that trend. The lowest-ranked club remaining — now No. 89 in UEFA’s standings — scored only four in six matches after letting star Colombian forwards James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao leave in the summer.

The French side equalled the competition record by conceding just a single goal, though is arguably the weakest seeded team.

A pairing with Monaco would send Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger back to where he made his reputation in the 1980s. It would also be rare good Champions League fortune for Arsenal, who recently exited the last-16 stage against Barcelona and Bayern.

Dortmund are the most unpredictable seed with the 2013 runner-up shining in the Champions League while spending much of the season last in the Bundesliga.

PSG, who were runners-up in Barcelona’s group, could be the toughest unseeded option, though English champion Manchester City have momentum from their unlikely turnaround sparked by Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick to defeat Bayern last month.

Ten of the 16 teams come from three nations — Spain, England and Germany — and only one is from eastern Europe.

However, Shakhtar play closer to the west than they would choose. Donetsk is the centre of conflict with pro-Russian separatists, so Shakhtar play “home” matches in Lviv, near Ukraine’s western border with Poland.

Each last-16 team will collect a further 3.5 million euros ($4.4 million) in UEFA prize money, after earning up to 15 million euros ($18.7 million) from the groups. Teams can more than double their UEFA cheque from shares of broadcast revenues.

The final is played June 6 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

AMMAN – Leagues, infrastructure and women’s football are among the main topics up for discussion at the 2015 Soccerex Asian Forum in April, Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie told The Jordan Times in a recent exclusive interview.

Revie said since the 2014 forum at the Dead Sea in spring was a huge success organisers decided to hold the event in Jordan for the second consecutive year.

“After discussions, we decided to hold Soccerex in Jordan not only 2015, but also in 2016,” he said. 

He noted that HRH Prince Ali, FIFA vice president representing Asia, was very supportive. 

Revie said renowned figures representing the leagues in the world and football in general are expected to attend next year’s forum. 

“We had nearly 700 delegates this year and we hope to double that next year,” he added.

Revie noted that the Jordanian football leagues would benefit from the forum as representatives from world renowned and popular leagues, including the English Premier League, are going to share their experiences which will help set-up professional leagues here in Jordan. 

“I think it will be a huge step forward for Jordan. The national team is already doing a marvellous job,” he added. 

Revie said the unique selling point of the event is that instead of making people travel around the world trying to see representatives of the football sector, they can be found gathered in one place. 

Meanwhile, the Soccerex CEO applauded the step taken by Prince Ali for hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2016, describing it as a “very bold move”. 

“It is really fascinating and many people representing the football sector in the world will come to listen and learn about that,” he added. 

The brainchild for Soccerex was conceived in 1995 in Manchester, England, Revie told The Jordan Times in a previous interview. 

Since the first event in 1996 Soccerex has hosted over 36 events across five continents — including six in Dubai — bringing together over 40,000 industry figures. 

Soccerex is the leading provider of football business events worldwide, according to its website.

AMMAN — The Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC) joined the Jordan Paralympic Federation in celebrating the incredible achievements of medal winners at the recent Asian Paralympic Games held in Incheon, South Korea, according to a statement from the JOC Media Centre.

Jordan returned from the major multi-sport event with nine medals, four more than they achieved in 2010 in Guangzhou, China.

The Kingdom picked up one gold, four silver and four bronze medals to make it their most successful Asian Games to date, and the athletes were congratulated on Thursday by federation’s President HRH Prince Raad Bin Zeid, HH Prince Mired and JOC Secretary General Lana Al Jaghbeer at a special ceremony.

“I am proud of the achievements of these talented athletes,” Prince Raad was quoted in the statement as saying. “The standard of competition was very high in Korea but these athletes proved to be up to the challenge.”

Asian Paralympic medal winners:

Gold 

Abdul Kareem Khatab (weightlifting) 

Silver

Muataz Al Junaidi (weightlifting)

Tharwa Al Hajjaj (weightlifting)

Osama Abu Jame (table tennis)

Bronze

Amer Abdul Azziz (shot put)

Mahar Al Barghouti (table tennis)

Khitam Abu Awad (table tennis)

Team Jordan — Khitam Abu Awad, Fatima Al Azzam, Fatin Olaimat (table tennis)

AQABA — Jordan’s Rafat Zboun on Friday was crowned champion of the 21km men’s category of the Ayla Red Sea Half Marathon.

Zboun, who won last year’s event, clocked 1h9m30s, followed by Ayman Suradi (1h11m33s) and Bashar Raheel (1h12m2s).

In the 21km women’s category, Sudan’s Hanouya Hasballah came in first place in 1h16m24s, followed by Razam Muqbel (1h36m48s) and Samah Najjar (1h 38m 6s).

In the 21km wheelchair category, Ali Sawalmeh clocked 1h16m24s for first place, followed by Bilal Bersameh (1h42m49s) and Raed Qasaymeh (2h12m29s).

For first place in the 21km visually impaired category, Suhail Nashash clocked 1h25m31s, followed by Abed Raouf (1h30m5s).

Deputising for the chairman of the board of Run Jordan HH Prince Firas Bin Raed, HH Princess Dana Firas said: “We are proud of the success the marathon achieved throughout the years regarding organisation, participation and media coverage. The marathon will continue spreading the message of healthy lifestyle among the society and also the art of volunteering.” 

This year’s event witnessed new categories by Run Jordan and special awards for over 50-year-old runners.

“We included the over 50-year-old category to encourage more people to take part and we are really happy to have more than 2,000 runners taking part in the event,” Lina Kurd, deputy general manager of Run Jordan, told The Jordan Times.

“Rakan Zuraikat won the over 50 category in 2h2m16s, while Maria Daoud clocked 2h51m5s for the women’s category. It is so great to see runners still doing what they enjoy best at this age and we at Run Jordan encourage people of all ages to enjoy the marathon and the scenery in Aqaba,” she added.

Ayla Oasis Development Company CEO Sahl Dodeen said: “We are really proud to be real partners with the marathon for the fourth year and even more excited that almost 70 per cent of the 10km track is inside or around Ayla project and 30 per cent of the 21km track too.”

Meanwhile, Daif Allah Hamad won the 10km race male category after clocking 32m30.7s, followed by Bilal Shaar (32m55s) and Awad Shrafat (33m25s).

In the 10km race female category, Sojoud Ali clocked 39m50.1s for first place, followed by Sabrieh Maradat (41m27.9s) and Naheda Bawat (45m2.6s).

In the 10km race wheelchair male category, Aladein Khaza clocked 43m31s, followed by Mohammad Abu Hassoun (43m 42.8s).

In the 10km race visually impaired male category, Nabil Maqableh won with a time of 32m4.3s.

In the 4.2km male category, Hamd Bawat clocked 14m35:5s for the win, followed by Motasem Nawaysheh (14m37.5s) and Ra’fat Maaqleh (14m45.7s).

In the 4.2km female category, Bayan Mustafa, won first place in 18m37.5s, followed by Rawan Jmaian (19m6.5s) and Ghazwa Fayez (19m 8.2s).

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City and Schalke grabbed the final spots on offer in the knockout stage of the Champions League on Wednesday, while Lionel Messi helped Barcelona secure first place in its group with a record-extending 75th goal in the competition.

City started the final round of group play in last place in Group E but finished second by beating Roma 2-0 away, with second-half goals by Samir Nasri and Pablo Zabaleta lifting the English champions above their Italian opponents and CSKA Moscow. CSKA lost 3-0 at Bayern Munich.

Schalke ensured a clean sweep of four German representatives in the last 16 for the second straight season after its 1-0 win at Maribor sealed the runner-up spot in Group H. Sporting Lisbon needed a draw at Chelsea to finish second but lost 3-1.

Barcelona came from behind to beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 and leapfrog the French team to the top of Group F, with Messi leading the Spanish side’s recovery before goals by the remainder of its all-star attacking trio — Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Ajax and Athletic Bilbao won to clinch Europa League berths for finishing third in their groups, joining Sporting and Roma in the knockout stage of the continent’s secondary competition that starts in February.

The draw for the last 16 of the Champions League is made on Monday, with teams from Germany (4), Spain (3) and England (3) making up 10 of the qualifiers.

City, along with PSG and Juventus, arguably will be the sides most group winners want to avoid after advancing for the second straight season thanks to wins over Bayern and Roma in their last two games.

Without four of its top players in the injured Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany, the suspended Yaya Toure and playmaker David Silva, who was on the bench, the Premier League champions qualified the hard way in the Italian capital.

Nasri smashed a rising shot in off the post from outside the area in the 60th minute before setting up right back Zabaleta for the second goal in the 88th minute. City also required a string of great saves from goalkeeper Joe Hart either side of halftime, while Martin Demichelis cleared a shot off the line when the score was 1-0.

“We had a bit of a slow start [in the group] but you don’t win the Premier League easily,” Hart said. “We’ve got resolve, we’ve got character and we’ve got great players. Add that all together and you have a chance.”

City needed to better the result of CSKA and Bayern ensured that was the case as goals by Thomas Mueller — from the penalty spot — Sebastian Rode and Mario Goetze saw the German champions finish on 15 points.

For his side to advance, Schalke coach Roberto Di Matteo required a win in Slovenia and for Chelsea, the team he led to the Champions League title in 2012, to beat Sporting at Stamford Bridge.

Schalke did their part thanks to Max Meyer’s 62nd-minute winner following a goalkeeper error, and a makeshift Chelsea side that was already assured of top spot in the group was too strong for Sporting.

Cesc Fabregas and Andre Schuerrle scored in the opening 16 minutes for Chelsea, Jonathan Silva replied before John Obi Mikel clinched victory.

Top spot — and a likely easier last-16 match — was up for grabs at Camp Nou and Zlatan Ibrahimovic put PSG ahead against his old club Barcelona in the 15th minute.

Messi equalised four minutes later, as he maintained his remarkable scoring form with his eighth goal in Europe this season.

Neymar gave Barca the lead with a spectacular long-range shot in the 42nd minute and Suarez tapped in the third in the 77th. Barcelona have won their group for eight consecutive years, while PSG went down to a first defeat in its 23rd game of the season.

It was a disjointed performance from Barca and they were hanging on before Suarez knocked in a rebound from a Neymar shot that was saved by Salvatore Sirigu.

The win put them on 15 points, two more than PSG who beat Barca in France.

Messi extended his Champions League scoring record to 75 goals and now has three more than arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

Belarussian club BATE Borisov bowed out of the Champions League with a 2-0 loss to Bilbao in Group H and a record number of goals conceded in group play — 24. Porto, which had already won the group, drew 1-1 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Real Madrid, Basel, Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal qualified from the groups that finished playing on Tuesday.

AQABA — The Ayla Red Sea Half Marathon kicks off on Friday with the participation of hundreds of local, regional and international runners. The race consists of three categories: 21km, 10km and 4.2km. The starting point for the 21km race will be the Movenpick Hotel and end at Revolution Square [Al Thawra Plaza]. The 10km event will start from Ayla towards Revolution Square and the 4.2km will start from Al Farouk Street through Ayla then towards Revolution Square.