MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2014 SPORTS Oxford cruise to Boat Race victory

LONDON: Oxford University beat Cambridge before Oxford, on the Surrey side of the river and University by a crushing 11 lengths, the biggest vic- with a seeming advantage through the middle sec- tory margin since 1973, as they won the 160th Boat tion of the winding course, started to impose them- Race on London’s River Thames yesterday. selves. But the result was still in the balance when The decisive point in the contest came when American rower Juckett, a Boat Race debutant, Cambridge’s Luke Juckett lost control of his oar and came off his seat following the clash of oars and was almost knocked over by onrushing water as he missed at least five strokes. came out of his seat after a clash of blades between From then on, there was no way back for the crews near Harrods’ Depository. Cambridge and Oxford, last year’s winners, eased to After Cambridge trailed in they lodged an official victory in a time of 18 minutes and 36 seconds. protest but race umpire Richard Phelps rejected the Cambridge rower Steve Dudek, reflecting on the complaint from cox Ian Middleton, having warned incident that effectively saw Juckett come to a the Light Blues to move away shortly before the stand-still, told the BBC: “It’s a very, very difficult way clash. Even before that key moment, it appeared to lose... That’s the nature of the Boat Race.” Oxford, with four returning Blues (as those who’ve And there was some sympathy for Cambridge’s competed in a Boat Race are known) and four plight from Karl Hudspith, a member of the victori- Olympic medallists, were starting to make their ous Oxford crew. “It’s a really awful way to end a experience count. Oxford’s superior experience whole year of training,” he said. “I think we showed paid off, their four returning Blues and four Olympic after the incident that we kept on pulling away. We medalists. Victory gave Oxford coach Sean Bowden put quite a big margin into them in the end. his 10th win in 15 years with the Dark Blues and saw “I think we were the better crew and that did Oxford reduce Cambridge’s overall lead to 81-78 show in some of our previous fixtures as well. “Like I with one tie. There was nearly a clash early on as LONDON: Members of the Oxford University’s boat race crew celebrate with the trophy after their win said, it’s just unfortunate it had to end that way,” both crews went in search of the fastest water against Cambridge University at the end of their 160th annual Boat Race on the River Thames. — AP Hudspith added. — AFP Destro hat-trick closes Juve gap to five points

MILAN: Mattia Destro scored his maiden hat-trick in Roma’s 3-1 win away to Cagliari yes- terday to help reduce the gap to leaders Juventus to just five points. Juventus are widely expected to restore their eight-point lead when they host Livorno today. But with the Serie A strugglers battling for their top flight survival the Giallorossi will hope, for 24 hours at least, that their dream of a first scudetto since 2001 is not over yet. Roma coach Rudi Garcia told Sky Sport Italia his side’s priority was to “put smiles on the fans’ faces”, but he added: “We’re five points behind Juve and 12 ahead of Napoli. Now, it’s up to them to play.” He added: “The race for the title isn’t over, but it’s not down to us. All we have right now is a tight grip on second place, and we’ll try to hold on to it until the end of the season.” Destro gave Roma a 32nd minute lead after Domi Kumbela finishing off a counter-attack with , although the visitors were given a helping hand by Cagliari’s defence. Braunschweig breathe Destro sent the Ivorian through but over- played his pass, forcing Gervinho to turn and life into survival hopes send the ball back towards goal where the Sardinians’ defence, despite their superiority in BERLIN: Bottom side Eintracht Hoejbjerg was named on the left wing. numbers, somehow left the Italian to tap home Braunschweig breathed life into their The gamble backfired when Weiser lost from close range. survival hopes as yesterday’s 3- possession to Augsburg’s Daniel Baier who Destro doubled Roma’s lead 12 minutes into 0 romp at home to ten-man Hanover 96 fed Sascha Moelders and the striker blast- the second half, and once again the Cagliari means four points separate the last six ed his shot past Bayern’s goalkeeper defence was largely to blame. sides. with 31 minutes gone to Former Cagliari midfielder Radja Nainggolan Congolese-born captain Domi Kumbela claim the winning goal. sent Destro clear down the middle, leaving the gave Braunschweig the lead in the Lower This was only Bayern’s third defeat of the striker to drive virtually unchallenged towards CAGLIARI: AS Roma’s forward Mattia Destro (left) vies with Cagliari’s defender Saxony derby before Norway striker Havard season in all competitions having already goal and beat Vlada Avramov at the keeper’s (right) during the Italian Serie A football match. — AFP Nielsen made it 2-0 with a superb volley on been confirmed Bundesliga champions ten right post. Destro completed his hat-trick in the 21 minutes. days ago with a record seven games to 73rd minute when Cagliari’s four-man defence Hanover were reduced to ten men when spare. crumbled under the trident of Gervinho, Italian League results/standings midfielder Andre Hoffmann was sent off on and Destro. 62 minutes for a dangerous foul before Jan MORALE BOOSTING WIN Cagliari reduced arrears a minute before full- Hochscheidt scored the hosts’ third just Second-placed Borussia Dortmund time when Mauricio Pinilla beat Morgan De Lazio 2 (Candreva 42, Lulic 73) Sampdoria 0; Atalanta 0 Sassuolo 2 (Sansone 33, 71); Cagliari 1 before the final whistle. earned a morale-boosting 2-1 win at home Sanctis from the penalty spot after being (Pinilla 89-pen) Roma 3 (Destro 32, 56, 73); Catania 1 (Bergessio 2) Torino 2 (Farnerud 70, “That was an important three points and to VfL Wolfsburg ahead of Tuesday’s brought down by Mehdi Benatia. Immobile 83); Fiorentina 2 (Cuadrado 25, Rodriguez 72-pen) Udinese 1 (Fernandes 82). Destro was already Roma’s top scorer but has for our fans it’s also an important emotion- Champions League quarter-final, second- Playing later Playing today now taken his tally to 13 for the season, five al win,” said Braunschweig’s relieved coach leg at home to Real . Parma v Napoli Juventus v Livorno, Genoa v AC Milan. Torsten Lieberknecht whose side face After Croatia’s Ivica Olic gave Wolves an behind Juventus striker Carlos Tevez and Torino’s champions Bayern Munich in a fortnight. early lead, a header Ciro Immobile, who are tied on 18. The Italian striker’s exploits are also likely to Italian League table after yesterday’s afternoon matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, The result leaves Braunschweig unbeaten put Dortmund level before Germany goals against, points): in their last three games and just two winger Marco Reus hit the 77th-minute secure his call-up to ’s squad for points from safety, while Hanover are two winner. Borussia face a near-impossible this summer’s World Cup. Juventus 31 26 3 2 67 22 81 AC Milan 31 11 9 11 47 43 42 points from the relegation mire after four task of overturning a 3-0 defeat from the But when asked about his expectations, the Roma 32 23 7 2 65 18 76 Sampdoria 32 11 8 13 40 45 41 straight defeats. first leg against Real to reach the 23-year-old striker said: “Let’s hope so. All I can Napoli 31 19 7 5 59 32 64 Genoa 31 10 9 12 34 39 39 Later, mid-table Hoffenheim held Hertha Champions League’s semi-finals. Schalke 04 do is concentrate on doing my best to make sure Fiorentina 32 16 7 9 51 34 55 Udinese 32 11 5 16 35 44 38 Berlin to a 1-1 draw in the capital as Sami are now three points adrift of Dortmund in we win every Sunday.” 32 12 14 6 51 35 50 Cagliari 32 7 11 14 30 44 32 Allagui’s early goal was cancelled out by third as they came from behind to claim a Roma have now extended their lead over Lazio 32 13 9 10 42 40 48 Chievo 32 7 6 19 26 47 27 Poland international’s Eugen Polanski 1-1 draw at Werder Bremen. third-placed Napoli to 12 points ahead of their Parma 31 12 11 8 51 41 47 Bologna 32 5 12 15 26 50 27 equaliser with half an hour gone. At the other end of the table, VfB visit to Parma late yesterday. Fiorentina held on Atalanta 32 14 4 14 37 41 46 Livorno 31 6 7 18 34 58 25 Hoffenheim’s Germany hopeful Kevin Stuttgart improved their chances of avoid- for a 2-1 win at home to Udinese thanks to goals Verona 32 14 4 14 47 52 46 Sassuolo 32 6 6 20 31 61 24 Volland was only denied the winning goal ing relegation with a 2-0 win at home to from Juan Cuadrado and Gonzalo Rodriguez, Torino 32 12 9 11 47 41 45 Catania 32 4 8 20 24 57 20 on the final whistle when his free-kick was Freiburg to escape the bottom three with from the penalty spot, with Bruno Fernandes palmed over the bar by Hertha goalkeeper goals by Romania’s Alexandru Maxim and reducing arrears eight minutes from time for the Thomas Kraft. Austria’s Martin Harnik. visitors. ed a sliver of hope into their relegation battle Candreva gave Lazio a 42nd minute lead and On Saturday, champions Bayern Munich Nuremberg drop to second from bot- La Viola remain fourth and while nine points with a shock 2-0 win away to Atalanta, thanks to although the Biancocelesti lost Lucas Biglia, who suffered their first league defeat since tom after their 2-0 defeat at home to behind Napoli in the last available Champions a double from Nicolae Sansone. Sassuolo, how- saw red for a second bookable offence on 57 October 2012 as their record 53-match Borussia Moenchengladbach, who moved League spot are five ahead of Inter. ever, remain second from bottom and are three minutes, Lulic settled the match in the 73rd unbeaten run was ended by a 1-0 defeat at up to fourth and into the Champions Elsewhere, Alexander Farnerud and Ciro points from safety. minute. Reja, who in midweek said he wouldn’t Augsburg. League places at the expense of Bayer Immobile struck one apiece in a late comeback Earlier, Antonio Candreva and Senad Lulic bet a euro on his side’s Europa League hopes, Coach Pep Guardiola paid the price for Leverkusen. win for Torino after Gonzalo Bergessio had given struck in either half for 10-man Lazio to secure a has since backpedalled. “I’m proud and satisfied: naming a weakened team for the Bavarian Leverkusen sacked coach Sami Hyypia hosts Catania a second-minute lead. precious 2-0 win over Sampdoria which pushed we’re on a positive streak and we’ll fight all the derby with one eye on Wednesday’s on Saturday less than 24 hours after their 2- At the other end of the table Sassuolo inject- them up to sixth, two points adrift of Inter. way to grab a Europa League place.” — AFP Champions League return leg at home to 1 defeat at strugglers Hamburg which left Manchester United. them facing a battle to qualify for next sea- The Spaniard made seven changes from son’s Champions League. Sevilla thump Espanyol the side which drew 1-1 at Manchester Hyypia, who took on his first senior United last Tuesday in the quarter-final first coaching role last August, has been leg. Guardiola started with three teenagers replaced by Sascha Lewandowski, the head MADRID: Sevilla kept up the pressure on Athletic Getafe’s chances of avoiding relegation receded and with six games left leaders Atletico Madrid in Augsburg, giving Bundesliga debuts to coach of Leverkusen’s junior side, who has Bilbao in the battle for Spain’s fourth Champions when they conceded a goal in the third minute of remain on course for a surprise title triumph with 79 reserve team wing-backs Ylli Sallahi and five games to rescue their Champions League spot when Kevin Gameiro struck twice in a added time in a 1-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Elche. points. Mitchell Weiser while Pierre-Emile League status.— AFP 4-1 win at home to mid-table Espanyol yesterday. Alicante-based Elche have 35 points in 14th, four Champions Barcelona, who host Atletico on the The victory for fifth-placed Sevilla at a festive ahead of 17th-placed Getafe. final day of the season, are a point behind in second, Sanchez Pizjuan stadium closed the gap to Bilbao to The top three all won comfortably on Saturday two ahead of third-placed Real Madrid. — Reuters three points ahead of the Basque club’s game at German League results/standings Levante today. Midfielder Stephane M’Bia powered in a header Spanish League results/standings from a corner in the 18th minute before Gameiro Eintracht Braunschweig 3 (Kumbela 14, Nielsen 21, Hochscheidt 89) Hanover 96 0; scored his first of the game a minute before halftime Hertha Berlin 1 (Allagui 11) Hoffenheim 1 (Polanski 30). when he controlled the ball on his chest in the cen- Malaga 4 (Camacho 14, 36, Amrabat 50, Juanmi 74) Granada 1 (El-Arabi 77) Elche 1 (Boakye tre of the penalty area and volleyed low into the cor- 90+3) Getafe 0; Sevilla 4 (Mbia 18, Gameiro 44, 84, Rakitic 89) Espanyol 1 (Sergio Garcia 46-pen). German League table after yesterday evening’s match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals ner. Espanyol pulled a goal back after Sevilla defend- for, goals against, points): er Federico Fazio brought down Christian Stuani in Playing later Playing today Bayern Munich 29 25 3 1 82 17 78 VfB Stuttgart 29 7 6 16 44 57 27 the area and Sergio Garcia clipped home the spot Valladolid v Valencia Levante v Athletic Bilbao Dortmund 29 18 4 7 64 32 58 Hamburg 29 7 6 16 45 60 27 kick. Gameiro’s second and Sevilla’s third in the 84th Schalke 29 16 7 6 54 38 55 Nuremberg 29 5 11 13 34 54 26 minute was the pick of the goals. The Frenchman Spanish League table before yesterday’s late match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals M’gladbach 29 14 6 9 51 34 48 Braunschweig 29 6 7 16 28 50 25 exchanged passes with Marko Marin before curling against, points): a shot past German Parreno in the Espanyol goal. Leverkusen 29 15 3 11 48 36 48 Substitute Ivan Rakitic controlled a long pass Atletico Madrid 32 25 4 3 70 22 79 Malaga 32 10 8 14 35 40 38 VfL Wolfsburg 29 14 5 10 49 44 47 Note: Top three qualify directly for the from the back and fired in at the near post to com- Barcelona 32 25 3 4 92 26 78 Rayo Vallecano 32 11 3 18 37 68 36 Mainz 29 13 5 11 41 45 44 Champions League, fourth goes into the plete the scoring a minute from time. Real Madrid 32 24 4 4 90 32 76 Celta Vigo 32 10 6 16 34 47 36 Augsburg 29 12 6 11 41 43 42 play-offs, while fourth and fifth play in Bilbao have 56 points in fourth, which would Athletic Bilbao 31 16 8 7 53 34 56 Elche 32 8 11 13 26 42 35 Hoffenheim 29 9 10 10 64 63 37 the Europa League. The bottom two earn a place in Champions League qualifying, with Sevilla 32 15 8 9 59 47 53 Granada 32 10 4 18 29 46 34 Hertha Berlin 29 10 7 12 37 40 37 sides are relegated and the team finish- Sevilla in fifth on 53 in a Europa League berth, three Real Sociedad 32 14 8 10 54 48 50 Osasuna 32 9 6 17 28 53 33 Eintracht 29 9 8 12 37 48 35 ing 16th has a two-legged play-off ahead of Real Sociedad. Espanyol are one of three Villarreal 32 14 7 11 51 38 49 Getafe 32 8 7 17 29 49 31 Werder Bremen29 8 9 12 34 55 33 against the side which finishes third in teams on 40 points along with Valencia, who play at Valencia 31 11 7 13 44 45 40 Valladolid 31 6 12 13 32 50 30 Hanover 29 8 5 16 36 54 29 the second division. Real Valladolid later on Sunday, and Levante. Espanyol 32 11 7 14 35 40 40 Almeria 32 8 6 18 34 60 30 Freiburg 29 7 8 14 33 52 29 Malaga are two points behind them in 11th after Levante 31 10 10 11 29 38 40 Real Betis 32 5 7 20 28 64 22 they thumped Andalusian rivals Granada 4-1 and