THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2016 SPORTS Atletico edge out PSV in penalty thriller MADRID: Juanfran’s winning penalty ter-finals in the penalties, so there is also sent Atletico Madrid into the Champions great disappointment.” Despite being League quarter-finals on Tuesday, clinch- roared on by a full house at the Vicente ing an agonizing 8-7 penalty shoot-out Calderon, Atletico struggled early on as win over PSV Eindhoven after neither Cocu’s 5-3-2 set-up allowed PSV to domi- side could manage a goal in 210 minutes nate midfield. across the two legs of the tie. The first 14 However, Atletico did enjoy the best spot-kicks of the shootout were then chance of the first-half when Koke’s low converted in clinical fashion before PSV’s cross found Antoine Griezmann Luciano Narsingh smashed his effort unmarked just six yards out, but Jeroen against the bar. Zoet got down to deny the French inter- Juanfran then stepped up to convert national his 24th goal of the season. PSV the winning penalty and send Atletico had captain and top scorer Luuk de Jong into the last eight for the third consecu- back after he missed the first-leg tive year. “It was a heart-stopping tie,” through suspension and the former said Juanfran. “I am very happy to see Newcastle United striker was a constant how the crowd got behind the side. We menace to the usually unflappable believe, our coach makes us believe and Diego Godin. De Jong was unlucky we have a lot of hunger and heart.” It is when the ball fell just behind him after the second consecutive season that Oblak cut out dangerous cross from the Diego Simeone’s men have progressed right. to the quarter-finals on penalties after Atletico settled into their stride at the seeing off Bayer Leverkusen in similar start of the second-half, but still relied fashion a year ago. “It was a classic Cup on a set-piece to carve out an opportu- tie with plenty of tension,” said Simeone. nity as Jose Maria Gimenez rose highest “Neither team committed any errors and at the back post only to head Koke’s cor- in the end penalties went our way.” ner inches wide. As the hosts opened up, PSV were left to lament Jan Oblak’s though, PSV became even more of a brilliant save to tip Jurgen Locadia’s threat on the counter-attack. The visitors effort onto the post in the second-half of were somehow denied the vital away normal time as the Dutch champions goal on the hour mark when Locadia’s came so close to causing a huge upset. shot was brilliantly tipped onto the post “There are mixed emotions,” said PSV by Oblak and De Jong’s follow-up head- MADRID: PSV Eindhoven’s goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet misses a save during the UEFA Champions League last sixteen second coach Phillip Cocu. “On the one hand I er from point-black range was blocked leg football match Club Atletico de Madrid vs PSV Eindhoven at the Vicente Calderon stadium on March 15, 2016. —AFP am very proud. We played well in the on the line by Filipe Luis. year-old Lucas Hernandez. However, the ner. Griezmann’s range was off again extra time. Yet, it was PSV who came two games, but especially here. Atletico suffered a huge blow just young Frenchman had a great chance when he shot straight at Zoet after closest after the break, but Andres Tactically we played very well with a lot before the end of normal time when to make himself a hero early in extra great work by Saul Niguez as Atletico Guardado curled just wide to send the of discipline. “We were close to the quar- Godin limped off to be replaced by 20- time when he headed over from a cor- dominated during the first period of game to penalties.— AFP Pellegrini banks on Man City experience MANCHESTER: Manuel Pellegrini backed his Nicolas Otamendi, both of whom were forced Manchester City team to make a mark on the off in the first 23 minutes. Pellegrini Champions League’s latter stages after they expressed hope that Otamendi will shake off overcame Dynamo Kiev to reach the quarter- his knock within “the next couple of days”, finals for the first time. City fell to Barcelona in raising the possibility that he could be fit for the last 16 in both of the past two seasons, Sunday’s derby at home to Manchester but they will take their place in Friday’s draw United. But Kompany, who will undergo tests for the last eight after Tuesday’s drab 0-0 yesterday, is facing at least a month on the stalemate completed a 3-1 aggregate suc- sidelines-and may therefore struggle to cess. City’s shaky domestic form suggests that return before the end of the season-after sus- they cannot be considered serious con- taining his 14th calf injury since 2008. tenders for the Champions League, but hav- ing seen them top their group above last sea- Beware Barcelona son’s beaten finalists Juventus before routine- While City have flattered to deceive ly eliminating Dynamo, Pellegrini is hopeful domestically this season, slipping 12 points that more historic moments lie ahead. off the pace in the Premier League, right-back “I think that as a team when you have a Pablo Zabaleta said that their European new achievement, it’s always important for breakthrough was a moment to savour. “It your trust (confidence),” he told reporters at was really satisfying to make history for this the Etihad Stadium. “This season we had a club,” said the Argentina international, who A combination of file pictures shows then (left to right) general-secretary of the Confederation of North, Central American andCaribbean very difficult group also, with Sevilla, with has played a part in all of City’s five Association Football (CONCACAF) Chuck Blazer, CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb and FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President Jack Juventus and with Borussia Champions League campaigns to date. “We Warner in Barcelona. —AFP Moenchengladbach. “We won the group, so I are through to the quarter-finals for the first think this season, I don’t know if the word is time. This group of players are working hard better prepared, but we have more experi- every day to make this club even bigger.” Global soccer body admits ence to arrive at this stage and I hope we can City came closest to scoring when Jesus continue further.” He added: “I’m very happy Navas rattled the post midway through the for the achievement because it’s important second half, but Dynamo might have claimed for this club to continue improving every the spoils on the night in the latter stages, ‘World Cup hosting bribes’ season. I always said that the last two sea- only for City goalkeeper Joe Hart to save sons we are very unlucky to have the draw in smartly from Vitaliy Buyalskiy and then the round of 16. Olexandr Yakovenko. “We had chances to FIFA makes huge damages claim against ‘sordid’ officials “We were unlucky to play against score and Manchester had chances to score,” Barcelona. This season we won the group and said Dynamo coach Sergiy Rebrov. GENEVA: While acknowledging for the first time Most of the already seized money - $151.7 and now lives at his home near Atlanta, Georgia, we now are (among) the best eight teams in “The guys showed they deserved to be in that votes were bought in past World Cup host- million - will come from Brazilian marketing exec- awaiting sentence in June. Europe for the moment. We will see how far the Champions League. This game was a ing contests, FIFA is seeking to claim “tens of mil- utive Jose Hawilla, whose group of agencies were “These dollars were meant to build football we can go in this competition.” The bad news good experience for our guys. “I think we lions of dollars” in bribe money seized by US fed- heavily involved with matches CONCACAF and fields, not mansions and pools; to buy football for City came in the form of injuries to captain should say thank you to our guys and look to eral prosecutors. FIFA submitted a 22-page claim CONMEBOL controlled but not FIFA directly. In an kits, not jewelry and cars; and to fund youth play- Vincent Kompany and his fellow centre-back the future with optimism.— AFP to the US Attorney’s Office in New York on initial claim for $28.2 million, FIFA specifies an er and coach development, not to underwrite Tuesday that seeks a big share in restitution from amount for each of 20 men from the Americas lavish lifestyles for football and sports marketing more than $190 million already forfeited by soc- over many years that it says it should be repaid executives,” Infantino said. It is unclear how much cer and marketing officials who pleaded guilty in from money held by US authorities. FIFA wants influence Infantino, a former lawyer, had had in the sprawling corruption case. more than $5.3 million it spent on Chuck Blazer, the restitution claim since he was elected only Tens of millions of dollars more is likely to be the disgraced American official who has pleaded three weeks ago, with strong support from voters collected by US authorities when sentences are guilty, allocates $4.4 million of its claim for for- in the Americas. Infantino’s signature pitch to handed down, and from dozens of officials cur- mer FIFA vice president Jack Warner, and $3.5 voters on election day was about finances, saying rently indicted but who have denied bribery million for Ricardo Teixeira, Havelange’s former bluntly “It’s your money.” charges or are fighting extradition.