Cavaliers Wolves trim dump Bayern’s lead Raptors16 18 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014 Australia face biggest mental battle in first Test: Ponting Page 17 LONDON: Newcastle United’s goalkeeper Jak Alnwick (left) vies for the ball with Chelsea’s Diego Costa (center) during their English Premier League soccer match at St James’ Park. —AP Cisse shatters Chelsea’s dream Mourinho’s pre-match assertion that they seem to save but failed to make their superiority pay. Sammy Ameobi, allowing the substitute a simple finish their finest performances for matches against the west Taylor, restored to the hosts’ back four along with skip- from close range. Newcastle 2 London side. per Fabricio Coloccini, twice produced last-ditch blocks to Moussa Sissoko ought to have doubled the lead within They elected not to adopt the ultra-defensive tactics deny Costa and Eden Hazard, as some of Newcastle’s a minute as Chelsea failed to deal with a Colback corner, employed by their neighbours Sunderland, who had held defensive work bordered on the desperate. but the Frenchman, restored to the team after suspension, Chelsea to a 0-0 draw last weekend, and were rewarded as Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill headed wastefully over headed over. Cisse came off the bench to score twice. A late Didier from a Fabregas corner, and Willian fired two good open- Newcastle rode their luck after taking the lead, with Chelsea 1 Drogba effort ensured a nerve-wracking final seven min- ings narrowly wide. Alnwick saving from Andre Schurrle before Hazard hit the utes-plus six minutes of added time-for the hosts, who lost post. They were rewarded for their dogged defending defender Steven Taylor to a second yellow card. HAZARD HITS POST when they claimed the contest’s crucial second goal with It proved a memorable debut for Jak Alnwick, Soon after, Willian went even closer with a curling left- 12 minutes left. NEWCASTLE: Chelsea were denied a club-record 24-game Newcastle’s third-choice goalkeeper, who came on as a foot effort when Hazard’s cross evaded Costa to fall nicely Referee Martin Atkinson played an excellent advantage, unbeaten run as Papiss Cisse’s second-half double earned half-time substitute for the injured Rob Elliot. for the Brazilian 18 yards from goal. allowing Colback to release Sissoko despite a foul by Newcastle United a stunning 2-1 win over the Premier The 21-year-old produced a wonderful finger-tip save Oscar also went close shortly before half-time with an Fabregas. Sissoko looked to have lost possession as he League leaders yesterday. For the second successive week- late on to deny an out-of-sorts Diego Costa as Pardew’s improvised overhead kick that flashed narrowly wide of surged into the area, but managed to poke a pass through end, Jose Mourinho’s side struggled in the northeast, as side held on for a famous victory to mark the manager’s the right-hand upright. to Cisse, who made no mistake from 12 yards. Substitute Alan Pardew’s Newcastle recorded a third consecutive impending fourth anniversary in charge. The visitors could Half-time failed to halt Chelsea’s forward momentum, Drogba ensured an anxious final seven minutes, as he beat home win against the title favourites. have been three goals up before Newcastle mustered their and Mikel should have scored when he headed wide from Alnwick to head home a Fabregas free-kick awarded for Defeat prevented Chelsea from going nine points clear first attempt on goal, with Thibaut Courtois blocking a a Fabregas free-kick. Taylor’s lunge at Schurrle that earned the Newcastle cap- at the league summit and presented Manchester City with close-range effort from Jack Colback after neat approach Newcastle responded by taking a 57th-minute lead tain a second yellow card. But Chelsea failed to make their an opportunity to trim their lead to three points ahead of play from Ayoze Perez. thanks to Cisse’s sixth goal of the season. The Senegal numerical advantage pay, with a late barrage failing to their home game against Everton. Newcastle’s strong finish to the first half was in contrast international had been on the pitch for barely four min- revive their dream of emulating Arsenal’s 2003-04 team by Newcastle appeared to have been fired up by to most of what had gone before, as Chelsea dominated, utes when Cahill failed to cut out a low cross from going an entire season without defeat. — AFP City trim EPL lead Palace frustrate Spurs some careless clangers. A brilliant piece of skill as coach Manuel Pellegrini made by Christian Eriksen, who nutmegged Martin three changes. Everton manager Tottenham 0 Kelly on the left, ended with the Dane shooting Man City 1 Roberto Martinez left out midfield into the side-netting. playmaker Ross Barkley, with expe- Pochettino’s side were always vulnerable rienced forward Samuel Eto’o pre- at the back and Palace winger Yannick ferred to offer support to striker Bolasie produced a deft flick to make space Romelu Lukaku. Crystal Palace 0 Everton 0 for a pass to Joe Ledley, who fired over from The injury to Aguero occurred in just 10 yards out. the second minute when he jarred Palace threatened again when defender his left knee awkwardly as he LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s home woes Scott Dann headed goalwards only to be MANCHESTER: Manchester City stretched for the ball on the edge continued as they were forced to settle for a trimmed Chelsea’s Premier League denied by a sprawling save from Hugo Lloris. of the Everton penalty area. dour 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace at White Eriksen’s free-kick was easily saved by Julian lead to three points with a 1-0 win The Argentina international, Hart Lane yesterday. over Everton yesterday, but an Speroni and Soldado headed tamely over as who had scored 11 goals in his pre- Mauricio Pochettino’s team dropped Premier Tottenham tried unsuccessfully to prise injury to striker Sergio Aguero ren- vious nine league games, limped League points at home for the fifth time this dered victory bittersweet. MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko (centre) fights for the open the Eagles defence. off with tears in his eyes and was season after failing to break down Palace’s well Warnock’s team looked capable of City capitalised on Chelsea’s 2-1 ball against Everton’s Ross Barkley (left) and Philip Jagielka dur- replaced by 18-year-old striker Jose organised defence in a lacklustre London derby. snatching a goal on the break and Wilfried defeat at Newcastle United earlier Pozo. ing the English Premier League soccer match. — AP It was a frustrating end to a disappointing in the day to halve the London Zaha curled a shot just wide after a clever Pellegrini had claimed in his pro- Howard went the right way, the goal-bound effort was saved by the week for Spurs, who lost 3-0 at Chelsea on club’s advantage at the summit piece of skill took him into the penalty area. gramme notes that “the team is not Ivory Coast international’s shot into leg of Howard. Wednesday, and the north Londoners are stuck thanks to Yaya Toure’s 24th-minute Pochettino sent on Nacer Chadli for all about Sergio”, but in the period the bottom-left corner of the net Martinez introduced Barkley for in mid-table-four points adrift of the penalty at the Etihad Stadium. anonymous Argentine Erik Lamela at half- immediately after his exit, they was too powerful and too accurate. Muhamed Besic on the hour-mark Champions League places. However, the points came at a time, but it made little difference. Soldado lacked a focal point in attack. Everton enjoyed more posses- in a bid to give his side more Palace’s point was encouraging for boss Neil price for the champions after a has struggled for much of his 18 months at However, City were handed an sion as the first half wore on and attacking threat in the final third of Warnock after a midweek loss against Aston knee injury to Aguero early in the Spurs and the Spanish striker still looked opportunity to take the lead from shortly before half-time the ball fell the pitch, while Pellegrini replaced Villa, but the Eagles remain only one point game saw him withdrawn in visible short on confidence when he flashed well the penalty spot when James on the edge of the area for Kevin Pozo with the more experienced above the relegation zone. distress. wide from a promising position inside the Milner intercepted Gareth Barry’s Mirallas, who saw his shot closed Edin Dzeko. Pochettino made two changes following the City recalled Eliaquim Mangala pass and was nudged over by visit- down by Fernando. Everton certainly showed more Chelsea loss as Eric Dier and Roberto Soldado penalty area. Palace finished strongly and in defence after a one-match sus- ing captain Phil Jagielka after he The hosts should have doubled ambition as they sensed they could replaced Vlad Chiriches and Aaron Lennon. substitute Jason Puncheon lashed a shot off pension, while midfielders burst into the box. their advantage just after the inter- get something out of the game, but Tottenham have been wildly erratic at the the crossbar before the winger had a goal Fernando and James Milner were Toure duly stepped up and val when Milner escaped down the they struggled to penetrate a disci- Lane this season and once again their occa- disallowed for offside in a separate attack also named in the starting line-up although Everton goalkeeper Tim left and crossed for Pozo, but his plined City rearguard.