SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 SPORTS Benteke, Zaha steer Palace to win at Boro

1 defeat of Middlesbrough. his arrival from Ajax in the first top-flight header beyond Valdes. The pair linked up ball off Jason Puncheon. Christian Benteke opened his Palace meeting between the two teams since again soon after to engineer a chance for Zaha then struck immediately following Middlesbrough 1 account in the 16th minute at the Riverside 2004-05. Pardew recalled Zaha-subject of Andros Townsend, but this time the winger’s the interval to restore Palace’s advantage, Stadium from a Zaha cross, but the Eagles’ interest from Spurs in the transfer window- shot was turned away well by the ex- the twice-capped England international lead didn’t last long as Dani Ayala headed to the Palace line-up, but the visitors were Barcelona star. Boro hit back seven minutes outmuscling Middlesbrough left-back Boro level shortly before the break. without France internationals Yohan Cabaye before half-time as centre-back Ayala George Friend to steer past Valdes. Crystal Palace 2 However, former Manchester United winger and Loic Remy, the latter returning to par- atoned for slack defending for Palace’s ‘Boro academy product Ben Gibson Zaha struck within two minutes of the ent club Chelsea for treatment on an ankle opening goal by planting a Stewart forced Mandanda into a sprawling save restart to secure a welcome three points for problem. Record signing Benteke, who Downing corner beyond Steve Mandanda. with a fierce drive in response, before a MIDDLESBROUGH: Recalled Wilfried Zaha Alan Pardew’s stuttering side. joined the south London club from Alvaro Negredo went close to giving the combination of the France goalkeeper and delivered Crystal Palace their first victory of Victor Valdes returned in the Boro goal Liverpool in August, nodded Palace ahead hosts the lead just prior to the break, his Martin Kelly kept out Gaston Ramirez and the new season with an after injury, while Danish striker Viktor on the quarter hour when he rose to meet shot deflected over by the legs of Negredo late on to preserve Palace’s first assist and the winning goal in yesterday’s 2- Fischer made his first league start following Zaha’s cross at the far post and power a Mandanda after Fischer had pinched the league win at the Riverside. — AFP Cazorla’s contested penalty sinks Saints

The goal stirred Arsenal into upping the tempo. As Southampton were pushed back, Arsenal 2 Arsenal won set-play opportunities. These are not normally their strength but in the 25th minute Theo Walcott rose to glance a Cazorla free-kick just over. Four minutes later Southampton 1 a corner led to Koscielny acrobatically rising to volley in with a stunning overhead kick. Southampton complained that Koscielny’s LONDON: Santi’s Cazorla’s controversial stop- foot was too high, and it did finish very close page-time penalty gave Arsenal their first to Oriol Romeu’s brow, but Madley let the goal home win of the season as they saw off stand. Puel, who replaced Ronaldo Koeman as Southampton 2-1 in the Premier League at Southampton manager in pre-season, played the Emirates Stadium yesterday. under long-serving Arsenal boss Arsene It was a bitter pill for the visitors to swal- Wenger at Monaco. low, with Southampton still seeking their first The student clearly learnt well as win under new manager Claude Puel. An Southampton steadied themselves to reach unfortunate 18th-minute own-goal by half-time without further alarm.While Arsenal Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech was cancelled had plenty of possession Saints goalkeeper out in spectacular fashion by Laurent Fraser Forster was well-protected, his only Koscielny 11 minutes later. The north London moment of concern coming when Hector side looked like having to settle for a draw Bellerin flashed a shot wide. until referee Bobby Madley decided Jose With an hour gone Wenger summoned Fonte had pulled to the ground the cavalry. Lucas, whose debut could most in the penalty area. Saints players protested charitably described as ‘quiet’, was replaced furiously but did not distract Cazorla, who by Giroud and Sanchez came on for Alex tucked away the 94th-minute penalty. The Oxlade-Chamberlain. win was barely deserved. Arsenal had more It was, though, Southampton who should possession but lacked incisiveness and south have made the breakthrough. Long linked coast side Southampton will rue two excel- with Tadic who drew both Arsenal centre- lent chances spurned by Shane Long in the backs towards him before releasing the second half. Arsenal gave debuts to late trans- Irishman with an exquisite back-heel. As Cech fer window signings in Shkodran Mustafi and came out, Long sought to chip the ball over Lucas Perez, acquired from clubs him but put it agonisingly wide. Valencia and Deportivo La Coruna respective- At the other end, Sanchez had added ly for a combined £52 million ($69 million, 61 energy and purpose to the home attack. MADRID: Real Madrid’s Croatian midfielder Luka Modric (R) vies with Osasuna’s defender Oier Mate (C) during the Spanish league ootballf million euros). Dropping into space to receive a pass from match Real Madrid CF vs CA Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid yesterday. — AFP Francis Coquelin also returned to the team Mesut Ozil he shot just over. Monreal then as Giroud and Alexis Sanchez were rested shot wide when well-placed as Arsenal ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League opener pressed anew, Alex Iwobi, on for Walcott, away to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. being the supplier. Again, though, it was Ronaldo scores on return The Premier League, however, is not a Southampton who were the more penetrat- competition in which big clubs can take liber- ing and with six minutes left Long once more ties with team selection and Southampton passed up a chance to put Saints ahead. as Real equal club record started the sharper and took a deserved lead. When Pierre-Emil Hojbjerg’s shot was only Nathan Redmond, who began on the left parried by Cech, Long was first to the of a front three, cut across goal but was rebound and seemed sure to score. But he MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo scored on his return Zinedine Zidane matched the club record set by earlier in the half and found the net shortly scythed down needlessly by Nacho Monreal. scuffed his shot and the recovering Cech was from injury as Real Madrid thrashed promoted Miguel Munoz’s side in the 1960-61 season, before the interval in identical fashion, this time The left-back was booked, but further punish- able to clear with his feet. In response, Osasuna 5-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu yesterday when Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and directing his effort in under the crossbar. ment followed as Arsenal conceded from the Arsenal broke down the left but Giroud could to equal the club’s 1960-61 record of 15 succes- Francisco ‘Paco’ Gento were in the team. Pepe added the fourth from another Kroos free-kick, albeit unluckily. only steer Cazorla’s cross into the side netting. sive La Liga wins. One more win would equal Barcelona’s 2010- corner in the 56th, Nauzet fumbling the ball in Dusan Tadic’s free-kick was brilliantly It looked as if the points would be shared Ronaldo started the rout by knocking home 11 La Liga record of 16 in a row. Madrid sat back off the Portugal centre-back’s header. touched onto the bar by Cech, but bounced until, in a furious finale, Madley made the an inviting cut-back from Gareth Bale in the sixth for a while after Ronaldo’s goal, allowing Modric made it 5-0 with a fine effort in the down to rebound in off his body. decisive intervention. — AFP minute, with goals from Danilo and Sergio Osasuna plenty of possession that the visitors 62nd minute, curling the ball into the far corner Ramos sending Madrid 3-0 up before the break. failed to capitalise on. from outside the penalty area, before Karim Pepe and Luka Modric were also on target Zidane’s side then picked up the pace, with Benzema and Lucas Vazquez came on for before headers from Oriol Riera and David Toni Kroos firing into the side netting when Ronaldo and Bale. Garcia provided some consolation for the visi- goalkeeper Nauzet Perez palmed the ball into Real again took their foot off the gas and tors, who saw Roberto Torres miss a 73rd minute his path after a deflected cross from Ronaldo. Osasuna pulled two goals back, through Riera’s penalty and Cayetano Bonnin sent off in the Perez was caught out of position in the 40th header from Miguel Angel de las Cuevas’ cross 80th. Real have nine points from three games, minute when he rushed out to flap away the ball and another nodded effort from David Garcia. with champions Barcelona and Las Palmas on six only for it find Brazilian defender Danilo, who Bonnin went off for his second bookable from two and playing later. scored from a deflected strike. offence but hopes of a comeback were futile in Real’s 15th consecutive La Liga win under Ramos went close with a header off a corner any case. — Reuters Kane opens account as Spurs smash Stoke

stopped by France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. became even more riled moments later when Tottenham’s first chance arrived in the 26th Alli escaped punishment for what they believed Stoke City 0 minute when Alli tried a snap-shot from a tight was a dive. But they were subdued in the 41st LONDON: West Ham United’s English defender Sam Byram heads the ball during the angle, forcing veteran Stoke goalkeeper Shay minute as the visitors took the lead. English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Watford at Given into his first save. The visitors should have Christian Eriksen found space on the right The London Stadium, in east London yesterday. — AFP taken the lead on the half-hour when a cross- and turned inside Allen before pulling back a Tottenham 4 field ball from Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld cross for Son to side-foot home. Both sides had caused chaos in the Stoke defence. A ricochet chances early in the second half as Erik Pieters Hammers stung by fell for Alli but he dragged a shot well wide with made a sprawling block from an Alli shot before STOKE-ON-TRENT: Harry Kane grabbed his first only Given to beat. Shawcross fired wide for Stoke from an Allen cor- Hornets comeback goal of the season and South Korea’s Son ner. But it was 2-0 to Tottenham in the 56th Heung-Min scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur HUGHES FLASHPOINT minute when fine footwork and a clever pass by romped to an emphatic 4-0 win away at Stoke The flashpoint arrived in the 34th minute Eriksen set up Son to bend the ball superbly past Allardyce’s England squad for the World City yesterday. when Arnautovic was booked for diving and Given. And four minutes later, Mauricio Cup qualifier against Slovakia, and he Dele Alli was also on target as the north Hughes reacted angrily on the sidelines. Pochettino’s men made sure of the points with West Ham 2 made no mistake with his head on both London club finally kick-started their Premier His protests upset fourth official Jonathan an incisive counter-attack. Kyle Walker galloped occasions. The second one-Antonio’s 10th League title challenge. It completed a miserable Moss, who persuaded referee Anthony Taylor to down the right and crossed for Alli, who obliged headed goal since the start of last season day for Stoke manager , who was send the Stoke boss to the stands. with a simple finish. Kane then opened his — showed Payet at his most inventive, fir- sent to the stands at the Britannia Stadium for Hughes marched down the touchline to the account for the season, taking his time before Watford 4 ing in the cross with a magnificent piece of remonstrating with officials when the score was tunnel while geeing up the Stoke fans, who finishing coolly from a cross by Son. — AFP individual skill. However, Watford showed 0-0. He watched on helplessly as Son gave great character in storming back and Tottenham a 1-0 half-time lead before doubling LONDON: Jose Holebas sealed a superb rocked their hosts by levelling by half-time. their advantage after the break. Alli then made it Matches on TV comeback by Watford yesterday as they Ighalo gave them hope when four minutes 3-0 before England striker Kane grabbed his first came from 2-0 down to beat West Ham 4-2 from half-time the Nigerian scored with a goal in 10 games for club and country. (Local Timings) and secure their first win of the Premier great individual effort, cutting in from the It might have been so different for Stoke, who left and his shot took a deflection off James League campaign. now sit bottom of the table without a win in ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE beIN SPORTS 13 HD EN Collins to beat Adrian. The Hornets ensured The Hammers-who may wish they four. Loan signing Wilfried Bony had almost Swansea City v Chelsea FC 18:00 AC Chievo Verona v Lazio 16:00 hadn’t left Upton Park for London Stadium they went in all square for the half-time made a perfect start on his Stoke debut when he beIN SPORTS 2 HD beIN SPORTS 10 HD as prior to this they had won 11 of their last break with Collins at fault as his back header found space in the penalty area and exchanged went past Adriano and Deeney was on Genoa CFC v Fiorentina 16:00 13 home league games against Watford- passes with Joe Allen in the opening minutes. SPANISH LEAGUE hand to fire the ball into the net. beIN SPORTS 8 HD had looked in control after Michail Antonio But Bony’s second touch let him down and Sporting Gijon v Leganes 13:00 The Hammers appeared shell-shocked AC Milan v Udinese Calcio 16:00 scored with two headers. However, Odion his eventual shot was blocked. Stoke then found beIN SPORTS 3 HD by the reversal of fortunes as Watford then beIN SPORTS 1 HD Ighalo and Troy Deeney began the fight- the net to send a section of the home crowd into Valencia v Real Betis 17:00 soared into a two goal lead of their own AS Roma v UC Sampdoria 16:00 back and then Etienne Capoue gave them raptures, when Marko Arnautovic collected a beIN SPORTS 3 HD after emerging for the second-half. beIN SPORTS 4 HD the lead in the second-half before Holebas fine pass from Giannelli Imbula and bent a shot Granada CF v SD Eibar 19:00 First the in-form Capoue gave them the Pescara v Internazionale 21:45 added a fourth to give the Hornets only into the top corner. beIN SPORTS 3 HD lead with a fine effort, chesting down their third win in their last 16 league But most spectators had already spotted an Deportivo v de Bilbao 2130 beIN SPORTS 4 HD Roberto Pereyra’s cross and powering it matches. West Ham had been cruising with offside flag that halted the Austrian’s celebra- beIN SPORTS 3 HD French playmaking star Dmitri Payet mak- past Adrian in the 53rd minute. tions in their tracks. Another cross by Arnautovic GERMAN Ten minutes later and Watford had gone ing his first start of the campaign and forced a panicked clearance from Ben Davies ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE Werder Bremen v Augsburg 16:30 further ahead, Holebas rounding off a immediately easing into the role of creative and Stoke kept up the pressure. Bologna v Cagliari 13:30 beIN SPORTS 5 HD move he started-dispossessing a now very fulcrum. A crisp volley by Glenn Whelan was deflected beIN SPORTS 4 HD FSV Mainz 05 v Hoffenheim 18:30 quiet Payet-although Adrian could have The 29-year-old provided both the cross- over the Tottenham bar by Davies before Ryan Atalanta v Torino FC 16:00 beIN SPORTS 5 HD es for Antonio, who gained selection in Sam done better in trying to deny him. — AFP Shawcross’s header from a corner by Allen was