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 Premier League 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 Olivier Giroud 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 La Liga 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.