SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2016 SPORTS Ibrahimovic double helps PSG rebound with Caen thrashing PARIS: Paris St Germain rebounded further goals from Blaise Matuidi, we have to keep going, because the only during his dazzling career. Matuidi effort compounded the visitors’ misery. after their Champions League exit to Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria and way we will get over it is by winning,” added another in the second minute of “Is Ligue 1 too easy? I mustn’t say that Manchester City with a 6-0 victory over Maxwell secured a convincing victory said PSG defender Marquinhos. first-half stoppage time, before turning in front of the TV cameras,” added Caen in Ligue 1 yesterday. over mid-table Caen. The win moves Top scorer Ibrahimovic struggled to provider after the break as he duped Marquinhos. The beleaguered Vercoutre, PSG, who wrapped up the Ligue 1 Laurent Blanc’s side on to 86 points — assert himself against City, but opened Vercoutre with a cut-back, leaving whose side remain ninth on 46 points, title last month, suffered heartbreak in 30 ahead of second-placed Olympique the scoring in the 12th minute when his Cavani to bury the ball into the open said he would not be watching a video midweek when City won the second leg Lyonnais-and needing one more win to long-range shot evaded goalkeeper net. Di Maria added insult to injury when of the match. of their quarter-final 1-0 following a 2-2 equal the club’s all-time record points Remy Vercoutre, who should have done he sent a delicious chipped effort over “I’ll try to forget it,” he said. “Tonight, draw at the Parc des Princes. total for a single Ligue 1 season. better. The strike was the Swedish front- the advancing Vercoutre in the 52nd I’ll have nice beer, sleep well and try not They responded emphatically, how- “The victory doesn’t help us forget man’s 31st of the Ligue 1 campaign, his minute, while Ibrahimovic’s fine volley to have nightmares about what hap- ever, as a Zlatan Ibrahimovic double and the defeat against Manchester City, but biggest haul in a single league season and substitute Maxwell’s close-range pened here.” — Reuters Sunderland down Norwich to grab survival lifeline Defoe picked out Borini in the penalty area and when he cut back inside to attack Norwich City 0 Andre Wisdom, the Norwich defender got the slightest touch on the ball before following through to catch the Italian with an ugly tack- le that convinced referee Andre Marriner to point to the spot. Sunderland 3 Norwich’s furious players surrounded Marriner to protest, but Borini ignored the fuss as he calmly slotted the penalty low to NORWICH: Sunderland grabbed a priceless Ruddy’s right for only his fourth goal of the lifeline in the fight for Premier League survival season. Neil sent on Nathan Redmond at half- as goals from Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe time and the Norwich winger nearly had an inspired a 3-0 win over relegation rivals instant impact with a skidding shot that Norwich yesterday. struck the outside of a post. Sam Allardyce’s side would have been on But it was Sunderland who struck again in the brink of crashing into the Championship the 53rd minute. Norwich defender Sebastien if they had lost at Carrow Road, but Borini’s Bassong was nudged off the ball by Kirchhoff first half penalty and strikes from Defoe and far too easily inside his own half and Borini Duncan Watmore after the interval signifi- whipped over a sublime cross that Defoe met cantly improved their hopes of staying up. with a typically predatory sliding finish at the Sunderland remain in the relegation zone far post. The Canaries laid seige to after their first win in seven matches, but they Sunderland’s goal in the closing stages with- are now only one point behind fourth bottom out success as Lee Cattermole cleared off the Norwich with a game in hand. Allardyce has line from Mbokani and then Wes Hoolahan. never been relegated from the top-flight and Watmore rubbed salt in Norwich wounds in he could be on course to mastermind another stoppage-time when he took Seb Larsson’s great escape to emulate Sunderland’s last- pass and clipped a near post finish past ditch revival under Dick Advocaat 12 months Ruddy. — AFP ago. For Norwich, it was further setback to their survival bid after last weekend’s loss at GETAFE: Real Madrid’s Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas (C) dives for the ball during the Spanish league football match Getafe CF vs Real Crystal Palace and they face a nervous last Madrid CF at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez stadium in Getafe yesterday. —AFP four matches as the relegation struggle goes to the wire. Norwich’s failure to avoid defeat Matches on TV also meant Aston Villa were given a stay of (Local Timings) Real Madrid beat Getafe to execution, although the bottom club would be relegated if they fail to win at Manchester ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE United later. After unexpectedly meeting in Leicester City v West Ham 15:30 the 1985 League Cup final, these two clubs beIN SPORTS 2 HD keep pressure on Barcelona had established such a rapport that matches Bournemouth v Liverpool 15:30 between them are now played for the beIN SPORTS 3 HD ‘Friendship Trophy’. Arsenal v Crystal Palace 18:00 beIN SPORTS 2 HD BARCELONA: Karim Benzema ensured Real and closer,” said Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, sive match in the debut of coach Juan Esnaider, Allardyce was unaware of the curious Madrid kept the pressure on leader Barcelona in whose team trailed Barcelona by 12 points just a former Madrid player who replaced the fired alliance until it was pointed out in the build- SPANISH LEAGUE the Spanish league by scoring one goal and four rounds ago. “We are going to bed one point Fran Escriba on Tuesday. up this week but, with so much at stake, it Malaga v Athletic de Bilbao 13:00 assisting on two more as bottom-side Getafe behind, but we can’t look beyond that.” “We tried,” said Esnaider, praising his players’ wasn’t long before the relationship was put to beIN SPORTS 3 HD was defeated 5-1 yesterday. Barcelona will try to end a three-round win- attitude. Despite Getafe’s best effort, Madrid the test as tempers frayed. Sevilla v Deportivo La Coruna 17:00 Benzema scored his 22nd goal of the compe- less run against Valencia on Sunday, when outclassed its crosstown rival. Ronaldo, who hit Robbie Brady sparked the flashpoint when beIN SPORTS 1 HD tition before setting up Francisco “Isco” Alarcon Atletico will host Granada. Diego Simeone’s a hat trick on Tuesday to lead Madrid’s come- the Norwich winger needlessly shoved Rayo Vallecano v Villarreal 19:15 and Gareth Bale to put the result beyond doubt side, which eliminated Barcelona from the back over Wolfsburg in the Champions League, Sunderland’s DeAndre Yedlin into the adver- beIN SPORTS 1 HD Atletico de Madrid v Granada 19:15 early in the second half. Champions League quarterfinals this week to struck the post early, and waves of attacks tising boards right in front of the visitors’ beIN SPORTS 3 HD After James Rodriguez made it 4-1, Cristiano advance to a tie with Bayern Munich, trails inevitably led to Benzema’s breakthrough when bench. Brady was confronted by a member of Barcelona v Valencia 21:30 Ronaldo rounded off Madrid’s seventh consecu- Barcelona by three points. After this weekend he used his right foot to sweep in Rodriguez’s Sunderland’s coaching staff and Allardyce beIN SPORTS 3 HD tive league victory in stoppage time with his there will be five rounds left. cross. wasn’t far behind as he angrily pushed away tournament-leading 31st goal. “We have always said that we will never give Benzema worked a one-two passing combi- Norwich’s Cameron Jerome while players ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE Madrid, which this week advanced to a up,” Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas said. “We nation to help Isco make it 2-0 before halftime, from both sides joined the shoving match. Atalanta v AS Roma 13:30 Champions League semifinal against have to win our remaining matches and then and his pass let Bale romp forward before beat- When the furore had died down, Dieumerci beIN SPORTS 4 HD Manchester City, provisionally passed Atletico see what happens.” Also, Sporting Gijon stayed ing goalkeeper Vicente Guaita in the 50th. Pablo Mbokani rose to above Younes Kaboul to Fiorentina v Sassuolo 16:00 beIN SPORTS Madrid into second place and moved to within in the relegation zone, one point above Levante Sarabia got Getafe’s consolation goal with six meet Brady’s cross, but the Norwich forward’s Juventus v Citta 16:00 one point of struggling leader Barcelona. and Getafe, after drawing 1-1 at Las Palmas. minutes left before Rodriguez and Ronaldo header was straight at Sunderland goalkeep- beIN SPORTS 4 HD “We are doing our job and are getting closer Getafe remained winless for a 13th succes- struck. — AP er Vito Mannone. Udinese v Chievo 16:00 beIN SPORTS UGLY TACKLE Hellas v Frosinone 16:00 Sunderland threatened when Jan beIN SPORTS 8 HD Kirchhoff flicked a free-kick into the path of SS Lazio v Empoli 19:00 Gomes the hero as Watford beat West Brom Fabio Borini, but the Italy striker’s cross-shot beIN SPORTS 4 HD Sampdoria v AC Milan 21:45 flashed just past John Ruddy’s far post.