Lazio Go Third As Inter Save Mancini Blushes
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Grizzlies fall, Pathans find Kings march solace in Afridi’s Pakistan TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 201416 17 Cowboys defeat Colts, Seahawks win Page 18 Lazio go third as Inter save Mancini blushes MILAN: A first-half brace from Felipe Anderson was enough to secure third place for Lazio in Serie A prior to the festive break on Sunday in a hard-fought 2-2 draw away to Inter. Inter only claimed their maiden win under Roberto Mancini, their first in six games, last week but had the worst possible start at the San Siro where Anderson hit the first of his goals after just two minutes. Anderson, who broke his Serie A duck last week, beat Samir Handanovic with a fine angled strike after collecting Stefan Radu’s assist in the box. SPAIN: Athletic Bilbao’s Oscar de Marcos (right) duels for the ball with Atletico The Brazilian almost had his brace moments de Madrid’s Arda Turan during their La Liga soccer match. — AP later when he sprung the offside trap to fire over but made amends minutes before half-time after collecting on the halfway line and carrying the Atletico hammer Bilbao ball all the way before beating Handanovic at the keeper’s near post. MADRID: France international Antoine At the new San Mames both sides Inter emerged doubly determined after the Griezmann scored a hat-trick as Atletico were missing a number of key players break and after Mateo Kovacic and Mauro Icardi Madrid produced a stunning second-half with Aymeric Laporte and Ander tested Federico Marchetti in the Lazio goal it was display to hammer Athletic Bilbao 4-1 Iturraspe banned for the hosts, while the former who reduced arrears in spectacular away on Sunday and move to within four Atletico were without the suspended fashion. points of La Liga leaders Real Madrid. duo of Koke and Mario Mandzukic, as Kovacic was just outside the box when a The Spanish champions looked on well as Miranda through injury. headed clearance fell kindly for the Croatian, course for back-to-back league defeats It was the Basque outfit who settled who struck on the volley to see his shot sting the for the first time since April 2012 when much quicker, and went ahead after 17 palms of a flailing Marchetti before hitting the ITALY: Inter Milan’s Mateo Kovacic (left) is tackled by Lazio’s Miroslav Klose during a Serie Mikel Rico gave Athletic a deserved half- minutes when Markel Susaeta’s free-kick back of the net. A soccer match at the San Siro stadium. — AP time lead. was expertly nodded into the far corner Mancini replaced Colombian Fredy Guarin said Mancini. Gabbiadini has been linked with a move to But Griezmann levelled straight from by the unmarked Rico. with Federico Bonazzoli and two minutes later “Let’s hope we can improve over our coming Napoli and the highly-rated 23-year-old told Sky the kick-off at the start of the second Atletico failed to create anything of the highly-rated Inter youth player had a hand in games.” Lazio coach Stefano Pioli admitted Sport after the game: “I don’t know if this will be period and completed his hat-trick after note in the opening 45 minutes, and Inter’s 80th minute leveller. Kovacic’s goal had changed the prospects for his my last goal in a Sampdoria shirt, I always hon- Raul Garcia had put the visitors ahead could have been even further behind at Bonazzoli’s free kick found the head of Danilo side. our the shirt that I’m wearing.” from the penalty spot. the break had Aritz Aduriz decided to D’Ambrosio in the box and after the ball rolled “Teams like Inter have a certain kind of quali- Sampdoria are 12 points behind Juventus, Victory moves Atletico back to within shoot when he was released clear on into the path of Rodrigo Palacio the Argentinian ty and Kovacic’s goal set them up well for the who will face Napoli in the Italian Super Cup three points of Barcelona, who were 5-0 goal by Susaeta rather than trying to blasted past Marchetti from close range. rest of the game,” said Pioli, who admitted third final in Doha on Monday with a chance for a winners over Cordoba on Saturday, in turn inside before being crowded out. The draw left Inter in 11th place at 18 points place was a firm objective. double Christmas celebration after Roma were adrift of leaders and champions Juventus, four second. However, Real have a game in However, the champions emerged a “It’s early yet but we’re doing very well. Now held to a scoreless draw at home to Milan on behind city rivals Milan and six behind Lazio in hand on their two main title rivals as they different side after an inspired half-time we have a chance to recharge our batteries for Saturday. Alberto Paloschi struck late to secure the third and final Champions League qualifying January which will be crucial for us. But the lads the points as Chievo beat Verona 1-0 in the city won their fourth trophy of the year in the pep talk from Diego Simeone and spot. But Mancini warned he will expect Club World Cup final against Argentine equalised straight from the kick-off as have shown they are up to the job.” derby to give them some breathing space in the improvements when Inter resume after the fes- Earlier, Italy striker Manolo Gabbiadini con- battle for relegation. side San Lorenzo in Morocco on former Real Sociedad winger Griezmann tive break. firmed he could quit Sampdoria in the January Torino had defender Kamil Glik to thank for a Saturday. “This was my best match since came back to haunt his old Basque rivals “We can’t become a team like Barcelona or transfer window after heading a late equaliser to brace of goals in a precious 2-1 home win over I’ve been here. I need to keep on this once more with a precise header from Bayern in the space of a month. We’re having a secure a share of the spoils in a 2-2 home draw Genoa which secured just their fourth win of the path and keep working,” Griezmann said. Juanfran’s cross. — AFP few difficulties but we need to get over them,” with Udinese. campaign. — AFP.