Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2017

Leipzig hold Monaco on Champs League debut

LEIPZIG: Youri Tielemans leveled a minute after Swedish winger Forsberg found space on the left to be called offside. Yet on a night where neither Emil Forsberg’s opener for RB Leipzig to salvage a 1- and blasted the ball past Diego Benaglio at the near side reached their penetrative best, it ended a point 1 draw for French champions Monaco in the post. The euphoria, though, was short-lived as a apiece. Leipzig’s Champions League debut crowned Champions League on Wednesday. With Leipzig deep cross from Sidibe found Diakhaby, who nod- a blistering rise from the lower leagues since their making their competition debut, Forsberg’s goal ded the ball down for Tielemans to prod past Peter founding in 2009. raised the roof at the Red Bull Arena. It will go down Gulacsi. “The coach told me I’d play as the second After finishing second in the last in history as his club’s first on European football’s attacker and talked to me about my positioning and season, the club were celebrating the biggest biggest stage, though it is unlikely to be their last. I think it went well for me,” said Tielemans. night of their history against Monaco. Against “It’s something special to have score Leipzig’s first Werner, who had twice come centimetres from more experienced opposition and without their ever goal in the Champions League,” said Forsberg scoring in the first half, was threatening again after star midfielder Naby Keita, it was not a given that after the game. “I’m very proud.” the break, and began to pick up more space as he they would avoid defeat in their maiden Despite their inexperience at this exalted level, was switched to a wider position on the left. “It was Champions League appearance. Many of those on Leipzig appeared undaunted in this Group G tie. obviously an incredible feeling today,” said 21-year- the pitch had played for Leipzig since the club was Teenager Dayot Upamecano was imperious at the old striker Werner. “We were desperate to win in the second or third division. Few had any idea back, while in-form striker Timo Werner looked dan- today, but sadly we couldn’t quite do it.” Several how RB’s still young squad would react to the pres- gerous up front. With Monaco’s back line holding half-chances fell Werner’s way, but it was Jean-Kevin sure of playing on club football’s biggest stage. firm, and their wingers Djibril Sidibe and Adama Augustin who came closest to breaking the dead- The more dangerous side over long periods, Diakhaby struggling to strike on the counter-attack, lock, denied in a one-on-one with Benaglio. Leipzig will nonetheless be as happy as Monaco there were few chances to speak of in the opening He had another chance in injury time, breaking with the draw. Leipzig next face Besiktas in Turkey, half an hour. But in the 33rd minute, Leipzig struck. free of the defence in the Monaco penalty area, only with Monaco hosting Porto. — AFP

Correa goal spoils Liverpool return

LIVERPOOL: Roberto Firmino’s first-half penalty miss proved costly for Liverpool as Joaquin Correa scored a dramatic equalizer to grab Sevilla a 2-2 Champions League draw on Wednesday. was in jubilant mood as the English club welcomed back Champions League football after a two-year absence, but it took Sevilla just four minutes to dampen the enthusiasm. After Wissam Ben Yedder had given the Spanish side an early lead, goals from Firmino and put Liverpool ahead, only for Firmino to miss a penalty. On the hour, Sevilla manager Eduardo Berizzo was dis- missed for throwing the ball away from Liverpool’s as he tried to take a throw-in, but his disappointment was eased, thanks to Correa, on 72 minutes. All four sides in Group E are level after the opening round of matches, as Maribor played out a 1-1 draw with Spartak Moscow in Slovenia. The opening goal was the product of a poor defensive mistake by Dejan Lovren, who completely miskicked while trying to clear a cross from Sergio Escudero at his near post. Instead of producing a routine clearance, the defender allowed the ball to run across the face of goal where Ben Yedder had the simple task of sliding the ball into an open MADRID: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after scoring the first goal during a Champions League group H soccer net. Following on from the weekend 5-0 thrashing at match between Real Madrid and Apoel Nicosia at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. — AP Manchester City, it was the worst possible start for Jurgen Klopp’s side, although their attacking play was promising. Emre Can had curled a shot directly at goalkeeper Sergio Rico Ronaldo returns to smash inside the opening minute and Sadio Mane came closer still as his shot was saved low down by Rico.

Firmino equalizer double in routine Real win Firmino struck the important equaliser after 21 minutes fol- lowing an incisive attack and a pass which MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo wasted no ban as “persecution” on the part of the limped off to be replaced by Toni Kroos. sent Alberto Moreno away down the left. He crossed low into time in showing Real Madrid what they Spanish football federation and his And the hosts’ rhythm was disrupted as the six-yard box, where Firmino lunged ahead of Gabriel have been missing during his five-game absence has been felt by Real in profli- they struggled to create more clear-cut Mercado to turn in the equalizer. Minutes later, the Reds should domestic suspension, by scoring twice as gate performances in being held at home chances against the dogged Cypriot have been in front after a blistering counter-attack ended with the holders began their Champions by Valencia and Levante. “We are on a champions before the break. Ronaldo Mane playing Can clean through on goal only for the German League defence with a routine 3-0 win run of games without scoring many thought he had doubled his tally a international to roll his shot inches beyond the post. — AFP over APOEL Nicosia on Wednesday. goals, but you can’t thrash teams all the minute into the second half as his volley Ronaldo, banned for pushing a referee time,” said Ramos. “Cristiano has so many from Dani Carvajal’s pinpoint cross came after being sent off in the first leg of the goals in him and we feel it. “Hopefully he off the underside of the bar, but didn’t Spanish Super Cup, opened the scoring stays in form. You can’t question the lev- cross the line despite his protests. after just 12 minutes from Gareth Bale’s els he reaches every year.” Madrid’s luck turned moments later low cross. when Roberto Lago was very harshly The Portuguese doubled his tally from Bale excelling penalized for handball from Bale’s the penalty spot before Sergio Ramos’s Zidane admitted that the club’s failure deflected cross and Ronaldo smashed overhead kick rounded off the scoring. to replace Alvaro Morata had left his strik- home the resulting penalty. Ronaldo Real move to the top of Group H along- ing options limited, particularly in the showed his hunger for more goals as he side Tottenham Hotspur, who ended absence of Karim Benzema through a retrieved the ball from the net and raced their Wembley hoodoo with an impres- hamstring injury. However, with Bale back to the halfway line. However, it was sive 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund. excelling back on the left, Ronaldo filled Ramos who struck next in acrobatic fash- Ronaldo has now struck 12 times in his that void as he swept home at the back ion from point-blank range. Ronaldo last six Champions League games. “He is post from the Welshman’s cross. Ronaldo thought he had bagged an eighth the best in the world. We know he will then headed into the side-netting from a Champions League hat-trick when he always score goals,” said Madrid boss similar position from another Bale deliv- swept home Luka Modric’s cross. But he LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson, top, is tackled Zinedine Zidane. “With a bit more luck ery moments later. was denied by the offside flag as Real had by Sevilla’s Simon Kjaer during the Champions League today he could have scored four.” Real suffered an injury setback mid- to settle for three as they began their group E soccer match between Liverpool and Sevilla at Ronaldo described the length of his way through the half as Mateo Kovacic quest for a 13th European Cup. — AFP Anfield stadium. — AP