SPORTS Saturday, April 21, 2018 21 Southampton draw with Leicester City Chelsea edge past Burnley F.C, 2-1 London Hazard. from the left wing-back slot. He cushioned the ball on ictor Moses was the Conte, three days before Chelsea’s old-fashioned his chest, shook off Stephen match-winner as Chelsea his side’s FA Cup semifinal, front two of Giroud and Ward and pinged a cross into easedV the pressure on London made six changes from the Morata were also into the the six-yard box. Ben Hamer blocks Shane Long’s close- rivals Arsenal by denting side which beat Southampton game early, the Frenchman Pope failed to intercept range effort (Pic courtesy: theguardian) Burnley’s surge for sixth at the weekend with an early penalty appeal and Long, mindful of Giroud place. There was a starting shirt against Long and Morata lurking over his shoulder, The Clarets kicked off at for , and with denied by at the bundled untidily into his own Leicester City and Shinji on the back of it the chance to break the near post. net. outhampton halted their Okzaki meant opportunities a five-match winning run, super-sub mould which has Burnley’s resistance lasted The hosts briefly threatened losing run but a goalless for Ben Hamer and Kelechi knowing a sixth would see followed him from Arsenal, 20 minutes but broke when to fight their way back into Sdraw at Leicester City does Iheanacho, while them leapfrog the Gunners and a first ’s long ball from the game on the half-hour, little for their Premier League Wilfred Ndidi returned from and bring the prospect of start for Emerson Palmieri. defence found Moses on the but a period of prolonged survival hopes. suspension at the expense of guaranteed Europa League The £17.5 million signing charge. adventure yielded nothing Saints arrived at the King Hamza Choudhury. football within touching from Roma has been kept to more than a half-chance for Power Stadium five points Southampton were distance. just 105 minutes since his Barnes. adrift of safety with five unchanged from the team But Moses produced the January arrival and was quick It was much the same story matches remaining, following that lost to Chelsea, despite first-half cross which spawned t o shake off the for the first 10 minutes of four straight league defeats. an FA Cup semifinal against ’s own-goal then cobwebs the second half, the Clarets It is not exactly mission the same opponents just drilled home a decisive low with a winning the battle for impossible for Mark Hughes’ three days away. shot to make it 2-1 after handful territory but failing to test team as club’s have survived Leicester threatened had equalised of testing Thibaut Courtois. from the position they are in, twice inside the opening by unintentionally deflecting crosses Having absorbed the or worse, on four occasions quarter hour. Riyad Mahrez, a Johann Berg Gudmundsson pressure, N’Golo in Premier League history. Iheanacho and , shot. Kante set Chelsea Whether Southampton given the armband in Burnley, whose stellar off on a classic can join Bradford (1999-00), Morgan’s absence, moved the season began with an counter-attack by West Ham (2006-07), Fulham ball quickly on the edge of the opening day victory at sweeping the ball (2007-08) and Sunderland penalty area before Mahrez’s Stamford Bridge, still directly into (2013-14) remains to be seen. low shot was smothered by have a chance to see the path of the The stalemate also halted Alex McCarthy. more regular Thursday Morata on back-to-back losses for Some more lovely one- night football by halfway. Leicester. touch football then saw finishing seventh, while ( P A Foxes boss Claude Puel, Iheanacho curl an effort three points ensured Sport) against his former club, made narrowly wide, with the Blues had fair five changes following the McCarthy rooted to the spot, reason to toast Antonio defeat at Burnley. Captain after his initial scuffed shot Conte’s 100th game in Wes Morgan and Danny was blocked. Southampton’s charge. Simpson dropped down to first opening came shortly Alvaro Morata the bench as Aleksandar afterwards when Dusan looked unlikely to join Dragovic and Marc Tadic’s half-volley flew just in any celebrations celebrates Albrighton were preferred past the post, this time it was though, missing a sitter with teammates after scor- at centre-half and right- Hamer’s turn to just watch at 1-0 and fuming when ing Chelsea’s second back, respectively. Injuries to and hope. (PA Sport) he was replaced by Eden (Pic courtesy: theguardian)

Manchester City’s Aguero should be Champions League semi-final draw ready for World Cup: Guardiola Real Madrid, hoping to claim London their third successive title, clash anchester City striker Sergio with European heavyweights Bayern Munich, while Liverpool Aguero will be out of action face surprise semi-finalists Roma Mfor up to five weeks but he should be ready for the World Cup with 1st leg: Apr 24 / 25 2nd leg: May 1 / 2 Argentina, manager Pep Guardiola Bayern Munich GER said yesterday. 2017: Quarter-final The 29-year-old is recovering Best: 5-time winner from knee surgery having not Real Madrid ESP started a match for the last six weeks. 2017: Winner When asked if Aguero’s season with Best: 12-time winner City was over, Guardiola said: “Here, yeah. It’s four or five weeks (out). Head-to-head: W11-D2-L11 We will try and get him ready for the Liverpool ENG World Cup. 2017: Did not play “He is in Barcelona right now, for Best: 5-time winner the first part of the rehabilitation he Pep Guardiola (file pic) is going to be there.” and Guardiola wants his team to to keep his players motivated ahead Roma ITA 2017: Did not play Aguero is expected to be a key break records before the end of the of Sunday’s clash with Swansea City. Best: Final 1984 figure for Argentina, who play their campaign. “In the past when I won the opening World Cup match against They could finish with the most league early at Bayern Munich Head-to-head: W2-D2-L1 Iceland on June 16. points, most wins and most goals in and Barcelona, the next few games FINAL: May 26, Olympic Stadium, Kyiv City were crowned Premier a single Premier League season and were not good,” Guardiola added. League champions last weekend the Spanish manager remains keen (Reuters) Sources: UEFA, Gracenote Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS