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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015 SPORTS Torres eyes dream homecoming in Madrid derby MADRID: Fernando Torres was respons- ran out 5-0 winners on aggregate. able for the second highest attendance “The club has been able to build a of the season at the Vicente Calderon on team in which the word team is a Sunday despite the fact there was no strength and that has led to successes,” match to see as 45,000 Atletico Madrid added Torres. “For my part, I have found supporters welcomed ‘El Nino’ home. a path which has given me great satisfac- Torres will be free to make his second tion, but something seemed to be miss- debut for his boyhood club, for whom he ing. scored 82 goals in over 200 appearances “This reunion closes a circle that start- between 2001 and 2007, against their ed when I was just 10 years old wearing closest and bitterest rivals when Real this shirt and now I hope to enjoy it. “I Madrid come to the Calderon for the first will always give my all and more for this leg of their Copa del Rey last 16 tie shirt because it’s what I feel. The fans today. know it is going to be like that.” Real boss “I’m back at home after seven long Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged the lift years. I’d been waiting a long time for that Torres’s arrival has given Atletico. this to come true and now my feelings “Without playing Torres has brought are a bit strange. I still don’t believe this enthusiasm to the fans and received is real”, Torres told the club’s website. their love,” said the Italian, who managed However, the 30-year-old is well aware Torres for five months at Chelsea. of the hard work that lies ahead of him if “Torres has quality, experience and in the real reality check is not to be for the this atmosphere, which is his, he will be thousands that attended his presenta- motivated and desperate to do well.” tion on Sunday still in awe of the baby The European champions also have faced assassin they saw leave for reason to be motivated after their 22- England during tougher times for the game winning run was snapped by club. defeat at Valencia on Sunday and As Torres has struggled for form and Ancelotti admitted he is likely to make fitness in recent years at Chelsea and changes at the Calderon. “We are earlier this season in an ill-fated loan focused on a match that will be difficult. spell at AC Milan, Atletico have soared We will continue with the same fight and under his former teammate Diego desire as we have done until now. Simeone. “There could be changes. There are Since the Argentine took charge three some players that haven’t recovered yet, years ago, Atletico have only lost three but we will play our strongest team avail- out of 18 two-legged ties on route to able.” Ancelotti confirmed that Keylor winning the Europa League, the Spanish Navas will start all of his side’s Cup Supercup and the Copa del Rey. games in goal ahead of Iker Casillas and However, one of those defeats came that Gareth Bale will retain his place in to Real in comprehensive fashion in last the side despite criticism of his perform- MADRID: Spanish forward Fernando Torres and his children play wearing the Atletico Madrid jersey during his presentation at the Vicente season’s Cup semi-final as Los Blancos ance at Mestalla. —AFP Calderon stadium. —AP Celtic close Asian Cup wide open gap at the top SYDNEY: With hosts Australia in a state of flux and holders GLASGOW:Celtic closed to within Craig Samson stranded. Commons, Japan engulfed by scandal, the Asian Cup looks to be the one point of Aberdeen at the top linked with a January move to join most wide open in years. Redemption for a humiliating 2014 World Cup beckons of the Scottish Premiership with a former Celtic boss Neil Lennon at should Australia, Japan, South Korea or Iran win Asia’s comfortable 2-0 win over Bolton, soon had a shot deflected showcase tournament, which begins on January 9 when Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. just wide after good work from the Socceroos face Kuwait in Melbourne. The quartet The score didn’t reflect the dom- Scepovic before firing over the bar flopped badly in Brazil as Asia failed to register a single vic- inance of the Hoops who twice hit after weaving his way through the tory for the first time since 1990, a new-look Australia the crossbar through Kris Killie defence. arguably emerging with the most credit. Commons before Emilio Izaguirre A great passing move then saw But coach Ange Postecoglou must find an alchemist’s volleyed the Glasgow giants ahead Nir Bitton and Liam Henderson touch to replace a golden generation of players who quali- with only his third goal for the combine to set up Commons for fied for three successive World Cups-or at the very least, a club. Killie survived a number of another effort from the edge of the quick fix with his side short on firepower in attack. chances for Celtic, while also com- box that crashed off the bar. Much of the responsibility will fall on talisman Tim Cahill, who lit up the World Cup with a stunning volley ing close through Robbie Despite their dominance, Celtic against the Netherlands but will need his supporting cast Muirhead, before Stefan Scepovic were nearly left to rue their missed to step up. added a second in the 71st minute. chances when Josh Magennis “We have to be ruthless,” the former Everton forward It ended a two-game winless run forced a great save out of Craig told the Sydney Morning Herald. “If we are ruthless, teams for the Hoops who will now head Gordon with a powerful header are not going to know what’s hit them.” for a winter break in Gran Canaria from Alexei Eremenko’s free-kick. Australia have added incentive after being upset by after postponing their January 10 The Hoops finally made the Japan in the 2011 final in Doha, but the defending champi- match against St Johnstone. breakthrough in the 36th minute ons will be a tough nut to crack, while 2002 World Cup “I’m very happy with the result with a superb strike from Izaguirre. semifinalists South Korea lurk for the hosts in Group A. and the performance. The attitude The Honduran international got on However, pressure will also be on Japan, whose Mexican and commitment of every player the end of a clipped pass from coach Javier Aguirre is under investigation following claims of match-fixing while he was manager of Spanish club on the pitch was excellent,” Celtic Stefan Johansen to send a wonder- Zaragoza in 2011. manager Ronny Deila said. ful dipping volley past the helpless To what extent the furore unsettles the Blue Samurai “The first half especially was Samson. remains to be seen but Aguirre, who is scheduled to very good. We controlled the Commons was to be denied yet appear in court in Valencia next month, has raised eye- game, created chances and should again just before the break when a brows with his team selection since taking over after the have scored more goals.” Killie Scepovic backheel sent him clear World Cup. “All my attention is focused on winning the manager Allan Johnston felt it in the box but Samson made a Asian Cup,” Aguirre told reporters before flying to Australia. could have been much worse for super save. “I have nothing to hide and understand the media have a his side. “The first half was very dis- The former Scotland internation- job to do, but that is my sole objective.” Failure at the Asian appointing and we never got any- al was foiled once again when Cup could end in the termination of his contract, however, where near anyone and allowed Mark Connolly produced an excel- although the four-time champions will be expected to comfortably negotiate their first-round group, which also Celtic to pass the ball around with- lent defensive header to flick his features Jordan, Iraq and war-torn Palestine. out any pressure. powerful drive, which looked des- Iraq overcame conflict and turmoil to win the Asian Cup “If you allow good players to tined to burst the net, over the in 2007 but Uzbekistan could prove the best of the rest this play and don’t put any pressure on bar. Celtic keeper Gordon had time around, with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar also them then they are always going to been a virtual spectator for most potentially dangerous to the top sides. cause you problems.” Commons, of the match but had to be at full But with no outright tournament favourite, the title making his first start since stretch to tip a wicked strike from could come down to which team has the courage to aban- November 22, was quick to show Muirhead over the bar after he don caution and take risks. the kind of form that saw him earn tried his luck from the edge of the South Korea last lifted the trophy in 1960 — the year last year’s Player of the Year award box. Celtic finally got the second Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, won Olympic boxing with the forward involved in every- goal their play deserved in the gold-and will be hoping that the success of their Under-23 side in winning last year’s Asian Games rubs off on the sen- thing.

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