SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014 SPORTS Wood’s late leveler rescues Leicester

a shot on the edge of the penalty area in the early stages, but his effort was Leicester 2 straight at Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. McGeady wasn’t to be denied when another chance fell his way in the 20th minute. A Leighton Baines Everton 2 corner ran through to Sylvain Distin and when Schmeichel raced out to block the defender’s shot, the ball fell for McGeady and he brilliantly curled his shot over two LEICESTER: Leicester City rescued a 2-2 Leicester players on the goalline and into draw against Everton as New Zealand the far corner. striker Chris Wood snatched a late equal- Distin was at fault when Pearson’s side izer in his club’s first equalized two minutes later. His match for a decade. ’s attempted clearance from a corner team are back in the English top-flight smashed into Ulloa and the former for the first time since 2004 and their Brighton forward made him pay by return looked set to end in disappoint- smashing a clinical finish past Tim ment at the King Power Stadium. Aiden Howard from close-range. Lukaku was McGeady put Everton ahead in the first mostly quiet following his £28 million half and, although Leicester’s £8 million move from Chelsea and even when the club record signing Leonardo Ulloa Belgian striker did break through he equalized soon after, Steven Naismith dragged his cross-shot across the face of gave Roberto Martinez’s side the lead goal. Naismith showed him how to do it again just before the break. as he put Everton back ahead on the The Foxes became accustomed to fin- stroke of half-time. ishing strongly as they amassed over 100 A swift exchange of passes between points en route to winning the Baines and Steven Pienaar unhinged the Championship last season and they kept Leicester rearguard, allowing Scottish probing at the Everton defence before forward Naismith to drive a fine first-time substitute Wood, who almost joined shot in off the crossbar. Jeffrey Schlupp Championship club Wolves in midweek, came off the bench for Leicester in the snatched the equaliser with four minutes 63rd minute and the winger had a gold- left. England manager was en opportunity to equalise with his first watching from the stands, but he touch. Put clean through on goal, STOKE: Aston Villa’s Aly Cissokho (right) and Stoke City’s Bojan battle for the ball during their English Premier League soccer match at The couldn’t check on Everton midfielder Schlupp completely lost his nerve and Britannia Stadium, Stoke, England yesterday. — AP who was absent after suffer- blasted high over the bar from the edge ing a medial knee ligament injury in of the area. Barry, already on a booking, training which is expected to keep him was lucky to escape a second yellow card Weimann hands Villa an out for up to eight weeks. after a clear foul as Leicester launched a Romelu Lukaku and were counter-attack. But Leicester had no available to make their first starts as per- need to rue that decision as Wood lashed manent Everton players following suc- in the equalizer in the 86th minute after opening-day win at Stoke cessful loan spells last term. Former Phil Jagielka could only divert a tackle Celtic winger McGeady worked space for into his path. — AFP give Villa a first away win in the league since a ahead after Richardson beat Stoke goalkeeper New Year’s Day success at Sunderland. Stoke Begovic to the ball and crossed, but the Villa for- Stoke 0 manager Mark Hughes had handed competitive ward shot wide of an open goal under pressure debuts to three new signings, with former from Ryan Shawcross. Former Sunderland full- Barcelona starlet Bojan Krkic taking his place in back Bardsley looked to crown his debut with a the starting XI alongside Phil Bardsley and Mame goal by letting fly shortly before half-time, but his Aston 1 Biram Diouf. Villa also had three new faces in left-foot strike was parried by visiting goalkeeper their line-up in Philippe Senderos, Aly Cissokho . and . French winger Charles They were warnings that the home side did N’Zogbia made his first appearance in over a year not heed. Five minutes into the second half, STOKE-ON-TRENT: Andreas Weimann scored the following a serious Achilles problem, while Alan Weimann exploited half-hearted defending game’s only goal as Aston Villa made a winning Hutton returned at right-back after spending inside the Stoke box to let fly with a low shot that start to the new Premier League season with a 1- part of last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers. squirmed beneath Begovic. In response, Bojan 0 victory at Stoke City yesterday. While Villa Stoke’s fans were eager to catch a first glimpse saw a succession of efforts blocked by Ron Vlaar escaped relegation by only five points last sea- of Bojan in competitive action and the 23-year- and . After Hughes threw on Peter son, Stoke are hoping to build on a ninth-place old was quick to catch the eye at the Britannia Crouch in place of Diouf, Leandro Bacuna finish, but the visitors belied predictions that Stadium, cutting inside Hutton wide on the left spurned a chance to extend Villa’s lead when he they will struggle to avoid relegation with a clini- and shooting into the side-netting. But although lashed wide from Delph’s low cross. Stoke pro- cal display. the hosts enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, cured one last sight of goal in injury time, but Weimann struck in the 50th minute, drilling a Villa carried the greater threat on the break. Marko Arnautovic was superbly thwarted by shot through Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to Gabriel Agbonlahor should have put the visitors Senderos. — AFP Hull condemn QPR to opening defeat

QPR 0

Hull 1

LONDON: A James Chester goal and a missed penalty by Charlie Austin combined to give Hull City a 1-0 win to start the Premier League season away to newly-promoted Queen’s Park Rangers yesterday. Former Manchester United defender Chester, who opened the scoring for Hull in May’s FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal at Wembley, repeated the trick at Loftus Road LEICESTER: Leicester City’s English defender Paul Konchesky (left) jumps for the ball when he got the better of Rio Ferdinand to with Everton’s English defender John Stones during the English Premier League foot- head home a Stephen Quinn corner in the ball match between Leicester City and Everton at King Power Stadium yesterday. 52nd minute. It was a soft goal for QPR to con- Match ended 2-2. — AFP cede, and it proved sufficient to hand Hull their first victory at Loftus Road since 1963, when both teams were in the third tier. Larsson salvages draw for Indeed, with QPR returning to the Premier League via the play-offs at the end of last sea- Sunderland at West Brom son, this was the first ever top-flight meeting of the two clubs. There was plenty of opti- LONDON: Queens Park Rangers’ Loic Remy (right) is tackled by Hull City’s during their English Premier League soccer match at Loftus Road, London yesterday. — AP from Pepe Mel in the summer, while West mism in the home ranks as Rangers manager Brom’s club-record £10million signing Harry Redknapp handed debuts to summer on after seeing their marquee summer sign- adjudged to have handled the ball inside the West Brom 2 Brown Ideye was named among the sub- signings Steven Caulker, Ferdinand and ing Robert Snodgrass forced off injured late in area in the 83rd minute, but goalleeper Allan stitutes. Sunderland boss Gus Poyet . And QPR really should have the opening period. McGregor saved Austin’s poor spot-kick. included new arrivals Van Aanholt and taken a lead into half-time, with Joey Barton Quinn took his place and set up Chester’s Striker Austin had been impressive in the coming close from a free-kick and Mutch, the goal, which ultimately proved the difference, Championship for QPR last season, but his Sunderland 2 Jack Rodwell in his starting line-up but it was a long-time servant in the combative former Cardiff City midfielder, heading nar- although only after QPR squandered a glori- miss from 12 yards ensured it was to be a Cattermole who made the early break- rowly wide. Scottish full-back Andy Robertson ous chance to haul themselves level with time familiar story for the west London club, who through for the Black Cats. then came to Hull’s rescue when he cleared a running out. Referee Craig Pawson awarded have never won their opening match of a A partially cleared cross broke to Caulker header off the line as the visitors held the hosts a penalty when Chester was harshly Premier League campaign. — AFP WEST BROMWICH: Seb Larsson Cattermole 25 yards out and the snatched a late equaliser to earn Sunderland midfielder rifled in a stun- FRENCH LEAGUE Sunderland a 2-2 draw with West Brom at ning strike for just his second goal in six the Hawthorns yesterday to deny Alan seasons with the north-east club. Irvine a winning start in his first match as Berahino and Chris Brunt had the best the Baggies’ new boss. PSG blank Bastia 2-0 chances to pull West Brom level before struck a spectacular opening goal to put the former did so from the penalty spot Sunderland ahead after just five minutes on 42 minutes after Victor Anichebe but England Under-21 striker Saido PARIS: Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain PSG has four points from two matches after Ibrahimovic’s injury allowed him to play as a went down under pressure from Valentin earned its first win of the season in the French drawing 2-2 with Reims in its opening game last center forward, his favored position. The Berahino levelled from the penalty spot Roberge. Berahino then gave the Baggies league by defeating Bastia 2-0 yesterday, but lost week. “We were more focused defensively,” PSG Uruguay striker knocked down a high ball for just prior to half-time before netting his the lead 16 minutes from time as he star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic to an injury. coach Laurent Blanc said. “Bastia did not threat- Ezequiel Lavezzi, whose half-volley sailed over second on 74 minutes. volleyed in a Gardner cross at the far Ibrahimovic had to come off after just 15 minutes en much, so that made things easier for us the bar in the 39th. Cavani then had a free kick However, Larsson slotted home a low post. However West Brom, who won a with an apparent abdominal strain, but Lucas because we like to dominate ball possession.” In saved by Bastia goalkeeper Alphonse Areola in cross from Patrick van Aanholt five min- joint-lowest seven matches along with Moura and Edinson Cavani provided goals in his his French league debut, PSG centerback David the 78th. Later yesterday, it was: Lens vs utes from time to earn the Black Cats a relegated Cardiff last season, were absence. Lucas met a cross from Gregory Van der Luiz produced a solid performance. However, Guingamp; Lorient vs Nice; Metz vs Nantes; share of the spoils. Andre Wisdom, undone just before the end as Larsson Wiel to volley into the bottom corner from a tight Ibrahimovic’s injury comes just five days after Rennes vs Evian; Toulouse vs Lyon. Lille edged Sebastien Pocognoli and former arrived in the box unmarked to slide angle in the 26th minute. Cavani doubled the Brazil defender Thiago Silva picked up a right promoted Caen 1-0 on Friday. Today, Monaco Sunderland man Craig Gardner were home Van Aanholt’s cross and salvage a lead by controlling a long ball from Marco hamstring problem in a friendly. visit Bordeaux, Marseille host Montpellier and handed debuts by Irvine, who took over point for Sunderland.— AFP Verratti before volleying home in the 57th. Cavani started the match as a winger, but Saint-Etienne face Reims. — AP