SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2013 SPORTS Real ease past Malaga

MADRID: Gareth Bale got his first taste of being on a win- ning side at the Santiago Bernabeu as Real Madrid moved to within two points of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid with a 2-0 win over Malaga yesterday. After Angel di Maria’s intended cross had found the back of the net to give Madrid the lead just after half-time, the Welshman was introduced for the final 13 minutes on his return from a thigh injury. And it was Bale who was brought down by Weligton in stoppage time to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to seal the three points from the GERMANY: Bayern’s Bastian Schweinsteiger (left) and Mainz’s Junior Diaz of Costa penalty spot. Rica (center) challenge for the ball during the German First Division Bundesliga soc- It was a much improved all cer match. —AP round performance from Madrid, who were only denied a far more comfortable margin Bayern close in on record of victory due to a series of wonderful saves by Malaga BERLIN: Bayern Munich extended their Hoffenheim. keeper Willy Caballero. unbeaten Bundesliga run to 34 games yes- The German Football Federation (DFB) terday by coming from behind for a 4-1 are set to investigate while Hoffenheim “The game today was good, home win over Mainz to go back top of the have called for a replay after Stefan I liked the attitude of the Bundesliga. Kiessling’s 70th-minute winner came in team. We defended well, were Having last lost in the German league bizarre circumstances. more aggressive and com- SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (centre) misses a chance as he faces Malaga’s goalkeeper Wilfredo back in October 2012, Bayern are now just Replays showed his header only ended pact,” said Madrid boss Carlo Caballero (left) during a Spanish La Liga soccer match. —AP two matches short of Hamburg’s 30-year- in the back of the net after flying through a Ancelotti. old, 36-match streak. hole in the side netting and a DFB sports “We had opportunities to we have three days to make a Maria’s cross and Caballero by Caballero as the hosts Bayern were punished for a poor first- court is set to meet tomorrow. score more goals and I hope in decision.” was again called into action by looked to put the game to half in Munich when Mainz striker Shawn Hertha Berlin went fourth after their 1-0 the games to come we can And Ancelotti also con- Ronaldo as the pressure con- bed. And the hosts were near- Parker fired home after capitalising on a win at home to Borussia maintain the same intensity.” firmed that the French interna- tinued to build. ly made to pay for their profli- mistake by centre-back Jerome Boateng. Moenchengladbach with Colombia’s The victory was a fine start to tional duo of Karim Benzema The opener did finally arrive gacy when substitute Bobley But Bayern roared back when Germany Adrian Ramos scoring the winner in the a hugely important week for and Raphael Varane should be less than 60 seconds after the Anderson’s fierce effort flew midfielder Mario Goetze came off the capital with a first-half header. Madrid as they host Juventus fit in time to face Juventus. interval in somewhat fortu- inches past Diego Lopez’s left bench for the second-half and played a key Schalke, who host Chelsea in the in the Champions League on In Benzema’s absence due itous circumstances as hand post with 13 minutes part in the hosts’ first three second-half Champions League on Tuesday, needed a Wednesday before facing to a calf injury, Alvaro Morata Ronaldo just failed to get on remaining. Ronaldo was goals. 91st-minute winner from Roman Barcelona at the Camp Nou on started up front and the the end of Di Maria’s cross but denied again by Caballero “We really, really struggled in the first Neustaedter to seal a 3-2 win at bottom Saturday. Spanish under-21 internation- the ball sailed into the far cor- when it seemed easier to score half and we tended to lack concentration,” side Eintracht Braunschweig. Bale had been kept in al was highly involved in the ner in any case. four minutes later and the admitted Bayern captain Philipp Lahm. Having only picked up their first win of reserve from the start due to first period as Madrid did Isco should have doubled Argentine produced his best “It happens frequently after internation- the season a fortnight ago against his lack of match practice, but everything but score. the advantage moments later save yet seconds afterwards to al breaks, and we need to get a grip on it as Wolfsburg, Braunschweig gave Schalke an Ronaldo saw a curling effort against his old club, but turn Jese Rodriguez’s sweetly soon as we can. “We switched things almighty scare before Germany’s Ancelotti believes he will be around a little after that and it paid off, but Neustaedter hit the winner. ready to play 90 minutes later come off the top of the bar Caballero got down well to struck effort behind. However, credit to Mainz, they made life very difficult Borussia Dortmund, who are at Arsenal in the week. after just seven minutes and parry his effort to safety. he was powerless to stop for us.” on Tuesday in the Champions League, “He could start, it is an then ought to have opened Morata then saw a glancing Ronaldo’s perfect penalty Goetze made the difference and his stayed second with a hard-fought 1-0 win option that we have, I don’t the scoring when he skewed header flash between Ronaldo deep into stoppage time after dream pass through to Arjen Robben at home to Hanover 96. think he will have any prob- wide with just Caballero to and the far post from Isco’s Bale had induced a reckless allowed the winger to equalise on 50 min- Germany winger Marco Reus hit the lems playing from the start. beat. Morata headed straight corner and the Portuguese challenge from Weligton utes and two minutes later, Goetze com- winning penalty after just four minutes We will see what happens, but at the Malaga keeper from Di saw a free-kick clawed away inside the area. —AFP bined with the Dutchman for Germany’s when Hanover’s Japan defender Hiroki Thomas Mueller to fire home to make it 2-0. Sakai fouled left-back Erik Durm in the area. With Bayern finally making their 80 per- Sakai was shown a yellow card for the cent possession pay off, Goetze fired in a foul and Reus blasted home the spot kick cross for Mario Mandzukic to score their as Dortmund picked up the three points. “I Ibrahimovic, Cavani propel third on 69 minutes. am happy with the result, we knew it And when Bayern vice-captain Bastian would be difficult,” said Dortmund coach Schweinsteiger was fouled in the area, Jurgen Klopp. “We started well, but then PSG back to Ligue 1 summit Mueller stepped up to drill home the got weaker, but for me it was decisive that penalty for his second of the game eight the lads dealt with the situation. “We can minutes from time to make it 4-1. play better football and we will.” PARIS: Zlatan Ibrahimovic and “We were like a 1970s VW Beetle and Borussia stay second and level on 22 Edinson Cavani both struck twice you can’t dream of winning a race against a points with third-placed Leverkusen, just a to inspire Paris Saint-Germain to a Formula One car,” admitted Mainz coach point behind Bayern. Second-from-bottom comfortable 4-0 victory over hap- Thomas Tuchel. Freiburg picked up a point with a goalless less Bastia and lift the capital side Bayern’s win put them back on top of draw at Werder Bremen, while Eintracht three points clear in Ligue 1 yes- the Bundesliga after Bayer Leverkusen had Frankfurt drew 1-1 at home to Nuremberg. terday. Ibrahimovic opened the briefly gone top on Friday thanks to a con- Today, Hamburg host VfB Stuttgart and scoring after only 10 minutes and troversial ‘phantom’ goal in their 2-1 win at Augsburg are home to Wolfsburg.—AFP added a second three minutes later which broke the game wide open and put PSG in command against their Corsican visitors. Super sub Forrest Cavani then added a brilliant third and a late penalty to carry Laurent Blanc’s unbeaten side to rescues Celtic their seventh win in ten outings. “We started really well and EDINBURGH: Substitute James Forrest res- Kayal and Georgios Samaras returned to the played a good match because the cued a point for Celtic as they warmed up starting line-up. coach rested several players, so to for their midweek Champions League Both sides failed to create any meaning- win 4-0 ahead of the trip to match against Ajax with a 1-1 draw with ful chances early on as they struggled on Anderlecht (Champions League Hibernian at Easter Road. the slippery Easter Road pitch due to the on Wednesday) is not too bad,” Hibs took the lead in controversial cir- torrential rain conditions in Edinburgh said PSG’s French midfielder cumstances in the 18th minute when Paul before Hibernian took a controversial lead. Adrien Rabiot. Heffernan, who looked offside, poked the A slack pass from Virgil van Dijk was inter- ball through the legs of Fraser Forster after cepted by Thomson, who won a tackle with “We had some players sus- Kevin Thomson had sent him one-on-one Scott Brown to prod the ball forward for pended and others who came off with the keeper. Heffernan. The Hibs striker, who appeared the bench but we all gave every- Kris Commons then missed a good to be offside, then sent an untidy finish thing for the team and it’s a great chance to grab the equaliser before limping through the legs of Forster, much to the result.” PARIS: Par’s Saint Germain player Edinson Cavani (center) battles for the ball with Bastia player Fethi Harek off with a hamstring injury that makes him anger of the Celtic bench. Sweden captain Ibrahimovic (right) during the French League One soccer match. —AP a major doubt for the Ajax clash. The goal galvanised Hibs and a minute scored a trademark opener when wins from three in a group that the scoreline an emphatic look. seven points off the pace as they Celtic appeared to be heading to their later Thomson tried his luck with a low drive he back-heeled the ball home also includes Benfica and Monaco who came into the prepare for their Champions first defeat in the Scottish Premiership this from 30 yards, but his effort didn’t trouble from mid-air to give former PSG Olympiakos. weekend as leaders ahead of PSG League tie against Serie A gianst season before Forrest fired in an equaliser Forster. Commons had a great chance for ‘keeper Michael Landreau little Bastia came into the match on goal difference must now Napoli on Tuesday at the with a sensational strike in the 76th minute Celtic soon after as he beat the offside trap chance. having never won in 25 Ligue 1 attempt to draw level on points Velodrome. when Hibernian’s Ryan McGivern was off to collect Van Dijk’s long ball out of defence The former AC Milan and trips to the Parc des Princes and when they travel to second-from- Another South American, the pitch receiving treatment. to go through on Williams but the forward Barcelona marksman, who their disastrous start ensured bottom Sochaux today. Argentine striker Dario Cvitanich, In the end only a superb save from Ben sent his chip over the bar. capped his maiden campaign in Williams denied Forrest a winner with the It was to be Commons’ last contribution their winless run continued. Four other matches are slated grabbed the only goal of the the capital with a league leading Cavani continued the rout for later on Saturday including game in the 40th minute for Nice. keeper expertly stopping his 88th minute to the match as he limped off with a ham- 30 goals, then took his tally this volley. string injury to be replaced by Forrest. with a superb individual effort on third-placed Lille at Montpellier, A minute’s applause was held season to five in ten matches with It means Celtic extend their lead at the The substitute was immediately involved 63 minutes. The 26-year-old Nantes on the road at Ajaccio, before kick-off in memory of for- top of the table to four points over as he rounded Williams, who had raced out a close range finish that appeared Uruguayan picked up the ball on Evian at home to Guingamp and mer Senegal coach and Nice play- Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who play of his box to close down the winger, and to go in off his shoulder following the left wing, cut inside the box fellow Brittany side Rennes taking er Bruno Metsu, who died of can- Partick Thistle on Sunday, and continues played the ball to Teemu Pukki in the box. a good cross from Brazilian Lucas. and beat two defenders as well as on Valenciennes. cer earlier this week. their record of having scored in every However, the Finnish striker dithered on the Blanc even had the luxury of rounding Landreau before rolling On Friday, Colombian goal- In the only other match on league match in 2013. ball too long and McGivern was able to get bringing off his talisman early in the ball into an empty goal from keeper David Ospina shrugged Friday, Toulouse edged Reims 2-1 Celtic manager Neil Lennon cut a frus- back and block his shot. the second half with one eye on an acute angle. off his World Cup jet lag to star in thanks to a 87th minute penalty trated figure after the match. “We dominat- Celtic started brightly after the break the Champions League trip to A late 89th minute Cavani Nice’s 1-0 win over Cote d’Azur from Danish international Martin ed the game and dominated the chances with a fizzing shot from Kayal producing a Anderlecht, as last season’s quar- penalty, confidently planted in rivals Marseille. Braithwaite, his third goal of the and their goal was clearly offside. We didn’t good save out of Williams with Michael ter-finalists look to make it three the top right hand corner, gave Marseille now lie fourth and season. —AFP get what we deserved today, which was the Nelson getting in front of Samaras to clear three points,” Lennon said. the danger from the rebound. “I’m delighted with the attitude of the Hibernian started to enjoy a decent peri- players and our reaction was good. We od of possession with Owain Tudur-Jones played very well and should have won the and Liam Craig both forcing saves out of Cagliari defeat 10-man Catania game but for the goalkeeper who made Forster. some magnificent saves we would have McGivern picked up an injury and a MILAN: Cagliari celebrated a return to their the 40th minute to record just their second Ibarbo minutes before the half-time inter- done.” His Hibernian counterpart was upset booking after he fouled Fisher and while he home ground with a precious 2-1 win over win of the season. val. to have let the win get away. was off the pitch receiving treatment Celtic 10-man Catania in Italy’s Serie A yesterday. Catania had opened the scoring after just However Frison kept his side in the game “We had a great start with the goal and took advantage of having an extra man to Reconstruction work at the Stadio five minutes when Gonzalo Bergessio’s bul- when he saved Ibarbo’s penalty strike. Celtic put us under a lot of pressure then grab the equaliser. Forrest weaved his way and created some chances but we got some in from the right before curling a wonderful Sant’Elia, which had not hosted a game let header from a corner beat Michael Catania looked to be heading for a share good blocks in and some great saves,” Pat strike into the bottom right-hand corner of since April 2012, had forced the Sardinians Agazzi in the Cagliari goal. of the spoils when substitute Mauricio Fenlon said. the net from just inside the box to claim a to play their home games at a number of However Cagliari were back on level Pinilla failed to convert Ibarbo’s cross from “When you play Celtic if you can get a point for the Hoops. other grounds. terms on 26 minutes when Victor Ibabro just six yards out with 10 minutes remain- point you’ll always be happy enough but Elsewhere, Kilmarnock defeated Ross The green light for Cagliari’s return was used his physique to hold off a challenge ing. But in the 84th minute the Chilean when you’re winning for so long you’re dis- County 2-0 to claim their first win of the given after the dispute was resolved by the and, on the turn, beat Alberto Frison with a striker pounced on his own rebound from appointed not to pick up all three.” season, Aberdeen won 1-0 against Dundee local council. And in front of a limited atten- powerful strike. the post to beat Frison from close range to Injuries to Adam Matthews and Mikel United, Motherwell defeated bottom of the dance of only 5000 fans-due to ongoing Catania’s chances of taking anything push Cagliari up to ninth ahead of the Lustig had meant 19-year-old Darnell Fisher table Hearts 2-1 and St Mirren won 4-3 work at the ground-the hosts capitalised on from the game appeared to disappear when remaining weekend fixtures. AC Milan host was handed his Celtic debut while Beram against St Johnstone. —AFP defender Nicola Legrottaglie’s expuslion in Legrottaglie saw red for a rash challenge on Udinese in Saturday’s late game. —AFP