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Home , Olivier Giroud, Steven Nzonzi

20 Sunday, April 15, 2018 SPORTS Sevilla fight to snatch Giroud double draw with Villarreal keeps Chelsea in UCL hunt

Sevilla players celebrate Seville evilla overcame a red card, missed penalty and 2-0 deficit against Villarreal yesterday to seal a valuable point in the race Sfor Europa League qualification. was booked twice, each time for dissent, eight minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute, with Sevilla already trailing to Dani Raba’s strike nine minutes before the interval. When Carlos Bacca then put Villarreal two up at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, 10-man Sevilla looked dead and buried, particularly when Nolito missed a penalty with 15 minutes left. Villarreal’s Jaume Costa, however, had been sent off for his protests against the spot-kick and, with both teams a man down, Sevilla added a dramatic finish to a pulsating contest. Nolito made amends for his earlier error by converting from close range and, in the 82nd minute, grabbed a brilliant equaliser, his stunning long-range shot bending inside the bottom corner for 2-2. The draw means Sevilla stay a point behind sixth-placed Villarreal in and five adrift of Real Betis in fifth. Despite his late strike, however, Nzonzi told beIN Sports: “We had to win, we didn’t win so we are not happy. “We have good feelings, we didn’t play badly, but the feelings don’t matter if we don’t win. “There are still many games left, and we will continue to try to finish in the top five or six places.” (AFP) Zidane slams criticism of Real’s Juve win

Olivier Giroud celebrates as his team-mates join him after putting Chelsea 3-2 ahead at Southampton.

Southampton met Marcus Alonso’s cross keep battling. It was important through the second period, helsea staged a for his first and then to show some character.” conceding three goals for spectacular comeback shot clinically from the edge Southampton looked to be the fourth successive league withC three goals in nine of the area for the winner as cruising towards a win that game. second-half minutes to beat Saints paid for some sloppy would have lifted them up to Southampton manager Southampton 3-2 yesterday defending. 17th and out of the relegation now faces a Madrid and revive their faint hopes The win moved Chelsea places, at least temporarily, desperately difficult fight to inedine Zidane believes the negative reaction to Real Madrid’s of a top-four within seven points of after Dusan Tadic and Jan keep his team in the Premier last-gasp win over Juventus has been “disgraceful, upsetting finish as Saints remained in fourth-placed London rivals Bednarek put them two goals League. andZ deceptive”, and borne out of jealousy towards the European the drop zone. Tottenham Hotspur, who ahead after an hour. “As has been the case all champions. Substitute host Manchester City later Bednarek’s goal was his first year, apparently we’ve got Real sneaked into the Champions League semi-finals on scored twice, his first league yesterday, and Liverpool who in the top flight in only his a soft underbelly,” he said. Wednesday after English referee Michael Oliver awarded the goals for Chelsea, either side welcome Bournemouth third game for the club. The “When the momentum shifts 12-times champions a controversial penalty in added-on time. of an strike just “The most important thing 22-year-old Pole met James against us we can’t get a held his nerve to send his side through 4-3 on when it looked like Antonio is you never give up,” said Ward-Prowse’s cross on the platform and wait until the aggregate after Juve had staged a remarkable comeback, levelling Conte’s visitors lacked the Giroud, who also scored for half-volley to leave Chelsea, momentum swings our way the tie by leading 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu. fight against opponents who his previous club Arsenal who might have had Alonso again.” Gianluigi Buffon launched a scathing attack on Oliver after the scrapped for every tackle at at Southampton earlier this sent off for a stamp on Shane With five games remaining, match while sections of the Italian and Spanish press were also St Mary’s. season. Long, in a desperate position. they have been left three criticial of Real’s victory. Less than 10 minutes after “As long as it is But Saints have struggled points below the safety zone Corriere dello Sport, a daily sports newspaper in Rome, led with coming off the bench just past mathematically possible to to hold on to leads this before the rest of the weekend the headline “Che Furto”, meaning “What A Theft”, while Sport, the hour, Frenchman Giroud finish in the top four we will season and collapsed halfway matches. (Reuters) the Barcelona daily, carried “El Robo Del Siglo” on its front page, “The Theft Of The Century”. (AFP)