Sports Monday, December 10, 2018 19 SPANISH PRIMERA LIGA Wolves grab injury-time goal against Newcastle afp three minutes had Costa man- Newcastle aged to make contact with Jota’s low cross after Adama Matt Doherty snatched vic- Traore had once again out- tory deep into stoppage time stripped the home defence, as 10-man Newcastle suc- but they were soon pegged cumbed to a 2-1 defeat against back. Wolves at James’ Park on Defender Ryan Bennett Sunday. was penalised for a foul on The Magpies looked to Perez 25 metres out and after have claimed a hard-earned Salomon Rondon’s free-kick point despite having DeAn- had hit the underside of the dre Yedlin sent off in the 57th crossbar and the rebound was minute but wing-back Do- cleared, the Venezuelan strik- herty headed the visitors to a er crossed for Perez to plant a second straight victory in the fine header past Rui Patricio. fourth minute of added time. Rafael Benitez was forced Wolves had taken an early to reshuffle after Yedlin was lead through the lively Diogo dismissed for hauling back Jota but Ayoze Perez headed Jota after being caught in pos- session, though the Newcastle boss appeared convinced that The Magpies looked to have his full-back was not the last claimed a hard-earned man. point despite having Sensing an opportunity DeAndre Yedlin sent off in to snatch three points rather ’s Lionel Messi in action with Espanyol’s Didac Vila during their Santander match at the RCDE , in Barcelona, on Saturday. (rEUTERS) than one, opposite num- the 57th minute but wing- ber Nuno Espirito Santo re- back Doherty headed the sponded immediately, send- visitors to a second straight ing on Morgan Gibbs-White victory in the fourth minute and Raul Jimenez for Romain of added time. Saiss and Traore. Messi free-kicks keep Newcastle defender Ciaran Clark had to make a timely in- the home side level and al- tervention to prevent Ireland though they had a numerical teammate Doherty from mak- disadvantage after Yedlin’s ing the most of Gibbs-White’s dismissal, Newcastle were 72nd-minute through-ball, Barca on top in La Liga pushing for a late winner be- but the visitors largely strug- fore Wolves struck. gled to make their numerical Martin Dubravka was left advantage count. Gareth Bale snaps goal drought as Real Madrid edge past struggling Huesca helpless in the 17th minute The frame of the goal came when Helder Costa’s cross to Newcastle’s rescue with afp first goal in the league since the sailed over Jamaal Lascelles 14 minutes remaining when Madrid start of September to lift Real to and Jota controlled on his Gibbs-White and Costa set up a fourth win in five matches and chest before firing home from Jimenez to race away on the Lionel Messi stole the show move the European champions point-blank range. left, only to see him shot come with two free-kick goals in a up to fourth place. The visitors might have back off the underside of the blistering display as Barcelona Bale put a halt to his long- doubled their lead within crossbar. maintained their lead at the top est spell without scoring in the of La Liga with a thumping 4-0 league since joining Real as he derby win over Catalan rivals expertly cushioned in a volley Premier League Table Espanyol. from an arcing cross by Alvaro The Argentine superstar Odriozola on eight minutes. curled home two sensational Huesca winger Ezequiel set-pieces and set up another Avila forced a brilliant stop goal as he and his teammates from Real goalkeeper Thibaut romped to victory at the RCDE Courtois, the Belgium inter- Stadium and made sure Barca national punching the ball to kept chasing Atletico Madrid safety midway through the first and Sevilla at bay. half. Atleti and Sevilla had Bale nearly added to his moved level on 28 points with haul on 25 minutes when his Barca on Saturday after Diego fierce drive from the edge of Simeone’s side defeated Alaves the area was tipped over by 3-0 and the Andalusians drew Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale celebrates with Lucas Vazquez after scoring his goal during their Spanish league a scrambling Aleksandar Jo- 1-1 at Valencia. match at Estadio El Alcoraz in Huesca on Sunday. (REUTERS) vanovic. However Messi made sure Gonzalo Melero should that ’s team gan the rout in the 17th minute night, which this time whipped in second half stoppage time have levelled for Huesca right kept their place at the top of the with a perfectly placed free- past Lopez which such venom for Valencia meant Sevilla after the break only to nod wide pile with a mesmerising display kick that arched past a desper- the Spanish goalkeeper could missed the opportunity to stay of the goal despite having the alongside front-three partners ate Diego Lopez, and followed barely move towards it. just a point behind Barca. whole target at which to aim. Luis Suarez and Ousmane that up by keeping possession Nikola Kalinic opened his Pablo Sarabia had put the A swerving David Ferreiro Dembele that left Espanyol under intense pressure before league account for Atletico Ma- visitors into the lead nine min- shot drew another smart save dead and buried by half-time. providing the pass for Dembele drid with the opener against utes into the second half and from Courtois as Real with- “He is extraordinary,” said from which the French attacker Alaves earlier on Saturday, Sevilla had chances to seal the stood a spirited fightback from Valverde. “The free-kicks, the curled in a fine second. before Antoine Griezmann points at the Mestalla with the hosts, but Bale continued to chances on goal that he creates, It was then Dembele’s turn and midfielder Rodri sealed Ever Banega and Andre Silva threaten and forced two further what he brings us and what he to become provider a minute all three points at the Wanda hitting the post. saves from Jovanovic. take from the opponent... before the break, slipping in a Metropolitano with goals in Gareth bale ended a run of Courtois turned over a “It is still very early, La Liga super through ball that Suarez the final 10 minutes. The only 802 minutes without a goal in late Moi Gomez free-kick and is very tight, but the idea is to be somehow took on and squeezed negative note for Simeone was La Liga as Real Madrid won 1-0 Huesca, who slumped to a 10th solid away from home, know- home from near the byline. World Cup winner Lucas Her- at bottom side Huesca on Sun- defeat in 15 games this season, ing that winning is very difficult Messi capped a dominant nandez leaving the field with a day to climb back to within five were denied a point when Dani against every team.” team and individual display knee injury in the first half. points of leaders Barcelona. Carvajal headed off the line - Magical Messi -Messi be- with his second free-kick of the Mouctar Diakhaby’s header The Welshman struck his from Christian Rivera. Al Sadd, Duhail in battle for QNB Stars League supremacy

A point separates Baghdad Bounedjah, who last week became the Qatar the top two teams league’s all-time top scorer in a single season when he took in the race for the his personal tally to 28 goals league title after scoring twice against Al Shahania. He surpassed tribune news network Brazilian striker Clemerson DOHA Soares’ record of 27 goals set in the 2007-08 season for Al Al Sadd play host to Al Duhail Gharafa. on Tuesday in a QNB Stars Al Sadd also have Hassan League match rescheduled al Haydous and Akram Afif from Week 9 due to the for- in attack, while their midfield mer’s AFC Champions League will be held together by Span- semi-final against Iran’s iards Xavi Hernandez and Persepolis which they lost on Gabi Fernandez. aggregate. In defence, they have The kick-off is at the Al Al Sadd players in a training session at the club’s training ground in Asia’s best player Abdelkarim Sadd Stadium at 18:30. Doha on Sunday. Hassan among others. All eyes are on the game Moroccan striker Yousef as it is going to be fought be- for and 13 against). Al Sadd in and Panathinaikos in El Arabi will spearhead Al Du- tween the two best teams also have one defeat (against Greece. hail’s offence, in the company around. Al Duhail are the de- Al Duhail players before their QNB Stars League match against Qatar SC at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Ahli in the first leg) and two Al Duhail’s master Nabil of Almoez Ali and Paolo Edm- fending champions and league Stadium on Friday. draws against their name. Maaloul, who replaced Alge- ilson. leaders with 36 points, while The contest will also be rian Djamel Belmadi ahead Though they will continue Al Sadd are close behind with The Red Knights were drop- maintained their unbeaten hail are level on the number of noted on the tactical front. of the 2018-19 season QNB to miss injured midfielder one goal less. ping points this season and run, the only team to do so this victories (11). Al Duhail have Al Sadd’s Portuguese Stars League, has an impres- Nam Tae-Hee, they have the Al Sadd are coming off a second successive time they season. a goal difference of +26 (36 coach Jesualdo Ferreira has sive track record in coaching. services of the likes of Ka- 4-1 victory over Al Shahania, were held to a draw, having Interestingly, Al Duhail’s goals for and 10 against). had over 30 years’ experience He guided his country Tunisia rim Boudiaf and Luis Mar- while Al Duhail were held to a had to play out a 2-2 draw first-leg game against Al Rayy- However, The Wolves have in the game, and has managed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup tin in the middle, and Lucas 1-1 draw by Qatar SC in Week with Al Rayyan in the previ- an had also ended in a draw. the best goal difference among a host of top European sides in Russia. Al Sadd’s attacks Mendes, Mohammed Mousa 15. It was the third time that ous round. Nevertheless, they Both Al Sadd and Al Du- the 12 teams – +49 (62 goals including the likes of Malaga will be led by Algerian striker and Murad Naji at the rear.