MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015 SPORTS Sharapova powers Russia into Fed Cup semi-finals

KRAKOW: Former world number one Maria Sharapova sent Russia into the semi-finals of the Fed Cup yesterday as she defeated Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 7-5 to give her coun- try an unassailable 3-0 lead. Following Sharapova’s victory over sister Urszula Radwanska in straight sets on Saturday, com- bined with a three set win for veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova over Agnieszka, Russia are safely into the last four. In front of a partisan home crowd of some 15,000, Sharapova, who recently lost the Australian Open final against Serena Williams, improved her record against the world number eight to 12 wins against just two defeats. Agnieszka saved two match points at 2-5 down in the second set to draw level at 5-5 but ran out of steam as five-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova closed out the match in 1hr 46mins. On Saturday, Sharapova beat Urszula Radwanska 6-0, 6-3 as Russia took a 2-0 lead over Poland in the Fed Cup World Group with the superstar taking a first step towards the Rio Olympics. Svetlana Kuznetsova earlier saw off Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 in the tie at Krakow. French Open champion Sharapova is playing just her fourth Fed Cup tie since her 2008 debut but in order to make the Olympics next year all players have to make themselves available for the annual women’s team tournament. The world number two’s win was also a perfect tonic, coming a week after her defeat to Serena Williams in the Australian Open final. Kuznetsova, a two-time Grand Slam champi- on, had already beaten the elder Radwanska sis- ter in 10 of their 14 meetings. Playing her 17th Fed Cup tie, Kuznetsova took victory with an ace on her first match point after two hours and 17 minutes. “It was important to start strong. I had a little bit of a letdown in the second set and she got a bit steadier,” said Sharapova after hitting 30 winners in her 80-minute win. “I’m happy to get through in straight sets.” ITALY: Cagliari’s midfielder Mpoku controls the ball in front of Roma’s midfielder In Genoa, 2013 champions Italy lead France from Mali Seydou Keita (back) during the Italian Serie A football match. — AFP 2-0. Sara Errani defeated Caroline Garcia 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 to give Italy the lead. Camila Giorgi, the Roma end run of draws world number 31, then made it 2-0 with a 6-4, 6- 2 win over Alize Cornet, ranked 19th. KRAKOW: Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a ball to Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland during With their four Fed Cup crowns (2006, 2009, the Fed Cup World Group first round tennis match. — AP ROME: A late strike by Leandro Paredes that has enjoyed a minor resurgence under 2010, 2013), Italy, who are unbeaten at home ended Roma’s run of four successive league the guidance of Gianfranco Zola. since 2008, are firm favorites to make the semi- tions. Fifty percent of the time I had goose- Eugenie Bouchard opted not to play. draws to reduce the gap on leaders Captain Francesco Totti shook off ‘flu finals. In Stuttgart, Australia got off to a good bumps because of the atmosphere.” Smitkova, ranked 62nd, downed Canada’s Juventus to seven points and keep Rudi symptoms to spearhead a three-pronged start against Germany as world number 54 The winners of the tie will face either Russia 185th-ranked Gabriela Dabrowski 6-1, 6-2 in Garcia’s men in the Serie A title hunt yester- attack with 18-year-old Daniele Verde to his Jarmila Gajdosova beat 10th-ranked Angelique or Poland for a place in the final. Italy or France only 59 minutes. day. Elsewhere, Napoli tightened their grip right and Adem Ljajic out on the left. Kerber 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. will face either the champions Czech Republic or In World Group II, meanwhile, the United on third place with a dominant 3-1 home Cagliari had the brighter start and Roma But the hosts levelled when Andrea Petkovic Canada, who are meeting in Quebec. States, a record 17-time champions, eased to a 2- win over Udinese at the San Paolo where ‘keeper Morgan De Sanctis had to use his triumphed in a three-hour marathon with Despite missing Wimbledon champion Petra 0 lead over Argentina in Buenos Aires thanks to Dries Mertens opened the scoring and legs to save from Duje Cop at the near post. Samantha Stosur, winning 6-4, 3-6, 12-10. Kvitova, the Czechs went 2-0 up when Karolina the Williams sisters. prompted an own goal by Frenchman Verde, however, made the most of his “That is definitely one of the highlights of my Pliskova and Tereza Smitkova won their openers. Venus got things underway with a 6-3, 6-2 Cryril Thereau in the second half. Serie A debut for the Giallorossi and was career which I will keep in my mind,” said Pliskova, the world number 22, eased past win over Paula Ormaechea before world number Samuel Eto’o came off the bench for Roma’s most dangerous player in the open- Petkovic, a 2014 French Open semi-finalist. “I 230th-ranked Francoise Abanda 6-2, 6-4 who one Serena defeated Maria Irigoyen, a lowly 197 Sampdoria in Genoa but failed to make the ing half. spent half of the time trying to control my emo- was drafted into the squad when top 10 star in the rankings, 7-5, 6-0. — AFP difference as Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men saw He first hit the side-netting from a their push for a Champions League place Seydou Keita assist before sending a lob stall after being held 1-1 by Sassuolo. into the path of Ljajic for the Bosnian to Juventus sit top on 53 points, with Roma beat Zeljko Brkic in the 18th minute. Bremen shock Bayer second on 46. Napoli are a further four Roma survived a second-half onslaught points adrfit in third and Fiorentina, who by Cagliari before virtually sealing the dominated a five-goal thriller with Atalanta points when Paredes fired a superb first- BERLIN: Werder Bremen’s meteoric rise up the matches having been thrashed 4-1 at Wolfsburg their 2-0 win at ten-man Mainz 05. earlier, moved up to fourth on 35 points. timer from the edge of the area to beat table continued yesterday as their 2- just over a week ago. Arjen Robben scored his With Hungary national team coach Pal Sampdoria are fifth, also on 35 points, Zeljko at the keeper’s far post. 1 win over Bayer Leverkusen means they have second goal in as many games just before half- Dardai now at the helm, the visitors took the while Lazio, in sixth, can move up to fourth Cagliari reduced arrears in the fifth gone from 18th to eighth in just four games. time break before David Alaba then drilled lead when Jens Hegler converted a 35th-minute if they account for Genoa today. minute of injury time when Paul-Jose Leverkusen, who face last year’s beaten final- home a superb free-kick with 50 minutes gone. penalty on 43 minutes before Roy Beerens slot- Juventus had taken their lead over M’Poku rose to send a looping header over ists Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the Bayern stay eight points clear of second- ted their second. Hamburg continued their Roma to 10 points on Saturday with a com- De Sanctis. Champions League, found themselves 2-0 down placed Wolfsburg, who gave Germany winger march up the table to go 11th after their second manding 3-1 win over Milan in Turin, where However the Sardinians’ 11th reverse of with half an hour gone as hosts Bremen pro- Andre Schuerrle his debut after his move from consecutive victory with a 2-1 win at home to Carlos Tevez took his league-leading goals the campaign means they remain just one duced some dazzling first-half football. Chelsea in a 3-0 win at home to Hoffenheim. Hanover 96, who are winless in their last four tally to 14 for the season. place and one point above the drop zone. A superb lofted cross from attacking mid- Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne claimed games. Paderborn dropped to just above the Roma’s title push stalled due to four Inter Milan, who are 13th on 27 points fielder Fin Bartels allowed 20-year-old striker two goals in an impressive display. Hertha Berlin relegation spots after their goalless draw at consecutive league draws and with several off the pace, host in-form Palermo in Davie Selke to put Bremen ahead with 17 min- bounced back from the sacking of coach Jos Cologne while Schalke 04 went third on Friday key players missing, their trip to Sardinia Sunday’s late game looking to rescue their utes gone. Bremen’s Austrian midfielder Zlatko Luhukay on Thursday with a slick performance with a 1-0 home win against Borussia was set to be anything but plain sailing. disastrous season. Junuzovic then drilled home a stunning free kick which lifted them out of the bottom three after Moenchengladbach. — AFP Alessandro Florenzi, Kostas Manolas, Parma’s match with fellow-strugglers just inside the near post to double Werder’s lead Daniele De Rossi, Kevin Strootman, Juan Chievo was postponed until Wednesday after 29 minutes. Iturbe, Gervinho and Seydou Doumbia after heavy snowfall in recent days had left Bayer pulled a goal back when Hakan were all unavailable against a Cagliari team Parma’s pitch unplayable. — AFP Calhanoglu headed home after Gonzalo Castro had hit the post just before half time. But Leverkusen boss Roger Schmidt lost his Italian Serie A results/standings cool with tough-tackling Bremen and was ban- ished to the stands by referee Peter Sippel on 65 minutes for using offensive language to the Fiorentina 3 (Basanta 18, Diamanti 76, Pasqual 89) Atalanta 2 (Zappacosta 9, Boakye fourth official. 83); Cagliari 1 (M’Poku 90+5) Roma 2 (Ljajic 18, Paredes 85); Empoli 2 (Maccarone 29, Having been bottom of the table just before Signorelli 57) Cesena 0; Napoli 3 (Mertens 8, Gabbiadini 21, Thereau 59-og) Udinese 1 their last game of 2014, Bremen have shot up (Thereau 27); Sampdoria 1 (Eder 9) Sassuolo 1 (Acerbi 2). the table to eighth under caretaker coach Viktor Playing later Played Saturday Skripnik while Leverkusen stay sixth. Inter v Palermo Verona 1 (Toni 83) Torino 3 (Martinez 32, On Saturday, climbed off Quagliarella 50-pen, El Kaddouri 90+2); the bottom with a 3-0 win at Freiburg while Playing today Juventus 3 (Tevez 14, Bonucci 31, Morata leaders Bayern Munich picked up their first win Lazio v Genoa 65) AC Milan 1 (Antonelli 28). of 2015. German star Marco Reus gave Dortmund an Italian Serie A table after yesterday’s early games (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, early lead before Gabon winger Pierre-Emerick goals against, points): Aubemayang added two second-half goalsr. Dortmund now face mid-table Mainz and Juventus 22 16 5 1 47 10 53 Udinese 22 7 7 8 26 30 28 strugglers Stuttgart in the league before Italian Roma 22 13 7 2 36 17 46 Inter Milan 21 6 8 7 30 29 26 league leaders Juventus away in the last 16 of Napoli 22 12 6 4 41 27 42 Verona 22 6 6 10 24 37 24 the Champions League on February 24. Fiorentina 22 9 8 5 32 22 35 Empoli 22 4 11 7 21 26 23 The result lifted Dortmund to 16th, while Sampdoria 22 8 11 3 28 24 35 Atalanta 22 5 8 9 19 29 23 Freiburg slip to 17th, still leaving both teams in Lazio 21 10 4 7 37 25 34 Cagliari 22 4 7 11 29 42 19 the drop zone with Borrusia out to avoid their Torino 22 8 7 7 25 23 31 Chievo 21 4 6 11 15 26 18 first relegation since 1972. Palermo 21 7 9 5 34 33 30 Cesena 22 3 6 13 21 43 15 Bayern continued their march to a third Genoa 21 7 8 6 29 26 29 Parma 21 3 1 17 20 46 9 straight title with a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart, GERMANY: Leverkusen’s midfielder , Leverkusen’s Turkish defender Oemer Toprak, AC Milan 22 7 8 7 32 29 29 Note: Parma deducted one point for fail- which saw Huub Stevens’ side drop to bottom of Sassuolo 22 6 11 5 28 30 29 ing to pay player salaries. Bremen’s striker Davie Selke and Bremen’s defender Jannik Vestergaard vie for the ball during the table. Bayern’s win was their first in three the German First Division Bundesliga football match against Werder Bremen. — AFP Barcelona scout blames power games for sacking

BARCELONA: Former Barcelona technical secretary anyone. “The problem at Barcelona is that there is always seeking clarity over the price. Valentin arrived at Barcelona, having previously been Alberto Valentin has blamed power games for his dis- a power struggle. “Often the sports director is the one The club said they spent 57.1 million euros ($64.64 technical secretary at Espanyol, along with Zubizarreta at missal and that of sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta who is given the job of putting out fires and he is the first million) on the Brazil forward when he signed ahead of the start of the Rosell presidency in 2010. and is now looking for a new challenge away from the person people look at when there are problems,” he said. last season and former president Sandro Rosell steadfast- He said they had to deal with a particularly turbulent pressure cooker of La Liga. “Zubizarreta was always looking to conciliate but got ly repeated the figure. spell in the club’s history. “I think in time our jobs will be Zubizarreta and assistant Valentin, who oversaw tired of the situation.” Valentin felt Zubizarreta was hung However, when Rosell was asked to give evidence evaluated differently. We had to deal with the decline of a scouting, were both sacked last month in the aftermath of out to dry over the transfer ban. “The error over the sign- after a judge decided to investigate possible tax evasion, team which was possibly the best side ever,” Valentin a FIFA transfer ban for the following two windows over ing of youth players was huge. I would add, though, these he stood down last January but denied wrongdoing. remarked. the breaching of rules on the signing of foreign under-18 mistakes happen when you are dealing with hundreds of Court proceedings are ongoing but now the prosecu- “We had continual changes of coach, there was the ill- players. Fan criticism had also been building over failures kids and it is happening at other clubs as well,” he said. “It tion say Neymar’s real cost was 94.9 million euros. “I did ness for (coach) Tito (Vilanova) and then Tata (Martino) in the transfer market and their perceived involvement in is true that FIFA has thrown a dart at the club which has my report on Neymar after the U-20 South American came in for one year. the scandal over Neymar’s real cost. set the standard for youth development.” championships in Peru, 2011. Neither Zubizarreta nor I There were external problems that had nothing to do “I haven’t given any interviews to the media here (in were involved (in trying to sign the player),” he said. with our job like the Neymar case, Messi’s tax case and the Spain) as I don’t think they have treated us correctly. I EVALUATED DIFFERENTLY “I would discuss players with Zubizarreta, the coach FIFA transfer ban. “I didn’t speak to (former coach Pep) want to now continue my work in a different atmosphere Valentin denied Zubizarreta and those working in the and directors and a decision would be made. “I don’t think Guardiola about why he left but he was aware of the than in Spain,” Valentin told Reuters. “I’ve read the stories technical department were at fault in the Neymar transfer you would have a situation anywhere else where a fan problems that were facing the club and the restructuring about me going to Liverpool but I haven’t spoken with which was first investigated after a fan took legal action takes the club to court in this way.” that was needed.” — Reuters