Mccoist Steps DOWN AS RANGERS MANAGER
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014 SPORTS Las Palmas eyeing King’s Cup upset MADRID: Riding high in Spain’s second division, Las and came close to folding just under 10 years ago in 17 matches this term. are almost certain to face city rivals Atletico, who Palmas are looking to transfer some of that form when they were playing in the third tier. After Saturday’s 4-2 win at Recreativo Huelva, have a 3-0 advantage over third-tier Hospitalet into what could be one of the few upsets in the last After emerging from insolvency proceedings Herrera played down the significance of the Cup ahead of their second leg at the Calderon on 32 of the King’s Cup this week. and cleaning up their finances under a new presi- game and urged his players, who include former Thursday. The Canary Islands club, who are three points dent, they were promoted back to the second divi- Spain midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron, simply to The victors in a Real-Atletico clash are likely to clear at the top of the Liga Adelante, beat top-flight sion in 2005-06 and this term are well placed to enjoy the experience. “It’s the kind of game you just meet record winners Barcelona in the quarter-finals. Celta Vigo 2-1 at home in the first leg, giving them- secure a berth in the top flight for the first time have to savour and I am not worried about the Barca won their first leg at Huesca 4-0 and host the selves a good chance of securing a last-16 clash since 2002. result,” Herrera said at a news conference. third-tier side for the return on Tuesday. against Athletic Bilbao or third-tier Alcoyano when Paco Herrera, a former Celta coach who was an “But yes we do want to put on a good show,” New Real Sociedad coach David Moyes will want they play at Celta today. assistant to Rafa Benitez at Liverpool, has been in added the 61-year-old, who also had a stint in to avoid an embarrassing upset when his side host Like many Spanish clubs, Las Palmas have suf- charge at Las Palmas since July and has won plau- charge at Real Zaragoza. Holders Real Madrid and third-tier Real Oviedo tomorrow after a 0-0 draw in fered severe financial problems in recent decades dits for an attacking style that has yielded 31 goals Sevilla are already through to the last 16 and Real the first leg. — Reuters MARRAKECH: Real Madrid players listen to their coach during a training session at the Club World Cup soccer tournament in Rabat. Real Madrid will play against Cruz Azul during their semi final game in Marrakech today. — AP Racing clinch eighth crown America win Mexican League BUENOS AIRES: Racing Club won the ning side, told reporters. Argentine league title when they beat “This is what I came back home for,” Godoy Cruz 1-0 in their final match of the added the 35-year-old.Racing coach MEXICO CITY: Four players were sent off in a levelling the aggregate score. very happy for this group of players,” Mohamed championship in Avellaneda on Sunday. Diego Cocca said: “I’m overjoyed because red hot Mexican championship final as America After Aguilar had headed America into the told Televisa. “I was brought here to be champi- Midfielder Ricky Centurion headed we had tough times (early in the tourna- beat UANL Tigres 3-0 in the second leg at the lead on the hour, Tigres’ Colombian substitute ons and make history and it’s done.” the only goal four minutes after halftime ment) but this team were very brave to Azteca to win a record 12th league title 3-1 on Hernan Dario Burbano was shown a red card for On Saturday, he had said: “I’m saying good- to ensure Racing could not be caught by pull through.” aggregate on Sunday. It was the perfect way for bringing down goalbound midfielder Miguel bye because my dignity comes before every- River Plate in the championship race. River led the title race most of the way the Eagles’ Argentine coach Antonio Mohamed Layun less than two minutes after coming on. thing else. When there’s talk of another coach, I Racing last won the title 13 years ago. while on a club record unbeaten streak of to bow out after confirming on Saturday he was Three minutes later the visitors were down to get my things and head home. “But this is foot- They finished two points ahead of outgo- 31 matches in all competitions but fal- leaving the club after news leaked midweek nine men when Argentine midfielder Damian ball, the (directors) are within their rights to hire ing champions River. Both teams qualify tered in the run-in as they prioritised the they were lining up Uruguayan Gustavo Alvarez was sent off for hitting an opponent. another coach, I just didn’t like the timing or the for next year’s Libertadores Cup, the Copa Sudamericana, which they won last Matosas his successor. Argentine goalkeeper Guzman, who had ear- manner,” added the Argentine, who joined a South American club championship, Wednesday. Boca Juniors also qualified Ecuador’s Michael Arroyo, Paraguayan cen- lier complained that America fans were direct- year ago when Miguel Herrera left America to along with Argentine holders San for the Libertadores Cup as Argentina’s tral defender Pablo Aguilar and Mexico striker ing lasers at him, was the third Tigres player take charge of Mexico’s World Cup team. Lorenzo and Copa Argentina champions best-placed team in the Copa Oribe Peralta scored the goals that dashed sent off in the 72nd minute for a second yellow America have won one more title than arch- Huracan. Sudamericana, the region’s equivalent of Tigres’ dreams of a fourth title after winning the card for a foul after play had been halted for off- rivals Guadalajara. It was Mohamed’s second “I can’t believe it, this crowns our the Europa League. River won their berth first leg 1-0 at home in Nuevo Leon on Thursday. side. Mexican title as coach after leading Tijuana to dreams,” former Argentina striker Diego as last season’s Argentine league champi- America controlled the match from the start Peralta scored America’s third goal in the the Apertura two years ago. He is being suc- Milito, a member of the 2001 title-win- ons. — Reuters and Arroyo gave them the lead in the in the 78th minute but their substitute Luis Mendoza ceeded by Matosas, who steered Leon to the 36th minute with a superb shot from a tight was shown a straight red card for making fun of Apeertura and Clausura championships last sea- Bayern chase angle that beat goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman, Tigres players. “We were the best team so I’m son. — Reuters more records BERLIN: Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich are in thrashed 4-0 at home by Bayern on Saturday. “another league” according to their rivals with “They have so much quality so their win more Bundesliga records set to tumble in this was fully deserved.” Arjen Robben, who scored week’s final two rounds of matches for 2014. twice in the romp at third-placed Augsburg to Bayern host strugglers Freiburg today leave him with eight goals in 11 league enjoying a nine-point gap at the top of the games, said the champions are relishing the table, then travel to face mid-table Mainz on forthcoming winter break to recharge their Friday in their final match before the German batteries. “We now have to survive the last league breaks for the winter. Freiburg are win- two games and then we’ll finally get a break,” less in their last four league games and have said the Dutch winger. Long-term injuries to never won in Munich after 13 defeats and two captain Philipp Lahm, David Alaba, Javi draws having been thrashed 4-0 on their last Martinez, Thiago Alcantara and Holger visit to Munich’s Allianz Arena in February. Badstuber have barely bothered Guardiola’s “Now we must continue calmly into the next star-studded squad. Germany captain Bastian two games to try and take the points up for Schweinsteiger played 72 minutes of the grabs,” said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Augsburg win and is reaching full fitness after Rummenigge. a knee injury. Having conceded just three goals in 15 Tomorrow, second-placed Wolfsburg travel league games this season, Guardiola’s team to face Borussia Dortmund with last season’s are on course to break the record they hold of runners-up having dropped back into the rel- seven goals conceded for the first half of a egation places again after Saturday’s 1-0 season set by Stuttgart in 2003/04 and defeat at Hertha Berlin. matched by the Bayern side of 2012/13. Despite qualifying for the Champions Having conceded just one away goal so far, League’s last 16 as group winners, Dortmund they are also on course to equal their own started December bottom of the league and league record for the first half of the season, are now 16th with the league’s worst record of also set in 2012/13, at Mainz on Friday. nine defeats in 15 matches so far. Coach This comes less than two years after Bayern Jurgen Klopp says the 2013 Champions broke or equalled 25 records when they won League finalists are an “awesome team with the treble of German league, cup and awesome problems”.