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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2020

India slump to lowest ever score ‘So many people’: Latest Dortmund’s Moukoko becomes 14as Australia clinch opening Test 15 Qatar World Cup venue 15 Bundesliga youngest goalscorer

Ruthless Liverpool crush Palace 7-0 Man City edge past Southampton

LONDON: Liverpool’s Egyptian (right) scores his team’s sixth goal past Crystal Palace’s Spanish goalkeeper Vicente Guaita during the English football match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool yesterday. — AFP

LONDON: Liverpool sent a chilling Klopp’s outfit built on the momentum of Christmas for a third successive season before calmly flicking the ball beyond within a point of Southampton thanks to warning to the rest of the Premier League their last-gasp win in the top-of-the-table and, on this evidence, it is difficult to see Vicente Guaita. ’s first-half strike at St yesterday, smashing seven goals past clash with Tottenham in midweek. how they are going to be stopped from Klopp then took the chance to give Mary’s. Sterling turned a well-struck low Crystal Palace as Manchester City and Mohamed Salah winning a record-equalling 20th league Mane a rest, but the Senegalese voiced Kevin De Bruyne cross into the back of climbed to fifth in the table. Jurgen scored twice at Selhurst Park while title. “We will have a good Christmas,” his frustration at being removed to be the net in the 16th minute. Southampton Klopp’s holders-despite being dogged by Takumi Minamino, Sadio Mane and said Klopp. replaced by Salah. The Egyptian played responded well with several first-half injuries this season-are already six points also found the net. The “The season is not finished unfortu- his part for the fifth with the pass into chances. clear at the top of the table after humiliat- German boss has repeatedly bemoaned nately, there are a few more games to Firmino, who has now scored as many Theo Walcott and Jannik Vestergaard ing Palace 7-0. It was the first time the the fixture scheduling that requires teams come.”Salah had been given a rare rest goals in his past two games than his pre- had the best of them but could not beat Reds had won an away match in the to play at lunchtime kick-offs after from the start, but his Japanese replace- vious 27 Premier League appearances. goalkeeper Ederson. The home side were English top-flight by a margin of seven Wednesday evening games, but his side ment Minamino took just three minutes to Salah then moved to the top of the hit by the first-half departure of leading goals in their illustrious history. suffered no hangover from their midweek open the scoring when he was teed up by Premier League goalscoring charts with scorer Danny Ings with an injury and Manchester City, dethroned as cham- exertions against Spurs. “The boys are Mane for his first Premier League goal. 13 goals in as many games this season despite second-half pressure could not pions last season, edged past in-form capable of that. It will not happen every Mane ended his longest goal drought as a with a late double by heading home from find an equalizer. City, now unbeaten in Southampton 1-0 to keep Liverpool in week but it can happen,” he said. Liverpool player-nine games-with an a corner before bending an incredible five league games, are fifth in the table sight, but the Merseysiders are going to “It just clicked today. After a really excellent turn and low finish from effort into the top corner. with 23 points, one point behind take some catching. Pep Guardiola’s men intense period for the boys they should be Firmino’s pass. Southampton, who have played a game did what was needed but they have mus- really proud of how they came through A clinical counter-attack made it three City win more. Everton hosted struggling Arsenal tered just 19 goals this season-compared that results-wise.” Victory ensured before the break as this time Firmino Manchester City have had a inconsis- and Fulham traveled to Newcastle in the with 36 for free-scoring Liverpool. Klopp’s side will be top of the league at latched onto Andy Robertson’s cross tent start to the season but moved to later kick-offs yesterday. — AFP

Messi equals Pele’s record MADRID: scored his 643rd goal for Barcelona yesterday to equal Pele’s record of goals for a single club as the Spanish giants were held 2- 2 by Valencia. Messi headed in from Jordi Alba’s cross after his first-half penalty was saved to equal the mark set by the Brazilian great for Santos. But Messi was left frustrated as a dogged Valencia forced a draw that leaves Barcelona eight points behind leaders Atletico Madrid, who beat Elche 3-1 earlier in the day. Barcelona started slowly and went a goal behind to Mouctar Diakhaby’s unchallenged header from a corner after half an hour. AL WAKRAH, Qatar: Ulsan’s players celebrate winning the AFC Champions League finals against Iran’s Persepolis yesterday at the Al-Janoub Stadium. — AFP earned the penalty that led to Messi’s record-equalling second time in three years, having lost to Japan’s also drawing first blood at Qatar’s Al Janoub Stadium, goal when the Frenchman was nudged Ulsan win Asian Kashima Antlers in the final in 2018. This was the fifth built for the 2022 World Cup. over by Jose Gaya. time in history that a team from Iran had fallen at the At the stroke of half-time, Ulsan defender Park Soo- Messi’s spot-kick was saved by final hurdle of Asia’s premier competition, thus extend- ho lost his balance in the midfield and Mehdi Abdi dis- Jaume Domenech but the ball rebound- Champions League ing the country’s title drought on the continental club played great awareness to steal the ball and produce a ed and from Alba’s dinked cross, the scene since 1993. Persepolis had topped from Asia’s brilliant solo run before beating goalkeeper Jo Soo-huk Argentine headed the ball into the net DOHA: Ulsan Hyundai Motors won the Asian west zone in Qatar’s bio-secure bubble after the to the bottom left corner. Ulsan, however hit back in the to draw level with Pele. Barcelona went Champions League for the second time in history after COVID-19 pandemic forced the Asian Football fourth minute of first-half stoppage time after they ahead thanks to a superb scissor kick a Junior Negrao double gave them a 2-1 victory over Confederation to halt the tournament in March. were awarded a VAR-assisted penalty when Ahmad from Uruguayan Ronald Araujo. But Iran’s Persepolis yesterday. The South Korean giants Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, the 2019 champions, were Noorollahi fouled Yoon Bit-Garam inside the box. Valencia’s pressure was rewarded when also achieved the feat in record fashion, winning their kicked out during the group phase after a spate of Negrao couldn’t believe his luck as goalkeeper Maxi Gomez got in front of Barca cen- ninth consecutive match in the tournament to equal coronavirus infections in the squad left them without Hamed Lak blocked his spot-kick with a full-stretch tral defender Oscar Mingueza to turn in their winning streak of 2012 when they won the title for enough fit players, easing Persepolis’ path to the final. dive, but the ball rebounded in the Brazilian’s direc- a cross and equalize. the first time. But this time they were even more While Ulsan had played eight games in 23 days in tion and he was left with the easiest of tap-ins to emphatic, scoring at least two goals in each match on drove a shot just wide with 12 minutes Doha before yesterday’s final, Persepolis had three score his sixth goal of the tournament. Ulsan had remaining and Messi curled a free-kick their way to the title, an unprecedented achievement in weeks off and only arrived in Qatar a few days ago. their tail up after that but they required another the tournament. wide but Barcelona were forced to The Iranians though battled gallantly yesterday, not VAR-assisted penalty to score their second goal in share the points.— AFP Persepolis missed out on the Asian crown for the only keeping the marauding Ulsan forwards at bay but the 55th minute. — AFP