22 Thursday, May 11, 2017 SPORTS SPORTS Thursday, May 11, 2017 23 Real reach Atletico Pink comeback falls short Vicente Calderon before moving and Fernando Torres headed time. Karim Benzema somehow to the Wanda Metropolitano next finalover, before at the other end Jan escaped the attention of three for Jungels season. Oblak made a brilliant save from Atletico defenders on the by-line However, Isco’s away goal just Casemiro’s header. and cut the ball back for Toni Messina Luka Pibernik starting what had confused his young birthday. before half-time settled Real’s Atletico got the goal they Kroos. uxembourg’s Bob Jungels celebrating fully 6km from the teammate. As the nerves and left Atletico with too needed to get back into the tie Oblak made another brilliant kept Britain’s Geraint finish. “The battery on his radio sprinters’ much to do to progress. 12 minutes in when Koke’s stop to deny the German, but Isco ThomasL at bay to retain As the peloton raced towards earpiece ran out. We tried teams Cristiano Ronaldo’s first outswinging corner was met followed up from close range to the Giro d’Italia pink jersey the finish line for the first time, calling him back to tell him, battled to leg hat-trick ultimately proved powerfully by Saul for his fourth bundle the ball home. Wednesday after a “crazy” signalling the start of a final, but he couldn’t hear us. But move their decisive and Real will seek to Champions League goal of the Ronaldo had scored eight times fifth stage that saw two riders 6km closing circuit, Pibernik he’s young, things like that can stage contenders to the front, become the first side to defend the season. in his previous three Champions celebrate victory. launched a solo attack that held happen,” said Nibali. Jungels remained alert to late trophy in the Champions League Just three minutes later League appearances, however, the Jungels, who took the all the way to the finish line, Gaviria, making his Giro and attacks from his pink-jersey Pink jersey Luxemburg’s Bob Jungels of era when they face Juventus in the Atletico truly believed they closest the World Player of the race lead from Quick Step where he sat up and spread his Grand Tour debut, emerged rivals and held off Thomas, but team Quick-Step celebrates the pink jer- Madrid final in Cardiff on May 3. could pull off the most unlikely Year came to adding to his record teammate Fernando Gaviria arms in victory. from Irishman Sam Bennett’s said the “crazy” circuit made it sey of the overall leader after the 5th stage eal An already fierce rivalry of comebacks when Fernando 21 goals against Atletico was a after a fourth-stage finish on But he was celebrating alone. back wheel in the final 200 a nervous finale. RMadrid between the Spanish Torres was upended by Raphael driven free-kick at the start of the Mount Etna, maintained his As thousands of puzzled metres of a long and wind- “It was amazing to see so inflicted giants has intensified Varane inside the box. second half that was beaten away six-second advantage on fans looked on, 23-year-old hit home straight to claim his many people on the streets, Gaviria’s victory earned him Mareczko finished second with a fourth in recent years by Real’s Griezmann had missed his by Oblak. Sky rider Thomas as Gaviria Pibernik quickly realised his second victory after breaking but it’s also sometimes very the sprinter’s “ciclamen” jersey Bennett third. Champions three Champions League previous two penalties against Atletico had their chances to snatched the stage win. embarrassing gaffe before his Giro duck on stage three. dangerous because people want for the points competition. After travelling to the League elimination victories over Atletico, Real, including in last year’s put the tie back on a knife-edge But at the conclusion of an being swallowed up by the In doing so, the 22-year-old to take the pictures and selfies “We wanted to take some mainland, the race resumes on on Atletico Madrid in including in the 2014 and Champions League final. as Navas produced an incredible undulating ride from the foot peloton as they began the final from Colombia became only the and whatever, and they come points because we were down Thursday with a 217km sixth as many years yesterday, 2016 finals. This time the French double save from Yannick of Mount Etna to Messina that circuit. second rider this century, after closer and closer to the road. a few. We wanted to take this stage from Reggio Calabria to losing their semi-final Real fans had unfurled a huge international found the net, albeit Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro. brought an end to two stages Bahrain team leader and former champion Damiano “When there’s a bunch of 200 jersey, we managed to get the Terme Luigiane that will offer second leg 2-1 but banner that read “tell me how with a bit of fortune as Navas got The Costa Rican then got on Sicily, the crowd was left defending Giro champion Cunego, to claim two stages people (cyclists) it’s dangerous, points we needed and we did it the sprinters another chance progressing to the final does it feel” ahead of the first leg. a hand to his mishit spot-kick but down low to his right to turn baffled as young Slovenian Vincenzo Nibali later explained on the race before his 23rd but that’s cycling.” in the best way.” Italian Jakub for glory. (AFP) 4-2 on aggregate. The home fans responded with couldn’t keep it out. behind Griezmann’s low volley Atletico had threatened their own “proud to not be like Fierce challenges then rained and Gameiro failed to turn home an incredible comeback, Saul you” banner as a dig back ahead in from both sides as Turkish another great opportunity from Niguez’s powerful header of kick-off in the return. referee Cuneyt Cakır struggled point-blank range. ‘No love lost with Quintana’ Results and Antoine Griezmann’s And Atletico’s players went a to keep control, with five players A torrential thunder storm penalty inside 16 minutes long way towards making amends booked inside the opening 37 disrupted the final stages, but Messina From the fifth stage held over 159km from Pedara to cutting Real’s aggregate lead to for their meek display in the first minutes. lightning has now struck four ays after a denial, Messina, Sicily: a solitary goal. leg eight days ago in a thrilling However, Real regained their times for Atletico against Real defending Giro d’Italia The hosts fed off a ferocious opening. composure to get the vital away and Zinedine Zidane’s side will championD Vincenzo Nibali atmosphere for their final Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas goal they needed for some extra head to Cardiff seeking a 12th conceded relations with Champions League match at the denied Koke from close range breathing space just before half- European Cup. (AFP) pink jersey favourite Nairo Quintana are frosty. “It’s true, we don’t like each other,” Bahrain team leader Nibali said on Wednesday after a fifth stage into his home town Stage General classification Gunners rout Southampton of Messina that saw Colombian 1. Fernando Gaviria (COL/QST) 3hr 1. Bob Jungels (LUX/QST) 23hr 22min Southampton sprinter Fernando Gaviria 40min 11sec, 07sec, Arsenal is making a traditional (Quick Step) claim his second rsenal kept alive its ambitions late-season charge in a bid to seal 2. Jakub Mareczko (ITA/WIL) same 2. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) at 6sec, win on the race. of qualifying for next season’s a top-four finish, with this fourth time, 3. Adam Yates (GBR/ORI) 10, A A two-time champion who Champions League by beating win in its last five league games is hoping to claim his third 3. Sam Bennett (IRL/BOR) s.t., 4. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) Southampton 2-0 in the Premier lifting Arsene Wenger’s side above ‘maglia rosa’ when the race 4. Andre Greipel (GER/LOT) s.t., same time, League thanks to second-half goals Manchester United and into fifth ends in Milan on May 28, 5. Phil Bauhaus (GER/SUN) s.t., 5. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/BAH) s.t., by Alexis Sanchez and Olivier place. Arsenal is three points behind Nibali isn’t considered the race 6. Kristian Sbaragli (ITA/DDD) s.t., 6. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) s.t., Giroud yesterday. fourth-place Manchester City, and favourite on what is its 100th 7. Ryan Gibbons (RSA/DDD) s.t., 7. Tom Dumoulin (NED/SUN) s.t., Sanchez moved onto 20 league four points behind third-place edition. Italy’s rider of team Bahrain - Merida Vincenzo Nibali (C) rides in the peloton 8. Roberto Ferrari (ITA/UAD) s.t., 8. Bauke Mollema (NED/TRE) s.t., goals for the season when he Liverpool with a game in hand. Thanks to a climb-heavy Vuelta a Espana champion. contenders are keen to keep as Adrey Amador on the counter 9. Jasper Stuyven (BEL/TRE) s.t., 9. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) s.t., collected Mesut Ozil’s first-time Arsenal has three matches left, final week, Movistar team Ahead of Thursday’s sixth much powder dry as possible to check the 32-year-old Italian. 10. Enrico Battaglin (ITA/LNL) s.t. 10. Andrey Amador (CRC/MOV) s.t. through-ball and deceived two against Stoke, Sunderland and leader Quintana has been given stage, a 217km race from for a potentially explosive third “I attacked just to see who defenders with a clever turn inside Everton.