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Friday 39 Sports Friday, July 3, 2020 West Ham stun Chelsea with 3-2 win, Aubameyang fires Arsenal revival Champions League hots up with six games left LONDON: West Ham rocked Chelsea’s top-four “It’s the story of our season. It’s been a good hopes and boosted their survival bid with a dra- season but there have been so many of these matic 3-2 win, while Pierre-Emerick moments,” Chelsea boss Frank Lampard said. Aubameyang struck twice as Arsenal climbed “I’m not happy with any of the goals. There back into European contention with a 4-0 were details in the game which we knew but we thrashing of Norwich on Wednesday. lost because we didn’t get them right. Chelsea were hoping to take advantage of “It’s why we are fighting for the top four and third-placed Leicester’s 2-1 defeat at Everton not first or second. We don’t get things right as earlier in the day, but instead the Blues were much as the big boys do.” beaten for the first time since the Premier West Ham’s crucial first win since the restart League restart. West Ham were denied the moved them three points clear of the relegation opening goal at the when VAR zone. At the Emirates Stadium, Aubameyang ruled Michail Antonio was offside as he lay on moved alongside Jamie Vardy as the Premier the ground while Tomas Soucek slotted home. League’s top scorer on 19 goals on a night of Willian fired Chelsea ahead from the penalty contrasting fortunes for the Golden Boot con- spot five minutes before half-time after Issa tenders. Diop tripped Christian Pulisic. Arsenal registered a third straight win to Soucek headed home in first-half stoppage move up to seventh against a Norwich side ever time as West Ham finally scored their first goal more resigned to relegation. since the restart. Antonio put West Ham in front Canaries keeper Tim Krul did his side no in the 51st minute when he slid in to convert Jar- favours by gifting the opener to Aubameyang rod Bowen’s cross. when he was caught trying to dribble past the Willian’s superb 70th-minute free-kick drew Gabon international. LONDON: West Ham United’s Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (L) punches the ball Chelsea level, but it was West Ham who broke Aubameyang’s first saw him reach 50 Premier away during the English football match between West Ham United and away to win it in the 89th minute when substitute League goals in 79 appearances — making him Chelsea at The London Stadium, in east London. — AFP finished a brilliant counter the fastest Arsenal player to reach that landmark. attack. Chelsea are one point behind Leicester “A player that is able to score as many goals Aubameyang turned provider for Granit Cedric Soares, signed from Southampton in and only two ahead of Manchester United and as he has done in that short space of time tells Xhaka to make it 2-0 before half-time and was January, made his debut one to remember with Wolves as the race to qualify for the Champions you everything about the importance that he has then handed another gift when Norwich striker a long-range strike nine minutes from time to League hots up with six games left. for us,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. Josip Drmic teed him up to make it 3-0. round off the scoring. — AFP

to find his feet, even if he’s still not the Sanchez I was such a big Sanchez shines in fan of in England. What I can say however, is that he’s on the right track, he put in a great performance today.” Klopp expects four Inter rout as Milan Brescia, who were again without due to an on- going contract dispute, dropped to the foot of the table. They re- teams in title salvage draw at SPAL main eight points from safety and are winless in 14 games. ZLATAN RETURNS FOR MILAN race next season SPAL surrendered a two-goal lead and squandered two pre- MILAN: Alexis Sanchez scored a penalty and set up two goals as cious points in their fight against relegation as a 94th-minute own LONDON: Jurgen Klopp expects Liverpool to face a stern thrashed relegation candidates Brescia 6-0 in goal by Francesco Vicari gifted Milan a late equaliser in a 2-2 challenge for their Premier League title from Manchester on Wednesday, while city rivals AC Milan snatched a last-gasp draw. First-half goals from Mattia Valoti and Sergio Floccari, the City, Manchester United and Chelsea next season. draw away to lowly SPAL. second a magnificent dipping 30-yard strike, put SPAL on top but Klopp’s side were crowned English champions last week Sanchez teed up Ashley Young to volley Inter ahead at San the home side lost Marco D’Alessandro to a red card before half- after storming to their first league title in 30 years Siro after just five minutes and the Chile forward dispatched a time for a poor challenge on Theo Hernandez. They clinched the trophy with seven games to spare after spot-kick to double the lead following a foul on . Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to action for the first time since moving 23 points clear of second placed Manchester City Danilo D’Ambrosio powered in a third just before half-time Italian football’s restart following a calf injury, replacing the in- ahead of meeting between the sides later. from a looping cross by Young, with rising to form Ante Rebic on the hour, but it was another substitute Rafael City set a Premier League record with 100 points when head home a Sanchez free-kick as Inter grabbed a fourth on 53 Leao who gave Milan hope with a calm finish on 79 minutes. they cantered to the title two years ago, while last season Pep minutes. Christian Eriksen bagged his first Serie A goal since his SPAL coach Luigi Di Biagio was sent to the stands after two Guardiola’s team pipped Liverpool to the silverware on the January move from Tottenham, forcing in from point-blank range yellow cards in quick succession and could only watch in despair last day. As Klopp prepares for City to give Liverpool a after an excellent Jesse Joronen save denied Romelu Lukaku. as a lunging Vicari diverted a cross into his own net right at the guard of honour at the Etihad Stadium, he said the result of Antonio Candreva completed the romp two minutes from time death. “It was a step backwards in terms of result because we their latest clash would not be a marker for next season. The with a crisp low drive into the corner as Inter clawed back to wanted to continue the winning run,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli German believes both Liverpool and City will face renewed within eight points of leaders Juventus with nine games still to told Sky Sport Italia. “We weren’t sharp enough in front of goal, threats from resurgent United and Frank Lampard’s emerging play. “We kept our foot on the gas and the fact that we didn’t con- we were too hurried and hasty in the final third.” young Chelsea. “Whatever people say, it will not be impor- cede is a big positive,” Inter coach told broad- Milan stayed seventh despite the late fightback and are two tant for next season because for sure we (Liverpool and City) caster DAZN. points behind Napoli, who visit fourth-placed Atalanta on Thurs- both have to be ready,” Klopp told reporters on Wednesday. Sanchez, who made just his fourth league start this term, had day, in the battle for the final Europa League berth. “We see United coming up. People thought they had no his loan deal from Manchester United extended earlier in the day Two Gaston Ramirez penalties earned Sampdoria a crucial 2- chance but we see with one or two players how good they until the end of the Italian season. 1 win at Lecce, who had equalised through a Marco Mancosu are and how good they can be, and for sure they will not be “We brought him here for his qualities. Unfortunately we lost spot-kick, to push Claudio Ranieri’s side four points clear of the worse next season, and now there is Chelsea as well. — AFP him as an option for a long time,” said Conte. “He’s now starting relegation zone. — AFP