THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 10

Briton Pidcock claims PSG see off Bayern to reach ‘surprise’ maiden Ineos win Champions League semi PSG edge epic Champions League tussle with Bayern Munich despite second-leg defeat

Eric Choupo- Moting’s• goal was not enough for the holders, who went out on the KNOW WHAT away goals rule after another stunning ’ British Thomas Pidcock (R) celebrates ahead of Team Jumbo-Visma’s as he crosses the finish line end-to-end contest Bayern will have to console themselves AFP | Brussels AFP | Paris with trying to win a ninth consecutive om Pidcock said he was aris Saint-Germain T“surprised” to beat Wout Beating Wout van knocked holders Bayern title, and Van Aert on the home straight Munich out of the Cham- will wonder what of the Flanders Classic, the Aert in a sprint is a P surprise, but luckily pions League on Tuesday de- might have been had , yesterday for spite Eric Maxim Choupo-Mot- Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scores the opening goal the prolific Robert Le- his first win at Ineos since for me he went early ing scoring against his old club wandowski, or Serge turning professional in Feb- TOM PIDCOCK as a 1-0 defeat in the second leg now look forward to a semi-fi- with the club’s sporting director, Gnabry, been available ruary. at the Parc des Princes could not nal against Manchester City or Hasan Salihamidzic. for the two legs of The 21-year-old Briton out- (3rd). prevent the French giants from . “It is not because of tonight lasted the field on an ener - Pidcock, Van Aert and Tren- winning a tremendous quar- “I am delighted, despite the that we are eliminated,” said this tie gy-sapping course where Ita- tin dropped the other contend- ter-final tie on away goals. defeat. We were facing a great captain Manuel Neuer. ly’s Matteo Trentin came third. ers on a narrow, cobbled climb Neymar twice hit the wood- team, the European champi- “We deserved our win here, press, Bayern took the game to Van Aert, 26, and Pidcock 37km from home before their work for PSG in the first half and ons, but we are going back to but the result in Munich was not their hosts. had the lead on the field with cat-and-mouse run in. Choupo-Moting then put Bay- the semi-finals,” Neymar told good enough. That suited PSG, who have the younger man lurking at the UAE Team Emirates rider ern in front five minutes before broadcaster RMC Sport. “It is not all negative. We won produced their best perfor- Jumbo-Visma rider’s wheel Trentin described Pidcock as a the break. “We are a real team. The most the Club World Cup, we have a mances this season away from over the final 200m. worthy winner after the Italian But the reigning European important thing is that we are good chance to win the Bunde- home and could look to hit the “I waited and waited and briefly led alone before allow- champions could not get the through. Now we can aim for sliga too, so in the end it will be Germans on the break with when Wout went, I kind of ing the pair to catch him to dis- second goal they needed after something even bigger.” a positive season.” the devastating pace of Kylian got a little boxed in and then tance the rest of the peloton. losing 3-2 at home in the first Bayern will have to console Bayern certainly played their Mbappe. rushed and came past him,” “When I saw Van Aert and leg last week. themselves with trying to win part in an epic tie that will The Parisians, to be fair, were Pidcock said. Pidcock coming across I de- PSG have revenge following a ninth consecutive Bundesli- live long in the memory and without two huge players of “Beating Wout van Aert in a cided to ease up a little bit and their 1-0 defeat in last season’s ga title, and will wonder what deserved to be played before a their own in captain Marquin- sprint is a surprise, but luck- try and recover,” Trentin said. final in Lisbon, and the dream might have been had the prolific full house both in Munich and hos and playmaker Marco Ver- ily for me he went early,” he “The legs were a bit tired of winning a first European , or Serge here. ratti, but they did have Mbappe added. in the end and the strongest Cup remains alive for the Qa- Gnabry, been available for the For all their injuries, their and Neymar. In his first season at Ineos, guy won. tar-owned club. two legs of this tie. starting line-up was still im - The Brazilian was left frus- Pidcock has impressed with “I look forward to coming Mauricio Pochettino’s team, The future of coach Hansi pressive, and with Thomas Mu- trated by a combination of Neu- huge rookie performances at back racing on these roads at who had already eliminated Flick will come back into focus, eller leading from the front and er and the frame of the goal in the (5th) and the World Championships lat- Barcelona in the last 16, can too, given his frosty relationship co-ordinating their suffocating the first half. the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne er in the year.”

Australia’s Scotson wins Chelsea into Champions League semis for first time since 2014 Tour of Valencia opener • Mehdi Taremi’s spectacular late winner We arrive with a very wasn’t enough to prevent young team. They can Chelsea advancing to fight and run and hang the semi-finals with in there. We have to a minimum of fuss take it like an adventure for them. It is a big step. AFP | London You see when Chelsea were last in the semi- homas Tuchel urged his finals. We are not used Tyoung Chelsea team to em- to being there. It’s a big brace their Champions League achievement “adventure” after they reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2014 despite a 1-0 defeat Porto’s Mehdi Taremi scores in spectacular style Team Groupama-FDJ rider Miles Scotson competes during the race against Porto in Tuesday’s quar- the lack of Champions League riod for Chelsea. the first time loves him. He wins ter-final second leg. experience among the majority They passed the first test and so many balls and gives every- AFP | Valencia Another Australian, Caleb Tuchel’s side will play Real of Tuchel’s squad. can now focus on Saturday’s FA body confidence.” Ewan, will however set off as Madrid or Liverpool for a place Tuchel knows the likes of Cup semi-final against Premier Tuchel this week said he long-range solo attack stage favourite then with the in the final after producing a , Reece James, League leaders Manchester City wouldn’t want to fight Antonio Alanded Australia’s Miles ‘Pocket Rocket’ the man to masterclass in game manage- , and at Wembley before returning Rudiger or Cesar Azpilicueta, Scotson victory on stage one beat in any flat stage he enters. ment to win 2-1 on aggregate Christian Pulisic are all learning to the Champions League trail. such is the ferocious will to of the Tour of Valencia. There is then a mountain in Seville. on the job, but he hopes their “Once you are there you play win coursing through Chelsea’s The FDJ man dug deep with stage, a time trial, where Scot- They could do worse than fearlessness will be invaluable. to reach the final. We need every most vocal players. the peloton closing in on him son does well, and a final flat copy Tuchel’s tactics as Chel- “Mason scored his first goal minute to learn and to grow. You Both defenders lived up to and made it to the line on his stage on Sunday. sea smothered Porto with an in the competition in the first cannot improve without these Tuchel’s billing as they fought own for only his second major Tour de France champion intelligent defensive approach leg. When Mbappe scores or experiences,” Tuchel said. tooth and nail to keep Porto at road win. Tadej Pogacar won this race until Mehdi Taremi’s stunning Salah scores or Benzema scores, “We cannot rely on the big- bay in a niggly clash. He will embark on Thurs- last year ahead of Jack Haig in bicycle kick in the last minute it is their 100th goal or their gest experience but we can rely Porto manager Sergio Concei- day’s flat 179km run around second while third-placed Tao of stoppage time. 50th goal in the competition,” on a hard working young group. cao added: “I’m really frustrated Alicante wearing the leader’s Geoghegan Hart third went on That sublime strike was out of Tuchel said. Hopefully we can stay adventur- but I’m proud of what we did in yellow jersey. to win the Giro d’Italia. character with the rest of Por- “We arrive with a very young ous to accept the challenge. It both matches. to’s display as they laboured to team. They can fight and run will be a big one coming.” “Our performance was very overturn the 2-0 first-leg deficit. and hang in there. We have to good. We were more of a team ‘Incredible’ Kante CLASSIFIEDS Chelsea have lost only once take it like an adventure for than Chelsea. We just lacked in 18 matches since Tuchel re- them. It is a big step. Praising France midfield- that bit of efficiency.” placed the sacked Frank Lam- “You see when Chelsea were er N’Golo Kante’s influential Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Vacancy pard in January and this was last in the semi-finals. We are display in his first start since a Mendy gifted Porto a golden another feather in the German’s not used to being there. It’s a big hamstring injury, Tuchel said: opportunity for a priceless ear- TRADING COMPANY is looking for a HEAVY VEHICLE DRIVER cap. achievement.” “N’Golo is incredible, he is like ly goal when his miscued pass with Hiab experience, should be currently in Bahrain. Interested may Making it to the last four is an Tuchel had admitted this one and a half or two players. went straight to Jesus Corona contact 33373675 or email: [email protected] even more admirable feat given week was a make or break pe- “Everyone who sees him for inside the penalty area.