PSG Triumph at Lille Barcelona
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SPORTS Monday, February 5, 2018 21 Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Pique saves Neymar (2nd L) celebrates with team- mates after scoring a Barca to set goal PSG triumph (Pic courtesy: AFP) club record Barcelona erard Pique scored a late equaliser Gas Barcelona drew at Espanyol to at Lille set a club record of 22 games unbeaten at the start of the La Liga season. Philippe Coutinho hit the bar in the first half before Gerard Moreno’s header gave city rivals Espanyol the lead midway through the second. With only eight minutes left, defender Pique headed home substitute Lionel Messi’s free-kick. The draw extended Barcelona’s lead at top of the table to 12 points. Second-placed Atletico Madrid face Valencia at 20:45 (19:45 GMT), while fourth-placed Real Madrid, who drew 2-2 with Levante on Saturday, trail Barcelona by 19 points. Pique angered them further by raising his finger to his lips to celebrate Lille with an audacious chip in the had to wait until virtually the final free kick from the edge of Lille’s his equaliser. (BBC) aris Saint-Germain moved 11 closing stages to complete a fine kick of the opening half before penalty area. points clear at the top of Ligue 1 win for Unai Emery’s side. taking the lead. Lo Celso completed the rout with afterP recording a 3-0 victory at Lille Edinson Cavani was back in Lille failed to deal with Cavani’s a delightful chip from just outside on Saturday. the starting line-up for PSG as he cross and Berchiche was there to the 18-yard-box with just four The best Yuri Berchiche opened the scoring replaced the suspended Kylian finish with a low shot. minutes remaining. for PSG in first-half stoppage time Mbappe, while Emery also called Brazil international Neymar, an The victory moves PSG before Neymar put the game out of upon Dani Alves and Thiago Silva. injury doubt for Saturday’s match, comfortably clear of Marseille, reach after 77 minutes. The visiting side, who have lost then scored his 18th Ligue 1 goal with Lille just one point above the is yet to Giovani Lo Celso added a third just twice in the league this season, of the season with an unstoppable relegation places. (Espn) come, says Real settle for shock draw Auba London eteran Italian forward Giampaolo Pazzini came off the bench to net aV dramatic late equaliser as relegation- battlers Levante held Real Madrid to a 2-2 draw on Saturday. Fit-again captain Sergio Ramos headed the visitors into an early lead, but Emmanuel Boateng levelled just before half-time. Levante keeper Olazabal Oier pulled off a brilliant save to deny Ramos a second before substitute Isco eventually made it 2-1 on 81 minutes. Pazzini, though, had the Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang final say when he slotted past Keylor Navas with just a minute left. London The draw moves Real back up to rsenal’s new signing Pierre- fourth place ahead of Villarreal, but Emerick Aubameyang has fired a well adrift of leaders Barcelona, while warningA to their Premier League rivals Levante are three points clear of the saying he has much more to offer after dropzone. scoring on his debut in the 5-1 win over Ramos had been struggling with Everton on Saturday. a calf injury, along with Cristiano Midfielder Aaron Ramsey scored Ronaldo, but was back in the side at a hat-trick while goals from striker the Ciutat de Valencia. Aubameyang and defender Laurent Real Madrid were dangerous on Koscielny sealed the win in a game the early counter attacks. Marcelo that saw an attack-minded Arsenal flex barged his way through to the their muscles in the first half. penalty area, his wild shot took a “Is there more to come from me? I big deflection and flew behind for a Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo think so,” Aubameyang, who struck 37 corner on 11 minutes. in action with Levante’s Rober minutes into his first game for the club The delivery from Toni Kroos was (Pic courtesy: Reuters) after signing from Borussia Dortmund clipped towards the penalty spot, last week, said after the match. where Ramos got up to nod the ball swiftly double Real’s lead when Casemiro saw a long-range Morales was played behind the high “We won the game in the first half down, which bounced up and past picked out by the hard-working effort float over the bar with Oier Madrid line and raced clear ahead and the second was a bit different. We Oier, who looked to have been put Benzema, who had won the ball back backtracking, before Kroos shot was of Ramos. Navas made a smart save, are all happy today.” off as Karim Benzema slid in. on the left touchline. spilled by the Levante goalkeeper, but the ball dropped out to Boateng, Arsenal remain sixth in the league, Ronaldo -- who scored twice However, the Portugal forward who blocked Ronaldo’s follow-up. who promptly rolled it back into the three points adrift of north London against both Deportivo La Coruna could only lash an angled shot high Levante, though, were level three bottom right corner for a first LaLiga rivals Tottenham Hotspur. (Eurosport) and Valencia -- had the chance to into the stands. minutes before half-time. Jose goal. (PA Sport).