MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 SPORTS Villa flops won’t be protected from fan backlash

BIRMINGHAM: Relegated Aston Villa’s “When you’re bottom of the league egation for 29 years was confirmed last to respond and that’s all we can do. “I’m putting the pressure on them. “That’s beleaguered players face three more with 16 points and you’re relegated, weekend. not here to tell the fans what to do. They what we like to do and we have to do it weeks of public humiliation before their whether you’re in the right frame of have had the worst season in recent his- next week. “Liverpool have a tough nightmare season comes to an end. But mind I don’t know, but I can only pick on WORST SEASON tory for this club. “They have seen poor schedule with the Europa League and Villa caretaker manager Eric Black has no what I see,” Black said. “I can understand the fans’ frustration performances and poor results and they that’s always difficult to keep the plans to shield any of his highly-paid but “People will have to judge things for and the fans will definitely have their have every right to voice their anger.” momentum in the Premier League. underachieving troops from their fate in themselves but I can only pick it on 37 ideas on the team and the players they Two goals from Dusan Tadic helped “That’s good because we are close but the final fixtures. years of football experience. “That is all I want to see,” he added. Southampton to a victory that was more we need more wins, we know.” Angry Villa fans have targeted goal- go on. I can’t pick it on what journalists “I think that multiplies because of the comfortable than the scoreline suggest- Jay Rodriguez made his first start for keeper Brad Guzan, defender Joleon say or what supporters say. circumstances but I can’t be led down ed. He added to Shane Long’s opener the Saints since September and Koeman Lescott and Leandro Bacuna “That would be unprofessional of me that road. I can’t succumb to that and I while Sadio Mane made it 4-2 late on was delighted with his contribution. for particular ridicule, with the trio’s and there would be no point in me won’t. “It is difficult circumstances for after Ashley Westwood had twice pulled “Everyone knows Jay played twice in the every touch booed during Saturday’s 4-2 being here if we just had a lottery and everybody and I don’t want to be accus- Villa within one goal. Southampton still under-21s and in the last two matches defeat at home to Southampton. picked the team. ing the fans of anything because they harbour hopes of qualifying for the he came from the bench,” said Koeman. But Black, who was also criticised by “I am standing there so I will take it. keep turning up. “They are trying to Europa League and manager Ronald “Today was the last step he makes supporters for his substitutions, insists That is not a problem.” Black admitted he voice their opinions in certain ways Koeman said: “What you like is, at the by starting. Normally it’s a player who the abuse directed at players and him- could have no complaints about the about certain players. end of the season, to play for something. can score goals and what he needs is self will not influence his team selection hostile atmosphere that greeted Villa in “But we are professional people, the “That is always better than when the game time. It was a good opportunity for the remaining three games. their first home game since their first rel- garden is not always rosy and you have season is over. We are winning again and to start.” — AFP PSG beat Lille to retain French Cup

PARIS: Ten-man Paris Saint-Germain beat named among the substitutes. Lille 2-1 in the French League Cup final at PSG should have taken the lead just 21 the Stade de France on Saturday to remain seconds in, but after being set up by on course for a domestic clean sweep of Ibrahimovic, Di Maria drilled his shot from titles. The champions took the lead only 10 yards out straight at Enyeama, who five minutes before half-time in con- made an excellent save. tentious circumstances, with Javier Lille, who came into this match on a six- Pastore’s shot passing through the legs of game winning streak, grew into the contest an offside on its way into and PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu had to the net. But Lille hit back shortly after the be alert to prevent from put- restart when Djibril Sidibe fired a free-kick ting through his own net after Mounir through the wall and into the net. Obbadi’s pass caused panic in the defence. The capital city side were dealt a huge blow when Adrien Rabiot was shown a sec- MAD DAY FOR ENYEAMA ond yellow card for a cynical foul on the The holders though broke the deadlock impressive Sofiane Boufal with 20 minutes when a corner was only cleared as far as remaining. But a moment of madness from Pastore. The Argentine’s scuffed volley took Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama allowed a wicked deflection to beat Enyeama, Angel Di Maria to roll in the winner with 16 whose furious appeals that Kurzawa was minutes to play for his 15th goal of the sea- interfering with play from an offside posi- son. Laurent Blanc’s men now have three tion were waved away. trophies this term with a French Cup final Enyeama had to be dragged away from against Marseille to come, as they look to the officials at the interval, but Lille chan- ease the pain of their Champions League nelled their frustrations perfectly by level- quarter-final defeat to Manchester City. ling in the 49th minute. “My players, even at 10 against 11, want- Sirigu, who has only been first-choice ed to win that game,” coach Blanc told tele- keeper in the cup competitions in his final vision channel France 2, after his team won campaign in France, was left apoplectic at the final for the third year in a row. “We his defenders after full-back Sidibe have a season to finish in the league and grabbed his sixth goal of the season with a the French Cup on May 21, when we can low free-kick that split the wall in two. SUNDERLAND: Arsenal’s English midfielder Theo Walcott (2nd L) is challenged by Sunderland’s English midfielder Lee Cattermole (2nd R) during the end on a good note. Things went from bad to worse for PSG English Premier League football match between Sunderland and Arsenal at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, northeast England yesterday. — AFP “Now we have already won the League when they were reduced to ten men after Cup, I hope my players will be focused and Rabiot hacked down the marauding Boufal. motivated for the French Cup.” PSG The deciding goal was one of the most thrashed Bastia 4-0 12 months ago to seal a bizarre of the season, and Nigerian keeper Wilshere back, Arsenal record fifth League Cup title, while Lille Enyeama was at fault. A long clearance were playing in the final of the competition from Sirigu was nodded through for Di for the first time. Maria by Lille’s Adama Soumaoro, but “It’s very hard, we are very disappoint- despite having defenders covering, held at Sunderland ed,” said Lille winger Boufal. “We must con- Enyeama raced 30 yards out of his goal to gratulate Paris, even with ten, they proved give the PSG forward the simple task of they are a great team. We were beaten by knocking the ball past him and into a gap- Cup final after coming on as a late substitute fol- opening goal. They had strong penalty claims the stronger side.” ing net. Frederic Antonetti’s Lille had lowing a lengthy injury absence. turned down shortly before half-time when Blanc opted to play Lucas Moura along- chances to equalise, with Soumaoro head- Sunderland 0 Arsenal had the better of the first half in front DeAndre Yedlin charged down an Alex Iwobi side Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Di Maria up ing wide from a free-kick and Obbadi see- of another 45,000-plus Stadium of Light crowd shot with his arm, but referee Mike Dean was front, leaving on the bench, ing his volley bounce agonisingly past the as Mannone excelled against his old club. But unmoved. He had also allowed play to continue while the returning was post, but PSG held on. — AFP they were decidedly second-best after the inter- earlier in the half when a snapshot from Defoe Arsenal 0 val, and would have returned to the capital with struck Per Mertesacker on the hand from point- nothing to show for their efforts had Sunderland blank range inside the area. shown a little more composure in front of goal. Petr Cech had been largely a spectator in the In front of their billionaire US-based owner opening 45 minutes, but found himself thrust SUNDERLAND: Arsenal remain on course for a Ellis Short, the hosts came closest to breaking into the spotlight as Sunderland enjoyed their 20th consecutive top-four Premier League finish, the deadlock before the interval despite being best spell of the match immediately after the re- but Arsene Wenger’s men had to settle for a 0-0 outplayed for long spells. start. The Arsenal goalkeeper saved well from draw at relegation-threatened Sunderland yes- Former Chelsea defender Patrick van Aanholt Defoe’s angled drive, before blocking the follow- terday. The Gunners’ hopes of catching second- saw his curling left-foot free-kick from 20 yards up from Yann M’Vila. place north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur come back off the angle of post and crossbar He then had to dive full-length to his right to diminished after they were unable to find a way after a foul on Jermain Defoe in a rare moment deny Wahbi Khazri as the Wearsiders gathered past their former goalkeeper Vito Mannone at of first-half danger for the visitors. For the most an attacking momentum. Defoe sent a looping the Stadium of Light. The point took them level part, Wenger’s side were on the front foot, but effort narrowly wide with Cech struggling to with third-place Manchester City, five points were unable to produce anything good enough cover after an excellent through ball from Lee clear of Manchester United, who have a game in to beat Mannone, who moved to Wearside in a Cattermole, and Sunderland ought to have tak- hand, but was of more use to Sunderland, who £1.5 million ($2.2 million, 1.9 million euros) deal en the lead inside the final 20 minutes. climbed out of the relegation zone on goal dif- in 2013 after eight years with the Gunners. Laurent Koscielny inexplicably ducked under ference. Arsenal still look a decent bet to finish Khazri’s corner to allow the ball to run inside in the top four and reach the Champions League HANDBALL SHOUTS Arsenal’s six-yard box, but Lamine Kone failed to for an 18th straight campaign under Wenger, The Sunderland goalkeeper produced a anticipate what would have been a free shot but the Frenchman’s detractors were hardly string of fine saves, the stand-out of which was a from virtually under the crossbar. full-stretch stop low to his right to keep out a At the other end, Mannone pulled off another SAINT-DENIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s Uruguyan forward Edinson Cavani (L) holds the silenced by a largely listless display. Along with long-range free-kick from Alexis Sanchez. fine save late on from Sanchez, but it was a rare trophy next to Paris Saint-Germain’s French midfielder at the end of moving level with City, the other main highlight The Italian also showed his reflexes as he got moment of concern for the hosts as the attack- the French League Cup final football match Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Lille (LOSC) for Wenger was the return from injury of Jack down well to smother Mesut Ozil’s deflected ing threat posed by Wenger’s side diminished on Saturday at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, north of Paris. — AFP Wilshere, as the England midfielder made his first domestic appearance since last season’s FA effort from 18 yards as Arsenal pressed for an with each passing minute. — AFP Suarez hits four Crisis-hit Marseille falter again at home more for Barcelona PARIS: Struggling French giants Marseille saw Yesterday’s game at the Velodrome was played in fortnight ago. Michy Batshuayi went close to BARCELONA: Luis Suarez became the first La said coach Luis Enrique. “We have turned their winless home run in Ligue 1 extended to front of fewer than 20,000 fans as Marseille scoring the opening goal on 29 minutes, but the Liga player to score four goals for the second round a very negative run that nobody 15 matches yesterday after the 10-man hosts served a partial stadium ban following crowd Belgian striker’s effort was tipped onto the post game in a row as Barcelona, helped by three expected.” Ronaldo missed his first league were held to a 1-1 draw by Nantes. Nicolas trouble during their 0-0 draw against Bordeaux a by Nantes goalkeeper Maxime Dupe. —AFP penalties in the second half, stayed top by game of the season due to a muscle strain Nkoulou gifted Nantes a first-half lead when he hammering Sporting Gijon 6-0 on Saturday. and Real suffered another blow ahead of their headed a cross into his own net under little pres- Suarez moved ahead of Ronaldo as the Champions League semi-final against sure, but Florian Thauvin, whose goal in mid- league’s top scorer on 34 goals after netting Manchester City in midweek when Karim week sent Marseille through to the French Cup four times, twice with penalties, in the space Benzema was injured against Rayo. —Reuters final, grabbed an equaliser just after the break. of 25 second-half minutes. Sporting had However, Marseille’s hopes of snapping a 10- defender Ognjen Vranjes sent off in the 85th match winless streak in the top flight suffered a minute after picking up a second booking for damaging blow when Alaixys Romao was sent fouling Neymar who scored the subsequent Matches on TV off on 55 minutes for kicking out at Yacine spot kick The league leaders and Atletico (Local Timings) Bammou. And there was worse to come for OM have 82 points, with Barca top because of a as Abou Diaby, starting his second straight game after 18 months out through injury, hobbled off superior head-to-head record. Real are third ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE on 81 points with three games remaining. midway through the second half. Lionel Messi’s stooping header put Barca Tottenham v West Bromwich 22:00 “There was a lack of rhythm in the first half ahead on 12 minutes but Gijon, who are third beIN SPORTS 2 HD and we started the game poorly. Then there was from bottom, missed two chances to equalise the goal which was a bit unlucky and that before halftime. SPANISH LEAGUE knocked down my players’ confidence to a level even lower than it was at the start of the game Suarez eased Barca nerves by tapping Celta de Vigo v Granada CF 21:30 home Andres Iniesta’s low cross in the 63rd against Sochaux,” said OM interim coach Franck beIN SPORTS 3 HD minute before converting twice from the Passi. “Since the start of the season quite a few spot. The prolific Uruguayan, who also scored things have gone against us, but the players four times and provided three assists in ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE never give up. Faced with adversity, to get back level and earn a point is important,” he added, Wednesday’s 8-0 thrashing of Deportivo La AS Roma v SSC Napoli 16:00 with OM six points above the relegation zone Coruna, grabbed another goal in the 88th beIN SPORTS 4 HD minute, drilling in a pass from Messi. with three games left to play. Hellas Verona v AC Milan 18:00 Barca have now scored 14 goals in their Wednesday’s 1-0 victory at Sochaux in the beIN SPORTS 1 HD last four of the French Cup, which set up a show- last two league games after picking up just MARSEILLE: Marseille’s Cameroonian midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (R) vies with one point from their previous four matches. Carpi v Empoli 20:00 down with bitter rivals Paris Saint-Germain next month, was one of the few positives for Marseille Nantes’ Belgian midfielder Guillaume Gillet during the French L1 football match between “It was vital we won and doing it by scor- beIN SPORTS 4 HD Marseille (OM) and Nantes (FCN) yesterday at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille. — AFP ing lots of goals helps lift our confidence,” in a season which has lurched from bad to worse.