MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2016 SPORTS

Totti to the rescue as Roma drop points at Atalanta

MILAN: came off the Totti replaced Daniele De Rossi on 78 we took our foot off the pedal, lost our left to collect a long ball from midfield stole a march on the defender to bun- bench to hit a late, precious leveller as minutes and eight minutes later the 39- shape and allowed them back into it. and fire in a cross for D’Alessandro to dle in at the near post. It was the first Champions League-chasing Roma year-old club icon slammed the ball “When that happens, your opponents bundle past Wojciech Szczesny on 33 time Atalanta had hit three goals at dropped two points in a thrilling 3-3 through traffic and past Marco obviously want to capitalise and that’s minutes. Roma’s defence really should home since a 3-0 rout of Palermo in draw away to Atalanta yesterday. Roma Sportiello to secure a share of the what they did.” have done better on that occasion, and December, but more was to come from travelled to Bergamo feeling the pres- spoils. Although Roma remain in third Szczesny had more reason to complain the hosts. Borriello could have added sure after Inter Milan stunned Napoli 2- place, 11 points behind Juventus ahead SCRAPPY AFFAIR when Borriello rose above De Rossi and to his ally but ballooned over from 0 on Saturday to close the gap on third of their home game against Palermo It was a scrappy affair at the Atleti Kostas Manolas at a corner to level with Gomez’s delivery and then saw a back- place to three points. But despite tak- later Sunday and five points behind Azzurri d’Italia stadium, although a powerful header four minutes later. heel flick go over from close range. ing a 2-0 lead by the 27th minute with Napoli, Inter are closing in. French left-back Digne settled Roma Roma could have put the match Roma were only saved from a potential- goals from Lucas Digne and Radja With five games remaining, Roberto nerves on 23 minutes when he finished beyond reach soon after, but Edin ly costly defeat when, as the ball rico- Nainggolan, Luciano Spalletti’s visitors Mancini’s Inter side are only four points off a well-worked move to roll a right- Dzeko ballooned over from eight yards cheted in the Atalanta area, Totti’s drive let their guard slip, allowing an enter- behind Roma in fourth as they bid to footed shot past Sportiello at his far and minutes later the Bosnian’s crisp sneaked past Sportiello and inside the prising Atalanta back into the game. end a five-year wait to return to post. Roma looked to be cruising when volley was tipped over by Sportiello at ‘keeper’s near post in the closing min- Marco D’Alessandro reduced arrears on Europe’s premier club competition. “At Belgian international Nainggolan full stretch. utes. It was his 245th goal in but 33 minutes and Roma reject Marco 2-0 up, we should have put the match chipped Mohamed Salah’s cut-back At the other end, Roma’s defence in what could be Totti’s 23rd and final Borriello returned to haunt his old club beyond reach,” Roma coach Luciano past Sportiello on 27 minutes. But was nowhere when Gomez fired in a season with the club, he remains 29 by hitting a brace that gave Atalanta a Spalletti told Mediaset. Atalanta fought back valiantly, cross that Ervin Zukanovic should have behind the all-time record of Silvio Piola 3-2 lead by the 57th minute. “But we lost focus at certain points, Alejandro Gomez sprinting down the easily swept to safety. Instead, Borriello (274). —AFP Pulisic nets as Dortmund break Hamburg bogey

BERLIN: American teenager Christian goal. Mats put in a great pass to set me up,” Pulisic scored his first Bundesliga goal yes- said Pulisic. “It’s hard to put into words terday as Borussia Dortmund kept some what it felt like to score.” Ramos then made pressure on leaders Bayern Munich with a it 2-0 when he also put in a superb strike 3-0 win over 10-man Hamburg. across the face of the Hamburg goal on 44 Dortmund bounced back from the minutes. heart-break of their last-gasp 4-3 defeat at Hamburg had Adler sent off on 52 min- Liverpool on Thursday, which ended their utes and Ramos added his second on 86 Europa League campaign at the quarter- minutes when Japan’s Kagawa put in the final stage. final pass. It was their first win over Hamburg in Dortmund now have the chance to five league games having last beaten book their place in the German Cup final Bruno Labbadia’s side back in September when they play Hertha Berlin away in the 2013. Pulisic turns 18 in September, but semi-final on Wednesday. having only played his first German league “We were all very sad (after the game in January, the left winger made his Liverpool defeat), but the coach told us we senior international debut for the USA in have to go on and now we’ll have to wait March. He has now scored his first and see what happens in Berlin,” added Bundesliga goal on only his third start after Pulisic. Dortmund’s win trims Bayern’s lead being promoted from the Under-17 side by to seven points with only four games left head coach Thomas Tuchel in the winter after Pep Guardiola’s side beat Schalke 3-0 break. Dortmund look to have uncovered at home on Saturday. another star just as they seem set to lose Poland hot-shot Robert Lewandowski one. Reports on Sunday in both the netted twice in Munich to leave him as the German and UK media suggest defensive league’s top scorer with 27 Bundesliga Ilkay Gundogan is set to join goals this season. Manchester City for the start of next sea- Later yesterday, Cologne came from 2-0 son. But Dortmund stayed in the hunt for down to pull off a stunning 3-2 win at the German league title as Colombia striker Mainz. The hosts would have climbed to Adrian Ramos scored twice at Signal Iduna fifth and closing on a Europa League place Park. Hamburg were reduced to ten men for next season after goals by striker Jhon LONDON: Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, left shoots at goal as Crystal Palace’s Joel Ward attempts to block during the English Premier League soccer early in the second half when goalkeeper Cordoba and defender Leon Balogun. match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates stadium in London, yesterday. — AP Rene Adler was shown a straight red after But Cologne roared back at Mainz’s bringing down Shinji Kagawa. Coface Arena with goals from Marcel Risse After a great pass from Dortmund cap- and Milos Jojic before French striker tain Mats Hummels, Pulisic gave Dortmund Anthony Modeste netted the dramatic win- Bolasie punctures Arsenal’s the lead with a strike which beat Adler at ner in the dying stages. the near post on 38 minutes. The win moves Cologne up to 10th “It’s an amazing feeling to get my first while Mainz remain sixth. — AFP Champions League bid

Palace. The Eagles then introduced former Bacary Sako but Cech turned over the near- Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who post header. But Cech was beaten via Bolasie’s Arsenal 1 received a hostile reception from fans of his old 81st-minute strike against the run of pay. The club. Arsenal saw Sanchez head Ozil’s quickly winger had been relatively quiet before he cut taken free-kick just wide but Palace, who had inside and saw his shot squirm beyond Cech’s created little, served notice they could still grasp to stun the Emirates and earn Palace a Crystal Palace 1 snatch an unlikely point in the 77th munute. point that all but guaranteed their Premier Yohan Cabaye’s corner was glanced on by League status. —AFP

LONDON: Yannick Bolasie put a dent in Arsenal’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League Torres on target, Atletico with an equaliser for Crystal Palace nine minutes from time in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium join Barca atop La Liga yesterday. Arsene Wenger’s side appeared on course for victory following Alexis Sanchez’s MADRID: Fernando Torres struck his fourth hour mark when he smashed a long-range headed goal in first-half stoppage-time. goal in as many games as Atletico Madrid shot against the post. But Palace, second best throughout in this all- moved level with Barcelona at the top of La All of Torres’s goals in his last four outings London Premier League clash, hung on in and Liga with a routine 3-0 win over Granada yes- have come from Koke assists and that combi- were rewarded when Bolasie’s edge-of-the-box terday. Koke ensured Atletico would have no nation worked a treat once more for Diego shot beat Petr Cech, who should have saved it, at hangover from their efforts in dispatching Simeone’s men when the former Liverpool the Arsenal goalkeeper’s near post in the 81st Barca from the Champions League in midweek and Chelsea striker latched onto an inch-per- minute. The result effectively ended the as he swept home the opener on 15 minutes fect pass before lifting the ball over the DORTMUND: Dortmund’s midfielder Christian Pulisic and Hamburg’s Japanese Gunners’ already slim title hopes, with Arsene before teeing up Torres to dink home just onrushing Andres Fernandez. Simeone then defender Gotoku Sakai vie for the ball during the German Bundesliga first division Wenger’s side now 13 points behind leaders before the hour mark. withdrew top-scorer Antoine Griezmann and football match BVB Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburg SV in Dortmund, western Leicester City, with only a maximum of 15 on Substitute Angel Correa rounded off the Koke with Wednesday’s difficult trip to Athletic Germany, yesterday. — AFP offer from their final five league games. scoring with a cool finish seven minutes from Bilbao in mind. Correa was one of those intro- More significantly it meant Arsenal, bidding time. Victory takes Atletico back a point clear duced and the Argentine international to play in the Champions League for a 19th con- of third-placed Real Madrid and level with showed great composure to slot home the secutive season, failed to regain third place from Barca on 76 points with the Catalans aiming to third from Saul Niguez’s flick-on. Elsewhere, Juventus beat Palermo Manchester City and were left just four points in halt an alarming dip in form later at home to Athletic Bilbao moved to within six points of front of fifth-placed Manchester United, with Valencia. Atletico were met by a euphoric full Villarreal in the fight for the fourth Champions to move 9 points clear only the top four at the end of the season guar- house at the Vicente Calderon just four days League place with a hard-fought 1-0 win at anteed a place among Europe’s elite. after dumping Barca out the Champions Malaga thanks to Raul Garcia’s second-half Arsenal, jeered off the field by their own fans League at the quarter-final stage for the sec- header. Villarreal lost 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano in MILAN: Juventus continued its march page-time winner from Alessandro Frara ond time in three seasons. a result with huge ramifications at the bottom toward a fifth successive Serie A title as it gave Frosinone a crucial 2-1 victory at bot- at full-time, were the only team that had some- thing meaningful to play for, with Palace all but And Koke almost got the hosts off to the of the table. beat relegation-threatened Palermo 4-0 to tom side Hellas Verona. perfect start when he flashed a shot inches Miku’s brilliant header handed the Madrid move nine points clear yesterday. Frosinone leapfrogged two points safe and more focused on their looming FA Cup over from Juanfran’s cut-back in the first side all three points after Adrian Lopez had can- Sami Khedira gave Juventus the lead in above Palermo and one behind Carpi, semi-final against Watford. minute. However, the Spanish international celled out Javi Guerra’s early opener for Rayo. the 10th minute but Palermo kept pushing which occupies the last position of safety in That it took until the 24th minute for a mean- was deadly accurate with his next chance as Victory moves Rayo five points clear of the rele- for an equalizer before Paul Pogba and Serie A. ingful attempt was down to a Palace side con- he rifled home his fifth goal of the season after gation zone with just five games remaining. Juan Cuadrado sealed the result shortly tent to sit back and soak up pressure. Torres’s initial effort had been blocked. Sevilla will almost certainly have to win a third after the 70th minute. Substitute Simone CHIEVO VERONA DREW 0-0 AT UDINESE. Palace, especially away from home, like to Atletico’s rock-solid defence was rarely consecutive Europa League to make it back into Padoin added a fourth late on. Later, AC Milan’s new coach Cristian defend deep and hit teams on the break and troubled as they held out for a 30th clean the Champions League as they were held 1-1 at Second-place Napoli lost 2-0 at Inter Brocchi takes charge of his first match in his Bolasie did just that but his low drive was smoth- sheet of the season, but Ruben Rochina was home to Deportivo la Coruna to stay 11 points Milan on Saturday. There are five rounds senior managerial career, at Sampdoria. ered by the returning Cech. inches away from an equaliser on the half behind Villarreal. —AFP left. The only negative note for Juventus He will be hoping to do as well as Lazio For all Arsenal’s dominance, Palace goalkeep- was an injury picked up by Claudio counterpart Simone Inzaghi, who has now er Wayne Hennessey didn’t have to make a save Marchisio who was stretchered off in the started his senior coaching career with two for much of the first half. 15th with a knee injury. wins out of two following a 2-0 victory over Arsenal’s Lauren Koscielny flashed his header Tests revealed he has torn the anterior Empoli on Sunday. from Mesut Ozil’s 36th minute corner wide cruciate ligament in his left knee and the Juventus knew that victory would leave before Sanchez’s free-kick drifted just past the Italy midfielder, who will miss the European it with one hand on the trophy and it post. But Wales international Hennessey was Championship, will be operated on in the seemed to be going to plan when Khedira called upon to thwart Mesut Ozil with a low stop next few days. chested down Pogba’s chipped pass and after the German exchanged passes “At the moment there is no margin for volleyed it over Stefano Sorrentino. with Sanchez. Arsenal’s pressure was, however, error because we are in the final sprint,” Juventus appeared shocked by rewarded just before half-time. Juventus coach said. Marchisio’s injury and lost its rhythm, allow- “The title is not yet won. We have a nine- ing Palermo to create pressure, although JEDINAK DEPARTS point advantage, a good goal difference Pogba did have an effort tipped onto the Moments after Connor Wickham had headed but we still need two wins and a draw. crossbar by Sorrentino. over for Palace, Sanchez was more accurate “Now we have Lazio and Fiorentina, Palermo almost leveled when Franco when he nodded Danny Welbeck’s pass in from which will be two very difficult matches. Vazquez sent Aleksandar Trajkovski six yards out after Mile Jedinak had been caught Our rivals have an easier run-in.” Earlier, through and although his shot beat in possession. third-place Roma missed the chance to Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, That was the Australian midfielder’s final act close the gap to Napoli to three points as it defender Andrea Barzagli got back to clear as he was replaced at the break, with Palace drew 3-3 at Atalanta. off the line. It took Juventus until the 71st manager Alan Pardew sending out a more Roma is four points above Inter in the minute to double its lead when a corner attacking side. race for the final Champions League quali- came through to the back post for Pogba The danger was that Arsenal could pick the fying place, with Fiorentina two points fur- to tap in. Cuadrado sealed the match three south Londoners off and Welbeck and Alex ther back after a 3-1 win over Sassuolo - minutes later after a delightful dummy and Iwobi both missed early chances as the Gunners MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s forward Fernando Torres (R) scores a goal past Granada’s goal- thanks in part to a comical own goal from Padoin completed the rout, stroking an took advantage of the extra space. keeper Andres Fernandez during the Spanish league football match Atletico de Madrid vs visiting goalkeeper Andrea Consigli. Alvaro Morata assist into the far bottom Ozil was then inches away with a 58th minute Granada CF at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid yesterday. — AFP At the other end of the table, a stop- corner.—AP free-kick as the home side looked to kill off