MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 SPORTS

German League/standings

Hertha Berlin 0 Hoffenheim 5 (Brooks 23-og, Salihovic 26-pen, 39-pen, Shipplock 74, Rudy 84); Freiburg 2 (Frantz 45, Oliver 81) Hanover 96 2 (Bittencourt 83, Joselu 90+3).

Played Saturday Schalke 04 0 Hamburg 0; Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Bellarabi 83) 1 (Meier 37-pen); Augsburg 2 (Feulner 20, Bodilla 51) Borussia Moenchengladbach 1 (Kruse 2-pen); Werder Bremen 2 (Selke 3, Bartels 62) 1 (Hummels 69); VfB Stuttgart 0 Paderborn 0; VfL Wolfsburg 2 (Dost 16, Naldo 78) Cologne 1 (Maroh 11).

German league table after yesterday evening’s match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

Bayern 17 14 3 0 41 4 45 Paderborn 17 4 7 6 21 26 19 Wolfsburg 17 10 4 3 33 17 34 Cologne 17 5 4 8 17 23 19 Leverkusen 17 7 7 3 28 20 28 Mainz 05 17 3 9 5 19 23 18 M’gadbach 17 7 6 4 25 16 27 Hertha 17 5 3 9 24 35 18 Schalke 04 17 8 3 6 28 21 27 Hamburg 17 4 5 8 9 19 17 Augsburg 17 9 0 8 22 21 27 Stuttgart 17 4 5 8 20 32 17 Hoffenheim 17 7 5 5 29 25 26 Werder 17 4 5 8 26 39 17 Hanover 96 17 7 3 7 21 26 24 Dortmund 17 4 3 10 18 26 15 Eintracht 17 6 5 6 34 34 23 Freiburg 17 2 9 6 17 25 15 takes winter break

BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund went joint to look at the goals,” said the Dutchman. bottom of the Bundesliga yesterday after This was seventh-placed Hoffenheim’s Hanover 96 scored two late goals to draw biggest victory in their seven years in 2-2 at Freiburg as Germany’s top flight Germany’s top flight while Hertha, 13th, breaks for winter. have now leaked nine goals in their last The Bundesliga starts its winter break two games after drawing 4-4 at Eintracht leaving last ’s runners-up Dortmund Frankfurt on Wednesday. On Saturday, level on 15 points and a goal difference of Dortmund suffered their 10th defeat from minus eight alongside last-placed Freiburg. their first 17 games, losing 2-1 at Werder Goals by striker Mike Frantz and defend- Bremen as teenager Davie Selke scored for ITALY: Udinese midfielder Panagiotis Kone (left) is challenged by Sampdoria forward Stefano Chuka Okaka during a soccer match. —AP er Marc-Oliver Kempf had put hosts the hosts, then set up their second for Fin Freiburg 2-0 up at their Schwarzwald Bartels. Stadium before Hanover scored twice in Second-placed Wolfsburg fought back the last 10 minutes to claim a point. to claim a 2-1 home win against mid-table Sampdoria hold Udinese Midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt struck Cologne which trimmed Bayern Munich’s on 83 minutes before their Spanish star lead at the top back to 11 points. Joselu netted in the third minute of added Defender Dominic Maroh gave Cologne MILAN: Italy striker Manolo Gabbiadini con- were feeling the effects of those demands. brace of goals in a precious 2-1 home win over time to deny Freiburg their first win since a shock lead after just 11 minutes before firmed he could quit Sampdoria in the January “All the clubs welcome this break: footballers Genoa which secured just their fourth win of the the start of November. Dutch striker Bas Dost equalised five min- transfer window after heading a late equaliser to aren’t machines, they can’t go ten months non- campaign. “It was a very important victory for Earlier yesterday, Hertha Berlin defender utes later. secure a share of the spoils in a 2-2 home draw stop without resting,” said Garcia. us,” said Glik, who bundled the ball past Eugenio John Brooks gave away his side’s first two Brazil defender Naldo then headed the with Udinese yesterday. Gabbiadini has been “I hope the guys come back from the holidays Lamanna at the back post to level Falque Iago’s goals in their 5-0 thrashing at home by winner from a corner 12 minutes from time. linked with a move to Napoli and the highly-rat- utterly determined and with the same hunger 42nd minute opener before hitting the winner Hoffenheim. Bayer Leverkusen stay third after coming ed 23-year-old told Sky Sport after the game: “I we’ve shown up till now.” Milan coach Filippo just after the hour. The USA international turned the ball from behind for a 1-1 draw at home to don’t know if this will be my last goal in a Inzaghi was so delighted with the point he said “We didn’t change anything for the second into his own net on 23 minutes at Berlin’s Eintracht Frankfurt. Sampdoria shirt, I always honour the shirt that Milan should be aiming higher than just qualifi- half, we were just determined to get the three Olympic Stadium, then gave away a penal- Eintracht captain Alexander Meier, the I’m wearing.” cation for the Champions League. “We are Milan, points and succeeded. “We left everything out ty three minutes later. league’s leading scorer, converted a penalty It was Sampdoria’s ninth draw of the cam- we shouldn’t be fighting to finish third. We there, that’s why we deserved this win.” Bosnia midfielder Sejad Salihovic drilled to take him to 13 goals in 16 games this paign but Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men were left should be gunning for the title,” said the Milan Argentinian striker German Denis, mean- home the spot-kick and things went from season, before Leverkusen’s Karim Bellarabi lamenting a missed chance to leapfrog Napoli handler. while, struck a brace including a late leveller as bad to worse for Hertha. Brooks’ team-mate equalised. into provisional third place ahead of Lazio’s visit Elsewhere yesterday, Chievo and Torino were Atalanta fought back to claim a point from a 3-3 Nico Schulz was unlucky to concede a Roberto di Matteo’s Schalke 04 stay fifth to Inter Milan in yesterday’s late game. the only two teams celebrating ending the year draw with visitors Palermo. penalty after nudging Hoffenheim captain after being held to a goalless draw at home Spanish midfielder Pedro Obiang gave the with a win. Alberto Paloschi struck late to secure Fiorentina were sent on their way towards a Andreas Beck on 39 minutes and Salihovic to Hamburg, while Stuttgart remain above hosts a great start with a 15th minute opener at the points as Chievo beat Verona 1-0 in the city seventh win of the campaign after Juan Manuel converted his second spot-kick. the bottom three places after their goalless the Luigi Ferraris stadium, firing into the empty derby to give them some breathing space in the Vargas struck on the stroke of half-time, only for Hertha capitulated in the second half as draw at home to Paderborn. net after a blunder by visiting ‘keeper Orestis battle for relegation. to level just before the hour to Sven Schipplock added to the hosts’ misery Meanwhile, Augsburg fought back for a Karnezis. Torino had defender Kamil Glik to thank for a secure a point for visiting Empoli.—AFP when he walked the ball into an empty net 2-1 win at home to fourth-placed Borussia But Udinese took a 2-1 half-time lead follow- on 74 minutes after a Hoffenheim counter- Moenchengladbach to go sixth. ing quick-fire goals from Alexandre Geijo and attack. Germany international Sebastian On Friday, Bayern broke more league Danilo in the space of three minutes. Italian League/standings Rudy then came off the Hoffenheim bench records as Bastian Schweinsteiger and Gabbiadini, who secured a share of the points to grab their fifth goal. scored in their 2-1 comeback for Samp in a 1-1 draw away to Juventus last Verona 0 Chievo 1 (Paloschi 81); Atalanta 3 (Denis 40-pen, 76, Moralez 55) Palermo 3 (Rigoni 6, win at Mainz after Colombia midfielder week, rescued the hosts again when he headed Vazquez 1, 45+1); Fiorentina 1 (Vargas 44) Empoli 1 (Tonelli 57); Sampdoria 2 (Obiang 15, ‘BLACK DAY’ Elkin Soto had given the hosts’ a shock first- Lorenzo Di Silvestri’s cross past Karnezis on the Gabbiadini 60) Udinese 2 (Geijo 31, Danilo 34); Torino 2 (Glik 52, 63) Genoa 1 (Iago 42). “It was a black day for us,” admitted half lead. The Mainz result saw Bayern claim hour. “We’ve shown we’re a great side, not just Schulz, while Hertha coach Jos Luhukay new records for the fewest goals conceded for what we did today but what we’ve been Playing later said his side had contributed to their own in the first half of a Bundesliga season and doing all season. Our league position says it all,” Inter Milan v Lazio downfall. their 11-point lead after 17 games is also a said Gabbiadini. “We really helped them, you only have new best mark.—AFP Mihajlovic told Sky Sport he had no com- Played Saturday plaints.”Both teams tried to play to win, we had a Sassuolo 1 (Zaza 76-pen) Cesena 1 (Ze Eduardo 90+4); Roma 0 AC Milan 0 black-out for about three minutes and conceded two goals,” said the coach. Italian Serie A table ahead of yesterday’s late game (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals “I told the lads not to change a thing, we against, points): went back out looking for the equaliser and in the end it was the right result.” Sampdoria are 12 Juventus 16 12 3 1 34 7 39 Sassuolo 16 4 8 4 17 21 20 points behind Juventus, who will face Napoli in Roma 16 11 3 2 28 11 36 Empoli 16 3 8 5 17 22 17 the Italian Super Cup final in Doha today with a Napoli 16 7 6 3 28 20 27 Torino 16 4 5 7 12 18 17 chance for a double Christmas celebration after Sampdoria 16 6 9 1 22 14 27 Verona 16 4 5 7 18 27 17 the latest slip-up by title challengers. Roma had Lazio 15 8 2 5 26 17 26 Chievo 16 4 4 8 12 19 16 closed the gap on Juventus to a point last week Genoa 16 7 5 4 21 15 26 Atalanta 16 3 6 7 11 21 15 but had to settle for a scoreless draw at home to AC Milan 16 6 7 3 25 18 25 Cagliari 16 2 6 8 21 29 12 Milan on Saturday which left them three points Fiorentina 16 6 6 4 21 13 24 Cesena 16 1 6 9 13 30 9 adrift in second. Udinese 16 6 4 6 20 22 22 Parma 16 2 1 13 16 36 6 Coach Rudi Garcia admitted his side “lacked a Palermo 16 5 7 4 22 26 22 Note: Parma deducted one point for failing to bit of creativity” but hinted Roma, in contention Inter Milan 15 5 5 5 23 21 20 pay player salaries. for the league, Italian Cup and Europa League, Marseille finish year on top

PARIS: Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi scored helping the ball into his own net. showing his faith in me and giving me the start- the deciding goal on his first Ligue 1 start as Andre Ayew had a shot cleared off the line by ing role,” he said. Marseille beat Lille 2-1 yesterday to ensure that Simon Kjaer before Gueye escaped without even “When I was on the bench I was desperate to they will top the table at Christmas. a booking after catching Mario Lemina in the get on and then to start a match. “This is a club GERMANY: Augsburg’s Raul Bobadilla (center) and Moenchengladbach’s Tony Batshuayi secured OM’s ninth consecutive face with an arm. dear to my heart and when I scored the goal I let Jantschke challenge for the ball during the German First League Bundesliga soccer home victory, their most impressive run of The Senegal international made the most of out all the emotion I have had cooped up inside match. —AP results at the Stade Velodrome since 1990/91, his good fortune by levelling just after the hour me since I joined. I think I have taken a step for- after Idrissa Gueye had cancelled out the Nolan mark with a shot from the edge of the area that ward today.” Saint-Etienne continued their excel- Roux own-goal which gave the home side the beat Steve Mandanda in goal with the aid of a lent league form by easing to victory against lead. Marseille, who last won the title in 2010, deflection. struggling Evian at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Dundee end Celtic’s lead defending champions Paris Saint-Germain- However, the hosts sent the massed ranks of Max Gradel opened the scoring in the second who drew 0-0 with Montpellier on Saturday-by Marseille fans-many in Santa Claus hats-into minute before Romain Hamouma set up Ricky winning run three points. ecstasy in the 69th minute as Batshuayi turned van Wolfswinkel to score his fifth league goal of They are also five ahead of Lyon, who play his marker and let fly with a right-footed effort the campaign. DUNDEE: Dundee United moved up to sec- McNamara was pleased with the commit- Bordeaux later, and Saint-Etienne, who beat that gave Enyeama no chance. Hamouma saved the best for last though, cut- ond in the Scottish Premiership with a 2-1 ment of his players. “I’m delighted and I Evian 3-0 on Sunday afternoon. Batshuayi, who Batshuayi, 21, said the goal was a reward for ting inside two defenders before arrowing a left- win over leaders Celtic to end the Hoops’ think the players gave everything they had only been used as a substitute in the league all the hard work he had put in on the training foot shot from the edge of the box into the top eight game winning run yesterday. had,” McNamara said. since signing from Standard Liege in the sum- ground. “I owe a great debt to the coach for corner.—AFP With just one win in their past 21 match- “We rode our luck and Celtic put us mer, was given the nod by coach Marcelo Bielsa es against the Glasgow giants the odds under a lot of pressure and we had a bit of after Dimitri Payet was dropped for an alleged were stacked against United before kick- nervy finish when Griffiths got the goal but lack of effort in training. off. Nadir Ciftci opened the scoring for you need a bit of luck when you’re playing And the Belgian Under-21 international did United in the fifth minute with a superb against Celtic.” not let the mercurial Argentinian coach down as strike before setting up Stuart Armstrong Deila had been in the rare position of Marseille secured the symbolic title of ‘Autumn to head home a second in the 65th minute. naming an unchanged side for the match Champions’ in front of a record Velodrome atten- Stefan Scepovic had a goal controver- at Tannadice while United made three dance of 62,048 spectators. sially chopped off for offside in the 81st changes from the side that lost to “I was especially eager for us to win this game minute before fellow substitute Leigh Aberdeen. A trip on Celtic captain Scott because for five months these players have put Griffiths pulled one back for Celtic six min- Brown earned Ciftci a booking within the in so much effort, so to finish with a deserved utes later and then hit the post in stoppage first 30 seconds but the Turkish striker soon victory at home is their reward,” said Bielsa, who time. United survived to close to within atoned for his recklessness when he fired dismissed talk of a bust-up with Payet. four points of the Hoops at the top of the United in front in the fifth minute. The France international winger had been table and gain some revenge for their 6-1 Armstrong’s pass was diverted into his Marseille’s in-form player in recent weeks before thrashing at Parkhead in August. path by a Hoops defender and Ciftci held surprisingly being sent away on his Christmas “We lost the game because we weren’t off the challenge of Efe Ambrose before holidays early. “Nothing in particular happened. I effective enough. It’s a challenge we’ve chipping an angled shot beyond Craig simply decided to choose another player today faced in the last three or four games where Gordon. Celtic responded with Stefan and I didn’t think it was necessary for him to be we’ve created a lot of chances but don’t Johansen firing a low shot that got stuck in the squad of 18.” take them,” a despondent Celtic manager between the legs of United ‘keeper Andre-Pierre Gignac and Batshuayi both had Ronny Deila said. Radoslaw Cierzniak. Celtic stopper Gordon chances before the hosts opened the scoring in “We gave away some very stupid goals then had to be alert to make a superb one- the 32nd minute when Roux, in attempting to and that’s something we need to do some- handed save to deny a fierce strike from FRANCE: Marseille’s supporters wear Santa Claus bonnets as they attend the French L1 foot- clear a Florian Thauvin corner, only succeeded in thing on.” United manager Jackie Conor Townsend.—AFP ball match against Lille at the Velodrome stadium. —AFP