27 Sports Tuesday, November 13, 2018 Cavani bags hat-trick as perfect PSG leave Henry’s Monaco down and out Marseille bounce back to beat Dijon 2-0 at the Velodrome

PARIS: Thierry Henry’s disastrous start as coach of been cursed by injuries, and here he was missing a Monaco continued on Sunday as Edinson Cavani’s dozen players due either to injury or suspension at VAR-assisted hat-trick helped Paris Saint-Germain to kick-off. Belgian international Nacer Chadli lasted an easy 4-0 win that saw them extend their perfect just 20 minutes before coming off hurt, and his record in Ligue 1 this season. replacement Jordi Mboula pulled up with a hamstring Neymar netted a penalty to complete PSG’s victo- injury at the start of the second half. ry, as they made it 13 wins from 13 league games The average age of his bench here was under 19, under Thomas Tuchel, further stretching their start to while his starting line-up featured a 17-year-old the season that is a record in France and in Europe’s debutant in defence in Benoit Badiashile. It was little so-called big five leagues. wonder, then, that PSG-themselves showing six The result for them came after a week marred by changes following their Champions League draw at revelations from French investigative website Napoli-found the going so easy. They went ahead in Mediapart that youth scouts at PSG had subjected the fourth minute when Neymar drove the ball across potential signings to racial profiling for several years. goal for Cavani to convert. But while they go 13 points clear of second-placed The goal was initially disallowed before being giv- Lille at the Ligue 1 summit, the club who have been en by the Video Assistant Referee, and the same thing their main challengers continued their deeply worry- happened in the 11th minute when Cavani turned the ing slump, with Henry again left to look on helplessly ball in again after the flag was wrongly raised for an from the touchline. offside against Moussa Diaby. Champions in 2017, Monaco are in the relegation In contrast to those two goals, a fine Julian Draxler zone and five points away from outright safety having finish in first-half stoppage time was initially given failed to win in six matches in all competitions since before being disallowed on review. However, Diaby the Arsenal and France great took charge. squared for Cavani to complete his hat-trick in the The principality side have now gone 16 games 54th minute, and Neymar then rolled in a penalty without a win, with this result following a 4-0 home after Kylian Mbappe had been fouled by France reverse against Club Brugge which knocked them out teammate Djibril Sidibe. MONACO: Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Angel Di Maria (C) vies the ball with Monaco’s French defender Djibril of the Champions League. Elsewhere on Sunday, Lucas Ocampos and Adil Sidibe during the French L1 football match Monaco vs Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday at the “Louis II Stadium” in They are on their worst run in France’s top flight in Rami scored as Marseille bounced back from a run of Monaco. — AFP 32 years, at a time when Football Leaks claims about four straight defeats to beat Dijon 2-0 on an emo- their Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches and the arrest tional afternoon at the Velodrome. A minute’s silence of their Russian billionaire owner Dmitry Rybolovlev was held before kick-off in memory of the eight peo- The result lifted Marseille up to sixth in the table, Bordeaux were held to a goalless draw at home by on corruption charges have cast a further shadow ple killed when two buildings collapsed in the south- back to within three points of third-placed Caen, while Rennes drew 1-1 with local rivals over the club. Henry has picked up a squad who have ern French city on Monday. Montpellier, who beat them 3-0 last weekend. Nantes. — AFP

Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli with Inter a further three behind. Ronaldo keeps Juve “I’m very happy, especially for the team, because playing away to Milan is always very difficult,” said Ronaldo. “It was important to win, because Napoli beat Genoa flying high with last night and we had to keep our distance.” Allegri’s side rarely looked threatened by AC Milan with Mandzukic ris- Resurgent Salah ing highest to nod in an Alex Sandro cross to dampen spir- ‘important’ win its among the 75,000-capacity crowd at the San Siro. scores again The Croatian World Cup runner-up could have made it over AC Milan two shortly after, meeting a cross this time from Ronaldo but Milan skipper Alessio Romagnoli blocked. PARIS: Egyptian Mohamed Salah is back where he Higuain returned from a back problem to face his par- spent much of last season-stealing the show among the ent club but it was to be a nightmare outing for the for- African stars in the major European leagues. He took MILAN: Cristiano Ronaldo scored as Juventus bounced ward who had been loaned out to Milan last summer to his English Premier League season goal haul this sea- back from their midweek Champions League defeat by make space for Ronaldo. son to six at the weekend with the opener for title chal- Manchester United with a 2-0 win over 10-man AC Milan The Argentine missed a penalty awarded after Medhi lengers Liverpool in a 2-0 home win over bottom club in Serie A on Sunday, as Gonzalo Higuain missed a penalty Benatia handled in the area five minutes before the break Fulham. before being sent off for the hosts. with Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny tipping the The reigning African Footballer of the Year has put Mario Mandzukic headed in the opener in the eighth ball onto the post. an early-season barren spell behind him to trail leading minute at the San Siro with Ronaldo adding a second on 81 Ronaldo tested Gianluigi Donnarumma in the AC Milan scorer Sergio Aguero of Manchester City by two goals. minutes as Juventus maintained their six-point cushion goal early in the second half before finally blasting in nine ahead of the international break. minutes from time for his first goal at the San Siro. Minutes England It got the defending seven-time Serie A champions later Higuain saw red after shouting at the referee in frus- MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool) back on track after suffering their first defeat of the season tration after a foul on Benatia, and was led off the pitch in After an uncertain start that led many to wonder if by United following two late goals despite Ronaldo’s stun- tears. “I told him not to exaggerate, to calm down and not last term’s goal-laden season was a flash in the pan, the Egypt striker looks to be regaining his old form. ning volley. to risk a major penalty,” said Ronaldo of what he told MILAN: AC Milan’s Italian forward Patrick Cutrone (C) Seconds after basement club Fulham had a goal con- “Winning tonight was the only way to put aside what Higuain on the pitch. “He was nervous, he was losing, but heads the ball next to Juventus’ Italian defender troversially disallowed, Salah crowned a rapid counter- happened in the final five minutes of the Champions we must not blame him, he didn’t say anything.” Giorgio Chiellini (R) during the Italian Serie A football attack with a composed finish to score the Reds’ open- League game,” said Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri. “It Earlier on Sunday, defender Gianluca Mancini scored match AC Milan vs Juventus on Sunday at the San Siro er, his eighth goal this season in all competitions, in a 2- was important to win without conceding a goal and to for a third consecutive game as Atalanta dominated Inter stadium in Milan. — AFP 0 win that maintained their unbeaten run in this league regain the six-point advantage over Napoli who are hav- Milan at home in Bergamo. Mancini headed home in the campaign. ing an excellent championship.” 62nd minute to add to Hans Hateboer’s eighth-minute A third loss of the campaign, however, saw AC Milan opener, with Berat Djimsiti and Alejandro Gomez sealing and AC Milan. Rock-bottom Chievo earned a 2-2 draw at SOL BAMBA (Cardiff) drop out of the Champions League places behind Lazio all three points for the hosts late on. home against Bologna to move onto zero points, having The Ivory Coast defender scored a dramatic last- Inter captain Mauro Icardi had equalised when he slot- had three deducted for false accounting. But coach Gian who moved back into fourth despite a 1-1 draw at minute winner as the Bluebirds sealed a much-needed ted in a penalty just after the break, but his side finished Piero Ventura told players he was quitting after the game, Sassuolo. Inter Milan’s seven-match winning streak ended 2-1 win over Brighton in manager Neil Warnock’s 100th with ten men after Marcelo Brozovic was sent off two min- as he did not believe he could save them from relegation. with a 4-1 defeat at Atalanta, with Luciano Spalletti’s side game in charge of the Welsh capital club. Bamba’s utes into injury time. Roma got back to winning ways with Elsewhere, Empoli got their first win since the opening losing second place to Napoli who came from behind to spectacular overhead kick hit the post before Callum beat Genoa 2-1 on Saturday. a 4-1 success over Sampdoria to move up to sixth, within match of the season, beating fellow strugglers Udinese 2-1, Paterson’s follow-up was deflected onto the crossbar. Juventus have 34 points from 12 games-six ahead of three points of the Champions League places behind Lazio who they joined on nine points. — AFP But there was no third let-off for the Seagulls with Bamba, quickly back on his feet, thumping the loose ball home. Real Madrid ‘very Italy GERVINHO (Parma)/NICOLAS NKOULOU (Torino) Silva believes Former Arsenal winger Gervinho scored his third happy’ with Solari: goal this season as Parma came away with a 2-1 win City’s derby win from Torino after a defensive mix-up involving Cameroonian Nkoulou saw the Ivorian surge forward Butragueno with a brilliant solo run after nine minutes to help the have ended promoted side move up to 10th in Serie A, two points off the Europa League places. Madrid: Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueno has United’s title bid said the club are delighted with Santiago Solari’s spell CHRISTIAN KOUAME (Genoa) in charge after the team posted their fourth consecutive Ivorian forward Kouame scored his second goal for win by beating Celta Vigo on Sunday. Genoa after moving to the top-flight side last July by MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva Madrid claimed a 4-2 victory at Balaidos and the heading in a Romulo cross after 20 minutes. But after a reckons a derby win over Manchester United has expectation is Solari will now be given the job full-time, 13-minute second-half interruption due to torrential dealt a huge blow to their local rivals’ title hopes, say- following a transformation in results. Four victories dur- rain, Napoli scored twice to win 2-1 and move back to ing Jose Mourinho’s men would need to be “almost second in Serie A. perfect” between now and the end of the season if ing his tenure have brought 15 goals scored and just they were to win the Premier League. two conceded while Real have cut the gap behind Barcelona to four points in La Liga. JOEL OBI (Chievo) City, the reigning English champions and Premier Nigerian midfielder Obi scored his first goal for new League leaders, opened up a 12-point lead over The win over Celta was the club’s last fixture before Solari’s two weeks as an interim coach ends during the club Chievo when he tapped in the second goal as the United with a 3-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium on rock-bottom side from Verona held on for a 2-2 draw Sunday. Goals early in each half from David Silva and international break. “He has done excellently,” against Bologna. It was just the third point this season Sergio Aguero put City in command at 2-0 up before Butragueno said on Sunday. “He arrived in a very par- for the club who finally broke out of negative territory United pulled one back through an Anthony Martial ticular moment and has achieved very good results, VIGO: Celta Vigo’s Spanish forward Iago Aspas kicks the to sit on zero points after 12 games, having being penalty just before the hour mark. above all today against Celta in a very difficult game. ball during the Spanish league football match between deducted three points for false accounting. City, however, sealed victory four minutes from We are very happy with how things have gone.” RC Celta de Vigo and Real Madrid CF at the Balaidos sta- time when Ilkay Gundogan crowned a 44-pass move Butragueno would not confirm whether Solari’s posi- dium in Vigo on Sunday. — AFP Germany to slot home from close range. This was United’s tion would be made permanent but it is likely the JEAN-PHILIPPE GBAMIN (Mainz 05) fourth defeat in 12 games and left them eighth in the Argentinian will remain in the post, at least until the end The Ivory Coast striker gave Mainz an early lead in table. Before kick-off City manager Pep Guardiola of the season. “We will see,” Solari said. “I usually don’t Hugo Mallo pulled one back for the hosts in the sec- their 3-1 win at Freiburg by scoring his second goal in had insisted United would remain title contenders plan too far ahead but in principle, it’s my day off ond half but Sergio Ramos chipped in a late penalty to as many games with a shot from outside the box on six even if they lost, but Silva was not so sure. “It won’t tomorrow. “The important thing is to do everything for put the result beyond doubt and Cabral was sent off for minutes. It was the 23-year-old’s first goal on the road be easy. Not only Man City — (they are) 10 points the good of the team and Real Madrid. Nothing else is receiving a second yellow card. Dani Ceballos’ stunning in 340 minutes as Mainz picked up a second straight from Liverpool, a lot of points from the other ones as important for me.” effort made it four, with Brais Mendez adding a late win to climb to ninth in the Bundesliga. well,” Silva said. Madrid defender Alvaro Odriozola said the players Celta consolation. “They need to be almost perfect and wait for the France other ones to lose a lot of points. I think it won’t be are behind Solari. “These things are decided by those “The team showed a lot of personality to come at the top, we just have to work to get out of the crisis,” through all the circumstances of the game,” Solari said. PELE (Monaco) easy,” the Portugal international added. The Portugal-born Guinea-Bissau international mid- Odriozola said. “We’ll go to the death with him, he’s a Silva, who provided the final cross from which Madrid suffered a spate of injuries as Casemiro, Sergio fielder made just his second Ligue 1 start since joining Gundogan scored, was proud of the way City great coach and of course we want him to continue.” Reguilon and Nacho were all forced off. Gareth Bale Monaco from Rio Ave in the close season. Sent off in a responded after Martial gave United hope of a come- Madrid dominated a chaotic match against Celta took a knock to his left ankle in the first half but was defeat at Reims in his last game, the 27-year-old could back. “After their goal we knew they would have con- that featured three goals and a red card in the final 10 able to continue. not do much to help Thierry Henry’s struggling side as fidence to try to come for a second but I think our minutes. Karim Benzema scored a brilliant opener “Gareth made a massive effort, his ankle was very they went down 4-0 at home to runaway league lead- performance was amazing. We didn’t concede one before instigating a second, his shot cannoning in off swollen,” Solari said. “Celta played very aggressively, ers Paris Saint-Germain.—AFP chance-only the penalty.—AFP Gustavo Cabral. on the edge of the rules.” — AFP