TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 SPORTS MILAN: AC Milan’s Ghanaian forward Kevin-Prince Boateng (center) celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A football match between AC Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro Stadium in Milan on January 17, 2016. —AFP Milan dent Fiorentina Serie A title hopes MILAN: Carlos Bacca and Kevin-Prince Boateng impressive as they zipped the ball around in the After Milan ‘keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma straight at a thankful Tatarusanu after the ball on for Niang and moments after Mario Balotelli struck in either half as AC Milan dented opening exchanges, although the stakes punched a corner to safety, Niang went on a fell kindly. Sousa boosted Fiorentina’s attack replaced Bacca to make his long-awaited return Fiorentina’s Serie A title hopes with a 2-0 win at changed for the visitors after just four minutes. long run that took him past his marker but his when he replaced midfielder Mario Suarez with from injury, Boateng beat onrushing Tatarusanu the San Siro that ended their long wait for vic- On a Milan counter, Giacomo Bonaventura held cross for Honda met traffic. Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi with 25 minutes to play. But to Juraj Kucka’s long ball, rounded the ‘keeper tory over La Viola. Seven-time European cham- the ball up before releasing Bacca on a run Nikola Kalinic was unlucky not to make contact Milan’s changes proved decisive. Boateng came and slotted it home from 12 yards.— AFP pions Milan had beaten the Florence-based which the Colombian finished by holding off with Marcos Alonso’s drive into the box, and the side only once in their last nine league outings. his marker to fire past Ciprian Tatarusanu and Croatian got his head to an Ilicic corner close to Italy Serie A results/standings But a superb opener from Bacca on four min- into the far bottom corner. half-time but it glanced wide. Fiorentina utes upset the visitors’ gameplan and Boateng, Milan spurned the next chance when resumed in more positive fashion after the MILAN: Italian Serie A table on Sunday (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, who re-signed for the club recently on a six- Keisuke Honda won possession in midfield and break, although their promise soon fizzled out. points): month loan deal, came off the bench to hit a played a one-two with M’Baye Niang, but the A Borja Valero free-kick was nodded towards Napoli 20 13 5 2 41 16 44 Torino 19 7 4 8 26 25 25 well-taken second two minutes from the final Japanese forward’s delivery into the box found the far top corner by Nenad Tomovic but Juventus 20 13 3 4 37 15 42 Atalanta 20 7 4 9 21 24 25 whistle to wrap up the points. no takers. Fiorentina should have levelled Donnarumma was alert to the danger. A long Inter Milan 20 12 4 4 25 13 40 Udinese 20 7 3 10 18 31 24 Fiorentina’s sixth defeat of the season before the quarter hour when Josip Ilicic ran ball from Ilicic sent Kalinic on a promising Fiorentina 20 12 2 6 37 21 38 Sampdoria 20 6 5 9 29 32 23 proved costly, Paulo Sousa’s men left in fourth through unmarked on to Mario Suarez’s ball, counter but with Alessio Romagnoli in hot pur- Roma 20 9 8 3 37 23 35 Bologna 20 7 2 11 22 27 23 place at six points behind leaders Napoli, four but the Slovenian was closed down and after suit the Croatian fired wide of the AC Milan 20 9 5 6 27 23 32 Genoa 20 6 4 10 23 26 22 behind champions Juventus and two behind offloading to Federico Bernardeschi the play- target.Moments later, Kalinic headed a metre Sassuolo 19 8 7 4 24 20 31 Palermo 20 6 3 11 19 33 21 fellow challengers Inter Milan. Milan moved up maker’s snap shot was blocked. Milan were wide from Valero’s cross as Donnarumma Empoli 20 9 4 7 25 24 31 Carpi 20 4 5 11 19 35 17 two place to sixth to sit 12 points off the pace finding openings on the counter, with swung on to his post. Milan looked to have Lazio 20 8 4 8 25 29 28 Frosinone 20 4 3 13 22 45 15 as they continue their bid for a place in next Bonaventura and M’Baye Niang showing plenty soaked up the pressure but struggled to con- Chievo 20 7 6 7 26 22 27 Verona 20 0 9 11 13 32 9 season’s Champions League. Fiorentina looked of pace on the wings. vert their own half chances, Antonelli firing Wenger optimistic over Ozil’s return STOKE-ON-TRENT: Arsenal manager because they made the game very physi- Arsene Wenger hopes playmaker Mesut cal,” said Wenger. “The crowd was up for it, Ozil will be fit to face Chelsea after the the players were up for it. They went for a German was forced to miss Sunday’s goal- very direct game and we had to show a less draw at Stoke with a foot injury. Ozil is physical response, solidarity, fighting spirit, well clear at the top of the Premier League’s togetherness, which we did.” ‘assists’ charts with 16, compared to nine But a clearly annoyed Hughes respond- for his nearest challenger, Manchester ed: “I’ve just heard Arsene say he was a bit City’s Kevin de Bruyne. And Wenger hopes surprised that we went direct. “I’m not the 27-year-old will overcome the injury in quite sure what game he’s been watching. order to face the struggling Premier League “I don’t think there was a yellow card. I champions at the Emirates Stadium next don’t know why the physical aspect of the weekend after conceding he was missed game has to be mentioned. “I thought it during a stalemate in the Potteries. was a good football game with both teams “There is no team in the world that trying to play and win a key Premier wouldn’t miss Ozil,” Wenger said. “We are League game.” Arsenal’s last victory at the used to having him there. If we had Mesut, Britannia Stadium was a 3-1 success that it would have been a different game became infamous for the sickening broken (against Stoke). “Ozil has an inflammation leg suffered by Gunners midfielder Aaron of the foot. On Saturday morning he was Ramsey, who was again singled out for not very well and he was already not 100 some unsavoury abuse by Potters fans dur- percent at Liverpool,” the veteran French ing his 250th Arsenal appearance. boss added. “I decided to leave him out but The bad blood from the injury and I think he should be back for next Sunday.” Ramsey’s refusal to accept Ryan Shawcross’s Ozil’s absence left Arsenal laboring at the apology for the challenge that caused it Britannia Stadium, where they managed remains for Stoke fans, who taunted Ramsey SAINT-ETIENNE: Saint-Etienne’s Norwegian forward Alexander Soderlund (left) vies for the ball with Lyon’s French defender Mapou Yanga- just three shots on target and found Stoke throughout Sunday’s match with boos and a Mbiwa during the French L1 football match between Saint-Etienne (ASSE) and Lyon (OL) on January 17, 2016. — AFP goalkeeper Jack Butland equal to them. chant about the damage caused to his leg. A point was enough to take the north Wenger said: “I have no influence on it and I London club back to the top of the table as don’t know what generally you should do they edged clear of Leicester City on goal about it. “When people get together, some- Saint-Etienne reignite their difference, but it was another afternoon of times they forget their individual responsi- frustration in the Potteries for Wenger. His bility. “Maybe when you go home and watch side have now failed to win at Stoke’s home it on television you are less proud. “I focus on quest for Europe football in six attempts-a sequence that dates back the game. I shut my ears-I think that’s best to February 2010. And he provoked a way to deal with it.” A draw kept Stoke sev- PARIS: Saint-Etienne reignited their quest for cross was diverted towards his own goal by Kevin second on the hour. Ronny Rodelin pulled one pointed response from Stoke manager enth in the table and Hughes hopes to have European football with a 1-0 win over bitter rivals Theophile-Catherine. back for the hosts after beating Steve Mandanda Mark Hughes by claiming the home team record signing Xherdan Shaqiri back from a Lyon in Sunday’s feisty Rhone-Alpes derby, while But it was the hosts who made the break- to a free-kick, but Bouna Sarr erased any hopes of had been “physical” and “direct”. “Overall it hamstring injury in time for Saturday’s trip Marseille continued their impressive away form in through on 76 minutes when a stray pass from a comeback as he volleyed home Alaixys Romao’s was a battle-an old fashioned Stoke battle to Leicester.— AFP Ligue 1 with a 3-1 victory at Caen. Norway striker Corentin Tolisso was pounced upon by Kevin inviting cross on 83 minutes. The victory pushed Alexander Soderlund marked his home debut Monnet-Paquet, who slipped in Soderlund for the Marseille up to eighth, five points adrift of third- with the decisive goal 14 minutes from time at Norwegian to notch his first goal for his new club.