Established 1961 15 Tuesday, July 7, 2020 Sports Inter title hopes all but over after ‘gifting’ Bologna surprise win Atalanta claim their 10th straight win in all competitions

MILAN: coach said his though, and twice went close to team “gifted” Bologna a 2-1 win on Sunday after equalising before half-time. they blew a goal and a man advantage to see their But Inter were gifted a golden opportunity to title challenge all but ended in dramatic take total control 12 minutes into the second half fashion. when Bologna was sent Antonio Conte’s men needed a win to move back off for dissent. to within eight points of leaders Juventus, and one A crucial three points appeared almost certain of second-placed Lazio, but despite leading when Martinez stepped up to take a 61st-minute through ’s 20th league goal of the penalty, but the Argentinian striker saw his effort campaign and playing against 10 men, contrived to saved by visiting goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski. collapse to defeat. That was the cue for Inter, chasing a first league Juventus sit seven points clear at the top after title since winning the treble under Jose Mourinho beating Torino in the Turin derby on Saturday, when in 2010, to collapse in the closing stages. second-placed Lazio were thumped by AC Milan. , on as a substitute, fired home a Inter, who also missed a penalty when 1-0 up, 74th-minute leveller through the weak attempted are now 11 points off the pace with only eight save by Inter stopper Samir Handanovic, before the matches of the season home side also saw their remaining and just one numerical advantage dis- point ahead of fourth- appear shortly afterwards placed Atalanta who beat as was Cagliari 1-0. dismissed for a second “It’s clear what hap- Inter missed yellow card. pened, so there’s not much a penalty The comeback was I can say,” Conte told completed with 10 minutes DAZN. “We all have to left, as Gambian striker take our share of the finished off responsibility, first of all a sweeping Bologna MILAN: Inter Milan’s Croatian defender Marcelo Brozovic (down) vies with Bologna’s Italian midfielder Roberto Soriano during the Italian Serie A football match between Inter Milan and Bologna played me as the coach, then the counter-attack with a fine behind closed doors at the Giuseppe-Meazza stadium in Milan. —AFP players who step onto that left-footed shot past pitch. I think we gifted Bologna the game today and Handanovic. it’s not the first time. Inter piled on the pressure during six minutes of avirus lockdown, but are now closer to leaders half-time at the Stadio San Paolo, and although “We have to ask ourselves questions now, both injury time, but failed to rescue even a point, with Juventus than they are to the capital club. Henrikh Mkhitaryan equalised with his seventh myself and the players.” Alexis Sanchez denied by Skorupski. Luis Muriel scored what proved to be the win- league goal of the season, Insigne had the final say The third-placed hosts forged ahead midway ner from the penalty spot in the 27th minute after with a magnificent curling strike from the corner of through the first half as Lautaro Martinez headed ATALANTA MARCH ON teenage Cagliari defender Andrea Carboni was the area. ’s left-wing cross against the post, but Atalanta were not at their free-flowing best but sent off. Elsewhere, Brescia moved off the foot of the Lukaku was on hand to tap in. still did enough to claim their 10th straight win in all Napoli moved level on points with Roma after table and kept their survival hopes alive by beating It was the Belgian’s 20th league goal since join- competitions against 10-man Cagliari. Lorenzo Insigne’s strike eight minutes from time Verona 2-0, their first victory since last December. ing Inter from Manchester United last year and his Gian Piero Gasperini’s men looked set to battle grabbed Gennaro Gattuso’s men a 2-1 win over the They are now six points from safety after 17th- 26th in all competitions. Roma for the fourth and final Champions League fifth-placed outfit. placed Genoa rescued a 2-2 draw at Udinese thanks Mid-table Bologna always carried a threat, place when Serie A restarted following the coron- Jose Callejon put Napoli ahead 10 minutes after to Andrea Pinamonti’s 97th-minute leveller. —AFP

Bartomeu told Spanish network run and wants to leave in 2021. repeat that VAR is not being used as Messi will finish Movistar after his side beat Villarreal The win against Villarreal kept it should be,” added Bartomeu. 4-1 away on Sunday in . Barca in the title hunt with La Liga “Since the season returned after career at Barca: “I’m not going to explain the leaders Real Madrid, who hold a four- the COVID-19 crisis it has not been details because we are focused on the point advantage after beating Athletic equal, that has been reflected in the Leeds face test Club president competition and we are negotiating Bilbao 1-0 on Sunday thanks to a late results and it looks as if it always with many players but Messi has penalty by Sergio Ramos. favours the same team. of nerve as VILA-REAL: Barcelona president explained to us that he wants to stay The spot kick was awarded follow- “VAR should be there to help out Josep Maria Bartomeu has said that and so we’re going to enjoy him for ing a VAR review while Athletic had the referee but in the last few weeks captain will end his much longer.” their own penalty appeal turned down everyone has been able to see the promotion looms career at the Catalan club, dismissing The 33-year-old Messi, who signed and Bartomeu said the technology instances in which it has not been a report saying the Argentine no his last contract in 2017, has become was not being applied fairly since the used fairly.” LONDON: After 16 years in the wilderness, longer wishes to renew his current more outspoken against the club’s season resumed following the novel Real coach Zinedine Zidane said he Leeds United are on the brink of an eagerly contract when it expires next year. hierarchy in the last year and radio coronavirus stoppage. was tired of his side’s winning run awaited return to the Premier League — as long “Messi has said he will end his station Cadena Ser said last Thursday “I saw the game in Bilbao and being put down to marginal decisions as they can hold their nerve with the finish line in working and footballing life at Barca,” he is unhappy with how Barca is being although I don’t like to say it, I’ll going their way. —Reuters sight. A 3-1 win at Blackburn on Saturday moved Leeds a step closer to the promised land from the long purgatory of the lower leagues. middle to score, but his blushes were Marcelo Bielsa’s side sit one point clear at the Porto hammer spared when the goal was ruled out top of the Championship heading into their last by VAR for a handball by Uribe in the five matches. With third-placed Brentford six build-up. points behind, Leeds look odds-on to secure the Belenenses 5-0 Moussa Marega made it 2-0 after place among English football’s elite that their the break, latching on to Jesus legion of fanatical fans used to regard as their PORTO: Luiz Diaz scored a stunning birthright. late goal and Fabio Vieira notched his Corona’s through ball and rifling a crisp shot back across goalkeeper But Leeds were in a similar position last sea- first for the club with a clever free son and squandered a chance for automatic pro- kick as they hammered visiting Herve Koffi to net in the 58th minute. Alex Telles added the third with a motion before imploding in the play-offs. When Belenenses 5-0 on Sunday, taking Leeds beat Sheffield Wednesday on April 13, their lead over Benfica at the top of penalty after Diaz was hacked down by Cafu Phete before Vieira, who 2019, a capacity crowd at Elland Road serenaded the Primeira Liga back to six points. their jubilant team as if promotion had been The win put Porto on 73 points came up through the youth ranks at Porto, scored his first senior goal for secured. with four games left, ahead of second- Just 15 days later, after losses to Wigan and placed Benfica, who beat Boavista 3-1 the club with a low free kick. The hosts saved the best for last Brentford and a mad-cap draw against Villa — in on Saturday. It was a night to forget which Bielsa told his team to deliberately let their for Belenenses defender Nuno though as Diaz picked up the ball in his own half and drove forward before opponents score following United’s controversial Coelho, who left forward Soares opener — ended the Leeds top two challenge. unmarked to open the scoring for the unleashing a rocket shot that flew into the top corner in added time to com- Leeds lost their nerve and Derby took full hosts with a header in the 31st minute. advantage in the play-off semi-final second leg, Coelho was at fault again a few plete the rout. The defeat was the fifth in a row in the league for Belenenses, who PORTO: Porto’s Brazilian defender Alex Telles scores a penalty during the winning 4-2 to leave the Elland Road faithful in minutes later as he failed to stop Portuguese League football match between FC Porto and Os Belenenses at tears. From the ashes of that bitter evening, Mateus Uribe coming through the remain in 14th place on 31 points, four clear of the relegation zone. —Reuters the Dragao stadium in Porto. —AFP Bielsa has dragged Leeds back into promotion contention. But, with last season’s collapse in mind, Leeds ed in from a corner and Alfredo the second half with a low strike. fans might have been alarmed to hear Bielsa Samp move away Donnarumma finished off a count- Barca outclass For Barca defender Gerard Pique, admit he is feeling the strain of the run-in. “Yes,” er-attack deep into stoppage time delivering such a slick performance Bielsa said when asked if he felt anxious during the Blackburn game. as Brescia, beaten 6-0 by Inter was as satisfying as returning to win- from danger, Villarreal after “Every match in this period is very important. Milan on Wednesday, bounced ning ways. “It was crucial to get the three points to stay in the hunt but If we get distracted we will pay for that so we Brescia win first back for their first win since Dec. disappointments need to keep focused in every match.” 14, a run of 14 league games. the way we played was important too because that’s a part of our identity Genoa scored twice in the last RICH HISTORY game this year VILA-REAL: Barcelona responded so we need to keep playing like that 10 minutes as they hit back from 2- With English football being played behind to a trying week by producing a until the end of the season,” he said. 0 down to draw 2-2 at Udinese in closed doors for the rest of the season amid the VERONA: Sampdoria won a key scintillating display to thrash Barca’s confidence was rocked by another match featuring teams Villarreal 4-1 away on Sunday and coronavirus pandemic, perhaps Leeds will bene- relegation game for the second battling the drop. draws with Celta Vigo and Atletico fit from playing in silence, rather than in front of time in five days when they beat stay alive in the Liga title race. The Madrid while the sense of instability Seko Fofana and Kevin Lasagna Catalans had drawn their last two their anxious fans. SPAL 3-0 in Serie A on Sunday put Udinese in the driving seat but at the club deepened amid reports “I’d love to be there more than anything. But while Brescia claimed their first win matches to hand more momentum to captain Lionel Messi was unhappy Goran Pandev pulled one back and league leaders Real Madrid but it’s such a nervous time and I do think that could this year by beating Verona 2-0. Andrea Pinamonti levelled in the with the state of affairs and did not impact the players,” Leeds season-ticket holder Sunday’s win took them to 73 points want to stay beyond his contract. Two first-half goals from seventh minute of stoppage time, Simon Sanders told AFP. “Nothing feels quite after 34 games, four behind their There had been also been plenty Karol Linetty and one from scoring from a rebound after hav- right with this virus and the way the world has Manolo Gabbiadini moved arch-rivals who won 1-0 at Athletic of speculation surrounding coach ing a penalty saved by Juan Musso. Bilbao earlier in the day. changed but if we make it the party will go on for Claudio Ranieri’s Sampdoria sev- Setien after he had brought weeks.” Sampdoria, who also won 2-1 at An own goal from Pau Torres put en points clear of the drop zone Griezmann on in added time against Three of Leeds’ remaining games will be Lecce in midweek, are 14th with 32 Barca in front in the third minute, Atletico, a move described in the played in the empty stands of Elland Road and left SPAL rooted to the bot- points, ahead of Udinese on goal with Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno lev- Spanish media as an act of humilia- against struggling trio Stoke, Barnsley and tom of the table. difference, with Torino on 31 and elling on the rebound in the 14th tion against the World Cup-winning Charlton. Win those games and taken a point Linetty pounced on a SPAL Genoa on 27. The teams in the rel- before the visitors restored their lead forward. from one of their two away games at Swansea mistake to break the deadlock egation zone are Lecce (25), through an outstanding curling strike after 12 minutes and Gabbiadini Griezmann was named in the line- and Derby and Leeds will be assured of pro- Brescia (21) and SPAL (19). from Luis Suarez six minutes later. up against a Villarreal side who had motion. It would be a moment to savour after curled in a free kick in the 45th Two first-half goals from Erick Antoine Griezmann stretched minute. Further confusion in the won five of their last six games and such a long period in the shadows. Champions of Pulgar gave Fiorentina a 2-1 win at Barca’s advantage just before the was lively from the kick off, helping SPAL defence allowed Linetty England in 1969 and 1974 under Don Revie, then Parma, their first since the restart break with a sublime chip, having force the opening goal as well as to add a third in first-half stop- in 1992 when Howard Wilkinson called the shots, of the season. Juraj Kucka replied been dropped from the starting line- working tirelessly in midfield and Leeds have a rich history. —AFP page time. for the hosts with a penalty early up in the last two games, while 17- combining well with Messi and Teenager Andrea Papetti head- in the second half. —Reuters year-old Ansu Fati added a fourth in Suarez. —Reuters