Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 Phenomenal Aguero playing like one of the gods LONDON: Manchester City’s Argentine titions already this season and 30 in his to go. “What is in our favour is that City games. striker Sergio Aguero was named last 33 Premier League games and his know how to catch teams we’ve done City coach Manuel Pellegrini said Player of the Year in a vote by 250,000 unstoppable rocket from 20 meters it in the past and can do it again.” after the Sunderland victory: “At this English fans this week-and it probably which pulled City level at Sunderland Aguero himself is hitting top form moment, it is difficult for defences to won’t be the last honour he picks up on Wednesday left Sunderland substi- with a phenomenal run in recent stop him. He is playing a very high per- this season. tute Jozy Altidore exclaiming “Oh My weeks starting at the end of October formance but there are so many years The 26-year-old, who won the God!”. when he scored all four in City’s 4-1 left for him to strengthen. Premier League title with City in May Aguero has been playing like one of win over Tottenham Hotspur. “Even before he started scoring in and reached the World Cup final with the gods all year and after being hon- He followed that with two against these games in a row, I thought he was Argentina in July, topped the Football oured by the FSF at its annual gala din- Queens Park Rangers in a 2-2 draw and in the top five players in the world. I am Supporters Federation poll, ahead of ner in London on Monday, he said that a match-winning hat-trick in City’s 3-2 very happy for him.” City team mate Yaya Toure, Liverpool’s the title race was far from over even win over Bayern Munich in the A candidate for the FIFA World XI Raheem Sterling, Morgan Schneiderlin though City trailed leader Chelsea by Champions League last week. and the FIFpro World XI, Aguero is also of Southampton and the Chelsea duo six points. His two goals in City’s 4-1 win at the front-runner for the English of Eden Hazard and Branislav Ivanovic. “We are two games behind them, Sunderland on Wednesday rook his tal- Footballer of the Year award at the end He has scored 19 goals in all compe- six points, but there is still a long way ly to 11 goals in his last nine league of this season. — Reuters Drogba rolls back years as Chelsea power on LONDON: Nothing, it seems, can deflect Chelsea from their pursuit of the Premier League title, not even the absence of their leading striker Diego Costa. Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur was achieved without the Spain international who was suspended, but then again, the man filling his boots was Didier Drogba. The Ivorian, who scored 157 goals in his first spell at the club, returned on a one-year deal this season and despite being 36, showed just why he and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who first signed him in 2004, are apparently inseparable. Drogba set up Eden Hazard for Chelsea’s first goal after 19 minutes with a superb one-two and three minutes later powered through to belt his side’s second past Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris. Even when he was substituted later, Loic Remy took his chance to score Chelsea’s third and crush any hope Tottenham had of mounting a come- back. “Drogba is a team player ... he has an old-time mentality, he’s not selfish, he’s not vain, he’s humble and he fights for the team,” Mourinho told reporters. “He hasn’t surprised me at all (since returning). I played against him with Real Madrid and I played against him with Chelsea against Galatasaray. “I could see the potential he still has and I was expecting exactly this, I had no doubt about him. From a mental point, for not starting every game, I knew he would adapt to this new role.” HUESCA: Barcelona’s forward Munir (L) vies with Huesca’s defender David Morillas (R) during the Spanish Chelsea were second-best for the opening 20 minutes when Tottenham’s Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) round of 32 first leg football match S.A.D. Huesca vs FC Barcelona at El Alcoraz Harry Kane headed against the crossbar, but once ahead they never looked stadium in Huesca on Wednesday. — AFP like surrendering their unbeaten start to the season or their six-point lead over Manchester City. They go to Newcastle United on Saturday when they will be without mid- fielder Nemanja Matic who picked up a fifth yellow card against Tottenham. Sevilla crush Sabadell Mourinho shrugged that off, such is his confidence in a squad bulging with quality and experience. “We don’t cry about it, we give confidence to the others and they respond in the best way,” he said. “No problem....we 11-2 on aggregate play another one. “No one remembered Diego Costa tonight. We don’t cry.” Mourinho still has not lost a Premier League London derby at Stamford Bridge and has only suffered three defeats in 46 league clashes against Barcelona beat third-tier Huesca 4-0 London rivals, while Tottenham have not won in the league at the ground since 1990 when Gary Lineker scored the winner. MADRID: Sevilla joined holders Real Madrid in the last Real’s participation in the Club World Cup this month as “To be fair, many of our players don’t know and I believe that many of the 16 of the King’s Cup when a quickfire Iago Aspas hat- European champions and the resulting disruption to Spurs players don’t know that, I think it doesn’t play a part,” Mourinho said. trick helped secure a crushing 11-2 aggregate victory the La Liga calendar caused by the tournament in “But yeah it’s a long time. I think Lineker is happy.” — Reuters over second-division Sabadell on Wednesday. Morocco. Sevilla romped to a 6-1 win in their last-32, first leg at In last-32, first leg games, La Liga champions Sabadell at the end of October, when Aspas also netted Atletico, who beat Real 2-1 after extra time in the 2013 a treble, and after winning the return 5-1 they will play Cup final at the Bernabeu, won 3-0 at third-tier Andalusian rivals Granada or Cordoba next month for a Hospitalet. place in the quarter-finals. The winner of a probable tie between Real and Sabadell took a surprise lead in the 22nd minute at Atletico is likely to meet record winners Barcelona in the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville when Juan the quarter-finals. Collantes converted a penalty before Kevin Gameiro A second-string Barca, missing most of coach Luis struck for the home side 10 minutes before halftime. Enrique’s regular starting 11 including Lionel Messi and Aspas, who is on loan from English Premier League Neymar, thumped Huesca, another third-tier club, 4-0. club Liverpool, scored three goals in four minutes mid- Ivan Rakitic opened the scoring in the 12th minute way through the second half to underline Sevilla’s dom- with a splendid free kick, Andres Iniesta struck on his inance and substitute Gerard Deulofeu completed the return from injury four minutes later, Pedro made it 3-0 rout in the 81st. six minutes before halftime and a deflected effort from “Let’s see if this can become a habit,” Aspas, who has Rafinha completed the scoring in the 72nd. been unable to nail down a regular starting place in Police were on high alert for Atletico’s match, as well coach Unai Emery’s side, told reporters. “These three as for Deportivo La Coruna’s first leg at home to Malaga, goals will do me good to keep on gaining in confi- following the death of a Deportivo fan in fighting near dence,” added the 27-year-old. Atletico’s stadium on Sunday before the two teams met LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s Paulinho, left, competes for the ball Real set up a likely last-16 clash against city rivals in La Liga. Malaga took an early lead at Deportivo’s with Chelsea’s captain John Terry during the English Premier League Atletico Madrid when they secured a 9-1 aggregate Riazor stadium before the home side levelled midway soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford success against third-tier minnows Cornella on through the second half and the match ended 1-1. The Bridge stadium in London, Wednesday. — AP Tuesday. Both ties were brought forward because of return legs are in two weeks. — Reuters.