sign in sign up
<<
Home , Andrea Pirlo, Artemio Franchi, Rodrigo Taddei

SPORTS SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2014 Juve edge Fiorentina; Sevilla sink city rivals Benfica survive Spurs Europa fright

LONDON: kept Juventus on course for a home Europa League final after his superb free kick settled their battle with Italian rivals Fiorentina to send the leaders into the quarter-finals on Thursday. Pirlo’s dead-ball accuracy after 71 minutes, which saw him caress the ball high into the far right corner of the net, handed Juve a 1-0 win in and a 2-1 aggregate success over a Fiore side who finished with 10 men. Juve were joined in the last eight by last sea- son’s beaten finalists Benfica, Porto, Valencia, NYON: A television screen shows the results of the draw Sevilla, Olympique Lyon, FC Basel and AZ for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League at the Alkmaar. Benfica survived a spirited fight- back by Tottenham Hotspur to earn a 2-2 UEFA headquarters in Nyon yesterday. — AFP second-leg draw in Lisbon and go through 5- 3 on aggregate while 2011 winners Porto, Juventus, Lyon to who sacked Paulo Fonseca this month, drew 2-2 at Napoli to win 3-2 on aggregate. Sevilla overcame city rivals Real Betis 4-3 on face off in Europa penalties, after a 2-2 aggregate draw, while 10-man Basel ended the impressive cam- NYON: Favourites Juventus were handed a difficult tie paign of Austria’s Salzburg although their 2-1 against Olympique Lyon in the Europa League quarter- away win, after a goalless first leg, was finals following yesterday’s draw at UEFA headquarters. marred by a first-half interruption when ’s team, whose stadium will host the final in Swiss fans threw objects on to the pitch. in May, will travel to France for the first leg on April 3 This season’s final will be held at the in Turin on May 14, which with the return a week later. Juventus, who eliminated fel- was a huge incentive for the Italian league low Serie A team Fiorentina in the round of 16, are chasing FLORENCE: Fiorentina’s Brazilian goalkeeper Neto makes a save as Juventus’ title holders, but Antonio Conte’s side need- Argentinean forward Alberto touches his head with the foot dur- their first European title since the 1996 Champions League. ed something special from talisman Pirlo to The twice European champions won the old UEFA Cup ing the UEFA Europa League round of 16, second-leg match on March 20, 2014. stay in the competition. Needing to score Juventus won 1-0. — AFP three times and the Cup Winners’ Cup once. after Fiore grabbed an away goal in a 1-1 Benfica, beaten finalists last season, were drawn against first-leg draw, Juve were struggling for inspi- save to keep out Gylfi Sigurdsson’s header. saw the visitors wipe out a 2-0 first-leg home Dutch club AZ Alkmaar while their compatriots Porto, who ration at the Stadio until The Portuguese then won a penalty in the deficit. Betis, who are bottom of La Liga and knocked out Napoli in the previous round, face Sevilla. In Gonzalo Rodriguez was sent off for tripping final seconds, which Lima converted to nine points adrift of the safety zone, had the the other tie, Basel meet Valencia with the Swiss side, beat- Fernando Llorente to leave Pirlo with a sight secure a 2-2 draw and extend Benfica’s upper hand in the shootout but successive unbeaten run at home in European competi- misses by Cedrick Mabwati and Nono con- en semi-finalists last season, at home in the first leg. Basel of goal. The did not let run- away Serie A leaders Juve down, stroking a tion to 11 games. Porto ended Napoli man- demned the green half of the city to a heart- could still face disciplinary action after Thursday’s match at superb strike past Neto’s outstretched hand. ager Rafael Benitez’s hopes of leading a side breaking defeat. Salzburg was interrupted in the first half for 12 minutes “We knew that we were going to have to to a second successive final after the Lyon eased through 5-3 against Viktoria when their fans hurled plastic bottles and cigarette lighters fight for it, and Andrea’s goal was the crown- Spaniard triumphed in the competition with Plzen despite a 2-1 second-leg defeat in the at an opposing player. — Reuters ing glory of a great performance,” said Chelsea last season. Napoli had looked the Czech Republic, while a second-half goal Juventus defender . more likely to progress after Goran Pandev’s from Paco Alcacer earned Valencia a 1-0 win 21st-minute goal cancelled out Porto’s 1-0 at home to Bulgaria’s Ludogorets for a com- Benfica scare first-leg win but the Portuguese side stunned fortable 4-0 aggregate success. Dutchman Romario, Ronaldo Benfica, who were 3-1 up from an impres- the hosts after the break. Fine strikes from Dick Advocaat, who guided Zenit St sive first-leg win in London, appeared to be Algerian substitute Nabil Ghilas and Ricardo Petersburg to the 2008 UEFA Cup title, took deepen WCup rift cruising through after Ezequiel Garay’s first- Quaresma put Porto 2-1 up with a stoppage- AZ Alkmaar into the last eight with a goal- half header but injury-hit Spurs rallied. time equalizer from Duvan Zapata proving less draw against Anzhi Makhachkala in Visiting Belgium winger Nacer Chadli’s quick- scant consolation for Napoli. Ramenskoye. Anzhi, propping up the BRASILIA: Brazilian legends Ronaldo and Romario on fire double, a low shot and then a close Russian Premier League with one win in 21 Thursday deepened their rift by indulging in a second range finish, left Tottenham a goal away Sevilla shootout games, failed to overturn a 1-0 first-leg slanging match in four days. Having Monday accused from forcing extra time with 11 minutes left. Sevilla piled on the misery for Real Betis deficit. Their frustrations boiled over in stop- his fellow world champion of being to blame for the The Premier League side had a strong penal- after booking a place in the last eight by win- page time when Karlen Mkrtchyan was absence to date of promised free tickets for handi- ty appeal turned down and then in stoppage ning a tense penalty shootout after goals shown a red card for a challenge on Steven capped fans, Romario this time opened up with both time Benfica keeper Jan Obrak made a fine from Jose Antonio Reyes and Carlos Bacca Berghuis. — Reuters barrels on the cost of renovating the Maracana. “In rela- tion especially to the World Cup, we are on opposite sides” of the debate, said Romario, now a lawmaker Juve stride on as race intensifies whereas Ronaldo is on the event’s Local Organization Committee (LOC). “If for you it’s normal to spend a bil- MILAN: The battle for European qualification dominates third consecutive title, Roma are also under pressure from lion reais ($434 million) on renovating the Maracana Serie A this weekend when leaders Juventus visit basement Napoli in the fight to secure the runners-up spot and an (stadium), when all around hospitals and schools are side Catania expecting to stretch their comfortable league automatic Champions League qualifying place. Roma head crumbling, and public transport is poor then I guess lead. Juventus visit the Sicilian strugglers only days after to Chievo and Rodrigo Taddei, who has stepped striding into the Europa League quarter-finals thanks to a 1-0 up in the absences of Kevin Strootman (injury) and Daniele you don’t care what I say,” Romario blasted. win at Fiorentina. With only four wins this season, Catania De Rossi (suspended), has called for focus. “It’s a pity how Romario repeated his jibe about the non-appear- should be easy prey for Juventus as they begin the final things have gone for us recently, but Juve are a great side ance of 32,000 tickets-500 per match-which were stretch of 10 games boasting a 14-point lead over Roma, and this season no-one expected us to really be challeng- promised in 2011 on behalf of the Brazilian Football who have a game in hand. ing,” said the 34-year-old Brazilian. “We’re in second spot and Confederation (CBF). Ronaldo, on the LOC since 2011, Roma’s hopes of ending their 13-year wait for the scudet- we aim to hold on to it-we have to get the points and focus said he was on the committee on a voluntary, unpaid to have frittered away during recent draws away to Lazio and on the remaining games left this season.” basis given that “the Cup is for and belongs to the peo- at home to Inter and an away defeat to Napoli. Roma captain Napoli will be given a boost if they can account for a ple and not to FIFA or the CBF or any other institution.” , who marked his return from injury last week Fiorentina side which, like them, will be looking to refocus The 2002 World Cup winner added in a Facebook post- with a goal in the 3-2 win over Udinese, told Il Romanista: following Europa League elimination, Napoli following La ing: “It is to be regretted that Romario, once again, “The scudetto’s 99 per cent gone. “But as long as no-one Viola out the exit door after a 2-2 second leg draw for a 3-2 comes out and publicly blames me for things which are leaves, including (coach) , next year we can win it. aggregate defeat to FC Porto. not within my remit.” And he urged Romario: “If you We’re a really solid group, much like the one that won the For Rafael Benitez’s side, there is plenty of incentive-a win want my help, be more educated next time.”— AFP scudetto in 2001. at home would help refocus the San Paolo faithful and ”With Juve showing little sign of slipping on the road to a stretch their lead over Fiorentina to 13 points. —AFP