Established 1961 Sport MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2017 Birthday boy Verstappen takes Red Sox clinch second Sharma’s ton takes India 13cake in Sepang swansong 14 consecutive AL East title 15 to victory against Australia BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (center) is challenged by Las Palmas’ Michel Macedo during the Spanish La Liga football match between Barcelona and Las Palmas at the Camp Nou stadium yesterday. — AP Barcelona win behind closed doors Barca fans’ groups threatened peaceful pitch invasion BARCELONA: Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona beat match against Las Palmas. “La Liga’s refusal to cancel the Huge queues of fans waited outside the 99,000 capacity However, all the off-field distractions seemed to Las Palmas 3-0 in a match played behind closed doors after game and play it another day... would mean the loss of six Camp Nou for hours until a final decision was made less than affect the hosts in the first-half as Jonathan Calleri came the Spanish league refused Barca’s plea to postpone the points for the team,” said Bartomeu. A section of Barcelona 30 minutes before kick-off. A Barca spokesperson confirmed closest to opening the scoring when he hit the post for game on the day of the highly-charged Catalonia referendum. fans’ groups had threatened a peaceful pitch invasion to show that all fans who bought tickets would be reimbursed. Las Palmas. Busquets settled Barca early in the second- At least 91 people were injured as Spanish riot police fired their disgust at events at the half by heading home the opener from Messi’s corner. rubber bullets and forced their way into activist-held polling polling stations if the game MESSI UNMOVED Messi then took over himself as he calmly rounded stations over the independence vote deemed illegal by the was not suspended. “It was “ The match itself was an Leandro Chichizola from Denis Suarez’s excellent pass Spanish government yesterday. Barcelona president Josep strange, I didn’t like it at all,” understandably low key affair to make it 2-0. Maria Bartomeu said the club made the decision to play Barca midfielder Sergio There was no motive as Barca opened up a five- And the five-time World Player of the Year then behind closed doors as a protest against the violent clashes Busquets, a Catalan and World point lead at the top of La smashed home Luis Suarez’s through ball for already his rather than security concerns. “FC Barcelona condemns the Cup winner with Spain, told for the game to Liga and moved 10 points 14th goal of the season. events which have taken place in many parts of Catalonia BeIN Sports Spain. “We were “ be abandoned clear of Real Madrid, who Barca have long supported Catalonia’s right for a vote today in order to prevent its citizens exercising their demo- aware of what had happened. I host Espanyol later on on independence, without throwing their weight behind cratic right to free expression,” Barcelona said in a statement. think the club evaluated the Sunday. the yes or no camp. Last week the club released a strong- “We have done it behind closed doors so that everyone possibility (of not playing) but Barca’s players entered ly-worded statement condemning arrests of regional can see our opposition at what is happening,” added on a sporting level that the field wearing a training Catalan government figures in “the defence of the nation, Bartomeu. In a statement, La Liga insisted “there was no penalised us a lot.” top in the colours of the Catalan Senyera flag over their tradi- to democracy, to freedom of speech, and to self-determi- motive for the game to be abandoned”. Indeed, despite the closure of the stadium, one fan did tional blue and red home kit. Meanwhile, Las Palmas wore a nation”. According to Spanish media reports, Barca vice- Had Barca refused to play the game they could have faced make it onto the pitch after Barca’s second goal before being small Spanish flag on their shirts as a show of support for a president Carles Vilarrubi has resigned over the club’s a three-point deduction from La Liga on top of forfeiting the quickly hauled off by stewards. united Spain. decision to play the game. — AFP that will be the newspaper today. “If we don’t win, the newspaper will be totally different. But that’s football and I Liverpool frustrated accept that way of thinking.” But after the Burnley win match, Koeman told Sky Sports: “I’m not by former manager unhappy what I saw from the team, they piles pressure showed today how we had to play. “If you play against a team who are Rafa Benitez defending so strong you need to be at your on Koeman best. We didn’t have that creativity.” Everton striker Wayne Rooney thought he NEWCASTLE: Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United held should have had a penalty late on when his his former team Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at St James’s LIVERPOOL: Everton manager Ronald flick-on from Gylfi Sigurdsson’s cross Park yesterday, a result that left the visitors seven Koeman was set for an uncomfortable bounced on to Matthew Lowton’s arm and points off the Manchester clubs at the top of the international break after Jeff Hendrick’s Koeman said: “You know, sometimes you Premier League. goal gave visitors Burnley a 1-0 win in the get the help of a referee. The game encapsulated Liverpool’s season as they Premier League at Goodison Park yester- “I don’t say it was a penalty because it took the lead through a superb Philippe Coutinho strike day. Defeat left the big-spending Toffees, wasn’t his intention to touch the ball-but on from 25 metres on 29 minutes, only to concede seven who have won just twice in seven league other occasions I’ve seen a penalty given. minutes later after shambolic defending allowed Joselu matches so far this season, a mere two “Of course we can play better on the ball, to latch on to Jonjo Shelvey’s pass through the middle. points above the relegation zone. The this situation is really disappointing. But As the striker broke clear, Joel Matip’s attempted Dutch great’s side came into this match on we’ll continue because what I saw today is tackle only diverted the ball on to Joselu’s shin and past the back of a disappointing 2-2 Europa how to come out of this difficult situation.” the diving Simon Mignolet. Juergen Klopp’s mood on League draw at home to Cypriot club Hendrick crowned a brilliant team move the sidelines was not improved when Daniel Sturridge, Apollon Limassol on Thursday. to score the only goal of the game in the who was starting in place of Roberto Firmino, squan- That result halted something of a mini- 21st minute. There were 23 passes involved revival after Everton had won back-to- in a move that started with a crossfield ball dered a chance from close range after a miskick from back matches against Sunderland in the from Robbie Brady to Stephen Ward. Newcastle defender Ciaran Clark. League Cup and Bournemouth in the His cross in turn was headed down by The visitors looked hesitant at the back and tenta- Premier League after losing four in a row in Chris Wood, Scott Arfield was then tive in front of goal with Sturridge too often caught off- a six-game winless streak. Prior to yester- involved before the ball came back to side. Firmino, Dominic Solanke and Alex Oxlade- NEWCASTLE: Liverpool’s English striker Daniel Sturridge vies with day’s match, Koeman said: “It’s not time to Ward, who cut the ball back to Hendrick Chamberlain were all brought on but Newcastle held find any more excuses, because that’s not and he sidestepped a challenge from on as Benitez kept his unbeaten record in five games as Newcastle United’s Spanish midfielder Javier Manquillo (R) at St James’ Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. —AFP counting for you. With a win, everyone will Morgan Schneiderlin before finishing from a manager against Liverpool. — Reuters be happy and maybe ‘Everton are back’, 15 yards.—AFP.