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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018

Serena Williams ready Perera leads Sri Lanka to Four-goal Goulart gives Cannavaro 12for long awaited return 13 big T20 win against India 15 first AFC Champions League win

Real dump PSG out of Europe Ronaldo does it again to secure q-finals berth

PARIS: Saint-Germain’s Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani (L) vies for the ball with Real Madrid’s Spanish defender Dani Carvajal (2R) during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Real Madrid yesterday, at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. — AFP

PARIS: Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro got the goals out, Real’s dream of becoming the first team in more chance to shine after he was left on the bench for the sent off midway through the second half, picking up a for Real Madrid as the holders won 2-1 away to a Paris than 40 years to win three successive European Cups entirety of the first leg, but nothing came off for the second yellow card for dissent. Saint-Germain side missing to secure their remains alive. A year after their spectacular collapse Argentine against his former side, his performance Substitute Javier Pastore’s header deflected into the place in the Champions League quarter-finals yester- against Barcelona in the last 16, when they were humili- symbolic of a wider malaise in the home ranks. net off Cavani in the 71st minute to level the scores on day. Ronaldo had scored twice-including his 100th goal ated 6-1 away in the return after a stunning 4-0 win at They had only made Real goalkeeper the night, but more poor defending allowed Real to for Real in the competition-as they won 3-1 in the first home, PSG had hoped to produce a memorable come- work once in the first half, from Kylian Mbappe’s shot in make it 2-1 with 10 minutes left. leg in Spain last month, and his header early in the sec- back themselves this time. the 43rd minute. In contrast, Alphonse Areola had kept Unable to clear their lines in their own area, PSG ond half at the Parc des Princes effectively ended the Yet, shorn of the world’s most expensive player, who the home side in the game with two fine saves to deny saw Casemiro’s shot go in via a deflection. French club’s hopes of progressing. is back in Brazil recuperating from a foot operation, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema before the interval. With Marco Asensio and Isco both hitting the post in Edinson Cavani equalised on the night for PSG, but they struggled to create chances, and the night will be That just delayed the inevitable. Having come close the second half for Real, the visitors more than only after they had sent off, and remembered just as much for the stupidity of a section with a header moments earlier, Ronaldo broke the deserved their win on the night, as well as in the tie. Casemiro’s late goal secured an ultimately comprehen- of their supporters. Flares were lit en masse on several deadlock in the 51st minute, heading in a Lucas That rubbed more salt into the wounds for PSG, who sive 5-2 aggregate victory for Zinedine Zidane’s side. occasions at one end of the ground, once even leading Vazquez cross for his third goal in the tie. had not lost any of their previous 51 home games in all PSG never looked like turning the tie around in the to a brief stoppage in play, and PSG will face punish- The goal had come from an error by Dani Alves ini- competitions, a run going back two years to before the absence of the injured Neymar, and it was a horribly ment from UEFA as a result. tially, and it completely punctured PSG and the atmos- start of Unai Emery’s reign as coach. This defeat is like- flat way for them to exit the competition. As they limp Without Neymar, this was Angel Di Maria’s big phere. The tie had escaped them before Verratti was ly to hasten the end of his time in charge. — AFP

Saturday’s vital visit to Manchester United in Anfield than is customary on a European Porto draw eases the . night. Casillas was given a standing ovation Klopp’s men have made a habit of fast by the Liverpool fans in the Kop end as he starts in Europe this season, but took time to took to the field after the break on his record Liverpool into warm to their task with the German having 167th and possible farewell appearance in the made five changes in all from the side that Champions League. Champions beat Newcastle at the weekend. However, that was one of few moments It took 17 minutes for the hosts to threaten that got the home fans off their feet as when Joe Gomez’s cross was acrobatically Liverpool settled on their substantial lead. League quarters flicked towards goal by Mane, but looped just Milner sliced a good opening wide just two over the bar. Porto coach Sergio Conceicao minutes into the second half, whilst at the LIVERPOOL: Liverpool cruised into the made 10 changes from the first leg, but top- other end Karius was stretched to turn Champions League quarter-finals for the first scorer Vincent Aboubakar was one of those Majeed Waris’s shot behind. time in nine years 5-0 on aggregate over to come back into the side having missed the Roberto Firmino had one clear chance to Porto, despite settling for a goalless draw in first leg through injury. add to his seven Champions League goals an uninspiring last 16, second leg at Anfield And the Cameroonian showed what Porto this season when his shot was blocked by yesterday. missed in their heaviest-ever European home Porto captain Felipe before the Brazilian was Sadio Mane inflicted most of the first-leg defeat as he got in behind the Liverpool protected by Klopp for the weekend as damage on the Portuguese league leaders defence only to be denied by Loris Karius Danny Ings was introduced for the final half with a hat-trick and came closest to breaking rushing off his line to mop up the danger. hour. Salah was given 15 minutes to find the the deadlock with a first-half effort that came Mane was inches away from his fourth goal winner when he replaced Mane. The Egyptian back off the post. of the tie on the half-hour mark when he con- had one opportunity to extend his scoring With the job done three weeks ago, trolled James Milner’s lofted pass on his chest streak to eight straight games, but Casillas Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp could even before smashing the inside of Iker Casillas’s smothered his low effort. And the Spanish LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Dutch defender Joel Matip (2R) heads towards goal afford the luxury of starting top-scorer far post. Dejan Lovren then headed narrowly veteran made his best stop of the night two during the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen second leg football Mohamed Salah and club-record signing over as Liverpool threatened to raise the minutes from time to deny Ings and hold onto match between Liverpool and FC Porto at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west Virgil van Dijk on the bench with one eye on pulse of an understandably more subdued his clean sheet. — AFP England yesterday. — AFP