MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2016 SPORTS Sounders beat Toronto FC on penalties to win MLS Cup TORONTO: The Seattle Sounders claimed fans it was a crushing result to a contest their first Major League Soccer Cup by they had dominated for 120 minutes but beating Toronto FC 5-4 on penalties after could not breach a Seattle defence that their title game ended 0-0 after extra-time had conceded just three goals in five play- on Saturday. off matches. After Toronto’s Justin Morrow hit the “They always had numbers around the crossbar, Seattle defender Roman Torres goal and in the box,” lamented Toronto coolly hammered home the decider as the coach Greg Vanney. “Whenever we got into Sounders finally celebrated victory follow- those areas there were times we just could- ing seven seasons of near misses. n’t get that final pass to someone who With zero shots on goal after 120 min- could finish. utes it looked as if the Sounders, who have “The few times we hit the goal Frei picks reached the playoffs in each of their eight things out.” It was perfect ice hockey years in the league, would come up short weather at BMO Field, which in three weeks yet again but found the target when it mat- will host the NHL’s Centennial Classic out- tered most. door game, but the bone-chilling tempera- Brad Evans, Andreas Ivanshitz, Joevin tures did little to cool down a fired up Jones and Nicolas Lodeiro also scored in capacity crowd of close to 36,000. the shootout for Seattle while Sounders Toronto made a lively start and enjoyed goalkeeper capped an evening of spectac- the run of play in a scrappy opening half. ular saves by denying Morrow and Toronto The Reds’ best scoring chance came early captain Michael Bradley. when Altidore squeezed a shot from inside Frei, who spent five seasons with TFC, the area that sliced by the post and a div- returned to torment his former team mates ing Frei in the second minute. earning MLS Cup most valuable player After the break it was Sebastian honours after shutting out a high-powered Giovinco, the other half of Toronto’s strike Toronto attack that had produced 17 goals partnership, finally finding space down the in five playoff contests. left wing coming close when he ripped a The Seattle keeper’s biggest save, how- shot that just missed the near post. ever, did not come in the shootout but Toronto nearly ended the drama with an deep into extra time when the Swiss dove injury time winner when Bradley sent in a across the net at full stretch and with his corner that Frei narrowly punched clear left hand tipped away a looping header just before a diving Altidore could get his LONDON: Chelsea’s Ngolo Kante, second right, competes for the ball with West Bromwich Albion’s Darren Fletcher, second left, during the from Jozy Altidore. head on the ball. English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge in London, yesterday. —AP “It looked like it was going to go in and But it was Frei’s save on Altidore in the then all of a sudden here comes this paw 108th minute that Vanney believes robbed and he gets a hold of it,” praised Sounders his team of a title. “That was one of the coach Brian Schmetzer. great saves that I have seen in a big Costa gem sends Chelsea “It was a tremendous save but there moment because that goal to me ends the were a couple of other times I thought the game,” said Vanney. “We win if we do that. ball might have gone in.” For TFC and their He saved the game for them.” — Reuters back to the top of EPL Mertens hits hat-trick LONDON: Diego Costa fired Chelsea back to the Despite his reputation for costly errors, David dends in the 76th minute, with a helping hand top of the Premier League as the Spain striker’s Luiz has been the model of consistency since from Albion defender McAuley. late winner clinched a hard-fought 1-0 victory returning to Chelsea this season, but the Brazil When Fabregas played a hopeful ball down as Napoli rout Cagliari against West Bromwich Albion yesterday. defender reverted to his old bad habits when he the right flank, McAuley was in position to snuff Antonio Conte’s side had been knocked out allowed Salomon Rondon to brush him off the out any danger, but he was too casual and Costa MILAN: Dries Mertens hit a hat-trick and Sarri’s men were about to change that in of first place by Arsenal on Saturday, but they ball, presenting the burly Albion striker with a showed why Conte dubbed him a “real warrior” Marek Hamsik and Piotr Zielinski scored clinical fashion. Just after the half-hour reopened a three point lead over the Gunners clear path into the penalty area. this week as he took full advantage. one apiece as five star Napoli romped to a Mertens turned quickly in the area to fire a thanks to Costa’s superb finish in the closing Muscling McAuley off the ball, Costa was sud- 5-0 win at Cagliari to close to within five pinpoint shot past Storari and into the far stages at Stamford Bridge. Costa’s 12th league REAL WARRIOR denly clean through but there was still work to points of Juventus. Champions Juventus bottom corner. The visitors suffered a blow goal in his last 15 appearances gave Chelsea a Fortunately for Luiz, Rondon was unable to be down and the Spaniard was up to the task as can take their lead over Roma and AC Milan when Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly ninth successive league win for the first time hit the target and the centre-back was quick to he curled a fine finish into the far corner to send to seven points with a win in the Turin der- limped off injured with an apparent knee since 2007. hold up his hand in contrition. Chelsea back to the top. — AFP by at Torino later. In the meantime, the Old injury. The west Londoners have scored 23 goals Caught in Albion’s defensive web, it was Lady’s title rivals are closing in. Both Lazio, But Napoli doubled their lead before the and conceded just two in that blistering streak, almost half an hour before Chelsea untangled who secured a 2-1 win at Sampdoria on interval when Hamsik slotted home from raising hopes of a Premier League title in Conte’s themselves long enough to manage their first Saturday, and Napoli are now five points off close range after Insigne had nodded a first season in charge. shot when N’Golo Kante’s scuffed effort deflect- Matches on TV the pace and Roma and AC Milan will aim Callejon cross on to the bar. It was the While this was far from Chelsea’s best effort ed off team-mate Pedro before drifting just (Local Timings) to reduce their four-point gaps to the Slovak’s 105th goal for Napoli and leaves under the Italian, their refusal to be denied by a wide. It didn’t help Chelsea’s cause that Eden champions when they play today. Fresh him 10 short of tying Diego Maradona’s stubborn opponent suggests they have the Hazard took a bruising challenge from Gareth Spanish League Primera Div from securing top spot in their Champions club record of 115. required character and class to last the pace in McAuley that left the Belgium midfielder nursing League qualifying group and sweeping Storari did well to parry Callejon’s first- the title race. his wound before gingerly returning to fray. Inter Milan aside last week, Napoli made a timer from an Insigne pass shortly after the Conte made one change from last weekend’s Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster was finally Villarreal v Madrid 22:45 impressive win against title rivals Manchester called into action in the 41st minute when he confident start with Jose Callejon, Zielinski restart but couldn’t stop Zielinski’s rocket beIN SPORTS 3 HD and then Mertens testing Marco Storari in from distance on 51 minutes. City as Serbia midfielder Nemanja Matic plunged to his right to keep out Luiz’s free-kick. the Cagliari net in the opening 11 minutes. Cagliari’s heads dropped and a clinical replaced Cesc Fabregas despite the Spaniard’s With Chelsea still labouring to make the Cagliari had dropped points in only two Mertens capitalised with a brace of goals in influential performance at Eastlands. breakthrough after half-time, Luiz’s free-kicks Italian Calcio League Serie A of their seven home fixtures, but Maurizio three second-half minutes. — AFP It was 38 years since Albion had left the were the only source of menace for Foster, who Bridge with three points, but Tony Pulis’s side saved another of the Brazilian’s efforts after it arrived in confident mood after winning three of deflected off Hazard. Fiorentina v Sassuolo 21:00 their last four matches. Whether he was affected by the injury or not, beIN SPORTS 4 HD While Chelsea monopolised possession in the Hazard was well below his best, leaving Chelsea early stages, they couldn’t break down Albion’s short of invention in the final third and hindered well-drilled rearguard and it was the visitors who by their insistence on playing sideways rather Roma v Milan 23:00 threatened first when Chris Brunt won a tackle than penetrating behind the Albion defence.