Warriors welcome Austin punishes Kerr with win, Cavs desperate Man say goodbye to Blat United 1-0

SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2016 17 19

Barcelona back on top after Messi’s stunner Page 18

LEICESTER: Leicester’s Danny Simpson (left) and Stoke’s Mame Biram Diouf battle for the ball during the English soccer match between Leicester City and Stoke City at the King Power Stadium yesterday. — AP Vardy strikes as Leicester go top again

miserable afternoon for Stoke City, who lost After a fairly uneventful opening to the Shawcross finally had to concede that his back directed straight at Kasper Schmeichel who skipper to injury. Danny game, it sprung to life with chances at both problem picked a up a few minutes earlier was able to save quite comfortably. Leicester 3 Drinkwater, one of the unsung heroes of ends in quick succession, although it was wasn’t going to allow him to continue. But it Leicester introduced a pair of fresh legs Leicester’s remarkable success story, had Leicester who were closer to breaking the did not appear to have an unsettling effect as when Ulloa replaced the injured Okazaki and opened the scoring three minutes before the deadlock. Within seconds of Jon Walters hav- Marc Wilson dropped into his place, although the substitute made his mark immediately break with his first goal of the season. ing a scent of an opportunity at one end, after Shinji Okazaki fired a 20-yard drive over the with a determined run which took him past Drinkwater then turned provider with the latching onto ’ pass, Vardy had an bar at the end of a Leicester counter attack. three Stoke defenders before he fired his low Stoke 0 66th minute pass which unlocked the Stoke instinctive shot on the turn following Marc However, the deadlock was broken three shot wide of the far post. But the King Power defense and allowed Vardy to round Jack Albrighton’s cross. minutes before the break when Philipp Stadium erupted moments later when Butland and apply the finishing touch. To Wollscheid could only half clear a corner and Drinkwater struck a pass into the path of LEICESTER: Jamie Vardy rediscovered his crown a morale-boosting victory for Ranieri’s Mahrez effort Drinkwater’s low drive was deflected past Vardy and he outpaced the unfortunate Midas touch to extend Leicester City’s fairytale men, substitute Leonardo Ulloa stabbed home Though Stoke were able to scramble that Butland by Wilson. Stoke were thankful for Wilson before waltzing around England team- season as they regained top spot in the a third in the closing stages after a flash of bril- away for a corner, Christian Fuchs’ subsequent Ibrahim Afellay’s determination when he got mate Butland and instinctively slipping his Premier League with a 3-0 win at home to liance from Riyad Mahrez. While Leicester can ball into the box was met with a scissor kick back to make a crucial block to prevent low shot into an empty net. Though Stoke Stoke yesterday. The England striker had not carry on dreaming of the title and possible from Mahrez which flashed past the post. Okazaki capitalizing on Mahrez’s burst forward rarely threatened to hit back in the closing scored for seven matches during which Champions League football from their perch Danny Simpson’s sense of awareness led to and pass to the frontman. They then went stages of the game, Leicester put the seal on Claudio Ranieri’s surprise package had man- on top of the Premier League, Stoke were left him producing a vital clearance when Mame close to making the most of that let-off by their emphatic win when Mahrez weaved his aged only one win and had crashed out of the to reflect on a miserable afternoon in which a Diouf was rose at the far post in anticipation of carving out a good opportunity as Glen way into the box and managed to guide the FA Cup. But Vardy slid home his 16th goal of recurrence of a back injury for Shawcross was meeting Xherdan Shaqiri’s cross with his head. Johnson’s cross picked out Joselu, but fortu- ball to Ulloa, who gleefully accepted the the season from a tight angle to complete a a major concern. Stoke were dealt a blow on the half hour when nately for Leicester, his close range header was close-range chance.— AFP Lallana delivers Liverpool Aguero’s double rescues vital point match-day squad, with Ivo Pinto, signed Naismith from behind and conceded the from Dinamo Zagreb, also making his penalty. Hoolahan beat Mignolet from the debut at right-back, while Timm Klose and spot, going straight down the middle, to for City title push Norwich 4 Matt Jarvis were on the bench. Norwich’s net his third goal of the season. Norwich’s new defenders have been bought to try third goal forced visiting manager Jurgen : and shore up the leakiest defence in the Klopp’s hand and Liverpool pushed fur- Sergio Aguero scored twice to answer an top flight, but that went to pot in the 18th ther up the pitch in response. They were West Ham 2 Liverpool 5 minute as Liverpool went ahead. rewarded a minute later when Nathaniel Enner Valencia double Jordon Ibe’s performance in Liverpool’s Clyne found space down the right flank for West Ham United 3-0 FA Cup win over Exeter in mid-week and crossed for Firmino to flick on to cap- and earn Manchester was enough to get the nod ahead of tain Henderson, whose finish was City a crucial point in NORWICH: Adam Lallana scored a 95th- Lallana and lead the attack in partnership emphatic. Liverpool drew level with Man City 2 their push to regain minute winner as Liverpool came from with Firmino. The duo combined neatly another sweeping move in the 63rd the Premier League behind to beat Norwich City 5-4 in an after skilful work from Moreno, before minute, which left Norwich exposed at title yesterday. Not for extraordinary ding-dong Premier League Miner slipped Firmino through to beat the back. the first time City battle at Carrow Road yesterday. Ex- goalkeeper Declan Rudd with a low shot Henderson’s cross from the left found were thankful to their Argentine luminary who twice Everton man Steven Naismith helped off the far post. Norwich were determined Firmino, who drew Rudd from his line struck when the 2014 champions found themselves Norwich take a 3-1 lead and although to meet fire with fire, keeping up with their before knocking the ball over him and behind to the excellent home side in a vibrant contest. they fell 4-3 down, Sebastien Bassong pressing game, and it bore fruit in the 29th into the net for his fourth goal in three The Hammers’ livewire Ecuadorian Valencia had put them slammed in a 91st-minute equalizer, only minute. Liverpool failed to clear their lines league games. Norwich’s propensity to for Lallana to have the final say in a frantic ahead after 53 seconds with a sharp shot but City and when the ball fell to Mbokani, who harm themselves continued as skipper responded within eight minutes, Aguero equalizing from finale. Naismith was making his debut had his back to goal, he cleverly defied the Russell Martin gifted the ball to Milner after his £8.5 million ($12.1 million, 11 mil- close marking of Mamadou Sakho to back- with a needless back-pass from near the the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Carl lion euros) move from Everton and his heel past Simon Mignolet from six yards. halfway line. Milner ran through unchal- Jenkinson. 41st-minute goal put Norwich 2-1 up after The visitors’ defensive shortcomings were lenged and took a step to his right before West Ham, inspired by the dazzling creativity of Dieumerci Mbokani’s back-heel had can- exposed again 12 minutes later when slotting past him to put Liverpool ahead. Dimitri Payet, took a second-half lead through a mixture celled out Roberto Firmino’s opener. Hoolahan picked out the angled run of The Canaries thought they had snatched a of opportunism from Valencia and shocking defending Wes Hoolahan’s 54th-minute penalty, Naismith, who arrowed a low shot across point when Bassong thumped a low drive by Nicolas Otamendi who dozed as the Ecuadorian after Alberto Moreno had fouled Mignolet and inside the left-hand post. in from 20 yards in time added on. But nipped in to latch on to a long throw. City, though, Naismith, made it 3-1, but goals from Moreno’s moment of madness came four minutes later Lallana pounced on a NORWICH: Norwich City’s Congolese striker secured a point when, nine minutes from time, a loose Firmino, Jordan Henderson and James eight minutes into the second half when loose ball as Norwich’s back line failed to Dieumerci Mbokani vies with Liverpool’s French ball bobbled to Aguero who coolly converted his 12th Milner put Liverpool ahead before the he slid in on Naismith near the byline on clear, driving a left-foot volley into the defender Mamadou Sakho (left) during the English league goal of the season. West Ham almost clinched the stoppage-time drama unfolded. Naismith the Norwich right. He got away with it, ground and into the net to send Klopp Premier League football match between Norwich points at the last gasp when Cheikhou Kouyate headed was one of four new signings in Norwich’s but then inexplicably had another go at gambolling down the touchline. — AFP City and Liverpool yesterday. — AFP against the bar. — Reuters