CHINA DAILY DAILY| |HONG HONG KONG KONG EDITION EDITION Wednesday, April 28, 2021 ANNOUNCEMENTThursday, April 29, 2021 | | 19 19 SPORTS

SOCCER Tuchel’s Blues look the Real deal Chelsea goes from ‘dark horse’ to contender after seizing away­goal advantage in Champions League semifinal

MADRID — A potentially vital away goal by Christian Pulisic gave Chelsea the advantage in its Cham­ pions League semifinal against Real He’s an amazing Madrid, with Los Blancos manager player, he’s a young Zinedine Zidane afterward full of praise for Thomas Tuchel’s surprise­ player, he’s growing package Blues. and improving. I’m After a poor start to the season, Chelsea had not been in the conver­ very pleased with his sation about potential winners of goal because he’s an the competition when the last­16 draw was made back in December. important player for However, the Blues can now start the team.“ dreaming of adding to their solitary Champions League title, won in Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea cap­ 2012, thanks to a 14th­minute open­ tain on scorer Christian Pulisic er from Pulisic, who became the first US international to score in the “We started the game very, very tournament’s last four. well — very aggressively, with a lot of A red­hot Karim Benzema equal­ quality,” Chelsea coach Thomas ized on a rainy night at Madrid’s Tuchel said. “We deserved to win the temporary home venue during the first half. We had a lot of chances. pandemic, the Alfredo Di Stefano We should have scored at least one Stadium, in the first Champions more when the chances and half­ League match since the controver­ chances were there.” sial Super League folded last week. Former Chelsea forward Eden The largely closed breakaway Hazard, coming off a long injury lay­ competition would have had off, entered the match in the second Madrid as one of its leaders, and half but couldn’t find spaces to Chelsea also was among its found­ spark Madrid to victory. ing members before dropping the Madrid, making a record 14th idea along with the other English semifinal appearance, won three clubs. Madrid didn’t officially back straight Champions League titles out of the Super League but had from 2016­18, before Cristiano downplayed the possibility of retali­ Ronaldo left for Juventus, but the ation by UEFA in its Champions 13­time champion was eliminated League matches. in the last 16 in the last two editions There were no refereeing contro­ of the competition. versies in Tuesday’s match, and Karim Benzema celebrates equalizing for Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal against Chelsea at the Alfredo Di Chelsea won the European title in Madrid boss Zidane declared him­ Stefano Stadium in Madrid on Tuesday. The game ended 1­1, with the second leg in London on May 5. REUTERS 2012 and returned to the semifinals self happy with the result while two years later, but hadn’t been back admitting his team had faced a for­ er team are a very good side. They Pulisic opened the scoring off a high young player, he’s growing and utes after he clipped the post with a to the last four since. midable foe in Chelsea, which has had 16 clean sheets (in Tuchel’s pre­ pass by Antonio Rudiger. Pulisic improving. I’m very pleased with his long­range effort. The French strik­ Tuchel is trying to make it to a sec­ been transformed under Tuchel fol­ vious 21 games in charge) and in the calmly got past goalkeeper Thibaut goal because he’s an important play­ er controlled a loose ball with his ond consecutive final after a runner­ lowing the firing of Frank Lampard end you see that out on the pitch.” Courtois before hitting the net. er for the team.” head before turning and firing a vol­ up finish with PSG last season. in January. The second leg is at Stamford “It was a great finish, great com­ Madrid tied the match on Benze­ ley into the top of the net for his 13th Perhaps more encouragingly for the “In the second half we were much Bridge in London on May 5. Man­ posure,” Chelsea captain Cesar ma’s volley from inside the area in goal in his last 14 matches. Blues, Tuchel has never lost in his better. We had better control over chester City and Paris Saint­Ger­ Azpilicueta said of the 22­year­old the 29th minute, and there were few In the absence of injured captain five matches so far against Madrid the game. In the end, we’re alive and main contest the other semifinal. Pulisic, who has been thriving after significant chances either way dur­ Sergio Ramos, Madrid struggled in the Champions League. in general we’re happy,” said Zidane. Chelsea got off to a fast start and an injury­hit start to the campaign. ing the rest of the game. defensively with its setup of three “You also have to say that the oth­ had chances to add to its lead after “He’s an amazing player, he’s a Benzema’s goal came a few min­ central defenders. AGENCIES VIA XINHUA Europa specialist Emery threatens Arsenal’s shot at salvation

LONDON — Arsenal is relying on son without facing the perils of hav­ knockout ties in the competition charge of the Red Devils against Europa League success to save a sor­ ing to qualify. across spells at four different clubs. Roma. ry season, but faces former manager It is easy to see why Kroenke Revenge is also on Villarreal Under the Norwegian, the Unai Emery with a point to prove in sought the guaranteed income the minds for those with a far longer English giant has twice fallen at the Thursday’s semifinal first leg Super League would provide. connection to the club than Emery. last four in the League Cup and in against Villarreal. For 19 seasons between 1998­99 A first­ever major trophy is also the semifinals of last season’s Euro­ Sitting 10th in the English Pre­ and 2016­17, the north Londoners the Spanish side’s only route into pa League and FA Cup. mier League, the Gunners are on never failed to qualify for the Cham­ next season’s Champions League. With United realistically assured course for their worst league finish pions League. Now they are set to Arguably the closest it has ever of a top­four finish in the Premier since 1995. finish outside the Premier League’s come to silverware was a Champi­ League, but too far off Manchester But Mikel Arteta’s men are also top four for a fifth consecutive year. ons League semifinal against Arse­ City to mount a title challenge, end­ just three games away from only the That decline started prior to nal, when Jens Lehmann’s last­ ing a four­year trophy drought is the club’s third ever European trophy Emery’s 18­month spell in charge minute penalty save from Juan major prize left on offer for Sols­ and a much­needed ticket back into between May 2018 and November Roman Riquelme in the 2005­06 kjaer’s men this season. the Champions League for the first 2019. competition prevented the tie from “It feels like a proper European tie time in five seasons. The Spaniard missed out on the going to extra time. because Roma is a club with lots of All is not well at the Emirates on top four by a point and got to the “The two clubs have their own history,” said Solskjaer when the or off the field. Ahead of Friday’s 1­0 Europa League final in his only full history between themselves,” added draw was made. defeat by Everton, thousands of fans season in charge, but was dismissed Villarreal manager Unai Emery signals instructions to his players Emery. “It will be a great contest, Like Arsenal and Villarreal, there demonstrated against Arsenal own­ just four months into his second. during Sunday’s match against Barcelona. The Spaniard faces his regardless of my having coached is even greater motivation for the er Stan Kroenke, calling on the “It ended in unwanted circum­ former team, Arsenal, in the Europa League on Thursday. AP there recently.” Italians, who sit seventh in Serie A. American billionaire to sell the club stances,” Emery told uefa.com Victory in next month’s final in following his role in a collapsed ahead of the tie. Semifinal hoodoo Gdansk, Poland is the best shot at European Super League. “I want to win for myself and for that affinity for the yellow of Villar­ with my decisions.” In the other semifinal, Manches­ European soccer next season for Arsenal was one of 12 breakaway Villarreal. (Two years ago) I was real. I have that competitive A three­time Europa League win­ ter United boss Ole Gunnar Sols­ Paulo Fonseca’s men. clubs seeking the reassurance of defending Arsenal’s red colors in instinct, that responsibility I owe ner during his time at Sevilla, the kjaer is aiming to reach a final at the top­level European soccer every sea­ that final against Chelsea, now I feel the club and everyone I represent 49­year­old has won 28 out of 31 fifth time of asking since taking AFP

Scoreboard

BASEBALL Southeast Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA after Tuesday’s match: GP W D L GF GA Pts W L Pct GB ICE HOCKEY x­Minnesota 47 31 13 3 65 151 123 10: Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) Wycombe 44 9 10 25 35 69 37 Results of the Major League Baseball games on Atlanta 34 28 .548 — St. Louis 46 21 19 6 48 135 143 8: Mbappe (Paris SG) P­promoted to Premier League Tuesday (home teams in CAPS): Miami 32 30 .516 2 NHL Arizona 49 21 23 5 47 132 156 6: Morata (Juventus), En­Nesyri (Sevilla), Giroud q­qualified for playoffs CLEVELAND 7 Minnesota 4 Results of the National Hockey League games on Charlotte 30 31 .492 3½ San Jose 48 19 24 5 43 131 167 (Chelsea), Neymar (Paris SG), Rashford (Man PITTSBURGH 2 Kansas City 1 Tuesday (home team in CAPS): Washington 27 34 .443 6½ Utd), Salah (Liverpool), Benzema (Real Madrid) Notes: Sheff Wed deducted 6 points for breach of NY Yankees 5 BALTIMORE 1 Boston 3 PITTSBURGH 1 Los Angeles 46 18 22 6 42 124 137 Orlando 18 43 .295 15½ 5: Berisha (Salzburg), Immobile (Lazio), Lewan­ TORONTO 9 Washington 5 NY RANGERS 3 Buffalo 1 Anaheim 49 14 28 7 35 106 160 regulations dowski (Bayern Munich), Messi (Barcelona), Boston 2 NY METS 1 Central Division COLUMBUS 1 Detroit 0 (SO) North Division Top two promoted automatically, third to six in W L Pct GB Oliveira (Porto), Plea (Borussia Moenchenglad­ TAMPA BAY 4 Oakland 3 WASHINGTON 1 NY Islanders 0 GP W L OT Pts GF GA play­offs, bottom three relegated Milwaukee 38 23 .623 — bach) ATLANTA 5 Chicago Cubs 0 NEW JERSEY 6 Philadelphia 4 Toronto 48 30 13 5 65 159 130 MILWAUKEE 5 Miami 4 Indiana 29 32 .475 9 Florida 7 NASHVILLE 4 Edmonton 46 28 16 2 58 150 126 TENNIS ST. LOUIS 5 Philadelphia 2 Chicago 26 35 .426 12 Tampa Bay 7 CHICAGO 4 Winnipeg 48 27 18 3 57 149 135 English Championship Carolina 5 DALLAS 1 Result on Tuesday: ATP Munich TEXAS 6 LA Angels 1 Cleveland 21 40 .344 17 Montreal 47 21 17 9 51 136 136 Detroit 19 43 .306 19½ Brentford 1 Rotherham 0 Results on Tuesday (x­denotes seeding): Detroit 5 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2 Calgary 48 21 24 3 45 128 139 HOUSTON 2 Seattle 0 East Division 1st rd GP W L OT Pts GF GA Vancouver 42 19 20 3 41 114 132 GP W D L GF GA Pts ARIZONA 5 San Diego 1 WESTERN CONFERENCE Mackenzie McDonald (USA) bt Dusan Lajovic Washington 49 32 13 4 68 171 144 Ottawa 49 18 27 4 40 133 171 P­Norwich 44 28 9 7 69 33 93 Colorado 7 SAN FRANCISCO 5 (10 innings) Southwest Division (SRB x6) 6­4, 6­4; Yannick Hanfmann (GER) bt NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for over­ P­Watford 44 26 10 8 61 28 88 Taro Daniel (JPN) 6­2, 3­6, 7­6 (7/5); Dominik Cincinnati 6 LA DODGERS 5 W L Pct GB Pittsburgh 50 32 15 3 67 170 138 Dallas 34 27 .557 — NY Islanders 49 29 15 5 63 136 114 time loss. The top four teams in each division will q­Brentford 44 22 15 7 74 41 81 Koepfer (GER) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 4­6, q­Bournemouth 44 22 11 11 73 43 77 Memphis 31 29 .517 2½ Boston 48 28 14 6 62 139 119 qualify for playoffs under this season's tempo­ 6­4, 6­3; Jan­Lennard Struff (GER x7) bt Andrej BASKETBALL q­Swansea 44 22 11 11 54 36 77 San Antonio 31 29 .517 2½ NY Rangers 50 26 18 6 58 167 132 rary realignment. Martin (SVK) 6­4, 6­3; Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO q­Barnsley 44 23 8 13 56 46 77 x5) bt Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6­2, 6­3; Pablo Cue­ NBA New Orleans 27 34 .443 7 Philadelphia 49 22 20 7 51 140 177 x­clinched playoff spot Reading 44 19 12 13 59 48 69 vas (URU) bt Tennys Sandgren (USA) 7­6 (7/4), Results of the National Basketball Association New Jersey 49 15 27 7 37 127 174 y­clinched division Houston 15 47 .242 19½ Cardiff 44 17 13 14 61 48 64 (NBA) games on Tuesday (home team in CAPS): 0­6, 6­1; Daniel Elahi Galan (COL) bt Sebastian Northwest Division Buffalo 50 13 30 7 33 122 174 Middlesbrough 44 18 9 17 54 49 63 Milwaukee 114 CHARLOTTE 104 SOCCER Korda (USA) 6­1, 7­6 (9/7). W L Pct GB Central Division QPR 44 17 11 16 52 54 62 Oklahoma City 119 BOSTON 115 x­Utah 44 17 .721 — GP W L OT Pts GF GA UEFA Champions League Luton Town 43 17 9 17 39 48 60 ATP Estoril Portland 133 INDIANA 112 Denver 40 21 .656 4 x­Carolina 49 32 10 7 71 161 119 Millwall 44 14 17 13 42 45 59 Results on Tuesday: Brooklyn 116 TORONTO 103 Portland 33 28 .541 11 Results on Tuesday: x­Florida 51 32 14 5 69 166 141 Stoke 44 14 15 15 48 50 57 1st rd Minnesota 114 HOUSTON 107 Oklahoma City 21 41 .339 23½ Semifinals, first leg x­Tampa Bay 49 33 14 2 68 167 129 Preston 44 16 7 21 45 55 55 Corentin Moutet (FRA) bt Marcos Giron (USA) Dallas 133 GOLDEN STATE 103 Minnesota 19 44 .302 26 At Madrid Nashville 51 27 22 2 56 141 146 Real Madrid (ESP) 1 (Benzema 29) Chelsea (ENG) Blackburn 44 14 11 19 59 51 53 6­4, 6­7 (7/9), 6­4; Pierre­Hugues Herbert (FRA) bt Pacific Division Dallas 49 21 16 12 54 140 129 Birmingham 44 13 13 18 35 52 52 Gilles Simon (FRA) 7­5, 6­3; Albert Ramos Vinolas W L Pct GB 1 (Pulisic 14) EASTERN CONFERENCE Chicago 49 22 22 5 49 139 158 Nottingham Forest 44 12 15 17 36 43 51 (ESP x7) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6­3, 6­3; Atlantic Division Phoenix 43 18 .705 — Bristol City 44 15 6 23 44 61 51 Marco Cecchinato (ITA) bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 6­3, W L Pct GB Detroit 51 17 25 9 43 115 159 Playing Wednesday LA Clippers 43 20 .683 1 Coventry 44 13 12 19 42 59 51 6­4; Marin Cilic (CRO x6) bt Carlos Alcaraz Garfia x­Brooklyn 42 20 .677 — Columbus 51 16 25 10 42 122 170 At Paris LA Lakers 36 25 .590 7 Huddersfield 44 12 11 21 47 68 47 (ESP) 6­3, 1­6, 6­4; Pedro Martinez (ESP) bt Alex­ Philadelphia 40 21 .656 1½ West Division Paris Saint­Germain (FRA) v Manchester City Golden State 31 31 .500 12½ Derby 44 11 10 23 32 53 43 ander Bublik (KAZ x5) 6­3, 6­0; Cameron Norrie New York 34 28 .548 8 GP W L OT Pts GF GA (ENG) Sacramento 25 36 .410 18 Rotherham 43 11 6 26 42 58 39 (GBR) bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6­1, 6­3; Richard Gas­ Boston 32 30 .516 10 x­Vegas 47 34 11 2 70 160 103 — Second legs to be played on May 4 and 5 quet (FRA) bt Juan Ignacio Londero (ARG) 6­3, x­clinched playoff spot Sheffield Wednesday 44 12 9 23 37 58 39 Toronto 26 36 .419 16 x­Colorado 46 31 11 4 66 162 112 UEFA Champions League leading scorers 7­5.