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Home , Joel Ward (footballer), Nathaniel Clyne, Philippe Coutinho, Wilfried Zaha

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MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2017

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MADRID: Barcelona’s (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning goal during a Spanish match between Real Madrid and Barcelona, dubbed ‘El Clasico’, at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium yesterday. Barcelona won 3-2.— AP Barcelona in dramatic win over Madrid Messi strikes last-gasp 500th Barca goal • La Liga title race wide open MADRID: Lionel Messi struck his 500th left floored and bloodied after being caught by international teammate Toni Kroos’s effort Barcelona goal with the last kick of the game to a stray elbow from Marcelo. The Argentine was behind before diverting Karim Benzema’s goal- blow the La Liga title race wide open with a still down when Ronaldo drilled another fine bound header to safety with his outstretched thrilling 3-2 win at Real Madrid yesterday. Messi effort towards goal that Marc-Andre ter Stegen foot. However, Keylor Navas was also busy at had broken a three-year goalless drought did well to parry to safety. the other end as he came to Madrid’s rescue on against Madrid to cancel out ’s opener Unsurprisingly given both Madrid’s potency three occasions. Firstly, he got a foot to Paco for Madrid in the first-half. Ivan Rakitic’s stun- and Barca’s inability to defend set-pieces, the Alcacer’s prodded effort before pulling off acro- ning strike and a red card for Madrid captain opener arrived from a dead ball. Marcelo picked batic saves to deny Gerard Pique and Suarez. Sergio Ramos for chopping down Messi 13 min- up the loose ball from a corner and when Ronaldo then missed a guilt-edged chance utes from time put Barca on course for victory Sergio Ramos volleyed his cross against the to put Madrid back in front as he somehow before James Rodriguez came off the bench to post, Casemiro was on hand to tap into an turned the ball over from point-blank range level four minutes from time. unguarded net. The lead lasted just five min- after unselfish play from Asensio. There was However, fittingly, Messi had the final say utes, though, as with a handkerchief still mop- nothing Navas could do to deny Barca 17 min- with a brilliant finish deep into stoppage time ping the blood from his cheek, Messi danced utes from time when Rakitic took aim from 25 to lift Barcelona’s hopes of a third straight La past Dani Carvajal and Nacho to fire home his yards and drilled into the top corner. The Liga title. Fresh from dumping Bayern Munich first goal against Madrid for three years. match seemed to have swung decisively in out the Champions League in a 4-2 thriller after Ter Stegen was called into action again to Barca’s favor four minutes later when Ramos extra-time in midweek, Madrid had started con- prevent Real immediately retaking the lead as scythed down Messi to be shown the 22nd red fidently in another breathless encounter at the he flew to his left to save from Luka Modric’s card of his career. Bernabeu. had strong long-range effort. However, Barca ended the However, even with 10 men, Madrid rallied appeals for a penalty waived away inside two half feeling hard done by when referee and levelled when substitute James Rodriguez minutes after he appeared to have been Alejandro Jose Hernandez didn’t show Casemiro swept home Marcelo’s cross four minutes from clipped by . a second yellow card for upending Messi as he time. There was still time for one huge twist in Barca grew slowly into the game and had led a promising counter-attack. Madrid were the title race, though, as ’s lung- their first big chance when Luis Suarez dragged rampant at the start of the second period, but bursting run led a Barca counter-attack to feed wide ’s fine cut-back from the edge of were met with a wall of resistance in Ter Stegen. Jordi Alba and his cross was smashed into the the box 11 minutes in. Shortly after Messi was The German dived low to his left to turn corner by Messi. — AFP Messi celebrates Barcelona’s third goal yesterday. — AFP Benteke comes back to haunt Liverpool

hand in the scrap for Champions League places, at the far post. Coutinho might have stamped meaning Liverpool’s fate is no longer in their his mark on the second half after just five min- Liverpool 1 own hands. Liverpool’s forwards turned on the utes with a superb drag-back in the Palace tricks and ’s clever spin away area to engineer some space. But he blasted from two Palace defenders sparked an attack. He his shot high and wide. He then produced attempted to spread play wide for Coutinho, but some more magic to weave away from both Crystal Palace 2 Georginio Wijnaldum inadvertently ended the Martin Kelly and Ward but this time his effort move by getting in the way. was deflected behind. Palace had offered little attacking threat but Coutinho should have restored Liverpool’s LIVERPOOL: Liverpool old-boy on 21 minutes they almost stunned the hosts lead on 57 minutes but his header from a stunned his former club with both Crystal Palace when Benteke bullied his way towards goal. The cross was tame and straight at goals in a 2-1 win at yesterday denting Belgian international striker shrugged off Hennessey. Just before the hour-mark a fabulous the home side’s top-four ambi- defenders and exchanged passes neatly with pass by Lucas freed Firmino but his first touch tions. Benteke handed a massive boost to before bending a right-footed shot was just too heavy and Hennessey made a cru- Palace’s survival hopes with a goal in each half to just wide of ’s goal. When the cial interception. Out of nowhere, Cabaye cancel out Philippe Coutinho’s brilliant opener opening goal came, it came in real style in the missed a chance to give Palace the lead with 19 for the Reds and turn the game on its head. 24th minute. minutes remaining. Liverpool paid £32m for Benteke when they Palace Luka Milivojevic was penal- The ball dropped to the Frenchman in a goal- signed him from Aston Villa in 2015 but sold him ized for a foul on Coutinho, who dusted himself mouth scramble and he scooped a shot just to Palace for £27m a year later. The 26-year-old down before bending a brilliant right-footed over from eight yards. But there was no mistake Belgian made them pay for that decision with free-kick past a helpless and moments later when the visitors stunned goals in the 42nd and 74th minutes that moved inside his right-hand post from 25 yards. Palace Anfield. A right-wing corner by Andros Palace seven points clear of the Premier League hit back to equalize with a wonderful, counter- Townsend was not cleared by Liverpool and relegation zone. But defeat left Jurgen Klopp’s attacking goal three minutes from half-time. Benteke headed home from a couple of yards. side in third place just two points clear of fourth- ’s clever ball over the top dropped Liverpool pinned Palace back in the closing ANFIELD: Liverpool's Nathaniel Clyne , left, and Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha bat- placed Manchester City and three ahead of perfectly into the stride of Yohan Cabaye, who stages but could not force an equalizer as tle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match at Anfield, Manchester United in fifth. delivered a delicious cut-back from the right Palace held on to win at Anfield for a third suc- Liverpool, yesterday. —AP Both Manchester clubs have two games in for Benteke to produce a crisp, first-time finish cessive season. — AP