Vonn equals record ‘Perfect’ Djokovic with 36th WCup thrashes Nadal to downhill17 win win18 Qatar Open SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

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TRAFFORD: Sheffield United’s English midfielder Dean Hammond (2L) tries to block as Manchester United’s German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger (R) slices a shot wide during the English FA Cup third-round football match between Manchester United and SheffieldUnited at Old Trafford in north west England yesterday. — AFP Rooney saves Man Utd in FA Cup

LONDON: Wayne Rooney’s stoppage-time United’s fans made their feelings plain in on Depay. pass from Georginio Wijnaldum to give narrowly escaped succumbing to the day’s penalty spared Manchester United from an with mocking applause whenever their The United winger reacted with an exag- Watford a 1-0 home victory over Newcastle. biggest shock as Darren Pratley’s scrappy embarrassing goalless draw as they edged team registered an effort at goal and Van gerated dive, but there had been contact West Bromwich Albion had James Morrison 87th-minute goal earned them a 1-1 draw third-tier Sheffield United 1-0 in the FA Cup Gaal was being loudly goaded by Sheffield and Rooney made no mistake by sending to thank for an equaliser in the fifth minute at fifth-tier Eastleigh. The lowest-ranked third round yesterday. Holders Arsenal and United’s fans until the late drama. Long the wrong way from the spot. of stoppage time that prevented his side team left in the tournament, Eastleigh had Manchester City both had little trouble reach- His side seemed to have turned a corner from losing at home to second-tier Bristol gone ahead in the 51st minute via an own ing round four, but United looked destined last weekend when they beat Swansea City MORRISON RESCUES WEST BROM City. goal by Bolton’s French defender Dorian for an unwanted replay until Rooney struck in 2-1 to end an eight-game winning run, but Southampton and Newcastle United After substitute Saido Berahino gave Dervite. “It’s quite emotional. The players the 93rd minute after a foul on substitute they looked desperately short of ideas on both fell at the first hurdle, but could at West Brom a 67th-minute lead, goals from have put in an unbelievable performance Memphis Depay. It was only the second shot their return to Old Trafford. least console themselves that they were Jonathan Kodjia and Kieran Agard put and we probably deserved to win the on target that United had mustered, against a It took them 69 minutes to hit the target, beaten by fellow Premier League teams. Bristol City in charge, only for Morrison to game,” Eastleigh manager Chris Todd told team 47 places below them in the English Matteo Darmian shooting tamely at George Wilfried Zaha’s 68th-minute goal gave secure a 2-2 draw at the death. the BBC. league system, and it is unlikely to save man- Long, but with injury time ebbing away, Crystal Palace a 2-1 win at Southampton, Bolton Wanderers, bottom of the “But we’re still in the draw for the fourth ager Louis van Gaal from criticism. Dean Hammond was penalised for lunging while Troy Deeney punished a loose back- Championship and at risk of bankruptcy, round, so we’re happy overall.” — AFP

Ramsey and Giroud get Messi treble lifts Barca Arsenal going in FA Cup to the top of La Liga LONDON: Holders Arsenal came attack with menace and were from behind to beat Sunderland 3-1 rewarded with an opening goal from BARCELONA: Lionel Messi warmed up “He is a unique and unrepeatable Lens in the 17th minute that was also yesterday, maintaining manager for his anticipated fifth World Player of player,” said Enrique, who won’t attend Arsene Wenger’s record of having a personal disaster for Arsenal the Year crown by scoring his first hat- never been eliminated from the FA defender Laurent Koscielny. Monday’s ceremony in Zurich despite Cup in the third round. The France international allowed trick of the season to move Barcelona being nominated himself for coach of Second-half goals by substitute himself to be dispossessed by the back to the top of La Liga by cruising the year. Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud Dutchman on the edge of the area past Granada 4-0 yesterday. “It is evident there is the collective proved decisive at the Emirates after Gibbs had played the ball back Messi effectively ended the contest objective that attracts him, motivates Stadium after Joel Campbell had to him, allowing Lens to fire home. within the first 15 minutes with two him and continues to motivate him replied to an early Sunderland open- Teenager Alex Iwobi, making a rare easy finishes before completing his year after year. er from Jeremain Lens. start for Arsenal, saw an effort hat-trick after the break to take his tal- “Then there is the particular individ- Both sides had made wholesale blocked, but in the 25th minute Theo ly to 12 goals in 10 games since return- ual objective these type of players changes with Arsenal, the Premier Walcott cut the ball back from the left ing from knee ligament damage in have to continue beating records and League leaders, making five and for Campbell to calmly stroke in the November, while Neymar completed continue being the best.” Sunderland, who occupy one of the equaliser. the rout late on. Arda Turan made his first league top-flight relegation slots, seven. Arsenal were energised and The European champions lead start for the hosts after Barca’s year- Wenger, with one eye on Pickford soon had to beat out Atletico Madrid, who travel to Celta long ban from registering new players Wednesday’s trip to Liverpool, rested Walcott’s long-ranger, but Vigo today, by a point and are now five was lifted earlier in the week, and the Mesut Ozil and Ramsey, among oth- Sunderland negotiated their way to clear of Real Madrid. Real begin a new Turkish international provided his first ers, although Petr Cech continued in half-time without further alarm. The era under Zinedine Zidane later yester- assist for the club with a lovely goal as David Ospina, who was to Gunners lacked a spark in the LONDON: Arsenal’s Spanish defender Hector Bellerin (front) vies with day when they host Deportivo la through ball for Messi to slot home have played, was ruled out by a thigh absence of Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, Sunderland’s English striker Duncan Watmore (back) during the Coruna at the Santiago Bernabeu. after just eight minutes. complaint. who is still not fully fit, but Campbell English FA Cup third-round football match between Arsenal and Messi is expected to beat off team- Barca’s all-star front three combined Sunderland manager Sam and Iwobi were keen to get on the Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium in London yesterday. — AFP mate Neymar and current holder Allardyce had already voiced his dis- ball and Pickford punched away a to perfection six minutes later as pleasure at Wednesday’s trip to free-kick from the former. rebound over. in the 72nd minute. Cristiano Ronaldo to the Ballon d’Or on Neymar’s cross was helped first time Swansea City being scheduled so Campbell almost fashioned a Campbell, the man who had to Hector Bellerin did the leg work Monday after leading Barca to a sec- by Suarez into the path of Messi to roll close to this cup tie and left main breakthrough, but DeAndre Yedlin wait three years for his Arsenal debut, down the right with a one-two that ond treble of La Liga, Champions past the helpless Andres Fernandez. goal threat Jermain Defoe on the booted the ball away from the goal- was his side’s most impressive per- culminated in him crossing for the League and Copa del Rey in six years The hosts should have been much bench as a result. mouth before anyone could pounce former and he forced Pickford into Wales star to score from close range. last season. further clear by half-time than 2-0 as Sunderland, in lurid green, began on the Costa Rican’s pass. another good save following a one- Bellerin was also the man who set And despite the fine form of Suarez inexplicably fired wide with the with a shot from Lens that clipped a Arsenal came close to a second two with Walcott. up Giroud for the third three minutes Neymar and Luis Suarez in his two- goal at his mercy after a neat one-two post after Duncan Watmore had set goal when Alex Oxlade- Wenger sent on Ramsey and the later, with Yedlin unable to cut out his month absence, Messi again demon- with Neymar. him up. But the visitors soon required Chamberlain’s shot hit a post and fit-again Mikel Arteta for Iwobi and cross, allowing the Frenchman to fin- strated he is Barca’s main man as Luis Fernandez also produced a fine debutant goalkeeper Jordan Pickford Walcott put the rebound narrowly Calum Chambers with just over 20 ish first time. Arsenal were convinced Enrique’s men bounced back from save to temporarily deny Messi his hat- to prevent Kieran Gibbs, played in by wide. Sunderland responded with a minutes remaining. Pickford contin- Yedlin had brought Giroud down in drawing three of their last four La Liga trick before Neymar drilled a volley Giroud, from opening the scoring at similar chance, however, which saw ued to prove hard to beat and denied the box from their next attack, but games. into the side-netting. — AFP the other end with a brave parry. Steven Fletcher head Yedlin’s cross Walcott after Gibbs had picked him referee Martin Atkinson ruled other- Sunderland continued to counter- against the bar and Watmore lash the out, but Ramsey gave him no chance wise. — AFP