Sports FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016

French cup roundup out of League Cup, PSG advances to semifinals PARIS: Marseille’s lackluster season took another turn for the worse as the nine-time French champi- ons bowed out of the League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday while bitter rival Paris Saint-Germain advanced with a 2-1 win over Lyon. Substitute Martin Braithwaite scored an extra-time solo goal to give Toulouse a 2-1 win over Marseille, which has managed to win just one match over the past month. “We struggled to keep the ball and lacked precision in the first half,” Marseille coach Michel said. “This is disappointing, especially because we felt quite at ease when playing away over the past few weeks.” Without many first-choice players including Remy Cabella and Romain Alessandrini, Marseille put on another disappointing display that won’t ease the growing crisis at the southern club. Marseille has been struggling since former coach Marcelo Bielsa’s departure last summer, with Michel unable to find a winning formula. Marseille has failed to win any of its last eight league games at home and sits in 11th place in the standings, 28 points behind leader PSG. Braithwaite, who has now scored three goals in his BARCELONA: FC Barcelona’s (rear) duels for the ball against Espanyol’s goalkeeper Felipe Caicedo last three games with Toulouse in all competitions, during a Copa del Rey soccer match at RCDE stadium in Barcelona on Wednesday, Jan 13, 2016. —AP beat two defenders before slotting the ball through goalkeeper Yohann Pele’s legs in the 99th minute. Spanish cup roundup Striker gave Toulouse the lead in the 25th with his eighth goal in five games. Controlling a pass from Oscar Trejo with his left foot just inside the penalty area, he expertly Barcelona cruise into Cup beat Pele with his right. Ben Yedder, who has been linked with a potential move to Marseille during the transfer window, did not celebrate his goal. Michel quarters with a derby win recently said he hopes to sign the player. Two min- utes later, Marseille equalized when winger BARCELONA: Barcelona ended a three- quarters as they lead Granada 4-0. chopped down Messi and Felipe Caicedo Georges-Kevin N’Koudou struck from the left of the game series of bad-tempered derbies “Today everything was a lot calmer, charged into Marc-Andre ter Stegen as penalty area. against Espanyol on top by sealing their partly because of the result,” said Barca the game threatened to boil over. Yet, Pele twice saved headers from midfielder Tongo place in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals boss . Ter Stegen had his revenge as he stood Hamed Doumbia after the break. “We finished the 6-1 on aggregate courtesy of a 2-0 win “The only game that got out of hand up well to turn Caicedo’s chipped effort at Cornella-El Prat on Wednesday. Fresh was the first, but I am not the one to over moments later. With the tie clearly match with eight players aged under 23,” Michel from picking up his record fifth Ballon analyze it. The second had what a derby headed in Barca’s favor, the second-half said when asked about possible arrivals at the club d’Or, was once again should have and in the third it was hard- was largely a non-event, but the during the January transfer window. “This statistic Barca’s inspiration as he brilliantly er for them to press us. “When one side European champions did add a second speaks volume, but we need to come to terms with picked out to open the plays to an elevated level it eventually two minutes from time when Aleix Vidal it. (Marseille) officials are aware of the problem and scoring before the youngster tapped wears them down.” Suarez was banned squared for El Haddadi to tap home. are trying to solve it. But we need to consider every home his second of the night late on. for confronting Espanyol players in the Last season’s finalists Athletic Bilbao aspect of the situation: the players who are avail- There was less aggression on the tunnel after last week’s first-leg in which completed a 4-2 aggregate victory over able, as well as the economic situation.” field than in the previous two meetings the visitors had two men sent-off. Villarreal thanks to Inaki Williams’s neat Substitute Lucas Moura scored the winner from between the sides in the past 10 days, Enrique also handed , Pique, turn and finish to claim a 1-0 win on the Angel Di Maria’s assist at the Parc des Princes just however Espanyol could be punished and Andres Iniesta a night at El Madrigal. Celta Vigo seven minutes after replacing Ezequiel Lavezzi as for offensive banners towards rest, but Messi captained the side just shrugged off their poor form of PSG remained undefeated this season on the Colombian popstar Shakira - the partner two days after regaining his title of late to end Cadiz’s Cup reprieve after domestic stage. Adrien Rabiot had given the host of Barca defender Gerard Pique - and World Player of the Year. Francesco they advanced to the last-16 due to Real the lead in the 17th minute but Corentin Tolisso Luis Suarez. Athletic Bilbao, Celta Vigo Bardi produced a brilliant save to pre- Madrid’s expulsion from the competi- and Las Palmas also booked their place vent the Argentine opening the scoring tion for fielding an ineligible player. pulled the teams level with a superb half-volley in the last eight to join Sevilla and with a fierce volley on 11 minutes. ’s third goal of the tie and three minutes before halftime. Lille also advanced Mirandes, who qualified on Tuesday, for However, the Espanyol ‘keeper was Dejan Drazic’s late strike sealed a 2-0 with a 4-2 win on penalties over Guingamp after the Friday’s quarter-final draw. La Liga lead- left helpless when El Haddadi galloped win to progress 5-0 on aggregate. And teams drew 0-0. Bordeaux reached the semifinals ers Atletico Madrid host Rayo Vallecano onto Messi’s inch-perfect through ball to Las Palmas edged a goalfest against with a 2-0 win over Lorient on Tuesday. —AP on Thursday tied at 1-1, whilst Gary round Bardi before slotting into an emp- Eibar 6-4 on aggregate thanks to their Neville’s Valencia have one foot in the ty net. Alvaro Gonzalez unceremoniously second 3-2 win of the tie. —AFP Milan book Cup semis

MILAN: AC Milan became the first team into In truth, Milan should have won by more deny him. Bacca turned provider just before chances to kill the game as Giacomo the Italian Cup semi-finals after holding on for but with just one goal in it remained vulnera- the half-hour mark as he teed up M’baye Niang Bonaventura blazed wastefully off target late a 2-1 win over Carpi at the San Siro on ble. Milan were well on top in the first period, to fire home the second. The hosts appeared to on while Honda’s shot was deflected behind Wednesday. The seven-time European champi- taking the lead on 14 minutes when Bacca fin- be in cruise control but five minutes into the for a corner with Brkic AWOL. But the rossoneri ons, who have fallen on hard times in recent ished from Japanese playmaker Keisuke second period, Kevin Lasagna played Mancosu held on to reach the last four. The three other seasons, took a two-goal half-time lead Honda’s pass to notch his 10th goal of the sea- in one-on-one with goalkeeper Christian quarter-finals take place next week with Napoli through Carlos Bacca and M’baye Niang but son. Slovak Juraj Kucka should have doubled Abbiati and the forward finished with aplomb. hosting and Juventus travelling to Matteo Mancosu’s strike early in the second the advantage five minutes later but Serbian Kucka could have extended Milan’s advan- Lazio while there will be one lower league out- period kept things interesting until the final goalkeeper Zejlko Brkic, who had earlier par- tage but again he came up short, firing off tar- fit in the semi-finals as second division Spezia whistle. ried a Honda free-kick, made a wonder save to get just past the hour mark. Milan kept wasting host third tier Alessandria. —AFP