Established 1961 27 Sports Thursday, December 13, 2018 Salah’s first-half goal sends Liverpool into last 16 Tottenham survive Barca struggle to keep stadium dream alive PARIS: Mohamed Salah’s first-half goal and a stun- this,” gushed Klopp. “It was amazing.” PSG went ning late save from goalkeeper Alisson saw into their match in Belgrade knowing that victory Liverpool edge into the Champions League knock- would send them through, and Edinson Cavani gave out stage after a tense 1-0 win over Napoli on the French champions the perfect start by tapping Tuesday, while Lucas Moura’s late strike saw in after an excellent run and pass by Kylian Tottenham progress with a draw at Barcelona. Mbappe. Last year’s runners-up Liverpool knew victory Neymar’s strike five minutes before half-time by two goals or a 1-0 triumph would put them appeared to have put the game to bed, but Red through to the last 16 from Group C, and Salah’s Star, who had already beaten Liverpool and held cool 34th-minute strike proved enough as they fin- Napoli in Serbia earlier in the campaign, pulled one ished ahead of Napoli on goals scored. back before the hour mark through Marko Gobeljic. “Wow, what a game. I am not sure a manager But PSG finally sealed their spot in the last 16 as could be prouder of a team than I am,” Reds boss Marquinhos headed in Angel Di Maria’s free-kick Jurgen Klopp told BT Sport. Paris Saint-Germain with 16 minutes to go and Mbappe added further reached the knockout rounds as group winners gloss to the scoreline in added time. “We made mis- thanks to a 4-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade, with takes, but I really liked the reaction after Belgrade’s Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani all on goal. We controlled the match,” PSG coach Thomas the scoresheet. Tuchel told RMC Sport. Liverpool grabbed the crucial goal at a raucous Spurs went into their final Group B game at the Anfield, as Salah jinked past Kalidou Koulibaly Camp Nou needing to match Inter Milan’s result inside the area and slotted the ball beyond goal- against PSV Eindhoven in Italy, but Mauricio keeper David Ospina. Salah, who had already wast- Pochettino’s side fell behind in only the seventh ed an earlier chance with a heavy touch, continued minute as Ousmane Dembele scored a wonderful to run Napoli ragged early in the second half, but individual goal. Ospina saved from Jordan Henderson and James Hirving Lozano gave PSV a shock early advan- Milner curled wide as Carlo Ancelotti’s men stayed tage at the San Siro, though, to leave Tottenham LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker (2R) saves a shot from Napoli’s Polish strik- a goal from turning the group on its head. heading through as it stood. er Arkadiusz Milik (L) during the UEFA Champions League group C football match between Liverpool and The atmosphere around Anfield became increas- The English club had plenty of half-chances Napoli at Anfield stadium in Liverpool.— AFP ingly tense as the Premier League leaders contin- against a much-changed Barca, who had already ued to miss opportunities, with Ospina springing to won the group, but Philippe Coutinho almost made his left to tip away Salah’s attempted lob before it 2-0 when his low shot struck the post. “I always believed it was possible to win the Philipp’s low cross in the 15th minute against denying Mane from point-blank range. Mauro Icardi levelled for Inter against PSV with game,” Spurs manager Pochettino told BT Sport. Thierry Henry’s crisis-hit Monaco, before slam- Senegal forward Mane was guilty of two further 17 minutes left to leave Spurs needing to score at “We fully deserved to go through with Barcelona. ming in a second late on. “It’s a perfect evening. snatched efforts in front of goal, and Napoli almost least once. Tottenham, who were facing an early We were the best (two) teams in a difficult group.” On the whole it was a deserved victory,” said made the Reds pay in the dying moments. The ball elimination when trailing PSV in their fourth group Borussia Dortmund snatched top spot in Group A Dortmund coach Lucien Favre. fell for substitute striker Arkadiusz Milik unmarked match before rallying to win and then beating Inter, with a 2-0 win over rock-bottom Monaco, as Earlier on Tuesday in Group D, Galatasaray in the area, but Alisson raced from his line to keep continued to push and Moura met Harry Kane’s low Atletico Madrid were held to a goalless draw at secured a Europa League last-32 place despite los- out the Pole’s strike with his legs. cross in the 85th minute to cap a dramatic group- Club Brugge. ing 3-2 to Porto in an entertaining game which saw “I have no idea how Alisson made a save like stage revival. Raphael Guerreiro tapped in Maximilian two of three penalties scored. 00 —AFP ners. “We had the match we needed but Inter Milan out of didn’t capitalise on the chances we had. “As the anxiety grows, you lose sight Champions League of how to control the game.” “We could have remained more balanced and Playing top Asian after PSV stalemate instead we let ourselves be carried away MILAN: Inter Milan crashed out of the by tensions, by the public mood,” he Champions League on Tuesday after added, as the goals from the Tottenham sides key for India, being held 1-1 by PSV Eindhoven at the v Barcelona game were broadcast in the San Siro as Group B rivals Tottenham stadium. “How do you hide the result of says captain Chhetri Hotspur gained a point against your opponents? The public cheer.” Barcelona. The hosts, who lifted the title in 2010 MUMBAI: India must have regular competition The Serie A side needed to better with Jose Mourinho and were returning against the continent’s top sides if they are to have Spurs’ result at the Camp Nou in order to the competition for the first time any hope of taking their game to another level, cap- to overtake the Premier League outfit since 2012, got off to a good start tain Sunil Chhetri has said ahead of next month’s and snatch a place in the knockout against already-eliminated PSV, Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates. rounds. Luciano Spalletti’s side thought coached by former AC Milan midfielder Since their last appearance at the finals in Qatar they had done enough in the 73rd Mark van Bommel. in 2011, India have played twice against a top-six minute when captain Mauro Icardi Icardi sent in a long ball five minutes Asian side when they were grouped with Iran for marked his 200th game for the club by into the game which Ivan Persic got his the Russia World Cup qualifiers. Chhetri, who will head to but the Croatia winger’s effort MILAN: PSV Eindhoven’s midfielder Pablo Rosario (L) and Inter Milan’s Croatian lead India in just their fourth appearance at the equalising Hirving Lozano’s 13th-minute midfielder Marcelo Brozovic collide during the UEFA Champions League group B opener, with Spurs a goal down in clipped the post. After the initial scare finals, said they had to be given the chance to PSV regrouped their defence and football match Inter Milan vs PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday at the San Siro stadium in stretch themselves more. Catalonia. Milan. —AFP However Lucas Moura levelled at 1-1 proved increasingly dangerous on the “It’s very, very important for us to keep playing for Tottenham, enabling his team to counter-attack. The Dutch broke against the big giants - the UAEs, the Australias, the advance to the last 16 thanks to the through following a monstrous blunder his line to parry. Icardi fired wide before The Italians piled forward in search Korea Republics,” Chhetri told FIFA.com. “It’s one away goal they scored in their 2-1 by Inter midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah. the break before Handanovic tipped a of the winner but could not break thing to do well against your neighbours, and with- defeat at the San Siro. Inter lost 1-0 at The Ghanaian was caught in possession Bergwijn effort over the bar. through, with substitute Lautaro out demeaning any one of them, it’s a different thing Tottenham last time out, meaning Spurs by Steven Bergwijn, with the ball flying PSV could thank goalkeeper Jeroen Martinez sending a header over the bar when you go out and play the giants of Asia.” go through in second place with a supe- across the face of goal and Lozano nod- Zoet after the break when he denied late on. The Dutch club, who won the Cricket-loving India has a population of 1.3 bil- rior head-to-head record. ding in at the back post. Icardi, Stefan de Vrij and Keita Balde. European Cup in 1988, achieved just lion but it is a massive underachiever as far as foot- “We got nervous, lost too many balls, Asamoah struggled throughout the But Icardi blasted in the equaliser mid- their second point of the competition as ball is concerned. The national side is 97th in the created disorder at the tactical level and first half and almost conceded a second way through the second half, meeting a they finished bottom of the group FIFA rankings and yet to make an appearance at tension set in,” said Inter coach Luciano with an accidental assist for Luuk De perfect cross from Matteo Politano to behind Inter who go through to the the World Cup finals.