MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2014 SPORTS Asamoah helps Juve to 14-point lead on Roma

MILAN: A first-half strike from Juventus and Stephan Lichsteiner threatening with winger Kwadwo Asamoah secured a 1-0 win early chances while defender Andrea Barzagli over Fiorentina and stretched the champions’ did well to block Alberto Aquilani’s strike for lead over nearest rivals Roma to 14 points the visitors. yesterday. Asamoah fired a first warning shot just Second-placed Roma, who have a game in before the half hour with a deflected effort hand, travel to Napoli later looking to reduce which forced Neto into a one-handed save, the arrears and stretch their six-point lead while from the resulting corner the over Rafael Benitez’s side. Ghanaian’s effort from a tight angle flashed But on this performance, Roma will have wide. to hope Juventus-who face Fiorentina home Just before the interval, Asamoah broke and away in the Europa League in the next 11 the deadlock when he cut inside from the left days-suffer a major slip-up on what looks like and showed some nice skill with his left foot a clear path towards a third consecutive scud- before firing a right-footed shot past Neto at etto. Frenchman Paul Pogba said Juve’s 14th the keeper’s far post with the help of a slight home win of the season had sent a message deflection. to their rivals. “It was a crucial match for us “The coach is always telling me I should and an even more important win in terms of cut in from the left and try shots with my the league title,” Pogba told Sky Sport. Juve right. I’ve never scored with my right foot coach Antonio Conte hailed his side’s per- before, never mind one as good as that,” said formance but admitted they breathed a sigh Asamoah. of relief when Ryder Matos’s header came Fiorentina came closest to levelling 10 back off Gianluigi Buffon’s crossbar in the minutes from time when Matos finished off a closing minutes. good move with a close-range header which “We played really well in the first half and bounced off Buffon’s crossbar. in the second things slowed down a little, Elsewhere, the battle for the league’s two also because players were tired from the mid- Europa League places moved up a notch, week international friendlies,” said Conte. with seven points now separating fourth- “We gifted Fiorentina a chance to level late placed Fiorentina from Lazio, in eighth. on but thankfully we resisted and came out of Inter remained fifth but a precious 1-0 win it pretty well.” Fiorentina had handed Juve at home to battling Torino thanks to Rodrigo their only defeat of the season, a 4-2 come- Palacio’s 30th minute header closed the gap back win in Florence last October, but had on Fiorentina to just a point. only one win in their last 21 visits to Turin. Parma’s 2-0 win over Verona reinforced Coach Vincenzo Montella admitted Juve sixth place but they remain one point adrift had set the agenda, and his side had failed to of Inter with a game in hand, while Verona sit adapt. “When you play against Juventus, a lot a further three points off the pace. GERMANY: Freiburgís Philipp Zulechner (left) challenges for the ball with Dortmund’s Kevin Grokreutz during the German First Division depends on how they set up,” he told Sky Lazio’s bid for a place in Europe was halted soccer match. — AP Sport. “We were better in the second half in a practically empty Olympic Stadium by a when we played higher up the park, but it shock 1-0 loss to Atalanta. Maxi Moralez wasn’t the game we had set out to play.” struck for Atalanta on the hour but Lazio were Claudio Marchisio stepped into Andrea Pirlo’s reduced to 10 men four minutes later when Veteran Kehl seals deep-lying midfield role as the Italy veteran he received a second booking, for simulation, served a one-match ban, while Carlos Tevez when he tumbled in the area. and Fernando Llorente, who have scored 26 Sampdoria, meanwhile, fought back from league goals between them, led the Ibrahima Mbaye’s first-half double for Livorno Bianconeri attack. to stun the visitors 4-2 which moved the Dortmund’s victory Juve started with plenty of intent, Tevez Genoese side up to 12th. — AFP

BERLIN: consolidated sec- Having dropped just four points after 24 Hyppia’s Leverkusen face an uphill task on ond place in the Bundesliga yesterday with a 1-0 matches, Guardiola’s side have scored a record 72 Wednesday at Paris Saint-Germain where they win at relegation-threatened Freiburg as veteran times since the start of the season with just 11 need to overturn a 4-0 deficit from their captain Sebastian Kehl netted the winner. conceded. “We weren’t as dominant as in recent Champions League last-16 tie. Dortmund came to Freiburg without top-scor- matches,” said Guardiola. “Wolfsburg were very Schalke 04 are in fourth place, also with 44 er and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, who well organised and very aggressive. They caused points, after seeing off Hoffenheim 4-0 with has a knee strain, but still enjoyed their third us a lot of problems in the first half and at the Klaas-Jan Huntelaar hitting a hat-trick. straight win. start of the second. “But at the end of the day it It was a welcome result for Schalke, who had Jurgen Klopp’s side grabbed the winner on 58 was us who scored the goals we needed.” been routed 6-1 by Real Madrid and 5-1 at minutes when 34-year-old skipper Kehl curled Wolfsburg’s lead lasted just 10 minutes before Bayern in their last two outings. Huntelaar could home a 25-metre shot which gave Freiburg goal- Xherdan Shaqiri levelled.Thomas Mueller and for- have had four goals but missed a 31st-minute keeper Oliver Baumann little chance. mer Wolfsburg striker Mario Mandzukic both penalty with a lazy attempt at goal. In Saturday’s “I told him he’s a scumbag,” Baumann joked to scored twice in the second half. late game, Werder boosted their top- , while Kehl admitted he was “very, Mandzukic took over from Lewandowski as flight survival hopes with a 2-0 win at very happy” after his speculative shot dipped the league’s top-scorer with 16 league goals for Nuremberg. A second successive win for Robin under the bar. The result leaves Freiburg second the season. France’s Franck Ribery added to the Dutt’s team allowed them to climb two places from bottom while Dortmund are four-points scoreline to mark his return to action after a into 11th and eight points off the relegation clear in second, but remain 20 points behind run- month out through injury. zone. Werder Aaron Hunt is a candi- away leaders Bayern Munich. “Those were huge Bayer Leverkusen are third after a 1-1 draw at date for a FIFA Fair Play award after persuading points for us,” said Dortmund defender Mats Hanover in a game where their goalkeeper Bernd referee Manuel Graefe to overturn a second-half Hummels. “Only second place really counts for us Leno saved a Szabolcs Huszti penalty. Sami decision to award Bremen a penalty. — AFP now and that was a big, big step in the right direction.” Mainz 05 and Hertha Berlin later shared a German League results/standings point in a 1-1 draw as Colombia striker Adrian Ramos’s goal was cancelled out by Eric Choupo- TURIN: Juventus’ French midfielder Paul Labile Pogba fights for the ball during the Freiburg 0 Borussia Dortmund 1 (Kehl 58); Mainz 05 1 (Choupo-Moting 65-pen) Hertha Berlin 1 Moting’s second-half penalty for hosts Mainz. The (Ramos 51). Italian Serie A football match against Fiorentina in Alps stadium. — AFP result leaves both sides within three points of the top six. Played Saturday 82); Hanover 1 (Rudnevs 33) Bayer On Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s Bayern warmed Schalke 04 4 (Huntelaar 6, 28, 79, Chinedu Leverkusen 1 (Castro 28); VfL Wolfsburg 1 Italian League results/standings up for Tuesday’s Champions League last 16, sec- Obasi Ogbuke 55) Hoffenheim 0 Borussia (Naldo 17) Bayern Munich 6 (Shaqiri 26, ond-leg clash at home to Arsenal with a 6-1 Moenchengladbach 1 (Rafael 5) FC Augsburg Mueller 63, 78, Mandzukic 66, 80, Ribery 71); Juventus 1 (Asamoah 42) Fiorentina 0; Bologna 0 Sassuolo 0; Chievo 2 (Paloschi 5-pen, thrashing of Wolfsburg, scoring five goals in 17 2 (Hal. Altintop 35, Werner 81); VfB Stuttgart 2 Hamburg 1 (Calhanoglu 72-pen) Eintracht 90+3-pen) Genoa 1 (Gilardino 88); Inter Milan 1 (Palacio 30) Torino 0; Lazio 0 Atalanta 1 second-half minutes. (Maxim 30, Harnik 35) Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Madlung 29); Nuremberg 0 (Moralez 60); Parma 2 (Biabiany 20, Schelotto 90+2) Verona 0; Sampdoria 4 (Krsticic 49, Braunschweig 2 (Hochscheidt 24, Bicakcic Werder Bremen 2 (Di Santo 40, Bargfrede 68). Ceccherini 53-og, Okaka 68, Gabbiadini 75) Livorno 2 (Mbaye 19, 27). BAYERN’S RECORDS Bayern racked up a record 16th consecutive German League table after yesterday evening’s match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals Playing later Played Saturday against, points): Napoli v Roma Udinese 1 (Di Natale 67) AC Milan 0; Bundesliga win, breaking their own league best Catania 1 (Lodi 62) Cagliari 1 (Vecino 53). set in 2005, and have now gone 49 league matches without defeat. Bayern Munich 24 22 2 0 72 11 68 Hoffenheim 24 7 8 9 52 52 29 Dortmund 24 15 3 6 55 27 48 Werder Bremen 24 7 7 10 28 46 28 Italian Serie A table yesterday (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): With just 10 games left in the campaign, the European champions are virtually assured of Leverkusen 24 14 2 8 40 27 44 Hanover 96 24 7 5 12 31 43 26 Juventus 27 23 3 1 63 19 72 Genoa 27 9 8 10 31 34 35 defending their title after a sixth successive win Schalke 04 24 13 5 6 46 35 44 Frankfurt 24 6 8 10 27 40 26 Roma 25 17 7 1 49 11 58 Sampdoria 27 9 7 11 33 39 34 over the 2009 champions. Wolfsburg 24 12 3 9 41 38 39 Nuremberg 24 4 11 9 27 42 23 Napoli 26 15 7 4 51 29 52 Atalanta 27 10 4 13 28 38 34 Victory was the perfect tonic ahead of Augsburg 24 11 5 8 37 34 38 VfB Stuttgart 24 5 5 14 38 51 20 Fiorentina 27 13 6 8 45 30 45 Udinese 27 9 4 14 30 39 31 Tuesday’s clash with Bayern holding a 2-0 first leg Mainz 05 24 11 5 8 33 36 38 Hamburg 24 5 5 14 39 53 20 Inter Milan 27 11 11 5 44 29 44 Cagliari 27 6 11 10 27 36 29 lead. Naldo gave Wolfsburg a shock 17th-minute M’gladbach 24 10 6 8 41 31 36 Freiburg 24 4 7 13 22 45 19 Parma 26 11 10 5 41 29 43 Chievo 27 6 6 15 22 38 24 advantage before Bayern, heading for a 24th Hertha Berlin 24 10 6 8 35 28 36 Braunschweig 24 4 5 15 19 44 17 Verona 27 12 4 11 43 44 40 Bologna 27 4 11 12 22 41 23 national title, turned on the style. Lazio 27 10 8 9 34 35 38 Livorno 27 5 6 16 29 50 21 Torino 27 9 9 9 39 35 36 Catania 27 4 8 15 20 46 20 AC Milan 27 9 8 10 39 38 35 Sassuolo 27 4 6 17 25 55 18 Zimbabwe gold miners Rangers grab Cup lifeline GLASGOW: Rangers needed a controversial late responded with Templeton sending a header on survive Seychelles scare equaliser to claim a 1-1 draw with Albion Rovers to the roof of the net before Parry made a fine as the League Two minnows came close to a save to deny Daly whose header from a Lee shock at Ibrox. Wallace free-kick looked to be seeking in. A sus- JOHANNESBURG: Zimbabweans How Mine ing a three-year CAF ban. Brazilian Cleiton Januario Franco scored in The part-timers had stunned the home fans tained period of pressure saw Rangers press for got a huge fright on the idyllic Indian Ocean The close shave in Seychelles was certainly each half for Fes, but it was an early second as Ciaran Donnelly fired them into a 13th- an equaliser just before the break. Templeton island of Seychelles this weekend before not the result of overconfidence as coach half own goal by Mohamed Bamaamar that minute lead in their quarter-final tie against the saw his fierce strike blocked as Rovers players reaching the last 16 of the CAF Confederation Philani ‘Beefy’ Ncube issued a stern pre-sec- settled the tie. Glasgow giants, who are unbeaten in all com- threw themselves in front of the ball before petitions since August 3 last year. Rangers piled Parry stopped Shiels’ shot on the line. Cup. ond leg warning. Leading 3-0 from the first leg, the blunder on the pressure in the second half but were left Rangers had a great chance to haul them- Leading 5-1 from the first leg of a first “Anything can happen in football,” he told brought Medeama level at 1-1 on the night frustrated by the resolute defending of a side selves level seconds after the restart. Fraser round qualifier, the gold miners who work his squad. “We scored five goals at home and and left the Moroccans needing to score at that sit seventh in Scotland’s bottom tier until Aird’s corner was headed down by Mohsni to close to second city Bulawayo must have Saint Michel can also score five goals at least four goals in 42 minutes. the 78th minute when Bilel Mohsni knocked McCulloch but the Rangers captain hooked his believed they were certain to progress. home.” Arriving late at an airport to collect a visit- Lee Wallace’s deep cross past Neil Parry to end shot wide. The frustrations of the home fans But Seychellois opponents Saint Michel Musharu is revelling in the Confederation ing team is among the favourite ploys of their hopes of a giant-killing. increased in the 50th minute when the ball United had other ideas and by half-time at Cup with his six-goal tally making him the African clubs desperate for a psychological However, the goal left the Rovers manage- broke to the unmarked Daly in the box but the home were leading 3-0 through a Jocelyn leading scorer this season, one ahead of advantage. Other ‘tricks’ include hotel power ment team incensed as they felt the French Irish striker somehow sliced his effort wide of Fenosoa brace and an Alex Nibourette goal. Malagasy Fenosoa. and water being deliberately switched off, defender had fouled the ‘keeper as he went to the target. Another goal in the second half and the The reward for the sharpshooter and his keys to training-ground entrances mysterious- claim the cross. The two sides will now have to The pressure continued to mount on the islanders would win the tie and match the team-mates is a second-round showdown ly disappearing, and prostitutes harassing do it all again in a replay at New Douglas Park Rovers goal with Daly’s next effort on target greatest comeback in the 11-year second-tier against 2009 semi-finalists Nigerians Bayelsa footballers. on March 18. Albion named the same side that but Parry made the save and the danger was knocked side Motherwell cleared before Nicky Law could pounce on the African club competition. United. Peter Ebimobowei scored midway Former African champions Tunisians Etoile earlier in the competition and they showed no rebound. Templeton thought he had finally Mount Cameroon wiped out a 5-1 away through the first half and Jafar Buhari 12 min- Sahel and Ivorians ASEC Mimosas progressed signs of being overawed by the occasion as made the breakthrough in the 63rd minute loss to South Africans Ajax Cape Town in a utes after half-time as Bayelsa defeated in contrasting fashion at home. they threatened the Rangers goal with under a after he sweetly connected with Richard 2008 qualifier by scoring five unanswered sec- Congo Brazzaville visitors Kondzo 2-0 follow- Etoile hammered Congo Brazzaville outfit minute on the clock. Forster’s cross but his shot clipped the top of ond-leg goals. ing a goalless first leg. CARA 3-0 to overtake a first-leg loss while Mark McGuigan thundered forward and the crossbar on its way over. Michael Dunlop There was one goal scored after the break, Defensively strong United face a How Mine ASEC were grateful for a two-goal first leg win found Liam Cusack at the edge of the box but was inches away from an own goal as he but it came from leading How marksman side that has averaged three goals a game in after being held 1-1 by Malians CO Bamako. Cammy Bell watched his first-time effort go turned Aird’s fiercely whipped in cross just Kudakwashe Musharu to leave Saint Michel 3- eliminating Zanzibaris Chuoni, and Saint Winston Kalengo netted to give Zambians wide. And it was part-timers Albion who round the post before Mohsni’s long-range 1 winners on the day but 6-4 losers overall. Michel. Zesco United a 1-0 win on the day and on stunned the home crowd in the 13th minute effort was tipped over the bar by Parry. The miners, promoted to top-flight Ghanaians Medeama, who took food and aggregate against Mozambicans Ferroviario when Donnelly grabbed the opener. Rangers boss Ally McCoist replaced Daly with Zimbabwean football only last year, are lucky water to Morocco to counter possible ‘dirty Beira. A late Mohammed Siela goal gave Lee McCulloch’s wayward defensive header Sebastien Faure in the 74th minute as he to be competing internationally. They lost the tricks’, progressed despite a 2-1 loss against Sudanese Al-Ahly Shendy a 1-0 home win from a corner fell to the Albion Rovers captain threw Mohsni forward and his decision was who fired past Bell from close range for his first vindicated three minutes later when the FA Cup final 3-0 to Highlanders, but secured a 2011 Confederation Cup winners Moghreb over AS Kigali, but the Rwandans clinched the goal of the season. Rangers immediately Frenchman grabbed the equaliser. — AFP passport to Africa as their opponents are serv- Fes. tie 5-4 on post-match penalties. — AFP