MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2014 SPORTS Ramsey and Podolski shine in Arsenal stroll Hull 0 Arsenal 3 LONDON: Lukas Podolski scored twice as Arsenal claimed an important 3-0 victory at Hull City yesterday in his side’s quest for a top-four finish and FA Cup success. In a preview of next month’s FA Cup final at Wembley, Arsenal scored an important psycho- logical edge over Steve Bruce’s team after Aaron Ramsey shot them in front. German forward Podolski then added two goals in the space of eight minutes, either side of half-time. Following on from his two-goal dis- play against West Ham United in mid-week, it meant that in the space of five days, he has dou- bled his tally of league goals for the season to eight. Ramsey, playing his fourth game in two weeks after a three-month lay-off with a thigh injury, made a telling impact with a goal and an assist as Arsenal scored twice in the final 15 min- utes of the opening half to take a strong grip on LONDON: Arsenal’s Lukas Podolski celebrates scoring his side’s third goal during their English the game. Premier League soccer match against Hull City at The KC Stadium. —AP The second goal was spectacular, if con- tentious, as Hull claimed that they should have Harper called upon to keep out Podolski’s 18- Szczesny. Any lingering uncertainty about the been awarded a free-kick deep in Arsenal territo- yard strike a few minutes earlier, although Hull destiny of the three points was removed after 54 ry after Nikica Jelavic went down under pressure had enjoyed more possession until that point. minutes when Podolski claimed his second goal, from Mikel Arteta. Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was and Arsenal’s third. Referee Jon Moss disagreed, however, and forced to show good handling in the 14th Once again the build-up was intricate, culmi- allowed the Gunners to launch a devastating minute, diving smartly to keep out a first-time nating in Cazorla picking out Ramsey from the counter-attack. It ended with Olivier Giroud loft- strike from Jelavic. left-hand byline. The Welsh international’s 15- ing over a cross that Ramsey chested into the A goal behind, Hull had their best chance yet yard shot was well saved by the outstretched GERMANY: Nuremberg’s Josip Drmic (right) and Leverkusen’s Oemer Toprak vie for path of Podolski, who buried a superb left-foot when David Meyler set up Jake Livermore for an boot of goalkeeper Harper, but the rebound fell the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match. —AP volley in the back of the Hull goal from 15 yards. 18-yard strike that beat Szczesny but rebounded kindly for Podolski to convert from close range. The opening goal, after 31 minutes, had been to safety via the foot of the goalkeeper’s right- Arsenal should have scored a bizarre fourth Leverkusen fourth in battle almost as impressive and featured a characteris- hand post. goal after 64 minutes when Harper misjudged a tic flowing move from Arsene Wenger’s side. Just before the second Arsenal goal, Shane back-pass, gifting the ball to Giroud, who struck for Champions League spot The move started on the halfway line and saw Long should have done better with a mistimed the underside of the bar from practically on the Ramsey spray the ball wide to Mesut Ozil; anoth- header from a Liam Rosenior cross that Szczesny byline. BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen regained fourth Borussia enjoyed a 4-2 victory at home er Arsenal player who is fit again after injury. saved with ease. Arsenal centre-back Per Mertesacker headed place in the Bundesliga yesterday with a 4- to ten-man Mainz 05 as coach Jurgen His pass to Santi Cazorla was helped on to Hull substitute Matty Fryatt, on for the injured over from a Cazorla free-kick in the 76th minute, 1 romp at Nuremberg in their battle to Klopp faced his former side having Ramsey, who steered his ninth league goal of Long, had an early opportunity soon after the while Ramsey, Huddlestone and Fryatt all saw retain their Champions League place for coached them from 2001-08. the season past Steve Harper in the Hull goal. restart, but Tom Huddlestone’s pass took an late efforts well handled by their respective next season. Dortmund took the lead after just six The opening goal had been coming, with unkind bounce as he aimed to head past opposition goalkeepers.—AFP Goals by Bosnia centre-back Emir Spahic minutes through a curious goal when Milos and Poland left-back Sebastian Boenisch Jojic’s strike went in off the upper arm of for Leverkusen cancelled out Marvin Borussia’s Oliver Kirch, but despite furious Plattenhardt’s equaliser in the first-half protests the goal stood. Berbatov inspires Monaco win from a direct free-kick which left the visi- Japan striker Shinji Okazaki scored twice tors 2-1 up soon after the break. for Mainz to make it 2-2, his second after PARIS: Dimitar Berbatov’s delightful lob was the only goal of the Cote the principality club means they are through the second half when Danijel Leverkusen’s South Korea star Son pouncing on a terrible back pass from goal gave Monaco a 1-0 win against d’Azur derby at the Stade Louis II and now certain to finish in the top three Subasic saved well from substitute Heung-Min made sure of the victory when Dortmund’s Nuri Sahin. The Japanese inter- Nice yesterday to leave Paris Saint- the victory got Claudio Ranieri’s side and qualify for next season’s Dario Cvitanich and Mathieu Bodmer’s he sprinted clear on a counter-attack and national scoring either side of Bayern- Germain’s title celebrations on ice while back on track after their shock exit from Champions League. header from the resulting corner was drew the defence for Spahic to tap home bound Robert Lewandowski’s strike for Ajaccio’s relegation was confirmed with the French Cup to Guingamp at the They are nine points clear of third- blocked by Subasic and then cleared his second with ten minutes left. Dortmund. defeat at Bastia. semi-final stage on Wednesday. placed Lille, who go to Marseille later, by Mounir Obbadi right on the line. Ex-Germany international Roberto Dortmund made sure of the three Berbatov’s nonchalant fifth-minute A third successive league win for and seven behind leaders PSG, who do The Nice players appealed for a Hilbert grabbed Leverkusen’s fourth seven points, which confirmed their Champions not host Evian until Wednesday having goal to be given, but the officials minutes later having come off the bench. League direct qualification, with goals by beaten Lyon 2-1 in the League Cup waved play on and Claude Puel’s side Leverkusen lead Wolfsburg by a point defender Lukasz Piszczek and Germany final on Saturday night. are without a win in five matches. with just three games left to decide winger Marco Reus, who converted a Even if PSG win that game, they will Ajaccio made the trip across Germany’s fourth Champions League place penalty 12 minutes from time after Mainz not secure a second consecutive Lige 1 Corsica for the derby against Bastia after Wolves had spent 24 hours in fourth had centre-back Niko Bungert sent off for a championship until next weekend at knowing they had to win to stand any after Saturday’s 3-1 win at Hamburg. Bayer handball. the earliest. For all the money spent last chance of further postponing their enjoyed their second straight win since ex- Ten-man VfL Wolfsburg romped to a 3-1 summer, finishing second would be an inevitable relegation. Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia was sacked win at Hamburg as goals by Ivan Perisic, excellent achievement for Monaco, But a 2-1 loss left them 15 points as coach, while Nuremberg suffered their Kevin de Bruyne and Ivica Olic gave Wolves who were in Ligue 2 a year ago, but from safety with only 12 points left to fourth straight defeat which leaves them a 3-0 lead just after the break before coach Ranieri’s future has been the play for. “We’ve known for a long time second from bottom. VfB Stuttgart took a Hamburg’s Ivo Ilicevic scored a consolation subject of much speculation recently. that we would go down so this big step towards survival with a 3-1 win at for the hosts who remain third from bot- However, the 62-year-old Italian changes nothing,” Ajaccio coach home to third-placed Schalke 04 which tom. Wolves were reduced to ten men revealed that Vadim Vasilyev, the club Christian Bracconi said. leaves them four points from the relegation when Brazil midfielder Luiz Gustavo was vice-president, had reassured him “We were condemned on places. sent off for a second yellow card on 90 min- over his position after the match. November 14 - now it’s done! We’ve Austria striker Martin Harnik netted utes. Hamburg are facing an historic first “You know what he said to me? been living with the idea for weeks. twice while Germany forward Cacau also relegation from Germany’s top flight. That I will be here next season.” This We wanted to delay it but I’m more scored as Stuttgart raced into a 3-0 lead Freiburg are virtually assured of their sur- win will come as a relief to him, bitter about this loss today than being before Hungary’s Adam Szalai pulled one vival as their 4-2 win at home to ten-man although it will be best remembered relegated.” back for the visitors with 20 minutes left.