Successful Roma beat power Udinese 2-1, boat run Fiorentina held in Kuwait15 by19 Verona MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2016

Murray advances, Kerber sent packing at Indian Wells Page 18

TROYES: Paris Saint-Germain’s Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (C) vies with Troyes’ French defender Matthieu Saunier (L) and French goalkeeper Matthieu Dreyer (R) during the French football match between Troyes and Paris Saint-Germain yesteday at the Aube Stadium in Troyes. — AFP PSG demolish Troyes to clinch French title

PARIS: Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored four sec- with 141 goals, including 102 in the league in His next was even better as he met left back ond-half goals as Paris Saint-Germain clinched just 115 games. ’s cross from the left with a its fourth straight French league title in style, Monaco drew 2-2 at home to Reims on first-time swerving shot into the right corner pulverizing last-place Troyes 9-0 yesterday to Friday night to hand the initiative to PSG, and from the edge of the penalty area. become champion with a record eight games it did not take long to put matters beyond Ibrahimovic would have tapped in a fourth to spare. doubt with three goals inside the first 20 min- goal with 30 minutes left, but Saunier beat Forward scored twice, utes. The first goal came in the 14th from an him to it as he turned Kurzawa’s cross into his while and Adrien error by Troyes defender Matthieu Saunier, own net, earning a sympathetic pat on the Rabiot also scored and the other was an own whose back pass landed at the feet of Cavani head from the imposing Ibrahimovic. goal. and he beat goalkeeper Matthieu Dreyer at After Troyes defender Lossemy Karaboue PSG has lost just once this season - away to the second attempt. was sent off for hauling down Cavani, the Lyon last month - and leads second-place Four minutes later, Ibrahimovic brilliantly Uruguay striker scored at the second attempt Monaco by 25 points. Cash-rich PSG, back-heeled the ball through the midfield to after his penalty was saved. bankrolled by funds from Qatari investor QSI, Pastore, who then dribbled past two defend- Ibrahimovic ran onto a pass and finished has dominated so much that it has lost only ers before expertly dinking the ball over confidently in the 88th and Brazilian winger once in any domestic competition over the Dreyer. Rabiot stroked home into an empty Lucas missed a chance for 10-0. past calendar year. net a minute later after Cavani’s shot was PSG has won six French titles altogether, PSG is on course to defend its domestic tre- saved. Ibrahimovic had been occasionally but this was by far the easiest. The club has ble and the club’s astonishing goal difference frustrated in the first half, but set matters only been tested in Europe, where it lost 1-0 of plus 62 - 77 goals scored, 15 conceded - is straight with a hat trick inside 11 minutes in away to Real Madrid in the group stages for its more than four times better than the next- the second half. One minute after the restart, only other defeat this season. best Lyon’s. he controlled a pass on the edge of the area, PSG now needs to turn its domestic domi- Ibrahimovic leads the scoring charts with held off a defender and slammed the ball low nance into European success as it prepares for 27 league goals and is on track to beat his past Dreyer. He was celebrating again on 52 the Champions League quarterfinals. Coach career best tally of 30 - set three seasons ago minutes, volleying in a cross from winger ’s side at least has plenty of time LONDON: Arsenal's Mesut Ozil, center, goes down under a challenge from with PSG. He is PSG’s all-time leading scorer Angel di Maria from an awkward angle for 5-0. to prepare for the first leg next month. — AP Watford' Sebastian Prodl, right, during the English FA Cup quarterfinal soccer match yesterday. — AP Arsenal dumped out of FA Cup by clinical Watford LONDON: Holders Arsenal were firing just over the bar when a little com- knocked out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 posure would surely have resulted in a home defeat by Watford in the quarter- goal. Wenger must now lift his team, finals yesterday ending their quest to who could be 11 points adrift in the title win the trophy for the third straight sea- race if Leicester beat Newcastle United son and increasing the pressure on man- on Monday. But he denied confidence ager Arsene Wenger. Goals from Odion was low, despite a run that has yielded Ighalo and Adlene Guedioura after the one win in their last seven games in all break put Watford in control while a late competitions. strike from Danny Welbeck was all the hosts could muster despite several ALWAYS DIFFICULT chances, leaving them set to end the “It’s always difficult, but it’s our job to season without any silverware. prepare for the next game,” Frenchman Arsenal were aiming to become the Wenger told reporters. first side since Blackburn Rovers in the “It’s nothing to do with confidence. 1880s to win the Cup for three years in a Recent results haven’t shown that, but row but instead they slumped to a third we’ve played against good teams. We consecutive home defeat in all competi- have shown that we can respond, tions for the first time since November always, and this team has a great spirit 2002. and a very strong attitude. Having to overhaul a 2-0 deficit at “We have a very good opportunity on : Manchester United’s Bastian Schweinsteiger, third right, fights for the ball against West Ham United’s European champions Barcelona in their Wednesday night (at Barcelona) to show during the English FA Cup quarterfinal soccer match between anchesterM United and West Ham United at Old Trafford Stadium, Champions League last 16 return leg that we are up for it. We want to make Manchester, England, yesterday. — AP next week and standing eight points the impossible possible.” behind leaders Leicester If Arsenal’s season is imploding, City with only nine games left, the FA Watford’s is going beyond even their Martial keeps United’s hopes Cup was Arsenal’s most realistic chance most optimistic fans’ wildest expecta- of a trophy this season. tions. Watford went ahead when a throw-in They are 14th in the table with 37 alive after Payet masterpiece was flicked on by Troy Deeney to Ighalo, points, having virtually guaranteed who held off defender Gabriel, swivelled Premier League football next season, OLD TRAFFORDY: Manchester United strik- minute. But with time running out, United’s With United 2-0 down from the first leg of and drilled a low shot past David Ospina and are now two games away from win- er kept their FA Cup hopes young French starlet Martial hooked Ander their Europa League lat 16 tie against from close range. ning the FA Cup for the first time. alive when he struck eight minutes from Herrera’s cross back into the net from the Liverpool and 13 points adrift of Leicester A glorious goal from Guedioura “This is an amazing season for time to salvage a 1-1 draw with West Ham narrowest of angles. City in the Premier League title race, extended the lead. The tireless Deeney Watford,” manager Quique Flores told United in yesterday’s quarter-final tie at Old Just like holders Arsenal’s exit earlier yes- Martial’s strike has offered blessed relief for held off Gabriel and laid it back to reporters. “I think this is the most impor- Traffordy. terday in a 2-1 home defeat by Watford that Van Gaal. United will now have a replay at Guedioura, who fired an unstoppable tant (win) of my career,” he said, adding West Ham heaped more pressure on manager Arsene what will be the last Cup tie to be staged at first-time shot into the top corner. that his players celebrated in the dress- looked to be sending the 11-times Cup win- Wenger, a United exit would have raised West Ham’s in the Welbeck’s 88th minute goal sparked a ing room by blasting out music. I don’t ners tumbling out of the competition with a more questions about the future of boss Londoners’ final season there before they wave of Arsenal pressure, and a minute know (what the music was), but it’s not wondrous, curling free kick in the 68th Louis van Gaal. move to the Olympic Stadium. — Reuters later the England forward missed a gold- so good. Not for my age,” the 51-year-old en chance to equalise and force a replay, Spaniard said. — Reuters