Djokovic and Federici’s Berdych in Monte howler sends Carlo final Arsenal into FA 17 Cup18 final SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2015 Hamilton on pole in Bahrain Page 17 LONDON: Chelsea’s John Terry (left) vies for the ball with Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney during the English Premier League soccer match at Stamford Bridge stadium. — AP Hazard fires Chelsea closer to title in the 38th minute at Stamford Bridge. afternoon in west London. From Ashley title, but seven minutes before half-time, the bar from a tight angle. The Belgian’s strike left his side 10 points Young’s pass, the over-lapping Luke Shaw cut hosts went in front. A United move broke United continued to press, with Courtois Chelsea 1 clear of second-place Arsenal, who welcome the ball back for Rooney, but the United num- down when Radamel Falcao failed to control saving from McNair and Rooney-at the second Jose Mourinho’s side to the Emirates Stadium ber 10 shot’s hit the stanchion to the left of the Chris Smalling’s pass and within seconds attempt-while Juan Mata and Falcao also went next weekend, when another Chelsea win will goal and bounced back into the net, fooling Chelsea were in, Oscar’s back-heel freeing close. bring a first title since 2010 within reach. the travelling fans at the other end into think- Hazard to motor through and beat De Gea left- Mourinho stiffened his midfield by intro- United’s recent surge had prompted talk of an ing the deadlock had been broken. footed at the near post. ducing Ramires in place of Oscar and Van Gaal Man United 0 improbable title tilt, but with Louis van Gaal’s United goalkeeper David de Gea had to toe Falcao-making his first start since February responded with a double change, sending on men 11 points below Chelsea having played a the ball behind for a corner after Hazard’s pass 28 — got a sniff of goal in first-half stoppage wingers Angel di Maria and Adnan Januzaj for game more, automatic Champions League sent Cesc Fabregas scampering into the box, time when Rooney’s stabbed pass was headed the final 20 minutes. qualification is now their only objective. but for most of the first half, the away team down by Marouane Fellaini, but Thibaut While Hazard again worked De Gea, United LONDON: Champions-elect Chelsea took a sig- And while United’s football suggested looked serene. With Ander Herrera assuredly Courtois flew out to swat the ball off his toes. procured another sight of goal with 13 min- nificant step towards the Premier League title there are better days ahead at Old Trafford, it anchoring the midfield, Van Gaal’s men were Chelsea sat even deeper in the second half, utes to go when Shaw’s pass released Falcao, as Eden Hazard’s first-half goal secured a clini- is League Cup winners Chelsea, whose last finding passing triangles all over the pitch and but they came within inches of extending their only for the Colombian’s left-foot shot to strike cal 1-0 home win over in-form Manchester seven wins have all been by a one-goal mar- they demonstrated their confidence when lead after Herrera inadvertently drilled the ball the outside of the post. There was another United yesterday. gin, who are on the brink of another corona- Paddy McNair advanced and saw a shot straight to Nemanja Matic. scare for Chelsea at the death when Herrera United were seeking a seventh consecutive tion.A calf injury to Michael Carrick obliged deflected wide. The Serbian’s pass freed Didier Drogba, went over Gary Cahill’s outstretched leg in the league win, but despite bossing possession, it Wayne Rooney to drop into midfield for the vis- An uninformed observer would perhaps whose shot was partially blocked by Smalling, penalty area, but to the relief of the hosts-and was Chelsea who prevailed after Hazard sped itors, but it was to the United captain that the have been forgiven for thinking it was United, sending it looping over De Gea, but Hazard, the disbelief of the visitors-referee Mike Dean through to score his 13th goal of the campaign first chance of the match fell on a warm, sunny and not Chelsea, who were on the verge of the following in, could only jab the ball against the adjudged it a dive. — AFP Burnley suffer serious blow Albion grab precious win into mistakenly giving the penalty. Pulis right at the beginning of the cam- Ross Barkley strode up but his shot failed to find paign. Pulis kept Palace up against all the Everton 1 the left-hand corner of the net and Tom Heaton’s Crystal Palace 0 odds last season but departed on the eve dive was sufficient to block. of this season amid worries that the Leighton Baines, who missed the first penalty of squad had not been suitably strength- his career in October, has scored 14 of his 15 career ened over the summer. Premier League penalties but spot-kick duties have After the brief but unsuccessful return Burnley 0 West Brom 2 been a major headache for Everton manager of Neil Warnock, Pardew has got the best Roberto Martinez since Belgium winger Mirallas out of a side who romped to a 4-1 win at snatched the ball and insisted on taking one in a Sunderland in their last outing. goalless draw with West Brom in January and duly LONDON: Tony Pulis made his mark on West Brom, in contrast, had leaked 10 LIVERPOOL: Burnley’s hopes of avoiding relega- missed. his return to Selhurst Park yesterday as goals in losing their last three matches tion from the Premier League suffered a severe Fortunately for Everton, it was Mirallas who his current side West Bromwich Albion but the form book was ripped up as they blow as Kevin Mirallas’s goal gave Everton a 1-0 ensured the latest miss would not prove too costly claimed a precious 2-0 win over his old got off to a dream start. win at Goodison Park yesterday. when he subsequently opened the scoring in the club Crystal Palace. The game was just two minutes old The Clarets defeat, allied to a win for Leicester 29th minute. A goal in each half from James when a corner came to the unmarked over Swansea, saw Sean Dyche’s men drop to the James McCarthy crossed from the right with Morrison and Craig Gardner gave the Morrison, who headed in from eight bottom of the table on goal difference with just Arouna Kone running over the ball in the centre of Baggies a first away win since early yards. That goal separated the sides at five league games left to play this season. the area, allowing it to run onto Mirallas who mis- LONDON: Everton’s Kevin Mirallas (right) November as they ended a run of three the interval, although Palace fans saw Burnley were forced to play the second half controlled but recovered his composure sufficient- fights for the ball against Burnley’s Sam consecutive defeats and took a huge their appeals for a penalty dismissed by with 10 men following a red card for Ashley Barnes ly to stab the loose ball past Heaton. Vokes during the English Premier League step towards clinching top-flight sur- while Everton’s match-winner Mirallas could con- That was no more than the hosts deserved for a the referee after Wilfried Zaha went soccer match. —AP vival. West Brom are now eight points down in the box under a Gardner chal- sider himself fortunate not to have been dismissed half of complete dominance. Not until going a goal clear of the relegation zone, albeit hav- following an incident early in the second half. down did Burnley seriously threaten but Jones lenge. The visitors then increased their Burnley keeper bundling the ball away from the ing played a game more than Leicester Everton, well on top throughout the first half, wasted the chance of an instant response to the lead eight minutes into the second peri- foot of his post but Everton were fortunate that City in 18th. also squandered a glorious opportunity to take opening goal when he hurried his shot over after they were not a man down themselves after 51 od, Gardner latching on to a loose ball Palace, meanwhile, saw their superb control of the game when they failed with a ninth neat approach play by Danny Ings. minutes when Mirallas escaped with a caution for following a corner and beating goal- minute penalty, a miss that once more opened the However, any hope of a much-needed point for stamping on George Boyd’s leg. Kieran Trippier’s recent run of form come to an end as keeper Julian Speroni with a fine strike debate about the Merseyside club’s spot-kick poli- the visitors looked ever more distant in first-half corner had flashed through the six-yard area in they missed out on equalling the club from 25 yards. cy. injury time when they were reduced to 10 men fol- between those incidents but that was a rare record of five successive wins in the top The closest Palace came to getting a The award came after David Jones tripped lowing a second yellow card being shown to mid- moment’s relief for the visitors who enjoyed a 56th flight. The south London club have goal back was when substitute Dwight Aaron Lennon a full yard outside the area, fielder Barnes, who had tripped Seamus Coleman.