SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2016 SPORTS

Hiddink warns Chelsea not to take Cup progress for granted

LONDON: Guus Hiddink has warned wanted. In response, the City boss has in the quarter-finals because Hiddink, without injured captain John Terry. Guardiola at the end of the season, Chelsea not to take victory for granted promised to field a starting line-up com- whose side played their Champions “Hypothetically, if City play a younger would also prefer to leave with the after Manuel Pellegrini vowed to go prised mostly of untested youngsters. League last 16 first leg tie against Paris side they will go to 120 per cent effort so Champions League trophy as a reminder through with his threat to send out a “We always try to play with a strong team Saint German earlier this week, can it does not always work in your favour. of his talents. weakened Manchester City team in the in every competition, every competition afford to send out a stronger team this Let’s see what happens today. “ And he points to a lengthy injury list FA Cup fifth round today. is important, especially the FA Cup,” weekend. as another reason why he will rest the With City due to make the long flight Pellegrini said. But the Blues’ interim manager FORMALITY likes of Joe Hart, Yaya Toure, Vincent to the Ukraine on Monday ahead of their “We are very interested in continuing believes the City kids could pose a signif- Despite Hiddink’s caution, what Kompany, David Silva and Sergio Aguero. Champions League last 16 first leg tie at in this cup. But I said a couple of weeks icant threat because they will be so moti- appeared at the time of the draw to be “The priority is usually the next game Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, Pellegrini ago if you want to protect the English vated to make the most of a rare the tie of the round could be trans- but maybe we are going to make an had pleaded with the FA not to bow to team in the Champions League the game moment in the spotlight. formed in a formality by Pellegrini’s exception now because of the amount of demands from television networks to was played on Saturday. Hiddink is also concerned City have stance. players we have injured,” Pellegrini move the Chelsea game from its original “For different reasons we couldn’t play been stung by damaging successive The Chilean has been accused of dis- added. Saturday date. that day. We must prioritise the defeats against Premier league title rivals respecting the famous old competition, City’s lack of experience today could But Pellegrini’s request was ignored Champions League, so we’ll see what is Leicester and Tottenham and will be des- but he knows City’s Abu Dhabi-based provide Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard and City, who also have to prepare for the best team we can put on the pitch for perate for a morale-boosting win. owners would much prefer success in with a golden opportunity to play his next weekend’s League Cup final against the FA Cup.” “A big team always reacts. We are Europe rather than a first FA Cup triumph way back into form after Hiddink called Liverpool, have been forced to head to At first glance, it appears Pellegrini warned. We’ll take ourselves and them since 2011. on the under-achieving Belgian to raise Stamford Bridge 24 hours later than they has handed Chelsea a gift-wrapped place very seriously,” said Hiddink, who will be Pellegrini, who will be replaced by Pep his level. — AFP FIFA rejects demand for transparent voting booths

ZURICH: FIFA has rejected a demand from their vote by using a mobile phone. a presidential candidate to use transparent Scala rejected transparent booths, how- voting booths at next week’s election to ever, and said members would be remind- ensure delegates do not photograph their ed that voting is secret and told to hand ballot papers when they choose the head over mobile phones and cameras before of soccer’s world ruling body. doing so. The request came from Prince Ali Bin Al “He (Scala) has said it is enough just to Hussein of Jordan, who said he would take tell them they must not do so, and has his case to the Court of Arbitration for rejected Prince Ali’s request to use trans- Sport (CAS), sport’s highest tribunal. Prince parent voting booths,” the statement said, Ali wanted to ensure that transparent adding that there was an “absence of any booths were used at the Feb. 26 election dedicated system to detect potential viola- “to safeguard the full transparency of the tions of this rule.” electoral proceedings”, he said in a state- A spokesman for the electoral commit- ment released by his French-based lawyer. tee declined to comment. Jerome FIFA’s 209 member national associations Champagne, another presidential candi- (FAs) each hold one vote at the election date, said this week that FAs were under where Prince Ali is among five candidates pressure to vote for certain candidates and standing to replace outgoing President some had been asked to provide evidence Sepp Blatter, who is banned for eight years of their vote. Prince Ali has also said that amid a graft scandal that has shaken soc- FAs face reprisals if they fail to tow certain cer’s global governing body. Under FIFA political lines. “Development projects mys- statutes, voting is secret. teriously stall; tournament hosting bids are The statement said Domenico Scala, suddenly compromised or withdrawn; head of FIFA’s electoral committee, had national teams start to mysteriously face admitted to Prince Ali in correspondence less favourable fixtures or and even refer- that the voters could produce evidence of ees,” he said last week. — Reuters Griffiths double sends Celtic six clear at top

GLASGOW: Leigh Griffiths grabbed a dou- corner to finish a sweeping move. ble as Celtic extended their lead over Elsewhere, Dundee United claimed a MUNICH: Bayern Munich’s striker Thomas Mueller (R) and Darmstadt’s midfielder Florian Jungwirth (L) vie for the ball during theGerman Aberdeen at the top of the Scottish vital 2-1 victory over Hearts at Tannadice first division football match FC Bayern Munich vs SV Darmstadt 98 in Munich, southern Germany, yesterday. — AFP Premiership to six points with a 3-0 defeat thanks to a late Paul Paton winner, of Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Parkhead although the Tangerines remain a huge 11 yesterday. points adrift at the bottom from Mueller’s brace rescues Celtic had to wait until the 53rd minute Kilmarnock, who were held to a goalless to open the scoring thanks to a deflected draw by Dundee. Gary Mackay-Steven strike, and Griffiths Ian McShane got the winner as fourth- added two more to take his tally for the placed Ross County beat Hamilton Bayern against Darmstadt season to 32 goals. Academical 2-1 while Tam Scobbie struck The result, Celtic’s fifth consecutive late to give St Johnstone a 2-1 win at home BERLIN: Thomas Mueller netted twice yesterday his header past on 26 minutes, goal of the season by drilling home a clearance home win, gives Ronny Deila’s side some to Motherwell.— AFP as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from but Bayern were back level four minutes into the off the line from Wolfsburg’s Naldo on the hour breathing space between themselves and behind to beat Darmstadt 3-1 in their last match second half when Mueller chested down and mark. Julian Nagelsmann, the Bundesliga’s Aberdeen, whose game with Partick Thistle before their Champions League clash at slammed his shot into the right-hand corner. He youngest ever coach at 28, steered Hoffenheim on Friday was postponed due to a water- Juventus. With second-placed Borussia added a superb second-his 17th league goal of to only their third win of the season on his sec- logged pitch at Firhill. “In the first half we Matches on TV Dortmund playing on Sunday, Bayern took their the season-by chesting down Arturo Vidal’s cross ond match in charge with a 3-2 victory at home didn’t create enough and we were too (Local Timings) chance to go 11 points clear in Germany’s top and hitting a bicycle kick into Darmstadt’s net on to Mainz. slow,” the Celtic manager said. flight but Mueller had to dig them out of trouble 71 minutes. Lewandowski added the third on 84 Colombia striker Jhon Cordoba scored his “But in the second half we were more ENGLAND FA CUP at the Allianz Arena before Robert Lewandowski minutes when he converted Franck Ribery’s low first goal for Mainz in his tenth Bundesliga match direct and got them on the back foot and added their third goal. cross after the Frenchman came off the bench when he slotted home early on. But the hosts got more chances.” Meanwhile, Inverness Blackburn Rovers v West Ham 17:00 Against the run of play, Pep Guardiola’s for only his third appearance of the season. roared back as Nadiem Amiri levelled, then strik- manager John Hughes, the former Celtic beIN SPORTS 11 HD Bayern went behind when Darmstadt’s Munich- er Mark Uth netted twice. defender, said his players had given their all Tottenham v Crystal Palace 18:00 born striker Sandro Wagner headed home mid- YOUNGEST COACH Hoffenheim remain 17th, but are now only in defeat. beIN SPORTS 8 HD way through the first half. It was Lewandowski’s 22nd goal of the season three points from safety after Werder Bremen, It was only the fifth time this season Bayern in 21 league games to leave him as the league’s who are 16th, lost 2-0 at Ingolstadt. Cologne “I felt our shape was very good and we Chelsea v Manchester City 19:00 gave as good as we got in the first half,” said had gone behind. But using their 81 percent top scorer ahead of Bayern’s Champions League fans protested about the price of away tickets at beIN SPORTS 2 HD Hughes, whose side had lost only one of possession to fire in a total of 36 shots on goal to last 16, first leg in Turin on Tuesday. Borussia Moenchengladbach as the hosts sealed their previous 11 games, including beating Darmstadt’s six, Guardiola’s side roared back to Elsewhere, fresh from their 3-2 Champions a 1-0 win thanks to Mahmoud Dahoud’s first-half Aberdeen 3-1 in the Highlands on Monday. SPANISH LEAGUE claim their 19th win in 22 league games this sea- League win at Gent in midweek, Wolfsburg goal. son. picked up a point in the capital with a 1-1 draw Gladbach move up to fifth ahead of today’s “I told them not to get complacent so to Rayo Vallecano v Sevilla 14:00 Serdar Tasci made his debut at centre-back in at Hertha Berlin. Wolves took the lead at the matches when Dortmund are at Bayer lose a goal 10 minutes into the second half beIN SPORTS 3 HD a makeshift Bayern defence also featuring Olympic Stadium when Marcel Schaefer convert- Leverkusen, Schalke play Stuttgart away and was bitterly disappointing but it was the Malaga CF v Real Madrid 18:00 Rafinha, and David Alaba. ed Vieirinha’s cross on 53 minutes. Hanover host Augsburg in a key match in the rel- second goal that killed us.” beIN SPORTS 3 HD Darmstadt went ahead when Wagner powered But Salomon Kalou equalised with his 11th egation battle. — AFP After a cagey start it was Inverness who threatened first with defender Gary Warren Bilbao v Real Sociedad 20:15 somehow heading wide with the goal gap- beIN SPORTS 12 HD ing after Celtic ‘keeper Craig Gordon had Granada CF v Valencia 20:15 failed to deal with an Iain Vigurs free-kick. beIN SPORTS 3 HD Albion star Brunt pelted Moments later Griffiths’ strike from outside Atletico v Villarreal 22:30 the box was spilled by Owain Fon Williams beIN SPORTS 3 HD after it bounced awkwardly in front of him with coins by own fans but the Inverness defence cleared the dan- ger. The home crowd then breathed a sigh ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE of relief when Ross Draper’s deflected shot Atalanta v Fiorentina 17:00 LONDON: West Bromwich Albion whistled inches wide as Inverness came beIN SPORTS 4 HD defender Chris Brunt was pelted close to an opener. Torino FC v Carpi 17:00 with coins by his own club’s fans beIN SPORTS after their surprise FA Cup fifth EXPLOSIVE round defeat at Reading yesterday. What the first half lacked in action the Genoa v Udinese Calcio 17:00 Brunt had gone over to applaud second half made amends for with an beIN SPORTS 1 HD Albion’s travelling fans following explosive start. Sassuolo v Empoli 17:00 their 3-1 loss to the second tier Once again it was Inverness who blew a beIN SPORTS 9 HD side, but the mood turned sour golden chance to take the lead when Frosinone v Lazio 20:00 and he went down clutching his face as coins rained down from Jordan Roberts beat Erik Sviatchenko for beIN SPORTS 4 HD pace to race in on goal but the striker saw angry supporters. Northern his strike blocked by the out-rushing AS Roma v Citta 22:45 Ireland international Brunt then Gordon. The visitors were left to rue that beIN SPORTS 4 HD confronted a group of Albion fans miss in the 53rd minute when Mackay- before being led away by captain Steven gave Celtic the lead with a deflected GERMAN BUNDESLIGA Darren Fletcher after giving his shirt to a supporter. strike from the edge of the box after some Bayer 04 v Dortmund 17:30 good build-up play. The 31-year-old said a coin had beIN SPORTS 5 HD Inverness barely had time to regroup been thrown at him and was quick when Griffiths doubled Celtic’s advantage Schalke 04 v Stuttgart 19:00 to condemn the fans’ behaviour. “I in the 59th minute. The Scotland striker beIN SPORTS 5 HD was walking towards our support- showed some good touches to make room v Augsburg 19:30 ers at the end, and they thought it was okay to throw a coin at their for himself in the box before lashing an beIN SPORTS 1 HD own players. I’m disgusted,” Brunt angled strike into the bottom right-hand told BBC Sport. “If they want to corner of the net. FRENCH LEAGUE come forward and say they don’t The two-goal cushion allowed Deila to like what they’ve seen then that’s throw on teenager Ryan Christie to face his Marseille v Etienne 16:00 beIN SPORTS 6 HD fine. Fans are frustrated we were 1- former side while on-loan Manchester City 0 up and lost. player Patrick Roberts was handed his Caen v Stade Rennes 19:00 “They paid a lot of money to Celtic debut. beIN SPORTS 6 HD come, but a small minority spoilt it. With the match deep in stoppage time Lille OSC v Lyonnais 23:00 There were young kids there. I was READING: Reading’s English defender Michael Hector (C) heads the ball past West Bromwich Albion’s Griffiths nabbed his second of the match beIN SPORTS 6 HD absolutely disgusted and Swedish defender Jonas Olsson to score during the FA cup fifth round football match between Reading with a low shot into the bottom left-hand ashamed.” —AFP and West Bromwich Albion at Madejski stadium in Reading yesterday. — AFP