Sharapova, Classy Ronaldo Ivanovic double eases Real in Stuttgart final past Osasuna

SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2014 17 18

Phelps meets the new generation he inspired Page 16

LONDON: Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic (left) fights for the ball against Norwich City’s Robert Snodgrass during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford Stadium. — AP United launch Giggs era in style

Tuesday, behind them. Welbeck as he attempted to connect with Phil ended all hope of qualifying for next season’s pushed the ball wide to Rooney on the left wing United great Giggs was granted a pre- Jones’s tricky cross, the most newsworthy inci- Champions League. but, with visiting defenders inexplicably backing Man United 4 dictably warm and passionate welcome by dent had been provided by a plane, funded by Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy was not test- away from the forward, he was able to carry the home fans who had become increasingly disil- Maltese fans of other clubs, which trailed a ban- ed until the 13th minute when he put a drive ball to a central position from which he curled lusioned by the direction their club was head- ner sarcastically thanking Moyes for his work at from Welbeck behind for a corner. past Ruddy from 20 yards, falling over as he did ing under Moyes. Old Trafford. The England international also saved well, late so. Norwich 0 But, well before Rooney shot United ahead In keeping with Giggs’s promise that his team in the half, from a Valencia drive and the visitors Snodgrass’s free-kick was then ably punched from the penalty spot four minutes before the would make a “fast start”, Welbeck and Antonio could claim, with some justification, they were clear by David de Gea. But that was brief respite interval, Old Trafford had become far more sub- Valencia were active early in attempting to place unfortunate not to be a goal up by that stage. for Norwich, who failed to chase down a loose dued after a fairly underwhelming start to the Norwich under pressure. Robert Snodgrass’s counter-attack ended with ball and allowed Valencia to pass back to Jones MANCHESTER: Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata game-and the new manager’s reign-by their And the caretaker manager had made a pow- Jonny Howson bundling the ball over the line whose low, dangerous centre was converted scored two goals apiece as the temporary team. erful statement pre-match when Moyes’s two big only for Probert to disallow the ‘goal’ for a push from six yards by United substitute Mata. reign of Ryan Giggs as manager of Manchester Indeed, the biggest cheer in the early stages signings Mata and Marouane Fellaini were left by Ricky van Wolfswinkel on Jones. Mata was similarly positioned, six yards out, in United began with a convincing 4-0 win came when Giggs, promoted from player-coach out of his starting line-up, the latter not even Norwich, who ended the match just a point the 73rd minute to stoop and head in a Valencia against Norwich City at Old Trafford yesterday. to caretaker charge for the final four games of the handed a place on the bench, as part of six above the relegation zone, desperately needed shot after the winger had connected with Patrice The scoreline represented United’s largest season, strode from the dugout to the touchline changes made from the side beaten by Everton- to level at 1-1 if they were going to get anything Evra’s left-wing cross. home league win of the season as the soon- to remonstrate with referee Lee Probert about Moyes’s former club-in the Scot’s last game as out of this fixture. Johan Elmander shot just wide, Bradley to-be deposed English champions did their the award of a throw-in to the visitors. United boss. However, only three minutes after the restart, Johnson was denied by De Gea and Martin best to put the disappointments of their time And by the time Rooney scored from a penal- Initially, there was no major improvement in they conceded to United and Rooney once more. Olsson struck the bar in a late, but futile, fight- under David Moyes, sacked as manager on ty, awarded for Steven Whittaker’s tug on Danny the form of United, whose defeat by Everton There seemed little danger when Shinji Kagawa back from the visitors. — AFP Saints damage Everton’s Long keeps Fulham Champions League chance the manner of this victory confirmed in relegation zone they have not switched off for the Southampton 2 final games of the season and, with the Bundesliga and won 43 caps as a national manager Roy Hodgson midfielder for West Germany, shook up a watching from the stands, Adam Fulham 2 tight match at half-time with a double Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Luke substitution that led to both goals. Shaw all strengthened their chances Everton 0 Firstly it was Dejagah who produced a of making England’s World Cup moment of magic on 55 minutes to ease squad. Hull 2 the jangling nerves of the home fans. Everton were hoping to build on The 27-year-old Iranian international, SOUTHAMPTON: Everton damaged the form they showed in beating who scored the winner against their own prospects of a top four fin- Manchester United last Sunday-the Newcastle earlier in the month, finished ish and a place in next season’s defeat that triggered the departure LONDON: Fulham blew a massive oppor- off a darting run with a high quality fin- Champions League when first half of Martinez’s predecessor David tunity to climb out of the relegation zone ish into Steve Harper’s top corner. own-goals from Antolin Alcaraz and Moyes from Old Trafford. yesterday as they conceded a late LONDON: Everton’s English midfielder Gareth Barry (left) vies with Three minutes later and Craven Seamus Coleman gifted Their cause was not helped by the equaliser against Hull in a 2-2 draw at Cottage was rocking at full volume when Southampton a 2-0 victory at St loss of Belgium international mid- Southampton’s English midfielder Adam Lallana (right) during the Craven Cottage. English Premier League football match. — AFP Venezuelan defender Amorebieta head- Mary’s yesterday. fielder Kevin Mirallas who was ruled The draw was harsh on the west ed home Kieran Richardson’s pinpoint Defeat meant Roberto Martinez’s out for the remainder of the season complaint, with Southampton domi- goal after the cross had deflected off Londoners who appeared in control at 2- cross. side remained a point behind fourth- with a groin injury earlier in the nating for long periods while Everton the forehead of team-mate John 0 up with 15 minutes to go before Steve Richardson was the second player week. placed Arsenal, having now played a failed to find any rhythm at all. The Stones. Bruce’s side launched their comeback brought on by Magath at half-time as But that was nothing compared game more in the Premier League Saints should have been two up after Things could have got worse for which was built on a defensive error by Fulham appeared to be heading for vic- to the defensive mistakes that cost this season. 21 minutes when Lambert pulled the visitors before the break had ref- Felix Magath’s men. The draw keeps tory. Hull had come into the match with them this game. The match was less With Arsene Wenger’s side not back for Steven Davis, who wasted eree Michael Oliver not ignored Fulham third from bottom and one point the third worst record on their travels than a minute old when Alcaraz had scheduled to face out of form an excellent opportunity by shooting home appeals for a penalty when behind Norwich, who play Manchester with 11 defeats, only one fewer than sent a powerful diving header into Newcastle until tomorrow, this was a wide. Adam Lallana’s attempted cross United later on Saturday, for Ryan Gigg’s Fulham and two fewer than Norwich. his own goal to hand the hosts an chance for Everton to increase the Everton struggled to make any clearly struck Stones’s arm. first match in charge at Old Trafford. They did however inflict Fulham’s unexpected early lead. pressure on the Gunners. inroads against the compact And a further sign this may not be Irishman Steve Long struck the 87th worst Premier League defeat with a 6-0 The Paraguayan was attempting Instead, they conceded a major Southampton defence with a free- Everton’s day came six minutes minute equaliser for Hull after Fulham victory in December which was also advantage to their rivals and, with to prevent Lambert’s inswinging kick from Gerard Deulofeu offering a before the break when Romelu tired badly down the stretch. Ashkan cross from reaching Sam Gallagher Hull’s biggest ever top flight win. just two games remaining, appear rare threat. Lukaku somehow put thr ball over Dejagah and Fernando Amorebieta An uneventful opening 45 minutes set to miss out on a place in the but succeeded only in diverting the Unfortunately for Martinez, his the bar from six yards out. Martinez scored twice in three second half min- ball beyond goalkeeper Tim Howard, saw possession shared and produced Champions League. players proved to be much more responded by introducing Leon utes to put Fulham in the driving seat just one shot on goal as home ‘keeper It was a day to forget for and inside the near post. It was the ruthless in front of their own goal Osman for Ross Barkley at the start of before Croatia’s Nikica Jelavic scrambled worst possible start for the visitors David Stockdale was called into action Martinez and his players, who found and a second mistake, this time from the second half. the ball home on 75 minutes. once while Harper of Hull didn’t have a who had arrived on the south coast Coleman gifted Southampton their The change injected more themselves behind after less than a Then came Long’s headed equaliser in save to make. having won their last three away second goal in the 31st minute. This urgency into Everton’s play but they minute and were unable to recover the dying stages as Fulham were left to Fulham’s remaining matches are away when Coleman’s mistake put games. time it was a right wing cross from were still unable to undo the Saints’ rue what should have been three desper- to Stoke on May 3 followed by a home Southampton in command of the But their subsequent efforts dur- Nathaniel Clyne that caused the defence, with Lukaku seeing a sec- ately needed points. fixture against Crystal Palace on May 11, game. Southampton’s mid-table ing the remainder of the first half problem with Coleman unable to ond close-range header saved by Magath, 60, who spent 17 seasons in the final day of the season. — AFP standing has long been assured but confirmed they had few grounds for direct his clearing header wide of the Artur Boruc. — AFP