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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2013 SPORTS Messi-less Barcelona beaten again Barca suffer first La Liga loss at Bilbao MADRID: An ineffectual Barcelona back in third. Bilbao ended a streak of 14 Manuel Pinto, playing in place of the crashed to their first La Liga defeat of the winless La Liga games against Barca and injured Victor Valdes. Cesc Fabregas season and failed to restore their three- beat them for the first time since May played Neymar through five minutes point lead over Atletico Madrid at the 2006 to climb above Villarreal into fourth after the break but the Brazil forward, top when they were beaten 1-0 at on 29 points. who had to change his boots in the first Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Barca were “It was an open game against a great half after slipping over several times, again without the injured Lionel Messi, opponent who pressed us hard and sliced his effort well wide. who is not expected back until mid- knows how to play,” Barca midfielder Bilbao, who thoroughly deserved January, and turned in probably their Sergio Busquets said in a pitchside inter- their victory and are unbeaten at home worst performance of the campaign view with Spanish television broadcaster this season, almost doubled their lead against a fired-up Bilbao at the Basque Canal Plus. “They had their moments four minutes after Muniain’s goal when club’s new San Mames stadium. and we had ours but if we don’t take our Pinto produced a brilliant save from A miserable week for the Spanish chances then it becomes harder,” added Gaizka Toquero’s header. Martino threw champions, which included Tuesday’s 2- the Spain international. “All we can do is on Pedro late on but the Spain forward 1 Champions League loss at Ajax congratulate Athletic and carry on made little impact and Bilbao comfort- Amsterdam, went from bad to worse because there is no other choice. “We ably held on to their lead. In the earlier when Bilbao’s Iker Muniain turned in a have to learn from the mistakes we kickoffs, pressure eased on Valencia Markel Susaeta cross in the 71st minute. made, which for sure were numerous, coach Miroslav Djukic when a quickfire Barca barely mustered a shot on target but also from the positives.” hat-trick from forward Jonas gave his against the Basques, with Brazil forward Without World Player of the Year erratic side a 3-0 win at home to 10-man Neymar particularly disappointing, and Messi creating havoc in the forward line, Osasuna. it was only the second time in 15 match- Barca lacked a cutting edge against a Osasuna had their 38-year-old cap- es this season they have dropped points well-organized Bilbao unit. Neymar tain Patxi Punal sent off in the 16th after the 0-0 draw at Osasuna in October. forced a superb save from home goal- minute for a dangerous late tackle on BILBAO: Athletic Bilbao’s forward Gaizka Toquero (L) falls past Barcelona’s Gerardo Martino’s side are level with keeper Gorka Iraizoz in the 12th minute Dani Parejo before Jonas struck from defender Martin Montoya (center) during the Spanish league football match Atletico on 40 points following the but the Basque side refused to allow the close range just before the break. The Athletic Club Bilbao vs FC Barcelona at the San Mames stadium on December 1, Madrid club’s 2-0 win at promoted Elche Barca players time and space, creating Brazilian netted his second three min- 2013. — AFP on Saturday, while Real, whose 4-0 drub- several clear chances in the first period. utes into the second half and made it 3-0 bing of Real Valladolid on Saturday They came close when a deflected cross in the 53rd minute as Valencia moved up places when they won 2-1 at Andalusian rivals Real Betis drew 2-2 at home to fel- included a hat-trick from record signing fell to Muniain and he scuffed his close- to ninth on 20 points. Sevilla kept in rivals Granada and tightened their grip low strugglers Rayo Vallecano and stay Gareth Bale, are three points further range shot straight at goalkeeper Jose touch with the European qualification on eighth with 22 points. Sevilla’s city rooted to the bottom.— Reuters Brazil’s defending champion Fluminense in relegation zone SAO PAULO: Defending champion Atletico scored through Diego Tardelli in Fluminense will enter the last round of the the 22nd before Fluminense equalized Brazilian league in the relegation zone after through Gum in the 37th and moved Vasco da Gama and Coritiba won their ahead when Biro-Biro scored in the 54th. matches on Sunday. Fluminense, in danger However, Alecsandro equalized with a of becoming the first Brazilian champion to header late in the game. Fluminense be demoted, drew Atletico Mineiro 2-2 at almost was relegated in 2009, but it won six the Maracana Stadium on Saturday and of its last seven matches to just remain in needs other results to go its way next the first division. It was relegated to the weekend to stay in the first division in 2014. second division for the first time in the late Vasco da Gama beat already demoted 1990s. The team will play at Bahia in the Nautico 2-0 at the Maracana, while Coritiba final round this year. defeated Botafogo 2-1 in Curitiba. Vasco, a Vasco da Gama, which played in the sec- four time Brazilian champion, will also ond division in 2009, gained some relief by enter the final round in relegation zone. No defeating Nautico with goals by Edmilson matter what happens next Sunday, either in the seventh minute and Bernardo in the Vasco or Fluminense, two of the country’s 88th at a packed Maracana. Only a victory most traditional clubs, will play in the sec- against third-place Atletico Paranaense will ond division next year. The weekend give Vasco a real chance to escape demo- matches again were marked by players tion. Coritiba moved out of relegation zone protesting the conditions for players in by beating Botafogo with goals by Deivid Brazilian football. in the 40th and Alex in the 69th. Botafogo’s Players sat on the ground, crossed their lone goal came in the final minutes with arms and exchanged passes back and forth Bruno Mendes. at the start of matches to show their dissat- Criciuma beat Sao Paulo 1-0 at home, isfaction with the national federation. The while Portuguesa defeated Ponte Preta 2-0 players had threatened a strike this week- in Campinas. Bahia escaped relegation with end because of a pay dispute involving a last-minute 2-1 win at champion Cruzeiro, Nautico and its squad, but a deal was which had already clinched its third reached on Friday. Brazilian league title in advance. Cruzeiro The final round next weekend will be players were officially handed the trophy played with six teams still in danger of rele- on Sunday at a nearly packed Mineirao gation - Fluminense, Vasco da Gama, Stadium. Local media reported that dozens BUENOS AIRES: San Lorenzo’s fans cheer as they light flares with the colors of their team before an Argentina league soccer match against Coritiba, Criciuma, Internacional and of fans were detained because of fan vio- Estudiantes in Buenos Aires on Sunday, Dec 1, 2013. —AP Portuguesa. Nautico and Ponte Preta, lence in and outside the stadium in Belo which is in the final of the Copa Horizonte. Sudamericana, have already been demot- Internacional, with a squad that includes San Lorenzo fail to wrap ed. Vasco is the first team inside relegation Uruguay striker Diego Forlan and Argentine zone with 44 points, one more than forwards Andres D’Alessandro and Ignacio Fluminense. Coritiba is just ahead with 45 Scocco, became in danger of demotion points, while Criciuma has 46 and after drawing Corinthians 0-0 on Saturday, up the Argentine title Internacional and Portuguesa have 47 a result that extended the team’s winless each. The bottom four clubs will drop to streak to four matches. Atop the standings, the second division. Fluminense, which second-place Gremio beat fourth-place BUENOS AIRES: San Lorenzo All Boys on Saturday. Arsenal, also won the league title in 2010, was the Goias 1-0 with a goal by Argentine striker missed the chance to sew up the crushed 4-1 by Belgrano on only team among those fighting against Hernan Barcos in Porto Alegre. Atletico Argentine league title on Sunday Saturday to lose their unbeaten relegation to lose this weekend. The Rio de Paranaense lost 2-1 at Santos. Fifth-place after a 0-0 draw with Estudiantes home record, are still mathemati- Janeiro club got into trouble after allowing Botafogo and sixth-place Vitoria, which sent the race down to the final cally in the fight on 29 points. If two an 83rd-minute equalizer to Atletico beat Flamengo 4-1 in Salvador, still have round of games. With Lanus drop- teams finish equal on points, there Mineiro, which is already focused on the chances of securing a place in next year’s ping points in a 2-2 draw at home will be a playoff since goal differ- Club World Cup later this month. Copa Libertadores.— AP to Boca Juniors, the Saints would ence is not taken into account. have been crowned league cham- The last round was scheduled pions for the 12th time, and first for next weekend but Lanus have since 2007, with a win. Estudiantes obtained a postponement of the Benfica, Sporting overtake hit the bar in the dying minutes of key matches because they come in the first half and San Lorenzo were the middle of the two legs of their disheartened Porto at top unlucky not to be awarded a penal- Copa Sudamericana final against ty in the second but neither team Brazil’s Ponte Preta.