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Phinney makes Sangakkara’s history in Dubai triple ton flattens Bangladesh THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 201417 18 Milan unveil Taarabt, ‘Balotelli of Morocco’ Page 19 MADRID: Real Madrid’s goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas shouts after the third goal during the Spanish Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) semifinal first-leg football match against Atletico de Madrid.(Inset) Real Madrid’s Argentinian midfielder Angel di Maria celebrates after scoring a goal. —AFP Real burst Atletico bubble MADRID: Real Madrid took a huge step towards fightback to retain their title in the second leg at men ended the half in the ascendancy. reaching the Copa del Rey final as they beat the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday. Atletico coach Diego Simeone reacted at local rivals and holders Atletico Madrid 3-0 In a typically intense encounter whenever half-time by introducing Cristian Rodriguez for Ronaldo banned for thanks to two own goals in their semi-final, first these two sides meet, it was the home side who Diego Ribas. And Atletico nearly rewarded leg yesterday. threatened first as Karim Benzema’s header was Simeone with an equaliser as they started the Atletico beat Real at the Santiago Bernabeu blocked just in front of his own goal line by second period brightly but Diego Godin headed three league games in last year’s final, but the hosts quickly set Atletico captain Gabi. over from point-blank range. about making amends for that defeat as Arda Turan then had Atletico’s best effort of However, Real dealt the visitors a sucker MADRID: Recently crowned Ballon d’Or sent Ronaldo made as he left the field. Emiliano Insua deflected Pepe’s effort into his the first-half as he nipped in front of Alvaro punch of a blow just before the hour mark as Di winner Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Real Madrid still have the option to appeal own net after just 17 minutes. Jese Rodriguez, Arbeloa, but his header was palmed away to Maria found Jese with a lovely through ball and Madrid’s next three league games after the ban, but, should it be upheld, Ronaldo being sent-off in his side’s 1-1 draw will be ruled out of the La Liga fixtures who was only starting because of Gareth Bale’s safety by Iker Casillas. the Spanish under-21 international’s effort against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. against Villarreal, Getafe and Elche. late withdrawal from the squad due to a calf It was Real who were posing a more consis- squeezed under Courtois. The Belgian goalkeep- The score was already tied at 1-1 when However, the former Manchester injury, doubled Real’s advantage with a low fin- tent threat, though, and they went in front when er was fortunate not to see another strike slip Ronaldo was shown the eighth red card of United man will be free to take part in ish from Angel di Maria’s pass just before the Pepe wandered forward to meet Xabi Alonso’s through his grasp a minute later as he spilled Di his career after clashing with Athletic mid- Copa del Rey semi-final, first leg at home hour mark. pass and his shot deflected off Insua and past Maria’s powerful drive. fielder Ander Iturraspe 15 minutes from to Atletico Madrid as the suspension only Di Maria was involved again as Real all but the helpless Thibaut Courtois. A brilliant goal line clearance from Modric time. applies to league fixtures. Atletico cur- secured their place in the final when his deflect- Miranda nearly restored parity moments later prevented Godin from halving the deficit 18 The Spanish Football Federation hand- rently lead La Liga by three points from ed strike 17 minutes from time was credited as from Koke’s free-kick as Casillas again came to minutes from time. And within 60 seconds, Real ed the Portuguese the normal one game both Madrid and Barcelona, who are another own goal by Atletico defender Miranda. Real’s rescue. Di Maria then saw another deflect- had added to their advantage when Di Maria’s ban for a straight red card, but also added locked on 54 points with 16 games still to Defeat ends a 24-game unbeaten run for ed effort fly just over, whilst Courtois saved from long-range effort cannoned off Miranda to once an extra two games for a gesture of dis- go. — AFP Atletico and they will now need a remarkable Ronaldo and Luka Modric as Carlo Ancelotti’s again wrong-foot Courtois. — AFP Ibra double steers Giant-killing Blades dump strugglers Fulham in FA Cup PSG into Cup final LONDON: Third-tier Sheffield United league on Sunday. PARIS: Zlatan Ibrahimovic struck early and late on recruit Yohan Cabaye was again only listed among scored in the last minute of extra time to “At the end of the day, that’s what we Tuesday to keep Paris Saint-Germain on course for a the substitutes. Having swept the two league dump sorry Premier League strugglers need to do. We need to look each other domestic double as the Ligue 1 leaders edged past encounters this season, including a 5-0 demolition Fulham out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 vic- in the eye and say, ‘Let’s pick ourselves Nantes 2-1 to reach the final of the League Cup. at the Parc des Princes just over a fortnight ago, PSG tory on Tuesday. up and dig ourselves out of it.’ “If you talk Ibrahimovic struck his first goal in this season’s com- almost struck first blood just four minutes in as The fourth-round replay at a rain- about this game and you say, ‘Have we petition to put PSG ahead after just five minutes at Lavezzi hit the outside of the post following Blaise soaked Craven Cottage was almost com- hit rock-bottom?’ We probably have. OK, the Stade de la Beaujoire. Matuidi’s burst into the box. pletely devoid of goalmouth incident fine, that’s it. Olivier Veigneau responded with an equaliser Heavy rain made for a slick playing surface at La and looked destined for penalties until “And if we have hit rock-bottom, it nine minutes from the end but Ibrahimovic popped Beaujoire and it played a factor just moments after Shaun Miller snatched a dramatic winner can’t get any worse and it can only get up with his second of the match, and 31st of the sea- that initial reprieve as a poor clearance from in the 120th minute. better, so that’s what we need to work son, in the final minute to send the three-time win- Nantes keeper Remy Riou gifted Ibrahimovic the Miller’s close-range header, from for.” Sheffield United are themselves sec- ners through to April’s final at the Stade de France. opening goal. Riou appeared to slip as he went to “It was a real cup tie, the script is often like that,” launch Issa Cissokho’s backpass upfield, succeed- Harry Maguire’s knock-down, gave ond from bottom in League One after a said PSG coach Laurent Blanc afterwards. “In the first ing only in sending the ball straight to Ibrahimovic United a second successive victory sequence of one win in seven games, but (period) we led 1-0. We had chances to double our with the Swede firing a first-time left-foot effort against top-flight opposition after a pre- Nigel Clough’s side can now look forward lead but didn’t. from 30 yards over the head of the unfortunate vious success against Aston Villa in the to a home tie with either Preston North “In the second half Nantes applied more pres- Nantes keeper. third round. End or Nottingham Forest in round five. sure, were more involved, created some chances Thiago Silva nearly added a second for the visi- “It is unbelievable,” Miller told BBC “If you hang on in there at 0-0, you and equalised. “But in the last 10 minutes my team tors inside the opening 15 minutes but Riou man- Radio 5 Live. “I am delighted to get the always have that opportunity,” said stepped up a gear. aged to divert the Brazilian’s fierce drive from a nar- goal for my little son, who was born a Blades manager Clough, who began his “We’re in the final, that’s what we were looking row angle away to safety. NANTES: Paris Saint-Germain’s Swedish for- few weeks ago. I am made up for him.” playing career at Forest under his late for and we’ve done it.” With PSG already eliminated Lavezzi then found himself in behind the Nantes ward Zlatan Ibrahimovic controls the ball It was the latest indignity in a desper- father, legendary manager Brian Clough. from the French Cup, Blanc fielded a strong side that backline but was thwarted by the legs of Riou on during the French League Cup semi-final ate recent run for Fulham, who have “It was remarkable from the players out featured just three changes from the team that beat the half hour. The hosts almost drew level from their football match against Nantes. — AFP slipped to the foot of the Premier League there. I thought we did enough in the Bordeaux 2-0 on Friday evening. Ezequiel Lavezzi first genuine opportunity as Papy Djilobodji rose to 81st-minute equaliser for Nantes as he slammed table after a run of four consecutive game to get one goal. was drafted in to replace the injured Edinson Cavani meet Vincent Bessat’s corner only for a perfectly home substitute Georges-Kevin Nkoudou’s cross.

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