SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2015 SPORTS Messi-less Barca beaten by Sevilla

MADRID: Barcelona’s struggles without Lionel Messi continued as second-half goals from Michael Krohn-Dehli and Vicente Iborra con- signed the European champions to a second league defeat in three games 2-1 at Sevilla. Neymar pulled a goal back from the penalty spot 16 minutes from time, but the injury-struck visitors were left to rue a host of missed oppor- tunities and some fine goalkeeping by Sergio Rico as Sevilla registered their first league win over the Catalans since 2007. Defeat leaves Barca still a point off leaders Villarreal, but they can now be passed by either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid when they face ZIMBABWE: Pakistan’s batsman Amir Yamin (right) gets one past Zimbabwe’s off today. keeper Richmond Mutumbami (left) during the second game in a series of three ODI Without Messi and Andres Iniesta the pres- matches. —AFP sure was on Neymar and Luis Suarez to take even more responsiblity and the former forced Rico into his first save of the afternoon with a Zimbabwe stun Pakistan low effort after just five minutes. Neymar’s runs from deep were causing Sevilla huge problems and Suarez should have done better when his to level ODI series at 1-1 shot was deflected wide by Timothee Kolodziejczak after being played in by his strike HARARE: ’s brilliant fightback rookie Brian Chari and a 59-run partnership partner. was foiled by bad light as Zimbabwe beat for the fourth wicket with Chigumbura. Claudio Bravo replaced the much-criticised Pakistan by five runs on the Duckworth- “The partnership between Chamu and Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the Barca goal after Lewis method in a drama-filled second Chari set things up for us,” reflected overcoming a calf injury and was regularly test- one-day international at Harare Sports Club Chigumbura. “There was lots of pressure for ed at the other end as he saved Kevin Gameiro’s yesterday. the team and the way we went out there header before denying the Frenchman from a Malik was left stranded on 96 not out today showed good character.” narrow angle. having hauled Pakistan from 76 for six to Once Chibhabha had been caught Suarez then had a goal rightly ruled out for 256 for eight chasing 277 for victory when behind off the of , offside as he raced onto another through ball the umpires took the players off the field Chigumbura put on 62 runs in six overs from Neymar. However, the Brazilian was with two overs remaining. with Sikandar Raza Butt before hitting his cleaned out by Marco Andreolli as he played the The game had earlier been delayed by a stumps to give Riaz a fourth wicket. pass to concede a free-kick on the edge of the brief rain shower, but the decision left the A tall target looked well beyond area. Neymar’s effort hit the post, rebounded off 33-year-old batsman furious as he was Pakistan when Zimbabwe’s seamers Rico’s back and somehow trickled along the line denied the opportunity to carry his team reduced them to 56 for five, and after before being hacked clear by Coke. Suarez had across the line. Graeme Cremer removed Mohammad two more chances to give Barca a half-time lead The result left the three-match series Rizwan to make that 76 for six, the game but failed to properly connect after a neat one- level ahead of Monday’s tour finale, and appeared to be up. However Malik and two with Ivan Rakitic and then saw a cute although Zimbabwe were breathing a sigh Aamer Yamin counter-attacked in a brilliant chipped effort come off the top of the crossbar. of relief after nearly letting the game slip, 111-run stand for the seventh wicket, with Sevilla, who had won just once in six league their victory represented a remarkable the pair riding their luck as Zimbabwe SPAIN: Barcelona’s Javier Mascherano (right) and Sevilla’s Fernando Llorente (left) head for the games prior to Barca’s visit, took control early in turnaround. Under pressure after being dropped a series of catches. ball during their La Liga soccer match at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium. —AP the second-half as Krohn-Dehli timed his run rolled for 128 in an embarrassing defeat on Chigumbura appeared to have settled into the box to sweep home Gameiro’s danger- Thursday, the home batsmen showed their the game once more when he had Yamin response. finally managed to squeeze the ball past Rico to ous low cross. capabilities in posting 276 for six, with strangled down the leg side for 62 and However, Barca were gifted a route back into halve the deficit. The Dane was also involved in the second six Chamu Chibhabha anchoring the innings then ran out Riaz, but Malik continued to the game 16 minutes from time when Sandro’s Sevilla had to withstand relentless pressure minutes later as his floated cross was nodded with a composed 90 and Elton Chigumbura hammer away and enjoyed the support of effort cannoned off Benoit Tremoulinas’s hand in the closing stages, but Sandro’s effort home by Iborra. Rico then pulled off a hat-trick adding the flourish with his brisk 67. ’s unbeaten 32 from 22 balls. and the referee pointed to the spot. against the post from Suarez’s low cross was of brilliant saves from Neymar in a two-minute After winning the toss and electing to Pakistan looked likely to get over the Neymar had missed a penalty in Messi’s the closest Luis Enrique’s men came to sal- period to prevent the visitors an instant bowl, Pakistan were left to wonder whether line with 21 needed from the final two absence against Las Palmas last weekend, but vaging a point.—AFP they had underestimated their opponents overs, but the fading light had the final say. in leaving out star performer “It was a lovely game,” said Pakistan in order to give a debut to 30-year-old spin- . “Malik and Yamin made us come ner Bilal Asif, who went wicketless as back when it looked like a one-sided game. Zimbabwe took control of the game. “Zimbabwe played really well - we could Chibhabha’s fifth half-century of the have restricted them to under 250 but they year led Zimbabwe’s much-improved played well at the end. We lost too many effort, and included a 91-run stand with at the start of our innings.”—AFP SCOREBOARD

HARARE: Scoreboard at the close of play for the second one-day international between Zimbabwe and Pakistan yesterday: Zimbabwe Pakistan Masakadza c Irfan b Wahab Riaz 7 Azhar b Panyangara 1 Chibhabha c Sarfraz b Wahab Riaz 90 Bilal c Chigumbura b Panyangara 0 Hafeez run out 27 Chari c Hafeez b Irfan 39 shafiq c Mutumbami b Jongwe 1 Williams c Hafeez b Wahab Riaz 10 Shoaib not out 96 Chigumbura hit wicket b Wahab 67 Sarfraz c Williams b Chibhabha 9 Sikandar c Sarfraz b Aamer Yamin 32 Rizwan c Nyumbu b Cremer 8 Mutumbami not out 14 Yamin c Mutumbami b Chigumbura 62 Wahab Riaz run out 3 Jongwe not out 4 Yasir Shah not out 32 Extras (2b, 1lb, 9w, 1nb) 13 Extras (4b, 12w, 1nb) 17 Total (6 wkts, 50 overs) 276 Total (8 wkts, 48 overs) 256 Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Masakadza), 2-118 (Chari), 3- Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Bilal Asif), 2-8 (Azhar Ali), 3-17 132 (Williams), 4-191 (Chibhabha), 5-253 (), 4-40 (), 5-56 (Sarfraz Ahmed), 6-76 (Mohammad Rizwan), 7- (Chigumbura), 6-267 (Sikandar Raza). 187 (Aamer Yamin), 8-193 (Wahab Riaz). GERMANY: Wolfsburg’s goalkeeper Diego Benaglio fails to halt the opening goal by Moenchengladbach’s Havard Nordtveit during the German Did not bat: G. Cremer, T. Panyangara, J. Nyumbu. Did not bat: Mohammad Irfan. Bundesliga soccer match. —AP Bowling: Mohammad Irfan 10-1-47-1, Aamer Bowling: Panyangara 9-0-44-2, Jongwe 8-1-41-1, Yamin 5-0-38-1, Wahab Riaz 10-1-63-4, Yasir Shah Williams 10-0-33-0, Chibhabha 8-0-55-1, Cremer 6-0-30-0, Bilal Asif 8-0-39-0, Azhar Ali 4-0-22-0, 1.4-0-8-1, Nyumbu 6.2-0-38-0, Chigumbura 5-0- 33-1. Gladbach return to winning ways Shoaib Malik 7-0-34-0. Result: Zimbabwe won by 5 runs (D/L method) BERLIN: Borussia Moenchengladbach bounced through French-born Senegalese international sides. back from their midweek Champions League Salif Sane. Third-placed Schalke 04, who come into the defeat against Manchester City with two second Finally, Ingolstadt defeated Eintrach Frankfurt weekend with five wins from seven outings, host half goals to sink Wolfsburg 2-0 in Bundesliga 2-0 with late goals from Pascal Gross and Stefan mid-table Cologne while Bayer Leverkusen await Gosden concerned by action yesterday. Lex to take possession of fifth spot in their first relegation-threatened Augsburg. While the big guns in Germany’s top flight are season back in the Bundesliga. On Friday, Mainz evened their record at four not in action until today, the pick of the ties was The match of the weekend, takes place at the wins and four defeats in a thrilling 3-2 victory at Arc traffic problems at Borussia-Park, where Norwegian Haavard Allianz Arena on Sunday, when three-time promoted Darmstadt. Mainz are now sixth and Nordtvelt and French-born Guinean winger defending champions Bayern Munich put their in touch of the European places while Darmstadt LONDON: John Gosden’s hopes of landing don’t run the racecourse.” Ibrahima Traore did the damage against a four point lead at the top, on the line against suffer only their second defeat of the eight- Europe’s most prestigious race, the Prix de Gosden said his horse faced a tough Wolfsburg side who drop to seventh place. Borussia Dortmund, in a battle of unbeaten game season and lie 10th.—AFP l’Arc de Triomphe, may rest on his Epsom task against Treve. “Golden Horn is a grand The win lifts Moenchengladbach four points Derby champion Golden Horn having a horse who has been busy this year, he’s above the relegation zone as they win their third clear run at Longchamp today he told AFP. been on the go since February,” said straight league match under caretaker coach Maldini slams Ballon d’Or The 64-year-old Englishman, whose only Gosden, who trained with great success in Andre Schubert. major gap on his CV is not winning the Arc, California before deciding to return to At the Olympic stadium in the capital, Hertha chiefs over Buffon blunder is concerned by some of the 18 horse field England in 1989. Berlin began brightly against Hamburg where just being there so their owners can say “Quite a task lies ahead for us as Treve is Ivorian striker Salomon Kalou struck his third MILAN: AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini joined are taken into account and Gigi was one of the they had a runner in the race. Golden Horn, a magnificent racemare. “Amazing to think goal of the season to put the hosts 1-0 up after a chorus of ex-players in slamming Ballon d’Or pillars of a team that made it to the winner of six of his seven races and the though that like Treve, Golden Horn was 17 minutes. chiefs after former Italy teammate Gianluigi Champions League final as well as winning mount of Frankie Dettori, represents on led out unsold at the yearling sales! The 30-year-old, former Chelsea and Lille Buffon was left off a long list of potential win- the Serie A title. paper at least the biggest obstacle to “He’s done rather well! He has a great marksman has been a key addition since joining ners of FIFA’s prestigious trophy. “Did you see his save against Dani Alves in extraordinary French race mare Treve win- constitution and a great turn of foot.” Pal Dardai’s side in 2014 and helped the club Buffon, considered one of the world’s best (the) Berlin (final)?” The Ballon d’Or longlist will ning a historic third Arc. “I see Thierry Gosden is delighted too that Golden Horn avoid relegation in his first season. goalkeepers, modestly admitted his surprise be cut to 23 names in December before the Jarnet (Treve’s jockey) is worried about traf- has played a major role in the renaissance Bosnian international Vedad Ibisevic guaran- on Friday by saying he believed he felt himself awards ceremony is held in January 2016. fic problems during the race,” Gosden told of Dettori, who just under three years ago teed maximum points for Hertha when he to be “among the top five” goalkeepers in the The last goalkeeper to win the prestigious AFP on Saturday morning from his base in looked as if his stellar career was facing an scored twice in two second-half minutes to world. But Maldini said Buffon’s absence from award was Russian legend Lev Yashin in 1963, Newmarket. ignominious end after failing a dope test at make it 3-0 with 11 minutes remaining as the the 59-man longlist, which was leaked on and although Buffon was not considered a “It is nice of course as an owner to have Longchamp for cocaine. “His talents have 1999-2000 Champions League qualifiers climbed Friday and includes seven players each from potential winner the impact of his absence a runner in the Arc but some are just there always been there,” said Gosden. to fourth spot. Barcelona and Real Madrid, means the prize from the list has reverberated around Italian for that. “By being there that could prove “However, like a great actor on the stage Hoffenheim were the only other team to has lost credibility. “The trophy loses value football. problematic for others,” added Gosden, you need roles of a similar stature. “It can score in the opening 45 minutes of Bundesliga when it just comes down to pleasing clubs When the news emerged Friday, Gazzetta’s who also saddles Eagle Top in the race. be very dispiriting in any walk of life if you action as they rode a 33rd minute penalty into and federations,” the retired Milan great told front page included a picture of a shocked- Gosden, who went from gaining an eco- don’t get the parts your talents deserve.” the break, against Stuttgart, thanks to German La Gazzetta dello Sport yestrday. looking Buffon with the headline ‘Buffonata’, international winger Kevin Volland. Second- nomics degree at Cambridge University to Gosden, though, is phlegmatic about Maldini said players who did not deserve to which roughly translates to ‘farce’ or ‘blunder’. from-bottom Stuttgart, at the start of the day, ultimately beginning his training career in whether he finally ends his Arc drought be nominated included goalkeepers Claudio Buffon was imperial last season as Juventus got back on level terms with 26 minutes to play California, persuaded the horse’s owner today. “It (Arc day) is to me the greatest Bravo (Barcelona) and David Ospina (Arsenal). kept their composure throughout an ambi- thanks to 22-year-old Czech Republic striker Jan “Come on, how is this possible? It’s absurd. tious campaign to win their first league and Anthony Oppenheimer to shell out 120,000 race day of the year, that and the first day Kliment before Volland grabbed his second of euros to supplement Golden Horn for the of Royal Ascot, and I mean not as a self- There are players there just because of their Cup double in 20 years and qualify for their the match to put the hosts into a 2-1 lead. name,” he added. “Gigi deserves to be on the first Champions League final in 12 years. race on Thursday. interested trainer but as a spectator,” he However with time running out, Stuttgart He largely did this on the basis of the said. list for what he has achieved and how he has Although the Turin giants lost out to snatched a valuable point when Pirmin achieved it. At nearly 38 years old, he is still Barcelona (3-1) in the final, Buffon was feted ground drying out-something not to “Vis-a-vis winning it at last? Well Charlie Schwegler scored in the 90th minute in a match Treve’s liking-so he was taken aback they Whittingham had to wait till he was in his one of the three best goalkeepers in the throughout Italy for his performances. that finished 2-2 but nonetheless left the visitors world. Former Juventus striker Paolo Rossi said had watered the track on Friday. 70’s to win his first Kentucky Derby (he was bottom of the league on goal-difference. “Ok, I accept Manuel Neuer (Bayern Buffon had appeared “rejuvenated”. “I thought “We get heavy dews this time of year so aged 73 when Ferdinand won ‘the Run for Hannover won their first match of the season Munich) and (Thibaut) Courtois (Chelsea), but he was extraordinary. It was like he was reju- to hear that the taps were turned on yester- the Roses’ making him the oldest trainer do as they defeated Werder Bremen 1-0 thanks to Bravo and Ospina? “Normally a team’s results venated, 15 years younger,” said Rossi. —AFP day was surprising news,” he said. “Still I so) so I have a way to go! “I can wait.”—AFP the only goal of the match on 56 minutes