Messi, Dembele Keep Barca Three Points Clear in La Liga Griezmann Penalty Gives Atletico Three Points from a Hard-Fought Match
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Established 1961 27 Sports Monday, December 24, 2018 Messi, Dembele keep Barca three points clear in La Liga Griezmann penalty gives Atletico three points from a hard-fought match MADRID: Barcelona held off Atletico Madrid to beyond any doubt on the hour mark when he flashed ensure they will be three points clear at the top of wide after being found by Alba with another fine La liga going into the winter break after beating a pass, but despite frequently testing Barca keeper spirited Espanyol 2-0 at the Camp Nou on Saturday. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Celta could not find the First-half goals from Ousmane Dembele and Lionel goal that would have put the Catalans under real Messi were enough to move Ernesto Valverde’s side pressure. up to 37 points and keep them one step ahead of Atletico, who earlier drew level with Barca with a 1- GRIEZMANN ON TARGET 0 win over Espanyol thanks to an Antoine Earlier, Griezmann smashed home from the spot Griezmann penalty. 10 minutes after the break to give Diego Simeone’s “In the first half we got behind their defence well, side three points from a hard-fought match with we saw that with any play, playing with the space mid-table Espanyol that extended Atletico’s unbeat- (left behind) we could score,” said Valverde. en league run to 14 matches. Dembele put the hosts into the lead after just nine “It was important to win regardless of how we did minutes when he lashed home on the rebound after it,” said Atletico captain Diego Godin. “We go into Messi’s first-time shot was pushed into his path by the (two-week) winter break happy with the three Celta keeper Ruben Blanco. points.” The 27-year-old Griezmann, who missed out Messi doubled his side’s advantage just before on a Ballon d’Or despite winning the Europa League half-time, bursting through competely unmarked to with Atletico last season and the World Cup with meet the excellent Jordi Alba’s through ball and France in the summer, is on a fine run of form after wrong-foot Blanco as he slotted in his 15th league having saved his side with a late winner at Real goal of the season. Valladolid last week. The Argentine and Alba linked up nicely through- His winner on Saturday was his fourth in three out, with the left-back providing the pass for the games after bagging a brace last week and scor- Messi shot that led to Dembele’s opener. “They ing in Atletico’s 3-0 hammering of Alaves a fort- (Messi and Alba) are a duo that have been working night ago. “Antoine is an excellent goalscorer,” together for some time, they understand each other added Godin. “He works for the team brilliantly MADRID: Atletico Madrid’s French forward Antoine Griezmann (L) vies with Espanyol’s defender Naldo perfectly,” added Valverde. and helps with his his goals.” Sevilla can join during the Spanish League football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and RCD Espanyol at the “Let’s hope they carry on working well.” Luis Atletico on 34 points with a win at struggling Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on Saturday. —AFP Suarez missed a great opportunity to put the result Leganes later. —AFP Mbappe fires PSG past Nantes as Mandzukic on Monaco lose again target as Juventus PARIS: Kylian Mbappe grabbed the winner as Paris Saint-Germain beat Nantes 1-0 to go into the winter break unbeaten in Ligue 1, as Thierry Henry’s Monaco pile misery on Roma suffered defeat by rock-bottom Guingamp on Saturday. MILAN: Mario Mandzukic scored the only goal World Cup star Mbappe stole in at the far post in the for Juventus to dump further hurt on crisis club 67th minute for his 13th league goal of the season, making Roma and keep the champions unbeaten and on him France’s top scorer with Neymar away on holidays in track for an eighth straight Italian league title. The Brazil. PSG coach Thomas Tuchel can also go on holiday Croatian World Cup runner-up headed in the relaxed with his club on 47 points, as second-placed Lille, winner 34 minutes into the match in Turin to put 13 points adrift, lost 2-1 at home to Toulouse. Juventus back eight points clear of Napoli. “I’m very happy because we can see the progress of The defeat could have been harsher but for the team,” said Tuchel. “You can feel the energy, it’s a Roma goalkeeper Robin Olsen denying Cristiano good thing to build on next year.” With Neymar away, Ronaldo, with Douglas Costa having a late goal Angel Di Maria was in the line-up and came closest to ruled out following a video assistant referee making it 2-0, forcing a fine save from Nantes goal- check because of a foul in the build-up. keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu, who then watched the “We are doing good things, we have reached Argentine hit the crossbar from the rebound. the Champions League last sixteen and we’re Meanwhile, third-placed Lyon drew 1-1 at fourth- winter champions,” said coach Massimiliano placed Montpellier after opening the scoring thanks Allegri, referring to the name given to teams top to their captain Nabil Fekir before a great header PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian MBappe (R) vies with Nantes’ French midfielder Valentin Rongier before Christmas. Serie A is however holding a from Ruben Aguilar gave the surprise-package during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Nantes (FCN) at the Parc des Princes sta- round of fixtures on December 26 and 29, before southerners a share of the spoils. dium in Paris yesterday. —AFP pausing for three weeks. Henry’s Monaco were dreadful and the former “We haven’t won anything yet,” added Allegri. Arsenal striker spat on the ground after Nolan Roux of “The important thing is to be a few points ahead Guingamp made fools of the Monaco defence to make but now have 13 points from 18 matches, just two more draw the right conclusions.” of Napoli on the 29th of December.” Juve-who it 2-0. “I’m not going to have a good holiday,” than Guingamp, and vice-president Vadim Vasilyev said Strasbourg paid hommage to the victims of a have only dropped points against Genoa-travel to bemoaned Henry. “Now you have to work and make do the club needs to dip into the January transfer market. terror attack that killed five people on December Atalanta and host Sampdoria in their final two with what you have. “Until tonight, I thought we didn’t need new play- 11 in their first home game since as they won 2-0 matches before the end of the year. “It’s necessary to work and work. There are still a lot ers, but we do,” Vasilyev told Canal+. “It’s difficult to against Nice. Meanwhile, Marseille, in sixth, drew Roma, after finishing third last season, are now of points to play for and that’s the only positive thing analyse right now as I’m upset like the supporters. I 1-1 at Angers and fifth-placed Saint-Etienne beat 25 points behind Juventus and drop to 10th after about this evening.” Monaco were champions in 2017 understand the disappointment, it’s up to us to act and Dijon 3-0. —AFP their eighth defeat in as many trips to the Allianz Stadium. They have won just twice in the league since the end of September. Napoli are way behind Juve but consolidated over the Washington Redskins 25-16. Baltimore and final interception to end LA’s last hope. second place when Raul Albiol headed his first Ravens stun Tennessee each improved to 9-6, the Ravens clinging At 11-4, the Chargers have already clinched a play- goal of the season from a Dries Mertens corner to the last American Conference playoff spot thanks off spot but with the LA loss, Kansas City needs only against to beat struggling SPAL. “Thinking of to a tie-breaker edge. “We had to get this win. It’s a a win Sunday at Seattle to claim the AFC West divi- Juventus is likely to demotivate us,” said coach Chargers, Titans rip huge win to keep our playoff hopes alive,” said sion crown. Carlo Ancelotti. Ravens safety Eric Weddle, who likes Baltimore’s Tucker field goals from 24 and 35 yards against a “We have to think about ourselves because Redskins to boost chances as a Super Bowl threat. “Why not? If we get 38-yarder by LA’s Mike Badgley gave the Ravens a 6- this team can do more, we have room for in the tournament we have as good a shot as any- 3 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the Chargers improvement and I say it after today’s match, body. I know nobody wants to see us.” scored on Melvin Gordon’s 1-yard touchdown run but which was not amazing.” NFL playoff hopes Justin Tucker’s third field goal, a 56-yarder, boost- Baltimore reclaimed the lead 13-10 on Lamar Inter Milan were held 1-1 at bottom club ed Baltimore’s lead to 16-10 but the Chargers were Jackson’s 68-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews. Chievo to fall eight points behind Napoli, with LOS ANGELES: Baltimore’s NFL-best defensive unit driving for a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth At Nashville, the Titans forced two Washington the two clubs going head-to-head in the San Siro sparked an upset of the Los Angeles Chargers on quarter only to be undone by Baltimore’s defenders, turnovers in the closing minutes, the last a 56-yard on December 26.