SPORTS SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 Nainggolan hits maiden brace in 4-0 Cup romp MILAN: Radja Nainggolan’s maiden Roma brace stole the spotlight as his team secured an Italian Cup quarter-final tie against second division Cesena with a 4-0 romp over Sampdoria on Thursday. Although Luis Muriel hit the post ear- ly on for Sampdoria, a sensational Leandro Paredes volley also hit the woodwork at the other end and was a sign of more to come from Luciano Spalletti’s Serie A title challengers. Samp ‘keeper Christian Puggioni did well to bat away another scorcher from Paredes, but the keeper was left pow- erless when Nainggolan pounced on a poor Matias Silvestre touch to fire a right-footed volley from outside the area into the far top corner minutes before the interval. The celebrations extended to a substitutes bench featuring an ecstatic Francesco Totti, and were almost back on minutes later when Nainggolan set up El Shaarawy with a back-heel flick that the forward fired just over. Puggioni palmed a low drive from El Shaarawy round the near post and from the cor- ner Nainggolan blasted wide. Two minutes after the restart, El Shaarawy won back pos- session to set up Edin Dzeko for the Bosnian beat Puggioni at his far bottom corner for Roma’s second. Dzeko, twice, then Antonio Rudiger were denied but El Shaarawy made amends with a superbly-taken third for the hosts. The former AC Milan forward controlled Dzeko’s 40-yard pass while on the run, cut in past his marker and controlled to fire a delicate lob over onrushing Puggioni. Totti replaced Dzeko on the hour and stung Puggioni’s gloves twice. Diego Perotti capped his recent return from injury with a cross for Nainggolan as the Belgian headed past Puggioni on the stroke of full time. Roma now face Cesena who on Wednesday had on-loan Sassuolo forward Karim Laribi to thank for scoring the winner that sent his parent club crashing out of the competition. — AFP Zidane seeks solution MADRID: Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane insists he is responsible for the European champions’ back-to-back defeats as they look to return to winning ways when Malaga visit the Santiago Bernabeu today. Madrid hadn’t SAN SEBASTIAN: Barcelona’s players celebrate after Brazilian forward Neymar scored his team’s first goal during the lost in 40 matches in all competitions stretching back nine Spanish Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) quarter final first leg football match Real Sociedad vs FC Barcelona at the Anoeta months until conceding twice to lose 2-1 at Sevilla last stadium. — AFP weekend, and followed that up with a shock defeat by the same scoreline at home to Celta Vigo in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final on Wednesday. Barca end Sociedad hoodoo Zidane played down his concern, but admitted “some- thing is wrong for sure” after Madrid lost on home soil for the first time in 11 months and just the second time since as Atletico dismantle Eibar he took charge. “I am the one responsible for this and I have to look for the solution,” said the Frenchman. Worryingly for Zidane, Madrid’s lacklustre display in midweek came about MADRID: Barcelona ended a decade-long drought without was the closest they came. Indeed, the hosts were fortunate despite the fact he picked almost a full strength side. winning away to Real Sociedad on Thursday as Neymar’s first- not to concede a second penalty when Neymar was booked Karim Benzema looks set to return up front and Keylor half penalty handed the Spanish champions a 1-0 Copa del for diving 25 minutes from time despite Rulli appearing to Navas will replace Kiko Casilla in goal. However, with first- Rey quarter-final, first leg lead. Atletico Madrid also took a clip his heels as the Barca forward rounded the ‘keeper. The choice right-back Dani Carvajal out injured for a month, huge step toward the semi-finals as goals from Antoine two sides meet again for the second leg at Barca’s Camp Nou Zidane may have to move captain Sergio Ramos or Nacho Griezmann, Angel Correa and Kevin Gameiro downed an on January 26. wide to avoid handing the hapless Danilo, who was jeered under-strength Eibar 3-0 at the Vicente Calderon. Barca by the Real fans on Wednesday, another start. Malaga are hadn’t won in their last eight meetings at Anoeta with coach Freezing temperatures suffering a slump of their own with new coach Marcelo Luis Enrique describing their 1-1 draw back in November as Despite largely empty stands amidst freezing tempera- Romero yet to pick up a point in two games since former “almost a miracle” given how his side had been outplayed. tures in the Spanish capital, Atletico made light work of an Spurs boss Juande Ramos resigned during the winter break. However, the Catalans continued signs of their return to Eibar side shorn of many of their usual starting line-up to Top scorer Sandro Ramirez is expected to be out till March form in a bright start that was rewarded when Neymar was ensure the return leg should be a mere formality. “It was diffi- through injury, whilst the on-loan Diego Llorente can’t fea- clearly upended by Aritz Elustondo 20 minutes in. Just as in cult in the first-half but you could see the chances would ture this weekend against his parent club. the last round, Lionel Messi handed over responsibility from come if we were a bit more precise and that happened in the the spot to the Brazilian and he sent Geronimo Rulli the second-half,” said Atletico boss Diego Simeone. Rampant Sevilla wrong way. “It is always difficult to play at Anoeta and against The hosts had the ball in the net on 25 minutes, but Stefan A return to winning ways will allow Madrid to open up a Real Sociedad, but I think it was a complete performance,” Savic was harshly adjudged to have been offside as he slotted four-point lead at the top of the table before Sevilla have Enrique told GolTV. home from close range. However, Atletico had to wait only the chance to cut the gap, or even go top should Real slip- “We were very solid in defensive and efficient in attack. No three minutes more to open the scoring when Jose Maria up once more, when they travel to bottom-placed Osasuna matter the result we have gained, the return leg always pres- Gimenez beat Rodriguez to a free-kick lofted into the area tomorrow. Sevilla are in stunning form having won their last ents difficulties but for us it is a good result and very good and Griezmann headed the Uruguayan’s knockdown into an four league games, but will have to do without the influen- news.” Neymar should have added to Barca’s lead early in the empty net. Rodriguez nearly redeemed himself in the sec- tial Vitolo for up to a month with the Spanish international second-half when he took a poor touch with just Rulli to beat. ond-half when Yannick Carrasco bore down on goal, but sidelined by a hamstring injury. Barcelona stand just a point And Neymar came close again moments later when he despite saving the Belgian’s effort, the ball fell kindly for adrift of Sevilla in third and have bounced back into form curled just wide of the far post from a lovely Messi backheel. Correa to tap home the rebound. Seven minutes later Atletico themselves with three straight wins after a difficult start to Sociedad enjoyed plenty of possession, but failed to break killed the tie off when Griezmann headed across goal from the year, the latest of which came at Real Sociedad in the down the Barca defence as a dangerous cross from Yuri that Koke’s corner and the grateful Gameiro was left unmarked to Copa del Rey on Thursday. — AFP just had too much pace for Mikel Oyarzabal at the far post nod home. — AFP .