TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 SPORTS Zamalek win first match since Cairo tragedy

JOHANNESBURG: Egyptians Zamalek defeated Rwandans Rayon Sports 3-1 in the CAF Confederation Cup at the weekend-their first game since 20 supporters died last month. The deaths occurred outside a Cairo stadium as fans of the White Knights tried to force their way into a stadium. Police reacted by firing tear gas and birdshot, triggering a deadly stampede three years after more than 70 people were killed in post-football match Port Said rioting. The deaths of the Zamalek supporters led to the national league being suspended, but CAF fixtures have gone ahead in empty stadiums. Zamalek players wore shirts with ‘Remember 20’ on them and the match was staged behind closed doors hundreds of kilometres from Cairo in Red Sea resort El-Gouna. The last-32 first leg in the second-tier African club competition marked the debut of Portuguese coach after compatriot Jaime Pacheco quit over a row with the Zamalek chairman. Ferreira watched the five-time African cham- pions build a 3-0 half-time lead through a brace from Ahmed Eid and an Emmanuel Imanishimwe own-goal. Rayon, who fluffed a first-half penalty, pulled one goal back through Isaac Muganza. That goal will give Rayon hope ahead of the April 3-5 return match in Kigali, but it would be a shock if Zamalek fail to progress. Gabonese Mounana continued a goal-packed campaign by wallop- ing Zambians Power Dynamos 4-0 in Libreville. Georges Ambourouet raised his goal tally to five as leading Confederation Cup scorer this season by converting a first-half penalty. Cedric Ondo Biyoghe found the net twice within six minutes after the break and a goal from Togolese Arafat Djako completed an unex- pectedly convincing win for the central Africans. Mounana scored eight preliminary-round goals, but they came against the weak opposi- tion of Zanzibaris Polisi. Having won narrowly against Botswanans BDF, Tanzanians Young Africans ran riot at home to Zimbabweans AL-GOUNA: Zamalek’s Ayman Hefny (right) vies with a Rayon Sports’ player during their Platinum for a 5-1 triumph. Group A CAF Champions League football match Egypt’s Zamalek†versus Rwanda’s Rayon Mrisho Ngasa bagged a brace for the Dar es Sports. —AFP Salaam club and Burundian Amissi Tambwe and Rwandan Haruna Niyonzima were other scorers. SPAIN: Levante’s goalkeeper Diego Marino (left) grabs the ball beside Real in Kinshasa. Ivorians ASEC Mimosas were held 1-1 by A first-minute Firmin Mubele goal set up Malians Djoliba and Ghanaians Hearts of Oak Libyans Al-Ittihad in Abidjan with Yahaya Madrid’s Welsh forward Gareth Bale (second left) during the Spanish League foot- Democratic Republic of Congo outfit V Club for a ball match. —AFP built 2-1 home leads over Egyptians Petrojet and Mohamed cancelling the lead Yannick Zakri gave 3-0 victory over Mozambicans Ferroviario Beira Senegalese Olympique Ngor respectively. the 1998 African champions.—AFP Bale answers critics with double for Real Verona sink unhappy Napoli

MADRID: Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale placed his hands over his ears, perhaps a ref- MILAN: Verona’s veteran forward Luca answered his critics in emphatic style when erence to his treatment from the home fans, Toni scored twice to hand his modest he ended a nine-game goal drought with a and ran to thecorner before angrily karate- side a 2-0 win over Napoli and increase double for the European champions in a 2-0 kicking the flag. Bale got a somewhat fortu- the pressure on opposition coach victory against Levante at the itous second goal five minutes before half- Rafael Benitez in Serie A on Sunday. Bernabeu on Sunday. time when he stuck out a leg and deflected Table-propping Parma’s troubles The world signing, whistled by his Ronaldo’s low shot into the corner. continued as they lost 4-1 at Sassuolo, own team’s fans during Real’s recent poor run, Karim Benzema sent a spectacular volley playing the last half hour with 10 men, struck twice in the first half and came close to against the corner of the goal frame in the and Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw completing his hat-trick midway through the 64th and Bale was brilliantly denied by at home by lowly Cesena. second period to leave Real a point behind Levante keeper Diego Marino in a one-on- Napoli are now in danger of losing leaders Barcelona. one six minutes later. out on third spot, which earns a place in They failed to add to their tally against the Ronaldo, who had a frustrating night, the Champions League qualifying struggling Valencia-based side, however, and stung Marino’s hands with a fierce drive and rounds, after taking one point from question marks remain over their form follow- volleyed wastefully over late on but Real were their last nine. ing a 4-3 reverse at home to Schalke 04 in unable to breach Levante’s defences again. They remain joint third with 46 their Champions League last 16, second leg in “Three points, no goals conceded and now points alongside Lazio, but their rivals midweek. we will go after Barca,” Real full back Dani have a game in hand and visit Torino Real, who still reached the quarter-finals Carvajal said in an interview with Spanish tel- late yesterday. Toni, 37, playing for his on aggregate, head to Barca for next week- evision broadcaster Canal Plus. “We haven’t 14th professional club, opened the end’s ‘Clasico’ at the Nou Camp in second had a good month but we have our fate in scoring when he forced his way place behind their arch rivals, who won 2-0 at our own hands to win the league and we are through the Napoli defence to net from Eibar on Saturday and lead on 65 points with in the Champions League quarter-finals, a narrow angle after seven minutes. 11 games left. which not many teams can say,” added the The former Italy forward struck again Valencia climbed to third on 57 points Spain international. early in the second half, turning the ball thanks to Friday’s 2-0 win at home to in from close range after Emil Deportivo La Coruna, above champions BACCA DOUBLE Hallfredsson’s counter-attack when a Atletico Madrid, who were held 0-0 at Sevilla strengthened their grip on fifth Napoli move broke down to take his tal- Espanyol on Saturday and have 56. spot and closed within four points of Atletico ly to 13 league goals this season. Real coach Carlo Ancelotti made several when Carlos Bacca struck twice in a 3-0 win at There were 12 yellow cards in an changes to the team that lost to Schalke but home to Elche. Colombia striker Bacca put often unsavory match in which Verona’s squeaked into the last eight of Europe’s elite the Europa League champions ahead from Jacopo Sala was sent off for a second club competition 5-4 over the two legs. the penalty spot in the 18th minute at the booking in the 89th minute. The Italian left Germany midfielder Toni Sanchez Pizjuan and made it 2-0 in the 31st Benitez is likely to be under fire for Kroos on the bench and replaced keeper and when he nodded in a Coke cross. his controversial rotation policy after captain Iker Casillas with Keylor Navas, while Elche made a determined effort to get leaving Gonzalo Higuain, Manolo centre back Sergio Ramos returned from back into the game in the second half before Gabbiadini and Jose Callejon on the injury. substitute Kevin Gameiro completed a com- ITALY: Verona’s forward Luca Toni (right) vies with Napoli’s defender from Algeria Faouzi Ghoulam dur- bench at the kickoff. ing the Italian Serie A football match. —AFP fortable victory for the Andalusians nine min- “We didn’t start the game well and STRONG START utes from time. Gameiro ran on to an Ever we paid the price. I expected a different Clearly anxious to make amends for Banega pass and finished clinically past goal- game, I don’t like to lose like this,” Tuesday’s poor showing against the Germans, keeper Przemyslaw Tyton. Sevilla are three Benitez told reporters. Real started strongly and Cristiano Ronaldo points ahead of sixth-placed Villarreal, the “We played three good games Asian nations on verge of poked a close-range shot against a post in team they host in a Europa League last 16 against Lazio (Coppa Italia), Inter Milan the fifth minute. return match on Thursday holding a 3-1 lead (Serie A) and Dynamo Moscow, but we Bale seemed especially fired up and broke from last week’s first leg. They also play at couldn’t maintain that level of intensi- World Cup pay windfall the deadlock in the 18th minute when he Villarreal, who were held to a 0-0 stalemate at ty.” volleyed in after an acrobatic Ronaldo effort Almeria earlier on Sunday, in La Liga in a had been cleared off the line. The Welshman week’s time. —Reuters SINGAPORE: Soccer’s worst international side champions Australia and perennial World Cup BANKRUPTCY HEARING Bhutan are on the verge of a significant pay qualifiers South Korea and Japan, enter the fold. Parma, who face a bankruptcy hear- windfall if they can reach the second round of Even if Bhutan, once beaten 20-0 by Kuwait in ing on Thursday, were left 12 points qualifying for the 2018 World Cup today. 2000, or Sri Lanka finish last in that second adrift at the bottom after another mis- Bhutan, ranked 209th and last by FIFA, will round group, they could qualify for the third Chelsea doing it erable afternoon at Sassuolo, who had take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their tie round of Asian Cup qualifying, where 24 teams lost their last four games. the hard way Nicola Sansone scored twice while with Sri Lanka after recording only their fourth are drawn into another group phase guarantee- Andi Lila replied in between as ever win and first at this level in Thursday’s ing more fixtures and more cash. Brunei, ranked LONDON: If Chelsea are going to win the title race,” the Portuguese told reporters after Sassuolo led 2-1 at halftime. The game match in Colombo. 198th by FIFA, are another of Asia’s famed non- Premier League it looks like they will stumble the Southampton game. “Of course Arsenal hinged on a second-half incident where Last week’s fixture was also the Himalayan players eyeing a fuller fixture list. hesitantly across the finish line rather than are still in the race, seven points behind. We Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante was nation’s first international match in over a year, The tiny former British protectorate of about stride majestically through the tape like an are not complacent, that is something I can- judged to have tripped Sansone and with the local football association opting to 400,000 nestled between two Malaysian states all-conquering Olympic champion. Sunday’s not accuse my players of. was sent off, while the hosts were invest their FIFA funding into youth develop- on Borneo island, has played only 12 interna- frustrating 1-1 stalemate with Southampton “The danger is always there ... but if some- awarded a penalty. ment rather than sending team to play overseas. tional matches in the last six years. at Stamford Bridge was their third successive one had told me in August that in March we Domenico Berardi converted and They had never previously entered a World But under the guidance of Mike Wong, the home draw in all competitions and served to would be six points in front with a match in Simone Missiroli added a fourth in the Cup qualifying campaign since joining FIFA in first Singaporean to coach a foreign internation- highlight all-too-apparent deficiencies in Jose hand, I would have signed for that immedi- 65th minute. Parma have nine points 2000 but did so this year with the world govern- al team, they secured a 1-0 win in Taiwan on Mourinho’s team. ately.” That may be the case but Chelsea were from 25 games after having three ing body offering a “special additional support” Thursday. Too many players seemed tired and listless unable to take maximum advantage of sec- deducted for breaching financial regu- of $300,000 to any member participating in the That was their first victory in a World Cup fix- and Chelsea again appeared over-reliant on ond-placed Manchester City’s shock 1-0 lations. early stages. ture after 12 losses and the goal, scored by Adi Eden Hazard’s lightning pace and tricky ball defeat at lowly Burnley on Saturday and were Cesena, who joined Cagliari in 18th More money could be headed their way with Said, was their first away from home in over 30 skills to drag them out of a hole. lucky to go into the break on level terms place on 21 points, stunned Inter at the a draw or win at their picturesque years of qualifiers for soccer’s showpiece. The Londoners may be six points clear at against a Sadio Mane-inspired Southampton. San Siro when Gregoire Defrel dinked Changlimithang Stadium in the country’s capital East Timor’s Chiquito Filipe do Carmo had the the top of the table, with a game in hand on Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas looked the ball over Samir Handanovic after Thimphu today which would ensure at least honour of scoring the opening goal of the 2018 their rivals, but the dynamic tiki-taka football more like a pedestrian Sunday morning park half an hour. eight more qualifying matches - a vital source of World Cup qualifying campaign when he netted that was on view at the start of the season is player than a World Cup and European Inter, joint seventh alongside Genoa, income for soccer’s lowly outsiders. against Mongolia on Thursday, the first of what now a distant memory. Championship winner as he frittered away levelled three minutes after halftime Do not fall into the trap of believing the possession time and time again in the first when Rodrigo Palacio got in front of his Last year, the Asian Football Confederation is expected to be over 800 matches to deter- destiny of the championship is assured half. Brazilians Oscar and Willian flattered to marker to turn in a pass from fellow voted to revamp their process to reach the mine who will join hosts Russia at the finals. because not only are Chelsea struggling for deceive behind Diego Costa in attack and Argentine Mauro Icardi. Chievo, in 16th World Cup and the 2019 Asian Cup, combining The striker’s effort helped East Timor to a 4-1 form, they also have three dangerous fixtures even the normally rock-solid Nemanja Matic place, moved eight points clear of the the early qualifying stages of the two tourna- win leaving the Mongolians with it all to do on still to negotiate against Arsenal, Liverpool was withdrawn in the second period. relegation zone thanks to Alberto ments. Tuesday. Also eyeing a second leg overhaul at and Manchester United. To be fair to Chelsea they were much bet- Paloschi’s two goals at Genoa. Atalanta, That means the six winners of today’s ties home are Pakistan, who trail Yemen 3-1. Even Mourinho acknowledged that it is no ter after the break and Fraser Forster had to one place below them, are four points between Asia’s worst 12, will be drawn in one of India take a 2-0 lead to Nepal, while longer a two-horse race for the league crown. be at his best in the Southampton goal to clear of trouble after a goalless draw at the eight groups of five in the second round, Cambodia head to the gambling enclave of “There is a danger of more teams being in the keep them out. —Reuters home to Udinese.—Reuters where the region’s heavyweights, such as Asian Macau with a healthier 3-0 advantage. —Reuters