Griezmann Propels Atletico To
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SPORTS Monday, March 6, 2017 23 Bonucci saves Juve blushes Griezmann propels Atletico Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci (L) celebrates with Gonzalo Higuain (C) Milan blow minutes later when Duvan eonardo Bonucci’s second-half Zapata powered down the left, holding leveller saved Juventus’s blushes a day off Bonucci, to fire under the body of afterL Roma virtually conceded the title Gianluigi Buffon as the ‘keeper came out to 4th as the champions were held to their first to block at his near post. Serie A draw in over a year at Udinese. But the home fans’ hopes of seeing Juventus, aiming for a record sixth Udinese hold on for a famous win were consecutive scudetto, were given a push dashed on the hour. in the right direction on Saturday when Juventus won a free kick and when Roma’s 2-1 home defeat to Napoli gave Paulo Dybala fired an inviting delivery the Turin giants the chance to pull 10 towards the back post, Bonucci got points clear. between Silvan Widmar and Stipe Perica But in a cagey performance at the to head past Orestis Karnezis. Dacia Stadium, filled to the brim for the Fans endured a scary moment when visit of the 32-times Italian champions, Emil Halfredsson landed awkwardly Juve failed to capitalise, settling for their on his head and neck after a mid-air first draw of the campaign and their first challenge with Mehdi Benatia, although in Serie A since drawing with Bologna in the Icelander played on following February 2016. treatment. Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann (R) vies with Valencia’s goalkeeper Diego Alves Juve remain top of the pile but are now Meanwhile, surprise packages Atalanta eight points ahead of Roma, with Napoli stubbornly held on to fourth spot but Madrid into fourth in La Liga. flashed a header just wide. third at 10 points off the pace. missed out on the chance to close the smiling Fernando Torres Torres is in his second spell at Atletico got the second goal Juventus were denied early penalty gap on Napoli after seeing goalkeeper watched just four days on the Vicente Calderon after coming their dominance deserved early in claims when Dani Alves, after pouncing Ciprian Tatarusanu perform heroics Afrom a sickening blow to the head through the club’s academy to the second period when Gameiro’s on Gonzalo Higuain’s smart delivery in a scoreless draw with Fiorentina in as Antoine Griezmann struck captain Atletico before leaving for driven effort clipped Eliaquim down the right, fired in a cross that Bergamo. twice in Atletico Madrid’s 3-0 win Liverpool in 2007. Mangala to leave Diego Alves appeared to come off the arm of Samir. That result was welcomed by rivals over Valencia yesterday. He remains firmly a fans’ helpless. Referee Antonio Damato was who are also hunting a place in Europe Torres, a lifelong Atletico fan, favourite and was the centre of Alves made a great save unimpressed, and Juve suffered another next season. (AFP) was knocked unconscious during attention as he took his seat in the moments later to deny Griezmann his side’s 1-1 draw at Deportivo directors box ahead of the game. as the French international was la Coruna on Thursday and spent However, on the field, it was played clean through. the night in hospital, although Atletico’s other star man who put Griezmann was unlucky when thankfully suffered no serious the hosts on course for a much- his lovely attempted chip into the injury. needed win in their quest for far corner flew just past the post 20 Leverkusen sack He was serenaded with a banner Champions League football next minutes from time. reading “the Calderon loves you” season. Griezmann’s wonder strike However, he made amends before kick-off and was soon on his to secure a point at Deportivo had when he stabbed home Nico head coach Schmidt feet in celebration as Griezmann been overshadowed by Torres’s Gaitan’s pass for his 20th goal of Dortmund. finished off a fine team move after clash. the season. The 49-year-old is the ninth coach to just 10 minutes. But he produced another Earlier, Deportivo eased their be fired by a Bundesliga club this season. Kevin Gameiro’s deflected arrowing finish into the far corner relegation fears with a vital 1-0 Schmidt, who took charge in July 2014, effort doubled Atletico’s lead from Koke’s through ball to open win at Sporting Gijon. was dismissed after three straight defeats three minutes into the second-half the scoring. Valencia showed little Pedro Mosquera scored the in all competitions and with Leverkusen before Griezmann completed the sign of their recent revival to climb only goal as Deportivo moved four mired in mid-table. scoring seven minutes from time. clear of the relegation zone, but points clear of the bottom three, “In view of the current sporting Victory moved Atletico back a Simone Zaza did momentarily whilst Sporting are now six points development, we have come to the point clear of Real Sociedad and threaten an equaliser when he off safety in 19th. (AFP) conclusion that a separation is painful, but unavoidable, for the further development of Bayer 04,” managing director Michael Italian Serie A: German Bundesliga : Schade said in a statement yesterday. Atalanta 0 Fiorentina 0 Eintracht Frankfurt 1 Freiburg 2 “I personally very much regret this Cagliari 1 Inter Milan 5 Hamburg 1 Hertha Berlin 0 because we have a great deal to thank Roger Schmidt for. Crotone 0 Sassuolo 0 “During his term we have qualified for Empoli 0 Genoa 2 Scottish Cup : the group stages of the Champions League Torino 3 Palermo 1 Aberdeen 1 Partick Thistle 0 three times and he has also implemented Udinese 1 Juventus 1 Celtic 4 St Mirren 1 our philosophy of developing young Scores as of closing Scores Bologna 0 Lazio 1 players into internationals and thus Spanish La Liga : Roger Schmidt creating lasting values.” French Ligue: Sporting Gijon 0 Deportivo la Coruna 1 Berlin Leverkusen’s wretched recent run Lorient 1 Marseille 4 Atletico Madrid 3 Valencia 0 ayer Leverkusen “regretfully” started with a 4-2 first-leg defeat at home Toulouse 1 Lille 1 Las Palmas 5 Osasuna 2 Bsacked coach Roger Schmidt -- to Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the Monaco 3 Nantes 0 Athletic Bilbao 0 Malaga 0 despite still being in the Champions Champions League on February 21. League -- following their humiliating Heavy defeat at Dortmund on Saturday Football Scores 6-2 Bundesliga thrashing at Borussia left Leverkusen ninth in the table. (AFP).