Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2013 47

Cardiff 0

Southampton 3

Southampton crush Cardiff CARDIFF: Cardiff manager Malky Mackay was back on the hot seat after his side was thumped by Southampton 3-0 in the English yesterday. A pair by and another by Rickie Lambert, all in the first half hour, helped Southampton cruise to its first victory in seven games. Fans of the visitors chanted to Mackay, “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” and he couldn’t defend himself in the face of a woeful display. Cardiff owner Vincent Tan wanted Mackay out last week, but after Mackay vowed to stay and was backed by team fans, club chairman Mehmet Dalman said on Sunday that Mackay was “in charge for the forseeable future.” However, Cardiff supporters were booing Mackay and the team by fulltime yesterday, not that Tan might have heard. He left his seat five minutes before time. —AP

Everton 0

Sunderland 1

LONDON: Chelsea’s captain John Terry (centre) jumps for the ball during an English Premier League soccer match against Swansea City at the Stamford Bridge ground yesterday. —AP Sunderland Chelsea edge Swansea stun Everton LIVERPOOL: Ki Sung-Yeungís first-half penalty gave last-place Sunderland a surprise 1-0 win at 10-man Everton yesterday Up front, Samuel Eto’o replaced John Terry had headed down Juan after goalkeeper Tim Howard was sent off for bringing down Chelsea 1 Fernando Torres in the role of main Mata’s deep cross. the South Korea midfielder. Ki, who is on loan from Swansea, striker, although the Cameroon interna- A goal appeared imminent, although darted into the box midway through the first half and was tional showed few signs of ending Laudrup will be unhappy with the way tackled by Howard, who was given a straight red card. The Chelsea’s misfortunes in front of goal. his side conceded. Cole sent Hazard midfielder then converted the 25th-minute spot kick to give Swansea 0 Torres, Eto’o and Demba Ba have scored clear on the left wing, from where he cut Sunderland its first away win of the season and a much-need- just five league goals between them so inside, gliding easily past Jordi Amat, ed boost in its fight to escape the relegation zone. Gus Poyetís far this season and the Blues were once before hitting a low right-foot shot from team remains bottom, three points from safety. Everton is fifth again forced to rely on their goal threat the edge of the area that appeared to after only its second loss of the season, five points off the league lead. —AP LONDON: Chelsea remain within two elsewhere in the team as they struggled go under Tremmel’s arms. A minute lat- points of top spot in the Premier League to turn their dominance into goals. er the goalkeeper was again at fault and after Eden Hazard’s first-half goal Swansea arrived at Stamford Bridge fortunate to escape after being hurried secured a 1-0 victory over Swansea City having won just one of their last seven into a mistimed clearance under pres- Celtic go 11 at Stamford Bridge yesterday. Hazard’s games and rarely looked like ending sure from Eto’o. Swansea offered little effort proved the difference between that frustrating run. With Michu, their by way of response, although Alvaro the teams, but Chelsea’s failure to build main striker, out for around six weeks Vasquez should have done much better points clear on the Belgium international’s ninth after undergoing surgery on an ankle when he found himself unmarked after goal of the season meant it continued problem, Michael Laudrup’s side offered being picked out by Jonjo Shelvey’s GLASGOW: Celtic increased their lead at the top of the Scottish the run of recent underwhelming dis- little going forward. Instead they were header. Premiership to 11 points with a 1-0 win over St Johnstone at plays by the Blues. Chelsea’s perform- forced onto the back foot for long peri- As dominant as Chelsea had been, McDiarmid Park yesterday. Dutch defender got the ance in grinding out a scoreless draw at ods and had to rely on a combination of they needed a second goal to eliminate only goal of the game in the fifth minute with a superb finish follow- Arsenal three days previously was Chelsea’s poor finishing and increasing- the chance of Swansea nicking a point ing a mazy run which started just inside his own half. Anthony described as a return to an approach ly desperate defending to maintain a from a rare foray forward. Eto’o was Stokes also had an effort chopped off for offside as Celtic dominated that had been familiar during manager foothold in the game. twice offered the chance to double the the first half with the home side failing to muster a shot on target. Jose Mourinho’s first spell in charge. Ashley Williams, the Swansea centre- lead, but was denied by Tremmel on St Johnstone were vastly improved after the break but Celtic’s Mourinho dismissed suggestions that back, in particular was outstanding, both occasions. The first time, three unbeaten start to the season never really looked to be in danger of the performance had been negative, but making a succession of timely clear- minutes before the interval, the goal- coming to an end as the Hoops kept a clean sheet for the fourth having consolidated their position with- ances. And while goalkeeper Gerhard keeper saved after Eto’o had been sent consecutive league match. Celtic now have an 11-point lead at the in striking distance of the leaders, they Tremmel might have done better for clear by Mata. And Mata was again the top of the table over Motherwell, who moved second thanks to a 1- needed victory over a stuttering Hazard’s goal, he made an eye-catching provider 12 seconds after the restart 0 win over Aberdeen and Dundee United’s surprise 4-1 loss to St Swansea to build on that hard-earned save to deny Eto’o twice either side of when he whipped in a right-wing cross Mirren. point. With the visit of Liverpool loom- the interval. The breakthrough came towards his team-mate, whose close- St Johnstone had threatened to strike first as Stevie May chased ing in three days, Mourinho took the after Chelsea had already applied sus- range volley was tipped away by down a long ball out of defence but van Dijk raced back to nick the opportunity to make five changes to his tained pressure on Tremmel’s goal. Tremmel. Chelsea’s nerves began to ball off the striker’s foot and put it out for a corner.The Dutch starting line-up, including the return of Branislav Ivanovic saw a shot deflected show as Swansea went in search of an defender then showed off his skills at the other end of the park as he Ashley Cole for his first league start since over the crossbar and Williams’s hooked equalizer late on, but they were not put Celtic ahead with a superb solo goal. Van Dijk picked up the ball the defeat at Newcastle United on clearance denied John Mikel Obi the forced to pay for their earlier missed just inside his own half and after a mazy run past a couple of November 2. chance to score from close range after chances. —AFP defenders he arrowed a low shot past ‘keeper Alan Mannus. —AFP