MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2016 SPORTS Ten-man Mainz stay on course for Champions League BERLIN: Ten-man Mainz failed to back lived up to its billing as the clash of the Champions League clash at home to up their mid-week shock win at teams which have dominated the Gent on Tuesday with a 2-1 win over Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, but German league this season at Borussia Moenchengladach. stay on course for a Champions League Dortmund’s sold-out Signal Iduna Park. The win moved Wolfsburg up to sev- place, after drawing 0-0 with Darmstadt The game’s best chance came on 64 enth ahead of the visit of Gent on yesterday. minutes when Arturo Vidal’s shot for Tuesday, with the Germans leading 3-2 Having become the only team to win Bayern was palmed onto the bar by from the last 16, first leg tie. at Bayern’s Allianz Arena stadium on Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki. Having shocked Leverkusen 4-1 on Wednesday by pulling off a stunning 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen came back from 3-0 Wednesday when Claudio Pizarro scored win in Munich, fifth-placed Mainz were down to avoid a fourth straight league a hat-trick, Werder Bremen pulled fur- frustrated by Darmstadt, who are just defeat in a 3-3 draw at Augsburg. ther away from the relegation zone with above the relegation places. Augsburg’s South Korea striker Koo Ja- a 4-1 thrashing of bottom side Hanover Hosts Mainz were reduced to ten men Cheol scored his first hat-trick in 96. The 37-year-old Pizarro claimed his at the Coface Arena when Italian defend- Germany’s top flight to put the hosts 3- fourth goal in two games, and then pro- er Giulio Donati was shown a straight 0 up mid-way through the second-half. vided an assist as Czech international red card on 57 minutes for kicking out at But Leverkusen, who play Villarreal in Gebre Selassie added Bremen’s third on Darmstadt striker Sandro Wagner. the last 16, first-leg, of the Europa 56 minutes to leave Werder three points The result leaves Mainz just one point League on Thursday, fought back as from the relegation spots. from one of Germany’s four Champions Karim Bellarabi netted, then Augsburg’s Stuttgart are up to mid-table after League places, with Martin Schmidt’s Paul Verhaegh scored an own goal on their 5-1 thrashing of second-from-bot- team having one of the best seasons in 80 minutes. tom Hoffenheim, who stay four points the club’s history. In the dying stages, Augsburg from safety, as defender Georg On Saturday, Bayern stayed five defender Jeffrey Gouweleeuw’s handball Niedermeier netted twice. points clear of nearest Bundesliga rivals allowed Hakan Calhanoglu to convert a Schalke are fourth after their 3-1 win Borussia Dortmund after a goalless draw 92nd-minute penalty as Gouweleeuw MAINZ: Mainz’ Colombian forward Jhon Andres Cordoba (L) and Darmstadt’s for- at Cologne thanks to goals from Klaas- between Germany’s top two sides. was sent off. Earlier on Saturday, ward Sandro Wagner vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga Jan Huntelaar, Max Meyer and Argentina Despite the lack of goals, the game Wolfsburg warmed up for their football match of FSV Mainz 05 v SV Darmstadt 98 in Mainz, yesterday. —AFP striker Franco di Santo. — AFP Marseille held by Toulouse, Rennes thrash Nantes 4-1 PARIS: Marseille’s hopes of qualifying for The best chance of the first half fell to Europe look all but over after they were held to Mauricio Isla, but the Chilean was denied by the an entertaining 1-1 draw by struggling Toulouse right boot of Lafont at point-blank range. at the Velodrome yesterday, while Rennes thrashed Nantes 4-1. SUCKER PUNCH Marseille missed a host of good chances, and But Michel’s side were punished for their Wissam Ben Yedder ran clear to slot Toulouse profligacy in front of goal when Ben Yedder raced ahead in the 55th minute. Relegation-threat- through to give Toulouse an unlikely lead. The ened Toulouse were supposed to be playing home defence were caught sleeping and the 25- their first game under new coach Pascal Dupraz, year-old forward took advantage with a cool fin- but he was absent after suffering a heart scare at ish for his tenth league goal of the season. training on Saturday and spending the night in Toulouse were hanging on desperately as they hospital under observation. And the away looked to end a 10-match run without a win, and defence imploded, as they have done all season, for just a fourth league clean sheet of the season. as Somalia put through his own net with 16 But they shot themselves in the foot as Lafont minutes to play. spilled the ball straight to Fletcher, whose deflect- Coach Michel has come under increased ed effort was miskicked into his own net by pressure in recent weeks, but Marseille would Somalia. Yann Bodiger almost restored Toulouse’s have expected to end a club record 11-match advantage, but Steve Mandanda produced an streak without a home win in the league against excellent flying save from the substitute’s rising relegation-threatened Toulouse. But instead drive. Suddenly Marseille were struggling, but they were held and stay seven points off the top they were indebted to their keeper again as three, and with Lyon playing later yesterday that Mandanda brilliantly kept out Oscar Trejo with a gap could quickly become eight. Toulouse one-handed stop. Martin Braithwaite also had a remain second-from-bottom in the table and glorious opportunity to win the game for nine points from safety. “This was a very hard Toulouse, but the Dane blazed over when he game for us, it was unbelievable that it was still should have scored. Meanwhile, Rennes ended 0-0 at half-time,” bemoaned Spanish coach Nantes’ 13-match unbeaten run in the league in Michel. “It’s been happening all year, nothing emphatic style, as young striker Ousmane this season will go our way. Once again our best Dembele scored a hat-trick at Roazhon Park. opponent was the goalkeeper. The 18-year-old opened the scoring within “I think the strikers are missing so many the first minute as he reacted quickest after a opportunities because they have lost confi- set-piece was not fully cleared. Supersub Kamil dence. In our last two games we have created 11 Grosicki was given a rare start by Rolland EIBAR: FC Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic, center, duels for the ball with SD Eibar’s David Junca during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between SD and 15 chances, but have scored only two goals. Courbis and the Pole doubled the lead inside Eibar and Barcelona, at Ipurua stadium, in Eibar, northern Spain, yesterday. — AP “We needed to win, one point was useless.” The the first quarter of an hour, before Dembele’s hosts desperately needed all three points to free-kick evaded everyone in the middle to put keep alive their hopes of qualifying for next sea- the result beyond doubt. Dembele completed son’s Champions League, and they started his treble before half-time, and although Messi double keeps brightly with plenty of early crosses being sent Adryan’s strike and a second yellow card for in the direction of Steven Fletcher. The Scot set Giovanni Sio gave Nantes a glimmer of hope, up a decent chance for Remy Cabella, but his Rennes held on with ease. powerful strike was beaten clear by Toulouse The hosts move level on points with third- goalkeeper Alban Lafont. The 17-year-old had placed Nice, while the Canaries stay four points Barca record rolling to be alert again soon after, getting down quick- off the Champions League spots, but with a ly to keep out a low effort from Michy Batshuayi. game in hand. — AFP MADRID: A Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona boss Luis Enrique. Busquets and flew inches past the far post. tightened their grip on the La Liga title race with “I am very happy to see the team evolve and Yet, just when Eibar looked the most likely to a comprehensive 4-0 win at Eibar yesterday to improve without ever losing their ambition.” score, Messi killed the game as a contest as he open up an 11-point lead at the top. The European champions were without the intercepted the ball in midfield and drove Munir El Haddadi tapped home the opener suspended Neymar, who made the most of his towards the Eibar goal before firing into the far from Luis Suarez’s cross before Messi doubled free weekend to return to his native Brazil. corner for his 20th league goal of the season. Barca’s advantage with a brilliant individual effort However, El Haddadi made the most of his The second half was far shorter on goalmouth just before half-time. rare chance to start with a simple finish at the action, but there was time for Messi to put Barca’s Messi doubled his tally from the penalty spot back post eight minutes in after Messi’s brilliant recent troubles from the penalty spot behind before Suarez lashed home the fourth six min- pass had played in Suarez behind the Eibar him when Ivan Ramis blocked the Argentine’s utes from time. Barca’s 11th consecutive league defence. Suarez was surpassed by Ronaldo in the cross with his hand. win also stretches their record unbeaten run to fight to be La Liga’s top scorer and the Messi took responsibility after Suarez had 36 games.