MON DAY, MARCH 16, 2015 SPORTS Celtic down Dundee in League Cup final GLASGOW: Celtic claimed the first silver- back pass by Callum Morris to round ware of the Scottish season with a comfort- Cierzniak but he sent his effort into the side able 2-0 win over 10-men Dundee United netting from a tight angle. in the League Cup final yesterday. The Terrors were dealt a blow when cap- Kris Commons opened the scoring at tain Dillon had to limp off for treatment in Hampden in the 28th minute while United the 26th minute after a clash of shins with were temporarily reduced to ten men as Virgil van Dijk and Celtic took full advan- captain Sean Dillon was off the park receiv- tage of their temporary numerical advan- ing treatment. tage to claim the lead two minutes later. United’s task was then made harder Commons saw his first effort from an when Dillon saw red for a reckless chal- Anthony Stokes cross superbly turned on lenge on Emilio Izaguirre in the 56th to the post by Ciernziak but the Scotland minute. Substitute James Forrest added a star was alert enough to blast home the second in the 79th minute before Radolaw rebound from close range. Cierzniak saved his weak 86th minute Commons came close to a second min- penalty. utes later when he made room for a shot The win, Celtic’s first in the competition from the edge of the box but Ciernziak pro- since 2009, is the 15th time the Glasgow duced a fingertip save low to his right to giants have lifted the cup and keeps them turn it out for a corner. on course for a domestic treble while United players were screaming for a United’s 35-year wait to lift the trophy con- penalty in the 39th minute when Ryan Dow tinues. It was a first trophy for Celtic man- burst into the box at pace and was sent ager Ronny Deila since joining the club last sprawling by Celtic captain Scott Brown, summer. who appeared to nudge him in the back, “It’s a great feeling, it was a good game but referee Bobby Madden ignored their against a good side but we were disci- pleas. plined and created the chances to win,” United’s task got tougher in the 56th Deila said. minute when they were reduced to 10 men “It means a lot and hopefully this is just as captain Dillon saw red for a late lunge on the start.” United manager Jackie Izaguirre. McNamara was frustrated at some of the Celtic began to dominate possession refereeing decisions. and were inches from a second in the 67th “I thought a lot of things went against minute when Stefan Johansen connected us today but I’m proud of the players and with a cross from Griffiths but his shot LIVERPOOL: Newcastle United’s Gabriel Obertan (left) and Everton’s Leon Osman battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer how they responded,” McNamara said. “We shaved the outside of the post. match. —AP stuck to our task and went right to the end Denayer then sent a header narrowly despite the disappointments and set-backs over the bar from six yards out as he got on we encountered and I can’t fault the play- the end of a Johansen delivery into the ers for their effort and commitment.” Both box. Celtic finally added to their advantage Everton ease relegation fears sides made a couple of changes from their in the 79th minute through substitute 1-1 Scottish Cup clash at Tannadice last Forrest. Johansen broke into the box and through a vacant Newcastle midfield all the way to run into after the break but he was actually week with Nadir Ciftci’s suspension allow- cut the back for John Guidetti who laid the to Lukaku, playing right up against Coloccini, heading away from goal when Yoan Gouffran ing Mario Bilate a first start for United since ball into the path of Forrest with the winger Everton 3 and he held it up just long enough for McCarthy fouled him inside the area to concede a 56th November while Commons and Nir Bitton curling a shot past Cierzniak. to charge on to. minute penalty. returned for Celtic. Forrest had a chance to make it a double The Republic of Ireland midfielder still had Lukaku stepped up to dispatch the spot-kick Celtic had the best of the early chances, six minutes later when he was hauled some work to do but was assisted greatly by Tim for his fifth goal in six league appearances with Jason Denayer having a looping head- down in the box by Paul Dixon but the Newcastle 0 Krul who, despite having full view of the shot, against Newcastle. If that needless foul was not er cleared off the line by Dillon before Celtic forward saw his poor penalty embarrassingly dived the wrong way and bad enough Coloccini’s lunge on Lennon, which Leigh Griffiths took advantage of a slack blocked on the line by Cierzniak. —AFP watched as the ball went in past his out- earned a straight red card, compounded their stretched feet. miserable afternoon. LIVERPOOL: Everton ended a five-match win- It was the injury-troubled midfielder’s first Barkley put the seal on a morale-boosting less run and eased their relegation worries with Everton goal at Goodison and only the second of win for Everton in stoppage-time when he Bordeaux edge PSG a 3-0 rout of 10-man Newcastle at Goodison Park his Toffees career. Everton’s on-loan Tottenham rounded Krul to score with the last kick of the yesterday. winger Aaron Lennon started to find more space game. —AFP Roberto Martinez’s team had slumped to PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain suffered a five minutes after the break. within three points of the Premier League’s bot- Champions League hangover yesterday The Sweden captain, who was shown tom three after their recent struggles. as sloppy defending cost them a 3-2 a controversial straight red card against But goals from James McCarthy, Romelu EPL results/standings defeat at the hands of Bordeaux and also Chelsea, used his striking instincts to flick Lukaku and Ross Barkley gave the Merseyside Chelsea 1 (Costa 11) Southampton 1 (Tadic 19-pen); Everton 3 (McCarthy 20, Lukaku 56-pen, Barkley 90) Newcastle dented the defence of their Ligue 1 the ball past Carasso after the ‘keeper club a first home league win of 2015 to lift them 0; Manchester United 3 (Fellaini 9, Carrick 19, Rooney 34) Tottenham 0. crown. and Portuguese defender Thiago Ilori six points clear of the drop zone. PSG, who gave the French capital a made a botched job of clearing a bounc- A dismal day for Newcastle was summed up Playing today boost with their dramatic Champions ing ball in the box. when captain Fabricio Coloccini was sent off Swansea v Liverpool League last-16 victory over Chelsea on Former Newcastle midfielder Yoann with his side already two goals down in the sec- Wednesday, came back down to earth Cabaye then became the next injury ond half. English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): with a thud following a disjointed display casualty for Blanc when he went off Despite good results in the Europa League, Chelsea 28 19 7 2 58 23 64 Newcastle 29 9 8 12 32 46 35 at the Chaban-Delmas stadium in the injured just minutes after coming on as a including a 2-1 win against Dynamo Kiev on Man City 29 17 7 5 59 28 58 Crystal Palace 29 8 9 12 34 40 33 south-west. substitute before Bordeaux took the lead Thursday, confidence has been fragile at Arsenal 29 17 6 6 56 30 57 West Brom 29 8 9 12 27 36 33 Zlatan Ibrahimovic had equalised for the second time. Goodison, where a demanding crowd have been Man Utd 29168 5502656 Everton 29 7 10 12 36 41 31 twice for Laurent Blanc’s side, who Wahbi Khazri found himself complete- quick to get on the team’s back in recent weeks. Liverpool 28 15 6 7 42 30 51 Hull 29 6 10 13 26 37 28 But Belgium striker Lukaku showed against Southampton 29 15 5 9 40 21 50 Aston Villa 29 7 7 15 19 38 28 remain in the hunt for four trophies, but ly unmarked inside the area and was able Tottenham 29 15 5 9 46 42 50 Sunderland 29 4 14 11 23 43 26 Diego Rolan popped up in the 89th to place his header past the helpless Kiev how his power on the ball can pay divi- dends and his ability to hold up play was crucial Stoke 29 12 6 11 33 35 42 Burnley 29 5 10 14 26 47 25 minute to steer the ball home when the Sirigu with 20 minutes left. Swansea 28 11 7 10 33 37 40 QPR 29 6 4 19 30 52 22 in the opening goal in the 20th minute. central defence collapsed. West Ham 29 10 9 10 39 37 39 Leicester 28 4 7 17 24 44 19 Ibrahimovic equalised again with a Phil Jagielka drilled a 50-yard pass straight “We had tired legs today and it was penalty with five minutes left as the difficult to play just three days after the match appeared heading for a draw but Chelsea match,” explained PSG midfield- Rolan became Bordeaux’s hero with his er Marco Verratti.