Gasquet, Halep Velasquez win Kremlin stops Santos 17Cup titles 18 MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2013 Ahly restore Egyptian pride after shootout Page 19 BIRMINGHAM: Tottenham Hotspur’s Michael Dawson (right) questions referee Phil Dowd after being shown a yellow card for a foul as he plays against Aston Villa during their English Premier League soccer match. —AP On-song Townsend sends Spurs fifth capitulation to the same side in the Soldado, only to sneak in at the far the man-of-the-match award came as League Cup last month. Villa had last post. no surprise. EPL results/standings Aston Villa 0 season’s top scorer Christian Benteke Andreas Weimann flashed a shot Meanwhile, two men were arrested on the bench following a hip injury, just wide as Villa pushed for an equalis- after an assistant referee was struck by Aston Villa 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2 (Townsend 31, Soldado 69). with Nathan Baker replacing Ciaran er, but Spurs came close to going 2-0 a flare thrown from the stands during Clark in the only change to the side up in first-half stoppage time when Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-0 Premier Playing today Tottenham 2 that drew 0-0 at Hull City last time out. Guzan produced a smart low stop to League win at Aston Villa yesterday. Crystal Palace v Fulham Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas thwart Townsend. Spurs had just taken a 31st-minute brought Lewis Holtby into his team in Another fine save from the lead through Andros Townsend at Villa English Premier League table after yesterday’s match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals place of Christian Eriksen, awarded American prevented Paulinho from Park when a canister trailing black against, points): BIRMINGHAM: England breakthrough Vlad Chiriches his debut at centre-back, doubling the visitors’ advantage early smoke was lobbed towards the playing Arsenal 8 6 1 1 18 9 19 Swansea 8 3 1 4 12 11 10 star Andros Townsend continued his and handed Sandro a first league start in the second period and the introduc- surface, apparently from the away sup- Chelsea 8 5 2 1 14 5 17 West Brom 8 2 4 2 7 6 10 fine form by inspiring Tottenham since January. tion of Benteke gave Villa further rea- porters’ section. It hit assistant referee Liverpool 8 5 2 1 13 7 17 Aston Villa 8 3 1 4 9 10 10 Hotspur to a 2-0 win at Aston Villa in Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor son for optimism. David Bryan on the back, causing him Man City 8 5 1 2 20 9 16 West Ham 8 2 2 4 8 8 8 the Premier League yesterday. put a half-volley over the bar from an The burly Belgian planted a header to stumble forwards, but after a brief Tottenham 8 5 1 2 8 5 16 Stoke 8 2 2 4 4 7 8 The 22-year-old winger, who starred early Leandro Bacuna cross, but heavy from a Bacuna cross narrowly over the stoppage in play while referee Phil Southampton 8 4 3 1 8 3 15 Cardiff 8 2 2 4 8 13 8 as England booked their place at the rain made for a slippery surface and bar shortly after coming on, but five Dowd spoke to his colleague, the game Everton 8 4 3 1 12 10 15 Fulham 7 2 1 4 5 9 7 World Cup earlier this week, scored the the game suffered as a result. minutes later, Spurs struck again. continued. Man Utd 8 3 2 3 11 10 11 Norwich 8 2 1 5 6 13 7 opening goal with a 31st-minute cross Sandro shot straight at Brad Guzan Paulinho’s intelligent first-time pass Local police revealed that two men Hull 8 3 2 3 7 9 11 Crystal Palace 7 1 0 6 5 13 3 that crept past Villa goalkeeper Brad from 30 yards and Spurs goalkeeper freed Soldado and the Spain striker had been arrested in relation to the Newcastle 8 3 2 3 11 14 11 Sunderland 8 0 1 7 5 20 1 Guzan. Roberto Soldado added a sec- Hugo Lloris had to scramble away a took a touch before lifting the ball over incident. “Police have arrested 2 men ond after half-time as Spurs moved up free-kick from Ashley Westwood, Guzan to claim his third league goal in after a lit flare was thrown on the pitch to fifth place in the table, three points before the visitors made the break- a Spurs shirt. during the Villa v Spurs game — the below leaders Arsenal, and began to through. Villa’s fight faded, but Townsend flare hit a linesman,” said a statement Preview atone for their shock 3-0 home defeat Townsend claimed the goal, but it refused to leave them in peace. He dis- from West Midlands Police published by West Ham United. owed to a certain degree of fortune. patched a curler that cleared the cross- on Twitter. It was a first defeat in four league Picking up the ball wide on the right, bar by millimetres and then flashed a “The two men aged 25 and 47 were European eight await games for Paul Lambert’s Villa, who he cut onto his left foot and attempted ball across the face of goal that arrested following the incident at Villa now find themselves 13th, but it was a to pick out a team-mate in the centre, Paulinho was unable to convert. After Park, fortunately the linesman wasn’t World Cup play-off fate marked improvement on their 4-0 but his cross eluded both Holtby and the best week of his fledgling career, injured.”—AFP PARIS: France manager Didier Deschamps, two-legged process to get to the last World who captained France’s 1998 World Cup-win- Cup and Euro 2012s both at the expense of ning side, is praying the footballing gods Bosnia-Herzegovina, who made no mistake Bitter Evra labels Patrice Evra smile on his team in today’s eight-team this time round qualifying by right. European zone play-off draw. Manager Paulo Bento will be relieved at Deschamps has publicly expressed his the return of star striker Ronaldo, who missed Lizarazu ‘parasite’ annoyance that France missed out on being out on his country’s final 3-0 win over seeded and as a result in danger of being pit- Luxembourg which sealed the runners-up PARIS: Controversial France and explain himself over the remarks which ted against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, Euro spot in Group F behind Russia. Manchester United defender Patrice he made following last Tuesday’s 3-0 2004 winners Greece, Croatia or Ukraine in Like Portugal Sweden go into today’s Evra delivered a vicious tirade aimed at win over Finland in their final World the draw at FIFA’S Zurich headquarters. draw secure in the knowledge that talismanic several pundits, among them France’s Cup qualifying match. Joining the French in the unseeded ‘pot’ leader Ibrahimovic is back after being sus- 1998 World Cup winner Bixente Evra, 32, said he would have pre- are the Zlatan Ibrahimovic-inspired Sweden, pended for last week’s 5-3 loss to Germany. Lizarazu, yesterday after they criticised ferred that the story about his talk at Romania and surprise packet Iceland. The Paris Saint-Germain forward said after him over a half-time talk he gave his half-time had stayed within the dress- Deschamps, asked which team he wanted that game: “I am not worried. In the play-offs team-mates. ing room, before he lost control of him- to avoid, said: “It’s legitimate to say Portugal we will have two completely different games. Evra was criticised for speaking his self. because they have Cristiano Ronaldo, who’s a “I liked the way the team fought. If I had mind during half-time of the 2014 “There are some pundits with great player and a big influence. “But playing been on the pitch, it would have been the World Cup qualifier with Belarus in whom I will soon settle my differ- Greece, Croatia or Ukraine, they’re more same result.” “Everything is possible,” said September in which he was only a sub- ences... they want to sell a lie to the based round teamwork but not easier or sim- Sweden coach Erik Hamren. stitute. French people that Evra is disliked. But pler to play.” He was speaking after France’s “There are some good teams in the pot, The French eventually won the that is not the case at all. closing victory over Finland with his side but we will do all we can to realise our dream game 4-2, ending a run of five games “I do not know what Lizarazu has already assured of the runners-up spot in of going to the World Cup.” Croatia go into without a win or a goal but still ended against me. I was twice voted best left- Group I behind world champions Spain. today’s lottery with a new man at the helm up having to contest a play-off to see back in the world, four times the best Deschamps will be counting on his side after running out of steam with defeats in whether they reach the finals or not. left-back in the Premier League. sealing their Brazil berth in less controversial their final two qualifiers. Evra, never far from controversy and “Him? I don’t even know if he was fashion than they did their ticket to South Coach Igor Stimac paid the price after who was subjected to racist abuse by ever voted best left-back in the world.