TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017 SPORTS Giovinco brace lifts streaking Toronto over Montreal MONTREAL: Sebastian Giovinco remaining, Toronto are homing in on cross from the right side. ing kisses to the crowd after his sec- only more misery for the Los Angeles scored twice and Jozy Altidore added a the best regular-season record in The match was into stoppage time ond. The match marked just one of Galaxy, who fell 3-0 at home to the San goal as Toronto FC beat the Impact 3-1 league history-the 68 points of the when Piatti scored, but Giovinco quick- the regional rivalries on display in Jose Earthquakes. Valeri “Vako” in Montreal on Sunday in an all- 1998 Los Angeles Galaxy. After an ly restored the two-goal margin just a MLS during the week, starting with Qazaishvili opened the scoring with a Canada Major League Soccer clash. evenly balanced first half, Giovinco minute later. Montreal’s winning streak Friday’s 1-1 draw between New York crisp strike shortly before halftime, and Ignacio Piatti delivered Montreal’s goal curled in one of his trademark right- was snapped at four games, but the Red Bulls and New York City FC. Galaxy were forced to play most of the late in the second half when he con- footed free kicks in the final few min- Impact are still in the MLS Eastern In the first edition of the New York second half with 10 men after defend- verted a Blerim Dzemaili pass. utes before halftime. Conference playoff picture. The two derby to end in a draw, New York City’s er Nathan Smith was shown a straight But once again it was Toronto on Montreal goalkeeper Evan Bush teams will still face each other twice David Villa-recently recalled for Spain’s red card for a tackle on Andres top, as they pushed their unbeaten barely moved as the ball found the more in the run-up to the MLS playoffs. upcoming World Cup qualifiers-found Imperiale. That was too much for the streak to nine games and edged closer corner of the net to his right. Altidore Giovinco got into the spirit of the Maxi Moralez in the penalty area for an Galaxy to overcome, with Marco Urena to securing the Supporters’ Shield for scored his 11th goal of the season in sometimes tense Eastern Canada opening goal, before Gonzalo Veron and Chris Wondolowski adding late the best regular-season record in MLS. the 52nd minute when he was left rivalry, wiping mock tears from his converted a penalty for Red Bulls. goals to swell San Jose’s margin of vic- With 53 points and nine games unmarked to convert Marky Delgado’s cheeks after his first goal and blow- Sunday’s California Clasico brought tory. — AFP Buffon slams VAR as Serie A struggles with technology MILAN: Juventus and Italy goalkeeping dubious penalty decision. Match referee great Gianluigi Buffon has slammed the Luca Banti failed to spot Genoa striker “misuse” of the video assistant referee Andrey Galabinov being offside before (VAR) system, saying that it makes Serie he was fouled, clearly, by defender A “ugly”. The VAR, footage which can be Daniele Rugani. consulted by the referee on the touch- Juve should have been awarded a lines to rule on key incidents, is being free-kick, but Galabinov succeeded used in Serie A for the first time this sea- where Diego Farias failed for Cagliari a son ahead of its World Cup debut in week earlier in beating Buffon with a Russia next year. penalty that should not have been But while several VAR decisions have awarded. Italian sports daily Gazzetta been vindicated over the opening two dello Sport said Banti “should not have weekends, mistakes have been made given the penalty”. and Buffon, along with Roma midfielder Juventus eventually clawed their way Diego Perotti, is among its biggest critics. back thanks to a Paulo Dybala hat-trick, “If you ask me, the VAR is being misused, one of his goals coming from a VAR- and out of proportion,” Buffon said inspired penalty decision following an Saturday after helping Juventus launch a accidental handball in the fifth and final 4-2 comeback victory at Genoa. minute of stoppage time added to “We were told it would be used spar- accommodate for the consultations ingly, in a fair and logical manner. with technology. Instead, it’s like we’re playing water polo. “Thankfully the lads brought the It’s making the game ugly.” A World Cup- points home, but in terms of the VAR it winner, Italy’s current caps record holder will take a little patience. We all need a (169), and a losing Champions League period to adapt,” Allegri told Mediaset finalist twice in the past three years, Premium. “Just as we need to focus on Buffon’s goalkeeping credentials don’t improving in our duties, so too must the need debating. referees to make VAR quicker and more And when it comes to VAR, he has effective.” direct experience. The 39-year-old was Roma midfielder Perotti couldn’t have part of Serie A VAR history, stopping a agreed more. He was livid after not being first-half penalty in a 3-0 season-opening awarded a penalty decision after being MADRID: Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, top left, goes for a header with Valencia’s Ruben Vezo, top right, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match win at Cagliari last week when referee clearly fouled by Inter’s Skriniar as Roma between Real Madrid and Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday. The match ended in a 2-2 draw. — AP Fabio Maresca used it for the first time in led 1-0. A corner was given, and eventu- Italy’s top flight. ally Inter Milan went on to prevail 3-1. Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri called “It was a clear penalty, everyone saw SOCCER for “patience” as the football world gets it,” said Perotti. “They gave a corner, but accustomed to what some experts he (Skriniar) didn’t even touch the ball. believe is the biggest change in the “After this, I don’t have much faith in VAR. Real Madrid held 2-2 by game for decades. But Allegri could soon If we’d scored from the penalty we’d have see his own patience being tested. been 2-0 up and it was game over. With Genoa leading 1-0 Juventus in “I watched Genoa versus Juventus the opening minute thanks to Miralem earlier and the foul on me seemed Valencia in home opener Pjanic’s own goal on Sunday, Juve went clearer than either of the penalties 2-0 down five minutes later thanks to a awarded.” — AFP MADRID: Marco Asensio was impressive again, second half with a low strike from inside the area redirected the ball into the net after a low cross but his two remarkable goals were enough only by French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia. from the right, securing Sevilla its first league to salvage a 2-2 draw against Valencia in Real “Both teams could have ended with the victo- victory. Sevilla was coming off a disappointing 1- Arsenal latest victims Madrid’s home opener in the Spanish league on ry,” Valencia coach Marcelino said. “But the draw 1 home draw against Espanyol. Getafe had Sunday. Asensio scored the second of his two turned out to be a good result for us and I’m opened with a 0-0 draw at Athletic Bilbao. goals from a free kick in the 83rd minute at the proud of my players.” Madrid struggled offen- of goal-a-game Mane Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. sively without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo. IMPRESSIVE START The disappointing result left the defending Karim Benzema wasted opportunities in front of Leganes defeated Espanyol 1-0 Sunday to PARIS: Senegal sharpshooter Sadio tral midfield ahead of club captain Gabi champions two points behind Real Sociedad, the goal, including from close-range in the 88th. continue its perfect start in the Spanish league. Barcelona and Leganes - the three teams which His injury-time header struck the post after Argentine defender Martin Mantovani scored in Mane continued his goal-a-game streak and made the most of his opportunity have won each of their first two matches. “We being tipped by the goalkeeper. the first half to give Leganes the away victory. It in the English Premier League at the with an assured performance topped off deserved more, but you can’t always win,” Neto had already made a great save against was the second straight win for Leganes, which weekend with the second as Liverpool with a goal as Atletico thrashed Las Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “We had Luka Modric’s strike from just outside the area made its first-division debut last season. “It’s the thrashed Arsenal 4-0 at Anfield. Mane Palmas 5-1. The Ghanaian opened his several clear chances to score but couldn’t do it. midway through the second half. A few minutes type of game that is worth more than three scored in a season-opening 3-3 draw at account for the season with a sweet I’m not happy with the result but I’m proud of later, it was Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas points, it’s an incredible result,” Mantovani said. Watford and struck the only goal of a strike from outside the box to round off the game we played.” who brilliantly stopped a free kick shot by “We are off to a very good start. We worked very home match against Crystal Palace last the scoring two minutes from time.