THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2014 SPORTS Valencia hold off Atletico in King’s Cup MADRID: Valencia forward Helder Postiga game. Nevertheless, with an away goal in the headed an equalizer in the final minute of bank, Atletico, who beat bitter city rivals Real added time to snatch a 1-1 draw at home to Madrid 2-1 in last season’s final, will be King’s Cup holders Atletico Madrid in an favorites to advance to face Real Betis or intense and entertaining last 16, first leg tie on Athletic Bilbao, who play on Wednesday, in the Tuesday. After Raul Garcia had nodded the visi- quarter-finals. tors ahead in the 72nd minute, Portugal for- ward Postiga finally beat inspired keeper AWAY GOAL Thibaut Courtois when he was on hand to Atletico have won all their home matches send a mis-hit Sofiane Feghouli cross into the this season apart from a 1-1 draw against net from close range after 93 minutes. In new Barcelona, who they play in La Liga on coach Juan Antonio Pizzi’s second game in Saturday, in August’s Spanish Super Cup first charge, a fired-up Valencia dominated posses- leg. “I think we deserved more but we are con- sion at the Mestalla but fell behind when a tent with the draw, the tie is still open and we fluffed clearance by keeper Vicente Guaita fell will carry on fighting,” Postiga said told Spanish to midfielder Garcia. television broadcaster Canal Plus. “The intensi- Garcia also had Atletico’s best chance of the ty of the team was good and we have to con- first half but his rising effort was well saved by tinue in the same vein,” he added. “We were up Guaita, while Valencia’s Juan Bernat drew a fine against a great goalkeeper and a solid defence save from Courtois with a low drive seven min- and we knew how tough it would be to score a utes after the break. Courtois made three more goal against Atletico.” brilliant saves as Valencia pressed for an equal- Courtois told Canal Plus the away goal izer, first leaping to tip a curling effort from could be crucial for next week’s second leg. “It substitute Sergio Canales around the post in was a great match and Valencia are always a the 76th minute. The Belgium international, on great opponent and there was a fantastic loan from Chelsea, then denied Pablo Piatti in atmosphere,” he said. “In the first half we hardly the 82nd before producing possibly his best created anything and in the second I had a lot stop of the night a minute later from Feghouli’s of work to do. “We were hoping to hold out close-range blast. until the end but it wasn’t to be but the posi- It looked as if Diego Simeone’s Atletico side, tive thing is we’ve scored an away goal and who are level with Barcelona at the top of La that’s important for the return leg.” Record VALENCIA: Atletico Madrid’s Turkish midfielder Arda Turan (left) vies with Valencia’s Portuguese defender Liga, would hold on to their lead ahead of the King’s Cup winners Barca welcome Getafe in second leg at the Calderon in a week’s time their last 16, first leg while Real host Osasuna Joao Pereira during the Spanish Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) round of 16 first-leg football match Valencia CF vs but Postiga struck in the final action of the today. —Reuters Club Atletico de Madrid at the Mestalla stadium on January 7, 2014. —AFP Sunderland worsen Man United misery SUNDERLAND: Sunderland gained the upper hand on Manchester United by deservedly win- ning their League Cup semi-final, first leg 2-1 on Tuesday to intensify the pressure on visiting manager David Moyes after a testing week. Italian Fabio Borini scored a second-half penalty to give the Premier League’s bottom club a one- goal lead ahead of the return at Old Trafford after a 52nd minute Nemanja Vidic header can- celled out Ryan Giggs’s own goal in first-half stoppage time. It was United’s third straight defeat after they were beaten at home in the FA Cup third round by Swansea City on Sunday and by Tottenham MADRID: Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates Hotspur in the league the previous week, heap- ing pressure on Moyes in his first season in with Real Madrid’s Welsh striker Gareth Bale after scoring his second goal charge. The second leg will be on Jan 22 to during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid vs RC Celta de Vigo at decide who will face either favorites Manchester the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on January 6, 2014. —AFP City or West Ham United, who played at the Etihad Stadium yesterday, in the final on March 2. Real’s Bale to replace For beleaguered United manager Moyes, the League Cup has developed added significance with the club already out of the FA Cup, looking under fire Di Maria unlikely to retain their Premier League title and long odds to win the Champions League. For the MADRID: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti this month. fans who booed them off the pitch following the has confirmed that Gareth Bale will return to However, Ancelotti reiterated his stance loss to Swansea, there was little to perk up the his side’s starting line-up for their Copa del that he didn’t see anyone leaving or arriving spirits. This was the first time since 1932 that Rey last 16, first-leg meeting with Osasuna at the Bernabeu during the January transfer United had lost their opening three games of today. Bale hasn’t started Madrid’s last three window, including Manchester United tar- the year and the first time since 1992 that they matches due to a calf injury, but did make get Fabio Coentrao. “I have not spoken to had lost three times in a week. his return as a substitute for the final 25 min- Coentrao and Di Maria because there is SUNDERLAND: Sunderland’s captain Phil Bardsley (left) vies for the ball with utes of Monday’s 3-0 win over Celta Vigo. nothing to speak about. There will be no OFFICIALS BLAMED Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck during their English League Cup semifinal first Angel di Maria was the man to be signings nor sales. We have a very good Moyes blamed the officials, who he criticised leg soccer match at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland on Tuesday, Jan 7, 2014. —AP replaced by Bale and the Argentine contro- squad and don’t have great injury problems for awarding Sunderland the free kick that led to versially grabbed his genitals as he was just now so we don’t need anyone.” Xabi the first goal, rather than his players who he whom exciting Belgian teenager Adnan Januzaj who displayed a resilience lacking for much of coming off the field following whistles by Alonso will also miss out against Osasuna as described as being “unbelievable”. “It looks as provided a lone attacking threat. their league campaign, retaking the lead the Santiago Bernabeu crowd to his depar- he continues to suffer from a burst left though we are having to play them (the officials) through on-loan Liverpool forward Borini from ture. Real have since opened an investiga- eardrum. as well as the opposition at the moment,” he SUNDERLAND BREAKTHROUGH the penalty spot after Adam Johnson had been tion into the gesture with Di Maria protest- The midfielder suffered the injury in the said. “I thought the players, our crowd were After Giggs rattled the bar with a dipping felled in the area by Tom Cleverley. ing his innocence and apologizing if any win away to Valencia just before Christmas, unbelievable, the players deserved to get a drive, the 18-year-old Januzaj had the ball in the There was no backs-to-the-wall finale and unintended offence had been taken. but it had been expected he could contin- result. It’s a two-legged game and I am really net seven minutes before halftime only to be it was Sunderland, who had not beaten And whilst Ancelotti confirmed Di Maria ue to play without any problems. However, looking forward to the second leg.” Sunderland denied the opening goal by the offside flag. In United in 20 matches, who looked the more wouldn’t start against Osasuna, he insisted the Spanish international had to be with- have only reached the League Cup final once, in the end it was Sunderland who made the break- likely to increase their lead, with United leav- the reasoning was to give Bale some much drawn at half-time against Celta earlier in 1985 when they lost to Norwich City, and their through in first-half injury time. Jonny Evans ing it late before throwing bodies forward to needed match practice. “Tomorrow he will the week because the noise in the stadium fans do not need reminding they were relegated gave away a needless free kick and Seb Larsson’s try and force a leveler. “It’s something very not start because I am going to play a fresh- was affecting him. “He doesn’t have prob- from the top flight that season. whipped set piece was diverted in by Giggs strange but with the way we are playing er player. “There is no problem in him play- lems in training but when he hears the The knockout competitions have again pro- under pressure from former United player Phil maybe it is suited to playing against the big ing.