Established 1961 Sport THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2020 England’s Stokes ready for ‘massive’ Australian snowboarder Howard will play for Lakers 14return of international cricket 14 Alex Pullin drowns 15 when NBA resumes in Orlando LONDON: Crystal Palace’s Zaire-born Belgian striker Christian Benteke (C) scores their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea at Selhurst Park in south London. — AFP Chelsea win five-goal thriller Vardy’s late strike earns Leicester point at Arsenal LONDON: Chelsea moved up to third in the Premier am delighted with him.” lenge from Kurt Zouma denied Benteke a second. race for the Golden Boot. “I was really pleased with League table after holding out to win a 3-2 thriller at As so often this season, Lampard’s men failed to Leicester have now won just one of their six games how we managed the game 11 v 10. We got a de- Crystal Palace, while Leicester could only manage a capitalise on their dominance and were suddenly on since the restart to see their lead over the chasing served goal and if we had made the final pass we draw at 10-man Arsenal on Tuesday. the back foot when Wilfried Zaha thundered a shot pack for a place in the top four whittled away, but could have gone on and won the game,” said Leices- Frank Lampard’s men edged closer to sealing a high past Kepa Arrizabalaga from long range for were grateful for a 1-1 draw at the Emirates after a ter manager Brendan Rodgers. place in next season’s Champions League as a sev- Palace’s first goal in four games. slow start against in-form Arsenal. Pierre-Emerick Arsenal’s hopes of reaching the top four now ap- enth win in eight games takes them one point ahead Chelsea looked to have Aubameyang swept home the pear over as they remain nine points behind with just of Leicester and opened up a five-point lead on fifth- sealed the three points again opener for the Gunners as four games to go. placed Manchester United. when substitutes Ruben Lof- Kasper Schmeichel kept at the other end of the table, Danny Welbeck’s first The Blues were fortunate when opening the scor- tus-Cheek and Tammy Abra- Leicester in the game with a Premier League goal for Watford was as valuable as ing at Selhurst Park as former Chelsea captain Gary ham combined for the latter to Blues were stunning save to deny Alexan- it was spectacular as the Hornets beat Norwich 2-1 Cahill fell to the ground clutching his hamstring to restore a two-goal cushion 19 dre Lacazette. to move four points clear of the relegation zone. allow Willian to tee up Olivier Giroud for his fourth minutes from time. fortunate “In the first half we should Defeat pushes Norwich ever closer to the drop goal in six games. Just over a minute later, have gone 3 or 4-0 up and kill and the Canaries could be relegated at the weekend Christian Pulisic’s form since the Premier League’s though, Palace were back in the game against this type of if they fail to beat West Ham. restart has led to comparisons with Eden Hazard, the the game when a brilliant move opposition,” said Arsenal boss Like so much of his career, Welbeck’s first season man he replaced at Stamford Bridge, and the Belgian culminated in Patrick van Aan- Mikel Arteta. Lacazette also at Watford has been blighted by injury, but the former would have been proud of Chelsea’s second as the holt squaring for Christian Benteke to tap in just his saw a goal disallowed for offside after the break be- Manchester United and Arsenal forward showed his 21-year-old American skipped past Joel Ward and second goal of the season. fore the game turned when Eddie Nketiah was shown class by adjusting his body to hook home the winner hammered in off the inside of the near post. Questions remain over whether the Chelsea de- a straight red card after a VAR review for a high chal- after Craig Dawson cancelled out Emiliano Buendia’s “Christian is hugely important,” added Lampard. fence will be strong enough to maintain a title chal- lenge on James Justin. early opener for Norwich. “I am speechless after the “You look at the top attacking players in the world lenge next season and they were left clinging on in Leicester made the man advantage count as Vardy goal,” said Welbeck. “It means a lot to me and means and they score goals and make assists regularly that stoppage time as Kepa turned Scott Dann’s header pounced to slot home Demarai Gray’s cross and re- a lot to the whole team. It is one that puts us on our win games and at the moment he is doing that, so I off the inside of the post and only a last-ditch chal- gain his two-goal advantage over Aubameyang in the way now. We will give it our all from now.” —AFP clear of the relegation zone. “It’s a difficult ground to double their lead came just before the break but Cor- within a point of the Europa League places in a 2-1 Celta draw leaves visit, Celta play good football, where they are in the rea was unable to connect cleanly to Marcos win over Real Valladolid. Lee, 19, clinched his side’s table isn’t justified by their football,” Morata told Mo- Llorente’s low pass. first victory since Albert Celades was sacked earlier vistar. “We’re ready now to finish our objective of Celta equalised five minutes into the second half this month and sent his outfit up to eighth, just behind Atleti waiting for third place. What we have to do is achieve our objec- with a seemingly lucky effort as Beltran caught Jan Real Sociedad in the spot for the qualifying rounds tive as quick as we can.” Victory could have seen Oblak off guard. Brais Mendez found Beltran in the for next season’s continental competition. Atletico seal a top-four spot this week if other results box and the central midfielder lobbed the Atleti goal- Uruguay’s Maxi Gomez opened the scoring on the CL ‘objective’ had gone their way. keeper with a volleyed shot which spun off his shin. half-hour mark, finishing tidily at the back post from Diego Simeone made three changes from the side Simeone threw on World Cup winner Thomas a low Kevin Gameiro cross. Victor Garcia, making his MADRID: Atletico Madrid will have to wait to clinch which beat Real Mallorca on Friday with injured at- Lemar, who is yet to score this season, in the final 20 maiden first-team appearance of the season having a place in next season’s Champions League after tackers Joao Felix and Yannick Carrasco having to sit minutes as his side searched for a winner. Lemar had spent the campaign with the reserves, equalised for being held to a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo on Tuesday. Al- out the trip to Galicia. Celta coach Oscar Garcia the best opportunity to clinch the three points but Valladolid just after the break. varo Morata scored in the opening minute before chose to name Nolito on the bench despite the Ruben Blanco parried the France attacker’s drive Midfielder Garcia half-volleyed home a deflected Francisco Beltran equalised for the hosts the other winger’s effort in Saturday’s draw at Real Betis. away to highlight Simeone’s lack of attacking options shot after 100 seconds of the second half. Lee side of the break. Morata opened the scoring after 55 seconds to with Felix and Carrasco injured and Diego Costa sus- claimed his second goal of the campaign with less The result leaves Atleti four points away from claim his third goal in two games. The former Juventus pended. than two minutes of normal time remaining. His qualifying for the top tier of European football with forward slotted home from an Angel Correa cross in Earlier, South Korean teenager Lee Kang-in whipped shot from outside the box beat Antonito to three games remaining and Celta are seven points a perfect start for the visitors. Their best chance to scored with two minutes to play to move Valencia to end up in the bottom corner. — AFP.