SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2015 SPORTS Kane double inspires Spurs tesy of Kane’s 19th goal of the campaign. Receiving Erik Lamela’s pass, Kane was West Brom 0 allowed to cut inside far too easily by Andre Wisdom before driving a shot beyond Foster. Once again, there were question marks over the former Birmingham star’s goalkeeping. Tottenham 3 To their credit, West Brom rallied and, but for the brilliance of Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, they could easily have been level by the interval. WEST BROMWICH: Harry Kane reached 20 The France international has firmly estab- goals for the season as his double helped lished himself in the world-class category this Tottenham ease to a 3-0 win at West season and this was another exhibition of Bromwich Albion as they kept the pressure excellence. First, in the 28th minute, he pulled on the Premier League’s top four yesterday. off a stunning save to tip over James Another sublime Christian Eriksen free-kick Morrison’s curling effort after a Victor and Kane’s brace lifted Mauricio Pochettino’s Anichebe-led breakaway. fifth placed team to within two points of Two minutes later he produced yet more fourth placed Southampton, who play heroics to deny Yacob from close range fol- Swansea today, in the race to qualify for the lowing an Albion free-kick. And Tottenham’s Champions League. luck was in again, with the crossbar coming Inflicting a first defeat on Albion manager to their rescue in the 38th minute when Craig Tony Pulis since his arrival at the Hawthorns Dawson headed against it from a Morrison capped a perfect week for Spurs after they free-kick. Eriksen’s goals have already won had sealed a League Cup final date with Spurs 13 points this season and the in-form Chelsea in midweek. winger demonstrated his sky-high confidence Pulis will now hope he can strengthen his again in the 50th minute by fooling Chris squad before the transfer window shuts Brunt with a shimmy before unleashing a tomorrow after a lacklustre display from his driven shot which swerved wide. team which left them hovering above the rel- Victory was then rubber-stamped in the egation zone. Eriksen’s 88th-minute strike 64th minute when Joleon Lescott, playing out secured Spurs’ place at Wembley at Sheffield of position at left-back, was somewhat harsh- United’s expense on Wednesday and he ly penalised for handling a Kyle Walker cross. picked up where he left off with a stunning In such confident form, Kane made no sixth-minute free-kick. mistake with the penalty, sending Foster the Claudio Yacob’s foul on Mousa Dembele wrong way with a low strike into the left cor- handed him an opportunity on the left side of ner. Pulis’ warning before the game that Saido the penalty box and there was no doubting Berahino was “not yet in the same bracket” as the quality of the Denmark international’s Kane appeared by now somewhat prophetic. arcing set-piece up and over a five-man wall Yet the 14-goal West Brom forward showed a LONDON: West Ham United’s French midfielder Morgan Amalfitano (center) is tackled by Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva (left) and and beyond Ben Foster. couple of flashes of his potential, first drilling Liverpool’s Spanish defender Alberto Moreno (right) during the English Premier League football match. —AFP However, having got fingertips onto the inches wide from the right of the penalty area ball, a goalkeeper of the England internation- before forcing another excellent Lloris save al’s quality would have been disappointed from close range, with Danny Rose hooking Sturridge sinks Hammers not to keep it out. to safety with substitute Brown Ideye ready to And, without barely having to break pounce. Craig Gardner hit a post late on, yet a sweat, the contest was swung firmly in Baggies fightback never looked likely after squad. Rodgers also decided against risking compatriot at the near post. Tottenham’s favour nine minutes later cour- Kane’s second.—AFP Reds captain Steven Gerrard, struggling with a It is a sign of how West Ham have improved Liverpool 2 tight hamstring. West Ham manager Sam this season that they did not simply come to Allardyce included former Liverpool players Anfield and pack men behind the ball, and Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing, both of Carroll went close with a header from a free-kick whom were sold by Rodgers, in his starting line- shortly after the half-hour mark. West Ham 0 up. Carroll was back at Anfield for the first time Liverpool felt they should have had a penalty since he moved to the London club in August on the stroke of half-time when Joey O’Brien 2012, having criticised his treatment by Rodgers grappled with Sterling inside the box, and sec- in the build up to this match, saying the onds later Lazar Markovic was presented with LIVERPOOL: Liverpool substitute Daniel Northern Irishman had “messed with his head”. the chance of the half. The Serbian winger seized Sturridge capped his comeback from injury with The powerful forward certainly seemed fired on Downing’s sloppy pass and with just Adrian a goal as the Reds beat West Ham United 2-0 at up and was fortunate to escape a booking early to beat, fired past the post. However, six minutes Anfield yesterday following an inspired display on when he caught Emre Can with an elbow after the break Sterling got the goal his display by Raheem Sterling. Sturridge had been avail- which left the Liverpool defender needing treat- deserved as he finished off a slick Liverpool able for the first time in a Premier League match ment. move. since Liverpool’s win over Tottenham Hotspur at Alberto Moreno picked out Sterling on the the end of August. GRAPPLED edge of the box from the left flank and, with his The England international had been on the As has often been the case this season, back to goal chested the ball to Coutinho, spun sidelines for five months with a combination of Sterling was at the heart of Liverpool’s attacking Winston Reid, and when he received the return calf and thigh injuries. But Sturridge’s long battle play. He stole the ball off Carroll and, with the pass fired a low shot past Adrian. to regain full fitness was rewarded with a typical Hammers defence on their heels, laid the ball off Sturridge, having been greeted with a huge goal after Sterling had put Liverpool ahead. to Jordan Henderson, who struck his effort from cheer from the Anfield faithful when he came on Sturridge had to settle for a place among the the edge of the area straight at goalkeeper to replace Markovic in the 67th minute, then substitutes, although that was more than Mario Adrian. delighted the home crowd when he received a WEST BROMWICH: West Bromwich Albion’s Northern Irish midfielder Chris Brunt Balotelli could manage, having once again failed Philippe Coutinho was the next to test Adrian clever ball from Coutinho and emphatically fired (left) heads the ball during the English Premier League football match against to make manager Brendan Rodgers matchday when his low effort was blocked by his Brazilian past Adrian at his near post. —AFP Tottenham Hotspur. —AFP Everton ruin Pardew’s Matches on TV perfect start at Palace (Local Timings) English Premier League good work down the flank by Steven Arsenal v Aston Villa 16:30 Naismith who caused chaos in the area beIN SPORTS 1 HD Palace 0 with a low cross. beIN SPORTS 11 HD Midweek signing Jordan Mutch, who Southampton v Swansea 19:00 arrived from QPR, was forced into an imme- beIN SPORTS 1 HD diate debut when Moroccan striker beIN SPORTS 11 HD Everton 1 Marouane Chamakh was carried off on 26 minutes covered in blood after a nasty African Nations Cup clash of heads with Seamus Coleman. Ghana v Guinea 19:00 Former Bordeaux and Arsenal striker beIN SPORTS 6 HD LONDON: Everton ended Alan Pardew’s Chamakh was making his first appearance Ivory Coast v Algeria 22:30 unbeaten start as Crystal Palace manager in six weeks but appeared to have broken beIN SPORTS 6 HD as a second minute goal from Romelu his nose. Palace pushed hard throughout Lukaku set up a 1-0 victory at Selhurst Park the remainder of the first half and created Spanish League yesterday. several chances including a goal-line clear- Levante v Bilbao 14:00 Palace, who had won four straight ance from Phil Jagielka who just kept beIN SPORTS 2 HD matches under the former Newcastle han- Dwight Gayle’s header from crossing the Almeria v Getafe 19:00 dler, saw their streak snapped as the line with Spanish ‘keeper Joel Robles beat- beIN SPORTS 2 HD LONDON: Stoke City’s Marko Arnautovic (left) holds off Queens Park Rangers’ Leroy Toffees won their first league match in sev- en. The game balanced out after the break beIN SPORTS 14 HD Fer during their English Premier League soccer match at The Britannia Stadium. —AP en outings. as Roberto Martinez’s men battled hard to Sevilla v Espanyol 21:00 The two teams came into the match lev- keep Palace at bay and it took a couple of beIN SPORTS 10 HD el on points after Pardew won his first pair fine saves from home ‘keeper Julian beIN SPORTS 14 HD QPR’s away-day of league games and two in the FA Cup Speroni late on to prevent Everton from beIN SPORTS 2 HD while Everton were without a win in eight putting the match to bed earlier on.