Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 Defending MLS champions Galaxy crash out LOS ANGELES: Seattle midfielder Erik Friberg scored the winner as the Sounders beat Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 to eliminate the defending champions from the Major League Soccer playoffs on Wednesday. Galaxy did not lack attacking firepower with Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and Giovani dos Santos in their ranks but shaky defence proved their undoing. On the opposite coast, Chris Rolfe scored a late winner as DC United opened the playoffs with a 2-1 comeback victory over the New England Revolution at RFK Stadium to book their place in the Eastern Conference semi- finals. All three Seattle goals resulted from poor defending, with Friberg’s 73rd minute match-winning strike coming after Galaxy’s AJ DeLaGarza failed to deal with a harmless-look- ing cross. “It was the perfect time to score the first one of the season,” Friberg said after Seattle sealed their spot in the last four in the West. “We need to continue to play as we did in the second half and if we do that I think we’re going to go all the way and win the whole thing.” In Washington, a spectacular bicycle-kick from striker Juan Agudelo opened the scoring counted for Revolution, last season’s MLS Cup runners-up. Chris Pontius equalised for United on the stroke of half-time when he headed home a free kick. Rolfe missed a penalty in the 76th minute when he hit the post but made amends by slotting home the winner from close range in the 83rd minute. The match ended in controversy when New England mid- fielder Jermaine Jones was sent off in stop- page time for protesting a handball in the box SEATTLE: Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei reaches for, but can’t stop a goal kicked by Los Angeles Galaxy’s Gyasi Zardes in the by DC defender Sean Franklin. first half of an MLS soccer western conference knockout round playoff match on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2015. — AP Referee Mark Geiger turned down the penalty appeal and an incensed Jones, who make contact with the referee’s chest, even body who came today could see it, it was say I’m sorry, maybe because I play with the had earlier been booked, sprinted towards before the official could brandish a red card. 100 percent a penalty,” MLS.com quoted national team it cannot happen, but it hap- the official and was promptly shown another Jones continued to remonstrate with the ref- Jones as saying. “My passion then after pened. “People who know me, they know yellow card. The United States international eree, grabbing his arm, before being maybe went a little bit high, but I think it’s that I’m not a good loser. In that moment I then flung his arms out and appeared to restrained by a team mate. “I think every- normal ... For what happened after, I would was really upset.” — Reuters GERMAN LEAGUE PREVIEW All eyes on Mourinho as Bayern hunt 11th Chelsea host Liverpool league victory LONDON: It would have been crazy to doubt Second spell BERLIN: Runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern up with a 7-1 demolition of second division Jose Mourinho’s job security when the Fans are openly speculating that owner Munich will be battling fatigue plus hosts Eintracht Paderborn on Wednesday as right winger Gonzalo Premier League kicked off in August but, with Roman Abramovich, a man who places noto- Frankfurt when they hunt a perfect 11 wins from Castro scored twice and set up two goals. 10 games gone, his position at Chelsea is riously high demands on his managers, could 11 league games today. In a busy period, the Top-scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was left under intense scrutiny ahead of tomorrow’s call time on Mourinho’s second spell at Bavarian giants are in the middle of playing five on the bench despite the Gabon striker being the match with Liverpool. Just five months after Stamford Bridge if Liverpool can inflict anoth- games in two weeks and have just a three-day league’s top scorer with 13 goals in ten games. they romped to the title, Chelsea and their er defeat on the champions. Chelsea’s cause turn around after their German Cup win at Dortmund have a score to settle as Bremen’s 2-1 talent-packed squad are hovering above the will not be helped if striker Diego Costa fails Wolfsburg. Bayern then host Arsenal in the victory last December ensured Dortmund spent the relegation zone, having already lost five to recover from the rib injury that forced him Champions League on Wednesday hunting winter break in the relegation zone. Bremen broke a times. The spotlight is now firmly fixed on off at Stoke but Liverpool are also suffering revenge for their 2-0 defeat in London a fortnight five-game losing streak at Mainz last Saturday to Mourinho whose erratic behaviour has gone their own injury problems. Christian Benteke ago-their only defeat of the season. escape the bottom three. Bayer Leverkusen and hand-in-hand with his team’s spiralling for- missed Wednesday’s 1-0 League Cup win Pep Guardiola’s side knocked holders Wolfsburg clash at the Volkswagen Arena tomor- tunes. Sent to the stands in last weekend’s 2-1 over Bournemouth, leaving Liverpool with Wolfsburg out of the cup on Tuesday with a 3-1 row with the hosts fourth in the league while Bayer defeat at West Ham United, the Portuguese Belgian Divock Origi as their only fit first-team second round win. “We need to gather our are just a point behind in sixth. Wolfsburg were the has spent much of the early campaign pick- forward. strength as quickly as possible for Friday,” said only team Leverkusen lost both league matches to ing fights. New German coach Juergen Klopp is also Dutch winger Arjen Robben. With a seven-point last season and the teams last met in a nine-goal The club’s former doctor, referees, the on the lookout for his first league win since lead at the top of the table, Bayern face an thriller in February when Wolves won 5-4. Football Association, Arsenal manager Arsene joining the club three weeks ago. Premier Eintracht side reeling from their shock German Wolfsburg will be without striker Max Kruse for both Wenger and even some of his own players League leaders Manchester City will expect to Cup defeat by third division Erzgebirge Aue on the visit of Leverkusen and next Tuesday’s away have been caught in the crossfire of claim all three points when they host Tuesday. Frankfurt have won only one of their last match at PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. Mourinho’s angry outbursts. The Chelsea boss Norwich City tomorrow while Arsenal, who seven games, while Bayern have won their last six The 27-year-old has a hamstring injury and mid- is, of course, no stranger to controversy but his trail Manuel Pellegrini’s side on goal differ- against Eintracht without conceding a goal. fielder Christian Traesch is doubtful with a thigh frequent run-ins with the authorities have ence, face a tougher task when they visit They are on a record-breaking run of 33 goals injury. In-form Hertha Berlin and Borussia rarely, if ever, been accompanied by such con- Swansea City. Wenger also has to contend after ten matches-no team has ever scored more Moenchengladbach will clash on Saturday in the sistently poor results on the pitch. Chelsea’s with a mounting injury list after Theo Walcott in Bundesliga history at this stage. Second-placed capital with Gladbach chasing a sixth straight win midweek League Cup defeat at Stoke City on and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were early Borussia Dortmund are also busy and face their under caretaker coach Andre Schubert. The 44- penalties means they go into tomorrow’s casualties in Tuesday’s embarrassing 3-0 sixth fixture in the space of two weeks at Werder year-old is on the verge of getting the job perma- home game on the back of two consecutive League Cup defeat at second-tier Sheffield Bremen’s Weser-Stadion on Saturday. But the nently having taken the team from bottom of the defeats. Bookmakers now make Mourinho an Wednesday. Fourth-placed Manchester Dortmund goal-machine is in full swing with table to seventh. Gladbach were bottom when even-money favourite to be the next Premier United, two points off the top, visit Crystal Thomas Tuchel’s attack having now hit 61 goals in Schubert stepped in after Lucien Favre quit in League supremo to get the sack. Palace tomorrow. — Reuters 19 games so far this season. Dortmund warmed- September after five straight defeats. — AFP .