14 Established 1961 Monday, October 16, 2017 Sports Suarez scores late as Barcelona draw with Atletico Madrid 1-1 Real Sociedad ends five-game winless streak by beating Alaves MADRID: Atletico Madrid was able to contain Lionel BLOWN LEAD Messi and yet still couldn’t top Barcelona in the Spanish Barcelona, which had outscored opponents 23-2, league on Saturday. Atletico was a few minutes away controlled possession but it was Atletico which was from ending a seven-year winless streak against able to create the most significant opportunities. Barcelona in the league until Luis Suarez produced an Antoine Griezmann had two clear chances denied by 82nd-minute equalizer for 1-1. Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andreter Stegen early. Suarez had been ineffective at Wanda Metropolitano Saul Niguez gave the hosts the lead with a well- Stadium before his late header that extended Barcelona’s placed shot from outside the area in the first half. unbeaten streak against Atletico to 15 league matches. Suarez jumped between Atletico defenders to head in a Atletico did a decent job stopping Messi after his star- cross by substitute Sergi Roberto. “Good job from all ring role to put Argentina in the World Cup. He has 14 the team in a complicated game,” Suarez said. goals in 12 matches with Barcelona but was unable to Two weeks after playing behind closed doors to score at the Metropolitano. His best chance was a sec- protest the Spanish government’s moves to halt ond-half free kick that hit Catalonia’s independence the post. The playmaker, referendum, Barcelona was coming off a long trip from met with Spanish flags, and Ecuador for Argentina’s outspoken defender Gerard qualifier, had 27 goals in 34 Pique was loudly jeered by matches against Atletico in Good job from the local fans. all competitions. “He certain- ly wasn’t as tired as most all the team in a WINNING AGAIN people thought he would be Athletic edged Sevilla in because he played a tremen- complicated game Bilbao to snap a six-game dous match,” Atletico coach winless streak in all compe- Diego Simeone said of titions. Mikel Vesga scored Messi. “We defended well, the winner just before half- just couldn’t put the game time at San Mames Stadium, away on the counterattacks.” where Sevilla lost for an eighth straight time. The result ended Barcelona’s perfect league record and cut the club’s lead to five points over Real Madrid, RECOVERING REAL SOCIEDAD which defeated Getafe 2-1 with a late winner by Real Sociedad ended its five-game winless streak by Cristiano Ronaldo. Atletico stayed in third place, six beating Alaves with goals by Mikel Oyarzabal in the points behind Barcelona, which won its first seven 77th and Aritz Elustondo in the 81st. Alaves, second-to- MADRID: Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta, centre, battles for the ball with Atletico Madrid’s Juanfran, left, and league matches. Sevilla dropped to fourth place, also six last in the standings, was coming off its first win of the Angel Correa during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. —AP points off the lead, after losing at Athletic Bilbao 1-0. season at Levante.— AP PSG wins 2-1 away to Arsene Wenger rues Dijon to move 6 Arsenal panic after points clear in Ligue 1 penalty dispute WATFORD: Arsene Wenger believes a “scandalous” PARIS: On a frustrating day for the world’s two most penalty was the main reason why his Arsenal side end- expensive players, and with the club’s top scorer rested, it ed up losing 2-1 at Watford on Saturday. The result lift- was unheralded defender Thomas Meunier who got Paris ed Marco Silva’s Hornets into fourth place in the Saint-Germain’s goals in a 2-1 win at Dijon on Saturday. Premier League on a day when Manchester United, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe cost PSG a combined 402 Liverpool and Chelsea also all dropped points. million euros ($478 million) when they joined in the offsea- Arsenal led at half-time through a rare goal from Per son. They had an off day, although Mbappe made some Mertesacker, the Germany defender, but the game amends by setting up Meunier’s winner in the second changed in the second half when Mesut Ozil failed to minute of injury time. convert a simple chance to double the lead. It was the attack-minded right back’s fourth goal in four PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s Belgian defender Thomas Meunier (C) celebrates scoring a goal with Paris Within a minute Hector Bellerin was adjudged to games, including one for Belgium last weekend in a World Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe during the French L1 football match between Dijon have impeded Richarlison at the other end for a penalty Cup qualifier. “I always try and follow things up, that’s my (DFCO) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). — AFP that the Arsenal manager was convinced was the result style,” Meunier said. “I love bringing something to the of a dive to deceive referee Neil Swarbrick. Measures attack.” The win moved French league leader PSG six are in place this season for the authorities to punish points clear of defending champion Monaco, which lost at area, and his low shot squeezed through the legs of low shot slipping under his body in the 70th. simulation retrospectively and it will be interesting to Lyon 3-2 on Friday. defender Oussama Haddadi and over the line. “We fought see if action is taken against the Brazilian. hard the whole game and showed that we could stand up OTHER MATCHES “It’s a scandalous decision but what can we do? INJURY-TIME DRAMA to PSG,” Dijon goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet said. “We got Saint-Etienne scored three late goals to beat Metz 3-1 Nothing,” Wenger complained. “I believe that we had PSG was without Edinson Cavani - left out after playing back into the game in an incredible way, so it’s a pity to and move up to third place, while Caen dropped down to many many danger situations where we could have for Uruguay in World Cup qualifying this week - but concede that goal the way we did. We lost a bit of concen- eighth spot after losing 2-0 at home to Angers. Guingamp scored but didn’t. “We were unlucky with the penalty it carved out enough chances to win easily. PSG was coast- tration.” moved up to ninth with a 2-0 home win over Rennes, but was a bit ridiculous. Then we panicked. And we stand ing to victory until the 87th minute, when Dijon launched a Dijon played with a high energy and harried PSG all Lille’s struggles continued as it conceded an injury-time there with defeat. “We dropped the level a bit in the hopeful ball up the field, forcing PSG center half over the pitch, forcing mistakes. PSG’s frustration goal in a 2-2 home draw with Troyes. Striker Andy Delort’s second half. We lost our fluency a little. We had the Marquinhos to hack clear. The looping ball fell to forward showed when Neymar was shown a yellow card for a first-half goal sealed mid-table Toulouse a 1-0 home win chances to score two and three.” Benjamin Jeannot some 35 yards out and he hit a tremen- cheap foul on Dijon defender Cedric Varrault. Reynet against Amiens. Richarlison could be handed a two-match ban if dous left-footed volley over the head of goalkeeper made a stunning reflex save to push away Mbappe’s low In other games, Marseille looks for a fourth straight found guilty of diving, a decision that would be made Alphonse Areola. volley and saved again moments later from Neymar’s league win when it travels to Strasbourg; Bordeaux faces by a three-man panel consisting of a former match offi- Then Mbappe’s cross fell to Meunier on the edge of the strike, but could not recover in time to stop Meunier’s Nantes and Montpellier takes on Nice. — AP cial, a former manager and an ex-player, and would have to be unanimous. ‘DIVING AND DECEIVING’ Former Premier League referee Graham Poll cer- tainly felt there was a case to answer. “It is as clear an example of diving as you can see,” he said. “I wouldn’t Lara, Charlo, Hurd blame Swarbrick. I would blame Richarlison for diving and deceiving.” The penalty was converted by Troy Deeney, a Watford substitute, and set the platform for defend titles, Charlo midfielder Tom Cleverley to win the game deep into added time. Deeney was convinced Swarbrick had got the controversial penalty call correct. “I know Hector, with 1st-round KO he’s a good lad but that’s a penalty and the other way round he’d be screaming for a penalty,” he said. The season may only be eight league games old but NEW YORK: All three champions defended their titles there is no denying that Watford have made a fine start Saturday night in different fashions. The highlight was under new manager Silva, apart from a 6-0 home loss Jermell Charlo’s first-round knockout of Erickson to Manchester City last month.—AFP Lubin. Or maybe it was Jarrett Hurd’s action-packed win over Austin Trout. It certainly wasn’t Erislandy Lara’s unanimous decision over Terrell Gausha. Lara schooled Gausha for most of their 12-round NEW YORK: Terrell Gausha and Erislandy Lara exchange punches during their WBA Junior WBA welterweight title fight, outpointing the 2012 US Middleweight Title bout at Barclays Center of Brooklyn.