SPORTS SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2014 Real hammer Betis Ronaldo, Bale on target MADRID: Real Madrid moved level on points with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga with a 5-0 hammering of bottom-placed Real Betis yesterday. Cristiano Ronaldo continued his fantas- tic week after lifting the Ballon d’Or on Monday with a thumping long-range drive to open the scoring before Gareth Bale silenced his recent critics with a trademark free-kick to make it 2-0. Karim Benzema then notched his 100th goal for Madrid in first-half stoppage time as he blasted home after classy play from Luka Modric. Angel di Maria made it four just after the hour mark with another stunning effort from distance and Alvaro Morata rounded off the scoring in stoppage time. All three leading clubs are now tied on 50 points, but Barca and Atletico can move ITALY: AS Roma’s forward Mattia Destro (right) vies for the ball with Livorno’s defender Alessandro back in front when then face Levante and Lambrughi during the Italian Serie A football match. — AFP Sevilla respectively today. Bale had struggled since his return from a calf injury at the beginning of the year SPAIN: Real Madrid’s forward Alvaro Morata (right) celebrates with Portuguese for- Roma close gap on Juve with coach Carlo Ancelotti even admitting ward Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring during the Spanish League football match on Friday that the Welshman could do bet- against Real Betis. — AFP ter. MILAN: First-half goals from Mattia Destro and heel flick from Gervinho to beat Francesco Bardi in But the Italian praised the former Spurs Kevin Strootman and a late strike from Adem Ljajic the visitors’ net. man’s display as his side produced their secured a 3-0 win for Roma that sent Livorno back Mehdi Benatia then came close to doubling the best display of the year to date. “Bale played Sherwood ready to the bottom of Serie A yesterday. scoreline but the Moroccan defender’s overhead well, as did the whole team. We played with Roma’s 14th win helped reduce the gap on lead- kick from a corner sailed over. Roma piled on the great quality and concentration throughout ers Juventus to five points although the champions pressure and when Ljajic and Daniele De Rossi the game,” he said. to swing Spurs axe can restore their eight-point cushion with a win at combined, Bardi, celebrating his 22nd birthday, “Everything went well and therefore we LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Lloris. “It’s always difficult to play against home to Sampdoria in yesterday’s late game. pulled off a great save from point-blank range. have to be happy. “It was an important Sherwood has said he will have no qualms Swansea and we know they’re capable of Livorno, who won promotion from Serie B last It was only a matter of time before the Livorno opportunity for us to go to the top of the season, responded to their struggles in the first half net bulged again and although Destro came close, about selling players during the transfer getting some good results against big table and we can sleep well tonight.” window as he targets the goal of a top four teams. “They play some really good football of the campaign by sacking coach Davide Nicola it was Strootman who had the pleasure after he It was once again Ronaldo who stole the last Monday after the side had taken just a point in picked up the rebound from the striker’s chip after finish in the Premier League. The north and if we are not focused on the game and show early on as he opened the scoring 10 London club are currently two points adrift if we don’t play at 100 percent, it will be very their last eight games. it had been denied by a Nahuel Valentini clearance. minutes in with a thunderous drive from 25 of the Champions League places ahead of difficult.” Gylfi Sigurdsson could return to Successor Attilo Perotti, however, failed to come Gervinho came close again but saw his close- yards out that flew into the top left-hand their trip to struggling Swansea this week- face his former club but centre-back duo up with a magic formula at the Olympic Stadium, range header from Vasilis Torosidis’s cross go wide corner of Stephan Andersen’s net. end. Jan Vertonghen and Younes Kaboul are still where Roma coach Rudi Garcia felt confident while a Destro goal just before half-time was ruled Ronaldo nearly had another memorable An improved run of four wins and a draw short of match fitness. enough of a win to rest a host of regulars. offside. Roma continued to pile on the pressure in goal to add to his collection 10 minutes lat- in the last five Premier League matches has Swansea’s plight-they were just three Striker Francesco Totti, defender Douglas the second half but it took until the 78th minute er as he skipped past two Betis defenders raised hopes Sherwood has got Spurs’ sea- points above the relegation zone before this Maicon and midfielder Radja Nainggolan all start- for Ljajic to add his name to the secoresheet with a before firing across the face of the goal. son back on track after he was promoted weekend’s fixtures-has given growing cause ed on the bench but it took only six minutes for fine daisycutter after collecting from Radja The visitors didn’t have to wait long to from within following the decision to sack for concern and manager Michael Laudrup Roma to pull ahead, Destro pouncing on a back- Nainggolan. — AFP double their advantage, though, as Bale did former manager Andre Villas-Boas last said the next seven games would be crucial make his mark with a dipping free-kick on month. The change in the dug-out has led in determining the course of their season. “It 25 minutes that beat the stationary to a change in personnel on the pitch and a is so tight from our point of view and it Andersen, although the Danish keeper number of sidelined players including depends on what we do in the next seven Preview should have done better. Etienne Capoue, Nacer Chadli and Lewis league games,” Denmark great Laudrup Ruben Castro missed a wonderful Holtby have been linked with moves away said. opportunity to pull a goal back for the hosts from the club. “In the next month-and-a-half, from the when he failed to connect with Leo And Sherwood accepted there could be game on Sunday until the Crystal Palace Man United in search Baptistao’s fine low cross six minutes before departures before the end of the January game in March, we have four games at half-time. transfer window. “As long as they’re the home and lots of games against opponents Instead, it was Madrid who struck again players I don’t want to take us forward, then who are also in the bottom half of the table. of old fire at Chelsea before the break as Modric continued his I’m happy (to sell them),” he said. “We’ve had “This next month-and-a half is crucial to the fantastic form of late with a wonderful discussions, but it’s sometimes a case of rest of the season. If we come out of it well, piece of composed play inside the box to supply and demand. We’ve got fantastic things will be looking very good, if not we LONDON: Manchester United’s trip to Chelsea “On many occasions the team that looks to be tee up Benzema to fire home at the near players here at the club and if we were to will have to admit we will be in a relegation today represents another opportunity for the woe- in the most difficult situation is the team that post. lose no one I wouldn’t be shedding any battle for the rest of the season.” begone English champions to prove that they still appears stronger in that match. That’s why I view Andersen redeemed himself somewhat tears. Laudrup’s efforts to strengthen his deserve to be considered among the Premier this game as especially dangerous. I’ve not written at the start of the second period as he “But you can only go with a certain squad have been hampered by confusion League’s leading lights. With six defeats to their United off.” United can at least draw solace from a made a fine low save to his right to prevent amount of players and the pressure’s on over whether the club could recall Ki Sung- name already this season and leaders Arsenal 11 run of five wins in six league games, but Chelsea’s Ronaldo doubling his tally and also turned because it’s a World Cup year for a lot of yeung from the South Korean midfielder’s points above them, United’s title defence seems all recent form has been even more impressive. They away a fiercely struck effort from Benzema. these players. It’s important they’re playing.” loan spell at relegation-threatened but over and they face a battle just to secure have climbed to third place in the table, nine However, there was nothing the Betis keep- Swansea’s recent run of form-they are with- Sunderland. The manager has found his Champions League qualification. points above United, by winning eight of their last er could do to prevent Di Maria making it out a win in seven league games-means squad stretched in midfield following 10 matches and will be bidding for a fifth consecu- four as he arrowed a low left-footed drive Tottenham are expected to return from injuries to Jose Canas and Jonathan De tive victory today.