Heat scorch Sharapova Cavaliers beats Azarenka in slugfest WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 201515 18 Advocaat replaces Poyet as coach at Sunderland Page 19 MONACO: Monaco’s Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco (left) dribbles past Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker during their Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match. — AP Arsenal fall short as Monaco qualify MONACO: Monaco desperately held on to qualify for “Arsenal started the match and we were under pres- deserve it and that’s absolutely fine. They caused a lot of Arsenal finally got the goal their pressure deserved the Champions League quarter-finals after a desperate sure but the most important thing is that we’re in the problems away from home but we have to admit that when the dynamic Giroud blasted home his own fightback from Arsenal yesterday fell just short at the quarter-finals. “We weren’t favorites tonight (Tuesday) we regret the first game. rebound after Subasic had blocked his initial shot. expense of away goals after the tie finished 3-3 on but we gave everything we had and we managed to do “But if we continue to play like that we’ll do well in There was a moment of controversy when Alexis aggregate. it.” Ramsey set up the thrilling finale when he scrambled the FA Cup and the league. But play as badly as we did Sanchez went down under pressure from Fabinho but Arsene Wenger, who was returning to the club he led the ball home after fellow substitute Theo Walcott had in the first game and you’re out of the Champions instead of a penalty to the visitors, the Norwegian refer- to the French title in 1991, looked on as his valiant side his shot come back off the post on 79 minutes. League. Monaco deserved it.” ee booked the Chilean for diving. The Gunners sensed almost completed the greatest comeback in Champions Giroud then had a point-blank header pawed off the Monaco came into the tie with a 9-0 qualifying blood and poured forward for the rest of the half with League history. line by the acrobatic Subasic as Arsenal threw every- record in European competition after winning the first only a goal-clearance from Aymen Abdennour from A 2-0 Arsenal victory at a packed Louis II stadium was thing forward in search of the goal that would send leg while Arsenal were trying to break a five year jinx of Welbeck’s shot and a desperate Subasic save from one goal short after a first-half strike from Olivier Giroud them through to the last eight. failing to reach the quarter-finals. Giroud keeping it 1-0 at the break. and Aaron Ramsey’s goal with 11 minutes left set up a Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker was gracious in History was not in favour of the Gunners with no pre- The second half provided more of the same although barnstorming finish. defeat and said the first leg played a key role; “The best vious teams in the Champions League era managing to Wenger’s side started to fatigue and left gaps open at The Londoners ran themselves into the ground as team went through and Monaco deserved it because score more than once away from home in the second the back at the expense of pushing numbers forward in they pressed for the qualifying goal but an inspired per- they played much better in the first leg,” said the leg after losing the first leg and going on to qualify. search of goals. formance from Monaco’s Croatian ‘keeper Danijel German defender. After a cagey start by both teams, Arsenal gradually Ramsey’s goal gave them renewed energy and Subasic proved decisive. “We played well today (Tuesday) but it was a massive took control of the first-half with Giroud going close Giroud almost made it an historic night but the French “We suffered but we played some good football too,” deficit, and it wasn’t enough tonight. We came here and with a 14th minute header before Laurent Koscielny side, who last reached the quarter-finals in 2004, when Monaco midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia told BeIn tried absolutely everything, and when you look at the glanced his close range effort off the crossbar. With over they went on to lose the final against Porto, held on in Sports after an absorbing encounter. game we could have scored more than two. “Monaco 60 per cent possession during the opening 45 minutes, front their nervous fans for a thrilling victory. — AFP Grafite leaves Atletico win shootout to indelible mark on Al Sadd victory knock Leverkusen out MADRID: Atletico Madrid kept alive their dream of a sec- counter attack. DOHA: Veteran former Brazilian international Grafite helped ond consecutive Champions League final appearance when Atletico playmaker Arda Turan fired over with a volley on Qatar giants Al Sadd take control of their Asian Champions they beat Bayer Leverkusen on penalties yesterday to claim the run in the 69th minute after good work down the left League group with a goal in their 6-2 thrashing of Uzbekistan’s a place in the last eight. from Antoine Griezmann and a Koke free kick evaded every- Lokomotiv Tashkent yesterday. Khalfan Ibrahim struck from The Bundesliga side won last month’s first leg in one and almost sneaked inside the post a minute later. the spot in the 27th minute and Hassan Khalid and Nadir Germany 1-0 and a goal from Atletico midfielder Mario Tension was rising as the clock ticked down and Arda Belhadj added two more goals in seven minutes as the 2011 Suarez in the 27th minute of the return match left the again went close in the 80th when he drew a good save Asian champions enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 lead at half time teams locked at 1-1 after extra time at the Calderon. Both from Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno. in front of their home fans in Doha. QATAR: Al-Sadd’s player Nadir Belhadj (left) vies for sides failed with two penalties before Leverkusen striker The players were clearly tiring and chances were scarce Ibrahim doubled his tally early in the second half before the ball against Zhasur Khasanov of Uzbekistan’s Stefan Kiessling fired the fifth spot kick over the crossbar to in extra time. Atletico midfielder Raul Garcia had the clear- Abdulkarim Hassan and 35-year-old Grafite completed the give the hosts a 3-2 shootout victory. est chance in the 106th rout, although the Uzbeks managed to pull two back, courtesy Lokomotiv team during their AFC Champions League Group C football match. — AFP Knowing Atletico needed at least one goal to have any minute when he blasted an of a fine free-kick from Damir Kojasevic and a late goal from chance of going through, coach Diego Simeone sprung a angled shot straight at Leno Zhasur Khasanov. 14th league title, suffered shock reverses to hand over the surprise in his starting lineup by deploying attacking mid- while Leverkusen captain Al Sadd, who fell seven points behind leaders Lekhwiya in advantage to their rivals. Meanwhile Saudi giants and former fielder Cani instead of more defence-minded captain Gabi. Simon Rolfes lashed a long- the Qatar Stars League by drawing and losing to lesser oppo- champions Al Hilal, surprisingly beaten by Al Sadd earlier this Roared on by the home support, Simeone’s men came range effort just wide in the nents over the past two weeks, showed there was nothing month, suffered another reverse when they were held to a storming out of the blocks but Leverkusen refused to be 111th. wrong with their game as they produced an attacking and goalless draw by Iranian outfit Foolad in another Group C intimidated and Suarez’s deflected effort that went in off The draw for the quarter- clinical display as they leapt to the top of Group C with seven game. In Group A, Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia thrashed Iran’s defender Omer Toprak was their first shot. Atletico had suf- finals is on Friday with hold- points from three matches. Persepolis 3-0 for their first win that helped them climb to fered a setback shortly before the goal when goalkeeper ers Real Madrid, Bayern “Today we showed we are a very competent side despite second position with five points from three matches. Miguel Angel Moya picked up a thigh injury and had to be Munich, Porto, Paris St our recent results in the league,” Al Sadd coach Hussain Persepolis, who remain top having won their first two replaced by Jan Oblak. Germain and Monaco Ammouta said. “We got our planning right in the match and matches, were no match for the Saudi side, who led by an It was more of the same in the second half with a fired- already through. Atletico came out comfortable winners,” added the Moroccan, who Adrian Mierzejewski goal in the 32nd minute and never up Atletico pressing forward without really threatening and were beaten by Real in last had endured a tough few days as his side, who were neck and looked back, although they had to wait until late on to con- a well-organised Leverkusen looking to hit back on the year’s final. —AFP neck with Lekhwiya in the race towards an unprecedented solidate. — AFP.