TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015 SPORTS Rodgers defends players Indian lifters Arango sorry for biting LONDON: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has defended his players amid MEXICO: Venezuela captain Juan Arango has apologised to a rival player media reports of an acrimonious squad meeting following the 4-1 loss at test positive after biting him on the shoulder at the end of a tempestuous Mexican Arsenal at the weekend, their second Premier League defeat in a row. league match. Speaking to reporters ahead of Wednesday’s FA Cup quarter-final replay at NEW DELHI: The Indian Weightlifting Federation will suspend at least Arango’s Tijuana side were losing 4-3 to Monterrey with just seconds left Blackburn Rovers, Rodgers praised “a great bunch of players who work tireless- three of its regional units after 21 lifters tested positive for banned ly every single day and give me everything”. Asked whether a reported ‘crisis when he went up to midfielder Jesus Zavala and bit him. substances over the last 12 months, the IWF secretary told Reuters “I did something I shouldn’t have done with Zavala,” the 34-year old meeting’ had taken place at the club’s Melwood training ground, he added: “It yesterday. was nothing really, it was just purely analysing performances and where we are midfielder said. “I spoke to him after the game and apologised, it was a at ... it’s just unfortunate something else was made of it”. The majority of the lifters who failed drug tests hail from Delhi, very hot-blooded game, I got heated up, I took that negative attitude, that Rodgers said the heart to heart with his squad was par for the course at Punjab and Haryana and have been provisionally suspended pending isn’t me but unfortunately it happened. We exchanged shirts after the fifth-placed Liverpool who also lost their previous league match at home to the results of their B sample tests, IWF secretary D. Chandrahas Rai game, we spoke and that’s it.” Manchester United. “We have lots of meetings here in terms of analysing per- said by telephone. The lifters were tested by the IWF or the national Zavala fell to the ground and later posted a photo of the bit mark on formances,” he explained. “This was no different really to a whole host of meet- anti-doping agency during five domestic tournaments and also out- social media. The incident was reminiscent of Uryguayan Luis ings that we have had throughout the year.” Rodgers said Liverpool, of-competition. Suarez’s bite on Italian Giorgio Cheillini’s shoulder during last who are now seven points adrift of the Champions League qualifi- “Majority of them are from the north Indian state units. We have year’s World Cup. cation places, would now focus firmly on the clash with decided a two-year suspension for units with two or more lifters who Suarez was given a nine-game suspension from interna- Championship club Blackburn. “It’s a real strong objective for us fail the B test as well,” he said. tional matches and a four-month ban from league action. The this season to do well in the cup competitions and this is an “The guilty lifters will be suspended for four years and there will be opportunity for us to get to another semi-final,” he added. referee in Sunday’s Mexican league game ended the game “This was always going to be a game that was very important a two-year ban on their coaches. Nobody will be spared,” Rai added. seconds after the bite and did not take action against Arango. for us despite the (Arsenal) defeat.” Rodgers is expecting a The IWF did not disclose details about the banned substances used The league’s disciplinary commission could still punish him. tough match following the 0-0 draw in the first game at but revealed the tainted lifters included 2006 Commonwealth Games Tijuana are top of the table with 23 points from 12 games. Anfield last month. —Reuters gold medallist Geeta Rani. — Reuters Monterrey are in 10th on 16 points. — Reuters Capitals clip Red Wings DETROIT: Mike Green had a goal and an Montreal on a 5-on-3 power play, sweeping assist as the Washington Capitals beat in a wrist shot between Ellis’ legs at 6:36. Detroit 2-1 on Sunday, putting the Red The teams traded goals just 46 seconds Wings in an anxious spot as they try to apart in the second period. Ekblad tied it extend their streak of postseason appear- on a power play at 6:20 for his 12th goal by ances. beating Price low on the glove side. Braden Holtby stopped 35 shots and Gallagher regained Montreal’s lead for Evgeny Kuznetsov also scored for good by finishing a 2-on-1 off a pass from Washington, which moved into second Subban. Parenteau and Smith-Pelley place in the Metropolitan Division. The capped the scoring later in the second. Capitals clinched a playoff berth when Ottawa lost to Toronto in a shootout. BLUES 2, BLACKHAWKS 1 Darren Helm scored for Detroit, and Petr Olli Jokinen and David Backes scored in Mrazek finished with 26 saves. Kuznetsov the second period as St. Louis won its third put the Capitals ahead 3:38 into the game, straight to move into first place in the firing a shot that bounced off Drew Miller’s Central Division. stick and past Mrazek. The Blues improved to 105 points, one Green made it 2-0 at 4:42 of the second more than idle Nashville, with three games as he ripped a shot that hit the top of remaining for both teams. Chicago’s Kris Mrazek’s glove before settling in the top Versteeg scored to end a 16-game drought right corner of the net for his 10th of the without a goal, but the Blackhawks’ four- season. Helm got the Red Wings on the game winning streak ended and they board with his 14th of the season with 7:01 remained two points behind Nashville in left in the second. third place in the rugged Central. Jake Allen made 38 saves for St. Louis FLYERS 4, PENGUINS 1 and Corey Crawford stopped 31 shots for Steve Mason made 46 saves, and Chicago in a physical game between divi- Philadelphia scored three power-play goals sion rivals that had ample chippy to beat Pittsburgh. Jakub Voracek, Brayden moments. Schenn and Michael Del Zotto all scored with the man-advantage, and Ryan White MAPLE LEAFS 3, SENATORS 2 also had a goal for the Flyers. Peter Holland scored the winning goal Philadelphia, which is eliminated from in the seventh round of the shootout to lift playoff contention, completed a season Toronto. Joffrey Lupul and James van sweep of its Pennsylvania state rival. Riemsdyk scored in regulation for the Brandon Sutter scored on the power play Maple Leafs, and Jonathan Bernier had 43 late in the first period for Pittsburgh to tie saves through overtime. the score at 1-all. The Penguins have Erik Karlsson and rookie Mark Stone dropped 10 of their last 13 games and sud- scored for Ottawa, and Andrew Hammond denly face the prospect of playing for a finished with 36 saves - including 21 in the postseason spot. first period. Mika Zibanejad scored in the first round CANADIENS 4, PANTHERS 1 of the shootout for Ottawa, and Lupul tied Carey Price stopped 24 shots to pick up it in the second. Neither team broke his league-leading 42nd win and Tomas through again until Holland’s game-winner. Plekanec scored his 200th career goal as Despite the loss, the Senators picked up Montreal beat Florida. a valuable point, pulling two behind SAN ANTONIO: Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (center) looks to pass around San Antonio Spurs forward Aron Baynes (right) of Brendan Gallagher, P.A. Parenteau and Detroit, Boston and Pittsburgh - who are Australia, as Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, of Argentina, looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game. — AP Devante Smith-Pelly also scored for tied for the last three playoff spots in the Montreal. Aaron Ekblad scored for Florida, Eastern Conference with three games left and Dan Ellis finished with 23 saves. for each team. Ottawa hosts Pittsburgh Spurs roll past Warriors Plekanec opened the scoring with today. — AP SAN ANTONIO: Kawhi Leonard matched his as the Cavs moved closer to a Central of the Western Conference playoffs. career-high with 26 points and set a career- Division title and securing the No. 2 seed in high with seven steals and the San Antonio the Eastern Conference playoffs. JAZZ 101, KINGS 95 Spurs rolled past Golden State 107-92 on Mike Dunleavy scored 24 and Aaron Rodney Hood scored 13 of his season- Sunday, ending the Warriors’ 12-game win- Brooks 17 for the Bulls, who could have star high 25 points in the fourth quarter and the ning streak while extending their own to sev- guard Derrick Rose back in the next few days. Utah Jazz pulled away. The Jazz were cling- en straight. James finished with 20 points, 12 assists ing to an 83-82 lead with 6:10 remaining San Antonio also extended its home win- and 10 rebounds, his first triple-double in a when Hood scored the first nine points of a ning streak over Golden State to 32 straight. Cleveland uniform since May 13, 2010, two 14-2 run. Tim Duncan had 19 points and Danny Green months before he left as a free agent for He had a pair of three-point plays and a 3- added 18 points for San Antonio, which led Miami.