27 Sports Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Huddersfield off bottom of Premier League after beating Fulham 1-0 Fosu-Mensah’s first-half own goal give Huddersfield first home win HUDDERSFIELD: Timothy Fosu-Mensah’s first-half after and Alex Pritchard’s brilliant effort from outside own goal gave Huddersfield a 1-0 home win against the area was expertly clawed away by Fulham goal- Fulham and their first Premier League victory of the keeper Sergio Rico. season on Monday. Fosu-Mensah headed into his own But Huddersfield’s agonising wait for a goal at home net, under pressure from Town’s Christopher Schindler was finally over in the 29th minute, making it 659 min- as Huddersfield halted an eight-game home run without utes in total. Chris Lowe crossed deep from the left and a top-flight goal and moved above Fulham and Cardiff German centre-half Schindler saw his header deflect at the foot of the table. into the net off Fosu-Mensah. It was the 29th goal con- The Terriers’ winless league run stretched back to ceded this season by Fulham, who did not manage a April — 14 league games in total-but manager David single effort on target before the break, such was Wagner was able to celebrate on the night of his third Huddersfield’s whirlwind first-half performance. anniversary in charge with a morale-boosting victory. Fulham boss Jokanovic sent on Kevin McDonald and Fulham’s fifth successive league defeat did little to Cyrus Christie for Luciano Vietto and Fosu-Mensah at ease the pressure on boss Slavisa Jokanovic, whose the interval and the Londoners began the second half side’s own run without a league win was extended to with more intent. Christie’s cut-back was cleared eight matches. “I don’t care who scored it or how we behind by Hogg and Mooy headed away the corner. performed,” said Wagner. “People know we can per- The Terriers continued to harry and chase and form better. The pressure was on for both teams but Pritchard fired narrowly off target in the 68th minute. how we fought-we left everything on the grass. Substitute McDonald had been forced out of the action “It was deserved. First half we were clear and sec- due to a knock but Fulham began to make a fist of it. ond half we were able to keep them away from our Schindler blocked Aleksandar Mitrovic’s shot and goal. “This is huge for us. We have the winning feeling Andre Schuerrle’s effort was ruled out for an offside back. For sure it is one of the most important wins decision against the former in the 74th minute. we’ve had in the last three years. Everybody needed Schuerrle shot off target again, while Town substitute this belief back. It’s massive for us.” Isaac Mbenza also spurned two half chances when sent Huddersfield almost halted their barren spell in spec- through on goal in the closing stages. HUDDERSFIELD: Fulham’s Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic (L) vies with Huddersfield Town’s Danish defender Mathias tacular fashion when Philip Billing’s 30-yard thunder- Town were not to be denied however-and the first Jorgensen (R) during the English Premier League football match between Huddersfield Town and Fulham at the John bolt struck the crossbar in the 15th minute. Steve top-flight meeting between the two sides since 1952 Smith’s stadium in Huddersfield, northern England on Monday. —AFP Mounie headed Aaron Mooy’s cross tamely over soon ended in their favour. — AFP Bale under scrutiny Matches on TV again as Madrid feel (Local Timings) the love for Vinicius UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Valencia C.F v BSC Young Boys 20:55 MADRID: “Bale es fantastico”, Real Madrid’s interim beIN SPORTS HD 2 coach Santiago Solari said, but still took him off in the CSKA Moscow v AS Roma 20:55 71st minute against Real Valladolid on Saturday. beIN SPORTS HD 1 Madrid were drifting towards a 0-0 draw at their Bayern Munich v AEK Athens 23:00 Santiago Bernabeu home and, searching for inspira- beIN SPORTS HD 5 tion, it was Bale’s number 11 that came up. He depart- SL Benfica v Ajax Amsterdam 23:00 ed to whistles from the fans even if Solari, perhaps beIN SPORTS HD 4 deliberately, spared him being replaced directly by Juventus FC v Manchester United 23:00 Vinicius Junior. beIN SPORTS HD 1 Nevertheless, the 18-year-old came on two minutes Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk 23:00 later and made the difference, his shot deflecting in to beIN SPORTS HD 2 give Madrid the lead. “Another day, Gareth will score,” Olympique Lyonnais v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 23:00 Solari said. “And everyone will celebrate.” beIN SPORTS HD 6 But those quickest to criticise Bale are circling again FC Viktoria Plzenv Real Madrid CF 23:00 ahead of the trip to Viktoria Plzen in the Champions beIN SPORTS HD 3 League today. Support for Vinicius has been intense and Bale is seen as the one standing in the way. “Vinicius puts Bale in trouble,” read the frontpage of MADRID: File photo shows Real Madrid’s Welsh forward Gareth Bale heads the ball during the Spanish league AS on Monday. football match between Real Madrid CF and Real Valladolid FC at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Fernandinho the One week into his still-temporary tenure at Real, November 3, 2018. — AFP Solari is confronting the familiar problem of how to get the best out of Bale, now the team¥s most potent glue binding threat. This season, free of both injury and Cristiano taken off seven times, five of those when his team were cocious talent but he has fewer appearances for Real in Ronaldo, he started well, posting four goals and two chasing a goal. Once, with the game at 0-0 against his career than Bale has goals since August. assists from his first six games. Atletico Madrid, he was replaced due to injury. The “Footballers cannot fight against what goes on surging Man But an adductor problem last month, combined with other four - while level with Athletic Bilbao and around them,” Solari said. “The media, the fans, they are the team’s crash under Julen Lopetegui, disrupted his Valladolid, and trailing Barcelona and Alaves - the rea- excited about Vinicius and that is fantastic, but his City together rhythm. He has returned but is still not fully fit. His per- soning was less obvious. virtues are as evident as his weaknesses and his age. He formances have lacked edge. Those calling for Vinicius to take Bale’s spot perhaps has had almost no time to mature.” Still, the number of times Bale has been substituted overlook the Welshman’s 24 goals in 41 appearances If Solari believes the excitement around the MANCHESTER: Among a dazzling array of midfield has been a surprise, not least because his withdrawals last season. Two of them won Real Madrid the teenager is worth harnessing, perhaps the Brazilian options, it is the often unheralded Fernandinho who have often come in the moments when Madrid should Champions League final in May. Vinicius, signed from could slot into a front three alongside Bale, rather Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has relied on need him most. In his last nine matches, Bale has been Flamengo for 45 million euros in the summer, is a pre- than instead of him. — AFP most in another stunning start to the season for the Premier League champions. The Brazilian will face old club Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday as City seek to make amends from the only Kovac,” ex-Bayern and Germany mid- blip of their campaign so far, a shock 2-1 defeat to Lyon Embattled fielder Lothar Matthaeus told Sky. in their last Champions League home game. German magazine Kicker on Monday If any reminder was needed over Guardiola’s influ- claim senior players Thomas Mueller, ence, he was banned from the touchline that night. Bayern hunt Mats Hummels, Franck Ribery and Arjen Since his return, City have won nine and drawn one, a Robben are all unhappy with Kovac’s 0-0 stalemate away to Liverpool, of their last 10 games, Thiago coachings style. scoring 29 goals and conceding just two in the process. The main problem seems to be rotat- Although fulsome in his praise of the maturing cen- ing Bayern’s star-studded squad, leav- tre-back pairing Aymeric Laporte and John Stones, replacement ing Mueller and Hummels discontented Guardiola’s defensive philosophy is dependent on a with their amount of playing time. team effort to keep the ball as far away from City’s goal Robben was left fuming after being tak- as possible. MUNICH: Bayern Munich are strug- en off in Saturday’s draw against “Always we try to convince our players as far away gling to fill the creative hole left by Freiburg, the eighth time he has been the ball is from our goal, we are safe. It’s much, much Thiago Alcantara’s injury as they taken off in 13 matches this season. better. The moment the ball is around our box, anything host AEK in the Champions League Bayern’s attack is failing to fire and can happen,” said Guardiola this week. today trying to secure a last 16 berth Kovac seems to be at a loss for words “In 10 years I was always concerned, always with trouble brewing for head coach how to fix the problem. focused, maybe more than any other thing, in defending Niko Kovac.