Raphinha header helps 10-man Barca to nervy Valencia win

Raphinha header helps 10-man Barca to nervy Valencia win
Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Valencia at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP)
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Updated 06 March 2023
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Raphinha header helps 10-man Barca to nervy Valencia win

Raphinha header helps 10-man Barca to nervy Valencia win
  • The Brazilian winger nodded the Catalans in front in the 16th minute

BARCELONA: Barcelona clung on with 10 men to beat Valencia 1-0 and move 10 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga on Sunday, thanks to Raphinha’s early header.
The Brazilian winger nodded the Catalans in front in the 16th minute. But after Ferran Torres missed a penalty and Ronald Araujo was sent off, the hosts were left fighting tooth and nail for the three points.
“The important thing is we keep adding points and we have three more,” Raphinha told Movistar.
“It’s hard to play with one less man, we did what we needed to, moved deeper and we pulled out the win.”
Barca retreated in the final half hour following Araujo’s 59th minute red card but survived to beat Ruben Baraja’s Valencia, who are 19th and two points from safety.
Barcelona’s 1-0 Copa del Rey semifinal first-leg triumph over Real Madrid on Thursday followed two consecutive defeats, and this narrow victory felt like a significant step toward a first league title since 2019.
Madrid can cut the gap back to seven points later on at Real Betis, but were hoping a depleted Barcelona would stumble at Camp Nou.
Without top scorer Robert Lewandowski, midfield maestros Pedri and Gavi and winger Ousmane Dembele, the Catalans were unable to play their best football, but did just enough to win.
Along with Barcelona’s playing absentees, coach Xavi Hernandez was suspended too, watching from a box, with his brother and assistant Oscar in the dugout.
Valencia resisted early Barcelona pressure but came undone when Sergio Busquets lofted a pass into the area for Raphinha to meet with a cunning run and a header over Giorgi Mamardashvili.
It was Raphinha’s fifth league goal of the season and similar to his header against Osasuna which snatched Barcelona a vital win before the World Cup break.
Although the forward has not consistently shone since his move from Leeds United last summer, his goals in recent weeks have helped Barca cope with Dembele’s absence.
Raphinha fired a free-kick into the wall and curled another effort wide after a fine Alejandro Balde run as Barcelona looked to build on their strong start.
Remaining at the heart of the action, the Brazilian whipped in a cross for Ansu Fati who headed into the ground and off target when he should have tested Mamardashvili.
Valencia might have equalized when Samuel Lino slashed an effort wildly over the bar, with Barcelona’s defense caught out for the first time.
Former Barcelona youth player Ilaix Moriba stabbed an effort wide toward the end of the first half, as Los Che finally began to earn a foothold in the game.
Early in the second half, Barcelona should have moved two ahead when Hugo Guillamon was penalized for handball.
Torres grabbed the ball to take the penalty, although Fati also wanted it and the pair exchanged words, increasing the pressure on the Spaniard, who hit the post.
“Before the game we talked about who will take the penalties,” added Raphinha.
“Ansu wanted to, I understand that, it’s normal. He asked for it, but sometimes your team-mate lets you and sometimes he doesn’t. It happens in a lot of teams.”
Fati struck the near post himself moments later, before a mistake from Jules Kounde left Barcelona with 10 men.
The French defender’s ill-advised header back toward Marc-Andre ter Stegen sent Hugo Duro through on goal. Ronald Araujo dragged down the striker and saw red.
Valencia put pressure on Barcelona without troubling Ter Stegen, who kept his 18th La Liga clean sheet of the season.
The visitors might have been awarded a late penalty when Kessie tangled with Fran Perez, but the referee waved away their desperate — and not unfounded — appeals.
“I have the feeling we could have taken something more from here,” Guillamon told Movistar.
“I thought the referee was going to blow for (the penalty), he steps on him and there’s contact.”


More Bellingham heroics for Real Madrid in Champions League; Arsenal and Man United stunned

More Bellingham heroics for Real Madrid in Champions League; Arsenal and Man United stunned
Updated 6 sec ago
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More Bellingham heroics for Real Madrid in Champions League; Arsenal and Man United stunned

More Bellingham heroics for Real Madrid in Champions League; Arsenal and Man United stunned
  • The 20-year-old player has eight goals and three assists so far this season since joining Madrid from Borussia Dortmund
  • Bayern kept up their record winning run in the Champions League group stage — now at 15 games going back to 2020

LONDON: It was an English player’s night in the Champions League, even as both of the English teams in action lost.

Jude Bellingham made the difference again for Real Madrid in a thrilling 3-2 win at Napoli on Tuesday as Manchester United and Arsenal were beaten by Galatasaray and Lens, respectively.

Nine games into his Real Madrid career and Jude Bellingham is fast becoming the team’s star attraction.

The England midfielder assisted Vinicius Junior for one goal to level the score at 1-1 and then tore apart the Italian champion’s defense on his own to score. Even then, it needed an own-goal from Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret — after some unfortunate deflections — to hand Madrid the win.

It was the second Champions League game in a row where Bellingham played a vital role for Madrid after scoring the winning goal against Union Berlin. The 20-year-old player has eight goals and three assists so far this season since joining Madrid from Borussia Dortmund.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti paid tribute to Bellingham, saying he found it hard to believe the midfielder was still only 20.

ENGLISH TEAMS LOSE

Manchester United and Arsenal both lost to teams whose better days in European soccer were in the late 1990s and early 2000s — before Bellingham was born.

A 3-2 loss at home to Galatasaray despite two goals from Rasmus Højlund — United’s sixth defeat in 10 games in all competitions — means more pressure on manager Erik ten Hag.

In the space of 10 minutes, United gave up a 2-1 lead and had midfielder Casemiro sent off as Ten Hag’s team fell apart late against its Turkish opponent. Galatasaray scored in the 71st, won a penalty and missed it — with Casemiro picking up a second yellow card in the process — then scored again in the 81st. The winning goal was scored by Mauro Icardi, who had missed the spot kick shortly before.

That leaves United bottom of their group and four points behind Galatasaray in second place. United has conceded seven goals in their opening two Champions League games after losing their opener 4-3 to Bayern Munich last month.

Elye Wahi scored one goal and set up another to propel Lens to a 2-1 win over Arsenal. Arsenal had the lead through Gabriel Jesus’ 14th-minute goal before Wahi assisted Adrien Thomasson in the 25th and then scored himself with a chip in the 69th. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said his team “missed some big chances,” but is “just warming up and getting into our rhythm” at this stage of the season.

Arsenal’s victory over PSV Eindhoven last time out was a landmark — a win in their first Champions League game since the 2016-17 season — but the wait for Lens was much longer. The French team last won a Champions League game back in 2002 against AC Milan and hadn’t qualified for Europe’s top club competition again until this season.

WINNING RUN

Bayern kept up their record winning run in the Champions League group stage — now at 15 games going back to 2020 — but it was a tricky feat in a 2-1 win over a determined Copenhagen team.

Bayern’s Jamal Musiala leveled the score after Lukas Lerager had given the Danish team the lead, and it was 18-year-old Mathys Tel who scored the winner after combining with 34-year-old teammate Thomas Müller. The action wasn’t over yet, and Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich had to dive to stop an own-goal deep into added time.

Bayern haven’t lost for 36 group-stage games going back to 2017.

HEARTBREAK IN BERLIN

Two games, two heartbreaking losses in stoppage time for Union Berlin. What an introduction to the Champions League!

The German club lost their first-ever home Champions League game 3-2 to Braga on a goal in the fourth minute of added time from Andre Castro, two weeks after a 1-0 loss at Madrid on an equally late goal from Jude Bellingham.

Union had been leading 2-0 on two counterattack goals from Sheraldo Becker, but let Braga back into the game with two goals after failing to clear set pieces before the late winner from 35-year-old midfielder Castro. Madrid and Napoli are the other two teams in the group, meaning Union’s qualifying chances have already taken a heavy blow.

The 2-2 draw between PSV and Sevilla had more than its share of drama, with goals in the 86th, 87th and fifth minute of stoppage time as PSV twice recovered from a goal down.

Real Sociedad had a smoother time as it picked up its first Champions League win for 20 years, beating Salzburg 2-0 on first-half goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Brais Mendez.

Marcus Thuram scored the only goal of the game for last season’s Champions League runner-up Inter Milan in a 1-0 win over Benfica to move level on four points with Sociedad at the top of their group.


‘Out of my mind’: Alcaraz collapse sends Sinner to China Open final

‘Out of my mind’: Alcaraz collapse sends Sinner to China Open final
Updated 04 October 2023
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‘Out of my mind’: Alcaraz collapse sends Sinner to China Open final

‘Out of my mind’: Alcaraz collapse sends Sinner to China Open final
  • Sinner pointed to a key turning point when, serving at 2-1 in the second set, he recovered from 0-40 to open up a healthy lead
  • The China Open is taking place for the first time since 2019 after Beijing ditched its isolationist zero-COVID policy

BEIJING: Carlos Alcaraz said he went “out of my mind” during the second-set collapse that cost him his place at the China Open on Tuesday and handed Italy’s Jannik Sinner a spot in the men’s final against Daniil Medvedev in Beijing.

The world No. 2 had chances to take a decisive lead in a breathless first set but it tipped Sinner’s way when he cracked a blistering return off the Spaniard’s second serve to take the all-important tie-break.

Alcaraz — the Wimbledon champion and tournament favorite in Novak Djokovic’s absence — then fell apart, gifting Sinner three service games in an error-laden second set to give the world No. 7 a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 victory.

Sinner and Medvedev will go toe-to-toe for the trophy on Wednesday.

“In the second set, I was out of my mind,” said Alcaraz at a post-match news conference.

“I was just complaining a lot, (and) it’s really difficult to play your best if you’re complaining or mad at yourself,” the 20-year-old added.

“(I’ve been) trying to take my chances. Today, (I didn’t),” he said.

Sinner pointed to a key turning point when, serving at 2-1 in the second set, he recovered from 0-40 to open up a healthy lead.

“There are a couple of points (that) can change the momentum completely,” the 22-year-old said.

“I managed somehow to win these kinds of moments today, which obviously helped me in the following games to stay very calm mentally and play with a lot of confidence,” he said.

Earlier, third-ranked Medvedev hailed a “perfect service match” as he eased into the men’s final with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Alexander Zverev.

The match got off to a close-fought start but Medvedev then notched a crucial break of serve and managed to see out the first set.

It was a similar story in the second set, with the Russian breaking for 5-3 and serving out the match with a pair of fierce aces.

“I don’t think there was one bad thing I can say about my serve (today),” Medvedev said at a post-match news conference.

“I think the fact that the play was faster — the faster the court is, the easier you can hit aces... (and) the easier you feel when stepping into the serve,” the 27-year-old said.

The top-ranked women’s player Aryna Sabalenka said her performances in “key moments” were crucial to surviving a major scare in the second round, after she defeated unseeded Katie Boulter 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) in Beijing.

Sabalenka saved seven break points at 5-5 and then forced the stubborn Briton, ranked 56th in the world, into a rare backhand error to clinch the opening set.

The Belarusian notched another must-win break in the second set to again draw level at 5-5 before triumphing in a tie-break by slamming down an unreturned serve.

She will battle Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the next round for a place in the quarterfinals.

“I think what made the difference was that in the key moments I played a little bit better than her,” Sabalenka said at a post-match news conference.

“I think it was all about those last games in each set. She had the opportunity and I’m super glad that I didn’t give her those sets easily.”

US Open champion Coco Gauff also had to dig deep to get the better of Croatia’s Petra Martic in a rollercoaster tie that lasted three hours.

Martic was serving for the match against Gauff but the world number three fought back to take the game and went on to dominate the ensuing tie-break, winning 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7/2).

“Today was a mental victory. I was happy I was able to get through it,” said Gauff, who will face Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova in her next match.

World number two Iga Swiatek shook off a rain delay to glide past France’s Varvara Gracheva 6-4, 6-1 and set up a date with fellow Pole Magda Linette.

Fourth-ranked Jessica Pegula bounced back from a set down to beat Russia’s Anna Blinkova 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-1.

The China Open is taking place for the first time since 2019 after Beijing ditched its isolationist zero-COVID policy.


Neymar gets off the mark in vital Al-Hilal victory in Tehran

Neymar gets off the mark in vital Al-Hilal victory in Tehran
Updated 03 October 2023
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Neymar gets off the mark in vital Al-Hilal victory in Tehran

Neymar gets off the mark in vital Al-Hilal victory in Tehran
  • The Brazilian scored his first goal in five games since joining the Saudi side as they eased to a 3-0 away victory over Nassaji Mazandaran of Iran
  • Meanwhile, Al-Fayha made it three wins out of three for Saudi teams on matchday two, with a 2-0 victory over Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan

RIYADH: Neymar opened his goalscoring account for Al-Hilal on Tuesday as the Saudi side defeated Nassaji Mazandaran 3-0 in their Asian Champions League clash in Tehran. The goal came in the Brazilian’s fifth game since joining the Riyadh giants and it was worth the wait.

It has been a good few days for the team, who went top of the Roshn Saudi League at the weekend and are now looking good for a place in the knockout stages of the Asian tournament.

Tuesday’s game at the Azadi Stadium was a hard-fought, and sometimes bad-tempered, affair but it ended in a vital victory for the four-time ACL champions who, like their Iranian hosts, finished the game with 10 men.

After a disappointing 1-1 home draw with Navbahor in their opening game, Al-Hilal now sit top of Group D on four points, ahead of the Uzbeks on goal difference. Nassaji are close behind on three points, followed by Mumbai City, who lost their first two games.

Neymar was not first to hit the target on Tuesday; that honor belonged to Aleksandar Mitrovic, who opened the scoring after just 10 minutes. Salman Al-Faraj delivered the ball to the right wing, where a galloping Mohammed Al-Breik sent a looping cross toward Mitrovic, who got between two defenders on the edge of the six yard area to head home.

The main talking point of the first half came seven minutes before the break when both teams were reduced to 10 men. After Michael fouled fellow number 96 Mohammadreza Abbasi, the two sets of players confronted each other and, when the dust had settled on the general melee, Salman Al-Faraj and Amir Houshmand were singled out for red cards.

Nassaji goalkeeper Mohammed Rashid Mazaheri escorted Al-Faraj off the pitch to help protect the veteran midfielder from objects being hurled at him from the stand. Neymar, who started the game still looking for that elusive first goal since signing for Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in August, was also the target of cans and bottles thrown by home fans.

His revenge for this was sweet, however, and came two minutes before the hour mark. Nasser Al-Dawsari slipped the ball to him on the edge of the area and the former Barcelona star unleashed an unstoppable low, left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the net, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance. It was a perfect, world-class finish from the forward, who had missed a penalty against Al-Shabab last Friday.

Neymar almost grabbed a second four minutes later. Kalidou Koulibaly advanced powerfully into the Iranians’ half and then found Neymar on the left side of the area. The Brazilian fired a low shot that beat the goalkeeper but came back off the opposite post.

With 20 minutes remaining, Farshid Esmaeili also hit the woodwork but that was the closest that Nassaji, making their debut in the competition, would come.

It was Hilal’s night and there was still time for them to add a third. After a corner was cleared, Al-Dawsari fired toward goal from the edge of the area and the ball was turned into the net by Saleh Al-Shehri.

Meanwhile, Al-Fayha made it three wins out of three for Saudi teams on matchday two, with a 2-0 victory over Pakhtakor.

Abdelhamid Sabiri opened the scoring after 10 minutes and the Moroccan midfielder added a second with 19 minutes remaining to seal the win against the Uzbek side. It means that after an opening-game defeat to Ahal of Turkmenistan, the 2022 King’s Cup winners are back in the hunt.

Al-Nassr defeated Tajik side Istiklol 3-1 on Monday night, with Cristiano Ronaldo grabbing his first Asian Champions League goal in the process.

Al-Ittihad’s game against Sepahan in Iran on Monday was called off at the last minute, after the Saudi side refused to leave the dressing room because a monument to an assassinated Iranian general had been placed beside the pitch.


Saudi Arabia grab 2nd gold medal at 19th Asian Games

Saudi Arabia grab 2nd gold medal at 19th Asian Games
Updated 03 October 2023
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Saudi Arabia grab 2nd gold medal at 19th Asian Games

Saudi Arabia grab 2nd gold medal at 19th Asian Games
  • 20-year-old athlete Issa Ghazwani wins 800-meter race
  • Kingdom’s team increase medal tally to 2 golds, 2 silvers, 1 bronze

HANGZHOU: Saudi Arabia’s team collected their second gold medal at the 19th Asian Games after 20-year-old athlete Issa Ghazwani won the 800-meter race on Tuesday.
Ghazwani triumphed in a time of 1 minute, 48.05 seconds in Hangzhou, China, beating Indian contender Mohammed Afsal, who came in second in 1:48.43, with Hussein Al-Farsi, of Oman, third.
Tuesday’s gold means the Kingdom’s team have now increased their medal tally to five: two golds, two silvers and a bronze.
Saudi Arabian boxer Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi left the competition after losing to his North Korean opponent in the quarterfinal of the 51 kg category.
The Green Falcons basketball team were eliminated after losing 76-57 against Jordan in the quarterfinals.
The basketball team had qualified for the knockout stages after finishing second behind the Iranian team in Group One, which also included Kazakhstan and the UAE.
Saudi weightlifter Mahmoud Al-Hamid was eliminated from the competition after finishing seventh in the 73 kg category.
Al-Hamid lifted 147 kg in the snatch and 180 kg in the clean and jerk, but his total of 327 kg was not enough to secure qualification for the next stage.


India travel 3,400km for washed out World Cup game

India travel 3,400km for washed out World Cup game
Updated 03 October 2023
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India travel 3,400km for washed out World Cup game

India travel 3,400km for washed out World Cup game
  • India’s match against Netherlands in Thiruvananthapuram falls victim to rain
  • Pakistan clash against Netherlands on Friday for their first World Cup encounter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India’s superstar cricketers endured a 3,400km (2,170 miles) cross-country journey to play a World Cup warm-up only for the match to be abandoned without a ball being bowled on Tuesday.
India were to face the Netherlands in Thiruvananthapuram, on the southern tip of India, but they were left kicking their heels due to torrential rain.
On Saturday, their scheduled game against defending champions England up in the north-eastern city of Guwahati was also washed out.
In total, the wet weather has so far forced three warm-up matches to be abandoned while three others have been rain-affected, leaving teams and players frustrated ahead of the tournament’s start on Thursday.
The Netherlands have also had two washouts, including Saturday’s match against Australia which ended in a no result when rain ended their chase in 14.2 overs.
That game was also played in Thiruvananthapuram, sparing the Dutch a fruitless trip to another venue.
However, the weather forecast for the rest of the week in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Dharamsala — venues for first three days of the tournament — is optimistic with sunshine instead of showers.
England will play New Zealand in the tournament opener at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Pakistan clash with the Netherlands in Hyderabad on Friday, while Afghanistan and Bangladesh play in Dharamsala on Saturday.