Football Earth

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Barcelona 2-0 Real Sociedad: Neymar and Pedro down David Moyes' men

David Moyes did his best to help out old friend Carlo Ancelotti in the Spanish title race but his team's stubborn resistance was finally broken by Neymar as Barcelona beat Real Sociedad.

With a spectacular finish from Pedro to double Barcelona's advantage they were comfortable winners in the end but they had been anything but comfortable for long periods of the game.

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has nothing on Moyes this week – the former Everton and Manchester United manager's team looked far more solid than the Germans had at the Nou Camp four days earlier.

There was also no hurried change of plan after 15 minutes either as Real Sociedad frustrated throughout the first half and did not concede until the 50-minute mark.

They had 22-year-old Argentine goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli to thank for a large part of the resistance. He was in brilliant form and Moyes deployed the tactic of funnelling Barcelona's attacks in-field where there were plenty of blue and white striped shirts to block, tackle and rob.

When the first goal came it was Neymar who scored it. He has now netted in all six of last games and it was his 50th for the club. Barcelona's front three have scored 112 goals this season. He was mobbed by team-mates relieved at the deadlock being broken after such a difficult first period.

Messi had been the first to try and fail to beat young Rulli with a looping header from just inside the area that the keeper batted away. Then the man, who destroyed Bayern inside three minutes in midweek, set up Neymar and the Brazilian was also foiled by the visiting keeper.

Real were getting tight to their illustrious rivals. Both Alberto De la Bella and Markel Bergara were booked for getting too tight with late challenges and Luis Suarez was thumped from behind by Iñigo Martinez but this time referee Ignacio Iglesias' cards stayed in his pocket.

Barcelona needed a win to stay clear of Real Madrid playing Valencia later on Saturday night and both Dani Alves and Gerard Pique were joining the Barcelona attacks as often as possible.

He was denied by Rulli too as Barcelona continued to lay siege to Real Sociedad's goal. Messi then found Suarez in space at the back post but the former Liverpool striker headed unselfishly across the face of the goal instead of goalwards. The bounced invitingly in front of Xavi and Neymar but perhaps thinking Suarez would go for goal himself, no one reacted and the ball went out of play.

The nerves were starting to creep into Barcelona's play with Rafinha putting the ball straight out for a goalkeeper. And when the half-time whistle went Messi hammered the ball skywards in frustration at a wasted half.

Real walked off tall at the break feeling they had gone toe-to-toe with the best team in Europe at the moment and not conceded. Mikel Gonzalez throwing himself at Rafinha's shot just before the break had summed up the performance. Was it really going to be one of those days?

Bartra almost headed a Xavi corner into the top corner with Barcelona's first chance of the second half but that man Rulli was there again to tip the ball away for another corner.

Both Andres Iniesta and Sergi Busquets were now warming up and Luis Enrique was starting to move around his technical area almost as anxiously as Moyes but on 50 minutes the Camp Nou breathed a huge sigh of relief as Mikel Gonalez flicked on a Messi's diagonal pass and at the far post Neymar ghosted in to put Barca ahead.

It was a credit to Real Sociedad that they had held out for so long but Moyes will not have seen it that way – the Brazilian was unmarked when he beat Rulli. His team were not completely out of it and it was a measure of the threat they still posed that Mascherano was put back into the centre of defence for the substituted Bartra and the Argentine was immediately booked for flying into a tackle on Xabi Prieto.

Moyes threw on Alfredo Finnbogason and Chory Castro and Barça continued to wobble at the back but then came the spectacular second. Suarez, Adriano and Messi linked up and Pedro bicycle kicked the ball over Rulli and just under his crossbar.

Real Sociedad has gone away empty-handed but Moyes had given them another glimpse of the future. It was an example how he can make teams difficult to beat. It had been a very uncomfortable afternoon for Barcelona – for more uncomfortable than the evening they spent putting three past Bayern Munich in midweek.

For Barcelona there are now two hurdles left to clear. Next week they face Atletico Madrid, strike pending. And Deportivo come to the Nou Camp for the final game of the season a week later. A run of wins that now totals 28 in 30 matches continues to take them towards the treble.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace: Blues clinch Premier League title as Eden Hazard heads home after seeing initial penalty saved

By the end of the day, all those in Chelsea blue had what they came for and Roman Abramovich was waving and smiling down from his executive seat.

When you see Abramovich crack his surly Russian visage and display such emotion, you are witnessing a special moment, and here was his fourth Barclays Premier League title in 12 years since buying the club.

It ends a wait of five years and was clinched with three games to spare, thanks to a goal from Eden Hazard, who nodded in the rebound of a poor penalty he had seen saved, just before half-time.

Chelsea had to dig in and defend but Jose Mourinho's team do this so well. They produced another clean sheet and the best team in the land are the champions.

Out came the streamers and that song by Queen. Champagne corks popped and the bubbly was sprayed, scarves were wrapped around heads and players slid across the turf on their bellies. Messages, photographs and videos started to fly from their social media accounts.

The DJ moved onto 'One Step Beyond', a ska anthem of celebration at Stamford Bridge and it all began to sink in: a first Premier League title for many of the squad, including Hazard.

He was an appropriate match-winner on such a day, although his scruffy goal came with accusations that he dived for the penalty and there were uneasy moments when the coronation party seemed about to fall flat.

Mourinho's touchline activities provided a strange side-show. At times he sulked moodily, clearly dissatisfied with the support of the home crowd for his team, while seeming to court the noisy Palace fans in the Shed End.

The Chelsea manager ignored those in the Matthew Harding Stand when they sang his name and then seemed to react angrily when they sang Frank Lampard's.

'It was not a game to enjoy,' said Mourinho, who has been under added stress since his father, Felix, suffered a brain haemorrhage, last week. He dashed to Portugal by private plane after winning at Leicester, returned to the club and made another flying visit home on Friday.

'I was there with him at the most difficult moment, the moment of surgery,' he added. 'After that, everything is under control. He is getting strong and better and I am much more relaxed.'

On Sunday his wife Matilde was in the crowd. She rarely comes to watch but this was a special occasion and Mourinho went straight to her on the final whistle.

Palace made Chelsea sweat for the points, but these players have been injected with the sort of brutal mentality which is the hallmark of Mourinho's teams.

When not playing fluently, they still find a way to win. Rather than snipe and whinge about their style of football, his rivals might prefer to adopt this quality which Chelsea have boasted since he built his first team at the Bridge.

It has been most evident in the title run-in, when Mourinho's small squad was beset by injuries, most notably to top-scorer Diego Costa. Oscar was missing on Sunday and Ramires was taken ill during the warm-up and sent to hospital, which catapulted Juan Cuadrado into the team.

Cuadrado has not found his stride since arriving from Fiorentina in January and he struggled again. He did not make it past half-time. John Obi Mikel replaced him, the first of several defensive shifts from Chelsea.

By the end, Mourinho had six recognised defenders on the pitch protecting the one-goal lead plus midfield enforcers Mikel and Nemanja Matic.

Palace can be flattered. They had performed well, initially offering stubborn resistance which played on frayed nerves inside Stamford Bridge and then threatening on the break until the final seconds of the game.

Goalkeeper Julian Speroni denied Matic and Didier Drogba before Hazard won the penalty, threading a pass to Willian, collecting the return and wriggling into the box from his usual berth, wide on the left.

James McArthur closed him down and tried to pull out of the tackle but Hazard forced the contact. At real-speed, it seemed a penalty and referee Kevin Friend gave it in a flash. On the slow-motion replays, it looked more like Hazard had engineered it.

The Belgian put the ball on the spot and took it himself, but his kick was tame and easily saved by Speroni. It was the first time Hazard had missed from the spot in the Premier League, but this one looped up, straight onto his head.

Hazard seized this second chance. He buried a header inside the post and ran off to soak up the applause while mopping his brow in mock relief.

Palace fans were in no doubt what they thought. Hazard's first touch of the second-half was greeted with a chorus of: 'He's gonna dive in a minute.'

Pardew refused to wade into controversy on Chelsea's day of celebration, but he thought his team deserved a penalty for handball against John Terry as he blocked a fierce drive by Jason Puncheon when the game was goalless.

'They're difficult once they go ahead,' said the Palace boss. 'That's what champions do, they don't let you back in once they take the lead. They've had two defeats all season and they've done the job. That's why this guy earns the money he earns. He wins trophies and he'll win the manner he sees fit for the occasion.'

Chelsea could not find a second to soothe the nerves. Increasingly desperate efforts came in from increasingly ambitious angles but it was Puncheon who came closest to changing the result, with another flashing effort which zipped inches wide.

When Thibaut Courtois blocked the final effort at Wilfried Zaha's feet to preserve the slender lead it seemed like the best way to cross the line: goal conjured by Hazard, followed by a solid display of defensive might.

Chelsea are champions. Worthy champions, it has to be said. More than one step beyond.

Juventus seals fourth consecutive Serie A title

Juventus wrapped up their fourth straight Serie A title after a routine 1-0 win over Sampdoria at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

The Old Lady had been 14 points clear of their nearest rivals Lazio ahead of the game and made sure of the Scudetto thanks to Arturo Vidal's goal.

Vidal was able to head in off the post from a Stephan Lichtsteiner cross on 32 minutes, continuing the Chilean's good run of form for Juventus.

It means the pressure now shifts to Juventus' Champions League semi-final clash against Real Madrid, with coach Massimiliano Allegri having rested some players for Saturday's match against Sampdoria.

It could have proven tricky with hosts Sampdoria themselves chasing a Europa League spot, but Juventus duly clinched their title, rekindling memories of their success in the 1930s when the Bianconeri won five straight league titles.

La Liga: Cristiano Ronaldo nets hat-trick as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 3-2

Cristiano Ronaldo hit a record-breaking 25th La Liga treble as Real Madrid won a tricky match at Sevilla 3-2 on Saturday.

Barca moved a step closer to their fifth La Liga title in seven years but Real trail them by only two points with three games left in the season.

Champions Atletico Madrid lacked creativity against Athletic Bilbao and were held to a 0-0 draw but remained in the driving seat for third place with a seven-point lead over Valencia who play Eibar on Sunday.

Suarez's prolific form has brought the Uruguayan 17 goals from his last 16 games in all competitions while Messi has 40 goals -- two less than top scorer Ronaldo.

Ronaldo now has the highest number of hat-tricks in La Liga history, one more than Messi.

He headed home an Isco cross after 36 minutes and a minute later Javier Hernandez flicked on a James Rodriguez cross to the Portuguese who beat keeper Sergio Rico from six yards.

Substitute Gareth Bale crossed for a fine header by Ronaldo from a narrow angle to complete his hat-trick after 69 minutes and condemn Sevilla to their first home defeat in 35 matches in all competitions.

Ivan Rakitic volleyed into the roof of the net to give Barca the lead after 42 minutes at Cordoba and Suarez slotted home in first-half stoppage time.

Messi headed in straight after the restart, with further headers from Suarez and Gerard Pique as Barcelona hit their stride.

Messi scored into an open net with 10 minutes to go and Neymar converted a penalty after he was brought down by defender Adrian Gunino.

Barca showed no mercy with Suarez striking again two minutes from time to seal a resounding win.

"Football is a very complex sport. We are on the right road but you have to start again before each game and look to create the play in order to get the results," Barca coach Luis Enrique told reporters.

"The goals from Ivan and Luis have got us going and then in the second half we were very effective in front of goal.

"These were three key points and I am very pleased with the result."

Real were still without Luka Modric and Karim Benzema while Bale was only fit to start the game on the bench.

Sevilla, who held Barcelona to a draw last month, started well and caused problems for the Real defence down the wings with Jose Antonio Reyes in particular a threat.

The Andalusian side though were down to 10 men when Ronaldo pounced for his first two goals as Grzegorz Krychowiak was on the sidelines after a clash of heads with Sergio Ramos.

Sevilla fought back and Carlos Bacca scored a penalty before halftime after Ramos felled Aleix Vidal.

After Ronaldo added his third Vicente Iborra scored from a Vidal cross and although Real had to resort to last-ditch defending they hung on for the victory.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/la-liga-cristiano-ronaldo-nets-hattrick-as-real-madrid-beat-sevilla-32/543407-5-21.html

Massacre in Cordoba, 8-0

Lionel Messi scored his 40th league goal of the season and Luis Suarez grabbed his first Barcelona hat-trick as the league leaders won 8-0 to stay clear at the top with just three games left to play.

Ivan Rakitic, Gerard Pique and Neymar also scored as Barcelona breezed past Cordoba in the sweltering heat on Saturday.

Messi has now scored 51 goals in all competitions this season breaking the half-century mark for the fourth time in his career. In the 2010-11 season he scored 53 goals. He got 73 the following season and in the 2012-13 campaign he scored 60. He could have got a third but handed Neymar the ball for the Brazilian to score a late penalty.

It was six years to the day that Barcelona had beaten Real Madrid 6-2 in the Santiago Bernabeu in one of their most famous victories. This was a fitting tribute to that result.

The omens were not all good for Barca going into the game. Back in the 1971-72 season they had blown the league in the penultimate week of the season by losing 1-0 at Cordoba. But they made sure history did not repeat itself.

In the 32 degree heat they created chances from the start. In just two minutes Andres Iniesta linked with Suarez and Neymar but the Brazilian fired his shot over the bar.

On four minutes another chance was wasted when Dani Alves combined with Neymar but Messi could not get his shot away.

Cordoba were defending well and threatening on the break with Florin Andone heading Edimar’s cross over. But at the other end Barcelona were getting closer to breaking the deadlock.

Messi dribbled around three Cordoba players after receiving the ball just inside the area from Javier Mascherano but his shot lacked the power to beat Juan Carlos in the Cordoba goal.

Suarez then laid the ball off to Iniesta and from the perfect position his weak, poorly directed shot was blocked for a corner.

With Barcelona’s first attack after the break Messi headed in Alves’ cross from the right. And with their second attack Suarez glanced a header into the far corner from another centre from the Brazilian full-back.

Neymar completed a hat-trick of misses when he shot well wide of the target from Suarez’ cross but by now Cordoba’s defence had switched off and only Pique jumped in the area to power Rakitic’ corner home for 5-0 and 102 goals in La Liga.

Goal 103 came when Messi poked in from close range after the referee allowed play to continue after Suarez had been bundled over in the area. Messi got to the ball just ahead of Neymar to finish but made it up to him when he let him take the next penalty after the Brazilian had been brought down.

Suarez swept in a rebound after a Xavi shot from distance had been blocked and that made if 105 league goals.

The former Liverpool striker took home the match ball safe in the knowledge that with three more wins he will get his hands on a league winners medal this season.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Celta Vigo 2-4 Real Madrid: Hernandez the hero again

http://www.goal.com/en/match/celta-de-vigo-vs-real-madrid/1821993/report

The Mexico striker scored the winner in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg victory over Atletico Madrid and scored twice on Sunday night in La Liga.

Javier Hernandez was Real Madrid's hero for the second time in a week as his two goals helped Carlo Ancelotti's side come from behind to beat Celta Vigo 4-2.

The Mexico striker netted the crucial winner in Real's 1-0 defeat over Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday and was decisive again on Sunday night.

Former Barca winger Nolito opened the scoring for Celta with a fine individual effort early on, though any

celebrations in the Catalan capital will have been short-lived as Toni Kroos quickly equalised.

Hernandez, again playing in place of the injured Karim Benzema, put the visitors ahead, but their risky high defensive line allowed Santi Mina to score his fifth goal in three games before the half-hour mark.

James Rodriguez's deflected effort just before the break gave Real the lead once again, though the second half proved a serious assessment of their credentials, as the visiting defence withstood periods of intense pressure.

Nevertheless, Hernandez coolly stroked home the winner with 21 minutes to go, sparing Ancelotti's blushes once again as Madrid avoided a repeat of last season's crucial slip-up at Balaidos which ended their title hopes.

A repeat of that result had been on the cards as Celta's positive start was rewarded with just nine minutes played. Nolito brilliantly slalomed between Dani Carvajal and Asier Illarramendi before cutting in from the left flank and tucking a shot just inside the left-hand post.

But the visitors' reply was swift as they restored parity just seven minutes later.

Cristiano Ronaldo caused havoc in the Celta backline with a darting run into the right side of the area and Kroos was on hand to steer home in emphatic fashion from 12 yards despite Hugo Mallo's initial interception.

Hernandez completed the turnaround in the 24th minute, placing a cool finish under Sergio Alvarez after combining with Rodriguez down the right to devastating effect.

But Celta rallied and hit back within a few moments, as Mina raced beyond the Madrid defence and finished at the second attempt after hitting the post when running in on Iker Casillas' goal.

Ancelotti's side's chances of retaking the lead before the break seemed to end with Ronaldo striking the post in the 40th minute, but luck was on their side with their next attack when Rodriguez found the net from 20 yards via a deflection off Andreu Fontas.

Celta enjoyed victory at Barcelona in November and showed no sign of holding back. And their attacking endeavour could well have been rewarded with a penalty shortly before the hour mark when Kroos tripped Fabian Orellana in the box.

However, Madrid were happy to hit the hosts on the counter and Sergio Ramos' exquisite chipped pass released Hernandez to clinically beat Alvarez to cap a fine week individually and seal a result which keeps their hopes of winning La Liga alive.

Arsenal deny Chelsea but José Mourinho’s side edge closer to title

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/26/arsenal-chelsea-premier-league-match-report

By the end, there was the unmistakable feeling that all Arsenal were doing was delaying the inevitable. The earliest Chelsea can win the title now is at home to Crystal Palace next Sunday and, if not then, the following week against Liverpool. The only question is when the coronation happens but the real detail is that the victory parade has already been arranged for 25 May – and there was nothing Arsenal could do here to make that feel even the slightest bit premature.

Instead, we had the result that everybody could probably have predicted when they saw José Mourinho had started with a team devoid of an orthodox centre-forward. Chelsea, once again, showed their qualities of structure and defensive organisation and it is now five games since Arsenal last managed a goal against them. Arsène Wenger has still not beaten Mourinho in 13 attempts and Chelsea stubbornly refused to be drawn into the kind of match that would suit their opponents.

“Boring, boring Chelsea,” Arsenal’s supporters taunted. Mourinho came prepared into his press conference. “Boring?” he asked. “Ten years without a title – that’s boring.”

As put-downs go, it was one of his better ones. Yet he could hardly deny Chelsea’s conservatism. The tactic was to keep at least half a dozen players behind the ball and insure themselves against the counterattack, Wenger’s weapon of choice. Chelsea are grinding their way to glory but, boy, they are good at these smothering techniques.

John Terry made it seem implausible he was not even on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award, leading Mourinho to describe it as the greatest performance he had seen from his captain. César Azpilicueta excelled at left-back and at the final whistle the fist-pumping told its own story. Branislav Ivanovic launched himself into the air. Terry let out a cry of pent-up emotion. Gary Cahill embraced Azpilicueta. That sturdy quartet of thou-shall-not-pass defenders punched the sky and screamed their delight in a collective appreciation of their own work.

Did Chelsea come for the scoreless draw? No, Mourinho always wants to win but the priority was certainly to hold the fort – and there is no better team in England when it comes to subduing high-calibre opponents. It is the first time Wenger’s team have dropped points at home since November and we have to go back to the previous February to find the last occasion they did not score a league goal at home. Mesut Özil, Alexis Sánchez and their other danger men had lots of the ball but there was always that formidable bank of blue shirts ahead of them.

The paradox, perhaps, is that Chelsea could also reflect the game might have turned out very differently but for the moment, a quarter of an hour in, that provided the game’s biggest controversy. David Ospina, Arsenal’s goalkeeper, was certainly fortunate not to be punished after charging from his goalline, missing the ball and clattering into Oscar. Héctor Bellerín prevented Oscar’s looping effort from bouncing into the goal and Chelsea had every right to argue it should have been a penalty.

Wenger admitted afterwards his team had been lucky but Chelsea lose an element of sympathy because of the other occasions they resorted to deceptions to try to win a penalty. Oscar can just about be given the benefit of the doubt after an optimistic fall in front of Bellerín but Cesc Fàbregas deserved all the condemnation that came his way when he wafted his leg in the direction of Santi Cazorla, then plopped to the ground in the vain hope that the referee, Michael Oliver, might be conned. All of Mourinho’s grievances will be undermined as long as his players try it on this way.

Arsenal had complaints of their own bearing in mind the incident later in the first half when Cahill’s left arm blocked Cazorla’s goal-bound shot inside the penalty area. Özil was Arsenal’s greatest threat in the first half. Aaron Ramsey’s link-up play with the overlapping Bellerín was another feature but, with less of the ball, Mourinho’s team still created the best chances of that period. Fàbregas’s pass for Oscar’s opportunity was the outstanding moment and, seven minutes before the interval, Ramires ought to have done better after Willian’s pass.

Oscar had to go off at half-time, taken to hospital and still suffering the effects of the collision with Ospina, and Didier Drogba took over as their centre-forward to give the team a more orthodox look.

Fàbregas took up a more attacking position and Willian switched to the right, with Ramires dropping inside to partner Nemanja Matic. Yet their tactics rarely deviated. At one point Willian led a promising break and there was only Drogba and Fàbregas who showed the faintest interest in supporting their colleague. The rest hung back.

Fàbregas had a mixed afternoon on his first game back at his old club. A lot of passes were misplaced and, in the worst moments, it felt as if the protective mask he is wearing to protect a broken nose must be hampering his vision.

Fàbregas eventually removed it after one lapse. There were boos every time he touched the ball and, unforgivably, one Arsenal supporter decided the minute’s silence for the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the Bradford City fire was an appropriate time to abuse an old favourite. Equally, many applauded him when the Spaniard was substituted late on.

The more important matter for Chelsea was that they had edged another point closer to where they want to be. The substitute Danny Welbeck could not adjust his feet quickly enough with a stoppage-time chance and Chelsea’s celebrations at the end were so jubilant it said one thing: they knew.

Man of the match John Terry (Chelsea)

Neymar and Messi help 10-man Barca beat Espanyol

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-neymar-messi-help-10-man-barca-beat-165353808--sow.html

By Tim Hanlon

BARCELONA, April 25 (Reuters) - Neymar scored the opener to continue his rich vein of form as 10-man Barcelona won a one-sided La Liga derby against Espanyol 2-0 on Saturday while Antoine Griezmann's double helped Atletico Madrid beat Elche 3-0.

Brazil's Neymar followed his two goals against Paris St Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday by slotting home after Luis Suarez dummied a cross after 17 minutes.

With Barca picking holes in Espanyol's defence, Lionel Messi doubled the lead from a tight angle after 25 minutes before Jordi Alba was sent off early in the second half.

The defender was shown two yellow cards in succession after 53 minutes for a lengthy protest with the referee but Espanyol failed to apply any concerted pressure on Barca in the remainder of the match.

Xavi came on for the final three minutes for his 500th La Liga appearance for Barca who have moved five points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the table.

Deep in stoppage time Espanyol's Hector Moreno was also sent off after being given a second yellow card.

Griezmann's two goals helped Atletico put their Champions League exit behind them in order to concentrate on winning third-place in La Liga.

The Frenchman now has 22 league goals in an impressive debut season at the Calderon after heading Atletico into the lead 10 minutes into the second half and then slotting home from close range 14 minutes from the end.

In between a Raul Garcia shot from distance sneaked past the dive of keeper Przemyslaw Tytonand into the corner after 63 minutes.

Diego Simeone's side have 72 points, seven more than fourth-placed Valencia who play Granada on Monday. Elche are 14th on 34 points.

Barca lead La Liga with 81 points, five more than Real Madrid who play Celta Vigo on Sunday.

COMPLETE GAME

"It was a complete game from us ... to win a derby you have to play like that," Barca midfielderAndres Iniesta told reporters.

"The best part of the season is still to come and the hard bit as well. They are all finals from here and there won't be much between the teams."

Espanyol's defence was cut open from the start with Neymar having a shot from a tight angle saved by keeper Kiko Casilla after just two minutes.

Suarez had a header from close range parried by Casilla and then Neymar flicked a ball by Messi past the keeper but also over the crossbar.

It appeared only a matter of time before Barca scored and the goal was expertly executed, demonstrating the superb understanding between their fearsome frontline with Suarez leaving the ball for Neymar to finish.

Suarez was involved in the second goal as he played a ball across the area to Messi who finished clinically past Casilla with little angle to aim at.

Further chances fell to Barca in the second half, notably a shot by Messi that hit a post, and the result never appeared in doubt.

Tottenham remain point above Southampton

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32363003

Tottenham twice came from behind to earn a valuable point at Southampton in the battle to secure European football.

Graziano Pelle gave the hosts the lead after seizing on a defensive lapse to prod home before Erik Lamela diverted the ball home via his arm for 1-1.

Pelle again put the Saints in front with a powerful header, but their lead lasted just five minutes.

Nacer Chadli latched on to Eric Dier's through ball and converted from close range to secure a point.

The result means Spurs remain sixth, a point ahead of Saints and level with fifth-placed Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

outhampton fans renamed the match Ronald Koeman Day in support of their Dutch manager and arrived at the game dressed in orange as former boss Mauricio Pochettino made his first return to St Mary's since his acrimonious departure to Spurs last summer.

Morgan Schneiderlin forced Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris into the first save of the game before the opener arrived in the 30th minute.

Sadio Mane did the damage, splitting the Spurs defence with a searing run into the box and, with the ball at his feet and facing his own goal, Spurs left-back Ben Davies hesitated and Pelle nipped in to prod home from close range.

St Mary's was stunned into silence before the break with Lamela appearing to deflect the ball into the net with his arm as he attempted a header from Dier's cross for the equaliser.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Bayern Munich 6-1 Porto (agg 7-4): Robert Lewandowski scores two in six-goal rout as Pep Guardiola's side overturn first leg deficit

The next time Pep Guardiola feels the need to justify his continued presence in Bavaria – and that time will come – he has some useful numbers to roll out. As of Tuesday night, the most pertinent one available to him is 115.

That is the number of goals Guardiola's Bayern team have scored so far this season, a number plenty enough to take them in to the last four of the Champions League, the final of the German Cup and to the cusp of successive Bundesliga titles.

It's a funny game, football isn't it? People can grow restless, unhappy even, pretty quickly. As Guardiola himself said on the eve of this undressing of porous Porto, people are only happy here if Bayern win the treble.

Well, despite the horrors of the 3-1 first leg defeat in Portugal last week, that remains very much on and the statistics show that Guardiola and his players have indulged in a fair amount of self-expression along the way.

Guardiola won't remember all the season's goals. He won't remember all of the seven Bayern scored against Roma and against Shakhtar, the eight they plundered at home to Hamburg or the six they put past SC Paderborn.

The Spaniard will remember the half dozen his team scored here on Tuesday night, though.

He will remember them - especially the five that came in a brutal, spellbinding opening half - because they will be set against the background of last week's defeat and the disgruntlement that followed. Questions were asked about his own future, Bayern's club doctor walked out, slamming the door behind him.

By half-time, though, those matters seemed rather distant already and that is what brilliant football does. It makes people forget the small details. That, in a way, is the whole point of sport.

Certain Bayern's rather entitled supporters will have seen little better than this over the years. Not just because of the quality of the football but because of the context and because of the sheer hunger and monotonous forward drive of this team.

'I knew my players could do this,' said Guardiola afterwards.

'But this was not perfect. We can still improve.'

Having started so badly in the first leg last week – Bayern were two down early– they needed to reverse things quickly. After 23 minutes they were two goals up and, from that point on, the contest was no longer valid.

Lewandowski had already struck the post when Bayern took the lead, left-back Juan Bernat crossing to the near post for Thiago Alcantara to thump in a header.

The goal served to break the tension a little and as Porto failed to settle, Bayern began a hypnotic and relentless journey through the gears.

A shot from Thomas Muller was saved by Fabiano soon after but that proved a rare moment of competence for the Porto goalkeeper. He had a poor night and was beaten for the second time midway through the half when Jerome Boateng glanced a header in by the post after a corner.

At this point, Bayern were already mathematically through. Porto needed to score to maintain an interest but they were too skittish, too panicked and too intent in arguing with referee Martin Atkinson to ever get a foothold in a game that quickly galloped away from them.

The third goal arrived soon after – Lewandowski finishing first time after Philipp Lahm had set him up beautifully – and it was at this point a massacre seemed in the offing.

A drive from Muller from distance then struck defender Casemiro and span through Fabiano's flapping legs in the 36th minute and, after a rare Porto attack culminated in a dive by, and a booking for, Jackson Martinez, Lewandowski struck again, teasing two defenders before arrowing a perfect shot in to the corner with his right foot. Half-time found the Portuguese on their knees and they crawled to the dressing room. Beyond that, Bayern lost some momentum and Porto even scored a goal, Martinez heading in.

Barça waltz into semifinals

http://www.marca.com/en/2015/04/21/en/football/barcelona/1429649028.html

Barcelona waltzed into the Champions League semifinals with a 2-0 victory in their quarterfinal second leg over Paris Saint-Germainon Tuesday nightat the Camp Nou.

Neymar scored a first half brace to send the hosts on their way to a 5-1 victory on aggregate, thus sending the four-time European champions back to the Champions League semifinals after last year's absence.

Manager Luis Enrique took no risks with his starting XI by fielding his strongest possible squad with the usual trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar up top. In midfield it was Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic, while in the back goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen return to the fold and was shielded by Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba.

Any thoughts of a good start for the French champions were put to bed very early when Barcelona burst out to a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute. It was all down to some genius playmaking from Iniesta, who started form his own half and knifed through nearly the entire PSG team before dishing to Neymar, who had an easy sweep into net to open the scoring.

Ten minutes later Barcelona had two very good looks at goal when Alves' long-range effort forced a deflection from PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu which gave Neymar a follow-up header, but the Brazilian was unable to convert. But in the 34th minute Neymar would launch a header goalward that was not going to be missed, as he was amazingly left unmarked between David Luiz and Gregory van der Wiel and easily nodded a header past Sirigu off an Alves cross to put Barcelona up 2-0 in the match and 5-1 on aggregate.

With the tie all but decided by halftime, the second half was simply a victory procession for the Catalonians, who were content to keep their defensive shape while playing their possession-based football.

Outside a Marco Verratti shot in the 59th minute that skipped wide and a 73rd minute shot from Zlatan Ibrahimovic that forced Ter Stegen to go low to save, the German stopper enjoyed a trouble-free evening.

Messi nearly put the icing on the cake with a shot in the final seconds, but his left-footed effort sailed just wide to complete the contest.

Barcelona will now return to La Liga action on Saturday as they face city rivals Espanyol.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Sevilla 2-2 Barcelona: Lionel Messi and Neymar strike but hosts recover to blow title race wide open

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/sevilla-2-2-barcelona-lionel-messi-5502866

Luis Enrique's side started with a bang at the Sanchez Pizjuan but Ever Banega and Kevin Gameiro salvaged a point in a thrilling game.

Barcelona's advantage at the top of La Liga was cut to two points as the Catalans threw away a two-goal lead against Sevilla on Saturday night.

Having seen Real Madrid see off Eibar at the Bernabeu earlier in the afternoon, Luis Enrique's side knew that a win was essential for their peace of mind ahead of the Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek.

And the Catalans came flying out of the traps, dominating possession early on and going ahead within the opening 15 minutes through Lionel Messi. The Argentine combined with Neymar before clipping a shot into the far corner of Sergio Rico's net.

1-0 became 2-0 soon after, Neymar bending a devilish free-kick over the wall and into the top corner of the net to end a 55-day La Liga goal drought.

The floodgates appeared to be opening but Sevilla rallied in front of their own fans and pulled one back before the interval. There appeared to be little on when Argentine midfielder Ever Banega picked the ball up 25 yards from goal, but his effort snuck past Claudio Bravo in the Barcelona goal.

A hard-fought second half ensued for the Blaugrana, with Sevilla pressing forward in search of a point. The feeling of unease seemed to get to Luis Suarez, who had a change to settle nerves but contrived to blaze over with the goal at his mercy.

There was frustration from Neymar when he was withdrawn in favour of veteran midfielder Xavi, and the groans from the away end would only grow louder as Sevilla found an equaliser.

Jose Antonio Reyes picked out a fine pass for Aleix Vidal, whose cross from the right was tucked home by Kevin Gameiro, a second-half substitute for Carlos Bacca.

Next up for Barcelona in the league are Valencia.