Barca edge closer to La Liga title with dull away win v 10-man Real Betis

Spain La Liga leaders Barcelona moved closer to retaining their La Liga crown  with a lacklustre 2-0 away win over 10-man Real Betis thanks to goals from Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez on Saturday (Sunday morning NZT).

Atletico Madrid kept pace as substitute Antoine Griezmann fired them to a 1-0 home win over struggling Rayo Vallecano, while Real Madrid's Gareth Bale scored in a 1-0 victory at Real Sociedad that leaves them still a point behind.

Barcelona remain at the summit on 85 points, level with Atletico but having a superior head-to-head record, while Real are third with 84 points and two games of the season left.

Betis had centre-back Heiko Westermann sent off in the 35th minute for a second booking and Ivan Rakitic pounced on a defensive mishap to put Barca five minutes after the break.

Luis Suarez then scored his 35th goal of the La Liga season to finish Betis off in the 81st, meaning Barca can guarantee a 24th league title with wins at home to Espanyol and away to Granada.

Barca manager Luis Enrique reacted angrily to suggestions his team had underperformed against Betis.

"What's the problem, if you don't win 8-0 does it not count?" he told a news conference.

Bale, who scored twice as Madrid came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Rayo Vallecano last weekend, again delivered when it mattered, nodding in Lucas Vazquez's cross in the 80th minute.

It was the Welshman's ninth headed goal in the league this season, more than any other player in Europe's top five leagues, and earned Madrid the points despite a frustrating afternoon against the side who beat Barcelona earlier this month.

Arsenal beat Norwich on day of fan protest

Substitute Danny Welbeck’s second-half goal helped Arsenal to a 1-0 victory Saturday over relegation-threatened Norwich in the Premier League on a day of protests and division among the home fans.

Welbeck scored in the 59th minute after strike partner Olivier Giroud nodded down a cross for him in the center of the area. Up to that point, Norwich had the clearest chances in the match, with midfielder Nathan Redmond missing three first-half opportunities.

Arsenal provisionally moved third, with 67 points, aiding their chances of securing a Champions League spot for next season. Norwich is in 19th place, with 31 points, with the defeat denting its hopes of remaining in the league next season.

Several hundred Arsenal fans held up signs in protest in the 12th minute to signify anger and disappointment that it has been 12 years since the London club won a league title. The sign, in the red and white colors of the club, said “Time for Change. Arsenal is Stale. Fresh Approach Needed.”

Earlier this week, two Arsenal supporters groups had called on fans to protest, saying they were fed up with just playing for fourth place, or essentially a Champion League spot, each year.

The protest seemed to be a minority, with many fans booing the protesters and singing in support of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. But the bitter division among the fans was evident when two fans got into an argument with a fellow supporter. It got so heated that stewards escorted two of the fans out of the stadium.

Welbeck’s shot into the left-hand corner came just three minutes after he came off the bench to keep Arsenal from further embarrassment in a disappointing season.

Until then, Norwich looked like it might boost its survival hopes. The visitors had several chances in the first half, with Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech’s left shin just keeping out Redmond’s low shot in the 11th minute. Another couple of opportunities fell to Redmond before halftime, with the midfielder stinging Cech’s palms with a volley, and moments later a fierce shot from him went just wide of the post.

Norwich nearly equalized in the 70th after Redmond made a blazing run down the right. He crossed to substitute Dieumerci Mbokani who was a fraction of a second from poking the ball in, but Arsenal defender Gabriel cleared the danger just in time.

Greek Champion Olympiakos Make Move For Aston Villa Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor

Greek champions Olympiakos are eyeing Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, 29, after he was recommended to the club.

Gazzetta.gr says the former England international is one of the strikers being considered as a possible reinforcement in the summer.

But the stumbling block is Agbonlahor is tied to Aston Villa until the summer of 2018 and his services will not come cheap.

In the January transfer window, the attacker was linked with a move to another Greek outfit AEK Athens but nothing came out of it.

He has played nonstop at Villa since he turned professional in 2005.

Kyrgios beats Borna Coric to reach Estoril Open semi-finals

Nick Kyrgios needed three match points on Friday to finish off a 6-4 6-4 win over ATP next-generation  rival Borna Coric, to reach a second straight semi-final at the Estoril Open and his fourth of the year.

Kyrgios hit 10 aces and won 82 per cent of his service points. Kyrgios also never faced a break point in the one-hour and nine-minute match. Coric, meanwhile, had to work to hold the entire contest, erasing six of eight break points faced. Coric, No. 40 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, was trying to go 4-0 in quarter-finals this season but will have to wait until his second meeting with Kyrgios to even their Fed Ex ATP Head to Head rivalry.

The two had met twice before on the ITF Junior Circuit, with Krygios winning both contests. Now the World No. 20 advances to his fourth semi-finals of the season, where he'll face Nicolas Almagro. The Spaniard knocked off No. 7 seed Leonardo Mayer of Argentina 6-4, 7-6(5). "I'm not going to think about it too much," Kyrgios said of his semi-finals match. "I know what he's doing to do, and I know what I have to do to win."

Almagro, a former World No. 9, improved to 4-0 against Mayer, No. 46 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The 30 year old pressured Mayer's serve all match, converting three of his 11 break points.

Benoit Paire remained undefeated in ATP World Tour quarter-finals this year. The Frenchman dispatched Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6(2), 6-2 on Friday. Garcia-Lopez was trying to reach his second consecutive semi-finals, after reaching the final four last week at the BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy in Bucharest. Paire, now 4-0 in quarter-finals this year, controlled the match with his first serve, winning almost 80 per cent of those points.

In the semi-finals, Paire will face another Spaniard: Pablo Carreno Busta, who beat No. 1 seed Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-4. The No. 8 seed hit five aces and won 70 per cent of his second-serve points. In the first set, Carreno Busta erased both break points faced and converted his only break point against the World No. 18. During the second set, Carreno Busta didn't face a break point and broke Simon once more. “He was always able to play the right shot at the right moment,” Simon said.

Shock Claims: Turkey has 'secret deal with ISIS' to swap guns for looted oil

Turkey has a secret pact with Islamic State militants to swap oil looted from Syrian wells for weapons to be used on the battlefield, it has been sensationally claimed.

According to a cache of documents seen by Russia's state-backed broadcaster, Turkish officials are signing off on payments to jihadi oil merchants in a deal which critics say places Ankara at the heart of ISIS' terror network.

Kremlin-funded television network RT said invoices recovered from the Syrian town of Shaddadi showed the multiple sources of the terror group's revenue streams, including cross-border smuggling and oil sales to neighbouring Turkey.

The files from the town, which was recently liberated by Kurdish rebels from ISIS, reveal the "cozy relations" between Ankara and ISIS, the broadcaster said.

Witnesses said militants coming from Raqqa - ISIS' de facto Syrian capital - and the besieged city of Aleppo to collect and transport oil frequently named Turkey as their final destination.

One teenage oil refinery worker said: "They go with the oil and come back with the guns. And so they go, back and forth, back and forth.

"They wouldn't get any weapons from Turkey if they didn't ship them oil."

Others claim Turkey was allowing the free movement of terrorists across its border with Syria.

An ISIS fanatic who gave his name as Muhammed Ahmed Muhammed said moving between Turkey and Syria was as easy as "crossing the street".

Iranian refugee (23) dies after setting himself on fire in 'political protest'

AN IRANIAN REFUGEE who set himself on fire during a visit by United Nations officials to Nauru has died, officials said today, with advocates blaming his “senseless death” on Australia’s hardline immigration policy.

The 23-year-old known as Omid set fire to himself on Wednesday on the remote Pacific island where he had been sent by Australia, which refuses to resettle boat people even if found to be genuine refugees.

He was airlifted to Brisbane suffering severe burns, with the Nauru government saying it was a “political protest”.

“A 23-year-old Iranian man who set himself on fire in Nauru has tragically died today from his injuries,” Australia’s immigration department said.

Canberra sends asylum-seekers who attempt to enter the country by boat to a remote processing centre on Nauru.

They also used to send them to Papua New Guinea’s Manus island, but the country’s prime minister ordered the detention facility there to shut this week after a court ruled it was unconstitutional and illegal.

‘Senseless’

Australia’s policy has been heavily criticised internationally, including by the UN, and in October Nauru’s Regional Processing Centre was converted into an “open centre”, giving its inhabitants freedom of movement.

Elaine Pearson, Australia director at Human Rights Watch, said Omid’s death was heartbreaking.

“This is another senseless and tragic death as a direct result of Australia’s inhumane refugee policies,” she said.

“Refugees who have fled persecution in their homelands don’t deserve a life in limbo in a detention centre or effectively imprisoned on a tiny remote island.”

Aurora Adams, human rights campaigner with GetUp, said Omid, who was married, had been in detention for three years.

“All he wanted was a future and a place to rebuild his life,” she said.

“Australia must do better than this. The camps must be closed, and the people held there brought here to safety.”

Canberra has long defended its policy of denying asylum-seekers resettlement in Australia, saying it has prevented deaths at sea and secured the nation’s borders.

Under the previous Australian Labor Party government, at least 1,200 people died trying to reach the country by boat between 2008 and 2013.

Super Niguez puts Atletico Madrid up on Bayern Munich

Atletico Madrid beat a sluggish Bayern Munich 1-0 in their UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg tie on Tuesday night and hold a definite advantage before the second round in Germany next week.

They have their midfield magician, Saul Niguez to thank, with a 11th minute strike that is worthy of winning a final let alone a semi. His masterful assist for Antoine Griezmann against Barcelona was still fresh in memory but he went one step further with a true 'golazo'.

Seemingly in an non-threatening position, the young Spaniard’s mazy dribble left at least four of Bayern’s stars chasing shadows as he twisted and turned before curling past Manuel Neuer at the far post. Any goal that goes past the world’s number one goalkeeper is special, but this will certainly be one for the highlight reels .

Yet again, Atletico manager Diego Simeone got his tactics spot on, frustrating their fancied opponents with unrelenting pressure, and almost always having 10 men behind the ball. His all black attire adds to his tough-as-nails personality, and his team performed their duties in the most perfect way he could have asked for.

Pep Guardiola announced a different line-up than expected with Frank Ribery and Thomas Muller sitting out and that decision could damage his legacy at the Bavarian club, as his side lacked that spark which could ignite this match.

The first half had Atletico stamped all over it, as they sat deep and were content to hit Bayern on the counter, and Saul was omnipresent, always making Bayern uncomfortable each time he got the ball.

The second period saw a much improved Bayern performance, but booming long range shots from David Alaba and Arturo Vidal were by and large the only times Jan Oblak was really stretched to be honest.

Instead, Atletico almost got a second goal which would have killed off the tie, launching a searing counter attack they are famous for, with Antoine Griezmann and Fernando Torres combining extremely well. Torres’s shot then beat Neuer but hit the post and the rebound was comfortably gathered by the German shot stopper.

Bayern kept pressing for a equaliser which would have shifted the balance into their favour and went close in injury time, but Atletico clung on for a famous victory at the Vicente Calderon.

Tempers flared as the German giants got annoyed with the time-wasting tactics employed by the Rojilblancos, and ugly scenes were stopped by match official Mark Clattenburg just in time.

Germany's number one side have their work cut out for them for next week’s leg, and there is no denying the fact that if Atletico continue to defend so stoically, it could prove to be third time unlucky for Pep Guardiola and co.

Read more at http://www.thestatesman.com/news/latest-headlines/champions-league-saul-s-wonder-strike-sinks-bayern-munich/138965.html?#dOYVwxJHUB7skqtf.99

''City'' goalkeeper, Hart halts Real Madrid

A Cristiano Ronaldo-less Real Madrid team lacked some of its normal bite Tuesday against Manchester City in their UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg at the Etihad Stadium. Despite playing without one of the world's best, Real Madrid created more chances, held more possession and generally looked like the better side. A few late saves from Manchester City keeper Joe Hart, however, preserved a 0-0 draw, giving the Sky Blues an advantage in the second leg.

This being the first Champions League semifinal in Manchester City history, the Etihad was predictably raucous, especially in the match's early going. The club even distributed flags to supporters and spelled out "CITY" in giant letters in the Etihad stands.

It was quite possibly the best ever crowd at the Etihad, and it seemed to have some affect on Real Madrid. Los Blancos were not very active in the first half. In many ways, it was a slog. But it was an even slog, because -- regardless of the crowd -- City looked far from its best.

Madrid turned up the heat in the second half, exposing the gulf between the two sides. Gareth Bale, who spearheaded Madrid's attack in Ronaldo's absence, seemed to have more room to work. The more open he played, the better Madrid played. By match's end, Madrid held 55 percent of possession and took 13 shots -- three on target -- compared to City's four.

That should have been enough for Madrid to score and take an away goal into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. But Hart held City down in goal with his typical brilliant play. He made three saves on the day, but two stand out. Madrid midfielder Casemiro put his head on a corner in the 79th minute, forcing Hart to make a flailing kick-save while falling backward..

The goalie's biggest moment came in the 82nd. Off another corner, Pepe was inexplicably left unmarked and chested the ball to his boots -- only feet in front of Hart. Pepe was only able to get half a shot off, as Hart slid into the ball and cleared it from immediate danger.

Hart now has a clean sheet in his last three Champions League matches at the Etihad.

"We've set it up for a good, old-fashioned rumble at the Bernabeu," Hart said, according to ESPNFC. "We've got a brilliant squad that's finally coming to fruition, in terms that the majority are fit now. In fact, everyone is fit."

The same can't be said for Madrid, which lost Ronaldo after a late fitness test. He didn't play against Rayo Vallecano earlier in the week, but manager Zinedine Zidane insisted he would play against City. Los Blancos undoubtedly would have been stronger in attack with Ronaldo, and it may need him to blow past City in the second leg. Conventional wisdom says he'll be ready when the second leg kicks off next Wednesday, but conventional wisdom said he'd be ready for Tuesday's match, too.

The scoreless draw plays into City's hands in the second leg. With Madrid unable to get an away goal, all City needs to advance is to score at least once and get at least a tie. But while City holds the mathematical advantage, Real Madrid has the home-pitch advantage. With Madrid needing goals to advance, expect a much more open and exciting match than what we got on Tuesday.

Juventus win 5th straight title

Juventus clinched its fifth straight Serie A title with three matches to spare after Napoli was beaten 0-1 at AS Roma yesterday.

Juventus won 2-1 at Fiorentina on Sunday and Napoli needed to beat Roma to prevent the Bianconeri from clinching the title. Radja Nainggolan scored for Roma one minute from the end.

Juventus, which has led the table since beating Napoli 1-0 in February, leads Napoli by 12 points, with Roma two points further back in third.

It was Juve's 32nd Italian league title — not including the two honors that were taken away after the 2006 match-fixing scandal known as Calciopoli.

Later, AC Milan was visiting last-place Hellas Verona and relegation-threatened Carpi was playing Empoli.

The match, played at a half-empty Stadio Olimpico on a sunny bank holiday afternoon — being Liberation Day in Italy — was an anti-climatic end to a season which had at one stage promised to be one of the most exciting Italian title races for years.

The game between Serie A's two highest-scoring sides was threatening to peter out into a tame goalless draw until Nainggolan slotted the ball home in the 89th minute following a move started with a delicate pass from Roma substitute Francesco Totti.

During the first half of the season, the lead had changed almost weekly with Roma, Napoli, Inter Milan and Fiorentina all taking turns at the top.

But, as its rivals faltered, Juventus put together an astonishing run in which it took 73 points out a possible 75 to win the title with games to spare.

Roma had more possession but Napoli, whose top-scorer Gonzalo Higuain returned after a three-match ban, carved out the better chances and Jose Callejon had a first-half goal ruled out by a hairline offside decision.

Without a match to attend, Juventus fans celebrated in Turin's central Piazza San Carlo. Massimiliano Allegri's men are also in the Italian Cup final where they face AC Milan on May 21.

Juventus last won five consecutive titles from 1931-35.

Leicester thrash Swansea 4-0 to move agonisingly close to title

Leiceter City are a step closer to making their dream a reality after Claudio Ranieri's men swatted aside Swansea to tighten their grip on the Premier League title.

Supposed relegation fodder and considered a 5,000-1 shot for the title, the Foxes edged towards a first ever top-flight crown to the tune of the King Power Stadium's thunderous roar on Sunday. Riyad Mahrez's opener was complemented by a Leonardo Ulloa brace and a Marc Albrighton strike as Swansea were beaten as soundly as a 4-0 scoreline suggests, moving City eight points clear of Tottenham ahead of the second-placed side's clash with West Brom on Monday.

Anything but a home victory at White Hart Lane could see the Foxes clinch the title at Manchester United next weekend, wrapping up one of the most remarkable triumphs in sporting history - never mind football.

Ranieri finally broke his silence on title talk ahead of a match that got off to a dream start, Mahrez blocking a poor Ashley Williams pass and showing wonderful composure to fire home. Ulloa, in for suspended top scorer Jamie Vardy, put City further ahead by superbly nodding home a Danny Drinkwater free-kick, before turning in at the far post with 30 minutes remaining after fine work by Jeffrey Schlupp.

Substitute Marc Albrighton added extra gloss to the scoreline as the match came to a close with a chorus of "we shall not be moved" - an almighty din that rarely let up from the start of Leicester's penultimate home match of the season.

"History makes us who we are" read a banner held aloft by the home fans, whose early nerves were audible after Spurs' dominant win against Stoke and Leicester's rare slip-up against West Ham. Palpable tension soon turned to unbridled joy, though, as Swansea captain Williams' attempt at a first-time pass hit Mahrez. It was a gift for the Algerian, who cut inside after his momentum had taken him into the box and showed impressive composure to send a left-footed strike inside the near post.

Referee Mark Clattenburg was unmoved by any suggestions of handball in the build-up to the 10th-minute opener, which Swansea looked to cancel out as Federico Fernandez headed over a Gylfi Sigurdsson free-kick.

Schlupp, one of two Leicester changes, was proving a particular nuisance down the flank as Leicester tried to stave off a comeback, with an acrobatic Christian Fuchs attempt comfortably saved before Shinji Okazaki's strike was deflected wide.

Ranieri's men would not have to wait long to increase their lead as Wayne Routledge's foul on Wes Morgan led to a free-kick on the left flank, which Drinkwater curled in for Ulloa to superbly head home having got the better of Williams.

"Are you watching, Tottenham?" echoed around the King Power Stadium, but Swansea tried to peg back the hosts, with Fernandez again heading over before ex-Tottenham midfielder Sigurdsson tested Kasper Schmeichel from distance.

Swansea boss Francesco Guidolin brought on Jefferson Montero and Alberto Paloschi in a bid to add more attacking nous, although it was not to bring with it an increased threat to the hosts' goal. Leicester were far more ruthless and grabbed a third in the 60th minute thanks to Schlupp's pace and power, allowing him to beat Fernandez to the ball down the left. Williams denied his attempted pass to Ulloa, but he reacted quickly to prod forwards, with the striker stretching to turn home at the far post.

Fuchs bent a free-kick wide and Schlupp forced Lukasz Fabianski into a low save as the home side looked to notch again, with Andre Ayew's header into the side-netting a rare second-half threat to City's clean sheet. Fabianski produced a great stop to deny Andy King, on after Ulloa sustained a late knock, before City's three substitutes combined for the fourth.

Demarai Gray's fine work down the right ended with a cushioned King header that fell kindly for the January signing. Fabianski kept out his strike impressively but Albrighton was there to slam home. 

Western Sydney Wanderers win sensational semi final in extra time

Western Sydney Wanderers have capped one of the greatest comebacks in Hyundai A-League history to beat Brisbane Roar 5-4 after extra time to progress to next Sunday’s Hyundai A-League Grand Final.

After scores were locked at 4-4 following an incredible 90 minutes at Pirtek, substitute Dario Vidosic proved to be the Wanderers’ hero, scoring the decisive goal on 102 minutes to send the club to a third decider in four years.

In a truly incredible match, Roar stunned the home fans by racing to a 3-0 lead inside 23 minutes via a Dimitri Petratos penalty, an Andreu own goal and Jamie Maclaren’s deflected strike.

The pacy winger – who started the comeback with a wicked free-kick – finished with a hat-trick while Brendon Santalab also got his name on the scoresheet as the Wanderers edged in front 4-3 before the hour mark and send more than 20,000 fans into a frenzy.

But as they often do in the finals, Brisbane fought back and forced extra-time as Maclaren got his second with nine minutes left.

It was Vidosic who had the final say though in the first half of extra-time to set up a meeting with Adelaide United in next Sunday’s Grand Final at the Adelaide Oval.

GOALS

0-1 Petratos (16’) – Andreu was adjudged to have handled in the box as he challenged with Broich for a header. Petratos powerfully stroked the ball into the top left corner, giving Redmayne no chance.

0-2 Andreu (og) (20’) – A free-kick on the left was swung into a dangerous area by Corona. Andreu threw his leg at the ball in an attempt to flick it away from danger but only succeeded in skewing it into his own backside and into goal.

0-3 Maclaren (23’) – Roar broke down the right through Borrello, whose low cross into the box found its way to Maclaren. The striker wriggled clear of his marker before his shot hit Alberto and lobbed up over Redmayne and into the net.

1-3 Castelen (26’) – Santalab won a free-kick just outside the box directly in front of goal. Castelen went for power, blasting it past the wall and keeper Jamie Young.

2-3 Santalab (39’) – Santalab raced onto a through-ball and got himself into the box against Donachie. He cut back inside the defender before slipping a shot past Young at the near post.

3-3 Castelen (53’) – After Roar failed to adequately clear a free-kick, Young denied both Nichols and Bridge from close range but Castelen wouldn’t be denied and he fired into the roof of the net.

4-3 Castelen (59’) – Young came out to punch a free-kick which came down just outside the box. Castelen judged the bounce of the ball better, holding off a defender before unleashing a brilliant volley which gave the keeper no chance.

4-4 Maclaren (81’) – Substitutes Hervas and Oar combined to release Henrique down the left and his scuffed shot rolled across the face of goal perfectly into the path of Maclaren to stroke into an empty net.

5-4 Vidosic (102’) – Vidosic’s initial shot forced Young to parry it away but the loose ball was retrieved by Bridge, who played the ball back into the middle where Vidosic was on hand to scoop it in high into the net from close range.

TEAMS:

Western Sydney Wanderers:  Redmayne (gk), Neville, Alberto, Topor-Stanley (c), Jamieson, Andreu (Baccus 114’), Dimas, Castelen, Nichols (Cole 91’), Santalab (Vidosic 78’)

Brisbane Roar:  Young (gk), Hingert, Donachie, North, Brown, Corona, McKay (c), Petratos (Hervas 58’), Borrello (Oar 73’), Maclaren, Broich (Henrique 63’)

Greek League 1 basketball player scores game-tying shot in wrong hoop

Jermaine Marshall's uncontested buzzer-beating lay-up looked pretty sweet, right?

Playing for Nea Kifissia in the Greek Basketball League playoffs, the American scored the game-tying basket to force overtime in a quarterfinals series game against Aris.

The only problem was he scored for the wrong team.

After Aris missed a free throw, Nea Kifissia point guard Dante Stiggers grabbed the rebound, dribbled and the fed the ball from the baseline to Marshall - who put it into his own net and then looked rather bemused when his own team and fans weren't celebrating.

Nea Kifissia went on to lose the game in overtime 108-103

Bayern put champagne on ice despite win at Hertha

Bayern Munich, chasing a record fourth Bundesliga title in a row, sank Hertha Berlin 2-0 on Saturday but had to put the champagne on ice as Borussia Dortmund beat VfB Stuttgart 3-0 to stay within striking distance.

A deflected effort by Arturo Vidal and a 79th-minute goal from Douglas Costawere enough to give treble-chasing Bayern victory in a lacklustre game against fourth-placed Hertha.

The Bavarians, who take on Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals in midweek, have 81 points with three games to go and can seal the title by defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach next week.

“We need one more victory,” said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola who is in his third and final season at the club before he joins Manchester City at the end of the campaign.

“I hope we can deliver a good game next week and be crowned champions,” he told reporters. “Today’s game was uncomfortable for us and we struggled in the first half.”

Guardiola is looking to end his spell in Munich with three trophies as Bayern are also through to the German Cup final where they will face Dortmund.

Dortmund struck twice in the first half through Shinji Kagawa and American teenager Christian Pulisic.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan then grabbed his 11th league goal of the campaign after the break to maintain his team’s slim title hopes on 74 points.

Bayer Leverkusen scored three times in seven second-half minutes to recover from a two-goal deficit and record a 3-2 victory at Schalke 04.

Leverkusen’s win tightened their hold on third spot, and automatic Champions League qualification, with 54 points, five ahead of Hertha.

Schalke, with coach Andre Breitenreiter under mounting pressure, missed a fifth-minute penalty through Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and are now sweating on a Europa League position, in seventh place on 45 points.

Champions League quarter-finalists VfL Wolfsburg continued their slump as a 2-0 home defeat by Augsburg dropped them to 10th on 39 points, all but ending their chances of European football next season.

Wolfsburg, last season’s German Cup winners and Bundesliga runners-up, have failed to win any of their last six matches.

Bottom club Hanover 96 were all but relegated despite rallying from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Ingolstadt.

Hanover have 22 points, nine off the relegation playoff spot occupied by Werder Bremen who have a better goal difference.

Inter Milan defeat Udinese to keep alive Champions League hopes

Steven Jovetic's two goals guided Inter to victory over Udinese on Saturday.

Stevan Jovetic scored twice and Inter Milan beat Udinese 3-1 in Serie A on Saturday to keep alive their hopes of catching Roma for the final Champions League spot.

With three matches remaining, fourth-placed Inter moved within four points of Roma, who host second-place Napoli on Monday.

The match at San Siro marked the first time in Serie A history that neither squad featured an Italian in their starting lineup.

Juventus, who visit Fiorentina on Sunday, can clinch a fifth straight title if gaining more points than Napoli in this round.

After Cyril Thereau put Udinese ahead with a difficult volley, Jovetic responded with goals either side of half-time, and Éder added the last for the hosts in added time.

Jovetic tapped in a short cross from Mauro Icardi for his first then used his chest to score his second, meeting a cross from Jonathan Biabiany that was slightly deflected by the Udinese goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis.

“We were able to turn the match around, which is the toughest challenge in football especially since we were behind already from the eighth minute,” Jovetic said

It was Éder’s first goal since moving to Inter in January on loan from Sampdoria. A Brazilian-born Italy international, Éder is expected to play a big role in the Azzurri’s attack at the upcoming European Championship.

Udinese’s Bruno Fernandes hit the crossbar before Jovetic’s second, and the Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic preserved the lead with a tough save on Duván Zapata seconds before Éder scored at the other end.

Inter’s Indonesian president, Erick Thohir, attended the match with representatives of China’s Suning Commerce Group as he seeks new investors for the club.

Manchester Utd advances to FA Cup final

Anthony Martial darted through the Everton defence, slotted in Manchester United's winner and continued his run past the Wembley Stadium stewards before launching himself into the crowd.

It was a flash of pure elation after being so cool under pressure to score in the third minute of stoppage time and send United into its first FA Cup final in nine years with a 2-1 victory over Everton.

Martial created Marouane Fellaini's first-half opener but that was cancelled out by Chris Smalling's own goal and the semifinal was heading to extra time.

Martial's match-winning moment demonstrated why United was willing to commit up to 80 million euros last year on acquiring a largely unproven teenager who is now 20 and a France international forward.

"When you see the joy in the eyes of the players, that is fantastic to see but also for the fans," United manager Louis van Gaal said.

Winning soccer's oldest knockout competition could yet provide Van Gaal with a glorious end to another underwhelming season.

The Dutchman could deliver on May 21 the club's first major trophy since Alex Ferguson retired. United faces either Crystal Palace and Watford, who meet on Sunday.

Ferguson's last act as United manager after 26 years was to deliver a 20th English title but the team has not come close to No. 21 since then — first under David Moyes and for the last two years with Van Gaal at the helm.

United is struggling even to finish in the top four and secure lucrative Champions League qualification, with Arsenal four points ahead in fourth place.

Ultimately, snatching fourth place is more significant for United's prestige than winning a domestic cup, whose status has diminished with many teams sending out weakened lineups in earlier rounds.

"It's not for me to judge, it's for the board of Manchester United," Van Gaal said.

And United has not challenged the accuracy of months of reports that Van Gaal is heading for the Old Trafford exit before entering the final season of his contract, with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho being lined up as a replacement.

"I am not looking beyond this competition, the FA Cup, because we live in the present," Van Gaal said. "And for the future I will discuss that with my board and not with you."

Everton counterpart Roberto Martinez could also be having conversations with the Merseyside club's board about his future.

Discontent has been growing around Goodison Park as Everton has slipped to 11th place, remaining without a win in any competition since Romelu Lukaku's goals booked a place in this semifinal by beating Chelsea more than a month ago.

Lukaku had two early chances to put Everton in front against United. He rounded De Gea but was denied by Wayne Rooney's goal-line clearance, and then had a shot blocked by the goalkeeper's right leg after another long ball breached the United defence.

United was deployed in midfield beyond Marcus Rashford, the 18-year-old forward who has been the breakthrough sensation of their season.

When United's FA Cup campaign started in January, Rashford was still in the academy. A tame shot was blocked by goalkeeper Joel Robles but soon he was the creator of the 34th-minute opener.

Martial received the ball from Rashford, and waltzed through the defence before providing a cutback for Fellaini, who clipped in a shot.

It was the first goal Everton conceded in almost 400 minutes of football in the FA Cup.

Rhythmic groups from Greece, Germany and Uzbekistan qualify for Olympics as Rio 2016 gymnastics test event ends

Greece, Germany and Uzbekistan  secured the last three rhythmic group Olympic places as the curtain came down on the Rio 2016 gymnastics test event today.

All three nations earned their place on the podium at the Rio Olympic Arena to ensure they will be joining hosts Brazil at this summer's Games.

For the Germans - Anastasija Khmelnytska, Daniela Potapova, Julia Stavickaja, Sina Tkaltschewitsch, Rana Tokmak and Natalie Hermann - the difference came in their exercise with the five ribbons, which gave them the gold medal in the final with a total of 33.183 points.

Uzbekistan’s Samira Amirova, Valeriya Davidova, Luiza Ganieva, Zarina Kurbonova and Marta Rostoburova assured themselves silver with 32.832 points after dominating with the three pairs of clubs and two hoops.

Greece's Ioanna Anagnostopoulou, Eleni Doika, Zoi Kontogianni, Michaela Metallidou and Stavroula Samara secured bronze with 31.982 points.

Brazil’s Maiara Candido, Morgana Gmach, Jessica Meier, Gabrielle Moraes da Silva and Francielly Pereira finished fifth behind Finland but were qualified from the outset, taking advantage of the place reserved for Olympic host countries. 

Ten groups qualified directly for the Games from last year’s World Championships in Stuttgart.

Although Germany and Uzbekistan finished tied for 10th, the last direct qualification spot went to the United States, due to the need for representation by groups from at least three continents.

In the individual all-around final, Belarus' Melitina Staniouta followed up her domination of yesterday’s qualification round to triumph with a total of 70.749 points.

The world bronze medallist recovered from a shaky start with the hoop to finish just ahead of Kazakhstan’s Sabina Ashirbayeva, who managed a total of 68.966 points.

The battle for the bronze medal was a close one with Austria's Nicol Ruprecht emerging victorious with a total of 67.883 points, a mere two tenths of a point more than Italy’s Veronica Bertolini.

Syrian refugee swimmer named torchbearer in Greek leg of Rio relay

A Syrian refugee swimmer  who had part of a leg amputated after a bombing will be one of the torchbearers for the Greek leg of the Rio de JaneiroOlympic flame relay.

The Greek Olympic committee said Friday that 27-year-old Ibrahim Al-Hussein will carry the torch at an Athens refugee camp hosting 1,500 people next Tuesday — the next-to-last day of the relay in Greece.

Al-Hussein reached Greece on a rubber dinghy in 2014, and has been granted asylum in the country. He is a former competitive swimmer and judo athlete.

Despite having part of his leg amputated, he trains regularly in swimming pools and plays basketball, in a wheelchair, with an Athens club.

The flame, which was lit Thursday at a ceremony in Ancient Olympia, will be handed to Brazilian officials next Wednesday.

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