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West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Arsenal


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Updated Mar 19, 2011 1:47 PM ET
Arsenal's title challenge suffered a serious blow as their late rally was only enough to secure a 2-2 draw with West Brom at The Hawthorns.
Albion were 2-0 up just before the hour mark when Peter Odemwingie capitalised on a mix-up between Manuel Almunia and Sebastien Squillaci to add to Steven Reid's early header.
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The Gunners staged a comeback with goals in the 70th minute from Andrey Arshavin and 78th from Robin van Persie, but they could not find a winner and are now five points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United, who beat Bolton 1-0 at Old Trafford.
The Baggies, meanwhile, are a point above the relegation zone in 16th place as they were at the start of the day.
Arsene Wenger's team were in need of a lift following their Carling Cup final defeat and elimination from the Champions League and FA Cup over the last few weeks, but they made the worst possible start as West Brom took the lead after only three minutes.
Albion skipper Chris Brunt swung in a corner and Reid was allowed the space to jump and crash a header beyond Almunia for his first Premier League goal for nearly five years.
Aaron Ramsey - who was starting a game for the Gunners for the first time since breaking his leg last season - appeared to be the main culprit in failing to mark Reid as Arsenal's defensive frailties were laid bare.
Moments later Jerome Thomas won the ball and broke forward, sending in a dangerous delivery that just evaded Odemwingie.
The visitors started to gain more possession but were struggling to get a proper foothold and the game was temporarily halted after 20 minutes when Laurent Koscielny clashed heads with James Morrison, the latter having to come off for treatment.
While Morrison was off the pitch Arsenal showed some threatening signs, with only the head of Jonas Olsson preventing Ramsey getting on the end of a Gael Clichy cross.
Arsenal should have then equalised when van Persie's header came back off the bar.
The ball dropped to Ramsey right in front of goal, but the Wales midfielder could only strike it straight at Scott Carson.
As Morrison returned with a bandage around his head the Gunners continued to press, Samir Nasri seeing a cross come off the legs of Abdoulaye Meite towards goal but Carson was able to avert the danger.
Van Persie tried his luck just before the break but his shot was off-target.
There was a substitution for each side at half-time as Albion boss Roy Hodgson brought on Marek Cech for Paul Scharner, who had also taken a knock to the head, and Wenger introduced Marouane Chamakh in place of Denilson in an attempt to give his side more attacking impetus.
Chamakh soon sent a header goalwards but it did not trouble Carson and within minutes, the Baggies were almost 2-0 in front as Brunt slid in to meet Cech's cross, the captain just poking it the wrong side of the post.
Wenger bolstered his forward line again with Nicklas Bendtner coming on for Ramsey, but just seconds later West Brom did score again - thanks in no small part to Almunia.
The Spanish goalkeeper came charging out of his box when Youssouf Mulumbu launched a long ball forward but completely misjudged it before getting in a tangle with Squillaci and Odemwingie gleefully slotted into the net.
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The watching Jens Lehmann, back on the Arsenal bench after rejoining the club on a rolling monthly contract earlier in the week, looked less than impressed.
When Koscielny picked up a booking for a hefty challenge on Odemwingie and van Persie blazed a free-kick over the bar, the Gunners seemed to be fading, but a slick move saw them suddenly pull a goal back through Arshavin, who played a one-two with Chamakh before turning and rifling a shot beyond Carson.
Marc-Antoine Fortune came on for Odemwingie but Arsenal began pouring forward and eight minutes after Arshavin's strike they found a leveller, with the Russian again the catalyst.
His looping cross hit the post and Meite was unable to deal with the rebound before van Persie bundled it over the line.
Arsenal now looked the more likely winners, but Fortune went close at the other end, cutting into the box and seeing his shot deflect wide.
Play switched once more and the Gunners sent a succession of balls into the West Brom box, but there was no way through.
Jack Wilshere shot over the bar and Carson saved from Clichy at the death as Albion hung on for a vital point.
 
Wigan Athletic 2-1 Birmingham


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Updated Mar 19, 2011 2:33 PM ET
Maynor Figueroa smashed home a late winner for Wigan to seal a 2-1 home victory over Birmingham and ignite his side's survival battle.
The Honduran international has found the net only three times in his three-year Latics career but the importance of his latest strike could not be underestimated.
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His side appeared to have been frustrated in their bid for victory despite throwing everything at the visitors in the latter stages of the second half after Tom Cleverley had equalised Liam Ridgewell's disputed opener in the 25th minute.
But when the impressive Cleverley rolled the ball back from the byline in the second of five minutes of added time the left-back switched it on to his weaker right foot before smashing a shot past goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Figueroa has history for dramatic interventions, with his previous goal being the 60-yard effort at Stoke last season.
Whether this latest effort will be enough to keep Wigan in the top flight remains to be seen but it lifted the bottom side to within two points of safety.
More importantly, only a second league win in 12 games will boost confidence for the remaining eight matches.
It also sucked Carling Cup winners Birmingham further into the dogfight as they slipped to second bottom, just a point above the Roberto Martinez's side.
More often than not the Latics have been their own worst enemies but they certainly had cause for complaint when the visitors took the lead after just six minutes.
Martin Jiranek's flick-on appeared to catch three Birmingham players in an offside position on the edge of the Wigan penalty area but with no flag raised Ridgewell reacted quickest to shoot past Ali Al Habsi.
It was Jiranek's last significant involvement as he was replaced by Curtis Davies because of injury soon after.
The substitute's first touch almost created a second goal when he headed Sebastian Larsson's corner back across the six-yard area where Cameron Jerome's shot on the turn was well blocked by Al Habsi.
Apart from Cleverley's early shot the hosts had not threatened but out of the blue the on-loan Manchester United midfielder equalised in the 25th minute.
Ben Watson's brilliant through-ball inside left-back Ridgewell picked out over-lapping right-back Emmerson Boyce and Foster could only push his cross into the path of Cleverley who gratefully accepted the gift inside the six-yard box.
Wigan nerves were not completely banished though and Figueroa, who had a shaky first half, gave the ball away to Jordon Mutch but fortunately for the Honduras international the midfielder's 25-yard shot was well off target.
Late in the half Charles N'Zogbia deflected over Boyce's cross from close range while Larsson hit the crossbar with a free-kick.
As expected the game opened up after the break, with Craig Gardner breaking clear of the defence but shooting straight at Al Habsi.
At the other end N'Zogbia's trickery allowed him to find space in the area but Cleverley swung wildly at his cut-back and Foster saved well as Figueroa blasted the loose ball at him from eight yards.
With time - and matches - running out Martinez made a double attacking change by sending on Hugo Rodallega and Conor Sammon for Franco Di Santo and Victor Moses.
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Birmingham did likewise as, having replaced the ineffective Jean Beausejour with David Bentley, they sent on Obafemi Martins for Mutch as Alex McLeish also went in search of victory.
Sammon's flicked header from Cleverley's cross was claimed comfortably by Foster before Antolin Alcaraz and Davies were both booked as tackling became more desperate.
The introduction of the two substitutes had injected new life into Wigan and Sammon and McCarthy both had shots charged down in the area as the home side, for the first time in the game, looked like being the ones most capable of scoring.
With 10 minutes remaining Rodallega had the ball in the net after looping a shot over Foster but referee Lee Probert ruled the Colombia international had pushed Johnson as they challenged on the edge of the area.
McCarthy then wastefully blazed over after the impressive Cleverley had teed him up 20 yards out.
Foster had to scramble to turn aside a late deflected N'Zogbia strike but the England international was stunned when a late shot from Figueroa whistled past him in the 92nd minute.
 
Everton 2-1 Fulham


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Updated Mar 19, 2011 3:58 PM ET
Seamus Coleman and Louis Saha struck as David Moyes began his 10th year as Everton manager with a 2-1 win over Fulham at Goodison Park.
Coleman ignited a hitherto drab Premier League affair at Goodison with a well-placed header 10 minutes before the break.
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Former Fulham striker Saha doubled the Toffees' lead from a free-kick early in the second half but a Clint Dempsey strike prevented the home side easing to victory.
The game began at the pace of a typical end-of-season mid-table encounter, despite both teams having another eight games remaining.
The spirit Fulham showed in the second half made their lack of urgency in the first seem puzzling but the Londoners never looked like winning at Goodison for the first time in 23 league visits.
Defeat could have been heavier had Carlos Salcido not produced a fine headed clearance off the line from Phil Jagielka late on.
Everton were always the dominant side and fully deserved to repeat their victory over the Cottagers in Moyes' first match just over nine years ago.
The downside was the loss of Saha, who was playing for Fulham in 2002, on a stretcher in the closing minutes.
The Toffees had welcomed back captain Phil Neville and the influential Tim Cahill from injury.
Neville played in midfield in the absence of Mikel Arteta while Cahill was pushed up front with Saha. Tony Hibbert, a survivor from Moyes' opening game, was at right-back.
Fulham were unchanged from their last outing against Blackburn a fortnight ago after Dickson Etuhu overcame a hamstring strain.
The game lacked bite early on but Everton had the better of the play, with Leon Osman curling an effort over and Leighton Baines dragging a shot across goal.
Fulham had an opportunity when Neville bundled former Everton striker Andy Johnson over on the edge of the box but the free-kick came to nothing.
Saha threatened with a run up the middle but Brede Hangeland denied him with a fine tackle.
Saha had another opportunity when he rose to meet a Baines corner but his header bounced and Salcido calmly headed off the line.
Baines then delivered a fine cross for Jack Rodwell but the midfielder's header did not test Mark Schwarzer.
Everton made the breakthrough after Cahill had a shot blocked and the ball rolled out to Baines on the left.
Baines cut it back inside for Osman and the midfielder lifted a cross to the back the post for Coleman to place a firm header back across goal and beyond Schwarzer.
The game at last had the spark it needed and moments later Coleman was stopped in full flow on the edge of the area but the resulting free-kick from Baines was blocked.
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Fulham had to wait until first-half injury time for their first serious opportunity as Dempsey shot narrowly wide after good work by Johnson.
Everton took a firm grip on the game four minutes into the second half after Rodwell was brought down just outside the area by Etuhu.
Baines tapped the free-kick to Saha and the Frenchman blasted a low free-kick through the wall for his 10th goal of the season.
Fulham tried to respond but Etuhu's shot into a crowded area was blocked and Damien Duff fired the rebound straight at Tim Howard.
The tempo was much quicker than in the first half and Coleman forced a good save from Schwarzer with a strong run and shot from distance.
Fulham boss Mark Hughes decided to make a change and was instantly rewarded after sending on Bobby Zamora, still being eased back into action after a broken leg, for Etuhu just before the hour.
Zamora, with his back to goal, brilliantly laid off a cross from Duff and the inrushing Dempsey struck a powerful low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Jagielka almost made the game safe for Everton with an inch-perfect header but Salcido did brilliantly to again head away from just inside the post.
Zamora failed to make the most of a headed chance at the other end after being picked out by Gael Kakuta.
Saha's afternoon ended in agony in the closing minutes after he landing awkwardly following an aerial challenge.
He was replaced by Jermaine Beckford, who spurned a good chance to add a third on the break in injury time.
 
Vitali Klitschko quick to see off Odlanier Solis in first-round farce

• Ukrainian keeps his WBC heavyweight title
• Cuban challenger booed after capitulation




  • Kevin Mitchell in Cologne
  • guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 March 2011 23.36 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    Vitali-Klitschko-Odlanier-007.jpg
    Vitali Klitschko watches challenger Odlanier Solis from Cuba going down during the first round of the WBC heavyweight title bout. Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP Odlanier Solis &#8211; the last fighter to beat David Haye as an amateur &#8211; calls himself La Sombra, the shadow. On Saturday night in Cologne, the Cuban slid meekly into the night, booed for a one-round capitulation against Vitali Klitschko that cemented for ever his nom de guerre.
    Boxing is full of twists and turns &#8211; but few so farcical as the pirouette the Cuban effected to bring his challenge for Klitschko's WBC heavyweight title to a surreal finish in the first round in the Lanxess Arena.
    Solis's shadow boxing convinced few but the gullible &#8211; he claimed later to have shipped a shot to the temple and, in falling, twisted his knee &#8211; and he should remember for a long time the cat-calls that greeted his surrender.
    At least Klitschko, who struggles with injuries, is in one piece and still available for Haye, should the Londoner get him in the ring after his upcoming fight with his brother, Wladimir.
    As the elder Klitschko moved on his prey with a raking, crooked left, his timing still to hit a rhythm, his suspect legs and undoubted patience not even tested, a couple of grazing blows ruffled the Cuban's curly locks, one possibly with a sliver of force, and Solis went south without further encouragement.
    Seated near the ropes, he looked disoriented and grimaced like a pantomime villain, but otherwise expressed no obvious regret as he shook his head in sync with the hands of the referee, who waved the performance over at three minutes into the fight.
    Klitschko, clearly incensed, leaned over the referee to remonstrate with his reluctant dancing partner, whose subsequent departure from the ring, after a brief rest on his stool, did not give the appearance he was in serious pain.
    The crowd of 19,000 reserved what enthusiasm they had for a smattering of applause for Klitschko, whom they have taken to their hearts since he and his brother arrived here from Ukraine to establish their respective reigns as heavyweight champions.
    The win, Vitali's 42nd in 44 outings, arrives a few months before his 40th birthday. It was the oddest of them all, and probably one of the last. His body is giving up on him almost as fast as Solis's spirit did last night.
    The champion emerged like some invention of a Gothic video game, in black robe with gold braid, through a mocked-up giant door, backlit in purple, and striding to battle with all the imposing stiffness of a cartoon Gorgon. Solis affected nonchalance. But not for long. That Klitschko jab landed early, the precursor of the right that always follows. But neither was needed.
    Haye's trainer, Adam Booth, here for talks with Vitali's brother, Waldimir, said beforehand that the Cuban was "the most naturally gifted heavyweight out there &#8211; besides David".
    He might well be. We shall probably never know.
    Solis and Klitschko clearly are beasts from different parts of the forest.
    Klitschko, although half a foot taller and nearly 10 years older than the challenger, weighed in less than three pounds heavier than him, testimony to his discipline and Solis's lack of it &#8211; although he whipped himself into decent shape for this fight to get down to 246.9, the lightest of his career.
    It was Solis's 10th and possibly last contest in Germany. He was nearly a stone lighter than his last outing in December, when he laboured to beat the 40-year-old Ray Austin on disqualification in the 10th round of a quite farcical eliminator for this title shot.
    The 30-year-old Cuban has lunched on some poor fare since his professional debut in Hamburg in 2007, a year after he defected. Six fights ago, in October, 2008, he was fed Chauncy Welliver, a 27-year-old native American Indian, heritage he left at the door when he described himself as "The Fat Dorky White Guy". Paunchy Chauncy lasted nine of the 12 rounds, yet, astoundingly, was the reserve candidate for Wladimir Klitschko when the WBO and IBF champion was negotiating with Dereck Chisora &#8211; and Solis was being nudged up the ratings.
    If further evidence is needed of the parlous state of heavyweight boxing, I can't help you. It is nights such as this that do not just give the business a bad name but make dedicated fans wonder why they bother.

 
'Amazing' Bale pens new Spurs deal


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Updated Mar 19, 2011 3:13 PM ET
Gareth Bale has signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract at Tottenham, with gaffer Harry Redknapp saying "he really is an amazing talent".
The 21-year-old winger has earned a global reputation this season after some outstanding displays in the Champions League, highlighted by his hat-trick against Inter Milan at the San Siro.
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Sunderland vs. Liverpool
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art Manager Harry Redknapp told the club's website: "It's great to have Gareth sign a new contract at the club.
"He is a fantastic player and the type of player we need to be keeping at Spurs.
"Gareth is now one of the top left-sided players in the world, he really is an amazing talent and can only get better. He is a smashing lad as well which is equally as important."
Bale's achievements have led a host of European clubs, led by Inter, to cast admiring glances in his direction, but Redknapp has been adamant he is not for sale - a position strengthened by the new deal.
"He has got his whole future ahead and he has everything going for him," Redknapp added.
The Wales international joined Spurs from Southampton at the age of 17, and has since made 112 appearances, scoring 17 goals.
Most of those have come since he moved forward from his original left-back position to play on the wing, a switch that rejuvenated his career which at once stage appeared stalled as he struggled for a place in the side.
But the days when he was perhaps best known for setting a new record of playing in 24 Premier League games for Tottenham without once being on the winning side are now forgotten.
"I am enjoying my football at Tottenham. I want us to keep going forward as a team and hopefully we can achieve big things," Bale said.
"We have got a great squad that is still young and we are going places. It is great to commit to this club and hopefully we can achieve what we believe we can with this squad. The players want what the fans want, and performing in front of these fans is a special experience.
"I definitely believe we can challenge for a title very soon. That is why I have signed. Every year as a minimum we are aiming to qualify for the Champions League so we are definitely going in the right direction.
"We have proven in the Champions League this season that we can compete with the best and we are in the last eight now and there is no reason we can't go further this season and in years to come."
 
Spanish La Liga Roundup, Mar. 19


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Updated Mar 19, 2011 7:33 PM ET
Real Madrid continued its dominance over Atletico Madrid with a 2-1 win at Vicente Calderon Stadium, while front-runner Barcelona stayed five points ahead after downing Getafe 2-1 in the Spanish league on Saturday.
Karim Benzema opened the scoring for Real in the 11th minute, and Mesut Oezil doubled the advantage in the 32nd after Iker Casillas withstood a surge from Atletico with several saves.
Atletico finally scored in the 86th through Sergio Aguero.

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Madrid has beaten Atletico four times this season in the league and Copa del Rey, and was undefeated in 21 straight Spanish capital derbies dating to 1999.
"Someday (Atletico) has to win," Casillas told La Sexta TV. "(But) I hope it is as far away as possible."
Earlier, Barcelona broke a club record that had stood since the 1973-74 season with its 27th league game without a loss.
Dani Alves scored Barcelona's first goal with a blast from outside the area in the 17th minute, and Bojan Krkic made it 2-0 in the 50th.
Manuel del Moral pulled one back for Getafe in the 88th.
"I hope we continue to play well to reach the end of the season with a greater lead," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.
In Madrid, Real coach Jose Mourinho deployed three defensive midfielder with Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira and Lass Diarra as the team looked to counterattack.
The strategy immediately paid off when Khedira slipped the ball between two defenders for Benzema to chip over helpless Atletico goalkeeper David De Gea.
The France striker - heavily criticized in the first half of the season- has eight goals in the last five games in all competitions and 10 goals in league play.
Down a goal, Atletico began to create offense after Jose Antonio Reyes forced Casillas to deflect a free kick over the crossbar in the 14th.
"I like to have my goalkeeper with less work, but Casillas had a lot of work and he played well," Mourinho said.
Atletico then attacked in waves. Casillas denied Sergio Aguero twice from close range, a Diego Godin header, and a strike by Reyes before Oezil beautifully curled his first-touch shot off a pass from Marcelo over a surprised De Gea.
Atletico wilted after Oezil's sixth goal of the season, with Aguero failing to better Casillas one-on-one in the 53rd.
Aguero combined with Jorge "Koke" Resurreccion inside the area to finally fire past Casillas for his 12th goal of the season, but it was too late for a comeback.
"We didn't have the energy to counterattack in the second half and we had to defend as well as we could," said Mourinho, whose team played its third game in eight days.
"(The players) were dead tired but they left it all on the pitch."
At Camp Nou, a video supporting Barcelona defender Eric Abidal, who underwent surgery for a liver tumor on Thursday, was played and his teammates wore shirts that read "We love you Abi" before the game.
Lionel Messi came close to opening the scoring in the eighth when he controlled a pass from Xavi Hernandez with his chest, but his acrobatic kick with his back to the goal was blocked by Getafe goalkeeper Jordi Codina.
Alves' goal was pure power as the Brazil right back charged forward to rocket a ball cleared by the Zaragoza defense into the right corner of Codina's goal.
Alves dedicated the goal to Abidal.
"He is hurt now, but he is strong and I am sure he will get through this," Alves said.
Four minutes later the hosts had a pair of chances to double the lead when Andres Iniesta robbed Dani Parejo and set up Messi, who dribbled past Codina only to have his shot cleared off the line by a diving defender. The ball fell to David Villa, but his close-range shot sailed high.
Although Getafe lost ball after ball in its own half to Barcelona's pressure, the Madrid side remained dangerous when it managed to cross midfield and a nice team buildup ended with Barcelona goalie Victor Valdes saving Francisco Casquero's shot in the 33rd.
Barcelona dominated the scoring chances, and Bojan sealed the win when his shot from the right side took a deflection off Getafe center back Daniel Diaz, finding Codina out of position. It was the second goal in as many games for the 20-year-old striker, appearing in his 100th game for the Catalan club.
Del Moral halved Getafe's deficit late when he volleyed home a pass from Victor Sanchez, but Barcelona held on for the win.
Xavi received his fifth yellow card and will miss the match at Villarreal.
Elsewhere, Mallorca beat a 10-man Zaragoza 1-0 on a second-half goal by Jonathan De Guzman.
Zaragoza went a man down when goalkeeper Toni Doblas was sent off for handling outside the area, and Canadian midfielder De Guzman curled the resulting free kick by replacement goalie Leo Franco to give Mallorca its 67th-minute winner.
Third-place Valencia hosts Sevilla and fourth-place Villarreal visits Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Also, it's: Sporting Gijon vs. Almeria, Hercules vs. Osasuna, Racing Santander vs. Real Sociedad, Malaga vs. Espanyol, and Deportivo La Coruna vs. Levante.
 
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