news_sport

April 21 (Reuters) - Liverpool regained their place at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win at Cardiff City on Sunday that restored their two-point lead over Manchester City. Liverpool, who have lost just once in the league all season, have 88 points while City, who beat Tottenham 1-0 on Saturday, are on 86 but have a game in hand. That extra game for City will be played on Wednesday when Pep Guardiola's side travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United and the champions will make the short trip with the pressure firmly back on. Georginio Wijnaldum broke the deadlock for Liverpool with a first-time strike from a clever short corner from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Sean Morrison then missed a golden opportunity for relegation-threatened Cardiff to equalise, making a hash of a header when he had an open goal at his mercy. Late in the game, Morrison was judged to have pulled down Mohamed Salah in the box and substitute James Milner converted the 81st minute penalty to make sure of … [Read more...] about Liverpool back on top after 2-0 win at Cardiff

April 21 (Reuters) - Crystal Palace put a dent in Arsenal's Champions League qualification hopes after strikers Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha made the most of defensive errors in a 3-2 win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. The visitors took a shock early lead inside 20 minutes when captain Luka Milivojevic's freekick found an unmarked Benteke, who headed it past Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno for his first league goal since April last year. Arsenal boss Unai Emery responded with the introduction of Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Alex Iwobi at the start of the second half but it was Mesut Ozil who scored the equaliser after a sweeping move. The German playmaker combined with Iwobi and striker Alexandre Lacazette before scooping the ball past Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita. But Arsenal paid for a lapse in concentration at the back as Zaha took advantage of Shkodran Mustafi's error in judgement to grab the lead for the visitors, before Palace added a third with a headed goal from … [Read more...] about Palace punish sloppy Arsenal in 3-2 win at the Emirates

BERLIN (Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund eased past Freiburg 4-0 on Sunday, with goals from Jadon Sancho, Marco Reus, Mario Goetze and Paco Alcacer, to stay a point behind leaders Bayern Munich with four games left in the Bundesliga season. England international Sancho tapped in from close range for the visitors in the 12th minute and Reus completed another fine move in the 54th to score his 16th goal of the season. The pair then combined to set up Goetze for their third in the 79th and Dortmund's top scorer Alcacer made it 4-0 with an 87th minute penalty, his 17th league goal. Dortmund were brutally effective, scoring four goals from a total of just 10 shots on goal in the entire game. They also kept a clean sheet for only the second time in the last eight matches as they prepare to face Ruhr valley rivals Schalke 04 next week. The result kept Dortmund, on 69 points, within striking distance of Bayern, who are top on 70 after their 1-0 victory over Werder Bremen on Saturday. "It is … [Read more...] about Dortmund crush Freiburg 4-0 to stay on Bayern’s heels

PARIS (Reuters) - Five-times Women's Champions League winners Olympique Lyonnais claimed the early advantage after they beat Chelsea 2-1 at home in their semi-final first leg on Sunday. A Magdalena Ericsson own goal and a strike from midfielder Amandine Henry in the first half put the defending champions 2-0 ahead before Erin Cuthbert pulled one back for the visitors after the break. Bayern Munich take on Barcelona in the other semi-final first leg on Sunday. At Lyon's Groupama Stadium, Delphine Cascarino's shot was deflected in off Chelsea defender Ericsson in the 27th minute to give the hosts the lead. Henry headed the ball into the far post from a corner to make it 2-0 after 38 minutes. It was a perfect start for the hosts, but Chelsea were awarded a penalty on the stroke of halftime after Ramona Bachmann was brought down, only for goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi to save Fran Kirby's spot kick. The Blues were still in the mix, however, and Cuthbert volleyed home an away goal in the 72nd … [Read more...] about Lyon beat Chelsea but semi-final tie still open

By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - Johnny Sexton returned to action and top form to lead holders Leinster to the European Champions Cup final on Sunday, outclassing Toulouse 30-12 in a clash of the competition's two most successful teams. The Leinster captain, who had not played for the province this year and was out of form at the Six Nations, looked back to his old self at the Aviva Stadium, controlling possession and kicking near flawlessly in a man of the match performance. Two Scott Fardy tries and one for James Lowe mean Leinster will take their bid to surpass Toulouse and become the first team to win five European titles to St James' Park, Newcastle on May 11 where they face Saracens, champions in 2016 and 2017. "We knew Toulouse had four stars on their jersey but Sarries have two and were superb against Munster yesterday, so we know we're going to be up against it," Sexton said in a pitchside interview after one of his side's best performances of the year. After Sexton and … [Read more...] about Leinster outclass Toulouse in battle of European heavyweights