Rangers stumble again in Aberdeen stalemate

Glasgow (AFP) – Rangers’ Scottish Premiership title challenge suffered a fresh blow as they were held 0-0 at home by Aberdeen on Saturday to only close within four points of Celtic.

Steven Gerrard’s side paid for another below-par display after losing at Hearts last weekend.

Aberdeen goalkeeper Joe Lewis was equal to everything Rangers could muster as they created precious few clear-cut chances and dropped points at home for the first time since September.

Indeed, the Dons could easily have claimed all three points as Sam Cosgrove’s touch let him down when clean through in the first half and Allan McGregor produced an excellent stop from Ash Taylor in the final quarter.

Celtic can now move seven points clear when they travel to Hamilton on Sunday.

At the other end of the table, Hearts moved off the bottom, ahead of Hamilton on goal difference, thanks to Sean Clare’s stoppage-time strike to secure a 3-3 draw at St Johnstone.

St Mirren remain three points clear of the relegation places after blowing a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Hibernian.

Livingston closed the gap on third-placed Motherwell to seven points as their good run continued with a 1-0 win at Almondvale.

Kilmarnock ended a seven-game losing streak by coming from behind to beat Ross County 3-1.

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Zidane inspires Real Madrid to derby victory over Atletico

Madrid (AFP) – Zinedine Zidane’s double substitution at half-time transformed the Madrid derby on Saturday as Real Madrid edged past Atletico 1-0 to move six points clear at the top of La Liga. 

Karim Benzema scored the winner at the Santiago Bernabeu after Zidane’s decisive intervention turned a contest that Atletico had dominated into another comfortable Real Madrid victory. 

Vinicius Junior, one of the substitutes, was a key to the goal. 

Second-place Barcelona can cut the gap back to three points by beating Levante at home on Sunday but Atletico now trail the leaders by 13 points. 

While Diego Simeone’s side were excellent in the first half, they were yet again blunt in front of goal and then failed to respond when their opponents found a different gear.

This is Atletico’s fifth game without a win. The worry is that on this form, they should worry not about the title race but about missing out on Champions League qualification. 

It is a far cry from pre-season when Atletico thrashed Real 7-3 and many were tipping them as serious challengers. 

Zidane was under pressure then, but his team are on a relentless run, now 21 games unbeaten, the latest due in large part to his changes. 

The decision to ditch a failing system and revert to 4-3-3, with Vinicuis Junior and Lucas Vazquez coming on for Isco and Toni Kroos, was both brave and effective. 

Real’s form is impressive and they have Eden Hazard, out since November, on the brink of a return, perhaps on Thursday in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals against Real Sociedad. 

Gareth Bale’s absence was not related to fitness. The Welshman was left out of the squad despite training for most of the week after an ankle injury. 

Atletico were without the injured Kieran Trippier, meaning Sime Vrsaljko came in a right-back. January signing Yannick Carrasco was named on the bench, after rejoining from Dalian Yifang the day before. 

Simeone’s side were significantly better in the first half and should have taken one of a handful of decent chances as Vitolo hit Thibaut Courtois, Saul Niguez flashed wide and Angel Correa poked past the post after going through one-on-one, even if he probably would have been called offside. 

Real Madrid’s cluster of central midfielders looked unsure of their 4-3-2-1 shape. Fede Valverde looked particularly uncomfortable as he spent much of the first half as a right winger. Luka Modric was virtually anonymous in his more advanced role. 

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Infantino wants African Cup of Nations every four years, not two

Rabat (AFP) – FIFA boss Gianni Infantino told African football leaders on Saturday that he wants their continental Cup of Nations to be played every four years as part of a package of reforms designed to lift “African football to the top of the world”.

Infantino also told a seminar in Rabat attended by delegates from each of the Confederation of African Football’s 54 member associations, that he wanted new stadiums in every member state and had earmarked $1 billion to finance the ambitious program.

The Africa Cup of Nations is currently staged every two years, which makes it unpopular with European clubs.

“What I’m asking you, and it’s your decision, is to discuss and consider moving to a Nations Cup every four years,” Infantino said.

He said he wanted to “revolutionise African football”.

“Pele once said that an African team would win the World Cup, but this hasn’t happened and it seems we are not making progress. Today must be the day we turn that page” Infantino said.

“Our objective must be to project African football to the top of the world,” he said.

He said FIFA was “elaborating a proposal to mobilise $1bn.”

“In the countries where there is already at least one very good stadium, the investments can be done in other infrastructures,” he said.

After decades of being accused of not adequately supervising how its money is spent by members, FIFA has been rolling out best practice standards and says it will ensure that the African development project funding is managed via transparent accountable procedures.

– African club championships –

Infantino also promised to create a pan-African league that would feature 20-24 clubs with a maximum of maybe two clubs per country that would still play in their national leagues.

“So we can really crown the club champions of Africa,” Infantino said although the African Champions League already does that.

“Let us show the world what we can do,” Infantino challenged Africa’s footballing community.

“This day is special — it’s the start of a new chapter for African football.”

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Salah scores twice as Liverpool power 22 points clear

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool surged 22 points clear at the top of the Premier League with a dominant second-half display as Mohamed Salah scored twice in a 4-0 rout of Southampton on Saturday.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jordan Henderson also scored and the runaway leaders have collected an astonishing 100 league points from the last 102 available to them.

A 24th victory in 25 league matches this season and ninth clean sheet in 10 games underlined how Jurgen Klopp’s side have turned the title race into a procession.

Southampton’s spirited performance at Anfield was undone, in controversial fashion, two minutes into the second half after Danny Ings appealed that he had been tripped by Fabinho on his way into the home area.

Liverpool broke immediately upfield, Oxlade-Chamberlain spearheading a counter-attack which ended in an exchange of passes with Roberto Firmino, and a brilliant finish into the bottom corner of the Southampton goal.

The visitors appealed furiously that they should have been awarded the earlier penalty only to be met with an unfavourable decision from VAR.

That proved to be a moot point eventually with Henderson and Salah adding goals in quick succession after the hour.

Henderson doubled the lead from a move started when he closed down a clearance from keeper Alex McCarthy and Trent Alexander-Arnold returned it upfield.

Firmino chased the pass down and laid the ball off for Henderson to drive in an unstoppable finish.

Twelve minutes later Henderson himself set up the third, with a magnificent pass which just eluded Jan Bednarek and allowed Salah to chase through and lift the ball over the keeper.

Firmino and substitute Takumi Minamino wasted glorious chances to add to the score before Salah did just that in the final minute to give Liverpool their 20th successive home league win.

– Rampant Reds –

It came from more strong play by Firmino, who held off defender Jack Stephens before squaring for his Egyptian team-mate to score with an untidy, deflected shot.

Yet, despite the impressive weight of statistical form that Liverpool brought into the game, Southampton were themselves looking for a fifth consecutive league away win and could have been on course for it by the interval.

The first period ended with the Saints actually out-performing the leaders and, with better finishing, they would have been in control.

Instead, Liverpool could point to their best, and only real, chance of the first half and bemoan the fact they were denied what looked a strong penalty appeal on the half hour.

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Liverpool move 22 points clear, Chelsea salvage point at Leicester

London (AFP) – Liverpool surged a massive 22 points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 4-0 win over Southampton as Leicester and Chelsea consolidated their place in the top four in a thrilling 2-2 draw at the King Power.

Mohamed Salah scored twice as the champions-elect equalled a Premier League record with a 20th straight home win at Anfield.

Southampton believed they should have had a penalty early in the second half when Danny Ings went down in the box against his old club, but no spot-kick was given and Liverpool went straight up the other end to take the lead through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Jordan Henderson doubled the European champions lead with a smart finish on the hour mark.

Salah then produced two cool finishes in the final 20 minutes as Jurgen Klopp’s men took their tally of points to a remarkable 100 from the last possible 102.

– Rudiger to the rescue –

Chelsea stretched their advantage over Manchester United, Wolves and Tottenham to seven points, but offered further hope to the chasing pack in the battle for a Champions League place.

Frank Lampard’s men have now won just four of their last 13 league games and the Blues’ boss’s frustration at not being able to add to his forward options in the January transfer window was exacerbated as the visitors needed two goals from centre-back Antonio Rudiger just to claim a point.

“Not many people gave us the top four slot and I understand why, and it’s probably the same now,” said Lampard. “We’ve come to Leicester, who everyone’s raving about, quite rightly, and we’ve got a point.”

All the goals came in the second half as Rudiger nodded Chelsea in front before two goals in 10 minutes from Harvey Barnes and Ben Chilwell turned the game around for Leicester.

A brilliant leap from Rudiger 19 minutes from time denied the Foxes all three points, but Brendan Rodgers’s men maintain an eight-point lead over Chelsea in third.

“We should have won having gone 2-1 up. We gifted them two goals really, which we’re disappointed with,” said Rodgers.

Sheffield United are now Chelsea’s closest challengers as Chris Wilder’s men moved into fifth with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace thanks to a calamitous own goal from Eagles’ goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

Manchester United or Wolves could move back above the Blades with victory when they face off later at Old Trafford.

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Haaland takes tally to seven in three games with another Dortmund double

Berlin (AFP) – Norwegian rising star Erling Braut Haaland made it seven goals in three games for Borussia Dortmund after scoring a double in Saturday’s 5-0 Bundesliga thrashing of Union Berlin.

The 19-year-old, who had netted five times in his first two appearances since signing from Salzburg, scored either side of half-time at Signal Iduna Park after being handed his first Dortmund start by coach Lucien Favre.

Haaland’s tally is the most by any Bundesliga player in their first three league matches.

Dortmund moved third in the table, three points behind leaders Bayern Munich, who beat Mainz 3-1.

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Leicester, Chelsea share spoils after Rudiger’s late leveller

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Antonio Rudiger rescued Chelsea as the German defender’s second goal of the game earned a 2-2 draw against top-four rivals Leicester on Saturday.

Rudiger put Chelsea ahead early in the second half at the King Power Stadium before Harvey Barnes and Ben Chilwell scored in quick succession to give Leicester the lead.

A thrilling second half climaxed when Rudiger became the first defender to score a brace for Chelsea in the Premier League since John Terry against Fulham in 2013.

Third-placed Leicester could be more sanguine about the result as they sit eight points clear of fourth-placed Chelsea, who have now won just one of their last five league games.

Frustrated that Chelsea failed to make any signings during the window, Blues boss Frank Lampard claims his team are now underdogs in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top-four finish.

Depending on Manchester United and Tottenham’s results, Lampard’s prediction could look prescient by the conclusion of the weekend’s action.

Showing his irritation with Chelsea’s spluttering form, Lampard dropped Kepa Arrizabalaga after some error-prone displays from Chelsea’s keeper, with 38-year-old Willy Caballero making his first league appearance since May.

Chelsea started on the front foot and Tammy Abraham appealed for a penalty when he was challenged by Caglar Soyuncu, but referee Lee Mason and then VAR both rejected the claim.

Jamie Vardy was back from injury but Leicester’s 17-goal leading scorer hadn’t netted in his last four league games and he wasted a good chance to put the hosts ahead when he burst onto Ayoze Perez’s chestdown in the penalty area, only to shoot straight at Caballero.

Pedro went close with a clever chip from the edge of the area which Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel tipped over at full stretch.

– Sloppy defending –

Leicester were stunned by their late League Cup semi-final defeat against Aston Villa in midweek and they looked low on confidence at times.

Hamza Choudhury should have headed Leicester in front on the stroke of half-time but, befitting their scrappy showing, the midfielder couldn’t keep his close-range effort on target.

Choudhury was at fault again when Chelsea snatched the lead in the 46th minute.

When Mason Mount swung a corner towards the far post, Choudhury misjudged his jump and Rudiger got behind him to head in from close range.

It was the perfect way for the German defender to mark his 100th Chelsea appearance as he scored only his fifth goal for the Blues.

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