Sports
Mbappe On The Mark As Real Madrid Sink Alaves
Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior scored as Real Madrid beat Alaves 2-1 on Tuesday to cling on to their slim hopes of catching Barcelona in La Liga.
Mbappe struck his league-leading 24th goal, but first since early February, with a deflected shot on the half hour at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Vinicius lashed in a second from distance early in the second half, which proved crucial as Alaves pulled a goal back in stoppage time through Toni Martinez.
The victory ended a two-match winless run in La Liga for Madrid and moved them back to within six points of leaders Barcelona, who host Celta Vigo on Wednesday.
“We have six matches coming up, the next one in three days. The aim is to win those matches – that’s the goal we’ve set ourselves as a team,” said Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, whose position is under increasing scrutiny.
“I don’t care much about what’s at stake for me personally. What matters to me is what’s at stake for Real Madrid.”
Madrid are staring down the barrel of a second consecutive season without a major trophy following last week’s Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Bayern Munich.
Mbappe scored in both legs of that 6-4 aggregate defeat but a barren patch in La Liga, in part because of a knee injury, coincided with arch-rivals Barcelona streaking clear at the top.
Madrid faced early pressure from relegation-threatened Alaves, who were unbeaten in four matches.
Angel Perez broke in behind the home defence before strangely opting to pass instead of shooting with just Andriy Lunin blocking his path to goal. Martinez then tested the Real ‘keeper after finding a pocket of space.
Mbappe put Madrid ahead when his effort from just outside the box clipped a defender and wrong-footed Antonio Sivera.
The France captain then had an attempt beaten away by Sivera and Eder Militao clipped the crossbar, injuring himself in the process and having to go off before the break.
Martinez nearly levelled for Alaves when he poked a cross against the post, with his follow-up strike clawed out by Lunin.
Vinicius hammered in from 25 yards to give Madrid breathing space, and Brahim Diaz was denied by a brilliant headed clearance off the goalline.
Alaves continued to toil away as Victor Parada’s diving header hit the upright. Martinez netted a consolation with an inventive flick in stoppage time before loud jeers greeted the final whistle in Madrid.
Elsewhere, Real Betis came from behind to triumph 3-2 at Girona as Rodrigo Riquelme bagged the winner 10 minutes from time.
Gorka Guruzeta’s first-half goal lifted Athletic Bilbao to a 1-0 home win over Osasuna, while Mallorca and Valencia drew 1-1.
Bayern Munich striker, Harry Kane, is currently topping the chart for the European top scorers so far across various domestic leagues following the weekend matches.
The England international leads the standings with 32 goals in 27 matches for Bayern Munich after scoring in the 4-2 win against VfB Stuttgart on Sunday.
Behind Kane is Benfica’s Luis Suarez, who holds second place with 24 goals, while Kylian Mbappe remains third with 23 goals for Real Madrid.
Ayase Ueda is behind Mbappe and 23 goals for Feyenoord, while Manchester City striker Erling Haaland climbs to fifth place with 23 goals after scoring the winner for the Cityzens against Arsenal.
Paul Onuachu follows with 22 goals for Trabzonspor, while Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis, Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi and Brentford’s Igor Thiago each register 21 goals.
Estoril Praia’s Yanis Begraoui completes the top 10 with 19 goals, as European top scorers continue to promise intense competition in the coming weeks.
Manchester City beat Arsenal in their major Premier League title race clash at the Etihad thanks to Erling Haaland’s winner.
Pep Guardiola’s side defeated their rivals 2-1 on Sunday afternoon to move to within three points of the league leaders.
Rayan Cherki opened the scoring in the first half, before Kai Havertz pounced on a Gianluigi Donnarumma’s error to equalise.
And then during a tense second half, Haaland managed to find the all-important winner to sink the Gunners in Manchester.
Man City now know they can move to the top of the Premier League table with a win over Burnley on Wednesday, live on talkSPORT.
Erling Haaland’s goal is the difference and Man City now have the chance to move to the top of the Premier League.
They’ll be celebrating tonight – but not too hard, ahead of their meeting with Burnley on Wednesday, live on talkSPORT.
As for Arsenal, it’s a nightmare evening for them.
The Gunners had the quadruple in their sights a few weeks ago, but now, after losing four of their last six, hopes are doomed.
There will be no Carabao Cup, no FA Cup, and now potentially no Premier League following their dismal run.C CB.
Real Sociedad edged Atletico Madrid 4-3 on penalties to win the Copa del Rey for a fourth time in the club’s history after a 2-2 draw in a gripping final on Saturday in Seville.
After Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez missed from the spot for Diego Simeone’s Atletico, Pablo Marin smashed home his kick to claim victory for the Basque side.
Ander Barrenetxea had headed Real Sociedad ahead after just 14 seconds, with Ademola Lookman levelling for Atletico.
Mikel Oyarzabal put the Basque side ahead from the penalty spot before the break but Alvarez rescued Atletico and forced extra time and ultimately penalties with a superb strike.
La Real’s season seemed set to be one of struggle until American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo was appointed in December, and he resuscitated their campaign.
At La Cartuja stadium it was a battle between two teams that often attack fast and direct, and Real Sociedad certainly did that, netting the quickest ever goal scored in a Copa del Rey final.
Goncalo Guedes scampered away down the left on to a long ball, crossing for Barrenetxea to head beyond Juan Musso before the Rojiblancos had even touched the ball.
Simeone’s side, who last won the competition back in 2013 near the start of his 14-year reign, wrestled their way back level through Lookman.
Antoine Griezmann laid off the ball to him on the edge of the box and without much on, the Nigeria international spied a route to goal and drilled into the bottom corner.
Lookman almost created a goal for Griezmann but Real Sociedad scrambled to block the 35-year-old French forward, who is leaving Atletico at the end of the season for MLS side Orlando City.
Atletico goalkeeper Musso, chosen ahead of the fit-again Jan Oblak after he impressed during the Slovenian’s recent injury absence, handed La Real the lead again just before the break.
Musso clumsily clattered Guedes fists first as the Portuguese leapt for a header and the Basque side were awarded a penalty.
Oyarzabal, who scored from the spot when they won the 2020 edition, without their fans present because of the global pandemic, sent Musso the wrong way.
After a first half in which they struggled, Atletico began to build some pressure after the interval.
Griezmann lashed over and Lookman whipped a shot high and wide as La Real tried to stave off the Rojiblancos, who dominated the ball.
Alvarez forces extra time
Simeone called for his battering ram, sending on Norwegian target man Sorloth to try and force a way through.
Eventually the goal they craved came from the guile of former Manchester City striker Alvarez instead.
The Argentina forward took a neat touch to spin on the edge of the box and then another to plant the ball in the top corner for his 19th goal of the season.
With La Real caving Johnny Cardoso should have won it for Atletico in stoppage time. The American fired a golden opening wide of the far post with just goalkeeper Unai Marrero to beat.
Musso made a fine save to thwart Icelandic striker Orri Oskarsson as he tried to turn home a rebound in extra time.
At the other end Alvarez crashed a shot off the crossbar from long range, with both teams creating enough opportunities to win it before penalties.
Marrero denied both Sorloth and Alvarez on Atletico’s first two penalties, with Musso stopping one from Oskarsson to give Atletico a chance.
However Marin made no mistake with Real Sociedad’s fifth penalty to spark wild celebrations.
Atletico’s last realistic chance of silverware this season, and something for Griezmann to celebrate on his departure, is in the Champions League where they face Arsenal in the semi-finals.
AFP
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