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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 16, 2017
Regal Real fight back to beat Napoli 3-1
(REUTERS) - Casemiro’s stunning volley crowned a superb display from Real Madrid, who fought back to beat Napoli 3-1 at the Bernabeu in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie yesterday. The Brazilian midfielder thundered a spectacular rightfoot shot into the net early in the second half to complete Real’s comeback, adding to efforts either side of halftime from Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos. Napoli, the top scorers in Serie A, grabbed an early goal when Lorenzo Insigne spotted keeper Keylor Navas out of position to curl the ball home from distance, but when Real clicked into gear they created chances at will.
Holders Real, who are chasing a 12th European title and eyeing a seventh straight quarter-final appearance, will travel to Naples for the return leg on March 7. “We’ll go there to a difficult ground where we’ll suffer and it’s still an open game,” Real coach Zinedine Zidane told reporters. “We need to go there and finish it off with our 3-1 advantage.” Real were defending an enviable home record in the Champions League, having gone 11 games undefeated at the Bernabeu, but were facing a Napoli side in form, unbeaten in their last 18 matches in all competitions. The hosts were at the throats of their opponents
Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters/Juan Medina Livepic) within moments of the kickoff as Benzema forced a reflex save from Pepe Reina with barely 20 seconds on the clock. At that point it looked
like it could be a long evening for Napoli, but the Italians were in no mood to lie down and took the lead to cap a frenetic opening after eight minutes.
Insigne was fed through by Marek Hamsik and spotted Real keeper Navas out of position. Quick as a flash and with two defenders closing in, he bent a shot into the corner from 35 metres. The lead lasted 10 minutes as Real drew level when Dani Carvajal’s arrowed cross was headed powerfully into the net by Benzema, his 51st Champions League goal, lifting him into fifth on the all-time scorers list. The remainder of the half was spent mainly in Napoli territory as Real continued to press, with Cristiano Ronaldo blasting over after being set free by Luka Modric and Benzema clipping the outside of the post when through on goal.
Their dominance, however, was rewarded four minutes after the restart as Ronaldo skipped to the byline and pulled it back for Kroos on the edge of the box to sidefoot calmly past Reina. Four minutes later Casemiro took the game, and perhaps the tie, away from Napoli with a stunning rightfoot volley from 25 metres that left Reina flailing. “We faced the best team in the world, but it’s a pity that we made so many mistakes with the ball because we usually don’t do that,” said Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri. “The return leg? We will try to win 2-0, but I don’t think Madrid would agree with that.”
Malone stars in Savage Masters win Irish horses dominate
LED by a brilliant all-round performance from Ramo Malone, Savage Masters won the Ogle Community Centre one-day, four-team softball invitational tournament over Regal Masters on Sunday. Malone first hit his way to 42, which eventually took Savage to 131-3 from their 15 overs before returning with the ball to pick up 3-27. Malone and Unis Yusuf added 80 runs for the first wicket before Yusuf was dismissed for 30. Rishie Ramsaywack made 31 at the backend of the innings. Raymond Harper was the best bowler for Regal Masters, picking up 3-27. The star-studded Regal Masters team, who will be jetting off to the Florida Cup next week, were off to a slow start, which eventually cost them at the end of the innings. They lost by three runs. Mahesh Chunilall (54), Eon Abel (23) and Rudolph Baker (22 not out) were the only batsmen to show some commitment with the bat. The well-deserved victory is Savage Masters’ second successive championship following their shared title with Mike’s Wellman in the Georgetown Softball Cricket League’s Republic Cup. In the semifinals, Regal beat Mike’s Wellman by 36 runs while Savage got the better of Ariel Masters by 17 runs. The top three teams and Most Valuable Player Ramo Malone received trophies. The day’s activity was organised by the executives and members of the Ogle Community Centre to raise funds for the club.
top weights for Grand National
Most Valuable Player Ramo Malone receives his trophy.
(REUTERS) - Irish-trained horses look set to repeat last year’s dominance of the Grand National as they were given the top five weights for the famous marathon steeplechase at Aintree, Liverpool on April 8. Five of last year’s top six finishers were trained in Ireland and April’s race announced on Tuesday contains 20 horses trained in
the country out of the top 40 entries - the maximum runners allowed - on the list. Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud won with Rule The World last year and the businessman appears intent on staging a repeat with 12 of his 16 entries on the 109-horse list guaranteed a run if trainer Gordon Elliot opts to race them.
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Thursday February 16, 2017) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Kieran Powell-510 runs (Leeward Hurricanes) (2) Kieran Powell-135 vs Windward Volcanoes Today’s Quiz: (1) Who recorded the best bowling figures in a single game during the preliminary round of CWI/Nagicor Super 50, 2017? (2) Which Guyanese bowler took most wickets in CWI/Nagi cor Super 50, 2017?
The victorious Savage Masters team
ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE