Barca rout Eibar as Valencia hold Atletico
The lead would only last seven minutes before the first of May’s double strike, England giving the Wallabies a lesson in how to make pressure pay when the winger went over on the overlap after a beautifully delayed pass from flanker Tom Curry.
Australia went straight back on the attack but a David Pocock pop-pass went through the hands of Lealiifano and Henry Slade swooped onto the ball, the centre racing 40 metres before putting May into the left corner again with a neat grubber kick. The Wallabies were stunned but still avoiding kicking out of defence, making good ground with ball in hand and again working their way deep into England territory only to spill the ball in the tackle.
The referee was playing advantage, however, so Lealiifano was able to cut the deficit to 14-6 from the kicking tee, with another penalty apiece before halftime sending England into the break with an eight-point advantage. Three minutes into the second half and it was one point, a lofted pass from Reece Hodge setting centre Jordan Petaia free on the left, the teenager finding Marika Koroibete who turned May inside and out before touchEIBAR, ing down.
Another England double whammy almost immediately put the Australians on the back foot again, however. Farrell first provided a sublime flat pass to put prop Kyle Sinckler in for his first test try and then, after his pack had monstered Australia at the scrum, the flyhalf stepped up to extend the lead to 27-16.
Australia knew they needed to score next but, when offered the opportunity with a penalty in front of the posts just before the hour mark, Michael Hooper elected to go for a scrum. England’s eight held firm, the defence held firm, and soon they were back in the Australia half hammering away at the tryline and earning a penalty that Farrell slotted to take the lead to 14 points.
The 2003 champions were now in full control and Farrell slotted a fourth penalty after the Australia forwards collapsed a rolling maul out of desperation. The Wallabies were forced to throw caution to the wind and Anthony Watson scored a fourth try from an intercept four minutes to ensure England would match their record winning margin against Australia, the 30-6 win in 2017. Spain, Oct 19, (RTRS): Barcelona’s attacking trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann all got on the scoresheet for the first time together in a 3-0 win away to Eibar.
Griezmann put Barca ahead in the 13th minute after a route-one move from his side as Clement Lenglet launched the ball from the heart of the defence down field to release the France forward, who calmly slotted inside the near post.
The three forwards all combined for the next two goals in a sign that the trio are finally gelling after a stop-start season interrupted by injuries to Messi and Suarez.
Suarez brought the ball into the area for Griezmann to slide it across for Messi to score in the 58th minute.
Griezmann was the architect of the third goal, rolling the ball from deep into the path of Messi, who then squared for Suarez to tap into an empty net in the 66th and round off Barca’s fifth consecutive victory in all competitions.
Atletico Madrid’s frustrating La Liga run continued as Daniel Parejo’s stunning late free kick earned Valencia a deserved 1-1 draw in the Metropolitano.
It had looked as if Diego Costa’s 36thminute penalty would earn Diego Simeone’s misfiring side only their second win in six league games but they were unable to hold on. Atletico dominated the first half but Costa and his strike partner Alvaro Morata both missed decent chances.
Costa broke the deadlock when Denis Cheryshev was adjudged by the referee, via a VAR check, to have blocked a cross with his arm and the striker sent Jasper Cillessen the wrong way with the resulting spot-kick for only his second goal of the season.
Valencia were more dangerous after the break and Russian striker Cheryshev spurned a great chance when he fired against the bar from close range.
There was an edginess in the Atletico ranks after Parejo’s dipping free kick in the 82nd minute gave keeper Jan Oblak no chance and Parejo soon went close to snatching the points for the visitors.