Sherwood returns to haunt Spurs
LONDON: Tim Sherwood returned to haunt former club Tottenham on Saturday as Aston Villa improved their chances of avoiding relegation from the Premier League with a 1-0 away victory.
Christian Benteke scored the game’s only goal, nodding in an inviting right-wing cross from Leandro Bacuna in the 35th minute to register his eighth goal in six games. On his return to White Hart Lane following his sacking by Spurs at the end of last season, Sherwood saw his Villa side open up a six-point cushion over the relegation zone.
But victory came at a price for the Midlands club, with Ciaran Clark and Gabriel Agbonlahor, who hit the post, forced off by injury and Carlos Sanchez sent off in stoppage time after receiving two yellow cards.
Spurs’ defeat saw them lose ground in the battle for European places, with Southampton moving two points above them — and leapfrogging Liverpool — by winning 2-0 at home to Hull City.
James Ward-Prowse broke the deadlock with a 56th-minute penalty after former Hull striker Shane Long had been tripped by Alex Bruce. Graziano Pelle then ended a 14-league-game scoring drought with a late strike. 30 21 7 31 19 6 31 18 8 31 18 7 32 17 5 2 37 70 6 30 63 5 27 62 6 33 61 10 22 56 BARCELONA: Cristiano Ronaldo continued his hot-streak with the opening goal as an understrength Real Madrid beat Eibar 3-0 in La Liga and moved a point off leaders Barcelona who face Sevilla later on Saturday.
The Portuguese struck a freekick from distance and the ball moved deceptively in the air to catch out keeper Xabier Irureta and put Real ahead after 21 minutes at the Bernabeu.
Ronaldo’s form dropped after Christmas, which coincided with Real losing top spot in La Liga, but he has now bounced back with eight goals from four games.
Real were missing several regular starters against the Basque side, who posed little threat, and Chicharito nodded home the second on the half hour. Jese Rodriguez wrapped up the victory with a strike from the edge of the area, eight minutes from the end.
LEWANDOWSKI DOUBLE INSPIRES BAYERN
BERLIN: Robert Lewandowski scored twice as injury-hit Bayern Munich romped to a 3-0 league win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday to warmup for their Champions League quarterfinal at Porto.
Third-placed Borussia Eibar 0 31 24 1 6 65 73 30 20 5 5 34 65 30 18 8 4 30 62 30 19 4 7 21 61 27 17 6 4 30 57 28 15 8 5 22 53 28 14 9 5 21 51 28 11 8 9 6 41
Moenchengladbach picked up their fourth straight league win with an impressive 3-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund.