Unbeaten Leverkusen clinches Bundesliga title
Alonso’s side secures its first crown with a thumping win over Bremen, breaking the 11year stranglehold on the league by Bayern; Liverpool, Arsenal lose as City gets crucial twopoint lead
Undefeated Bayer Leverkusen secured its first Bundesliga title on Sunday with a 50 victory over Werder Bremen, breaking an 11year stranglehold on the league by Bayern Munich.
◣abi Alonso’s team, which has now gone a leaguerecord 29 matches without defeat this season to secure its first trophy since 1993, has a 16point lead over Bayern with five matches remaining.
Remarkable season
Leverkusen left nothing to chance and sealed its title triumph at the first opportunity with Florian Wirtz bagging a hattrick in a win that stretched its unbeaten run across all competitions to a remarkable 43 games this season.
It earned a 24th minute penalty and Victor Boniface, who only recently came back after a threemonth injury break, stepped up to score his first league goal since December and his 11th of the campaign.
There were more chances to double its lead in a onesided first half, with Amine Adli also hitting the woodwork for the host.
Werder came out fighting after the break, trying to spoil the party, but Gra
Five-star performance:
nit ◣haka’s missile on the hour from 25 metres out sparked wild celebrations in the stands. It was not yet done with substitute Wirtz adding another eight minutes later.
The Germany international, gearing up for Euro 2024 on home soil in June, bagged another in the 83rd with impatient fans then briefly running onto the pitch. He completed his hattrick in the 90th to cap his team’s fivestar performance and secure the title in style.
Advantage City
Incredible Bayer secured its first trophy since 1993.
Meanwhile, Arsenal was stunned by two late Aston Villa goals as it lost 02 at home to hand the initiative
in the Premier League title race to defending champion Manchester City.
Villa substitute Leon Bailey tapped home from close range in the 84th minute before Ollie Watkins’ sublime finish three minutes later sent Gunners fans streaming for the exits.
Arsenal’s defeat, its first in 12 league games, sees it remain second, two points behind City and level on points with thirdplaced Liverpool with six games left to play.
Following Liverpool’s 01 defeat at home to Crystal Palace earlier in the day, the weekend belonged to City which bolstered its chances of an unprece
dented fourth league title. straight
The results:
Premier League: Liverpool 0 lost to Crystal Palace 1 (Eze 14); West Ham 0 lost to Fulham 2 (Pereira 9, 72); Arsenal 0 lost to Aston Villa 2 (Bailey 84, Watkins 87).
LaLiga: Cadiz 0 lost to Barcelona 1 (Felix 37); Granada 2 (Uzuni 9-pen, Boye 38) bt Alaves 0. Serie A: Sassuolo 3 (Pinamonti 4, Lauriente 10, 53) drew with AC Milan 3 (Leao 20, Jovic 59, Okafor 84).
Napoli 2 (Politano 16, Osimhen 63) drew with Frosinone 2 (Cheddira 50, 73); Bologna 0 drew with Monza 0.
Bundesliga: Darmstadt 0 lost to Freiburg 1 (Doan 36); Bayer Leverkusen 5 (Boniface 25-pen, ◣haka 60, Wirtz 68, 83, 90) bt Werder Bremen 0.
Divith and Samanvith clinch titles
A. Divith Reddy and Sri Samanvith won the Open and junior titles respectively in the 215th Brilliant Trophy chess championships on Sunday. Divith of 21K School won with 5.5 points from six rounds while G. Saranya and Perumallu were second and third respectively with five points each.
In the juniors, Samanvith and Skandha Raj were tied for the top with 5.5 points each from six rounds but in the tiebreaker, the former, a student of Johnson Grammar School (Mallapur), emerged winner, while Skandha and Nikil Reddy finished second and third respectively with five points each.
Final placings:
Open: 1. A. Divith Reddy, 2. G. Sharanya, 3. Perumallu, 4. Viswajith Sai, 5. Tarun Mateti. Juniors: 1. Sri Samanvith, 2. Skandha Raj, 3. Nikhil Reddy. Age-group: Boys, U-15: 1. Avyukth Tiwari, 2. N. Aarush. U-13: 1. T. Nikil Reddy, 2. Tarun Sai Thota. U-11: 1. K. Ishan Krishna, 2. Aarudh Reddy. U-9: 1. Skandha Raj, 2. Maneesh Reddy.
One for the album:
The Brilliant Trophy chess championships medallists.
U-7: 1. Ambati Prasidh, 2. Ishaan Sathiraju. Girls: U-15: 1. K. Tanvi,
2. Sahasra Reddi. U-13: 1. Rishita Baheti, 2. Hyma Sanvitha. U-11:
1. A. Pranavi, 2. K. Saanvi Reddy. U-9: 1. Trishika Patnaik, 2. Riya Thakur & B. Harini. U-7: 1. Sai Anshitha, 2. Saanvika & Shri Vishishta. Best woman player: Shreya Sunthwal; Best veteran: P.V.V. Satyanarayana.
SCF summer camps
Sports Coaching Foundation (SCF, Masab Tank) will organise summer coaching camps in different disciplines for boys and girls. Free coaching will be given to the underprivileged. Call 93965 59440.
HCA coaching centres
Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president A. Jaganmohan Rao named the different free summer coaching centres across the State after allocating ₹15 lakh for the same with 80100 trainees attending each camp. “We conduct training camps from Monday to Saturday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and it is free of cost,” he said. Visit www.hycricket.org. The venues and contact numbers: Hyderabad: Gymkhana (90301 30346); Falaknuma (98852 95387); Amberpet (98665 82836);
Lalapet (99664 62667); Madhapur (80195 35679).
Warangal (98495 70979); Mulugu (90301 30727); Mahabubabad (98664 79666); Bhupalapally (88978 05683). Mahbubnagar (94400 57849); Gadwal (98859 55633); Nagarurnool (98854 01701); Sangareddy (94408 47360); Siddipet (98499 55478); Medak (99663 62433); Nizamabad (98490 73809); Kamareddy (96666 77786); Armoor (96405 73060); Karimnagar (80087 29397); Godavari Khani (98663 51620); Siricilla (94943 62362). Khammam (98486 62125); Kothagudem (97050 07555); Gautampur (99482 21777); Mancherial (94400 10696); Adilabad (94402 07473); Sirpur (94923 33333).