Best of the Rest
Tigres unbeaten record ends: UANL Tigres lost their 14-match unbeaten record in Mexico’s Clausura championship with a 2-1 defeat at UNAM Pumas on Sunday but still managed to cling to a one-point lead over second-placed Atlas.
Striker Emanuel Villa, the championship’s top scorer with nine goals, put Tigres ahead in the eighth minute with a header from Brazilian Danilinho’s cross.
An own goal by Tigres defender Hugo Ayala, trying to block a shot from Javier Cortes, brought the Pumas level and Argentine striker Martin Bravo hit the winner with a scissors kick after half an hour at the Olimpico Universitario in the capital.
“Yes, this was a surprise because Tigres were unbeaten and playing great games, but we have been improving. We were dynamic and the team showed we can compete with anyone,” Bravo told reporters.
The victory lifted Pumas into fifth place on 23 points from 14 matches, six points behind Tigres.
Record 11-times champions Guadalajara’s chances of reaching the eight-team title playoffs were dealt a blow with a 2-1 loss to Atlante at their Omnilife stadium. (RTRS) Rivaldo’s team relegated: Uruguay forward Diego Forlan scored twice to help Dunga’s Internacional record another easy win on Sunday as they beat Juventude 4-1.
Forlan opened the scoring after two minutes, capped Inter’s performance with the fourth midway through the second half, set up a goal for Leandro Damiao and had another effort disallowed. Airton was Inter’s other scorer.
Inter, in their first season under former Brazil captain and coach Dunga, have already won the first stage of the Gaucho (Rio Grande do Sul state) championship and top their group in the second stage.
The tournament is one of the numerous regional championships, each with different and often bafflingly complex formats, which kick off the marathon Brazilian season.
World club champions Corinthians suffered a shock 2-1 defeat by Linense in the Paulista championship, but it mattered little as they had already qualified for the quarterfinals. (RTRS) Betis player racially abused by own fans: Real Betis midfielder Nosa Igiebor has claimed he was racially abused by his own supporters as he warmed-up during Friday’s Seville derby against Sevilla.
The Nigerian came off the bench to score Betis’s third goal as they recovered from 3-0 down to claim a 3-3 draw.
However, the 22-year-old celebrated his goal by raising the middle finger on both hands towards his own fans.
And, whilst he apologised for the gesture on Monday, he said it had been born out of frustration.
“I want to apologise to the fans for the gesture, which was not directed at them,” he told Seville sport daily Estadio Deportivo. “But I will not tolerate the racial abuse which I was receiving from some brainless fanatics. The act was one of frustration.”
Racist abuse of black players remains a major issue in a number of grounds across Spain, with Barcelona defender Dani Alves describing the situation as a “lost war.”
Alves was abused during Barca’s 1-1 draw with Real Madrid in their Copa del Rey clash at the Santiago Bernabeu in January, but no action was ever taken against Madrid by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). (AFP)