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SPORTS Monday 29 January 2018

Spanish Roundup:
Suarez, Messi save Barcelona from Alaves setback

By TALES AZZONI tory at Santiago Bernabeu
MADRID (AP) — Luis Suarez Stadium on Wednesday,
and Lionel Messi came to then moved up the league
the rescue again by scoring standings on Sunday by
late as Barcelona avoid- taking advantage of a
ed an upset at home and tough afternoon for Espan-
maintained its comfortable yol defender Mario Hermo-
lead in the Spanish league so.
on Sunday. Hermoso scored two own-
The duo added to their goals before finally finding
scoring run in a come-from- the net for his own team
behind 2-1 win against late in the game at Bu-
relegation-wary Alaves at tarque Stadium.
Camp Nou Stadium, keep- The 22-year-old Hermoso
ing the Catalan club 11 scored his first own-goal
points in front of Atletico while trying to intercept a
Madrid, which earlier de- low cross inside the area in
feated Las Palmas 3-0 at the 11th minute, giving the
home. hosts a 1-0 lead. He did it
The result extended Barce- again while trying to clear
lona's unbeaten streak in a cross in the 82nd, allow-
the league to 21 matches, Alaves' Mubarak Wakaso, left, attempts an overhead kick against FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi ing Leganes to take a 3-1
its best mark since Pep during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Alaves at the Camp Nou advantage.
Guardiola's team did the stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Hermoso partly made
same in the 2009-10 season. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) amends by scoring for Es-
"It was a complicated panyol six minutes later as
match," Barcelona coach ing scorer with 20 goals, fol- gap to third-place Valen- chizola. the ball careened off his
Ernesto Valverde said. lowed by Suarez with 16. cia, which lost at home to Torres scored a superb goal face and went into the net
"They made it difficult by Messi found the net 11 times Real Madrid on Saturday. in a breakaway about 10 after being punched away
taking the lead. We had to in his last 12 games, while Madrid is fourth, two points minutes later, clearing a by goalkeeper Ivan Cuel-
keep pressing until the end Suarez scored 12 goals in behind Valencia with a defender inside the area lar. Leganes reached 11th
to get the victory." the last 10. game in hand. before shooting into the place.
Sitting just outside the rel- Philippe Coutinho made his Atletico was coming off top corner. Partey closed
egation zone, Alaves sur- debut as a starter, being re- elimination in the Copa del the scoring from close SEVILLA SETBACK
prisingly went ahead with placed in the second half. Rey quarterfinals against range two minutes from the Sixth-placed Sevilla missed
forward John Guidetti scor- The newly signed Brazil mid- Sevilla, and it hadn't won end after another counter- a chance to win its fourth
ing midway through the first fielder had played a few since a league game at Ei- attack. straight game by conced-
half. The visitors threatened minutes in Barcelona's win bar two weeks ago. Las Palmas, which defeat- ing three minutes into sec-
constantly on the counter- over Espanyol in the Copa "It wasn't a very good first ed Valencia at home in ond-half injury time in a 1-1
attack until Suarez evened del Rey on Thursday. half for us but we recov- the previous round to snap draw against Getafe.
the score with a volley from Alaves was unsuccessful in ered and created many a seven-match winless run, Luis Muriel put the hosts
inside the area in the 72nd two key appeals for hand chances," Griezmann said. stayed second-to-last in ahead in the 72nd at San-
minute after a cross by An- ball during the game. "We still have two competi- the 20-team standings. chez-Pizjuan Stadium, but
dre Iniesta. tions left and we will keep Angel Rodriguez equal-
Messi netted the winner ATLETICO WINS AGAIN fighting until the end." LEGANES WINS AGAIN ized despite complaints by
with a well-struck free kick Atletico Madrid ended its Griezmann broke the Leganes kept its momen- Sevilla. Goalkeeper Sergio
in the 84th, hitting the top three-match winless streak deadlock early in the sec- tum after a shock 2-1 win Rico appeared to be im-
corner. by beating Las Palmas with ond half after a great pass at Real Madrid in the Copa peded by the opposition
Suarez and Messi have second-half goals by An- by Juanfran Torres into del Rey by defeating Es- while trying to hold on to
combined to score at least toine Griezmann, Fernando open space. The France panyol 3-2 at home. a long cross into the area.
a goal each in seven of Bar- Torres and substitute Thom- forward entered the area Leganes eliminated Ma- He dropped the ball and
celona's last eight matches. as Partey. and flicked the ball over drid in the Copa quarter- Rodriguez found the open
Messi is the league's lead- Atletico opened a six-point goalkeeper Leandro Chi- finals with the surprise vic- net. q