Page 22 - Aruba Today
P. 22
A22
sportsMonday 28 September 2015
European Roundup: Scotland powers to top US
Winning run ends at 5 for Inter Milan 39-16 at Rugby World Cup
Inter Milan’s Alex Telles, right, challenges for the ball with than Torino after it held on STEVE DOUGLAS
Fiorentina’s Facundo Roncaglia during the Serie A soccer for a 2-1 win over Palermo AP Sports Writer
match between Inter Milan and Fiorentina at the San Siro despite ending the match LEEDS, England (AP) — The Scots are saving their best
stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015. with nine men. Sassuolo, for the second half at this Rugby World Cup.
which drew 1-1 against For the second straight game, Scotland was in a sticky
(AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Chievo Verona, is a point predicament at halftime but recovered to score five
further back. Lazio also has tries for a bonus-point win in Pool B. This time it was the
LONDON (AP) — Everything Darmstadt and now trails 12 points after the capital United States that was dispatched, 39-16, in Leeds on
had been going right for Bundesliga leader Bayern side came from behind Sunday.
Inter Milan, with five con- Munich — its next oppo- with 10 men to win 2-1 at “It was a banana skin that we dodged today,” Scot-
secutive victories, just one nent in the league — by Hellas Verona for the first land coach Vern Cotter said.
goal conceded and the four points. time in 24 years. Udinese Using a swarming defense and a strong scrum, the
undisputed top slot in Serie In the day’s only match of also came from behind to Eagles were on course for only their fourth — and eas-
A. the English Premier League, win by the same scoreline ily most stunning — World Cup win after taking a 13-6
Until Sunday, that is. Crystal Palace continued at Bologna, ending a four- lead at halftime on prop Titi Lamositele’s try.
Then it all unraveled in front its promising start to the match losing streak, while After a four-day turnaround from the 45-10 win over
of a disbelieving home season by beating Wat- 10-man AC Milan lost 1-0 Japan, Scotland was being pushed around up front,
crowd at San Siro as In- ford 1-0 away to move up at Genoa. its passing was off and its discipline poor.
ter conceded three goals to sixth in the standings. Not so in the second half.
before the first 25 minutes Yohan Cabaye convert- SPAIN Just like the Japan game, there was an immediate
were up, and went on to ed a second-half penalty Striker Lucas Perez scored cutting edge to Scotland’s play as wingers Tim Visser
lose 4-1 to Fiorentina. for Palace after substitute a goal in each half to and Sean Maitland, hooker WP Nel, and center Matt
The Florence club now striker Wilfried Zaha was help Deportivo La Coruna Scott scored tries in a 23-minute spell to clinch the bo-
leads the standings for the brought down just inside defeat Espanyol 3-0 and nus point by the 65th. Duncan Weir crossed for the
first time since 1999. the area. Here is a look at move closer to the leaders fifth try on virtually the last play of the game as the
Paris Saint-Germain fin- Europe’s major leagues: in the Spanish league. Americans faded.
ished the weekend four Deportivo went ahead “Something that comes into play is a lot of these guys
points clear in France af- ITALY with an own goal by Es- playing don’t have the grind of a professional season,
ter second-placed Saint- Inter Milan’s perfect re- panyol defender Alvaro playing week in, week out,” U.S. coach Mike Tolkin
Etienne met with the same cord this season was left in Gonzalez in the 14th min- said. “For some of our guys, it’s a real challenge and
fate as Inter, losing 4-1 at tatters after Fiorentina tri- ute, and Perez made it 2-0 it’s something we have to overcome.”
home to Nice on Sunday. umphed 4-1 at San Siro to after a fast breakaway in That will take years, not weeks. So the Eagles are star-
In Spain, Deportivo La move top of Serie A. the 27th and added a third ing at no wins at a World Cup for the fourth time in
Coruna kept pace with Nikola Kalinic scored a hat from inside the area in the seven editions. They now have a 10-day break before
league leaders Villarreal by trick and also won a pen- 49th. Also Sunday, Real playing a rejuvenated South Africa at the Olympic
beating Espanyol 3-0, with alty which Josip Ilicic con- Betis came from behind Stadium. By then, Scotland — sitting top of the pool
the country’s five Cham- verted for the fourth-min- to earn a 2-1 win at Sport- with a maximum 10 points — may have sealed its spot
pions League contenders ute opener. Mauro Icardi ing Gijon, Getafe defeat- in the quarterfinals, but that will require a victory over
having played on Satur- netted a consolation goal ed Levante 3-0 at home the Springboks in six days. There are fitness concerns
day. for 10-man Inter on the and Real Sociedad drew over lock Grant Gilchrist and flyhalf Finn Russell, who
Borussia Dortmund con- hour mark. 0-0 with Athletic Bilbao in went off injured against the Americans
ceded a last-minute Inter and Fiorentina both the Basque derby. Given the relatively short journey south from Scotland,
equalizer to draw 2-2 with have 15 points, two more it was like a home game for Cotter’s side. The sound
FRANCE of kilted bagpipers before kickoff would have made
Saint-Etienne missed the the Scots feel even more at home.
chance to close the gap But by halftime, it was the small pockets of American
on French league leader fans, waving U.S. flags and chanting “U-S-A, U-S-A,”
Paris Saint-Germain as it who could be heard more with another Pool B shock
fell to a surprise 4-1 defeat possible following Japan’s stunning win over the
at home to a Nice side Springboks on the opening weekend.
which ended the match The Eagles’ physicality in defense — something Cotter
with nine men. Hatem Ben warned of pre-match — was too much for Scotland in
Arfa scored two stunning the first half, as was their reading of predictable back-
goals for Nice after Saint- line plays. There were gasps all around Elland Road at
Etienne defender Loic Per- U.S. winger Takudzwa Ngwenya’s huge hit on Peter
rin had cancelled out Vin- Horne near the end of the first half.q
cent Koziello’s fifth-minute
opener.q
