Bilbao: Athletic Bilbao came from behind to win 2-1 at struggling Malaga in La Liga on Monday and heap the pressure on German coach Bernd Schuster. It was a poor performance from the home team even though they went ahead through Juanmi before halftime.
Bilbao levelled after the break thanks to Mikel San Jose before Francisco Portillo was sent off seven minutes from time. The visitors took advantage of the extra man with Iker Muniain grabbing the winner late on.
Malaga have been accustomed to fighting for the European positions in recent campaigns but the departures of leading players like Joaquin and Javier Saviola have left them facing a relegation scrap this season in 14th spot. Home fans chanted for the dismissal of Schuster at the final whistle on Monday, with the team one point off the drop zone.
“While we were in control in the first half we couldn’t get the second goal,” Malaga defender Weligton told reporters.
“It is normal for the fans to be angry but we need to be united.” Juanmi powered a header into the top corner to give Malaga a 38thminute lead but San Jose nodded Bilbao level from a corner in the 68th. Portillo was then sent off after receiving a second yellow card and it came as no surprise when Muniain struck in the 85th minute to give fifth-placed Bilbao 26 points from 14 matches.
ITALIAN LEAGUE: Romans halted
Milan: Juventus remained top of Serie A after long-time leaders Roma spurned the chance to overtake the champions following a scoreless home draw to struggling Cagliari. Juventus’s 2-0 away win at Livorno on Sunday sent Antonio Conte’s men top of the pile for the first time this season with a two-point lead on Rudy Garcia’s men.
Roma were widely expected to retake the lead but despite dominating the Sardinians at the Olympic Stadium the Giallorossi were left counting the cost for failing to get the ball past impressive Cagliari ’keeper Vlada Avramov. To add to their woes, Garcia was sent to the stands with 18 minutes remaining after an altercation on the touchlines.
What will go down as a stirring performance from Cagliari was also one that, says coach Diego Lopez, was to help soothe the pain brought by flash floods which swept through the island last week, killing 16 people.
It was the first time this season Cagliari had kept a clean sheet, and Lopez added: “It’s difficult to come to a ground such as this.
I asked a lot of my defence tonight and I’m really happy because it’s our first game this season without conceding a goal. Roma welcomed Gervinho back to the fray following a month on the sidelines and after just five minutes the Ivorian striker broke through the defence only to be denied by Avramov at the keeper’s near post.
Maicon saw a shot stopped five minutes later and the Brazilian defender was later involved in a move which set up Miralem Pjanic, only for the Bosnian to miss the target.
Cagliari had shown some threat earlier in the half but came closest when Victor Ibarbo’s header was met with a superb one-handed save by Morgan De Sanctis. Roma then spurned two chances just before the break, Gervinho hitting the upright with a header from close range and then Alessandro Florenzi seeing his half-volley blocked by Avramov. Six minutes after the restart Maicon came close again but saw Avramov pull off a
superb save to deny his swerving strike.
Roma were frustrated for almost the remainder of the half and Cagliari were next to threaten five minutes from time, only for De Sanctis to parry Sebastian Eriksson’s drive. Roma then spurned the chance for a late winner when Avramov parried Leandro Castan’s goalbound header.
Roma’s setback, following two draws, means Juventus remain leaders thanks to a 2-0 win away to Livorno on Sunday courtesy of second-half strikes from Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez.
Birmingham: Ashley Westwood capped a superb second half fightback from Aston Villa as the visitors rescued a 2-2 draw at local rivals West Bromwich Albion on Monday.
Paul Lambert’s side looked destined for a derby defeat at the Hawthorns after Albion raced into a two-goal lead within the first 11 minutes thanks to a pair of fine goals from Shane Long. But Villa struck twice in the space of nine minutes after the break as Karim El Ahmadi reduced the deficit before Westwood’s first goal for the club ensured the two midlands teams remain level on 15 points in the Premier League table.
Lambert, who sparked Villa’s revival with a triple substitution in the 57th minute, said: “In the second half we were fantastic. We were really resolute. We spoke about making changes at halftime but we decided to wait a bit. Andreas Weimann, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Fabian Delph made a huge difference.”
