Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/281887
52 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 23 MARCH 2014 FOOTBALL CRICKET Sport Chelsea crush Arsenal on Wenger's special day A review of Saturday's action in the Barclays Premier League THERE was a bizarre case of mis- taken identity as Arsenal embar- rassingly capitulated in Arsene Wenger's 1,000th match in charge in a 6-0 loss to Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea. Wenger was last month called "a specialist in failure" by Jose Mour- inho and remains without a victory in 11 attempts against his nemesis after a spectacular implosion and an horrendous mistake by referee Andre Marriner. The Frenchman watched on help- lessly after two goals in three first- half minutes from Samuel Eto'o and Andre Schurrle gave Chelsea a handsome lead inside the first 10 minutes before Marriner sent off Kieran Gibbs for a handball com- mitted by Alex Oxlade-Chamber- lain. Eden Hazard's shot was handled in the area and, despite Oxlade- Chamberlain appearing to ap- proach the official to admit wrong- doing, Gibbs was shown a red card in a decision which continues the debate over the use of television replays. Hazard converted the penalty to give the Blues a 3-0 advantage af- ter 17 minutes as once against the Gunners imploded at the home of a title rival following the heavy losses at Manchester City and Liverpool. Oscar added a fourth before the interval, a fifth after 66 minutes and his replacement Mohamed Salah struck his first Chelsea goal as the Blues responded from the controversial loss at Aston Villa in emphatic fashion. Arenal's defeat dropped them down to fourth in the table after Liverpool and Manchester City both also won by emphatic score- lines. Liverpool twice had to come from behind before seeing off relegation threatened Cardiff 6-3. Luis Suarez finished with a hat- trick but the forward and Martin Skrtel first had to cancel out first- half strikes from Jordon Mutch and Fraizer Campbell to make it 2-2 at half-time. Skrtel then fired the Reds ahead on 54 minutes before Suarez lashed in Daniel Sturridge's clever f lick on the hour. Suarez returned the favour soon after for Sturridge to tap in. Mutch pulled one back, but Sua- rez had the final say in injury-time. City chalked up a simple 5-0 win over bottom-of-the-table Fulham on the back of a Yaya Toure hat- trick. The Ivory Coast midfielder scored a penalty in each half, the second after Fernando Amorebieta saw red, before bending in a long-range strike on 65 minutes. Fernandinho and Martin Dem- ichelis struck late on to ensure City joined their title rivals in racking up a big score. Wayne Rooney produced his own David Beckham moment to put Manchester United on course for an impressive 2-0 victory at West Ham, firing home one of the most memorable goals of the season from 58 yards. Returning to league action af- ter progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals with victory against Olympiacos, the England international netted twice as David Moyes' men proved Wednesday's result was no f lash in the pan. Rooney's second saw him move onto 212 goals and usurp Jack Row- ley as the third highest goalscorer in United's history, but it was his first just eight minutes into the 2-0 victory that will live long in the memory. The 28-year-old produced a mo- ment of magic, sending the ball sailing over Adrian in a goal simi- lar in audacity and skill to Beck- ham's wonder strike at Wimbledon in 1996. Rather aptly, the former United midfielder was at Upton Park to witness the effort first-hand and will have been impressed by the way Moyes' side held on to con- demn West Ham to a third succes- sive defeat. It was a bad afternoon for the teams in the bottom three as Sun- derland were beaten 2-0 at Nor- wich. The Black Cats had no answer for first-half goals from Robert Sn- odgrass and Alex Tettey. Gus Poyet's side remain three points from safety, however, as the teams above them failed to take ad- vantage. West Brom did not take anything from their trip to Hull, losing 2-0 to goals from Liam Rosenior and Shane Long. Crystal Palace came close to making a point but were undone by a Papiss Cisse injury-time winner to lose 1-0 at Newcastle. Swansea also lost 3-2 at Everton to remain just a point better off than the Eagles. Wilfried Bony had cancelled out a Leyton Baines penalty but second- half goals from Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley secured a win that lifts Everton above Tottenham and into fifth. Ashley Williams headed in an in- jury-time corner but it was too late for the Swans. Arsene Wenger looks dismayed as his side slump to a 6-0 defeat by Chelsea Naudi and Grima shine ON Saturday the MCA Cricket Winter league came to a close with Marsa C.C taking on Melita C.C in what was a low scoring just as was the first game of the league. The Marsa team batted first and thanks to the efforts of Joy Ghose- roy who powered his way to a great fifty runs before being caught. He hit five boundaries along the way. Frank Spiteri made twenty runs before being stumped by the swift John Grima of the bowling of Niraj Khanna. Khanna is a quick bowler. Tony Azzopardi had made a run a ball eight runs when he took on Khanna in a quick single and lost, Great pick up and throw by Khan- na who had just bowled the ball. Paul Bradley stabilised the innings as best he could making seventeen runs not out but ran out of part- ners. The Marsa team totalled a mere 128 runs. For Melita Khanna, Gordon Hewitt, Tim Wheeler and Chris Naudi were the wicket tak- ers. The Melita team cruised to vic- tory with Andy Naudi demolishing the bowling making forty three runs from twenty one balls includ- ing six fours and a six. Naudi re- tired and his team stumbled, losing three wickets for three runs. John Grima (thirty two runs) showed his experience along with Chris Naudi (eighteen runs) and Khanna (thirteen runs) to take Melita to victory. For Marsa , Will Nichols, Frank Spiteri, Tom Newell and Tony Azzopardi were the wicket takers. The Melita team earned 14 points from the victory while Marsa earned one. Final standing for the league – Krishna C.C 84 points, Melita C.C 59 points and Melita C.C 32 points. Andy Naudi had a great tourna- ment making the most runs (201) and taking the most wickets (8). Tony Azzopardi came in second in the runs making 153 while Kevin Krishna and Kamar Abbas (both Krishna C.C) took seven wickets each.. Next weekend sees the Marsa C.C take on a new touring team Plough- man's C.C from London in a three game series commencing on Friday. On Saturday the Sunoco Cricket Academy will be from 9:00am till 10:30am. The Academy continues until mid June and not to late to join in the fun. John Grima