Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/614946
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2015 51 Sport FOOTBALL Bournemouth beat Manchester United to pour fresh misery on Louis van Gaal BOURNEMOUTH picked up a second prized Premier League scalp in a week as they beat Man- chester United 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium. Seven days on from a momen- tous victory at the home of cham- pions Chelsea, Eddie Howe's men recorded another memorable win as they beat an injury-plagued United. Junior Stanislas scored directly from a second-minute corner for his third in as many games and, although Marouane Fellaini lev- elled, former United youngster Joshua King wrapped up the win in the second half. United, on the back of their chastening Champions League exit, missed the chance to move level at the top of the table as they slipped to a third league defeat of the season just days after Louis van Gaal insisted he was the right man to take them forward. Manchester City snatched a dramatic late victory over Swan- sea to go back to the top of the table. Yaya Toure's stoppage-time shot hit Kelechi Iheanacho on its way in to clinch a 2-1 win just two minutes after Bafetimbi Gomis looked to have given the bat- tling Swans, who sacked manager Garry Monk on Wednesday, a de- served point. Wilfried Bony returned to haunt his former side after his seventh goal of the season gave City a first-half lead. Bony headed in Jesus Navas' 26th-minute corner for his third goal in four outings, but Gomis scored at the start of injury-time only for Toure to win it seconds later. Victory sent City top ahead of Leicester, who play Chelsea on Monday, on goal difference, while Swansea are just a point above the relegation zone after one win in 12 games. Earlier, Romelu Lukaku scored in his seventh straight game - and sixth in the Premier League - as Everton were held 1-1 at Nor- wich. The striker became the first Tof- fees player to score in seven suc- cessive matches in 40 years, since Bob Latchford in December 1975, when he nodded in Gerard Deu- lofeu's cross after 15 minutes. But Wes Hoolahan grabbed a second-half equaliser for the struggling Canaries, who have recorded just one victory in their last 10 matches, although they are now unbeaten in their last three home outings. Sunderland failed to take advan- tage of Norwich dropping points as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Watford. Odion Ighalo pounced to net his 10th goal of the season in just the fourth minute to secure the Hornets' third straight win, while Jurado also hit a post for the visi- tors, leaving Sunderland second bottom. Heurelho Gomes denied Jer- main Defoe with a brilliant stop with five minutes to go as the Black Cats' mini revival of two wins in their last three games was ended. Yohan Cabaye bagged the win- ner for Crystal Palace as they beat Southampton for the first time in the top f light since 1991. The midfielder tapped in Yannick Bo- lasie's cross on 38 minutes for his sixth goal of the season, with Pal- ace now just three points off the top four thanks to the 1-0 win. Steven Davis was denied by a brilliant Wayne Hennessey save before Cabaye's strike as the Saints missed Graziano Pelle, who was only fit enough to make a late appearance from the bench thanks to a knee injury. Elsewhere, Jack Butland earned Stoke a point at West Ham as the goalkeeper saved Ryan Cress- well's late cross-shot to earn a 0-0 draw for the Potters. Mauro Zarate also hit a post with eight minutes left for West Ham as the visitors survived two late scares at Upton Park, although Mame Biram Diouf could have won it late on but was thwarted by Adrian. Joshua King celebrates a famous winner for Bournemouth Spain meet Czechs as Euros shape up without Platini SPAIN will begin their bid for an unprecedented third successive Eu- ropean Championship title against Czech Republic while hosts France will open the 2016 tournament against Romania after the draw was made on Saturday. Delegates were met by tight secu- rity at the Palais des Congress but one man notable by his absence was UEFA president Michel Platini, ar- chitect of the biggest-ever expand- ed 24-team finals that will run from June 10 to July 10. Instead of taking centre stage, the leader of European football's rul- ing organisation was banned under the terms of his provisional 90-day FIFA suspension that forbid him from any involvement in the sport, pending investigations into his fi- nancial arrangements with world football's governing body. Swiss Sepp Blatter, who usually at- tends these gala events in his posi- tion as FIFA president, was another notable absentee, banned under the same terms as Platini while scan- dal-ridden FIFA probes his finan- cial dealings with the Frenchman. UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, who has declared his candidacy for FIFA presidency in February's election, conducted the draw. Infantino made no reference to FIFA matters but he did talk about the attacks on the French capital by Islamic State on Nov. 13 that killed 130 people. "We are in Paris, a city that only a few weeks ago witnessed tragic events. I wish to express my soli- darity to the French people...our thoughts are with the victims," he told around 1,500 delegates. The first team drawn out were hosts France, designated posi- tion A1 to ensure they played in the opening match at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis where one of the Nov. 13 attacks took place. France, who won Euro 1984 and the 1998 World Cup on home soil, kick off against Romania on June 10 before meeting Albania in Mar- seille five days later and Switzerland in Lille on June 19. Les Bleus coach Didier Des- champs told reporters: "We don't know the Romanian team that well even though they performed very well during the qualification stage with the best defence and just two goals scored against them. "It is the most important match for us. We have to be careful and not be over-confident." Spain, who were also drawn in the same section as Croatia and Turkey, open up against Group D oppo- nents Czech Republic in Toulouse on June 13. Vicente del Bosque, the coach of Spain, said: "We've drawn two teams who played in the same group as the Netherlands and eliminated them, Turkey and Czech Republic. "Then we have to face Croatia who are very strong and who are among the strongest teams at this tourna- ment. They have excellent players." World Cup winners Germany, who landed the last of their three European Championship titles in 1996, start against Ukraine in Lille on June 12 before facing Poland and Northern Ireland in Paris. Germany coach Joachim Loew said: "Poland are a great side but Ukraine and Northern Ireland can be difficult to play against too with their counter attacks and strong de- fending. We are the favourites and want to win the group." England, who won all 10 of their qualifiers, are the favourites in Group B. They take on neighbours Wales, who are taking part in their first major tournament finals since the 1958 World Cup, along with Russia and Slovakia. It will be the 102nd meeting be- tween England and Wales since they first clashed in 1879. England have won 66 times and Wales only 14. Belgium, currently the best team in the world according to the FIFA rankings, are in a tough Group E along with Italy, Sweden and Ire- land. Iceland, playing in their first ma- jor tournament finals, face Portu- gal, Austria and Hungary in Group F. The tournament, being staged in 10 cities, sees 16 teams advance from the group stage -- the top two in each section and the best four third-placed sides -- with the final in Paris on July 10.