Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/809226
maltatoday SUNDAY, 2 APRIL 2017 Sport 52 FOOTBALL CHELSEA returned to seven points clear at the top of the Pre- mier League with a 3-1 victory at Bournemouth yesterday evening. Diego Costa's woeful f ly-hack forced an own goal from Adam Smith to hand Chelsea the lead in the final match of the day, be- fore Eden Hazard outfoxed Ar- tur Boruc for his 14th Premier League goal of the season. Joshua King's def lected strike handed Bournemouth hope of a recovery, before Marcos Alonso's curling free-kick sealed Chelsea's fifth win in six matches. Tottenham temporarily closed the gap on Premier League pace- setters Chelsea to four points with a 4-0 victory over Watford at White Hart Lane earlier on Saturday. Mauricio Pochettino's team took control of the contest in 11 first-half minutes, when Dele Al- li, Eric Dier and Son Heung-min scored. Alli broke the deadlock with a curling right-foot strike in the 33rd minute, Dier blasted in the second six minutes later, before Son scored with another effort from distance, a low left-footed shot. Son tapped in Kieran Trippier's cross 10 minutes into the second half to complete the scoring, al- though there was another big cheer when Harry Kane returned from injury as a substitute just past the hour mark. Liverpool held on to third place with a 2-1 win at Stoke, where they came from behind to get the three points. Jonathan Walters headed a close-range goal from Xherdan Shaqiri's cross to give Stoke a 44th-minute lead, prompting Reds boss Jurgen Klopp to make changes at half-time. Philippe Coutinho volleyed a 64th-minute equaliser, before fellow substitute Roberto Fir- mino gave Stoke goalkeeper Lee Grant no chance with another volley two minutes later. Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet had a hand in preserv- ing the three points for the visi- tors with a good save to deny Sai- do Berahino soon after. Manchester City stay fourth af- ter a comfortable 3-1 win against Hull at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola's City took the lead just past the half hour when Jesus Navas' cross was turned into his own net by Ahmed El- mohamady, then Sergio Aguero doubled the lead three minutes into the second half. Fabian Delph wrapped up the win in the 64th minute with a well-struck 20-yard effort, before Andrea Ranocchia pulled a goal back for the strugglers with five minutes remaining. At the other end of the stand- ings, West Ham eased their rel- egation fears with a 1-0 win over struggling Swansea, with Cheik- hou Kouyate making the decisive breakthrough with a low shot just before half-time. Southampton reached the 40-point mark as Jordy Clasie's well-struck 25th minute goal gave them a 1-0 victory at West Brom. However, second-bottom Mid- dlesbrough were frustrated by Burnley, with the Clarets' Robbie Brady wasting the goalless draw's best chance in the 56th minute of the goalless draw on Teesside. Chelsea in champion form at Bournemouth, Spurs chase hard