January 8, 2011 -- Updated 2257 GMT (0657 HKT)
David Villa celebrates after scoring his 12th league goal this season for Barcelona and his 150th overall.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Barcelona striker David Villa scores the 150th La Liga goal of his career
- Spain international nets opening goal of 4-0 victory at Deportivo La Coruna
- Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Pedro also on target for league leaders
- Sevilla move up to ninth with 3-2 win at Sociedad while Bilbao snatch draw with Malaga
The Spain striker reached the milestone of 150 career league goals as he notched his 11th in 14 encounters with the Galicians.
Lionel Messi made it 2-0 in the second half with a superb free-kick before late strikes from Andres Iniesta and Pedro put more pressure on Real Madrid, who host third-placed Villarreal on Sunday night.
Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola rested Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Daniel Alves ahead of Wednesday's Spanish Cup quarterfinal first-leg against second division Real Betis, giving midfielders Javier Mascherano and Seydou Keita a rare start along with Brazilian Adriano at fullback.
Who is the world's best footballer?
Xavi is one of three players on an all-Barcelona shortlist vying to win the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or award for the world's best player on Monday along with Messi and World Cup hero Iniesta.
Mascherano was involved in the opening goal in the 26th minute as he threaded a pass to Messi, who found Villa in space in the penalty area and the former Valencia star fired a shot under the body of goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia.
It was Villa's 12th goal in the league this season and his 14th overall.
He has some way to go to match Messi, who curled his 18th of the La Liga campaign past a bemused Aranzubia in the 51st minute.
Iniesta cut in from the right to lash in a fierce left-foot shot with 10 minutes to go for his fifth league goal this season, and barely 60 seconds later winger Pedro pounced for his ninth and 14th overall.
In the first half, French fullback Eric Abidal thought he had followed up his first goal for Barca in the midweek cup draw at Athletic Bilbao but was flagged for offside to deny him just a third career strike.
The result left Deportivo, who had conceded only five goals in eight previous home games this season, in 12th place on 21 points after 18 rounds.
Sevilla moved up to ninth place with a 3-2 win at Real Sociedad, who suffered a fourth successive defeat.
Two goals in three second-half minutes turned the match as the visitors came from 1-0 and 2-1 down, with Fredi Kanoute netting twice and strike partner Luis Fabiano scoring the other.
Diego Rivas gave Sociedad the lead in the 23rd minute with a right-foot shot from the edge of the penalty area, but Kanoute leveled two minutes later with a volley from Fabiano's header down following a lofted corner.
Joseba Llorente caught out the Sevilla defense just before halftime as he won the race to a speculative long clearance and poked in a volley, but Fabiano stabbed home from close range on 63 for his fifth league goal of the season.
He had been set up by Alvaro Negredo, brought on as a third forward, and the former Real Madrid player was also a provider for Kanoute's winner as the Malian calmly slotted in the winner off the near post.
Athletic Bilbao snatched a last-gasp equalizer to earn a 1-1 draw at Malaga which left the Basque club on 26 points with Sevilla and Getafe -- only five points off the top four.
Malaga's Argentine defender Martin Demichelis headed an 80th-minute opener on his first appearance since signing from Bayern Munich, but Spain midfielder Javi Martinez struck at the end to leave the hosts just four points above the bottom three.
Liverpool sack manager Roy Hodgson, appoint Daliglish
After six difficult months, Liverpool and manager Roy Hodgson have parted company. Former manager Kenny Dalglish will take charge for the club’s hotly anticipated FA Cup match against rivals Manchester United.
By News Wires (text)
Hodgson leaves Anfield after an unhappy six month reign with Liverpool having suffered a ninth Premier League defeat on his watch at Blackburn this week.
That left the embattled side languishing in 12th position, four points above the relegation zone.
The 63-year-old former Fulham boss had hoped that a bright performance against United at Old Trafford might save his position but Liverpool's owners New England Sports Ventures (NESV) decided otherwise.
The writing looked on the wall for Hodgson when the club cancelled his weekly scheduled press conference on Friday.
In an interview with www.liverpoolfc.tv he said: "It's very painful when it's not happening and the fans make their views felt. We're all hurting in this situation."
In-form Federer makes history in Qatar
January 8, 2011 -- Updated 1836 GMT (0236 HKT)
Roger Federer is fourth on the all-time list of title-winners, with three more trophies than American legend Pete Sampras.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Roger Federer avenges last year's Doha defeat by Nikolay Davydenko
- World No. 2 wins Qatar crown for a record third time with victory in Saturday's final
- U.S. win Hopman Cup for sixth time, beating Belgium 2-1 in final in Perth
- Defending champion Andy Roddick faces world No. 5 Robin Soderling in Brisbane final
The world no. 2 was beaten by his Russian opponent in last year's semifinals, but avenged that result with a 6-3 6-4 win as he claimed the 67th ATP Tour title of his illustrious career.
The Swiss star followed up his 2005 and 2006 triumphs to give himself a boost ahead of his Australian Open title defense in the opening grand slam of 2011 later this month.
"I have had a good week. I really appreciate the support I get here. I have had good preparation. I can't believe that I am on the board already this year," Federer told reporters.
What were the top tennis moments of 2010?
"This was a strong tournament and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season."
I can't believe that I am on the board already this year. This was a strong tournament and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season --Roger Federer
"He was tough, really played fast," Davydenko told the ATP Tour website. "He gave me no chance on the return, and also he was returning good. His first serve was very good."
Nadal has been suffering with illness, but he teamed up with fellow Spaniard Marc Lopez to win the doubles title, beating Italy's Daniele Bracciali and Andreas Seppi 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in Friday's final.
"It's a perfect feeling for me to win my third doubles title here in Doha after a not easy week for me," Nadal said. "Now I'm going to work hard to try to be ready for the next tournament."
In Australia, defending champion Andy Roddick will take on world No. 5 Robin Soderling in the final of the Brisbane International event on Sunday.
The American second seed beat South Africa's Kevin Anderson 6-2 4-6 6-2 on Saturday, while Swedish No. 1 Soderling ended Radek Stepanek's hopes of a third successive final appearance when he beat the Czech 6-3 7-5.
Young Czech Petra Kvitova won the women's title, with the 20-year-old beating fellow unseeded player Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-1 6-3 in the final.
The United States won the Hopman Cup mixed teams event for the sixth time on Saturday, beating stand-in finalists Belgium 2-1 in Perth.
With top seeds Serbia withdrawing due to Ana Ivanovic's stomach injury, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and John Isner won the decisive doubles 6-3 6-4 against Justine Henin and Ruben Bemelmans.
Former world No. 1 Henin won the women's singles rubber 7-6 (8-6) 6-3, but big-serving Isner leveled the tie with a 6-3 6-4 victory.
Tomas Berdych's preparations for Melbourne suffered a blow when the Czech top seed was beaten in the semifinals of the Chennai Open in India, losing 6-4 6-1 to last year's runner-up Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland on Saturday.
Wawrinka, beaten by Marin Cilic in the 2010 final, will take on seventh seed Xavier Malisse after the Belgian beat Serbian No. 6 Janko Tipsarevic 3-6 6-3 6-2.
In New Zealand, Hungarian veteran Greta Arn won her second WTA Tour title by beating defending champion Yanina Wickmayer 6-3 6-3 in the final of the Auckland Classic on Saturday.
The 31-year-old followed up earlier victories over top seed Maria Sharapova, No. 4 Julia Gorges and No. 8 Sofia Arvidsson, saving five match-points in that second-round match.
Arn is expected to break into the top-75 for the first time next week, having last won a title in Estonia in 2007.
No comments:
Post a Comment