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Rediff.com  » Sports » European soccer: Dzeko rescues City, Messi trick saves Barca
This article was first published 11 years ago

European soccer: Dzeko rescues City, Messi trick saves Barca

Last updated on: October 22, 2012 11:47 IST

Image: Manchester City's Edin Dzeko celebrates his second goal against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday
Photographs: Darren Staples/Reuters

The goals keep coming for Lionel Messi who scored his 15th La Liga hat-trick as Barcelona edged a nine-goal thriller at Deportivo Coruna.

Premier League champions Manchester City had Edin Dzeko to thank for their late comeback against West Bromwich Albion with the substitute scoring twice in the 2-1 win.

ENGLAND

Manchester City's Edin Dzeko came off the bench to score twice as the Premier League champions left it late to come from behind and beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 to keep up the pressure on league leaders Chelsea.

City looked in deep trouble when they trailed 1-0 to Shane Long's goal having also had winger James Milner sent off, but the Bosnian rode to their rescue, equalising with a header and finishing off a breakaway in stoppage time.

Wayne Rooney netted twice for Manchester United on an eventful afternoon in which he also scored an own goal in a 4-2 victory over Stoke City.

Both United and City are four points behind Chelsea who secured their seventh victory in eight Premier League games with a 4-2 win at Tottenham Hotspur that included two goals from Spaniard Juan Mata.

Two English Premier League matches on Sunday ended in 1-1 draws featuring an own goal and a red card as Sunderland drew with Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light while Queens Park Rangers and Everton also drew at Loftus Road.

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Eventful weekend for Messi, Falcao and Ronaldo

Image: Atletico Madrid's Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring against Real Sociadad on Sunday
Photographs: Felix Ordonez/Reuters

SPAIN

La Liga's three top marksman, Messi, Radamel Falcao and Cristiano Ronaldo, all added to their goal tallies as joint leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid and chasing Real Madrid recorded contrasting victories.

Messi netted three in 10-man Barca's entertaining 5-4 win at Deportivo Coruna, Falcao curled in a late winner for Atletico in a 1-0 success at Real Sociedad and Ronaldo scored a penalty in the drab 2-0 win for Real at home to Celta Vigo.

Barca and Atletico lead on 22 points, with the Catalan club ahead on goal difference, Malaga are third on 17 points after beating Real Valladolid 2-1 and Real, who are clawing their way up the table after a poor start to the defence of their title, are fourth on 14.

World Player of the Year Messi has now notched 71 goals for club and country in 2012, leaving him four short of the record set by Brazilian great Pele in 1959.

Lazio, Inter move within a point of Napoli

Image: Paul Pogba of Juventus celebrates after netting against Napoli on Saturday
Photographs: Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

ITALY

Martin Caceres and Paul Pogba scored in the last 10 minutes to give Juventus a 2-0 win over Napoli in the top-of-the-table Serie A clash. The titleholders have 22 points from eight games, three ahead of Napoli, and extended their unbeaten league run to 47 matches.

Lazio and Inter both won and moved within a point of Napoli.

Lazio beat struggling AC Milan 3-2 with Hernanes, Antonio Candeva and Miroslav Klose putting them three ahead before Nigel de Jong and Stephan El Shaaraway made the score more respectable for Milan, who have lost five out of their eight games.

Inter beat Catania 2-0 with goals by Antonio Cassano and Rodrigo Palacio.

Dortmund lost to Schalke after crowd trouble

Image: Schalke 04's Roman Neustaedter falls onto Borussia Dortmund's Moritz Leitner (right) during their Bundesliga match on Saturday
Photographs: Ina Fassbender/Reuters

GERMANY

Leaders Bayern Munich set a Bundesliga record for the best start to a season with their eighth successive win, crushing promoted Fortuna Duesseldorf 5-0 away.

A Mario Mandzukic goal, Luiz Gustavo's close-range effort, a second-half Thomas Mueller double and one from Rafinha gave Bayern victory, keeping them five points ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt who beat Hanover 96 3-1.

Titleholders Borussia Dortmund slumped to a 2-1 home defeat to rivals Schalke 04, in a match marred by fan trouble. Ibrahim Afellay and Marco Hoeger put Schalke 2-0 ahead before Robert Lewandowski pulled one back.

Schalke are third with 17 points while Dortmund are fourth but are already 12 points behind Bayern.

PSG jump to top of Ligue 1 table

Image: Spainish tennis star Rafael Nadal (left) greets Paris St Germain's Nene (right) and Kevin Gameiro (centre) before their match against Reims on Saturday
Photographs: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

FRANCE

Kevin Gameiro's goal in a laboured 1-0 win at home to Stade Reims sent Paris St Germain top of Ligue 1.

PSG have 19 points but are ahead on goal difference from Olympique Marseille, who dropped to second place after they lost 1-0 at Troyes.

Olympique Lyon are third on 18 after Bafetimbi Gomis's fine lob helped them defeat Stade Brest 1-0.

Champions Montpellier continued their poor start losing 2-1 at Stade Rennes to lie 16th with eight points.
Source: REUTERS
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