adminLONDON. — Tottenham Hotspur kept alive their hopes of a top four Premier League finish when Roberto Soldado scored the only goal at White Hart Lane to give them a 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Cardiff City yesterday. Soldado finished off a sizzling counter-attack from Spurs after 28 minutes to lift them on to 53 points from 28 matches.
Chelsea lead the standing with 63 points, followed by Liverpool and Arsenal on 59 and Manchester City who have 57 and two games in hand on the sides around them.
The result left Cardiff one point and one place above Fulham at the bottom of the table.
The other two games on Sunday ended in a 4-1 win for Aston Villa over Norwich City while Swansea City and Crystal Palace drew 1-1.
Norwich took the lead after three minutes at Villa Park when Was Hoolahan, who Villa wanted to sign in the January transfer window, stabbed home from 10 metres out.
But the game turned on its head in a 16-minute spell when Villa scored four times.
Belgium striker Christian Benteke opened the scoring with a brilliantly executed scissor-kick after 25 minutes before he headed in to make it 2-1 two minutes later.
Leandro Bacuna then struck with a shot that went in off the base of a post after 37 minutes and Villa added a fourth when Sebastien Bassong bundled into his own net four minutes later.
Swansea City took the lead against Palace through Jonathan de Guzman after 25 minutes but the visitors equalised when Glenn Murray scored an 83rd minute penalty after Chico Flores was sent off for denying Murray a scoring chance.
In Spain Cristiano Ronaldo equalised eight minutes from time as Real Madrid remained on top of La Liga thanks to a pulsating 2-2 draw against Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon.
Karim Benzema fired Real into a third minute lead when he converted Angel di Maria’s cross.
However, despite being denied a clear penalty when Sergio Ramos tripped Diego Costa, Atletico were in front by halftime thanks to fine strikes by Koke and Gabi.
Another turned down penalty appeal for a foul on Costa led Atletico assistant boss Mono Burgos to be sent to the stand as he tried to confront the referee midway through the second-half.
And Atletico were left to feel hard done when Ronaldo spun on the edge of the box to drill home a late equaliser.
A point for both sides means Real remain three points clear of Atletico, but Barcelona can move to within a point of Los Blancos should they beat Almeria later on Sunday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men came into the game full of confidence after thrashing Schalke 6-1 on their return to Champions League action in midweek and took just three minutes to open the scoring.
A short corner from the right was worked back to Angel di Maria and his in-swinging cross was slotted home at the back post by Benzema.
Atletico were level on 27 minutes when fine work from Turan teed up Koke inside the area and he smashed a low right-footed drive into the far corner.
But the hosts did go in front in spectacular fashion in stoppage time at the end of the half when Gabi collected a short free-kick and fired high into Lopez’s top right-hand corner from 35 yards.
More controversy was to ensure, though, as Costa appeared to bundled over inside the area, this time by Alvaro Arbeloa, but again Ferreiro didn’t point to the spot and instead booked Costa for diving.
That led to Burgos having to be visibly restrained from confronting the referee by Atletico players and officials as he was sent to the stands for protesting. — AFP
Online Reporter