MADRID: Needing a win to stay in control of the Spanish league, Atlético Madrid stumbled again on Sunday with a 2-1 loss to Athletic Bilbao, giving Barcelona a chance to take over the lead.
Not even the return of Luis Suárez and João Félix was enough for Diego Simeone’s team, which could drop to second on Thursday when Barcelona plays eighth-place Granada at home.
Barcelona put pressure on Atlético by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Villarreal earlier Sunday, getting within two points of the lead with a game in hand. Antoine Griezmann scored both goals for the Catalan club.
Atlético will visit Barcelona in two rounds’ time.
“We did all we could,” Atlético captain Koke Resurrección said. “We will keep fighting until the end. We have five matches left and we know that we can win them.”
Defending champion Real Madrid was held 0-0 against Real Betis on Saturday but also remains in contention. It is in second place, level on points with Barcelona and two behind Atlético. Also still in the title race is Sevilla, which defeated Granada 2-1 to stay only three points off the lead.
Atlético had won two straight to remain at the top, but it couldn’t recover after conceding early at Athletic’s San Mamés Stadium. Álex Berenguer opened the scoring for the hosts in the eighth minute.
Atlético equalized with a header by Stefan Savic off a corner kick in the 77th, but Iñigo Martínez’s header in the 86th sealed the victory for 10th-place Athletic, which hadn’t won in seven consecutive matches in all competitions. One of its setbacks was losing against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.
Suárez and Félix returned after nursing injuries for the last few weeks. They came off the bench early in the second half but couldn’t spark Atlético to victory. Midfielder Thomas Lemar also returned from injury.
Griezmann leads Barca
Griezmann scored twice in the first half as Barcelona rallied to beat Villarreal and stay close to the top.
Villarreal, sitting seventh, played with 10 men from the 65th minute after Manu Trigueros was sent off with a straight red card for a dangerous sliding tackle on Lionel Messi. Trigueros had his foot up when he hit Messi’s left leg, sliding his cleats on the Argentine’s lower shin. Messi was in pain and needed medical attention but was able to return.
The hosts opened the scoring with Samu Chukwueze in the 26th, but Griezmann equalized in the 28th and netted the winner in the 35th.
Villarreal, which hosts Arsenal in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday, has lost three of its last four league matches.
It was Barcelona’s second straight league win since losing to Madrid in the last clásico of the season.
Game ends twice
The game between Sevilla and Granada ended twice after the referee blew the whistle ahead of time at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium in Seville.
Four minutes of added time were expected but referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea ended the game after only three. Granada players protested and video review apparently was consulted, confirming that another minute had to be played.
The referee had to call the players back to the field to finish the match. Some had already left for the locker rooms and had to put back on their shoes and jerseys before the game could resume.
Other results
Enes Unal scored a goal in each half as Getafe won 2-0 at Huesca in a match between relegation-threatened teams.
The result ended Getafe’s seven-match winless streak. The Madrid club moved to 15th in the standings, five points from the relegation zone.
Huesca stayed second-to-last, three points from safety.
In a match between midtable teams, Celta Vigo beat Osasuna 2-1 with goals from Iago Aspas and Jeison Murillo.
Atlético loss gives Barcelona chance to go top in Spain
https://arab.news/ysyv2
Atlético loss gives Barcelona chance to go top in Spain
- Barcelona put pressure on Atlético by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Villarreal
- Atlético will visit Barcelona in two rounds’ time
J.J. Spaun weathers the worst of wet Oakmont to win US Open
- “I never thought I would be here holding this trophy,” said Spaun, who finished last year at No. 119 in the world with only one PGA Tour title in his career
OAKMONT, Pennsylvania: J.J. Spaun turned a sloppy mess of a US Open at wet and nasty Oakmont into a thing of beauty at the end Sunday with two stunning shots that carried him to his first major championship.
First came his driver on the 314-yard 17th hole onto the green for a birdie that gave him the lead. Needing two putts from 65 feet on the 18th to win, he finished his storybook Open by holing the longest putt all week at Oakmont for birdie and a 2-over 72.
That made him the only player to finish under par at 1-under 279. It gave him a two-shot victory over Robert MacIntire of Scotland.
And it made Spaun, the 36-year-old Californian who resembles the late Pittsburgh Steelers great Franco Harris, a major champion in only his second US Open.
“I never thought I would be here holding this trophy,” said Spaun, who finished last year at No. 119 in the world with only one PGA Tour title in his career. “I always had aspirations and dreams. I never knew what my ceiling was. I’m just trying to be the best golfer I can be.”
It was calamity for so many others.
Sam Burns had a two-shot lead going to the 11th tee, made a double bogey from a divot in the first cut and from a lie in the fairway so wet he thought he deserved relief. He shot 78.
Adam Scott, trying to become the first player to go more than 11 years between major titles, was tied for the lead with five holes to play. One of the best drivers could no longer find the fairway. He played them in 5 over and shot 79.
“I missed the fairway. I hadn’t done that all week really. Then I did, and I paid the price and lost a lot of shots out there,” Scott said.
Carlos Ortiz and Tyrrell Hatton also slashed away in slushy lies, all making mistakes that cost them a chance to survive this beast of day.
The rain that put Oakmont on the edge of being unplayable might have saved Spaun.
One shot behind at the start of the day, he opened with five bogeys in six holes with some horrific breaks, none worse than hitting the pin on the second hole and seeing it spin back to the fairway. And then came a rain delay of 1 hour, 37 minutes.
“The weather delay changed the whole vibe of the day,” Spaun said.
Remarkably, he made only one bogey the rest of the way.
But oh, that finish.
MacIntyre, the 28-year-old from Oban toughened by the Scottish game of Shinty, became the new target. He also struggled at the start and fell nine shots behind at one point. But he birdied the 17th and split the fairway on the 18th for a key par, a 68 and the clubhouse lead.
Three groups later, Spaun delivered what looked like the winner, a powerful fade that rolled onto the green like a putt and settled 18 feet behind the cup.
And then the final putt — no one made a longer one all week. He was helped by Viktor Hovland being on the same line and going first. Spaun rapped it through the soaked turf, walked to the left to watch it break right toward the hole and watched it dropped as thousands of rain-soaked spectators erupted.
He raised both arms and tossed his putter, jumping into the arms of caddie Mark Carens.
The celebration carried into those who lost the battle.
MacIntyre, so close to becoming Scotland’s first major champion since Paul Lawrie in 1999, sat in scoring in front of a TV and applauded.
Hatton was talking with reporters, bemoaning a bad break on the 17th ended his chances of winning. He watched the Spaun’s putt and it brightened his mood.
“Unbelievable. What a putt to win. That’s incredible,” he said. “I’m sad about how I finished, but I’m very happy for J.J. To win a major in that fashion is amazing.”
Hovland, who shot 73 to finish third, saw it all — the putt at the end, the bogeys at the start.
“After his start, it just looked like he was out of it immediately,” Hovland said. “Everyone came back to the pack. I wasn’t expecting that really. I thought I had to shoot maybe 3-under par today to have a good chance, but obviously the conditions got really, really tough, and this golf course is just a beast.”
Hatton (72) and Ortiz (73), both part of LIV Golf and in serious contention at a major for the first time, tied for fourth along with Cameron Young (70). The consolation for Ortiz was getting into the Masters next year.
Scottie Scheffler, 10 shots behind early in the final round, was somehow still part of the conversation on the back nine. But he missed far too many birdie chances even three-putting from 12 feet no the 11th hole. The world’s No. 1 player finished with a 70 to tie for seventh with Jon Rahm (67) and Burns, his best friend who will feel the sting.
He had a double bogey by missing the green into a bad lie on the slope of a bunker. He missed a pair of 6-foot birdie putts to seize control. And when he made a mess of the 15th for another double bogey.
Through it all, Spaun emerged as a US Open champion hardly anyone saw coming — not at the start of the year, not at the start of the round.
‘Magical’ Duplantis soars to pole vault world record in Stockholm
- Duplantis: It’s a magical feeling, it’s hard to explain. It’ll be one of the greatest memories for me, I think, in my career
- Olympic champion Rai Benjamin edged out Alison dos Santos to win the men’s 400m hurdles, with Karsten Warlhom a distant third
- Julien Alfred won the women’s 100m in 10.75sec, the second fastest time of the year
STOCKHOLM: Swedish double Olympic pole vault champion Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis increased his own world record again on Sunday, clearing 6.28 meters to the delight of the home crowd at the Stockholm Diamond League meet.
With victory in the event already guaranteed, Duplantis broke the world record for the 12th time as he sailed over the bar at the first attempt to improve on his 6.27m effort at Clermont-Ferrand in February.
The 25-year-old ripped off his shirt in celebration and raced down the track in front of jubilant spectators at the Olympic stadium built for the 1912 Games.
“It’s a magical feeling, it’s hard to explain,” said Duplantis, who had not before broken the record in Sweden.
“I wanted this so bad. I wanted to do this in front of everybody here in Stockholm.
“It felt like really something special in the crowd today and I knew that everybody really wanted to see it too.
“It’ll be one of the greatest memories for me, I think, in my career.”
Duplantis notched up his 37th victory in 41 Diamond League outings, finishing well ahead of Australia’s Kurtis Marschall who managed a best of 5.90m.
The US-born Duplantis was in a class of his own in another punishing display of vaulting of the highest order, three days after a stellar display in Oslo.
“I kept saying it was the only thing I was missing in the accolades, to break a record in Sweden,” he said.
“I’ve checked off pretty much everything now.”
Duplantis is the heavy favorite for a third successive world championship gold in Tokyo later this year. He is also a three-time indoor world champion.
He first broke the world record in 2020 when he surpassed the 6.16m mark set by Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie.
Duplantis intends to push the bar even higher after his Stockholm exploits.
“I’m going to jump higher. There’s not much between me and 6.30, technically. It’s just a few centimeters. I’m just a perfect day away from it,” he said.
Hometown runner Andreas Almgren fed off the raucous atmosphere to set a new European record of 12min 44.27sec to win the men’s 5,000m.
Olympic champion Rai Benjamin edged out Alison dos Santos to win the men’s 400m hurdles, with Karsten Warlhom a distant third.
Warholm triumphed in the rarely-run 300km hurdles on his home track in Oslo on Thursday, but Benjamin produced a world-leading time of 46.54sec over 400m.
“I think on Thursday I got a little too excited but I felt good today even though I was tired,” said Benjamin.
Julien Alfred won the women’s 100m in 10.75sec, the second fastest time of the year. It was only the Olympic gold medalist’s second race of the season following her victory in Oslo.
Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith took second (10.93) ahead of Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (11.00).
Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Femke Bol won the women’s 400m hurdles in a season’s best time of 52.11sec. She finished ahead of American Dalilah Muhammad (52.91) and Panama’s Gianna Woodruff (53.99).
“I am not in my best shape yet so to take the victory is especially good,” said Bol.
“A race is never the same as training and it is only my third race of the season... but I am starting to feel the hurdles better every race and getting into race shape.
“It is such a high level at the moment in the hurdles so I am very excited going forward toward the world championships.”
Palmeiras and Porto draw 0-0 in their first Club World Cup match
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: Palmeiras and two-time European champion Porto tied 0-0 in their opening match of the Club World Cup on Sunday night before a crowd of 46,275 at MetLife Stadium, which was just over half full.
Estevão’s left-footed shot in first-half stoppage time went into the hands of Claúdio Ramos, and Richard Ríos’ attempt off the rebound was blocked.
Palmeiras, Brazil’s club champion in 2022 and ‘23, qualified as the 2021 Copa Libertadores winner, while Porto reached the tournament as Europe’s fifth-ranked eligible team over a four-year period.
Palmeiras had a 17-11 advantage in shots and 55.3 percent possession. Its fans took over a side of the stadium, waving flags and cheering or the entire match.
Key Moment
Ramos’ double save in first-half stoppage time.
Takeaways
There is a four-way tie in Group A, which opened with Inter Miami and Al Ahly’s drawing 0-0 on Saturday, Palmeiras will face 12 -time African champion Al Ahly on Thursday in East Rutherford and Porto will play Miami the same day in Atlanta.
What they said
“The first 60 minutes were short on play. We’ve had many friendlies, but playing behind closed doors isn’t the same as playing with Palmeiras. We competed very well, and we left a mark that we couldn’t give up on.” – Porto coach Martin Anselmi.
“Porto had one or two goal opportunities sometimes it happens, sometimes its not the most aggressive team that wins. I wish that we had played for the 90 minutes like the last 15. But we have competent player, we are a young team. Our attack is very young.” – Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira.
PSG cruise past Atletico to win Club World Cup opener
- Goals from Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Senny Mayulu and Lee Kang-In sealed the three points for PSG
PASADENA, United States: Newly crowned European Champions Paris Saint-Germain launched their bid for Club World Cup glory with a convincing 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
In searing heat at the Pasadena Rose Bowl east of Los Angeles, PSG proved too hot to handle for their Spanish opponents in an impressive opening Group B win.
Goals from Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Senny Mayulu and Lee Kang-In sealed the three points for PSG, who delighted a crowd of 80,619 with their adventurous attacking play.
The French giants picked up where they had left off in their 5-0 Champions League final mauling of Inter Milan a fortnight earlier, quickly settling into their smooth passing game to control the early exchanges.
Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak was soon pressed into action, blocking a Goncalo Ramos shot from just outside the box on 17 minutes as PSG’s pressure mounted.
Oblak denied PSG again moments later, diving to stop a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia shot that was destined for the bottom left-hand corner.
Those early warning shots proved to be a precursor for the game’s opening goal in the 19th minute.
A lovely passing move down the right saw the ball swiftly transferred to Georgian winger Kvaratskhelia who deftly laid off into the path of Ruiz to sweep in a low finish for 1-0.
With Atletico struggling to gain any kind of a foothold in the contest, the Spanish side’s frustration began to show.
Clement Lenglet was booked for a rash challenge on Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi in the 21st minute, and Robin Le Normand picked up Atletico’s second yellow soon afterwards for bringing down Ruiz.
Ruiz himself was booked on 28 minutes for a shove on Giuliano Simeone before the Argentine midfielder collected Atletico’s third yellow soon afterwards.
With the Parisians in complete control, Atletico had to wait until the stroke of half-time before their first shot on goal, France’s Antoine Griezmann drawing a smart save from Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma with a low shot.
From the ensuing counter-attack, however, Atletico found themselves 2-0 down.
The electric Kvaratskhelia again found space down the left and fed inside to Vitinha, who ghosted into the box before steering a crisp shot beyond Oblak for 2-0.
Atletico appeared to have hauled themselves back into the game early in the second half when Julian Alvarez rifled home a low finish to make it 2-1.
But the goal was chalked off after VAR spotted a bodycheck by Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul on Desire Doue in the build-up.
That effort appeared to buoy Atletico for the remainder of the half, but despite playing with greater intensity they were unable to create a single shot on goal.
Lenglet was dismissed after picking up a second yellow card on 78 minutes.
A disappointing Atleti display was summed up by a glaring miss four minutes later, substitute Alexander Sorloth somehow scooping over an open goal from a few yards out after Marcos Llorente’s cross.
PSG swiftly made Atleti pay for that miss, substitute Senny Mayulu pouncing on a loose ball to make it 3-0 in the 87th minute. The rout was completed in injury time when Lee stepped up to convert a penalty after a handball by Le Normand.
PSG will face Brazil’s Botafogo in their next group match in Pasadena on Thursday, before completing the first round against Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders on June 23.
Rory McIlroy ends his US Open on a high note with a 67. The next major is in his home country
- McIlroy shot a 3-under 67 on Sunday, finishing the US Open at 7 over
OAKMONT, Pennsylvania: Rory McIlroy could leave Oakmont feeling like he accomplished something, even if it took the full four days for him to produce a truly impressive round.
McIlroy shot a 3-under 67 on Sunday, finishing the US Open at 7 over and giving himself a performance he can build off as he works toward the year’s final major — next month’s British Open at Royal Portrush in his home country of Northern Ireland.
“It will be amazing to go home and play in that atmosphere and see a lot of people,” McIlroy said. “I’m really looking forward to it. It was nice to end this week with a bit of a positive note with the way I played today.”
McIlroy skipped talking to the media after his first two rounds this week, and much of his availability Saturday was spent being asked why. His golf was a bigger topic Sunday. It had been unremarkable through three days, but he at least momentarily had Sunday’s low round after finishing with six birdies — four on the back nine.
“Physically I feel like my game’s there,” he said. “It’s just mentally getting myself in the right frame of mind to get the best out of myself.”
That’s been a theme for McIlroy lately when he has talked. Winning the Masters and completing the career Grand Slam was a seismic moment in his career, and returning to those heights has been a struggle.
“Look, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you’ve got to make your way back down, and you’ve got to look for another mountain to climb,” he said. “An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those.”
First, McIlroy has the Travelers Championship in Connecticut next week. And the Scottish Open is a week before Royal Portrush.
In addition to finding motivation, McIlroy has needed to work out some issues on the tee after his driver was deemed nonconforming before the PGA Championship.
In that respect, Oakmont was a step forward — even if at times this week he seemed eager to leave this course behind.
“I feel like I’ve driven the ball well all week,” McIlroy said. “Really encouraged with the driver and how I drove it as well. It’s not necessarily the driver, it’s more me and sort of where my swing was. I feel like I got a really good feeling in my swing with the driver, which was great. Hopefully I can continue that on into next week.”
After the Travelers, a return to the other side of the Atlantic looms, and McIlroy is looking forward to it.
“If I can’t get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don’t know what can motivate me,” he said. “I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven’t been there the last few weeks.”
