Manchester United relinquished their two-point lead in the Premier League on Tuesday by conceding a disputed late equalizer in a 1-1 draw at lowly Birmingham.
After seeing cross-town rivals Manchester City thrash struggling Aston Villa 4-0 thanks to a hat-trick by Mario Balotelli, United required a victory at St Andrews to ensure it would be clear at the top going into next year.
Top scorer Dimitar Berbatov’s 58th-minute strike broke the deadlock, but Lee Bowyer grabbed a dramatic leveler with a minute left in normal time, bundling home from close range after Birmingham substitute Nikola Zigic appeared to handle a deep cross into the box.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The two Manchester clubs are both on 38 points, although United have two games in hand. Arsenal, who visited Wigan yesterday, are third, three points behind having played the same number of games as United.
Tottenham beat Newcastle 2-0 to go provisionally fourth ahead of Chelsea.
As well as the handball appeal against Zigic, United also complained that the Serbia striker fouled Rio Ferdinand as he went up to challenge for Roger Johnson’s ball into the box. Bowyer could also have been marginally offside before sliding home his finish from close range.
United were lackluster in the first half at St Andrews as Birmingham suffocated the visitors with their high-tempo pressing game.
Wayne Rooney, still without a goal in open play this campaign, cut a frustrated figure stuck out on the left wing and the only real hint of a goal came when Ryan Giggs’ misdirected cross was touched on to the post by Birmingham goalkeeper Ben Foster.
The second half was a different story as United looked much more threatening. Three minutes after breaking the deadlock, the in-form Berbatov — who has a league-high 14 goals for the season — dragged a shot against the post from 20m.
Balotelli, who started in place of rested top scorer Carlos Tevez, converted penalties in the eighth and 55th minutes to open and round off the scoring in City’s convincing victory at Eastlands.
The Italy striker’s other goal came from a tap-in from close range in the 27th minute, after center back Joleon Lescott had made it 2-0 with a fine header from a corner in the 13th.
Reports in the British media suggested on Tuesday that Balotelli wants to leave City after failing to settle in Manchester following his £24 million (US$37 million) offseason move from European and Italian champion Inter.
The 20-year-old striker has been in and out of City’s starting lineup and had only scored twice in the league — both coming at West Bromwich Albion last month — before Villa’s welcoming defense arrived at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Tottenham had to grind out a win with 10 men for the second time in three days after Younes Kaboul was sent off in the 65th minute for an attempted head-butt on Cheick Tiote.
Aaron Lennon had given Spurs the lead in the 57th and Gareth Bale eased any nerves by scoring the second with a low shot in the 81st following a rapid counterattack.
Blackpool beat Sunderland 2-0 away, Blackburn won 3-1 at West Brom and Fulham defeated Stoke 2-0 away. Everton drew 1-1 at -second-bottom West Ham.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care