Chelsea Cup controversy, record in Spain

Reuters: Chelsea will meet Liverpool in next month’s FA Cup final after their 5-1 win over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur which included a controversial goal from Juan Mata

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi jointly set a record for La Liga goals in a season when they both scored their 41st.

All soccer in Italy was postponed following the death of Livorno player Piermario Morosini, who collapsed on the pitch.

ENGLAND



Didier Drogba, Juan Mata, Ramires, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda scored for Chelsea against Tottenham but it was Mata’s strike in the 49th minute that proved a turning point.

His shot appeared to have been blocked before the line only for the referee to award a goal to put Chelsea 2-0 up.

Liverpool came from behind to win their all-Merseyside semi-final against Everton 2-1 after Andy Carroll headed in an 87th-minute winner.

Luis Suarez had equalised for Liverpool just after the hour following Nikica Jelavic’s 24th-minute strike.

In the Premier League on Sunday, Manchester United beat Aston Villa 4-0 to reopen a five-point lead over neighbours Manchester City, who had thrashed Norwich 6-1 24 hours earlier thanks to a hat-trick from Carlos Tevez.

SPAIN

Leaders Real Madrid, whose Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo broke his own Spanish record with his 41st goal of the campaign, came from behind to beat lowly Sporting Gijon 3-1 at the Bernabeu.

Two hours later Argentina’s World Player of the Year Lionel Messi equalled Ronaldo’s mark with both goals in Barcelona’s 2-1 comeback win at fifth-placed Levante.

Real’s victory also meant Jose Mourinho’s side matched the club’s Spanish record of 107 goals scored in a season set under Welsh coach John Toshack 22 years ago.

Real will have a four-point advantage over Barca when they meet at the Nou Camp for the second ‘Clasico’ of the campaign next weekend.

ITALY

The death of Livorno player Piermario Morosini after collapsing on the pitch during a Serie B game meant all Italian football was postponed for the weekend as a mark of respect.

The 25-year-old suffered cardiac arrest, like Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba, who is recovering after the incident last month.

GERMANY



Borussia Dortmund are on the verge of winning the championship for the second year running after coming from behind to beat arch-rivals Schalke 04, completing wins over the second and third-placed teams in the space of four days.

Jefferson Farfan gave third-placed Schalke an early lead but Lukasz Piszczek levelled in the 17th minute and defender Sebastian Kehl scored the winner just after the hour.

Dortmund have 72 points, eight clear of second-placed Bayern Munich, the team they beat 1-0 the previous Wednesday, and they need two more points from their last three games to clinch the title.

Bayern’s chances nose-dived as they were held 0-0 at home by Mainz 05.

FRANCE



Olympique Marseille claimed their third League Cup trophy in a row when an extra-time goal from Brandao gave them a 1-0 win over Olympique Lyon in a drab final at the Stade de France on Saturday.

In the league, leaders Montpellier lost 2-1 at FC Lorient but Paris St Germain missed the chance to go level on points after conceding a late goal to draw 1-1 with basement side AJ Auxerre.

Nene’s opener for PSG was cancelled out by Anthony Le Tallec three minutes from time after the Brazilian had thrown away a couple of clear chances.

Montpellier’s defeat was only their second in Ligue 1 in 2012. Lorient prevailed through an Henri Bedimo own goal and a Joel Campbell effort.

Olivier Giroud reduced the arrears for Montpellier with his 20th league goal this season.

Montpellier stayed on 66 points with six games left, two ahead of PSG.