Football: Barca a 'little closer' to La Liga title after beating Atletico

BARCELONA -- Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi scored twice in two minutes as Barcelona broke the resistance of 10-man Atletico Madrid on Saturday to go 11 points clear of their La Liga title rivals.

Diego Costa was sent off in the 28th minute at Camp Nou after insulting referee Gil Manzano but while Atletico held on for almost another hour, Suarez and Messi struck late to seal a pivotal 2-0 win.

The victory leaves Barca almost out of sight with seven games left to play and maintains momentum ahead of Wednesday's trip to Manchester United in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.

"It is three crucial points," coach Ernesto Valverde said. "We are a little closer."

"It gives us a big margin," said Suarez. "We've taken not just one, but two steps forward."

United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the crowd along with his assistant Mike Phelan but this was a familiar story of Barcelona's deadly duo delivering when it mattered most.

Costa's early and needless dismissal left Atletico needing snookers just to avoid defeat, let alone pull off the win that their coach Diego Simeone had said last week was the only result to keep their challenge alive.

"I asked the referee and he told me Costa said something to him," Simeone said. "Other players have said things and not been sent off but that does not justify what Costa did."

Suarez intervened with a superb long-range strike in the 85th minute, before Messi added a second in the 86th. The pair have now scored 53 league goals between them this season while for Messi, this was a record 335th La Liga victory.

Only a monumental collapse could now bring Atletico back into contention and more likely is Barca have earned themselves the luxury of resting players, around an even greater focus on success in Europe.

Antoine Griezmann, who decided against joining Barcelona last summer, was whistled as his name was read out before kick-off and he struggled for chances in what quickly became, after Costa departed, a contest of attack against defence.

Atletico seemed to be finding their way into the game when Manzano showed a red card to the Spaniard, who had pursued the referee and seemingly insulted him after a tangle with Philippe Coutinho.

A fuming Costa was escorted away by Gerard Pique and Barca took control. Jordi Alba had already hit the post after defence-splitting pass by Messi and Coutinho should have scored after a brilliant backheel by Suarez.

Messi came alive at the start of the second half as one shot was saved by the excellent Jan Oblak and another mesmeric run ended with a feathered pass to Suarez but again Oblak saved, this time with his foot.

Finally, the resistance of Atletico and their goalkeeper was broken as Barca scored twice in two minutes. The first was a peach as Suarez lined up a shot from 25 yards and whipped it past the left hand of Oblak into the bottom corner.

The second was a display of Messi magic, his weaving run from the right leaving both Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin on their backs. A tucked finish found its way in to finish off the game and, probably, Atletico too.

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FIFA World Cup: Costa leads Spain past Iran

KAZAN, Russia - Spain squeezed 1-0 past dogged Iran in their World Cup Group B encounter on Wednesday thanks to a fortuitous goal from Diego Costa, but the Europeans suffered a string of second-half scares.

The veteran forward notched his third goal in two games when Ramin Rezaeian's attempted clearance bounced off the Spaniard's leg and into the net in the 54th minute.

Though Spain had besieged the Iranian goal in the first half, they were on the back foot for parts of the second, with Karim Ansarifard rifling into the side netting, and Saeid Ezatolahi having a goal ruled out for offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.

The result left Spain joint top of their group with Portugal on four points, but Iran close behind on three going into the third and final set of games. After two defeats, Morocco are out.

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PREMIER LEAGUE: Chelsea surge 11 points clear

LONDON - Chelsea's processional march towards the Premier League title continued at Swansea City's expense on Saturday as reigning champions Leicester City dropped into the bottom three.

Antonio Conte's side were not firing on all cylinders against a resolute Swansea side managed by their former assistant coach Paul Clement but second-half goals by Pedro and Diego Costa made sure of a 3-1 victory.

They are 11 points ahead of Manchester City who have 13 games left and while Italian Conte is too cagey to start preparing the Prosecco yet, only a monumental loss of form looks like denying him the title in his first season in charge.

Tottenham Hotspur, the only other top-four side in league action this weekend, could trim Chelsea's lead to 10 points if they win at home to Stoke City on Sunday.

"It's important to continue this way. We need 29 points to be sure of winning the league," Conte told reporters.

  
Chelsea's victory made it mathematically impossible for Leicester to catch them as they are 42 points behind the leaders going into their home clash with Liverpool on Monday - their first fixture since the sacking of manager Claudio Ranieri.

Leicester will start that game third-bottom after Crystal Palace's 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park on Saturday took them out of the relegation zone.

Patrick van Aanholt's 34th-minute goal was enough to lift Palace to 17th place with 22 points, one ahead of Leicester and Hull City, who drew 1-1 at home with Burnley.

"The three points are important as it puts us in amongst the pack, out of the bottom three and a bit closer to Bournemouth," Palace manager Sam Allardyce said.

Boro also have 22 points but are sliding towards the drop zone after nine league games without a win.

Bournemouth, too, are being sucked into the relegation battle after a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion despite taking a fourth-minute lead through Josh King's penalty. Craig Dawson and Gareth McAuley replied for West Brom, who are eighth.

In-form Everton continue to harbour hopes of catching the top four and beat bottom club Sunderland 2-0 to move within six points of fourth-placed Arsenal.

Romelu Lukaku made the points safe for Everton with 10 minutes remaining, taking his tally for the season to 17, level at the top of the scoring charts with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez.

Sunderland's fourth defeat in six left them on 19 points.

"There is a gap between us and the teams above us but there are still 12 games to go," Everton manager Ronald Koeman said.

"You need to continue and get the momentum."

Watford host West Ham United in the day's late kickoff.

Chelsea were made to work hard to dispatch a much-improved Swansea side despite taking a 19th-minute lead when Cesc Fabregas scored on his 300th Premier League appearance.

Fernando Llorente scored from Swansea's first real chance on the cusp of halftime, heading in after Gylfi Sigurdsson found him with a quickly-taken free kick.

Swansea were denied a penalty midway through the second half when Cesar Azpilicueta got away with a clear handball.

"That was a big moment. Who knows what would have happened?" Swansea boss Paul Clement, returning to the club where he was assistant coach, said as he reflected on the defeat.

Shortly afterwards Pedro's shot squirmed past keeper Lukasz Fabianski before Diego Costa, the fourth Spaniard of the day to hit the target, made the points safe with a volley for his 16th league goal of the season.

(Editing by Ed Osmond, Neville Dalton)

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Chelsea turn it up to 11, Ibra lifts Man Utd

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Diego Costa earned Chelsea a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday as the Premier League leaders claimed a club record-equaling 11th consecutive league victory.

Costa headed home Cesar Azpilicueta's cross in the 43rd minute at a foggy Selhurst Park to send Antonio Conte's men nine points clear.

"The run is fantastic," said Chelsea manager Conte. "Congratulations to my players, not me. I am pleased for them because they deserve this."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as Manchester United won 2-0 at West Bromwich Albion, while champions Leicester City weathered the dismissal of Jamie Vardy to come from 2-0 down and draw 2-2 at Stoke City.

Chelsea have matched their record of 11 consecutive wins from April to September 2009, achieving the feat within the same season for the first time.

The only blemishes were yellow cards for Costa and N'Golo Kante that mean both players will be suspended for next weekend's home game against Bournemouth.

Narrowly beaten 2-1 by Manchester United in mid-week, Palace threatened to take the lead against Chelsea when Jason Puncheon scuffed wide from Martin Kelly's cross.

The visitors went in front shortly before half-time after Eden Hazard sprayed a pass wide to Azpilicueta, whose floated cross allowed Costa to nod in his 13th goal of the campaign.

Marcos Alonso struck the bar with a late free-kick, but Costa's goal proved sufficient.

Chelsea are nine points clear of second-place Liverpool, who visit Everton on Monday, and Arsenal, who travel to fourth-place Manchester City on Sunday.

"We can improve though," Conte added. "It is important to understand we are only at the 17th game in the season. We must not look at the table."

Jose Mourinho's United drew level on points with fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur, who host Burnley on Sunday, after winning at West Brom to record three successive league wins for the first time since August.

Ibrahimovic opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a header from Jesse Lingard's fine right-wing cross at the conclusion of a magnificent team move.

After Ben Foster had pushed a shot from Wayne Rooney onto the bar, Ibrahimovic added a second in the 56th minute.

- Negredo at the double -

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker darted between two defenders before scoring via a deflection off Craig Dawson, leaving him with nine goals from his last 10 appearances and 16 for the season.

"I keep saying that for me it is not his body, for me it is more up here," Mourinho told BT Sport, pointing to his head.

"It is a pleasure to see him play, his happiness. It's fantastic for a 35-year-old guy."

He added: "That was very good. We played really well at Crystal Palace and today, even better."

Leicester avoided a ninth defeat of the campaign thanks to an impressive fightback in a stormy game at Stoke, which left Claudio Ranieri's men three points above the relegation zone in 15th place.

Vardy was shown a straight red card in the 28th minute for a two-footed challenge on Mame Biram Diouf, ruling the England striker out of Leicester's entire festive programme.

Bojan Krkic put Stoke ahead with a 39th-minute penalty after Danny Simpson was adjudged to have handled his cross, with Joe Allen tapping in a second in first-half stoppage time.

But Leonardo Ulloa halved the deficit, smuggling a header over the line from fellow substitute Demarai Gray's cross, before Christian Fuchs teed up Daniel Amartey to head in an 88th-minute leveller.

Discussing whether Vardy deserved to be sent off, Leicester manager Ranieri said: "One manager says yes, one says no. If you listen to me, I say 'no'. If you listen to Mark Hughes, he says 'yes'.

"I don't know if he touched the player, but he touched the ball. I was angry (with the referee) because I saw my players fight and there were so many yellow cards, but it was a normal battle in the Premier League.

"It could be a turning point today, but we have to wait and see the next matches."

Middlesbrough moved above Leicester to 14th place after beating Swansea City 3-0 courtesy of a first-half Alvaro Negredo brace and a Marten de Roon volley.

Swansea dropped to second-bottom, with Sunderland climbing off the foot of the table after Patrick van Aanholt's 49th-minute goal secured a 1-0 home win over Watford.

Hull City are now bottom following a 1-0 defeat at West Ham United, who prevailed through Mark Noble's 76th-minute penalty after the visitors had hit the post three times.

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Costa fires Chelsea back to the top, United beat Spurs

LONDON - Chelsea striker Diego Costa's class shone through as he fired them back to the top of the Premier League on Sunday with a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion as the previous day's goal glut turned into a trickle.

The Spain international's fine second-half strike at Stamford Bridge toppled a defensive West Bromwich Albion side and restored the Blues' three-point advantage over Arsenal as they chalked up their ninth league victory in a row.

The Gunners had taken provisional top spot with 34 pooints from 15 games on goals scored after recovering to beat Stoke City 3-1 at the Emirates on Saturday.

"It was a tough game," said Chelsea manager Antonio Conte. "We played with passion. West Brom is a tough team, a physical team who are difficult to break down. It was a good win and now we must continue.

"We have won nine in a row which is fantastic because this league is very tough. We are working very well."

All six home teams in action on Saturday scored at least three goals, with Jamie Vardy bagging a hat-trick as champions Leicester City returned to form with a 4-2 home win against Manchester City.

Sunday's opening three matches all ended 1-0, Chelsea's early scoreline reflected later at Old Trafford and St Mary's with Manchester United and Southampton seeing off Tottenham Hotspur and Middlesbrough respectively by the same margin.

Only the porous defences of third-placed Liverpool, now three points adrift of Arsenal, and struggling West Ham United raised the average with a 2-2 draw at Anfield in the later kickoff.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp, whose side lost 4-3 at Bournemouth last weekend, would still have been happier to see fewer goals on the scoresheet.

"The goals could have been avoided. That's how it is in football. Mixed emotions, it's still a point. A draw doesn't feel too good. doesn't feel too bad," he said.


DEFENSIVE ERROR

With the game at Chelsea heading for a stalemate, Costa seized on a West Brom defensive error to break the deadlock with a superb shot into the top left corner in the 76th minute.

It was the league top scorer's 12th goal of the campaign, as many as he netted in the whole of last season.

Manchester United's Henrikh Mkhitaryan opened his league account with a sizzling strike just before the half-hour mark for Jose Mourinho's side, having scored his first for the club in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Armenian midfielder's afternoon ended painfully, however, when he was taken off on a stretcher with 10 minutes remaining after a heavy tackle left him clutching his ankle.

The Portuguese coach played down Mkhitaryan's injury, saying it looked more serious than it was and that he could be out for a week.

"Maximum a couple of weeks. It doesn't look like something that is very dangerous or difficult. He brings everything I want an attacker to play. Maybe one week out and it is better to be fresh for Boxing Day (Dec. 26)," he said.

United remained sixth with 24 points, three behind fifth-placed Tottenham who might otherwise have overtaken Manchester City, who are fourth, on goal difference.

Southampton recovered from the disappointment of their Europa League elimination to return to winning ways.

Their goal came in the 53rd minute when Sofiane Boufal picked the ball up from James Ward-Prowse and unleashed an unstoppable left-foot shot to claim his first league goal.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez and Ken Ferris)

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Chelsea take over at the top by beating 'Boro

Chelsea replaced Liverpool at the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 1-0 win at Middlesbrough thanks to a first-half Diego Costa strike on Sunday.

It was the London side's sixth successive league victory without conceding a goal and put them on 28 points from 12 games, a point ahead of the Merseyside club and Manchester City.

The league's leading scorer, Costa, hit his 10th goal of the season to put them in front four minutes before the break.

'Boro, promoted last season, found it hard to make any clear opportunities against a solid Chelsea defence and remain in the bottom six, one point clear of the relegation places.

Despite starting brightly, the hosts struggled against the 3-4-3 system that has brought the west London side such success since manager Antonio Conte introduced it at the start of October following a 3-0 defeat by Arsenal.

Eden Hazard, who has rediscovered the form that made him Player of the Year in England two years' ago, prompted attacks from wide on the left and, with Victor Moses continuing to enjoy himself out on the right, Chelsea started creating chances.

Moses, up against former Manchester United defender Fabio de Silva, shot wildly high but did better in setting up Pedro, whose goalbound shot was brilliantly touched over the bar by Victor Valdes.

When Moses won another corner shortly before the interval, a clutch of 'Boro defenders failed to clear the ball and Costa reacted faster than any of them to volley home.
 
FINE SAVE

It took a fine save by Valdes to prevent another goal within 25 seconds of the second half. He parried Marcos Alonso's low drive and Calum Chambers scraped the loose ball to safety.

Gaston Ramirez put a rare Middlesbrough chance too high from 20 metres before Pedro was denied what would have been a stunning Chelsea goal.

Costa headed down David Luiz's perfectly flighted diagonal cross and his fellow Spanish international Pedro crashed a shot against the bar.

'Boro manager Aitor Karanka, appointed three years ago this week, tried in vain to change things with a double substitution, although Alvaro Negredo was unfortunate with a clever volley that forced Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois into his first real save of the game 12 minutes from the end.

"We knew it was going to be hard but we are in the Premier League and one mistake gets you punished," Karanka said.

Middlesbrough have now lost their last seven league and cup games against the London side without scoring and have not beaten them since 2006.

"Confidence and spirit are up and we are playing well," Chelsea defender Gary Cahill told Sky Sports.

"We are getting the results too which is the most important thing. We have carried on from where we left off at the international break.

"We are happy with today's work, but the league is not won today. It is not even Christmas yet."

(Reporting by Steve Tongue; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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Late Costa strike gives Conte winning Chelsea debut

LONDON - Animated Chelsea manager Antonio Conte launched his Premier League career with a battling 2-1 victory over West Ham United thanks to Eden Hazard's penalty and a last-gasp Diego Costa strike in an intense London derby on Monday.

Fiery Spain striker Costa, lucky to be on the pitch after a wild challenge on keeper Adrian, thumped a low shot into the net in the 89th minute, sending Conte jumping for joy and embracing his coaching staff and several fans behind the dugout.

"I think the team played a good game with a great intensity and spirit," said Conte. "It is important to find the right spirit and intensity, we know we can improve and we must improve a lot, but today I am pleased for my players."

Conte, 47, has worked his new squad hard in the run-up to the season, with double training sessions.

"I saw a lot of good things, lots of things they were working on in the last days," he said. "We have been working for only one month... I know we can improve through the work. But today it was important to get the victory."

West Ham's James Collins had threatened to spoil the Italian's debut with a fine half-volleyed goal in the 78th.

Hazard had given the home side a deserved lead straight after halftime, smashing the ball into the roof of the net from the penalty spot after Michail Antonio needlessly tripped up Chelsea's Spanish full back Cesar Azpilicueta in the area.

FURIOUS PACE

For Conte, who took Italy to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, the match at Stamford Bridge offered a taste of the physical side of English football and his charges looked ready for it.

The contest had started at a furious pace, although first-night nerves sometimes got in the way of quality football.

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante, signed from last season's surprise champions Leicester City, got an early yellow card for bringing down striker Andy Carroll in the fourth minute.

But there were also touches of brilliance from the 2015 league champions, who plunged down the table last season losing manager Jose Mourinho to the sack in the process.

Monday's Chelsea side looked leaner, fitter and more motivated than under Mourinho at the start of last season.

The lively Hazard proved a constant irritation to the east Londoners, who were missing several players through injury, and the Belgian international won the man-of-the-match award.

In the second half Bilic's Hammers side found it tough to string more than two passes together.

"Let's be honest. Apart from the first 15 minutes and the time we equalised, they were better than us," Bilic added.

The home team did suffer a scare when the bearded Costa, looking like a swashbuckling pirate, threw himself into a studs up challenge with Adrian and was lucky not to get a red card.

"I didn't see the situation," said Conte. "I saw him put the pressure on the keeper and then try to stop. In my opinion I think the referee took the right decision."

Costa's escape was certainly lucky for Chelsea after the Spaniard received a pass from new signing Michy Batshuayi and fired a low shot into the net for the late winner.

(Reporting by Clare Lovell; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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FA CUP: Chelsea season ended by Everton's two-goal Lukaku

LIVERPOOL, England - Romelu Lukaku scored two goals for Everton, one demonstrating rare strength and skill, to knock his old side Chelsea out of the FA Cup 2-0 in a dramatic quarter-final featuring two red cards on Saturday.

All the frantic action happened in the final 13 minutes with Chelsea striker Diego Costa and Everton midfielder Gareth Barry sent off but their dismissals only came after Lukaku's brilliance had put the tie beyond doubt.

The powerful Belgium striker, who never fitted in at Stamford Bridge and was sold to the Merseysiders for 28 million pounds ($40.28 million) two years ago, proved irresistible with his late five-minute double, especially with a first goal destined to go down in Goodison Park folklore.

As the game meandered towards a replay, Lukaku conjured a 77th-minute goal from nowhere, muscling past two defenders on the left, powering into the box and, after some nifty footwork to bamboozle Gary Cahill, firing in a left-foot effort.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez hailed it "one of the great goals we will see in the FA Cup".

Five minutes later, freed by Ross Barkley's neat pass, the 22-year-old Lukaku shot through keeper Thibaut Courtois' legs to provide the perfect response to any notion that he was not good enough for Chelsea.

"I don't think I have anything to prove to Chelsea. I went there as an 18-year-old and learned the trade of being a professional. I will always be grateful to them," Lukaku told the BBC after taking his goal tally for the season to 25 in all competitions.

"I think the first goal is the best thing. I didn't know where I was going but then I was in the box, I saw Gary Cahill not know where he was going so I shifted it on to my left foot."

What irony, though, that a Chelsea reject's goals should end a thoroughly wretched week and, effectively, put the lid on a terrible season for the Premier League champions following their Champions League exit to Paris St Germain on Wednesday.

Moments after Lukaku demonstrated his excellence, Chelsea target man Costa could only offer up another striking example of his pointless 'angry young man' impressions.

PETULANT RESPONSE
This time, after an earlier first-half booking for a collision with Barry, he squared up to the midfielder, shoving his face into the Everton player after being fouled.

For a moment it even looked as if he was burrowing into Barry's shoulder with his teeth but the former England international's calm reaction betrayed no sign he had been bitten.

Either way, referee Michael Oliver felt his petulant response meant he had to go for a second yellow card offence, surprisingly the first time he has been sent off for Chelsea.

Soon after, sparring partner Barry was also dismissed for a second booking for a foul on Cesc Fabregas.

The defeat meant caretaker manager Guus Hiddink, who won the FA Cup seven years ago in his previous stand-in spell at Stamford Bridge, had failed in his bid to repeat the achievement following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho in December.

In a game high on spikiness and huff and puff but not an abundance of great skill until Lukaku took over, the best chance fell to Costa who rounded keeper Joel Robles only to see his shot skip across the face of goal millimetres from the line.

A trip to Wembley for the semi-finals represented the perfect welcome gift for Everton's new principal shareholder Farhad Moshiri.

"I am the one bringing expectation and every single player at the club has the right mental character," said Martinez. "We wanted to get to Wembley and our chairman (long-standing owner Bill Kenwright) deserves that for what he has achieved."

($1 = 0.6952 pounds) (Reporting by Ian Chadband; Editing by Tony Jimenez)

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Arsenal defender Gabriel's ban overturned, Costa guilty

LONDON - Arsenal defender Gabriel has had his claim of wrongful dismissal in the feisty local derby against Chelsea upheld by the FA, but Chelsea's Diego Costa has been banned for three matches with immediate effect.

An FA statement on Tuesday said the Spanish international striker was guilty of "violent conduct not seen by the match officials but caught on video".

Costa got a yellow card for deliberately chest-bumping defender Laurent Koscielny but referee Mike Dean missed him catching the Arsenal defender in the face shortly afterwards.

He will be unavailable for Wednesday's League Cup third-round tie at Walsall, and the Premier League games at Newcastle United on Saturday and at home to Southampton on Oct. 3.

Brazilian Gabriel, however, can play in Arsenal's League Cup match at north London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

His sending off at Stamford Bridge for retaliating against Costa was rescinded, although he is still subject to a separate charge of improper conduct for leaving the pitch too slowly.

Both clubs have been charged with failing to control their players.

(Reporting by Steve Tongue,; Editing by Tony Jimenez and Ken Ferris)

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