PREMIER LEAGUE: Liverpool stunned, Baines denies United

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Liverpool's title challenge suffered a stunning setback as they conceded three goals in the last 14 minutes of an astonishing 4-3 defeat against Bournemouth, while Everton's Leighton Baines scored a last-gasp penalty to earn a 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool missed out on a chance to go second in the Premier League and instead remain four points behind leaders Chelsea after their incredible meltdown at Dean Court.

Goals from Sadio Mane and Divock Origi had Liverpool ahead at the break and the points still seemed to be heading back to Anfield when Emre Can's strike restored their two-goal advantage following Callum Wilson's penalty.

But Ryan Fraser, who had come off the bench to win the spot-kick, then buried his maiden Premier League goal before crossing for Steve Cook to superbly equalise, with Nathan Ake bundling home a last-gasp winner as Loris Karius failed to hold another Cook effort.

"First of all I have to say a deserved win for Bournemouth. A big fight from them. We gave the game away at a decisive point," Klopp said.

"We opened the door and they ran through and scored some wonderful goals. So that's the deserved result.

"Even when we are in the lead at 2-0 it's how we try to play football then we were static. We gave the game away because we didn't play football any more."

Bournemouth are in just their second season in the top-flight and this was arguably the tiny south coast club's finest hour.

"It would have been easy for our players to give up and see out time, but our group knows not to give up," Cherries boss Eddie Howe said.

"In the second half we looked like scoring every time we attacked. For this club and everyone involved it's make for a very special day.

"These days are huge for us. We'd never been in the Premier League until last season so we're making history for the club."

- Punished -

At Goodison Park, United took the lead in the 42nd minute when Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg made an ill-advised decision to come for Anthony Martial's cross and Zlatan Ibrahimovic lofted his shot into the net for his fourth goal in his last three games.

But Jose Mourinho's side couldn't find a crucial second goal and the United manager was punished for sending on Marouane Fellaini in the closing stages when the former Everton midfielder carelessly conceded an 89th minute penalty with a clumsy challenge on Idrissa Gueye.

Everton left-back Baines stepped up to slot the spot-kick past David de Gea to leave sixth placed United 13 points behind Chelsea after a third successive draw left them with only one win in their last eight league games.

"We were best team on the pitch by far and it is a result that doesn't reflect the difference of the performances of both teams," Mourinho said.

"We have to work the way we are doing. To perform in five consecutive matches against difficult opposition, I am so happy with the individual performances."

On Saturday, Chelsea had cemented pole position with a 3-1 victory at title rivals Manchester City, while Alexis Sanchez's hat-trick in a 5-1 thrashing of West Ham took Arsenal into second place.

City's frustration boiled over in stoppage time with red cards for Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho, the former for an ugly lunge on David Luiz, the latter for pushing Cesc Fabregas over an advertising board.

While City spluttered, Arsenal stepped up their title challenge with a ruthless performance that kept them within three points of Chelsea.

Sunderland climbed off the bottom with a 2-1 win over spluttering champions Leicester.

Harry Kane's double and a brilliant strike from Son Heung-Min inspired Tottenham as they got back on track with a 5-0 demolition of Swansea.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Belgium go through, Algeria enjoy record rout

CUIABA, Brazil - Highly-fancied Belgium booked a place in the World Cup last 16 with a late goal in a pedestrian 1-0 win over Russia leaving Algeria to light up Group H by routing South Korea 4-2 with a scoring spree on Sunday.

Belgium teenager Divock Origi became the youngest scorer so far at this tournament when he secured victory with a sharp shot into the roof of the Russia net from Eden Hazard's devastating run down the left and pinpoint cutback.

Algeria, who lost 2-1 to Belgium in their first match, tore the ramshackle Koreans apart, scoring the highest number of goals by an African team in a World Cup match.

It was the joint second-highest scoring match of the Brazil finals so far after France's 5-2 victory over Switzerland and equalled the Netherlands' 5-1 thumping of title holders Spain.

Islam Slimani and Rafik Halliche stunned the Koreans with two goals in two minutes and Abdelmoumene Djabou added a third to give Algeria a 3-0 lead at the interval.

They became the third team to score three first-half goals at this tournament after Germany in their 4-0 win over Portugal and France in their rout of the Swiss.

South Korea pulled one back through Son Heung-min, who turned to shoot between goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi's legs in the 50th minute.

Yacine Brahimi scored the goal that set the African record just after the hour and took the steam out of the Korea rally before Koo Ja-cheol pulled another goal back.

Algeria go into their last group match against Russia on Thursday in second place with three points, two more than both Fabio Capello's side and the Koreans, looking to reach the last 16 for the first time.

"We did analyse the strategies but the result was such that I could say it was not well done," South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo told reporters.

"The result speaks for itself... Since we conceded a lot of goals, there was a strategic mistake on our part."

'FITNESS THE KEY'

Once Belgium's celebrations are over, coach Marc Wilmots will need to reflect on their scoring difficulties if they are to confirm their status as dark horses in the knockout phase.

The match at the Maracana, which rivalled Nigeria's 0-0 draw with Iran as one of the worst in a tournament which has been mostly thrilling, was brightened up by Origi's late strike.

Capello was pleased with the performance of Russia, who host the next finals in 2018, saying they did not deserve to lose.

Wilmots was not too bothered with the manner of the victory and, along with Hazard, said fitness was the key.

"To advance in a tournament, you don't always need to be pretty. I believe that you need to be efficient," said Wilmots, who played for Belgium at three World Cup tournaments.

"There's something clear in football. Levels of physical fitness count in a World Cup." he added.

"I know how to make the difference. When I make the difference, I often do it at the end of the match and that shows that I am fresh," said Hazard.

(Reporting by Mike Collett and Bill Schomberg in Rio de Janeiro, Steve Keating and Angus MacSwan in Porto Alegre; Editing by Ken Ferris)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com