Real Madrid hammer Granada to equal record

MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo paraded his fourth Ballon d’Or and powered home his first goal of 2017 as Real Madrid equalled Barcelona’s Spanish record 39-game unbeaten run with a 5-0 demolition of lowly Granada on Saturday.

The Portuguese was honoured by previous Ballon d’Or winners to have played for Madrid including Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Michael Owen and his coach Zinedine Zidane before kick-off.

And Real’s relentless run stretching back to April last year continued once the action got underway as they scored four in the opening half-hour.

Isco and Karim Benzema slotted home from close range before Ronaldo, who had been rested for Real’s 3-0 Copa del Rey win over Sevilla in midweek, bulleted home a header from Marcelo’s cross.

Another simple finish from Isco made it four before the break and Casemiro turned home James Rodriguez’s free-kick for the fifth after half-time. Defeat leaves Granada firmly rooted in the relegation zone with just nine points from 17 games.

At the top, Barca can close back to within three points of the leaders with victory at Villarreal on Sunday (today).

Zidane insisted on Friday that he was keen to keep Ronaldo fresh with Real facing a heavily-congested fixture list between now and the end of the season.

The Frenchman made four changes from the side that saw off Sevilla with ease in midweek with Keylor Navas returning in goal and all of Ronaldo, Benzema and Isco coming in up front.

Once again Zidane was vindicated as all three of the frontline scored in a rapid start.

The hosts got a break for the opener as Isco could have been penalised for a trip on Sergi Samper before he exchanged passes with Benzema and slotted low past Guillermo Ochoa.

Madrid were also fortunate for the second as Benzema appeared offside when he prodded into an empty net after Ochoa tamely parried Luka Modric’s shot into his path.

Real captain for the day Marcelo marked the 10-year anniversary since his debut with a pinpoint cross from which Ronaldo powered home his 17th goal of the season.

And with the Granada defence once again pulled apart by Madrid’s movement, Modric’s low cross found an unmarked Isco for a simple finish at the back post for his second of the afternoon.

Madrid understandably eased off in the second half with the possibility of another 19 games to come in the next two months as Toni Kroos, Isco and Marcelo were replaced to hand them some extra rest.

However, the European champions did net a fifth just before the hour mark when Casemiro was left unmarked to bundle home substitute James Rodriguez’s free-kick at the back post.

 

UCI pledges support to PCF in parallel body issue

By our correspondent

KARACHI: The international cycling governing body (UCI) has offered its support to Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) in the resolution of the complicated situation which has been created because of the working of a parallel federation in Pakistan.

“The UCI fully supports your National Federation, directed by Kokab Nadeem Warraich and it is the only one we recognise,” UCI told PCF in a letter.

“We appreciate the great job you are achieving in your country to develop cycling and we were happy, a few months ago to receive Warraich at the UCI headquarters to speak about development projects,” UCI added.

“We will see what we can do to help you resolve that unfortunate and complicated situation with the parallel federation,” the world body said. Warraich-led PCF had sought UCI support for resolving the issue.

The UCI-recognised PCF, whose secretary is Azhar Ali Shah, is facing the opposition of its rival Idrees Haider Khawaja, who heads a parallel PCF.