BITS AND PIECES

BITS AND PIECES

Aubameyang nets winner as Dortmund labour

DORTMUND, Germany: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the Bundesliga’s top-scorer, claimed his 23rd goal in as many league games as Borussia Dortmund laboured to a 1-0 home win over strugglers Ingolstadt on Friday.

Aubameyang’s first-half winner was his 30th goal in all competitions for Dortmund this season.

Borussia remain third in the table, narrowing the gap behind RB Leipzig to three points, but 13 adrift of runaway leaders Bayern Munich.

Borussia, who have drawn Monaco in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, were missing a host of stars, but there was no disguising a poor display.

Ingolstadt, who enjoyed 14 shots on goal to Dortmund’s 10, are second from bottom and seven points from safety, but matched Dortmund and should have been awarded a second-half penalty.

With Germany winger Marco Reus injured and 19-year-old Ousmane Dembele suspended, Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel rotated his squad.

US teenage international Christian Pulisic, 18, and Japan’s Shinji Kagawa filled the attacking midfield roles behind Aubayemang.

The Gabon star needed just 14 minutes to add to his goals tally and remain two clear of Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski in the race to be the top scorer this season.

Kagawa started the move in midfield and fed Marcel Schmelzer, who provided the cross from the left which Aubameyang rifled home.

Pochettino expects Spurs to thrive without Kane

LONDON: Mauricio Pochettino believes Tottenham are better equipped to cope without star striker Harry Kane than they were earlier this season, as they approach the defining point in their campaign.

Kane is sidelined for several weeks with ankle ligament damage sustained against Millwall in the FA Cup quarter-finals last weekend.

Tottenham last time failed to fill the void left by Kane’s 10-game absence with the same injury, going six matches without a win during a lean run in October and November.

But Pochettino believes his title hopefuls, who host Southampton on Sunday (today), will ensure there isn’t another drop in form with England forward Kane back on the treatment table.

“It was a different period,” he said. “We are finding our best form now and the team is more solid. We have improved a lot since then.

“We had a very difficult pre-season with players returning from Euro 2016, so today is a completely different period and we are at a completely different level.”

Kane will also miss England’s friendly against Germany on March 22 and the World Cup qualifier against Lithuania four days later.

Ariya maintains share of lead at Founders Cup

PHOENIX, Arizona: Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and American Stacy Lewis shot identical scores for the second straight day to sit atop a crowded leaderboard at the LPGA Tour’s Founders Cup with Michelle Wie lurking close behind.

Ariya and Lewis fired five-under 67s on Friday following 64s in the opening round to reach 13-under par heading into the weekend at the Desert Ridge course.

The duo leads Lee Jeong-Eun, Hur Mi-Jung, Wie and Vicky Hurst by one stroke and has a group, including Park In-Bee, Jessica Korda and first round co-leader Chun In-Gee within three shots of the lead. Ariya, Lewis and Chun were among five tied for the first round lead.

Ariya began her round on the back nine and it didn’t take long for the birdies to start falling. She had four birdies in six holes beginning at the par-four No 13.

Lewis’ bogey-free round also has her sitting in a good position heading into the weekend. She is seeking her first win since 2014.

Wie is one stroke back of Ariya and Lewis as the American started her day on the front nine and had a hot putter. She posted six birdies before dropping a shot with a bogey on the par four, 13th to card a five-under 67.