Install

Get the latest updates as we post them — right on your browser

Today's paper. Last Updated: 06/01/2012

United Reaches the Top, Fans Cheer Grobbelaar

LONDON -- Defending titlist Manchester United stormed to the top of the Premier League standings after a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace.


The Reds on Saturday replaced longtime leader Newcastle, which tumbled 3-2 at Wimbledon.


But most attention was on the Dell, where Bruce Grobbelaar, the focal point of a bribes scandal that has stunned English soccer, was cheered off the field Saturday after helping Southampton to a 1-0 victory over Arsenal.


The 37-year-old Zimbabwean didn't have to make any great saves in his first game for the Saints since the allegations were made. He didn't even need to save Arsenal's 66th-minute penalty, because Arsenal striker Paul Dickov missed the goal completely. Jim Magilton scored the only goal, to end Arsenal's 10-game unbeaten streak.


The cheers from the Saints fans were because Grobbelaar is fighting newspaper allegations and charges brought by the English Football Association that he accepted bribes to let in goals.


At Old Trafford, Denis Irwin, French striker Eric Cantona and Ukrainian winger Andrei Kanchelskis powered United, champion for the past two seasons, to a convincing victory.


Newcastle was two down after 27 minutes at Selhurst Park to Wimbledon goals from Andy Clarke and Nigerian international striker Efan Ekoku. Peter Beardsley and Paul Kitson hit back to make it 2-2, but Mick Harford regained the lead for the Dons.


United now heads the standings with 34 points from 15 games, and Newcastle slipped to third on goals difference behind Blackburn, which won 3-1 at Ipswich. Chris Sutton's 15th of the season and Alan Shearer's 13th helped the Rovers to victory.


United States World Cup midfielder Cobi Jones scored his first Premier League goal for Coventry, and it proved to be the matchwinner, in a 1-0 victory over Norwich.


Italian First Division


Two injury time goals from Dino Baggio and Fernando Couto on Sunday gave leaders Parma a dramatic 2-0 home win over Foggia, keeping them two points clear at the top of Italian soccer league.


But Argentine Gabriel Batistuta stole the limelight after his two late goals in Fiorentina's 5-2 victory at Napoli equaled the 32-year-old feat of Ezio Pascutti, who scored in Bologna's first 10 games of the 1962-63 season. Batistuta's goals helped turned around a 3-2 deficit in the last 10 minutes.


(AP, Reuters)




This article has no comments.

Be the first to leave a comment


Discussion
The Moscow Times welcomes your comments and invites you to discuss topics with other readers. Your comment will be posted automatically to enable a live discussion. If you aren't familiar with our comments policy, you can read it here.

If you're a registered user, you can start typing your comment below. If not, take a moment to sign up. and then return to the article.

If your comment doesn't appear, contact us by using our web form.

Comments

Comments via Facebook



print


Comments

This article has no comments.

Be the first to leave a comment





Most Read
 

12 Years Ago Today the Church Moved Closer to Canonization

Array
Ending years of impassioned discussions that have at times threatened to split the Russian Orthodox Church, officials said this week that the church will canonize Tsar Nicholas II and his family in August.