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November 30, 2011
Star Sport


 

City, Liverpool in League Cup quarter-finals

Liverpool's Maxi Rodriguez (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Chelsea during their English League Cup quarter-final match at the Stamford Bridge stadium in London yesterday. Liverpool won 2-0. - AP

LONDON (AP):

An emotional Craig Bellamy set up two goals in his first game following the suicide of friend Gary Speed, helping Liverpool win 2-0 at Chelsea yesterday to advance to the English League Cup semi-finals.

Bellamy missed Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester City because he was too upset to play following the death of Speed. The Wales manager hanged himself in his garage, a police officer said.

Bellamy held back the tears prior to kick-off on Tuesday as fans and players from both teams conducted a moving one minute's applause at Stamford Bridge in honour of Speed. Bellamy then set up goals for Maxi Rodriguez in the 58th and Martin Kelly in the 63rd, increasing pressure on Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas.

"Speedo was regarded as his mentor," Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said of Bellamy. "To come back and play like that speaks volumes."

Andy Carroll wasted a chance to put Liverpool ahead, sending a 22nd-minute penalty kick straight at goalkeeper Ross Turnbull after Alex was penalised for a handball in his own penalty area.

Also in London, substitute Sergio Aguero scored in the 83rd minute as Manchester City won 1-0 and eliminated Arsenal in the quarter-finals for the second time in three seasons.

Samir Nasri, who left Arsenal during the summer to sign with Manchester City, was booed every time he touched the ball. Fans chanted: "You only quit for the money."

Nasri and Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong exchanged words in the tunnel after the match.

Second-tier Cardiff reached the last four for the first time since 1966 by beating visiting Blackburn of the Premier League 2-0 on goals by Kenny Miller in the 19th minute and Anthony Gerrard in the 50th.

Manchester United host Crystal Palace in today's quarter-final.

Meanwhile, in Barcelona the home team bounced back from their first loss of the season with a 4-0 Spanish league victory over Rayo Vallecano.

Alexis Sanchez scored in the 29th and 41st minutes, his first goals since his club's league opener on August 29.

David Villa made it 3-0 in the 43rd, and Lionel Messi added his 26th goal of the season in the 50th, tying Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo for the league lead with 16.

Coming off a 1-0 loss at Getafe that ended a 27-game unbeaten streak dating to April, Barcelona (9-1-4) closed within three points of Real Madrid (11-1-1). Barcelona have outscored opponents 34-0 at home in eight league matches this season and have not allowed a goal in 11 consecutive league home games since April 9.

The match was moved forward from December 17-18 because Barcelona will be in Japan for the Club World Cup.

In Italy, Goran Pandev scored twice for Napoli, who wasted a two-goal lead and wound up in a 3-3 tie with Serie A leader Juventus.

At Naples, Marek Hamsik put the hosts in front with a header in the 23rd minute and Pandev made it 2-0 in the 40th. Alessandro Matri cut the gap in the 48th, but Pandev scored his second goal in the 68th. Juventus rallied on goals by Marcelo Estigarribia in the 72nd, his first in Italian soccer, and Simone Pepe in the 80th.

Juventus (7-0-5) opened a two-point lead over AC Milan and Udinese (both 7-2-3). Napoli (4-3-5) is sixth, nine points off the lead.

In the fourth round of the Italian Cup, Verona won 2-0 at Parma and Novara won 3-2 at Catania.

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