15/12/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | DEC 15, 2025

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fashion when Terrier somehow connected with a misplaced pass, looping it over the goalkeeper on 66 minutes. Andrich’s header six minutes later gave Leverkusen breathing space. Teens Ndjantou, Mbaye star for PSG TEENAGERS Quentin Ndjantou and Ibrahim Mbaye starred as Paris Saint-Germain returned to the top of Ligue 1 with a hard-fought 3-2 win at rock-bottom Metz yesterday. Ndjantou scored his first goal for the club while Mbaye managed two assists, with Portuguese forward Goncalo Ramos and substitute Desire Doue adding the other goals

Champions League places. “This win was a must,” sporting director Simon Rolfes told Sky Germany . “When you lose two Bundesliga games in a row, you have to win the next one, not just because it’s the derby, but for the standings.” The derby between the Rhine neighbours had an uneasy atmosphere. Hundreds of ultras from both sides boycotted the match, with a Cologne fan group complaining of “inappropriate” and “very intense” police checks, according to German sports magazine Kicker . Just after half-time, Malik Tillman had a golden chance to put Leverkusen in front when one-on-one with Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwaebe but blasted over the bar. The hosts broke through in spectacular

for PSG. “Ndjantou is the surprise of the beginning of the season – he has this quality of running from deep and making himself available for the ball,” said coach Luis Enrique. “He has the qualities of a midfielder and a forward – we expect a lot from him.” The coach was also pleased with Mbaye’s performance. “We believe in his qualities. He showed more than normal, more freedom, more at ease, he did some excellent things with and without the ball.” Four days before PSG play the Intercontinental Cup final against Brazil’s Flamengo in Qatar, Luis Enrique rested a host of players for the trip to northeast France and was unimpressed with his team, although he blamed it on his much-changed line-up. “I was afraid, very afraid. Metz, particularly in the second half, were in the match right up to the last minute,” he said, adding his team had “lost control” in the second half.

SHORTS

Terrific Terrier backheel helps lift Leverkusen

A BACKHEELED goal from Martin Terrier set Bayer Leverkusen on the way to a 2-0 win over derby rivals Cologne yesterday, returning the hosts to fourth in the Bundesliga. The 2023-24 champions had lost their previous two Bundesliga matches and dropped to sixth after Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt won on Saturday. But Terrier’s no-look backheel and captain Robert Andrich’s crucial header ensured Leverkusen will end the weekend in the

Barca extends lead Raphinha hit brace in uneasy win as Atletico bounce back

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14/12/2025 (SUN)

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Barcelona’s Jules Kounde (right) challenges Osasuna’s Ante Budimir in yesterday’s La Liga match. – REUTERSPIC

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Draw Date: 14/12/25 (Sun)

Draw No: 6008/25 Venue: WISMA GENTING, KL

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5552 9479 2332 DRAGON

R APHINHA hit a brace to give Barcelona a narrow 2-0 win over Osasuna yesterday and take them seven points clear at the top of La Liga. Atletico Madrid, fourth, returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Valencia sealed by a fine Antoine Griezmann strike, while Espanyol, fifth, continued their strong start with a 1-0 win at Getafe. Barcelona’s Brazilian winger Raphinha broke the deadlock after 70 minutes with a fizzing strike from the edge of the box, and added a second late on to earn Barca their seventh-straight top flight win. Second place Real Madrid visit Alaves overnight, aiming to cut the gap on the champions back down to four points. Barca lacked their usual sparkle but ground out their victory, keeping a first clean sheet in six matches across all competitions. They also recorded a fifth victory in five games at their partially reopened Nou Camp home. “Raphinha is very important. He scored two goals and is a key player. He defends and attacks – he’s very important for us,” said Flick. “Maybe we didn’t have many chances, but we scored two goals and got the three points.” Ferran Torres might have sent Barca ahead early on but hooked high over the bar from Lamine Yamal’s dangerous cross. Yamal had a couple of drives beaten away in a mostly frustrating first-half for both the teenager and for Barca. Torres headed home from Marcus Rashford’s cross but the goal was disallowed for an offside in the build-up. The Spain international sent an acrobatic overhead effort inches wide, and Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia denied Ante

Budimir with a fine save before the break. Barca were having trouble breaking Osasuna down but found a way through when the excellent Pedri roamed forward and found Raphinha on the edge of the box to slam a shot into the bottom right corner. Osasuna’s Jorge Herrando, who was sent off on his debut for the club at the old Camp Nou in 2023, had a strike ruled out after Alejandro Catena collided with Barca goalkeeper Garcia. Moments later, Raphinha tapped home at the back post after Alejandro Catena deflected Jules Kounde’s cross into the Brazilian’s path with four minutes remaining. Raphinha, who started the match out of position in a central attacking midfield role, was one of the club’s key players last season as they won a domestic treble and, after a spell out injured, has made an impact on his return. “We’ve got a lot of good players and Rapha, or whoever else plays inside, in the end they give us a lot of solutions in that position,” said Barca defender Gerard Martin. Goals by captain Koke and Griezmann brought Diego Simeone’s fourth-placed Atletico Madrid some respite, although they trail Barca by nine points. Atletico had muscled their way back into the Spanish title race after a slow start to the season, before suffering damaging consecutive Liga defeats by Barca and Athletic Bilbao at the start of December. They followed up a Champions League victory at PSV in midweek with a solid display at their Metropolitano stadium against Los Che. “It was hard for us to find our rhythm, and in the end it was the substitutes who gave that spark and that speed, so that we could win today,” Griezmann, brought on in the second half, told DAZN . – AFP

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