While You Were Asleep: Kessie wins it for Barcelona, Leverkusen stun Bayern, Juventus pip Inter, Lazio battle past Roma - The Indian Express

Barcelona registered their third consecutive win in all competitions against their bitter rivals Real Madrid after an electric 2-1 comeback win in an El Clasico.

Franck Kessie’s stunner in added time gave Barca a well-earned victory that left second-placed Real trailing the leaders by 12 points with only 12 games to be played.

It was Real who took an early lead four minutes later after a Vinicius Jr cross deflected off defender Ronald Araujo and went inside his own goal.

Real seemed content to sit on their lead but their strategy backfired. At the stroke of halftime, their defence failed to clear the ball from the box and Sergi Roberto quickly pounced to fire an unstoppable strike to the left of the goalkeeper

Barcelona kept pushing for the winner and finally got it in added time when Alejandro Balde raced down the left channel and crossed to Kessie who was left unmarked in the far post and unleashed an unstoppable first touch strike to give Barcelona the win.

Barcelona will host Real Madrid again in two weeks in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi final tie after winning 1-0 away at Santiago Bernabeu.

Bundesliga: Leverkusen beat Bayern 2-1

Exequiel Palacios scored twice from the penalty spot as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Bayern Munich 2-1. Bayern’s third defeat of the season helped Borussia Dortmund go top of the Bundesliga points table.

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Joshua Kimmich scored with Bayern’s first attack in the 22nd. A deflection took the ball past the helpless Lukáš Hrádecký in the Leverkusen goal.

Pavard then conceded the first penalty. Stieler initially booked Adli for diving, then changed his mind after seeing replays showing how Pavard caught his compatriot’s boot with his studs.

Palacios made no mistake from the spot to equalize in the 55th.

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The same situation repeated after Stieler again booked Adli for diving in the 70th. Again Palacios scored.

Bayern next hosts Dortmund on April 1.

Seria A: Juventus keep CL hope alive

Juventus kept their hopes of qualifying for next year’s Champions League alive after their hard earned 1-0 win over Inter Milan, who slumped to their third defeat in four league games.

Filip Kostic’s goal earned Juventus a 1-0 win at Inter Milan.

Kostic struck midway through the opening half to put Juve, who in January were deducted 15 points by an Italian football court investigating their transfer dealings, on 41 points after 27 games.

They trail fourth-placed AC Milan, who occupy the last Champions League qualifying spot, by six points after the defending champions lost 3-1 at Udinese on Saturday.

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Inter are third on 50 points, 21 behind runaway leaders Napoli and two adrift of Lazio, who moved up to second thanks to their 1-0 win against AS Roma.

Juventus took the lead in 23 minutes when Kostic fired home with a low crossed shot after being set up by Adrien Rabiot — a goal that was validated after a lengthy review following a suspected handball by the France midfielder.

Serie A: Lazio move to second spot

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Lazio needed a second-half goal by Matteo Zaccagni to snatch a 1-0 victory over 10-man AS Roma in their bad-tempered Serie A derby on Sunday and climb into second place, leaving their opponents in fifth.

Lazio are second on 52 points, behind runaway leaders Napoli, with Roma in fifth on 47.

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Roma’s Roger Ibanez was sent off with a second booking in the 32nd minute.

Maurizio Sarri’s men, who also won the derby in the first half of the season, made the advantage count in the 65th minute with Zaccagni slipping through the defence and curling in a low shot.

Roma tried to find an equaliser but despite having possession, they lacked the final pass and the match ended with Roma’s Bryan Cristante and Lazio’s Adam Marusic also getting red cards after the final whistle following a brief scuffle.

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2023-03-20 02:26:35Z