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Rediff.com  » Sports » Arsenal, Milan and Werder close in on titles

Arsenal, Milan and Werder close in on titles

By Ken Ferris
April 19, 2004 10:41 IST
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Arsenal, AC Milan and Werder Bremen all moved closer to securing their domestic titles at the weekend but the championship race in Spain is still wide open.

Irresistible Thierry Henry scored four times as unbeaten Arsenal moved closer to regaining the title from Manchester United after walloping struggling Leeds United 5-0 on Friday.

The leaders now need just four points from their last five games to win their 13th title. Arsenal (81 points) and United (68) have five games remaining, Chelsea (72) just four.

Leeds were the last team to beat Arsenal in the league when they scuppered their title bid last May in a 3-2 win but this time the north London side moved almost casually on to a record 33-match unbeaten league run in a single season.

Chelsea and Manchester United helped Arsenal's surge towards the title as the defending champions lost 1-0 at Portsmouth and the second-placed west London team drew 0-0 at home to Everton.

In Italy, Brazilian Kaka headed an 80th minute winner as AC Milan beat Siena 2-1 after Andriy Shevchenko had put them in front after 26 minutes with his 21st league goal of the season.

Siena equalised before the break when former Italy forward Enrico Chiesa scored with a penalty given for handball but they had midfielder Simone Vergassola sent off after 79 minutes for a second booking after a foul on Kaka who then headed the winner.

"These are three very important points that help take us nearer to our dream," Shevchenko told Italy's Sky Sport. "It's a dream we think about every day," added the Ukrainian.

An injury-time equaliser from Igor Tudor gave third-placed Juventus a 2-2 draw at Parma while a Francesco Totti goal handed AS Roma a 1-0 win at Modena.

With five games left Roma are nine points adrift of Milan with a match in hand but face a stiff task.

IN CONTROL

Runaway Bundesliga leaders Werder moved eight points clear despite a 0-0 draw at home to Hanover 96 after second-placed champions Bayern Munich lost 2-0 at rivals Borussia Dortmund.

The leaders, heading for a fourth title and the first since 1993, dominated the northern German derby but failed to score.

VfL Bochum stayed on course for a UEFA Cup place with a 2-1 win at bottom club Cologne, who face almost certain relegation.

Valencia reclaimed the leadership of the Primera Liga after a last-gasp strike by leading scorer Mista earned a 2-2 draw at home to Real Sociedad after they had trailed by two goals.

With five games to go Valencia and Real both have 70 points, but Rafa Benitez's side lead the table by virtue of their better head-to-head record against the reigning champions.

Ten-man Real got their title bid back on track. Goals from Santiago Solari and Ivan Helguera gave them a battling 2-1 win at city rivals Atletico Madrid after defender Francisco Pavon conceded a penalty and was sent off after the break.

"The victory gives us a real confidence boost and a lot of motivation for the forthcoming games," said Real coach Carlos Queiroz, who has been under pressure after a run of poor form.

Primera Liga basement side Murcia were relegated on Sunday after a 1-0 defeat at home to Real Betis. Brazilian free kick expert Marcos Assuncao scored the only goal in the third minute.

With five games to go, John Toshack's side are 16 points behind Real Mallorca, who sit just above the relegation zone.

In Scotland, Celtic midfielder Stilian Petrov sparked scenes of celebration when his first-half strike secured the Glasgow club's 39th championship in a 1-0 win at Kilmarnock on Sunday.

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Ken Ferris
Source: REUTERS
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