LONDON, March 18 - Roundup of the weekend's action
from Europe's top leagues:
ENGLAND
Manchester United and Chelsea both cruised to big wins to
maintain the six point gap between them with eight games
remaining.
Park Ji-sung and Wayne Rooney got two each for leaders
United while red-hot winger Cristiano Ronaldo created three of
the goals.
Andriy Shevchenko, Salomon Kalou and Michael Ballack were on
target for Chelsea as they beat Sheffield United 3-0.
In the battle for third, Liverpool drew 0-0 at Aston Villa
to close within a point of Arsenal, who lost 1-0 at Everton
after an injury-time Andy Johnson goal.
There were two notable goals elsewhere. Goalkeeper Paul
Robinson scored from just outside his own box with a free kick
in Tottenham Hotspur's 3-1 win over Watford, while Bobby Zamora
secured a 2-1 success for West Ham United at Blackburn Rovers
even though television replays showed that his team mate Carlos
Tevez prevented his late shot crossing the line.
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ITALY
Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic made it five goals in his
last five league matches when he scored twice in a 2-1 win over
basement club Ascoli. The result extended Inter's lead at the
top of the division to 18 points.
Second-placed AS Roma were held to a 0-0 draw by 10-man
Fiorentina, who had defender Dario Dainelli sent off in the
first half. Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey produced a
series of fine saves to salvage a point for his team.
Milan midfielder Massimo Ambrosini proved again how
dangerous he is from set pieces by heading the winner in a 1-0
victory over Atalanta. The midfielder also headed winning goals
against Siena and Sampdoria last month.
Parma coach Claudio Ranieri celebrated his first league win
in six games since taking charge of the relegation-battlers,
when Andrea Gasbarroni scored in a 1-0 victory over Siena.
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GERMANY
Leaders Schalke 04 won for the first time in five games, 1-0
at home to VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, but Werder Bremen stayed
in pursuit with a 2-0 win over Mainz on Sunday.
The results saw the top two open up a gap over third-placed
Stuttgart and fourth-placed Bayern Munich, who were surprisingly
beaten 1-0 away at Eintracht Frankfurt.
With 26 of 34 games played, Schalke lead with 53 points,
followed by Werder on 50, Stuttgart on 46 and Bayern on 44.
Schalke are searching for their first German championship in
49 years and their morale-boosting return to winning ways came
via a Mladen Krstajic toe-poke after Timo Hildebrand had failed
to clear a corner 14 minutes from time.
Bayern fell victim to a wonderful goal from Christoph Preuss
12 minutes before the end of their game in Frankfurt and they
will need to win at home to Schalke next time out to get back in
the title race.
Werder beat Mainz on Sunday thanks to second-half goals from
Jurica Vranjes and Diego.
- - - -
FRANCE
Olympique Lyon recaptured their winning ways with a 3-0
victory at lowly Nancy on Saturday that sent them 16 points
clear at the top of Ligue 1.
Lyon, set to become the first side from a major European
league to win six consecutive titles, moved to 65 points from 29
games.
Second-placed Racing Lens are on 49 after a 1-0 defeat at
Auxerre on Sunday.
Lens still remain ideally placed to finish runners-up and
qualify directly for the Champions League. With nine games left,
they are five points ahead of third-placed Girondins Bordeaux,
who were held to a 1-1 draw at bottom club Sedan on Saturday.
Czech striker Milan Baros opened the scoring for Lyon at
Nancy against the run of play in the first half. Sweden
midfielder Kim Kallstrom and Brazil striker Fred wrapped it up
after the break.
Coach Gerard Houllier's team had failed to win their
previous two matches, losing 2-0 at home to AS Roma to exit the
Champions League and then drawing 1-1 with Olympique Marseille
in Ligue 1.
- - - -
NETHERLANDS
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar struck twice to inspire Ajax Amsterdam's
stunning 5-1 win at Dutch league leaders PSV Eindhoven on
Sunday.
PSV stay top with 67 points and five matches remaining. Ajax
climbed to second on 62 while third-placed AZ Alkmaar (60) drew
0-0 at Heracles Almelo.
Twente Enschede are fourth with 58 points after a 1-1 draw
at Groningen and Feyenoord are fifth on 49 after their fourth
consecutive draw, 0-0 at home to Willem II Tilburg.