Weekend Sports Wrap Digest

GERMANY - Dortmund Win Bundesliga title

Borussia Dortmund won 2-0 against Nuremberg while their closest rivals for the German championship Bayer Leverkusen suffered a 2-0 loss at FC Koln, a result that all but handed Jürgen Klopp’s men the 2010-11 Bundesliga title. The win gave Dortmund an unassailable eight-point lead over Leverkusen with only two games to spare. 

First-half goals from Paraguayan Lucas Barrios and Pole Robert Lewandowski ensured that Der BVB won their first Bundesliga title since 2002 and their seventh in history.

Dortmund lead the table with 72 points while Bayer Leverkusen trail with 64. Last season’s champions Bayern Munich thrashed UEFA Champions league semi-finalists Schalke 04 4-1 to move into third position with 59 points. Thomas Muller scored a brace and provided assists for both Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez’s goals as the Bavarians moved into the third Champions League automatic qualification spot.

ITALY - Milan Edge Closer to the Scuddeto

Former Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini scored in the eighth minute to give AC Milan a narrow 1-0 win over Bologna at the San Siro as Milan closed in on the Serie A. The Rossoneri’s win took them to 77 points, eight above second placed Inter Milan who defeated Cesena 2-1 courtesy of Giampaolo Pazzini’s two headers in injury time.

With only three games remaining, Milan need only one win to win their first Scudetto since 2004. Juventus beat Lazio 1-0 in Rome to rekindle their hopes of participating in next season’s Champions League football. The Old Lady are placed seventh, four points behind fourth placed Lazio. Milan are looking for their 18th Italian league title.

SPAIN - Barca, Real lose

Barcelona and Real Madrid both lost their matches ahead of their Champions league second-leg encounter at the Camp Nou. Real Madrid were the first casualties as they were involved in yet another high-scoring match this time at the Bernabeu against Real Zaragoza. Spanish midfielder Ángel Lafita Castillo scored a brace in either side of half time and fellow Spaniard Gabriel Fernández scored the third goal as Zaragoza ran away with a 3-2 win. Madrid’s goals were scored by Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos but this could not prevent Mourinho from suffering his third ever home league defeat in his managerial career.

Barcelona gave away a 1-0 half time lead as they lost 2-1 to a hard-fighting Real Sociedad and in the process failed to capitalize on Madrid’s shortcoming earlier in the day. Barca took the lead in the half-hour mark through Thiago but Diego Ifrán equalized for Sociedad in the 71^st minute to draw level. Substitute Javier Mascherano then conceded a penalty in the 83^rd minute which was converted by Xabi Prieto to give the San Sebastian side a famous win.

It was the first time Real Madrid and FC Barcelona both lost a La Liga match on the same day since the opening match of 2008/09 season on 31 August 2008. The defeat was also Barca’s only second of the season. The Catalans have 88 points, 8 ahead of the Los Blancos with only four matches to play.

FRANCE – Title race still open

Lille thrashed relegated AC Arles-Avignon 5-0 to regain top spot in the Ligue 1 race at the expense of second-placed Olympique Marseille who drew 1-1 with Auxerre. Ivorian midfielder Gervinho scored a brace and Yohan Kabaye, Debuchy and David Rozehnal scored the other three as Lille displaced Marseille from the top with only five games remaining. Third-placed Olympique Lyon were given 2-0 beating at the hands of Toulouse at the Stadium Municipal, Toulouse.

Lille lead the Ligue 1 table with 63 points, Marseille are second with 62 while 7-time champions Lyon are third with 56 points, the same as Paris Saint-Germain who have an inferior goal difference.

SCOTLAND –Celtic close the gap on Rangers

Celtic moved to within a point of their Old Firm rivals Rangers after a commanding 4-1 win over fourth-placed Dundee United. Gary Hooper, Biram Kayal, Kris Commons and Daryl Murphy scored for Neil Lennon’s team while substitute Johnny Russell grabbed the consolation goal for Dundee.

With three matches to be played, defending champions Rangers still lead the table with 84 points from 35 matches while Celtic trail behind at 84 but with a game in hand.

ENGLAND – Arsenal blow title race open

Aaron Ramsey scored in his first major start for Arsenal this season to help Arsenal beat Manchester United 1-0 at the Emirates. The win blew open the title race and put a break to Sir Alex Ferguson’s surge to their record 19^th title. United are now only 3points ahead of second-placed Chelsea who controversially won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge against Tottenham Hotspur.

With only 3 matches remaining, United have 73 points, Chelsea 70 while Arsenal have 67 points. Liverpool dislodged Tottenham from the 5^th position with a clinical 3-0 win over Newcastle at Anfield. Maxi Rodriguez opened the scoring for the Reds in the tenth minute when his volley deflected off Danny Simpson leaving Newcastle custodian Tim Krul helpless. Dirk Kuyt doubled the lead in the hour mark when he converted a Suarez-won penalty to score his fifth goal in seven Premier League starts for Liverpool against Newcastle. The impressive Suarez rounded off a fine performance for the Reds with a well-taken third goal to kill the match with 25 minutes left to play.

The win moved Liverpool to 5^th above Spurs in Premier League table, although the London club have a game in hand. Manchester City consolidated their position in fourth with a 2-1 win over West Ham.

Elsewhere, Championship side Norwich City returned to the Premiership after a 6-season absence. The Canaries beat Portsmouth 1-0 at Fratton Park, capitalizing on Cardiff’s 3-2 defeat at Middlesbrough. They join Queens Park Rangers who also gained promotion to the English top flight.

And That's thesteifmastertake!!