Ibrahimovic Scores Double In Final PSG League Game

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice in his final Paris St-Germain league appearance in a game which was briefly stopped for a standing ovation.

PSG’s all-time top scorer is leaving the club this summer and after 10 minutes the game with Nantes was halted while fans applauded their number 10.

By scoring twice, he broke another club record – for most goals by a PSG player in a league season, with 38.

He chested in an opener, and headed home to make it 4-0 late on.

His 89th-minute goal saw him overtake Carlos Bianchi’s 37-goal league haul of 1977-78.

The 34-year-old Swede has scored 154 goals in 179 appearances in his four years in France. Next Saturday’s French Cup final against Marseille will be his final game for the club.

PSG have won Ligue 1 in each season Ibrahimovic has been at the club, with the veteran – who has been linked with a move to LA Galaxy – winning the golden boot three times.

His 38 goals in 31 league games this season saw him finish 17 goals above second-placed Alexandre Lacazette of Lyon.

BBC

Ibrahimovic Scores Double In Final PSG League Game

Suarez Scores Four As Barcelona Return To The Top

Luis Suarez scored his second consecutive four-goal haul as Barcelona returned to the top of La Liga with victory over Sporting Gijon.

Victories for Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid earlier on Saturday had left Barca third by kick-off.

Lionel Messi’s looping header into an empty net gave Barca the lead.

Suarez made it 2-0 before Barca won three late penalties, the Uruguayan scoring two and Neymar the other, and Suarez converted Messi’s pass late on.

Sporting had Ognjen Vranjes harshly sent off for conceding the third penalty for a foul on Neymar.

Striker Suarez also scored four in Wednesday’s 8-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna.

Barca over their crisis?

At the start of April, Barcelona were nine points clear at the top of La Liga – and unbeaten in 39 games.

But losing to Real in El Clasico sparked a disastrous run of one win in six games, allowing the Madrid clubs to close the gap, while Atletico knocked them out of the Champions League.

However, 14 unanswered La Liga goals in four days have taken them to within three wins of successfully defending their title.

They are level on points with Atletico and one point above Real, with their head-to-head record meaning they will edge out either Madrid side if they finish the league equal on points.

Unstoppable Suarez?

Pichichi

Luis Suarez took control of the race for the Pichichi – the Spanish golden boot – with his second quadruple of the week.

He now leads Real’s currently injured star Cristiano Ronaldo 34-31 with three games left.

Suarez’s fellow Uruguayan Diego Forlan is the last player other than Ronaldo or Messi to win the award – back in 2008-09.

The former Liverpool striker had a hand in the opener, putting keeper Ivan Cuellar under pressure before the ball came to Messi, who headed a looping effort into the empty net from 18 yards.

Barca’s second did not come until the 63rd minute when Suarez converted Andres Iniesta’s pass – possibly from an offside position.

Suarez scored their first penalty after Roberto Canella handled Dani Alves’ cross. His hat-trick goal came from the spot after Antonio Sanabria shoved over Neymar.

Barcelona got a third penalty when Vranjes was deemed to have pushed Neymar, and was sent off for a second booking.

Out-of-form Neymar this time took the penalty, and scored down the centre, with keeper Cuellar almost keeping it out.

But Suarez still had time for his fourth when he fired home Messi’s pass via the post.

BBC

Suarez Scores Four As Barcelona Return To The Top

Kobe Bryant Scores 60 Points In Final NBA Game

Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant scored 60 points in his final game after a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers as they came from behind to beat Utah Jazz 101-96.

It was the sixth time the NBA’s third highest scorer had scored 60 points in a game, beaten only by Wilt Chamberlain.

“You can’t write something better than this,” said 37-year-old Bryant, who made his Lakers debut in November 1996.

Basketball fans paid up to $27,500 (£19,315) to see Bryant’s final game.

Bryant attempted 50 shots on the night, the most by anyone in an NBA game in the last 30 seasons.

Kobe Bryant stats

Five-time NBA champion
Third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list
18-time an All-Star, 11 times first-team All-NBA
Tops Lakers’ all-time points, three-pointers, steals and games played

He led the Lakers as they overturned a 20-point deficit at half-time, scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter of his 1,556th game with the team.

Bryant finished with 33,643 regular-season points – third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) and Karl Malone (36,928).

He checked out with 4.1 seconds left, as a sell-out crowd at the Staples Center chanted: “Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!”

The 18-time All-Star addressed the crowd, saying: “What can I say? Mamba out.”

Lakers legend Magic Johnson had earlier told the crowd: “He never cheated us as fans, He has played hurt, and we have five championship banners to show for it.”

Credit: BBC

Kobe Bryant Scores 60 Points In Final NBA Game

Bekoe Scores As Hasaacas Progress In MTN FA Cup

Former Ghana goal king Eric Bekoe was on target for Sekondi Hasaacas as they progressed to the Round of 32 in the MTN FA Cup competition on Saturday.

Bekoe scored in the second half to add to a first half effort by Amos Kuranchi as the Ghana Premier League side beat Holy Stars of the second division 2-0 at Anyinase.

The win sees Hasaacas qualify to the next stage of the competition as they seek to win this trophy for the first time since 1985.

In other Round of 64 games played on Saturday, Okyeman Planners of the First Division, beat third tier side Red Lions of Akatsi 4-1 on penalties after their encounter ended 2-2 after 90 minutes.

Premier League side Inter Allies beat Krystal Palace 1-0 at Akosombo to advance to the next stage of the competition. Ishmael Ntifuni scored the lone goal for the Tema-based club.

Wa Rockets beat Real Bawku United 1-0 at the Wa Stadium and will be in the pool for the Round of 32 draw later.

Asokwa Deportivo beat STK Stars 2-1 away at Swala; Dunkwa United recorded a 2-0 home victory over Heart of Lions; Rainbow FC of Kumasi beat Real Tamale United 3-1 on penalties after their game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes at the Kumasi Anglican Secondary School Park.

In an all First Division affair, Pure Joy FC beat Danbort FC 2-0 at Prampram; Unicon FC lost 0-1 at the Sekondi Stadium at Essipong to True Democracy.

On Friday, Sunyani Liberty FC beat Tamale Liberty FC 2-0 at the Coronation Park; Karela FC beat Sporting Mirren 1-0 at Anyinase; WAFA beat Efutu Great Kingdy FC 2-0 away at Winneba with Power Sporting Club losing 0-1 at home in Wa to Nsuatre FC.

Bekoe Scores As Hasaacas Progress In MTN FA Cup