Sports

RIYADH — Qatari driver Nasser Al Attiyah’s strategy of playing it safe saw him move a step closer to retaining his Dakar Rally title and his fifth in all following Tuesday’s ninth stage.

The 52-year-old Toyota driver finished 11min 8sec adrift of the stage winner, nine-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb.

However, the pressure further eased on Attiyah as his closest pursuer overnight, the South driver African Henk Lategan, suffered a mechanical problem and lost 40 minutes.

Attiyah holds a lead of 1hr 21min over another Toyota driver, Brazil’s Lucas Moraes, with Loeb a further 19min in arrears.

“Today we did a really good job without any mistakes, without any problems,” said Attiyah, bidding to become the first back to back winner since “Mr Dakar” Stephane Peterhansel in 2016/17.

“We need to take it day by day like this without any problems. We have a big gap now and I hope to finish and to win this Dakar.”

Three-time Dakar Rally car champion Carlos Sainz showed gritty determination in ordering a helicopter ambulance to turn around and return him to his stricken car.

The 60-year-old’s Audi came to grief just six kilometres into the stage and as a precaution he and his co-pilot Lucas Cruz were airlifted to hospital.

“The Spaniard wished to have a chance of resuming the race and demanded that the helicopter ambulance turn round and drop him back at his car,” race organisers Amaury Sport Organisation said in a statement.

The two-time world rally champion had lost all hope of a fourth title last Friday when a front wheel came off in an accident.

Despite suffering from chest pain as a result of the mishap he insisted on carrying on and started Tuesday’s stage languishing in 100th spot, over 29 hours in arrears of Attiyah.

‘More and more challenges’

Earlier Argentinian rider Luciano Benavides, younger brother of title contender Kevin, won the stage in the motorcycling category.

The 27-year-old Husqvarna motorcyclist secured his second stage win of this year’s race as he timed 1min 2sec faster over the 358-kilometre special than Australian Toby Price on a KTM.

Overall leader Skyler Howes of the United States was third, 2min 57sec off the pace set by the stage winner.

Howes retains the overall lead for a fifth successive day but he enjoys a razor-thin advantage over Price of three seconds as the ultimate test of endurance enters its decisive stages with the climax on Sunday.

“It was a demanding stage, for sure, with lots of water,” said Howes.

“It was super crazy. We were going through giant rivers in the middle of the desert.

“So now we head all the way down to the Empty Quarter and I assume it’s going to be the same, with more and more challenges down there.”

Kevin Benavides is not out of the mix either as he sits in third spot, 5min 9sec adrift.

However, there were two big losers on Tuesday — Frenchman Adrien van Beveren and fourth stage winner Joan Barreda of Spain.

Van Beveren finds himself over 15 minutes off Howes, having started the day under three minutes shy of the leader, due to getting lost on the first part of the stage.

For Barreda, though, there is no coming back as the Spaniard was airlifted to hospital with back pain following a crash on his Honda.

Howes said it was a “bummer” to see Barreda lying prone in the sand.

MADRID — Ousmane Dembele’s strike sent Barcelona three points clear at the top of La Liga with a tense 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Earlier David Silva produced a masterclass to help third place Real Sociedad beat Almeria 2-0, while Real Betis moved fourth with an entertaining 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano.

Struggling Sevilla earned a crucial 2-1 win over Getafe to climb out of the relegation zone on goal difference.

Capitalising on champions Real Madrid’s defeat by Villarreal, Barcelona set out to make a statement victory over Atletico at the Metropolitano.

Shorn of suspended top scorer Robert Lewandowski, Xavi selected Ansu Fati up front in his place, but it was Dembele who made the difference, finishing a slick move in the 22nd minute.

Atletico ramped up the pressure, with the superb Ronald Araujo clearing off the line from Antoine Griezmann at the death, but Diego Simeone’s side could not find an equaliser.

Both teams finished with 10 men after Ferran Torres and Stefan Savic were sent off for brawling with each other on the floor as tempers soured.

“It’s a win, but it’s not just three points. It gives us morale and confidence for what’s left of the league,” Xavi told reporters.

“We are capable of winning at place as tough as this, suffering, being a family.

“We knew how to suffer and we take three golden points. It’s a real statement that we are candidates to win this league.”

Barcelona have conceded just six goals in their first 16 La Liga matches but Griezmann twice came close to finding the equaliser Atletico craved.

The Catalans only mustered two shots on target and Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak said his side deserved more. 

“We had a good game, apart from the first 25 minutes,” Oblak told DAZN.

“We pressed well, we had chances, but lacked a bit of luck to score.”

“We started badly, the first 25 minutes we had little confidence, and later we woke up, but at 1-0 down it’s already harder.”

Defeat means Atletico languish in fifth, 14 points behind leaders Barcelona.

“It’s not a worrying situation but it is one that we have to deal with,” Simeone told reporters.

“The reality is that we lost. It’s true the team had the merit to take away another result, that didn’t happen because we didn’t put it away. What happens in the boxes is crucial.”

Youngster Fati had an early effort brilliantly blocked by the sprawling Jose Gimenez, as Barcelona dominated the opening exchanges.

Xavi said on Saturday Atletico barely have any gaps in their defence but Pedri uncovered one to create the opening goal.

The midfielder capitalised on space in front of the box, before feeding Gavi, who teed up Dembele to clinically slot home.

Marcos Llorente had Atletico’s first decent opportunity after half an hour when Griezmann scooped a ball delicately over the defence to set him in, but Araujo deflected his effort wide.

The hosts wrestled back control and Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a superb save at full stretch to deny the pink-haired Griezmann, becoming increasingly influential against his former side.

Atletico began the second half in determined fashion, pushing Barca deeper and deeper.

Only Griezmann’s compatriot Dembele offered the leaders an outlet on the break and he had a drive deflected into the side-netting.

Xavi brought on Franck Kessie for De Jong and it helped steady the ship, with Barcelona managing some stretches of possession which frustrated the home fans.

Red cards for Torres and Savic reignited the game in stoppage time and Griezmann might have snatched a point but for Araujo’s crucial clearance on the line.

Real Sociedad’s veteran Spanish playmaker Silva, 37, capitalised on defensive confusion in Almeria’s box to nip in and fire home the opener just after half-time.

Alexander Sorloth drilled home his sixth league goal of the season five minutes later to extend La Real’s lead.

Without the suspended Brais Mendez, Imanol Alguacil’s side were not at their best but still managed to inflict promoted side Almeria’s first home defeat since September, leaving them 14th.

The victory leaves Alguacil’s side in high spirits ahead of next weekend’s Basque derby clash with Athletic Bilbao.

ADELAIDE, Australia — Top seed Novak Djokovic saved a match point on Sunday before defeating Sebastian Korda to win the Adelaide International and reinforce his status as a heavy title favourite for the Australian Open.

The 21-time Grand Slam winner needed more than three hours to stamp his authority on his unseeded American opponent, son of former World No. 2 Petr Korda, 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4. 

In doing so, Djokovic extended his unbeaten streak in Australia to 34 straight matches.

The winner of 92 career titles now heads to the Australian Open in about a week with momentum in his bid to secure the Grand Slam for a 10th time, helped by the absence at Melbourne Park of injured World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic, the 2007 champion at Adelaide in the early days of his career, called the pre-Open tune-up week “very special for me”, thrilled by overwhelming fan enthusiasm.

“It’s been an amazing week. To be standing here is a gift definitely,” said the Serbian World No. 5, who missed last year’s Australian Open after being deported over his vaccination status.

“I gave it my all today and throughout the week in order to be able to get my hands on this trophy.

“The support I have been getting in the last 10 days was something that I don’t think I’ve experienced too many times in my life,” he added, with packed pro-Djokovic crowds whenever he played.

“It definitely felt like playing at home.”

Djokovic nullified Korda’s match point while serving at 5-6, 30/40 in the second set, coming good on an overhead to make the save before the set moved into another tiebreaker which the Serb won.

Korda, 22, was playing his fifth career final and said the experience boded well for the rest of the season.

“It was a great start to the year, I wish I could have gotten it done today, but I know there’s a long journey to go and a lot of positives from this week,” he said.

“I think we’re [he and his team] are going to have a great year together.”

Djokovic, who showed no sign of the leg problem which bothered him on Saturday during his defeat of Daniil Medvedev, agreed, paying tribute the fast-emerging American.

“Amazing effort today Seb. I’d probably say you were closer to victory today than I was. It was decided in one or two shots, one or two points,” he said.

“Tough luck today but the future is bright for you.”

Sabalenka sends Australian Open warning

Aryna Sabalenka said she was ready for a “big fight” at the Australian Open after firing a warning shot Sunday by winning her first title since 2021 at the Adelaide International.

The World No. 5 ended a slump of three consecutive defeats in WTA finals with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) victory against rising Czech teenager Linda Noskova in torrid 36ºC conditions.

The Belarusian double-faulted on the first of three match points but sent over a serve winner on the second to wrap up the afternoon.

“I’m super happy with another title, it was a great week,” the winner said. “I enjoyed every moment here in Adelaide, I’m happy with my performance.

“My serve helped me a lot, today especially. I was able to put her under pressure on her serve. I think that’s why I won today.”

The second seed, a holder of 10 titles, added one more to her career total as she put her veteran’s experience to good use, ending the week without the loss of a set.

She last lifted a trophy at the Madrid Masters in May, 2021 and is optimistic about her Australian Open chances after her week in South Australia.

“I just feel that I’m ready to show my best. I’m ready for a big fight,” she said.

World No. 102 Noskova, the 2021 Roland Garros junior champion, will rise towards the top 50 with her run to her maiden final, upsetting World No. 2 Ons Jabeur and veteran Victoria Azarenka along the way. 

At 18, she was the youngest finalist at a WTA 500 event since Caroline Wozniacki at New Haven 2007.

“It was obviously a very tough match today. Aryna played just amazing,” Noskova said. “I didn’t have a lot of chances.

“I did have some break points, but she always served her way out of it. That was really tough to beat.”

The teenager added: “When I trust myself and my game, I can actually beat some of the best players; that’s really a great feeling.

“But I’m obviously going to have to develop my game. There are a lot of blind spots. There’s always things to work on.”

MIAMI — Kevin Durant scored 33 points and Kyrie Irving turned it on late in the game as the Brooklyn Nets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 108-102 on Friday.

The Nets, who had seen their 12-game NBA winning streak end at Chicago on Wednesday, trailed 64-53 at half-time but got a grip on the contest in the third quarter.

Durant also grabbed 10 rebounds, the 111th time in his career he has combined 30-plus points with double-figure rebounds.

The Pelicans were without their two star performers with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram both still sidelined with injuries, but they delivered an aggressive performance in what was an intense encounter.

New Orleans made a strong start, taking a 10-point lead in the first quarter after a fine three-pointer from Naji Marshall and they then started the second quarter with a 13-1 run.

But the Nets grew into the game and outscored the Pelicans 35-21 in the third quarter and Irving, who scored 19 points, made a 30-foot three-point jumper with 43 seconds remaining to make it 106-100 before putting away two free throws to secure the win. 

“It was a tale of two halves, even though we didn’t get our shots to fire early on, or throughout the whole game, we just kept on pushing, it was a solid win for us,” said Durant.

Brooklyn improve to 26-13 while the Pelicans are 24-15 after their fifth loss on home court this season.

The Charlotte Hornets equalled the NBA record for the most point in the opening quarter of game when they put up 51 against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The haul matched the record set by the Golden State Warriors against the Denver Nuggets in 2019.

The Hornets, bottom of the standings in the East, ran out 138-109 winners against the second-placed Bucks.

Terry Rozier had a season-high 39 points for the Hornets while the normally free-scoring Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was averaging 32.7 points per game, was restricted to just nine.

Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said he was concerned about some common threads in several of their defeats this season.

“We haven’t matched what it takes to be competitive in an NBA game on multiple occasions now and it’s concerning,” he said.

The Los Angeles Lakers have their first four-game winning streak of the season thanks to a 130-114 victory home victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

LeBron James scored 25 points, pulled down seven rebounds and handed out 10 assists.

Kendrick Nunn added 23 points off the bench and Dennis Schroder scored 21 for the Lakers, who are still without injured star Anthony Davis.

In Denver, Nikola Jokic put together his league-leading 10th triple-double of the season, scoring 28 points with 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a 121-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Western Conference-leading Nuggets have won nine of their last 10 games.

Caris LeVert scored 22 points and Darius Garland added 21 for Cleveland, but with star Donovan Mitchell sitting out the Cavs saw their three-game winning streak end.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ streak of 11 straight home wins came to an end with a 126-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls, who were powered by the three-point shooting of Zach LaVine.

LaVine made 11 of 13 three-pointers and scored 41 points while Nikola Vucevic had a 19-point, 18-rebound, 10-assist, triple-double.

The 76ers were without key man Joel Embiid, who missed his second consecutive game with a sore left foot as their 12-game winning streak against the Bulls ended.

The New York Knicks won their fourth straight game with a 112-108 win at the Toronto Raptors with Julius Randle producing 32 points and 11 rebounds.

“He’s playing really well, he’s playing with confidence,” Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson said. “It’s awesome to see how he bounced back. He still has a lot more to prove. Not just to everyone else, but to himself because has a whole other level he can unleash.”

LONDON — Harry Kane lifted the gloom at Tottenham on Wednesday, scoring twice in a convincing 4-0 win against Crystal Palace as Nottingham Forest hauled themselves out of the relegation zone.

Forest beat bottom side Southampton 1-0 while troubled Wolves drew 1-1 at Aston Villa and struggling West Ham shared the points with Leeds in a 2-2 draw.

Antonio Conte’s inconsistent Tottenham, who finished fourth last season, had taken just one point from two matches after the Premier League resumed following the World Cup.

The disaffected Italian manager, used to success at Inter Milan, Chelsea and Juventus, warned this week he would only stick around if he was 100 per cent convinced by the club’s project.

Conte was looking for a reaction after Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at home against Aston Villa and he eventually got it despite an insipid first-half performance from his team.

“The character of this team always shows,” he told Sky Sports. “Maybe only in the last game against Aston Villa we didn’t have a strong reaction. Otherwise every game we show strong character.

“It is really important. We got three points. We continue to stay very close for the good positions. After you don’t win and the confidence is down, it was important to win.”

Spurs were second best in the first half at Selhurst Park, lacking zip in attack and had goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to thank for keeping the score at 0-0 but it was a different story after the break.

England captain Kane scored twice in five minutes in his 300th Premier League appearance to move just two goals behind Jimmy Greaves’ all-time record of 266 goals for Spurs.

Tottenham broke the deadlock in the 48th minute when Ivan Perisic crossed to Kane from the left and he neatly nodded past Vicente Guaita at the near post.

Kane doubled Spurs’ lead when the ball fell to Bryan Gil on the right and he flicked a pass to the England forward, who sent a low strike unerringly into the bottom left corner.

Matt Doherty made it 3-0 midway through the second half and Son Heung-min completed the scoring four minutes later, lifting Spurs to 33 points — just two behind fourth-placed Manchester United.

Relegation zone

Nottingham Forest climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone courtesy of a precious 1-0 victory, which heaped more misery on basement club Southampton.

Taiwo Awoniyi’s fifth goal of the season earned his team a first top-flight away success of the season to strengthen their survival hopes.

Steve Cooper’s resurgent side have now taken 11 points from the past 21 available, having only managed six from the previous 33, and fully merited a significant triumph on the south coast.

“It’s better to be out of the bottom three than in it for sure but it’s one step at a time,” Cooper told the BBC. “I really challenged the players to get the first away win and challenged myself and the staff. We’re all in it together.”

He added: “The objective is not just to stay out but move up the table, but that’s easier said than done and we will do everything we can to get results.”

West Ham were on course for their first league win since October when they took a 2-1 lead against Leeds at Elland Road but Spain international Rodrigo equalised in the 70th minute.

David Moyes’ side, who had lost their previous five matches in the Premier League, remain perilously placed, outside the bottom three only on goal difference.

Both sides wore black armbands as a mark of respect for West Ham’s joint-chairman David Gold, who died earlier Wednesday aged 86.

Daniel Podence fired Wolves into the lead at Villa Park but Danny Ings levelled in the 78th minute to ensure Wolves remained in the relegation zone.

Wednesday’s results also sucked Frank Lampard’s Everton into the bottom three.

LONDON — Arsenal were held to a goalless stalemate by high-flying Newcastle on Tuesday but still extended their lead to eight points at the top of the Premier League as Manchester United tightened their grip on a top-four place.

Everton imploded at home to Brighton, losing 4-1 just days after drawing at champions Manchester City, while Fulham condemned Leicester to a third straight defeat.

Mikel Arteta’s men had the better of a fractious encounter at a packed Emirates Stadium but the Spaniard complained his side had been denied two “scandalous penalties” in front of a baying home crowd.

Arteta was furious that Arsenal failed in their appeal for a spot-kick in the final seconds of stoppage-time after a cross in the penalty area struck Jacob Murphy’s arm.

The Gunners boss also complained that Dan Burn was guilty of a shirt pull on Arsenal defender Gabriel in the area earlier in the second half.

Arteta was convinced Arsenal had been denied the chance to score from the spot even though the award of penalties would have been harsh on Newcastle.

“Extremely proud of my players. The way we played, dominated the game. We had so many situations. And then had two scandalous penalties,” Arteta said.

“There were two penalties. It’s very simple. I’m talking about what I’ve seen. It was two scandalous penalties.”

Of the second penalty call, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe added: “Obviously at that stage of the game you’re thinking ‘God no, the lads have given so much’ and that would have been a travesty for us. 

“I didn’t think it was a penalty but you just never know.”

Arsenal, who dropped points for only the third time this season, are eight points clear of Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

Rashford on scoresheet

Manchester United hammered Bournemouth 3-0 at Old Trafford — their fourth straight Premier League win — to move level on 35 points with third-placed Newcastle.

United, trophyless since 2017, have now won nine of their past 10 games in all competitions as they adjust to life without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was unveiled at his new Saudi club, Al Nassr, on Tuesday. 

Marcus Rashford was dropped at Wolves on Saturday after oversleeping and missing a meeting but came off the bench to bag the winner, and he returned to the starting line-up on Tuesday as one of four changes alongside Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Donny van de Beek.

Casemiro broke the deadlock for United in the 23rd minute. Rashford was fouled by Adam Smith on the left and Christian Eriksen floated in a free-kick which the Brazil midfielder met at the near post to apply the finish.

England defender Luke Shaw started and finished the move for United’s second goal early in the second half and Rashford added gloss to the scoreline shortly before full-time.

“I’m happy with the result,” said manager Erik ten Hag, who is in his first season at the club. “Today it was not our best game. We have to be honest, we didn’t play that smart as a team.

“We made great goals, but at times we were quite lucky, and some great saves from David [de Gea]. We could have been smarter as a team.”

Brighton’s World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister was named as a substitute against Everton at Goodison Park just over 24 hours after returning from Argentina and came on in the second half.

Kaoru Mitoma gave the visitors a 14th-minute lead but things unravelled quickly for Frank Lampard’s men early in the second half.

Goals from 18-year-old Evan Ferguson, Solly March and Pascal Gross put Brighton 4-0 up before the hour mark.

Everton fans began to head for the exits and a flare was thrown onto the pitch while chants of “sack the board” rang out.

Demarai Gray scored a late consolation from the penalty spot but the chastening defeat leaves Everton just one point above the relegation zone.

Serbia forward Aleksandar Mitrovic scored the only goal of the game at the King Power Stadium as Fulham beat Leicester 1-0 to climb to seventh in the table, level on points with Liverpool.

MILAN — Napoli recommence their bid for a first Italian title in over three decades when they face rivals Inter Milan on Wednesday as Serie A gets back underway with one of the league’s most hotly-anticipated fixtures.

Luciano Spalletti’s side have already won once this season at the San Siro, claiming the points in a tight contest with reigning champions AC Milan, over whom they defend an eight-point lead at the top of the division.

Napoli are hoping to extend an 11-match winning streak and maintain their unbeaten record in Italy’s top flight after having dropped just four points in their 15 matches.

They also have the league’s best attack after scoring 37 times before the World Cup, nine of those coming from Victor Osimhen who tops the scoring charts and is one of a host of well-rested players who didn’t travel to Qatar.

Another of those is wing wizard Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the Georgian heir to icon Diego Maradona, ready to start after not featuring since Napoli’s Champions League defeat at Liverpool at the start of November which is their only defeat of the season so far.

Champions in 2021 and challengers until the final day of last season, fifth-placed Inter will provide a stern test of Napoli’s Scudetto credentials after Milan open 2023’s fixtures at Salernitana.

Simone Inzaghi’s side are 11 points off the pace in fifth but have won six of their last seven and will have star striker Romelu Lukaku back after injury troubles and humiliation at the World Cup.

On Monday Inter revealed midfield lynchpin Marcelo Brozovic would be out with a calf injury.

“Until the moment in which a team lifts the trophy anything is possible. That’s why we play football, you have to believe in the impossible,” said Lukaku in an interview with Sky at the weekend.

Ready to take advantage of a Napoli slip-up are Juventus, who are at struggling Cremonese and embroiled in one of Italian football’s biggest scandals in years.

Juve are set to name an entire new board later this month after the previous one collectively stepped down as prosecutors in Turin accuse the club of a variety of financial crimes.

Those include lying to the stock market when announcing at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that players would help the club save 90 million euros by giving up four month’s pay, instead allegedly making a private agreement for the team to forgo just one payment.

However, they are sitting third after recovering from a dismal start to the season with six straight league wins leading up to the World Cup break.

Juve will be missing Dusan Vlahovic as coach Massimiliano Allegri deals with a series of injuries which still includes Paul Pogba, who missed the World Cup for finalists France and is yet to play a single game for the club since returning last summer.

Player to watch: Romelu Lukaku

Made into a figure of fun after his display of poor finishing in Belgium’s World Cup group-stage elimination, Lukaku is now fit and ready to rebuild his reputation as one of Europe’s most feared strikers.

The 29-year-old missed a hatful of chances in a goalless draw with Croatia which ended the Red Devils’ chances in Qatar but hadn’t even played a half of football since August before coming on as a second-half substitute. 

“Croatia was a huge disappointment but I told myself: ‘Romelu, you weren’t 100 per cent, you’d only had two training sessions,” said Lukaku.

“I was rightly massacred but now I really want to get back out on the pitch.

LENS, France — Paris Saint-Germain, without World Cup winner Lionel Messi and Neymar, lost for the first time in any competition since March 20 last year when they were defeated 3-1 at Lens on Sunday.

“Lens deserved their win,” said PSG coach Christophe Galtier.

Lois Openda scored one and set up another as Lens, who have only lost once in Ligue 1 this season, closed the gap on PSG at the top to four points after 17 rounds.

“We are happy to be four points behind,” said Lens coach Franck Haise. “This victory proves that we can beat anyone in this championship.”

PSG’s last loss was more than nine months ago when they fell 3-0 at Monaco in Ligue 1, although that still left them 12 points clear at the top of the table.

On Sunday at Lens, PSG were without Messi and suspended Brazilian Neymar, but Kylian Mbappe, the Golden Boot winner in Qatar, received a rousing welcome from the Lens fans as he warmed up.

Galtier said he hoped French fans would give Messi a similar reception.

“He’s going to join us on January 3, in 48 hours,” said Galtier. “I hope Leo will be well received. He won the most beautiful trophy by being very good. We know he’s a great and decisive player so we hope he’ll be well received obviously.”

“Kylian worked had,” said Galtier. “He showed a very good attitude.”

“Leo and ‘Ney’ were not there but that is no excuse.”

Lens took the lead after five minutes when PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma blocked an effort from Massadio Haidara to Przemyslaw Frankowski who scored.

Hugo Ekitike replied three minutes later, swinging hard as Brice Samba dived to gather a cross and driving the ball through the Lens goalkeeper’s grasp.

Lens took control after 28 minutes. Seko Fofana won possession on the edge of his own box, drove through a couple of challenges then measured a pass between the PSG central defenders to Openda. The Belgium sprinted clear, and squeezed a shot under Donnarumma. 

Lens pressed from the start of the second half and in the 48th minute won possession deep in the PSG half. 

The ball reached Openda in the box, his backheel left the defence flat-footed and allowed Alexis Claude Maurice to take a touch and score from close range.

The French league normally takes the holiday season off but with matches to make up following the World Cup, it played one round immediately after Christmas and another on Sunday and Monday.

They have dubbed the games “Celebration Week”, in English, as a nod to the English tradition of Boxing Day games, but many fans are suspicious or hostile.

Among protest banners unfurled by fans in an almost empty stand at Nantes, where the home team beat Auxerre 1-0, was one that complained that the league and broadcasters were “killing” them.

In Monaco, Aleksandr Golovin smashed in the only goal from outside the penalty area as the home team did just enough to beat Brest 1-0 and tighten their grip on fourth place.

Angers remain anchored to the bottom after suffering a ninth straight loss, falling 2-1 to visiting Lorient who broke their own run of six games without a victory.

The home team’s Moroccan World Cup stars Sofiane Boufal and Azzedine Ounahi, who have just returned from vacation and reportedly been promised lucrative transfers, were honoured before the match but did not appear.

“I was happy to see Sofiane and Azzedine,” said Angers coach Abdel Bouhazama. “For the moment they are here. For the rest, I leave that to the club directors. I take care of what happens on the pitch.”

MADRID — Karim Benzema buried his World Cup nightmare with two late goals as Real Madrid defeated Valladolid 2-0 on Friday to go top of Spain's La Liga.

Ballon d'Or winner Benzema was selected in the French squad for the World Cup in Qatar but a thigh injury in training saw him forced to withdraw before the opening game.

He then announced his retirement from international football following the tournament where France was runners-up to Argentina.

On Friday, he tucked away his first goals since October 19 when Real defeated Elche.

However, he had to be patient with his first goal coming in the 83rd minute from a penalty awarded when Javi Sanchez was punished for handball.

Helped by a red card for Valladolid's Sergio Leon, Benzema then added his second of the night six minutes later from a pass by French compatriot Eduardo Camavinga.

The victory moved Real one point clear at the top but Barcelona can reclaim pole position on Saturday when they tackle city rivals Espanyol.

"Karim saved the game for us," said Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

"He is fine, he lacked a bit of rhythm. Last year, he would have scored one or two more goals."

Sevilla dug deep to claim a point in a 1-1 relegation scrap at Celta Vigo.

Fourth last season, Sevilla have just two wins from 15 games this term.

On Friday, they came from a goal down with Kike Salas scoring the leveller on 54 minutes after they fell behind to a first-half strike from Gabri Veiga.

Sevilla remain third bottom in the table on 12 points with Celta two places better off on 13.

Sevilla, who played in the Champions League this season, replaced coach Julen Lopetegui with Argentinian taskmaster Jorge Sampaoli in October.

Elsewhere on Friday, Almeria drew 1-1 with Cadiz while Borja Mayoral scored twice as Getafe beat Mallorca 2-0.

LOS ANGELES — The Brooklyn Nets pushed their NBA winning streak to 10 games in dramatic style on Wednesday, rallying in the second half then hanging on to edge the Hawks 108-107 in Atlanta.

Kyrie Irving scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and Kevin Durant added 26 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists for the Nets — whose winning streak is their longest since the 2005-06 season and the longest in the league this season.

The game was just one of the close ones around the league on Wednesday, with Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-118 and the Chicago Bulls downing the Milwaukee Bucks 119-113 in overtime.

The Sacramento Kings rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 127-126, while the reigning champion Golden State Warriors had to fight back to beat the Utah Jazz 112-107.

In Atlanta, the absence of Hawks leading scorer Trae Young as well as Clint Capela and De'Andre Hunter didn't stop the hosts from taking a 63-56 halftime lead.

But the Nets clawed their way back in the third period and Irving scored eight straight points with a layup and two three-pointers to push the Nets' lead to 93-82 early in the fourth.

He then fed Yuta Watanabe for a floater that gave the Nets a 13-point lead with 8:40 remaining.

The Hawks, led by Dejounte Murray's 24 points, responded and knotted the score at 104-104 with 1:48 to go.

Durant made a pair of baskets sandwiched around one for Atlanta's John Collins and the Nets escaped with the win.

"Sounds pretty good," Durant said of the 10-game streak, noting the struggles the Nets have endured for a couple of years — including this season's slow start, the sacking of coach Steve Nash and the anti-Semitism row that engulfed Irving.

"It's good to get some stability and win a few games along the way and have some fun," he told an on-court television interviewer. "I was glad we were able to play a four-quarter game and understand what we needed to do to get a win," Durant said.

In New Orleans, Williamson returned after missing three games because of COVID concerns and scored a career-high 43 points to lead the Pelicans.

Williamson scored the Pelicans' final 14 points and his free throw with four seconds remaining proved the game-winner in a fourth quarter that featured nine lead changes and was tied seven times.

Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell scored 27 points apiece for the Timberwolves, but Edwards missed a potential game winner as the clock ticked down.

DeRozan fuels Bulls 

In Chicago, DeMar DeRozan scored 42 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Bulls, who withstood a 45-point, 22-rebound performance from Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

DeRozan came up with a steal and fed Ayo Dosunmu for the game-tying dunk in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter.

After Nikola Vucevic's three-pointer put the Bulls up 111-110 with 1:28 left in overtime DeRozan scored Chicago's last eight points — six of them from the foul line.

In Sacramento, Malik Monk scored 33 points off the bench for the Kings, including the game-winning free throw with seven-tenths of a second remaining.

De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis both scored 31 points for the Kings, who trailed by 19 late in the third quarter.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 40 points, but couldn't get his three-pointer at the buzzer to drop.

The Heat's Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo spoiled LeBron James's latest return to Miami, leading the hosts to a 112-98 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Butler, back after missing one game with a sprained ankle, scored 27 points with five rebounds, four assists and six steals.

Adebayo, sidelined for a game by non-COVID illness, had 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Things got heated in Detroit, where Orlando's Moritz Wagner and the Pistons' Killian Hayes and Hamidou Diallo were all ejected after a shoving match that had both benches worked up in the second quarter of the Pistons' 121-101 victory over the Magic.

The Pistons were up by nine when the incident was sparked by Magic forward Wagner, who shoved Hayes off the court as he chased a loose ball down the sideline.

Diallo raced in and pushed Wagner from behind, then Hayes hit Wagner in the back of the head, sending him sprawling into the Pistons bench.