Astrologie » is Strange, the last player to win consecutive

BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona lost Lionel Messi to another leg injury but still had more than enough firepower to win 4-1 at struggling Real Betis and capitalize on a stumble by title rival Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Things looked grim for the defending champions when Messi suffered his third leg injury of the season and asked to be substituted in the 21st minute, as Barcelona came under pressure. But Cesc Fabregas stepped in by scoring two goals and making another in a convincing victory before he was replaced late in the match due to pain in his right knee. "We started without any intensity and they were rolling over us for the first 20-25 minutes," Fabregas said. "But then we had a good 20 minutes before dominating in the second half." Fabregas, who has started nine of Barcas 13 league matches and appeared particularly put out at not being chosen to start Wednesdays Champions League win over AC Milan, made it clear he wants to prove his worth to coach Gerard Martino. "I know the starting 11 that my coach has in his head and that I am not in it," Fabregas said. "I will work as much as I can to erase any doubts." Barcelona said Messi and Fabregas would undergo tests on Monday to determine the extent of their injuries. Goalkeeper Victor Valdes made two superb saves to deny Jorge Molina before Fabregas set up Neymar for Barcelonas 35th-minute opener. Pedro Rodriguez made it 2-0 two minutes later with a solo effort that left Betis defence in tatters, and Fabregas finished off the scoring for Barcelona in the 63rd and the 79th. Barcelonas 12th win in 13 rounds kept it undefeated and lifted it three points clear of second-place Atletico after it was held to a 1-1 draw at Villarreal earlier. Messi, who appeared to be back to his old self after scoring a double on Wednesday against AC Milan in the Champions League, hurt a muscle in his left thigh while sprinting and was replaced by Andres Iniesta. "No doubt we will have to talk to Leo so that this third injury doesnt worry him and affect him mentally," Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino said. Last-place Betis had already tested Valdes by the time Messi went off, but the Spain goalie continued his excellent season by denying Molina one-one-one, and moments later leaping to turn away the strikers header at the far post. Having regrouped after losing Messi, Alex Song met Fabregas run with a weighted pass that left him free to cross for the unmarked Neymar, who scored his fourth league goal of the season. Pedro then raced onto a high ball in midfield, knocked it beyond Betis last line of defence, and collected it before looping a shot beyond goalkeeper Guillermo Sara. Betis Joan Verdu went close and Jose "Nono" Delgado hit the woodwork as the hosts tried to react after halftime. But coach Pepe Mels insistence on pushing his defensive line up the pitch proved fatal. Neymar had threatened twice on the break before Iniesta lobbed the ball wide to Martin Montoya, who had three Barcelona players to cross to in the area against one Betis defender. Montoya chose Fabregas to tap in his first goal before the former Arsenal midfielder nodded Dani Alves pass off the turf and the upright before it trickled over the goalline. Three minutes later, Fabregas left the match. "We tried to make long passes behind their defence to look for the open spaces they were leaving, and I think we took full advantage of them," said Pedro. Molina finally beat Valdes from the penalty spot for Betis consolation goal in stoppage time after Dani Alves fouled Javier Matilla in the box. Atletico went ahead just two minutes into the match at El Madrigal Stadium when Juanfran Torres broke free on the right flank and swung in a cross that defender Mario Perez turned into his own net while trying to fend off Jorge "Koke" Resurreccion. Atletico held Villarreals passing attack in check until coach Marcelino Garcia sent on striker Jeremy Perbet. Five minutes later Perbet provided the missing spark when he collected the ball from a throw-in, dribbled into the area and provided a square pass that Juanfran ended up poking into his own goal while jostling with Villarreals Ikechukwu Uche. Villarreal remained in fourth place, but seven points behind Real Madrid in third. Earlier, Sevilla beat Espanyol 3-1 to end a 22-game winless run away from home in the league, while Valencia was held to a 2-2 draw by Valladolid to remain without a victory in its last three home games. Sevilla got the much-needed victory thanks to goals from Federico Fazio, Vitolo Machin, and Carlos Bacca. Sevilla hadnt won away in the league since Sept. 24, 2012. Espanyol finished with 10 men when Victor Sanchez received his second booking with five minutes to play. After Valencias Ever Banega missed a penalty, Javi Guerra headed Valladolid in front in the ninth minute before Dorlan Pabon levelled in the 29th. Gilberto "Alcatraz" Garcia, who had set up Guerras opener, drilled in Valladolids second goal in the 50th, only for Sofiane Feghouli to guide home a cross by Sergio Canales in the 76th to share the points. Air Max 90 Canada Mens . DETROIT LIONS AT CHICAGO BEARS, 1:00 PM (ET) Detroit - G Rodney Austin, WR Ryan Broyles, DT Nick Fairley, QB Kellen Moore, DT Caraun Reid, CB Mohammed Seisay, DE Larry Webster Chicago - S Chris Conte, DT Brandon Dunn, QB David Fales, K Robbie Gould, CB Terrance Mitchell, OT Michael Ola, DE Trevor Scott GREEN BAY PACKERS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, 1:00 PM (ET) Green Bay - LB Carl Bradford, DT Bruce Gaston, C Garth Gerhart, CB Davon House, WR Jeff Janis, TE Justin Perillo, QB Scott Tolzien Tampa Bay - OT Anthony Collins, CB Isaiah Frey, WR Robert Herron, RB Mike James, WR Solomon Patton, FB/TE Evan Rodriguez, LB Lawrence Sidbury KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS, 1:00 PM (ET) Kansas City - WR Donnie Avery, CB Marcus Cooper, OT Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OL Eric Kush, QB Aaron Murray, RB Charcandrick West, DT Nick Williams Pittsburgh - WR Justin Brown, DE Clifton Geathers, G Chris Hubbard, QB Landry Jones, S Troy Polamalu, TE Matt Spaeth, CB Ike Taylor MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS, 1:00 PM (ET) Minnesota - LB Anthony Barr, OT Carter Bykowski, DB Ahmad Dixon, OT Charlie Johnson, FB Zach Line, CB Shaun Prater, TE Kyle Rudolph Miami - G Nate Garner, WR Matt Hazel, S Don Jones, WR Rishard Matthews, LB Chris McCain, G Dallas Thomas, RB Daniel Thomas NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT NEW YORK JETS, 1:00 PM (ET) New England - CB Kyle Arrington, RB LeGarrette Blount, OL Dan Connolly, CB Alfonzo Dennard, OT Jordan Devey, WR Julian Edelman, RB James White NY Jets - DT T. Air Max 90 Canada Sale .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. http://www.clearanceairmaxcanada.com/air-max-tailwind-canada-sale/tailwind-7.html .m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE — Colts by 5RECORD VS. SPREAD — Cincinnati 8-8, Indianapolis 11-5SERIES RECORD — Colts lead 18-10LAST MEETING — Colts beat Bengals 27-0, Oct. Air Max 200 Canada . Rasmussen didnt have a decision during his four appearances in May, when he gave up two hits and no runs in two innings. Toronto used five relievers while pulling off the second-biggest comeback in franchise history on Friday night, rallying from an 8-0 deficit to a 14-9 win. Air Max 720 Saturn Canada . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil. PINEHURST, N.C. -- Now that hes got that pesky major out of the way, Justin Rose is learning to savour the quest for his next big title. Hes not nearly as optimistic about Englands chances in the World Cup. Rose is the reigning champion heading into the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, a player who is certainly more at ease with his place in golf now that hes got one of those prestigious titles on his resume. "In the last few months, I sort of realized what I have achieved and its time to embrace it, enjoy it, and let that be the strength for me to go on and win more," Rose said Tuesday. Of course, theres another big sporting event beginning this week, one that will certainly have the attention of Rose and his fellow English players. Their soccer-mad nation has a huge opening match in the World Cup against Italy on Saturday, the soccer game scheduled to begin in Brazil about the time the third round of the Open is wrapping up in North Carolina. Reflecting the mood of his homeland, Rose is not very hopeful. Englands only World Cup title came in 1966 and expectations are low for this team, a youthful squad playing in one of the most difficult groups. "I would say theres probably more chance of one of us winning the major than England winning the World Cup," said Rose, among 11 English players in the Pinehurst field. "Sad to say." Roses primary focus will be on his bid to become the first repeat U.S. Open champion in a quarter-century. Last years triumph at Merion had been in the making for nearly that long, ever since Rose finished fourth as an 18-year-old amateur at the 1998 British Open. He spent the next 15 years trying to finish the job, chasing a major title that seemed increasingly elusive as the close calls began to pile up, the weight of expectations becoming almost too much to bear. Then, just when it seemed he might have a lifetime membership in the "Best Players Never To Win A Major" club, Rose won a duel with Phil Mickelson at the venerable club outside Philadelphia, clinching the title with a 4-iron intoo the demanding 18th hole that gave him the par he needed to hold off Lefty.dddddddddddd "I havent been one of those guys who said, OK, well, Im going to win X amount of majors in my career," Rose said. "I really want to treat this major that Ive won now as a gift and let it give me the ability to sort of free-wheel for the rest of my career -- play free, play loose, just go after it. Ive really got no pressure on me from that perspective anymore." Not surprisingly, the U.S. Golf Association paired Rose and Mickelson in the first two rounds. Both hope theyll still be playing together in the final group on Sunday. "I enjoy playing golf with Phil," Rose said. "I enjoy the spirit in which he plays the games, how free he is out there. Hes got a great temperament for the game. Nothing seems to faze him. Thats something a lot of players can look up to him for." Curtis Strange, the last player to win consecutive Opens in 1988 and 89, is pulling for Rose to join the exclusive club. "If Justin would happen to do it this year, that would be the first phone call," Strange said. "That would be fantastic." Rose missed the cut in his last tournament, the Memorial, though he thinks that might turn out to be a good break because it gave him more time to get familiar with Pinehurst. Before that stumble, he had ripped off three straight top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour, including a tie for fourth against a loaded field at The Players Championship. His biggest challenge this week might be keeping his mind on golf. During the 2010 World Cup, Rose held a three-shot lead going to the final round of the Travelers Championship. That morning, he watched Englands title hopes fade away with a 4-1 loss to Germany. Then he went out and shot a 75, finishing three shots behind winner Bubba Watson. "I never really calmed down," Rose recalled. "So maybe Ill be a little bit more careful about my emotions watching the football." After all, hes probably Englands best hope for a championship. ' ' '