News4u-Sports Desk-Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-0 to stay ahead of Manchester United in the race for the Premier League title.

Didier Drogba scored twice in the first 23 minutes yesterday to establish a dominance that Arsenal was unable to overturn despite an improved second-half performance. Victory lifted the Blues to 58 points, two more than defending champion United and nine more than third-place Arsenal.

After losing 3-1 to United last weekend, Arsenal was desperate for victory at Stamford Bridge but now faces a tough challenge to close on the leading pair with just 13 games remaining. Chelsea captain John Terry started the game two days after being stripped of the England captaincy and set up the first goal in the eighth minute.

But the defender could be a doubt for Wednesday’s match at Everton after receiving treatment to his left thigh midway through the second half, only returning to the game with his leg heavily strapped. Terry made the opening goal when he rose to meet a corner and headed the ball to the far post, where Drogba tapped it in from close range.

The second goal came from the sort of counterattack more usually seen from Arsenal or Manchester United. Chelsea won possession on the edge of its own area and Frank Lampard carried the ball up the middle of the field against a retreating defense.

The midfielder slipped a pass to Drogba on the right and the Ivory Coast striker cut inside defender Thomas Vermaelen before smashing a shot past stranded goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. Drogba now has 17 Premier League goals this season, putting him second in the scoring charts to United’s Wayne Rooney on 21.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas went close with a curling free kick from just outside the area but he too was shaken by a clash of heads with Branislav Ivanovic in injury time at the end of the match.

Arsenal hosts fourth-place Liverpool on Wednesday.

Also Sunday, former England striker Kevin Phillips scored twice in the last 10 minutes to give Birmingham a 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and preserve his side’s five-month unbeaten streak at home.

Birmingham was leading through Kevin Doyle’s 42nd-minute shot from a rebound until the 36-year-old Phillips, who had been on as a substitute for about 15 minutes, scored in the 80th with a first-time shot. Phillips then controlled a cross from captain Stephen Carr on his chest and volleyed into the bottom corner for an 85th-minute winner.

Birmingham’s first win in three matches lifted it to 37 points in eighth place, 11 spots ahead of a Wolves side that has won away from home only twice in the league this season. All of Birmingham’s 10 Premier League wins this season have been by a margin of just one goal.

Didier Drogba terrorizes the Gunners once again with both goals against London rivals to overtake Manchester United at Premier League summit

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News4u-Sports Desk-Bangladesh’s spinners continued to torment the West Indies’ batsman in an afternoon session truncated by the weather and left the home team scrambling on 192 for eight at tea in the second and final Test on Sunday.

Injured Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has been ruled out of the one-day series against West Indies starting later this month, the Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Monday.

Mortaza fell awkwardly while bowling on the third day of the first test at St Vincent earlier this month, limped off the field without completing the over and did not bowl further in the match.

An MRI scan confirmed Mortaza had suffered cartilage damage in his right knee.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan replaced Mortaza as Bangladesh captain for the second test now being held in Grenada.

Bangladesh and West Indies will play three one-day international matches and a Twenty20 International after the test series.

Pace bowler Shahadat Hossain, left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Jnr and uncapped wicketkeeper Sahgir Hossain will also return home after the test series, the BCB said.

The will be replaced by left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, pacer Syed Rasel and all-rounder Naeem Islam.

Bangladesh celebrate their 2-0 series win

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News4u-Sports Desk-A brace from Gouranga Biswas helped Bengal defeat Services 2-0 in the semi-finals and reach the title round of the 63rd Santosh Trophy for the National Football Championship at Chennai on Wednesday.

With this win, Bengal also avenged last year’s 1-4 humiliation to Services at the same stage. They now await the winner of Thursday’s semi-final between Tamil Nadu and Goa in Sunday’s title round.

Bengal, who reached the final in 2007 only to be derailed by Punjab, would like to end their 10-year title drought at the national stage.

Chirag United mid-fielder Gouranga headed Bengal into the lead in the 35th minute against the run of play.

A powerful drive from the hardworking PC Lalwmpuiya was headed beyond Services goalkeeper Sujan Suku.

Buoyed by the goal, Bengal went on the offensive and gave Services some anxious moments.

Last year’s runners-up too came up with some chances of their own but S Raleng, who was instrumental in Services moving to the final in the previous edition, and Gordon Zoramchhana wasted them.

They were also guilty of holding on to the ball for far too long and thereby wasting some good opportunities.

Crossing over, Services had a couple of chances and even an indirect free-kick from inside the box in the 62nd minute but in vain and Bengal pounced from the resultant free-kick to forge ahead.

Services captain Shaji D’Silva was going for the ball inside the Bengal box when he was tripped by Safar Sardar.

The resultant free-kick by Gordon hit the boot of a Bengal defender.

Here the Bengal players broke free on the counter and an unmarked Gouranga beat Mahesh Rai and then placed the ball past an onrushing Suku for the team’s insurance goal.

Santosh Trophy

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