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BARCELONA, Spain -- Alexis Sanchez scored a second-half goal as Barcelona and Lionel Messi struggled past Espanyol 1-0 Friday to remain top of the Spanish league.Pathers #97 Jersey . Neymar drew two defenders before guiding a pass through both pairs of legs across goal for Sanchez to tap in at the far post for the easy 68th-minute winner. Barcelona opened up a four-point advantage over Atletico Madrid, which plays Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, and a nine-point lead on Real Madrid. Madrid faces Rayo Vallecano on Saturday. Messi is coming off one of his worst months of football, having not scored in the league since September. The Argentina international, who has been troubled by an injury, lacked rhythm and made uncharacteristic turnovers at the Camp Nou Stadium to start November goalless. Barcelona next plays against AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday. Messi did score at Milan nearly two weeks ago. While Barcelona laboured to another victory, it maintained its impressive start under new coach Gerardo Martino who has led the team to 34 of a possible 36 points. Messi missed time with a right leg injury and by the end of the match he looked like he was either frustrated or feeling the effects of not being 100 per cent fit. Barcelona dominated possession and controlled the tempo from the start with Espanyol goalkeeper Francisco Casilla diving to make a save from Sanchez early on, with the Chilean enjoying some of the hosts best opportunities throughout. Espanyol needed over half an hour to register its first shot on goal, and it was nearly ahead in the 36th but Victor Valdes got a leg to Victor Sanchezs low shot following a smart run onto Thievy Bifoumas clever touch. Andres Iniesta forced a save from Casilla with Dani Alves hitting the post in the ensuing scramble as Barcelona nearly went ahead just before halftime. Casilla was in top form as he got a hand to Messis well-guided header in the 54th. Messi then had two opportunities from free kicks but never came closer to scoring his first league goal since Sept. 28. Neymar nearly found the net moments before setting up Sanchez, and appealed for a foul when Casilla put him to the ground outside the area in the 76th with the empty net beckoning. Espanyol should have tested Valdes in the 85th but Manuel Lanzarote showed poor finishing as he weakly headed over goal. Pathers #11 Jersey . -- Whenever a Royals pitcher has issued a walk lately, the runner has usually scored. Pathers #43 Jersey . Jordan signed his contract Wednesday, making him the third inside linebacker with special teams experience that the Redskins have added in free agency.BALTIMORE -- Jon Jones had the Baltimore crowd roaring when he broke out the "squirrel" dance made famous by Ray Lewis. It was just the opening act of a dazzling performance. "I hope I got the dance right," Jones said. He nailed it -- then went out and punished Glover Teixeira. Jones flawlessly mixed jabs and elbows in one of the greatest fights of his career, winning a unanimous decision over Teixeira on Saturday night at UFC 172, successfully defending his light heavyweight championship for the seventh straight time. Jones (20-1) won 50-45 on all three scorecards and rolled to his 11th straight victory, the longest streak among active UFC fighters. "I think it was the best peformance of his career," UFC President Dana White said. "I thought he never looked better than he did tonight." He opened his pre-fight walk with the dance Lewis made his signature move. The former Baltimore Ravens linebacker had a cageside seat and stood several times to root on Jones. Chandler Jones and Arthur Jones, his NFL-playing brothers, also attended and sat near Lewis. Arthur Jones, who plays for the Colts, was a Super Bowl champion with Lewis and the Ravens. Often booed, the fighter nicknamed "Bones" turned Baltimore into a home-cage advantage and showed Lewis that perhaps imitation was the sincerest form of battery. "It was great to have the crowd on my side again," he said. "I practiced that dance all day today. Ray was happy." Teixeira (22-3) ended a 20-bout winning streak that dates nine years. "To beat a guy who hasnt lost in 20 fights, I cant complain about that peformance," Jones said. Jones was warned twice about eye pokes in the first two rounds and was threatened to have a point deducted if he did it again. No need. He battered and bloodied the challenger, opening a cut over Teixeiras right eye, and sending his mouthpiece flying with a hard right. Jones took down Teixeira in the final seconds of the fourth and pounded away on his face before the horn sounded. He was in complete control in his latest dominant performance, something he vowed to do after he took a pounding the last time out against Alexander Gustafsson. Jones, one of UFCs biggest active pay-per-view draws, pinned Teixeira against the cage several times and wore him down with body sshots. Chris Scott Panthers Jersey. White said Gustafsson and Jones will have a rematch next. "I had to answer a lot of questions after my last fight," Jones said. "Had I lost my mojo? I answered those tonight." Just blocks away from Camden Yards, the real heavy hitters were inside Baltimore Arena for UFCs debut in the city. In the co-main event, Anthony "Rumble" Johnson cruised to a unanimous decision victory over former Penn State wrestler Phil Davis. Johnson fought for UFC for the first time in more than two years after he was cut once before for repeatedly failing to make weight. White welcomed Johnson back with one caveat, he would never return if he failed to make weight for the Davis bout. Johnson made weight for the 205-pound bout -- and made Davis pay. He busted open Davis near his left eye with a flurry of strikes early in the first, stopped all eight takedown attempts over three rounds and won 30-27 on all three cards. Looking at White, Johnson expressed gratitude for his second chance. "Mr. Dana White, thank you for what you did," he said. "Hes the man who changed me. Hes the man who turned me into a beast!" Earlier on the pay-per-view card, Max Halloway choked out Andre Fili in the third round and Jim Miller did the same against Yancy Medeiros in the first round. Luke Rockhold tapped out Tim Boetsch in the first round to keep UFC 172 humming along. "Its the night of guillotines, I guess," Miller said. With UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey in her corner, Jessamyn Duke dropped a unanimous decision to Bethe Correia in the only womens bout. Rousey, perhaps UFCs biggest star, accompanied Duke to the octagon and shook her head in disgust after the scores were announced. "I thought I had it," Duke said. "I knew it was going to be close, but I really thought the fight was mine." Rousey coached Duke on "The Ultimate Fighter" and they train together with other female fighters known as "The Four Horsewomen." Rouseys appearance had fans standing and snapping pictures and was a highlight among the preliminary bouts. Chris Beal opened the card with a flying right knee that connected flush on Patrick Williams chin for a KO. "This might have been the most perfect flying knee Ive ever seen!" White tweeted. Wholesale Jerseys ' ' ' |
