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Football
WELL DONE BUDDY: Portsmouth’s Jermain Defoe (left) being congratulated by Armand Traore (centre) and Peter Crouch after scoring a goal against Tottenham in the EPL on Sunday. LONDON: Portsmouth strikers Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch returned to punish Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, each scoring in a 2-0 victory that deepens the turmoil at their former side Spurs with its worst start to a season in 53 years. From the penalty spot in the 34th minute, Defoe scored his 13th goal in 18 games since being surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane. The victory was sealed in the 66th by Crouch, who was let go by Spurs in 2000 without making a competitive appearance. But Tottenham departed Fratton Park with a sense of injustice after referee Mike Dean refused to award a penalty when Lassana Diarra blocked Aaron Lennon’s cross with his hand in the 54th — despite Jermaine Jenas being penalised for the same offence that gave Defoe his goal. Diarra, though, was sent off for a second yellow card offense in the 88th for a late challenge on Benoit Assou-Ekotto. A shapeless Spurs side, lacking in confidence and invention, is lodged at the bottom of the league with just two points from its first six matches — one more than the tally amassed in 1955 at this stage. Taunts of “Going down” came from Pompey fans as their side bounced back from a 6-0 thumping at Manchester City last weekend and a 4-0 elimination from the League Cup by Chelsea. Arsenal was upset 2-1 by Premier League newcomer Hull in the biggest surprise of the season so far — a costly defeat with title rivals Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool all winning 2-0 on Saturday. Daniel Cousin headed in a 66th-minute winner to clinch a famous victory for 104-year-old Hull in its first campaign in the top flight. Arsenal is two points behind early pace setters Chelsea and Liverpool, but just one point ahead of Hull. Arsenal had only been beaten once in the league at the Emirates Stadium since moving from Highbury in 2006, and hadn’t lost to Hull in 100 years. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney scored for the first time since April against Bolton. Jose Bosingwa and Nicolas Anelka gave Chelsea a 2-0 win at Stoke, while Aston Villa went third by beating Sunderland 2-1. Fifth lossNewcastle slumped to its fifth loss in a row with Blackburn edging the ailing club 2-1. Gianfranco Zola won his second league match as West Ham manager 2-0 at Fulham and West Bromwich Albion beat Middlesbrough 1-0. Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor had a first-half goal disallowed, but 51 minutes of frustration ended when Hull defender Paul McShane nudged the ball into his own net amid pressure from Cesc Fabregas. Theo Walcott had weaved through the Hull defence and cut the ball back to Adebayor, who flicked it into Fabregas’ path. Geovanni spectacularly levelled in the 62nd, unleashing a long-range curling shot that goalkeeper Manuel Almunia watched helplessly fly past him. Hull wasn’t content with its point and produced the winner four minutes later. Daniel Cousin saw Kolo Toure deflect his shot wide, but from Andy Dawson’s resulting corner the Gabon forward headed in his first goal since arriving at Hull from Rangers last month. The Gunners, who led the league on Saturday morning, scrambled for an equaliser with Hull goalkeeper Boaz Myhill turning over Fabregas, Kole Toure striking wide and Robin van Persie driving over in the final minutes. Bosingwa put Chelsea ahead in the 36th with his first goal since moving from FC Porto in the offseason. The Portugal fullback broke down the right flank, controlled Frank Lampard’s pass on his chest and slotted into the net from an angle as Stoke defender Andy Griffin failed to clear on the goal line. Bosingwa set up Anelka’s 76th-minute goal when Leon Cort failed to clear his cross. First home winManchester United won its first home match of the season, but had been frustrated throughout the first half by Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a contested opener from the penalty spot in the 60th, with referee Rob Styles penalising Jlloyd Samuel for sliding into Ronaldo, despite appearing to get the ball. “It was a nonsense decision,” Bolton manager Gary Megson said. “When Rob Styles blew the whistle I thought he was going to book Ronaldo for diving.” But Rooney came off the bench put the result beyond doubt in the 77th, completing an exchange of passes with Ronaldo by curling a shot past Jaaskelainen. Aston Villa rallied after Djibril Cisse put Sunderland ahead in the 10th, with Ashley Young levelling inside eight minutes with a stunning free kick. When Sunderland defender Anton Ferdinand handled in the 33rd, John Carew snatched the winner from Young’s deflected free kick. The result: Portsmouth 2 (Defoe 34-pen, Crouch 68) bt Tottenham 0. Saturday’s results: Arsenal 1 (McShane 51-og) lost to Hull 2 (Geovanni 62, Cousin 66). Aston Villa 2 (Young 18, Carew 33) bt Sunderland 1 (Cisse 10). Everton 0 lost to Liverpool 2 (Torres 59, 62). Fulham 1 (Murphy 59-pen) lost to West Ham 2 (Cole 43, Etherington 45). Manchester United 2 (Ronaldo 60-pen, Rooney 77) bt Bolton 0. Middlesbrough 0 lost to West Bromwich 1 (Olsson 53). Newcastle 1 (Owen 51-pen) lost to Blackburn 2 (Samba 31, Santa Cruz 41). Stoke 0 lost to Chelsea 2 (Bosingwa 36, Anelka 76). — Agencies
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