ICC T20 2012 DAY 3 Results:

Jacques Kallis recorded the best Twenty20 figures for his country to inspire South Africa to a convincing 10-wicket win over Zimbabwe in a Group C match at Hambantota on Thursday.The 36-year-old allrounder grabbed 4-15 and was well supported by Morne Morkel's 2-16 as Zimbabwe were kept down to 93-8 -- their second lowest total in all Twenty20 internationals -- after they were put into bat.Openers Richard Levi then notched 50 not out and Hashim Amla an unbeaten 32 to knock off the low target in the 12.4 overs to cap a comfortable victory for one of the title favourites in this 12-team competition.The defeat meant Zimbabwe becomes the first team to go out of the tournament after a one-sided match watched by just 1,000 fans in Mahinda Rajapaksa stadium.Levi hit six boundaries off 43 balls, while Amla hit three off his 33 deliveries.Earlier Zimbabwe failed against a ruthless South African pace quartet, led by Kallis and Morne Morkel.Craig Ervine top-scored with 37, and added 35 for the fourth wicket with Stuart Matsikenyeri (11), to help Zimbabwe just avoid their lowest total of 84 in all Twenty20 internationals, made against New Zealand in 2010.Morne Morkel dismissed Vusi Sibanda (nought) and Brendan Taylor (four) in his first two overs before Kallis polished off the middle-order with the wickets of Matsikenyeri and Elton Chigumbura off successive deliveries in his first over.He then dismissed Graeme Cremer (six) and Ervine to improve on Morne Morkel's 4-17 against New Zealand in 2007 which was the previous best bowling by a South African in a Twenty20 match.Hosts Sri Lanka, who beat Zimbabwe by 82 runs, play South Africa in the final Group C match on Saturday.The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the Super Eights round.

ICC T20 Day 1 Results

Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 82 runs in WT20

It was the first match at the World Twenty20 at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium: Sri Lanka 182-4 (Kumar Sangakkara 44, Jeevan Mendis 43 not out, Tillakaratne Dilshan 39; Graeme Cremer 1-27) def. Zimbabwe 100 (Hamilton Masakadza 20; Ajantha Mendis 6-8, Jeevan Mendis 3-24).

ICC T20 Day 2 Results:

Shane Watson's allround brilliance powered Australia to an easy seven-wicket victory over Ireland in their opening Group B match of the Twenty20 World Cup on Wednesday.Opening the bowling, Watson claimed three wickets for 26 runs and returned to hammer a 30-ball 51 as Australia chased down the 124-run victory target with 29 balls to spare.Watson and his opening partner David Warner (26) put a brisk 60-run stand in the first seven overs to set the tone for what turned out to be a comfortable chase.Australia lost their third wicket when Kevin O'Brien trapped Michael Hussey (10) in the 11th overs but Cameron White (22 not out) and captain George Bailey (six not out) stayed put to ensure an easy victory for the 2010 finalists.Watson removed Irish captain William Porterfield with the first ball of the match and later broke a dangerous-looking fifth wicket partnership between the O'Brien brothers - Niall (20) and Kevin - both of whom fell to the blond Australian."It wasn't as much a wicket-ball I suppose," Watson said referring to his first delivery that dismissed the Irish captain. "But it just worked out luckily enough.""It was a blueprint for this game and I am not exactly sure that is going to absolutely continue," he said on h is role as a new ball bowler."Depending on the teams, we will play in the conditions I suppose that could potentially change."Watson was involved in the dismissal of the other Irish opener Paul Stirling (seven), catching him off fast bowler Mitchell Starc in the fourth over as Ireland lost their second wicket with 15 runs on the board."Stirling is a quality hitter of the ball. So we knew that was a very important wicket, as well as (the wicket of) Kevin O'Brien," Watson said.Ireland, having elected to bat first, never really recovered after losing their captain to the first ball and slumped to 33 for four wickets in 7.2 overs. Irish skipper Porterfield said they lost too may wickets in quick successions which denied them a bigger total."If we had come up with an extra 40-45 runs it would have given us a chance," he said.At one stage, even the 100-mark looked a distant possibility for Ireland but they s till managed to post 123 for seven wickets largely because of the 52-run fifth wicket stand between the O'Brien brothers.Kevin O'Brien was the top scorer for Ireland with 35 runs off 29 balls with five boundaries, while Niall scored 20 runs off 24 balls.Starc took two wickets for 20 runs. 

Comeback man Yuvraj Singh provided three crucial breakthroughs but India were far from convincing as they launched their ICC World Twenty20 campaign with a scrappy 23-run victory over minnows Afghanistan in on Wednesday.Put into bat, it was man of the match Virat Kohli`s half-century and an useful contribution of 38 from Suresh Raina which helped India reach a decent target of 159 for five in 20 overs.In reply, Afghanistan batsmen showed patches of brilliance in their strokemaking but their sheer inexperience saw them get all out for 136 in 19.3 overs.The bravehearts from Afghanistan can hold their heads high as they only went down after putting up a stiff resistance against a scratchy Indian team.After getting a wicket with his very first delivery, Yuvraj in his second spell provided back-to-back breakthroughs dismissing dangerous looking Karim Sadiq (26) and Asghar Stanikzai as Afghans, from a comfortable 75 for two, were suddenly left tottering at 75 for four and never really were in the match after that.Yuvraj`s final figures read three for 24 partly due to the couple of sixes he was hit in his final over.It was Yuvraj and Ravichandran Ashwin with figures of two for 20 who applied pressure under which the opposition batsmen finally gave in.Laxmipathy Balaji finished it in the end with figures of three for 19 but he was also not at his best.But what should worry the Indians is the ease with which some of the Afghan batsmen played the Indian trio of seamers.Mohammed Shahzad hit a helicopter shot of Zaheer Khan while Mohammed Nabi lifted him straight over long-off. The veteran medium pacer has looked completely out of sorts of late, leaking away 32 runs in three overs.Earlier, it was Kohli`s dream run in international cricket that enabled India reach 159 for five despite poor show from senior pros like Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh. The trio missed out on an opportunity to put up a big score under their belt before the marquee game against England.It was mainly due to Kohli`s 39-ball 50 and some lusty blows from Raina that helped India set a decent if not an impressive target against the minnows.Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni provided the final flourish ending the innings with a four and six of the last two deliveries to remain unbeaten on 18 from nine balls.The Indians were also helped by some poor effort on the field by Afghanistan as they dropped as many as four catches with Raina being dropped on two occasions.With this innings, Kohli has now completed a hat-trick of T20 international half centuries having crossed 50 against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the two earlier international matches.His standout shot remains the six he hit off medium pacer Gulbodin Naib. With minimum feet movement, Kohli just lifted the bowler straight and the ball traveled a distance of 93 metres.Kohli`s partnerships of 46 runs each with Yuvraj and Raina for the third and fourth wicket respectively helped India cross the 150-run mark.But it all started with Gambhir`s old habit of playing away from his body and it cost him dearly as he dragged back an innocuous delivery from Shapoor Zadran onto his middle stump. The left-hander made 10.Sehwag was dismissed by a peach of delivery from Shapoor. The ball pitched on the off-stump and moved a shade as the batsmen tentatively played at it and the resultant nick was gleefully accepted by wicketkeeper Mohammed Shahzad. He managed only eight.Yuvraj`s first shot was a splendid one as he lifted Shapoor in a copybook manner over straight boundary. However the comeback man was not in his element today.Once the two spinners, offie Karin Sadiq and left-arm spinner Mohamed Nabi -- were introduced into the attack, Yuvraj found it difficult to score runs.On his personal score of 17 and team`s total of 62, Yuvraj tried to scoop an overpitched delivery from Nabi but offered a return catch which the bowler failed to latch onto.However he failed to cash in on this gift as he was soon caught by Shapoor at short third-man trying to cut a Sadiq off-break. He scored a painstaking 18 of 20 balls.Kohli, on the otherhand, was stroking freely but did get the benefit due to profligate Afghanistan fielders.On 33, he lifted Sadiq towards widish long-on and to his delight found Shamiuallah Shenwari drop the easiest of chances.Kohli was finally holed out in the deep immediately after he completed his 50 but Raina along with Dhoni hit some lusty blows to prop up India`s total.

ICC T20 World Cup Warm Up Match Result: Pakistan Beat India By 5 Wickets

Happening In Sri-Lanka, The T20 World Cup there was a rivalry warm up match between Pakistan and India.India Won The Toss and Chose To Bat 1St.India posted a competitive 185 for 3, riding on Virat Kohli's unbeaten 75, but listless bowling in the death overs allowed Pakistan to overhaul the target with five balls to spare at the R Premadasa stadium.At one stage, the Pakistanis were in a spot of bother, at 91 for five, but the diminutive Akmal launched a fierce counter-attack, and with the experienced Shoaib Malik added 95 runs off 50 just balls to see the side home.For India, birthday boy Ravichandran Ashwin was the most successful bowler, scalping four wickets for 23 runs.Earlier, Kohli celebrated his ICC ODI Player of the Year award with yet another sterling knock of 75 not out, while Rohit Sharma returned to form with a 40-ball 56.The highlight of India's innings was a 127-run fourth-wicket partnership between Kohli and Sharma that came off just 77 balls.Kohli decorated his 47-ball stay at the crease with seven fours and two huge hits over the fence, while Sharma struck six boundaries and two maximums.Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was the most successful Pakistan bowler with figures of two 22 from four overs.Electing to bat, Gautam Gambhir (10) and Virender Sehwag (26) stitched 41 runs for the opening stand before the former was cleaned up by Umar Gul in the fifth over.To make matters worse for India, dangerman Sehwag departed in the next over after being unable to keep a cut down. He was caught by Shahid Afridi off Ajmal's bowling.But then came the in-form Kohli and Sharma, who combined beautifully to raise the century stand, which laid the foundation of India's total.The duo, however, started cautiously before opening up.Both Kohli and Sharma initially started with ones and twos but noever wasted an opportunity to hit boundaries and sixes.They were especially severe on leg-spinner Afridi, who gave away 41 runs from his four overs.Afridi conceded 15 runs off his final over, courtesy a four by Kohli and a six and boundary from Sharma's willow.Not only Afridi, the other Pakistani bowlers too had to bear the brunt of Kohli and Sharma's destructive moods as the duo scored boundaries and sixes at will towards the business end of the innings.The duo, however, brought up their half centuries in contrasting fashion. While Kohli struck a boundary to notch his fifty, Sharma found the landmark with a single.The century-stand partnership between Kohli and Sharma finally ended in the 19th over when Ajmal went through the latter's defences, but not before the duo had already inflicted serious damage on Pakistan.Chasing the competitive total, Pakistan suffered twin blows in the fourth over in the form of opener Imran Nazir and young Nasir Jamshed.In search of a big hit, Nazir skied a delivery from Ashwin to a running Suresh Raina at long-on.A ball later an unlucky Jamshed fell victim to an unnecessary mix-up with his skipper, Mohammad Hafeez, as Pakistan slumped to 33 for two by the fourth over.Hafeez and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal then joined hands and held fort for Pakistan with a 51-run stand. Kamran adopted an aggressive approach from the onset as all the Indian bowlers faced the Pakistani stumper's wrath. He welcomed Harbhajan Singh with a six over mid-off, off the spinner's first delivery, and then hit Yuvraj Sing for two boundaries in the next over.Harbhajan was again at the receiving end as the Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman smashed him for two more fours in his next over. But some erratic shots from the Pakistani batsmen brought India back into the match when, returning to the attack, Ashwin struck twice in the 10th over.Ashwin accounted for Hafeez and Shahid Afridi in a span of three balls. While Hafeez hit one straight to Sharma at long-on, Afridi's ariel shot was taken by Zaheer at long-off. Ashwin struck again in his next over as Umar Akmal lobbed one straight back to the bowler to see Pakistan in some trouble at 91 for five. Kamran, however, was in no mood to give up without a fight and clobbered Zaheer for two consecutive sixes in the 15th over to bring up his fifty in style.In experienced Malik, Kamran found an able partner. The duo went about their business sensibly. While Kamran was at his devastating best, Malik adopted a calm approach.Needing 56 off 30 balls, Kamran kncoked the stuffing out of pacer Laxipathy Balaji, who conceded a mammoth 32 runs off his final two overs.Kamran then hit Irfan Pathan out of the park to finish off the proceddings in an emphatic fashion.

David Ferrer Into The Finals Off Davis Cup Final For Spain

So Now We Can Say That The "The Hero Of Spain" David Ferrer Defeated John Isner Of USA To lead Spain Into Finals Of Davis Cup By Beating Him 6-7 6-3 6-4.“It was a very tough, very difficult tie but we are really happy as we are in another Davis Cup final, something that is extremely hard to achieve,” Ferrer said in an interview with Spanish television.“Now we just need to enjoy it and rest and prepare for the final,” added the 30-year-old, who has won five titles this year and reached the U.S. Open semi-finals this month.Favourites Spain will seek a sixth Davis Cup triumph since their first in 2000 and will hope for a repeat of their last meeting in the final against the Czechs when the pair meet in November.Spain thrashed the Czechs 5-0 in the 2009 title match, their most recent meeting. Competition rules dictate that because it was in Spain the next must be in Czech Republic.World number six Tomas Berdych gave the Czechs an unassailable 3-1 lead in Buenos Aires on Sunday when he beat Argentine replacement Carlos Berlocq in the first reverse singles following the withdrawal through injury of eighth-ranked Juan Martin del Potro.Berdych and his team mates will likely choose hard courts for the Nov. 16-18 final as Spain are extremely tough to beat on their favoured clay and Spanish captain Alex Corretja said his players would just have to adapt.“Here you play in front of your home crowd and on your best surface and you pick everything,” he said on the Davis Cup website (www.daviscup.com).“We’ll wait and see what the opponents want and be ready for that and try to do our best,” he added.Ferrer said the Spanish were hoping talisman Rafa Nadal, who has not played since Wimbledon, would have shrugged off a knee injury in time to feature.“Spanish tennis is blessed with very good players, led by Rafa Nadal, and we hope he recovers soon because he is fundamental for us.”Isner told Spanish TV before Sunday’s match Ferrer was probably his favourite player on the tour for his work ethic and fighting spirit but it was the American who battled back from a break down to take the opening set 7-3 in the tiebreak.One U.S. fan held up a card counting each of Isner’s booming aces - he powered down 16 in the match to Ferrer’s five - but the American also made 70 unforced errors to Ferrer’s 32 and he was visibly tiring as his challenge faded in the fourth set.He saved a match point on his serve to stay in the match but it was merely delaying the inevitable as Ferrer sealed victory the next game when Isner went wide with a limp backhand.Ferrer flung his racket into the crowd before he, Isner and Corretja and U.S. captain Jim Courier shook hands at the net. Shortly after it was announced that Nicolas Almagro and Sam Querrey would not contest the dead final rubber.“I think it was a great battle between two of the best teams in the world,” Courier said.“Spain is the high watermark in Davis Cup in the last 15 years and we knew it was going to be a very tricky tie for us and we were close,” added the former world number one.Top-ranked U.S. pair Bob and Mike Bryan had kept their team’s hopes of upsetting the Spanish alive when they fought off a brave challenge from Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez to win their doubles on Saturday.Ferrer and Almagro beat Querrey and Isner respectively in Friday’s singles.Spain’s latest victory extended their unbeaten run at home to 24 ties dating back to 1999 when they lost 3-2 to Brazil in Lerida.The U.S. are the most successful Davis Cup nation with 32 titles, while Spain have dominated the competition over the past decade, with four titles since their first one in 2000.

German Bundesliga: Bayern Munich Gets Win, Dortmund edge past Leverkusen

Bastian Schweinsteiger scoring Against Mainz

Bayern Munich Retained Top of the league with lead of two points as they got a winning game against Mainz By 3-1 on Saturday as champions Borussia Dortmund kept up the chase with a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen.Goals from Mario Mandzukic and Bastian Schweinsteiger after 13 minutes looked to have put hosts Bayern in an unassailable position but an Adam Szalai penalty on the hour set the stage for a tricky finale.Bayern, who welcome Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday, were without wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben who have minor injuries.Coach Jupp Heynckes initially left 40 million euro signing Javi Martinez on the bench again at the start.Bayern striker Claudio Pizarro came on late to equal the record for most Bundesliga matches by a foreign player at 336 but it was Toni Kroos who made sure of the points when he struck in stoppage time from a fine pass by Spain midfielder Martinez."We had a good start and played outstanding football for 30 minutes," Heynckes said. "After that we were too passive and allowed the opponents to come to us."Dortmund had no such nerves even though German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in the stands at the Westfalen stadium.A well-timed Mats Hummels header put the champions on track to maintain their 12-month unbeaten run at home. They also extended their league run to 31 games without defeat, closing in on the all-time record of 36 matches set by Hamburg SV.Jakub Blaszczykowski fired in their second goal from the far post six minutes before the break and fellow Pole Robert Lewandowski then headed home in the 78th to take fourth placed Dortmund to seven points from three games."This is the football we want and need to play to remain successful. The team showed what it can do," said Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp, whose team host Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League on Tuesday.In an exciting derby Hanover 96 confirmed they were the top team in the north with a last-gasp 3-2 win over Werder Bremen to move into second place with seven points on goal difference.Szabolocs Huszti scored twice for Hanover, including a superb stoppage-time bicycle kick, to hand his team their second win in three games but the Hungarian was then promptly sent off for a second booking during the celebrations.Schalke 04 also moved up to seven points in third place with a 2-0 win at promoted Greuther Fuerth, who had former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, born in the Bavarian city, watching from the stands on a visit to his childhood club.Germany international Julian Draxler broke the deadlock straight after the restart with a 25-metre missile as Schalke boosted their confidence ahead of Tuesday's Champions League game at Olympiakos.Lewis Holtby sealed victory two minutes from time with his second league goal of the season, tapping in from close range.Borussia Moenchengladbach lost 3-2 at home to Nuremberg after going two goals down in 25 minutes. Luuk de Jong got one back and Granit Xhaka equalised in the 53rd but the outstanding Hiroshi Kiyotake swiftly put Nuremberg ahead again.VfB Stuttgart secured their first point and moved off the bottom with a goalless draw at home to Fortuna Duesseldorf.Hamburg SV, who have yet to earn a point, visit Eintracht Frankfurt, who have won both their games, on Sunday.

Tottenham Gets an unexpected Win against Reading By 3-1

Defoe Who mainly was the Hero for Tottenham Clash As He Scored 2 Goals Fantastically. Defoe put Tottenham ahead in the first half before two goals in three minutes secured the points for the Portuguese in the second period. There was time, too, to give Clint Dempsey a late run-out as substitute for the U.S. forward's first appearance since signing from Fulham on deadline day."It was a well-deserved win," Villas-Boas said. "Everyone performed to their top level and it is a win that will lift us up for the season. The most important thing today was the motivation of the players to change the negative results at home."Left winger Gareth Bale scored Spurs' other goal, a scuffed finish in the 71st following good work by Kyle Walker down the right, but it was Defoe who will take all the plaudits after destroying Reading's defense."Jermain is showing his abilities, the amount of shots he has on target is amazing," Villas-Boas said. "As the lone striker up front, he is linking well with the colleagues."Reading, who were poor throughout, rarely threatened Tottenham's goal and Brad Friedel's only concern was picking the ball out of the net in the last minute when Hal Robson-Kanu scored a consolation.The win comes as a huge relief for Villas-Boas, who had come under fire for his management during the club's first three games of the season.Last time out they were booed off for a dire performance against Norwich. At times Spurs looked clueless against the Canaries, but today the north London outfit put on a top-rate performance.Mousa Dembele, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Defoe were all at the top of their game as Spurs put on the kind of performance that at times set pulses racing during the Harry Redknapp era.They started well and although McCarthy was making his first appearance in the Barclays Premier League, but he showed no nerves to deny Sigurdsson and Jan Vertonghen with two fine reaction saves after three minutes.Vertonghen then launched a ball over the top from deep but Bale's first touch was poor and the ball dribbled wide.Reading thought they should have had a penalty in the 11th minute when the ball struck Kyle Walker's arm as he jumped for a Danny Guthrie free-kick, but Howard Webb ruled that Alex Pearce had fouled the right-back.The penalty call aside, Reading were struggling to make an impression on the game.The seemingly inevitable opener came after 17 minutes when Sigurdsson sliced open the Reading defence to find Lennon who squared for Defoe to rifle home from 15 yards.McCarthy then had to be at his best to deny Sandro from long range as Tottenham looked for a quick second.Defoe brilliantly took down a long raking pass from the excellent Kyle Naughton and slipped past two defenders but his toe-poke went wide.McCarthy then almost gifted the visitors a second when he dallied on the ball on the edge of his box. Defoe pinched it off the 22-year-old and squared to Sigurdsson but Pearce rushed back to clear the ball off the line.Another mix-up at the back gave Tottenham one more chance nine minutes before the break but Defoe over-hit a pass for Lennon.Reading started to get in to the game more but Friedel was largely a spectator, with Jobi McAnuff's wayward shot the Royals' only attempt at goal towards the end of the first half.Brian McDermott looked to Le Fondre for inspiration, the former Rotherham striker coming on for midfielder Jem Karacan at the break.The change had little immediate effect, as Tottenham continued to dominate.Dembele's deflected shot fell at Defoe's feet in Tottenham's first chance of the second half, but the England striker spooned his shot high and wide.Kaspars Gorkss then put in a superb last-ditch tackle to cut out Lennon's cross as Bale lurked in the centre of the box.Just after the hour Bale turned on the after-burners to sprint down the left and cross for Defoe, but the 29-year-old shot two yards wide.Spurs moved 2-0 up with 20 minutes to go through Bale. Walker skilfully slipped past two defenders and pulled back for the Welshman, whose scuffed shot looped over McCarthy in to the net.Any hopes Reading had of a comeback were extinguished two minutes later when a brilliant solo goal from Defoe killed off the match.The England striker robbed Gorkss on the half way line, stormed past four Reading players on a 40-yard run before slipping past McCarthy.The away fans, who so vocally booed Villas-Boas at White Hart Lane two weeks ago, chanted the Portuguese's name after the goal went in, clearly delighted at having put the game to bed.Defoe should have had a hat-trick in the dying minutes when he was picked out by Andros Townsend, but he volleyed way over.Reading were determined to score before the final whistle, however, and they almost grabbed one when Le Fondre's shot was cleared off the line by William Gallas.And they did get themselves on the scoreboard in the dying seconds when Le Fondre clipped a wonderful ball to the back post where substitute Robson-Kanu tapped home from close range.

Big Shock: Real Madrid Beaten By Sevilla, A.C Milan Got Beaten By Atlanta

Sevilla 1-0 Real Madrid

An early strike from the German proved to be the difference as a frustrated Blancos side rattled the frame of the goal twice as they slumped to their second Liga loss of the season Real Madrid's stuttering start to the defence of their Liga crown continued as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.The Rojiblancos had not beaten the club from the capital since October 2009 but got off to a great start as Piotr Trochowski put them ahead inside two minutes. But in a highly-charged encounter Los Blancos were unable to equalise, hitting the woodwork twice in the second half as they succumbed to their second league defeat of the season.The match started at a frenetic pace with the hosts taking the game straight to Jose Mourinho's men. A shot from the edge of the box inside the first minute was spilled back into the danger area by Iker Casillas but he recovered to stop Alvaro Negredo from tapping in the rebound.Ivan Rakitic took the resultant corner and he dropped it on the penalty spot where it was met by Trochowski, who had escaped the loose marking of Angel Di Maria, and he volleyed into the roof of the net with aplomb.Clearly aggravated at going behind, the visitors' tempers began to flair and Gonzalo Higuain was fortunate to remain on the pitch after kicking out on Fernando Navarro despite winning a free kick for his side. He confronted the left-back again moments later, but in the 10th minute attentions were turned back to the goal mouth. Cristiano Ronaldo thumped a free-kick over the wall from 20 yards but his effort was too close to Andres Palop who dived across and turned it behind. The keeper then denied the Portuguese seconds later following a speculative attempt from deep.Madrid began to assert themselves as the game went on and with 20 minutes played Mesut Ozil fed Higuain at the edge of the box. The striker did superbly to spin his marker but he could not add an equally impressive finish, slicing his shot high and wide.In an attempt to bring his side back into the match, Mourinho replaced the disappointing Di Maria and Ozil with Luka Modric and Karim Benzema at half-time.The Croatian had an immediate impact as within just seven minutes he almost drew the visitors level. From long range, Modric caught the ball superbly but Palop again got an important touch, tipping the effort onto the post.With Sevilla unable to retain the ball, the reigning Liga champions hit the woodwork again on the hour mark. Palop failed to clear a free-kick from the left and Benzema controlled the ball at the back post. He volleyed it across goal but Sergio Ramos headed onto the bar from inside the six-yard box.Madrid continued to search for an equaliser but their efforts proved in vain as the hosts remained compact at the back despite dropping deeper and deeper in the closing stages. Ronaldo saw his free-kick in the final minute of stoppage time fly over the bar in what proved to be their last chance of the game.The victory moves Sevilla up to third in the table, but they may fall from there depending on Sunday's games. Real Madrid meanwhile, sit eight points behind arch rivals Barcelona in a lowly 12th position, and they could see that worsen if this weekend's remaining results go against them.

A.C Milan 0-1 Atlanta

Atalanta condemned AC Milan to their second consecutive home defeat, while Cagliari salvaged a late point at Palermo on Saturday.Milan handed new signing Nigel De Jong his first start of the season since making the switch from Manchester City but it was not enough to prevent the 18-time Serie A champions from suffering a 1-0 loss.Massimiliano Allegri's men started the better of the two sides as they dominated possession in the early exchanges, however, they could not make it count on the scoreboard.And in fact, it was the visitors who came closest to opening the scoring when Germain Denis lashed the ball onto the post.After a nervy spell, Milan finally had their first goal-scoring opportunity.A surging run through midfield by Urby Emmanuelson created a chance for Stephen El Sharaawy whose low drive forced Andrea Consigli into a save.The first half finished goalless but the breakthrough did eventually come however it was Atalanta who went ahead.Following some good build-up play, Denis played in Luca Cigarini who slotted the ball home in the 64th minute.Milan sent a number of players forward in search of an equaliser but it never came, meaning Milan have picked up just three points from a possible nine, while Atalanta recorded their first win of the season.In Saturday's other result, Marco Sau netted an 88th-minute equaliser as Cagliari held Palermo to a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.Palermo, who were looking to claim their first points of the season, hit the front five minutes before the half-time break.Egidio Arevalo Rios was the beneficiary of some good play from veteran Fabio Miccoli, finding the back of the net from just inside the penalty area.Palermo seemed destined for maximum points, however on their final foray forward, Cagliari levelled the match through debutant Sau.Sau, who has spent four seasons away from Cagliari on loan, pounced on a parried shot and headed home the equaliser.