BARCELONA, Spain (AP) – Lionel Messi scored twice for his eighth straight start and reached 90 goals for the calendar year, leading Barcelona over second-place Atletico Madrid 4-1 in the Spanish league Sunday night and opening a 13-point lead over defending champion Real Madrid.

After Real Madrid stumbled to a 2-2 tie against Espanol earlier in the evening, Atletico Madrid went ahead in the 31st minute of the late game when Diego Costa stripped Messi of the ball in midfield and fed Radamel Falcao, who chipped goalkeeper Victor Valdes for his 17th league goal this season.

Adriano tied the score with a curling left-footed shot that went in off the crossbar in the 36th, and Sergio Busquets put Barcelona ahead in the 45th after Atletico failed to clear a corner kick. Messi scored in the 57th minute off a pass from Alexis Sanchez and then stole the ball from Diego Godin to score in the 88th.

The three-time FIFA player of the year already had broken the record of 85 goals in a year for club and country, set by Gerd Mueller of Bayern Munich in 1972. The Argentine forward, who has one game left in 2012, has 34 goals for Barcelona already this season, including 25 in the league.

Paolo Guerrero scored the only goal on 69 minutes when he reacted quickest to head home past three Blues players. Fernando Torres had a chance to force extra time but fired straight at Cassio with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Chelsea’s Gary Cahill, who also missed a good opportunity, was sent off after clashing with Emerson late in the game. Torres had the ball in the net with an injury-time header but his effort was ruled out for offside as Corinthians held on to win the trophy. Chelsea become the first team since 2006 to fail to win the Club World Cup after winning the Champions League.

Chelsea should have taken an early lead when a Juan Mata corner fell to Cahill and his header was blocked by Chicao, but the ball rebounded to the centre-half, whose shot was saved on the line. Corinthians, backed by 30,000 fans who had travelled to Yokohama, then had a good chance when Mata gifted the ball to Emerson. The Brazilian side had two attackers against two defenders but David Luiz, who returned to the back four after impressing in midfield in the 3-1 semi-final win against Mexican side Monterrey, showed his defensive qualities by ushering the midfielder out of play.

The South American side, who won the Copa Libertadores in July, created their best chance of the first half when Guerrero shot across goal and the ball reached Emerson, whose shot from a narrow angle hit the outside of the post. But, with Corinthians defending high up the pitch, Chelsea began to create more chances. Luiz, a boyhood Corinthians fan, wasted a free-kick in a good position after Eden Hazard had been fouled by Chicao.

A wonderful piece of creativity from Hazard, who chipped a perfect pass to cut out left-back Fabio Santos, gave Victor Moses a chance but the winger’s heavy first touch enabled central defender Paulo Andre to clear.

The chance appeared to have gone as he lost control but the ball fell to Danilo who cut inside and saw his shot loop up off Cahill before, despite Chelsea having three defenders on the line, Guerrero nodded home from five yards. Chelsea, who were eliminated from the Champions League earlier this month, brought on Oscar and Cesar Azpilicueta for Moses and Branislav Ivanovic as the Blues pushed for an equalizer.

Torres had a glorious chance to level when he had only Cassio to beat but could not take the opportunity. The Blues ended the game with 10 men after Cahill clashed with Emerson. They managed one final shot, Mata hitting the base of the post, but Corinthians, who won the trophy in 2000, become the first South American team to win the competition twice.

Frank Lampard, who was making his first Chelsea start since suffering a calf injury in a Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk on 23 October, played another intelligent pass, which Torres controlled on his knee before having his shot saved by Cassio.

The Corinthians goalkeeper then tipped wide a curling effort from Moses and also denied Mata as Chelsea pushed to become only the second English team to win the competition after Manchester United’s success in 2008. But Corinthians went ahead midway through the second half when Paulinho, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City, collected a pass and ran into the penalty area.

Out of the Champions League already, the Brazilians in the Chelsea team, Oscar, Ramires and David Luiz were devastated at the final whistle. This competition means plenty in their homeland.

A tearful Ramires had to be consoled by Chelsea’s glamorous doctor Eva Carneiro, while Luiz admitted he broke down too. “You can cry one night,” he said.

“Tomorrow is another day.”

Benitez now needs to pick up his men for the tricky trip to Leeds in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday. Lose that and he might find out sooner rather than later what 10 other managers have discovered under Abramovich – that it always ends in tears.

Club World Cup winners:

2000 – Corinthians (Brazil)
2005 – Sao Paulo (Brazil)
2006 – Internacional (Brazil)
2007 – AC Milan (Italy)
2008 – Manchester United (England)
2009 – Barcelona (Spain)
2010 – Inter Milan (Italy)
2011 – Barcelona (Spain)
2012 – Corinthians (Brazil)

QUEENS Park Rangers (QPR) won in the Premier League for the first time this season, beating Fulham 2-1 at Loftus Road.
opened the scoring with a shot from 25 yards that flicked off defender Brede Hangeland. While the 23-year-old’s first owed much to luck, his sensational second saw him nonchalantly curl the ball into the net following a mazy run from midfield.

Mladen Petric’s deflected strike late on ensured a nervy climax for QPR. The victory was their first of the campaign at the 17th time of asking, halting a run of three consecutive draws since Harry Redknapp took charge in November following the dismissal of Mark Hughes. It also moves them above Reading and off the bottom of the table for the first time since 10 November.

QPR started the brighter and could have gone ahead in the second minute after recalled striker Djibril Cisse was put through on goal following a glorious through ball from Taarabt. The Frenchman’s scuffed shot was saved easily by Mark Schwarzer, though he had room to complain to referee Martin Atkinson after his progress was impeded by a pull-back from defender Aaron Hughes.

That chance failed to wake Fulham from their stupor and their dozy start should have been punished when John Arne Riise played a blind pass back to Schwarzer, but Jamie Mackie somehow contrived to place wide from six yards when it looked easier to score. A furious-looking Martin Jol watched on as his side’s lack of concentration was to blame again when Chris Baird felled Stephane Mbia just outside the area following a loose pass from Hughes, but Cisse and Taarabt wasted the resulting free-kick.

The Dutchman’s mood was not helped after the break when Fulham deservedly fell behind as Taarabt’s run went unchecked. He broke from deep and hit a tame shot that, luckily for the hosts, took a hefty deflection off Hangeland and trickled into the net past the stranded Schwarzer.

Soon after, the error-strewn Baird was caught in possession just outside his own penalty box, but his mistake went unpunished as Cisse curled his shot just past Schwarzer’s left post. Taarabt was continuing to light up a match which was devoid of much inspiration elsewhere, and his stunning second goal saw him push through the gigantic figure of Hangeland before playfully flicking the top of the ball to create the space to slide in an unstoppable shot along the ground with the outside of his boot.

Fulham had not provided any attacking threat as strikers Dimitar Berbatov and Hugo Rodallega struggled to replicate the form they showed in Monday night’s 2-1 victory against Newcastle United.

It was left to substitute Petric to finally find a way past Robert Green, his shot from outside the box looping off midfielder Alejandro Faurlin’s boot and beyond the keeper’s reach.

That moment of good fortune enticed the visitors to push on at the death, but they were unable to create an undeserved equaliser to deny QPR a vital three points.

Ashkan Dejagah played 18 minutes for Fulham in this match.

Guardian

Steve Bould enjoyed a successful playing career and a spell as youth-team coach with Arsenal.

Arsenal have confirmed the appointment of Steve Bould as Arsène Wenger’s No2 after Pat Rice announced he is to retire at the end of the season, ending a 44-year association with the north London club.

Bould, who made 372 appearances and won three league titles at the heart of the Arsenal defence over an 11-year career at the club, will be promoted from his current position as a youth-team coach.

“Steve’s qualities are that he has the experience of the top-level game,” Wenger said of the 49‑year-old. “He has managed here, he knows our football philosophy and therefore there will be a continuity. We always want to give an advantage to people who know how we work, how we want to coach.”

The Arsenal manager praised Rice, a club stalwart of 528 games who had enjoyed a brief spell as caretaker manager between Bruce Rioch’s departure in 1996 and Wenger’s own appointment, for his contribution during the 64-year-old’s lengthy spell with the club. “It is difficult to measure his contribution, but he has just been tremendous,” the Frenchman said.

“Arsenal are privileged to have had him as a player, a captain and as a coach.

“It is important when you come from abroad to have an assistant who knows the culture of the club and the culture of the country. Pat knew Arsenal well. Nobody more than Pat Rice is a fighter. In every single game he is ready for a fight. He kicked me a few times during the games and I feel that in every single game he is ready to give absolutely everything – as a player or a coach – to win the game, and that is what you want.”

Ajax retained its Dutch league title on Wednesday to win the championship for the 31st time, beating VVV-Venlo 2-0 from Siem de Jong’s double.

It was the 13th straight victory for Ajax, which led 1-0 when De Jong headed in Ismael Aissati’s cross in the eighth minute. De Jong doubled the lead with a low shot from inside the area from Aissati’s pass in the 57th.

Ajax holds a six-point advantage over second-place Feyenoord, which beat Heracles Almelo 4-1. There is one more round to play.

“It’s a crazy evening,” Ajax coach Frank de Boer said. “We were once 11 points behind PSV but we just remain focused and continued to believe in ourselves.”

Elsewhere, PSV Eindhoven thrashed ADO The Hague 5-0, ensuring its fight against Feyenoord for the Champions League spot will go into the final day of the season.

Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen, possibly playing his last match for the club after De Boer said the Belgium defender could move abroad next season, hit the goal-frame with a left-footed shot in the seventh minute.

He hit the crossbar again in the 12th, this time from a free kick.

“We had a good year,” said Vertonghen. “But it was a great team effort.”

Also Wednesday, SC Heerenveen ended FC Twente’s Champions League hopes with a 4-3 win, and AZ Alkmaar’s chances of a top-two finish also received a blow after a 1-1 draw at NEC Nijmegen.

In other games, it was: FC Groningen 1, NAC Breda 1; RKC Waalwijk 5, Roda JC 2; FC Utrecht 2, Vitesse Arnhem 2 and De Graafschap 2, Excelsior Rotterdam 2.

Ex-Manchester United triallist Adem Ljajic sarcastically applauded Rossi’s decision to replace him in Wednesday’s Serie A match against Novara. Rossi then clambered into the dug-out and aimed a punch at the forward.

Club president Andrea Della Valle dismissed Rossi after the match. Team manager Vincenzo Guerini will replace Rossi until the end of the season.

“I had to make this decision. No provocation justifies the reaction,” said Della Vale. “I’m sorry for the coach who is a good person and does not deserve it, but he committed a serious act. “In a few seconds months of stress came out. I am sorry because the coach has never committed acts of this kind.”

Fiorentina have also started internal disciplinary proceedings against Ljajic, while the Italian league have handed Rossi a three-month ban and fined the club £12,000 (15,000 euros) after supporters “ethnically insulted” the Serbian striker as he came off the pitch.

The incident came shortly before the half-hour mark after Fiorentina had slipped 2-0 down against the visitors, who are second bottom of Serie A.

The dramatic dismissal marks the end of Rossi’s six-month resign at Fiorentina. He replaced the fired Sinisa Mihajlovic in November but has struggled to turn the Viola’s season around.

The Tuscan club, who scored two second-half goals to draw the game, are 15th, six points above the drop zone. They travel to third-bottom Lecce on Saturday for their penultimate game of the season, where a point would secure safety from relegation to Serie B.

Manchester United had an agreement to sign, now 20, from Partizan Belgrade, but opted not to exercise the option in December 2009 citing expected difficulties securing a work permit. Rossi’s departure is the 19th coaching change in the Italian top-flight this season, beating the previous record of 15 changes in 1951-52.

Given the two sides’ legendary status on both the home and continental stage, Group D’s top-of-the-standing meeting looks set to capture the most attention. Both teams are among the most successful in their respective leagues, with Persepolis the nine-time Iranian champions while Al Hilal have prevailed in the Saudi championship a record 13 times. Adding to their unrivalled domestic achievements, the Riyadh giants have secured continental silverware on four occasions with two Asian Club Championships and two Asian Cup Winners’ Cup titles, while the Iranians lifted the Asian Cup Winners’ Cup in 1991.

Both have not been firing on all cylinders on the local front this season, with Al Hilal conceding the league title to Al Shabab after finishing third, while Persepolis are languishing in 11th following a recent 4-1 defeat at Teraktor-Sazi. However, the Tehran club have impressed in Asia this year, enjoying a two-point lead ahead over Al Hilal with a draw enough to see them through. The home side will look to the scoring-form of Libyan striker Eamon Zayed and captain Ali Karimi with each having scored three times to date. The visitors, for their part, will count on their Moroccan striking-ace Youssef El Arabi. Qatar’s Al Gharafa, meanwhile, face a must-win scenario against bottom side Al Shabab if they are to maintain their ambitions.

BBC – Roy Hodgson arrived at Wembley on Monday afternoon for talks with the Football Association over the England manager’s job. The West Brom boss, who was meeting a four-man panel, is expected to be appointed within 48 hours.

The FA says the 64-year-old is the only person it has approached about succeeding Fabio Capello.

He said he would “be delighted” to manage England, in a BBC Sport interview before the FA’s approach.

Hodgson has extensive international experience, having managed Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and Finland, and domestic teams in Sweden, Italy and England.

Bernstein said: “Roy is the only manager we have approached and we remain on course to make an appointment within the timescale we set out.”

The four-man panel which will decide who takes over from Capello are Bernstein, FA general secretary Alex Horne, FA director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking and managing director of Club England Adrian Bevington.

Bernstein approached West Brom on Saturday and was given permission to speak to Hodgson, who is likely to be appointed on a long-term basis.

It is expected any contract will cover the three tournaments up to and including Euro 2016, at which point he will be two months short of his 69th birthday.

Hodgson’s contract with West Brom ends on 30 June.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp had been heavily linked with the job ever since Capello left the post in February, but the FA has decided to discuss the position with Hodgson, who has previous international experience from his time in charge of Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and Finland.

In total, he has managed 18 teams either at domestic or international level, including two spells as Inter Milan boss.

On Friday, BBC Radio 5 Live’s Pat Murphy spoke to Hodgson about the England job, and put it to the West Brom manager that the FA was expected to make a move for Capello’s successor this week.

“It’s news to me,” Hodgson said. “I shall just watch like everyone else interested in football to see who the next England manager will be.

“I don’t what the plans are of the FA, as I’ve said all along. They’ve got a job to do. I’m sure they have looked into the sort of candidates that they consider potentially right for the job.

“No doubt, if you say next week, we’ll find out which candidate they have plumped for.”

Murphy told Hodgson he “ticked a lot of the boxes”, and the West Brom manager replied: “I don’t know about that. It’s nice of you to say so, but I’m sure there’s lots of other people who tick a lot boxes as well.”

Hodgson, who had a disappointing time at Liverpool last season, has steered West Brom to mid-table in the Premier League. And Albion chairman Jeremy Peace remains hopeful he will stay on at the Hawthorns.

Peace said: “Roy has done a fantastic job over the past 15 months and the fact the FA wants to discuss the England role with him is testament to that. “Roy is a proud Englishman and we can understand why he wants to speak to the FA about this highly prestigious managerial position. “However, we have emphasised to Roy how much we would like him to remain as our head coach and continue his major contribution to our project at the Hawthorns as we look to establish ourselves as a Premier League club.

“Everyone here has an excellent working relationship with him and he is immensely popular with our supporters.”

England have two fixtures before their Euro 2012 opener against France on 11 June, with friendlies planned against Norway on 26 May and Belgium on 2 June.

Stuart Pearce – who is in charge of both the England Under-21 squad and the Team GB Olympic set-up – is currently in temporary control of the national side and oversaw a 3-2 friendly defeat by the Netherlands at Wembley last month.