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Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson acknowledges the crowd on Sunday. (AFP-Yonhap News) |
LONDON (AP) ― Arsenal qualified for the Champions League for the 16th straight season, edging Tottenham for fourth place in the Premier League on Sunday, while Alex Ferguson bowed out as Manchester United manager with a 5-5 draw against West Bromwich Albion.
Laurent Koscielny’s 52nd-minute volley sealed a 1-0 victory for Arsenal at Newcastle, rendering meaningless Spurs’ 1-0 victory over Sunderland on a late shot from Gareth Bale.
“We celebrated a bit like we had won the championship, which was a bit weird considering the ambition at the start of the season,” said Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, whose team won eight and drew two of its last 10 games to finish fourth in the EPL.
Chelsea finished third, claiming another Champions League spot ― Manchester United and Manchester City owned the others ― by beating Everton 2-1 thanks to Fernando Torres’ winner in Rafa Benitez’s last game in charge of the Europa League champions.
Ferguson was treated to a wild match at The Hawthorns in his 1,500th and last game at United. His team surrendered a 5-2 lead in the final 10 minutes of what also was Paul Scholes’ final match.
“We’re a little bit frustrated because we wanted to win it for (Ferguson) and Scholesy,” said Javier Hernandez, one of five scorers for United.
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Barcelona’s Lionel Messi holds his son while celebrating the Spanish league title on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap News) |
After the last game of his trophy-filled reign of almost 27 years, Ferguson went over to bow to the United fans who had backed him as he waited until 1990 to win the first of 38 titles for the club.
The Scot brought Scholes on as a 69th-minute substitute for his 718th match, but a second-half hat trick from Romelu Lukaku denied a farewell victory for Ferguson.
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher and Stoke striker Michael Owen also played their final games before retiring.
“I have been here a long time and it has to come to an end sometime,” said Carragher, who ended his 737-game career with a 1-0 win over last-place Queens Park Rangers.
At Stamford Bridge, the jeers that had characterized Benitez’s interim reign were absent when he took his place in the Chelsea dugout.
“It’s been a great experience and I will be sad to leave. It is a pity, as you can see the players are improving ― but I will not be here next season,” he said.
Second-place Manchester City lost 3-2 at home to Norwich, while Philippe Coutinho’s superb first-half strike earned Liverpool victory at home.
Kevin Nolan scored a hat trick in West Ham’s 4-2 win over Reading, and Owen rounded off his illustrious career by playing the final 16 minutes for Stoke in a 1-1 draw at Southampton.
Also, Fulham won 3-0 at Swansea, and Wigan, relegated despite winning the FA Cup, drew 2-2 at home to Aston Villa.
Italy
AC Milan secured third spot and a place in the Champions League, rallying to win 2-1 at Siena in the final Serie A round of the season.
Fiorentina, with American Giuseppe Rossi returning after a 19-month absence, routed Pescara 5-1 but remained fourth and will play in the Europa League next season.
Rossi had been recuperating at home in New Jersey after three operations since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee against Real Madrid in October 2011. Rossi was a starter for Fiorentina before the injury.
Spain
Newly crowned Spanish champion Barcelona celebrated winning the league title in front of its home fans by easing to a 2-1 victory over Valladolid in the rain.
With Lionel Messi out after aggravating a hamstring injury, Xavi took charge and played a part in both of Barcelona’s goals.
Xavi stole a pass from defender Jesus Rueda and laid the ball off for Pedro to put under goalkeeper Jaime Jimenez while sliding to the turf in the 21st minute opener.
