Record Win Boosts Leverkusen, Juventus Stretch Lead
LONDON, March 19 (Reuters) - Bayer Leverkusen scored the second-highest away victory in Bundesliga history when they thrashed SSV Ulm 9-1 to join Bayern Munich at the top of the table at the weekend.
In Italy, Juventus took advantage of poor performances by their rivals to extend their lead to nine points at the top of Serie A with eight matches to play. Deportivo Coruna and Manchester United retained the lead in Spain and England respectively although their rivals are snapping at their heels.
ITALY
Leaders Juventus beat Torino 3-2 in a tense Turin derby and swept towards their 26th Serie A title as their main rivals slipped up. Lazio fell 1-0 to a Domenico Morfeo strike at Verona, champions AC Milan's Leonardo missed a penalty as his side went down by the same scoreline at Venezia and fifth-placed AS Roma were beaten 2-0 at the Olympic Stadium by Reggina. The results left Juventus nine points clear on 59 with eight matches to play. Lazio stay second on 50 points, ahead of Inter Milan, whose 1-1 home draw with Bologna lifted them to 48. Parma were the only one of the big clubs to follow Juve's example and win. They beat Piacenza 1-0 at home thanks to a 57th-minute penalty from Argentine forward Hernan Crespo. Parma are sixth on 43 points.
GERMANY
A club record 9-1 victory over SSV Ulm enabled Bayer Leverkusen to draw level with Bayern Munich at the top of the standings. Bayern, who drew 1-1 at Hertha Berlin, have 53 points but retain the lead because of a better goal difference. There was a distinctive Brazilian flavour to Leverkusen's biggest Bundesliga victory with Emerson and Ze Roberto hitting two goals each. Brazilian Leandro offered home side Ulm a little consolation
by scoring just before the final whistle. Crisis-hit Borussia Dortmund's troubles worsened with an embarrassing 3-1 home defeat by struggling Arminia Bielefeld. The 1997 European champions have not won a match this year and have gone nine matches without a win since Bernd Krauss was appointed coach during the winter break.
SPAIN
Unheralded Alaves drew 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo to move back up to third place. The result saw them edge ahead of Real Zaragoza and Real Madrid, who were also held to 1-1 draws. Deportivo Coruna, beaten 2-1 at Barcelona, lead the standings on 52 points, with Louis van Gaal's side just two points behind. Alaves are a point further back, with Real Zaragoza and Real Madrid both on 48. The bottom three clubs all won to send Atletico Madrid sliding back into the relegation zone. Sevilla, playing their "home" game against Numancia at nearby Jerez after picking up a one-match ban for crowd trouble, responded well to the trip. They won 4-0 but remain six points adrift at the bottom.
ENGLAND
Leeds United stayed on the tail of premier league leaders Manchester United with a thrilling 4-1 home win over Wimbledon on Sunday after Manchester had beaten Leicester City 2-0 on Saturday. David Beckham and Dwight Yorke scored for Manchester United
in a routine win at Leicester where media attention focused on Beckham's newly shaven head. Defending champions Manchester now have 64 points with Leeds on 60. Third-placed Liverpool, who won 2-0 at Derby County with England's Michael Owen scoring his first goal of the year, have 53. Arsenal beat north London rivals Tottenham 2-1 to move up to fourth on 51 points, the same number as Chelsea who drew 0-0 draw at West Ham United.
FRANCE
Monaco kept their hopes of a league and cup double alive when they beat Olympique Lyon 3-1 to reach the French Cup semifinals. The runaway league leaders avenged a 2-1 defeat by Lyon in a tense league match last month with second half goals by Dado Prso, Marco Simone and former Lyon midfielder Ludovic Giuly. Holders Nantes had to go to extra time to beat Stade Rennes 2-1, their winner coming with just three minutes left.
Girondins Bordeaux, who beat Nimes 1-0, and fourth division amateurs Calais, who shocked first division Racing Strasbourg 2-1 on Saturday, are also in the semifinals.
Calais are the first amateur team to reach the last four since Quevilly in 1968.
