Soccer Review : Lazio win, Aimar scored!!

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Javier Cortes scored from a spectacular scissors kick on Sunday as UNAM Pumas drew 1-1 with Chivas to remain among the only two undefeated teams in Mexico.

Xavier Baez put Chivas ahead from a free kick in the 78th minute. A minute later, Carlos Orrantia sent a cross from the right wing to Cortes, who contorted his body to strike the ball past goalkeeper Luis Michel.

"It was a beauty of a goal, but we could not get a win," Cortes said. "We lacked some intensity in the first half and they took advantage, but we never gave up and got a good result. But this team can play better, we know that."

Morelia downed Estudiantes 4-1 with Argentinian defender Mauricio Romero scoring twice.

After six rounds of the of the Clausura championship, Pumas and Toluca have 12 points and are the only unbeaten teams, albeit in different groups. Tigres has the most points — 13 in Group 1.

Pumas is off to their best start since the 1997 Verano tournament in which they were unbeaten for nine rounds.

In Morelia, Romero scored in the 15th and 56th minutes. Teammates Miguel Sabah in the sixth minute and Luis Gabriel Rey in the 84th also added goals. Mauro Cejas scored in the 56th for Estudiantes, which lost their second match in a row.

Monarcas, which has not lost since the first round, has nine points to place third in Group 3.

In other weekend results, it was: Jaguares 1, Monterrey 4; Queretaro 0, Toluca 5; Tigres 2, Cruz Azul 0; Pachuca 1, Puebla 0; Atlas 1, Santos 2; Atlante 0, San Luis 0 and Necaxa 1, America 0.

League News

Champions League resumes with tasty last-16 games

LONDON (AP) — The Champions League resumes this week at the last-16 stage, with Arsenal and Barcelona ready to put on a show for the football purists and AC Milan in impressive shape ahead of the visit of injury-hit Tottenham.

Arsenal's Emirates Stadium will play host to arguably the two most easy-on-the-eye teams in European football, in a rematch of last season's quarterfinal that Barcelona won 6-3 on aggregate.

The Spanish giants, who have won the competition three times, are among the favorites to land the trophy again and will look to Lionel Messi, the team's leading scorer domestically and in Europe, to spark their potent attack on Wednesday.

"We play certainly the best team in the world next so it is important to go in strong psychologically," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said after a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton on Saturday that kept his team second in the Premier League behind Manchester United.

Tottenham is set to be without star winger Gareth Bale and playmaker Rafael van der Vaart on Tuesday when it returns to the San Siro, where the London side has already visited in this season's competition.

On that occasion, Spurs lost 4-3 to Inter Milan in a group match despite a stunning second-half hat trick by Bale, who has been sidelined recently with a back injury.

Milan, a seven-time European champion, consolidated its lead in the Italian league with a 4-0 thrashing of Parma at the weekend and is unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions.

"We will need courage, concentration and quality to get through," veteran Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf said. "This result (against Parma) means we are well prepared."

Valencia hosts Schalke and Shakhtar Donetsk visits Roma in this week's other first legs, with the other four two-legged series starting next week.

Arsenal was taught a lesson by Barca last season. Lucky to escape with a 2-2 draw from a thrilling first leg at home, the Gunners were smashed 4-1 in the return match — with Messi scoring all four goals in a sensational individual performance.

The Argentina playmaker has already scored six times in this season's competition, as well as 24 goals in the Spanish league.

"When you play a team like Barcelona, you need all 11 to be at their best," said Wenger, whose side lost 2-1 to the Catalans in the 2006 Champions League final.

"For us it is important we play with belief. We are not favorites in this game but I think we can do it."

Barcelona comes into the game off a 1-1 draw at Sporting Gijon, a result that ended the team's record of consecutive league wins at 16.

The champions had previously outscored their opponents 60-6 through the historic run. They had also won all their away games this season.

"Now we can see the merit of 16 consecutive wins," coach Pep Guardiola said. "Now we have to recover so we can play well in London."

Guardiola should have all his regular starters available after resting Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets and France left back Eric Abidal on Saturday. The only question mark is whether captain Carles Puyol recovers from a knee injury in time.

Milan is set to be without injured midfielders Kevin-Prince Boateng, Massimo Ambrosini and Andrea Pirlo against Spurs, so Brazil center back Thiago Silva may play out of position further upfield.

"Playing Thiago Silva in central midfield on Tuesday is a real possibility," Milan coach Massimo Allegri said.

Spurs have injury problems on their own, with central midfielders Luka Modric and Tom Huddlestone expected to miss out. The probable loss of Bale and Van der Vaart (calf) would hit the side the hardest, however.

Despite the caliber of the opposition, manager Harry Redknapp has faith in his team, which topped its group ahead of Inter on its debut in the competition and is fourth in the Premier League after three victories.

"Milan are a dangerous side. They have got some real quality players. The front three — Robinho, (Alexandre) Pato, (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic — have all got goals in them. They are top-class players," Redknapp said.

"It will be a big test, but I think we have got a big chance."

Two-time runner-up Valencia, which is in the Champions League positions in the Spanish league after seven wins in its last eight matches, may be without injured forward Juanma Mata for the first leg against Schalke.

Former Real Madrid striker Raul Gonzalez makes his first return to Spain after his move to Schalke last summer. Raul scored 12 goals against Valencia at the Mestalla stadium when he was with Madrid.

Defenders Philippe Mexes and Nicolas Burdisso are likely to return to Roma's starting lineup against Ukrainian champion Shakhtar after missing a 2-0 defeat by Napoli on Saturday through suspension.

-- Steve Douglas

Ten-man Real Madrid beats Espanyol 1-0 in Spain

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Ten-man Real Madrid moved within five points of Spanish league leader Barcelona by beating Espanyol 1-0 from Marcelo's first-half goal on Sunday.

Madrid played a man down from the second minute at Cornella-El Prat stadium after goalkeeper Iker Casillas was sent off for fouling Jose Callejon in a one-on-one situation with the goal wide open.

Even so, Madrid's quality was enough to overcome Espanyol's numerical advantage.

Marcelo scored in the 24th minute through a great individual effort. The Brazilian left back received a pass from Cristiano Ronaldo, raced into the box and slotted between the post and goalkeeper Carlos Kameni.

With reserve goalkeeper Jerzey Dudek injured, third-choice Antonio Adan replaced Casillas and played well in his league debut.

Madrid's first win in three away matches came a day after Barcelona's record 16-game winning streak ended with a 1-1 draw at Sporting Gijon.

Despite reducing the gap to Barcelona, Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said the defending champions are still in control.

"I would like to have a five-point lead over the second-place team," he said. "But the way we won the game was very important against a tough adversary ... to lose a player in the second minute and give a debut to a goalkeeper. With those setbacks you would think (we) would lose, but we won."

Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira and Espanyol playmaker Javi Marquez both had good chances to score before Marcelo grabbed the lead for the visitors.

"I am very happy to have scored, but the most important thing is the result," said Marcelo. "We have worked very hard to do what we did today."

Madrid came close to going into halftime leading by two goals when Emmanuel Adebayor's chip shot hit the crossbar after Xabi Alonso had put him through the defense.

Espanyol continued to press for the equalizer after the restart, its best chance came when Callejon sent his shot past the post in the 74th.

Adebayor, in his most impressive game since joining Madrid during the January transfer market, could have sealed the win twice in the last 10 minutes, but Kameni saved both times.

Ealier, Alberto Lopo's second-half goal lead Deportivo La Coruna to a 1-0 win over Villarreal, and Jose Rondon's injury-time equalizer gave Malaga a 2-2 draw with Getafe.

After a dull first half, Lopo pushed home a ball flicked on by teammate Juan Rodriguez for Deportivo's 60th-minute winner at Riazor stadium.

Villarreal's top scorer, Giuseppe Rossi, was out with the flu, and Deportivo had little trouble stifling the visitors' attack to claim its first victory in six games.

"This team needs more motivation than normal," said Deportivo coach Miguel Angel Lotina. "When he play with this sense of need, the team responds well."

Villarreal dropped to fourth place with its second straight loss, two points behind provincial rival Valencia.

At La Rosaleda stadium, Getafe went ahead when Malaga goalkeeper Francesc Arnau attempted to clear a cross in the eighth minute but only succeeded in punching it into forward Nicolas "Miku" Fedor, with the ball then crossing the line.

Adrian Colunga doubled Getafe's lead in the 24th minute. But Baptista grabbed one back for Malaga from the penalty spot in the 80th after Ivan Marcano had handled in the area, and Rondon split the points with a goal in the fifth minute of injury time.

"I hope (the result) helps us change the dynamic and shows us the way to win," said Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini, whose team is now winless in six games to stay in last place.

David Trezeguet scored Hercules' 89th-minute winner in a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Zaragoza for his team's first win in five games.

Zaragoza took an early lead when Braulio Nobrega headed home in the fourth minute.

Francisco Farinos equalized in the 80th with Hercules' first goal in five games, and Trezeguet capped the comeback in the 89th with his 10th goal of the season.

Levante beat Almeria 1-0 from a goal by Felipe Caicedo, and Raul Tamudo gave Real Sociedad a 1-0 win over Osasuna.

Athletic Bilbao is at Mallorca on Monday.

-- Joseph Wilson

Ronaldinho's Flamengo remains perfect in Rio

SAO PAULO (AP) — Deivid scored the lone goal to give Flamengo a 1-0 win over Resende on Sunday for its seventh straight win in the Rio de Janeiro championship.

Ronaldinho was held scoreless, but Flamengo will play Botafogo in the semifinals of the Guanabara Cup, the first stage of the Rio tournament, while Fluminense will face Boavista. Vasco routed America 9-0 but had already been eliminated.

In the Sao Paulo tournament, goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni scored his 98th goal to help Sao Paulo beat Portuguesa 3-2, while Corinthians — with striker Ronaldo reportedly set to announce his retirement on Monday — was held to a scoreless draw by Paulista.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's Palmeiras stayed on top of the standings by beating Americana 1-0 on Saturday.

Ronaldinho failed to provide a lot of spark to Flamengo in Macae, but the popular Brazilian club was able to keep its winning streak alive with a 76th-minute goal by striker Deivid after a low cross by Chilean right back Gonzalo Fierro.

Ronaldinho, in his third match since signing from AC Milan, was substituted in the 85th.

Flamengo is the only team to win all its matches to start the season and it had already secured a spot in the semifinals of the Guanabara Cup. It will face Botafogo, which was held to a 1-1 draw with Macae at the Engenhao stadium.

A victory would have allowed Botafogo to avoid Flamengo in the semifinals and face Boavista, but it was Fluminense which got the opportunity after beating Madureira 1-0 in Volta Redonda. Fluminense's winner was scored in the 79th by recently signed striker Rafael Moura, who has netted five goals in his three matches with the Brazilian champion.

Boavista earned a semifinal spot over Resende on goal difference after a 5-3 win against Nova Iguacu. Max scored three goals for Boavista, including a last-minute score that allowed the team to advance.

Vasco, which began the year with four straight losses, thrashed America in Volta Redonda. Left back Ramon and substitute midfielder Enrico scored a pair of goals each for the four-time national champion, which now has won two in a row with new coach Ricardo Gomes.

The winner of the Guanabara Cup will play for the state title against the Rio Cup champion later in the tournament.

In Sao Paulo, Ceni scored his 98th goal by converting a 39th-minute free kick at Caninde stadium. Already the most prolific goal scorer as a goalkeeper, Ceni is just two short of 100th-goal mark, although FIFA says the 37-year-old player has 96 goals instead of 98.

The victory moved Sao Paulo to fourth in the 20-team standings with 15 points, four less than leader Palmeiras, which defeated Americana 1-0 at Pacaembu stadium on Saturday thanks to a low shot from outside the area by striker Kleber in the 54th.

Palmeiras, still without injured Chile midfielder Jorge Valdivia, has won six of its last seven matches to reach 19 points, one more than second-place Santos, the defending champion which on Friday defeated Noroeste 2-0 at Vila Belmiro stadium despite a missed penalty kick by playmaker Elano.

Sixth-placed Corinthians couldn't get past a 0-0 draw with Paulista in Jundiai. The most successful Sao Paulo state team was without former Brazil and Real Madrid left back Roberto Carlos, who left the club on Saturday because of fan threats after the team's elimination from the Copa Libertadores.

Ronaldo, who is expected to put an end to his stellar 18-year career on Monday, hasn't played for Corinthians since the team's loss to Colombia's Deportes Tolima in the Copa Libertadores on Feb. 2. Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos were heavily blamed for the defeat.

The top eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals of the Sao Paulo tournament.

-- Tales Azzoni

Boca Juniors stunned in 4-1 loss in opener

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina Clausura favorites Boca Juniors slipped to a stunning 4-1 loss to Godoy Cruz on Sunday as Ruben Ramirez scored two goals in the first match of the season for both clubs.

Ramirez scored after two defensive blunders in the first half, one of which saw Boca Juniors keeper Javier Garcia let a cross slip through his hands with Ramirez to score.

Much is expected from Boca, which has not won a title in three years and is looking for a boost from new coach Julio Cesar Falcioni.

In other matches Sunday, Gabriel Hauche scored in Racing's 1-0 victory over All Boys, and Tigre played out a scoreless draw with River Plate.

Ramirez gave Godoy Cruz a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute when Garcia let a cross from his right slip through his fingers with Ramirez there to head it home from close range.

Garcia let a similar ball slip through his hands minutes later, an unstable start for a Boca. Boca began to regroup later in the half and started to look threatening with Juan Roman Riquelme and Martin Palermo pushing the offense.

But Ramirez snuffed out the surge and made it 2-0 in the 38th, this time left undefended as he chipped in a cross from a few meters (yards).

Boca kept pressing with Riquelme hitting the post minutes later.

Adrian Torres made it 3-0 in the 52nd, again from close range and against poor defending.

Boca broke through two minutes later with new forward Walter Erviti making it 3-1.

Carlos Sanchez got Godoy Cruz's final goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time after making a break down the right side — with Boca pressing for a goal — and scoring on a sharp angle to beat Garcia.

In the first matches of the new Apertura season on Friday, defending champion Estudiantes defeated Newell's Old Boys 2-1 and Velez Sarsfield drew 2-2 with Independiente.

On Saturday, Olimpo rallied to beat Banfield 2-1 on Carlos Salom's winning goal 10 seconds into second-half stoppage time. In two other Saturday matches, Juan Neira's 69th-minute goal gave Gimnasia a 1-1 draw with San Lorenzo. Juan Menseguez scored in the 16th for San Lorenzo.

Esteban Fuertes scored both goals in Colon's 2-0 victory over Quilmes.

On Monday it is Lanus vs. Arsenal and Huracan vs. Argentinos Juniors.

-- Stephen Wade

Juventus beats Inter Milan 1-0 in Serie A

MILAN (AP) — Juventus checked Inter Milan's pursuit of city rival and Serie A leader AC Milan with a 1-0 win Sunday from Alessandro Matri's first-half goal.

Matri found the net in the 30th minute in a match in which both teams had several scoring chances. Inter striker Samuel Eto'o squandered a late chance to equalize when he smashed the ball against the bar despite having an open goal at his mercy.

Inter is eight points behind Milan with a game in hand. Juventus is three further points behind.

"It has been a tough few weeks for us and this win is important for our morale," Juventus coach Luigi Delneri said. "Beating Inter can give us momentum for the rest of the season.

"We have had to be strong mentally in this period and tonight we were focused and precise in what we did, and as such deserved our win."

Lazio, meanwhile, stayed in contention for a Champions League place with a 2-0 win at Brescia on Sunday.

Alvaro Gonzalez scored an early goal in the 17th and Libor Kozak added another in the 58th to earn the Rome team a comfortable win that puts it seven points behind league leader AC Milan.

"We haven't had a particularly good time recently," Lazio coach Edy Reja said. "We haven't won away for quite some time, but we had a good game today."

Fiorentina twice came from behind to earn its first away win in over a year with a 4-2 victory at Palermo.

"Finally we were able to call up our best players, those who can score and set up goals," Fiorentina coach Sinisa Mihajlovic said. "Until now we haven't had them available and we suffered because of that. Today we didn't stop trying to play good football."

Also Sunday, it was: Bari 0, Genoa 0; Cagliari 4, Chievo Verona 1; Catania 3, Lecce 2; Cesena 0, Udinese 3; and Sampdoria 3, Bologna 1.

Juventus midfielder Alberto Aquilani had the first chance of the game, but chipped just over the crossbar.

Juventus winger Milos Krasic started the build-up for the goal, pulling the ball back for Frederik Sorensen to find Matri, who headed his cross past goalkeeper Julio Cesar, for his third goal in three games since joining Juventus.

"Matri is an important player for us," Delneri said. "He is good in front of goal, is determined, and works hard till the final whistle."

Inter immediately went on the attack, but Esteban Cambiasso hooked his shot over the bar.

Early in the second half, Inter had its best chance, but goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon punched Giampaolo Pazzini's header away.

Matri had a chance to add a second, but headed Krasic's cross wide from close range. He then took too long when Aquilani played him in and Maicon came back to clear.

Buffon had to rush off his line twice to stop Eto'o, and Matri then fired a shot wide from close range.

With two minutes remaining, Eto'o missed an open goal. He hit the bar from close range after Juventus' defense had failed to stop Maicon's low cross.

"We had a poor first half, failed to create much and allowed ourselves to be hit on the counterattack," Inter coach Leonardo said. "Juventus had a very good game, kept its shape, and controlled the ball well."

Gonzalez gave Lazio the lead when he headed in Stephan Lichtsteiner's cross at the near post. He nearly doubled his tally 10 minutes later but Brescia goalkeeper Michele Arcari got down low to push the shot away for a corner after Gonzalez raced behind Brescia's defense.

Lazio grabbed a second after the interval when Kozak got up highest to head in Cristian Ledesma's corner.

Alessandro Diamanti was Brescia's main attacking threat and he nearly grabbed a consolation goal in injury time when his free kick hit the bar.

"There are times in the season when you don't play at your best," Reja said. "We had ours in January and suffered because of that. But we kept our spirits up and now things are starting to go our way."

In Palermo, Javier Pastore kept up his impressive form by grabbing the opener in the seventh. By halftime though Fiorentina was level after Alberto Gilardino nodded in Valon Behrami's chipped cross.

Antonio Nocerino put Palermo back in the lead soon after the break with a diving header, but again Fiorentina fought back when Michele Camporese was left unmarked at a corner to score in the 70th.

Cesare Bovo's own-goal put Fiorentina into the lead and Riccardo Montolivio secured the points with two minutes remaining.

-- Jeremy Inson

Lille beats Toulouse 2-0 in French league

PARIS (AP) — Gervinho scored his 11th league goal of the season and set up another for Tulio De Melo as Lille beat Toulouse 2-0 to stay five points clear of Rennes at the top of the French league on Sunday.

Lille took the lead with a bizarre first-half goal, and Gervinho set up De Melo for an easy goal in the fourth minute of injury time.

Lille coach Rudi Garcia's team is now unbeaten in the league for 13 matches, last losing to Marseille at home on Oct. 24.

"The other teams behind us are winning, which motivates us. We have to stand up to them," Lille midfielder Florent Balmont said. "We know what we're capable of, we're not putting ourselves under pressure. We haven't lost for a long time and we're gaining in confidence and experience."

Lille striker Moussa Sow's shot was pushed onto the post by goalkeeper Matthieu Valverde in the 38th minute, the loose ball breaking to Gervinho, whose scuffed, spinning strike was helped into the net by defender Adrian Javier Gunino.

The goal was credited to Gervinho, even though it looked like an own goal by the defender.

Sow almost made it 2-0 just before halftime when he burst into the penalty area and hit a low shot that Valverde kicked away near his right post.

With two minutes remaining, Sow — the French league's top scorer with 16 goals — broke free down the left before trying to curl the ball in for his 17th rather than passing to the unmarked Gervinho.

Gervinho showed how to be unselfish when the Ivory Coast forward cut through the Toulouse defense down the right and squared the ball to De Melo, who was lurking near the penalty spot and swept the ball home with seconds remaining.

Lille goalkeeper Mickael Landreau did not even have a shot to save in his 500th appearance in the French league.

Earlier, Victor Hugo Montano and Abdoulrazak Boukari scored in the second half as second-place Rennes beat Nice 2-0 at home to stay in second place — one point clear of third-place Marseille and two ahead of Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain.

"I've always said that there are five teams who have more room for error than us," Rennes coach Frederic Antonetti said of his team's chances of qualifying for the Champions League. "The objective is to be ready if one of them slips up."

Montano put Rennes ahead when he headed in veteran midfielder Jerome Leroy's chipped pass in the 52nd minute, and Boukari added another from the penalty spot shortly after.

"These youngsters are surprising. We have the youngest team in France, despite Jerome Leroy," Antonetti said. "They are imposing themselves more and more ... but I am still waiting to see them away from home."

Rennes is gaining in confidence after beating title rival Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at home last weekend.

"We had to follow up our win against PSG and we did it well," Antonetti said. "We should have scored in the first half, but couldn't manage to despite having four or five chances."

But Antonetti is worried that away form will cost Rennes this season. The team has not won away since Sept. 25.

"We've had a real problem away from home," he said.

Gregory Pujol's ninth league goal of the season led Valenciennes to a 3-0 home win over Brest and moved it five points away from the relegation zone.

David Ducourtioux and Milan Bisevac scored the other goals to put Valenciennes 2-0 up at halftime. Pujol struck in the 69th minute to equal his best league tally.

-- Jerome Pugmire

Brisbane finishes A-League in typical style

SYDNEY (AP) — The Brisbane Roar finished Australia's A-League regular season in typical form — in first place and taking a lengthy unbeaten streak into the finals series.

The Roar beat southern neighbors Gold Coast United 4-0, their 25th unbeaten match in a row, and will play second-place Central Coast in the first match of a home and-away major semifinal next Saturday.

In two elimination finals, Adelaide United hosts the Wellington Phoenix on Friday, while Gold Coast takes on the Melbourne Victory on Sunday.

The Phoenix took the final playoff spot with a 3-1 win Sunday over North Queensland. The win eliminated Newcastle, which lost 1-0 to Central Coast in the final regular-season match Sunday, from the finals race.

In other weekend results, Adelaide clinched third spot with a 2-1 win over the Melbourne Victory on Friday. The Melbourne Heart and Sydney FC, both out of finals contention, played out a 2-2 draw.

Danny Vukovic became the first goalkeeper to score a goal in the A-League in the Phoenix win. Vukovic took a stoppage time penalty and made no mistake, making history as the first goalkeeper to score for his own team in the sixth season of the competition.

The elimination final winners meet in a minor semifinal in the second week of the finals. The winner of the major semifinal advances direct to the grand final on March 12, the loser plays the minor semifinal winner in the third week.

Gold Coast defender Dino Djulbic claimed "only one team turned up" in its match against Brisbane.

"If we play like this in the finals we can pack our bags and go home," he said.

Captain Travis Dodd headed home the winner in the 78th minute for Adelaide in front of 21,083 spectators. Striker Archie Thompson came on in the second half to scored a 65th-minute equalizer for the Victory after Adelaide veteran midfielder Paul Reid had given United the lead after six minutes.

Adelaide's 10th home win of the season was achieved without leading A-League striker Sergio Van Dijk, who withdrew late with a thigh injury.

Panathinaikos beats AEK Athens 3-1 in Greek league

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Costas Katsouranis, Loukas Vyntra and Djibril Cisse scored to give defending champion Panathinaikos a 3-1 win over AEK Athens in the Greek league on Sunday.

Katsouranis exploited a defensive mistake in AEK's area to beat goalkeeper Sebastian Saja and put Panathinaikos ahead in the 44th minute.

In the 51st, Cisse charged forward from midfield, drew AEK's defense and, at the right moment, passed to Vyntra, who blasted a shot from the edge of the area into the net.

Panathinaikos dominated for the next few minutes, missing at least two good chances to make it 3-0. Instead, it was AEK which pulled a goal back on a counterattack in the 58th. Costas Manolas stripped Sebastian Leto of the ball in midfield and, while several Panathinaikos players were pleading with the referee for a foul, passed to Nacho Scocco who did not miss.

Panathinaikos made it 3-1 when defender Cedric Kante surged forward and, despite being hassled by three AEK players, passed to Cisse, who scored with a low drive from inside the area in the 75th.

With eight rounds left, Panathinaikos is seven points behind leader Olympiakos, which won at Aris 2-1 on Saturday.

Panathinaikos visits Olympiakos in the next round in what could be its last chance to get back in the title race.

Also Sunday, Xanthi beat Atromitos 3-0; Kerkyra beat last-place Panserraikos 3-0; Volos won 2-1 at Larissa; and Iraklis and Asteras played to a scoreless draw.

PAOK, which lost 1-0 at Panionios on Saturday, is third.

Ajax held to 2-2 draw at Roda in Dutch league

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Ajax lost ground in its bid to win the club's first Dutch league title in seven years after missing a late penalty in a 2-2 draw at Roda JC on Sunday.

The visitors were awarded a spot kick in the 88th minute, but striker Mounir El Hamdaoui missed his attempt.

Ajax led 1-0 when Miralem Sulejmani latched onto a pass from Christian Eriksen to score after 13 minutes, and teammate Siem de Jong doubled the lead in the 34th.

But Roda hit back with Mads Junker's goal seven minutes later and Anouar Hadouir, playing in his 200th league match, equalized with a free kick in the 82nd.

PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente both won Saturday to share the lead in the standings, five points ahead of third-place Ajax.

SC Heerenveen boosted its Europa League chances with a 2-0 win over NAC Breda. Luciano Narsingh scored in the 60th minute and created the other for Oussama Assaidi in the 82nd.

Niki Zimling's two second-half goals sealed NEC Nijmegen's 2-0 win over Excelsior Rotterdam, while FC Groningen drew 1-1 at De Graafschap.

On Saturday, it was: ADO The Hague 3, VVV-Venlo 0; Willem II 3, FC Utrecht 3; Twente 1, Vitesse Arnhem 0; Feyenoord 2, Heracles Almelo 1 and AZ Alkmaar 0, PSV 4.

Celtic beats Dundee United 3-1 to move five points clear

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Celtic moved five points clear of Glasgow rival Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 3-1 victory at Dundee United on Sunday.

Celtic went into halftime at Tannadice with a 2-0 lead thanks to deflected efforts by top scorer Anthony Stokes and Mark Wilson.

The hosts, who came into the match boasting an 11-game unbeaten run, halved the deficit in the 64th minute when David Goodwillie crashed home a close-range finish.

But Celtic wrapped up the win when Daniel Majstorovic headed in from an inswinging free kick, extending its run to 16 matches without defeat.

Second-place Rangers, which beat Motherwell 6-0 on Saturday, has two games in hand over its cross-city rival.

FC Porto beats Braga 2-0 in Portugal

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Nicolas Otamendi scored twice to give FC Porto a 2-0 win at Braga, keeping the Portuguese leaders undefeated and 11 points clear of second-place Benfica.

The Argentine center back put his team ahead a minute before halftime. He sealed Porto's eight straight victory in the 68th.

Benfica defeated Guimaraes 3-0 after goals by Sidnei, Pablo Aimar and Carlos Martins. Benfica has won 16 consecutive games in all competitions and has a game in hand over Porto.

Also on Sunday, Naval climbed out of last place with its 3-1 win over Academica and Rio Ave beat Portimonense 2-0. Beira Mar visits Setubal on Monday to close round 19.

Elsewhere

Report: Ronaldo set to announce his retirement

SAO PAULO (AP) — Three-time FIFA player of the year Ronaldo will announce his retirement from football on Monday, according to a Brazilian newspaper.

"It's time," Ronaldo was quoted as saying by the website of the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper on Sunday. "I can't keep going. I wanted to continue but I can't. I think about making a play but I can't execute it."

Ronaldo's agent, Fabiano Farah, didn't confirm the report but told local media that it is a possibility. Corinthians has announced a news conference for Monday afternoon at the team's headquarters, without giving further details.

Last week, the 34-year-old Ronaldo was heavily blamed by fans for Corinthians' disappointing elimination from the Copa Libertadores, Latin America's most important competition and the only major tournament the Brazilian club is yet to win.

Supporters damaged players' cars and threw rocks at the team's bus, and Ronaldo said at the time that the fan violence made his consider putting an end to his career.

He had been expected to keep playing until the end of the year, but he is visibly out of shape with his physical condition having deteriorated. He has been struggling to play at a high level and hadn't scored a goal since last year.

If the retirement is confirmed, Ronaldo will be ending a stellar 18-year career.

He played in three World Cups and remains the tournament's all-time scoring leader with 15 goals. He helped Brazil win the title in 2002 in South Korea and Japan, scoring twice in the final.

Ronaldo thrived in Europe after leaving Cruzeiro to PSV Eindhoven in 1993, starring for Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan before returning to Brazil at the beginning of 2009 to recover from the third serious knee injury of his career. He won the FIFA player of the year award in 1996, 1997 and 2002.

Ronaldo scored 62 goals in 97 internationals with Brazil, but was never called up again to the national team after a disappointing performance at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. There were calls for his return to the squad after he helped Corinthians win the 2009 Brazilian Cup, but he was never able to get back in shape.

Ronaldo brought a lot of sponsors to Corinthians and is expected to remain linked to the club's football operations, at least until his contract is set to expire at the end of the year.

His announcement to stop playing would come two days after former Brazil teammate Roberto Carlos said he was leaving the club because he and his family were being threatened by fans after the Copa Libertadores elimination.

-- Tales Azzoni

Corinthians: Roberto Carlos moving to Russian club

SAO PAULO (AP) — Corinthians says veteran left back Roberto Carlos has signed for Russian club Anzhi. The Brazilian club says he will be paid $9 million a year.

Corinthians did not release further details of the transfer, but local media reported that the player agreed to a two-year contract with the Russian club, with an option for another year.

The27-year-old Carlos said he left Corinthians because he and his family received threats from fans after the team's elimination from the Copa Libertadores on Feb. 2. His contract was to expire at the end of the year.

The former Brazil and Real Madrid left back played 64 matches for Corinthians, scoring five goals.

Ballack sidelined by knee injury

BERLIN (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen said Sunday that midfielder Michael Ballack has had another injury setback. The 34-year-old midfielder was unable to train due to a problem with his knee and underwent an MRI scan at the team doctor's clinic in Cologne on Sunday morning.

Results of the scan are not yet known. He was an unused substitute in Leverkusen's 3-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

Ballack, capped 98 times for Germany, returned to action in January after four months out with a shinbone injury sustained against Hannover in September.

The former Chelsea player also missed the World Cup with an ankle injury.

Moenchengladbach fires coach Frontzeck

MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AP) — Struggling Borussia Moenchengladbach has fired coach Michael Frontzeck. Frontzeck was dismissed after the team's latest defeat — a 3-1 loss at St. Pauli on Saturday — left it seven points short of safety at the bottom of the table.

Sports director Max Eberl says "we had to rethink the situation."

Moenchengladbach has only 16 points from 22 matches. It has conceded 56 goals — easily the division's worst defensive record. There was no immediate word on a successor.

Gouffran out for 3 months with broken ankle

BORDEAUX, France (AP) — Bordeaux winger Yoan Gouffran could miss the rest of the season after breaking his right ankle in Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to Caen in the French league.

Bordeaux announced on its website on Sunday that Gouffran had a successful operation overnight and "will be out for a period of three months." The French league ends on May 29. The 24-year-old Gouffran has scored two goals in 21 league games this season for ninth-placed Bordeaux. (www.brownsvilleherald.com)