Valencia strike late to hold Atletico

Valencia forward Helder Postiga headed an equaliser in the final minute of added time to snatch a 1-1 draw at home to King's Cup holders Atletico Madrid in an intense and entertaining last 16, first leg tie on Tuesday.

After Raul Garcia had nodded the visitors ahead in the 72nd minute, Portugal forward Postiga finally beat inspired keeper Thibaut Courtois when he was on hand to send a mis-hit Sofiane Feghouli cross into the net from close range after 93 minutes.

In new coach Juan Antonio Pizzi's second game in charge, a fired-up Valencia dominated possession at the Mestalla but fell behind when a fluffed clearance by keeper Vicente Guaita fell to midfielder Garcia.

Garcia also had Atletico's best chance of the first half but his rising effort was well saved by Guaita, while Valencia's Juan Bernat drew a fine save from Courtois with a low drive seven minutes after the break.

Courtois made three more brilliant saves as Valencia pressed for an equaliser, first leaping to tip a curling effort from substitute Sergio Canales around the post in the 76th minute.

The Belgium international, on loan from Chelsea, then denied Pablo Piatti in the 82nd before producing possibly his best stop of the night a minute later from Feghouli's close-range blast.

It looked as if Diego Simeone's Atletico side, who are level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga, would hold on to their lead ahead of the second leg at the Calderon in a week's time but Postiga struck in the final action of the game.

Nevertheless, with an away goal in the bank, Atletico, who beat bitter city rivals Real Madrid 2-1 in last season's final, will be favourites to advance to face Real Betis or Athletic Bilbao, who play on Wednesday, in the quarterfinals.

AWAY GOAL

Atletico have won all their home matches this season apart from a 1-1 draw against Barcelona, who they play in La Liga on Saturday, in August's Spanish Super Cup first leg.

"I think we deserved more but we are content with the draw, the tie is still open and we will carry on fighting," Postiga said told Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus.

"The intensity of the team was good and we have to continue in the same vein," he added.

"We were up against a great goalkeeper and a solid defence and we knew how tough it would be to score a goal against Atletico."

Courtois told Canal Plus the away goal could be crucial for next week's second leg.

"It was a great match and Valencia are always a great opponent and there was a fantastic atmosphere," he said.

"In the first half we hardly created anything and in the second I had a lot of work to do.

"We were hoping to hold out until the end but it wasn't to be but the positive thing is we've scored an away goal and that's important for the return leg."

Record King's Cup winners Barca welcome Getafe in their last 16, first leg on Wednesday while Real host Osasuna on Thursday.

Eyong move to Turkey is off

Former Ajax Cape Town midfield trojan Enoh Eyong faces an uncertain future after his proposed transfer to Antalyaspor in Turkey fell through.

It means he remains stuck, for the meantime, at Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands where he has been cast out of the first team squad and is training with the reserves.

“Nothing is confirmed, also nothing with any other clubs,” said Eyong, even after the Turkish club announced he was signing.

“There was a contract offer but nothing concrete. It is logical that I want to get away to play but we’ll now just have to wait and see what happens.”

Eyong has not played for the first team this season since returning from a loan spell at Fulham in the English premier league last year.

He moved from Cape Town to the Dutch club in 2008 and scored three goals in 98 league outings in the top flight in the Netherlands.

But the Cameroon international, who is likely to be included in his country’s squad for the World Cup in Brazil in June, is now considered surplus to requirements by the Dutch champions.

Napoli win to close gap on Roma

Dries Mertens scored twice in the second-half to help inconsistent Napoli beat Sampdoria 2-0 in Serie A on Monday and close the gap on second-placed AS Roma.

The Belgian provided the breakthrough for the home team after 53 minutes when he volleyed in Gonzalo Higuain's cross, just as Sampdoria were threatening to take control.

Manolo Gabbiadini blasted against the crossbar as the visitors almost grabbed a quick equaliser, only for Mertens to make the game safe by curling in a 25-metre free kick in the 62nd minute.

The win gave third-placed Napoli 39 points from 18 games, two behind Roma who lost 3-0 at leaders Juventus on Sunday.

In their previous six games, Rafael Benitez's Napoli had lost 3-0 to Juve and 1-0 at home to Parma, beaten Lazio and Inter Milan and dropped points at home to Udinese in a 3-3 draw and in a 1-1 draw at Cagliari.

It was sixth from bottom Sampdoria's first defeat in six games since Sinisa Mihajlovic took over as coach.

Udinese's Di Natale to retire at end of season

Udinese striker Antonio Di Natale says he will retire at the end of the season.

Di Natale announced the decision after Monday's 3-1 home loss to Hellas Verona.

He says "I've already made the decision, I've talked about it with my family and my agent. The club will know soon, but I'll stop playing in June."

Di Natale, who turned 36 in October, has been at Udinese for nearly nine years.

He has scored 182 goals in 359 apperances in all competition for Udinese, twice finishing as Serie A's top scorer.

Di Natale also scored 11 goals in 42 matches for Italy before retiring from international football following Euro 2012.

Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin says "I don't know what to say. I didn't know.

Rossi has damaged collateral knee ligament

Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi could be back playing in as little as six weeks, much sooner than first thought after he damaged his right knee again.

Rossi was thought to have ruptured the cruciate ligament in his right knee for a third time but tests Monday revealed that the American-born forward has a medial collateral ligament injury.

"It seems to be a sprain with damage to the collateral. We got lucky. He could return to the pitch in 6/7 weeks," one of his agents, Federico Pastorello, wrote in Italian on Twitter.

Fiorentina said Rossi will soon be seen by Colorado-based Dr. Richard Steadman - the same surgeon who carried out the second operation - "in order to correctly evaluate the extent of the injury and the prognosis."

Rossi limped off in tears in Sunday's 1-0 win over Livorno following a strong tackle from Leandro Rinaudo.

The club initially feared Rossi would be out for another six months, although that was later reduced to three with the news that it wasn't another cruciate ligament injury.

"We are more optimistic," Rossi's other agent, Andrea Pastorello, said as the pair left the hospital to applause from fans.

Rossi tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in 2011, and did so again in training six months later before he had returned to first-team football.

The 26-year-old Rossi is the top scorer in Serie A this season with 14 goals in 17 matches and had returned to the Italy team. He is expected to be a key part of Cesare Prandelli's World Cup plans.

"Because of what's happened, Giuseppe has a great strength of character," Prandelli said. "He knows how much we value him. I'll say now: stay strong Giuseppe, we're waiting for you.

Two-goal Kaka leads Milan to victory

Playmaker Kaka breathed new life into struggling AC Milan by scoring twice and 18-year-old Bryan Cristante claimed his first professional goal as they beat Atalanta 3-0 on Monday for only their fifth league win of the season.

Lazio beat Inter Milan 1-0 with a superb Miroslav Klose volley to give to give Edoardo Reja a winning start to his second stint as their coach and third-placed Napoli beat Sampdoria 2-0 thanks to a brace from Dries Mertens.

Hellas Verona won 3-1 at Udinese helped by two goals from Luca Toni, the first courtesy of a blunder from home goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic who allowed an apparently harmless shot to slip between his legs in the eighth minute.

The win took the promoted side into fifth place, above Inter.

Parma defender Alessandro Lucarelli scored with a cheeky backheel following a corner as Roberto Donadoni's team came from behind to beat Torino 3-1 and striker Amauri scored his first goal of the season to complete the scoreline.

Bottom club Catania beat Bologna 2-0 in a relegation scrap and improving Genoa overcame lowly Sassuolo by the same score.

Napoli's win lifted them to 39 points from 18 games, two behind Roma who lost 3-0 at leaders Juventus on Sunday. Juventus have 49 points, a massive eight clear at the top.

Monday's games were played amid concern about Serie A leading goalscorer Giuseppe Rossi after he suffered a third injury to his troubled right knee in Fiorentina's 1-0 win over Livorno on Sunday.

Fourth-placed Fiorentina said that Rossi had sustained a second degree sprain to the medial collateral ligament.

Although worrying, there was relief that he avoided damage to the anterior cruciate ligament, which has been operated on twice and cost him two years of his career.

Milan, whose coach Massimiliano Allegri confirmed over the Christmas break that he would step aside at the end of the season, climbed to a modest 11th on 22 points.

KAKA CENTURY

Former World Player of the Year Kaka, who returned for a second stint at Milan at the start of the season, put them in front 10 minutes before the break with his 100th goal for the club in all competitions.

The Brazilian swept home Urby Emanuelson's cross from a tight angle after Milan broke following an Atalanta corner.

Yohan Benalouane had a goal disallowed for Atalanta and German Denis was denied by Christian Abbiati as Milan showed signs of faltering before Kaka struck again, firing home after Robinho scuffed Mario Balotelli's cross in the 65th minute.

Two minutes later, Cristante celebrated his first Serie A start by scoring a pinpoint 25-metre shot which went in off the foot of the post.

Kaka played excellent football working for the team and scoring twice," Allegri told reporters. "I'm very happy for him and the objective that he's reached.

"We all need to be focused on ending the season in the best way that we can and aware that we still have a long way yet to go."

Reja, who resigned as Lazio coach 18 months ago, was brought back in a rush after the club sacked Vladimir Petkovic following his announcement that he would be taking over as Switzerland coach next season.

Lazio president Claudio Lotito was angry at the move even though Petkovic's contract ended in June before he starts his new job.

A scrappy game appeared set to end in stalemate until Antonio Candreva sent over a cross from the right and Germany forward Klose got in front of his marker to score with a majestic volley from 12 metres.

Mertens provided the breakthrough for Napoli when he volleyed in Gonzalo Higuain's cross in the 53rd minute and the Belgian curled in a 25-metre free kick nine minutes later.

Liverpool announce India tie-up

India's growing importance to the English Premier League was emphasised when leading club Liverpool announced Monday their first marketing deal with an Indian company.

The Reds have signed a three-year agreement with smart mobile firm XOLO which will allow supporters in India to enjoy tailored content on their phones, buy merchandise and have the chance to meet leading Liverpool players.

Although India is best-known in sporting terms for its mass enthusiasm for cricket, the globally popular football Premier League has started to make inroads in recent years into the lucrative Indian market.

Liverpool, currently fourth in the table, have also set up an 'International Academy' in the western Indian town of Pune.

"Through this partnership we will deliver exclusive LFC content and exciting opportunities for fans to visit our home, Anfield," said Liverpool chief commercial officer Billy Hogan on Monday.

"We have millions of fans in India and we are committed to bringing the Club closer to them. Teaming up with XOLO and launching our very first International Academy in Pune represent the start of our journey in India to make fans feel like their club is right on their doorstep."

Liverpool's aim is for the academy to be a "world class purpose-built residential complex", featuring full-size pitches, practice areas, classrooms, changing rooms, a gym, canteen, lecture theatre, residential and medical facilities.

In September English champions Manchester United, Liverpool's arch-rivals, announced they had signed a three-year regional sponsorship agreement with Indian tyre film Apollo.

In another sign of football's growing popularity in India, it will host the Under-17 football World Cup in 2017.