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Results Based News

City face uphill struggle

Author: Rose Young
Date: 10/04/2009

Manchester City are facing an uphill battle to reach the last four in the UEFA Cup after losing their quarter-final first leg 3-1 to Hamburg.

The Bundesliga side responded to the shock of conceding a goal inside the first minute to beat City handsomely Nordbank Arena and become betting favourites to qualify for the semis.

Martin Jol's impressive side created a hatful of chances and were unfortunate not to win the game by a wider margin.

But City, so much better at Eastlands compared with their form away from home this season, still have a chance of progressing to the semi-finals after Stephen Ireland's potentially priceless away goal after just 36 seconds.

Joris Mathijsen, Piotr Trochowski and substitute Jose Guerrero scored the goals for the home side.

Elsewhere in the UEFA Cup, Werder Bremen are favourites to progress to the semi-finals after a 3-1 first-leg victory over Italian side Udinese.

Shakhtar Donetsk were 2-0 winners over Marseille, while fellow French side Paris St Germain fared marginally better after a goalless home draw with Dynamo Kyiv.

Chad Campbell's seven-under-par round of 65 has left him at the top of the leaderboard following the first round of the Masters.

The 34-year-old American made the most of the gentle weather conditions and a generous course set-up to lead by one shot from compatriots Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan.

Elsewhere, Tiger Woods is well placed after an opening 70 left the world number one five shots off the pace.

Padraig Harrington, Ross Fisher and Graeme McDowell are the leading European challengers after the trio all posted rounds of 69.

World number two Phil Mickelson and the much-fancied Sergio Garcia finished with disappointing rounds of 73 on a day for low scoring.

St Helens are the new Super League leaders after a hard-fought 18-12 victory over Wigan Warriors.

Wigan were much-improved from their dismal early season performances but were undone by two quick-fire tries midway through the second period.

Also on Thursday, Catalans Dragons were 28-24 winners over Harlequins in an entertaining encounter at Twickenham Stoop.

In rugby union, London Irish coach Toby Booth accused his players of underestimating the opposition after being dumped out of the European Challenge Cup by Bourgoin.

The Exiles produced a stirring fightback to level the scores at 22-22 with just ten minutes remaining before letting the opposition in for a shock late try.

Meanwhile, South Africa lead their one-day series against Australia by a 2-1 scoreline after winning the third game in Cape Town.

The Proteas won by 25 runs after AB de Villiers top-scored with 80 on their way to a 289-6 target which the tourists could not reach.

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