Super-sub Merino strikes late as Arsenal sink Leicester

BERLIN: Patrik Schick showed Bayer Leverkusen what it was missing against Bayern Munich last week by scoring in a 2-0 win at Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Schick, who was omitted by Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso in the top-of-the-table clash with Bayern, got Leverkusen off the mark in the ninth minute in Kiel after Amine Adli did well against two Kiel defenders to set him up. It was Schick’s 15th league goal of the season.
Alonso’s decision to only send Schick on late in stoppage time against Bayern raised eyebrows as his team had dominated without scoring for the previous 90 minutes and more with both Schick and fellow striker Victor Boniface watching from the substitutes’ bench.
That 0-0 draw kept Bayern eight points clear with 12 rounds left to play.
Florian Wirtz played Adli in to make it 2-0 before the break in Kiel, where Leverkusen’s win narrowed the gap to five points before Bayern host Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
Leverkusen face Bayern again over two games in the last 16 of the Champions League on March 5 and 11. They will be the fourth and fifth meetings between the teams this season.
Also Saturday, Alexis Claude-Maurice scored a hat trick for Augsburg to beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0 away.
The French midfielder scored all his goals after Gladbach goalkeeper Jonas Omlin was sent off for taking down Fredrik Jensen, who was put through on goal by a botched backpass from Nico Elvedi. It was a clear goal chance, and referee Florian Exner had no option but to show Omlin the red card in the 29th.
Mainz defeated St. Pauli 2-0 at home, and Bochum drew at Wolfsburg 1-1 to climb out of a direct relegation place.
Borussia Dortmund WERE hosting Union Berlin later, with the home team looking for their first Bundesliga win under new coach Niko Kovač, who started with two defeats.

DUBAI: Pakistan coach Aaqib Javed on Saturday said his fast bowlers are “match-winners” and will pull out something special against arch-rivals India in their pivotal Champions Trophy clash.
Hosts and defending champions Pakistan need to win the blockbuster showdown with India on Sunday in Dubai to keep their chances of making the semifinals in their own hands.
Pakistan lost the opening match of the 50-over tournament to New Zealand and are bottom of Group A. India beat Bangladesh in their first match.
Pakistan fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf leaked 214 runs in their 30 overs combined in New Zealand’s total of 320.
But Aaqib said the trio will rise to the occasion.
“We have three specialists and I would say one of the best pace bowling options in today’s game with Shaheen, Naseem and Haris,” Aaqib told reporters.
The former seam bowler said the current attack reminds him of that from the 1990s, when Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Aaqib stepped up after the retirement of the great Imran Khan.
“They still have time to reach that level, but they have all the ability to repeat those sort of performances,” said Aaqib.
“When you play against India it is a special feeling and I think they will bring something special tomorrow.”
He added: “Our fast bowling options are good and they are match-winners.”
Bilateral cricket ties are frozen between the two rival nations due to political tensions and they only play each other in multi-nation events.
India refused to tour Pakistan for this eight-nation tournament and will play all their matches at the Dubai International Stadium, which is expected to be full for the high-profile game.
Pakistan, who hammered India in the last Champions Trophy final in 2017, have flown in from Karachi for their must-win clash and Aaqib says pressure produces champions.
“There is no game you play without pressure,” said Aaqib. “Between India and Pakistan it doesn’t matter it’s a knock-out or whatever. It is beyond the game.”
Aaqib said: “If you look at the positive, it’s the best time and best chance for any individual or a team to make a mark. Passion and pressure is what a player needs to showcase his game.”
The top two teams from each of the two groups make the semifinals.
The rivals last met in a one-day game at the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad, with hosts India winning by seven wickets.