Leverkusen’s Javier Hernandez celebrates his goal on Saturday against Ingolstadt in the Bundesliga. Matthias Schrader / AP / December 19, 2015
Leverkusen’s Javier Hernandez celebrates his goal on Saturday against Ingolstadt in the Bundesliga. Matthias Schrader / AP / December 19, 2015

Javier Hernandez stays hot; Neville’s Valencia stuck in neutral; Celtic stumble as Aberdeen gain



Bundesliga

Bayer Leverkusen climbed to fourth in the Bundesliga table with a 1-0 win at Ingolstadt on Saturday as Mexico striker Javier Hernandez kept up his stunning scoring run.

“Chicharito” claimed his 17th goal in Leverkusen’s last 14 games in all competitions when he stabbed home his 11th league goal of the season since joining from Manchester United.

Europa League side Augsburg picked up their third straight win to move away from the relegation places into mid-table with a 1-0 victory at Hamburg thanks to Jan Moravek’s headed equaliser.

Read more: Richard Jolly on why Cristiano Ronaldo has done enough to deserve the Ballon d'Or

Eintracht Frankfurt picked up their first win in eight matches when captain Alex Meier and Stefan Aigner scored in their 2-1 win at home to fellow strugglers Werder Bremen which left both teams just above the relegation places.

Schalke are up to fourth in the table thanks to Friday’s 1-0 win against struggling Hoffenheim when Cameroon forward Eric Choupo-Moting was credited with a goal which deflected off Hoffenheim’s Czech defender Pavel Kaderabek.

Second-placed Borussia Dortmund are now nine points behind Bayern Munich after crashing to a 2-1 defeat at Cologne as the hosts scored twice in the final 10 minutes.

Dortmund took the lead after just 18 minutes when Greece centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos headed home a corner swung in by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

But Cologne took the three points when Simon Zoller fired home from close range on 83 minutes before Anthony Modeste earned a yellow card for ripping off his shirt and yelling a primal scream, after hitting the 90th-minute winner.

Bayern took all three points in a 1-0 win at strugglers Hannover.

La Liga

Gary Neville is still searching for his first La Liga win as Valencia manager after Los Che twice fought back from a goal down to draw 2-2 at home to Getafe on Saturday.

All four goals arrived in a 25 minute period in the first-half as Paco Alcacer cancelled out Pablo Sarabia’s opener.

Angel Lafita then put Getafe back in front only for substitute Santi Mina to level once more.

A point leaves Valencia still six points off the top four, but does at least preserve their unbeaten home record in the league stretching back to November last year.

Neville had manged to get his first win in three attempts against third-tier Barakaldo in the Copa del Rey in midweek.

Scottish Premiership

Celtic’s lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership has been cut to one point as Motherwell came from behind to claim a deserved 2-1 win at Celtic Park on Saturday.

An entertaining second half saw Nir Bitton’s deflected shot give Celtic a 49th minute lead before Louis Moult slammed home an equaliser for Motherwell four minutes later.

Scott McDonald came back to haunt his former club as the Australian striker earned Motherwell a 59th minute penalty that Moult expertly dispatched past Craig Gordon.

Celtic had efforts from Bitton and Mikel Lustig cleared off the line while Motherwell had several chances to add to their advantage as they held on for their first win at Celtic Park since 2008.

Aberdeen’s 4-0 demolition of Kilmarnock moves them to within a point of leaders Celtic, who haven’t won at Celtic Park since October 31 following Europa League defeats to Molde, Ajax and a goalless draw with Kilmarnock.

It adds to the woes of Celtic manager Ronny Deila, who was already under pressure following his side’s disappointing early exit from Europe.

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ABU DHABI T10: DAY TWO

Bangla Tigers v Deccan Gladiators (3.30pm)

Delhi Bulls v Karnataka Tuskers (5.45pm)

Northern Warriors v Qalandars (8.00pm)

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