Associated Press

London, April 21:

Defending champion Arsenal slowed Chelsea’s charge to its first league title for 50 years with a 0-0 tie at Stamford Bridge. Eleven points ahead with games running out, the Blues had hoped to capture the championship with four games to spare by beating the Gunners at Stamford Bridge and then beating Fulham at home on Saturday. The tie means that Jose Mourinho’s men have a few days longer to wait. The Blues will now win the title if they beat Fulham on Saturday and Arsenal loses to north London neighbour Tottenham the following Monday. Manchester United lost 1-0 at Everton and finished with nine men after the ejections of Gary Neville and Paul Scholes. The result meant United fell further behind second-place Arsenal and Everton cemented fourth spot. In other results, Liverpool won 2-1 at Portsmouth; Norwich beat Newcastle 2-1; Aston Villa and Charlton tied 0-0; Blackburn edged Crystal Palace 1-0; Manchester City outplayed Birmingham 3-0 and West Bromwich Albion climbed back out of the relegation zone by gaining a 1-1 tie at Tottenham.

Italian Serie A

ROME: AC Milan beat lowly Chievo Verona 1-0 to rejoin Juventus atop the Serie A standings, with the Turin team tumbling 1-0 at home to third-place Inter Milan. A second-half winner by Clarence Seedorf lifted AC Milan into a 70-point tie alongside Juve. Milan’s play was less than impressive but the win was crucial following last Sunday’s 2-1 setback at Siena. A 24th-minute header by Julio Ricardo Cruz caused Juve its fourth season loss. Inter’s third straight win gave it 59 points on the table, seven clear of Sampdoria which was held to a 1-1 draw at Parma. Fifth-place Udinese conceded a late goal by Cristiano Lucarelli in a 1-1 home draw with Livorno. Second-last Brescia fought a 3-3 draw at Palermo with both teams reduced to 10 men. Siena stunned AS Roma 2-0 at Stadio Olimpico to clinch its second consecutive victory. Also, Fiorentina was left in the relegation zone following a 1-1 home draw with Messina. Elsewhere, Reggina and Atalanta drew 0-0; Lazio clinched a 1-1 draw at Cagliari; Lecce and Bologna also played to 1-1.

Copa del Rey

PAMPLONA: Valdo Lopes scored in the 27th minute to earn Osasuna a 1-0 victory over Atletico

Madrid in a first-leg semi-final of the Copa del Rey. Valdo buried a volley after his header had rebounded back to him, boosting Osasuna’s hopes of a debut final appearance in Spain’s knockout competition.