Soccer: Dramatic end to derby in Rome

Argentine Lucas Castroman scored a superb equaliser in the fifth minute of injury time to give Italian champions Lazio a dramatic 2-2 draw with league leaders and arch-rivals AS Roma.

Castroman blasted a first-time shot into the bottom left-hand corner of the Roma net with four minutes and 33 seconds of injury time played.

Roma barely had time to restart before the whistle blew on a match which they had led 2-0 with 15 minutes to play.

The draw left Roma six points clear of second-placed Juventus, who were held to a 1-1 home draw by Lecce and were left to rue a late penalty miss by Filippo Inzaghi.

At least four riot policemen and two television cameramen were injured during clashes in the derby match in Rome.

Outside the ground, riot police fired teargas canisters to disperse groups of Lazio fans who hurled rocks and Molotov-cocktail bombs at policemen.

Three fans were arrested.

During the game groups of Lazio fans, keeping up their tradition of racism, booed Roma's Brazilian defender, Cafu.

Because of their misbehaviour, the league disciplinary commission may fine the club and disqualify Lazio's home ground.

In Germany, bottom club VfL Bochum added excitement to a tight Bundesliga title race by holding leaders Schalke 04 to a 1-1 draw.

The result left Schalke ahead of Bayern Munich only on goal difference with three games left. Bayern beat SC Freiburg 1-0.

Attacking midfielder Paul Freier put Bochum ahead in their home stadium in the Ruhr Valley derby by exploiting a blunder from Schalke's Czech libero Jiri Nemec in the 21st minute.

Bochum, six points away from getting out of the bottom three, almost made it 2-0 through Freier in the 62nd minute, but Schalke keeper Oliver Reck made a brilliant save.

The Gelsenkirchen club, chasing their first German crown in 53 years, equalised courtesy of Belgian striker Lokonda Emile Mpenza 20 minutes from time.

In Spain, Deportivo Coruna maintained their 15-month unbeaten home run and closed the gap on league leaders Real Madrid to nine points after a Gonzalez Fran header gave them a 1-0 win over Espanyol.

The Galician side's longest-serving player capped a fine performance as he ghosted in at the far post to nod home a perfectly weighted cross from Victor on 20 minutes.

But, with just six games left, European champions Real are still firm favourites for the title. Real, who drew 1-1 at home to Osasuna, lead the table on 69 points from 32 games.

Across the border, Nantes took a giant step towards winning the French first division title with a 1-0 victory away to Troyes.

Midfielder Frederic da Rocha scored the goal after 56 minutes, lashing the ball home from 10m out after the Troyes defence had failed to clear a corner from Stephane Ziani.

Nantes now have 62 points from 32 matches and are four points clear of second-placed Olympique Lyon and six in front of third-placed Girondins Bordeaux.

Substitute Christophe Delmotte scored a late winner as Olympique Lyon beat title rivals Lille 2-1 away and Girondins Bordeaux won 2-1 at Stade Rennes. The top teams all have two matches left to play.

Across the Channel, Blackburn Rovers moved to within one win of promotion to the English premier league when they came from behind to beat Portsmouth 3-1.

Late goals by David Dunn and Marcus Bent sealed victory for Rovers after Portsmouth had taken a shock first-half lead.

Graeme Souness' side are four points clear of third-placed Bolton Wanderers with two games left.

The two teams are battling it out for the second automatic promotion place alongside champions Fulham. Blackburn will definitely go up if they win at Preston North End on Thursday.

Portsmouth had taken a shock lead through Mike Panopoulos' close-range finish after 11 minutes.

Blackburn equalised when Scott Hiley diverted an Eyal Berkovic cross into his own net after 61 minutes.

Dunn rammed home his 18th of the season after 79 minutes and with four minutes left, Bent took advantage of poor defending to score Blackburn's third.

Portsmouth remain fourth from bottom, one place and three points clear of the drop zone. They host the team below them, Crystal Palace, on Thursday.

North of the border, Henrik Larsson scored his 50th goal of the season as Scottish champions Celtic thrashed city rivals Rangers 3-0 at Ibrox.

After a goal-less first half, Slovak Lubomir Moravcik struck twice, after 61 and 74 minutes, to put Martin O'Neill's side in control.

Swede Larsson rounded the goalkeeper in the 87th minute to seal Celtic's first victory at Rangers since 1994.

Celtic, who won the title three weeks ago, now have 94 points from 35 games while second-placed Rangers, who are still not guaranteed Champions League qualification as runners-up, have 73 points.

In Holland, PSV Eindhoven are on the verge of their 16th league title after nearest rivals Feyenoord lost 0-1 at Roda JC Kerkrade.

With four matches remaining, PSV lead with 71 points and could have taken the title had they won rather than drawn 1-1 at Willem II Tilburg.

Feyenoord, on 59 points, can draw level only if they win their last four games and Eindhoven lose all theirs.

Even then, Eindhoven enjoy a much superior goal difference.

- AGENCIES