Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals

Juventus' Teun Koopmeiners, front center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Cup round of 16 football match between Juventus Turin and Cagliari Calcio in Turin Tuesday. (AP)
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Updated 18 December 2024
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Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals

  • Juve join Lazio, Empoli, Bologna and AC Milan in the next stage of the cup
  • Serie A leaders Atalanta are in action on Wednesday against Cesena, while Roma take on Sampdoria

MILAN: Holders Juventus progressed to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup with a 4-0 win at home to Cagliari on Tuesday.

Dusan Vlahovic slotted home a first half opener, before Teun Koopmeiners wrapped up the last-16 tie for the 15-time winners with a sensational free kick from distance.

Francisco Conceicao and Nico Gonzalez netted late to underline an emphatic performance by the Old Lady.

“It was a good performance,” Juve coach Thiago Motta told Canale 5.

“These lads are going through a tough situation in the right way, giving their all in every training session,” he added of his players who have endured a stop-start domestic campaign as they sit sixth in the league table.

Juve join Lazio, Empoli, Bologna and AC Milan in the next stage of the cup.

Serie A leaders Atalanta are in action on Wednesday against Cesena, while Roma take on Sampdoria.

Reigning Scudetto champions Inter Milan complete the round of 16 when they host Udinese on Thursday.

In Turin, Vlahovic put the home side in front one minute before half-time when he swivelled smartly on a pass to feet from Kenan Yildiz and rolled the ball into the far corner.

Summer signing Koopmeiners then notched up his second goal for Juve with an unstoppable left-footed free-kick from 25 meters out in the 53rd minute.

Vlahovic had the ball in the net twice more for Juve as they pressed forward in search of a third, but was on both occasions denied by the assistant’s flag for offside.

Conceicao eventually made it three on 80 minutes with a whipped finish after cutting in from the right flank and Gonzalez chipped home a fourth with one minute remaining.


‘Winning mindset’: Yazeed Al-Rajhi ready to defend title at Dakar 2026

Updated 9 sec ago
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‘Winning mindset’: Yazeed Al-Rajhi ready to defend title at Dakar 2026

  • Race runs from Jan. 3-17, will start and conclude in Yanbu

YANBU: Saudi rally star Yazeed Al-Rajhi is gearing up to defend his Dakar Rally title as the 2026 edition of the race kicks off in Yanbu on Jan. 3.

Last year’s victory confirmed Al-Rajhi as the first Saudi driver to win the overall car category (Ultimate), the highest class in what is considered the world’s toughest rally.

Al-Rajhi said: “We are approaching Dakar 2026 with great determination and an even greater sense of responsibility after our achievement in 2025. Winning the title was a historic moment, but the real challenge now is defending it. The car is fully ready, the team is working as one, and our objective from the start is clear: to fight for victory and secure a strong opening to the W2RC season.”

He highlighted the complete readiness of co-driver Timo Gottschalk as the team looks to repeat last year’s success in their Overdrive Toyota Hilux.

Gottschalk said: “The preparation for this season has been intense and extremely precise. We focused on every aspect Dakar demands in terms of concentration and discipline. Our synergy is at its best, and we are ready to manage the rally stage by stage, intending to fight for victory from day one.”

The Dakar Rally 2026, set to run from Jan. 3-17, will cover 7,994 km, with 4,840 km of timed stages across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes. It will consist of 13 competitive stages, in addition to a prologue stage, with a rest day in the capital city. The rally will start and conclude in Yanbu, featuring seven loop stages and two marathon stages, which significantly increase the level of difficulty and place greater physical and technical demands on crews and teams.

Al-Rajhi has also expressed his desire to compete for the title of the World Rally-Raid Championship W2RC. Since the championship’s launch in 2022, he has finished runner-up twice and third overall once, highlighting his consistency at the highest level. The Saudi star said that his clear objective this season is to claim the W2RC title, with Dakar serving as the opening round of the championship.

Al-Rajhi acknowledged that competition this year will be extremely intense, but added that the goal has been clear from the outset: to defend the Dakar title and move forward steadily toward winning the World Rally-Raid Championship.

“Early preparation and attention to the smallest technical and physical details give us strong confidence heading into the rally,” he added. “We know the competition will be tough, but we enter Dakar with a winning mindset, aiming to deliver a complete season that reflects the name of Saudi Arabia and matches our global ambitions.”

Al-Rajhi extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jameel Motorsport, his official partner, for their unwavering support. He credited their backing as one of the key pillars behind his continued success and achievements in the Kingdom.