MILAN: Edin Dzeko struck a brace and Mohamed Salah added a third as clinical Roma dented Napoli’s Serie A title hopes with a superbly-orchestrated 3-1 win at a shocked San Paolo on Saturday.
Napoli were looking to get back to winning ways after a shock defeat at Atalanta two weeks ago left them four points behind leaders and champions Juventus.
But the Azzurri never recovered from Dzeko’s second goal of the game on 54 minutes and heads dropped when Salah beat Pepe Reina four minutes from the end.
Roma moved up to second at two points behind Juventus ahead of the Turin giants’ match at home to Udinese later Saturday.
Napoli drop to third and could be seven points adrift by the end of the day.
Less than a week after seeing Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik sidelined for several months with a cruciate ligament injury, Sarri, as expected, opted for Manolo Gabbiadini as his key striker.
But the up and coming Italian, much like a disappointing Napoli was ineffective and replaced in the second half by Belgian Dries Mertens.
The ‘Derby delo Sole’ started in summer-like conditions and the hosts initially enjoyed a bright start, Lorenzo Insigne sending an early free kick just wide of Wojciech Szczesny’s far post.
But despite showing early promise, Napoli came up short in front of goal and were clumsy in defense.
Dzeko was a concern for Napoli throughout and it took a great sliding tackle from Kalidou Koulibaly on the quarter hour to thwart the Bosnian after he pounced on Radja Nainggolan’s first-time through ball.
Nainggolan sent Salah through on 21 minutes but the Egyptian’s low snap shot curled wide of the upright and when Diego Perotti pounced on Koulibaly’s fluffed clearance moments later the Argentine curled inches wide of Reina’s far post, with the ‘keeper at full stretch.
Roma were relieved when three Napoli shots in succession were blocked in the area, Callejon coming closest only for his shot to come off Kostas Manolas.
The visitors’ defense stood firm again when Insigne turned inside Manolas to set up Marek Hamsik for a drive that came off Federico Fazio.
When Salah sent Dzeko in behind the Napoli defense, an alert Reina rushed out to bravely pluck the ball from his feet.
But the Spanish ‘keeper had no chance in the 43rd minute.
Koulibaly panicked as Salah harried him at the byline, and when he fell on his behind the Egyptian pounced to deliver a cross that, after Nainggolan’s dummy, an unmarked Dzeko swept past Reina.
An unrelenting Salah kept Koulibaly on his toes throughout the second half, but a nervous Sarri was looking for solutions shortly after the restart.
As Mertens warmed up to eventually replace the ineffective Gabbiadini, the Belgian international was cautioned for dissent whil still wearing his yellow bib.
Moments later, Napoli’s woes intensififed, Dzeko holding off Elseid Hysaj at a free kick to head past Reina from the edge of the box on 54 minutes.
Napoli’s title hopes took a direct hit, but three minutes later Koulibaly made amends for his earlier blunder by rising above the Roma defense to meet Ghoulam’s corner with a glancing header that came off Szczesny’s far post before finding the net.
Yet a Napoli fightback looked unlikely, and when Daniele De Rossi sent an unmarked Salah free down the right the Egyptian had time and space to pick his spot before beating Reina down low.
Dzeko hits brace as Roma dents Napoli scudetto hopes
Dzeko hits brace as Roma dents Napoli scudetto hopes
US, Canada squads at the Twenty20 World Cup are a melting pot of nationalities
- The team provides a snapshot of US cricket at this formative stage, as Major League Cricket jostles for its place in a crowded sporting market
- Canada will be led by the veteran left-armer spinner Saad bin Zafar, who was born in Pakistan
- The US meet Canada in the tournament opener on June 1 and then there’ll be a step up for both teams in Group A
NEW YORK: The US cricket team which will co-host the Twenty20 World Cup may be a fitting cross-section of its country as a roster of migrants, a melting pot of nationalities and cultures.
The 15-man squad includes players born in India, Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa. Home-grown players include vice-captain Aaron Jones, who was born in Queens, and allrounder Steven Taylor, of Hialeah, Florida.
The team provides a snapshot of US cricket at this formative stage, as Major League Cricket jostles for its place in a crowded sporting market. The squad includes foreign players drawn to America by the MLC and local players given the chance to play cricket at a professional level in the United States
The home team’s most recognized member is the former New Zealand allrounder Corey Anderson. The 33-year-old Anderson played 13 Tests, 49 one-day internationals and 31 T20 internationals for New Zealand between 2013 and 2018 in a career limited by injuries.
He earned a place in cricket history for his 36-ball century in a one-day international between New Zealand and the West Indies on New Year’s Day, 2014. Anderson also has played in T20 leagues in Australia, India, the Caribbean and UAE before finding an MLC home at the San Francisco Unicorns.
Anderson made his first half-century for the US in their T20 win over Canada last month.
Mumbai-born Harmeet Singh, who played for India at two Under-19 World Cups, was the star for the 19th-ranked US team earlier this week in an upset win over Bangladesh. It the only the second win over a full ICC member for the US
He scored 33 from the 13 deliveries he faced and shared an unbeaten, match-winning 62-run partnership with Anderson, who was unbeaten on 34.
“It means a lot to us to put on a show against Bangladesh. We are no walkovers,” Harmeet told ESPNcricinfo. “I think our potential is immense.”
The US meet Canada in the tournament opener on June 1 and then there’ll be a step up for both teams in Group A, which also includes India and Pakistan, fierce cricket rivals with enormous support, and Ireland.
Among the other foreign-born players on the US squad coached by ex-Australia batter Stuart Law is right-arm fast bowler Ali Khan, who moved with his parents from Pakistan to the US when he was 18.
He first played for the US team in 2016 and has also has played in the Indian Premier League, Caribbean Premier League and Pakistan Premier League, in Global T20 Canada and the Afghanistan Premier League.
Captain Monank Patel, a wicketkeeper-batsman, was born in India and settled in New Jersey after moving permanently to the US in 2016. He played at a junior level for Gujarat in India and played the first of his 47 one-day internationals and 23 T20 internationals for the US in 2019.
Andries Gous, another wicketkeeper-batsmen, was born in Welkom, South Africa, played for South Africa at under-19 level and played 60 first-class matches before relocating to the US in 2021. He and Patel were the highest scorers for the US in the recent five-match series against Canada.
Allrounder Milind Kumar is another India-born player who accumulated nine centuries in 60 first-class appearances for Delhi before making his home in the US
The Canada team scheduled to meet the US in the opening match is also a team drawn from many places and shaped by the evolution of a professional league at home.
Canada will be led by the veteran left-armer spinner Saad bin Zafar, who was born in Pakistan. He moved to Canada to study and was first named in the Canadian T20 team in 2008. Now 37, he has played 38 T20 internationals and once took two wickets without conceding a run in four overs in a T20 against Panama.
Jamaica-born batter Aaron Johnson, Pakistan-born left-arm fast bowler Kaleem Sana and Guyana-born right-arm quick Dillon Heyliger reflect the international makeup of the team which is coached by former Sri Lanka international Pubudu Dassanayake.
Saudi and Japanese football leagues to work together to develop the sport in both countries
- They will collaborate on ways to achieve sustainable growth of the sport, enhance the standard of football, and facilitate exchange of expertise between players and coaches
- The agreement also includes plans for talent-discovery networks, cultural-exchange events, and friendly matches between Japanese and Saudi clubs
RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League and Japan’s Professional Football League have signed an agreement to cooperate on ways to develop the sport in both countries.
To achieve this they will work with teams in both leagues and collaborate on ways to achieve sustainable growth of the sport, enhance the standard of football, facilitate the exchange of experiences and resources between players and coaches, and establish an effective system for communication about technical and administrative matters.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of a Saudi-Japanese business forum by the vice chair of the SPL’s board of directors, Saad Allazeez, and Yoshokaze Ninomura of the J.League.
Allazeez said the agreement reflects the SPL’s transformation strategy and added: “This partnership will open new horizons for exchanging experiences and promoting the continuous development in the field of football between the two countries.
“We look forward to working with our counterparts in Japan to raise the level of the game at all levels.”
The agreement also includes support for the continued growth and development of SPL and J.League through workshops and conferences to consider ideas for strengthening football infrastructure, cooperation in talent-discovery networks to help identify and nurture stars of the future, cultural-exchange events that celebrate the diverse cultures of the two countries and enhance the global appeal of football, and friendly matches between Japanese and Saudi clubs.
Lookman hat-trick fires Atalanta to Europa League, ends Leverkusen’s unbeaten run
- Lookman became the first player to score a hat-trick in a European final since 1975 to secure Atalanta’s first ever continental trophy
DUBLIN: Ademola Lookman scored a stunning hat-trick as Atalanta ended Bayer Leverkusen’s 51-match unbeaten run to win the Europa League final 3-0 on Wednesday and claim their first trophy for 61 years.
Lookman became the first player to score a hat-trick in a European final since 1975 to secure Atalanta’s first ever continental trophy.
“One of the best nights of my life. Amazing performance from the team,” said Lookman.
“We’ve got to celebrate, we made history tonight.”
The side from Bergamo have long lived in the shadow of nearby giants AC and Inter Milan.
However, they have enjoyed a golden era under Gian Piero Gasperini, reaching the Champions League on four occasions, and now have silverware to show for it.
Leverkusen have made a habit of late fightbacks in their remarkable run to winning a first ever Bundesliga title without tasting defeat.
But this time they failed to dig themselves out of a hole created by a slow start.
“It’s a shame that the time it didn’t work out for us was in a final,” said Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka.
“It’s bitter, definitely, we lost a final today but we go on and we’ll make up for it on Saturday (in the German Cup final).
Atalanta’s more purposeful play in the opening stages was rewarded after just 12 minutes.
Davide Zappacosta got to the by-line and Lookman caught Exequiel Palacios napping to fire into the top corner at the back post.
The Nigerian has at times endured a nomadic career, bouncing around the lower reaches of the Premier League on loan spells at Fulham and Leicester after being discarded by RB Leipzig.
But Lookman has found a home in Bergamo, where he will now forever be a hero.
The 26-year-old’s second goal was fit to win any final as he nutmegged Xhaka before curling a powerful shot into the far corner.
Leverkusen’s flying full-backs have been at the heart of their stunning season and should have got them back in the game either side of half-time.
Alex Grimaldo fired tamely into the arms of Juan Musso before Jeremie Frimpong blazed over with the goal gaping.
Leverkusen were also denied a lifeline when Gianluca Scamacca was lucky to escape with a yellow card for wild challenge on Florian Wirtz.
For the fourth time in seven Europa League knockout matches, Xabi Alonso’s men found themselves 2-0 down.
Alonso has enjoyed a rapid rise to become one of Europe’s hottest coaching properties.
The Spaniard has rejected the advances of former clubs Liverpool and Bayern Munich to remain at the BayArena next season.
However, Alonso’s decision to start without a recognized striker did not work and he threw on Victor Boniface at half-time to give his side a focal point up front.
The damage, though, was already done as the German champions looked a side drained by their record run across three competitions.
Atalanta were happy to soak up the Leverkusen pressure after the break and hit on the counter-attack.
The final blow was another fabulous finish from Lookman as he skipped past Edmond Tapsoba and this time blasted into the top corner on his weaker left foot.
Atalanta had lost all three of their previous finals under Gasperini, most recently in last week’s Coppa Italia defeat to Juventus.
But this time they were not to be denied their shot at history as they were roared across the finishing line by the thousands clad in blue and black that had made the trip from northern Italy to the Irish capital.
In doing so they became the first Italian side to win the competition since Parma lifted the UEFA Cup in 1999.
Djokovic celebrates 37th birthday with much-needed win
- The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to Djokovic as a cake with candles was brought out onto the court
GENEVA: Novak Djokovic celebrated his 37th birthday on Wednesday with a much-needed win as he gears up for his French Open title defense, progressing to the Geneva quarter-finals.
The world number one downed Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-3 in the second round at the Parc des Eaux-Vives grounds.
Djokovic took a wild card to play in Geneva in a bid to rescue an alarming dip in form ahead of next week’s French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year.
The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to Djokovic as a cake with candles was brought out onto the court following his win.
He lifted the cake and showed it off to the crowd, having a nibble before offering some to the ball boys and girls.
Rain washes out England-Pakistan T20 opener
- Match was supposed to be launchpad for England’s defense next month of T20 World Cup title
- Both teams will now meet each other on Saturday at Edgbaston in second of four-match series
Leeds, United Kingdom: Persistent rain saw the first Twenty20 international between England and Pakistan at Headingley on Wednesday abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The match was meant to be the launchpad for reigning champions England’s defense next month of their T20 World Cup title in the Caribbean and the United States.
But a heavy and lengthy downpour in Leeds led the umpires to call the game off approximately an hour before the scheduled 17:30 GMT start.
The four-match series against Pakistan, the team England beat to win the 2022 T20 World Cup final in Melbourne, will now continue at Birmingham’s Edgbaston ground on Saturday before games next week in Cardiff and at the Oval.
England were also the defending champions heading into last year’s 50-over World Cup in India but Jos Buttler’s men suffered a tame exit, losing six of their nine matches.
The Pakistan T20 series could see the return to international duty of England fast bowler Jofra Archer. Injuries have blighted the quick’s career, with elbow and back problems sidelining the 29-year-old from top-level cricket for 14 months.
