AC Milan goaded city rivals Inter by displaying a banner reading “18 titles all on the pitch” as the Rossoneri celebrated their scudetto triumph with a bus tour through the city before a 4-1 win over Cagliari on Saturday.
Milan, who won their first championship since 2004 the previous weekend, delighted thousands of flag-waving fans in the main square by using the sign to remind Inter one of their 18 titles was won in a courtroom in the 2006 match-fixing scandal.
Inter, who went on to win four more titles in a row, finished third that year, but were declared Serie A winners after Juventus were demoted in the Calciopoli affair and second-placed AC Milan had points deducted.
Photo: Reuters
Saturday’s other game saw SS Lazio’s Brazilian midfielder Hernanes score twice in a 4-2 home win over Genoa to lift his side into the fourth Champions League qualifying spot.
Another round of matches remain in Italy, but the San Siro game meant nothing with Cagliari wallowing in mid-table so a party atmosphere was assured from the off, despite Milan missing out on a double by losing to Palermo in Tuesday’s Coppa Italia semi-final.
Bazil’s Robinho scored twice in the first half to add a samba rhythm to the festivities, while Gennaro Gattuso, in bother for a foul-mouthed rant against Inter coach and former Milan boss Leonardo the previous weekend, popped up with a rare goal in between.
Photo: AFP
Andrea Cossu pulled one back for Cagliari, bossed by former Milan hero Roberto Donadoni and the previous employers of Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri, but the celebrations were not to be dampened as a sea of red and black clad fans sang their hearts out.
Clarence Seedorf, one of a number of elder statesmen at Milan whose contracts are up, bagged the fourth after the break, while Filippo Inzaghi received a standing ovation after making his comeback from a knee injury sustained in November.
Milan were awarded the Serie A trophy amid a fanfare after the match, with proud owner Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in attendance.
“I above all wanted the lads to finish off in style at home, in front of the fans and the club president who came to see his team, and they’ve done it in the best of ways,” Allegri told reporters.
Lazio, who visit struggling Lecce in their final game next weekend, moved to 63 points.
Giuseppe Biava had put the hosts ahead after six minutes, but Rodrigo Palacio soon leveled for mid-table Genoa, only for Tommaso Rocchi and Hernanes with a brace to net for Lazio in the second half. Antonio Floro Flores grabbed a late consolation.
Lazio, who flirted with the drop last term, lost 2-1 at Udinese the previous weekend.
Club president Claudio Lotito was booed by his own fans during the Genoa game amid speculation the Romans may be forced to play European games in Florence next season because of unpaid bills at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
In yesterday’s early kickoff, Bologna’s Serie A survival was still in the balance after they drew 1-1 at local rivals Fiorentina.
Bologna have a six-point gap to Sampdoria in the last relegation place, meaning they can still be overtaken by the Genoese.
Alessio Cerci opened the scoring for hosts Fiorentina on 20 minutes, but Gaston Ramirez equalized five minutes into the second period.
Soon after, Ramirez was dismissed for a second booking, leaving Bologna to hold on for more than 35 minutes with a numerical disadvantage.
If Sampdoria defeated Palermo later yesterday, it would mean Bologna still need a point from their final game next weekend at home to Bari to ensure their survival.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care