Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet scored two goals each as two-time defending champion Juventus picked up right where it left off, defeating Empoli 5-1 on Sunday in the first full day of action in the new Italian league season.
The three other title contenders in action also won: Inter Milan struggled to find the net but ultimately defeated Modena 2-0 behind late goals from Christian Vieri and Marco Materazzi, Lazio pounded newly promoted Lecce 4-1 in Rome and AS Roma edged Udinese 2-1 on Vincenzo Montella's 69th-minute match-winner.
Elsewhere, Brescia drew 1-1 with Chievo and Perugia tied newly promoted Siena 2-2.
Bologna and regional rival Parma drew 2-2 in the Sunday night match, as Parma's Brazilian striker Adriano scored twice to match goals by Bologna's Argentine midfielder Andreas Guly and Tomas Locatelli.
"We're the champions and we feel the team can still win, not that we're the team to beat," Juve coach Marcello Lippi said. "Today we did less than what I was expecting, we gave up a lot in the first half. In the second I saw a great Juventus, which constructed great plays and made several goals."
Despite numerous opportunities, Inter did not score until former AC Milan midfielder Thomas Helveg found Vieri between two defenders in the 87th. Vieri, who was already celebrating before his 58th-minute shot hit the post, made no mistake this time for his 106th Serie A score. Defender Materazzi's long, rising free kick around a Modena wall in injury time sealed the victory.
Badminton world No. 3 Anders Antonsen clinched his first Indonesia Open title yesterday after beating Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen, while South Korea’s An Se-young won her second championship in Jakarta. The 28-year-old Dane sank world No. 7 Chou at the Indonesian capital’s Istora Senayan arena, winning 22-20, 21-14 in a 60-minute match to secure the prestigious Super 1000 event. Antonsen came out on top in a tightly contested first game before cruising to victory in the second. In a more closely fought women’s singles final, South Korean ace and world No. 1 An fought back from one game down to beat China’s
Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled on Thursday as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart, Germany, to set up a UEFA Nations League final with Portugal. Yamal bagged a brace, while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defense to ribbons. Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the score sheet for the UEFA Euro 2024 champions. Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal. France’s three late goals — a
Italy crashed to a 3-0 loss away to Norway, as the four-time FIFA World Cup champions made a disastrous start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday, while Belgium had to settle for a draw in North Macedonia. Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland all scored in the first half in pouring rain in Oslo as Norway made it a night to forget for Italy, who missed out on the past two World Cups. “I have no explanation. Our supporters don’t deserve this kind of match. We need to do some soul-searching. It’s unacceptable,” Italy captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi
The Crusaders yesterday produced a clinical performance in difficult conditions to beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 and claim home advantage in next week’s Super Rugby semi-finals. Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored first-half tries to reward an outstanding performance from the Crusaders’ forwards in wet, slippery conditions and bitterly cold temperatures. Scrumhalf Noah Hotham defied the conditions in the second half to score a superb solo try and, after kicking a conversion and penalty to make the score 22-0 at the hour mark, flyhalf Rivez Reihana scored a try which took the game beyond the Reds. “Typical Christchurch weather, cold, wet
RSS