Juventus assumed command of their Europa League last-16 tie against Fulham with a 3-1 first-leg win on Thursday, after beleaguered English giants Liverpool were beaten at Lille.
Juventus took an early lead against Fulham in Turin when centerback Nicola Legrottaglie headed home from a ninth-minute corner, before rightback Jonathan Zebina extended their advantage with a thunderous long-range effort.
Dickson Etuhu’s deflected shot reduced the arrears, but former France international David Trezeguet restored the home side’s two-goal cushion by volleying home in first-half stoppage-time after his shot came back off the post.
PHOTO: AFP
Valencia were held to a 1-1 draw at home to last season’s runners-up Werder Bremen, who took a 24th-minute lead via a Torsten Frings penalty.
The hosts had Argentine midfielder Ever Banega dismissed in the second half for violent conduct, but they drew level almost immediately through Juan Mata, who slotted home after Spain teammate David Silva’s shot was blocked.
A last-minute Hatem Ben Arfa header earned Olympique Marseille an impressive 1-1 draw at free-scoring Portuguese league leaders Benfica, while Panathiniakos, who eliminated Serie A heavyweights AS Roma in the last round, were beaten 3-1 at home by Standard Liege.
Lille followed compatriots Lyon’s example, after Claude Puel’s side stunned Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, by consigning Liverpool to a 1-0 defeat at the Stadium Lille-Metropole.
Liverpool, a disappointing sixth in the Premier League after losing 1-0 to Wigan Athletic on Monday, were short of fluency on an uneven playing surface and sank to defeat when Eden Hazard’s 84th-minute free-kick drifted straight in from wide on the left-hand flank.
The Belgian youngster had been a constant torment with his purposeful running and his goal, albeit fortuitous, puts his side in the driving seat prior to the return match at Anfield on Thursday.
“I have confidence we can beat anyone on a good day at Anfield,” Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez said. “I would be worried if the players hadn’t worked as hard as they have. The fans will play a part, they will push and will be behind the team.”
Benitez’s Lille counterpart Rudi Garcia said his team still had work to do.
“Everyone thought we were out when the draw was made. Now, although nothing has been decided, it’s a good result for us,” he said. “We have to score over there. The first leg should give us confidence and show us that we’re capable of competing with such a big team.”
Elsewhere, a delightful curling finish from Bosnian playmaker Zvjezdan Misimovic in the 67th minute earned VfL Wolfsburg a 1-1 draw at Rubin Kazan in Russia.
Ruud van Nistelrooy scored his first home goal for new club Hamburg SV as they defeated Anderlecht 3-1, with Jonathan Legear’s superb free-kick on the stroke of halftime earning the visitors an away goal.
Portugal’s Sporting secured a 0-0 draw at Atletico Madrid despite the 31st-minute dismissal of Leandro Grimi for two bookable offenses and a straight red card for Tonel.
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev was the only athlete to “beat” a world record on Sunday at the Enhanced Games, winning the men’s 50m freestyle at the divisive competition where athletes were free to take performance-enhancing substances. His time of 20.81 seconds — which is not considered official — came in the final event of the night in Las Vegas, sparing the blushes of organizers who made claims that multiple world records would be surpassed due to a sophisticated doping regime. Gkolomeev, who was wearing a synthetic “supersuit” long banned at events such as the Olympics, outpaced Australia’s Cameron McEvoy’s 20.88 set in
VICTORY ABROAD: The team took home a fistful of medals and secured spots for the autumn’s Asian Games, scheduled for September in Nagoya Taiwan’s women’s team captured the overall title at the Asian Taekwondo Championships in Mongolia on Sunday, finishing with two golds, one silver and one bronze medal. The strong showing, led by gold medalists Wang Chieh-ling and Chang Jui-en secured the full quota of available spots for Taiwan at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, in September. Wang opened Taiwan’s medal run by winning gold in the women’s under-46kg class on Thursday, the first day of competition. Liu Yu-yun later earned a silver in the under-49kg class. On the final day on Sunday, Chang won Taiwan’s second gold medal in the under-62kg event, and
The manager of the Yomiuri Giants, one of Japan’s most popular baseball teams, resigned yesterday after he was arrested for allegedly physically attacking his teenage daughter. Shinnosuke Abe allegedly grabbed the 18-year-old and forced her to the floor at their home in central Tokyo on Monday evening, reported national broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News, citing unnamed police sources. “Leaving like this really means I’m causing you a lot of trouble, and I feel truly sorry about that,” Abe told a hastily arranged news conference, his eyes red with tears. The former star catcher, who is among baseball-obsessed Japan’s most recognized sports figures,
Taiwanese tennis star Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the second round of the mixed doubles at the French Open, after she and German partner Mark Wallner defeated Slovenian Andreja Klepac and Briton Lloyd Glasspool in straight sets, despite temperatures exceeding 32°C in Paris, while Taiwan’s top men’s doubles player Ray Ho also reached the second round. Hsieh, who made it to the semi-finals in the mixed doubles at Roland Garros in 2024, and Wallner defeated Klepac and Glasspool 6-3, 7-5 in just more than an hour, converting three of five break points, while holding their opponents to just one conversion
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