COPPA ITALIA
Dallinga scores brace
A Thijs Dallinga double on Tuesday helped Bologna to a 3-0 win against Empoli in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final as the visitors remained on course to end their more than 50-year wait to lift the trophy. The relegation-threatened hosts were outclassed by UEFA Champions League-chasing Bologna, who took the lead in the 23rd minute when Jens Odgaard crossed from the left to find Riccardo Orsolini unmarked. The visitors doubled their advantage six minutes later with Dallinga tucking away a perfect through-ball from Dan Ndoye and six minutes after the interval the pair combined again with Dallinga sliding in to finish off Ndoye’s pass across goal.
Photo: Reuters
COUPE DE FRANCE
PSG avoid upset
Paris Saint-Germain avoided a huge upset on Tuesday when they rallied from two goals down to beat second-tier USL Dunkerque 4-2 and reach the Coupe de France final. It seemed a mismatch between unbeaten Ligue 1 leaders PSG and Dunkerque, who are fifth in Ligue 2, but PSG’s fourth goal only came deep into stoppage-time and on the counterattack with Dunkerque pushing hard for an equalizer. The final is scheduled for May 24, with the other semi-final — to be played after press time last night — between AS Cannes and Stade de Rennais.
Photo: AFP
BUNDESLIGA
Supporters buy stake
St Pauli supporters have raised more than 27 million euros (US$29.1 million) for a majority stake in the club’s stadium after taking part in German soccer’s first fan cooperative, the Hamburg-based club said on Tuesday. More than 21,000 people joined the fundraising cooperative after its near five-month subscription period ended at a minute to midnight the night before, the club said. St Pauli said there had been a “huge rush” of people buying shares to be part-owners of the Millerntor Stadium in the final hours. They each spent 850 euros for each share they bought, with 100 euros of that going on fees and contributions. Each purchase entered the buyer in a draw for prizes including a dinner with team captain Jackson Irvine, VIP packages, signed jerseys and more.
ARGENTINA
Maradona’s heart explained
Experts involved in Diego Maradona’s autopsy on Tuesday testified at the trial of seven health professionals accused of negligent homicide that the star had an abnormally large heart, suffered from cirrhosis and showed no traces of alcohol or drugs at the time of is death. Forensic expert Alejandro Ezequiel Vega told the court that Maradona’s heart was “enlarged” and weighed about 503g, when the average weight is between 250g and 300g. Maradona, who led Argentina to the World Cup title in 1986, died on Nov. 25, 2020. He was 60. Vega said that the examination of Maradona’s heart showed that the former star had “ischemia,” with “lack of blood flow and oxygen.” The autopsy concluded that Maradona died of acute pulmonary edema secondary to congestive heart failure.
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
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