Sports

Osimhen Keeps Napoli Top Of Pile

Published

3 years ago

October 17, 2022

Victor Osimhen made sure that Napoli kept hold of their Serie A lead on Sunday with the winning goal in a 3-2 victory over Bologna which took their all-competitions winning streak to 10 matches.

Nigeria striker Osimhen struck in the 69th minute to secure the win for unbeaten Napoli, who maintained their two-point lead on Atalanta at the top of the pile.

It was his first league goal since August after helping his team to secure qualification to the Champions League last 16 with a midweek strike in Naples against Ajax.

“It’s always important for me to get a goal in this stadium because the atmosphere is really amazing,” said Osimhen to DAZN.

“I’m happy to be able to help the team with this goal and the victory, and I believe we will continue to push with this momentum.”

However Sunday’s win was far from the swashbuckling display expected against Bologna, who sit 17th but come away from the Stadio Maradona with credit after a fine performance without star man Marko Arnautovic.

The hosts looked to be heading for a routine win once Hirving Lozano put them ahead three minutes after half-time.

They had gone into the break level thanks to Juan Jesus bundling in his first goal of the season in final minute of the half, just four minutes after Joshua Zirkzee had give Bologna a shock lead.

However Alex Meret allowed Musa Barrow to level for Bologna just two minutes after Lozano’s arrowed strike with a howler, letting the Gambian’s long-range shot squeeze under his body.

The home crowd squirmed but Osimhen, who replaced Giacomo Raspadori at half-time, forced his third league goal of the campaign under Lukasz Skorupski from the superb Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s pass to send the fans home drained but happy.

– Tonali saves Milan –

AC Milan gave their title defence a boost with a 2-1 win at Verona which bumped them up to third, three points behind Napoli.

Sandro Tonali poked in the champions’ winner with nine minutes remaining, his first goal of the season and one which saved Stefano Pioli’s injury-ravaged team from falling further off the pace.

Verona were playing their first match under new coach Salvatore Bocchetti who was promoted from the youth team following the sacking of Gabriele Cioffi.

The hosts could easily have taken more from the match as, after Koray Gunter levelled a Miguel Veloso own goal in the 19th minute, they caused Milan serious problems and struck the bar through Roberto Piccoli 11 minutes after the break.

Bocchetti’s team went close to levelling for the second time in the match in the final minutes when a goalmouth scramble led to Tommaso Pobega nearly giving away a penalty for handball.

But a fifth straight defeat means they stay in the bottom three, two points behind Bologna.

– Inter revival continues –
On a high from Wednesday night’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Barcelona, Inter Milan saw off Salernitana 2-0 at the San Siro thanks to goals either side of half-time from Lautaro Martinez and Nicolo Barella.

Three wins from their last four matches, including four points taken from Barca, have got Inter’s domestic season back on track and put them one win away from the last 16 of the Champions League.

Simone Inzaghi’s side are up to seventh after their second straight league win and trail Napoli by eight points.

Maurizio Sarri said Lazio should “look for another coach” after being outraged by the state of the Stadio Olimpico pitch during his team’s goalless draw with fellow in-form side Udinese.

Sarri said that the pitch, which has also been criticised Jose Mourinho whose team Roma play at the same stadium, was “impossible to play on” despite both teams putting on an engaging spectacle for the 45,000 present in Rome.

Sarri also lost Ciro Immobile to a thigh injury on the half-hour mark and fourth-placed Lazio can be overtaken by local rivals Roma if they beat Sampdoria on Monday.

AFP

Sports

Arsenal Release Names Of 20 Players To Be Offloaded This Summer [Full List]

Published

4 days ago

June 4, 2025

Editor

Arsenal release names of 20 players to be offloaded this summer [Full list]
Arsenal have released the names of 20 players set to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer following the expiration of their contracts on June 30.

The list includes individuals from the men’s senior team, under-21s, under-18s, and the women’s squad. These departures are part of the club’s annual end-of-season review and include players who have represented Arsenal across various levels.

Full List of Departing Players

Nathan Butler-Oyedeji
Reece Clairmont
Khayon Edwards
Jakai Fisher
Romari Forde
Teyah Goldie
Jimi Gower
Jack Henry-Francis
Lina Hurtig
Amanda Ilestedt
Jorginho
Max Kuczynski
Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand
Ismail Oulad M’Hand
Neto
Brian Okonkwo
Elian Quesada-Thorn
Zacariah Shuaib
Raheem Sterling
Kieran Tierney

While many of the exits from the women’s team had been previously confirmed, this update provides a full overview of all players moving on.

Arsenal noted that the contracts of Chloe Kelly, Thomas Partey, and Michal Rosiak are due to expire in June 2025.

However, the club revealed that discussions are ongoing with these players, and further updates will be provided once decisions have been finalised.

Sports

Man City Agree Fee With AC Milan For Midfielder Reijnders

Published

4 days ago

June 4, 2025

Editor

Manchester City have agreed a deal with AC Milan for Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders — their first major signing of the summer transfer window, reports said Wednesday.

The deposed Premier League champions are set to pay 55 million euros ($63 million) for the 26-year-old, who is understood to have agreed a five-year contract, with the formalities yet to be finalised.

City hope to complete the deal for the Netherlands international in time for the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, which kicks off on June 14.

Sports

Messi, Inter Miami Fight Back For 3-3 Draw At Philadelphia

Published

2 weeks ago

May 25, 2025

Editor

Inter Miami fought back from 3-1 down to grab a 3-3 draw at MLS Eastern Conference leaders the Philadelphia Union on Saturday thanks to a stoppage-time leveller from substitute Telasco Segovia.

Israeli forward Tai Baribo scored twice for Philadelphia to give them the two goal advantage but Lionel Messi gave Miami hope with an 87th-minute free-kick before Venezuelan Segovia dramatically grabbed the point.

Quinn Sullivan, called up this week by Mauricio Pochettino to the US national team squad, fired Philadelphia ahead in the seventh minute with a sweet strike after Miami’s defence had failed to close down.

Baribo made it 2-0 with an instinctive finish in the 44th minute as Miami’s defensive troubles continued.

The visitors got a foothold in the game in the 60th minute when Noah Allen floated in a cross from the left which was met by a firm header from Argentine Tadeo Allende.

But Philadelphia restored their two-goal cushion when, from a long throw, Miami were unable to clear and Jean-Jacques Danley pounced on the loose ball and Baribo fired home.

Messi beat Union keeper Andrew Rick with a characteristically well driven free-kick for his sixth goal of the season three minutes from the end of regulation time to set up a frantic finale.

Jovan Lukic hit the bar from inside the box early in stoppage time as Philly looked to wrap-up the win but they were left crestfallen in the fifth minute of stoppage time when, after good work from Messi, Segovia pounced and blasted home.

There was still time for one more chance but an unmarked Danley, who had an outstanding game in midfield, somehow headed wide from close range.

While the result was a welcome sign of character from Miami, they remain with just one win in their past eight games in all competitions having conceded 23 goals.

Javier Mascherano’s side are sixth in the Eastern Conference and the former Barcelona and Argentina midfielder praised his team’s response.

“We showed character, personality. It was another difficult start of the game for us because in the beginning we conceded the goal… but the guys showed they want want to fight to get out of this situation,” said the Miami coach.

“We are in a bad trend, but with a lot of spirit to come back to be the team we were at the beginning of the season,” he added before demanding better from his back line.

“We cannot concede every single corner kick and every single throw in and give opponents opportunities to score… we need to be more focused in those situations,” Mascherano said.

USA forward Patrick Agyemang had scored twice for Dean Smith’s Charlotte but Malte Amundsen looked to have earned the Columbus Crew a point before Spaniard Pep Biel grabbed a 75th-minute winner for a 3-2 triumph.

Mexican star Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano’s stoppage-time header earned San Diego a 2-1 victory over the winless defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy.

Former Arsenal and France striker Olivier Giroud’s 77th-minute goal earned Los Angeles FC a 2-2 draw at Montreal while Duncan McGuire’s first league goal of the season gave Orlando a 1-0 victory over the Portland Timbers.

Argentine Max Urruti’s 84th-minute goal gave the New England Revolution a 3-3 draw at Sporting Kansas City after the visitors had let an early 2-0 lead slip.