MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014 SPORTS Roma return to the top

MILAN: Mattia Destro and Alessandro Florenzi hit one apiece for Roma in a 2-0 win over Cagliari that sent the Giallorossi to the top of thanks to superior goals difference yesterday. Champions Juventus had gone clear of the pack thanks to a 1-0 win over AC Milan on Saturday when Carlos Tevez’s 71st minute strike made the difference between the sides at a packed-out San Siro. However Roma, 5-1 winners over CSKA Moscow in midweek, continued their fine start to the season with a dominant performance in front of a sparse crowd at the Olympic Stadium. “We put the same ingredients into this game as we did in our meeting with CSKA in midweek, and it worked,” Roma coach Rudi Garcia told Sky Sports. “We had several players missing but we managed the game really well. We got early goals from Destro and Florenzi and we’ve yet to concede after three league games. “Winning today was very important. It has allowed us to pull three points ahead of Milan.” With Roma now back in the Champions League, Garcia rested Francesco Totti and Miralem Pjanic while Davide Astori, Juan Iturbe and Leandro Castan were all missing through injury. Garcia handed Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa his full debut, the France defender partnering GERMANY: Wolfsburg’s Danish forward Nicklas Bendtner (right) and Leverkusen’s Kostas Manolas at the heart of Roma’s defence Bosnian defender Emir Spahic vie for the ball during the German First Division with Ashley Cole and Maicon. Bundesliga football match. — AFP Cagliari, now coached by former Roma han- dler Zdenek Zeman, were looking for their first Wolfsburg thrash Leverkusen win of the campaign but from the early stages the Sardinians had their backs to the wall. BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen missed a chance who beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 thanks to After just 10 minutes Florenzi drew the to reclaim the lead in the Bundesliga yes- goals by Shinji Okazaki in the 66th and an Cagliari defence before rolling a low cross ITALY: Cagliari’s goalkeeper Alessio Cragno fights for the ball with AS Roma forward of Ivory terday, suffering a 4-1 loss at VfL Wolfsburg, own goal by Matthias Ginter in the 74th. towards the back post, where Destro, unmarked, Coast Gervinho during the Italian Serie A football match. — AFP meaning that promoted Paderborn’s magi- Hoffenheim are third with eight points fired past 20-year-old Serie A debutant Alessio Parma striker Jonathan Biabiany, who has been Brazilian defender Danilo slid in at the back post cal weekend continued by staying atop the after a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart with Cragno from close range. Two minutes later stopped from playing indefinitely after being to send Kalidou Koulibaly’s wayward header past Bundesliga. Ricardo Rodriguez scored two Anthony Modeste scoring after 15 minutes Roma were celebrating again, Seydou Keita diagnosed with a heart problem. ‘keeper Rafael Cabral. Napoli have dropped to goals and set up another as Wolfsburg and Tarik Elyounoussi adding a second in sighting Gervinho in space as Cagliari tried to Cassano, who himself underwent a heart sixth from bottom, with Andrea Stramaccioni’s handed Leverkusen their first defeat of the the 84th. Champions Bayern Munich were spring the offside trap. season and picked up their first victory. unable to get the better of a Hamburg operation in 2011, said: “Of course I dedicate my Udinese now up to fourth. Fiorentina also goals to Biabiany, who is someone I really care moved up the table thanks to a first win of the Leverkusen went a man down after just team under new coach Joe Zinnbauer play- HUGGED HIS GRANDMOTHER about. “I hope he can get back on his feet as campaign secured by Jasmin Kurtic’s 58th seven minutes after a red card for Giulio ing out a 0-0 draw in Hamburg. The Ivorian took possession and beat his soon as possible. I understand what he’s going minute strike away to Atalanta. In yestreday’s Donati, whose foul in the box resulted in The reigning champions also have eight marker before laying off for Florenzi to beat through.” Napoli’s stuttering season continued late games Palermo host Inter while Verona visit Rodriguez’s first goal in the eighth minute. points from four games but are sitting Cragno with a precise angled strike from the with a 1-0 defeat away to Udinese where Torino. — AFP Leverkusen, who came into the week- fourth. Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said his right of goal. Florenzi celebrated in some style, end as table-toppers, equalised in the 29th team struggled just days after a tough mid- jumping over a barrier and leaping into the minute through Josip Drmic but Vieirinha week battle against Manchester City. stands to hug his 82-year-old grandmother-and Italian Serie A results made it 2-1 after 45 minutes after a pass “After the Champions League match, it earning a yellow card for his trouble upon his from Rodriguez. was tough to play,” said Guardiola. “We return to the pitch. “She’d never been to the sta- The Swiss defender added a second goal have to keep on working hard.” Zinnbauer dium, and told me after watching an Italy game Chievo 2 (Izco 4, Paloschi 84) Parma 3 (Cassano 65, 77, Coda 75); Genoa 1 (Pinilla 87) Lazio 0; in the 63rd and Aaron Hunt added the was delighted with his point against that she’d come to see me play,” explained Roma 2 (Destro 11, Florenzi 13) Cagliari 0; Sassuolo 0, Sampdoria 0; Atalanta 0, Fiorentina 1 fourth in the 81st minute. “The whole thing Bayern. “Getting a point against Bayern is a Florenzi. “I promised that if she came and I (Kurtic 58); Udinese 1 (Danilo 70) Napoli 0. was too much for us,” said Leverkusen big story. The guys showed they were will- scored, I would go and give her a hug. So I had coach Roger Schmidt. ing to run, but there was more team spirit to keep my promise.” Played Saturday “They are a strong opponent, there was today. And the teams deserved to celebrate Elsewhere, Mauricio Pinilla struck three min- Cesena 2 (Marilungo 30, Defrel 32) Empoli 2 (Tavano 55-pen, Rugani 72) AC Milan 0 Juventus 1 an early red card and goal. And then the with their fans,” said Zinnbauer, whose utes from the end to hand Genoa a 1-0 home (Tevez 71). goal right before the half-time. It was just team was the first to keep Munich scoreless win over Lazio to give ’s side too much for my young team.” Leverkusen’s this season. Werder Bremen’s streak of com- their first win of the season. Italian Serie A table ahead of yesterday’s late games (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals seven points leave them fifth behind a ing back from deficits to collect points was Lazio dominated at the Luigi Ferraris stadium against, points): quartet of teams with eight points - one snapped as Augsburg won 4-2 at home. but failed to turn chances into goals and when Roma 3 3 0 0 5 0 9 Cesena 3 1 1 1 3 5 4 more than Schmidt’s side. Schalke’s struggles continued with a 2-2 Stefan de Vrij received a second yellow card for a Juventus 3 3 0 0 4 0 9 Lazio 3 1 0 2 4 4 3 The other Sunday match saw FC draw at home in a hot-headed clash handling offence the hosts capitalised on their AC Milan 3 2 0 1 8 6 6 Parma 3 1 02783 Cologne hold Borussia Moenchengladbach against Eintracht Frankfurt where two man advantage three minutes from time. Udinese 3 2 0 1 3 2 6 Chievo 3 1 0 2 3 4 3 to a scoreless draw at home - as both teams Schalke players and one Frankfurt player Sassuolo hosted high-flying Sampdoria look- Sampdoria 3 1 2 0 3 1 5 Napoli 3 1 0 2 2 3 3 moved to six points while Cologne have yet saw red. Schalke, still hunting a first win ing to make amends for a 7-0 whipping by Inter 2 1 1 0 7 0 4 Sassuolo 3 0 2 1 1 8 2 to concede a goal this season. this season, fell behind 2-0 at home after Milan last week and escaped with a point from a Verona 2 1 1 0 2 1 4 Palermo 2 0 1 1 2 3 1 The biggest winner of the weekend was just 24 minutes following goals from Alex scoreless draw. Earlier, hit a Atalanta 3 1 1 1 2 2 4 Torino 2 0 1 1 0 2 1 promoted Paderborn, who beat Hanover Meier and Marco Russ. brace for injury-hit Parma to help claim their first Genoa 3 1 1 1 2 2 4 Cagliari 3 0 1 2 2 5 1 96 2-0 on Saturday to take first place with But Eric Choupo-Moting pulled a goal win of the season with a 3-2 defeat of hosts Fiorentina 3 1 1 1 1 2 4 Empoli 3 0 1 2 2 5 1 eight points. Elias Kachunga scored in the back in the 40th minute on a penalty. And Chievo. Cassano dedicated his goals to fellow 71st minute for Paderborn and Moritz the German-born Cameroonian striker set Stoppelkamp added another after 93 min- up Julian Draxler’s equaliser in the 50th utes. Paderborn coach Andre Breitenreiter, minute. Kevin-Prince Boateng was sent off who saw his team win their first home after 61 minutes with his second warning, St. Etienne win at Lens match in the top flight, said: “We just want while Draxler followed 11 minutes later to keep collecting points to avoid relega- with a red card. PARIS: Saint-Etienne moved into third place in tion. Now we can go to Munich next week Frankfurt went a man down for the final Ligue 1 yesterday thanks to a goal eight minutes with confidence.” five minutes as Solodan Medojevic was from time by Fabien Lemoine for a valuable 1-0 The match also saw Stoppelkamp score shown his second yellow card. On Friday, win at Lens. from an estimated 83 metres out. “I didn’t Ronny scored his second goal six minutes Last season’s runners-up Monaco got some know that I could even shoot that far,” said into stoppage tie to save a 2-2 draw for welcome cheer after a dismal start to their cam- the goal scorer. In second are Mainz 05, Hertha Berlin at SC Freiburg. — AFP paign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Brittany side Guingamp while Lille and Montpellier bat- German League results/standings tled to a scoreless draw. In the final match yes- terday, champions Paris Saint-Germain host Lyon at the Parc des Princes in a bid to move VfL Wolfsburg 4 (Rodriguez 8-pen, 63, Vieirinha 45, Hunt 81) Bayer Leverkusen 1 alongside Lille on 12 points and one adrift of the (Drmic 29); FC Cologne 0, Borussia Moenchengladbach 0. leading trio. “It was a good week and good for the confi- Played Saturday dence,” said Saint-Etienne striker Mevlut Erding VfB Stuttgart 0, Hoffenheim 2 (Modeste 15, Elyounoussi 84); FC Augsburg 4 (Baier 14, following the team’s fourth win in six matches Verhaegh 45+3-pen, Werner 77, Matavz 90+3) Werder Bremen 2 (Selke 3, Di Santo 56- which took them to 13 points but behind pen); Hamburg 0, Bayern Munich 0; SC Paderborn 2(Kachunga 71, Stoppelkamp 90+3), Marseille and Bordeaux on goal difference. Hanover 96 0; Schalke 04 2 (Choupo-Moting 40, Draxler 50), Eintracht Frankfurt 2 “Physically, it was difficult especially with the (Meier 15, Russ 24); Mainz 05 2 (Okazaki 66, Ginter 74-og) Borussia Dortmund 0. travelling but we didn’t have time to worry about it,” added Erding in reference to the club’s Played Friday Europa League trip to Azerbaijan in midweek. SC Freiburg 2 (Kempf 30, Klaus 79) Hertha Berlin 2 (Ronny 36, 90+6) “We knew in the second half we had to be solid at the back and then wait for weaknesses in German league table after yesterday’s early match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, our opponent.” At the Louis II stadium on the goals against, points): Cote d’Azur, former Sporting Lisbon coach SC Paderborn 4 2 2 0 7 2 8 Borussia Dortmund 4 2 0 2 6 7 6 Leonardo Jardim guided Monaco to their second Mainz 05 4 2 2 0 7 3 8 VfL Wolfsburg 4 1 2 1 8 6 5 win in six days thanks a goal seven minutes Hoffenheim 4 2 2 0 6 2 8 Eintracht Frankfurt 4 1 2 1 5 5 5 before half-time from Nabil Dirar. The team, who Bayern Munich 4 2 2 0 5 2 8 Werder Bremen 4 0 3 1 8 10 3 celebrated their return to European football Bayer Leverkusen 4 2 1 1 10 9 7 SC Freiburg 4 0 2 2 3 6 2 after almost a decade with a 1-0 win over Hanover 4 2 1 1 4 3 7 Hertha Berlin 4 0 2 2 7 11 2 Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen in midweek Moenchengladbach 4 1 3 0 5 2 6 Schalke 04 4 0 2 2 5 9 2 Champions League action, picked up maximum FC Cologne 4 1 3 0 2 0 6 Hamburg 4 0 2 2 0 5 2 points in the league for only the second time FC Augsburg 4 2 0 2 7 7 6 VfB Stuttgart 4 0 1 3 1 7 1 this season. They are now up to 15th with a FRANCE: Saint Etienne’s French midfielder Fabien Lemoine (left) vies with Lens French mide- return of seven points from six matches. —AFP fielder Wylan Cyprien during the French League football match. — AFP Celtic rescue point at Motherwell

GLASGOW: Celtic needed a second half Twardzik earned his side a point that leaves come here and tried to be open and take the round the post before Twardzik made a middle. The Hoops took confidence from the penalty from substitute Kris Commons to res- Celtic in fourth place, five points behind lead- game to them and been beaten two or three superb save to keep out a Virgil van Dijk head- goal and McGregor fired an effort wide before cue a point in a 1-1 draw with Motherwell as ers Dundee United who thrashed rivals nil. er from close range. Twardzik pulled off a superb save to stop the their stuttering start to the season continued. Dundee 4-1 earlier yesterday. “I thought, especially in the first half, we Commons, along with club captain Brown, midfielder’s shot that had taken a wicked The Hoops dominated early possession It was not the 39th birthday present man- carried a threat. Obviously in the second half came off the bench for the second half and he deflection. but it was Motherwell who took a 19th ager Deila would have wanted and leaves him we were camped in a lot but I thought we had almost made an instant impact when he Elsewhere, Dundee’s unbeaten start to the minute lead when John Sutton volleyed with just five wins from his first 13 matches in some outstanding performances.” forced Twardzik into a good save to stop his season came to an emphatic end with a 4-1 home Josh Law’s cross from close range. charge of the Scottish champions. It was Motherwell who opened the scoring low drive. The Motherwell keeper then denied defeat at home to city rivals United. Mario The English striker should have had anoth- “I’m not happy with the result. We wanted in the 19th minute following a rare foray for- Callum McGregor as he pushed away a fierce Bilate’s penalty gave United a 25th minute lead er minutes later but somehow sliced his effort to win the match and I think we deserved it in ward. Sutton started and finished the move as strike from the midfielder before on-loan before Ryan Dow doubled their advantage just wide from four yards out. Ronny Deila had the end but we made it so difficult for our- he laid the ball off to Law whose low cross Manchester City striker John Guidetti fired an after the break. Headers from Callum Morris handed a host of first team stars a rest follow- selves as the first half was so poor,” the Celtic found the striker in the six-yard box where he Emilio Izaguirre cross into the side netting. and Keith Watson completed the scoring for ing their Europa League exertions away to manager said. volleyed past Lukasz Zaluska. Celtic were containing Motherwell in their United. Things got worse for the home side Salzburg on Thursday but brought captain “I think in the second half we had two Sutton somehow missed a golden chance own half and finally got on level terms thanks when Thomas Konrad was sent off in the 90th Scott Brown and Commons off the bench at good subs coming on who brought energy to fire his side two in front in the 27th minute. a 68th minute penalty from Commons. minute for a second bookable offence before the break. The pair combined to haul Celtic into the game and I think we played quite Keith Lasley’s cross found the striker Referee Brian Colvin pointed to the spot Greg Stewart scored a consolation goal in the back on level terms as Brown won a 68th well.” Motherwell manager Stuart McCall was unmarked but the Englishman managed to after Brown’s surging run into the box had third minute of stoppage time. However, that minute penalty that Commons converted. delighted to end a nine match losing streak at slice his effort wide from four yards out. been abruptly ended by Motherwell defender wasn’t enough to stop United moving to the Celtic continued to push for a winner but a Celtic Park. “We came with a plan to try and Beram Kayal was inches away from hauling Law and Commons converted the spot-kick, top of the table on goal difference from series of saves by Motherwell keeper Dan frustrate Celtic. You can’t be too open as we’ve Celtic level when he sent a low shot curling drilling his left-footed effort straight down the Inverness Caledonian Thistle. — AFP