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27 Sports Monday, January 28, 2019 Napoli draw blank in Milan amid heightened security Quagliarella equal Gabriel Batistuta’s record of scoring in 11 consecutive Serie A games MILAN: Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli settled for a point in a be overtaken by Roma who play Atalanta. goalless draw amid high security at AC Milan on “Napoli are an opponent who always keep you on Saturday as evergreen Sampdoria forward Fabio your toes and had all their forwards out there today,” Quagliarella equalled a Serie A record by scoring in 11 said Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso. “We began to get consecutive games. stretched out in the second half and were struggling Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly returned from with fatigue, but I am happy with a good point.” the two-match ban he received a month ago after being targeted by racist chanting by Inter Milan fans at the Quagliarella keeps scoring same San Siro stadium. Earlier, Sampdoria forward Quagliarella bagged a Anti-riot police took up positions around the San brace to equal Gabriel Batistuta’s record of scoring in Siro as part of stringent security measures Saturday, 11 consecutive Serie A games, in a 4-0 win over but the match took place without incident apart from Udinese. Quagliarella, who turns 36 next week, matched some anti-Neapolitan songs beforehand. the mark after converting a penalty after 31 minutes, Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne also returned from suspen- and added a second, again from the spot, on 56 min- sion and formed a four-man attacking line-up along utes. The evergreen forward also had a role in the other with Dries Mertens, Arkadiusz Milik and Jose Callejon. two goals-in the build-up to Karol Linetty’s third on 68 “It was a totally different atmosphere and this is what minutes, and the decisive cross for Manolo Gabbiadini we want to see in the stands. I applaud all the fans,” to tap in ten minutes later. “I’m speechless, just naming said Ancelotti. Batistuta gives me goosebumps,” said Quagliarella. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said it had “I kept thinking with every game that the run would been the right decision not to limit ticket sales or surely be interrupted, but it kept going.” Batistuta access to the stadium. “Happy that #MilanNapoli was scored at least one goal per game in the opening 11 played nice and quiet, outside and inside the stadium,” games of the season in 1994-1995 for Fiorentina. The tweeted Salvini, a passionate AC Milan fan. Argentine went on to finish the campaign as the top On the pitch most of the action occurred in the final scorer with 26 goals. Quagliarella has had one of the half an hour. Napoli finished with ten men after Fabian best seasons of his career with Sampdoria. He has Ruiz received a second yellow card in injury time for a scored 14 goals in his 11-match run for a total of 16 this disputed handball, with Ancelotti banished from the season, to go top of the Serie A scorers ahead of sidelines for swearing. Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo (14). Both goalkeepers pulled off saves with Gianluigi The 25-times capped Italian international scored a Donnarumma denying Napoli’s Callejon after six min- career best 19 goals last season. Sampdoria moved up utes, and David Ospina saving a point-blank Mateo to sixth, the final Europa League berth, and just two Musacchio volley. The two sides meet again in Milan on points off the Champions League places. Sassuolo Tuesday in a Coppa Italia game. Second-placed Napoli shrugged off the shock departure of Kevin-Prince stay eight points behind champions Juventus who travel Boateng to Barcelona by ending their four-month home MILAN: Napoli’s Spanish defender Raul Albiol (L) attempts to tackles AC Milan’s Polish forward Krzysztof Piatek (R) to Lazio on Sunday, while Milan, in fourth, missed a win drought with a 3-0 success over Cagliari, keeping during the Italian Serie A football match AC Milan vs Napoli on Saturday at the San Siro stadium in Milan. — AFP chance to close the gap on city rivals Inter, and could their Europa League push alive. — AFP players will be daring to dream. Advantage Iran at But a new-look Japan side will be no pushovers as they look to extend their 10-game unbeaten run under Hajime Moriyasu. “We need to be at it from the start,” Asian Cup as ‘big said Japan captain Maya Yoshida after the Blue Samurai Monaco plight beat Vietnam 1-0 thanks to a VAR-assisted penalty- sharks’ lack bite their fifth straight victory by a single-goal margin. “If we can’t get on the front foot early on, we’re not persists in wake going to win.” Iran have hit 12 goals in their five games- ABU DHABI: Iran coach Carlos Queiroz warned of four of them scored by the “Iranian Messi” Sardar of Henry exit toothy predators after reaching the Asian Cup semi- Azmoun-and conceded none. But the Japanese, who finals, but the shock exits of South Korea and Australia were only denied a World Cup quarter-final spot by an suddenly make “Team Melli” clear title favourites. astonishing Belgian comeback from two goals down, PARIS: Monaco suffered another damaging defeat First though they have the little matter of overcom- have defied the odds at previous Asian Cups. as they lost 2-0 at Dijon in Ligue 1 on Saturday, ing four-time winners Japan today-a tasty “amuse- just 24 hours after reappointing former boss bouche” before hosts United Arab Emirates square up HOSTILE CROWDS Iran’s coach Carlos Queiroz Leonardo Jardim to take over from the sacked to Qatar 24 hours later in a clash bristling with political Qatar’s run to their first semi-final is all the more Thierry Henry. tension. remarkable given the hostility shown towards them Former France and Arsenal star Henry was sus- Under heavy pressure to win Asian football’s most from local crowds over the Gulf blockade of the tiny, hosted the Asian Cup in 1996, have enjoyed consider- pended and later axed by Monaco after just two coveted prize for the first time since 1976, Iran have energy-rich state. After ambushing South Korea, Felix able fortune along the way. wins in the league since his arrival in October. swept imperiously through the tournament as some of Sanchez’s side-like Iran yet to be breached defensively- Disputed late penalties earned the Emiratis a point Jardim, who led Monaco to the French title in 2017, their most feared rivals have faltered. “We know the big will back themselves to beat the Emirates and silence against Bahrain in the tournament curtain-raiser and a is returning to the club only three months after he sharks will come for us,” said Queiroz after Iran the haters in Abu Dhabi. 3-2 extra-time win over Kyrgyzstan in the last 16. But was dismissed following a dreadful start to the thrashed China 3-0 in the quarter-finals, pointing to the Sudan-born striker Almoez Ali, who needs one more UAE coach Alberto Zaccheroni backed the 2015 semi- season. Koreans, Japan and Australia-two of whom ultimately goal to equal Ali Daei’s 1996 record of eight in a single finalists to cope with Qatar’s offensive threat. His first game back in charge will be tomorrow’s lacked the bite to match the hype. Asian Cup, warned that Qatar were hungry to get to “Beating one of Asia’s top teams in Australia will give League Cup semi-final against Guingamp, as “What we did against China will not be enough.” the final on February 1. our players great confidence,” said the Italian, who Henry’s former assistant Franck Passi oversaw the After Son Heung-min’s South Korea were stunned 1-0 “We’re proud of what we have achieved,” he said. steered Japan to a record fourth title in 2011. “My play- trip to fellow strugglers Dijon. The abject nature of by 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar and UAE upset “But we’re not planning to stop at the semi-finals-we ers are an honest bunch who will be hugely motivated this latest defeat further emphasised Monaco’s defending champions Australia by the same score, Iran’s want to go further.” UAE, runners-up the last time they to go further.” — AFP perilous position in the table where they remain second from bottom, a point above last-placed Guingamp. Wimbledon shock “We’re giving everything but it’s not enough,” said Monaco captain Radamel Falcao. “Each player has to continue to give more, all of us together. West Ham, Millwall We’re all in the same boat. “We didn’t manage to change things with Thierry Henry and now we stun Everton in FA Cup must carry on with a better spirit and all fight together.” Dijon’s Kwon Chang-hoon notched his first LONDON: AFC Wimbledon revived memories of their league goal since May, having recently returned Crazy Gang heyday as they knocked Premier League West from an Achilles injury, with a calm finish on 24 Ham out of the FA Cup with a 4-2 win in the fourth round on minutes after a static Naldo played the South Saturday. Wimbledon may be bottom of League One, and 58 Korean onside. places adrift of the Hammers, but that didn’t stop them being Monaco were reduced to 10 men on the hour 3-0 up early in the second half, with Scott Wagstaff scoring when Brazilian Naldo saw red for a clumsy chal- twice after Kwesi Appiah’s opener.