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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014 SPORTS Preview Nervy Inter face Sampdoria MILAN: Inter coach Walter Mazzarri ously we will find the best coach for is not yet off the hook, despite Inter.” Inter’s three previous league Sunday’s win over Cesena, and faces games were a 4-1 home defeat to one of the men touted to replace Cagliari, a 3-0 loss to goal-shy when his side host unbeaten Fiorentina and a 2-2 draw with Sampdoria tomorrow. Napoli, and Mazzarri said the players There is widespread speculation clearly felt the pressure on Sunday. over Mazzarri’s future and the names “We really needed this win,” said the of Sampdoria coach Sinisa irascible former midfielder, adding Mihajlovic, Udinese’s Andrea that he would rather have played the Stramaccioni and former Everton whole match against eleven men. and Manchester United boss David “I know they were desperate to Moyes have all been churned up by win and prove themselves, but at the rumour mill as possible replace- times you have to be calmer and ments. take your time and make the right Sunday’s controversial 1-0 win at decision. Cesena, where Inter were helped by “We could have had tried more a first-half penalty and the sending long-range shots but they some- off of rival goalkeeper Nicola Leali, times seemed determined to walk it lifted some of the pressure but into the net.” “If Thohir wants me to Mazzarri’s respite did not last long. stay, that’s fine, if not, I’ll be on my Shortly after the win, Inter president way,” he added. “That’s how it’s Erick Thohir told media in his native always been in football.” Indonesia that he was still mulling Inter are joint eighth alongside the coach’s situation. Genoa with 12 points from eight “We have to be fair to the coach. games while Sampdoria are joint We’ll see in the next two games, third with 16. Genoa host leaders and although changing the coach is not defending champions Juventus, who ITALY: Inter Milan’s forward from Argentina Rodrigo Palacio (left) fights for the ball in this file photo. —AFP a good solution,” he was quoted as have dropped only two points, while saying. AS Roma, who are three points “We’d like to give him the oppor- behind in second, entertain promot- tunity first. There have been lots of ed Cesena in two of tomorrow’s oth- Hat-trick for Higuain, rumours about coaches, and obvi- er games. —Reuters stormy win for Inter Benfica lose first MILAN: Gonzalo Higuain burst into life by scor- Milan’s 1-1 draw at home to Fiorentina. from Cesena goalkeeper Nicola Leali, although ing a hat-trick in the final half hour, his first Seventh-placed Napoli, who have 14 points replays suggested the Argentine began his fall league match league goals of the season, to help Rafael from eight games, went into their game under before any contact was made. Benitez’s erratic Napoli thrash Verona 6-2 in Serie more pressure following a 2-0 Europa League Amid furious protests, Leali was sent off, Inter LISBON: Portuguese championship troversial Champions League loss to A on Sunday. defeat at Young Boys on Thursday when fans awarded a penalty and Mauro Icardi beat leaders Benfica lost their first match of Schalke 04 to beat Maritimo 4-2, hav- Troubled Inter Milan scrambled a 1-0 win at waited outside the stadium to protest as the replacement goalkeeper Federico Agliardi from the season in the league in a 2-1 defeat ing stormed to a 3-0 halftime lead. Cesena thanks to a controversial first-half penal- team bus left the ground. the spot. ty and sending-off and leaders Juventus put The hosts could not have made a worse start The gallant Sea Horses nearly levelled before at Braga on Sunday. Patrick Bauer diverted Andre their European problems behind them with a when Emil Hallfredsson volleyed Verona ahead halftime but were repeatedly caught on the Brazilian Anderson Talisca, 20, put Carillo’s cross into his own goal after comfortable 2-0 win at home to a tame Palermo. in the first minute but Napoli responded well, break in the second half. The win was a huge Benfica ahead after two minutes with eight minutes, Joao Mario turned in Elsewhere, thirty-seven-year old Antonio Di took control and were rewarded when Marek relief for Inter coach Walter Mazzarri, under his seventh goal this term but Braga Nani’s low cross after 15 minutes and Natale scored his fifth goal of the season, an Hamsik equalised just before halftime. intense pressure after three-goal defeats to levelled when Eder finished off a Paulo Oliveira headed home a Nani exquisite curled effort, and Cyril Thereau was Cagliari and Fiorentina and a draw with Napoli, counter-attack before the half-hour. corner just before halftime. Maritimo’s also on target in Udinese’s 2-0 home win over FURIOUS PROTESTS and left his side in eighth place on 12 points. Salvador Agra got Braga’s winner in Niger forward Moussa Maazou scored Atalanta which left them joint third with The Slovakian pounced again to give Napoli a Midfielder Arturo Vidal and forward Fernando the 81st minute and they held on twice in five minutes early in the sec- Sampdoria on 16 points. 57th-minute lead and, although Nicolas Lopez Llorente, with his first goal of the season, scored despite having Danilo sent off in stop- ond half, taking his league tally to sev- Chile forward Mauricio Pinilla missed a sec- levelled, it was the cue for Higuain to spring into in each half to give titleholders Juventus their page time. Benfica, with 19 points from en, to pull the Madeira side back into ond-half penalty but then scored an 84th- action. 23rd successive home win in the league. minute winner as Genoa beat Chievo 2-1, hand- The Argentine intercepted a back pass by Juventus, who lost their last two Champions eight games, saw their lead cut to one the game. ing the home team’s new coach Rolando Maran Panagiotis Tachtsidis to open his account, League games to Atletico Madrid and point after rivals Porto won 5-0 at But Colombia forward Fredy a losing start. tapped in Raul Albiol’s pass for his second and Olympiakos, faced no such problems against the Arouca on Saturday. Monteiro gave Sporting some breath- Ex-Germany forward Miroslav Klose gave then converted a penalty, with Jose Callejon harmless Sicilians as they enjoyed 65 percent of Porto’s Colombia forward Jackson ing space when he controlled Adrien’s Lazio a 2-1 win over Torino in Rome, his first goal scoring the fourth in between. Inter’s win hinged the possession. They lead with 22 points, three Martinez scored twice, while his com- pass on his chest and scored with a of the season, and Fernando Torres started on on the 30th-minute incident when Inter forward ahead of AS Roma who drew 0-0 at Sampdoria patriot Juan Quintero, Casemiro and shot on the turn. the bench, coming on in the 80th minute, in AC Rodrigo Palacio went down under a challenge on Saturday. —Reuters Vincent Aboubakar shared the other “We had losses of concentration goals. which we cannot afford to have and Vitoria Guimaraes are third with 17 which allowed Maritimo to score two points after Joao Afonso gave them a goals,” said Sporting coach Marco Silva. Lyon defeat Marseille 1-0 win at Vitoria Setubal on Friday. “It’s a lesson for us, we can’t go to sleep Fourth-placed Sporting Lisbon, on 16 when we have a comfortable advan- points, bounced back from their con- tage.—Reuters PARIS: Midfielder Yoann Gourcuff The win moves Lyon above Saint- technique to go to do great things. up Eduardo for his fourth in the scored his third goal in two games Etienne on goal difference. He’s 25 years old and he’s still 51st, and he got his fifth of a mem- as third-place Lyon beat Marseille Earlier, winger Max-Alain Gradel young, so he still has a lot of room orable match in the 65th when he 1-0 on Sunday, ending the French scored late in the second half as for improvement.” fired emphatically past Lossl from league leader’s bid to win a club Saint-Etienne beat resilient Metz 1- Last-place Guingamp took the just inside the penalty area, after record ninth straight league game. 0, while Brazilian midfielder Carlos lead against seventh-place Nice being set up by Belgian midfielder Gourcuff, once hailed as the Eduardo scored five goals in an through midfielder Claudio Julien Vercauteren. Eduardo, who natural successor to famed France astonishing individual perform- Beauvue’s diving header in the is on loan from Portuguese side midfielder Zinedine Zidane, has ance as Nice won 7-2 away to eighth minute. Porto, almost completed a double been beset by loss of form and Guingamp. Gradel pounced in the Eduardo replied four minute hat trick with a late header that injuries since joining Lyon four 74th minute with an acrobatic fin- later with a powerful free kick into went just wide. Ntep also distin- years ago. ish after Ricky Van Wolfswinkel the top left corner, and side-footed guished himself. But he followed up his brace headed the ball into his path. home from midfielder Didier First, he received the ball against Montpellier last weekend Earlier, striker Habib Habibou Digard’s pass to make it 2-1 in the behind the halfway line on the with an accomplished finish in the and midfielder Abdoulaye 26th.