27 Sports Tuesday, September 17, 2019 Atalanta, Roma back winning as Lazio fall in Serie A Bologna moved second after gutsy 4-3 comeback win over promoted Brescia

MILAN: Duvan Zapata struck late as Atalanta warmed up “Defensively it was our best performance so far.” Lazio for their Champions League debut with a last-gasp 2-1 suffered their first defeat this season as they paid for their victory over Genoa in Serie A on Sunday as Roma got complacency following Ciro Immobile’s 17th-minute their first win this season against Sassuolo, but city rival’s penalty against SPAL, losing 2-1. Lazio fell at SPAL. An Andrea Petagna volley just after the hour mark in Colombian international Zapata rifled in the winner on Ferrara and Jasmin Kurtic’s late winner sealed all three 95 minutes in Genoa to seal all three points for Atalanta points for SPAL. The Romans are ninth with four points who qualified for the Champions League by finishing third from three games. last season, but lost last week to Torino. Bologna moved second after a gutsy 4-3 comeback win Colombian striker Muriel’s 64th-minute penalty had put over promoted Brescia, inspired by coach Sinisa the Bergamo side ahead in western Italy but Genoa cap- Mihajlovic who gave instructions from hospital as he tain Domenico Criscito levelled from the spot after 91 min- undergoes chemotherapy. “At the end of the first half we utes. Zapata had the final say to give Gian Piero heard Mihajlovic’s anger on the phone and this shook us,” Gasperini’s side, who are sixth, a confidence boost as they said Bologna forward Rodrigo Palacio. “We talked to him travel to Dinamo Zagreb for their first ever Champions before the game, for us it is very important and we miss League game next week. AC Milan are just behind him. We play like this thanks to his mentality.” Atalanta, also with six points, after Polish striker Krzysztof Sunday’s game was the first the 50-year-old Mihajlovic Piatek got back scoring with a 68th-minute penalty in a has missed despite his condition. A quick-fire Alfredo hard-fought 1-0 victory over 10-man Verona. Donnarumma double saw Brescia — playing their first Roma are just behind in eighth after new coach Paulo home match in eight years — lead after 19 minutes. Fonseca got his first win , a 4-2 defeat of Sassuolo, for the Mattia Bani headed Bologna back into the game on 36 capital side. The hosts were four goals up at the break minutes, with the visitors trailing 3-1 before Brescia were after Bryan Cristante, Edin Dzeko, Henrikh Mikhitaryan hit by Daniele Dessena’s sending off for a second yellow and Justin Kluivert all found the net in a 21-minute spell card just after the break. with Lorenzo Pellegrini providing three assists. Bologna came back with goals from Palacio on 56 min- But Domenico Berardi’s brace for Sassuolo on 53 and utes, Stefano Denswil four minutes later and a Riccardo 72 minutes rattled the hosts who are back in the Stadio Orsolini winner 10 minutes from time. Mihajlovic’s side, Olimpico during the week for Europa League action who finished 10th last season, are now two points behind against Istanbul Basaksehir. Inter Milan ad ahead of champions Juventus on goal dif- “I hope that this will be the first of a lot of victories,” ference after three games. Torino, who have maximum said Portuguese Fonseca. “I realised that I had to adapt to points after two games, can move ahead on Monday when the dynamics of the Italian championship. “Today we they host promoted Lecce. Cagliari meanwhile won 3-1 at showed our ability to press high, and while we scored four Parma in a game where there were 12 minutes of extra time ROME: Sassuolo’s Romanian defender Vlad Chiriches (bottom) tackles AS Roma’s Bosnian forward Edin goals it could have been seven or eight. following a lengthy VAR review. — AFP Dzeko during the Italian Serie A football match AS Roma vs Sassuolo at the Olympic stadium in Rome. — AFP

David de Gea signs new deal at Man Utd Klopp expects

LONDON: David de Gea has signed a new long-term daunting ride as contract with Manchester United, the Premier League club announced yesterday, ending months of specula- tion over his future. The 28-year-old, who had been Liverpool eye linked with a return to Spain with Real Madrid for several seasons, has put pen to paper on a new four- Istanbul return year deal. “David de Gea has signed a new long-term contract with Manchester United, keeping him at the LONDON: Jurgen Klopp has warned Liverpool that club until at least June 2023,” United said on their retaining the Champions League will be even harder official website. “There is an option to extend for a than their incredible march to victory in Madrid last further year.” season. Klopp’s side start their bid to win a seventh Former manager Alex Ferguson brought De Gea to European Cup with a trip to Napoli for their Group E the club from Atletico Madrid in 2011 in an £18.9 mil- opener today. The Reds have reached the last two lion ($23 million) deal and he has since made 367 Champions League finals, beating Tottenham in the appearances for the club. “It has been a privilege to Spanish capital in June after losing to Real Madrid 12 spend eight years at this great club and the opportunity months earlier. to continue my career at Manchester United is a gen- But Klopp believes Liverpool face a daunting task uine honour,” said the goalkeeper. to make it to the final in Istanbul’s Ataturk Stadium — “Since I arrived here, I could never have imagined I a venue which carries extra resonance for the club would play over 350 games for this club. Now my after they won the 2005 Champions League with an future is fixed, all I want is to help this team achieve astonishing comeback against AC Milan in the same what I believe we can and win trophies again, togeth- stadium. Before Liverpool can dream of emulating MANCHESTER: File photo shows Manchester United’s Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea throws the ball out er.” De Gea joined in the year that United reached their Steven Gerrard and company’s triumph by the banks during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Leicester City at Old third Champions League final in four years. The club’s of the Bosphorus, Klopp knows they will have to run Trafford in Manchester. — AFP fortunes have since dipped under a succession of dif- the gauntlet in what he expects to be a fiercely con- ferent managers but the Spaniard has won the Premier tested tournament. League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa belongs. David is a fantastic person and his outstanding were offered as a reason for his poor form towards the Napoli are expected to pose the sternest test to League since arriving at Old Trafford. quality provides the perfect base to our defence” end of last season, with the club finishing a lowly sixth Liverpool in a group which also includes unfancied Salzburg and Genk. Carlo Ancelotti’s team came “There’s no place like home,” he tweeted, accompa- De Gea, capped 40 times by Spain, came close to in the Premier League. within a whisker of ending Liverpool’s European nied by a video of himself the club’s stadium. Manager joining Real Madrid in 2015 only for a paperwork delay He was also at fault for Patrick van Aanholt’s late campaign in the group stage last season when Alisson Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he was delighted the to stop the deal going through before the transfer winner as Crystal Palace won 2-1 at Old Trafford last Becker’s superb late save denied Arkadiusz Milik to Spaniard had committed his long-term future to the deadline. month. He recently lost his place in the Spain team to preserve a 1-0 win at Anfield that sent the Reds into club. “Over recent years, David has proved himself to He would have been free to speak to any European Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, although he the last 16 at the expense of Napoli. be the best in the world and a vital part of our plans as clubs from January 1 and leave next summer on a free was recalled for this month’s Euro qualifying win over Even if Liverpool should advance to the knockout we look to take Manchester United back to where it transfer. Protracted negotiations over De Gea’s future minnows the Faroe Islands. — AFP rounds without so much drama this season, Klopp is wary of the restocked superpowers certain to be lying in wait in the latter stages. also struck his first goal for the club at Molineux, while “I will have no problem with it (reaching the final) Lampard trusts 20-year-old Mason Mount continued the form that if it happens again, but at this moment I am not too earned him an England call-up with his third goal in four Matches on TV sure it will,” he said when the draw was made in Premier League games. Former Chelsea midfielder (Local Timings) August. “We have the same chance like everyone else, young guns for Lampard, who won the Champions League with the but that is all, and I don’t see us, the English teams, club as a player, will be making his debut in the compe- UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE dominating. I really think a lot of teams have a good Chelsea Champions tition as a manager. “I will be proud to do it,” he said. “I chance. “Look at the squad Borussia Dortmund has had multiple incredible nights in the Champions League Internazionale Milano v SK Slavia Prague 19:55 and tell me we are stronger than them. That is incred- — and some bad ones — but it is the ultimate for me.” beIN SPORTS HD 1 ible. They can make five changes and you think: League bid The Chelsea boss was cautious in his expectations Olympique Lyonnais v Zenit St. Petersburg 19:55 ‘Really, they didn’t play last week? Why?’ There are a for last season’s Europa League winners. “Our target is beIN SPORTS HD 6 lot of quality teams. BV Borussia Dortmund v FC Barcelona 22:00 “Juventus will be there, PSG will be there. Real LONDON: Frank Lampard said he “believed and trust- to qualify from a tough group,” he said. “I have belief beIN SPORTS HD 3 in the players. I’m confident but very aware of the dan- Madrid? Do you think they gave up already? Bayern ed” in striker Tammy Abraham as he prepared to SSC Napoli v Liverpool 22:00 Munich now finally brought in Perisic and Coutinho gers.” Lampard will be facing a new manager in Albert beIN SPORTS HD 1 unleash his young players against Valencia in Chelsea’s which is a big boost.” Champions League opener today. Celades, who was appointed last week after the shock Red Bull Salzburg v KRC Genk 22:00 sacking of Marcelino. Valencia’s players are under- beIN SPORTS HD 7 While Liverpool will always have a special rela- Abraham, 21, scored a hat-trick in a 5-2 win at tionship with the Champions League after the club’s stood to be unhappy with the decision but Chelsea Ajax Amsterdam v LOSC Lille 22:00 Wolves on Saturday but his form has come as no sur- dominance of the competition in the 1970s and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga warned they would still beIN SPORTS HD 6 prise to Lampard. “I never had clear expectations for Chelsea FC v Valencia C.F 22:00 1980s, it is not hard to believe that some die-hard him apart from the fact that I believed in him and trust- be dangerous. Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger will beIN SPORTS HD 4 Kopites would happily exchange their continental ed him,” he said at a press conference on Monday at miss the match after tweaking a groin while Lampard SL Benfica v RB Leipzig 22:00 supremacy for a season of domestic bliss. Chelsea’s training base. “I know a lot was made of the revealed N’Golo Kante and Callum Hudson-Odoi were beIN SPORTS HD 5 Having erased the pain of that 2018 final defeat (transfer) ban giving opportunities for young players. not match fit. — AFP against Real, Liverpool’s main goal this term is to end But I thought now was his time.” As for the possibility of the club’s long wait to win the English title. Pipped to the Premier League trophy by England missing out on Abraham should he opt to play makes its Olympics debut. Manchester City on the final day of last season, for Nigeria, Lampard said: “That’s not a question for me. But tiny Okamoto, who has won the last five competi- Liverpool are desperate to win the title for the first “He has put himself in a bracket by being a top- Japan skateboard tions she has entered in a sizzling run of form, including time since 1990. That desire has been clear to see in a scorer in England. It is one for (England boss) Gareth gold on her first appearance at the prestigious X Games blistering five-game winning streak which has already (Southgate) but it is clear Tammy will be wanted.” last month, is keeping her feet firmly on the ground. sensation, 13, taken them to the top of the table this season. Even Abraham who is the Premier League’s joint leading “I didn’t think about the win streak, or being the an injury to Alisson has failed to interrupt their flow scorer alongside Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero youngest world champion,” Okamoto told AFP. “I don’t and the Brazilian keeper’s replacement Adrian admits with seven goals, has two senior England caps won in feel like I’m the best in the world,” added the bashful cools Olympic talk Liverpool’s rock-solid defence — marshalled by the friendlies. teen, who scored 61.17 points to beat Yosozumi (60.00) imperious Virgil van Dijk — has made his life much and 11-year-old Brown (58.13), who is bidding to Nigeria have been hoping Abraham can be persuad- easier as the former West Ham player adapts to his after world title become the youngest female to compete at the Summer ed to switch allegiance to them. And when asked about new club. Olympics in 50 years. the Nigeria interest, he was quoted by the Telegraph “It’s easy to play with them; you have some of the “I have no idea about the Olympics yet, but I will newspaper as saying: “I have heard the talks and I’ve TOKYO: Japanese schoolgirl Misugu Okamoto is refus- best players in the world, the best defenders, mid- work with my coaches to keep pushing to learn new not really been focused on that yet. ing to entertain thoughts of Tokyo Olympic gold despite fielders and attackers. From the back, I need to help tricks and to go bigger.” Okamoto insisted she wants to “I think when the time comes, the time comes. We becoming skateboarding’s youngest world champion at on the occasions when I have to,” Adrian said. be recognised by her peers in the skateboarding scene, never know.” Lampard has put his faith in youth during the weekend. The 13-year-old captured the skateboard- “I’m really proud to have won the last few games. regarding it as much as a lifestyle as a sport, in much the a transfer embargo for the club and has been rewarded ing park world championships title in Sao Paulo, beating We are in a good moment, we are like a rock - all same way as surfing which will also make its Olympic with some impressive performances. out countrywoman Sakura Yosozumi with Britain’s Sky together, the manager, the staff, players and fans. The Brown third in a preview of Tokyo 2020 when the sport debut in Tokyo.—AFP As well as Abraham’s three goals, Fikayo Tomori, 21, club is living a great moment.” — AFP