TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 SPORTS ‘Little derby’ shows how Milan clubs have fallen ROME: A decade ago, the Milan derby who wasted a glorious chance to win it new Inter president Erick Thohir, the qualified for the Champions League, and three came from penalties and his other was the pinnacle of club football, twice for Milan. Milan is seventh, 13 points Indonesian entrepreneur who bought a Milan isn’t in Europe at all after finishing was a divine backheel effort against played in the final stages of the behind Italian league leader Juventus, majority stake in the club a year ago eighth last season. Parma in September. Champions League. These days, when with Inter a point further back. from Massimo Moratti. “We have two Still, there were flashes of brilliance at The equalizer from Nigeria interna- Inter and AC Milan meet, it’s a second- “Life is made of cycles,” said Filippo paths,” Mancini said. “Bouncing back in the San Siro on Sunday. Menez’s exqui- tional Obi, his first this season, came rate spectacle. Inzaghi, Milan’s first-year coach and for- the league or winning the Europa site volleyed goal was a work of art. The with a weak shot from the edge of the How far the two Milan clubs have fall- mer star Rossoneri striker. “Milan had a League. Our aim doesn’t have to be third Frenchman nonchalantly redirected a area that went in after Milan goalkeeper en was on full display in a 1-1 draw fantastic cycle and now we’re in a period place but to do our best. We’ll see in cross from the left from El Shaarawy with Diego Lopez had his view obstructed. Sunday in a match that will be better of rebuilding and starting again. We January.” one touch of his right foot into the far The backflip that Obi performed to cele- remembered for the near misses than shouldn’t look at the table. We have to Four years ago under Jose Mourinho, corner. brate was more exciting than the goal the goals scored - and had no impact on begin anew from the foundations, which Inter swept the Champions League, “If you don’t know how to place your itself. the Serie A title race. The Gazzetta dello we have. We have to improve and I hope Serie A and Italian Cup titles in one glori- foot the right way then a ball like that Obi spent last season on loan with Sport called it “Little Derby” yesterday. that in a few months there will be a ous season. And between 2003 and ends up in the third level of the stands,” Parma and is still considered a fringe “Mancini discovers that Milan is now great improvement.” 2007, Milan won two Champions League Milan vice president Adriano Galliani player. He’s got nowhere near the talent the periphery of Italian football,” read Mancini, who was only hired nine trophies and finished runner-up in said. The Gazzetta labeled it a “gourmet of the rapidly developing Juventus mid- the headline in Corriere dello Sport fol- days before the derby, had little time to another final. football move.” When he dedicates him- fielder Paul Pogba, who scored twice lowing Roberto Mancini’s first match work. After restoring Inter to glory in his Back when Andriy Shevchenko was self to the task at hand, the often mercu- and also hit the post in a 3-0 win at Lazio back as Inter coach. first spell in charge with three consecu- considered the world’s top striker, Milan rial Menez can make a big impact. And on Saturday. A volley from Jeremy Menez gave tive Serie A titles from 2006 to 2008, edged Inter in the 2003 Champions there’s no discussing his talent, even if “We’d be foolish to compare the gap Milan the halftime lead but Joel Obi lev- Mancini acknowledged that the goals League semifinals. Then the teams met he dropped out of favor behind Paris between the two lads,” a Gazzetta edito- eled shortly after the hour mark. Both are more modest now. again in the quarterfinals of the 2005 Saint-Germain’s highly paid stars last rial said. “But it helps give an idea of how sides also hit the crossbar through Returning to the Champions League tournament. season. much separates the Milan clubs from the Mauro Icardi and Stephan El Shaarawy, is a priority not only for Mancini but also This season neither Milan club even Of Menez’s five goals this season, top.” —AP Milan derby ends in draw on Mancini’s Inter return MILAN: Roberto Mancini’s return to the Inter Milan bench after a six-year gap ended in a 1-1 draw against old rivals AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday. Napoli coach Rafael Benitez was fuming after his side squandered a 2-0 lead in a 3-3 draw with Cagliari while Torino missed their fifth consecu- tive penalty on their way to a 1-0 home defeat by Sassuolo. Thirty-seven-year-old Udinese for- ward Antonio Di Natale scored his 200th Serie A goal in his 400th appearance and hapless Parma lost again. Milan scored with their first shot on target when Jeremy Menez sidefooted the ball past Samir Handanovic on the volley in the 23rd minute. BRAZIL: Cruzeiro’s players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Brazilian Joel Obi levelled with a low shot from the Championship at Minerao Stadium. —AFP edge of the area in the 61st minute following a poor clearance by Cristian Zapata before Stephan El Shaarawy hit the bar for Milan and Cruzeiro secure league title Mauro Icardi for Inter in a frantic final 20 minutes between the two fallen giants. SAO PAULO: Cruzeiro were crowned 0 first-leg deficit. Gonzalo Higuain, with his seventh goal in the Brazilian league champions for the second Sao Paulo’s win guarantees them a top last five league games, and Gokhan Inler put consecutive year on Sunday after they beat four finish and a place in next year’s third-placed Napoli 2-0 ahead in less than half Goias 2-1 at home to open up an unassail- Libertadores Cup, while Corinthians are an hour but Victor Ibarbo pulled one back with able lead at the top of Serie A. almost certain to join them after beating some delightful footwork and Diego Farias The Belo Horizonte side are seven points Gremio 1-0. equalised two minutes after halftime. clear of second-placed Sao Paulo, with two Internacional beat fifth-place Atletico In an open second half, with Cagliari coach games to go. Cruzeiro overcame a stout Mineiro on Saturday and moved into Zdenek Zeman throwing caution to the wind in Goias side at the Mineirao stadium with fourth. It was even more tense at the other his inimitable style, Jonathan De Guzman put MILAN: AC Milan’s Fernando Torres (left) controls the ball as Inter Milan’s Juan Jesus tries to two headed goals either side of halftime. end of the table, where six of the bottom Napoli back in front with a looping header but stop him during the Serie A soccer match. —AP Ricardo Goulart got the first in the 12th eight teams played each other. the Sardinians grabbed a deserved point when minute only to see Samuel equalise for the Second-bottom Botafogo look doomed Farias turned in Ibarbo’s cross. enough for Udinese who were held 1-1 by former club from Franco Brienza’s free kick. visitors 10 minutes later. But Cruzeiro took for the drop after losing their fifth succes- “I’m certainly not happy to see these presents Chievo. Bottom club Parma, beaten 7-0 by Juventus control in the second half and as the tor- sive match and are stuck on 33 points, six after so much work. We had the game in our Hapless Cesena substitute Constantin Nica in their last game, went down 2-0 at home to rential rain let up, Willian crossed for from safety while Bahia, one place above hands and we gave it away,” Benitez told came off the bench and scored an own goal with Empoli. Everton Ribeiro to make it two after 62 them on 34, look set to go down too. Both reporters after his side lost ground on leading his first touch of the game as he diverted a cross Torino were jeered off after Juan Sanchez minutes and even though closest rivals Sao teams must now win their final two match- pair Juventus and AS Roma, who both won on into the net to gift fourth-placed Sampdoria a 1- Mino saw his penalty saved by Andrea Paulo beat Santos 1-0 away, a packed stadi- es and hope the clubs above them slip up. Saturday. 1 draw. Consigli on the half hour and Antonio Floro um celebrated Cruzeiro’s fourth league Defeats for Palmeiras and Vitoria make Di Natale became only the seventh player to The Sea Horses had taken the lead when Flores headed Sassuolo’s late winner from a title. “Everyone wanted to beat Cruzeiro,” them favourites to be the fourth and final reach the 200 goal mark although it was not Stefano Lucchini scrambled home against his corner. —Reuters striker Marcelo Moreno told reporters. “But team relegated, with Vitoria on 38 points in we were professional, serious, and we the final relegation spot. worked hard. We deserve this.” Palmeiras are one point above them on They face city rivals Atletico Mineiro 39. Criciuma got a point at Flamengo with a tomorrow in the second-leg of the Brazilian 1-1 draw on Saturday but have already Valencia slip against Levante Cup final, though will need to overturn a 2- been relegated.—Reuters MADRID: Valencia lost ground on La Liga’s early paceset- ters when they slipped to a surprise 2-1 reverse at mid- table city rivals Levante on Sunday.