Established 1961 15 Sports Thursday, July 2, 2020 Juventus keep title chasers Lazio at bay with Genoa stroll Team have recovered well after losing the Italian Cup final ROME: Juventus maintained their four-point lead at off a rocket of a shot that Perin could only grasp at the top of Serie A on Tuesday after strolling to a 3-1 as it fired into the net. win at Genoa that keeps chasers Lazio at bay That settled the result, but substitute Costa then despite their comeback triumph at Torino. made his own case for goal of the match when he Three stunning individual goals from Paulo collected the ball towards the right side of the area Dybala, Cristiano Ronaldo and Douglas Costa and unleashed a curling, dipping shot that again left downed relegation-threatened Genoa and kept Perin bewildered. Maurizio Sarri on course to deliver Juve’s ninth “They (Dybala and Ronaldo) have learned to straight league title in his first season as coach. look for each other more often,” Sarri said of a Andrea Pinamonti pulled one back with 14 min- blossoming partnership. utes left for the struggling hosts, who stay just one They have realised that by benefitting from each point above the drop zone and third-from-bottom other, both reap the rewards. It’s something I have Lecce, who host Genoa’s local rivals Sampdoria on noticed in training too.” Wednesday. Pinamonti’s strike was the first goal Juve have conceded since losing at Lyon in late IMMOBILE LAUNCHES LAZIO COMEBACK February, but it wasn’t enough to stop the champi- Lazio had done their part earlier on Tuesday ons from cruising to their when they came from sixth straight league win. behind again to win 2-1 “It was a good team against struggling Torino. effort and we scored three Ciro Immobile’s 29th brilliant goals,” said Sarri. Stunning league goal of another “The team have recovered remarkable season for the well after the disappoint- individual Italy forward and Marco ment of losing the Italian Parolo’s deflected strike in Cup final, it was only a goals the 73rd minute complet- matter of time.” ed a deserved second-half GENOA: Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo shoots to score during the Italian Serie A The victory at the comeback for Lazio, who football match Genoa vs Juventus played on June 30, 2020 behind closed doors at the Luigi- Stadio Luigi Ferraris had clawed their way to a Ferraris stadium in Genoa. —AFP showcased the firepower 2-1 win over Fiorentina in Sarri has at his disposal, with Genoa goalkeeper similar fashion just two days earlier. Mattia Perin making five saves in the goalless first Andrea Belotti gave the hosts an early lead from Lazio meanwhile are still in the hunt for their first mer Liverpool man. half as Juve pushed early to win the match. the penalty spot after Immobile handled but spent league title in 20 years and are also practically His strike also meant the Italy forward equalled Dybala put his side in the lead in the 50th minute the rest of the match on the back foot and are 14th guaranteed Champions League football next season his own record for the highest number of goals with a beautiful finish following a snaking dribble, a on 31 points. for the first time since 2007-08, as they are 20 scored by a Lazio player in a Serie A season. strike that set the tone for the rest of the match. Moreno Longo’s side have lost seven of their last points ahead of fifth-placed local rivals Roma. However Lazio will have to do without the 30-year- Ronaldo, who had looked off the pace following the nine league matches and although they are six Immobile’s goal, a fine left-footed finish three old against AC Milan on Saturday, as he will be sus- league’s restart from the coronavirus shutdown, points above the drop zone could find themselves minutes after the break, was another example of pended after being booked for the handball that showed that he was back to his best seven minutes dragged into a dogfight by the end of this round of Luis Alberto’s importance to Lazio, as it was a gave his team another uphill struggle to over- later when he charged towards goal before letting fixtures. league-leading 13th assist of the season for the for- come. —AFP time. “We’ll tackle everything, those Bayern eye are our goals,” said Bayern head coach Hansi Flick, who only took over mid-season. Champions “At Bayern, you always think a bit Real Madrid to make bigger. First the Cup is in focus and League glory then it’s important the team has some history by ending time off and the staff can clear their BERLIN: Bayern Munich are expect- heads. “After that, we’ll prepare inten- wait for women’s team ed by the club’s own hierarchy to take sively for the Champions League.” the next step towards the treble in Flick plans to send his players on a MADRID: After 118 years, Real Madrid will Saturday’s German Cup final before two-week holiday after the Cup final launch a professional women’s team by they attempt more Champions League before a training camp ahead of their absorbing CD Tacon and launching a fresh glory in August. last-16 second leg against Chelsea on Galactico project at the club. Madrid, the The German press dubbed Bayern August 7 or 8. They hammered Frank best team of the 20th century according to ‘FC Nimmersatt’ (never satisfied) after Lampard’s Blues 3-0 in February’s FIFA, has so far been one of the only elite celebrating an eighth straight league first leg in London, making Bayern clubs to resist the creation of a female team. title last Saturday, the 30th in the among the favourites to be European By taking over Tacon, the women’s club club’s history. champions. WOLFSBURG: Bayern Munich’s Polish forward Robert Lewandowski cele- based in Madrid and created in 2014, ‘Real “The team is in such good shape Bayern could face a disadvantage Madrid Femenino’ will become a reality. that they are able to win every title against potential opponents in the brates with the trophy for leading goal scorer after the German first divi- sion Bundesliga football match VfL Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich on June 27, Approved at a meeting of shareholders in this season,” said Bayern president Final 8 tournament in Lisbon, due to September last year, the buyout of Tacon for start on August 12, from leagues 2020 in Wolfsburg, northern Germany. —AFP Herbert Hainer. Before tackling 300,000 euros ($337,000) will become offi- which are not scheduled to finish Europe and a possible repeat of their cial from July 1, when another recruitment until late July. 2013 treble, Bayern face Bayer one or two players would be available Former midfielder Hasan drive will begin. Leverkusen in Berlin in Saturday’s La Liga runs until July 19, while the again.” Bayern’s forwards are in stellar Salihamidzic is sporting director, According to the Spanish press, Madrid Cup final having already lost to the Premier League is set to end a week form. Thomas Mueller produced a while ex-goalkeeper Oliver Kahn will have set their sights on the game’s finest tal- Werkself this season. later, with Serie A not slated to come Bundesliga record 21 assists this sea- replace Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as ents and some of the first signings could Leverkusen sporting director Rudi to a conclusion until August 2. son, while striker Robert chairman in 2022. arrive this week. Tacon have already been Voeller has promised a “big fight” as Only PSG and Lyon will have had Lewandowski has netted 49 times in “In 2001, we won the Champions expanding in preparation. they look to repeat November’s shock less game time than Bayern and RB 42 games, including 11 in the League together playing in jerseys, They signed Swedish internationals league win when Jamaica winger Leipzig, as Ligue 1 was ended early Champions League. now we want to repeat that success Leon Bailey scored twice at the due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We Bayern have been European cham- with him in suits,” said Salihamidzic. Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson, who Allianz Arena. just have to make sure that we make pions five times and two of their 2001 “Oliver feels the same way — we’ll was nominated for the 2019 Women’s Ballon Bayern are expected to secure the the best of the situation,” Flick said. title-winning team are being groomed give everything to see it happen. “It’s d’Or and who joined last year after finishing league and Cup double for the 13th “It could be an advantage because to take charge. our turn again.” —AFP third in the Women’s World Cup. But there will be more changes, after the announced departures of Ana Valles, Esther, “We played against a team who defended with all his side’s 2-1 win at west London rivals QPR. Marina Martin Massanet, Patri Carballo, Leeds held by Luton, their players in the goal and we had 12 or 15 Fulham boss Parker admits he had to reshape his Ainoa Campo and Osinachi Ohale, in May. chances. entire attack with 23-goal forward Aleksandar The goal will be to turn Madrid into con- Brentford chase “We cannot ignore that the lack of efficiency was Mitrovic suspended. tenders both in Spain and Europe, where the weak point for our team.” With six games left, Serbia star Mitrovic will miss two more matches they will hope to challenge the supremacy of Championship top two Leeds are four points clear of second-placed West after his retrospective ban for elbowing Ben White Barcelona’s women’s team, finalists in the Brom, who have a game in hand, and six ahead of in the 3-0 loss at Leeds.