14/09/2025

theSun on Sunday SEPT 14, 2025

SPORTS 14

Grimaldo scores brace … as nine-man Leverkusen beat Frankfurt in coach Hjulmand’s debut Leverkusen’s hopes of a first win of

ALEX GRIMALDO scored a freekick in each half as Bayer Leverkusen survived two red cards to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 at home yesterday in new coach Kasper Hjulmand’s debut. Grimaldo curled from outside the box 10 minutes in and Patrik Schick converted a penalty to give Leverkusen a 2-0 lead at halftime. Can Uzun pulled one back for Frankfurt with 52 minutes gone to keep the visitors in the match.

stoppage time when Fernandez was sent from the field but the hosts would be the next to score when Grimaldo once again showed his prowess from set pieces, threading the ball expertly home. The result extended Leverkusen’s recent record against Frankfurt, particularly at home. Leverkusen have now beaten Frankfurt in their past six games and have not lost to them at home since 2013. – AFP

no problems being in the national team. “Everyone wants Neymar in the national team in good physical condition. I spoke with him and I said, ‘You have time to prepare in the best way to be there and help the team try to do their best in the World Cup’.” Neymar has shown flashes of brilliance since returning to his boyhood club, Santos, from Saudi side Al-Hilal. However, his struggles were laid bare last month when he left the pitch in tears following Santos’ crushing 6-0 defeat by Vasco da Gama. Ancelotti said he sees Neymar playing centrally, either as an attacking midfielder or striker. “I spoke with him… Everything is clear, the idea remains the same,” Ancelotti said. “He can’t play on the outside because modern football needs forwards who have physical quality, it’s very important. He can play as an attacking midfielder without problems.” – Reuters match, praised Grimaldo’s freekick ability, saying “this position for him is like scoring from the spot. He has this technique, this top spin, and he does it perfectly.” Appointed on Monday in the seat vacated by former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, sacked after just two games, Hjulmand opened his account with a win. “What a game,” the 53 year-old Danish coach said, adding “we didn’t have many chances, but we had energy.” Grimaldo, widely tipped to join the exodus exiting Leverkusen this summer, put the hosts ahead just 10 minutes in, cutting a free kick over the wall and in, hitting the post and then the back of goalie Michael Zetterer. Schick, another holdout from Bayer’s incredible unbeaten season in 2023/24, doubled their lead in first half stoppage time, cooly converting from the spot after Nathan Tella was fouled. Uzun cut the deficit when his strike was deflected past Leverkusen goalie Flekken with 52 minutes played. Germany midfielder Andrich’s second yellow for a harmless but lazy studs up challenge turned up the heat on the home side, who had not won a league match since April. Leverkusen lost another man in adding “the defenders did an unbelievable job today.” The striker, who scored a penalty for the second straight league

the season looked in doubt when captain Robert Andrich got his marching orders for a second yellow card with half an hour left – and looked worse when Equi Fernandez was also sent off in stoppage time. But Grimaldo, handed the captain’s armband when Andrich was sent off, once again curled in a free kick with eight minutes gone to seal a famous victory. “Of course in the second half we were missing a player and the game was difficult - it was not easy to create something,” Schick said to Sky Germany ,

13/09/2025 (SAT)

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Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo celebrates after scoring against Eintracht Frankfurt. – AFPPIC

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‘Neymar can secure Brazil WC spot if fit’ : Ancelotti

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BRAZIL coach Carlo Ancelotti said Neymar’s physical condition will be crucial for his inclusion in the national team for next year’s World Cup, following the 33-year-old forward’s omission from recent qualifiers. Ancelotti left Neymar out of his 23 man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia, citing a minor leg muscle injury. However, Neymar later said his exclusion was for technical reasons. The former Barcelona and Paris St Germain player has not donned the famous yellow jersey since October 2023, when he suffered serious knee ligament injuries that have plagued his comeback attempts. “We are not going to observe how Neymar plays, obviously. Everyone knows his talent,” Ancelotti told ESPN Brasil yesterday. “In modern football, to take advantage of his talent, the player has to be in good physical condition. If he is in his best physical condition, he will have

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