30/09/2025

SPORTS TUESDAY | SEPT 30, 2025

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Milan make Serie A title statement

SHORTS Stuttgart beat Cologne GERMANY defender Josha Vagnoman’s 81st-minute goal took Stuttgart to a 2-1 win at Cologne on Sunday. German Cup holders Stuttgart lost three of their first five matches in all competitions to open the season but have now won three in a row. Union Berlin shared the spoils with Hamburg in a 0-0 draw in the German capital after visiting goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes saved an early penalty from Andrej Ilic. Earlier, Freiburg were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Hoffenheim, missing out on a third consecutive Bundesliga win. United players must step up MATTHIJS DE LIGT insists Manchester United players must take responsibility for poor results amid growing pressure on manager Ruben Amorim. United suffered a third defeat in six Premier League games this season in losing 3-1 at Brentford on Saturday, while they were also humiliated by League Two Grimsby in the Carabao Cup. “Of course, I mean it’s always easy to look to the manager, but in the end the players on the pitch have to do it,” said De Ligt. “We can’t say the goals we conceded, or the chances we conceded, are because of what… I don’t know, you guys always talk about the system. “That also has a lot to do with focus, concentration and, if that’s lacking in key moments, it’s going to make a difference. “If you lose a game, it’s a big blow obviously. A lot of lot of time (it is) the same song, but we have to stick together. It’s the most important thing.” Nketiah warns PL rivals EDDIE NKETIAH has warned the rest of the Premier League that Crystal Palace believe they can beat anyone after their dramatic win over leaders Liverpool. It was a result which ended Liverpool’s perfect start to the season and left the Eagles lying second. While comparisons with Leicester’s 2015/16 title-winning season may be a little premature, this Palace team – the reigning FA Cup holders and Community Shield winners – clearly mean business. “The boys are in really good form. We think we can win every game and we showed that,” Nketiah told the club website. “That’s the environment we have created, we go into every game thinking we can win. We are just taking it one game at a time. We have a really good group, we will keep pushing and try to bring more success to the fans.”

AC MILAN staked their claim as challengers for the Serie A title yesterday after a statement 2-1 win over Napoli which put them top of the pile despite having to play over half-an-hour with 10 men. Christian Pulisic was the star for Milan at the San Siro by setting up Alexis Saelemaekers’opener in the third minute and then doubling the hosts’ lead just after the half hour mark. The American forward’s matching-winning performance against a Napoli team weakened by injuries put Milan in first place on 12 points, ahead of both the champions and Roma – 2-0 winners against Verona – on goal difference. “What we did out there today was incredible. It was a top, top performance,” said Pulisic to DAZN . “The manager has done really well to get the

Napoli now turn their attentions to the visit of Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League after losing their perfect record in Italy’s top flight. “We have to do better for their goals, it wasn’t easy after going behind so early, but we pressed high and created chances,” said Conte to DAZN . “There are improvements to be made because we’re conceding too much to our opponents.” Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma, who host Lille in the Europa League on Friday, are level with two title contenders after a bitty performance in gloriously sunny Rome. Pisa came close to their first win in Serie A but had to settle for a goalless draw with Fiorentina. Milan loanee Francesco Camarda scored stoppage-time leveller in a 2-2 draw with Bologna. – AFP

best out of every player here. “We’ve got a lot of quality and we showed that on the pitch.” Pulisic has already scored six times this season in all competitions and, shortly before he finished off a brilliant passing move, sent Youssouf Fofana through on goal with a sensational pass reminiscent of his teammate Luka Modric. The 27-year-old was given a standing ovation by Milan supporters when he made way for Davide Bartesaghi just before Kevin De Bruyne coolly slotted home the 60th-minute penalty which got Napoli back into the game. Pulisic was taken off by coach Massimiliano Allegri following Pervis Estupinan’s red card for pulling back Giovanni Di Lorenzo just as the Napoli man looked set to net from close range.

Yamal returns Barcelona beat

Sociedad to top La Liga

L AMINE YAMAL returned from injury to help Barcelona beat Real Sociedad 2 1 yesterday and move top of La Liga by one point. After Real Madrid were thrashed 5-2 by rivals Atletico Madrid in a derby on Saturday, Hansi Flick’s side had the chance to claim pole position above Xabi Alonso’s side. Alvaro Odriozola gave Real Sociedad the lead against the run of play in the first half but Jules Kounde headed the Spanish champi ons level. Yamal, who missed the last four games with a groin injury, created the winner for Robert Lewandowski just moments after coming on as a second half substitute. “I’m very happy for (Yamal), very pleased that he’s back on the pitch because we’re going to need him,” Kounde told Movistar . “He showed directly the outstanding strength he has to create chances, to give that last pass,” said Flick. Barcelona held the game at the Olympic stadium, where they have played for the last two seasons, after the city council refused them a permit to reopen their Nou Camp home earlier in the week. Flick handed 17-year-old attacking midfielder Dro Fernandez his debut,

Flick replaced Dro with Dani Olmo at halftime and also brought on Yamal before the hour mark, after the teen ager recovered from his groin issue. Voted the second best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or gala on Monday, Yamal made an instant impact. The 18-year-old burst into the box and crossed for Lewandowski to head home off the post, just over a min ute after his introduction. “His presence on the pitch is a threat,” said Real Sociedad coach Sergio Francisco. “Even putting on fresh players against him (doesn’t work) … he’s showing he’s the best player in the world.” The game grew increas ingly chaotic “It was a difficult game, I didn’t like our last 25 min utes, we suffered too much,” added Kounde. “The first 70 minutes I think were quite good, we could have scored more than two … but I didn’t like how it ended.” Barcelona host Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League on Thursday (3am Malaysian time), also at the Olympic stadium. Earlier on Sunday, promoted side Elche beat and both sides hit the crossbar in quick succession.

also starting Roony Bardghji on the right wing and bringing in vet eran Wojciech Szczesny for injured goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal (left) in action with Real Sociedad’s Sergio Gomez during their La Liga match. – REUTERSPIC

Celta Vigo 2-1 to climb up to fourth. –

AFP Lyon win at Lille, share Ligue 1 lead with PSG

LYON continued their fine start to the season with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Lille on Sunday, sending them level on 15 points with champions Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1. Summer signing from Liverpool Tyler Morton struck early to give Paulo Fonseca’s side their fifth win from six outings to start the campaign. Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso praised his side’s “exceptional” early going in the season, but added: “It was very difficult (on Sunday), we struggled for almost the entire game.” Lyon sit second on goal-difference behind

added the Frenchman. Slovakian shotstopper Greif made an excellent save from Osame Sahraoui’s powerful effort in the 90th minute to ensure Lyon claimed all three points in the north of France. Elsewhere, Brest climbed to ninth with a 2-0 win against 17th-placed Angers, while bottom side Metz played out a goalless draw at home to Le Havre. Nice drew 1-1 against Paris FC and Rennes finished goalless against Lens in the final match of the day. – AFP

Lille boss Bruno Genesio took his frustrations out on a water bottle, sending it close to the fourth official, and was dismissed from the touchline inside the final 20 minutes. “It’s so ridiculous … I get a card because I kicked a bottle after my team missed a chance,” said Genesio. “(We) deserved much better, but you have to know how to be effective (in front of goal),”

PSG, who won 2-0 at home to Auxerre on Saturday. A second consecutive defeat leaves Lille sixth on 10 points. The decisive moment at Stade Pierre-Mauroy came in the 13th minute when Morton nodded home from Nicolas Tagliafico’s pinpoint cross. The hosts fought to force their way back into the match but were unable to beat an in-form Dominik Greif in the Lyon goal.