01/09/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | SEP 1, 2025

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Bayern survive late scare, Ten Hag’s tough start continues BAYERN MUNICH survived a late Augsburg rally to seal a 3-2 victory yesterday and make it two wins from two to start their Bundesliga title defence. the Augsburg defence to coolly score his side’s third in the 48th minute. The hosts pulled one back on 53 minutes, however, when Kristijan Jakic finding the bottom corner with a controlled volley.

FOOTBALL TRANSFERS

coach Erik ten Hag his first league win in charge. The result puts some early pressure on Ten Hag, who is trying to weave together a team full of new recruits, while reviving his own reputation after a poor end to his Manchester United stint. Elsewhere, new Eintracht Frankfurt winger Ritsu Doan scored a brace and added an assist as his side cruised to a 3-1 win at Hoffenheim. Stuttgart beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 1 0 at home thanks to a late header from Chema Andres. RB Leipzig bounced back from last week’s drubbing at the hands of Bayern, winning 2-0 at home against Heidenheim – AFP

Chelsea sign Garnacho CHELSEA completed the signing of Manchester United outcast Alejandro Garnacho on Saturday for a reported £40m (RM228m). The Argentine international, 21, has signed a seven-year deal with the world champions. Garnacho was in attendance at Stamford Bridge to watch the Blues go top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Fulham on Saturday. “It’s an incredible moment for my family and I to join this great club. I can’t wait to get started,” said Garnacho. “I watched the Club World Cup and to join the world champions is special – we’re the best team in the world! It’s amazing to be here and I’m very happy.” Nkunku to Milan official CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU signed for AC Milan from Chelsea, the Serie A giants announced on Saturday, as the France attacker attempts to revive his career ahead of next summer’s World Cup. “AC Milan is delighted to announce the permanent signing of Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea FC. The French forward has signed a contract with the Club until 30 June 2030,” said Milan in a statement. Italian media report that Milan agreed a fee of € 37m (RM182m) which could rise to € 42m (RM207m) for the forward, who failed to establish himself at Chelsea after moving to the World Club Cup champions in 2023. BAYERN MUNICH’S planned loan deal for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson is not yet completed, the German champions said on Saturday amid reports the English club could back out following an injury sustained by their striker Liam Delap. He may be ruled out for weeks after suffering a hamstring injury during Saturday’s Premier League win over Fulham. The 24-year-old Jackson, a Senegal international, had landed in Munich hours earlier. “Transfers are completed once there are signature,” Bayern’s managing director for sport Max Eberl told Sky . “The lad is here. Now we will see what will happen. We will deal with this calmly after the game. I cannot really say myself what exactly is going on.” Kean renews contract MOISE KEAN has signed a new contract with Fiorentina until 2029, the Serie A club announced on Saturday. Italian media report that Kean’s salary has more than doubled to € 4.5m (RM22m) a season, with a release clause of € 62m (RM306m) which can only be activated in the first 15 days of July. “We’ve made a great effort financially speaking to keep him at the club by extending his contract with us,” said Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso in a statement. “I’m delighted with this choice, which is for the good of the club, our fans and the player himself.” Kean had his best ever season in club football after signing for Fiorentina last year, netting 25 times in 44 appearances in all competitions. Jackson transfer to Bayern incomplete

Harry Kane, on his 100th Bayern appearance, created the opener in the 28th minute, floating in a delightful, chipped cross for Serge Gnabry to head home. Luis Diaz, who missed a sitter just two minutes in, made up for that mistake by adding Bayern’s second, turning in Konrad Laimer’s cutback from close range in first half injury time. Having put six goals past RB Leipzig a week ago, Bayern looked on track for another thumping win when Michael Olise wrong-footed

With 14 minutes still to play, Mert Komur threaded the ball into the far corner to give Augusburg belief of an unlikely comeback. “They (goals conceded) are extremely annoying, but on the other hand, we missed a lot of chances,” captain Manuel Neuer told Sky . “We did that in Wiesbaden, and now again. We’ll definitely put those away in the long run.” Bayer Leverkusen let a two-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 at 10-man Werder Bremen, denying new

Real overturn Mallorca … as Simeone’s stuttering Atletico draw at Alaves R EAL MADRID claimed a third straight La Liga victory with a 2-1 triumph over Real Mallorca yesterday to con tinue their perfect start to the cam paign. Mallorca’s Martin Valjent (left) fights

line-up after both began last weekend’s win at Real Oviedo on the bench. “Now we’re starting to live the nights we dreamed of here,” new Real Madrid signing Carreras told the club’s television channel. “This is a different season, almost without a pre-season, all of us new players who have arrived have to fit in (quickly).” For the third consecutive game, Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid spurned a lead to drop points. His son Giuliano Simeone sent the team ahead early on but Carlos Vicente levelled from the spot for Alaves. Atletico overhauled their squad in the summer and the coach said he thinks it will take his team some time to click, with results reflecting that. “We have to keep working, to trust in my players, we have a team that will do better than what we have been doing,” Simeone told Movistar . Simeone said he was not worried about the results but more his team’s performance after a defeat and two draws from three games. “I’m not looking at the points, the important thing is that the team improves and as a consequence of that, the points will improve too,” he added. Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak told Movistar : “We have to do better, we have to do more. We’re angry and it leaves a bad taste in the mouth, we need more points and it’s our fault.” – AFP Anguissa said. Stars Kevin De Bruyne and McTominay were subdued, while Lorenzo Lucca was again ineffective as a replacement for injured Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku. Napoli are set to sign Rasmus Hojland from Manchester United after the Denmark striker landed in Italy yesterday ahead of an initial loan move with obligation to buy. Roma continued their positive start to life under Gian Piero Gasperini with their narrow win in Tuscany, Matias Soule deciding a tough contest nine minutes after halftime. Soule stroked home Evan Ferguson’s layoff to give Roma a perfect six points, level with Napoli – who lead on goal difference – and Cremonese. Riccardo Orsolino celebrated his selection by new Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso by guiding home the only goal of Bologna’s 1-0 win over Como. Atalanta are without a win under Ivan Juric after Patrick Cutrone gave Parma a 1-1 draw. – AFP

for the ball with Real’s Arda Guler during their La Liga match. – AFPPIC

Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw at Alaves, leaving them without a win in their first three La Liga matches. Arda Guler and Vinicius Junior scored in quick succession for Los Blancos after Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi had opened the scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu. Xabi Alonso’s Madrid also had three more goals ruled out as they continued to improve following the coach’s arrival at the start of the summer. After competing in the Club World Cup and not having much of a pre-season, winning all their games before the first international break is an impressive feat for Alonso. “With good team spirit we managed to turn the game around,” Alonso told Real Madrid TV . “I’m very happy with this start … We wanted this, we knew we were lacking minutes (under our belt) and some matches.” Alonso brought Vinicius ANDRE-FRANK ANGUISSA was the hero for Napoli yesterday with the last-gasp winner which gave the Serie A champions a 1-0 success over Cagliari, while Roma saw off promoted Pisa by the same score. Cameroon midfielder Anguissa struck in the fifth minute of stoppage time just as it looked like Antonio Conte’s team would fail to break down dogged Cagliari. Just moments before, Scott McTominay had wasted a golden opportunity to snatch the points at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona where the hosts had few clear chances on goal. “It was a hard match because they defended really well but we didn’t leave anything out there, we pushed and in the end we won,”said Anguissa to DAZN . A year ago almost to the day Anguissa netted a winner in added time against Parma, but he scoffed at suggestions Saturday’s strike was a good omen for Napoli’s bid to successfully defend the Scudetto for the first time. “The most important thing is winning, we played as a team and that’s how it should be,” Junior and Trent Alexander Arnold back into the starting

Anguissa fires Napoli past Cagliari, Roma keep pace

Joao Neves hattrick for PSG

JOAO NEVES scored a stunning hattrick as Paris Saint-Germain maintained their perfect start to the French Ligue 1 season in spectacular fashion yesterday, winning 6-3 away to Toulouse. Ousmane Dembele netted two penalties and Bradley Barcola was also on target for PSG, while Charlie Cresswell, Yann Gboho and Alexis Vossah all scored for the home side, who also missed a spot-kick. Despite having just one week’s pre-season training off the back of their run to the Club World Cup final in the United States in July and a short break, PSG have already won the Uefa Super Cup this season and are clear at the top of Ligue 1. They lead with the maximum nine points and are two ahead of Lille, who won in even more prolific fashion yesterday, 7-1 away at Lorient. “It’s more a result you’d expect in a pre season game than in a normal match, but we are happy,”said Luis Enrique of his team’s result. Elsewhere, Nantes beat Auxerre 1-0 in yesterday’s other match thanks to an early goal by Egyptian striker Mostafa Mohamed. – AFP