Domenico Criscito gained redemption by breathing new life into Genoa s Serie A survival bid with a late penalty winner to secure a 2-1 success over Juventus.
Genoa captain Criscito erred from the spot in a 1-0 loss to local rivals Sampdoria on Saturday but got the better of Wojciech Szczesny with the final kick of the game from 12 yards in an incredible finale at the Marassi.
Paulo Dybala appeared to have Juve heading into Wednesday s Coppa Italia final on the back of a win, but Albert Gudmundsson equalised in the 87th minute.
Moise Kean inexplicably missed a chance to win it for Juve with the goal gaping, and Criscito took full advantage after Mattia De Sciglio tripped Kelvin Yeboah to spark scenes of jubilation.
After a first half of few chances…
Atalanta completed their battle back from the brink with a 3-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk to secure Champions League progress in their final Group C game despite not winning any of their first four fixtures.
Gian Piero Gasperini s men needed Manchester City to avoid defeat to Dinamo Zagreb and for themselves to beat Shakhtar in Kharkiv, and the Italians did just enough while Pep Guardiola s men gave them a helping hand with a 4-1 victory in Croatia.
With both sides still in with a great chance of progressing, the first half predictably flittered between tense and entrancing, though Shakhtar looked brighter and will have been disappointed not to make the most of their chances.
Realising the onus was on them as the team that started the round bottom, Atalanta stepped …
Japan will go through to the 2019 Asian Cup knockout phase as Group F winners after coming from behind to beat closest challengers Uzbekistan 2-1, Tsukasa Shiotani s stunning strike sealing the turnaround.
The two teams went into Thursday s clash level on six points and, although Hector Cuper s men took the lead with a great goal of their own, Japan rallied and did just about enough to take the spoils and win the group.
All of the drama in the first half came in the last five minutes, as Eldor Shomurodov opened the scoring with a smart finish at the end of a brilliant solo run, only for Yoshinori Muto to level soon after – the Newcastle United forward s first goal for club or country since netting against Manchester United in October.
The superior quality of Ja…
French veteran Thierry Henry has brought down the curtain on a stellar career, announcing his retirement from football on Tuesday.
Henry, 37, ended his four-and-a-half-year stay with MLS club New York Red Bulls earlier this month ahead of his contract expiry at the end of the year.
The former France international, who won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 as he amassed 123 international caps, was linked with an emotional return to Arsenal.
But Henry Arsenal s all-time leading goalscorer with 226 goals has decided to call time on his career, making the announcement via his official Facebook page.
Henry will work as a pundit for Sky Sports next year.
After 20 years in the game I have decided to retire from professional football, Henry wrote.
What the papers say
Liverpool have identified their prime target when the January transfer window opens. According to the Daily Mirror, Fluminense’s Brazilian midfielder Andre Trindade will be at the top of their list.
Manchester City are turning their attention towards keeping hold of their talent. The Daily Telegraph reports the treble winners plan to open contract talks with striker Erling Haaland, 23, with Real Madrid showing interest.
Chelsea are also looking to secure one of their young stars, according to the Daily Mail. They are planning talks with Conor Gallagher, 23, as the England midfielder nears the final 18 months of his contract.
And Everton are also close to tying up Jarrad Branthwaite to a long-term deal, reports the Daily Mirror. Manchester U…
Bayern Munich defender Noussair Mazraoui faces a period on the sidelines after medical tests showed up an inflammation issue relating to his heart.
The Morocco international tested positive for COVID-19 at the World Cup, Bayern said on Friday.
He returned to the team for the Qatar 2022 semi-final against France after missing the last-eight clash with Portugal, but subsequent tests have shown Mazraoui has a mild inflammation of the pericardium, which is the fluid-filled fibrous sac surrounding the heart.
Bayern travelled without him on Friday to a training camp in Doha, and the club have not specified a timeframe for Mazraoui s absence from the squad.
Newspaper Bild has reported the 25-year-old former Ajax player could be out of action for four to six week…
Manchester United s dismal start to the season continued on Saturday with a 0-0 draw against newly promoted Burnley at Turf Moor.
Louis van Gaal was able to field Angel di Maria for the first time following his £59.7million move from Real Madrid, but United failed to impress once again despite occasional flashes of brilliance from British football s most expensive signing.
Having failed to beat Swansea City or Sunderland prior to a midweek League Cup humbling at the hands of MK Dons, Van Gaal s men produced another disjointed display and could have few complaints with the result despite being denied a late penalty when substitute Ashley Barnes appeared to handle a shot from Ashley Young.
Indeed, Burnley had opportunities to emulate the 1-0 victory they memorably…
But he also accepts that if he keeps banging in the goals for Villa and England, he is only going to get more attention.
“I go under the radar, maybe,” the 27-year-old admitted. “I’m not talked about enough profile-wise. But I know I have been producing on the pitch since Unai Emery came in. But I do go under the radar.
“I don’t know if it’s me being at Villa. You get some players that are just likeable and out there. I’m not really too fussed about that.
“I just like playing football. Maybe a lot of people said to me I need to push my profile. But I am happy with what I am doing on the pitch and that’s all that matters to me.
“The bigger you are, the more you are in the spotlight. It’s not that I don’t want that, it is doing my …
Ronald Koeman called for caution over Ansu Fati s return to action after the youngster was included in Barcelona s squad for the first time in 10 months.
Fati has not played for Barca in 322 days, after he suffered a serious knee injury in November 2020.
The 18-year-old, who has taken the number 10 shirt vacated by Lionel Messi, has undergone three operations and only returned to training last month.
However, Fati has been called into Barca s 20-man squad for Sunday s home game against Levante, a team he has scored two goals against in two matches. He has only netted more times against Villarreal (three) in LaLiga.
Fati became the youngest goalscorer in Barcelona s history when he netted against Osasuna in August 2019 aged 16 years and 304 days and has…
Brazil are convinced they will come good at the Copa America, as they aim to get back on track after a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica, so says Dorival Junior.
The Selecao were frustrated in their opening Group D match, accumulating 1.71 expected goals and having 19 shots, though only three were on target.
With Colombia having started their campaign with a win over Paraguay, the pressure is on Brazil to deliver when they face the same opponent on Friday.
Coach Dorival, though, urged for calm heads and a touch of patience.
He told reporters: It s natural that we all expected a slightly different result in the last game, but we can t fail to appreciate how we performed. The way we put our opponents in their defence.
I am convinced of what we are doing a…