Lazio Crowned Italian Supercup Champs after Defeating Juventus in Riyadh

Lazio players celebrate after winning the Italian Supercup. (SPA)
Lazio players celebrate after winning the Italian Supercup. (SPA)
TT
20

Lazio Crowned Italian Supercup Champs after Defeating Juventus in Riyadh

Lazio players celebrate after winning the Italian Supercup. (SPA)
Lazio players celebrate after winning the Italian Supercup. (SPA)

Lazio beat Juventus 3-1, their second win over the Turin giants in little more than two weeks, to win the Italian Supercup on Sunday, the annual meeting between the Coppa Italia winners and Serie A champions.

Second-half goals from Senad Lulic and Danilo Cataldi won the match which was being played in Saudi Arabia for the second year running.

Chairman of the General Sport Authority Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal handed the trophy to the Lazio players.

Lazio also beat Juventus 3-1 in Serie A on Dec. 7, handing their opponents their first defeat under coach Maurizio Sarri.

Lazio, the Coppa Italia victors, went ahead after 17 minutes when Sergei Milinkovic-Savic laid the ball off for Luis Alberto to fire into the net.

Paulo Dybala levelled for the Serie A champions at the end of the first-half from a rebound after Cristiano Ronaldo's shot was parried by Thomas Strakosha.

Juventus seemed to be in control in the second half and Ronaldo was close with a shot which went just over but they were caught out when Marco Parolo's cross flew across the face of goal and Lulic volleyed in at the far post in the 73rd minute.

Juventus had midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur sent off in stoppage time and Cataldi curled the resulting free kick into the net with the last action of the game.

"I am super happy," Cataldi said. "I heard so many people say how difficult it would be to beat Juve twice in one season, let alone in a couple of weeks, but instead we lifted a trophy and beat one of the three best teams in Europe.

Juventus can content itself with heading into the winter break joint top of Serie A with Inter Milan, six points above Lazio - which has a match in hand. The Bianconeri are also in the last 16 of the Champions League.

"We came into this game with a deficit of physical and mental energy, this happens," Sarri said. "We are sorry we lost a trophy, but we still have many competitions at stake in the next five months. There is anger but crying over it does not solve the problems."

The Italian league has a contract with Saudi Arabia to play three Supercups in the country over five years.



Albon Says Thailand Taking Bid for F1 Race 'Very Seriously'

Williams' Thai driver Alexander Albon arrives ahead of the third practice session of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on March 15, 2025. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
Williams' Thai driver Alexander Albon arrives ahead of the third practice session of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on March 15, 2025. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
TT
20

Albon Says Thailand Taking Bid for F1 Race 'Very Seriously'

Williams' Thai driver Alexander Albon arrives ahead of the third practice session of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on March 15, 2025. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
Williams' Thai driver Alexander Albon arrives ahead of the third practice session of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on March 15, 2025. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)

British-Thai driver Alex Albon says that Thailand is taking its bid to host a Formula One race "very seriously" after meeting the prime minister and seeing the plans for himself.

Thailand is among a number of countries eager to host the sport for the first time, with a race around the streets of the capital Bangkok mooted.

F1 chief Stefano Domenicali met Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra last month and Albon paid her a visit before this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

"We're trying to help get the Thai GP under way and seeing how we can help," Albon, who races for Williams and is Thailand's only F1 driver, told reporters on Thursday at Suzuka.

Albon added: "It's moving along, obviously nothing's finalised but it's really good to see the commitment from Thailand.

"They're taking it very seriously and I think as a product, they have a very strong product."

Most of Formula One's 24-race schedule is confirmed for several years but gaps are set to open up and Domenicali has suggested that Thailand could be a contender to join the circuit.

According to AFP, the London-born Albon declined to give any more details about what a race in Thailand would look like, but was impressed by what he saw.

"I've seen a generic look at what they're trying to do with it, and it looks good," he said.

Formula One currently stages one race in Southeast Asia, in Singapore, which is regarded as the toughest race of the season because of the intense heat and humidity.