Italy Beat Turkey in Post-world Cup Disaster Friendly

Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini (R) congratulates Giacomo Raspadori (L) who scored twice against Turkey Ozan KOSE AFP
Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini (R) congratulates Giacomo Raspadori (L) who scored twice against Turkey Ozan KOSE AFP
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Italy Beat Turkey in Post-world Cup Disaster Friendly

Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini (R) congratulates Giacomo Raspadori (L) who scored twice against Turkey Ozan KOSE AFP
Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini (R) congratulates Giacomo Raspadori (L) who scored twice against Turkey Ozan KOSE AFP

Italy won their first match after failing to qualify for a second straight World Cup by beating Turkey 3-2 in Konya on Tuesday.

Bryan Cristante's 35th minute header and a Giacomo Raspadori brace gave the European champions the win after Cengiz Under had given the hosts a fourth-minute lead.

Serdar Dursun pulled one back with seven minutes left but Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had a wobbly evening, stopped the Fenerbahce forward from heading Turkey level moments later with a superb save.

Raspadori, who put Italy ahead in the 39th minute and sealed the win with 20 minutes remaining to take his international tally to three, was one of the young hopefuls who turned out in an experimental line-up, AFP reported.

Roberto Mancini is expected to confirm that he is staying on as Italy coach despite his team being beaten by North Macedonia in Thursday's play-off semi-final and selected a starting XI which featured a clutch of fringe players.

Mancini has a contract which runs until the 2026 World Cup and hinted heavily on Monday that he would not step down.

The 22-year-old Raspadori was making his ninth Italy appearance, in attack alongside his Sassuolo teammate Gianluca Scamacca, 23, had only played twice for his country before Tuesday.

Mancini also selected AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali, 21, who has struggled to get past Euro 2020 heroes Jorginho, Marco Verratti and Nicolo Barella while Roma starlet Nicolo Zaniolo performed poorly in a rare appearance for the national team.



South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)

South Korea expressed regret that its delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was introduced as from rival North Korea and has demanded assurances from organizers the mistake will not happen again.

As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" - the official name of North Korea - in French and English.

The announcer used the same introduction when the North Korean delegation passed.

South Korea's vice minister for sports and culture, Jang Mi-ran, who was in Paris, had requested a meeting with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach, the ministry said in a statement.

"We express regret that the country was introduced as North Korea at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games when the athletes of the Republic of Korea were entering," it said.

South Korea's National Olympic Committee immediately referred the incident to the Games' organizers and requested that the error will not be repeated.

South Korea's delegation includes 143 athletes competing in 21 events. North Korea, which is returning to the Games for the first time since Rio 2016, has sent 16 athletes.