Plenty of Penalties Helped Immobile Match Scoring Record

Lazio's Italian forward Ciro Immobile scored his 35th goal this season against Brescia. (AFP)
Lazio's Italian forward Ciro Immobile scored his 35th goal this season against Brescia. (AFP)
TT

Plenty of Penalties Helped Immobile Match Scoring Record

Lazio's Italian forward Ciro Immobile scored his 35th goal this season against Brescia. (AFP)
Lazio's Italian forward Ciro Immobile scored his 35th goal this season against Brescia. (AFP)

Helped by a rule change that led to more penalty kicks, Ciro Immobile matched the record for goals in a Serie A season with 36.

In his last match of the season, Immobile finished off an exchange with Adam Marušić with one touch midway through the first half of a 3-1 loss at Napoli on Saturday.

Current Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuaín also scored 36 in 2015-16 while with Napoli, improving by one goal on the previous mark set by Gunnar Nordhal 66 years earlier.

However, while Higuaín scored only three of his goals in 2015-16 with penalties, Immobile had 14 penalties this season — around 40 percent of his total goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished second on this season’s scoring list with 31 to match Juventus’ club record, had 12 penalties.

The plethora of penalties was a product of a rule calling for involuntary handballs to be whistled as fouls.

The rule is expected to be revised for next season.

Immobile also sealed this season’s European Golden Shoe award.

Fabián Ruiz, Lorenzo Insigne and Matteo Politano scored for Napoli.

The loss saw Lazio finish in fourth place — having trailed leader Juventus by just one point entering the break for the coronavirus pandemic.

Inter second
Inter Milan sealed second place with a 2-0 win over high-scoring Atalanta, which hadn’t been held to a clean sheet since November.

Danilo D’Ambrosio scored with a header and Ashley Young found the target from outside the area in the opening 20 minutes.

Inter finished the season one point behind Juventus, which sealed its record-extending ninth straight title last weekend.

Atalanta finished third for the second straight season, four points behind Inter.

Ronaldo rests
Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus strike partner Paulo Dybala were rested in a 3-1 home loss to Roma.

After Higuaín’s opener, Roma struck back with a goal from Nikola Kalinić and two from Diego Perotti.

Still, it was a celebratory night for Juventus, which received the Serie A trophy after the game inside the empty Allianz Stadium.

Zlatan forever
Despite playing only half the season, Zlatan Ibrahimović became the oldest player to score 10 or more goals in a single Serie A season.

At age 38, Ibrahimović played a role in all three of AC Milan’s goals in a 3-0 win over Cagliari, including a powerful shot of his own that made it 2-0.

Ibrahimović also used his strength to hold off a defender and enable Rafael Leão to shoot from a sharp angle. The ball bounced off the post and rebounded off Ragnar Klavan for an own-goal.

For Milan’s final goal, Ibrahimović set up Samu Castillejo.

Also, Sampdoria drew 1-1 at already-relegated Brescia.



Muchova Squeaks Out Win over Osaka to Reach China Open Quarter-Finals

Tennis - China Open - National Tennis Center, Beijing, China - October 6, 2026 Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova signs autographs after winning her round of 16 match against Japan's Naomi Osaka REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Tennis - China Open - National Tennis Center, Beijing, China - October 6, 2026 Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova signs autographs after winning her round of 16 match against Japan's Naomi Osaka REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
TT

Muchova Squeaks Out Win over Osaka to Reach China Open Quarter-Finals

Tennis - China Open - National Tennis Center, Beijing, China - October 6, 2026 Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova signs autographs after winning her round of 16 match against Japan's Naomi Osaka REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Tennis - China Open - National Tennis Center, Beijing, China - October 6, 2026 Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova signs autographs after winning her round of 16 match against Japan's Naomi Osaka REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Karolina Muchova beat former world number one Naomi Osaka on her ninth match point to reach the quarter-finals of the China Open, triumphant in a tense tie-break on Tuesday in Beijing.

Muchova, the seventh seed, overcame 50 unforced errors across the two-hour-and-52-minute match to beat Osaka 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (9/7).

Osaka, the current world number 17, surrendered a three-game lead in the first set after a series of misfired shots in the seventh game.

The 28-year-old who represents Japan dropped just one game to win the second set and saved eight match points in the third but could not get past Muchova's match-winning volley.

"I think she played always great and steady," the 30-year-old Czech player told the crowd.

"I was shaking. I'm happy I made the last volley... Naomi could be standing here. It's me, and I'm really grateful for it."

She will play either fellow Czech player Nikola Bartunkova or Austria's Sinja Kraus.

Earlier, Russia's Mirra Andreeva beat Ukraine's Daria Snigur 6-2, 6-2 to book her quarter-final spot against fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Alexandrova, ranked 28th, upset Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-2, ending the Czech player's bid to return to the Beijing final that she reached last year.

In the men's draw, Novak Djokovic was due to play Alex de Minaur for the title.

Djokovic, 39, enters the final with six titles in Beijing -- although his most recent came in 2015 -- and 33 wins in as many matches.

He secured his spot in the final after a grueling physical battle with Daniil Medvedev on Monday ended with the Russian disqualified for hitting a spectator with a ball.

The China Open told AFP on Tuesday the fan was "OK" and "not badly injured".


Zidane Begins France Reign Unbeaten and Brimming with Optimism

France's head coach Zinedine Zidane gestures as he addresses media during a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Nations League football match between France and Belgium at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, on October 4, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
France's head coach Zinedine Zidane gestures as he addresses media during a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Nations League football match between France and Belgium at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, on October 4, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
TT

Zidane Begins France Reign Unbeaten and Brimming with Optimism

France's head coach Zinedine Zidane gestures as he addresses media during a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Nations League football match between France and Belgium at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, on October 4, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
France's head coach Zinedine Zidane gestures as he addresses media during a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Nations League football match between France and Belgium at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, on October 4, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Zinedine Zidane's first two weeks in charge of the French national team were eagerly awaited after 14 years under Didier Deschamps, and the new manager came through the international window unbeaten in the Nations League, with a few glimmers of promise.

The 1998 Ballon d'Or winner was the first France men's coach to win his debut game since Aime Jacquet in 1994, with a 1-0 victory in Türkiye, and the first to go undefeated in his first four matches since Raymond Domenech in 2004.

After a labored win over Türkiye, France beat Belgium twice and were held to ‌a 1-1 draw ‌by Italy on Friday in Zidane's first home game in charge, Reuters said.

"We ‌were ⁠pretty good in ⁠our matches even though we can always do better," Zidane told a press conference on Monday.

"We did this over 15 days, in a first international window. It's encouraging and I'm very optimistic for what comes next. We worked really well, and it was important to put in fifteen days of real quality," he added.

NOT MANY CHANCES

Les Bleus struggled with the same issues across their four games: plenty of control — an average of 62% possession — but too few chances ⁠and not enough cutting edge in the final third.

"Even if not ‌everything from the first half should be thrown away, ‌we lacked penetration in the final thirty meters, something that let us down in the other three ‌matches," Zidane said.

Playing without captain Kylian Mbappe for the last three matches after he ‌was injured after scoring the winner against Türkiye, France did not score in the first half during their last eight games.

But Zidane's squad have shown character, with Michael Olise snatching a late winner in Belgium and substitutes Desire Doue, Rayan Cherki and Olise turning the second clash against the Belgians ‌on its head in the final 15 minutes.

"I'm happy with the reaction from the whole team, and to finish these fifteen days ⁠on a very, ⁠very positive note. I think it's deserved given everything we've done," Zidane said.

Zidane has changed his line-up from one match to the next. He gave first international caps to six players: Guillaume Restes, Jeremy Jacquet, Andy Diouf, Lucas Da Cunha, Esteban Lepaul and Leny Yoro.

"For this international window, it was planned. We played four matches in fifteen days and the players have only just started their season. I also wanted to see everyone," Zidane said.

Liverpool defender Jacquet and Como midfielder Da Cunha were among the players who staked a claim for the future, while Ousmane Dembele struggled. The 2025 Ballon d'Or winner failed to make an impact, whether used as a striker or on the right wing.

Olise was the attacking leader of the side, with four goals and two assists in four matches.

"What he's doing is just exceptional," Zidane said.

France visit Italy before hosting Türkiye next month with a Nations League quarter-final spot on the line.


Italian Police Target 22 'Ultras' after Violence at Torino-Juventus Match

Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Atalanta - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - September 20, 2026 Juventus fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Vincenzo Livieri
Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Atalanta - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - September 20, 2026 Juventus fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Vincenzo Livieri
TT

Italian Police Target 22 'Ultras' after Violence at Torino-Juventus Match

Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Atalanta - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - September 20, 2026 Juventus fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Vincenzo Livieri
Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Atalanta - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - September 20, 2026 Juventus fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Vincenzo Livieri

Italian police have imposed supervision orders on 22 hardcore soccer fans as part of an investigation into clashes before the Torino-Juventus derby match in May.

The 22 are members of "ultra" groups from Juve and Torino who clashed outside the Olimpico Grande Torino stadium in Turin on May 24, the final day of last season. They are ⁠accused of throwing ⁠bottles, stones and explosive devices as well as affray, Reuters quoted police as saying in a statement on Tuesday.

Nine police officers were injured as they tried to keep the rival groups ⁠apart. A 36-year-old Juventus fan suffered a serious head injury after he was hit by a tear gas canister during the unrest.

The precautionary measures, imposed in coordination with police across a number of cities in northern Italy, impose a ban on staying in Turin and an obligation to report ⁠regularly ⁠to the local authorities.

A further 20 fans accused of involvement in the clashes have also been given stadium bans.

May's match ended in a 2-2 draw. Juventus and Turin are scheduled to meet again in Serie A at the Allianz Stadium, the home of Juventus, on January 6, a national holiday in Italy.