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Napoli Delay Inter’s Title Celebrations with 4-0 Win Over Cremonese

Football - Serie A - Napoli v Cremonese - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - April 24, 2026 Napoli's Rasmus Hojlund scores their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Serie A - Napoli v Cremonese - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - April 24, 2026 Napoli's Rasmus Hojlund scores their second goal. (Reuters)
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Napoli Delay Inter’s Title Celebrations with 4-0 Win Over Cremonese

Football - Serie A - Napoli v Cremonese - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - April 24, 2026 Napoli's Rasmus Hojlund scores their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Serie A - Napoli v Cremonese - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - April 24, 2026 Napoli's Rasmus Hojlund scores their second goal. (Reuters)

Napoli cruised to a ‌4-0 win at home to Cremonese on Friday, a result which means Serie A leaders Inter Milan will have to wait at least another week to celebrate the title win and leaves the visitors in serious relegation trouble.

Napoli are second in the standings on 69 points, nine behind Inter who are away to Torino on Sunday and three points ahead of AC Milan who host Juventus.

Cremonese are third from bottom, level on 28 points with Lecce who are in the safety zone ahead of a trip to Hellas Verona on Saturday. Verona are second ‌from bottom on ‌18 points and look Serie B bound along ‌with ⁠bottom club Pisa.

With ⁠their title defense all but over, Napoli were still keen to impress after a dismal performance last weekend when they failed to register a single shot on target in a 2-0 home loss to Lazio.

"After Lazio, we spoke, I coach intelligent guys and they understood what didn't work," Napoli boss Antonio Conte told DAZN before kickoff.

"Today we have to ⁠get back on track."

Conte's men duly obliged.

Scott McTominay was ‌denied by the onrushing keeper Emil Audero ‌in an early attack, but his opening goal quickly followed in the ‌third minute.

McTominay collected Kevin De Bruyne's pass, took one touch to ‌control before rifling a low shot to the bottom corner of the net for his ninth league goal of the season.

Napoli created plenty of chances before doubling their lead on the stroke of halftime with an own goal.

Rasmus Hojlund ‌slipped as he got his shot away, but the ball took a wicked deflection off Filippo Terracciano ⁠to wrongfoot Audero ⁠and Napoli finished the game off in stoppage time before the break.

After McTominay made an acrobatic pullback from the byline to keep the ball in play, De Bruyne battled to win possession from Youssef Maleh in the area and drilled his shot beyond Audero.

Napoli continued where they left off after the interval. Keeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic threw the ball to Alisson Santos who ran the length of the pitch unchallenged before firing home from the edge of the area.

Amir Rrahmani rattled the Cremonese crossbar and Audero denied McTominay from the penalty spot late on as Napoli failed to add to their goal tally, but Conte, and the home fans, will be more than happy with an impressive performance.

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Sports

Saudi Team Coach: We Aim to Make Fans Proud by Reaching Round of 32

A scene from the Saudi national team's final training session ahead of the match against Cape Verde (Saudi National Team)
A scene from the Saudi national team's final training session ahead of the match against Cape Verde (Saudi National Team)
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Saudi Team Coach: We Aim to Make Fans Proud by Reaching Round of 32

A scene from the Saudi national team's final training session ahead of the match against Cape Verde (Saudi National Team)
A scene from the Saudi national team's final training session ahead of the match against Cape Verde (Saudi National Team)

Saudi national football team head coach Georgios Donis said Friday's match against Cape Verde will be a tough challenge, stressing that his team is determined to secure victory, advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32, and make the Saudi fans proud.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference held at Houston Stadium in Texas, Donis said: "Cape Verde are a strong team and delivered impressive performances against Spain and Uruguay. We are facing a decisive match that requires us to perform at our best, stay mentally focused, and show cohesion on the pitch. That is exactly what we aim to do."

The team concluded its preparations on Thursday in Houston.

The training session, the first quarter-hour of which was open to media representatives, was attended by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the Saudi Minister of Sports, who met with the players and witnessed the team's final practice.

The Green Falcons players conducted their training session at the Houston Dynamo club stadium, under Donis' supervision.

Sports

Ecuador Upset Germany to Reach World Cup last 32 as Curacao Eliminated

Ecuador fans celebrate during a watch party after their team won the 2026 World Cup football tournament match between Ecuador and Germany, at Hudson Yards Backyard in New York City, on June 25, 2026. (Photo by Leonardo MUNOZ / AFP)
Ecuador fans celebrate during a watch party after their team won the 2026 World Cup football tournament match between Ecuador and Germany, at Hudson Yards Backyard in New York City, on June 25, 2026. (Photo by Leonardo MUNOZ / AFP)
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Ecuador Upset Germany to Reach World Cup last 32 as Curacao Eliminated

Ecuador fans celebrate during a watch party after their team won the 2026 World Cup football tournament match between Ecuador and Germany, at Hudson Yards Backyard in New York City, on June 25, 2026. (Photo by Leonardo MUNOZ / AFP)
Ecuador fans celebrate during a watch party after their team won the 2026 World Cup football tournament match between Ecuador and Germany, at Hudson Yards Backyard in New York City, on June 25, 2026. (Photo by Leonardo MUNOZ / AFP)

Ecuador upset Germany to squeeze into the last 32 of the World Cup on Thursday while the Netherlands, Japan and the Ivory Coast advanced safely as the draw for the knockout rounds began to take shape.

The Netherlands wrapped up their first round campaign with a 3-1 victory over Tunisia to top Group F, just ahead of Japan, who drew 1-1 with Sweden to finish in second place.

Sweden also advanced as one of the best third place finishers.

The Dutch will now face 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco in the last 32, while Japan will take on Group C winners Brazil for a place in the last 16.

A nailbiting Group E game between Ecuador and group winners Germany at the MetLife Stadium was settled 13 minutes from time, when Gonzalo Plata jabbed home from close range to set up a 2-1 win, AFP reported.

Plata's winner came after Ecuador had recovered when Germany took the lead from a controversial Leroy Sane goal after two minutes before equalizing through Nilson Angulo.

The result means Ecuador finished Group E with four points, guaranteeing them a place in the last 32 as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

"The significance of this is not for me, it is for the people," Ecuador coach Sebastian Beccacece said after the win.

"The players gave a huge happiness to the people. We have to enjoy it and celebrate, please," the Argentine coach added.

Germany had already been assured of winning the group after wins over Ivory Coast and Curacao.

But coach Julian Nagelsmann was left dismayed at what he described as "tactical suicide" against Ecuador.

"We got off to a great start," Nagelsmann said. "Unfortunately, right after scoring, we started committing tactical suicide with our positioning. That makes things difficult.

"Ecuador had everything to play for, and you could tell -- they had their foot on the gas."

Ivory Coast meanwhile sealed the runners-up spot in Group E after eliminating Curacao in Philadelphia, Nicolas Pepe scoring twice in a 2-0 victory. It is the first time that the west African nation have reached the knockout stage.

Curacao, the smallest country by population ever to play in the World Cup, depart the tournament with one point to finish bottom of the group.

A packed slate of six games across the tournament on Thursday wrapped up in California in Group D.

The United States, who had already secured first place in the group after wins over Paraguay and Australia, fielded a heavily rotated line-up in a 3-2 loss to already eliminated Türkiye at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes to his starting line-up and looked to have secured a draw until Kaan Ayhan popped up in stoppage time to grab a consolation win for the Turks in a game watched by a host of celebrities including Brad Pitt.

In Santa Clara, Australia ground out a 0-0 draw with Paraguay to clinch second place in the group and a ticket to the last 32.

Paraguay are also poised to advance as one of the best third-placed third-placed teams.

The Netherlands meanwhile will head into next week's duel with Morocco in Monterrey brimming with confidence after another impressive attacking display in Group F with a 3-1 defeat of Tunisia in Kansas City.

An Ellyes Skhiri own goal was followed by goals from Brian Brobbey and Jan Paul van Hecke as Ronald Koeman's men marched on against the woeful North Africans who depart without a point.

Japan's hopes of pipping the Netherlands to top spot -- and avoiding Brazil in the next round -- were frustrated in a battling 1-1 draw with Sweden.

A game in front of 70,000 fans in Texas sprang into life in the second half when Daizen Maeda gave Japan the lead with a brilliantly worked team goal soon after the break.

Sweden, who had been thumped 5-1 by the Netherlands in their second game, responded with a long-range Anthony Elanga effort minutes later to secure third place.

"The boys were fantastic," said Sweden's English coach Graham Potter. "Over the course of the game it was a pretty fair result and arguably we were slightly the better team in the second half."

Sports

Australia Reach World Cup Knockouts after Goalless Draw with Paraguay

Australia fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Paraguay and Australia at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, 25 June 2026. EPA/Jason Henry
Australia fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Paraguay and Australia at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, 25 June 2026. EPA/Jason Henry
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Australia Reach World Cup Knockouts after Goalless Draw with Paraguay

Australia fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Paraguay and Australia at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, 25 June 2026. EPA/Jason Henry
Australia fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Paraguay and Australia at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, 25 June 2026. EPA/Jason Henry

Australia booked their place in the World Cup's round of 32 on Thursday with a cagey 0-0 draw against Paraguay that left the South Americans facing a nervous wait to see if they will advance.

In a physical, scrappy contest at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Paraguay pushed late after being dominated early but it ended with the Socceroos making the tournament's knockout phase for a third time, four years after reaching the last 16 in Qatar.

Tony Popovic's team sealed second place in Group D behind co-hosts the United States and will meet the second-placed team in Group G, which remains wide open before Egypt face Iran and Belgium meet New ⁠Zealand on Friday.

Paraguay, ⁠on four points, may have done enough to advance as one of the eight best-finishing, third-placed sides but the 2010 quarter-finalists will need to wait for other results in the final group matches in the coming days.

Popovic made six changes to his starting 11 in a bold shake-up, bringing back livewire Nestory Irankunda and adding Cristian Volpato to his forward line ⁠in a signal of attacking intent.

With Jordan Bos switching from left back to right to cover for the injured Jacob Italiano, Australia made promising raids down the right but the finishing touch proved stubbornly elusive, Reuters reported.

Minutes after kickoff, Volpato set up Jackson Irvine on the right of the penalty area but he thumped an angled shot straight at Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

Bos and Volpato drew saves from Gill late in the half without genuinely testing the keeper.

With Paraguay restricted to one shot in the half, coach Gustavo Alfaro injected Mauricio at the break, and the Brazilian-born attacker shot fruitlessly ⁠from distance ⁠five minutes after the restart.

The Paraguayans grew into the contest with the help of the energetic Julio Enciso, who repeatedly sliced through Australia's defense.

He blew one of Paraguay's better chances with a low shot that flashed well wide of the left post eight minutes from time.

In an end-to-end finish, Bos briefly had Socceroos fans rising from their seats in the 89th minute as he split two defenders, charged into the box from the right and sent his shot fizzing by the far post.

Mauricio gave Beach a late test when he found a sliver of room on the edge of the area but his tepid, low shot was easily dealt with and Australia held on to advance with more substance than style.