Juventus and Atalanta Draw 0-0 in Serie A, Roma Beat Frosinone 2-0 

Juventus's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC and Juventus FC in Bergamo, Italy, 01 October 2023. (EPA)
Juventus's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC and Juventus FC in Bergamo, Italy, 01 October 2023. (EPA)
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Juventus and Atalanta Draw 0-0 in Serie A, Roma Beat Frosinone 2-0 

Juventus's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC and Juventus FC in Bergamo, Italy, 01 October 2023. (EPA)
Juventus's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC and Juventus FC in Bergamo, Italy, 01 October 2023. (EPA)

Juventus and Atalanta fell further behind the Serie A leaders as they played out a 0-0 draw on Sunday.

Both teams had chances and Atalanta hit the woodwork, but neither could find the breakthrough in Bergamo.

Juventus remained fourth, four points behind second-place AC Milan and Inter Milan at the top after seven rounds. Atalanta is a point behind Juventus.

Troubled Roma beat Frosinone 2-0 for only its second league win of the season.

Both Atalanta and Juventus were in form heading into Sunday’s match. Atalanta had won its last three matches in all competitions without conceding a goal, while Juventus had three victories in its past four matches.

There were few chances in a tight first half. Davide Zappacosta should have given Atalanta the lead in the 14th minute, but his first attempt was blocked by Juventus defender Danilo and he fired the rebound wide of the right post from close range.

Juve’s best chance came early in the second half when Federico Chiesa’s fierce attempt was palmed away by Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso.

His counterpart, Wojciech Szczęsny, did even better 15 minutes from time as he managed to fingertip a stunning free kick from Luis Muriel onto the crossbar. The ball then bounced down and hit the goalkeeper on the back before going out.

Lukaku again

Romelu Lukaku was again on target to set Roma on its way to a vital victory.

Jose Mourinho’s team was in crisis after just one win in its six league matches and had lost 4-1 at promoted Genoa midweek.

Roma was playing another promoted side in Frosinone, which has been enjoying an impressive start back in the Italian top flight.

Lukaku, who spent last season on loan at Inter, had netted three times in five matches for Roma since joining from Chelsea and he scored again in the 21st minute following an assist from Paulo Dybala.

Dybala also set up Roma’s second with a free kick for Lorenzo Pellegrini to volley home with seven minutes remaining.

Hat trick hero

Riccardo Orsolini scored a hat trick to fire Bologna to a 3-0 win over hapless Empoli.

That ended a run of three goalless draws for Bologna. Empoli, which recorded its first points and first goal midweek, has lost six of its seven matches.

Albert Guðmundsson almost scored a first-half hat trick, but Genoa was held to a 2-2 draw at Udinese after a stoppage-time own-goal.

Guðmundsson had the ball in the back of the net three times but one of his strikes was ruled out for offside.

Udinese forward Lorenzo Lucca scored his team’s first equalizer with his first Serie A goal and the home side snatched a point when Genoa defender Alan Matturro headed the ball into his own net.

Udinese midfielder Sandi Lovrić was shown a straight red card moments later for a foul on Junior Messias.



Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
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Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and his deputy, Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz, attended the opening ceremony of the 33rd Olympic Games in Paris.

Held outside the traditional stadiums for the first time in history, the ceremony featured a parade of the 206 participating countries on 100 boats traveling approximately 6 kilometers along the Seine River.

The Saudi show jumping team player, Ramzy Al-Duhami, and his colleague, the Saudi Taekwondo champion Dunya Aboutaleb, raised the Saudi flag at the opening of the world’s largest sporting event.

Al-Duhami expressed his pride in raising the Kingdom’s flag alongside his teammate, noting that it was a dream for any Saudi citizen. He wished success for the Saudi athletes in representing Saudi sports with distinction.

Aboutaleb, in turn, said he was honored to carry the Kingdom’s flag at the Olympic Games, stating: “I aspire to perform at a level that reflects the support and attention given to sports in the Kingdom.”

The Saudi athletes’ uniform was admired by the international media and the audience, who applauded the players the moment their boat appeared on the Seine River.

The designs for the opening ceremony were chosen through a national competition organized by the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, with the participation of designers from across the Kingdom.

Out of 128 competing designers, the chosen uniform by Saudi designer Alia Al-Salmi featured traditional men’s thobes and bishts and brightly patterned thobe al-nashal for women, symbolizing the athletes’ pride in their homeland and cultural roots.

Mashael Al-Ayed, 17, will be the first Saudi athlete to compete, taking to the pool for the 200 meters freestyle swimming event on July 28. Al-Ayed is the first female swimmer to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics.