Napoli moved top of Serie A following a routine 2-0 win over Monza at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

First-half goals from Matteo Politano and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia did the trick for Antonio Conte's side, who leapfrogged Juventus to the summit of the table.

The hosts broke through in the 22nd minute as Politano rounded off a strong run by drilling a low shot beyond Stefano Turati in the Monza goal.

The visitors were then victims of their own downfall as Napoli doubled their lead 11 minutes later.

Turati pass out from the back went straight to Frank Anguissa, who then combined with Scott McTominay to set up Kvaratskhelia to volley home.

Though Monza improved in the second half, they were unable to truly trouble Napoli, who held out for the three points and their fourth clean sheet of the campaign.

Data Debrief: Politano matches Zapata and Dybala

Napoli are back at the Serie A summit for the first time since the final day of the Scudetto-winning season of 2022-23.

Politano got the ball rolling as he became one of only three players to score in each of the last 10 Serie A seasons, along with Duvan Zapata and Paulo Dybala.

Kvaratskhelia doubled the lead with what was his fifth direct goal involvement (three goals, two assists) of the campaign, a tally only bettered by AC Milan's Christian Pulisic (six).

The Partenopei have now gone 388 minutes without conceding a goal, and have recorded three successive clean sheets in Serie A for the first time since February 2023.

Erik ten Hag acknowledged that "indisciplined" Manchester United never recovered from a "very bad start" during their defeat by Tottenham.

The Red Devils suffered their third Premier League loss of the season, as Spurs ran out commanding 3-0 winners at Old Trafford.

United fell behind after just three minutes when Micky van de Ven ran almost the length of the field before crossing for Brennan Johnson to tap home, while Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke sealed Tottenham's victory in the second half.

And Ten Hag believes his players were deeply impacted by their early setback. 

"A very bad start from us. To concede a goal after two or three minutes like that, did something to our belief," he told BBC Match of the Day. 

"It was totally unnecessary to concede a goal like this, the [opposing] centre-half stepping in and passing the whole team over the right side, and then the winger tapping in at the far post. 

"From that moment on, we were stressed on the ball. We were indisciplined. We could not find the triangles or the switches. We had some good moments, but from that moment, we could not get a foothold.

"We can do better than that. First, we have to deal with this and show resilience. This is not good enough."

United played over half of the game with 10 men following Bruno Fernandes' 42nd-minute red card for a high challenge on James Maddison.

Ten Hag feels the dismissal was harsh, but is confident his players can bounce back from their latest defeat.

"We had chances to come back, and then the red card changed the game," he added. "I don't think it was a red card. It was only 1-0; we could have made a comeback, and it had a big impact on the game.

"There is always a new day, and we will learn from it. My players are strong characters and we will bounce back. We have to learn from this and quickly."

Rangers manager Philippe Clement has heaped praise on Jack Butland after the goalkeeper saved a penalty to help secure a 1-0 win over Hibernian.

The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute, with Tom Lawrence whipping a delightful finish into the top-right corner after cutting inside from the left.

Hibs were handed a golden opportunity to equalise on the stroke of half-time, with John Souttar penalised for a handball following a VAR review, but Butland got down to make a brilliant save.

After the break, Cyriel Dessers was denied at point-blank range and Robin Propper twice failed to hit the target in quick succession, but Rangers' lone goal proved to be enough.

While Clement was frustrated by the penalty decision, he was quick to praise his goalkeeper's work as they held on to claim all three points.

"Jack's save was a massive moment," he told RangersTV. "I think Jack was happy as he has been less involved in the last few weeks - it's a good feeling to be important in those moments.

"For me, it wasn't clear why it was a penalty. We discussed these things before with the other managers and the referee department.

"The clean sheet is massive. We brought in Jefte, who is new, Nana Kasanwirjo has come in, and we have a new pairing at centre-backs with John and Robin Propper.

"It is not just defensively; we also have Connor Barron who is new in front of them. They haven't played together too long, but with the organisation, Jack hasn't had to make many saves.

"But when he did, he came up with a massive one and that is a top goalkeeper who keeps his concentration in the big moments."

Rangers came into this game on the back of a Europa League victory away to Malmo on Thursday.

While far from their best, Rangers still managed to claim a fourth consecutive victory in the Scottish Premiership without conceding for the first time since February 2022.

Clement admitted the quick turnaround affected his players' performances.

"The first half we played well, and we deserved the lead, although we could have scored more," he added.

"In the second half, it was more difficult, you could see the freshness going out of the legs of several players.

"We didn't get back to the training centre until 2am on Friday, and then we played at midday, so we had less freshness, so it was important to get the three points and another clean sheet."

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has announced its full support for the referees who took strike action over the weekend, leading to the cancellation of all DaCosta Cup and Manning Cup schoolboy football matches. The referees' strike, which stemmed from safety concerns, has prompted the JFF to back their decision not to officiate until their safety can be guaranteed.

In a statement released on Sunday, the JFF emphasized the importance of referees in football development and stressed the need for their safety while performing their duties.

"The Jamaica Football Federation stands in solidarity and empathizes with the referees in the ongoing 2024 season of ISSA Schoolboy Football. The referees should feel safe when performing their duties, and their decisions on the field should be respected," said JFF General Secretary Dennis Chung.

"The referees are an integral part of football development, and they should not feel threatened in any way when performing their duties. The JFF supports the decision for them not to participate in any ISSA Schoolboy Football matches until they can be assured of their safety. Any further incidents will have more consequential action," Chung added.

The JFF also commended the Jamaica Football Referees Association (JFRA) for their work in ensuring the professionalism and integrity of referees across the country and extended well wishes for their upcoming assignments.

The strike action by referees was triggered by two recent incidents in the DaCosta Cup competition. In one case, a referee was allegedly physically assaulted by a Dinthill Technical player after a match against McGrath High, leading to disciplinary action by ISSA. Two Dinthill players, Maalick Whyte and Shamair Hutchinson, have been banned from participating in ISSA competitions for one year, while Tyrese Gowe received a three-match suspension. The school has been placed on a three-year probation.

In a separate incident, assistant referee Richard Ball was allegedly struck by a missile thrown by a spectator during a Zone A DaCosta Cup match between Maldon High and Cornwall College on September 14.

The referees' strike prompted ISSA to engage in discussions with the JFRA in hopes of reaching an agreement. While games over the weekend were canceled, referees are set to resume duties on Monday, September 30. ISSA has committed to addressing the referees' concerns related to safety and security at matches and reviewing penalties for those who verbally or physically abuse match officials.

"We are disappointed that a conciliatory position could not have been arrived at that would allow today’s games to be played, but look forward to a quick and smooth resumption on Monday, September 30, 2024," ISSA said in a statement.

 As matches are set to resume, ISSA and the JFF will work together to ensure the safety and well-being of referees, players, and spectators as the schoolboy football season continues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kieran McKenna believes Ipswich Town can take "so many positives" from their 2-2 draw against Aston Villa.

The Tractor Boys, who are back in the Premier League after 22 years away, extended their unbeaten league streak to four matches, after Liam Delap's strike secured a share of the spoils at Portman Road.

Delap had given Ipswich an eighth-minute lead, but goals from Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins saw Villa turn the match on its head just after the half-hour mark.

Nevertheless, the hosts dug deep with Delap levelling in the 72nd minute to secure their fourth successive draw, which moves them out of the relegation zone to 15th place.

And McKenna was thrilled with the character his players demonstrated.

"I think we created the better chances in the game, but when you come back from 2-1 down, a point is a good result," he said. "The team, at 2-1 down, never dropped their heads, and we were always competitive in the game.

"I thought the game had a really good flow to it with two good sides. To be competing with a team who have been together for three years with a top manager, I think there are so many positives to take for us.

"Four games unbeaten doesn't come easily in the Premier League. It is a fantastic first step, and we still feel there is a lot of improvement to come."

Villa missed the chance to move level on points with leaders Liverpool and, though disappointed with the result, Unai Emery acknowledged it was an accurate reflection on the balance of play.

"We controlled the first half better than the second half," he said. "We started the first half very well; we came back, and we controlled the game really well. But in the second half, they were pushing.

"We had our chances, but we conceded more than normal, and we didn't control things like we did in the first half. I am not happy with the point, but I have to accept it because I think it is fair."

"They always put a lot of pressure on us, and we couldn't really implement our game plan," Watkins added. "We didn't get it right in the final third. We could have been more ruthless - myself included.

"They kept putting pressure on us. They're here at home; they made runs in behind and we grinded the result out in the end."

Luke Williams feels Swansea City "suffered" for not pressing home their advantage during the 1-1 draw with Bristol City.

The spoils were shared at the Swansea.com Stadium, where Ben Cabango volleyed the hosts into a 15th-minute lead from Eom Ji-sung's corner.

However, the Swans could not extend their advantage with Ollie Cooper hitting the post, and were pegged back in the 76th minute via another corner as Jason Knight headed in Scott Twine's set-piece delivery.

Williams' side missed the chance to move up to seventh in the Championship - and within three points of leaders West Bromwich Albion - and the head coach rued his side's second-half performance.

"The first half, we looked a pretty good side and made the breakthrough, which is important," he said. "But in the second half, we were by far the worst team on the pitch.

"I think when you're 1-0 down, it's easier to throw caution to the wind and Bristol City did that really well. We missed the moments to smooth the game out, to regain control and take control, so we suffered.

"In the end, we're only just about value for a point."

Meanwhile, Robins head coach Liam Manning felt Swansea's goal should not have stood, with Ronald appearing to impede goalkeeper Max O'Leary.

"It's quite clear for me [a foul], when you see it back," he said. "I've seen it from numerous angles. Max is trying to get free, but it's hard when somebody has hold of you.

"We had a pre-season meeting with the referees and the EFL, and they said they were going to clamp down on blocking and grabbing people. Then, when you see the side-on angle on Max, you can see the shirt grabbed and the block. But you get them, or you don't get them, and it's how you respond to that.

"[The] first half, we probably conceded too much territory, we were a little bit too passive. But we put in a really strong performance in the second half."

Bruno Fernandes accepted that he made things harder for Manchester United with his sending-off in the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham, but insisted it was "never a red card".

Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke scored the goals as the visitors cruised to a win at Old Trafford on Sunday.

But the turning point for the hosts was Fernandes' dismissal in the 42nd minute, as he slipped into a tackle on James Maddison, catching him high on the shin.

It is the first time in 242 appearances for United in all competitions that Fernandes has been shown a red card, while he became the fourth Red Devils captain to receive his marching orders at home in the Premier League.

After the game, Fernandes explained why he did not think the challenge deserved the punishment he was given by referee Chris Kavanagh.

"Part of slipping going in, I didn't go in with the studs, I take him with my ankle," Fernandes told Sky Sports.

"It's a clear foul but never a red card. Even Maddison when he gets up, you can see in the [replays], he said it's a foul but not a red card. In the eyes of everyone, you can see it's never a red card.

"If this is a red card, we have to look at every incident. I've never seen a red card come so quickly.

"If he wants to give me a yellow because it's a counter-attack, I agree, but I don't understand why the VAR doesn't call the referee to the screen, it's a poor decision."

Even before United went down to 10 men, they struggled against Spurs, who scored their first goal after three minutes.

Ange Postecoglou's side had 24 shots, hitting the target with 10 of those as they racked up an impressive 4.67 expected goals (xG). They also created nine big chances, the joint-most in a Premier League match on record.

Fernandes was quick to praise his team-mates though, accepting the blame for his role in the defeat.

"I left them with one man down. I appreciate it made everything tougher for them," he added.

"We didn't start the game well, obviously we had the situation with the red card. They did very well, they tried, we conceded two more goals, but it was difficult to cover the spaces.

"There's good things to take away, the resilience was there and I'm really proud of the team.

"Nobody likes to be sent off, it's not a good feeling seeing my team-mates running a lot to try and score – they tried everything."

Michel thinks injuries to key players are a concern for Girona, after Oriol Romeu and Daley Blind limped off during the 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo.

The Blanquivermells' winless streak in LaLiga stretched to four matches, after Iago Aspas' late strike cancelled out Yangel Herrera's earlier effort at Balaidos.

The stalemate also saw midfielder Romeu forced off in the 14th minute, while defender Blind had to be replaced early in the second half, with both players doubtful for Girona's Champions League clash with Feyenoord on Wednesday.

Michel's side are embarking on the first European campaign of their 94-year history after finishing third in LaLiga last term, and the head coach believes his players are feeling the effects of the increased workload.

"That's [injuries] the biggest concern I have about the game," he told reporters. 

"We don't have experience of playing every three days. If Romeu is out for several weeks in midfield, we will be left with a weak team. We'll see what the tests tell us.

"We are inexperienced and, every day, we are looking for solutions to the new reality. The players have raised their voices and Girona cannot manage like the big teams.

"We lose two players? Well, that's the way it is. We have to train as little as possible and analyse a lot from the office."

Although his side's wait for a league victory continues, Michel focused on the positive side of the draw.

"I'm happy because I have the feeling that my team dominated with the ball," he added. "We didn't do badly despite the fact that, in the first 15 minutes of the second half, they put us under pressure."

Khadija Shaw opened her account for the Women's Super League season as Manchester City beat Brighton 1-0 to get their first win on the board.

Shaw was the runaway top scorer in the WSL last season, and she got up and running for the 2024-25 campaign with a neat close-range finish from Kerstin Casparij's low cross late in the first half of Sunday's clash at Joie Stadium.

Her goal was one of seven shots the Jamaican had throughout the contest, with Shaw having gone close on three occasions prior to breaking the deadlock.

Mary Fowler and Jessica Park both went close to extending City's lead after the break, while Lauren Hemp stung the palms of Sophie Baggaley.

The only disappointment for Gareth Taylor will have been that his side failed to make their dominance count for a second goal, with City mustering 3.03 expected goals (xG) to Brighton's 0.76.

"We got the job done," defender Alex Greenwood told BBC Sport.

"Sometimes in this league, you have to win ugly. I thought off the ball today we were better. Against Arsenal, we struggled with that at times, but we have worked really hard on that, and I thought we saw an improvement in that.

"This league is getting tougher and tougher every year, and we saw that with Brighton, it was a tough game. We take the win and the clean sheet all day."

Arsenal, who drew 2-2 with City last week, also got their first win on the board, with Frida Maanum's second-half strike proving decisive in a 1-0 defeat of Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

Alessia Russo capitalised on an error from Catherine Bott, with the former Manchester United forward keeping her cool to set up Maanum for a simple finish, as Arsenal claimed a seventh straight WSL win over Leicester.

There was a thrilling finale in Aston Villa's clash with Tottenham, as three goals in 20 minutes saw the points shared in a 2-2 draw.

Spurs led through Eveliina Summanen's 23rd-minute penalty at Villa Park, but Adriana Leon and Rachel Daly flipped the match on its head.

However, Villa's hopes of claiming a memorable victory were dashed when Bethany England netted deep in second-half stoppage time.

Manchester United made it two wins from two as Grace Clinton's fourth-minute goal downed her former club Everton 1-0.

United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce made good stops to deny Karoline Olesen and Inma Gabarro before the latter had to be taken off following a lengthy treatment for an injury.

West Ham, meanwhile, hit back late on to frustrate Liverpool in a 1-1 draw.

Liverpool's club-record signing Olivia Smith had put the Reds ahead early on, but a fine header from Riko Ueki ensured the spoils were shared.

Tottenham claimed a dominant win at Old Trafford to pile the pressure on Erik ten Hag, as they beat 10-man Manchester United 3-0 on Sunday.

Micky van de Ven opened up United's defence with an excellent run to set up Brennan Johnson with just three minutes on the clock, and it never got better for United from then on.

Alejandro Garnacho struck the post before Bruno Fernandes received a straight red card in the 42nd minute for a late tackle on James Maddison, giving United a mountain to climb.

It was a challenge they were unable to overcome, with Spurs capitalising on their numerical advantage early in the second half through Dejan Kulusevski before Dominic Solanke tapped home a third, and it could have been more, if not for some big Andre Onana saves.

Ange Postecoglou's side rise to eighth with 10 points, while United slip to 12th, behind Brentford on goal difference.

Data Debrief: Spurs run riot

It has been a tough start to the season for United, who have only scored one Premier League goal at Old Trafford so far this season, with that coming in their opener against Fulham.

Fernandes' sending-off did not help matters, as he became the fourth United captain to be sent off in the competition at Old Trafford, receiving his first red card since joining the club (242 appearances). 

While the hosts may have been poor, it should not take anything away from Spurs. They accumulated a huge 4.67 expected goals from their 24 shots, with 10 of those on target.

They also had nine big chances, the joint-most ever created in a Premier League game after Arsenal v Fulham in January 2019. They scored two of the six they had in the second half as they cruised to their first away win in the competition this season. 

West Indies Women missed the chance to build crucial momentum ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, falling to a 20-run defeat against India Women in a warm-up match in Dubai on Sunday.

 After winning the toss and opting to field, the West Indies women managed to restrict India to 141-8 from their 20 overs. India's total was anchored by Jemimah Rodrigues, who top-scored with a well-crafted 52 off 40 balls before being run out. Yastika Bhatia (24) and Smriti Mandhana (14) provided valuable support, but the Indian innings was largely contained by West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, who produced a stellar bowling performance with figures of 4-17.

 In response, the West Indies Women got off to a poor start, losing early wickets, including that of captain Matthews, who was dismissed for a duck. The Caribbean side quickly slumped to 13-3, putting them on the back foot in their pursuit of 142.

 Chinelle Henry tried to rescue the innings with a fighting unbeaten 59, forming a crucial 57-run partnership with Shemaine Campbelle, who added 20 valuable runs. However, once Campbelle was dismissed, the West Indies struggled to maintain their momentum, losing wickets at regular intervals.

 Afy Fletcher’s quickfire 21 from 14 balls gave the West Indies a glimmer of hope late in the game, but they ultimately ran out of time, finishing at 121-8 from their 20 overs, falling 20 runs short of the target.

 India's bowlers put in a disciplined performance, with Pooja Vastrakar leading the attack, taking 3-20. Deepti Sharma was also instrumental in choking the West Indies' scoring, delivering an economical spell of 2-11 from her three overs.

 The loss leaves the West Indies Women with work to do as they prepare for their T20 World Cup campaign.

Liam Delap scored twice as Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town claimed a confidence-boosting 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.

Villa looked set to forge another comeback win when Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins propelled them into the lead.

But Delap, who had opened the scoring in the eighth minute at Portman Road, had other ideas.

At the end of a rapid counter-attack, Delap brilliantly bamboozled Diego Carlos before firing a left-footed effort into the bottom-right corner in the 72nd minute.

It might have been a hat-trick for Delap if not for Emiliano Martinez, who had made a fantastic save in a one-v-one with Ipswich's forward in the first half.

Pau Torres preserved a point for Villa with a brilliant last-ditch block from Wes Burns, while both goalkeepers were also called into action – by Ross Barkley and Jack Taylor respectively – late on.

Data Debrief: Delap's double delight

Delap became the first Ipswich player to score a double in a Premier League match since Marcus Bent in March 2002 (v Newcastle United), and the youngest to do so in the competition for the Tractor Boys, at the age of 21 years and 234 days.

It was also his first career double in a league match.

At the opposite end, Watkins – who headed in from a Leon Bailey cross after teeing up Rogers' equaliser – continued his fine form in front of goal. The England striker has now scored and assisted in eight Premier League matches in his career, which is the joint-most of any player for Villa (matching Dwight Yorke and Gabriel Agbonlahor). 

Girona's are now without a win in four LaLiga matches after Iago Aspas' late goal held them to a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Girona, surprise third-place finishers last season, dominated possession in the early stages before taking the lead in the 38th minute when Yangel Herrera rose high to head in Daley Blind's cross.

Celta responded well but initially struggled to test Paulo Gazzaniga in their search for an equaliser, with Girona offering little in terms of threat at the other end.

The hosts eventually found a way through in the 81st minute - Williot Swedberg laid the ball off to Aspas, who made no mistake with his composed finish. 

Girona sit 12th in the LaLiga table on nine points from eight games, while Celta moved to ninth place with 10 points ahead of the remaining weekend fixtures.

Data Debrief: Girona stumble again

Girona may have had fewer shots than their hosts (nine compared to Celta's 12), but they looked set to end their winless run despite that. In the first half, they had three big chances, of which they took one.

In the end, Celta's push for an equaliser paid off, with Aspas netting the winner with their first shot on target. They only had two overall, with the other coming just seconds before the final whistle. 

It was the Celta captain's fourth goal in LaLiga this campaign, and his 160th in the competition overall (365 appearances).

Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw's 44th-minute strike gave Manchester City Women their first win of the 2024/25 Women's Super League (WSL) season, as they edged Brighton 1-0 at Joie Stadium in an early kick-off on Sunday. Shaw's goal, her first of the new campaign, was the decisive factor in a match dominated by City from start to finish.

The Jamaican forward pounced just before half-time, expertly converting Kirstin Casparij’s cross from the left wing. Shaw made a well-timed run across her defender to poke the ball home, breaking the deadlock and giving City a well-deserved lead going into the break.

Despite their dominance, City failed to capitalize on several chances to extend their lead throughout the second half. Brighton, while showing brief moments of attacking intent, struggled to maintain possession, often creating their own problems by playing out from the back under intense pressure from City.

It was far from a perfect performance by Gareth Taylor’s side, but the win secured their first three points of the season.

In the closing stages of the match, there was concern for City as Shaw went down injured and was eventually forced off the pitch. She was replaced by Mary Fowler, but the extent of Shaw's injury remains unclear.

 

Bayern Munich offered a positive update on Harry Kane's status after the striker sustained an ankle injury against Bayer Leverkusen.

The England captain, who did not register a single shot during Saturday's 1-1 draw despite Bayern dominating, was injured in a collision late on at the Allianz Arena, where Aleksandar Pavlovic cancelled out Robert Andrich's earlier effort.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was hopeful Kane would be fit to feature against Aston Villa in the Champions League on Wednesday.

On Sunday, Bayern released a statement confirming tests run on Kane had revealed no significant damage, and that the 31-year-old would "continue to receive appropriate treatment", though they did not confirm whether the forward will be fit to face Villa.

Kane suffered the knock due to a robust challenge from Amine Adli.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Kane said: "Sometimes there have been red cards for something like that.

"I'm OK, but it's a bit sore. I think it's OK. It doesn't feel too bad at the moment. We'll assess that in the next few days, but I don't think I'll be out for long."

Villa will certainly be hoping Kane is absent as they prepare to host a European giant.

Kane has been directly involved in seven goals in six career appearances against them at Villa Park, scoring five goals and providing two assists.

Indeed, he has also scored the game-winning goal at Villa Park on two previous occasions, netting a 90th-minute winner in November 2014 (2-1) and both goals in a 2-0 victory there in March 2016 – both during his time at Tottenham.

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