ֱ

Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals

Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals
Juventus' Teun Koopmeiners, front center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Italian Cup round of 16 football match between Juventus Turin and Cagliari Calcio in Turin Tuesday. (AP)
Short Url
Updated 18 December 2024

Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals

Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals
  • Juve join Lazio, Empoli, Bologna and AC Milan in the next stage of the cup
  • Serie A leaders Atalanta are in action on Wednesday against Cesena, while Roma take on Sampdoria

MILAN: Holders Juventus progressed to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup with a 4-0 win at home to Cagliari on Tuesday.

Dusan Vlahovic slotted home a first half opener, before Teun Koopmeiners wrapped up the last-16 tie for the 15-time winners with a sensational free kick from distance.

Francisco Conceicao and Nico Gonzalez netted late to underline an emphatic performance by the Old Lady.

“It was a good performance,” Juve coach Thiago Motta told Canale 5.

“These lads are going through a tough situation in the right way, giving their all in every training session,” he added of his players who have endured a stop-start domestic campaign as they sit sixth in the league table.

Juve join Lazio, Empoli, Bologna and AC Milan in the next stage of the cup.

Serie A leaders Atalanta are in action on Wednesday against Cesena, while Roma take on Sampdoria.

Reigning Scudetto champions Inter Milan complete the round of 16 when they host Udinese on Thursday.

In Turin, Vlahovic put the home side in front one minute before half-time when he swivelled smartly on a pass to feet from Kenan Yildiz and rolled the ball into the far corner.

Summer signing Koopmeiners then notched up his second goal for Juve with an unstoppable left-footed free-kick from 25 meters out in the 53rd minute.

Vlahovic had the ball in the net twice more for Juve as they pressed forward in search of a third, but was on both occasions denied by the assistant’s flag for offside.

Conceicao eventually made it three on 80 minutes with a whipped finish after cutting in from the right flank and Gonzalez chipped home a fourth with one minute remaining.


Abrar’s four wicket haul helps Pakistan skittle South Africa for 143

Abrar’s four wicket haul helps Pakistan skittle South Africa for 143
Updated 11 sec ago

Abrar’s four wicket haul helps Pakistan skittle South Africa for 143

Abrar’s four wicket haul helps Pakistan skittle South Africa for 143
  • Quinton de Kock led South Africa with 53 off 70 balls after a strong opening stand
  • Pakistan’s spinners triggered a collapse as the visitors lost nine wickets for 56 runs

FAISALABAD: Spinner Abrar Ahmed took a career-best four wicket haul as Pakistan dismissed South Africa for a paltry 143 in the third and final one-day international in Faisalabad on Saturday.

The 27-year-old grabbed 4-27 while fellow spinner Salman Agha (2-18) and pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-18) shared wickets as only four batters crossed double figures after South Africa won the toss and batted.

The series is level at 1-1 with Pakistan winning the first game by two wickets and South Africa took the second by eight wickets, both in Faisalabad.

Quinton de Kock followed his hundred in the second match with a top score of 53 off 70 balls with a six and six boundaries while Lhuan-dre Pretorius knocked a 45-ball 39 with a six and four boundaries.

De Kock and Pretorius set the platform with a 72-run opening stand before the spinners hit back for Pakistan as the visitors lost their nine wickets for 56 runs.

Agha dismissed Pretorius and Tony de Zorzi for two in the space of 15 runs before left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz ended all hopes of a big total with the wicket of De Kock in the 25th over.

Abrar jolted the innings by dismissing Rubin Hermann (one), Donovan Ferreira (seven) and Corbin Bosch (nought) in successive overs.

He then ended skipper Matthew Breetzke’s resistence-filled 16 to improve on his previous best of 4-33 which came against Zimbabwe in Harare last year.

Shaheen had Nqabayomzi Peter (16) and Lungi Ngidi (nought) to wrap the innings in the 38th over.