Category: Sports

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Forest beats Porto on Dyche debut; Villa shocked by Go Ahead Eagles

Sean Dyche got off to a winning start as Nottingham Forest boss thanks to two penalties to beat Porto 2-0 in the Europa League, while Aston Villa were stunned 2-1 by Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday.

Forest, who sacked Ange Postecoglou after just 40 days and eight games in charge on Saturday, had not won in 10 games stretching back to the opening weekend of the Premier League season.

But Dyche, who began his playing career at the two-time European champions, roused an immediate impact, even if Forest needed some fortune from VAR interventions to get the better of the Portuguese giants.

Morgan Gibbs-White fired in from the spot on 19 minutes after Jan Bednarek had been penalised for handball.

Former Southampton defender Bednarek thought he had equalised early in the second half, only for the goal to be ruled out after a VAR review for offside against Samu Aghehowa.

The video assistant referee also came to the home side’s aid when Nicola Savona was initially booked for diving, only for that decision to be overturned and a second penalty awarded 13 minutes from time.

Igor Jesus this time slammed home for his first Forest goal at the City Ground.

Villa boss Unai Emery said his side were taught a lesson in the difficulties of European football after their perfect Europa League start came to a surprise end in the Netherlands.

Emery’s men had backed up their status as pre-tournament favorites by beating Bologna and Feyenoord to get their European campaign off to a flying start.

The visitors started strongly when Evann Guessand fired in his first Villa goal.

However, in wild weather conditions, the home side secured a famous win in their first ever experience of group stage European football.

Mathis Suray’s deflected shot levelled before half-time and Mats Deijl dinked over Emiliano Martinez to give the Dutch Cup winners the lead.

Emi Buendia was Villa’s match-winner at Tottenham on Sunday, but the Argentine went from hero to villain as he missed a late penalty with the chance to snatch a draw.

“Today showed us how difficult it is to play in Europe, to play away,” said Emery. “This is the reason I love football, because football has a lot of different ways to win. You can dominate, like

we did, you have chances to score, but if we are conceding a few chances, maybe you can lose. And we did.”

Danny Rohl endured a nightmare start as Rangers manager in a humbling 3-0 defeat in Norway to Brann.

The Glasgow giants’ hopes of making the latter stages are in tatters after a third consecutive Europa League defeat left them bottom of the 36-team table.

A change of manager made no immediate impact as Emil Kornvig converted at the back post to give Brann a half-time lead.

Jacob Sorensen punished more poor defending to head in from a free-kick before Noah Holm rubbed salt in Rangers wounds.

Celtic did salvage some pride for Scottish clubs by coming from behind to secure their first European win of the season over Sturm Graz.

Two goals in three minutes from Liam Scales and Benjamin Nygren earned a 2-1 victory after Tomi Horvat’s wonder strike put the Austrians in front at Celtic Park.

Danish side Midtjylland moved top of the standings with a 3-0 win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

Lyon beat Basel 2-0 to continue their 100 percent record thanks to goals from Corentin Tolisso and Afonso Moreira.

Braga are the only other side so far with three wins from three after they beat Red Star Belgrade 2-0.

Bologna won 2-1 at Steaua Bucharest to register their first win in the league phase.

Fenerbahce beat Stuttgart 1-0, while Real Betis were held 0-0 away at Genk. (JapanToday)

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Man Utd beat Brighton, Sunderland stun Chelsea to go second in Premier League

Manchester United climbed into the Premier League’s top four with a 4-2 victory over Brighton, as Sunderland went second after stunning Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday.

United took nearly a year into Ruben Amorim’s reign to win back-to-back league games but have now won three-in-a-row after ending Brighton’s run of success at Old Trafford.

The Seagulls had won on their previous three visits amid a run of six wins in seven league games against United.

There are signs of the Red Devils’ £200 million trio ($266 million) of attacking additions in the transfer window, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, beginning to click.

Cunha curled in his first goal for the club from outside the box to open the scoring.

Casemiro’s deflected effort doubled United’s lead before half-time.

Sesko then teed up Mbeumo to fire in at the near post.

Danny Welbeck’s brilliant free-kick and Charalampos Kostoulas’ header set up a nervy finale.

But Mbeumo smashed home his second goal to seal the points in the 97th minute.

United surge ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham into the Champions League places and within three points of leaders Arsenal.

Sunderland’s dream return to the top flight after an eight-year absence goes on after Chemsdine Talbi’s stoppage time winner at Stamford Bridge.

The Black Cats already seem set to buck the trend of all promoted sides being relegated straight back to the Championship in the past two seasons.

Chelsea looked like they would be the side to go second in the table when Alejandro Garnacho drilled in his first goal for the club after just four minutes.

Sunderland levelled midway through the first half when Wilson Isidor bundled in from close range after Chelsea failed to clear a long throw-in.

The visitors comfortably held the Club World Cup winners at bay in the second period before landing the sucker punch on the counter-attack in the 93rd minute when Brian Brobbey teed up Talbi to curl perfectly into the bottom corner.

Defeat leaves Chelsea down in seventh and any hope of a title challenge fading fast.

“We were not good enough and in the Premier League the consequences can be bad,” said Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.

“If you want to be there (challenging for the title), you need consistency.”

Newcastle beat Fulham 2-1 thanks to captain Bruno Guimaraes’ 90th minute strike at St. James’ Park.

Jacob Murphy pounced on an error by Calvin Bassey to give the Magpies a first-half lead.

Sasa Lukic headed in Fulham’s equaliser just before the hour mark.

But Marco Silva’s men fell to a fourth consecutive defeat that leaves them hovering just above the relegation zone.

Guimaraes swept home the rebound after Bernd Leno had saved William Osula’s initial effort to propel Newcastle up to 11th.

Liverpool slumped to a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat as Brentford bullied the defending champions in a 3-2 win.

Goals from Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago secured victory for the Bees, who climb to 10th in the table.

Liverpool slip to sixth and could be seven points adrift of leaders Arsenal by Sunday as their title defence has collapsed in spectacular style over the past month. (JapanToday)

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NFL chief Goodell shrugs off Bad Bunny Super Bowl critics

National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday stood by the choice of Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny to headline next year’s Super Bowl halftime show, a decision President Donald Trump has branded “absolutely ridiculous.”

Speaking in New York after the league’s annual autumn meeting, Goodell said he had no qualms about picking the Grammy-winning entertainer, who is wildly popular across the United States, for the NFL showpiece despite the backlash it had drawn from Trump and right-wing critics.

“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell said of the decision. “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s carefully thought through.”

Goodell said the NFL’s picks for the high-profile halftime show frequently elicited “blowback or criticism.”

Bad Bunny, real name Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, had already sparked right-wing ire after saying he would skip the United States during his upcoming world tour due to fears of immigration raids at his concerts.

The Latin megastar brought a fresh wave of controversy after being named to headline the Super Bowl last month, with right-wing critics infuriated at the choice of an artist who sings mostly in Spanish.

In an interview on Newsmax, Trump, who has regularly sparred with the NFL, said he had “never heard” of Bad Bunny.

“I don’t know who he is,” Trump said. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy.” He went on to brand the decision “absolutely ridiculous.”

Other conservative critics have joined the pile-on.

“Is the @NFL incapable of reading the room?” Sebastian Gorka, Trump’s Senior Director for Counter Terrorism, posted on X last month shortly after the announcement.

Former racing driver turned right-wing commentator Danica Patrick said separately on X: “No songs in English should not be allowed at one of America’s highest rated television events of the year.”

Bad Bunny has said his halftime act was “for my people, my culture, and our history.”

Puerto Rico, where Bad Bunny hails from, is a U.S. territory in the Caribbean. In June, Bad Bunny posted video footage on his social media channels from an ICE raid that took place on his home island.

Super Bowl halftime shows have traditionally attracted the biggest names in the music industry, including the likes of Michael Jackson, the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Prince and Paul McCartney.

More recent performers have included this past year’s headliner Kendrick Lamar, the rapper who cut out profanity but still performed a viral diss track of his rival Drake. (JapanToday)

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IOC recommends no international sporting events in Indonesia after country bars Israeli athletes

The International Olympic Committee said Wednesday it will recommend no international sporting events be held in Indonesia after the country barred Israeli athletes from the gymnastics world championships in Jakarta.

The governing body also said it was ceasing any discussions with Indonesia about hosting future Olympics.

An Indonesian government official declared earlier this month that Israeli athletes would be denied visas to participate in the championships, which started Oct. 19. Israel’s team included 2020 Olympic gold medalist and defending world champion Artem Dolgopyat in the men’s floor exercise.

“These actions deprive athletes of their right to compete peacefully and prevent the Olympic movement from showing the power of sport,” the IOC executive board said in a statement.

Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation and has long been a staunch supporter of Palestinians. The scheduled participation of Israeli athletes had sparked intense opposition within the country.

The IOC executive board met remotely this week to discuss the situation in Indonesia and also the “recurrent global issue regarding athletes’ access to international competitions.”

The IOC said “all eligible athletes, teams and sports officials must be able to take part in international sports competitions and events without any form of discrimination by the host country.” It added that the fundamental principles that govern the Olympic movement include “non-discrimination, autonomy and political neutrality.”

It said it was ceasing dialogue with Indonesia over hosting the Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, Olympic events and conferences until the government gave “adequate guarantees” that all participants would be granted access to the country regardless of nationality.

In addition, it said it would recommend international federations do not stage tournaments, events or meetings in Indonesia until those guarantees were given.

The Indonesian Olympic committee has been invited to IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland to discuss the issue. (JapanToday)

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Liverpool back on track while Real, Bayern and Chelsea win in Champions League

Hugo Ekitike scored against his old club as Liverpool got back on track with a 5-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday while Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were among the night’s other winners.

The Anfield side came into their trip to Germany reeling after a run of four consecutive defeats which included a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in their last Champions League outing.

They bounced back in style by coming from behind to hammer Eintracht, who suffered a second straight 5-1 defeat in Europe — having started their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 win.

Rasmus Kristensen gave the hosts the lead but Ekitike broke away to equalise against the team he left in July in a £79 million ($105.5m) deal.

Virgil van Dijk headed the visitors in front at a corner on 39 minutes and Ibrahima Konate made it 3-1 before the interval in almost identical fashion.

Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai added further goals in the second half as Liverpool moved up to 10th in the 36-team league phase standings.

“I don’t know if it’s a statement but it is a win and something to build on,” Van Dijk told broadcaster TNT Sports.

Chelsea won by the same scoreline against Ajax at Stamford Bridge, in a match which featured an early red card and three first-half penalties.

Kenneth Taylor was sent off for the Dutch visitors before Marc Guiu and Moises Caicedo scored for the Premier League side.

Wout Weghorst pulled one back from the spot for Ajax but Enzo Fernandez and Estevao both converted penalties before half-time for Chelsea.

Tyrique George rounded off the scoring in the second half as for the first time in Champions League history three teenagers scored for the same team.

“We trust a lot of young players,” said Maresca after the goals for Guiu, Estevao and George. “That is the strategy of the club, but not only the ones that we buy. Also the ones from the academy.”

Chelsea have now won their last two European outings since beginning their campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Bayern.

Ajax, meanwhile, are bottom of the standings as one of only two teams without a point after three games — the other is Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.

Bayern are one of five teams with the maximum nine points as Harry Kane scored his 20th goal in 12 club appearances this season in a 4-0 cruise against Club Brugge at the Allianz Arena.

Lennart Karl, 17, got the opener before Kane, Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson also hit the target for the Bundesliga champions.

Madrid also have nine points following a hard-earned 1-0 victory against Juventus at the Santiago Bernabeu as England captain Kane’s compatriot Jude Bellingham scored for the first time this season.

The goal came just before the hour mark, with Bellingham converting the rebound after Vinicius hit the upright. Juventus have now gone seven games without a win.

“I’m very happy with the win, it was a very tough game with chances at both ends and we had to sweat for it, but it was an important win against a big team,” Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois told Movistar.

Tottenham Hotspur became the only one of England’s six representatives to fail to win this midweek as they were held to a 0-0 draw away to Monaco.

In Lisbon, Portuguese champions Sporting came from behind to defeat Marseille 2-1 in a game which hinged on a red card in first-half stoppage time.

Igor Paixao’s stunner put Marseille ahead, but Emerson Palmieri was dismissed for a second yellow for diving after a decision to award him a penalty was overturned.

Sporting used the extra man to equalise in the second half through Geny Catamo before Alisson Santos got their winner.

Nigeria superstar Victor Osimhen netted twice as Galatasaray beat Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in Istanbul, with Yunus Akgun scoring their other goal before Andreas Helmersen pulled one back.

Athletic Bilbao beat Qarabag of Azerbaijan 3-1 at San Mames, coming from behind after Leandro Andrade had given the visitors a first-minute lead. Gorka Guruzeta bagged a brace for the Basque side either side of a Robert Navarro goal.

Atalanta and Slavia Prague drew 0-0 in the night’s other game.

The next round of Champions League action in a fortnight will include clashes between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern, and Liverpool and Real. (JapanToday)

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Hoshoryu claims title as successful London tournament comes to close

Hoshoryu defeated fellow yokozuna Onosato in the final bout of the five-day exhibition Grand Sumo Tournament at London’s Royal Albert Hall to claim the champion’s trophy on Sunday.

The Japan Sumo Association’s first overseas tournament in 20 years proved to be a big hit in the British capital, with roughly 27,000 fans attending over the five sold-out days at the renowned concert venue.

British news outlets and social media were abuzz with images of the giant wrestlers sightseeing around London, where they mingled with local fans and onlookers.

Both grand champions entered the final bout unbeaten in a two-way tie for the lead, meaning the winner would walk away with the title.

Mongolian-born Hoshoryu, 26, used a strong belt grip to spin the 25-year-old Onosato around and usher him out of the ring from behind.

Rank-and-file wrestler Tobizaru started the day with a share of the lead but was knocked out of the race as he lost to komusubi Takayasu. The No. 15 maegashira, whose name translates to “flying monkey,” became a fan favorite in London as the underdog title challenger.

Onosato, who beat Hoshoryu to win the September grand tournament in Tokyo, delivered a brief farewell message in English at a closing ceremony for the first sumo tour to London since 1991.

“Hello everyone. London is great. Thank you and see you again. Goodbye,” said Onosato, keeping his address short and sweet.

Sumo association chief Hakkaku expressed his satisfaction with the tour, hailing it as a huge success.

“It was even better than I expected,” said Hakkaku, formerly yokozuna Hokutoumi. “I’m overwhelmed with emotion. It feels like sumo has been broadcast to the world.”

The London tournament featured wrestlers from the elite makuuchi division and was the sumo association’s 14th overseas tour. The first was to Moscow and Khabarovsk in what was then the Soviet Union in 1965, while the most recent was to Las Vegas in 2005. (JapanToday)

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Nwabali posts cryptic message amid Eagles controversy

Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has posted a cryptic message on Instagram days after tense on-field clashes with teammates during Nigeria’s 4-0 win over Benin Republic as Maduka Okoye returns from his two-month suspension, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Chippa United stopper wrote on his Instagram story on Friday, “I never fake care anyone. What I give, I give from my heart. Choose a good heart. People change so fast…King VO9.”

The post comes just days after Nwabali was involved in flash incidents with his own teammates during the World Cup qualifier in Uyo.

First, he pushed Wilfred Ndidi, who tried to calm him down after he confronted a Benin player. At half-time, as the players trudged off the pitch, he was seen arguing with Calvin Bassey.

Victor Osimhen scored a hat-trick as the three-time African champions secured their place in the continental playoffs, but there were criticisms aimed at Nwabali and some of his antics, especially after his mistakes in a 2-1 win over Lesotho last week.

While a lot of observers called for Nwabali to be dropped, head coach Eric Chelle kept faith with him for the Benin game.

The goalkeeper’s cryptic message has sparked speculation about possible tensions within the squad, though the reference to “King VO9” suggests the post may have been supportive of Osimhen rather than critical.

Nwabali has faced scrutiny in recent months, with his form becoming increasingly erratic. Flashes of his AFCON-era composure have been replaced by inconsistency and avoidable confrontations.

His judgment in high-pressure moments has often been questioned, and several on-field outbursts have only added to concerns about his temperament, though referees’ leniency has spared him disciplinary action.

The 28-year-old tragically lost both parents within a two-month span earlier this year, and he may still be dealing with the emotional toll of those losses.

Meanwhile, Okoye is poised to make his long-awaited return to the Udinese squad after serving a two-month suspension for betting-related offences.

The Düsseldorf-born goalkeeper, who had established himself as a reliable figure in Friuli before his ban, is now being backed to bounce back stronger as the Serie A side resume domestic duties.

Okoye’s return to club action inevitably raises questions about Nigeria’s goalkeeping situation ahead of the crucial World Cup playoff matches in November.

The 25-year-old could offer a calming presence that the Super Eagles have lacked in recent outings. His display against Russia in June, in what was a very intimidating atmosphere inside the Luzhniki Stadium, was a testament to his ability under pressure.

However, Nigeria can ill afford disruption ahead of November’s World Cup playoff semi-final against Gabon. Any shift in the goalkeeping hierarchy would risk unsettling a squad already chasing stability.

The more logical window for such a reassessment would be December’s pre-AFCON camp, when Chelle and his staff will have ample time to evaluate both men closely before making a definitive call. (Punch)

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Djokovic withdraws from Paris Masters after quitting exhibition with an injury

Novak Djokovic is withdrawing from next week’s Paris Masters, he announced on social media on Tuesday, just days after he stopped playing in an exhibition event because of a leg injury.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion has competed infrequently this season, appearing in only eight ATP Tour events outside of the four majors.

Djokovic, who is 38, reached the semifinals at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open this season. From late May to late September, the only tournaments he entered were those last three Slams.

At his most recent official tournament, the Shanghai Masters, Djokovic was slowed by a sore hip during a semifinal exit.

He was one of the half-dozen men invited to the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia last week. After an opening bye, Djokovic lost to Jannik Sinner, then faced Taylor Fritz to determine the third-place finisher but stopped playing after one set.

The ATP Finals, which Djokovic qualified for but skipped in 2024, are Nov 9-16 in Turin, Italy. (JapanToday)

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Ronaldo scores 949th career goal as Al Nassr thrash Al Fateh 5-1

Cristiano Ronaldo continued his astonishing goalscoring form on Saturday, netting his 949th career goal as Al Nassr cruised to a 5–1 victory over Al Fateh in the Saudi Pro League.

The Portuguese scored a stunner in the 60th minute, less than a minute after losing a spot kick.

Joao Felix also bagged another hat-trick as Kingsley Coman scored in the second half to take the table-toppers four points clear on the Saudi Pro League summit.

PUNCH Online had reported that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is on the verge of achieving a milestone no male footballer has ever reached: 1,000 career goals.Al Nassr’s next game is on Wednesday against Goa in the AFC Cup. (Punch)

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PSG hit seven, Barcelona, Arsenal run riot as Champions League rains goals

Paris Saint-Germain scored seven and both Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven hit six in big victories while Arsenal crushed Atletico Madrid 4-0 on a prolific night of Champions League action on Tuesday.

Erling Haaland was among the scorers in Manchester City’s 2-0 win at Villarreal as a total of 43 goals rained down across nine games.

However, it was champions PSG who stole the show with their 7-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.

Desire Doue scored twice in between goals by Willian Pacho and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for PSG in a first half which saw Alejandro Grimaldo miss a penalty and Aleix Garcia net from the spot for Leverkusen.

Both sides had a man sent off in the opening period, with Robert Andrich seeing red for Leverkusen and Illia Zabarnyi walking for the visitors.

Nuno Mendes got the French side’s fifth goal shortly after the break and Garcia pulled it back to 5-2.

Ousmane Dembele, on his return from injury and first appearance since winning the Ballon d’Or, got PSG’s sixth and Vitinha completed the scoring at the death.

“I am not yet at 100 percent. I wanted to play at the weekend and the coach told me to wait a bit, but I felt great,” Dembele told broadcaster Canal Plus.

It is the first time PSG have scored seven goals away from home in a Champions League game, and they are top of the standings after three outings in the league phase, with a maximum nine points and the best goal difference.

Inter Milan and Arsenal are the other teams with a 100 percent record after three outings, with the Italians easing to a 4-0 victory at Union Saint-Gilloise in Brussels.

Denzel Dumfries and Lautaro Martinez both netted late in the first half before Hakan Calhanoglu added a penalty soon after the restart and Pio Esposito completed the scoring.

Meanwhile Premier League leaders Arsenal hammered Atletico at the Emirates Stadium, as Mikel Arteta’s side made it three straight wins all with clean sheets in Europe this season.

All the goals came in the second half, with Gabriel putting them ahead and Gabriel Martinelli getting the second before Viktor Gyokeres struck twice to end a run of seven club appearances without finding the net.

“Hopefully it’s the start of some beautiful sequence now,” said Arteta of the Sweden striker.

Haaland put City ahead against Villarreal in Spain and Bernardo Silva got their second goal before half-time as Pep Guardiola’s team moved on to seven points from three outings.

Norway superstar Haaland kept up his remarkable record in front of goal this season and he has now found the net 15 times in 11 appearances for City in all competitions.

“I see that things are looking good, we are playing a little bit better day after day and that’s a good sign,” Guardiola told broadcaster Movistar.

Felix Nmecha hit a brace as Borussia Dortmund won 4-2 away to FC Copenhagen, with Ramy Bensebaini converting a penalty and Fabio Silva also scoring.

Waldemar Anton’s own goal had brought the Danes back level at one point in the first half, while Viktor Dadason got their other goal late on. They are yet to win in the league phase.

Beaten at home by PSG last time out, Barcelona bounced back to thump Olympiacos 6-1 at Montjuic as Fermin Lopez starred with a hat-trick.

Lamine Yamal got his name on the scoresheet with a penalty and Marcus Rashford scored twice, with Ayoub El Kaabi’s spot-kick scant consolation for the Greeks.

Newcastle United got their second straight win in the competition by easing to a 3-0 victory against Benfica at St James’ Park.

Anthony Gordon got the opener and Harvey Barnes emerged from the bench to score twice in the second half, leaving Jose Mourinho’s Benfica as the only team to have no points having played three games.

PSV claimed a stunning 6-2 home win against Italian champions Napoli, despite Scott McTominay giving the visitors the lead in the first half.

An Alessandro Buongiorno own goal restored parity and Ismael Saibari put PSV ahead before Dennis Man scored twice and both Ricardo Pepi and Couhaib Driouech also found the net.

McTominay pulled another one back for Napoli, who had Lorenzo Lucca sent off.

The night’s other game ended in a 0-0 draw between rank outsiders Kairat Almaty and Pafos of Cyprus in Kazakhstan. (JapanToday)