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Jonathan Cook’s World Game Wrap-Up

Posted on | Posted by Jonathan Cook

Drama as Juve denied by VAR

Arkadiusz Milik was sent off after removing his shirt to celebrate a winning goal that never was as Salernitana hung on for a 2-2 draw against Juventus in Italy’s Serie A.

In a game that had it all, Salernitana had a two-goal lead at half-time before Gleison Bremer started the Juve fightback.

Leonardo Bonucci had a stoppage-time penalty saved, but he fired home the rebound, before Milik thought he had snatched a winner.

But a Video Assistant Referee review ruled out the goal for offside and Milik received a second yellow card for taking off his shirt.

Juve’s Juan Cuadrado and Salernitana’s Federico Fazio were also sent off as the match boiled over. Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri was also dismissed.

Rare feat for Union

A 1-0 victory, courtesy of a third-minute own goal, has given Germany’s Bundesliga an unusual feel.

Union Berlin, who were promoted to the top tier in 2019, are top of the table for the first time in their history after beating Cologne.

Freiburg are second after a goalless draw with Borussia Monchengladbach.

It’s not exactly a crisis for third-placed Bayern Munich but they have failed to win any of their past three Bundesliga matches.

Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Stuttgart, which came after Bayern conceded a stoppage-time penalty scored by Serhou Guirassy, was Bayern’s third successive draw, following stalemates against Union and Monchengladbach.

Borussia Dortmund are fifth after a 3-0 defeat to RB Leipzig.

Goal of the season contender

Frederico Valverde has scored one of the goals of the season to put Real Madrid on their way to a fifth successive La Liga victory.

Receiving the ball deep in his own half, the Uruguayan went on a surging run before firing into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Vedat Muriqi had opened the scoring for Mallorca and Valverde’s wonder goal, which came on the stroke of half-time, triggered a Real fightback at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Second-half goals from Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Antonio Rudiger sealed a 4-1 victory.

Barcelona stayed second after scoring four second-half goals to sink Cadiz 4-0. Frenkie De Jong, Robert Lewandowski, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele scored for Barca.

Giroud seals Milan away win

Olivier Giroud’s second-half penalty earned AC Milan a first away victory of the season in Italy’s Serie A.

Junior Messias had opened the scoring for Milan against Sampdoria before the tide turned against the visitors.

Rafael Leao, who had set up the opening goal, was sent off for a second bookable offence and Sampdoria were quick to make the most of their numerical advantage.

Filip Djuricic equalised for the home side but Giroud kept his cool from the penalty spot after Gonzalo Villar had handled the ball in the box.

Inter Milan were grateful to Marcelo Brozovic for his late goal in a 1-0 win over Torino.

Potter gets extra time

New Chelsea manager Graham Potter will make the most of English Premier League postponements before taking charge of his first game for the Blues.

Just a week ago, Potter was working wonders at Brighton and Hove Albion before Thomas Tuchel was sacked as Chelsea boss after a midweek Champions League loss to Dinamo Zagreb.

Potter is now in the spotlight and will welcome the extra time to prepare for his first game as Chelsea manager.

Potter had taken Brighton to fourth on the Premier League table before Chelsea’s new owner Todd Boehly made the call.

Chelsea were sixth in the Premier League under Tuchel, who steered them to Champions League success in 2021 when the club was owned by Russian Roman Abramovich.

More trouble for Liverpool

A stuttering start to the Premier League season followed Liverpool into the Champions League last week.

After winning only two of their first six Premier League games of the season – although one of those was a 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth – Jurgen Klopp’s team were humbled by Italy’s Napoli in their Champions League opener.

The 4-1 defeat left Klopp scratching his head after Napoli had raced to a 3-0 half-time lead. Luis Diaz scored a consolation for Liverpool four minutes into the second half.

Liverpool are expected to face Ajax, who beat Rangers 4-0 in their opening game of the campaign, in a Champions
League fixture this week.




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