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Curious goals on both sides: South Africa follows Egypt into the round of 16

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Curious goals on both sides: South Africa follows Egypt into the round of 16

South Africa secured second place in Group B of the Africa Cup of Nations and thus follows Egypt into the round of 16. In a direct duel against Zimbabwe, Bafana Bafana narrowly won 3-2—with some of the goals on both sides coming about in curious fashion.

With three points from their first two games, South Africa had the better starting position ahead of their final group game against Zimbabwe – a win would mean they would advance to the round of 16 on their own. And the start of the game also played into South Africa’s hands. A shot from Moremi was unfortunately deflected by Zimbabwe’s left-back Lunga and flew in a high arc over keeper Arubi and into the net (7th minute).

Zimbabwe did not let this deter them, however, and equalized through Maswanhise, who finished off a strong solo run after a pass from Aue player Fabisch (19′). The score remained 1-1 at half-time. After the break, South Africa took the lead again. Foster ran onto a slightly short header from Lunga towards his goalkeeper and got to the ball a fraction earlier than Arubi, who had hesitated for a moment as he came off his line (50′).

Curious own goal followed by handball penalty

However, Zimbabwe struck back again – and this goal was also quite curious. After a great deep pass from Chirewa, Maswanhise initially failed to beat South African goalkeeper Williams, but the ball bounced off Modiba’s chest and into his own goal in ping-pong fashion (73′). Zimbabwe was unable to capitalize on this, however, as Nakamba committed a handball shortly afterwards while attempting to clear a shot with his head as he fell. After VAR intervention, a penalty was awarded, which Appollis converted.

The final score remained 3-2 to South Africa, who will now face the second-placed team in Group F in the round of 16 on Sunday (8 p.m.) – that will be either Cameroon, Ivory Coast or Mozambique.

Emotional De Rossi return and a crazy league table after Roma victory

Jeffrey Gooding
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Emotional De Rossi return and a crazy league table after Roma victory

In the last game of 2025, Roma welcomed bottom-of-the-table CFC Genoa and secured a deserved 3-1 win on the return of club legend Daniele de Rossi. This resulted in a really interesting league table at the end of the year for the Giallorossi.

It was a very special game on Monday, just before the turn of the year, for Daniele de Rossi, who has only been coaching Genoa since November 2025 and celebrated his return to his eternal love on this 17th matchday of Serie A. Born in Rome, the 2006 World Cup winner rose to become an absolute club legend alongside Francesco Totti between 2000 and 2019. In addition, the 42-year-old had coached the capital club in 2024 before a surprise departure followed in the same year.

Now active with the Giallorossi: Gian Piero Gasperini, who had even led his protégés to first place in what has been a good season so far and a good year overall (almost reaching the Champions League in the summer under savior and current club advisor Claudio Ranieri).

Most recently, however, there was a narrow 1-2 defeat to Juventus, which the hosts wanted to follow up with a clean three points against CFC Genoa from 2025. An endeavor that succeeded.

1, 2, 3: Rome makes short work of Genoa

After a manageable first ten minutes, the hosts took full control of the game at the Olimpico and showed the underdogs a series of strong combination plays. De Rossi’s protégés were often left watching from behind, appearing overwhelmed and simply not good enough.

The early consequences were that Soulé was left unmarked after an unfortunate header from opponent Vasquez and, thanks to a decisive touch from Otoa, scored to make it 1-0 (14′). Just five minutes later, former Gladbach player Koné scored after a neat passing move, making it 2-0 after less than 20 minutes.

But that wasn’t all: Malinovskyi, who had won the ball in his own penalty area, fatally passed it back into the box to the lurking Soulé. Sommariva was able to parry his shot, but Ferguson pounced on the rebound to make it 3-0 (31′). The score at halftime remained unchanged, partly because Koné hit the post (38′), Vitinha shot over after a mistake by Cristante (41′), and Östigaard failed to get his header past Svilar from close range and was denied a penalty after being punched (45’+2). Thus, the underdog was still in the game.

Serie A race: It couldn’t be any closer

The Genoese, who are in the midst of a relegation battle, were unable to make any real headway in this final Serie A game of 2025. The Giallorossi continued to dominate the second 45 minutes with players such as Dybala in fine form, repeatedly passing the ball around neatly. Cristante had a chance to make it 4-0 (72nd minute, great save by Sommariva) and El Shaarawy had two chances. The substitute first sent a volley just wide to the left (73rd minute) before a well-executed overhead kick was blocked before it could hit the target (82nd minute).

In the end, a late deflected shot from Genoa’s Ekhator (87′) sealed a comfortable 3-1 home win – and a minor setback for the loudly celebrated returnee de Rossi and his CFC protégés. With a successful end to the year, the Giallorossi also ensured a crazy table picture. In 2026, leaders Inter Milan and their pursuers Milan, champions Napoli, Roma and record champions Juventus are all on 36, 35, 34, 33 and 32 points respectively.

Assistant for the first time: Toprak follows Matarazzo to Real Sociedad

Jeffrey Gooding
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Assistant for the first time: Toprak follows Matarazzo to Real Sociedad

The only surprise, if any, is the timing: Ömer Toprak (36) is starting his coaching career as Pellegrino Matarazzo’s assistant at Real Sociedad.

Last Saturday, Pellegrino Matarazzo took up his post as the new head coach of Spanish first division club Real Sociedad, which is surprisingly threatened with relegation. The American brought two assistants with him, who were also present at the start of training on Monday: Australian John Maisano and Ömer Toprak.

The latter ended his active professional career in mid-November 2024. Even then, he had announced his intention to enroll in the DFB’s A-license course, stating: “The goal is to work as a professional coach.”

Toprak is now one step closer to realizing this dream. And the task is a challenging one: instead of joining a youth club, the 27-time Turkish international, who has 263 Bundesliga and 39 Champions League appearances to his name, is heading to the traditional Basque club Real Sociedad.

After finishing fourth in the 2022/23 season and sixth in the 2023/24 season, last year’s eleventh-placed team is currently only 16th in La Liga, two points ahead of the first relegation spot. There is considerable pressure in San Sebastian. For Matarazzo and Toprak, the initial focus will be on unlocking the offensive potential that exists with players such as Goncalo Guedes, Takefusa Kubo, and European champion Mikel Oyarzabal. Twenty-one goals from 17 games is a disappointing interim result.

Most recently active in amateur football

Alongside his brother Harun, who is a coach, Toprak had most recently been playing for amateur club SK Weingarten. Now, the holder of a B license is finally focusing on his post-playing career.

Matarazzo seems convinced that the new coaching team will succeed in turning things around: “It’s a great club with a strong identity, a special institution that focuses on young talent. I come with great respect and anticipation for what we can build together. It’s a team with a lot of potential.”

Sports director Erik Bretos admitted during the coaching appointment that Matarazzo had already been contacted in October, “when we weren’t planning to change coaches yet. We tried to find someone who would complement us, who would work on development and do so with the young players, someone who would come in from outside and make us better.”

Matarazzo and Toprak will make their debut on Sunday, when the team faces a tough home game against Atlético Madrid.

Catheter ablation: Lazio coach Sarri undergoes heart surgery

Andrew Jackson
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Catheter ablation: Lazio coach Sarri undergoes heart surgery

As Lazio Rome officially announced on Monday, coach Maurizio Sarri has successfully undergone heart surgery.

In an official club statement shortly before the end of the year, Lazio Rome announced “that coach Maurizio Sarri underwent catheter ablation with PFA technology at the Policlinico Tor Vergata after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.”

The procedure was successful and was performed by an experienced doctor in this field. The Biancocelesti’s team doctor (Dr. Italo Leo) was also present during the operation.

Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure for treating diagnosed cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), in which probes (catheters) are guided through blood vessels to the heart in order to specifically ablate the affected tissue causing the arrhythmias.

Sarri back immediately

In addition, the Romans announced that the 66-year-old self-confessed smoker will be able to resume work in the coming days.

This means that Sarri should be able to actively support the team, which is currently in a respectable 8th place after 17 Serie A games (24 points from six wins, six draws, and five defeats) and is looking to break into the international ranks, having not lost in five competitive games, as early as this Sunday in the clash with champions Napoli. Assistant coach Marco Ianni will step in as a temporary replacement and lead training for the time being.

For veteran Sarri, who has been coaching since the 1990s and, after years in amateur leagues and what feels like countless stints in the lower divisions, has also been employed by big clubs such as Chelsea FC and Juventus Turin, this will be a reunion. The Neapolitan-born coach also coached the Neapolitans between 2015 and 2018, including being named Serie A Coach of the Year in 2017. He returned to Lazio immediately after his first stint between 2021 and 2024, including his resignation this year after a break.

30:6 quarter included: Berlin outclasses Ludwigsburg

Andrew Jackson
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30:6 quarter included: Berlin outclasses Ludwigsburg

After a few initial difficulties, Berlin found its rhythm and laid the foundation for a commanding home victory with a 23:0 run. In the end, they celebrated their highest win of the season so far.

Alba Berlin secured its second victory in four days in the BBL. On Monday evening, the Berliners won a rescheduled game at home against MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg 80:47 (41:22). Alba thus remains fourth in the table. The top Berlin scorers in front of 8,532 spectators were Justin Bean with 19 points, as well as Jonas Mattisseck and Martin Hermannsson with 11 points each.

The game began with a series of missed shots on both sides. However, the visitors gradually found their rhythm and took the lead in the middle of the first quarter. Alba’s offense was virtually non-existent at first. In the first quarter, none of their nine three-point attempts found their way into the basket. Only thanks to good defensive work did they manage to keep the deficit within limits (11:16).

Alba on a roll in the second quarter

In the second quarter, however, the hosts woke up and even went on a brief roll. Suddenly, everything was working on offense. Every shot was on target—even from distance—and they kept winning the ball. With a 23:0 run, they steamrolled Ludwigsburg, who suddenly couldn’t do anything right.

And even after the break, the hosts had the game under control. In the third quarter, they extended their lead to 27 points (54-27). With a clear lead behind them, Alba then shifted down a few gears and rested some of their stars – without the visitors being able to take advantage of it, however. Alba’s next home game against Löwen Braunschweig is already coming up on New Year’s Eve (12:30 p.m./Dyn).

Role model Michael Schumacher: DTM champion Güven will never forget this encounter

Jeffrey Gooding
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Role model Michael Schumacher: DTM champion Güven will never forget this encounter

DTM champion Ayhancan Güven was greatly influenced by Michael Schumacher: why he copied everything he did and how meeting his idol affected him

Ayhancan Güven, the first Turkish DTM champion, comes from a country with no motorsport tradition. But the Turkish driver, who started going to the kart track with his father Hakan at the age of six, learned a lot from Michael Schumacher in his early years. “My father taught me how to race—and he always used Michael Schumacher as an example when I was that age.”

This is no surprise, as Güven started motorsport during Schumacher’s great Ferrari era. “Michael wore this T-shirt, so we had to wear one too. Michael used this brand of gloves, so we had to have them too. Michael did this training. Okay, we have to train like that too,” says Güven, citing examples from his childhood.

Behind this approach was primarily Güven’s father, who is an amateur racing driver himself and saw Schumacher as the perfect role model for his son. “We come from a country with no knowledge of racing – and we had to learn,” explains Güven.

Role model Schumacher: “We have to work on your heart rate”

“We always tried to learn from him when we had books, newspapers, or interviews with Michael or other Formula 1 drivers. And I remember: when I was five, six, or seven years old, Michael was always the role model.”

But it wasn’t just about the outfit and the equipment, it was also about fitness, Güven recalls his father’s words: “He said: ‘Okay, Can, before the start, Michael’s heart rate is as if he were asleep. We need to work on your heart rate.’”

Even as a kart driver, the talented Turkish driver had big goals, even if they weren’t always taken seriously in his home country. “When I said I was going to drive in the DTM, they probably laughed. They said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah…’,” he says. “And now I’m DTM champion. I’ve made history for myself and my country, and I couldn’t be prouder because I love my country.”

A touching encounter with Schumacher at the kart track

But has Güven ever met his childhood idol Michael Schumacher? “Yes, that was in 2010, 2011 or 2013 in Italy at the La Conga kart track,” he recalls, but can’t remember the exact year. “He was driving himself at the time, and I ran up to him and took a photo. I have a very special photo with him.” Güven was still competing in one of the junior classes at the time and happened to be at the same place.

One thing amazed the young Turk about his idol at the time: “He prepared his kart himself with a mechanic. But it was he himself who put the kart on the table. When I saw that, I thought to myself: This guy is so humble. He’s Michael Schumacher, but he’s at the kart track, racing against the young drivers and preparing his kart himself.“

When he remembers the images, it still makes him ‘humble’ today, says Güven. ”It touched my whole life. He’s my idol.”

That’s why Stefano Domenicali urges patience regarding the film sequel

Jeffrey Gooding
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That’s why Stefano Domenicali urges patience regarding the film sequel

The Formula 1 film was a box office hit, but Stefano Domenicali urges patience—and explains why a second installment needs time

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has put the brakes on the idea of a sequel to the hugely successful Formula 1 film, emphasizing how important it is to give the first part room to develop before a second one follows. The Hollywood production grossed more than €500 million worldwide.

Now Domenicali told Sky: “Never say never. We are working on a plan. But [the second film] won’t come too soon, so that the first one can be digested first.“

The film, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, is credited with further accelerating the growth of the series in North America – in addition to the boom triggered by the Netflix series ”Drive to Survive.” That’s why Domenicali says: “The next film has to be credible, authentic, and new.”

Formula 1 drivers had to be convinced first

However, there is one hurdle that the sequel no longer has to overcome: Formula 1 drivers are no longer skeptical, but convinced – which was not always the case. Director Joseph Kosinski recalls: “After we spoke to the drivers at the drivers’ meeting, they accepted the idea and were open to making cameo appearances.”

Film producer Tim Bampton adds: “Racing drivers are extremely focused, determined personalities. But the fact that Brad and Damson spoke to them personally and explained that they were there to authentically reflect the skill, commitment, courage, and bravery of these drivers was hugely important – and was very well received.”

Domenicali’s conclusion on the 2025 season

Domenicali’s conclusion on the season is also emphatically positive. He speaks of a “fantastic season” with a lot of ‘growth’ for Formula 1: “We have gained new fans and seen a lot of interest from many commercial partners who have recognized the value of what we have to offer.”

Domenicali highlights world champion Lando Norris and praises his qualities: Norris is “very positive, young, and energetic.” This is particularly appealing to young fans.

Wolff urges patience: Antonelli needs time to break through in F1

Sports Of The Day
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Wolff urges patience: Antonelli needs time to break through in F1

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff does not expect Antonelli to reach his peak in 2026, his second season – it will take several years.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s first season in Formula 1 has been encouraging for Mercedes, but team boss Toto Wolff urges patience. The young Italian is still at the very beginning of his development and may not be able to reach his full potential in the premier class for several years.

In the Beyond The Grid podcast, Wolff was asked when he expects his protégé to reach his peak performance. The answer is clear: “When do we expect him to reach his peak performance? In three to five years from now. And we have to give him that time.”

Antonelli made his Formula 1 debut this season with extremely limited preparation.
As a two-time Formula 4 and Formula Regional champion, Antonelli had completely skipped Formula 3 and completed only a single season in Formula 2 before venturing into Formula 1.
His debut season was correspondingly mixed.
The 19-year-old made several driving errors and, for long stretches, lacked the performance of his experienced Mercedes teammate George Russell.
The 19-year-old made several driving errors and, for long stretches, lacked the performance of his experienced Mercedes teammate George Russell. In qualifying, Antonelli lost significantly to the Briton by 5:24, apart from the sprint qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps, which was affected by a brake problem.
The difference was also reflected in the points tally: Antonelli scored 150 points compared to Russell’s 319. When asked what Antonelli still needs to work on, Wolff emphasizes that it’s not just about driving skills: “I think he knows a lot about this sport because he lives and breathes it every day.
But there’s also the human component. As a young man, you have to mature and learn to deal with the dynamics and pressure of this environment. But I think, without a doubt, it’s all going in the right direction.”

2025 debut doubly important for Antonelli

Antonelli’s early Formula 1 debut in 2025, which would not have happened without Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, gave him valuable experience at a crucial time. This is because a comprehensive new technical regulation will come into force in Formula 1 from the 2026 season onwards.

Mercedes High Performance Powertrains also sees Antonelli’s early involvement as a major advantage. Managing Director Hywel Thomas points out that the handling of the new cars will change significantly from 2026 onwards.

“I think what we know and have seen in the simulators is that driving next year will be very different from this year. There is a lot to learn and many new things. It would be extremely difficult for someone to get started with this in their first year,“ the engineer points out. This makes it all the more important that Antonelli is already part of the team and knows the internal processes: ”I’m glad he’s already completed this year, glad he knows the team and is part of it. He has also been to Brixworth many times.“

”We have discussed many of the technical changes that are coming, and he is contributing to that. Yes, I am really very glad that he drove this year.”

Helmut Marko: This one characteristic sets Verstappen and Vettel apart

Jason Maverick
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Helmut Marko: This one characteristic sets Verstappen and Vettel apart

With Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, Helmut Marko brought two exceptional talents to Formula 1 who were quite different—the Austrian reveals why

For more than two decades, Helmut Marko was responsible for promoting young talent at Red Bull. The 82-year-old Austrian, who even ran his own team in the Formula 3000 championship for many years, always demonstrated a keen eye for young, up-and-coming talent.

Over time, not all drivers from Red Bull’s junior program made it to the premier class, the podium, or even the world championship title. However, with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, Marko brought two of the most outstanding talents of recent years to Formula 1.

Although both Red Bull drivers have “dominated” the premier class for years, they differed significantly in their approach. “Vettel took a more analytical approach, spending hours and hours with the engineers to get the most out of the car,” Marko reveals to Münchner Merkur/tz.

“Max relied more on his natural instincts in the beginning, but today he has matured into a driver who knows exactly what he wants and can also lead a team,” adds the Austrian, who has a very good relationship with his protégé. Verstappen is “special. Super fast, super talented, and extremely focused.”

Max Verstappen’s character “is extremely rare”

Marko brought the Dutchman into Formula 1 at the age of just 17. The Austrian also played a decisive role with Sebastian Vettel: he had a major influence on the Heppenheim native’s signing and contributed significantly to him winning a total of four world championship titles with Red Bull.

Verstappen has also celebrated four world championship titles with the Bulls and a total of 71 Grand Prix victories. Vettel has achieved 53 victories in the course of his career. This means that both former Red Bull juniors are currently among the four most successful Formula 1 drivers in history, not least thanks to Helmut Marko.

The Austrian accompanied many talented drivers from an early age, some of them already in karting. But his relationship with Verstappen is special to him. “I have never had a closer connection with any other driver,” says Marko. “He has steadfast values that I would only attribute to people who also have a good character. This combination is extremely rare.”

Tennis battle of the sexes: Kyrgios beats Sabalenka

Sotd Editor
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Tennis battle of the sexes: Kyrgios beats Sabalenka

52 years after the duel between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, there is another battle of the sexes. The current world number one female player loses to the world number 671 male player.

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios has won the eagerly awaited Battle of the Sexes in tennis against world number one Aryna Sabalenka. The 30-year-old prevailed 6-3, 6-3 against the Belarusian, who is three years his junior, in a less than spectacular exhibition event in Dubai.

Kyrgios, who has been plagued by injuries, has not played an official match on the tour since March and has fallen to 671st in the world rankings, rarely had any serious problems with the current world’s best female tennis player. The 2022 Wimbledon finalist was far from his physical peak.

“I put up a great fight,” Sabalenka said afterwards, indirectly offering Kyrgios a rematch: “I love rematches and I love challenges. I would love to play again.” Kyrgios paid great respect to his opponent: “She is such a great champion.”

Criticism from the scene

The fact that the focus was on fun rather than seriousness was already evident when Sabalenka entered the court in a glittery suit to the song “Eye of the Tiger.” During a break, the four-time Grand Slam tournament winner also danced for the audience. Among the spectators at the Coca-Cola Arena was Brazil’s former soccer star Ronaldo.

Sabalenka and Kyrgios, who are signed to the same consulting agency, promoted the show event heavily before the first serve. However, there was also plenty of criticism from the tennis scene. One criticism was that Sabalenka, and thus women’s tennis, had nothing to gain from this match.

Slightly modified rules

There were a few changes compared to normal tennis matches. For example, both protagonists had only one serve. There was no change of ends, as Sabalenka’s side of the court was nine percent smaller than Kyrgios’s. This was to ensure that the conditions were as fair as possible.

From an anatomical point of view, men hit harder than women, even though Sabalenka is one of the most powerful players on the tennis tour.

1973 Battle of the Sexes tennis match

The Battle of the Sexes tennis match originated in 1973. Bobby Riggs, former world number one and Wimbledon winner, challenged the top female players at the age of 55. Australian Margaret Court, then the world’s most successful player, suffered a crushing 2-6, 1-6 defeat that went down in history as the “Mother’s Day Massacre.”

Shortly afterwards, Billie Jean King defeated Riggs, a huge success for women’s sport. In the US alone, more than 50 million people watched the match. In 2017, the spectacle was made into a film starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell in the leading roles.

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