MANCHESTER UNITED loanee Rasmus Hojlund’s penalty deep into added-on time snatched a 3-2 victory at Genoa on Saturday and kept champions Napoli hanging on in the Serie A title race.
Denmark forward Hojlund scored a brace, taking his record for the season to eight league goals in 20 matches, while fellow former Manchester United player Scott McTominay also found the net at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in northwestern Italy.
Victory ensured that Antonio Conte’s injury-hit team remain in third and their second win in a row closed the gap to leaders Inter Milan, who play away to Sassuolo on Sunday, to six points.
Genoa had taken a third-minute lead when Ukrainian Ruslan Malinovskyi scored from the spot.
Two goals in less than two minutes turned the game on its head as Hojlund grabbed his first before Scotland midfielder McTominay put the Neapolitans in front midway through the first half.
Napoli seemed to be imploding in the second half when first Genoa’s Lorenzo Colombo pounced on a defensive error to equalise, and then centre-back Juan Jesus was given his marching orders after picking up a second booking.
But a foul by Ivory Coast international Maxwel Cornet gave Hojlund the chance to be the hero from the penalty spot, taking his season’s tally to 12 goals in 30 matches in all competitions.
There was more bad news for Conte, though, as McTominay was forced off injured at half-time.
The former Italy, Chelsea, Inter and Juventus boss was already without key players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Frank Anguissa and captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Second-placed AC Milan host Como on Sunday when fourth-placed Juventus entertain Lazio.
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Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Elsewhere, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal scored as Barcelona eased to a comfortable 3-0 win over Mallorca on Saturday to move four points clear at the top of La Liga.
The champions extended the gap to Real Madrid in second before Alvaro Arbeloa’s side visit Valencia on Sunday, with Marc Bernal also on target late on at the partially reopened Camp Nou stadium.
Barcelona’s first-half display was sluggish, even though Lewandowski’s goal had them ahead at the break.
“I was not happy… we were not on our level, the playing and passing was too slow,” admitted Flick, who demanded more from his side going forward.
“The first half was not how Barca wanted to play, (but) the second half was much better.”
Mallorca target man Vedat Muriqi came close early on as he slid in at the back post but hit the side netting, while Jan Virgili’s shot was saved by Joan Garcia.
Marcus Rashford added some urgency to Barca’s game after a listless start, curling inches wide of the far post after cutting in from the left.
A blocked shot from the England international led to the opener, with Dani Olmo knocking the rebound to Lewandowski to finish from close range.
Rashford’s dangerous free-kick was tipped onto the bar by Mallorca stopper Leo Roman, and Yamal missed from point-blank range as Jules Kounde sent the rebound into his path.
The 18-year-old made amends in the second half with a superb shot from outside the area, which left Roman with no chance.
It was his fourth goal in four games, with Yamal in his best form of the season.
“He kept his energy for the second half and the goal. Lamine is fantastic,” said Flick.
- Bernal’s breakthrough -
Midfielder Marc Casado struck the crossbar with a deflected effort as Barca could have opened up a wider lead.
At the other end, Garcia earned his clean sheet with a good save to thwart Antonio Sanchez, before Bernal rounded off Barca’s victory.
The 18-year-old midfielder broke in behind the Mallorca defence, showed composure to open up a shooting angle and finished with the aid of a deflection, his first goal for the club.
Bernal broke into the first team at the start of last season, but a severe knee injury in August 2024 kept him out for around a year and delayed his progress.
“It’s a great joy for him, when a player has such a bad injury, we all feel it, we suffered with him… I’m very happy for him,” Casado told Movistar.
Bernal, who usually plays at the base of the midfield, admitted scoring for the first time for the club was an emotional moment after his injury struggle.
“When I scored, I thought a lot about how tough the last year was for me, so it’s really satisfying, for my family too, I thought of them too,” said Bernal.
Flick handed 19-year-old midfielder Tommy Marques his debut late on, as another youngster from the club’s feted La Masia academy made the jump to the first team.
“His technique is unbelievable, his body language is top,” said Flick, adding that the Spaniard may be able to start playing regularly for Barca next season.
Earlier on Saturday, La Liga postponed Rayo Vallecano’s home match against Real Oviedo because of the condition of the pitch at the Madrid side’s Vallecas stadium.
They later moved Sevilla’s home game against Girona, scheduled for a 1730 GMT slot on Saturday, to Sunday because of adverse weather conditions.
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Man United loanee Hojlund the hero as Napoli snatch late win
MANCHESTER UNITED loanee Rasmus Hojlund’s penalty deep into added-on time snatched a 3-2 victory at Genoa on Saturday and kept champions Napoli hanging on in the Serie A title race.
Denmark forward Hojlund scored a brace, taking his record for the season to eight league goals in 20 matches, while fellow former Manchester United player Scott McTominay also found the net at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in northwestern Italy.
Victory ensured that Antonio Conte’s injury-hit team remain in third and their second win in a row closed the gap to leaders Inter Milan, who play away to Sassuolo on Sunday, to six points.
Genoa had taken a third-minute lead when Ukrainian Ruslan Malinovskyi scored from the spot.
Two goals in less than two minutes turned the game on its head as Hojlund grabbed his first before Scotland midfielder McTominay put the Neapolitans in front midway through the first half.
Napoli seemed to be imploding in the second half when first Genoa’s Lorenzo Colombo pounced on a defensive error to equalise, and then centre-back Juan Jesus was given his marching orders after picking up a second booking.
But a foul by Ivory Coast international Maxwel Cornet gave Hojlund the chance to be the hero from the penalty spot, taking his season’s tally to 12 goals in 30 matches in all competitions.
There was more bad news for Conte, though, as McTominay was forced off injured at half-time.
The former Italy, Chelsea, Inter and Juventus boss was already without key players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Frank Anguissa and captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Second-placed AC Milan host Como on Sunday when fourth-placed Juventus entertain Lazio.
Elsewhere, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal scored as Barcelona eased to a comfortable 3-0 win over Mallorca on Saturday to move four points clear at the top of La Liga.
The champions extended the gap to Real Madrid in second before Alvaro Arbeloa’s side visit Valencia on Sunday, with Marc Bernal also on target late on at the partially reopened Camp Nou stadium.
Barcelona’s first-half display was sluggish, even though Lewandowski’s goal had them ahead at the break.
“I was not happy… we were not on our level, the playing and passing was too slow,” admitted Flick, who demanded more from his side going forward.
“The first half was not how Barca wanted to play, (but) the second half was much better.”
Mallorca target man Vedat Muriqi came close early on as he slid in at the back post but hit the side netting, while Jan Virgili’s shot was saved by Joan Garcia.
Marcus Rashford added some urgency to Barca’s game after a listless start, curling inches wide of the far post after cutting in from the left.
A blocked shot from the England international led to the opener, with Dani Olmo knocking the rebound to Lewandowski to finish from close range.
Rashford’s dangerous free-kick was tipped onto the bar by Mallorca stopper Leo Roman, and Yamal missed from point-blank range as Jules Kounde sent the rebound into his path.
The 18-year-old made amends in the second half with a superb shot from outside the area, which left Roman with no chance.
It was his fourth goal in four games, with Yamal in his best form of the season.
“He kept his energy for the second half and the goal. Lamine is fantastic,” said Flick.
- Bernal’s breakthrough -
Midfielder Marc Casado struck the crossbar with a deflected effort as Barca could have opened up a wider lead.
At the other end, Garcia earned his clean sheet with a good save to thwart Antonio Sanchez, before Bernal rounded off Barca’s victory.
The 18-year-old midfielder broke in behind the Mallorca defence, showed composure to open up a shooting angle and finished with the aid of a deflection, his first goal for the club.
Bernal broke into the first team at the start of last season, but a severe knee injury in August 2024 kept him out for around a year and delayed his progress.
“It’s a great joy for him, when a player has such a bad injury, we all feel it, we suffered with him… I’m very happy for him,” Casado told Movistar.
Bernal, who usually plays at the base of the midfield, admitted scoring for the first time for the club was an emotional moment after his injury struggle.
“When I scored, I thought a lot about how tough the last year was for me, so it’s really satisfying, for my family too, I thought of them too,” said Bernal.
Flick handed 19-year-old midfielder Tommy Marques his debut late on, as another youngster from the club’s feted La Masia academy made the jump to the first team.
“His technique is unbelievable, his body language is top,” said Flick, adding that the Spaniard may be able to start playing regularly for Barca next season.
Earlier on Saturday, La Liga postponed Rayo Vallecano’s home match against Real Oviedo because of the condition of the pitch at the Madrid side’s Vallecas stadium.
They later moved Sevilla’s home game against Girona, scheduled for a 1730 GMT slot on Saturday, to Sunday because of adverse weather conditions.
– © AFP 2026
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