Lukaku scores 2 to keep Inter on top

Milan, January 7

Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Inter Milan held on to top spot in Serie A on Monday with a 3-1 win over Napoli to keep the pressure on Juventus who earlier swept past Cagliari with Cristiano Ronaldo netting his first hat-trick in the Italian top flight.

Antonio Conte’s Inter ended their 23-year wait for a league win in Naples to stay in pole position, level on points with Juventus after 18 games, but ahead on goal difference. Lazio are third, six points adrift but with a game in hand, after stretching their winning run in the league to nine matches on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Brescia.

Former Manchester United striker Lukaku broke through the Napoli defence on 14 minutes with a powerful solo run to beat goalkeeper Alex Meret. Meret fumbled another Lukaku strike into the net in the 33rd minute as the Belgian took his tally to 14 league goals this season. Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik pulled a goal back for eighth-placed Napoli four minutes before the break.

But Lautaro Martinez added the third after the hour mark, following another mix-up in the Napoli defence, to give Inter their first win at the Stadio San Paolo since October 1997.

Atalanta continued their fine form, closing to within a point of fourth-placed Roma, who lost 2-0 to Torino on Sunday, with another 5-0 rout, this time of seventh-placed Parma. Atalanta were already three goals up before the break thanks to Papu Gomez, Remo Freuler and Robin Gosens. — AFP

Saudi Arabia gets set to welcome Spanish Super Cup

Madrid: Real Madrid and Barcelona will be among those tussling for the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia this week, amid controversy over a tournament held faraway from home in a country long-condemned for its record on human rights. Spain’s two most decorated clubs could face-off in a Clasico final in Jeddah on Sunday if Real Madrid beat in-form Valencia and Barca can overcome Atletico Madrid in the semis. Yet the prospect of another showdown between La Liga’s leading pair has been overshadowed by criticism, with lingering concerns about a Spanish competition being played on a different continent, more than 6,400km away. For agreeing to participate alone, Barcelona and Real Madrid will receive ^6 million euros, while Atletico and Valencia will pocket around ^3 million each. afp