Sign In
four-year contract with the Hilltoppers, Petrino would b | Forum
Deleted user
Nov 30 '16, 05:25AM
ROME -- Last seasons runner-up Napoli impressed in Rafa Benitezs debut Sunday, comfortably beating Bologna 3-0 in its Serie A opener and immediately stating its intent to challenge two-time defending champion Juventus. Kyle Reynish Jersey . After former Real Madrid forward Jose Maria Callejon put Napoli ahead in the 32nd, Marek Hamsik added goals in the 45th and 63rd as fans wondered if this might be the year that their squad breaks the northern grip on the Italian league title. Northern squads Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan have won the last 11 Serie A titles, while Napoli hasnt finished top since Diego Maradona led the southern club to its only two championships in 1987 and 1990. Perhaps in anticipation of celebrations, Napoli even had American-style cheerleaders inside the San Paolo stadium. "I expected the squad to do well and we did well but we can do even better," said Benitez, who previously coached in Italy at Inter Milan in the first half of the 2010-11 season. "This squad has a lot of quality in attack." It was also a positive debut for former Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri with Inter, which got late goals from Yuto Nagatomo and Rodrigo Palacio for a 2-0 win over Genoa. And Lazio bounced back from its 4-0 loss to Juventus in the Super Cup by beating visiting Udinese 2-1 with first-half goals from Hernanes and Antonio Candreva. Lazio had to play with one end of the Stadio Olimpico closed as punishment for fan racism in the Super Cup. As a response, the Roman clubs players wore shirts with a message that read "We love football, we fight racism." Lazios rival Roma had a good start, too, with Daniele De Rossi and Alessandro Florenzi scoring two minutes apart midway through the second half for a 2-0 win at promoted Livorno. There was a curious moment in the first half, as new Roma coach Rudi Garcia was seen talking on his cellphone as he sat on the bench. He said afterward that he was discussing tactics with an assistant in the tribune, although it could earn him a fine. Elsewhere, Cagliari beat Atalanta 2-1 in Trieste, where it is playing due to troubles with its stadium; Torino spoiled Sassuolos Serie A debut with a 2-0 win and Parma was held to a 0-0 draw at home by Chievo Verona despite solid play from newly signed Antonio Cassano. On Saturday, Juventus began its bid for a third straight title with a 1-0 win at Sampdoria while Milan was stunned 2-1 by newly promoted Hellas Verona, which got two goals from Luca Toni. The first round concludes Monday with Fiorentina facing Catania. In Naples, the hosts were in control from the start as Callejon hit the post six minutes in then redirected in a rebound of a shot from Hamsik to give Napoli the lead. Gonzalo Higuain, who has replaced the departed Edinson Cavani at the centre of Napolis attack, had a goal disallowed for offside in the 40th. Hamsik doubled the lead in first-half added time, dribbling by the goalkeeper and finding the target with a sharply angled shot. Higuain again came close in the 51st, sending a free kick around Bolognas wall just wide, and Hamsik capped a classy performance by firing in from the edge of the area after Higuain was denied. At the San Siro, Japan international Nagatomo headed in from point-blank range in the 75th following a deflected cross from Jonathan and Argentina striker Palacio doubled the lead in added time after an excellent through ball from Fredy Guarin. Neither team had an attempt on target until a header from Inter substitute Mauro Icardi was blocked by goalkeeper Mattia Perin in the 53rd. But Inter was in full control by the end and Icardi hit the crossbar with a header in the 82nd while Andrea Ranocchia had a header tipped wide by Perin a minute later. While it didnt come easily, the result was significant for an Inter squad that finished ninth and had 16 losses last season, its worst effort in 65 years. "Its a good start but were only at the beginning. We need to improve a lot of things but were on the right road," Inter midfielder Ricardo Alvarez said. Mazzarri, who managed Napoli the past four seasons, was hired immediately after Andrea Stramaccioni was let go by Inter at the end of last season. "Were improving more than I thought," Mazzarri said. "Weve done a lot in a short amount of time." In Rome, Hernanes put Lazio ahead in the 13th with an impressive shot past two defenders from a sharp angle and Antonio Candreva made it 2-0 in the 16th after Miroslav Klose earned a penalty. Udinese pulled one back on the hour mark when Luis Muriel finished off a counterattack. Its been a difficult start for Udinese, which was beat 3-1 at home by Czech side Liberec in the first leg of the Europa League playoffs Thursday. In Livorno, Romas 36-year-old captain Francesco Totti hit the crossbar with a long shot in the 28th but it wasnt until the 65th that De Rossi broke the deadlock with an effort from long-range to immediately put behind him a season in which he failed to score. Florenzi doubled Romas lead by finishing off a counterattack with a sharply angled shot in the 67th. Blank Red Bulls Jersey . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Sacha Kljestan Red Bulls Jersey . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety. http://www.redbullsmlsshop.com/Authentic-Chris-Duvall-Jersey/ . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams.Bobby Petrino was welcomed back to the NCAA coaching ranks by two SEC opponents, the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers, in his first two weeks as head coach of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. The Hilltoppers split the run, defeating Kentucky before losing big to Tennessee. The team returns to its Sun Belt Conference schedule this weekend but it shouldnt be too long before Petrino, the former Arkansas Razorbacks head coach, is on the top circuit on a consistent basis again. Petrino was of course fired by Arkansas for easily Google-able indiscretions before taking a year off to make things right with his family and then returning to the sidelines with Western Kentucky, conceivably the only team that would take a chance on him. For his part Petrino is saying all the right things upon his return, and likely will continue to do so as he slowly reminds everyone jjust how good a coach and recruiter he is while at the same time hoping his past mistakes slowly fade to the back of peoples minds. Roy Miller Red Bulls Jersey. Petrino has too strong a track record turning Louisville into a perennial contender and revitalizing a struggling Arkansas program for another big profile school in need not to “forgive him.” Kobe was forgiven, Tiger was forgiven, Petrino will be forgiven too. There is too much money to be had for a school not to do everything it can to win, and that could mean hiring the previously successful Petrino to run the show. As part of his four-year contract with the Hilltoppers, Petrino would be forced to repay the school $1.2 million if he leaves early. Chump change for a top NCAA program. Western Kentuckys best hope may be for Petrino to put the school on the map before he departs for greener pastures. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
