Bayern To Appoint New Coach In Two Weeks: Hoeness

Bayern Munich want to find a successor to sacked coach Carlo Ancelotti within the next two weeks, club president Uli Hoeness said on Thursday in the wake of Bayern's 3-0 Champions League loss at Paris Saint Germain the previous night.
Hoeness told German radio station FFH: "We're not under any pressure, but after the two week (international) break we want to have a solution."
Assistant coach Willy Sagnol, the ex-France international, will be in charge of the team for Sunday's Bundesliga outing at Hertha Berlin.
Local media suggest two German managers, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann, could be in the frame to replace the Italian.
Tuchel was let go by Borussia Dortmund at the end of last season after differences with the club's management, while 30 year old Nagelsmann is currently in charge of Hoffenheim.
Bayern have also parted company with four Italian members of Ancelotti's backroom staff, including his son Davide.
Pressure had already been building on Ancelotti, 58, with Bayern enduring an inconsistent start to the season before losing 3-0 to PSG in the French capital on Wednesday.
After that game the Italian was questioned by German media about his tactics and team selection, following his decision to leave Franck Robert, Arjen Rob Ben and Mats Hummels on the bench at kick-off.
"The performance of our team since the start of the season did not meet the expectations we put to them," said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
"The game in Paris clearly showed that we had to draw consequences. (Sporting  director) Hasan Salihamidzic and I had an open and serious discussion with Carlo today and informed him of our decision.
The defeat in Paris was Bayern's heaviest since losing 3-0 away to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final first leg in May 2015.
It was also their heaviest loss in a group game in the competition since a 3-0 reverse in Lyon in March 2001.
Bayern are currently third in the Bundesliga table after six games, three points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, before visiting Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
They have not been so far off the pace at the top of the Bundesliga so early in a season since 2010/11, when Dortmund went on to win the title and Bayern finished third.
Ancelotti led Bayern to a fifth consecutive Bundesliga title last season in his first campaign in charge after succeeding Pep Guardiola at the Allianz Arena.
However, the Bavarian lost to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and to Dortmund in the semi-finals of the German Cup.

AFP/John MacDougall
Berlin

Cotterill Hired As Birmingham Boss

Steve Cotterill was hired as the new manager of Championship strugglers Birmingham City on Friday.
Cotterill agreed a two and a half year contract to replace the sacked Harry Redknapp at St Andrew's.
Former Tottenham boss Redknapp was dismissed on Sept. 16 after Birmingham took only four points from their opening eight league games.
Cotterill returns to Birmingham, having been Redknapp's assistant manager for three games at the end of last season.
"We have every faith in Steve Cotterill to help us achieve the ambitions we all share," Birmingham chief executive officer Ren Xuandong told the club's website.
Cotterill's reign officially begins on Monday and he will be assisted by Lee Carsley, who was caretaker manager for two games following Redknapp's dismissal.

AFP/London

Aguero Injured In Dutch Car Crash: Club

Manchester City's Argentine striker Sergio Aguero "sustained injuries" in a car crash in the Netherlands and is returning to Britain to be checked ahead of the weekend's Premier League fixtures, the club said Friday.
"Sergio Aguero will be assessed by club doctors today after being involved in a road accident on Thursday. The City forward was in Holland on his day off and has sustained injuries," said the statement.
The prolific 29 year old will return to Manchester Friday morning and will be assessed ahead of City's Premier League clash at Chelsea on Saturday.
Amsterdam police spokesman Frans Zuiderhoek told AFP that officers attended an accident in the city at around 11:00 p.m. on Thursday after "a taxi cab hit a lamp post".
He could not confirm the identities of the two passengers and the driver, who all asked to remain anonymous.
The accident occurred on De Boelelaan street, said Zuiderhoek, not far from the Arena A where Colombian singer Maluma performed Thursday.

AFP/London

Pique Reprimanded For Comment

Spain captain Sergio Ramos has criticized international team mate Gerard Pique for speaking out in favor of Catalonia's controversial planned referendum on independence, risking a rift in the team a week before two crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Pique, who is regularly booed by large sections of Spain supporters for his outspoken comments against Real Madrid and his perceived support of Catalan independence, tweeted in favor of Sunday's referendum on Thursday - without backing s split for Spain - but urged supporters to behave peacefully.
Ramos later criticized his team mate for wading into the debate on the referendum, which the Spanish government deems illegal and has tried to prevent from taking place, as tension builds in the country ahead of one of the most significant days in the 39 years since Spain returned to democracy.
"Pique's tweet was not the best thing to do if he doesn't want to be booed," Ramos told reporters.
Ramos and Pique, in being flag-bearers for fierce rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona, have long had a delicate relationship as Spain's two main centre backs but have generally managed to patch up their differences when playing for the national team.
Ramos, however, said Pique had risked causing divisions in the Spain camp with his comments.
Spain begin preparations for their final two World Cup qualifiers next week, hosting Albania on Friday and visiting Israel on Monday.

AFP/Madrid

Conte Lashes Tight Turnaround Clash

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte blasted Premier League schedulers over his side's short turnaround from Champions League action before facing high flying Manchester City in a top of the table clash on Saturday.
Conte's men put in a brilliant performance to inflict only Atletico Madrid's second Champions League defeat on home soil in 24 games on Wednesday, when Michy Batshuayi's 93rd minute winner sealed a 2-1 victory.
However, the Italian lamented the advantage handed to City, which played its Champions League fixture at home to Shakhtar Donetsk 24 hours earlier on Tuesday.
"I think we are a bit penalised and in this case, it is very important to analyse, before taking these decisions, the different situations of the team," said Conte.
"City played yesterday at home. We played tonight away and we will return to London around for o'clock (in the morning)."
City leads the Premier League from Manchester United goal difference, with Chelsea three points back in third.
"Man City is a really strong team. They are scoring a lot of goals, they are in a good moment of form and we have to prepare well (for) this game because it is very important.
"Before taking this decision someone must analyze very well this situation.
"There is the international break (after this weekend). My surprise is for this because there is the time (to play the game later)."
Conte was far more content with Chelsea's display as they battled back to claim a well deserved three points despite falling behind to Antonio Griezmann's penalty five minutes before half time.
Former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata stretched his scoring streak to seven goals in as many games with a deft near post header from the outstanding Eden Hazard's cross to level on the hour mark.
Morata and Cesc Fabregas then passed up huge chances before Batshuayi struck the decisive blow with the last kick of the game after a patient team move tore a tiring Atletico to shreds.
Batshuayi was the unlikely hero as he came off bench just eight minutes from time to net already his fifth goal of the season despite playing second fiddle to Morata.
"To score for a striker is always important for your confidence but it is more important they understand this way to play is right" said Conte.

Kieran Canning
Agence France Presse/Madrid

Villas Boas At 40: Chasing Asian Glory At Shanghai SIPG

In the shadow of his 40th birthday, Andre Villas Boas is on the cups of the biggest Asian club final of all. His first season in China could finish with a flourish, as he more than capably fills the sizeable shoes of Sven Goran Eriksson.
Shanghai SIPG will take a 1-1 scoreline to Saitama Stadium next month after a tense AFC Champions League semifinal against Urawa Red Diamonds on Wednesday night. The Japanese side will be difficult to overcome at home, but with the likes of Oscar, Elkeson and Hulk, who scored a spectacular goal in the first leg, the Chinese giant will fancy its chances.
The second leg will be held on Oct. 18, the day after Villas Boas turns 40, and almost four years after he turned his back on the Premier League. His stints in charge of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, lasting a combined 26 months, were not successful, although he might point to a respectable 55 percent winning rate at White Hart Lane across two seasons until December 2013. Since then, the Portuguese coach has steadily rebuilt his reputation; first at Zenith Saint Petersburg where he won three major trophies, and now at Shanghai SIPG, despite the odd, colorful controversies off the field.
Villas Boas was fortunate to escape suspension from Wednesday night's match after claiming that Chinese Super League (CSL) rivals Guangzhou Ever grande had deliberately engineered car accidents to disrupt SIPG's route to the stadium for the away portion of its ACL quarterfinal on Sept. 12.
SIPG almost blew a 4-0 first leg lead against the CSL champions, squeaking through on penalties after a 5-1 away defeat in one of the wildest games ever seen on the Asian stage.
"We come here on the bus for this game and the same two cars separately had three accidents in front of us. This is the problem," Villas Boas said.
"(Guangzhou Evergrande) can do everything - they can cause accidents in front of us, they have players who can elbow and not be suspended - and yet we won."
Earlier in the season, Villas Boas served a two game CSL ban after using social media to show personal support for Oscar after the ex Chelsea midfielder received an eight match suspension for his part in a mass brawl in June against Guangzhou R&F.
And as recently as last Friday, he was dispatched to the stands for questioning refereeing decisions in a 1-0 win over Beijing Guoan.
Given his eventful first year in China, it might be a strecht to say that Villas Boas has developed a wisdom and prudence to go along with his renowned energy and enthusiasm. The years of working along Jose Mourinho at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan undoubtedly influenced the kind of sometimes volatile manager that Villas Boas has become.
But, with almost a decade of being a head coach at the top level, Villas Boas now has a greater depth of experience to call on.
At Chelsea, he took over in 2011 when he was still shy of his 34th birthday. At the time, he was only eight months older than Frank Lampard, with whom he clashed. He would later admit that it was "too much too soon" because he was not flexible enough in his approach.
In Shanghai, Villas Boas lives in the upmarket Pudong district, and has impressed the fans with the improvements he's made to the side since the departure of Eriksson after two seasons last November.
Not only did he bring his former players Oscar and Ricardo Carvalho to Shanghai, he has helped developed several local youngsters, including striker Li Shenglong and winger Lin Chuangyi.
SIPG has played some sparkling soccer in 2017 - its 62 goals is the best in the CSL - but defensively, it has made strides as well. SIPG boast the joint second tightest defense, conceding only 29 times in 26 league matches.
Stopping Guangzhou Evergrande from winning a seventh consecutive CSL title may be beyond Villas Boas' grasp, with Luiz Felipe Scolari's side holding a four point lead at the top of the table, with only four games remaining.
But to guide Shanghai SIPG to its first Asian trophy would be an its first Asian trophy would be an incredible achievement for a man who became European soccer's youngest coach to win a championship at the age of just 33 when Porto claimed UEFA Europa League glory in Dublin in 2011.
That would prove a point to the skeptics from his Premier League days who have once thought of AVB as a poor man's Mourinho, even though he's repeatedly stated that he has no desire to return to England.

- Jason Dasey is Singapore based senior editor of global soccer website ESPN FC. Twitter: @JasonDasey

Oz Loses Jedinak For World Cup Play Offs

Injured captain Mile Jedinak was Wednesday ruled out of Australia's crunch World Cup play offs against Syria, as coach Ange Postecoglou included a host of fresh faces in the push to make Russia.
The Aston Villa star misses the Socceroos' final qualifiers with a groin problem and was not used by club manager Steve Bruce for the Championship side's three recent wins.
His absence is a blow to Australia's chances against the Syrians, with the first leg on Oct. 5 in Malaysia before the return clash in Sydney five days later.
Despite this, Postecoglou is confident the team will come out on top and progress to face the fourth placed side from the CONCACAF region for a place at the 2018 World Cup.
"I am confident that we have a group of players capable of achieving our goal of progressing to the next stage of qualification," he said.
"As I have mentioned on many occasions, it is important for us to have a large and vocal home crowd for the second match of this series, and I'm sure the boys will appreciate all the support from the local fans."
Aziz Behich , Craig Goodwin, Nikita Rukavytsya and Matthew Jurman were all included in the 23 man squad, along with Josh Risdon. But the likes of Jamie McLaren, Alex Gersbach and Ryan McGowan were missing.
Australia have appeared at the last three World Cups, reaching the knockout stages in 2006 with a golden generation of stars such as Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill.
The evergreen Cahill is still going strong as he looks to join an elite group of players to feature at four World Cups.

AFP/Sydney

Costa Delighted To Be 'Home' At Atletico

Spain striker Diego Costa claimed he was coming home after completing his return to Atletico Madrid from Chelsea on Tuesday.
Both clubs finally reached an agreement for a reported initial £55 million deal (US$64.8 million) on Thursday and the Brazilian born striker has now completed his medical with the Spanish giants.
"I'am very happy to return home, I've always said it, Atletico is my home, I'm very, very happy," he told the club's website.
Costa cannot feature until January as his move was completed outside the transfer window.
However, Atletico said he will begin training immediately and is likely to be in the stands  when Chelsea are the visitors for the first ever Champions League game at Atletico's new Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday.
"The international forward signed his new contract after successfully passing the medical tests that he underwent in two phases: last Saturday and Monday," Atletico said in a statement.
"Starting tomorrow, he will join the team's trainings, but he will not be registered until the next winter market opens on January 1st."
Costa was Atletico's top scorer as they won La Liga and reached the Champions League final in 2013/14 before moving to Chelsea where he won two Premier League titles in three seasons.
"I'm looking forward to start contributing. I'am going to give my all for the team, as I always try to do," added Costa, who will wear the number 19 jersey.

AFP/Madrid

'That's Cheating' - Pullis Rounds On Sanchez

West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis branded Alexis Sanchez a cheat after accusing the Arsenal star of diving to win a free kick in Monday's Premier League clash.
Pulis was furious that Sanchez went unpunished after winning a first half free kick on the edge of the Albion penalty area with a theatrical fall after a challenge from Craig Dawson.
Referee Bobby Madley later turned down Albion penalty appeals when Jay Rodriguez was brought down by Shkodran Mustafi with the scoreline at 0-0, and also gave Arsenal a spot kick which was converted by Alexandre Lacazette.
Arsenal won 2-0 thanks to Lacazette's brace and Pulis was quick to make it clear he was unhappy with Chile forward Sanchez.
"The disappointing thing is Sanchez fall for the first free kick, that's cheating," Pulis said.
"Jay is very honest and goals not get rewarded. Everyone saw what happened. Sanchez actually dives for the first free kick and he should be booked for diving.
Then you see the tackle in the box. The referee had a great view. Everyone has seen it and can make their minds up."

AFP/London

Villas Boas Fined For Guangzhou Complaints

Shanghai SIPG coach Andre Villas Boas has been fined US$14,000 over his "offensive" comments during the AFC Champions League quarter finals, the Asian Football Confederation said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese coach, who will be on the bench for Wednesday's semifinal first leg at home against Urawa Red Diamonds, brought the game into disrepute, the AFC ruled.
The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager made a series of stinging criticism about the AFC and the referee following a thrilling quarter final return leg at Guangzhou Evergrande earlier this month.
Villas Boas also accused the home side of staging a series of minor car accidents on the way to the match at the two time Champions League winners.
Evergrande have declined to comment on the allegation, but the AFC said in a statement that its disciplinary and ethics committee had decided to fine him "for his offensive words at the referee and comments made at the post match press conference."
"The fine of $14,000 is for a first time violation and a repeat infringement will lead to a more severe punishment," it warned.

AFP/Shanghai

Carvajal Extends Madrid Deal To 2022

Spanish international right back Dani Carvajal tied his future to Real Madrid by extending his contract until 2022, the club confirmed on Sunday.
Carvajal, 25, becomes the third Madrid player to sign on until 2022 this week after vice captain Marcelo and Isco also penned contract extensions.
"Real Madrid and Dani Carvajal have agreed to extend the player's contract, which will see him remain at the club until June 30, 2022," Real said in a statement.
Carvajal came through Madrid's academy and has won three Champions League titles with the Spanish giants in four years since returning to Real after one year spell with German side Bayer Leverkusen.
He has also established himself as a regular for Spain under Julen Lopetegui, winning 13 caps at senior international level.
AFP/Madrid

Bale Strikes In Madrid Win At Sociedad

Gareth Bale responded in style to his critics with a fine finish as Real Madrid got back to winning ways with a 3-1 win at Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Borja Mayoral rewarded a bright start by Real with his first Madrid goal before Sociedad's Kevin Rodrigues scored at both ends to give the visitors a 2-1 half time lead.
And Bale secured the three points as he sped past Rodrigues and dinked the ball over Geronimo Rulli for just his second goal of the season on the hour mark.
Victory moves the European champions up to fourth and within four points of leaders Barcelona.
Bale had received stinging criticism from the Spanish press and Madrid fans for his underwhelming displays in Ronaldo's absence in recent weeks as Real dropped points at home to Valencia and Levante.
"It's great to always score, but the most important thing was to get to winning ways," Bale told Spanish TV station Movistar.
Without the suspended Cristiano Rinaldo, as he completed a five game ban, and injured Karim Benzema, Zone dine Zidane handed 20 year old Mayoral a shock start up front. And the Frenchman's faith was rewarded inside 20 minutes when Mayoral swept home a loose ball with a classy finish from close range.

AFP/Madrid

'Everton Top Four? No Way' says Koeman

Jose Mourinho has suggested Everton should be targeting a top four finish after spending £145 million in the summer but the Merseyside club's manager, Ronald Koeman, says his Manchester United counterpart's claims are unrealistic.
Mourinho's comments came in his program notes ahead of United's 4-0 thumping of Everton in the Premier League on Sunday.
Koeman, however, said his targets were unchanged from his debut season at the club when Everton finished seventh and that he needed more time before they could push for a top four place.
"Is there anybody who sees this as realistic for Everton? Please, come on. Fans, press - we need time," Koeman told British media.
Everton are in the bottom three after losing three Premier League games in a row, conceding nine goals without reply. They also lost 3-0 to Italy's Atalanta in the Europa League last week.
"When you look at the fixtures at the start of the season, we knew we wouldn't win them all," Koeman said.
Everton's next league game is at home to Bournemouth, one spot below them in 19th, on Saturday.

Reuters/London

Inter Stays Top, Roma On The Move In Serie A

Inter Milan sealed a fourth consecutive win in as many games to sit top of Serie A with a 2-0 victory at Crotone on Saturday as AS Roma eased past Verona 3-0.
The win in Calabria allowed Luciano Spalletti's Inter to position themselves among the title challengers alongside champions Juventus and Napoli, who will also bid to make it four out of four on Sunday.
But Spalletti's side suffered in the heat of a region in the toe of southern Italy until late strikes from Milan Skriniar and Ivan Periodic put them top.
"It was very hot in Calabria, the pitch was very dry and slowed down the pace of the ball, while the wind also created problems I the first half."
But former Roma boss Spalletti refused to get carried away despite his side's unblemished record this season.
"We are not interested in the table right now, we just did what we had to do. It's a long road ahead of us  and we won't get swept up in the moment."
Crotone shocked Inter 2-1 at the Studio Ezio Scida last April in a defeat that ended the Milan club's bid for European football this season.
But despite the pressure the Serie A strugglers held on for 80 minutes largely thanks to the efforts of goalkeeper Samir Handanovic who saved from Aleksandar Tonev and Marcus Rohden just after the break.
The final ten minutes proved fatal with first defender Skriniar scoring on 82 minutes after a free kick which the Crotone defense failed to clear, and then in form Croatian striker Perisic three minutes into time added on.
"I'm happy with this first goal in Italy, although for me it is more important to have won," said Slovak international Skriniar, a summer signing from Sampdoria.
"We didn't have a great game, but winning was really important. Here it's not easy to play, the fans are very fiery, but we managed to bring the game home."
Crotone narrowly avoided the drop last season and this term is also in the bottom three after just one point from four games.
AS Roma's win at the Studio Olympico allowed the side from the capital - who have a game in hand - to move into the top half of the table and ease the pressure on coach Eusebio Di Francesco after a goalless draw in the Champions League to Atletico Madrid.
Edin Dzeko, who made headlines for criticising Di Francesco tactics in the Atletico stalemate, hit back with a brace on 34 and 61 minutes with Alessandro Florenzi marking his comeback after nearly a year out injured with an assist.
Radja Nainggolan had gotten the Romans off the mark after 22 minutes under under driving rain, with Patrik Schick making his debut and almost scoring.
"We could have scored more goals, at least I could have," said Bosnian striker Dzeko as Roma take their points tally to six after three games and sit seventh.
"These games are to be won, they end up being decisive," said Di Francesco.
Samuel Souprayen saw red for Verona, who suffered their third loss in their return to the top flight, and are second from bottom.

Emmeline Moore
Agence France Pressed/ Milan

Dembele Out For Up To Four Months

Barcelona's record £105 million (US$ 125 million) signing Ousmane Dembele is set to be sidelined for up to four months as the club confirmed the extent of the hamstring injury he suffered at Getafe on Saturday.
"The tests performed on first team player Ousmane Dembele have determined he has ruptured the tendon of the hamstring in his left leg," Barcelona said in a statement on Sunday.
"The player will undergo surgical treatment by Dr. Sakari Orava this coming week in Finland. The expected time out will be between three and a half and four months."
Dembele has made just three appearances for Barca since sealing his move from Borussia Dortmund last month for a free that could rise to as much as £145 million based on performance related bonuses.
He provided and assist on his debut as substitute to round off a 5-0 trashing of Espanyol last weekend and impressed as Barca swept aside Juventus 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday before pulling up just 29 minutes into Saturday's 2-1 win at Getafe.
However, he may have paid the price for missing much of pre-season as he went on strike from training at Dortmund to try and force through his dream move to the Camp Nou.
The 20 year old is now set to miss the rest of Barca's Champions League group campaign and faces a race against time to take part in the first Clasico of the season against Real Madrid on Dec. 23.
At international level, Dembele will also be absent for France's final two World Cup qualifiers away to Bulgaria and at home to Belarus next month.

AFP/Barcelona

Pogba Could Be Out For Three Months

French international Paul Pogba could be out of action for three months, the Sunday Times reported on Sunday, dealing a huge blow to Manchester United.
The hamstring injury suffered by the 24 year old - an £89.3 million (US$ 121 million) signing from Juventus last year - after just 18 minutes in Tuesday's Champions League match with Basel is worse than was thought originally according to a club source.
The source said he faced sitting on the sidelines of anything from six to 12 weeks.
"The injury is really bad," a United source was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
However, the club believe Pogba's injury was a result of the player overdoing his personal training outside of the club's supervision.
"It's not normal for a player respecting our training programme," the source said.
According to the newspaper, Pogba is keen to go to the United States to undergo treatment and rehabilitation with a group of personal trainers he used while on holiday there in the close season.
Should United's worst fears be realised Pogba would miss five Champions League games plus Premier League meetings with Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City.

AFP/London

Inter, Napoli Join Juventus Top of Italian League

Napoli and Inter Milan made it three wins out of three to keep pace with six time title holder Juventus at the top of Series A Sunday as AC Milan fell at Lazio.
Luciano Spalletti's Inter beat promoted SPAL 2-0 in the San Siro after Juventus eased past Chievo 3-0 in Turin on Saturday.
Napoli also remains unbeaten as it warmed up for a midweek Champions League trip to Shakhtar Donetsk, winning 3-0 at Bologna with late goals from Jose Callejon (66), Dries Mertens (83), and Piotr Zielinski (88).
"To go 70 minutes and lose 0-3 is heavy for the boys," said coach Roberto Donadoni of Bologna's first loss this season.
"Naivety cost us and Napoli punished us. This has to teach us a lesson."
Juventus - which travels to Barcelona for Champions League duty on Tuesday - is top of the standings on goal difference, equal on nine points with Napoli and Inter Milan, with Lazio fourth on seven.
AC Milan dropped to seventh after suffering their first defeat of the season as a Ciro Immobile hat trick lifted Lazio 4-1 at home.
Simone Inzaghi's side ran riot over the Chinese owned Milan with an on fire Immobile scoring three in 10 minutes, including a penalty, in a match delayed for an hour due to torrential rain in the capital.
Riccardo Montolivo pulled one back for the visitors off a deflected Hakan Calhanoglu free kick, but Vincenzo Montella's side fell to their first defeat in three games.
"Not many teams will get four goals past Milan," said Immobile, who also scored for Italy in a World Cup qualifier this week.
"I think we're on the right track."
After two easy matches against Crotone and Cagliari, Milan got a reality check against Lazio.
Immobile's first was from a penalty on 38 minutes, and four minutes later he added a second with a volley off a Senad Lulic cross.
The Italian international then got his third six minutes later and quickly assisted Luis Alberto for the fourth.
Earlier, Inter Milan's Mauro Icardi added to his Serie A tally with a 27th-minute penalty, giving him a fifth goal of the season.
The spot-kick was awarded after the intervention of the video assistant referee (VAR), after Joao Mario was tripped inside the box with Icardi slotting in.
Ivan Perisic sealed the victory after 87 minutes with a powerful volley into the top corner.
"They are valuable points which allow us to consolidate our place and build self confidence," said Inter assistant manager Marco Domenichini.
SPAL boss Leonardo Semplici believes Inter under former Roma boss Luciano Spalletti can now challenge Juventus' dominance.
"Inter will challenge for the Scudetto, but I still have to compliment my boys for their performance. I tip my hat to Luciano Spalletti, who is both a friend and a great coach," he told Sky Sport Italia.
"We caused Inter problems and had a few chances to score too, but I think if we play like this, we will ensure our Series A safety."
Emilia-Romagna side SPAL is sitting eighth.
Fiorentina bounced back from successive defeats with its first win of the season - a 5-0 rout at Verona.
Argentine striker Giovanni Someone, son of Atletico Madrid coach Diego Someone, scored his first goal for the Tuscany club after two minutes.
Elsewhere, Atalanta won 2-1 at home against Sassuolo while Cagliari achieved its first win in its new stadium, beating Crotone 1-0, and Udinese defeated Genoa 1-0.
Torino left it late with Iago Falque scoring three minutes into time added on to beat Benevento 1-0.
Saturday's game between Sampdoria and AS Roma in Genoa was postponed because of adverse weather conditions.

Emmeline Moore
Agence France Pressed/Milan

Nissan Brings a Tiny Bit of Self Driving to the Masses

The new Leaf will do its best Tesla impression - but it won't be a great one.
On Sept. 5 in the United States, Nissan Motor Co. will pull the cover off the 2018 Leaf, its first production vehicle that will steer and stop by itself - at least every once in a while.
This week, Nissan loaded its version of this hot tech onto some of its SUVs and brought them to New York for a test drive, the perfect place to put a new phase of autonomous technology through its paces. Driving in Manhattan requires a modicum of Zen, something most New Yorkers don't have - at least every once in a while. Anything to help commuters tune out a little, to tick up the chill a few nothces, is helpful for everyone traveling along the city's congested arteries. That's precisely what Nissan's new system, dubbed ProPilot Assist, is supposed to do.
When activated by the push of a button and the setting of cruise control speed, it keeps the car in the center of a lane, steering through corners. At the same time, it maintains a safe distance to the vehicle ahead and will braake all the way to a stop, the default state of most BigApple drives. It even resumes driving without a prompt, provided that the automobile has only been still for less than three seconds.
"Basically, we're focused on fatigue reduction," explained Andy Christensen, senior manager of Nissan's Intelligent Transportation Systems Research.
This suite of robot pilots is not, Christensen insisted, a self driving system. The steering wheel senses feedback (not touch); if there isn't evidence of any physical tug. ProPilot escalates a series of warnings, including audio chimes and brake checks. Eventually, the vehicle will turn on its hazard lights and come to a stop midlane.
Given that humans are now able to land space scraping rockets back on the ground as if they were lawn darts, the new Leaf isn't exactly vanguard stuff. Plenty of vehicles on the market do what plan's new system offers - if you can afford them, that is. The Leaf, however, is intended to fill the autonomous capabilities gap that exists for machines that cost less than US$40,000 or so. What Nissan's driving robots deliver is passable impression of a Mercedes Benz (or an Audi, Tesla, or Volvo).
"Passable," though, is the key word: Nissan's package isn't infallible. For one thing, it requires clear lane markers on each side to steer properly. On our 40 minute jaunt from Midtown Manhattan to its northern peak, painted lines were sporadic and the system often simply shut off, signaling its snooze with a chime. Meanwhile, it's designed to steer only up to a certain level of aggressiveness (the parameters set by forces of gravity). Coming into a series of twists a little bit hot, the robots couldn't keep us centered, even though the car was still plenty capable.
The problem is that the sensors and cameras that allow for a more seamless autonomous drive tend to be expensive, and thus remain squarely in the realm of luxury cars. Nissan's ProPilot uses just one camera to read the lane margins and one radar unit to measure distance to the vehicle in front.
"We're trying to make it accessible and attainable," said Brittany Tessmer, senior engineer on the project.
In the gray area between analog driving and full autonomy, Nissan's new system represents a very light shade, which to me is the biggest drawback for it and all the other systems like it. It's only a mild iteration beyond adaptive cruise control, which comes standard on 25 percent of current vehicles, and lane departure warnings, which are available in one third, according to Edmund's.com.
When the driver is alert, the nanny steering and braking can be annoying, particularly if one likes to drift toward the inside of sweeping highway curves. If the driver isn't alert, it's even more grating.
To be sure, that needling is necessary, but I've found myself wondering more than once: Is this an autonomous step too small to be worth taking? Why not just wait to roll out something more fully cooked?
"There are always going to be people who just want to get in and wake up in their driveway," Tessmer said of the desire for full autonomy. "Until the technology gets there, they don't want it."

Kyle Stock
Bloomberg/ New York

BMW Abandons Boring With Stylish Shark Nose Roadster

A prototype of the BMW Z4 two sweater, presented at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance near San Francisco recently, features two narrow kidney grilles and squinting headlights that sweep upward toward wedge shaped lines on the side.
The racy convertible is slated to go on sale in late 2018 after a two year hiatus from the previous version. It's a key component of the Munich based carmaker's shift into "attack mode" after Mercedes outsold BMW for the first time in more than a decade last year to take the global lead in luxury cars.
CEO Harald Krueger, who took charge in 2015, is seeking to shake off a rocky start to his tenure through an ambitious plan to overhaul the manufacturer's lineup with 40 new or refreshed vehicles in the coming two years in what BMW describes as the biggest model offensive in its history.
Reloading the Z4 shows BMW's desire to restore sporty credentials after a run of utilitarian models like the Gran Tourer minivan and cautious revamps of mainstays such as the 7 Series and 5 Series sedans. It will challenge the Mercedes SLC and be flanked by BMW's new 8 Series luxury coupe, which will vie for elite drivers with the likes of the Maserati GranTurismo, Porsche 911 and Mercedes AMG GT. The carmaker also plans to re enter Le Mans GT class racing next year to challenge Porsche, just as Audi is quitting the famed 24 hour endurance contest.
"We've been hearing big words for months, and Krueger made the claim about getting back to No. 1 some time ago," Juergen Pie per, a Frankfurt based analyst at Bankhaus Metzler. "Words are one thing, action another. How claims of a truly new design will impress customers remains to be seen."
Racy cachet is crucial for BMW to woo wealthy consumers after Mercedes undertook a well received design overhaul and brands from Alfa Romeo to Volvo started targeting that clientele with aggressive growth plans.
"The concept Z4 shows off from all angles BMW's new design language," said Adrian van Hooydonk, who heads design for the manufacturer. "It's an absolute driving machine."
The German carmaker is also shifting more upscale to maintain profitability amid the financial strain of developing self driving electric vehicles, which will take years to recoup upfront investment.
While the Z4 will shore up BMW's image, sales will be small as demand for open top vehicles shrinks. Deliveries might peak at 22,150 in 2020, according to forecaster IHS Automotive. That compares to an annual high of about 48,600 for the car's first generation model, and a total of 2.4 million deliveries for the BMW group last year.
Convertibles, once the ultimate expression of carefree lifestyle, are falling out of favour as pollution and congestion sour the appeal of open air driving. Instead, buyers are increasingly opting for an expanding range of upscale SUV's, ranging from sporty coupe like models to opulent full sized cruisers.
To save on costs, BMW co developed the Z4's main components and chassis with Toyota Motor Corp. As part of a 2013 partnership. The Japanese manufacturer plans to present its version, the Toyota Supra, at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, as part of its own project to shed its utilitarian image.
"It is still important to build these kinds of dream cars that build on brand values for marketing  cachet," said Tim Urquhart, a London based analyst with IHS Automotive. "It's an intelligent move to do this car with a partner and have common underpinnings, reaping cost savings and gain scale."
On the exterior, the Energetic Orange paint finish showcases the muscular curves to spectacular effect - and places the spotlight on the roadster in every location.
BMW AG is adding stylish flourishes such as a shark nose front end to its trademark roadster, part of a broader design overhaul aimed at regaining pizzazz and hitting back at Mercedes Benz.
Large air inlets at the front and well defined air outlets on the front of the bonnet erave for speed and the flow of air.
In the interior of the all new BMW Concept Z4, minimalism meets eccentricity. Nothing is superfluous, nothing distracts. Instead, everything is directed towards the driver and the pure driving experience.

Elisabeth Behrmann
Blomberg/ New York

Kane Has England On World Cup Footing

England manager Gareth Southgate will count on Harry Kane to continue his goalscoring form against Slovakia on Monday as his side close in on qualification for next year's World Cup.
Kane belied his August goal drought with Tottenham Hotspur to score twice as England won 4-0 against Malta on Friday, taking his tally to five goals in his last three international appearances.
If England prevail against Slovakia they will need just two points from their last two games to secure automatic qualification and Southgate says the firepower in his squad gives him plenty of options.
"It has been brilliant to look at the bench and be able to bring on Marcus (Rashford), Danny (Welbeck), Jamie Vardy," said the England manager, whose team lead Slovakia by two points.
"We've got (Jermain) Defoe and (Daniel) Sturridge on there, so we've got some real quality and people who can make an impact.
"The bench in the modern game is crucial because the last 15 to 20 minutes are so important.
"That said, Harry throughout the game is always threat and he will score goals for us. He's proven that in the last few matches - five in three.
"It's a privilege that we have got him with us."
England were jeered by their own fans as they toiled to break down a Malta team ranked 190th in the world on a sultry night in Ta'Qali.
Kane broke the deadlock from Spurs team mate Dele Alli's pass in the 53rd minute, but it was not until the last five minutes that England ran away with the game through goals from Ryan Bertrand, Danny Welbeck and Kane's second.
Southgate's team selection, with Jake Livermore partnering Jordan Henderson in central midfield, suggested he saw the game more as a tune up opportunity than a chance for England to boost their goal difference.
He is therefore likely to pick a similar starting XI at Wembley, although Marcus Rashford will hope to start after a sparky substitute appearance that included a fine pass from deep of the ineffective Raheem Sterling.
"I think attacking players and players that dribble and are brave enough to take people on, there's always going to be times where that isn't going to quite work for them - (Friday) felt like one of those nights for Raheem," Southgate said.
"I don't like making a decision like that at half time because, having played, you know how that feels, but I have got to make the right decision for the team. I felt that was."
Slovakia tightened their grip on second place in Group F, which will yield a spot in the play offs, after Adam Nemec's 81st minute tap in earned them a 1-0 win over Slovenia in TRNA a on Friday.
Victory left Jan Kozak's men with a four point cushion over Scotland and Slovenia, but although confidence is high, right back Peter Pekarik knows Slovakia's momentum could quickly disappear.
"I think that we're very close to the place that would take us into the play offs," said the Hertha Berlin defender.
"The mood is great, as after every victory, and we will fly in a good mood, but it's important to realise there's a completely different match awaiting us.
"We have seen lots of England's home games and they have amazing quality. But we will fight."
Kozak is expected to recall former Liverpool centre back Martin Skrtel and his defensive partner Jan Durica, both of whom missed the encounter with Slovenia through suspension.

Tom Williams
Agence France Presse/ London