Dybala, Higuain Set Up Turin Derby Clash

Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain booked holders Juventus an Italian Cup quarter-final derby clash with Torino after a 2-0 win over Genoa on Wednesday.
Dybala returned to goalscoring form after being benched for consecutive games by coach massimiliano Allegri, breaking the deadlock just before half-time and setting up fellow Argentine Higuain for the second on 76 minutes.
"These games can be traps, but the important thing was to qualify," said Higuain, who came on as a late substitute for Doublas Costa.
"I'm happy to have scored and I'm happy for Dybala: he started strong and when he didn't score for a few games, it is normal that there is criticism, but it was too much.
"I hope he can find his balance with this goal."
Juventus host Torino on January 3 after their city rivals earlier eliminated nine-time winners Roma as goals in either half from Lorenzo De Silvestri and Simone Edera sealed a 2-1 win.
Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic played a key role with impressive saves, including from an Edin Dzeko penalty before Patrick Schick scored his first gosl for Roma five minutes from time.
"We conceded too much on set-pieces, we were naive in front of goal," said Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco.
Torino took the lead six minutes before the break through Silvestri, with Edera heading in the second on 72 minutes.
Roma were awarded a penalty after Schick got one back, with the hosts pouring forward in search of the equalizer with Dzeko, Stephan El Shaarawy and Schick denied by the post.

AFP/Milan

Vela Scores Farewell Goal For Sociedad

Sevilla missed the chance to leapfrog Real Madrid into La Liga's top four as Carlos Vela waved goodbey to Real Sociedad with a goal in a 3-1 win for the Basques on Wednesday.
Vela will join new Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC in January after 250 appearances for Sociedad.
The Mexican was given a standing ovation at Anoeta when he was introduced as a
late substitute and the crowd got the ending they craved as Vela slotted home his 73th goal for the club in stoppage time to seal Sociedad's first win in seven games.
Sociedad deservedly went in front when Inigo Martinez headed home Asier Illarsmendi's cross on 17 minutes.
However, Wissam Ben Yedder brought Sevilla level just before half-time as his shot sneaked under Geronimo Rulli for the Frenchman's 14th goal of thr season.
Sevilla were then having the better of the second period until substitute Igor Zubeldia saw a shot with his first touch deflect off Sergio Escudero to leave David Soria in the Sevilla goal helpless.
And Vela rounded off the scoring with a clinical near-post finish to inflict Sevilla's sixth defeat in their last seven away games in La Liga.
Eduardo Berizzo's men remain fifth but could slip five points off the Champions League places with the top four in action on Friday and Saturday ahead of a two-week winter break.
Earlier, Getafe moved up to seventh as early goals from Juan Cala and Amath Ndiaye secured a 2-0 win over Las Palmas, who remains rooted to the foot of the table.

AFP/Madrid

Barca Reported For Illegal Approach

Atletico Madrid reported Barcelona to football's governing body FIFA over illegal contact made to star forward Antoine Griezmann, Atletico Club sources confirmed on Tuesday.
"The complaint has been presented for repeated contact between Barcelona, the player and his team," an Atletico source told AFP.
Griezmann renewed his contract until 2022 in June and Atletico consider contact made by Barcelona not only breaks FIFA's rules, but could also affect the integrity of La Liga.
Barcelona lead the league with Atletico their closest challengers six points behind in second.
"He is a player under a long contract and this can't happen. Moreover, the club considers that it could affect the competition where Barca are currently top and Atletico second," added the Atletico source.
Barca were slapped with a one year transfer ban for the illegal recruitment of foreign minors by FIFA that was served in 2015.
Should the Catalan giants be found guilty, they could be handed another ban on registering new players.
"We can confirm that we have received a complaint from Atletico de Madrid concerning the said matter," a FIFA spokesperson told AFP.
Barcelona-based sports daily Mundo Deportivo reported on Sunday that Barca's president Josep Maria Bartomeu had recently met with Griezmann's family.
The Catalan giants are expected to be willing to pay the French intermational's £100 million ($117.8 million) buyout clause at the end of the season to avoid negotiating with Atletico.
Barca's director of institutional relations Guillermo Amor turned down the opportunity to deny a meeting had taken place later on Sunday after Barca's 4-0 trashing of Deportivo La Coruna.
Griezmann, 26, agreed to sign a new contract with Atletico in June after the club had an appeal against a transfer ban rejected.
Top scorer of Euro 2016, Griezmanm said it would have been "dirty" to walk out on the club when they couldn't replace him until January.
However, Atletico coach Diego Simeone accepted last week that Griezmann's departure at some point in the future is inevitable.
"Of course Griezmann will be able to leave at some point," Simeone told French sports daily L'Equipe.
"If a player comes to me and says, 'coach, I have a chance of a lifetime and wany to leave', and if he's left everything on the pitch for me like Griezmann, I'll say, 'no problem'."

Kieran Canning
Agence France-Presse/Madrid

Man City Joins Arsenal In League Cup Semis After Penalty Drama

A much-changed Manchester City held off a spirited challenge from Leicester on Tuesday to reach the League Cup semi-finals following a dramatic penalty shootout, as Arsenal also progressed.
Pep Guardiola showcased the riches at his disposal by maxing nine changes as his runaway Premier League leaders held their nerve to edge through 4-3 on spot-kicks after the two sides were locked at 1-1 following extra time.
Arsenal beat West Ham 1-0 to keep alive the prospect of two mouthwatering semi-finals featuring four of English soccer's "Big Six."
In an ironic twist at the King Power Stadium Jamie Vardy - who had earlier scored a penalty deep into time added on to keep the tie alive - missed his spot kick in the shootout and Riyad Mahrez had his effort saved by City keeper Claidio Bravo.
"The way we had to react was not easy, we were tired, we had a lot of young players, Danilo was playing at center-back for the first time in his life," said Guardiola. "It's not easy because Jamie Vardy and Riyadh Mahrez were there.
"What I liked the most is how we reacted and overcame that situation. It's a good indication for the future."
City and Leicester have won the League Cup seven times between them but Guardiola and Foxes boss Claude Puel showed their priorities lie elsewhere with atmost all of the big names missing from the two starting line-ups.
Despite thr changes in personnel, City - featuring England teenage stat Phil Foden - dominated the early stages of the contest, twice going close to scoring through Ilkay Gundogan.
Leicester - without the likes of Vardy and Mahrez, who were on the bench - began to stretch City's defence through the lively Kelechi Iheanacho, formerly of City, but just when they appeared to have a foothold in the game, the visitors struck.
Gundogan, one of only two players to keep their places following Saturday's 4-1 victory over Tottenham, surged forward from the centre of midfield and fed Bernardo Silva, who finished coolly through the legs of Ben Hamer in the 26th minute.
Leicester started the second half brightly while City struggled to regain their earlier fluency and Puel threw on Vardy and Mahrez aftet about 11minutes to the delight of the home crowd.
As they continued to press, the manager also introduced Demarai Gray and Leicester were given fresh reason to hope when a match official held up a board announcing there would be eight minutes of added time.
With the seconds ticking down, Gray burst into the box and went down under a challenge from City substitute Kyle Walker and the referee pointed to the spot.
Vardy slotted home under intense pressure to take the tie into extra time, in which neither side could break the deadlock.
The match went to penalties and it was Leicester's star pair who blinked first.
"We were unlucky," said Puel. "We have had most chancea. It was a fantastic game between two good teams."
City, already being hailed as one of the finest side of the modern era, are on a record-breaking run of 16 straight Premier League victories and are through to the Champions League knockout stages.
Arsenal bookef their place in the semi-finals courtesy of a Danny Wellbeck strike shortly before half time.
Manager Arsene Wenger fielded an entirely changed starting eleven from the side that beat Newcastle at the weekend against David Moyes's West Ham, who have been on a good recent run.
On Wednesday, Jose Mourinho's Manchester United travel to Championship high-flyers Bristol City while Chelsea host Bournemouth.

John Weaver
Agence France-Presse/London

Chinese Soccer Players Come To Brazil For Extra Polish

Arriving in Brazil, Chinese footballer Long Yushuo took on the more easily pronounced name Thomas, but it's the locals' skills with the ball that he's really hoping to adopt.
Thomas, 16, is one of a squad of youth players from Chinese team Shandong Luneng dispatched to polish their game at Desportivo Brasil club in Porto Feliz, near Sao Paulo, which Shandong bought in 2014.
The idea is that the 36,000-kilometers round trip will enable these youngsters to bring back something that all the money and desire in China's burgeoning football scene cannot otherwise get - Brazilian soccer magic.
When Thomas and another 22 players from the under-16 side arrived from Jinan, capital of Shandong province, in April, they knew little of Brazil.
Along with football practice, they study Portuguese in the quiet town of 50,000 people. But Thomas, who picked his name in honor of Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller, is clear about what his principal lesson has been in Porto Feliz.
"Technique," he said, along-side his teammates, who all wore Shandong's orange strip.
China may not have much soccer playing pedigree but, encouraged by President Xi Jinping and lavish spending, it is working to catch up quickly.
Luneng, a subsidiary of the chief national electricity company, is one of the big investors in the expansion plan, which has made China the world's fifth biggest transfer market in 2016. Of all the foreign imports to the Super League, the 21 Brazilian players comprise the biggest contingent.
The national team, though, has yet to see much benefit. China lags in 60th place in FIFA rankings and did not qualify for next year's World Cup.
So China's strategist decided to try to unpick the secrets of Brazilian football so that the next generation can get the missing edge.
Desportivo Brasil is not an ordinary club, but more like a training academy, so the Chinese are in good hands.
The club hosts another five Chinese players from the under-20 team as well as 130 Brazilian players ranging in age from 14 to the club's own third regional division professional team, all seeking the excellence that will let them break through to the top level.
For the youngsters in Porto Feliz, where Brazilian and Chinese flags fly side by side, the future should be bright.
"This is the group the Chinese government wants to serve as the core of a team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the World Cup in 2022. We have a heavy responsibility," Pignataro said.
After swotting over history books and other academic classes in the mornings, the main focus is getting out onto the training field.
Vitinho, a skillful forward, has done three seasons in Porto Feliz and is now part of the under-20 team. Given how integrated the 18-year-old-is - even becoming a fan of Brazilian funk music - few remember that his real name is Liu Chaoyang.
"I want to play in Europe, but I need to work a lot to improve," he said in fluent Portuguese.
The same might be said for the whole Chinese experiment, but Zhao Shuo, a 25-year-old assistant coach, says he is ready to take the time.
He has spent two months following his Brazilian counterparts around and says the only area where he might have the advantage is in the iron discipline associated with Asian teams.
"Football needa time because it's a kind of education and education is not a short-term thing.
Maybe we will need 10 or 20 years or more," he said in English, pointing to Japan as example.
"We have to learn from our neighbors and be patient," he said, never taking his eyes off the action on the field.

Rosa Sulleiro
Agence France-Presse/Porto Feliz

Allardyce Throws Everton Into Top Half

Everton manager Sam Allardyce's ability to quickly get teams out of relegation trouble is the defining characteristic of his management career but his impact at Goodison Park has been so swift he is already looking at a top-half finish.
Everton's 3-1 wins over Swansea City on Monday pushed the Merseysiders up to ninth in the Premier League and the worries of a long scrapt against the drop already seem a distant memory.
"The target now? Top half but let's not get carried away," said former England manager Allardyce after second-half goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney, with a penalty, had secured a comeback victory over the bottom-placed Welsh club.
Everton were in the relegation zone when they sacked Dutch-man Ronald Koeman on Oct. 23 following a humiliating 5-2 loss at home to Arsenal.
The club's Under-23 coach David Unsworth then had an extended spell as caretaker manager during which he managed just two wins in eight games.
Unsworth's second and final win, a 4-0 success against West Ham United, came with Allardyce already watching from the stands and, while he was not on the bench for that game, he is making sure that victory counts on his record.
Since formally taking the role, Everton have beaten Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United and drawn at local rivals Liverpool before Monday's win.
"To collect 13 out of 15 points is outstanding considering the position where we have come from," said Allardyce.
"We have scores 11 goals in five games and kept clean sheets. We are a team that comes back from 1-0 down to win and that shows the character."
Allardyce, 63, has never had a team of his relegated from the Premier League, despite working with clubs such as Sunderland and Crystal Palace who were in deep trouble when he took over.
He managed to maintain top flight football for clubs such as Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers and took West Ham back into the Premier League - and kept them there - after their relegation.
Focusing on solid defending and good organization has again brought results for the man dubbed 'Fireman Sam' but he said his assistants, such as former Leicester City boss Craig Shakespeare and veteran coach Sammy Lee, deserved their share of the credit.
"From a tactical point of view, I've simplified the game and I'm man-managing the players. I brought some experienced and talented staff with me, along with the rest of the staff," he said.

Simon Evans
Reuters/Liverpool

Sigurdsson Beauty Adds To Swansea Woes

Gylfi Sigurdsson's stunning goal against his former club maintained Everton's unbeaten record under Sam Allardyce with a 3-1 win on Monday that left Swansea rooted to the foot of the Premier League.
The 28-year-old Icelandic international left Swansea for a record £45 million (US$60 million) in the close season and his 30-yard effort in the second half illustrated why Everton wanted him so badly.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with his seventh goal in all competitions, had brought Everton level after Leroy Fer had given the visitors the lead with his first goal in 38 matches.
Wayne Rooney wrapped up the points with a penalty - he had an earlier one saved before Calvert-Lewin knocked in the rebound - for his 10th goal of the season.
Victory sees Everton rise to ninth - a heady spot given they were in the relegation places on Oct. 23 - and unbeaten in five matches under Allardyce.
"In games you need something special and Gylfi provided that," Allardyce told SkySports.
"From there it was nice and comfortable.
"It is a great three points considering how poorly we played in the first half."
Swansea, who lost their sixth successive away match and have only one win in their last 10 games, are four points adrift of safety.
"The mood in the dressing room is very flat," Swansea manager Paul Clement told the BBC.
"We're bottom of the table on 12 points. We've got to focus on getting to 15 points at the halfway mark."
The visitors suffered a huge blow when Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony pulled up injured with what Clement believes is a hamstring problem and had to go off in the fifth minute.
It was the visitors, though, who broke the deadlock.
Jordan Pickford could do nothing about Fer's close range half-volley after the Dutchman had escaped Ashley William's attention, nipping around the back of the defender to give the visitors the lead with only their 10th goal of the campaign.
However, the sides went in at half-time all square as in time added on Roque Mesa felled Aaron Lennon to concede a penalty.
Lukasz Fabianski did superbly to save Rooney's spot-kick but Calvert-Lewin followed up to rifle the ball home.
Rooney, though, said he is not going to surrender penalty duties even though he has the second worst miss record in Premier League history - 10 from 33 with England and Newcastle great Alan Shearer missing 11 of 67.
"I'm a confident person and believe in myself," Rooney told Sky Sports.
There was not a lot to choose between the sides for the first 20 minutes of the second period until Sigurdsson came up with his moment of magic.
He came in from the left wing after receiving the ball from Rooney and unleashed an unstoppable right-footed curling effort into thr far top corner.
Swansea's luck was well and truly out when Jonjoe Kenny went down in the area under a challenge by Martin Olsson 18 minutes from time and referee Jon Moss pointed to the spot despite the contact being outside the box.
Rooney this time made no mistake, though Fabianski got a hand to his powerfully-hit spot-kick.

Agence France-Presse
Liverpool