Sports
Hojlund brace gives Napoli huge win over Juventus
Europe’s top leagues were in full swing on Sunday afternoon ahead of the winter break.
In a few weeks, all but the Premier League will pause for the yearly hiatus, but there is still plenty of football to be played before that.
In Italy, Napoli hosted Juventus in a huge battle at the top of Serie A, while Europe-chasing Bologna travelled to Lazio.
Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund took on Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.
Get the best of the action across the continent below.
Napoli 2-1 Juventus
Napoli strengthened their position near the top of Serie A with a 2-1 win over Juventus at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, thanks to a Rasmus Hojlund brace.
Napoli made a sharp start and went ahead after seven minutes. David Neres worked space on the right and delivered a precise cross into the six-yard area, where Hojlund slid in to steer the ball beyond Michele Di Gregorio.
The hosts carried the momentum through much of the first half, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo forcing a strong save from the visiting goalkeeper and Eljif Elmas and Noa Lang threatening from wide positions.
Juventus offered little before the interval, failing to register a shot on target and struggling to connect midfield with attack.
The visitors found a response just before the hour. Weston McKennie broke forward on the right and slipped a pass into Kenan Yildiz, whose angled finish brought Juventus level with their first meaningful effort of the match.
The goal shifted the tone briefly, but Napoli regained control through sustained pressure and regained the lead in the 78th minute.
Neres again created the opportunity, sending a deep cross to the far side of the box. McKennie, in attempting to defend the delivery, inadvertently directed the ball back across goal, allowing Hojlund to rise and head in his second of the night.
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Hoffenheim
Borussia Dortmund tightened their grip on the Bundesliga’s top positions with a 2-0 victory over Hoffenheim at Signal Iduna Park.
Julian Brandt and Nico Schlotterbeck provided the goals as Dortmund delivered a controlled performance, while Gregor Kobel produced several important saves to secure the clean sheet.
Dortmund started on the front foot, with early pressure resulting in a succession of corners, but it was Hoffenheim who created the first real threat when Wouter Burger tested Kobel from distance.
The hosts gradually took control and made the breakthrough in the 43rd minute. Yan Couto’s cut-back found Brandt arriving centrally, and the midfielder dispatched a low finish past Oliver Baumann.
Hoffenheim responded well after the restart, threatening from set pieces as Robin Hranac twice went close, firing over from close range before seeing a header saved by Kobel.
Their momentum faded, however, when Dortmund struck a decisive second goal on the hour mark. Following a corner, Felix Nmecha kept the ball alive and Schlotterbeck reacted sharply to guide a left-footed effort into the bottom corner.
Lazio 1-1 Bologna
Lazio were forced to settle for a point at home after a frantic 1-1 draw with Bologna, a match that featured two first-half goals, heavy pressure from both sides and a red card that shaped the closing stages.
Lazio struck first in the 38th minute when Gustav Isaksen reacted sharply inside the box, steering a left-footed finish into the bottom corner after sustained pressure down the left.
But their advantage lasted only two minutes. Bologna immediately pushed forward, and after Ivan Provedel had denied Nadir Zortea, Jens Odgaard converted from close range to level the match.
Both teams continued to create chances before the break. Isaksen and Valentín Castellanos forced stops from Federico Ravaglia, while Zaccagni also went close for Lazio.
At the other end, Odgaard tested Provedel several times and Santiago Castro headed over from a corner.
The second half reopened at a frantic pace, with Lazio threatening early through Castellanos before Bologna responded via Castro and Miranda, both denied by Provedel.
Lazio applied sustained pressure around the hour mark, drawing multiple saves from Ravaglia, but struggled to find a breakthrough.
The match turned in the 78th minute when Mario Gila, already booked moments earlier, was sent off for a foul on Castro.
Bologna pushed forward with the extra man and introduced fresh attacking options, forcing Lazio to defend deeper. Lewis Ferguson fired over late on and Odgaard saw efforts blocked, but the visitors could not make their advantage count.
