Højlund's double sees Napoli beat Juventus and spoil Spalletti's return

MILAN (AP) — Luciano Spalletti’s return to the team he led to the Serie A title was spoiled by Rasmus Højlund's brace as host Napoli beat Juventus 2-1 on Sunday.

The result also lifted Napoli back to the top of the Italian league. The defending champion moved a point above Inter Milan and three points above AC Milan, which visits Torino on Monday.

It was Juventus coach Spalletti’s first time at Napoli as opposition manager since he led the southern team to its first scudetto in more than 30 years in 2023.

Napoli coach Antonio Conte was also facing his former team. He steered Juventus to three Serie A titles during his time in charge and also played for the Bianconeri for 13 years, winning numerous trophies.

Adding to the occasion, it was the first time the two coaches had faced each other.

Napoli got off to a great start as the in-form David Neres got away down the right before rolling the ball across for Højlund to tap it in with less than seven minutes on the clock.

Napoli had the better of the chances but Juventus leveled in the 59th minute as the Bianconeri went on the counterattack and Kenan Yıldız played a one-two with Weston McKennie before placing an angled drive into the far bottom corner.

McKennie inadvertently also played a role at the other end in what proved to be the winner for Napoli in the 78th.

The United States international tried to head away a cross for Neres but his attempt was rather weak and went to Hojlund to head in from four yards (meters).

Roma lost ground in the title race as it fell to a 1-0 defeat at Cagliari after playing most of the match with 10 men.

Roma remained fourth but slipped four points below Napoli. It was Cagliari’s first win since September and lifted the Sardinian team four points above the drop zone.

The match turned in the 49th minute when Roma defender Zeki Çelik brought down Cagliari midfielder Michael Folorunsho right on the edge of the area.

The referee initially awarded a penalty but realized the foul was just outside the area after reviewing the incident. He revoked the spot kick but showed Çelik a straight red card for denying a clear scoring occasion.

Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar pulled off a number of impressive saves but Cagliari broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute.

Gianluca Gaetano was left completely unmarked to chest down a corner and fire the ball in off the inside of the far post.

Bologna failed to make the most of Roma's slipup as it was held to a 1-1 draw at Lazio.

Bologna would have moved level with Roma with a win but was left two points below the capital side.

Gustav Isaksen tapped home a rebound in the 38th minute but Danish compatriot Jens Odgaard scored in similar circumstances at the other end just two minutes later.

Lazio defender Mario Gila was sent off in the 79th minute for dissent after receiving a yellow card for a challenge on Santiago Castro.

Earlier, Cremonese beat Lecce 2-0.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Juventus' Kenan Yildiz celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Juventus, in Naples, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Napoli's Rasmus Hojlund, centre, scores the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Juventus, in Naples, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Napoli's Rasmus Hojlund, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Juventus, in Naples, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Bologna's head coach Vincenzo Italiano shouts instructions to his players during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Bologna at the Rome's Olympic stadium, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)

Cagliari's Gianluca Gaetano, left, celebrates with teammate Alessandro Deiola after scoring their side's opening goal during a Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Roma, in Cagliari, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Gianluca Zuddas/LaPresse via AP)

Roma's coach Gian Piero Gasparini smiles ahead of the Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Roma, in Cagliari, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Gianluca Zuddas/LaPresse via AP)

Cagliari's coach Fabio Pisacane enters the pitch ahead of the Serie A soccer match between Cagliari Calcio and Roma, in Cagliari, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Gianluca Zuddas/LaPresse via AP)

Cagliari's Michael Folorunsho, right, falls after an action with Roma's Mehmet Zeki Çelik, during a Serie A soccer match between Cagliari and Roma, in Cagliari, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Gianluca Zuddas/LaPresse via AP)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A combined missile and drone attack on the Kyiv region killed at least four people and wounded at least 15 overnight into Saturday, according to the head of the regional administration for the Ukrainian capital.

Three of the wounded were in critical condition, of whom two were undergoing surgery, Mykola Kalashnyk reported on Saturday. The attack hit four districts, damaging residential buildings, educational institutions, enterprises and critical infrastructure, Kalashnyk added in a social media post.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the main target for the overnight strikes was "the energy infrastructure of the Kyiv region.” He said Russia launched around 430 drones of various types during the night, as well as 68 missiles.

Russia’s Defense Ministry on Saturday said the nighttime strikes targeted energy and industrial facilities serving Ukraine's armed forces, as well as military airfields.

The strikes came days after the U.S. postponed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine scheduled for this week, citing the war in the Middle East.

As U.S. and Israeli missiles and bombs rain on Iran, Russia has responded with words of indignation but no action to support its ally. Moscow’s failure to help another ally, after the 2024 ouster of former Syrian ruler Bashar Assad and January’s U.S. arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, highlighted the limits of its influence — but the Kremlin expects to reap benefits from the Iran war.

Russia is already profiting from a surge in global energy prices, and could hope that the Mideast war will detract attention from Ukraine and deplete Western arsenals.

Zelenskyy on Saturday called on Kyiv's Western partners to pay “one hundred percent attention” to the need to boost the production of air defense missiles.

“Russia will try to exploit the war in the Middle East to cause even greater destruction here in Europe, in Ukraine," he said in a post on social media.

"We must be fully aware of the real level of the threat and prepare accordingly, namely: in Europe, we need to develop the production of air defense missiles — especially those capable of countering ballistic threats — as well as all other systems necessary to truly protect lives,” he said.

Kyiv is also awaiting White House approval for a major drone production agreement proposed by Ukraine last year, Zelenskyy said Thursday, as countries scramble to modernize their air defenses after the Iran war exposed shortcomings.

Also on Thursday, Zelenskyy criticized the 30-day U.S. waiver on Russian oil sanctions amid the war in the Middle East, saying it is “not the right decision” and won’t help bring a stop to Russia’s more than 4-year-old invasion of Ukraine.

“This easing alone by the United States could provide Russia with about $10 billion for the war,” Zelenskyy said. “This certainly does not help peace.”

Overnight into Saturday, Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery and port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, local Russian officials reported.

Krasnodar authorities said three people were hurt in a strike on Port Kavkaz, a port opposite Crimea used to ship liquefied natural gas and grains. A service vessel and pier infrastructure were damaged, they said in a social media post. One person was hospitalized, they added in a separate post later.

Falling drone debris also sparked a fire at the region’s Afipsky oil refinery, authorities said in a separate Telegram post. They said no one was hurt, but did not immediately comment on damage.

Earlier this week, Russian and Ukrainian officials both claimed front-line progress, with Ukraine saying it pushed Moscow’s forces back across places on the front line and the Kremlin insisting Russia’s invasion of its neighbor is making progress.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a joint presser with France's President Emmanuel Macron, not pictured, following a bilateral meeting at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris, Friday March 13, 2026. (Ludovic Marin/Pool Photo via AP)