PARIS (AP) — Strasbourg new coach Gary O’Neil enjoyed a successful Ligue 1 debut, guiding his team to a 2-1 win over local rival Metz in the French league on Sunday.
O'Neil, who started his tenure with a comfortable win at a fourth-tier club to reach the last 16 of the French Cup last weekend, was appointed earlier this month as a successor to Liam Rosenior, who left for Chelsea.
Strasbourg had failed to win its past five league matches and the win lifted O'Neil's side to seventh in the standings. Metz remained last, with just 12 points from 18 matches.
Diego Moreira put the hosts in front in the 12th minute but Strasbourg did not hold onto its lead for long as Gauthier Hein leveled from the spot. Forward Martial Godo headed home the winner just before the interval.
Rosenior’s departure has left fans opposed to the multi-club ownership model fuming, amid calls for the resignation of president Marc Keller. Strasbourg has been owned by Chelsea owner BlueCo since 2023. Some Strasbourg fans again protested the ownership setup on Sunday by deploying hostile banners in the stadium.
On Saturday, Lens secured a 10th consecutive win across all competitions to stay atop the Ligue 1 standings. Lens defeated Auxerre 1-0 and remained one point ahead of defending champion Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG warmed up for its Champions League match at Sporting on Tuesday with a convincing 3-0 win over Lille on Friday. Third-place Marseille won at midtable Angers 5-2 ahead of a Champions League showdown with Liverpool.
Elsewhere, Lyon beat 10-man Brest 2-1 and climbed to fourth place, 10 points behind Lens. Rennes and Le Havre drew 1-1.
Brest struggled after Romain Del Castillo’s red card in the 19th minute for a reckless tackle. Pavel Sulc put Lyon ahead in the 41st minute from a very tight angle, with a precise strike into the opposite top corner. Abner Vinicius doubled his team’s lead just before the interval from outside the box. Éric-Junior Dina Ebimbe pulled one back with three minutes left.
Luca Koleosho's goal in the 78th minute ensured a 2-1 win at struggling Nantes and snapped a six-match winless run in the league for Paris FC.
The Parisian club, which knocked out Paris Saint-Germain from the French Cup, dominated the first half against a wasteful home side after Ilan Kebbal broke the deadlock in the sixth minute. Matthis Abline leveled for Nantes in the 50th minute. Paris FC climbed to 13th place, five points above Nantes.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Wolverhampton Wanderers' head coach Gary O'Neil during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, at The London Stadium in London, Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland, File)
MILAN (AP) — Donyell Malen needed 26 minutes to mark his arrival at Roma with a goal.
Malen scored the opening goal in Roma’s 2-0 win at Torino that saw the capital side cement fourth place in Serie A on Sunday.
It was also a great way for Malen to celebrate his 27th birthday on Monday.
Malen joined Roma on loan from Aston Villa on Friday, with the option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season.
The Netherlands forward was thrown straight into the starting lineup and thought he had scored in the 23rd minute but it was ruled out as he had been offside when he ran onto Paulo Dybala's pass.
The two combined again three minutes later with Malen controlling Dybala’s slide-rule pass before slotting past Torino goalkeeper Alberto Paleari.
Dybala got onto the scoresheet himself in the 72nd minute. His effort from the edge of the area was parried by Paleari but came back to Dybala, who volleyed into the roof of the net.
The result also avenged Roma’s midweek defeat at Torino in the Italian Cup.
New AC Milan signing Niclas Füllkrug scored his first goal in nearly a year to give his team what could prove to be a crucial 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Lecce.
Milan cut the gap to Serie A leader Inter Milan back to three points. Inter, which had also struggled against Lecce midweek, won 1-0 at Udinese on Saturday.
Füllkrug joined Milan on loan from West Ham on the opening day of the winter transfer window in Italy.
The 32-year-old Germany forward hadn’t scored since April 5, against Bournemouth in the Premier League.
He ended that drought in the 76th minute, less than three minutes after being substituted on for Christian Pulisic. Alexis Saelemaekers ran onto a long pass from Matteo Gabbia down the right and then put in a cross for Füllkrug to head into the bottom far corner.
Pulisic had had two of Milan’s best chances before coming off but the United States international was denied by two great saves from Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone, who also pulled off a number of other fine stops.
Lecce slipped into the relegation zone, below Fiorentina on goal difference.
Fiorentina paid tribute to owner Rocco Commisso with special shirts and a heartwarming goal celebration in an emotional 2-1 win at Bologna.
It was announced early Saturday that Commisso, who purchased Fiorentina in 2019, had died. But his family wanted the team to play as scheduled in his honor.
Fiorentina warmed up wearing shirts with Commisso’s photo as well as the words “1 Rocco” on the back, and “Grazie Rocco” on the front.
There was a minute’s silence before kickoff — as in all the Serie A matches this weekend — and the players were also wearing black armbands, while the away fans displayed banners in tribute to Commisso.
Rolando Mandragora celebrated scoring the opening goal in the 19th minute by running to the touchline and picking up a special Fiorentina jersey with “Rocco” on it. He was later seen wearing that shirt in the post-match celebrations.
Roberto Piccoli doubled Fiorentina’s goal on the stroke of halftime. It was initially ruled out for offside but awarded on video review.
Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano, who coached Fiorentina to three finals before leaving in 2024, was visibly irate with his team — hurling his hat to the ground — and made four changes at halftime.
One of those substitutes, Giovanni Fabbian, headed in a late consolation.
Bologna slid down the table to eighth after one win in 10 Serie A matches.
Earlier Sunday, Parma drew 0-0 with Genoa in a relegation battle.
Genoa is three points above the drop zone and three below Parma.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Roma's Donyell Malen, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Torino and Roma in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Roma's Donyell Malen, centre, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Torino and Roma in Turin, Italy, Jan. 18, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Fiorentina's Rolando Mandragora with a jersey of Fiorentina's President Rocco Commisso celebrates the victory at the end of the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Fiorentina in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Jan.18, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Bologna's head coach Vincenzo Italiano looks during a minute of silence to honor late Fiorentina President Rocco Commisso during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Fiorentina, in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Fiorentina's Roberto Piccoli celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Fiorentina, in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Fiorentina's Rolando Mandragora celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Fiorentina, in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
