Montpellier (France) (AFP) – Italy reached the Women's World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in nearly three decades after beating China 2-0 in Montpellier on Tuesday. A 15th-minute tap in from Valentina Giacinti and substitute Aurora Galli's fierce drive three minutes after the break saw Milena Bertolini's side see off a committed Chinese side […]

Marseille (AFP) – Former "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson has revealed she has broken up with France World Cup-winning defender Adil Rami, saying he had "scammed" her by seeing another woman. Anderson's two-year romance with the Marseille player 18 years her junior has been closely followed in France, especially when Rami became a cult hero of […]

Abuja (AFP) – Nigeria on Tuesday suspended a training strike over unpaid bonuses at the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt following last-minute pleas by the country's football officials. The team finally agreed to train in Alexandria, 30 minutes after schedule, after the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) promised to pay a win bonus from their […]

Beijing (AFP) – Zhong Yihao netted the decisive spot-kick as Chinese giants Guangzhou Evergrande reached the Asian Champions League quarter-finals after a nerve-shredding penalty shoot-out against Shandong Luneng on Tuesday. Brazil international Paulinho scored twice as the second leg ended 4-4 on aggregate after extra time, but it was Zhong who struck the killer blow […]

Alexandria (Egypt) (AFP) – For a Guinea team with growing Africa Cup of Nations ambitions, the return of Naby Keita was a victory in itself after Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp had indicated the midfielder would miss the tournament with injury. Hurt during the first leg of Liverpool's Champions League semi-final showdown with Barcelona, Keita spent […]

Paris (AFP) – With the temperature in France soaring, organisers and teams are taking steps to adapt as the winter sport again faces the problem of playing its marquee tournaments in summer. After often cool June weather for the group stages, temperatures have risen. In Montpellier on Tuesday, when Italy play China in the early […]

Marseille (AFP) – Former "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson has revealed she has broken up with France World Cup-winning defender Adil Rami, calling him a "monster" who "scammed" her. Anderson's two-year romance with the Marseille player 18 years her junior has been closely followed in France, especially when Rami became a cult hero of the 2018 […]

Alexandria (Egypt) (AFP) – Nigeria forward Samuel Kalu, who collapsed during training last week due to severe dehydration, is fully fit to play in Wednesday's Africa Cup of Nations game against Guinea, coach Gernot Rohr said Tuesday. "The very good news is that Kalu did again yesterday in Cairo an MRI and it is now […]

Cairo (AFP) – Democratic Republic of Congo captain Youssouf Mulumbu has urged his team to move on from their surprise opening defeat by Uganda at the Africa Cup of Nations ahead of Wednesday's clash with Egypt. The experienced Celtic midfielder missed Saturday's 2-0 loss — Uganda's first tournament win since 1978 — through injury and […]

London (AFP) – Frank Lampard's return to Chelsea as the club's new manager edged closer on Tuesday as Derby said they had granted permission for the Premier League club to conclude negotiations. "Derby County Football Club can confirm that they have granted permission for Chelsea Football Club to speak to Frank Lampard about the vacant […]

Cairo (AFP) – Egypt coach Javier Aguirre admitted there is room for improvement as the Africa Cup of Nations hosts and title favourites head into their second group game against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday. Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan's goal earned Egypt a 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe in the tournament's curtain-raiser and a second […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany and Olympique Lyon star Dzsenifer Marozsan is set to make a return to World Cup action in Saturday's last-eight clash with Sweden after missing three games with a broken toe, coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg said Tuesday. The 27-year-old broke her toe in Germany's opening game, a 1-0 win against China, prompting fears […]

Madrid (AFP) – Neymar is ready to cut his salary by 12 million euros to leave Paris Saint-Germain as part of a "verbal agreement" reached between the Brazilian and Barcelona, according to reports in the Spanish press. PSG are yet to sanction the sale of their star striker, who they paid a world record 222 […]

New York (AFP) – Haiti rallied with two second-half goals to beat Costa Rica 2-1 Monday and reach the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup as winners of Group B. Haiti right back Djimy Bend Alexis delivered the winner in the 81st minute with a right-footed blast that found the top right corner of the […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Uruguay demonstrated a winning attitude and mentality in their 1-0 Copa America success over Chile on Monday that gave them top spot in Group C, match-winner Edinson Cavani said. Uruguay began the game in second place in their pool behind the reigning champions and facing a dauting potential quarter-final tie […]