Turin (Italy) (AFP) – A brace against Australia and the praise of Italy legend Paolo Rossi, Juventus striker Barbara Bonansea ensured the Azzurre made a dramatic return to the Women's World Cup after a 20-year absence. Bonansea's stoppage-time winner gave Italy a 2-1 last-gasp victory over one of the tournament favourites Australia, and they next […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Hosts Egypt are favoured not only to win Group A at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations this June, but to go on and lift the trophy a record-extending eighth time. They possess in serial Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah an African superstar and can expect passionate support as they seek a first […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Brazil should have been gearing up for another major home sporting spectacle with renewed optimism that star forward Neymar would help bring to an end a 12-year trophy drought. But instead, the Selecao's golden boy is dominating the build-up to a tournament he will miss due to an ankle injury […]

Valenciennes (France) (AFP) – Eugenie Le Sommer fired Women's World Cup hosts France to the top of Group A after scoring the winning penalty to see off determined Norway on Wednesday, while Germany virtually assured themselves of missing the rampant United States in the last 16 after squeezing past Spain and taking control of Group […]

Nice (France) (AFP) – Eugenie Le Sommer scored a penalty awarded after a VAR review to give Women's World Cup hosts France a battling 2-1 win over Norway on Wednesday and keep them on course to finish top of Group A. Valerie Gauvin, who was dropped for France's opening game after arriving late to training, […]

Paris (AFP) – United States star Alex Morgan defended Wednesday her team's joyous celebrations after the holders began their defence of the women's World Cup with a record 13-0 demolition of Thailand. The US team scored 10 goals in the second half in Reims on Tuesday as they bettered Germany's 11-0 win over Argentina in […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid continued their summer spending spree on Wednesday by completing the signing of left-back Ferland Mendy from Lyon. Mendy has signed a six-year contract with Madrid, who have now added four new players for next season following the arrivals of Eder Militao, Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic. Hazard was the most […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Morocco, one of the favourites to win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, suffered a surprise 1-0 warm-up match loss in Marrakech Wednesday to non-qualifiers the Gambia. The unexpected outcome can partly be explained by Morocco coach Herve Renard making numerous substitutions in the first of two friendly fixtures before heading […]

Valenciennes (France) (AFP) – Germany brushed off the absence of injured star player Dzsenifer Marozsan to beat Spain 1-0 on Wednesday and take control of Group B in the women's World Cup, virtually assuring themselves of missing the rampant United States in the last 16. Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Sara Daebritz earned the Germans a hard-fought […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Guinea have chosen Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita for the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt this month despite concerns about his thigh injury. "I am not yet fully fit to play," admitted the 24-year-old star to Guinean TV after Belgian coach Paul Put named his 23-man squad for the biennial African football […]

Paris (AFP) – Midfielder Haris Belkebla has been kicked out of Algeria's squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations after exposing his bottom in a video posted online. The 25-year-old flashed his backside to the camera on a live stream uploaded to the Twitch platform while international team-mate Alexandre Oukidja was playing a video […]

Grenoble (France) (AFP) – Nigeria coach Thomas Dennerby hailed forward Asisat Oshoala as "special" on Wednesday after her goal helped the Super Falcons to a 2-0 win over South Korea and took them close to qualifying for the knockout stages of the Women's World Cup for the first time in 20 years. Oshoala struck 15 […]

Grenoble (France) (AFP) – Nigeria inched towards qualifying for the knockout stages of the Women's World Cup for the first time in 20 years after beating South Korea 2-0 on Wednesday. A comical 29th-minute own goal from Kim Do-yeon, who somehow hooked a long ball back past onrushing goalkeeper Kim Min-jung, and Asisat Oshoala's neat […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United have tied up the signing of Daniel James from Swansea, both clubs announced on Wednesday, with the 21-year-old Wales winger becoming manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first signing at Old Trafford. James has signed a five-year contract, with the option to extend for a further year. Reports said the initial fee […]

Madrid (AFP) – Luka Jovic has pledged to fight for his place at Real Madrid after the Serbia striker was unveiled to his new fans at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. Jovic kissed the badge and applauded around 4,500 supporters that turned out to welcome him after Madrid had confirmed the signing of the player […]