Abuja (AFP) – Nigeria coach Thomas Dennerby named a squad of 27 players for a final training camp in Austria ahead of next month’s women's World Cup in France. The bulk of the group is from the team who won a record 11th African women’s championship in Ghana last year. Three-time African Player of the […]

London (AFP) – Relatives of victims of the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster voiced shock Monday after the only person ever convicted over the tragedy was sentenced to a fine of just £6,500 (7,500 euros, $8,400). Ninety-six people died in a crush at an FA Cup tie between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in the northern […]

London (AFP) – "If you are second you are nothing," said former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly. But rarely can a runner-up have been more proud of falling just short than Liverpool in the Premier League this season. Shankly won three league titles on Merseyside in the pre-Premier League era and built the foundations for two […]

London (AFP) – Out-of-favour Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater has been banned from driving for 20 months after admitting to drink driving. The 29-year-old — capped three times by England on the back of his pivotal role in Leicester's fairytale 2016 title victory — was two-and-a-half times over the legal limit when he crashed his Range […]

Paris (AFP) – Diego Maradona is sure to cause a stir when he turns up next week at the Cannes film festival for a new documentary about his jaw-dropping life by the Oscar-winning maker of "Amy". It is only one of a wave of new works about the flawed Argentine football genius that include a […]

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola was eulogised on Monday for his relentless hunger for success that propelled Manchester City to a second consecutive Premier League title after a titanic battle with Liverpool. Guardiola claimed his eighth league title in 10 seasons as a coach in charge of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City as the English […]

Paris (AFP) – Algeria winger and 2016 African Footballer of the Year Riyad Mahrez created the second goal and scored the third for Manchester City as they won a second successive Premier League title. He was the stand-out African in Europe at the weekend as star-stacked City triumphed 4-1 at lowly Brighton to pip Liverpool […]

London (AFP) – Brighton sacked manager Chris Hughton on Monday in what chairman Tony Bloom described as "one of the most difficult decisions" he had ever had to make. Hughton leaves despite guiding Brighton to the FA Cup semi-finals and retaining their Premier League status for a second successive season. The decision may well have […]

London (AFP) – Watford are likely to appeal Jose Holebas's red card in the Premier League defeat to West Ham hoping they will get it rescinded so he can play in the FA Cup final against Manchester City. Watford manager Javi Gracia said he had been consistent throughout the season in challenging what he believed […]

London (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino says winning the Champions League would change the "perception" of Tottenham Hotspur and provide a glorious ending to what he described as the best season in the five years he has been their manager. The 47-year-old Argentinian — who has said he may walk away if the club fail to […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Chris Coleman is battling to save himself from the sack after angry fans of struggling Hebei China Fortune demanded the former Wales manager be fired. The 48-year-old's side have won only once in nine Chinese Super League (CSL) games this season and languish one place off bottom spot. A Hebei team containing […]

San Francisco (AFP) – Samantha Mewis scored once in each half and Carli Lloyd added a late goal as the United States dominated South Africa 3-0 on Sunday in a Women's World Cup tune-up. The victory at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California,launched the Americans' "Send-Off Series" of matches as they prepare to defend their […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp has challenged Liverpool to use the pain of their failed Premier League title bid as fuel to finish a remarkable season with Champions League glory. Liverpool fell one point short of winning their first league title since 1990 as Manchester City pipped Klopp's side on the final day of the […]

Milan (AFP) – Alessandro Florenzi and Edin Dzeko scored late as Roma beat Juventus 2-0 to keep their hopes of Champions League football next season alive on Sunday. Dzeko set up Florenzi for the first after 79 minutes in the Stadio Olimpico with the Bosnian then slotting in the second two minutes into injury time […]

Milan (AFP) – Roma captain Alessandro Florenzi hit back at a jibe by Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo about his height by going on to score the opener in a 2-0 win over the Serie A champions on Sunday. The pair clashed on the hour mark in the Stadio Olimpico in a row after the Portuguese […]