Beijing (AFP) – Marouane Fellaini's late header put Shandong Luneng into the AFC Champions League last 16 with a 2-1 win over Gyeongnam FC on Wednesday, as Fabio Cannavaro's Guangzhou Evergrande were left staring at elimination. The ex-Manchester United forward completed Shandong's comeback from a goal down when he nodded the winner with three minutes […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea will challenge a transfer ban from FIFA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the London club said Wednesday after football's world governing body rejected a first appeal. The ban on Chelsea signing players over the next two transfer windows remained largely in place after FIFA issued their ruling earlier […]

Abuja (AFP) – Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick and four other top-ranking officials have been charged with corruption, including embezzlement of millions of dollars from world body FIFA, court sources said on Wednesday. The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) brought the charges against Pinnick, NFF vice presidents […]

London (AFP) – British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday compared her Brexit battle with Brussels to Liverpool footballers' stirring Champions League comeback against Barcelona — risking ridicule from the left-leaning city. The English club lost the first leg of the semi-final clash 3-0 in Spain and seemed headed for certain defeat after their injured […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Sanfrecce Hiroshima beat Guangzhou Evergrande 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the AFC Champions League knockout rounds and deepen the problems of the Chinese giants' coach Fabio Cannavaro. A first-half own goal was enough to send the Japanese side through, but it left Cannavaro's two-time Asian champions tottering at third in Group F […]

London (AFP) – Prince William announced on Wednesday that Steph Houghton will lead England at the Women's World Cup as "celebrity fans" announced Phil Neville's team player-by-player on social media. Manchester City captain Houghton was the first player of the squad of 23 to be announced, by the Football Association president. "The countdown is on […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said his team had the "mentality of giants" after they pulled off one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Champions League history, thrashing Lionel Messi's Barcelona 4-0 to reach the final for the second year running. Stand-in striker Divock Origi and substitute Georginio Wijnaldum both scored twice as […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool's incredible Champions League triumph against Barcelona gives Jurgen Klopp's men the chance to end a season to savour as kings of Europe for a sixth time. Even fortress Anfield has arguably never seen a night like it. The Spanish champions were thrashed 4-0 on Tuesday despite holding a 3-0 lead after […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona and Lionel Messi walked out at Anfield as probables for a Champions League, Cup and Liga treble but walked off with coach Ernesto Valverde possibly facing the sack. Shortly after their 4-0 capitulation on Tuesday which sent Liverpool through to the Champions League final on the back one of the competition's […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool heroes were hailed for their "stupendous" and "impossible" comeback on Wednesday after obliterating Barcelona to reach the Champions League final at a frenzied Anfield. The five-time European champions beat Lionel Messi's side 4-0 on Tuesday, overturning a 3-0 first-leg defeat to progress to the final for the second consecutive […]

Abuja (AFP) – Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick and four other top-ranking officials have been charged with corruption, including embezzlement of millions of dollars from world body FIFA, court sources said on Wednesday. The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) brought the charges against Pinnick, NFF vice presidents […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal's collapse at the business end of the Premier League season means the success or failure of Unai Emery's first campaign now solely depends on lifting the Europa League and as a result sealing Champions League football. The Gunners travel to Emery's old club Valencia on Thursday defending a 3-1 semi-final, first […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino dropped a tantalising hint that his work at Tottenham Hotspur might be done if they can come through their Champions League semi-final against Ajax on Wednesday and go on to win the trophy for the first time in their history. Spurs must overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit when they take […]

London (AFP) – After a turbulent first season at Chelsea, Maurizio Sarri goes into Thursday's Europa League semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt savouring some much-needed breathing space. Sarri has spent most of the campaign engaged in a struggle to win over his sceptical players and fans. At one stage, it appeared the Chelsea manager was fighting […]

London (AFP) – The USA women football team's gender discrimination lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) will have ramifications for all women employed in the United States, their lawyer Jeffrey Kessler told AFP. Kessler, speaking at the Sport Resolutions Annual Conference in London, said he was pessimistic of reaching an agreement before the […]