London (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino said everyone connected with Tottenham Hotspur "needed to cry" after the club's new stadium finally staged its first football match. The 62,000-seat arena, close to the north London club's old home of White Hart Lane, has been beset by delays and reports of spiralling costs which, according to some estimates, […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Danish international Sofie Pedersen sealed a home win for Juventus women who marked the team's first game at the Allianz Stadium in Turin by playing in front of a record crowd for a top-flight women's game in Italy, three months before the start of the World Cup in France. The championship-leading […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Xavi Hernandez said on Sunday that his Qatari club would not release him to play for Catalonia against Venezuela. The match in Girona on Monday is politically fraught, with the status of autonomous community Catalonia a subject of ferocious political conflict within Spain. "I regret to announce […]

Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Daniel James was Wales' goal-scoring hero as they launched their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Slovakia in Cardiff on Sunday. Swansea winger James, making his first competitive start for Wales, struck in just the fifth minute with a goal that ultimately saw the hosts to victory. […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has warned former club Bayern Munich they will have to fight until the very last day of the season in a nail-biting Bundesliga title race. With eight games to go, Bayern are level on points with Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table as they chase a […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich reserve goalkeeper Sven Ulreich has backed Manuel Neuer to defend his status as Germany's number one, saying that his team mate is better than Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen. "In Marc and Manuel, Germany have two very good goalkeepers, but I think Manuel is a class above," Ulreich told Sky. Neuer […]

Berlin (AFP) – The vice-president of the German Football league (DFL) has spoken out against an alleged plan by Europe's top clubs to dramatically reform the UEFA Champions League. DFL boss Peter Peters said that the Bundesliga would have to defend itself in the wake of reports that Europe's top competition could be transformed by […]

Udine (Italy) (AFP) – Teenage star Moise Kean said Saturday that had learned from Juventus teammate Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring his first goal for Italy in what he hopes will be a record-breaking career. The 19-year-old forward was the first player born in the 21st century to score for the senior team, with the second […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Defending champions Cameroon, Burundi, Guinea-Bissau and Namibia secured 2019 Africa Cup of Nations places on Saturday, raising to 19 the number of qualifiers for the tournament. The remaining five places will be filled Sunday with South Africa among 11 countries hoping to make it to the June 21-July 19 showpiece in Egypt. […]

Udine (Italy) (AFP) – Nicolo Barella and Moise Kean scored in either half to get Italy off to a winning start in their opening Euro 2020 qualifier against Finland in Udine on Saturday. Barella rifled in on seven minutes with 19-year-old Kean marking his first start by doubling the Azzurri's account in the 74th minute, […]

Paris (AFP) – Sergio Ramos scored a second-half penalty to help Spain beat a spirited Norway 2-1 on Saturday in their opening Euro 2020 qualifier, while teenage striker Moise Kean netted in Italy's win over Finland. Spain were not at their clinical best in Valencia, but got their Group F campaign off to a solid […]

Valencia (Spain) (AFP) – Spain held off a battling Norway to open their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign with a 2-1 win on Saturday in Valencia. Luis Enrique's side controlled play with quick accurate passing and claimed the three points with goals from Rodrigo and Sergio Ramos. Norway forward Joshua King converted a penalty between both […]

Sarajevo (AFP) – Bosnia and Herzegovina captain Edin Dzeko became the first player from his country to reach 100 international caps in their opening Euro 2020 qualifier against Armenia on Saturday. A brief ceremony was held before the game in Sarajevo to honour the striker, who is also his country's record scorer with 55 goals. […]

Paris (AFP) – Mick McCarthy made an inauspicious start to his second stint in charge of the Republic of Ireland as his team laboured to a 1-0 Euro 2020 qualifying victory over Gibraltar on Saturday. The 60-year-old McCarthy, who led Ireland to the 2002 World Cup last 16 before resigning later that year, was reappointed […]

Porto (Portugal) (AFP) – Brazil were held to a 1-1 draw against Panama in an international friendly played at Porto's Dragao Stadium on Saturday. AC Milan's Lucas Paqueta claimed his first international goal for the five-time World Cup winners before captain Adolfo Machado responded for the side in 76th place in the world rankings. Injured […]