Brisbane (Australia) (AFP) – Coach Justin Langer on Tuesday said senior batsman Usman Khawaja must convert solid starts into hundreds, as Australia look to bounce back from a crushing loss to India when they face Sri Lanka this week. Australia axed Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb and the Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitch, after the India […]

Sydney (AFP) – The Australian women's national football team vowed Tuesday to remain focused on their World Cup aspirations despite the shock sacking of coach Alen Stajcic. Football Federation Australia dumped Stajcic on Saturday just five months from the World Cup over concerns about "workplace" and "player welfare" issues. The women's national side, known as […]

Madrid (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo is returning to Madrid for a court date on Tuesday in which he could be fined 18.8 million euros ($21.4 million) for tax fraud as part of a deal reached with the Spanish taxman. As part of an agreement arranged in June with the former Real Madrid hero's lawyers, prosecutors […]

London (AFP) – Marcus Rashford was in danger of seeing his dream of becoming Manchester United's star striker turn to dust but the England forward is flourishing again after escaping Jose Mourinho's shackles. Three years after exploding onto the Premier League scene, Rashford marked his 150th United appearance on Saturday with a memorable goal that […]

London (AFP) – Steven Gerrard's bold move to make his first foray into management in the Glasgow goldfish bowl at Rangers was rewarded with a first league win over Celtic since 2012 last month to finally put the Scottish champions under pressure in a title race. Going for an eighth consecutive title, Celtic maintain a […]

Madrid (AFP) – Ghanaian forward Kevin-Prince Boateng has vowed to make the most of his shock arrival at Barcelona, after a loan move for the journeyman from Italian side Sassuolo was sealed on Monday. The leaders of La Liga said in a statement they had agreed a deal to take Boateng on loan until the […]

Milan (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty but Italian league leaders Juventus eased past bottom club Chievo 3-0 to pull nine points clear on top of Serie A on Monday as AC Milan returned to the Champions League berths with a 2-0 win in Genoa. Portuguese superstar Ronaldo had sealed Juventus's first title of […]

Abu Dhabi (AFP) – Hosts United Arab Emirates ended Kyrgyzstan's fairytale with a controversial extra-time penalty to reach the Asian Cup quarter-finals on Monday as holders Australia and Japan also advanced. A knee-wobbling, chest-thumping Mathew Ryan saved two spot kicks as the Socceroos beat Uzbekistan's White Wolves in a shootout, while the Blue Samurai bundled […]

Madrid (AFP) – Ghanaian forward Kevin-Prince Boateng has joined Barcelona in a shock loan move from Italian side Sassuolo, the Spanish club said on Monday. The leaders of La Liga said in a statement they had agreed a deal to take Boateng on loan until the end of the season with an option to make […]

Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) (AFP) – Hosts United Arab Emirates ended Kyrgyzstan's fairytale with a controversial extra-time penalty to reach the Asian Cup quarter-finals on Monday as holders Australia and Japan also advanced. A knee-wobbling, chest-thumping Mathew Ryan saved two penalties as the Socceroos beat Uzbekistan's White Wolves in a shootout, while the Japanese bundled […]

London (AFP) – Former England Women's manager Mark Sampson has apologised to Eni Aluko and Drew Spence after admitting he failed to properly handle their claims of racism and bullying. Sampson was dismissed by the Football Association in 2017 following the emergence of "inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour" in his previous role as manager at Bristol […]

Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates) (AFP) – Mathew Ryan insisted he was no "mind-reader" after he saved two penalties against Uzbekistan to put Asian Cup holders Australia into the quarter-finals on Monday. Australia had the better of a goalless 120 minutes before the Brighton 'keeper stopped spot-kicks from Islom Tukhtakhujaev and Marat Bikmaev in a tense […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea's Olivier Giroud could lose his driving licence, an English court heard on Monday, after the France striker admitted his fourth motoring offence in less than a year. Giroud, 32, who won the World Cup with his country last year, pleaded guilty to speeding after being clocked driving his Bentley at 60 […]

London (AFP) – Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been charged with misconduct after running onto the pitch in celebration of his side's late winner against Leicester. Nuno embarked on a wild victory jig on the Molineux turf after Diogo Jota's stoppage-time strike sealed a 4-3 win in Saturday's Premier League clash. He celebrated with […]

London (AFP) – Defender Ashley Cole has joined former Chelsea teammate and current Derby boss Frank Lampard at the Championship club until the end of the season. Cole, who won 107 England caps, was a free agent after his recent departure from LA Galaxy, and Lampard is confident the 38-year-old will boost Derby's promotion drive. […]