Abu Dhabi (AFP) – Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand had flashbacks of facing a chest-puffing Cristiano Ronaldo before saving a first-minute penalty that kept his team's Asian Cup challenge alive. The talismanic 26-year-old denied Oman captain Ahmed Al-Mahaijri to spark a 2-0 victory in Abu Dhabi at the weekend, sending title-chasing Iran into the quarter-finals. But […]

Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates) (AFP) – Marcello Lippi said China need to learn how to focus for an entire game ahead of their crunch Asian Cup quarter-final with Iran, the biggest — and possibly last — game of his tenure. The Italian World Cup-winning coach hailed his players after they overcame Thailand 2-1 to reach […]

Sydney (AFP) – Football Federation Australia will appoint a new women's team coach in two weeks following the shock sacking of Alen Stajcic, the governing body's chief said Monday. Stajcic, who had coached the Matildas since 2014, was dumped by the FFA on Saturday over concerns about "workplace" and "player welfare" issues. Calls have since […]

Paris (AFP) – According to the bare statistics, Wales are the world's third-best rugby union team, behind only the mighty All Blacks and Ireland, but their clubs are failing to match the dizzy heights of the national side. For the seventh time in ten years no Welsh region has qualified for the quarter-finals of the […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Gor Mahia of Kenya survived an onslaught from New Star of Cameroon to draw 0-0 in Limbe Sunday and reach the CAF Confederation Cup group phase for the second successive season. The Nairobi outfit won the play-off 2-1 on aggregate having created a narrow first-leg advantage in east Africa last weekend. It […]

Milan (AFP) – Napoli beat 10-man Lazio 2-1 on Sunday to close the gap on leaders Juventus to six points and consolidate second place in Serie A. First-half goals from Jose Callejon and Arkadiusz Milik ensured all three points for the southerners before champions Juventus host bottom club Chievo on Monday. Napoli have 47 points […]

Paris (AFP) – Moussa Dembele grabbed a stoppage-time winner for Lyon in a 2-1 victory over bitter foes Saint-Etienne on Sunday, while Marseille snapped a wretched run of nine games without a win as they beat Caen 1-0 in Ligue 1. Romain Hamouma headed Saint-Etienne into the lead on 21 minutes at the Stade Geoffroy […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Ousmane Dembele gave Barcelona a glimpse into the future but Barcelona still needed Lionel Messi to beat Leganes 3-1 on Sunday and restore their five-point lead at the top of La Liga. Messi had started on the bench, rested by coach Ernesto Valverde, and for just over an hour at the Camp […]

London (AFP) – Gareth Southgate insisted on Sunday his work as England manager was far from done as he indicated he had no interest in taking charge at Manchester United any time soon. A recent report in Britain's Sunday Telegraph said Southgate was on a shortlist being drawn up by Old Trafford chiefs as they […]

Abu Dhabi (AFP) – Title-chasing Iran survived a first-minute penalty in a chaotic start to eventually dispatch Oman 2-0 and reach the Asian Cup quarter-finals on Sunday. Beanpole goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand saved from the spot before goals from Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Ashkan Dejagah in Abu Dhabi sent Iran through to face China. Vietnam were the […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund finish the first weekend of the Bundesliga in 2019 six points clear of defending champions Bayern Munich as Germany's title race continues to excite. A superb first-half strike from Axel Witsel sealed Dortmund's 1-0 win at RB Leipzig on Saturday followed Bayern's rampant 3-1 win at Hoffenheim on Friday as […]

Paris (AFP) – Neymar says his strong bond with Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel inspires the Brazilian forward to give his "life on the pitch", as the French giants gear up for a trip to Manchester United in the Champions League next month. Neymar, the world's most expensive player, scored twice in Saturday's record 9-0 […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga strugglers Schalke earned an important three points as captain and goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann was dropped for Sunday's 2-1 win over Wolfsburg — a month before their Champions League last 16 tie against Manchester City. The 30-year-old Faehrmann, who has made 228 appearances for Schalke, was replaced by Germany Under-21 goalkeeper Alexander […]

London (AFP) – Harry Winks's first goal since 2016 handed Tottenham a last gasp 2-1 victory at Fulham on Sunday, but at a cost with Dele Alli joining a lengthy injury list for Mauricio Pochettino's men. Already shorn of Harry Kane until March with ankle ligament damage and Son Heung-min away at the Asian Cup […]

Paris (AFP) – Marseille snapped a run of nine games without a win by beating Caen 1-0 in Ligue 1 on Sunday although captain Dimitri Payet hobbled off with a leg injury after just 24 minutes. Morgan Sanson, on as a substitute for Payet, guided home a header from a Kevin Strootman cross two minutes […]