London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp challenged Liverpool to chase a historic quadruple after the Reds won the League Cup final in a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Chelsea on Sunday. Klopp's side clinched the first of the four major trophies they are competing for this term when Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga smashed his penalty high over […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez scored a 90th-minute winner as the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the reigning MLS champions New York City in their season-opener on Sunday. Mexico international Hernandez collected a pass from Raheem Edwards and lost his marker before rifling a right foot shot into the roof of the net to […]

Paris (AFP) – Russia's future in the World Cup teetered on a knife-edge Sunday after FIFA plans to allow them to play on neutral territory were dismissed as "unacceptable" by rivals, plunging the qualifying process for football's showpiece event into chaos. Governing body FIFA warned that they were considering the ultimate sanction against Russia as […]

Milan (AFP) – Fabian Ruiz shot Napoli top of Serie A on Sunday with a stunning, last-gasp winner in a thrilling 2-1 victory at Lazio. Spain international Fabian crashed home a first-time strike in the 94th minute at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome to snatch first place from AC Milan on goal difference. His goal […]

Madrid (AFP) – Ousmane Dembele turned the jeers to cheers at Camp Nou on Sunday by scoring a stunning goal and setting up two more in a 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao. Dembele's explosive finish in the second half was his first goal since the end of the January transfer window, when Barca told the […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Orlando Pirates captain Happy Jele scored and conceded an own goal as they crushed Eswatini part-timers Royal Leopard 6-2 on Sunday after a disastrous start to their CAF Confederation Cup group match. After a much criticised away loss to Al Ittihad of Libya last weekend, the Soweto Buccaneers fell two goals behind […]

Paris (AFP) – Russia faced calls to be banished from the 2022 World Cup on Sunday as Moscow edged towards becoming a sports pariah following its invasion of Ukraine. Demands to dump Russia from football's showpiece event were led by French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet. "The world of sport, and especially football, cannot […]

Milan (AFP) – Tammy Abraham earned Roma a dramatic 1-0 win at Spezia on Sunday with a penalty in the ninth minute of stoppage time to down opponents who had to play the entire second half with 10 men. England international Abraham slotted home his 12th Serie A goal of the season from the spot to […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool won the League Cup final in dramatic fashion as Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga missed the decisive penalty to give the Reds an 11-10 shoot-out victory after a pulsating 0-0 draw at Wembley on Sunday. Jurgen Klopp's side clinched their first domestic knockout prize since the 2012 League Cup when Kepa blazed […]

Baghdad (AFP) – Iraq and the United Arab Emirates will play their 2022 World Cup qualifier in Baghdad after FIFA lifted its years-long ban on matches in the war-scarred country, Iraqi officials said Sunday. The match scheduled for March 24 was to be played in Amman, Jordan, or Qatar, because world football's governing body FIFA […]

Berlin (AFP) – Second-placed Borussia Dortmund conceded a late equaliser as they were held 1-1 at Augsburg on Sunday to leave Bayern Munich eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. Bayern are steaming towards a 10th straight league title after Noah Sarenren Bazee netted for Augsburg in the 78th minute. Thorgan Hazard's first-half […]

Paris (AFP) – Marseille moved back into second in Ligue 1 on Sunday, despite conceding a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at lowly Troyes. Jorge Sampaoli's men had dropped to third behind Nice after their top-three rivals' 0-0 draw at Strasbourg on Saturday. Marseille are now 15 points adrift of runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain. […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Sevilla won a feisty derby 2-1 against Real Betis on Sunday to reduce the gap to Real Madrid back to six points in La Liga, as two mistakes from Betis goalkeeper Claudio Bravo proved decisive at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Bravo was recalled after a month out injured but the 38-year-old […]

Berlin (AFP) – RB Leipzig earned a third straight away win in a week as Christopher Nkunku's late goal Sunday sealed a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Bochum to keep his club fourth in the Bundesliga. Having scored twice against Bochum in Leipzig's home win last October, Nkunku broke the deadlock eight minutes from time with […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool and Chelsea players stood in a show of support for war-torn Ukraine ahead of Sunday's League Cup final at Wembley. Amid the Russian invasion of its neighbour, Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta and Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson carried flowers in the country's yellow and blue colours onto the pitch before kick-off. Both […]