Brasília (AFP) – A Brazilian league match between Rio de Janeiro rivals Vasco da Gama and Flamengo gave way to surreal scenes as footballers from both sides came to the aid of an ambulance that broke down on the pitch while transporting an injured player to hospital. Vasco midfielder Bruno Silva crumpled to the ground […]

Paris (AFP) – Dimitri Payet scored a stunning goal as Marseille thrashed Guingamp 4-0 at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday to move second in the Ligue 1 table. After Florian Thauvin had opened the scoring early in the second half, Payet met a dipping ball 30 yards from goal with a magnificent side-footed volley which […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus forward Douglas Costa has apologised after being sent off for spitting in the face of Sassuolo's Federico Di Francesco in a 2-1 Serie A win in Turin on Sunday. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goals for Juventus but the champions' fourth win in as many games this season was overshadowed by […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Andriy Yarmolenko scored twice on his first start for West Ham as they climbed off the foot of the English Premier League table with a 3-1 win away to Everton on Sunday. It was the Hammers' first league win under manager Manuel Pellegrini, whose four previous top-flight games in charge of the […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was furious at Douglas Costa for "rising to provocation" and being sent off for spitting in the face of a rival, after Cristiano Ronaldo had scored his first goals for Juventus in a 2-1 win over Sassuolo on Sunday. Both Ronaldo's goals came in the second half, but […]

Milan (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first competitive goals for Juventus on Sunday, with a second-half double by the Portuguese star giving the Italian champions a 2-1 Serie A win over Sassuolo to make it four victories from as many games. The 33-year-old tapped in from barely a yard out after a goalmouth scramble […]

Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Raul Jimenez scored the only goal of the game as newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers continued their impressive start to the Premier League season with a 1-0 win at home to Burnley on Sunday. Victory lifted Wolves into the top half of the table but this result left Burnley still searching for […]

Milan (AFP) – Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first competitive goal for Italian champions Juventus and then added a second in Sunday's fourth Serie A game of the season, against Sassuolo in Turin. The 33-year-old tapped in on the line after a goalmouth scramble on 50 minutes, and added a second 15 minutes later […]

Milan (AFP) – Eusebio Di Francesco's Roma threw away a two-goal lead as tailenders Chievo snatched a 2-2 draw in the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday to deliver a blow to the side from the capital before their daunting midweek trip to Champions League holders Real Madrid. Stephan El Shaarawy and Bryan Cristante scored in the […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic made history on Saturday, scoring his 500th career goal in stunning fashion, but it wasn't enough to lift the Los Angeles Galaxy to a win over Toronto FC. The 36-year-old Ibrahimovic has always had a flair for the dramatic and he did just that in becoming the […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona came from behind to beat Real Sociedad on Saturday as Real Madrid lost ground in La Liga after a 1-1 stalemate at Athletic Bilbao. Real, unbeaten after three games, fell behind to Iker Muniain's 32nd-minute goal on a counter-attack. Athletic keeper Unai Simon held Real, who open their Champions League campaign […]

Paris (AFP) – Real Madrid begin their quest for a fourth consecutive Champions League crown this week when the group stage begins in a competition that is more lucrative and more glamorous than ever, but also more of a closed shop than ever. This has been a glorious European era for Real, who are targeting […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – A CAF Champions League quarter-finals goal shortage ended in the final fixture when Esperance edged Etoile Sahel 2-1 on Saturday in a first-leg showdown between Tunisian clubs. All the goals at the Olympic Stadium in Rades on the outskirts of Tunis came from defenders during a weekend when no striker found the […]

Lyon (AFP) – Replacements Yohan Beheregaray and Greig Laidlaw helped Clermont grab a 27-23 victory at Pau on Saturday to make it four straight Top 14 wins to start the season. Franck Azema's men went into the game full of confidence after scoring 18 tries in their first three matches, but struggled for fluency and […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Kaizer Chiefs ended their worst start to a South African Premiership season by thrashing 10-man Cape Town City 4-1 Saturday and climbing eight places to fifth. The famed Soweto club, winners of 53 domestic trophies since being formed 48 years ago, drew four of their opening five league matches and lost the […]