Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Brazilian giants Flamengo took a huge stride towards the Copa Libertadores final on Wednesday, dominating Ecuadoran club Barcelona SC to seal a 2-0 victory in their semi-final first leg. Two first-half goals from striker Bruno Henrique set up a convincing win for Flamengo at the Maracana Stadium with the visitors […]

Berlin (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski has hinted he could finish his career at Bayern Munich as the Bundesliga leaders prepare for Friday's away match at bottom side Greuther Fuerth. Lewandowski won Europe's "Golden Shoe" on Tuesday as top scorer in European football after he scored a Bundesliga record 41 goals in 29 games last season. […]

Metz (France) (AFP) – French World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe was told Wednesday that he needs to add a dose of humility to his undoubted talents in front of goal "if he wants to be loved". The advice came from Metz coach Frederic Antonetti after the mega-rich Ligue 1 champions needed a stoppage time winner […]

Madrid (AFP) – Marco Asensio scored his first hat-trick for Real Madrid on Wednesday against Mallorca, his boyhood club, as Madrid cruised to a 6-1 win to go top of La Liga. Karim Benzema capitalised on an early Mallorca mistake at the Santiago Bernabeu before three goals in five minutes put Madrid 3-1 ahead, two […]

Paris (AFP) – Achraf Hakimi's dramatic injury-time winner rescued Paris Saint-Germain a 2-1 victory at bottom club Metz on Wednesday as the capital giants maintained their 100 percent start to the Ligue 1 season despite the absence of the injured Lionel Messi. Moroccan full-back Hakimi, a 60-million-euro signing from Inter Milan this year, gave PSG […]

Milan (AFP) – AC Milan moved level with Serie A leaders Inter Milan on Wednesday thanks to a Theo Hernandez-inspired 2-0 win over Venezia, while Juventus won their first match of the season at the fifth attempt, 3-2 at Spezia. France international Hernandez laid on Brahim Diaz's opener and scored the other at the San […]

Paris (AFP) – Struggling Ligue 1 champions Lille held on to beat Reims 2-1 on Wednesday to claim just their second win of the season, while Monaco also found form with victory over Saint-Etienne. Canada forward Jonathan David put the hosts ahead at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy just after the half-hour mark and midfielder Benjamin Andre […]

La Spezia (Italy) (AFP) – Juventus pulled themselves out of the Serie A relegation zone on Wednesday after earning their first league victory of the season at the fifth attempt, coming from behind to win 3-2 at Spezia. Massimiliano Allegri's side moved up to 12th in Italy's top flight on five points following the hard-fought […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA on Wednesday said it still has "serious concerns" about FIFA's controversial proposal to hold the World Cup every two years instead of four. Football's world governing body has invited the sport's domestic bodies to an online summit on September 30 to discuss a potential biennial World Cup. But UEFA is still […]

London (AFP) – Wayne Rooney's Derby County have been deducted 12 points by the English Football League after entering administration on Wednesday. The second-tier side have taken 10 points from eight games this season but are now rooted at the foot of the Championship, six points adrift of second-bottom Nottingham Forest. Derby, twice English champions, […]

Paramaribo (Suriname) (AFP) – Suriname Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk took a break from his political duties Tuesday to play a football match — a pro-team CONCACAF league match. At age 60. Brunswijk may be second in line to the presidency, but he's captain of the Inter Moengotapoe football team. He's also the team owner. Brunswijk […]

London (AFP) – Premier League and Championship clubs will be able to offer licensed standing areas from January 1 as part of a pilot programme, it was announced on Wednesday. The introduction of designated safe standing areas would mean an end to the blanket ban on standing in the top two divisions of English football, […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona's under-pressure coach Ronald Koeman delivered a bizarre press conference on Wednesday as he read a pre-prepared statement before leaving without answering questions. Koeman's position is fragile, after Barca followed up a 3-0 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League last week with a 1-1 draw at home to Granada in […]

Paramaribo (Suriname) (AFP) – Suriname Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk took a break from his political duties Tuesday to play a football match — a pro-team CONCACAF league match. At age 60. Brunswijk may be second in line to the presidency, but he's captain of the Inter Moengotapoe football team. He's also the team owner. Brunswijk […]

Sao Paulo (AFP) – Hulk missed a penalty as Atletico Mineiro drew 0-0 with defending champions Palmeiras in their all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores semi-final tie on Tuesday. Former Brazil international Hulk crashed his 42nd-minute spot kick off the foot of the post after sending Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton the wrong way at Sao Paulo's Allianz Parque. Atletico […]