Saransk (Russia) (AFP) – Tunisia won their first match at a World Cup for 40 years on Thursday, beating Panama 2-1 to leave Russia on a high. The North African side fell behind to a 33rd-minute own goal from Yassine Meriah but battled back to score twice in the second half through Fakhreddine Ben Youssef […]

Kaliningrad (Russia) (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate and Belgium's Roberto Martinez rang the changes for their World Cup Group G decider in Kaliningrad on Thursday, giving squad players a chance to impress ahead of the knockout rounds. With both sides already through to the last 16, the game, a 1-0 win for Belgium, was […]

Kaliningrad (Russia) (AFP) – A brilliant strike by Adnan Januzaj lit up an otherwise insipid clash as Belgium beat England 1-0 to secure top spot in World Cup Group G in Kaliningrad on Thursday. Januzaj's superb second-half goal sent Belgium into a last 16 clash with Japan while England will now advance to a second […]

Berlin (AFP) – Female sports journalists have made history with live commentaries on games broadcast from the World Cup — only to be vilified in torrents of sexist insults and ridicule on social media. While women presenters and experts have slowly gained a foothold in the TV studios of sports broadcasters, live commentary of football's […]

Samara (Russia) (AFP) – A powerful header from Barcelona's Yerry Mina fired Colombia into the last 16 of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Group H rivals Senegal, who crashed out due to a poorer disciplinary record than Japan. Colombia and Japan will play either England or Belgium, who were playing later Thursday. […]

Samara (Russia) (AFP) – Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said he was "concerned" over influential playmaker James Rodriguez after he limped off injured in a 1-0 win over Senegal that secured the South Americans' place in the World Cup last 16. After playing a cameo role for 10-man Colombia in a 2-1 opening defeat to Japan […]

Kaliningrad (Russia) (AFP) – Japan squeaked into the World Cup knockout phase by virtue of their fair play record on Thursday, joining group winners Colombia in the last 16 as England and Belgium prepared to do battle. As the minutes ticked away in Volgograd, Japan and Poland slowed to a walking pace in a farcical […]

Volgograd (Russia) (AFP) – Japan coach Akira Nishino said he was "forced" to tell his players to down tools towards the end of their World Cup match against Poland, to secure last 16 qualification. With 10 minutes to go Japan were losing 1-0, but with Colombia leading Senegal by the same scoreline in the other […]

Kazan (Russia) (AFP) – Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said he "accepted the rules of the game" as the west Africans were eliminated from the World Cup due to a worse disciplinary record than their direct rivals for a place in the last 16. The Teranga Lions required only a draw with Colombia in their final […]

Volgograd (Russia) (AFP) – Japan and Poland were booed from the pitch in Volgograd after a farcical end to their final Group H match which saw the Blue Samurai qualify for the last 16 despite a 1-0 defeat. Japan went through by the slimmest of margins — their fair play record — after the last […]

Samara (Russia) (AFP) – A powerful header from Barcelona's Yerry Mina fired Colombia into the last 16 of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Group H rivals Senegal, who crashed out due to a poorer disciplinary record than Japan. Colombia and Japan will play either England or Belgium, who were playing later Thursday. […]

Washington (AFP) – England record goalscorer Wayne Rooney left boyhood club Everton for D.C. United of Major League Soccer on Thursday, saying he hungers for American success to fulfill a career goal. The US club and English Premier League outfit announced the agreement on a permanent transfer as Rooney was on a flight to Washington. […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Diego Maradona has offered a $10,000 reward to identify the source of reports he had died after Argentina's World Cup match against Nigeria, his lawyer said Thursday. The reports, circulated via WhatsApp voice messages from a man with an Argentine accent, said the 57-year-old star had been hospitalized and had died […]

Bronnitsy (Russia) (AFP) – Argentina midfielder Giovani Lo Celso said there are "flaws" to exploit against France when the countries meet in the last 16 of the World Cup on Saturday. Two-time champions Argentina scraped through to the knockout phase as runners-up in Group D following a tense 2-1 win over Nigeria in their final […]

London (AFP) – Wayne Rooney is Manchester United's and England's all-time record goalscorer, a Champions League winner and a five-time Premier League champion but rarely has a player of his stature divided opinion so starkly. Despite his trophy-laden CV, Rooney departs for DC United in Major League Soccer with a curious sense of a talent […]