Sydney (AFP) – Australia's footballers were urged to rediscover their cutting edge and sense of direction as they headed home after a winless World Cup where they failed to score any goals from open play. National media called it a "meek exit" as the Socceroos, under caretaker coach Bert van Marwijk, lost 2-0 to Peru […]

Samara (Russia) (AFP) – Senegal must cut out the defensive errors and find a way to get Sadio Mane firing like he does for Liverpool if they are to tame Colombia on Thursday and reach the World Cup last 16. Coach Aliou Cisse was critical of his pacy and powerful side after their 2-2 draw […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Diego Maradona roared and gesticulated through every anguished second of Argentina's rollercoaster World Cup victory over Nigeria on Tuesday before triggering alarm with a health scare after the final whistle. Lionel Messi may have dominated the on-field action in Saint Petersburg, but from his VIP box in the stands Maradona reigned […]

Moscow (AFP) – Germany face their day of reckoning at the World Cup on Wednesday with the holders needing a clear win over South Korea to be sure of reaching the last 16. Joachim Loew's team hope to follow in the footsteps of Argentina after the 2014 World Cup finalists scraped into the last 16 […]

Volgograd (Russia) (AFP) – Akira Nishino might be forgiven for pinching himself if Japan get the draw they need against eliminated Poland on Thursday to reach the last 16 of the World Cup. Just over two months ago he wasn't even in charge of the Blue Samurai and their most recognisable player Keisuke Honda was […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Diego Maradona crossed his arms over his chest and pointed to the sky. Lionel Messi had needed just three touches to score but Argentina still took 86 minutes to defeat Nigeria. Marcos Rojo was the unlikely match-winner, an emphatic finish of which even his captain would have been proud, to ensure […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – England and Belgium are perhaps better connected than any two countries at the World Cup because of the sheer number of players with Premier League experience but for defender Gary Cahill the link is not a happy one. Cahill, who could start in Thursday's first-against-second clash in Group G, was pushed […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Argentina rescued their World Cup hopes in dramatic fashion on Tuesday as defender Marcos Rojo scored a stunning volley to snatch a late 2-1 win over Nigeria and set up a last-16 match against France. Lionel Messi set the two-time winners on their way with his first goal in Russia but […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Marcus Rojo's stunning finish four minutes from time kept Lionel Messi and Argentina's World Cup hopes alive to see off Nigeria 2-1 on Tuesday and set up a last 16 meeting with France. Messi's first goal of the tournament got the two-time winners off to a perfect start in Saint Petersburg, […]

Rostov-on-Don (Russia) (AFP) – Croatia secured first place in Group D on Tuesday after a hard-fought 2-1 win over gallant Iceland in Rostov, setting up a last-16 tie with Denmark. While most eyes were on Argentina and their do-or-die match with Nigeria in Saint Petersburg, Croatia wrapped up top spot in Group D in Rostov-on-Don […]

London (AFP) – A court in Britain on Tuesday banned two football fans from attending England matches for three years after a video emerged of them singing an anti-Semitic song at the World Cup in Russia. David Batty, 58, and 52-year-old Michael Burns both received the three-year banning orders after they returned from Russia and […]

Pristina (AFP) – Kosovo and Albania are collecting money to pay the FIFA fines of Switzerland players Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri and Stephan Lichtsteiner for celebrating goals with a pro-Kosovo double eagle gesture in their World Cup win over Serbia. Arsenal midfielder Xhaka and Stoke City's Shaqiri trace their roots to Kosovo, a former Serbian […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Lionel Messi put Argentina on course to qualify for the World Cup last 16 with his first goal of the tournament against Nigeria on Tuesday as the two-time former winners earned a 1-0 half-time lead. Messi missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Iceland and was largely bypassed in a […]

Sochi (Russia) (AFP) – Australia's outgoing coach Bert van Marwijk was left with mixed feelings after seeing the Socceroos bow out of the World Cup with a 2-0 defeat against Peru in Sochi on Tuesday. Van Marwijk's team were again made to pay for their lack of a cutting edge and succumbed to goals from […]

Moscow (AFP) – France coach Didier Deschamps immediately switched his focus towards a "second competition" at the World Cup after his side clinched top spot in Group C following an uninspiring 0-0 draw with Denmark in Moscow. France will discover their last 16 opponents later on Tuesday, as a possible showdown with Lionel Messi's Argentina […]