Moscow (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and 2010 winners Spain progressed to the World Cup knockout rounds on a Monday night of high drama dominated by VAR decisions after host nation Russia and Uruguay also qualified. Spain ended up topping Group B by virtue of goals scored after an injury-time strike by Iago Aspas — […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spain's La Liga announced Monday it had sold its 2019-2022 television rights for 1.14 billion euros ($1.33b) per season. The four bids accepted for the Spanish market total 3.4 billion euros, an average of 1.14b euros for each of the coming three seasons, an increase of 15 percent on the last three […]

Kaliningrad (Russia) (AFP) – Iago Aspas scored a VAR-assisted equaliser in injury time as Spain scrambled a 2-2 draw with Morocco on Monday in a dramatic finale to their Group B campaign. Aspas's winner, initially disallowed but awarded after intervention from the Video Assistant Referee, saw Spain stumble into the last 16 as group […]

Saransk (Russia) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty before Portugal conceded an injury-time spot-kick in a 1-1 draw with Iran at the World Cup on Monday as the European champions set up a last-16 clash with Uruguay. Ricardo Quaresma curled in a trademark trivela goal on the stroke of half-time at the Mordovia Arena, […]

Chicago (AFP) – The United States will face Brazil, Mexico, England and Italy in friendlies to kick off preparations for its World Cup qualification in 2022, it was announced on Monday. The United States Soccer Federation said in a statement the US men's team, which failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, […]

Rome (AFP) – Javier Pastore was in advanced talks with AS Roma on Monday after the Argentine midfielder flew to Italy to discuss the terms of a four-year transfer deal from Paris Saint-Germain. Roma published a photo on their Twitter feed of the 29-year-old arriving at Rome airport and holding up a Roma scarf as […]

Volgograd (Russia) (AFP) – Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary saved a penalty after becoming the oldest player ever to appear at the World Cup on Monday but it was not enough to stop the Pharaohs sliding to a 2-1 defeat by Saudi Arabia. The 45-year-old goalkeeper flew to his right to make a spectacular stop […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Argentina's do-or-die clash against Nigeria on Tuesday can be a launch pad for the team in Russia following a woeful start to the World Cup, insisted defiant coach Jorge Sampaoli. Failure to beat the Africans will prolong Lionel Messi's wait to win an international trophy, with the added humiliation of bowing […]

The Hague (AFP) – Dutch giants Ajax Tuesday accepted full responsibility for the fate of young midfielder Abdelhak Nouri, left with permanent, debilitating brain damage after collapsing at a friendly last year. "Following new information, we have reached a new conclusion, which is that the treatment of Abdelhak on the field in Austria was not […]

Moscow (AFP) – Belgium are likely to rest midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne and possibly striker Romelu Lukaku for their last World Cup group match against England, coach Roberto Martinez said Monday. With both England and Belgium through to the last 16, Martinez admitted the sting had gone out of Thursday's clash in Kaliningrad, describing […]

Moscow (AFP) – Switzerland players Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri and Stephan Lichtsteiner escaped bans Monday for celebrating goals with a pro-Kosovo double eagle gesture in their World Cup win over Serbia. FIFA said Xhaka and Shaqiri would each be fined 10,000 Swiss francs (8,700 euros, $10,000) and Lichtsteiner 5,000 Swiss francs. Arsenal midfielder Xhaka and […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russia were handed a World Cup reality check on Monday, losing 3-0 to Uruguay as Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and 2010 winners Spain look to lock down spots in the last 16. The host nation rode a wave of national euphoria in their first two matches, sweeping aside Saudi Arabia and Egypt despite […]

Geneva (AFP) – The traditional move after scoring an iconic World Cup goal is to celebrate the country you're playing for. But the pro-Kosovo "double eagle" gesture flashed by Swiss goal-scorers Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri shows that honouring another nation after the ball crosses the line can ruffle some feathers. The celebrations during Switzerland's […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – South Korea midfielder Ju Se-jong believes his side's chances of staying in the World Cup rose from zero to one per cent after Germany's dramatic win over Sweden. Toni Kroos' injury-time strike means Korea can still progress from Group F but only if they beat the world champions on Wednesday and […]

Samara (Russia) (AFP) – Luis Suarez helped fire Uruguay into the last 16 of the World Cup as Group A winners on Monday after opening the scoring in their 3-0 win over host nation Russia, who had a man sent off. A pinpoint free-kick from the Barcelona star and an own goal from Denis Cheryshev […]