Lyon (AFP) – Young Iceland goalkeeper Runar Alex Runarsson has joined French top flight club Dijon and will go up against Paris Saint Germain, Marseille and Monaco next season. The 23-year-old was called up to the Iceland squad in May and is currently out in Russia as stand in to Hannes Halldorsson. He has three […]

Sochi (Russia) (AFP) – Romelu Lukaku netted a brace as a much-improved second-half performance gave Belgium an ultimately comfortable 3-0 victory over tournament debutants Panama in their World Cup opener in Sochi on Monday. A moment of inspiration from Dries Mertens set the Belgians on their way two minutes after the break, his volley breaking […]

Volgograd (Russia) (AFP) – England fans were warned about the possibility of state surveillance before they travelled to the Russian World Cup, but in Volgograd on Monday the threat they faced were bugs of a different kind. Swarms of mosquitoes and midges descended on the city on the banks of the Volga as England prepared […]

Saransk (Russia) (AFP) – Colombia will decide as late as possible whether to start James Rodriguez in their opening World Cup clash against Japan on Tuesday as the 2014 top-scorer labours with a calf strain. The Bayern Munich forward, whose six goals left him topping the scoring charts in Brazil, trained with Colombia in Saransk […]

Roshchino (Russia) (AFP) – AC Milan striker Nikola Kalinic has returned home from Croatia's World Cup squad due to a back injury, coach Zlatko Dalic confirmed on Monday. Kalinic was an unused substitute in Saturday's 2-0 win over Nigeria with Croatian media reporting he had refused to come on after being left out of the […]

Saransk (Russia) (AFP) – Japan suffered an interrupted night ahead of their World Cup opener against Colombia, interrupted by news of a deadly earthquake at home and an early morning fire alarm. The Japanese are hunting World Cup revenge at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk on Tuesday after being hammered 4-1 by a James Rodriguez-inspired […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Battered and bruised by a barrage of Swiss fouls, Neymar hobbled out of the Rostov Arena after failing to inspire Brazil to victory in their World Cup opener. The world's most expensive player said his latest knock is "nothing to worry about" but there is concern over whether he can perform […]

Moscow (AFP) – Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said more African coaches are needed to take football on the continent to the next level and develop teams capable of challenging for the World Cup. Brazilian great Pele predicted in 1977 that an African team would win the tournament by 2000 but returns have been disappointing, with […]

Vatutinki (Russia) (AFP) – Joachim Loew is facing the biggest crisis of his 12-year reign as Germany coach after the holders slipped to a shock defeat against Mexico in their World Cup opener in Russia. Germany are licking their wounds after slumping 1-0 to a Hirving Lozano strike in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium — their first […]

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia) (AFP) – A VAR-awarded penalty gave Sweden a narrow but deserved victory in their opening Group F match against a poor South Korea side in Nizhny Novgorod on Monday. Veteran Swedish skipper Andreas Granqvist scored the only goal of the game from the spot after Viktor Claesson was upended by South Korean […]

Saransk (Russia) (AFP) – Japanese defender Hiroki Sakai knows that when he walks onto the pitch at the Mordovia Arena Tuesday for his World Cup debut against Colombia he made it there the hard way. Since joining Marseille on a free transfer in 2016 Sakai has impressed coaches with his desire and drive to overcome […]

Gelendzhik (Russia) (AFP) – Warmer and sunnier than distant Moscow, Russia's Black Sea coast has been a perfect match for Scandinavian teams as World Cup training bases. The teams, from countries where summer starts late and finishes earlier, are finding the "Russian Riviera" very muich to their taste — and its vibe seems to suit […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Battered and bruised by a barrage of Swiss fouls, Neymar hobbled out the Rostov Arena having failed to inspire the expected start to Brazil's World Cup, after the pre-tournament favourites were held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland. The world's most expensive player told journalists there was "nothing to worry about" […]

Moscow (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski and Sadio Mane face off in a mouthwatering World Cup shootout between two of European football's most lethal forwards on Tuesday as Poland take on Senegal. Bayern Munich's Lewandowski finished the season as the Bundesliga's top scorer for the third time with 29 goals, netting 41 times in all competitions. […]

Kazan (Russia) (AFP) – Australia teenager Daniel Arzani is ready to go into battle for the Socceroos as they seek to rescue their World Cup campaign against Denmark. Bert van Marwijk's team are playing catch-up in Group C after defeat against France and a win for the Danes against Peru. The 19-year-old Arzani made his […]