Berlin (AFP) – Jesse Marsch celebrated his first Bundesliga win in charge of RB Leipzig in a battle of the US coaches on Friday, as his side cruised to a 4-0 victory over Pellegrino Matarazzo's VfB Stuttgart. Victory over Matarazzo's Stuttgart side was a welcome boost for new Leipzig boss Marsch, in the first ever […]

London (AFP) – Afghanistan's former women's football captain Khalida Popal on Wednesday said worries about the safety of the country's female players have left her unable to sleep since the Taliban returned to power. Popal, 34, was granted asylum in Denmark in 2016, and considers herself "privileged" not to have to now seek safe haven […]

Burgos (Spain) (AFP) – Alpecin-Fenix's Jasper Philipsen won a mass bunch sprint on the second stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday, edging out Fabio Jakobsen and Michael Matthews with a deft last minute manoeuvre. Vuelta champion Primoz Roglic retained the overall leader's red jersey while Philipsen took the green sprint jersey thanks to […]

Paris (AFP) – Three-time former world champion Peter Sagan will join TotalEnergies on a two-year deal next season, the second-tier French team announced on Tuesday. Sagan, 31, last won the title in 2017 and has been at Bora-Hansgrohe for five campaigns where he also won two of his seven green jerseys for sprinters at the […]

Kawagoe (Japan) (AFP) – The Tokyo Olympics women's golf tournament begins Wednesday at Kasumigaseki Country Club near Saitama following the high-drama of a gripping men's event which ended in a seven-way playoff for bronze on Sunday. All three Rio Olympics medallists, Park In-bee, Lydia Ko and Feng Shanshan, are back for another shot at glory […]

London (AFP) – Defenders are more likely than their team-mates to suffer dementia caused by heading the ball, according to new research into neurological disease in former players. The latest data from the University of Glasgow's study has been labelled the "missing link" between football and the risk of degenerative brain disorders. Results show for […]

Paris (AFP) – Seven-time world champion Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton and his team Mercedes said on Tuesday they had launched a diversity drive called 'Accelerate 25'. The aim is to have 25 per cent of new starters in their team to come from under-represented groups until the end of 2025. Hamilton has been a […]

Doha (AFP) – Cerezo Osaka became the third Japanese side to make the last 16 of the Asian Champions League after they clinched top spot in Group J on Friday with a goalless draw with Kitchee FC of Hong Kong. With 14 points from six matches, Cerezo join Nagoya Grampus and Kawasaki Frontale who made […]

Doha (AFP) – Philippines’ Kaya FC became the first side to score against Ulsan Hyundai in the Asian Champions League this year but couldn’t stop the holders from clinching a narrow 2-1 victory on Monday. The South Korean giants stuck to their task despite being reduced to 10 men in the 31st minute as their […]

Doha (AFP) – Nagoya Grampus became the first team to rogress to the Asian Champions League’s round of 16 from the continent’s eastern half after they beat Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim 2-1 to secure top spot with one match to spare in Group G on Sunday. The Japanese club’s fifth victory in as many matches […]

New York (AFP) – Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley was suspended one game without pay by the NBA on Saturday for knocking down Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul in a playoff loss. Beverley was banned for unsportsmanlike shoving Paul from behind onto the court during a stoppage in play with 5:49 remaining in th […]

Pretoria (AFP) – The world champion Springboks are not concealing any secrets from the British and Irish Lions, according to head coach Jacques Nienaber and captain Siya Kolisi. "We were not holding anything back," said Kolisi after South Africa beat Georgia 40-9 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Friday night in the first of two […]

Dubai (AFP) – Oh Se-hun struck a first-half brace as holders Ulsan Hyundai FC eased past the Philippines’ Kaya FC 3-0 on Friday to better their own mark of most consecutive wins in the Asian Champions League. With their third triumph in as many matches at this year’s tournament, the Korean giants took their winning […]

Doha (AFP) – Singapore's Tampines Rovers got another reminder of the harsh realities of life in the fast lane of the Asian Champions League after suffering an embarrassing 9-0 defeat to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on Thursday. Gustavo grabbed four goals and Modou Barrow scored thrice as the South Koreans moved within touching distance of a […]

Marseille (AFP) – The oldest player to feature in France's Ligue 1 in 71 years Vitorino Hilton announced his retirement aged 43 on Thursday. Brazilian centre-back Hilton, won the top-fight twice, with Marseille in 2010 and his most recent club Montpellier two years later. "It has been 24 years of great dedication and love for […]