Tokyo (AFP) – As Japan's women return home with the Asian Cup and bold plans for world domination, their crisis-hit male counterparts have serious work to do to avoid an early World Cup exit. The Japanese "Nadeshiko" came to embody the iron-willed spirit of a country recovering from a deadly tsunami and nuclear crisis when […]

Berlin (AFP) – Having rebooted his stuttering career at Bayern Munich, James Rodriguez has the chance to show Real Madrid exactly what they are missing when the sides meet in their Champions League semi-final, first leg on Wednesday. James has shone since quitting Real last July at the end of three often difficult seasons in […]

Milan (AFP) – Eusebio Di Francesco has stamped his mark on AS Roma during a rollercoaster first season which has seen the side from the capital return to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 34 years. The fast-talking 48-year-old, whose reputation is one of an astute tactician with a talent for attractive […]

Liverpool (AFP) – A confessed admirer of the underdog tales of Robin Hood and Rocky Balboa, Jurgen Klopp is probably uncomfortable with Liverpool's status as strong favourites in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final, first leg against Roma. However, it is testament to how far the German has revitalised a sleeping giant on the European stage that […]

Santiago (AFP) – Brazil won the women's Copa America title for the seventh time in eight editions on Sunday, allowing them to qualify for the 2019 World Cup in France as well as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Brazil have six points from their two games with a match to play but they made sure of […]

London (AFP) – Mohamed Salah was crowned the Premier League's Players' Player of the Year on Sunday, with his incredible 41-goal debut season at Liverpool beating out strong competition from Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne. "It's a big honour. I've worked hard and I'm very happy to win it," Salah said at the ceremony on […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho admitted his side have little chance of catching Premier League champions Manchester City next season unless the standards set by Pep Guardiola's side slip. Second-placed United trail City by 16 points with four games of the league season to go after Guardiola's men kept up their chase […]

Paris (AFP) – Giovani Lo Celso's late goal gave champions Paris Saint-Germain a hard-earned 1-0 win at Bordeaux in Ligue 1 on Sunday as they stayed on course to finish their season with a clutch of records. Argentine playmaker Lo Celso scored twice in last week's 7-1 demolition of Monaco that secured a fifth title […]

Paris (AFP) – Paul Pogba insisted Sunday that he has no problems with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho despite a difficult season which has seen the French star dropped on several occasions. Pogba, who has even been linked with a summer move away from Old Trafford, said that he always accepts Mourinho's decisions and that […]

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid warmed up for their Europa League clash with Arsenal by playing out a 0-0 draw with in-form Betis in La Liga on Sunday, a result that left Barcelona closer still to the Spanish title. Antoine Griezmann was left out of the starting line-up by coach Diego Simeone and Atletico drew […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly's last-gasp goal kept Napoli's title hopes alive with a 1-0 win against Juventus to close the gap to just one point on the Serie A champions. Koulibaly headed the winner off a corner in the final minute to give Napoli their first ever victory at the Allianz […]

Miami (AFP) – North American football governing body CONCACAF cancelled the remainder of its Women's Under-17 Championship being staged in Nicaragua over safety concerns, the US-based organization announced Sunday. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) said the event in Managua was being cancelled immediately to ensure the safety of all […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola played down a post-match pitch invasion that will be viewed dimly by the FA after his team celebrated their Premier League title with an emphatic 5-0 victory over struggling Swansea. The final whistle saw hundreds of supporters storm onto the pitch, despite the best efforts […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Benjamin Mendy made a winning return to first-team football — and shared the experience with hundreds of Manchester City fans as he celebrated following his team's 5-0 victory over Swansea City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Supporters invaded the pitch on the final whistle, despite appeals from the club […]

Berlin (AFP) – Marcel Risse gave bottom-side Cologne faint hope of avoiding relegation from the Bundesliga with the "saddest" equaliser of his career in Sunday's 2-2 draw at home to Schalke. The dead-ball expert punched the air after his speculative free-kick beat Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann on 84 minutes. Risse's equaliser cancelled out Schalke's early […]