Rome (AFP) – Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco has urged his side to believe in a "miracle" to overturn a 4-1 deficit against Barcelona and advance to the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday. "We have to believe in something important and go for it with great love and passion. They will play their best to […]

Berlin (AFP) – Less than 24 hours after securing a sixth successive Bundesliga title, Jupp Heynckes cut Bayern Munich's celebrations short as they aim for a seventh Champions League semi-final appearance in nine seasons. "We want to take everything this season that there is to take — and this team has got big ambitions," said Bayern […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan on Monday named respected veteran Akira Nishino as its new national football manager, taking an "emergency measure" after sensationally dumping Vahid Halilhodzic only two months before the World Cup. The 63-year-old Nishino boasts an impressive array of domestic silverware and masterminded one of Japanese football's proudest moments: beating a Brazil side […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Akira Nishino, who has taken over Japan's national team just months before the World Cup, is an experienced domestic coach who was at the helm for one of Japanese football's greatest moments: a 1-0 Olympic win over a Brazil side containing Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo. The 1996 triumph at the Atlanta Games […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan named respected veteran Akira Nishino as its new national football manager on Monday after sensationally dumping Vahid Halilhodzic with only two months until the World Cup. The 63-year-old Nishino boasts an impressive array of domestic silverware and masterminded one of Japanese football's proudest moments: beating a Brazil side containing Ronaldo and […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Johnny Russell and Daniel Salloi scored second half goals as Sporting Kansas City grinded out a well-deserved 2-0 victory on Sunday night over the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Galaxy were hoping for another miracle late finish by Zlatan Ibrahimovic who gave his team a lift when he finally entered as a […]

Wellington (AFP) – The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) said Monday it will investigate "potential wrongdoings" after a FIFA audit into construction of its lavish new Auckland headquarters raised corruption concerns. The move comes after the sudden resignation of OFC president David Chung two days before a meeting to discuss the FIFA findings. Chung resigned on […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan has fired national football coach Vahid Halilhodzic just two months before the World Cup, after a series of disappointing performances by the Blue Samurai, local media reported Monday. The dismissal has been months in the making, with Japan suffering several embarrassing losses and rumours swirling about tensions caused by Halilhodzic's infamously […]

Jerusalem (AFP) – For one Jerusalem football club, the goal of tolerance in a city often in the grip of conflict is still worth a shot. More than a decade after its formation, Jerusalem's Hapoel Katamon football club is making a name for itself on the pitch but also for its approach and youth programmes […]

Madrid (AFP) – Zinedine Zidane has told his players to ignore the Champions League hype around Real Madrid after they were held to a 1-1 draw by city rivals Atletico in La Liga on Sunday. Cristiano Ronaldo's 24th goal in 15 games this year was not enough to earn his side a derby victory as […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Virgil van Dijk has lived up to his billing as the world's most expensive defender in his short Liverpool career, but shutting out a desperate Manchester City in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday will be his biggest test yet. Runaway Premier League leaders City could […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted he is at a loss to explain how conceding multiple times in short spells continues to cost his side. City must overturn a 3-0 first-leg deficit when they host Liverpool for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday after being hit […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho denied any rift with Manchester City rival Pep Guardiola, but believes his counterpart made a mistake in claiming he had been offered the chance to sign Paul Pogba by the player's agent on the eve of Saturday's Manchester derby. Pogba put a desperately diappointing season […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Carli Lloyd scored her 100th international goal as the United States trounced Mexico 6-2 in a friendly international on Sunday. The 35-year-old veteran nodded into an open goal from point-blank range to put the US women 3-2 ahead in the 34th minute at Houston's BBVA Compass Stadium. Lloyd's century came on […]

Paris (AFP) – Memphis Depay continued his hot streak of form as Lyon won 5-0 at Metz on Sunday to climb above Marseille as the two sides fight it out for Champions League qualification in France. The Dutchman scored one goal and set up the other four, with Lyon claiming a fourth consecutive win to […]