Berlin (AFP) – Struggling Hamburg pulled themselves out of the Bundesliga relegation places with a shock 3-0 win at home against Julian Nagelsmann's Hoffenheim on Sunday. An own-goal after just six minutes by Hoffenheim defender Kevin Akpoguma put the hosts ahead at Hamburg's Volksparkstadion. Midfieler Filip Kostic then drilled in a second-half free kick before […]

Valencia (Spain) (AFP) – La Liga's top-of-the-table clash between Valencia and Barcelona on Sunday was overshadowed by the league's refusal to embrace goal line technology as Barca's Lionel Messi was denied a clear opening goal. Valencia goalkeeper Neto let the five-time World Player of the Year's effort slip between his legs in the 30th minute […]

London (AFP) – Alan Pardew has held talks with West Bromwich Albion over the struggling Premier League club's vacant manager's job. After former West Ham boss Slaven Bilic rejected Albion's interest, it is ex-Crystal Palace chief Pardew who has emerged as the leading contender to replace Tony Pulis, who was sacked earlier this week. Pardew […]

Huddersfield (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Raheem Sterling grabbed a late winner for the second time in six days as Manchester City came from a goal down to beat Huddersfield 2-1 and secure a club-record equalling 11th straight league win. Sterling's dramatic intervention meant Pep Guardiola's table-topping side were able to reestablish an eight-point lead over […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after Raheem Sterling's late goal clinched a 2-1 win at Huddersfield Town, while Alexis Sanchez gave Arsenal victory over Burnley on Sunday. City have swept aside all comers this season, but they found themselves in the unusual position of […]

Milan (AFP) – Italy midfielder Jorginho scored the only goal to put Napoli back top of Serie A on Sunday with a 1-0 win at Udinese, as a moment of madness saw Roma's Daniele De Rossi sent off in a 1-1 draw at Genoa. Joringho fired in off the rebound after missing a penalty on […]

London (AFP) – Alexis Sanchez's late penalty gave Arsenal a controversial 1-0 win over Burnley, while managerless Everton endured more misery in a 4-1 thrashing at Southampton on Sunday. Arsene Wenger's side looked set for a frustrating draw as they entered stoppage-time at Turf Moor, but they snatched the points when James Tarkowski was ruled […]

Paris (AFP) – Memphis Depay starred as Lyon thumped Nice 5-0 on Sunday to move into second behind Paris Saint-Germain in the Ligue 1 table. The Dutch winger scored twice at Nice's Allianz Riviera home as Lyon brushed off the absence of captain Nabil Fekir through illness to leapfrog Monaco on goals scored, ahead of […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Carlos Tevez's troubled spell in China looks to be over after flying home to Argentina — just as his side Shanghai Shenhua won the FA Cup. The 33-year-old Argentine forward has had a miserable 11 months in China despite earning some of the highest wages in world football, an estimated 730,000 euros […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund's CEO says Peter Bosz remains head coach – for now – although the squad were booed at the club's annual general meeting on Sunday after surrendering a four-goal lead against Schalke. Bosz has been given a reprieve despite Saturday's 4-4 draw at home to Schalke in the Ruhr derby when […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Veteran Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins scored a cracker as Shanghai Shenhua stunned rivals Shanghai SIPG to win the Chinese FA Cup final on away goals 3-3 on aggregate on Sunday. They did it in thrilling fashion and without Argentine forward Carlos Tevez, whose disastrous 11-month spell in China looks to be over […]

Doha (AFP) – Qatar on Sunday unveiled the design for what it claims is the World Cup's first 'reusable' stadium, the seventh of eight expected venues that will stage games during the 2022 tournament. Ras Abu Aboud is a 40,000 stadium that will be built on Doha's southern waterfront and host matches up to the […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russia is gearing up to host the World Cup for the first time while facing the herculean task of eradicating racism and hooliganism and warding off the threat of a terror attack. Organisers also face the tricky task of appeasing beleaguered fans and President Vladimir Putin, who helped wrest the June 14-July […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he would take the positives from his side's 1-1 draw with Chelsea despite the disappointment of conceding a freak 85th-minute equaliser. Mohamed Salah's goal against his former club looked set to restore Liverpool to winning ways after their calamitous 3-3 draw against Sevilla, only for Willian's mishit […]

London (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino admits Tottenham Hotspur's chances of making a realistic challenge for the Premier League title are fading as once again they struggled to break down a defence-minded team at Wembley. Prior to Saturday's 1-1 draw with managerless West Bromwich Albion, Pochettino's men had just one Premier League goal in three matches […]