Sydney (AFP) – Australia departed for the Russia and FIFA's Confederations Cup Wednesday insisting they can still win it, despite a crushing 4-0 demolition by Brazil in a lopsided warm-up. The Socceroos were thrashed by the South Americans in a friendly in Melbourne on Tuesday, but coach Ange Postecoglou preferred to look on the bright […]

Seoul (AFP) – South Korea coach Uli Stielike was facing the axe after a turbulent World Cup qualifying defeat to Qatar plunged the team into a "big crisis" on Wednesday. The Taeguk Warriors weren't the only team to drop points in Tuesday's qualifiers, with Japan also conceding a late equaliser in their 1-1 draw with […]

Moscow (AFP) – Human Rights Watch in a report released on Wednesday highlighted exploitation of workers on 2018 World Cup construction sites and accused FIFA and host Russia of taking insufficient action to halt abuse. The New York-based group accused world football governing body FIFA of failing to effectively monitor labour conditions ahead of the […]

Doha (AFP) – World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar improbably kept alive their slim hopes of qualifying for next year's tournament in Russia with a thrilling victory over South Korea on Tuesday. On a politically charged night in Doha, a Hasan Al-Haydos goal, his second of the match, secured a 3-2 win after Qatar had squandered […]

Paris (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate admitted Tuesday's 3-2 friendly defeat to France in Paris provided further evidence of how far his side still have to go before they can be considered contenders at next year's World Cup. They were unable to hold onto an early lead given to them by Harry Kane and […]

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – Ahmad Al Salih's late strike dealt a body blow to China's faltering quest to reach a second World Cup on Tuesday, as blockaded Qatar kept their slimmest of hopes alive with a shock 3-2 victory over South Korea. Marcello Lippi's China were within reach of only their second win in Group […]

Doha (AFP) – World Cup 2022 hosts Qatar improbably kept alive their slim hopes of qualifying for next year's tournament in Russia with a thrilling victory over South Korea on Tuesday. On a politically charged night in Doha, a Hasan Al-Haydos goal, his second of the match, secured a 3-2 win after Qatar had squandered […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Equatorial Guinea coach Esteban Becker has become the first casualty of 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying after a 3-0 loss in Senegal at the weekend. A national football federation spokesman in the small, oil-rich central African state confirmed Tuesday that the out-of-contract Argentine would not be offered a new one. The […]

Paris (AFP) – Ousmane Dembele capped a thrilling performance with the deciding goal as 10-man France beat England 3-2 in a friendly in Paris on Tuesday in which the video assistant referee played a central role. Captain Harry Kane had earlier scored twice for the visitors at the Stade de France, including from a penalty […]

Doha (AFP) – Qatar's national team could face disciplinary action from FIFA after players warmed up for a World Cup qualifier against South Korea Tuesday in T-shirts showing support for the country's emir. The players prepared for the crucial game in Doha wearing white shirts emblazoned with a profile portrait of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin […]

Milan (AFP) – The agent of Bayern Munich's Douglas Costa, a reported transfer target for Liverpool, met with Juventus on Tuesday as the Italian giants look to bolster for next season, say reports. Costa, who is known for his ball control and mazy runs up the wing, is reported to be looking for a way […]

Paris (AFP) – An emotional tribute was paid to the victims of the recent terror attacks in the United Kingdom prior to England's friendly match with France in Paris on Tuesday evening. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May attended the match at the Stade de France, to the north of the […]

Milan (AFP) – Former Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco signed a two-season deal at Roma on Tuesday after the clubs agreed a compensation package. Roma have been looking for a new coach since Luciano Spalletti left last week to join fellow Serie A outfit Inter Milan. "We wanted someone who could come in and get […]

Nantes (France) (AFP) – Nantes president Waldemar Kita heaped praise on former Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri, who opted to take over as coach of the Ligue 1 outfit despite being linked to teams in China and England. The Ligue I side received special dispensation from French league (LFP) officials on Tuesday to hire the […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spanish prosecutors on Tuesday accused Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo of evading 14.7 million euros in tax through offshore companies, the latest footballer to fall foul of fiscal authorities. The 32-year-old — the world's highest paid athlete according to Forbes magazine — follows in the steps of FC Barcelona forward and Argentina […]