Melbourne (AFP) – The world's number one team Brazil will not be under-estimating Australia as they bid to rebound from their Superclasico loss to Argentina, officials said Sunday. The five-time World Cup champions are eager to bounce back from their 1-0 loss to their great South American rivals in Tuesday's friendly against the Confederations Cup-bound […]

Glasgow (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate said his team's last-gasp 2-2 draw against Scotland demonstrated the kind of mental fortitude he is trying to instil in his players. England shipped two late Leigh Griffiths free-kicks in Saturday's 2018 World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park, only for new captain Harry Kane to rescue a point […]

Abuja (AFP) – Former African champions Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Zambia all lost at home Saturday on a day of upsets in the first qualifying round for the 2019 Cup of Nations. Three–time champions Nigeria lost a competitive game against South Africa for the first time when they fell 2-0 in the southern Nigerian town […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has become a father to twins with a surrogate mother, Portuguese media reported Saturday. Reports said the babies — a girl and boy named Eva and Mateo — were born on Thursday to a woman living on the US West Coast. The captain of Portugal's victorious Euro […]

Paris (AFP) – Germany ran up an expected goal avalanche in thrashing San Marino 7-0 as Harry Kane celebrated his first start as England captain with a late equaliser to deny Scotland on Saturday. Having already trounced San Marino 8-0 in the reverse fixture, Germany's almost second string line-up quickly set about running up another […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United have reached an agreement to sign Swedish international centre-back Victor Lindelof from Benfica, the Europa League champions announced on Saturday. "Manchester United is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement with Benfica for the transfer of Victor Lindelof, subject to a medical examination, international clearance and personal terms," United […]

Abuja (AFP) – South Africa recorded their first-ever competitive victory over Nigeria on Saturday, winning in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo 2-0. Nigeria and South Africa had clashed 12 times before, during which time Bafana Bafana's only victory was in a friendly 13 years ago. Tekelo Rantie headed South Africa in […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Harry Kane marked his first game as captain with a stoppage-time equaliser as England denied Scotland a famous victory in Saturday's 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw in Glasgow. England were heading for a first qualifying defeat since October 2009 after Leigh Griffiths struck two fine late free-kicks to wipe out substitute Alex […]

Singapore (AFP) – Superstar Lionel Messi will skip a friendly against Singapore next week for "personal reasons", organisers said late Saturday. Gonzalo Higuain and Nicolas Otamendi will also be absent from Tuesday's "Superclassico" match, UNICESS said in a statement. "While we share the disappointment of football fans in Singapore and elsewhere at the absence of […]

Melbourne (AFP) – Brazil manager Tite says he is considering changes for Tuesday's game against Australia after blasting his side's poor finishing in the loss to Argentina in Melbourne. The world's number one ranked team wasted several scoring opportunities as Argentina hung on for a 1-0 win in their Superclasico at the Melbourne Cricket Ground […]

Mexico City (AFP) – Christian Pulisic admitted the United States are looking for revenge when they face bitter regional rivals Mexico in a crucial 2018 World Cup qualifier on Sunday. Borussia Dortmund star Pulisic, still only 18, has breathed fresh life into the US qualifying campaign this year and scored twice in a 2-0 win […]

Rotterdam (Netherlands) (AFP) – Dick Advocaat got off to a winning start as the Netherlands kept their slim hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup alive with a 5-0 win over Luxembourg Friday. Advocaat began his third stint as Dutch coach this week insisting the flagging national side could still beat the odds and […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana believes time has done nothing to wear away the lustre of the rivalry between England and Scotland ahead of Saturday's World Cup qualifying match in Glasgow. Beginning with their first encounter in November 1872, the two neighbours faced off almost every year until 1984, when the British Home […]

Paris (AFP) – France complicated their task of ensuring automatic qualification to next year's World Cup in Russia after falling to a dramatic 2-1 defeat in Sweden on Saturday. Sweden snatched victory with an Ola Toivonen goal from the half-way line in extra time after a poor clearance from France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The freak […]

Glasgow (AFP) – England midfielder Dele Alli says he and his team-mates have had to revisit some "dark places" in order to come to terms with their humiliating Euro 2016 elimination by Iceland. Alli was one of the 11 players who traipsed from the pitch in Nice last June after Iceland had condemned England to […]