Doha (AFP) – Iran all but ended Qatar's hopes of reaching the World Cup for the first time with a 1-0 victory in Doha on Thursday that exploded at the final whistle when staff and players from both sides clashed. Iran coach Carlos Queiroz, formerly an assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, further inflamed […]

Dublin (AFP) – Wales manager Chris Coleman believes the experience his side gained in their shock run to the semi-finals of last year's Euros will help them in Friday's key World Cup qualifier in the Republic of Ireland. Both Wales and Ireland are unbeaten in UEFA qualifying group D. With three wins and a draw […]

Doha (AFP) – Marcello Lippi's China stunned South Korea 1-0 in a politically charged World Cup qualifier on Thursday to give themselves a glimmer of hope of reaching next year's tournament in Russia. Yu Dabao stooped unmarked to head in the game's only goal on 34 minutes, prompting rapturous celebrations as China registered their first […]

Paris (AFP) – Frozen-out star forward Karim Benzema wants showdown talks with France coach Didier Deschamps about his international future and said Thursday he hasn't given up hope of a recall. The 29-year-old Real Madrid striker has not been picked by Deschamps since October 2015 after being embroiled in a sex-tape blackmail scandal involving former […]

Rome (AFP) – Gianluigi Buffon will make his 1,000th career appearance when the legendary goalkeeper pulls on the gloves once more for Italy on Friday against Albania. The 39-year-old Juventus stopper made his professional debut in 1995 as a 17-year-old in goal for Parma and has gone on to become a football icon at home […]

Doha (AFP) – Iran took a major step towards making the 2018 World Cup finals winning 1-0 in Doha on Thursday, a result which virtually ends Qatar's hopes of reaching Russia. A cool Mehdi Taremi finish in the 51st minute after breaking clear of the Qatar defence was the difference between the two sides and […]

Berlin (AFP) – German football legend Franz Beckenbauer appeared before Swiss prosecutors on Thursday as part of a corruption probe into the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany. "Today (Thursday) I was interviewed as part of a long scheduled hearing by the Swiss federal prosecutor and I answered his questions," the former chairman […]

London (AFP) – The chairman of England's governing Football Association has deplored the "inappropriate, disrespectful and disappointing" behaviour of some travelling fans in Germany on Wednesday. Some England supporters in Dortmund for a friendly international against Germany could clearly be heard singing songs about World War I and II, with the chants loud enough to […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama starred for Kenya as they stretched an unbeaten run to nine matches Thursday by drawing 1-1 at home against Uganda. Wanyama set up Michael Olunga to give the "Harambee Stars" a 35th-minute lead in a friendly at Kenyatta Stadium in eastern town Machakos. Kenya retained the lead […]

Zurich (AFP) – Palestinian football chief Jibril Rajoub insisted on Thursday the ball is now in Israel's court after a meeting at FIFA headquarters to discuss Israeli clubs playing in the occupied West Bank. Palestinians argue that the presence of six Israeli football clubs playing on land containing settlements seen as illegal under international law […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Cameroon have chosen two stars who shunned the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations-winning campaign for their first match since defeating Egypt in the final last month. Marseille midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Schalke striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting were recalled for a friendly against Tunisia in Monastir Friday. They were among eight of the […]

Changsha (China) (AFP) – Marcello Lippi's China stunned South Korea 1-0 in a politically charged World Cup qualifier on Thursday to give themselves a glimmer of hope of reaching next year's tournament in Russia. Yu Dabao stooped unmarked to head in the game's only goal on 34 minutes, prompting rapturous celebrations as China registered their […]

Tehran (AFP) – Ahmad Yaseen's second-half equaliser earned Iraq a 1-1 draw with Australia on Thursday in Tehran and left the Socceroos with work to do to reach next year's World Cup. Matthew Leckie scored five minutes before half-time but Yaseen's finish on 76 minutes condemned Australia to a fourth draw in six games in […]

Singapore (AFP) – China's cash-rich Super League needs to work on improving local talent as well as dipping into its deep pockets to attract top foreign players, the La Liga chief said Thursday. Javier Tebas told AFP he was "not worried at all" about the best La Liga players being tempted by lucrative salary offers […]

Berlin (AFP) – Cologne say they rejected a bumper offer of 50 million euros ($54 million) from China for prolific French striker Anthony Modeste — but admit he could move to the English Premier League. The 28-year-old has scored 22 of Cologne's 37 goals this season to leave his side sixth in Germany's top flight. […]