Berlin (AFP) – Germany head coach Joachim Loew has told his stars to knuckle down and take control of their Nations League group, starting against Ukraine on Saturday, after three draws and just one win in their mediocre campaign so far. The three-time European champions host Ukraine in Leipzig on Saturday, then face Spain in […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Scotland fans sang on the streets, played bagpipes and flouted strict Covid-19 pandemic restrictions by gathering in a group and climbing a statue in Glasgow after the national football team qualified for a first major international tournament since 1998 on Thursday by beating Serbia to reach Euro 2020. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon […]

London (AFP) – Republic of Ireland midfielder Alan Browne has tested positive for coronavirus following Thursday's 3-0 friendly defeat by England, officials announced Friday. Browne, who plays for English second-tier club Preston, took part in the full 90 minutes of international action at Wembley. He has now been isolated from the rest of the Republic […]

Skopje (Republic of North Macedonia) (AFP) – The small Balkan state of North Macedonia was over the moon Friday after qualifying for next year's European football championships, a historic victory that goes beyond sport for a country which struggled for decades to have even its name recognised. Thousands of jubilant fans waving the country's red-and-yellow […]

Paris (AFP) – Despite many criticising the decision to go ahead with the tournament during the coronavirus pandemic, amid travel difficulties, matches behind closed doors, and with injuries piling up, the UEFA Nations League limps to a finish over the next week. AFP Sport looks at some of the issues to be decided in the […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Argentina had to come from behind to draw 1-1 with Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier at La Bombonera on Thursday, and Lionel Messi had what might have been a winning goal disallowed in the second half. A Nicolas Gonzalez goal brought Argentina back level after Angel Romero's penalty put Paraguay […]

Paris (AFP) – Scotland's long major tournament exile is over after a penalty shoot-out win over Serbia in Belgrade secured their place at Euro 2020 on Thursday, while minnows North Macedonia will make their finals debut following a tense play-off win in Georgia. Hungary and Slovakia also won to secure spots at the tournament which […]

Belgrade (AFP) – Scotland qualified for a first major international tournament since 1998 by reaching Euro 2020 thanks to a 5-4 win on penalties over Serbia after a 1-1 draw in Belgrade. The Scots' demons of two decades without qualifying seemed set to reappear when Luka Jovic's 90th-minute header sent the game into extra time. […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Wolves defender Conor Coady will miss England's Nations League matches against Belgium and Iceland. Rashford has been struggling with a shoulder injury sustained in United's win against Everton, while Coady has gone into self-isolation after coming into contact with somebody who had the coronavirus. The centre-back […]

Santiago (AFP) – Chile coach Reinaldo Rueda was embroiled in a row with Inter Milan on Thursday after complaining about the physical condition of forward Alexis Sanchez ahead of a 2022 World Cup qualifier with Peru. Colombian Rueda said that "we're no longer in the colonial era" as he fumed at Inter playing Sanchez for […]

Paris (AFP) – Hungary came from behind to stun Iceland and secure a place at Euro 2020 on Thursday after North Macedonia qualified for a major tournament for the first time by beating Georgia 1-0 away in their play-off final. Hungary and Iceland met in the group stage of Euro 2016 in France, drawing 1-1, […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez scored the goal that wrapped up a 3-1 victory for Algeria over Zimbabwe Thursday and stretched an unbeaten run by the African champions to 21 matches. He pounced on a weak clearance and surged forward before slamming the ball across goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze into the far corner […]

London (AFP) – England beat the Republic of Ireland for the first time in 35 years as Harry Maguire enjoyed a moment of redemption and Jack Grealish sparkled in Thursday's 3-0 friendly win. Just 48 hours after the resignation of English Football Association chairman Greg Clarke following his offensive comments about the BAME and LGBT […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward insisted on Thursday that the club remain committed to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer despite a poor start to the season. United are languishing in 14th in the Premier League table and a fine start to their Champions League campaign came unstuck with a 2-1 defeat to Istanbul […]

Tbilisi (AFP) – North Macedonia will go to a major tournament for the first time in their history after a Goran Pandev goal gave the Balkan nation a 1-0 win away to Georgia in their Euro 2020 qualifying play-off final on Thursday. Pandev scored the only goal of the game in the 56th minute in […]