London (AFP) – England moved top of their Nations League group on Sunday after goals from Marcus Rashford and Mason Mount saw them come from behind to beat Belgium 2-1 at an empty Wembley. The visitors arrived in London as the number one ranked side in the world, on the back of 12 consecutive wins […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – South Africa coach Molefi Ntseki was slammed by supporters on social media after a 2-1 home loss to Zambia on Sunday in an international friendly. He was accused of being "tactically bankrupt", "clueless and directionless" and "lacking a strategy" in tweets when the home side conceded two late goals in Rustenburg. Former […]

London (AFP) – Republic of Ireland winger James McClean was sent off after his side were rocked by fresh coronavirus problems before their 0-0 draw against Wales in the Nations League on Sunday. Republic manager Stephen Kenny lost five players just before the match in Dublin after one unnamed member of his squad tested positive […]

London (AFP) – Premier League chiefs have called for unity after leading clubs discussed a "damaging" overhaul that would trigger the most radical changes to English football in decades. A Daily Telegraph report on Sunday claimed Liverpool and Manchester United have been driving the 'Project Big Picture' talks, which would rank as the biggest revamp […]

London (AFP) – Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny lost five players just before Sunday's Nations League clash against Wales after a positive coronavirus test in the squad. The Football Association of Ireland announced that an unnamed player had tested positive just three days after Republic forwards Aaron Connolly and Adam Idah missed the Euro […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Former CAF senior vice-president Kwesi Nyantakyi has had a lifetime ban from football for breaking FIFA bribery and corruption rules reduced to 15 years. The lighter sentence was announced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the Ghanaian banker and lawyer appealed against the FIFA ruling. An initial fine of $550,000 […]

Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan's English midfielder Ashley Young has tested positive for coronavirus, the Italian Serie A team confirmed on Sunday. "Ashley Young tested positive for Covid-19 following the tests carried out yesterday (Saturday) at Appiano Gentile," the club said in a statement. "The English player is already in quarantine at home." Former Watford […]

Sao Paulo (AFP) – Veteran Brazilian striker Robinho has rejoined his boyhood club Santos, who he left to join Real Madrid as a 21-year-old rising star before spells with Manchester City and AC Milan. The 36-year-old penned a five-month deal paying the nominal amount of about 230 euros (250 dollars) per month with bonuses and […]

New York (AFP) – Major League Soccer announced two match postponements on Saturday after two positive Covid-19 tests each for Minnesota United players and Columbus Crew staffers. The league postponed Sunday's Columbus at Orlando City match and Minnesota's match at FC Dallas over health and safety concerns. No immediate reschedule date was announced. The positives […]

Washington (AFP) – Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain has his brother Federico as a teammate on Inter Miami after the Major League Soccer club swung a deal Saturday with DC United for the midfielder. Miami sent $50,000 in general player allocation money in exchange for Gonzalo's older brother, a 35-year-old playmaker who joined United in March after […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen said Saturday they expect to be without new signing Santiago Arias for six months after his horror injury when the right-back broke his leg in Colombia's 3-0 win over Venezuela during a 2022 World Cup qualifier. The 28-year-old, who only joined Leverkusen on loan from Atletico Madrid two weeks ago, […]

Paris (AFP) – Mikel Oyarzabal pounced on a horror slip by Swiss captain Granit Xhaka to seal a 1-0 victory for Spain in the Nations League on Saturday. The night's other League A Group 4 match saw Germany beat Ukraine 2-1 in Kiev. At the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano in Madrid, usually home of Real […]

Kiev (AFP) – Germany picked up a first win in their Nations League group on Saturday with a workmanlike 2-1 away victory at Ukraine to break their run of three straight draws in which they surrendered the lead each time. Defender Matthias Ginter gave Germany a first-half lead in Kiev, then Leon Goretzka capitalised on […]

London (AFP) – Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has tipped England as one of the leading contenders to win Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup. De Bruyne will get a close look at England on Sunday when Belgium visit Wembley for a Nations League clash. But the Manchester City midfielder already knows plenty about […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne says he is willing to sign a contract extension amid reports the Belgian is close to agreeing a new deal. De Bruyne has two-and-a-half years to run on his current deal, but it was claimed this week that City are in talks with him over a […]