Douala (AFP) – A stunning early strike by Max-Alain Gradel gave the Ivory Coast a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea in their opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations in Douala on Wednesday. Gradel, the former Bournemouth and Saint-Etienne winger who now plays club football in Turkey, fired home an unstoppable shot from 20 […]

Limbe (Cameroon) (AFP) – Debutants Gambia beat Mauritania 1-0 on Wednesday in an Africa Cup of Nations Group F match in Limbe overshadowed by the bizarre finish to an earlier game that Mali won by the same score against Tunisia. A Gambian throw-in began a move that finished with Ablie Jallow slamming a rising shot […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City's revenue exceeded arch rivals Manchester United for the first time last year, the Premier League champions revealed in their latest financial accounts on Wednesday. City reported club record revenue of £569.8 million ($780 million) for their title-winning 2020-21 season. That was a revenue increase of 19 per cent on the […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund can expect to know by the end of February whether star striker Erling Haaland will stay past the end of this season, according to reports in Germany. The 21-year-old was named Norway's footballer of the year for the second time in succession on Wednesday. Speculation is rife that Haaland will […]

Limbe (Cameroon) (AFP) – The Africa Cup of Nations match between Mali and Tunisia on Wednesday ended in confusion amid bizarre scenes as the Tunisian team complained that the referee had blown the final whistle too soon. Zambian official Janny Sikazwe blew for the end of the Group F game in Limbe to signal that […]

Limbe (Cameroon) (AFP) – Mali beat title hopefuls Tunisia 1-0 in a match that was a tale of two penalties on Wednesday as the Africa Cup of Nations moved to Limbe in Cameroon's southwest, a region on edge due to the conflict led by anglophone separatists. Ibrahima Kone's spot-kick shortly after half-time proved the different […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman has signed a contract extension until 2027, the Bundesliga leaders confirmed Wednesday. "I am very happy because FC Bayern are one of the best clubs in the world and I know that we still have a lot of opportunities and big goals," the France winger said in […]

London (AFP) – Mikel Arteta is adamant that Arsenal can still attract the world's best players despite their struggles in recent years as rumours persist of a move for Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic. The Gunners, who travel to Liverpool on Thursday for the first leg of their League Cup semi-final, are fourth in the Premier […]

Southampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Southampton got Serbian businessman Dragan Solak's reign as owner off to a flying start with a 4-1 thrashing of Brentford on Tuesday to pull further clear of the relegation zone. Another season in the top-flight looks safe for the Saints as they moved above Brentford into 11th, 13 points clear […]

Yaoundé (AFP) – Kelechi Iheanacho overshadowed fellow Premier League stars Mohamed Salah and Riyad Mahrez on Tuesday as Nigeria made a winning start to their Africa Cup of Nations campaign and title-holders Algeria were held. The Leicester City forward scored the only goal on 30 minutes as Nigeria overcame lacklustre Egypt 1-0 in a clash […]

Madrid (AFP) – Coach Xavi Hernandez said on Tuesday this week's Clasico semi-final in the Spanish Super Cup could be a turning point for Barcelona as they try to re-establish themselves among Europe's elite. Barca have fallen 17 points behind Real Madrid in La Liga and crashed out of the Champions League in the group […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Kelechi Iheanacho overshadowed fellow Premier League stars Mohamed Salah and Riyad Mahrez on Tuesday as Nigeria made a winning start to their Africa Cup of Nations campaign and title-holders Algeria were held. The Leicester City forward scored the only goal on 30 minutes as Nigeria overcame lacklustre Egypt 1-0 in a clash […]

Garoua (Cameroon) (AFP) – Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho scored as Nigeria put a troubled build-up to the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon behind them on Tuesday to beat disappointing Egypt 1-0 in Garoua. Iheanacho struck after 30 minutes to take the Super Eagles to the top of the table after the opening match […]

Douala (AFP) – Africa Cup of Nations title hopefuls Ivory Coast were dealt a blow on the eve of their first game at the tournament as first-choice goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo was ruled out for doping. The Ivorian Football Federation revealed news of the FIFA-imposed ban on Tuesday, 24 hours before the Elephants play Equatorial Guinea […]

London (AFP) – Football, rugby and other outdoor events in Scotland can return to full houses next week after the country's government expressed tentative hope on Tuesday that the worst of the Omicron Covid outbreak had passed. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said a 500-person cap on outdoor events would be lifted from Monday, but that […]