London (AFP) – Gareth Southgate refused to be embroiled in a war of words with Krasimir Balakov after the Bulgaria manager said England has more problems with racism than his country. England's Euro 2020 qualifier against Bulgaria on Monday has been overshadowed by fears that racist abuse will be directed at Southgate's players in Sofia. […]

Elche (Spain) (AFP) – Argentina thumped Ecuador 6-1 in a friendly in Spain on Sunday, making light of the continued absence of Lionel Messi and a number of other top stars. The comfortable win came despite Messi being suspended until November for his anti-CONMEBOL outburst during the Copa America and the unavailability of River Plate […]

Ramallah (Territoires palestiniens) (AFP) – Saudi Arabia's national football team arrived in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Sunday, on a groundbreaking visit to play against Palestine on Tuesday. The game will be played in the West Bank town of Al-Ram, between Ramallah and Jerusalem, and marks a change in policy for the Gulf state, which has […]

Singapore (AFP) – Neymar's return to Champions League action may be delayed after the Paris Saint-Germain forward limped off after just 12 minutes of Brazil's friendly against Nigeria on Sunday. The 27-year-old, who played the full 90 minutes against Senegal on Thursday, clutched his hamstring after eight minutes and was replaced by Philippe Coutinho shortly […]

Milan (AFP) – Roberto Mancini has succeeded with stage one of his mission to bounce back from failing to qualify for the last World Cup by sealing Italy's place at Euro 2020 with Saturday's 2-0 win over Greece that pushed their perfect qualifying run to seven matches. In November 2017, headlines spoke of an 'Apocalypse' […]

Perth (Australia) (AFP) – Irishman Roy O'Donovan scored an equaliser in the dying seconds to hand Liverpool great Robbie Fowler a point in his opening game as coach for Brisbane Roar in Australia's A-League Sunday. While the former England striker was briefly player-coach of Thai club Muangthong United, and worked extensively at Liverpool's academy, he […]

Saint-Denis (France) (AFP) – France host Turkey in a crunch Euro 2020 qualifier on Monday with the teams vying for top spot in Group H and diplomatic tension simmering between the two nations after Turkey's bombardment of Syrian Kurds this week. With three games to go in the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign the sides have […]

Seoul (AFP) – North and South Korea face each other in a World Cup qualifier this week for their first ever competitive men's match in Pyongyang, while talks on the North's nuclear arsenal remain deadlocked. The teams — with Tottenham's star striker Son Heung-min included in the South Korean squad — are expected to step […]

Kharkiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Andriy Shevchenko enjoyed an illustrious career as Ukraine's greatest striker. Now as coach of the national team, he is on the brink of guiding the side to Euro 2020. The former Dynamo Kiev and AC Milan star, nicknamed "Sheva", was appointed Ukraine coach in July 2016, his first managerial role. On […]

Rome (AFP) – Italy punched their ticket to Euro 2020 with a 2-0 win over Greece in Rome on Saturday to turn the page on their failure to qualify for the last World Cup. Decked out in green, a colour they had worn just once before at the Stadio Olimpico back in 1954, Roberto Mancini's […]

Paris (AFP) – Italy became the second team to qualify for Euro 2020 after a 2-0 win over Greece on Saturday, while three-time champions Spain edged closer to the finals despite conceding a stoppage-time equaliser away to Norway. Chelsea midfielder Jorginho dispatched a second-half penalty as Italy, wearing green kits for just the second time […]

Oslo (AFP) – Sergio Ramos broke the Spanish international appearances record on Saturday as he won his 168th cap in a 1-1 draw against Norway to overtake Iker Casillas. The Spain captain was named in the starting line-up in Oslo for the Euro 2020 qualifier by coach Robert Moreno, 14 years since making his debut […]

Rome (AFP) – Italy sealed their ticket to Euro 2020 on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Greece to maintain their perfect record in Group J at the Stadio Olimpico, which will host the opening match of next year's tournament. Chelsea midfielder Jorginho slotted in a penalty after 63 minutes with Juventus forward Federico Bernardeschi […]

Oslo (AFP) – Joshua King's 94th-minute penalty snatched Norway a 1-1 draw with Spain in Oslo on Saturday as the three-time champions were made to wait to qualify for Euro 2020. Victory would have booked Robert Moreno's Spain a spot at next year's finals, to be played at 12 venues across Europe, if Romania had […]

Paris (AFP) – Kasper Schmeichel produced a series of excellent saves as Denmark defeated Switzerland 1-0 in Euro 2020 qualifying Saturday to pull level with Republic of Ireland in Group D. Leicester City goalkeeper Schmeichel pulled off superb stops to deny Granit Xhaka, Admir Mehmedi and Ricardo Rodriguez before Yussuf Poulsen grabbed an 84th-minute winner […]