London (AFP) – Australia's star batsman Steve Smith will return to action on Thursday after missing the third Ashes Test because of concussion and laughed off the claim England pace bowler Jofra Archer was his nemesis. Smith, who has been cleared to play in the tour match with county side Derbyshire, suffered the concussion in […]

London (AFP) – Historic football club Bury, the first team to be expelled from the English Football League in over two decades, suffered a further blow Wednesday when they were kicked out of the FA Cup. The once-proud club that only a few months ago were celebrating promotion to the third tier, were turfed out […]

London (AFP) – Historic football club Bury on Tuesday became the first team to be expelled from the English Football League in over two decades after a takeover bid collapsed. The two-time FA Cup winners, who only a few months ago were celebrating promotion to the third tier, lost all hope of salvation when a […]

Washington (AFP) – Wayne Rooney was handed an additional one-game ban on Tuesday following his sending off for D.C. United against the New York Red Bulls on August 21, Major League Soccer confirmed. Rooney was given a red card for violent conduct after striking Red Bulls midfielder Cristian Casseres with a forearm during a penalty […]

Paris (AFP) – After a day on which Croatia and Serbia took potshots at each other over the symbolism of a tank both their national champions on Tuesday evening reached the group stage of the Champions League. Red Star Belgrade drew their play-off second leg 1-1 at home to Young Boys in Belgrade to advance on […]

Paris (AFP) – Neymar said he had "realised" his dream with a cameo appearance in his favourite Netflix show as later Tuesday there was a fresh plot twist in his long-running Paris Saint-Germain transfer drama. The Brazil forward is anxious for a move back to Spain with both Barcelona and Real Madrid trying to seal […]

Paris (AFP) – Defender Youssouf Kone was sent-off for a headbutt as Lyon lost 1-0 to Montpellier in Ligue 1 on Tuesday, in Sylvinho's first defeat in charge. Kone was sent off early in the second half after clashing heads with the home side's Algeria international Andy Delort. Before the defeat, coach Sylvinho had guided […]

London (AFP) – Fans of former FA Cup winners Bolton Wanderers and Bury waited anxiously to hear if their clubs were to be expelled from the English Football League on Tuesday. With the 1600GMT deadline imposed by the football authorities having expired for both clubs to have passed into new ownership Bury appeared to be […]

Bogota (AFP) – Colombia will be without star duo James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao for next month's friendlies against Brazil and Venezuela, coach Carlos Queiroz announced on Tuesday. Falcao, his country's record goalscorer, has an ankle injury while Rodriguez, who is third on that all-time list, was injured in Real Madrid's 1-1 draw with Real […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Algerian Adel Amrouche was appointed coach of Botswana Tuesday on a three-year contract, and tasked with lifting the fortunes of the African football minnows. Botswana took only one point from a possible 18 in the last Africa Cup of Nations qualifying competition, which led to coach David Bright being fired. Known as […]

Nice (France) (AFP) – The new British owners of French club Nice have a measured "three to five-year" plan to become regulars in Europe, Bob Ratcliffe, the brother of billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, revealed on Tuesday. "Our target will be to be in the Champions League in a three to five-year period — we are not […]

London (AFP) – Experienced duo Steven Naismith and Robert Snodgrass were recalled to the Scotland squad by Steve Clarke on Tuesday for next month's challenging home Euro 2020 qualifiers with Russia and Belgium. Naismith, who won the last of his 49 caps against Portugal in October last year, has been beset by injury problems and […]

Belgrade (AFP) – Red Star Belgrade fans stirred controversy by parking an army tank outside their stadium ahead of Tuesday's Champions League play-off second leg against Swiss side Young Boys. The tank, a decommissioned T-55 purchased from an army depot and painted with Red Star's logo, was installed with a crane outside the stadium stands […]

Paris (AFP) – Seven people suspected of organising and taking part in burglaries at the homes of Paris Saint-Germain footballers Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Thiago Silva were charged in the French capital on Tuesday, according to judicial sources. Six men and one woman, aged between 25 and 29, were detained in Paris and the surrounding […]

Istanbul (AFP) – French defender Adil Rami, part of his country's World Cup-winning squad last year, has signed for Fenerbahce following his sacking by Marseille, the Turkish club announced on Tuesday. The 33-year-old has signed a one-year contract with the Istanbul outfit which includes the option of a second season, Fenerbahce said in a statement. […]