Abu Dhabi (AFP) – India was pitted against Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Macau when the draw for the final round of qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup took place Monday. India, which like other Asian nations has invested heavily in football in recent years, is hoping to reach its first Asian Cup finals since 2011. […]

London (AFP) – Ryan Mason's clash of heads with Chelsea's Gary Cahill has again set alarm bells ringing over the risk of head injuries across a number of high profile sports. The 25-year-old Hull City midfielder remained "stable condition" in hospital after the brutal impact with Cahill, 14 minutes into Sunday's Premier League match at […]

Port-Gentil (Gabon) (AFP) – Angry fans attacked the home of Togo's Kossi Agassa and the "scarred" goalkeeper is now a major doubt for the decisive Africa Cup of Nations clash against DR Congo on Tuesday. The 38-year-old was blamed by Togolese fans for his role in the 3-1 defeat to Morocco last Friday and some […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger apologised after he was sent off and then shoved the fourth official during Arsenal's dramatic 2-1 win over Burnley but could still face a significant ban. Having taken the lead through Shkodran Mustafi's first goal for the club on Sunday, Arsenal saw Granit Xhaka dismissed for a needless foul and […]

London (AFP) – The football world rallied around Ryan Mason on Monday after the Hull City midfielder fractured his skull and underwent surgery following a nasty clash of heads with Chelsea's Gary Cahill. The 25-year-old was in a stable condition in hospital following the collision with Cahill 14 minutes into Sunday's Premier League match at […]

Oyem (Gabon) (AFP) – Having guided the Ivory Coast to glory at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Herve Renard is now hoping to end his former side's defence of the trophy when they face his Morocco team on Tuesday. The script could not have been better written, with Renard's Morocco and the Elephants clashing […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger hailed Arsenal's dramatic 2-1 win over Burnley as proof they have the character to catch runaway leaders Chelsea in the Premier League title race. Wenger's side were on the brink of suffering a damaging setback at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser. Having taken the lead […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said his side had put on a united front after Diego Costa marked his return with a goal in a 2-0 victory over Hull City. Absent from Chelsea's 3-0 win at Leicester City amid reports he had been unsettled by an offer from China, Costa celebrated his opener […]

Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – He may have found himself alongside Wayne Rooney on the Manchester United's substitutes' bench, but for fellow Old Trafford forward Jesse Lingard the record-breaking goal-scorer remains a role model. Rooney surpassed Bobby Charlton's tally of 249 goals for United when he scored with a superb curling free-kick deep into stoppage-time […]

Libreville (AFP) – Gabon talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang admitted that the Africa Cup of Nations hosts had blown their chance and blamed a poor build-up to the tournament after they were sent packing in the group stage on Sunday. "We had chances. Unfortunately there are days when it doesn't go in," said the Borussia Dortmund striker, […]

London (AFP) – Hull City midfielder Ryan Mason was in a "stable condition" in hospital on Sunday following an operation on a fractured skull, his club said after a sickening clash of heads with Chelsea's Gary Cahill, The pair collided 14 minutes into Premier League leaders Chelsea's eventual 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge. Medical staff […]

Libreville (AFP) – There was agony for Gabon on Sunday as the Africa Cup of Nations hosts were condemned to a group-stage exit following a goalless draw with Cameroon in Libreville. Star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was guilty of a glaring early miss while Denis Bouanga broke down in tears at the end after hitting the […]

Milan (AFP) – Edin Dzeko's second-half strike kept Serie A title challengers Roma in the hunt with a 1-0 win at home Cagliari that cut the gap on leaders Juventus to one point on Sunday. Fresh life was breathed into the race for the scudetto last week, especially for Roma and Napoli, when Juventus suffered […]

Paris (AFP) – Gabriel Boschilia and Valere Germain both struck twice as a rampant Monaco routed bottom side Lorient 4-0 on Sunday to climb two points clear of Nice at the top of Ligue 1. Brazilian striker Boschilia netted a brace inside the opening half hour as Monaco punished slack Lorient defending in driving rain […]

Libreville (AFP) – Gabon coach Jose Antonio Camacho refused to discuss his own future as he said bad luck was to blame for the hosts' early exit from the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday. "I am sorry for the fans and for the team. We went out to win the game but football is […]