Paris (AFP) – Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha raised his Premier League goal tally to three this season with a brace in a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa at the weekend. The Ivory Coast international was hailed by manager Patrick Vieira, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, after adding to his goal at Liverpool […]

Sydney (AFP) – Australia recruited former coach Guus Hiddink on Monday to help in their World Cup build-up, with the experienced Dutch tactician invited back for their final home game ahead of the tournament. The 75-year-old, who ended Australia's 32-year World Cup exile by steering them to the 2006 tournament where they reached the last […]

Washington (AFP) – D.C. United boss Wayne Rooney has given up hope of turning Major League Soccer's doormats into a playoff club after a 6-0 home drubbing. The Manchester United and England national team legend returned to his former MLS club aiming for a revival similar to when he arrived as a player and lifted […]

Madrid (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski got off the mark for Barcelona with a double as Ansu Fati starred as a substitute in a 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday, while Villarreal won at Atletico Madrid. Poland striker Lewandowski, celebrating his 34th birthday, put Barca ahead inside 50 seconds before Alexander Isak levelled for La […]

Milan (AFP) – AC Milan came away from a tough Serie A encounter at Atalanta with a hard-earned 1-1 draw on Sunday, while Napoli's new boy Khvicha Kvaratskhelia starred in a 4-0 thumping of promoted Monza. Ismael Bennacer made sure that the champions came away from the Gewiss Stadium with a point with a well-placed […]

Paris (AFP) – Hat-trick star Kylian Mbappe matched one Ligue 1 record by scoring after just eight seconds in Lille to set Paris Saint-Germain on their way to a 7-1 victory on Sunday while the division hit a modern high with 11 red cards in one weekend. Mbappe equalled a 30-year-old record when he burst […]

Madrid (AFP) – Villarreal moved to the top of the fledgling La Liga table as second-half goals from Yeremy Pino and Gerard Moreno secured a 2-0 victory at Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Unai Emery's men opened their season with an impressive 3-0 win at Real Valladolid last weekend but the scalp of Atletico will raise […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane said he is unsurprised by his side's record-breaking start to the season, crediting manager Julian Nagelsmann's intense training sessions and tactical nous. Bayern have won all three games and their +14 goal difference means they have made the best ever start in Bundesliga history. After three rounds […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis were again on target as Celtic moved two points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 2-0 win over Hearts on Sunday. The Hoops were far from their best, but did enough to extend their perfect start to the season after four games thanks […]

Paris (AFP) – Kylian Mbappe equalled a 30-year-old Ligue 1 record when he opened the scoring after eight seconds for Paris Saint-Germain in Lille on Sunday. PSG swept forward after kickoff. The move ended with Mbappe bursting into space, collecting a pass from Lionel Messi and surprising the Lille goalkeeper Leo Jardim with a lob to […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Orlando Pirates lost a chance to top the South African Premiership table on Sunday when held 0-0 by lowly SuperSport United in Pretoria. A three-goal victory, or a two-goal win in which they netted at least five times, would have enabled the Soweto Buccaneers to replace AmaZulu as leaders. Given the poor […]

Milan (AFP) – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ensured Napoli continued their fast start to the Serie A season on Sunday with his double and classy display in a simple 4-0 win over Monza. Goals in each half of a stroll at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona from the Georgia winger helped Napoli make it two wins from […]

Berlin (AFP) – Sadio Mane scored two goals, including one from the penalty spot, as Bayern Munich routed hapless Bochum 7-0 to extend their perfect start to the Bundesliga season on Sunday. Bochum striker Simon Zoller summed up the loss, which is the worst home result in the club's 174-year history. "They kicked our butts. […]

Newcastle (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola said Newcastle are now one of the Premier League's toughest tests after Manchester City were forced to come from 3-1 down to salvage a 3-3 draw from an enthralling encounter on Sunday. The Magpies have not splashed the cash of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund to the extent […]

Newcastle (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Erling Haaland helped Manchester City fight back from 3-1 down to salvage a 3-3 draw from an enthralling encounter at Newcastle on Sunday. Despite Ilkay Gundogan's early opener for City, Newcastle had the champions on the ropes as goals from Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier had St. James' […]