Toronto (Canada) (AFP) – The Seattle Sounders were crowned champions of Major League Soccer for the first time in the club's history after defeating Toronto FC 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out. Seattle's Roman Torres on Saturday struck the winning spot-kick at a frigid BMO Field to shatter Toronto's hopes of becoming the first Canadian winners […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Besiktas football club of Istanbul, is one of Turkey's oldest sports organisations with an impassioned fan base known for their opposition to the authorities. Twenty nine people, mainly police officers, were killed on Saturday in double attacks outside its stadium that followed the club's home Super Lig match against Bursaspor in the […]

Paris (AFP) – Come 8 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Monday, what looks to be a poorly kept secret will officially be out — Cristiano Ronaldo will bag his fourth Ballon d'Or as the world's top footballer. The Real Madrid and Portugal star won the Champions League for the second time in three seasons and third […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Rangers manager Mark Warburton says his team is finally starting to click after seeing them defeat Hearts 2-0 at Ibrox on Saturday. A goal in each half for Rob Kiernan and Barrie McKay allowed Rangers to gain revenge for a 2-0 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle just 10 days ago as they […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos believes the European champions will ride the momentum of his injury time winner to edge out Deportivo la Coruna 3-2 into their quest to win the Club World Cup. Real fly out to Japan on Sunday aiming to be crowned the world's best team for a fifth […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola shrugged off his team's woeful defending in a 4-2 defeat at Leicester, insisting that tackling opposing players was not high on his list of priorities. Premier League champions Leicester claimed victory at the King Power Stadium with Jamie Vardy ending his 16-match club goal drought […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal must maintain the standards they set in beating Stoke if they are to last the course in the Premier League title race. Wenger's side recovered after falling behind to claim a 3-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday that moved them to the top of the table […]

Milan (AFP) – A pair of sparkling assists from Felipe Anderson helped Lazio up to fourth place in Serie A with a 2-1 win at Sampdoria on Saturday. Anderson set up both Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Marco Parolo for goals late in the first half as Lazio moved to within five points of league leaders Juventus. […]

Berlin (AFP) – Ralph Hasenhuettl insists his young RB Leipzig team can handle their setback in the Bundesliga title race as their shock defeat at strugglers Ingolstadt let Bayern Munich regain top spot. Leipzig, who have an average age of 23, had kept star-studded Bayern off the top of the German league table for three […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos produced more late drama by powering home a stoppage-time winner to beat Deportivo 3-2 as the European champions set a new club record of 35 games unbeaten in all competitions. Two goals in two minutes from Joselu just after the hour mark looked set to end Real's […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said his team had been undone by "long balls" after they crashed to a 4-2 defeat at Premier League champions Leicester City on Saturday. Jamie Vardy scored a hat-trick as Leicester scored three times in the first 20 minutes and then went 4-0 up, before […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jamie Vardy admitted he was relieved to end his goal drought and get Leicester back on track as the striker's hat-trick inspired a 4-2 win against Manchester City on Saturday. Vardy brought a halt to his 16-game barren run in spectacular fashion as the England international clinically converted all three […]

Surprise Ligue 1 leaders OGC Nice will face the toughest possible test of their title credentials on Sunday, as they make the trip to champions Paris Saint-Germain for what should be a fascinating contest. Lucien Favre’s enterprising team have excelled in the French top flight this term, scoring goals at will, defending resolutely and after […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jamie Vardy ended his Leicester City goal drought with a brilliant hat-trick as the Premier League champions crushed Pep Guardiola's shambolic Manchester City 4-2 on Saturday. Leicester returned to form in style, racing into a 4-0 lead as Vardy ended a run of 16 club games without a goal by […]

Berlin (AFP) – Thomas Mueller was full of festive cheer for Bayern Munich's Christmas party on Saturday after ending his 999-minute goal drought to help Bayern go top of the Bundesliga again. Mueller scored his first German league goal since the end of April when he tapped home Arjen Robben's pass to claim Munich's fourth […]