Lorient (France) (AFP) – Lorient, who just escaped relegation last season, upset visiting Monaco 1-0 on Friday as Nigerian striker Terem Moffi converted a penalty he had won. Lorient made the most of opening the fixtures on the second weekend of the season by jumping to the top of the table with four points. Monaco, who finished third […]

Madrid (AFP) – Valencia overcame a third-minute red card to beat Getafe 1-0 in a bruising opening game in Spain's La Liga on Friday. Defender Hugo Guillamon was given a straight red for a dangerous tackle on Getafe's Serbian midfielder Nemanja Maksimovic. After the referee consulted a video replay, it was the fastest sending off […]

London (AFP) – Brentford made a blistering start to their first English top-flight season for 74 years as goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard earned a 2-0 win over Arsenal in front of a first-ever full house at the Brentford Community Stadium on Friday. The Bees spent the first season at their new home […]

Mönchengladbach (Germany) (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski equalised as defending champions Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach in a hard-fought opening game of the new Bundesliga season on Friday. "It wasn't perfect football from us," Lewandowski told broadcaster Sat1. "We made a lot of mistakes, but the first game is over, […]

Mönchengladbach (Germany) (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski equalised as defending champions Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach in a hard-fought opening game of the new Bundesliga season on Friday. Gladbach deservedly took the lead when French striker Alassane Plea fired past Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with just ten minutes gone. Lewandowski […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Enyimba should be happier than Bayelsa United after the Nigerian contenders for the CAF Confederation Cup discovered on Friday who they will face in the qualifying rounds. The draws for the preliminary and first rounds in Cairo were kind to Enyimba, who received a bye into the round of 32, where they […]

Berlin (AFP) – World Cup winner Thomas Mueller has said he has no intention of hanging up his boots for Germany and is eager to play on under new national head coach Hansi Flick. The Bayern Munich star, who turns 32 next month, was recalled for the Euro 2020 finals, along with Mats Hummels, after […]

Brasília (AFP) – Neymar will face his new clubmate Lionel Messi in a South American grudge match after being named to the Brazil team on Friday for three World Cup qualifiers. Coach Tite also called up six members of the squad that retained the Olympic title by beating Spain in extra-time on August 7. Dani […]

Liverpool (AFP) – James Rodriguez will miss Everton's Premier League opener against Southampton on Saturday with the Colombian one of five players self-isolating. The playmaker's future at Goodison Park has been thrown into doubt following Carlo Ancelotti's return to Real Madrid and Rafael Benitez's appointment as Everton manager. James previously thrived under Ancelotti at Madrid, […]

Brasília (AFP) – Neymar will face his new clubmate Lionel Messi in a South American grudge match after being named Brazil captain on Friday for three World Cup qualifiers. Coach Tite also called up six members of the squad that retained the Olympic title by beating Spain in extra time on August 7. Dani Alves, […]

Madrid (AFP) – Refusing to be drawn on whether the club might yet lure Kylian Mbappe from PSG, Carlo Ancelotti insisted Friday Real Madrid have plenty of young talent coming through. With French World Cup winner Mbappe out of contract next year, Real are widely believed to be ready to pounce should the striker decide […]

London (AFP) – Leicester reinforced their defence ahead of the new Premier League season with the signing of Danish international Jannik Vestergaard from Southampton on Friday. The 29-year-old moves to the King Power Stadium for a reported fee of £15 million ($21 million) and has agreed a deal until 2024. "It's a special club that […]

London (AFP) – Newcastle secured the signing of Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock on Friday on a permanent deal after an impressive loan spell on Tyneside last season. Willock, 21, scored eight goals for the Magpies in just 14 Premier League appearances, including matching Newcastle legend Alan Shearer's record of scoring in seven consecutive games to […]

London (AFP) – Patrick Vieira says his young, fresher-looking Crystal Palace side will play "good football" while retaining some of the club's traditional values such as "commitment and hard work." The 1998 World Cup winner and Arsenal legend faces a tough first challenge as Palace manager against Champions League holders Chelsea on Saturday. The 45-year-old […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian coach Mauricio Pochettino on Friday hailed superstar arrival Lionel Messi as an "incredible" talent who will lift his team to new heights this season. "I see him as happy with incredible energy," Pochettino said after overseeing training at the club's Saint-Germain-en-Laye base west of Paris. Messi, 34, met his […]