Belfast (AFP) – Italy will have to get through the play-offs if they are to return to the World Cup after a goalless draw at Northern Ireland on Monday allowed Switzerland to pip them on the final day of qualifying. Roberto Mancini's European champions knew that they needed to match the Swiss' result against Bulgaria […]

Sao Paulo (AFP) – Brazil forward Neymar has been ruled out of his country's World Cup qualifying clash with arch-rivals Argentina with a thigh problem, the Brazilian football confederation (CBF) announced Monday. The Paris Saint-Germain star played the full 90 minutes and set up Lucas Paqueta's winning goal as Brazil beat Colombia on Thursday to […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United have revealed talks with supporters over the introduction of a fans' share scheme have reached an advanced stage. United co-chairman Joel Glazer proposed a scheme to enable fans to build an ownership stake in the Premier League club. The Glazer family, United's owners, reacted after furious protests against the club […]

London (AFP) – Former Liverpool and England striker Andy Carroll joined Championship club Reading on a short-term contract on Monday. Carroll left Newcastle in the close-season after his second spell with the Tyneside club produced only eight Premier League appearances in two years. The 32-year-old was without a team at the start of this season […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – South Africa demanded on Monday that a 2022 World Cup qualifier against Ghana be replayed after a controversial penalty cost them an African play-offs slot. TV replays showed Ghana defender Daniel Amartey apparently diving during the Group G decider on Sunday, leading to a penalty Andre Ayew converted for a 1-0 win […]

London (AFP) – Steven Gerrard said his first match as Aston Villa manager "can't come quickly enough" as he prepares for the visit of Brighton on Saturday. The 41-year-old left Scottish champions Rangers to take the helm at the Birmingham-based club, who sacked Dean Smith last week after five successive league defeats. Villa are languishing […]

Paris (AFP) – European champions Italy and England can qualify for the 2022 World Cup on Monday but Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal will have to wait until next year to battle through the playoffs. Portugal crashed to a 2-1 loss to Serbia on Sunday that sent the winners through to the finals in Qatar and forced […]

The Hague (AFP) – The Dutch campaign to qualify for next year's World Cup suffered another blow after coach Louis van Gaal fell and injured his hip, Dutch media reported on Monday. Van Gaal, 70, cycled to his hotel after a training session ahead of the team's crucial qualifier against Norway on Tuesday when the […]

London (AFP) – The Premier League's bottom side Norwich City on Monday named former Aston Villa boss Dean Smith as their new head coach, tasked with saving them from relegation. The 50-year-old Smith, who was axed by Villa on November 7 after five successive defeats, takes over at Carrow Road on a two-and-a-half-year contract, the […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo's hopes of playing in a record-equalling fifth World Cup hang in the balance after Serbia stunned Portugal 2-1 in Lisbon to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. Spain and Croatia did secure their places in Qatar on Sunday thanks to 1-0 wins over Sweden and Russia respectively. Ronaldo already holds […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Captain Andre Ayew converted a controversial penalty in his 100th international appearance on Sunday to take Ghana into the African World Cup qualifying play-offs with a bruising 1-0 victory over South Africa. The former West Ham United midfielder sent rival skipper Ronwen Williams the wrong way from the spot kick in Cape […]

Yerevan (AFP) – Thomas Mueller said that Germany have begun a new era under Hansi Flick after his side finished their World Cup qualification campaign on a high with a 4-1 win over Armenia on Sunday. "It's a new era for us since the change of coach, and we've been doing a lot of good […]

Yerevan (AFP) – Ilkay Gundogan scored twice on Sunday as Germany ended their World Cup qualification campaign with a 4-1 win over Armenia. The Manchester City midfielder struck either side of half time as his side cruised to a comfortable seventh successive win under new coach Hansi Flick. Having already secured qualification back in October, […]

Split (Croatia) (AFP) – Croatia secured their place at the 2022 World Cup with a 1-0 win over Russia on Sunday, a late own goal from Fedor Kudryashov swinging the game in their favour after a hard-fought battle in boggy conditions in Split. Finalists at the last World Cup in 2018, Croatia looked bound for […]

London (AFP) – Crystal Palace midfielder Conor Gallagher has been drafted into the England squad for Monday's World Cup qualifier in San Marino after Jordan Henderson, Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount and Luke Shaw withdrew on Sunday. The Three Lions only need to avoid defeat against the minnows in Serravalle to secure their place […]