Los Angeles (AFP) – The United States launched their 2017 season with a 1-0 victory over Germany on Wednesday in a duel of FIFA's top-ranked women's teams in the SheBelieves Cup women's tournament. Lynn Williams scored in the 56th minute to give the United States the victory in the second match of a double-header in […]

Madrid (AFP) – Gareth Bale complained he had been harshly treated after the first red card of his Real Madrid career cost the European champions in a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Las Palmas on Wednesday. Bale kicked out at Jonathan Viera twice before finally pushing the Las Palmas midfielder to the ground early […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – The 22nd season of Major League Soccer kicks off on Friday with all eyes on two new expansion teams as the competition continues its steady growth across the American sporting landscape. The arrival of Atlanta United FC and Minnesota United FC is the latest example of the league's increasing maturity and […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted he has no concerns about his goalkeeper Claudio Bravo despite the club’s supporters appearing to show their displeasure at the experienced Chilean international during a 5-1 FA Cup win over Huddersfield Town. Bravo, who has been displaced by Willy Caballero as first choice at […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane insisted his side had no one to blame but themselves despite Gareth Bale's red card in a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Las Palmas on Wednesday. Madrid looked set for a first home league defeat in a year as Las Palmas took advantage of Bale's dismissal […]

London (AFP) – British lawmakers should not boycott the 2018 World Cup in protest at Russian leader Vladimir Putin, a parliamentary committee said on Thursday. Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said last year "all options" were being considered as means of putting pressure on Russia over its role in the ongoing conflict in Syria. But […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona moved top of La Liga on the night Luis Enrique confirmed he will not continue as coach next season as Gareth Bale was sent-off in Real Madrid's thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Las Palmas. Enrique announced his decision to step down after Barca's 6-1 rout of Sporting Gijon earlier on […]

Paris (AFP) – Thomas Lemar swept Monaco into the quarter-finals of the French Cup in a thrilling 4-3 extra-time victory at Marseille on Wednesday, while holders Paris Saint-Germain trudged past second tier Niort 2-0. League leaders Monaco led three times at the Stade Velodrome through an own goal from Marseille keeper Yohann Pele and strikes […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar all struck as Barcelona leapfrogged Real Madrid to the top of La Liga with a 6-1 thrashing of Sporting Gijon on Wednesday. Madrid trail their title rivals by two points but have two games in hand and can reclaim top spot when Las Palmas visit the […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Sergio Aguero scored twice, ending a run of six domestic games without a goal, as Manchester City advanced to the FA Cup quarter-finals with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Championship side Huddersfield. Leroy Sane, Pablo Zabaleta and Kelechi Iheanacho also scored for Pep Guardiola’s side who booked a place in […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 27 points as they eased to a 4-0 victory at bottom of the table Inverness Caledonian Thistle. A superb strike from Scott Sinclair fired Celtic in front just before the break before a horrendous mistake from Inverness goalkeeper Owain Fon […]

Berlin (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski took his season tally to 30 goals to inspire Bayern Munich's 3-0 win over ten-man Schalke in the German Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. Having hit a hat-trick in last weekend's 8-0 mauling of Hamburg at home, Lewandowski's rich form continued at the Allianz Arena as he was involved in all […]

Rome (AFP) – Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ciro Immobile gave Lazio a deserved 2-0 win over bitter city rivals Roma in the first leg of their Italian Cup semi-final at a half-full Stadio Olimpico. The result made Lazio the favourites to reach the final where they are likely to face Juventus who beat Napoli 3-1 in […]

Madrid (AFP) – Gareth Bale was sent-off for the first time in his Real Madrid career for lashing out at Las Palmas midfielder Jonathan Viera on Wednesday. Bale was shown a straight red three minutes into the second-half with the scores level at 1-1 for pushing Viera after reacting angrily to a late challenge by […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona coach Luis Enrique ended speculation over his future on Wednesday by confirming he will leave the Catalan giants at the end of the season. "I will not be the coach of Barcelona next season," Enrique said after Barca's 6-1 thrashing of Sporting Gijon in La Liga. "It is a difficult, measured […]