Johannesburg (AFP) – Injured Liverpool star Mohamed Salah defied his club and captained Egypt to a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying victory over Guinea in Cairo at the weekend, according to national coach Ehab Galal. "Salah was hit by an injury, but played through it," said Galal following his debut after Portuguese Carlos Queiroz […]

London (AFP) – UK ministers must press UEFA and the French government to "retract the attempts to smear" Liverpool fans over the chaotic scenes at the Champions League final, lawmakers heard on Monday. European football's governing body UEFA last week apologised to spectators over their "frightening" experience before the match in Paris and has also […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Gareth Southgate said Germany remain the benchmark for England as a result of their trophy-winning pedigree as he prepared his side for Tuesday's Nations League clash in Munich. England will look to bounce back from their surprise Nations League defeat to Hungary when they face the four-time World Cup winners in […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Brazil manager Tite said his team's "mentality" can make the difference at the World Cup, after they broke down a stubborn Japan in a 1-0 friendly win in Tokyo on Monday. Neymar broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 77th minute, but only after Japan had frustrated Brazil with a […]

London (AFP) – Veteran midfielder James Milner has signed a new one-year contract with Liverpool, the Premier League club announced on Monday. Since arriving on a free transfer in 2015, Milner has helped Jurgen Klopp's team win six major honours, including the Champions League and Premier League. Liverpool were chasing an unprecedented quadruple in the […]

Seoul (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min celebrated his 100th international match with a picturesque goal from a free kick on Monday as he led South Korea to a 2-0 victory over 10-man Chile in a tune-up for the World Cup. The East Asian country's other Premier League player, Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers, […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Neymar scored a 77th-minute penalty as Brazil broke down a stubborn Japan 1-0 in Tokyo on Monday to keep their momentum building ahead of the World Cup in Qatar. The South American heavyweights arrived in Tokyo fresh off a 5-1 thrashing of South Korea in Seoul last week, but Japan proved a […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany's coach Hansi Flick said on Monday that his team would need to improve against England's 'extraordinary players' in a Nations League clash in Munich on Tuesday. Flick praised the English Premier League at his pre-match press conference saying "the quality is very high". "They have six or seven clubs of almost […]

Sofia (AFP) – Yasen Petrov has quit as Bulgaria's national football coach after watching his team lose 5-2 to Georgia in the Nations League. "I do not have the moral right to stay. We will part. I take up all the responsibility," Petrov told public BNT television after the game late Sunday. The 53-year-old Petrov […]

Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi scored all the goals in Argentina's 5-0 friendly win over Estonia in Pamplona, Spain on Sunday. Messi joins a select club comprising only Juan Andres Marvezy and Manuel Moreno to score five in a game for Argentina. The seven-time Ballon d'Or scored from the spot in the eighth minute, then […]

Paris (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo marshalled Portugal past Switzerland in the Nations League on Sunday as Gavi made history becoming Spain's youngest ever scorer. Ronaldo scored two goals in four first half minutes and had a third ruled offside by VAR as Portugal crushed Switzerland 4-0 in Lisbon. The Manchester United striker had set up […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – It was billed as the Mohamed Salah versus Naby Keita show, but Mostafa Mohamed took centre stage with a late winner as Egypt beat Guinea 1-0 on Sunday in 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying. Liverpool teammates and national team captains, Salah and Keita were creative but failed to score in a […]

Prague (AFP) – Gavi became Spain's youngest scorer ever and Inigo Martinez headed home a late equaliser as Spain drew 2-2 with the Czech Republic in the Nations League in Prague on Sunday. Gavi scored with a low curling left-footer at the record age of 17 years and 304 days, levelling the first-half score at […]

Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Gareth Bale hailed Wales' qualification for a first World Cup since 1958 as the greatest result in their history after a 1-0 win over Ukraine in Cardiff cruelly denied the war-torn nation a place in Qatar. Bale's free-kick, which was turned into his own net by Ukrainian captain Andriy Yarmolenko, […]

Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Gareth Bale led Wales to their first World Cup since 1958 as Ukraine's dreams of lifting the spirits of a war-torn country were cruelly denied by a 1-0 defeat in Cardiff on Sunday. Bale's free-kick, which was turned into his own net by Ukrainian captain Andriy Yarmolenko, separated the sides […]