London (AFP) – Gareth Southgate's reign as England interim manager started with a 2-0 victory over Malta at Wembley. Here AFP Sport looks at five things we learnt from Saturday's World Cup qualifier: Southgate faces challenges When Daniel Sturridge put England ahead midway through the first half, Gareth Southgate punched the air as if celebrating […]

London (AFP) – First-half goals by Daniel Sturridge and Dele Alli earned England a laboured 2-0 win over minnows Malta on Saturday in interim manager Gareth Southgate's first game in charge. Southgate has stepped into the breach following the departure of Sam Allardyce, who was brought down by a newspaper sting, and saw his side […]

London (AFP) – Derby manager Nigel Pearson left the struggling Championship club by "mutual consent" on Saturday, less than two weeks after he was suspended following reports of a row with the owner. Former Charlton and Huddersfield boss Chris Powell, who played for Derby in the 1990s, is the early favourite to replace Pearson after […]

The Hague (AFP) – Dutch captain Wesley Sneijder will miss the mouthwatering visit of France in Monday's World Cup qualifier after the midfielder aggravated a hamstring injury in the victory over Belarus. Feyenoord's Tonny Vilhena 21, will replace the 32-year-old Sneijder, the Dutch football federation (KNVB) said on Saturday, a day after the Netherlands saw […]

Berlin (AFP) – A potential transfer for Manchester United-reject Bastian Schweinsteiger to Red Bull New York has been ruled out by the club's head of global soccer, according to a report on Saturday. "Bastian Schweinsteiger is a great player with a great career. But there have been no conversations, he isn't and will not be […]

Beijing (AFP) – The chief of China's football association has told the country's players not to lose their confidence, after the team's embarrassing loss to war-torn Syria jeopardised hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. The national side's 0-1 defeat Thursday before a home crowd of 40,000 in the northern Chinese city of Xi'an […]

Havana (AFP) – The United States warmed up for their looming World Cup qualifying clash with Mexico with a 2-0 friendly victory over Cuba, only the third time in history the two nations have met on Cuban soil. Chris Wondolowski in the 62nd minute and Julian Green in the 71st scored for the United States on […]

London (AFP) – While historic Upton Park is being reduced to rubble by demolition workers, just across east London the price of progress seems painfully high to the West Ham fans engaged in a struggle for their club's soul. Just five months ago West Ham waved farewell to Upton Park, their home for 112 years, […]

London (AFP) – England interim manager Gareth Southgate is among hundreds of rich clients caught up in a multi-million-pound tax avoidance dispute with British authorities, a newspaper reported Friday, on the eve of his first match in charge. Southgate invested in two partnerships set up by a film investment fund, Ingenious, which is accused by […]

Aveiro (Portugal) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo marked his international return with four goals in a 6-0 mauling of hapless Andorra on Friday and then demanded eight more wins to guarantee Portugal a place in the 2018 World Cup. The Real Madrid superstar took his Portugal career tally to 65 goals in 134 games but his […]

Paris (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the opening four minutes on the way to a four-goal haul as European champions Portugal smashed Andorra 6-0 in World Cup qualifying on Friday, while France recovered from a goal down to thrash Bulgaria. The Real Madrid superstar was making his first appearance for Portugal since he […]

New York (AFP) – The former president of the Costa Rican soccer federation, Eduardo Li, pleaded guilty Friday in New York to extortion and fraud in a corruption case that has also touched dozens of former leaders of soccer's world governing body. This was a reversal for the 57-year-old, who had pleaded not guilty in […]

St Albans (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Captain Wayne Rooney and winger Theo Walcott will both start England's World Cup qualifier at home to Malta on Saturday, interim manager Gareth Southgate confirmed on Friday. Rooney, 30, has been a substitute in Manchester United's last three games and recently admitted that his poor form meant he deserved […]

Rome (AFP) – Striker and captain Mauro Icardi has extended his contract with Inter Milan until June 2021, the Serie A giants said on Friday, disappointing some of Europe's biggest clubs. The Argentine, who has hit 58 goals in 114 games in all competitions since joining Inter in 2013, has reportedly pocketed a salary increase […]

London (AFP) – Swansea manager Bob Bradley hit back at his critics on Friday as the American insisted his nationality had nothing to do with his arrival at the struggling Premier League club. Bradley was hired by Swansea's new American owners Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan to replace the sacked Francesco Guidolin ahead of popular […]