Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Neymar scored twice, including the fastest goal in Olympics history, as Brazil set up a blockbuster showdown with Germany for Olympic gold by thrashing Honduras 6-0 on Wednesday. The sides will meet on Saturday at Rio's iconic Maracana just two years after Germany inflicted Brazil's heaviest defeat of all time […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Germany will face Brazil for the men's football gold at the Rio Olympics after goals from Lukas Klostermann and Nils Petersen handed the world champions a 2-0 win over Nigeria in Sao Paulo. Brazil earlier thrashed Honduras 6-0 with Neymar and Gabriel Jesus scoring twice to set up a fascinating […]

Paris (AFP) – Ten-man Roma held on to draw 1-1 at Porto in the first leg of their Champions League play-off on Wednesday, while Bernardo Silva gave Monaco a 2-1 victory over Villarreal in Spain. Luciano Spalletti's Roma are looking to reach the group stages for the third time in a row, and they took […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Brazil Olympic coach Rogerio Micale described star forward Neymar as a "monster" who is too often criticised after inspiring the hosts into Saturday's gold medal match with a 6-0 thrashing of Honduras on Wednesday. Neymar scored twice, including the fastest goal in Olympic history after just 15 seconds, as Brazil […]

London (AFP) – Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez has ended speculation about his immediate future by signing a new four-year contract with the English Premier League champions. "Leicester City Football Club is delighted to announce that Riyad Mahrez has signed a new contract, committing his future to the Foxes until June, 2020," said a statement […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany forward Mario Gomez will return to the Bundesliga with the ex-Besiktas and Fiorentina striker joining VfL Wolfsburg, the club said on Wednesday. Wolfsburg confirmed earlier reports from German daily Bild and magazine Kicker as well as agencies DPA and SID, an AFP subsidiary, that claimed the club was set to complete […]

Rome (AFP) – Swiss international Blerim Dzemaili joined Bologna from Turkish giants Galatasaray on Wednesday, the Serie A side announced. The 30-year-old midfielder left Napoli for Istanbul two years ago, but made just 11 league appearances in his first season in Turkey and spent last term back in Italy on loan at Genoa. Dzemaili was […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Neymar scored twice, including the fastest goal in Olympics history, as Brazil coasted into Saturday's gold medal football match with a 6-0 thrashing of Honduras at Rio's iconic Maracana. The hosts now have the chance to ease some of the pain caused by a 7-1 humiliation at the hands of […]

London (AFP) – England women's manager Mark Sampson has rued the sporting politics which he believes has denied a British team from adding another gold to the nation's growing medal collection at the Rio Olympics. Sampson guided England to a bronze medal at last year's Women's World Cup in Canada — a result that would […]

London (AFP) – Southampton manager Claude Puel is confident rumours linking captain Jose Fonte with a move to Friday's opponents Manchester United won't stop the Portugal defender concentrating on the task at hand. Fonte was a key member of the Portugal side that won Euro 2016 and is understood to be a target for several […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Neymar scored the fastest goal in Olympics history and Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus struck twice as Brazil went 3-0 up against Honduras by half-time in Rio. The hosts now have the chance to ease some of the pain caused by a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Germany on home […]

London (AFP) – Two public areas around the redeveloped Main Stand of Liverpool's Anfield ground are to be known as 96 Avenue and Paisley Square, the Premier League club said Wednesday. 96 Avenue, a name honouring the victims who were killed in a terrace crush during the 1989 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russia's most successful club Spartak Moscow announced on Wednesday they have appointed Massimo Carrera as their new manager. The Italian had been named caretaker boss after head coach Dmitry Alenichev resigned earlier this month following Spartak's elimination from the Europa League qualifying stages. The deputy chairman of Spartak's board of directors, Alexander […]

Almaty (Kazakhstan) (AFP) – Comments by former Arsenal midfielder Andrei Arshavin suggesting all athletes competing in certain Olympic sports use banned performance-enhancing drugs rattled Russia's media on Wednesday as the country remains embroiled in doping scandals. Arshavin, in an interview with a Kazakh news site published late Tuesday, said athletic success in "cyclic sports", which […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman will miss the opening weeks of the new Bundesliga season after damaging ankle ligaments on Wednesday, with the club confirming he will be out 'until further notice'. Bayern have given no fixed time for how long the French international forward is expected to be out, but some German […]