Houston (AFP) – Porto midfielder Jesus Manuel "Tecatito" Corona scored a superb individual goal as Mexico snatched a 1-1 draw with Venezuela to qualify for the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals as group winners here Monday. Mexico appeared to be heading for an embarrassing defeat against the lightly regarded Venezuelans, who led through a 10th minute […]

Moscow (AFP) – Rampaging football fans have opened up a new sporting crisis for Russia as it battles doping scandals and doubts about the World Cup that it will host in two years. Sanctions that UEFA is considering against Russia over pitched fights, racist chants and fireworks hurled around the European Championship game against England […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA will on Tuesday announce a first verdict against Russia for the football unrest caused by their fans at Euro 2016 while England questioned security for high-risk matches this week. A French court, meanwhile, ordered prison terms of up to a year against 10 men — six Britons, three French and one […]

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – Minnows Albania could feel the full force of Euro 2016 hosts France as confidence grows ahead of their Group A encounter in Marseille on Wednesday, warned striker Olivier Giroud. Arsenal striker Giroud put any lingering doubts over his goalscoring form behind him after 57 minutes at the Stade de France on […]

Paris (AFP) – Switzerland and new Arsenal signing Granit Xhaka go in hunt of a second victory in Euro 2016 on Wednesday against a Romania side fighting for survival. Romania came close to frustrating France in the tournament-opening match before Dimitri Payet's sublime winner gave the French a last-gasp 2-1 win. The Swiss meanwhile had […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – Fresh from holding England in Marseille in their Euro 2016 Group B opener, Russia face Slovakia in Lille on Wednesday knowing a win would all but secure progression to the last 16. Russia's opening game on Saturday was overshadowed by the trouble that flared in the city of Marseille and in […]

Paris (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo headlines Tuesday's action at Euro 2016 with another goalscoring record in sight as Portugal face Iceland on their debut in a major international tournament. Austria and Hungary also start their campaigns in the second Group F match of the day. Ronaldo can become the first man to score in four […]

Before Brazil faced Peru at Gillette Stadium in the final match of the group stage during the 2016 Copa America Centenario, many considered Dunga's men reaching the quarter-finals a foregone conclusion. And while their failure to reach the knockout rounds was one of the major shocks of the tournament so far, the writing was on […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he had witnessed rigged draws for European football competitions using "hot and cold balls," in an interview with an Argentine newspaper published Monday. Blatter said no draw for a FIFA event had been fixed during his 18 years at the helm of world football's governing […]

Lyon (AFP) – Italy's Antonio Conte says the 'open wound' of their 2014 World Cup failure should inspire the Azzurri to success at Euro 2016 after their impressive 2-0 win over Belgium. Goals in either half from Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle saw Italy floor much-fancied Belgium at the Stade de Lyon on Monday. Italy […]

Lyon (AFP) – Belgium coach Marc Wilmots refused to blame his Premier League stars for the Red Devils' below-par display in their 2-0 defeat to Italy in Monday's Euro 2016 opener. Much-fancied Belgium were floored by goals in either half from Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle as Italy hit the ground running at the European […]

Lyon (AFP) – Goals in either half from Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle ensured Italy hit the ground running at Euro 2016 as the Azzurri condemned highly-fancied Belgium to a 2-0 defeat on Monday. Marc Wilmot's Belgium, the highest ranked side coming into the European championship finals, dominated for long spells of the Group E […]

Paris (AFP) – English FA chief Greg Dyke on Monday raised the alarm over security for England's next Euro 2016 game after the pitched battles with Russian fans in their first match. Dyke also slammed stadium security Saturday's game against Russia in Marseille as "unacceptable" in a letter to Europe's governing body UEFA. The letter […]

Hopes were high for ESPN’s coverage of the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament as the network has sent close to twenty commentators and reporters to France for the finals. Unlike FOX Sports, whose coverage of the Copa America has been focused around LA-based commentators, US-oriented storylines and light-hearted programming, ESPN has taken a serious “newsy” approach […]

Lyon (AFP) – Italy goalscorer Emanuele Giaccherini said the Azzurri have the best defence at Euro 2016 after they shut out Belgium's star-studded attack in a 2-0 win on Monday. Goals in either half from Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle ensured Italy hit the ground running at the European championship finals as the Azzurri condemned highly-fancied […]