Paris (AFP) – Fedor Smolov became the first Russian international footballer to express his opposition to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia posting on Instagram: "No to war." The 32-year-old Dynamo Moscow striker's post is against a dark backdrop and followed by a Ukrainian flag and a broken heart icon. The 45-times capped Smolov — […]

Paris (AFP) – The Netherlands clinched the final automatic place in European qualifying for the 2022 World Cup as late goals from Steven Bergwijn and Memphis Depay sealed a 2-0 win over Norway on Tuesday, with Turkey and Ukraine grabbing play-off spots. The Dutch, with injured coach Louis van Gaal watching from the stands in […]

Kiev (AFP) – Anthony Martial scored a rare international goal on Saturday but World Cup holders France stumbled again on their road to the 2022 finals in Qatar, drawing 1-1 with Ukraine in Kiev. Manchester United forward Martial forced in the equaliser five minutes into the second half to cancel out a superb strike by […]

Kiev (AFP) – Oleksandr Petrakov, who managed Ukraine's youth football team to victory at the Under-20 World Cup in 2019, was named acting coach of the Ukrainian national team on Wednesday. Petrakov, 64, who has coached various Ukraine youth teams for the past decade, takes over from  Andriy Shevchenko, who managed Ukraine for five years […]

Rome (AFP) – England qualified for the Euro 2020 semi-finals on Saturday with a thumping 4-0 win over Ukraine in Rome and will return home to face Denmark for a shot at a first major title since the 1966 World Cup. AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from the quarter-final at the Stadio […]

Rome (AFP) – Harry Kane scored twice as a buoyant England cruised through to the semi-finals of Euro 2020 with a one-sided 4-0 win over Ukraine in Rome on Saturday. Kane ended a worrying international scoring drought by netting in the 2-0 last-16 defeat of Germany in midweek and he put England ahead inside four […]

Rome (AFP) – England will be on their guard against surprise Euro 2020 quarter-finalists Ukraine in Rome on Saturday, while an increasingly confident Denmark hope to keep their inspiring run going against the Czech Republic. After beating old rivals Germany in a knockout match for the first time since the 1966 World Cup final, England […]

Rome (AFP) – Excitement is building in England after their Euro 2020 last-16 win over Germany, a result which left them with a theoretically favourable path to the final as they look to win a first major tournament since 1966. However Ukraine, who stand in their way in Saturday's quarter-final in Rome, are hoping to […]

London (AFP) – Underdogs Ukraine's spirit will see them "die on the field" before they yield to favourites England in Saturday's Euro 2020 quarter-final in Rome, said Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina at Wimbledon on Wednesday. Ukraine squeezed into the last eight beating Sweden 2-1 in time added on of extra-time on Tuesday. Their achievement, […]

London (AFP) – England beat Germany 2-0 on Tuesday to reach the Euro 2020 quarter-finals and end decades of hurt against their bitter rivals, setting up a showdown with Ukraine for a place in the last four. Raheem Sterling broke the deadlock at Wembley with a quarter of an hour remaining and Harry Kane finally […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Artem Dovbyk's header in the 121st minute sent Ukraine through to a Euro 2020 quarter-final clash with England on Saturday as they beat Sweden 2-1 after extra time in Glasgow. Ukraine squeezed through to the last 16 despite taking just three points in the group stage, qualifying in part because Sweden beat […]

Kiev (AFP) – Andriy Shevchenko's Ukraine might be disappointed by the fact that they only reached the knockout phase of the European Championship for the first time thanks to a considerable stroke of good fortune. But ahead of Tuesday's Euro 2020 last-16 game against Sweden, the 44-year-old coach may draw inspiration from a past encounter […]

Paris (AFP) – Austria edged to a 1-0 win over Ukraine on Monday to beat their opponents to a spot in the last 16 of Euro 2020, while Denmark will try and snatch a knockout place despite losing their first two games. Christoph Baumgartner's 21st-minute goal proved enough for Austria to secure second place in […]

Athens (AFP) – The 2018 Champions League final will be held in Kiev despite Ukraine's conflict with Russian-backed separatist rebels, UEFA's executive committee decided Thursday, officials said. The final will be held only a few weeks before rival Russia stages the World Cup. Ukraine, which was co-host of the 2012 Euros with Poland, submitted its […]

Kiev (AFP) – Former AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko was on Friday appointed coach of Ukraine, the 2004 Ballon d'Or winner's first job as a manager. The 39-year-old replaces Mykhaylo Fomenko who resigned after Ukraine were knocked out of Euro 2016 without scoring a single goal. The former Soviet republic's side was the first to […]