Throughout the history of the US Men's National Team (USMNT) attempting to qualify for various World Cups, one venue has stood out above all other as a venue where it is immensely difficult to get a result. Azteca Stadium in Mexico City has held that place in the American soccer psyche for many years but […]

Paris (AFP) – Denmark's Christian Eriksen made an emotional goal-scoring return to international football on Saturday as England, Germany and Spain carved out friendly victories. Eriksen found the net two minutes after coming on with a powerful drive in a 4-2 defeat against fellow World Cup qualifiers Netherlands in Amsterdam. It was his first national […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Denmark's Christian Eriksen scored on his return to international football after suffering a cardiac arrest last year in a 4-2 friendly defeat against the Netherlands on Saturday. A little more than nine months – 287 days – after his collapse at Euro 2020, Eriksen pulled off a remarkable comeback at the Johan […]

Berlin (AFP) – Chelsea pair Kai Havertz and Timo Werner both hit the net Saturday as Germany eased past Israel with a 2-0 friendly win in Sinsheim. After the Premier League pair scored first-half goals, Germany's stand-in captain Thomas Mueller and Israel sub Yonatan Cohen both failed to convert late penalty attempts. Germany head coach Hansi […]

Miami (AFP) – United States coach Gregg Berhalter says his team have banished memories of their 2018 World Cup qualifying flop as they aim to take a giant stride towards Qatar 2022 with victory over Panama on Sunday. The latest round of CONCACAF qualifying takes place on Sunday with five teams still in the hunt […]

Paris (AFP) – Harry Kane converted a late penalty to close in on the all-time England goal-scoring record and secure a 2-1 win over fellow World Cup qualifiers Switzerland on Saturday while Spain marked their return to Catalonia for the first time in almost two decades with a narrow victory against Albania. Kane netted from […]

Paris (AFP) – Harry Kane converted a late penalty to close in on the all-time England goal-scoring record and secure a 2-1 win over fellow World Cup qualifiers Switzerland on Saturday while Belgium and Croatia were both held to draws. Kane netted from the spot to reach 49 England goals, moving him ahead of Gary […]

London (AFP) – Harry Kane moved level with Bobby Charlton on England's list of record goalscorers as the striker's late penalty secured a 2-1 win against Switzerland in Saturday's friendly at Wembley. Kane netted from the spot to reach 49 England goals, moving him ahead of Gary Lineker and into a second place tie with […]

Rome (AFP) – Italy coach Roberto Mancini did not discuss his own future but told distraught fans on Saturday that "accepting even defeats in life is part of a healthy path of human and sports growth," European champions Italy failed to qualify for a second straight World Cup after crashing to a 1-0 defeat […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Lionel Messi scored on his return to the national team as Argentina stretched their world-leading unbeaten run to 30 matches with a routine 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Venezuela on Friday. Goals from Nicolas Gonzalez and Angel Di Maria, both created by Rodrigo De Paul, also kept a packed Bombonera […]

Marseille (France) (AFP) – Aurelien Tchouameni struck two minutes into added time on Friday as France came from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in a friendly in Marseille. The Monaco midfielder headed the winner from a corner as an experimental French team beat an Ivory Coast side filled with familiar names. "We are a […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Prolific Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah was the architect of the only goal as Egypt edged Senegal 1-0 in Cairo on Friday in a high-profile World Cup play-off first leg. Salah turned inside the box and slammed the ball against the crossbar with the rebound hitting Senegal defender Saliou Ciss and rolling […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Veteran forward Islam Slimani scored five minutes before half-time to give Algeria a 1-0 win over Cameroon in Douala on Friday in the first leg of a World Cup play-off. Slimani, 33, soared in a crowded goalmouth to head a Youcef Belaili free-kick powerfully past goalkeeper Andre Onana into the roof of the […]

London (AFP) – Wales captain Gareth Bale has slammed the "malicious" Spanish media critics who labelled him a "parasite" before his World Cup play-off heroics. Bale was accused of a lack of commitment and professionalism after missing Real Madrid's loss to Barcelona last weekend, only to declare himself fit for Wales duty days later. Spanish […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Tarik Tissoudali scored a brilliant equaliser as Morocco moved closer to a sixth World Cup appearance by drawing 1-1 with the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa on Friday. A move that began with a superb slide tackle by Moroccan defender Romain Saiss ended with Tissoudali rifling the ball into the […]