Paris (AFP) – Close-season signing Pedrinho's goal gave Shakhtar Donetsk a 1-0 lead over Monaco on Tuesday in their Champions League play-off round ahead of next week's second leg in Ukraine. The Brazilian playmaker joined Shakhtar from Benfica last month and scored the winner with a sublime first-half finish in the principality. The 23-year-old Pedrinho, […]

Berlin (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski netted twice as Bayern Munich retained the German Super Cup with a 3-1 win at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday in a high-tempo encounter. Lewandowski put Bayern ahead with a bullet header at Signal Iduna Park before Thomas Mueller doubled the visitors' lead to make it 2-0 just after the break. […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Argentine giants Boca Juniors sacked title-winning coach Miguel Angel Russo just six games into the new season after a disastrous start to the campaign, the club confirmed on Tuesday. The champions won none of their opening half a dozen games and picked up just four points, leaving them 24th in the […]

Yaounde (AFP) – Algeria will face the Ivory Coast, the only team they failed to defeat in winning the last Africa Cup of Nations, when Cameroon host the 2021 edition between January 9 and February 6 2022. The teams drew 1-1 after extra time in the quarter-finals and the Desert Foxes advanced by winning a […]

Rome (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday blasted reports that he was trying for a return to Real Madrid, hours after coach Carlo Ancelotti also said he was not going to take the Juventus forward back to Spain. In an Instagram post, Ronaldo said that his "story at Real Madrid has been written", although he […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Argentine giants Boca Juniors sacked title-winning coach Miguel Angel Russo just six games into the new season after a disastrous start to the campaign, local press reported. The reigning champions won none of their opening six games and picked up just four points, leaving them 24th in the 26-team league. Late […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Bordeaux forward Samuel Kalu is fit to resume training on Wednesday after collapsing during his side's game with Marseille last weekend, the Ligue 1 club announced Tuesday. The 23-year-old Nigerian international fainted and slumped to the Stade Velodrome pitch in the early stages of the 2-2 draw played in 30-degree heat on […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga club Wolfsburg on Tuesday filed an appeal after being thrown out of the German Cup because their new coach Mark van Bommel made one more substitution than the rules allow during their first-round win. The mistake happened when Wolfsburg's cup tie at fourth-tier minnows Preussen Muenster on August 8 went to […]

Lyon (AFP) – Lyon have demoted Brazilian centre-back Marcelo to the reserves due to "inappropriate behaviour", the club announced on Tuesday. French media reported the two sides were negotiating ending the 34-year-old's contract. In a statement, the Ligue 1 outfit said Marcelo's behaviour in the dressing room was "inappropriate" following Sunday's 3-0 loss to Angers, […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga club Wolfsburg have been thrown out of the German Cup after their new coach Mark van Bommel made one more substitution than the rules allow during their first-round win. The mistake happened when Wolfsburg's cup tie at fourth-tier minnows Preussen Muenster on August 8 went to extra-time, during which Van Bommel […]

Rome (AFP) – Tammy Abraham has completed his move to Roma from Chelsea, the Serie A club announced on Monday, the England forward joined former Blues boss Jose Mourinho in the Italian capital in a deal worth 40 million euros ($47 million). In a statement, Roma said that Abraham had signed a five-year contract and that […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – Lille's Portugal midfielder Renato Sanches has undergone surgery on a knee injury and will be out for six weeks, the French champions announced. Sanches had been struggling with his knee for several weeks. He played the entire 3-3 draw at Metz in the first round but was not in the squad […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Two-time Olympic gold medal winner Carli Lloyd said on Monday she will retire from the US women's national soccer team later this year. Lloyd, who was also named FIFA Women's Player of the Year twice, announced she plans to hang up her cleats after a series of national team exhibition matches […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – German Josef Zinnbauer quit as coach of leading South African club Orlando Pirates on Monday after losing his first match of the season, the club announced. The 51-year-old, who took charge of the Soweto outfit in 2019, did not mention the surprise 2-1 home defeat by Swallows in a MTN 8 knockout […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku said on Monday believes he is now a "complete" striker as the club's record signing settles back into life at Stamford Bridge. Lukaku rejoined Chelsea in a £98 million ($135 million) move from Inter Milan last week. The 28-year-old was unavailable for Chelsea's 3-0 win against Crystal Palace in […]