September 9, 2025 10:05 AM

Italy keep World Cup hopes ticking over with crazy 5-4 win over Israel

Italy prevailed in a whirlwind game to beat Israel 5-4 in their World Cup qualifier in Hungary on Monday after the Italians scored two own goals, twice came from behind and conceded a late equaliser but scrambled a win to stay in the hunt in Group I. Italy had won their first game under new manager Gennaro Gattuso in a 5-0 home win over Estonia on Friday and, while it was far from a five-star performance on neutral ground away to Israel they somehow came away with the three points. "It was a c...

August 26, 2025 9:53 AM

Ngumoha in dream Premier League debut with late winner for Liverpool at Newcastle

The absent Alexander Isak dominated the build-up to Newcastle United's clash at home to Liverpool but the Swede was temporarily forgotten in a rip-roaring contest that ended 3-2 to the reigning champions thanks to a stoppage-time winner by teenaged Premier League debutant Rio Ngumoha. Isak's desire to leave Newcastle, with Liverpool his destination of choice, guaranteed a boisterous St James' Park atmosphere and it seemed Arne Slot's visitors had buckled as they threw away a flattering 2-0 lead...

August 25, 2025 9:45 AM

Fernandes misses penalty as Fulham hold Man Utd to 1-1 draw

Fulham held visitors Manchester United to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League on Sunday after Emile Smith Rowe equalised for the hosts with his first touch as a substitute to cancel out an own goal while Bruno Fernandes missed a first-half penalty. After Leny Yoro's header took a deflection off Rodrigo Muniz's back to open United's account this season, Smith Rowe scored 93 seconds after coming on as the two teams seeking their first win of the campaign shared the spoils. "We are very competitive ...

August 20, 2025 10:14 AM

Salah wins PFA Player of the Year award for unprecedented third time

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was named the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year on Tuesday, with the Egyptian becoming the first player to win the award three times. Salah, who joined Liverpool in 2017, was the Premier League's top scorer last season, with his 29 goals, along with 18 assists, playing a key role in the club winning the league title, finishing 10 points ahead of runners-up Arsenal. The 33-year-old had already clinched the Premier League Player of the...

August 20, 2025 10:13 AM

Mbappe penalty earns Real 1-0 win over stubborn Osasuna

Kylian Mbappe's second-half penalty earned Real Madrid a hard-fought 1-0 home victory over Osasuna in their opening LaLiga game of the season on Tuesday, giving Xabi Alonso a winning start in his first league match in charge of the hosts. After struggling to break down a stubborn Osasuna defence in the opening half, Mbappe won the penalty and converted from the spot six minutes after the break to give Real the lead, but the home side were unable to increase their advantage. "In the first half ...

August 18, 2025 10:24 AM

Chelsea held to 0-0 draw at home by Crystal Palace

Chelsea survived an early scare when Crystal Palace had an Eberechi Eze goal controversially disallowed in a scrappy 0-0 draw in the Premier League on Sunday. Chelsea, whose last competitive outing was winning the Club World Cup in the United States last month, failed to stamp their authority on the game against the FA Cup holders despite more than 70% possession, in warm southwest London sunshine. Coach Enzo Maresca gave new signings Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion and Jamie Gitten...

August 18, 2025 10:23 AM

Arsenal capitalise on keeper error to secure 1-0 win at Man United

Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori headed home an early corner, aided by a weak challenge from goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, to earn a 1-0 victory at Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday, spoiling the hosts' season opener. Despite a cast of new faces, Mikel Arteta's visitors proved they are still lethal from set pieces with Calafiori netting in the 13th minute. Arsenal's William Saliba backed into Turkish keeper Bayindir, who feebly batted the ball with one hand into the path of Italian Cal...

August 12, 2025 11:45 AM

Crystal Palace lose appeal against Europa League demotion at CAS

Crystal Palace's appeal against UEFA's decision to drop them from the Europa League to the third-tier Conference League was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday. UEFA demoted Palace while allowing Olympique Lyonnais to play in the Europa League as, at the time of assessment on March 1, the Eagle Football Group were majority owners of Lyon while their chairman John Textor owned a controlling stake in Palace. Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last...

August 4, 2025 4:51 PM

FIFA faces Dutch class action over player transfer regulations

A Dutch soccer players' group is preparing a "potentially billion-dollar" Europe-wide class action claim against FIFA and other associations, seeking compensation over alleged loss of income due to restrictive transfer rules, it said on Monday. The Dutch Foundation for Justice said world soccer governing body FIFA's rules had affected approximately 100,000 players in European member states and the United Kingdom since 2002. The foundation added that consultancy firm Compass Lexecon had estimat...

July 28, 2025 9:30 AM

Kelly the hero as England sink Spain in shootout to win Euro 2025

Chloe Kelly fired in the decisive spot-kick as England beat Spain 3-1 in a penalty shootout to win Euro 2025 on Sunday, successfully defending the title they won three years ago after an enthralling game that ended 1-1 after extra time. It was another spectacular turnaround from Sarina Wiegman's side, who came back from two goals down to beat Sweden in a shootout in the last eight and beat Italy in the semi-finals with another extra-time goal from Kelly. World and Nations League champions Spai...