Tag Archives: Soccer

MADRID (AP) — Athletic Bilbao’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League took a painful hit on Monday when the Basque club could only draw 0-0 at last-place Almeria despite playing with a man advantage for most of the second half. A win would have taken Athletic above Atletico Madrid into fourth place in La Liga but Ernesto Valverde’s team …

COPENHAGEN (AP) — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola called on Erling Haaland to “relax” and stay positive after being concerned by the prolific striker’s on-field demeanor before he scored the first goals of his comeback from injury. Guardiola was critical of his players’ body language during the 2-0 win over Everton in the Premier League on Saturday, which saw Haaland …

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Vinícius Júnior delivered a stellar all-round performance and Jude Bellingham scored twice before leaving with an injured left ankle as Real Madrid crushed title rival Girona 4-0 in the Spanish league on Saturday. First-place Madrid opened up a five-point lead over second-place Girona, whose only two losses in an otherwise sensational season have both come against …

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Vinícius Júnior delivered a stellar all-round performance and Jude Bellingham scored twice before leaving with an injured left ankle as Real Madrid crushed title rival Girona 4-0 in the Spanish league on Saturday. First-place Madrid opened up a five-point lead over second-place Girona, whose only two losses in an otherwise sensational season have both come against …

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — An Asian Cup that began with stars from across Europe’s top leagues has delivered an unexpected final. On Saturday, at the spectacular Lusail Stadium, host and defending champion Qatar will play Jordan, with neither team featuring players of wide renown. Premier League players like Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Wataru Endo (Liverpool) have departed. Likewise Paris Saint-Germain’s …

PARIS (AP) — UEFA pledged Wednesday to pay at least 2.46 billion euros ($2.65 billion) in prize money to clubs playing in the Champions League next season when it expands to 36 teams. The total prize fund has been about 2 billion euros ($2.15 billion) in each season since 2021. It will be shared among four extra clubs in the …

AL-RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Up against one of the pre-tournament favorites, Jordan reached the final of the Asian Cup for the first time after stunning South Korea 2-0 on Tuesday. Yazan Al Naimat and Mousa Tamari struck in the second half at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium to upset the odds and end coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s hopes of adding another major …

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Alejandro Garnacho scored Manchester United’s second goal, then perched on an advertising board and beckoned Rasmus Hojlund and Kobbie Mainoo to come and sit alongside him. It was quite the sight to hearten the home fans at Old Trafford: the 21-year-old Hojlund, the 19-year-old Garnacho and Mainoo, 18, sitting in a line and smiling. The future …

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Host country Ivory Coast is writing Hollywood scripts at the Africa Cup of Nations. The team has been implausibly avoiding elimination again and again in the tournament and now, somehow, the Elephants have made it to the semifinals. The players held their heads after the latest incredible escape as if they couldn’t believe it, either. …

BURNLEY, England (AP) — Substitute David Datro Fofana marked his home debut with two goals as his stoppage-time equalizer earned Burnley a Premier League point in a 2-2 draw with Fulham on Saturday. Fulham, without an away victory since the opening day of the season, appeared to be cruising after goals from Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Muniz saw the Cottagers …