Sports

Australia made it nine World Cup qualifying wins in a row on the road to Qatar 2022 with a straightforward 3-0 triumph over China at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. 

The Socceroos finished top of their group in the previous round and made a winning start to the third qualifying stage thanks to goals from Awer Mabil, Martin Boyle and substitute Mitchell Duke. 

China had won their previous four qualifiers and managed to restrict their opponents to minimal opportunities in the opening quarter of the contest on neutral territory. 

But Mabil acrobatically volleyed home to give Australia the breakthrough – the goal allowed to stand despite a high boot from the winger – and Boyle fired in a second from the edge of the box less than two min…

Gary Neville has labelled investment from the United States a clear and present danger to English football following Todd Boehly s call for the Premier League to learn from American sports.

Chelsea chairman Boehly made several controversial suggestions when discussing the future of the English game on Tuesday, making the case for the introduction of an annual all-star game and relegation play-offs. 

Boehly said any future all-star match could pit players from the Premier League s northern clubs against those from the south, with the additional revenue used to fund the wider football pyramid.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp poured cold water on that idea after the Reds Champions League win over Ajax, declaring: I m not sure people want to see that .

Former…

Antonio Conte preached patience after his Tottenham tenure started with a crazy game against Vitesse in the Europa Conference League. 

Spurs emerged as 3-2 winners at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday, but they made things difficult for themselves after racing into a three-goal lead through Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and an own goal from Jacob Rasmussen inside the opening half hour. 

Son s opener meant the South Korea international has scored Tottenham s first goal under each of their three most recent permanent bosses. 

Rasmussen made amends for his error before Matus Bero reduced the deficit further seven minutes later, with Cristian Romero s dismissal putting the hosts under pressure with half an hour left to play.

Vitesse were unable to …

Boss Stephen Robinson vowed to “keep building” at St Mirren after agreeing a new deal until the summer of 2026.

Assistant manager Diarmuid O’Carroll has also agreed a new contract that keeps him in Paisley for the same period.

Robinson, who took over in February, 2022, led the Buddies to their most successful top-flight campaign since 1985 as well as finishing in the top six for the first time in the cinch Premiership’s current format.

Last season saw the Paisley side finish with 46 points, the highest points tally in the current format as well as winning nine home matches in a season in the top flight for the first time since 1987.

Robinson told the club’s official website: “I’m delighted and very grateful to the board and the fans for thei…

Real Madrid are preparing an offer that would consist of Gareth Bale and £70 million for the services of Manchester City s Raheem Sterling, according to Sky Sports.

Sterling has enjoyed a stellar uprise since his arrival to the Etihad from Liverpool in 2015. He has so far scored 82 goals in 206 games in the sky-blue shirt, winning two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups in the process. The system manager Pep Guardiola has established for his team seems perfect for Sterling s pace and trickery, as well as a natural knack for exploiting space between the opposition lines.

Real spent over €300 million on new recruits this summer, with the likes of Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic meant to boost their forward line and fill the gap left by the departure of Cri…

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Wales will be aiming to continue their excellent start in Euro 2020 qualifying as they take on Croatia on Saturday afternoon.

Ryan Giggs men had the perfect start to their qualification campaign but now have a stern test in the form 0f the 2018 World Cup runners-up.

Croatia

Heading to the Stadion Gradski vrt, Zlatko Dalic s men are experiencing a slight patch of indifferent form. Following defeat to England in the final match of the UEFA Nations League group games, they have notched one win and loss apiece in qualification so far; they edged past Azerbaijan before falling to a shock 2-1 defeat to Hungary last time out. As a matter of fact, their results in recent times have been inconsistent since they reached …

Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann believes either Jamal Musiala or Jude Bellingham should have beaten Gavi to the Kopa Trophy at Monday s Ballon d Or ceremony.

The award – given to the best under-21 player in the world – went to a Barcelona midfielder for the second year in a row, as Gavi replicated Pedri s 2021 success.

Bundesliga duo Musiala and Bellingham were both in contention for the prize, finishing third and fourth in the voting respectively, with Real Madrid s Eduardo Camavinga coming second.

Asked about Musiala s failure to land the award ahead of Bayern s trip to Augsburg in the DFB-Pokal, Nagelsmann said: You wear club glasses.

In my eyes, both Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham have had better seasons than the winner. Gavi is an out…

Arsenal must be at their very best if they hope to defeat Liverpool in the Premier League, says Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard hailing the Reds as the best team in England .

The Gunners welcome Jurgen Klopp s title-chasers to Emirates Stadium for a crucial crash that could shape both of their respective seasons.

Liverpool will fulfil their game in hand on champions Manchester City and could move a point behind them with victory, while a win for Arsenal would further consolidate their top-four spot.

Arsenal have not played in the Champions League since the 2016-17 season and are desperate to return, and Wednesday s fixture might prove something of a litmus test as to just where the Gunners are at. Indeed, Arsenal went into the reverse fixture at Anfield in N…

Europe s top leagues were not short of heavyweight clashes over the weekend.

Jose Mourinho left Old Trafford in his customarily chipper mood after old foe Arsene Wenger and Arsenal escaped with a last-gasp 1-1 draw and there were plenty more old scores being settled all over again elsewhere.

Cristiano Ronaldo proved to be the scourge of the Vicente Calderon as his hat-trick inspired LaLiga leaders Real Madrid to a 3-0 derby win over Atletico Madrid, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang revitalised Borussia Dortmund s Bundesliga bid by downing Bayern Munich with the only goal at Signal Iduna Park a result that left surprise package RB Leipzig top as the division s only remaining unbeaten side.

Fenerbahce claimed the bragging rights in Istanbul, as a Robin van Persie br…

Christian Pulisic showed the full package with his perfect hat-trick in Chelsea s 4-2 victory against Burnley, according to head coach Frank Lampard.

United States international Pulisic scored with his left foot, right foot and his head to give Chelsea a three-goal lead in Saturday s Premier League clash at Turf Moor.

Willian added a fourth goal before Jay Rodriguez and Dwight McNeil pulled a couple back for Burnley in the final five minutes, but the Blues saw out a seventh successive win in all competitions.

Lampard lavished praise on Pulisic after the match and is hopeful his hat-trick hero will take confidence from scoring his first goals in English football.

The moment became our youngest player ever to score a Premier League hat-trick!  

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