football
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Liverpool's Henderson out until April
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson will be sidelined for at least five weeks after undergoing groin surgery.The 30-year-old England international sustained the injury 30 minutes into Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by Everton in the English Premier League.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Coach unfazed by Wanderers' set-piece woes
Western Sydney have conceded more goals from set pieces than any other A-League side this season but coach Carl Robinson is taking a positive approach to the record.From the eight goals against the Wanderers in eight games, seven have come from set pieces with just one through open play - the fewest in the league.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Victory aim to avoid A-League hangover
Melbourne Victory will again rely on inexperienced defenders as they attempt to avoid an A-League "hangover" in the derby clash with Besart Berisha's Western United.English target man Rudy Gestede scored a brace as Grant Brebner's side broke through for a much-needed second win of the season against fellow battlers Wellington Phoenix on Wednesday.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Coach Corica wants handball rule clarified
Still upset about his team missing on what he feels was a late penalty in Tuesday's A-League loss to Melbourne City, Sydney FC coach Steve Corica believes it's time football clarified the game's handball law.Corica thought his team had been denied a clear penalty late in the 3-2 loss to City at AAMI Park as the Sky Blues pressed for a late equaliser.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Arsenal, United advance but Leicester out
English clubs experienced mixed fortunes in the Europa League with Arsenal and Manchester United progressing to the last 16, but Leicester City have crashed out of the competition.Lacklustre City suffered a tame defeat to Slavia Prague on Thursday, with Lukas Provod and Abdallah Sima striking in the second half to settle the last-32 tie 2-0 on the night and on aggregate.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Beckenbauer won't be prosecuted by FIFA
FIFA's Ethics committee says it cannot prosecute former World Cup winner Franz Beckenbauer and two other German football officials in an alleged bribery case because time has run out on the case.FIFA's investigatory chamber concluded in 2016 that Beckenbauer, Theo Zwanziger and Horst Schmidt had broken the organisation's rules on bribery and corruption during the successful German bid campaign for the hosting rights to the 2006 World Cup.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Liverpool mourn death of Alisson's father
Premier League champions Liverpool say they are deeply saddened by the death of the father of their goalkeeper Alisson Becker in Brazil.It is understood 57-year-old Jose Agostinho Becker drowned after going for a swim on his property in Lavras do Sul on Wednesday.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Heavy-hearted Thierry Henry quits Montreal
Thierry Henry has stepped down "with much sadness" as coach of Major League Soccer side CF Montreal, citing family reasons."It is with heavy heart that I'm writing this message," France's former World Cup winner posted on Instagram on Thursday.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Man City are targeting quadruple: Silva
Bernardo Silva has targeted a clean sweep as Manchester City continue their relentless march towards glory in four competitions.The Portuguese scored one and set up another as City chalked up their 19th successive win in all competitions by beating Borussia Monchengladbach 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Sydney's Brattan scratched for A-L derby
Sydney FC have decided not to risk midfielder Luke Brattan for Sunday's A-League derby against Macarthur FC following his head knock in the loss to Melbourne City.The 30-year-old passed concussion protocols after his head hit the turf early in the 3-2 loss to City at AAMI Park on Tuesday but was substituted shortly afterwards.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Father of Liverpool keeper Alisson drowns
The father of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has drowned in a lake near his holiday home in southern Brazil.Jose Becker, 57, had been swimming at a dam on his property when the accident happened on Wednesday.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Roar goal drought not a worry for Moon
Brisbane Roar coach Warren Moon is adamant his team's goalscoring drought is nothing to worry about, but veteran striker Scott McDonald won't be on hand to help them end it for the next few weeks.The Roar have gone goalless in their past three matches - against Sydney, Newcastle and Macarthur.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Champions League wins for Man City, Real
Manchester City and Real Madrid have both won the away legs of their Champions League round of 16 ties, against Borussia Monchengladbach and Atalanta respectively.The Portuguese connection of Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva combined to create and finish the goals in City's 2-0 defeat of Monchengladbach in Budapest.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Messi goals help Barca close in on Atleti
Lionel Messi has scored twice in the second half as Barcelona overcome an uninspiring first half by defeating Elche 3-0 in a La Liga match postponed from the first round of the campaign.Jordi Alba also scored after the break to help Barcelona move back up to third place in the league standings, two points behind second-place Real Madrid and five adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid, who have a game in hand.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Alli wonder strike in Spurs' Europa stroll
Dele Alli scored with a dazzling overhead kick and set up two other goals as Tottenham beat Austrian side Wolfsberg 4-0 in the Europa League to become the first team to qualify for the last-16.Alli, handed a rare start by Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho, flicked the ball up after meeting a right-wing cross by Matt Doherty, then leapt with his back to goal to direct an acrobatic effort into the bottom corner in the 11th minute of the second-leg match in the round of 32.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Brebner hopes Victory can build momentum
Coach Grant Brebner is hopeful Melbourne Victory's horror A-League season has turned a corner after securing a breakthrough win against Wellington.After one of the most difficult weeks in the club's proud history, Victory moved off the bottom of the table by downing the Phoenix 2-0 at AAMI Park on Wednesday night.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
'Terrible singer' Zlatan croons mid-season
It is not every day that one of the world's biggest soccer players sings live for four nights at a music festival - but that's what will happen in the small Italian town of Sanremo next as Zlatan Ibrahimovic tries to hit new high notes.Ever since the AC Milan striker was announced as a guest of the Sanremo Music Festival, which runs between March 2-6 in Liguria, his pending appearance has dominated the headlines - with some people criticising the decision amid a busy Serie A schedule.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Online abuse will 'kill' the game: Xhaka
Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka believes the online abuse of players and their families will "kill football" and he is adamant that fans who have targeted him on social media are not genuine supporters of the north London club.A number of players have been targeted online this season, with Xhaka revealing that he and his family have suffered abuse on social media.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Musiala pledges soccer future to Germany
Champions League sensation Jamal Musiala has chosen Germany over England after making an agonising decision on his international future.The 17-year-old, who became Bayern Munich's youngest goalscorer in Europe's premier club competition in Tuesday night's 4-1 victory over Lazio, was born in Stuttgart to a German mother and a British-Nigerian father, but moved to England with his family as a seven-year-old and has represented both countries at youth level.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Victory secure badly needed A-League win
Melbourne Victory have eased pressure on under-fire coach Grant Brebner with a Rudy Gestede double powering the former A-League heavyweights to a 2-0 win over Wellington.Entering Wednesday night's match at AAMI Park under increased scrutiny with just four points from seven starts this season, Victory finally discovered some potency in attack.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Postecoglou faces big J-League season
Relegation returns to the Japanese top flight this season as the 2021 campaign kicks off on Friday with a clash between the competition's two most recent champions - Kawasaki Frontale and Ange Postecoglou's Yokohama F Marinos.Japan's first division, known as J1, will feature 20 teams for the first time since the league's inaugural season in 1993 after relegation to the second tier was suspended last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Lennon ends second stint as Celtic boss
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has stepped down following a dismal campaign that has left the Scottish Premiership club 18 points behind leaders Rangers.Lennon's last game in charge was Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Ross County.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Glory's D'Agostino now fit as a fiddle
He's been slugged with the lazy tag in the past, but in-form Perth Glory striker Nicholas D'Agostino says he's now as fit as he's ever been and eager to continue his hot start to the A-League season.Then-Glory coach Tony Popovic gave D'Agostino a public roasting last season after the Olyroos striker returned from the COVID-19 shutdown in inadequate shape.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Leeds trounce Saints to go 10th in EPL
Leeds United have climbed back into the top half of the Premier League as three second-half goals secured them a 3-0 home win over Southampton.Patrick Bamford's 13th league goal of the season, a strike from Stuart Dallas and the impressive Raphinha's free-kick lifted Marcelo Bielsa's side above Arsenal and up to 10th, one point behind Tottenham Hotspur.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Socceroos withdraw from Copa America
The Socceroos have pulled out of this year's Copa America due to a clash with their 2022 World Cup qualifying schedule.Australia were set to make their debut at the continental tournament, which will be hosted by Argentina and Colombia in June and July, as one of two guest nations along with Qatar.
