football
SportAustralian Associated PressSpain stun Portugal to reach UNL semis
Spain have snatched a place in the UEFA Nations League final four after striker Alvaro Morata's late goal secured a 1-0 win over hosts Portugal to ensure top spot in their group.Portugal had dominated Tuesday's match but in the 88th minute, a long ball into the box from Spain defender Dani Carvajal was headed by Nico Williams across to Morata.
SportAustralian Associated PressFresh racism row in five-star Brazil win
Rampant Brazil have destroyed 10-man Tunisia 5-1 with Raphinha scoring twice and setting up another goal in their last game before the World Cup.But victory at the Parc des Princes in Paris was marred by a racist incident.
SportAustralian Associated PressFit Arzani ready to make late WC push
Daniel Arzani is out of the football wilderness, back enjoying himself and eyeing a once-unlikely bolt into the Socceroos' World Cup plans.Back in 2018, the then-teen sensation enjoyed a meteoric rise to Australia's squad for the World Cup in Russia, was signed by Manchester City and appeared set for global stardom.
SportAustralian Associated PressA-League Men hit restart button again
A-Leagues chief executive Danny Towsend is confident a season free of COVID-19 disruptions can give the stuttering A-League Men competition a chance to reset and fire at pre-pandemic levelsAfter two heavily-disrupted years in 2020 and 2021, last season was meant to be the league's big relaunch, with a season free of border restrictions and a brand new broadcast deal.Instead, border issues remained, while clubs were smashed by the January Omicron wave, with outbreaks in playing groups forcing mul
SportAustralian Associated PressMatildas Raso, Simon to face SA, Denmark
Kyah Simon and Hayley Raso will return from injury as Australia look to spark their women's soccer World Cup preparations in friendlies against South Africa and Denmark.The strike pair's national return has been offset by the absence of Alanna Kennedy (thigh), the defender hopeful of an imminent return with Manchester City after injury against Canada earlier this month.
SportAustralian Associated PressItaly into UNL semis, England held again
Part one of the healing process is complete for Italy.Looking to regain respect after failing to qualify for a second straight World Cup, the Azzurri advanced to next year's finals tournament in the Nations League by winning at Hungary 2-0 thanks to goals by Giacomo Raspadori and Federico Dimarco on Monday.
SportAustralian Associated PressWanderers name Marcelo ALM captain
Brazilian defender Marcelo will captain Western Sydney Wanderers in his first season at the A-League Men club.The new-look Wanderers are attempting to end a five-year finals drought, with 35-year-old Marcelo seen as a key to bolstering their defence.
SportAustralian Associated PressFrance cop reality check before World Cup
The Socceroos' first World Cup opponents France admit they received a reality check as they ended a dismal Nations League campaign with a 2-0 loss to Denmark.Didier Deschamps' side, who will also face Denmark in Group D at the World Cup in November, finished third in the Nations League standings with five points from six games after Kasper Dolberg and Andreas Skov Olsen scored first-half goals for the hosts on Sunday night.
SportAustralian Associated PressArnold keen for longer Socceroos stay
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold says he's in the dark as to whether he'll coach Australia after the World Cup, but the fire burns to keep the role beyond his four years in charge.Arnold's future was the subject of fierce speculation as recently as March, when Football Australia considered his position following World Cup qualifying losses to Japan and Saudi Arabia.
SportAustralian Associated PressCummings scores as Socceroos win 2-0 in NZ
The Socceroos will head to the World Cup as winners after a youthful side overcame New Zealand 2-0 in their final friendly ahead of Qatar.Graham Arnold blooded a pack of youngsters at Auckland's Eden Park, but the squad's oldest outfielder, striker Mitch Duke, grabbed the first goal.
SportAustralian Associated PressPortugal dominant in Nations League
Diogo Dalot has helped Portugal take control of their Nations League group by scoring his first two international goals in a 4-0 rout of the Czech Republic in Prague.Spain blew their lead of Group A2 after flopping in a 2-1 loss to Switzerland in front of their disappointed fans in Zaragoza.
SportAustralian Associated PressArnold plots World Cup Plan B in Auckland
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold says he's confirmed "about 15 or 16" spots in his World Cup squad, challenging the rest to book their ticket to Qatar from the unlikely venue of Eden Park on Sunday.As many as seven Socceroos could debut against New Zealand in Auckland - including much-hyped teenager Garang Kuol - as Arnold considers crunch calls on his squad.
SportAustralian Associated PressSorry England relegated from Nations elite
It was a rough night for two Qatar World Cup contenders with England and Germany suffering demoralising defeats in the Nations League.England's sorry campaign continued on Friday as Giacomo Raspadori's 68th-minute strike gave Italy a deserved 1-0 win that relegated the shot-shy visitors to the second-tier League B and kept the Italians in the hunt to top Group 3.
SportAustralian Associated PressRicharlison double as Brazil beat Ghana
Richarlison has scored twice as Brazil beat Ghana 3-0 in Le Havre in their penultimate World Cup warm-up.Neymar pulled the strings in the first half, setting up both of Tottenham frontman Richarlison's goals after Marquinhos put them into an early lead.
SportAustralian Associated PressRonaldo charged over phone incident
Cristiano Ronaldo has been charged with "improper and/or violent" conduct by the Football Association following an incident that relates to the forward's behaviour at Everton last season.Video footage showed Ronaldo appearing to knock a teenage fan's mobile phone to the ground after United's 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park on April 9, for which the Portuguese was cautioned by Merseyside Police.
SportAustralian Associated PressCoach Arnold faces tough calls in defence
Graham Arnold knows some tough World Cup calls lie ahead as he monitors the health of two key defenders and the form of veteran Trent Sainsbury.Sainsbury was exposed in the early stages of Australia's 1-0 victory over New Zealand in Brisbane on Thursday, a wild pass and then poor touch lucky not to cost his side two goals.
SportAustralian Associated PressMbappe and Giroud shine in France victory
France, Australia's opening World Cup opponents, have kept their hopes of staying in the top tier of the UEFA Nations League alive with a 2-0 home victory over Austria.Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud scored the goals in Paris on Thursday.
SportAustralian Associated PressMabil rocket helps Socceroos past NZ
A long-range rocket from Awer Mabil was the bright spot as the Socceroos beat New Zealand 1-0 in their World Cup farewell in Brisbane.A staggering 11 years since the teams' last meeting, it was Australia's first game since qualifying for the World Cup and last on home soil before the Qatar showpiece in November.
SportAustralian Associated PressMabil's 'dream goal' in Socceroos farewell
Awer Mabil has dedicated his first Socceroos' goal in Australia to a late friend after helping the side past New Zealand 1-0 in their World Cup farewell.The 27-year-old's sweet strike from about 25 metres was the difference in Brisbane on Thursday night in the first game between the teams in 11 years.
SportAustralian Associated PressScotland eclipse Ukraine in Nations League
Scotland have moved top of their UEFA Nations League group after a double from substitute Lyndon Dykes and another goal from captain John McGinn secured an emphatic 3-0 win over Ukraine.Dykes came off the bench and scored with two towering headers in the space of seven minutes after McGinn had given Scotland, frustrated by Ukraine for large periods of the game, the lead with a fine left-footed finish in the 70th minute.
SportAustralian Associated PressMatilda Luik can still dream of an upset
Veteran Matilda Aivi Luik can dream of being part of a European giant-killing after her Swedish club kept star-studded Paris St Germain to a narrow advantage in the first leg of their UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying second round.Luik, 37, was part of a Hacken BK defence beaten only twice by the French giants as they went down 2-1 in Paris.
SportAustralian Associated PressRoos must make use of firepower: Cahill
A frustrated bystander during the last World Cup, Tim Cahill has urged Graham Arnold to make better use of the Socceroos' firepower in Qatar.The Socceroos qualified for the November tournament thanks to a penalty shoot-out defeat of Peru in June and on Thursday will play New Zealand in a World Cup farewell.
SportAustralian Associated PressGlory avoid dreaded five-month road stint
Perth Glory will avoid spending almost the entire A-League Men season on the road after securing Macedonia Park in Stirling as a temporary home base.Glory owner Tony Sage feared last month his club would be forced to spend the first five months of the season on the road due to a big delay in the $35 million upgrade to HBF Park.
SportAustralian Associated PressAll Whites eye upset after 11-year drought
All Whites star Chris Wood has slammed the state of New Zealand's action-starved program, demanding they play more often ahead of a rare date with the Socceroos.The sides will meet in Brisbane on Thursday and then Auckland on Sunday in what will incredibly be their first encounters since 2011.
SportAustralian Associated PressHiddink on deck for Socceroos farewell
Graham Arnold's "crazy thought" has been manifested into a serious boost to the Socceroos' morale after Guus Hiddink's arrival in camp for their World Cup farewell clash in Brisbane.The former coach will ride the bench as Arnold's assistant on Thursday against New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium in a role reversal of the side's famous journey to the final 16 in 2006.
