football
- 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.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Bayern, Chelsea take Champs League honours
A spectacular Olivier Giroud overhead kick has given Chelsea a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in their Champions League last-16 first leg clash while title holders Bayern Munich are on the verge of the last eight after crushing hosts Lazio 4-1.Robert Lewandowski, 17-year-old Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane struck in a devastating first half for Bayern, who emphatically bounced back from recent indifferent domestic form.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Mourinho determined to turn Spurs form
Coach Jose Mourinho is convinced he can turn around Tottenham's current slump and believes he will go into the Premier League club's history for the right reasons.Mourinho's position has come under scrutiny after a shocking run of form, which has seen them slip from top of the table in mid-December to being nine points off the top four in 13 games.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Sydney FC's Corica slams late VAR non-call
Sydney FC coach Steve Corica has slammed a VAR non-decision in his side's loss to Melbourne City, believing the Sky Blues were denied a late penalty as they pushed for a comeback.Staring down the barrel of their worst defeat in almost five years, the Sky Blues dominated the final 20 minutes of Tuesday night's clash at AAMI Park with goals to substitutes Patrick Wood and Milos Ninkovic.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Past ECL pain not driving City: Gundogan
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan insists last season's disheartening Champions League exit will not provide an extra source of motivation this year.The Premier League leaders resume their latest challenge in Europe's elite competition as they face Borussia Monchengladbach in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Budapest on Wednesday.
- NewsAustralian Associated Press
Everton's plans for new stadium approved
Everton's planning application for a new 52,888-capacity stadium at Liverpool's Bramley-Moore Dock has been unanimously approved by the local council, the Premier League club says.The Merseyside club have played at Goodison Park since 1892, but with a capacity of only 40,000 the team has struggled to compete with the match-day income of their rivals.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
City stave off Sydney FC in A-League
A refreshed Melbourne City have revived their stuttering A-League campaign by exacting some revenge on Sydney FC with a hard-fought 3-2 victory in their grand-final rematch.After last playing 16 days ago, City jumped the reigning champions with first-half goals to star striker Jamie Maclaren (eighth minute) and Adrian Luna (28th) which set-up Tuesday night's victory at AAMI Park.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Hard A-L conversations at Victory: Brebner
Humbled Melbourne Victory players took criticism "on the chin" in a series of tough conversations as the former A-League heavyweights attempt to resurrect their flailing campaign.Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle was Victory's fifth loss from their opening seven matches to consign them to the bottom of the table.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Crummer ends two-year injury hell in joy
As the ball came to Larissa Crummer with the goal at her mercy during Brisbane's W-League match against Perth on Sunday, the 25-year-old couldn't help but break into a smile."I knew it was going in," Crummer told AAP.
- SportAustralian Associated Press
Benteke goal snares EPL win for Palace
Substitute Christian Benteke has thumped home a dramatic last-ditch volley, giving Crystal Palace a 2-1 Premier League victory at bitter rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.The Belgium striker lashed in Andros Townsend's cross in the fifth minute of added time to return Palace to winning ways after successive defeats, which had led to growing supporter unrest.
