Teams gear up for league

Lyon’s Aouar gets first Algeria call-up after switch from France

ALGIERS (Reuters) – Olympique Lyon’s Houssem Aouar has been called up to the Algeria squad for the first time ahead of games against Uganda and Tunisia, the national football association said on Tuesday. The 24-year-old midfielder played one game for France – a friendly against Ukraine in 2020 – before switching allegiance to Algeria, where...

Galatasaray clinch 23rd Turkish league title

ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish giants Galatasaray claimed their 23rd league title on Tuesday with a 4-1 win over Ankaragucu in their penultimate match of the season, with a double from Mauro Icardi and further goals from Baris Alper Yilmaz and Sergio Oliveira. It was the first time the Istanbul club have claimed the league title since...

Allardyce apologises to Leeds fans after failure to stop relegation

LEEDS, England (Reuters) – Sam Allardyce was parachuted into Leeds United on a rescue mission to keep the club above the drop zone but was left apologising to fans after they were relegated on Sunday, saying the squad lacked the talent and depth of the top teams. Leeds were thrashed 4-1 at home by Tottenham...

Manchester United boss Ten Hag calls for more investment

(Reuters) – Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has called for more investment in the club so they can challenge for trophies after the team finished third in the Premier League this season. United sealed the third place, finishing the season with 75 points, after they came from behind to defeat Fulham 2-1 in the...

Kerr nets double as Chelsea crowned WSL champions, Reading relegated

READING, England (Reuters) – Sam Kerr scored twice as Chelsea cruised to a 3-0 victory over Reading on Saturday to win their fourth consecutive FA Women’s Super League title, completing a league and FA Cup double on the last day of the season and condemning their hosts to relegation. The Blues finished on 58 points...

Bayern win Bundesliga with last-gasp goal in dramatic season finale

COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) -Bayern Munich snatched their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title in dramatic fashion with a final day 2-1 win at Cologne on Saturday courtesy of Jamal Musiala’s 89th minute goal, grabbing the trophy from the hands of rivals Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund had gone into the last game of the season in top spot but...

Patel praises teams’ turnout

Fiji Gujarati Sports Association president Sanjay Patel was happy with the turnout yesterday at day one of the FGSA Inter District Championship in Nausori. “I am happy with the turnout today (Saturday) despite the lack of resources and facilites,” said Patel. “We will shift our tournament tomorrow (today) to Ratu Cakobau Park and it being...

Fiji bows out of WC

The Junior Bula boys have completed their second ever appearance at a FIFA U20 World Cup with a heavy 9-0 loss to Ecuador in Santiago Del Estero in Argentina. It follows a 4-0 defeat by Slovakia and a 3-0 loss to the USA. The South Americans were a class above Robert Mimms team producing nearly...

Spanish grassroots club players see more racism outside the sport

LES FRANQUESES DEL VALLES, Spain (Reuters) – As public debate about racism in Spanish football hit boiling point this week after complaints from Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr, players at grassroots football clubs saw racism in sports as a lesser problem than in their everyday lives. On Sunday, racist chants were hurled at the Brazilian...

Arsenal must ‘seek excellence’ in transfer market – Arteta

(Reuters) – Arsenal must make smart decisions in the close-season transfer window so they can once again compete for the Premier League next season, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday. Arsenal topped the table for much of this season, but collapsed in the last two months as Manchester City won the title with three games...

We will live or die on Sunday, says Leeds’ Allardyce

(Reuters) – The final Premier League game is a do-or-die situation for relegation-threatened Leeds United, manager Sam Allardyce said on Friday as his side bids to retain their top-flight status. With Southampton relegated from the league, three teams – Leeds United (19th), Leicester City (18th) and Everton (17th) – remain in danger. Leeds have lost...

In-demand Feyenoord coach Slot signs new contract with Dutch club

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Feyenoord coach Arne Slot signed a contract extension with the Dutch champions on Friday, formally ending the possibility of any immediate move to England. The 44-year-old coach had said on Thursday that he was discussing staying with Feyenoord as he looked to quell speculation, after being heavily linked with a possible move...

Ajax decline invitation to honour women’s team

(Reuters) – Ajax Amsterdam’s women’s team will not be honoured with a public celebration in the Dutch capital on Monday despite claiming the Eredivisie title, as club officials fear the poor performance of the men’s team this season will solicit a lukewarm response. Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema had invited the triumphant women’s team for a...

Brazil to play African nations in anti-racism campaign to support Vinicius Jr

(Reuters) – Brazil will play friendlies against two African nations as part of an anti-racism campaign in support of their Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr, who has been racially abused in Spanish League games this season, the Brazilian FA (CBF) said on Friday. The five-time world champions will face Guinea in Barcelona on June 17...

Junior Bula Boys thrashed at World Cup

The Digicel Junior Boys were thrashed 9-nil by Ecuador in their final pool match at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina this morning. Fiji trailed 4-nil at halftime. It was a disappointing finish to Fiji’s campaign after facing earlier defeats against USA(0-3) and Slovakia (4-0).

Salah ‘devastated’ as Liverpool miss Champions League spot

(Reuters) – Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah said he was “totally devastated” that they had failed to secure Champions League qualification and that the club had let the fans down. Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Chelsea on Thursday ended Liverpool’s hopes of earning a berth in Europe’s premier club competition next season. Juergen Klopp’s side are...

Manchester United back in Champions League with 4-1 rout of Chelsea

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -Manchester United will be back in action in next season’s Champions League after they hammered Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League. Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes (penalty) and Marcus Rashford scored for United, who needed a point from their final two league games to officially...

OFC Champions League: Suva out to re-write history

The Suva Football Club has secured a spot in the finals of the Oceania Football Confederation Championship in Vanuatu, after a thrilling 4-2 win over Tahiti’s AS Pirae. Suva FC will now face Auckland City at 3pm and will be out for redemption after losing to the same side 3-1, in their pool game. Fiji...

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