Football: Benzema saves Real Madrid blushes with late Huesca winnerMADRID (AFP) - Karim Benzema stopped Real Madrid's underwhelming La Liga season going from bad to worse on Sunday (March 31) after firing a last-minute winner to hand the European champions a barely-deserved 3-2 winner over bottom club Huesca.Humbled by...

Fifa backs 48-team World Cup in 2022MIAMI (AFP) - Fifa moved a step closer on Friday (March 15) to expanding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams and hopes to confirm the plans in June if a suitable co-host can be found.An internal feasibility study supporting the expansion, which is being strongly pushed by president...

Football: Real Madrid frustrated by Villarreal as Cazorla strikes twiceVILA-REAL, SPAIN (REUTERS) - Real Madrid endured a frustrating start to the new year as they drew 2-2 at struggling Villarreal on Thursday (Jan 3) and were left seven points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona.Midfielder Santi Cazorla gave the home side...

Football: Saudi Arabia pay price for profligacy as Japan reach quarter-finals for eighth consecutive Asian CupUNITED ARAB EMIRATES (Reuters) - A first-half goal from Takehiro Tomiyasu was enough to send Japan into the Asian Cup quarter-finals for the eighth consecutive tournament after a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia at the...

'Massive' victory gives Pochettino renewed beliefLONDON • One feature of Mauricio Pochettino's reign is that his Tottenham side are never more dangerous than when they look like they are having fun.They can grind out the tough results, they can play with the knife between their teeth, but the best Tottenham performances...

Gwinn gets Germany's vital goalPARIS • Midfielder Giulia Gwinn scored the only goal yesterday as Germany opened their Women's World Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over China in Group B.On a sunny but breezy early summer's day perfect for football, in front of a noisy crowd of 15,283 in Rennes, Germany - twice winners of...

Football: Fifa says it's in regular contact with AFC over detained Bahraini playerDUBAI (REUTERS) - Fifa says it has been in regular contact with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over the Bahraini footballer arrested in Thailand in November over a prison sentence in his homeland.The Australian soccer players' union...

Chelsea's $100m Pulisic is most expensive US playerLONDON • Chelsea made the first major statement of intent in the January transfer window by signing United States forward Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of £58 million (S$100.3 million) yesterday.The 20-year-old becomes the most expensive...

Football: Klopp rues missed opportunity as Liverpool settle for United drawMANCHESTER (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp admitted Liverpool’s 0-0 draw at injury-hit Manchester United felt like a missed opportunity. Klopp’s side moved one point clear at the top of the Premier League after their stalemate at Old Trafford...