Football

The celebrations started in the 95th minute and continued for almost an hour after the full-time whistle. Manchester United needed some cheer, and they got it as Wednesday's Champions League match against Villarreal was won five minutes into stoppage time. "Viva Ronaldo" filled the air on a night reminiscent of the glory days - for both United and their match-winner. Cristiano Ronaldo enjoys playing in the Champions League. He provided further proof by delivering another unforgettable moment in the competition. The Portuguese superstar

It was the moment European football had been waiting for - and the one Pep Guardiola knew was probably "unstoppable". Lionel Messi glided forward from the halfway line late on against Manchester City at the Parc des Princes, played a one-two with Paris St-Germain team-mate Kylian Mbappe and left goalkeeper Ederson rooted to the spot with a shot beautifully placed into the top corner. It was the first club goal of his entire career that had not been scored for Barcelona and sealed

Jurgen Klopp's side were superb throughout as they maintained their 100% start in the competition. Mohamed Salah's prodded finish set them on their way at the Estadio do Dragao, which once again proved a happy hunting ground. And with memories of 4-1 and 5-0 victories in recent campaigns fresh in the mind they delivered a performance brimming with pace, precision and energy. Sadio Mane extended their lead on the stroke of half-time with a back-post tap in and with the Reds wearing black

Uefa has ended its legal fight against Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid over their involvement in the proposed European Super League. The clubs were among the 12 "founding" members of the breakaway league, which later collapsed. The trio, who have refused to renounce the project, were being investigated for "a potential violation" of Uefa's legal framework. Uefa says it is now "as if the proceedings had never been opened". "The Uefa Appeals Body has declared today the proceedings null and void," a statement

Argentina have selected three Premier League players for October's World Cup qualifiers despite the country remaining on the UK's travel red list. Last month, most English clubs refused to release players called up by South American countries for qualifiers. Since Friday, Argentine nationals do not need to quarantine after arrival in the country from overseas, if they are vaccinated and test negative for Covid. But anyone arriving in the UK from Argentina must quarantine for 10 days. Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and

Brighton players and Crystal Palace fans goaded each other near the tunnel following a dramatic and fiery end to their Premier League draw at Selhurst Park. Seagulls striker Neal Maupay scored a 95th-minute equaliser, cancelling out Wilfried Zaha's penalty, before being involved in a heated confrontation with Zaha as the game restarted. Both sets of players then got in an argument as the final whistle went. Afterwards, Brighton players heading down the tunnel had to run a gauntlet of home supporters, with a

It was described as a "crazy game", a "wild ride" and something Brentford could only dream of as the newly promoted side came from behind twice to draw with title-challengers Liverpool. "That's football," Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said afterwards. In a memorable and topsy-turvy encounter at the Brentford Community Stadium, the hosts scored a dramatic late equaliser to make it 3-3 after Curtis Jones looked to have sealed victory for Liverpool. Former Arsenal and England striker Alan Smith was impressed, claiming on Sky Sports: "If

Pep Guardiola's body language does not exactly disguise his feelings and it screamed out just how much Manchester City's victory at Chelsea meant to the Premier League champions and their manager. The 1-0 win, thoroughly deserved and confirmed by Gabriel Jesus's deflected 53rd-minute strike, wrote Guardiola's name even more indelibly in Manchester City's history as this was 221st victory in all competitions, the highest ever achieved at the club. This, however, was a side issue after a performance that carried all the hallmarks of

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Aston Villa's winning goal should not have stood after Manchester United slumped to a second straight home defeat. Kortney Hause had put Villa ahead with an 88th-minute header before United's Bruno Fernandes missed a stoppage-time penalty after Hause had handled. Solskjaer claims the goal that earned Villa a first Old Trafford win for 12 years was offside. "You can take it when it's a good goal against you," said the United boss. "But that's offside. Watkins touched David [de

Achraf Hakimi's dramatic injury-time winner rescued Paris Saint-Germain a 2-1 victory at bottom club Metz on Wednesday as the capital giants maintained their 100 percent start to the Ligue 1 season despite the absence of the injured Lionel Messi. Achraf Hakimi's dramatic injury-time winner rescued Paris Saint-Germain a 2-1 victory at bottom club Metz on Wednesday as the capital giants maintained their 100 percent start to the Ligue 1 season despite the absence of the injured Lionel Messi. Moroccan full-back Hakimi, a 60-million-euro

Barcelona made it three games without a victory on Thursday as a goalless draw with Cadiz further weakened Ronald Koeman's position as coach. Barcelona made it three games without a victory on Thursday as a goalless draw with Cadiz further weakened Ronald Koeman's position as coach. Frenkie de Jong was sent off in the 65th minute at the Ramon de Carranza stadium but holding on for a draw will earn little credit for Koeman, who was also shown a red card in injury-time.

Sept 23 - Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has reclaimed top spot in the list of the world's highest-paid soccer players from Lionel Messi, according to Forbes. Ronaldo, 36, rejoined United from Juventus in August after 12 years away, while Messi has swapped boyhood club Barcelona to join Paris St Germain. Forbes said Ronaldo, among the world's most popular athletes with over 500 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, is set to make $125 million before taxes in the 2021-22 season, with

West Ham gained revenge for Sunday's Premier League defeat against Manchester United by knocking their hosts out of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford. Manuel Lanzini's ninth-minute effort, his first goal in almost 12 months and only his second since May 2019, proved enough to take David Moyes' men into the last 16. Not even the second-half introductions of Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood could swing the game the home side's way in a performance that exposed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's pre-match chat about

Reece James scored the winning penalty in a shootout as Chelsea reached the last 16 of the Carabao Cup at Aston Villa's expense The full-back fired home the Blues' final penalty to win the shootout 4-3. A goal from young Villa forward Cameron Archer had ensured a draw in normal time, levelling with a header after Timo Werner had put the Blues ahead. Chelsea will host Southampton in the last 16 of a competition they last won in 2014-15. Wednesday's result extends the

Paris St-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino has revealed an injury was the reason he substituted Lionel Messi during Sunday's win over Lyon. Messi appeared unhappy at being replaced, but Pochettino said he had taken a knock to his left knee. The 34-year-old will miss PSG's trip to Metz on Wednesday and is a doubt for next week's Champions League game against Manchester City. Pochettino said he noticed "Leo was looking at his knee". "We are pleased with the way he played," said the former

When Joan Laporta was elected Barcelona president in March, one of the first things he did was make it abundantly clear that Ronald Koeman did not figure in his long-term plans. Six months later, he suggested he was on the verge of extending the Dutch manager's contract for a further year. But six months and two weeks later, it now looks as if the only thing keeping Koeman in the job is the fact he would be due a huge pay-off. And that

Luis Suarez scored twice, including an injury-time winner, as Atletico Madrid came from behind to beat 10-man Getafe 2-1 and move top of La Liga on Tuesday. Luis Suarez scored twice, including an injury-time winner, as Atletico Madrid came from behind to beat 10-man Getafe 2-1 and move top of La Liga on Tuesday. Hosts Getafe took the lead through Stefan Mitrovic on the stroke of half-time, but the game changed when Carles Alena was sent off in the 74th minute. Reigning champions

Sept 21 - Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso has stopped taking the knee before matches this season because the anti-racism gesture is "losing a bit of strength", the 30-year-old said. Players and staff have been taking a knee prior to kickoff since the league returned to action in June last year to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Alonso said he has decided to stand while other players kneel and will instead point to the "No Room For Racism" badge on

Doha, September 20 (QNA) - The Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF) announced the postponement of the Gulf Cup tournament (Gulf 25), which was scheduled in the Iraqi city of Basrah in December 2021, to be held in January of 2023 instead. The announcement was made during the extraordinary meeting of the AGCFF's General Assembly, which was held Monday with the presidency of HE President of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani. The decision of the

Ronald Koeman "won't answer any more questions about the future" after Ronald Araujo's injury-time header rescued a point for his poor Barcelona side against Granada. It did little to paper over the cracks of another poor home display as the pressure continues to build on Koeman. Centre-back Araujo - playing as a makeshift striker - found the net right at the end of a half Barca dominated. Granada had led from the second minute through Domingos Duarte's header. But having been humbled by