Archive soccer news from around the world
Middlesbrough edge Bolton in League Cup Final to make history (Feb 29, 2004)
Middlesbrough won a major trophy for the first time in their history when they beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 in the League Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium here. . . . more . . .
Roma and Juve keep the pressure on Milan (Feb 29, 2004)
Roma and Juventus kept the pressure on league leaders AC Milan with impressive victories on Sunday as the race for the Serie A title gathered pace. . . . more . . .
Celtic on course for title as Rangers lose (Feb 29, 2004)
Celtic all but wrapped up the Scottish Premier League title. . . . more . . .
Tamudo puts freeze on Valencia's title hopes (Feb 29, 2004)
Valencia's ambitions of regaining the Spanish league title faded after they went down 2-1 at struggling Espanyol. . . . more . . .
LuaLua turns on Newcastle to rescue Pompey (Feb 29, 2004)
Portsmouth striker Lomana LuaLua, on loan from Newcastle, snatched an 89th minute equaliser that gave the Premiership strugglers a 1-1 draw against his parent club at Fratton Park. . . . more . . .
Real consolidate pole position after Valencia lose (Feb 29, 2004)
Spanish league leaders Real Madrid turned on the style with three second-half goals in 16 minutes to beat Celta Vigo 4-2. . . . more . . .
Cisse shows France what they could be missing at Euro 2004 (Feb 29, 2004)
Auxerre striker Djibril Cisse showed France what they could be missing at Euro 2004 with his well-taken goal in a 1-1 French league draw at home to Paris Saint Germain. . . . more . . .
Ambrosini pounces to keep Milan out in front (Feb 29, 2004)
AC Milan retained their five-point lead at the top of Italy's Serie A after defeating Lazio 1-0 at the Olympic stadium. . . . more . . .
Leeds and Liverpool in four-goal thriller (Feb 29, 2004)
Leeds United and Liverpool had to make do with a point apiece after an exciting 2-2 draw at Elland Road here. . . . more . . .
FIFA temporarily lift Guatemalan football suspension (Feb 29, 2004)
FIFA have temporarily lifted the suspension imposed on the Guatemala football federation for governmental interference until next May, the sport's world governing body decided during a meeting of their Executive Committee decided. . . . more . . .
Makaay and Bayern on song again, Ismael makes amends for Bremen (Feb 29, 2004)
German champions Bayern Munich followed up their 1-1 Champions League draw against Real Madrid in midweek with a 2-0 victory over VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday that keeps the heat on leaders Werder Bremen. . . . more . . .
Defiant Fergie refuses to give up hope (Feb 29, 2004)
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insisted his under-fire players remained capable of upsetting the odds and overhauling Arsenal's nine-point lead in the Premiership title race. . . . more . . .
Hearts strengthen grip on third place (Feb 28, 2004)
Hearts consolidated their grip on third place in the Scottish Premier League with a goalless draw against Dunfermline, the only side with a realistic chance of overhauling them. . . . more . . .
Chelsea punish wasteful City (Feb 28, 2004)
Chelsea moved back to second place in the Premiership table as Manchester City were made to pay for their woeful finishing. . . . more . . .
Arsenal march on at the double (Feb 28, 2004)
Arsenal killed off this London derby against Charlton with two superbly worked goals in the opening four minutes to continue their relentless charge to the Premiership title. . . . more . . .
Draw is bad news for United (Feb 28, 2004)
Louis Saha scored against his old club but Manchester United dropped two potentially crucial points and fell further behind in the title race after Fulham held the champions to a 1-1 draw. . . . more . . .
Makaay and Bayern on song again, Ismael makes amends for Bremen (Feb 28, 2004)
German champions Bayern Munich followed up their 1-1 Champions League draw against Real Madrid in midweek with a 2-0 victory over VfL Wolfsburg that keeps the heat on leaders Werder Bremen. . . . more . . .
Rivaldo walks out on Brazilian champions (Feb 28, 2004)
Rivaldo walked out on his club Cruzeiro 24 hours after his close friend Wanderley Luxembergo quit as coach in mysterious circumstances. . . . more . . .
Board abolishes golden, silver goals, limits friendly subs to six (Feb 28, 2004)
World football's rule-making International Board decided to abolish the use of the golden or silver goal rules to settle drawn matches in favour of a return to the classic formula of extra-time followed by penalties from next season. . . . more . . .
Monaco held by Toulouse (Feb 28, 2004)
Monaco stumbled again in their bid to win the French title when they failed to pick up maximum points at struggling Toulouse. . . . more . . .
Buoyant Bayern look to reel Bremen in (Feb 27, 2004)
Bayern Munich will hope to use their vintage Champions League performance against Real Madrid as a springboard to their challenge for the Bundesliga crown with VfL Wolfsburg the next visitors at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Celtic, Liverpool waltz through as Inter draw with on-form Sochaux (Feb 27, 2004)
Celtic and Liverpool proved their UEFA Cup credentials with convincing first leg wins in the third round of the competition. . . . more . . .
Euro 2004 fans face alcohol and drug tests (Feb 27, 2004)
Portuguese police will perform alcohol and drug tests on fans who turn up for Euro 2004 matches this June looking intoxicated as part of measures to curb hooliganism, the chief of the tournament's security committee said. . . . more . . .
Leeds shares suspended (Feb 27, 2004)
Trading in the shares of cash-strapped Premiership club Leeds United was suspended pending a statement on the club's financial position. . . . more . . .
Westerveld out for three months after finger fracture (Feb 27, 2004)
Real Sociedad's Dutch international goalkeeper Sander Westerveld has been sidelined for up to three months after fracturing the little finger of his left hand. . . . more . . .
Fergie plea to United fans over Cheltenham protest (Feb 27, 2004)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has pleaded with fans to drop plans to protest against Irish shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus on Gold Cup day at next month's Cheltenham Festival. . . . more . . .
Shearer slams Sir Bobby for making him a sub (Feb 27, 2004)
Newcastle's Alan Shearer has hit out at manager Sir Bobby Robson for leaving him out of the UEFA Cup third round first leg tie against Norwegian side Valerenga. . . . more . . .
Being "true men" means no "weird" Beckham-like haircuts for China players (Feb 27, 2004)
David Beckham may be one of China's most idolized football stars, but his ponytail hairstyle, and other "weird" cuts, have been banned among China's under-17 team who must learn how to become "true men". . . . more . . .
Parkhead no paradise for Euro big guns: Lambert (Feb 27, 2004)
The likes of Inter Milan and Liverpool will be keen to avoid a UEFA Cup trip to Celtic's Parkhead stadium, Bhoys skipper Paul Lambert has claimed after his side virtually ensured their place in the fourth round of the competition. . . . more . . .
Football League in Coca-Cola sponsorship deal (Feb 27, 2004)
The English Football League will be known as the Coca-Cola League from next season under a new sponsorship deal with the American soft drinks giant. . . . more . . .
Southgate set on Cup success (Feb 27, 2004)
Middlesbrough have never won a major trophy - but captain Gareth Southgate is determined to put that right against Bolton Wanderers in Sunday's English League Cup Final in Cardiff. . . . more . . .
Saha set for Fulham return (Feb 27, 2004)
Never go back is often good advice but Manchester United striker Louis Saha will have little option when the champions arrive at Loftus Road for their Premiership match against Fulham. . . . more . . .
Leeds on the brink as shares suspended (Feb 27, 2004)
Leeds United's bid to stave off bankruptcy was left hanging in the balance after trading in the club's shares was suspended until further notice following the expiry of a standstill agreement with creditors. . . . more . . .
Gunners have six games to clinch title: Wenger (Feb 27, 2004)
Arsene Wenger believes the next six games will decide whether his side will reclaim the Premiership title from Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Taggart back at Stoke (Feb 26, 2004)
First division Stoke have signed former Northern Ireland international defender Gerry Taggart on a free transfer from Premiership side Leicester City. . . . more . . .
Benfica gears up for 100th birthday (Feb 26, 2004)
Benfica, Portugal's most widely supported and titled football club, is planning a weekend of festivities to mark the centenary of its founding on Saturday. . . . more . . .
McCarthy sees Keane red card as quarter-final invite (Feb 26, 2004)
Benni McCarthy believes Manchester United skipper Roy Keane's red card against FC Porto here could be his side's ticket to the last eight of the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Houllier's future in hands of Bulgarian minnows (Feb 26, 2004)
Liverpool have won four European Cups but the future of embattled manager Gerard Houllier could hinge on the third round tie against Bulgarian minnows Levski Sofia in the less prestigious UEFA Cup. . . . more . . .
Roma shares suspended on Milan stock exchange (Feb 26, 2004)
Shares in Roma were suspended from trading on the Milan stock exchange pending a statement from the financially troubled Serie A club. . . . more . . .
Man Utd made to sweat on second leg (Feb 26, 2004)
Manchester United have serious work to do if they are to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League after Benni McCarthy scored twice for FC Porto to send the English side to a 2-1 defeat. . . . more . . .
Leeds takeover consortium pulls out (Feb 26, 2004)
One of the two consortia involved in buyout talks with Premiership crisis club Leeds United pulled out. . . . more . . .
Cash-strapped Roma deny Russian bid (Feb 26, 2004)
Financially troubled Roma dismissed media reports they had receieved a firm offer from Russian oil company Nafta Moskva to buy the ailing Serie A club. . . . more . . .
Anelka back in training (Feb 26, 2004)
Manchester City striker Nicolas Anelka has resumed training following a groin strain, the club announced. . . . more . . .
Dunn injury blow for Birmingham (Feb 26, 2004)
Record signing David Dunn is facing a lengthy spell out of action after a recurrence of a hamstring injury in Birmingham's FA Cup defeat against Sunderland. . . . more . . .
Lampard revels in pressure as Chelsea chase Champions League glory (Feb 26, 2004)
Frank Lampard says Chelsea's 1-0 win over VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League proves just how well the London club is thriving under pressure. . . . more . . .
Turkish delight for Gaziantepspor (Feb 26, 2004)
A first-half strike from Yusuf Simsek gave Turkish first division side Gaziantepspor a 1-0 win over Roma in the first leg of their UEFA Cup third round tie. . . . more . . .
FIFA warning on Internet World Cup tickets (Feb 26, 2004)
Football's world governing body FIFA warned of illegal attempts to sell tickets online for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. . . . more . . .
Parma flounder in UEFA Cup (Feb 26, 2004)
Parma face an uphill task to stay in the UEFA Cup after losing 1-0 to Turkish side Genclerbirligi in the first leg of their third round tie. . . . more . . .
Given assures Newcastle draw in Norway (Feb 26, 2004)
Newcastle keeper Shay Given made some late saves for Bobby Robson's English Premiership side to ensure a 1-1 draw against Norwegian side Valerenga in their UEFA Cup third round first leg tie. . . . more . . .
Fraud squad raids Italian clubs (Feb 26, 2004)
Fraud squad detectives raided the offices of European champions AC Milan, city rivals Inter Milan and reigning Italian champions Juventus in a probe into accounting irregularities, judicial officials revealed. . . . more . . .
Reds stars lift the pressure on Houllier (Feb 26, 2004)
Steven Gerrard and Harry Kewell sunk Levski Sofia with two superb strikes as Liverpool beat the Bulgarians 2-0 in their UEFA Cup third round, first leg tie to lift the pressure on beleaguered manager Gerard Houllier. . . . more . . .
Former UEFA chief Georges dies (Feb 26, 2004)
Former UEFA and French football federation president Jacques Georges died aged 87, the French federation revealed. . . . more . . .
Celtic hit the ground running in new UEFA Cup quest (Feb 26, 2004)
Celtic's bid to repeat last year's UEFA Cup adventure got off to a flying start with an impressive 3-0 win over Czech side FK Teplice. . . . more . . .
Blatter happy for Old Firm to play in England (Feb 26, 2004)
World soccer chief Sepp Blatter said he had no problem with Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers playing in England's Premiership. . . . more . . .
Dominant Lyon take a bite out of Sociedad (Feb 25, 2004)
French champions Lyon came away with a valuable 1-0 win over Real Sociedad after a scrappy but convincing first leg in their Champions League first knockout round tie here on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Glazer raises stake in United (Feb 25, 2004)
Billionaire American businessman Malcolm Glazer has increased his stake in Manchester United to 16.69 percent, his investment company said in a statement to the Stock Exchange. . . . more . . .
McCarthy leaves United on the edge (Feb 25, 2004)
Benni McCarthy got the better of his South African compatriot Quinton Fortune as FC Porto came from behind to beat Manchester United 2-1 in their Champions League second round first leg. . . . more . . .
Carragher comes to Houllier's defence (Feb 25, 2004)
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said it was up to the players to ease the pressure on their under-fire French manager Gerard Houllier. . . . more . . .
Celta keeper nose op after Arsenal accident (Feb 25, 2004)
Celta Vigo said their goalkeeper Pablo Cavallero has had an operation on his broken nose, which he sustained during their 3-2 Champions League loss to Arsenal. . . . more . . .
Blanc in talks on Marseille role (Feb 25, 2004)
Former France international and Manchester United defender Laurent Blanc is in talks with Marseille with a view to becoming the club's director of sporting operations. . . . more . . .
Makelele buys in to Servette (Feb 25, 2004)
Chelsea's French midfielder Claude Makelele has become a shareholder in cash-strapped Swiss first division side FC Servette, the Geneva-based club confirmed. . . . more . . .
United turn to captain Keane to hold off Porto (Feb 25, 2004)
Manchester United captain Roy Keane is set to be coralled into defensive duties as the English champions look to ease their path into the last eight of the Champions League against FC Porto. . . . more . . .
Last chance saloon for Chelsea's Ranieri as Stuttgart eye revenge (Feb 25, 2004)
The Champions League represents Chelsea's last realistic chance of silverware this season, making the tie with German runners-up VfB Stuttgart at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium a vital game for Italian coach Claudio Ranieri. . . . more . . .
Tight marking the key to successful Italian job says Depor's Silva (Feb 25, 2004)
Deportivo La Coruna midfielder Mauro Silva has warned his team-mates not to give an inch to Juventus' potentially dangerous strikers in the Champions League second round, first leg tie at the Riazor stadium. . . . more . . .
Ranieri breathes easier as own goal gifts Chelsea victory (Feb 25, 2004)
Chelsea's expensive assembly of stars put one foot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over VfB Stuttgart, easing the pressure on their manager Claudio Ranieri. . . . more . . .
Deportivo have Luque on their side to beat Juventus (Feb 25, 2004)
Juventus once again found Deportivo La Coruna's Riazor stadium an inhospitable place as last season's beaten finalists went down 1-0 to an Albert Luque goal. . . . more . . .
Smith steers Sunderland into FA Cup quarter-final (Feb 25, 2004)
Substitute Tommy Smith scored two extra-time goals which gave First Division Sunderland a 2-0 FA Cup fifth round replay victory away to Premiership side Birmingham at St Andrews. . . . more . . .
Edu a hit but Wenger worried by Arsenal defence (Feb 25, 2004)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praised his Brazil midfielder Edu for his two goals but admitted his defnce had him worried in their 3-2 Champions League win over Celta Vigo in Spain. . . . more . . .
Kahn makes Real blunder (Feb 25, 2004)
Eternal enemies Real Madrid and Bayern Munich shared the spoils when their fourth clash in five seasons produced a bad-tempered 1-1 draw as the Champions League moved into the last 16 stage. . . . more . . .
Ailton tempted to ditch Samba origins and play for Qatar (Feb 25, 2004)
Brazilian striker Ailton, who leads the scoring charts in the German Bundesliga, is considering an offer to switch nationalities and play for oil-rich Qatar to help them qualify for the 2006 World Cup. . . . more . . .
Birmingham wait on Dugarry (Feb 25, 2004)
Birmingham City manager Steve Bruice denied he was trying to pay off French striker Christophe Dugarry who was back home in Bordeaux after suffering a recurrence of his knee injury. . . . more . . .
We need to be more clinical says Milan coach Ancelotti (Feb 25, 2004)
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team must be more clinical in front of goal if they are to retain their Champions League trophy. . . . more . . .
Kahn vows to make amends (Feb 25, 2004)
Bayern Munich captain Oliver Kahn vowed to make amends the day after his his late error gifted Real Madrid an equaliser in Tuesday's 1-1 Champions League draw at the Olympic Stadium. . . . more . . .
Vogts pleads for patience (Feb 25, 2004)
Scotland manager Berti Vogts insisted he was promoting young players into the national side but begged fans to be patient as they came to terms with representative football. . . . more . . .
"Tired" Hayter sets new hat-trick record (Feb 25, 2004)
Bournemouth substitute James Hayter scored the fastest hat-trick in English Football League history despite feeling "tired", his manager said. . . . more . . .
Kahn calamity hands Real the luck of the draw (Feb 24, 2004)
A late blunder from veteran keeper Oliver Kahn handed Real Madrid a fortunate 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the knockout round of the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Sparta frozen out by holders Milan (Feb 24, 2004)
Reigning European champions AC Milan rarely moved into top gear but did enough to earn a valuable 0-0 draw away to Sparta Prague in the first leg of their Champions League second round tie. . . . more . . .
Former Charlton winger Holmes wins Muscat pay-out (Feb 24, 2004)
Former Charlton Athletic winger Matty Holmes has won a 750,000 pound pay-out six years after Australian defender Kevin Muscat's tackle ended his professional career. . . . more . . .
Ruud admits Man United miss Beckham (Feb 24, 2004)
Ruud van Nistelrooy has admitted Manchester United's faltering English Premiership challenge is partly down to David Beckham's transfer to Real Madrid. . . . more . . .
Training ground clash disrupts Deportivo Champions League hopes (Feb 24, 2004)
Deportivo La Coruna's preparations for Wednesday's European Champions League clash with Juventus were disrupted by a flaming row between coach Javier Irureta and striker Albert Luque. . . . more . . .
Brown dilemma for Ferguson (Feb 24, 2004)
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson faces a defensive dilemma for this Wednesday's Champions League clash with Porto with Wes Brown admitting he is not fully match-fit. . . . more . . .
Arsenal's French connection seals first win in Spain (Feb 24, 2004)
English Premiership leaders Arsenal notched up their first ever Champions League victory in Spain when they beat Celta Vigo 3-2. . . . more . . .
Duff and Crespo back for Chelsea (Feb 24, 2004)
Damien Duff and Hernan Crespo have won their fight for fitness to join Chelsea's Champions League trip to Stuttgart. . . . more . . .
Limping Bayern face Real test against mighty Madrid (Feb 24, 2004)
Familiar foes Bayern Munich and Real Madrid pit their wits against each other once again in the tantalising Champions League tussle at the Olympic Stadium as two powerhouses of European football target a place in the quarter-finals. . . . more . . .
Gunners count on double agent Reyes to boost firepower (Feb 24, 2004)
Arsenal will count on Jose Antonio Reyes's inside knowledge of Spanish football to help guide them into the last eight of the Champions League at the expense of Celta Vigo. . . . more . . .
Ruud backs Reds to produce Euro backlash (Feb 24, 2004)
Ruud van Nistelrooy has warned Manchester United's Champions League opponents FC Porto they could feel the backlash from the English champions' Premiership woes. . . . more . . .
Paquito to lead Villarreal (Feb 24, 2004)
Villarreal have appointed the veteran coach Francisco Garcia once again to be at the helm until the end of the season, the Spanish club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Fulham set up Manchester United Cup clash (Feb 24, 2004)
Fulham will face Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup next month after defeating London rivals West Ham 3-0 in a dramatic fifth round replay here at Upton Park. . . . more . . .
Lokomotiv steam ahead but Monaco claim crucial away goal (Feb 24, 2004)
Lokomotiv Moscow brushed off the cobwebs of the off-season to hand French league leaders Monaco a 2-1 defeat in the first leg of the Champions League first knockout round. . . . more . . .
Mourinho ready to cross swords with Ferguson (Feb 24, 2004)
Jose Mourinho has never made any secret of his desire to manage a top English club and the FC Porto coach has clearly absorbed some lessons from one of the masters of that particular profession. . . . more . . .
Man United face Scholes ban (Feb 23, 2004)
Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has been charged with violent behaviour by the Football Association for his two-handed push in the face of Middlesbrough midfielder Doriva. . . . more . . .
Wenger looks forward to 2006 in new Arsenal home (Feb 23, 2004)
English Premiership leaders Arsenal have secured 357 million pounds (663 million dollars) in funding to build a new stadium for 2006 which French manager Arsene Wenger believes can help transform the club into a European super power. . . . more . . .
Liverpool boss Houllier faces survival battle (Feb 23, 2004)
Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has admitted the FA Cup defeat at Portsmouth leaves the club struggling to salvage their season. . . . more . . .
Duff set for Chelsea comeback (Feb 23, 2004)
Damien Duff is expected to make his long-awaited comeback from injury with a place on Chelsea's bench for the European Champions League tie against Stuttgart. . . . more . . .
Thai PM eyeing purchase of Premier giants Liverpool (Feb 23, 2004)
Thailand's billionaire Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is intent on buying an English football club by June and is eyeing league giants Liverpool, the Thai national team coach said. . . . more . . .
Fitness doubt over Arsenal skipper Vieira (Feb 23, 2004)
Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira faces a fitness test on his knee before their European Champions League game against Celta Vigo on in Spain on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Thai PM eyeing purchase of Premiership giants Liverpool (Feb 23, 2004)
Thailand's billionaire Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is intent on buying an English football club by June and is eyeing Premiership giants Liverpool, the Thai national team coach said. . . . more . . .
Terry pleads with Abramovich to spare Ranieri (Feb 23, 2004)
England defender John Terry has pleaded with Roman Abramovich to spare Italian coach Claudio Ranieri the sack after their 2-1 defeat by Arsenal as good as put paid to their Premiership title hopes. . . . more . . .
Barcelona hang onto Henry dream (Feb 23, 2004)
Barcelona president Joan Laporta, outbid by Real Madrid for Manchester United's David Beckham last summer, has not given up hopes of getting Arsenal's French striker Thierry Henry. . . . more . . .
New Leeds bid taking shape (Feb 23, 2004)
Leeds United could be under new ownership if a bid by a group of local businessmen due to be presented to the cash-strapped Premiership club on Thursday is accepted. . . . more . . .
Inter coach Zaccheroni unfazed as Mancini rumours persist (Feb 23, 2004)
Inter Milan coach Alberto Zaccheroni says he is confident of keeping his job despite persitent rumours he will be shown the door and replaced by current Lazio coach Roberto Mancini. . . . more . . .
Monaco told to keep eye on the ball (Feb 23, 2004)
Monaco coach Didier Deschamps has warned his players they will crash if they take their eyes off the ball in Tuesday's European Champions League match at Lokomotiv Moscow. . . . more . . .
Vieira given green light for Vigo game (Feb 23, 2004)
Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira has recovered from a knock to the knee and will play in the Champions League first leg match at Spanish side Celta Vigo. . . . more . . .
European leaders state their case (Feb 23, 2004)
From Milan to Madrid, Monaco to Munich, Europe's footballing superpowers flexed their muscles in their respective leagues over the weekend. . . . more . . .
Maspoli, Uruguay's 1950 World Cup-winning goalkeeper, dies at 86 (Feb 23, 2004)
Roque Gaston Maspoli, who kept goal when Uruguay shocked the host nation Brazil to win the 1950 World Cup, has died at the age of 86. . . . more . . .
Beckham hopes to relive glory days in Munich (Feb 23, 2004)
David Beckham hopes he can have a glorious night in Munich once again when Real Madrid take on Bayern Munich in Tuesday's Champions League showdown. . . . more . . .
Double injury blow for AC Milan (Feb 22, 2004)
Holders AC Milan will be without Danish forward Jon Dahl Tomasson and defender Alessandro Nesta for Tuesday's Champions League second round, first leg tie away to Sparta Prague, the Italian Serie A club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Dortmund and Ewerthon on a roll (Feb 22, 2004)
Borussia Dortmund recorded their third win in succession with Cologne their latest victim in a 1-0 defeat at the Westfalen Stadium. . . . more . . .
Demichelis rescues ineffective Bayern, Stuttgart falter (Feb 22, 2004)
A morale-boosting win would have sent Bayern Munich into their Champions League clash with Real Madrid on a high, but instead the German champions needed a late goal from Argentine defender Martin Demichelis to grind out a 1-0 win over SV Hamburg. . . . more . . .
Capello keen on Spurs job (Feb 22, 2004)
Roma boss Fabio Capello could be on his way to the English Premiership after expressing an interest in taking over the vacant manager's position at Tottenham. . . . more . . .
Defoe spares Spurs blushes (Feb 22, 2004)
Jermain Defoe took his goals tally for Spurs to four in three games since his move from West Ham with a double that included a last-ditch equaliser in an eight-goal thriller at White Hart Lane. . . . more . . .
Celtic smash 40-year-old winning record (Feb 22, 2004)
Celtic smashed one of Scottish football's oldest surviving records when they notched up a 24th consecutive league victory with a 4-1 win over bottom side Partick Thistle at Firhill. . . . more . . .
Zaragoza out of the relegation zone (Feb 22, 2004)
Spanish Cup finalists Real Zaragoza climbed out of the relegation zone on goal difference after a convincing 4-1 win over Villarreal. . . . more . . .
Cassano hat-trick keeps Roma in the hunt (Feb 22, 2004)
Antonio Cassano scored a hat-trick as Roma thrashed Siena 6-0 to give a welcome boost to their goal difference and close the gap on Serie A league leaders AC Milan to five points. . . . more . . .
Fergie refuses to throw in the towel as Gunners pull clear (Feb 22, 2004)
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has refused to throw in the towel in the English Premiership title race, despite his side slipping seven points behind leaders Arsenal with just 12 games left. . . . more . . .
Ten-man Nantes hold Marseille to a draw (Feb 22, 2004)
Marseille were wolf-whistled off the pitch by their home fans after an unspectacular 1-1 draw against ten-man Nantes left them treading water in sixth place. . . . more . . .
Enyimba beat Etoile du Sahel in African Super Cup (Feb 22, 2004)
African champions Enyimba of Nigeria confirmed their status as the continent's leading club side in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tunisia's Etoile du Sahel in the African Super Cup. . . . more . . .
Owen penalty miss costs Liverpool dear (Feb 22, 2004)
Former Arsenal trainee Richard Hughes fired Portsmouth into an FA Cup quarter-final meeting with his former club as Liverpool paid the price of a penalty miss by superstar striker Michael Owen. . . . more . . .
Villa stunned by Birmingham late show (Feb 22, 2004)
Aston Villa's unexpected push for a place in Europe stalled as local rivals Birmingham came back from two goals down to snatch a draw deep into stoppage time. . . . more . . .
Ferguson waiting on news on Ferdinand appeal (Feb 22, 2004)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes he is being kept in the dark by the Football Association over Rio Ferdinand's appeal against an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test. . . . more . . .
Gers take revenge on Hibs (Feb 21, 2004)
Rangers claimed revenge for their League Cup exit at the hands of Hibs with a 3-0 Premier League win at Ibrox. . . . more . . .
Lizarazu at real pains to face friend Zidane (Feb 21, 2004)
Bayern Munich's Frenchman Bixente Lizarazu admits he will find it hard to put aside his long-time friendship with compatriot Zinedine Zidane when Bayern lock horns with Real Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League showdown. . . . more . . .
D-day for Chelsea and Man Utd in pursuit of Gunners (Feb 21, 2004)
Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri has warned his side that they must overcome their Arsenal jinx or forget about winning the Premiership title. . . . more . . .
Milan show the stuff of champions to sink Inter (Feb 21, 2004)
League leaders AC Milan fought back from being two goals down at half-time to defeat local rivals Inter Milan 3-2 and keep their title challenge firmly on track. . . . more . . .
Under-fire Lehmann apologises for Kahn jibe (Feb 21, 2004)
Arsenal's outspoken German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has apologised to rival Oliver Kahn for his personal attack on the Bayern Munich captain that has increased the clamour for his expulsion from the German national team. . . . more . . .
Real Madrid extend lead as Valencia stumble (Feb 21, 2004)
Real Madrid enjoyed themselves at the expense of relegation-threatened Espanyol with an emphatic 4-2 victory which consolidated their position as league leaders. . . . more . . .
Bayern and Stuttgart look for wind in sails as big-guns await (Feb 21, 2004)
Germany's Champions League participants Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart will both be looking to end wretched runs of form with weekend wins in the Bundesliga, as they hope to bolster confidence ahead of European tussles with Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively. . . . more . . .
Milan missing the Maldini factor for derby clash (Feb 21, 2004)
AC Milan's experienced defender Alessandro Costacurta believes the Serie A leaders can cope without their suspended captain Paolo Maldini for the crunch match against local rivals Inter Milan. . . . more . . .
Gunners shoot down Chelsea title hopes (Feb 21, 2004)
Arsenal took a massive step towards reclaiming the English Premiership crown with a 2-1 win over Chelsea that amounts to the kiss of death for their London rivals' title ambitions. . . . more . . .
Espanyol make it easy for Real Madrid (Feb 21, 2004)
Real Madrid enjoyed themselves at the expense of relegation-threatened Espanyol with an emphatic 4-2 victory which maintained the reigning champions' position as league leaders. . . . more . . .
Lyon keep tabs on Monaco (Feb 21, 2004)
French champions Lyon kept their title defence bandwagon on the road with a 2-0 win over strugglers Le Mans. . . . more . . .
Parma keep up pressure in race for Champions League place (Feb 21, 2004)
Cash-strapped Parma maintained their push for a place in the lucrative Champions League next season by winning 2-1 at Sampdoria. . . . more . . .
United slump seven points behind Arsenal (Feb 21, 2004)
Manchester United slipped seven points behind leaders Arsenal after a tenacious Leeds side rode their luck to hold the reigning champions to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Demichelis rescues ineffective Bayern, Stuttgart falter (Feb 21, 2004)
A morale-boosting win would have sent Bayern Munich into Tuesday's Champions League clash with Real Madrid on a high, but instead the German champions needed a late goal from Argentine defender Martin Demichelis to grind out a 1-0 win over SV Hamburg. . . . more . . .
Deportivo squander chances and settle for draw (Feb 21, 2004)
Deportivo La Coruna's Spanish international strike force of Diego Tristan and Albert Luque squandered a series of second half chances which meant the Galicians had to settle for 0-0 draw at Atletico Madrid. . . . more . . .
Jensen upstages Friedel in five-goal thriller (Feb 21, 2004)
Claus Jensen upstaged Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel's late heroics with a stoppage-time winner for Charlton moments after the American had scored an equaliser from a corner at The Valley. . . . more . . .
UEFA confirm one-year ban for Titov (Feb 21, 2004)
An appeal by Russian footballer Yegor Titov against a one-year ban for doping was denied by European football's ruling body UEFA. . . . more . . .
Borja bids to fill Beckham's boots for Real (Feb 21, 2004)
Borja Fernandez is not a name that comes to mind as quickly as Ronaldo or Raul when the Real Madrid squad is mentioned but he will have a vital role to play when the league leaders face Espanyol. . . . more . . .
'Gentle Giant' John Charles dead at 72 (Feb 21, 2004)
Wales, Juventus and Leeds legend John Charles has died at the age of 72. . . . more . . .
United will fight Scholes ban (Feb 21, 2004)
Sir Alex Ferguson said he is confident of beating a ban which could be handed to Paul Scholes over his two-handed push on Middlesbrough midfielder Doriva. . . . more . . .
Adebayor hat-trick shoots Monaco to victory (Feb 20, 2004)
A virtuoso display by Togo's Emmanuel Adebayor helped shoot Monaco back to winning ways in a 4-0 victory over Montpellier their French league match. . . . more . . .
France striker Cisse appeals to CAS over five-match ban (Feb 20, 2004)
France striker Djibril Cisse has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in an attempt to have his five-match UEFA ban reduced to two, CAS said in a statement. . . . more . . .
Keane drops Ireland hint (Feb 20, 2004)
Roy Keane suggested he could return to international football with the Republic of Ireland. . . . more . . .
Li Tie resigned to fate after breaking leg (Feb 20, 2004)
Everton's Chinese midfielder Li Tie has brushed aside concerns that his career in English football is under threat after being ruled out for the rest of the season with a broken leg. . . . more . . .
Wenger demands an end to friendlies farce (Feb 20, 2004)
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has demanded a radical shake-up of the way international friendlies are organised in the wake of Australia's move to bar Mark Viduka from playing for Leeds against Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Solskjaer in line for Reds return (Feb 20, 2004)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in line to return for Manchester United for the first time in five months during this weekend's Premiership clash with Leeds at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Scholes charged over Dorriva clash (Feb 20, 2004)
Paul Scholes has been left facing a potential three-match ban after being charged with violent behaviour over a clash with Middlesbrough's Dorriva during Manchester United's 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford on February 11. . . . more . . .
Fergie warns Arsenal of dangers of over confidence (Feb 20, 2004)
Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has warned Arsenal that their unbeaten record in the Premiership could finally end up costing them another title. . . . more . . .
Viduka ban prompts Aussie officials to set up European base (Feb 20, 2004)
The Australian Soccer Association said it will establish a European headquarters to help stop a repeat of the damaging Mark Viduka tug-of-war which led to national team no-shows, suspensions, walk-out threats and possible legal action. . . . more . . .
Sorry - we were unacceptable, Vogts tells Tartan Army (Feb 20, 2004)
Scotland's German coach Berti Vogts has issued an apology to the Tartan Army after what he described as his side's unacceptable performance in Wednesday's 4-0 humbling by Wales. . . . more . . .
Anigo backs Blanc for Marseille job (Feb 20, 2004)
Marseille coach Jose Anigo has given his backing to the possible appointment of former France international defender Laurent Blanc as the first division side's general manager next season. . . . more . . .
Arsenal won't slip up says Keane (Feb 19, 2004)
Manchester United captain Roy Keane has told everyone at Old Trafford to forget about Arsenal repeating last year's collapse which helped Alex Ferguson's side win the Premier League. . . . more . . .
Li Tie out for season (Feb 19, 2004)
Li Tie will miss the rest of the season after breaking a leg on international duty with China, the midfielder's club Everton said. . . . more . . .
Brazil draw encourages Kerr (Feb 19, 2004)
Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr kept his emotions in check but there was no disguising his pride after a friendly goalless draw with world champions Brazil here at Lansdowne Road. . . . more . . .
New format for world club championship (Feb 19, 2004)
The new format for the FIFA Club World Championship in 2005 and 2006, which is expected to last eight days and comprise six teams in a December tournament in Japan, has been finalised, FIFA said in a statement. . . . more . . .
Australia to enforce FIFA bans on stayways Viduka and Chipperfield (Feb 19, 2004)
The Australian Soccer Association said it would invoke FIFA regulations to ban Mark Viduka and Scott Chipperfield from playing in their next European club matches over their failure to play for Australia against Venezuela. . . . more . . .
Leeds to battle Viduka ban (Feb 19, 2004)
Relegation-threatened Leeds United plan to challenge a FIFA ban on Mark Viduka playing against Manchester United this weekend following an Australian soccer protest. . . . more . . .
Zidane signs new Real deal (Feb 19, 2004)
Zinedine Zidane has signed a new contract with Real Madrid which will keep the world's most expensive footballer at the Spanish champions until 2007. . . . more . . .
Karembeu volunteers for Athens Olympics (Feb 19, 2004)
Olympiakos' French World Cup winner Christian Karembeu signed to become a volunteer for the summer Olympics during a short ceremony at the headquarters of the Athens Olympics organising committee (ATHOC). . . . more . . .
Cole out of Chelsea match (Feb 19, 2004)
Ashley Cole has been ruled out of Premiership leaders Arsenal's London derby with high-flyers Chelsea this weekend because of a back problem his club said. . . . more . . .
Saez fears for tired Spain at Euro2004 (Feb 19, 2004)
Spanish coach Inaki Saez echoed the fears of many of the men in charge of national teams when he said that he was worried that Spain would be fielding tired players at Euro 2004. . . . more . . .
Keane drops Ireland hint (Feb 19, 2004)
Roy Keane suggested he could return to international football with the Republic of Ireland. . . . more . . .
England fans to appear in court following attack on Portuguese police (Feb 19, 2004)
Two England fans will appear in court accused of attacking Portuguese police officers before Wednesday's friendly international between the two countries which ended in a 1-1 draw, the Lusa news agency reported. . . . more . . .
England and Portugal share spoils (Feb 19, 2004)
A stunning strike from Portugal striker Pauleta denied England the chance to ruin Luis Figo's 100th international appearance as two of the Euro 2004 favourites began their final countdown to this summer's tournament with a 1-1 friendly draw here. . . . more . . .
King earns England stamp of approval (Feb 19, 2004)
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, missing the suspended Rio Ferdinand, revealed Ledley King has played his way into Euro 2004 contention after scoring on his debut in Portugal. . . . more . . .
Lehmann twists the knife into under-fire Kahn (Feb 19, 2004)
Arsenal's German international goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has reopened his war of words with Bayern Munich's Oliver Kahn claiming he should be Germany's first choice for the European championships in Portugal. . . . more . . .
Last-gasp Japan scrape home in World Cup qualifier against Oman (Feb 18, 2004)
Japan opened their World Cup campaign with an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Asian minnows Oman thanks to a goal in the third minute of injury time by substitute Tatsuhiko Kubo. . . . more . . .
Debut boy Saha on target as France maintain winning run (Feb 18, 2004)
Manchester United striker Louis Saha scored on his international debut as France beat Belgium 2-0 in a friendly match to extend their winning streak to 14 matches. . . . more . . .
Earnshaw hits three as Wales humiliate Scots (Feb 18, 2004)
Cardiff City striker Robbie Earnshaw claimed a hat-trick in a 4-0 friendly win over Scotland that will leave Wales coach Mark Hughes full of hope for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers. . . . more . . .
FIFA investigate Viduka no-show (Feb 18, 2004)
Leeds United face sanctions after their Australian striker Mark Viduka failed to report for international duty. . . . more . . .
Everton warn poachers off Rooney (Feb 18, 2004)
Everton manager David Moyes has again warned off Manchester United and Chelsea who are reported to be tracking Wayne Rooney. . . . more . . .
Indian football clubs face ban after 116-goal spree (Feb 18, 2004)
Two Indian football teams each competing for promotion to a premier league scored 116 goals between them in separate matches after their opponents had clearly been paid off. . . . more . . .
Southgate hoping for fresh start against Portugal (Feb 18, 2004)
Gareth Southgate is set to find himself at the heart of England's defence once again when they take on Euro 2004 hosts Portugal in an international friendly in Faro. . . . more . . .
Irish relishing Brazil challenge (Feb 18, 2004)
The Republic of Ireland's preparations for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers will move up a gear when they welcome world champions Brazil to Lansdowne Road for what is already a 44,000 sell-out match. . . . more . . .
Ramelow saves Germany with goal in 2-1 friendly win (Feb 18, 2004)
Substitute Carsten Ramelow rescued Germany with a late goal to secure a 2-1 win over Croatia in their warm-up friendly for the 2004 European championships in Portugal. . . . more . . .
British police stop suspected hooligans from heading to Portugal (Feb 18, 2004)
British police have stopped a group of suspected troublemakers from travelling to Portugal for a friendly football international with England, Portuguese officials said. . . . more . . .
Howard Wilkinson to coach Shanghai Shenhua (Feb 18, 2004)
Experienced English manager Howard Wilkinson has been chosen to lead Chinese champion side Shanghai Shenhua, although the contract has yet to be inked, the club's vice president said. . . . more . . .
Santini looks to Saha to spark French revolution (Feb 18, 2004)
Jacques Santini will be looking beyond the Euro 2004 finals when he bloods a number of young guns in the friendly against Belgium. . . . more . . .
Wasteful South Korea untroubled but Japan and China kept waiting (Feb 18, 2004)
South Korea, Japan and China got off to winning starts Wednesday on the long Asian march to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. . . . more . . .
Greek tycoon offloads shares in troubled Leeds (Feb 18, 2004)
Greek shipping tycoon Andreas Dracopoulos has pre-empted the possibility of a take-over at Leeds and sold 6.5 million of his shares in the cash-strapped Premiership club. . . . more . . .
Bayern must pray for Madrid off-day says Rummenigge (Feb 18, 2004)
Bayern Munich need a minor miracle to defeat Real Madrid in the last sixteen of the Champions League, according to their vice-president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. . . . more . . .
Italy held by stubborn Czechs (Feb 18, 2004)
Italy began their preparations for this summer's European championships in Portugal with a 2-2 draw against fellow qualifiers the Czech Republic. . . . more . . .
Juninho Pernambucano out of Ireland match (Feb 17, 2004)
Juninho Pernambucano was the only late withdrawal from the Brazil squad ahead of Wednesday's friendly international against the Republic of Ireland here at Lansdowne Road. . . . more . . .
Valencia supporters set to sue referee for negligence (Feb 17, 2004)
Valencia supporters and shareholders are set to sue the referee of their match at Real Madrid at the weekend for one euro on grounds of negligence after he awarded Real a controversial injury time penalty. . . . more . . .
No takeover offer for Man United (Feb 17, 2004)
Manchester United's plc board has informed the stock market the club has received no sort of takeover approach after speculation mounted that billionaire American businessman Malcolm Glazer was planning a bid to buy United. . . . more . . .
Vassell out of England friendly in Portugal (Feb 17, 2004)
Aston Villa striker Darius Vassell has pulled out of England's squad to face Portgual in tomorrow's friendly because of illness. . . . more . . .
Terry out of England friendly in Portugal (Feb 17, 2004)
Chelsea defender John Terry has pulled out of England's squad to face Portgual in this week's friendly with a shin injury. . . . more . . .
Figo rethinks international retirement (Feb 17, 2004)
Luis Figo says he is ready to carry on playing for Portugal after this summer's European championships but only in tournament matches. . . . more . . .
Leeds appeal to Australia over Viduka (Feb 17, 2004)
Leeds United have appealed to Australia not to ask FIFA to suspend Mark Viduka for pulling out of a friendly with Venezuela in Caracas. . . . more . . .
Eriksson issues Owen alert (Feb 17, 2004)
Sven-Goran Eriksson has told England's Euro 2004 rivals to beware the goal threat of striker Michael Owen. . . . more . . .
Lazio prepared to sell Stam (Feb 17, 2004)
The general manager of cash-strapped Serie A club Lazio said they are willing to listen to offers for Jaap Stam after the 31-year-old Dutch defender turned down a contract extension. . . . more . . .
Portugal: It's just like playing Brazil says Sven (Feb 17, 2004)
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said Wednesday's friendly here against Euro 2004 hosts Portugal would be the nearest thing in football to playing world champions Brazil. . . . more . . .
Ireland face Brazil's Terrible Trio (Feb 17, 2004)
The Republic of Ireland will face a full-strength Brazil side including Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos in Wednesday's international friendly clash. . . . more . . .
Holland doubtful for Brazil match (Feb 17, 2004)
Matt Holland could be ruled out of the Republic of Ireland's friendly with world champions Brazil here Wednesday because of a neck injury. . . . more . . .
Britain pledges to fight football hooligans (Feb 17, 2004)
Britain has pledged it will do everything possible to prevent hooligans disrupting the Euro 2004 football finals in June. . . . more . . .
Baggio mulling retirement U-turn (Feb 17, 2004)
Injury-plagued former Italy international Roberto Baggio says he may not retire at the end of the season after all. . . . more . . .
Arsenal face Liverpool or Portsmouth in FA Cup (Feb 16, 2004)
FA Cup holders Arsenal must travel to either Premiership rivals Liverpool or Portsmouth after the quarter-final draw for this season's competition was made. . . . more . . .
Australia to act against missing Viduka and Leeds (Feb 16, 2004)
The Australian Soccer Association is seeking to take action against striker Mark Viduka and his English club Leeds United for pulling out of this week's international against Venezuela in Caracas. . . . more . . .
Cisse eager for Liverpool move (Feb 16, 2004)
France forward Djibril Cisse said he was looking forward to playing with Michael Owen at Liverpool next season even though he has yet to formally sign with the English Premiership side. . . . more . . .
Beckham set for FA talks over selection (Feb 16, 2004)
David Beckham is to have a meeting with FA chiefs in a bid to thrash out the details of England selection policy following some controversial omissions forced on coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. . . . more . . .
Tampa Bay owner refuses to rule out Man United takeover (Feb 16, 2004)
Billionaire American businessman Malcolm Glazer has refused to rule out a bid to buy English soccer champions Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Ex-Valencia star warns against penalty backlash (Feb 16, 2004)
Barcelona midfield star Gerard Lopez warned his teammates against a potential backlash as the Catalan club prepare for their upcoming visit to his former club Valencia. . . . more . . .
England turn to King to replace Campbell (Feb 16, 2004)
England have called up Spurs defender Ledley King following the withdrawal of Sol Campbell for this week's friendly in Portugal. . . . more . . .
Lehmann fined by FA for Phillips clash (Feb 16, 2004)
Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was fined 10,000 pounds (18,000 dollars) and warned to his future conduct by the Football Association (FA) following an incident with Southammpton's Kevin Phillips in December. . . . more . . .
Terry confident Chelsea will banish blues (Feb 16, 2004)
England defender John Terry is confident Chelsea can bounce back from their FA Cup defeat to Arsenal and beat the Gunners in next weekend's Premiership rematch. . . . more . . .
O'Neill stands by ignored England duo (Feb 16, 2004)
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill said England were wrong to overlook the Scottish Premier League leaders' pair of Alan Thompson and Chris Sutton for this week's friendly against Portugal. . . . more . . .
Germany to bar 4,500 hooligans from Euro 2004 (Feb 16, 2004)
Germany will prevent some 4,500 reputed football hooligans from travelling to the European championships in Portugal this summer, the tournament's top security organiser said. . . . more . . .
Figo's 100th cap, against England, in doubt after injury (Feb 16, 2004)
Luis Figo could miss his 100th international appearance for Portugal against England after picking up an injury to his left leg playing for Real Madrid. . . . more . . .
Second salvage group enters Leeds fray (Feb 16, 2004)
A second group of Yorkshire-based businessmen are "not far off" making a bid for cash-strapped Premiership side Leeds United, a spokesman said. . . . more . . .
On the spot Figo saves Real's bacon in Spanish title clash (Feb 15, 2004)
Valencia came within 30 seconds of shattering Real Madrid's 100 percent home record, but a Luis Figo penalty saved Real's bacon in a frantic finale to pinch a 1-1 draw, leaving Real two points clear in the Spanish first division. . . . more . . .
Tunisian triumph leaves bitter-sweet taste (Feb 15, 2004)
Accusations of cheating, botched organisation, gamesmanship and scuffles between police and fans. . . . more . . .
Ferguson lashes ref after derby Cup win (Feb 15, 2004)
Alex Ferguson turned his fire on referee Jeff Winter after Manchester United saw off Manchester City 4-2 in their FA Cup fifth round tie at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
AC Milan held by lowly Lecce (Feb 15, 2004)
AC Milan maintained their five-point lead over Roma in Serie A despite being held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Lecce. . . . more . . .
Tunisia make African Nations Cup history (Feb 15, 2004)
Tunisia's long, painful wait for a meaningful piece of soccer silverware finally came to end here when a 2-1 win over Morocco gave them their first ever African Nations Cup title. . . . more . . .
Sheffield United through to Cup quarter-finals (Feb 15, 2004)
Paul Peschisolido's goal just after the hour mark saw Sheffield United, last season's semi-finalists, into the last eight of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win over Second Division Colchester at Bramall Lane. . . . more . . .
Bundesliga title not essential for Bayern says Hoeness (Feb 15, 2004)
Failure to win the German championship would not be a disaster for Bayern Munich, according to their general manager Uli Hoeness. . . . more . . .
Labour of love for omitted Thompson (Feb 15, 2004)
Celtic's Alan Thompson was overlooked for the England's trip to Portugal on Wednesday but his boss Martin O'Neill revealed he was more worried about his wife who was about to give birth. . . . more . . .
Reyes double sinks Chelsea (Feb 15, 2004)
Jose Antonio Reyes rescued Arsenal by scoring twice in five minutes as the FA Cup holders came from behind to beat London rivals Chelsea 2-1 and secure their place in this season's quarter-finals at Highbury. . . . more . . .
Lyon back in league hunt after defeat of Auxerre (Feb 15, 2004)
Lyon got back to the business of defending their French league title with a surprise 2-1 away win at Auxerre. . . . more . . .
Eriksson denies England quit rumours (Feb 15, 2004)
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson insisted he would see out his contract, saying he had turned down offers from several European clubs and denying he had agreed a deal with Chelsea. . . . more . . .
Bremen on cloud nine as Ailton hits late winner (Feb 15, 2004)
Werder Bremen moved nine points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table with a 1-0 triumph over Kaiserslautern, although they needed a last-minute penalty from Brazilian Ailton to snatch all three points. . . . more . . .
Campbell out of Portugal friendly (Feb 15, 2004)
Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has been ruled out of Wednesday's England friendly away to Euro 2004 hosts Portugal. . . . more . . .
Bremen on cloud nine as Bayern fall to Bochum (Feb 15, 2004)
Bundesliga leaders Werder Bremen gave reigning champions Bayern Munich and other title rivals a mountain to climb after establishing a nine-point lead at the top with a late 1-0 win over Kaiserslautern. . . . more . . .
Juve back in the hunt after AC Milan held by lowly Lecce (Feb 15, 2004)
AC Milan maintained their five-point lead over Roma at the top of Serie A despite being held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Lecce but reigning champions Juventus took advantage to get back into the title race. . . . more . . .
Supersub Taylor stuns Liverpool (Feb 15, 2004)
Portsmouth substitute Matthew Taylor earned his side a replay as their FA Cup fifth round tie with Liverpool ended in a 1-1 draw at Anfield. . . . more . . .
'Complacent' Fulham lucky to survive in FA Cup: Coleman (Feb 14, 2004)
Fulham manager Chris Coleman accused his "inept" players of complacency after they barely kept alive their FA Cup hopes in a goalless fifth round tie with West Ham at Loftus Road. . . . more . . .
No love for Murcia on St. Valentine's Day (Feb 14, 2004)
Bottom club Murcia got no love from Sevilla striker Julio Cesar Baptista on St. . . . more . . .
Rame fumble saves Sochaux (Feb 14, 2004)
Bordeaux keeper Ulrich Rame left the field an embarrassed man after his late fumble allowed on-form Sochaux to pull level to 1-1 in injury time of their early French league encounter. . . . more . . .
Hughes keeps West Brom in First Division title hunt (Feb 14, 2004)
Troubled striker Lee Hughes kept West Brom in touch with Norwich at the top of the English First Division with a late winner in the 2-1 victory against Cardiff. . . . more . . .
I just ran out of steam, admits Kanoute (Feb 14, 2004)
Frederic Kanoute admitted that exhaustion was the reason why his African Nations Cup campaign with Mali ended so disappointingly. . . . more . . .
London rivals all square after Cup thriller (Feb 14, 2004)
Fulham and West Ham's FA Cup dreams were still alive after the London rivals' fifth round tie ended without a goal. . . . more . . .
Ten Men United overpower City (Feb 14, 2004)
Manchester United saw off arch-rivals Manchester City 4-2 to book themselves an FA Cup quarter-final place despite playing most of the match at Old Trafford with just 10 men. . . . more . . .
Frank de Boer rescues Rangers (Feb 14, 2004)
Frank de Boer's first goal for Rangers saved the reigning champions' blushes in a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Aberdeen at Pittodrie. . . . more . . .
Stam drive seals Lazio win over struggling Empoli (Feb 14, 2004)
Dutch international defender Jaap Stam weighed in with a goal as Lazio overcame a setback earlier in the season against Empoli to humble the relegation strugglers 3-0. . . . more . . .
Diouf ban increased to four matches (Feb 14, 2004)
Senegal striker El Hadji Diouf has had his international ban increased from three to four matches. . . . more . . .
No love lost as Morientes makes life hard for Lyon (Feb 14, 2004)
Monaco could move a step closer towards winning the French league title on St Valentine's Day only days after a Fernando Morientes hat-trick humiliated reigning league champions Lyon in the French Cup. . . . more . . .
Celtic duo under England watch (Feb 14, 2004)
Celtic duo Alan Thompson and Chris Sutton could find themselves called up into the England squad for next week's friendly away to Portugal if they impress in the Scottish Premier League leaders match at home to Dundee United. . . . more . . .
Bayern face tricky Bochum test, Bremen wary of Klose threat (Feb 14, 2004)
After last weekend's flattering 3-1 win over Hannover, reigning champions Bayern Munich will be looking to close to within three points of leaders Werder Bremen, at least temporarily, with a trip to VfL Bochum. . . . more . . .
World Cup flop Lemerre ready for rebirth (Feb 14, 2004)
Roger Lemerre hopes to complete a remarkable personal journey by erasing his World Cup misery with France in 2002 thanks to a resounding triumph with Tunisia at the 2004 African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Ten man United overpower City (Feb 14, 2004)
Manchester United saw off city rivals Manchester City 4-2 to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-final despite playing most of the match at Old Trafford with just ten men. . . . more . . .
Hoddle keen on return to Southampton (Feb 14, 2004)
Glenn Hoddle says he would be able to win over sceptical Southampton fans if he is given a second stint in charge of the Premiership side. . . . more . . .
Tunisia clinch African Nations Cup glory (Feb 14, 2004)
Tunisia's long, painful wait for a meaningful piece of soccer silverware finally came to end when a 2-1 win over Morocco gave them their first ever African Nations Cup title. . . . more . . .
Bayern's Bochum blunder boosts Bremen (Feb 14, 2004)
Champions Bayern Munich missed a golden opportunity to edge closer to Bundesliga pace-setters Werder Bremen when they fell to a 1-0 defeat away at VfL Bochum. . . . more . . .
Birmingham frustrated by Sunderland (Feb 14, 2004)
First Division Sunderland can look forward to a replay after holding Premiership outfit Birmingham City to a 1-1 draw in the fifth round of the FA Cup at the Stadium of Light. . . . more . . .
Celtic edge closer to title as Rangers drop points at Dons (Feb 14, 2004)
England hopeful Chris Sutton struck the winner for Celtic in a 2-1 win over Dundee United that virtually ended Rangers' hopes of defending the Scottish Premier League title. . . . more . . .
Tunisia make African Nations Cup history (Feb 14, 2004)
Tunisia's long, painful wait for a meaningful piece of soccer silverware finally came to end when a 2-1 win over Morocco gave them their first ever African Nations Cup title. . . . more . . .
Bruce relieved as draw keeps Birmingham in the Cup (Feb 14, 2004)
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce was relieved to remain in the FA Cup as First Division Sunderland forced a fifth round replay with a 1-1 at the Stadium of Light. . . . more . . .
Little Lille blow French league race open after downing Monaco (Feb 14, 2004)
The French title race was blown wide open as Didier Deschamps' league leaders Monaco were defeated 1-0 at home by Lille - their first home defeat of the season. . . . more . . .
Leeds given another stay of execution (Feb 13, 2004)
Leeds were given an extra two weeks to come up with a solution that will allow a Yorkshire-based consortium to step in and bid for the debt-ridden club. . . . more . . .
Okocha battles against Nigerian witch hunt (Feb 13, 2004)
Nigeria skipper Jay Jay Okocha has pleaded with his country's football bosses not to hunt for scapegoats following the Super Eagles' African Nations Cup elimination. . . . more . . .
Youssef Hadji steps out of his brother's shadow (Feb 13, 2004)
Youssef Hadji has for years lived in the shadow of his older brother Mustapha, the Aston Villa player whose exploits for Morocco in the 1998 World Cup made him a household name back home. . . . more . . .
Zidane cops one-match ban for violent behaviour (Feb 13, 2004)
France and Real Madrid playmaker Zinedine Zidane has been handed a one-match ban by the Spanish federation's disciplinary body after being sent off for violent behaviour in midweek. . . . more . . .
Anxious City wait on Anelka (Feb 13, 2004)
Playing Manchester United in an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford is hard enough; doing so without your best striker is an almost insurmountable handicap. . . . more . . .
Real Madrid face Valencia in top-of-the-table clash (Feb 13, 2004)
The top-of-the-table clash between Real Madrid and Valencia on Sunday is theoretically only worth three points but the outcome could have a profound effect on the direction of the Spanish championship. . . . more . . .
Milan fired up by cup embarrassment (Feb 13, 2004)
League leaders AC Milan will be looking to bounce back from their humiliating Italian cup exit by making it eight Serie A victories in a row away to Lecce on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Curbishley signs new Charlton deal (Feb 13, 2004)
Charlton manager Alan Curbishley has ended speculation about his future by signing a new three and a half year deal which will keep him at the London club until 2007. . . . more . . .
Okocha wins African Nations Cup top player award (Feb 13, 2004)
Nigeria's inspirational skipper Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha is to be named the top player at this year's African Nations Cup, a senior official of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) told AFP. . . . more . . .
Nigeria and Mali fight for third place (Feb 13, 2004)
Mali and Nigeria hope to bury the misery of their African Nations Cup semi-final defeats by clinching the consolation of winning the third-place play-off. . . . more . . .
Strachan quits Southampton (Feb 13, 2004)
Gordon Strachan has resigned as coach of Southampton, the Premiership club announced. . . . more . . .
Manchester United shares soar on takeover speculation (Feb 13, 2004)
Manchester United shares soared to a three-year high as takeover speculation swirling around the club reached fever pitch amid reports billionaire American Malcolm Glazer was considering a bid. . . . more . . .
Wales appeal set for March (Feb 13, 2004)
Wales' appeal against UEFA's decision to allow Russia to play in the Euro 2004 finals despite midfielder Yegor Titov failing a drug test will be heard on March 19. . . . more . . .
Lemerre pins faith in fickle fans (Feb 13, 2004)
Roger Lemerre hopes the notoriously fickle Tunisian crowd will get behind his team and push them on towards a first ever African Nations Cup when they take on Morocco in the final on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Galaxy hire World Cup great Klinsmann as adviser (Feb 13, 2004)
Former German national team captain and 1990 World Cup winner Jurgen Klinsmann was named a technical adviser by the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. . . . more . . .
FA want to quiz Ferguson over racial abuse claim (Feb 13, 2004)
The Football Association want to interview Everton's Duncan Ferguson over accusations of racial abuse levelled against him by Fulham striker Luis Boa Morte. . . . more . . .
Chelsea boss Ranieri came close to signing Henry (Feb 13, 2004)
Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri said he had been close to signing Arsenal striker Thierry Henry when he was manager of Fiorentina and described the player as the Muhammad Ali of football, it was reported. . . . more . . .
Okocha eyes share of golden boot as Nigeria take third place (Feb 13, 2004)
Nigeria captain Jay Jay Okocha put himself in line for a share of the golden boot at the African Nations Cup as he scored one of the goals which helped defeat Mali 2-1 in the third place play-off. . . . more . . .
Ten-man Real survive stormy night to book final place (Feb 12, 2004)
Real Madrid conceded a goal after just 40 seconds and survived the sending-off of Zinedine Zidane to hold off Sevilla and reach the Spanish Cup final after a stormy semi-final ended 1-0 here. . . . more . . .
Ferguson undeterred by off-field "nonsense" (Feb 12, 2004)
Sir Alex Ferguson has vowed not to let the "off-field nonsense" of his legal battle with Irish racing tycoon John Magnier hurt Manchester United's league campaign. . . . more . . .
Hoddle keen on Southampton return (Feb 12, 2004)
Glenn Hoddle said he was keen to manage Southampton for a second time despite the prospect of being confronted by fans still angered at the way he left the south coast club for Tottenham. . . . more . . .
Glazer increases stake in Manchester United (Feb 12, 2004)
Rumours of an eventual Manchester United takeover war increased after billionaire American Malcolm Glazer upped his stake in the English Premiership club by just over two percent. . . . more . . .
Algeria hit with 33,000-dollar bill for fans rampage (Feb 12, 2004)
Algerian football chiefs were handed a bill for over 33,000 dollars as punishment for the mayhem caused when their team's fans went on the rampage in an African Nations Cup match. . . . more . . .
United missing Rio says Fergie (Feb 12, 2004)
Alex Ferguson has admitted Manchester United are missing suspended defender Rio Ferdinand. . . . more . . .
Boro blow a hole in United's title challenge (Feb 12, 2004)
Middlesbrough rocked Manchester United's Premiership title challenge to its roots as Joseph Desire-Job snatched a 3-2 victory at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Celtic dismiss Dunfermline (Feb 12, 2004)
Leaders Celtic overcame an early shock to maintain their 11-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 4-1 win away to Dunfermline at East End Park. . . . more . . .
Zaragoza edge through to Spanish final date with Real (Feb 12, 2004)
Spain's Cup final on March 17 will be a royal affair after Real Zaragoza edged out second division Alaves to book a date with Real Madrid. . . . more . . .
Babbel wants Anfield return (Feb 12, 2004)
Germany international defender Markus Babbel has admitted he would love to return to top level football - with Liverpool. . . . more . . .
Stuttgart are unknown quantity says Chelsea's Lampard (Feb 12, 2004)
Chelsea's Frank Lampard admits he knows none of the players from VfB Stuttgart - but the in-form midfielder insists his star-studded Premiership side won't underesimate their opponents in the last sixteen of the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Santini snubs Anelka for Belgium friendly (Feb 12, 2004)
France coach Jacques Santini snubbed Nicolas Anelka for the upcoming friendly on February 18 against Belgium by leaving him out of the squad. . . . more . . .
Fear of failing drives us on, admit Tunisians (Feb 12, 2004)
Tunisia defender Hatem Trabelsi admitted that a fear of failure has driven his team to the African Nations Cup final. . . . more . . .
Vieri the culprit as Juve book final ticket (Feb 12, 2004)
Juventus booked their place in the final of the Italian Cup by defeating Inter Milan 5-4 in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out after their pulsating semi-final, second leg ended all square. . . . more . . .
Saints chief reveals Hoddle talks (Feb 12, 2004)
Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe confirmed he has held talks with former manager Glenn Hoddle about a return to the south coast club. . . . more . . .
Scolari gives Almeida the nod for England friendly (Feb 12, 2004)
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has given midfielder Hugo Almeida a huge vote of confidence by selecting the on-loan FC Porto man among his 22-man squad for the friendly against England next week. . . . more . . .
Morientes hat-trick seals Lyon's fate in French Cup (Feb 12, 2004)
A Fernando Morientes' hat-trick shot Monaco into the quarter-finals of the French Cup in a 4-1 victory over league rivals Lyon in the Principality. . . . more . . .
Nigeria vow to bounce back for World Cup (Feb 12, 2004)
Nigeria insisted they will put their African Nations Cup disappointment behind them and bounce back in style when the 2006 World Cup qualifiers get underway in June. . . . more . . .
Nerves of steel can win Morocco second Nations Cup crown (Feb 12, 2004)
Morocco defender Abdeslam Ouaddou believes they can win their second African Nations Cup at the expense of hosts Tunisia if they keep their nerves at a packed Rades Stadium on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Utaka hopes for Premiership springboard (Feb 11, 2004)
Nigeria striker John Utaka hopes his goal scoring exploits at the African Nations Cup will earn him a chance to join colleagues Jay Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu in the English Premiership. . . . more . . .
Arsenal hits out at class-less Real over Henry (Feb 11, 2004)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hit out at Real Madrid for expressing an interest in French star Thierry Henry. . . . more . . .
Sono wants to coach crisis-hit South Africa (Feb 11, 2004)
Former star Jomo Sono says he is the coach to lift crisis-torn South Africa out of the doldrums. . . . more . . .
Man United fans plan Gold Cup protest (Feb 11, 2004)
Manchester United fans are planning a major protest against the club's biggest shareholders at the Cheltenham racing Festival in March. . . . more . . .
Kanu and Kanoute aim to fire Nigeria and Mali into final (Feb 11, 2004)
Premiership stars Nwankwo Kanu and Frederic Kanoute aim to fire Nigeria and Mali into an African Nations Cup final showdown by breaking the hearts of Tunisia and Morocco in the semi-finals. . . . more . . .
Cup a Real target as place in final looms (Feb 11, 2004)
The Spanish Cup may be well down Real Madrid's list of priorities for the season as they aim for a 10th European Cup and 30th league title. . . . more . . .
Doping bans reduced for Kallon and Blasi (Feb 11, 2004)
Inter Milan striker Mohammed Kallon and Parma midfielder Manuele Blasi have had their doping suspensions reduced by the disciplinary council of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). . . . more . . .
Penalty shoot-out sends Tunisia into African Nations Cup final (Feb 11, 2004)
Tunisia booked their place in the final of the African Nations Cup when a dramatic penalty shoot-out gave them victory over Nigeria after the sides had been locked at 1-1 after extra-time. . . . more . . .
Morientes hat-trick seals Lyon's fate in French Cup (Feb 11, 2004)
A Fernando Morientes' hat-trick shot Monaco into the quarter-finals of the French Cup in a 4-1 victory over league rivals Lyon in the Principality. . . . more . . .
German star Tarnat waits on City talks (Feb 11, 2004)
Manchester City's German defender Michael Tarnat admits he is revelling in life with the Premiership side but is not sure whether he will stay at the club for another season or return to the Bundesliga. . . . more . . .
Henry surges past 100-goal mark (Feb 11, 2004)
Thierry Henry's 100th and 101st Premiership goals saw Arsenal extend their unbeaten Premiership run to 25 games with a 2-0 win over Southampton at Highbury here. . . . more . . .
Milan goalkeeper Dida confident of cup comeback (Feb 11, 2004)
AC Milan's Brazilian goalkeeper Nelson Dida believes the winning mentality of the European champions and current Serie A leaders will see them through to the final of the Italian Cup. . . . more . . .
Morocco dump Mali to set up all north African Nations Cup final (Feb 11, 2004)
Morocco trounced Mali 4-0 at the Olympic Stadium to set up the first-ever all-north African Nations Cup final clash against hosts Tunisia this weekend. . . . more . . .
Irish racing tycoons raise stake in Man United (Feb 11, 2004)
Irish racing tycoons John Magnier and JP McManus have raised their stake in Manchester United to just under 29 percent, the English Premiership club confirmed. . . . more . . .
British gov't calls for Premiership wage cap (Feb 11, 2004)
A British government report is urging the English Premier League to put a ceiling on the huge salaries the top players are earning. . . . more . . .
Madrid match will not decide my fate: Hitzfeld (Feb 11, 2004)
Bayern Munich manager Ottmar Hitzfeld has laughed off suggestions that defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League could spell the end of his reign at the Olympic Stadium. . . . more . . .
Murcia call in the heavy brigade (Feb 11, 2004)
Murcia, four points adrift at the foot of the Spanish first division with 15 games to save their skins, have called in the heavy brigade. . . . more . . .
French league top dogs in cup clash (Feb 11, 2004)
The rivalry of French league leaders Monaco and reigning champions Lyon acquires a new backdrop with a French Cup clash in the Principality. . . . more . . .
Lahm wins first German call up; Frings and Hamann return (Feb 11, 2004)
Germany coach Rudi Voller has handed a first call-up to VfB Stuttgart's promising defender Philipp Lahm for the Euro 2004 warm-up match with Croatia in Split on February 18. . . . more . . .
Nigerians dejected after semi-final exit (Feb 11, 2004)
A feeling of anger and dejection hit Nigerians as their national team failed to clinch a place in the African Nations Cup final after losing to Tunisia on penalties. . . . more . . .
Hoddle closer to Southampton return (Feb 11, 2004)
Glenn Hoddle is set to make a sensational return to management at Southampton this week - less than three years after he walked out on them. . . . more . . .
Lippi slams Totti for unsporting behaviour (Feb 11, 2004)
Juventus coach Marcello Lippi has slammed Roma captain Francesco Totti for showing a lack of respect in Sunday's Serie A clash at the Olympic stadium. . . . more . . .
German youngsters lack ambition: Klinsmann (Feb 11, 2004)
Jurgen Klinsmann has criticised Germany's current generation of footballers for lacking the desire to succeed that he and his fellow 1990 World Cup winners possessed. . . . more . . .
Valdano to have power curtailed in Real shake-up: report (Feb 11, 2004)
Real Madrid's influential sporting director Jorge Valdano is set to have his wages slashed and power restricted under an organisational shake-up at the Spanish giants, according to reports. . . . more . . .
Saints chief calls for calm (Feb 11, 2004)
Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe said speculation that Glenn Hoddle was planning to return as the English Premiership side's manager should not split the club's "family". . . . more . . .
Baros boost for Liverpool and Czech Republic (Feb 11, 2004)
Milan Baros believes he can help Liverpool and the Czech Republic get their hands on some silverware after making his comeback five months after breaking his ankle in Liverpool's 3-1 win at Blackburn. . . . more . . .
United trio in hot water over Everton celebration (Feb 11, 2004)
Manchester United captain Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gary Neville could face a police grilling over claims they made crude gestures and swore at Everton fans. . . . more . . .
Ten-man Real survive stormy night to book final place (Feb 11, 2004)
Real Madrid conceded a goal after just 40 seconds and survived the sending-off of Zinedine Zidane to hold off Sevilla and reach the Spanish Cup final after a stormy semi-final ended 1-0. . . . more . . .
Eriksson set for talks on England future (Feb 11, 2004)
England coach boss Sven Goran Eriksson has agreed to talks over extending his contract to 2008 and will sit down with the English Football Association after the friendly against Portugal next week. . . . more . . .
Owen and Liverpool back in business (Feb 11, 2004)
Michael Owen found the net for the first time since more than three months and helped Steven Gerrard score the goal which beat Manchester City and put Liverpool in Champions League contention. . . . more . . .
Chelsea pile pressure on United (Feb 11, 2004)
Chelsea moved to within a single point of second-placed Manchester United after a 2-0 victory over struggling Portsmouth. . . . more . . .
Fiore leads the charge as Lazio thump Milan to clinch final place (Feb 11, 2004)
Stefano Fiore scored twice as Lazio thumped holders AC Milan 4-0 at the Olympic stadium to secure a place in the final of the Italian Cup. . . . more . . .
Joseph just the Job as Boro beat United (Feb 11, 2004)
Joseph Desire-Job sealed a 3-2 victory for Middlesbrough over Manchester United that rocked the champions' title hopes at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Euro 2004 souvenirs to flood Europe, Asia in March (Feb 10, 2004)
Euro 2004 souvenirs, from the traditional pins and t-shirts to china sets and women's watches, will hit stores across Europe and Asia in March, tournament organisers said Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Owen happy with Liverpool system says Houllier (Feb 10, 2004)
Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier insisted that England striker Michael Owen was not being left to fend for himself up front. . . . more . . .
Asprilla set to sign for Argentine club (Feb 10, 2004)
Colombian international striker Faustino Asprilla is set to join Argentine club Estudiantes La Plata, who are coached by Argentina's 1996 World Cup-winning coach Carlos Bilardo. . . . more . . .
Report calls for more Asians in English football (Feb 10, 2004)
English football is not racist but work is still needed to attract greater ethnic minority involvement at all levels of the game, especially from the country's Asian population, said a report just published. . . . more . . .
We can't stop Okocha: Lemerre (Feb 10, 2004)
Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre has admitted that Nigerian dangerman Jay Jay Okocha will be impossible to shackle in Wednesday's African Nations Cup semi-final. . . . more . . .
Walker at fault as Leicester blow precious points (Feb 10, 2004)
Leicester goalkeeper Ian Walker was embroiled in controversy again as his own goal handed a draw to Bolton and harmed his side's chances of staying in the Premiership. . . . more . . .
Kanu and Kanoute aim to fire Nigeria and Mali into final (Feb 10, 2004)
Premiership stars Nwankwo Kanu and Frederic Kanoute aim to fire Nigeria and Mali into an African Nations Cup final showdown by breaking the hearts of Tunisia and Morocco in the semi-finals. . . . more . . .
Henry passes century and sinks Saints (Feb 10, 2004)
Thierry Henry's 100th and 101st Premiership goals saw Arsenal extend their unbeaten start to the league season with a 2-0 win over Southampton at Highbury. . . . more . . .
Leeds throw themselves a lifeline (Feb 10, 2004)
Leeds finally gave themselves hope of Premiership survival by thrashing Wolves 4-1. . . . more . . .
Amateurs Brive dump Auxerre out of the French Cup (Feb 10, 2004)
The amateurs of Brive knocked holders Auxerre out of the French Cup and moved into the quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory. . . . more . . .
Batty told his Leeds career is over (Feb 09, 2004)
Leeds' caretaker manager Eddie Gray has told David Batty that his career at the club is over. . . . more . . .
Cech mate for Chelsea (Feb 09, 2004)
Rennes and Chelsea signed a contract for the transfer of Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech to the London club, Rennes sporting director Pierre Dreossi said. . . . more . . .
Inter close in on Real midfielder Cambiasso (Feb 09, 2004)
Inter Milan are on the verge of signing Real Madrid's Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso for the start of next season, according to the Corriere dello Sport. . . . more . . .
Camara locked in new club v country row (Feb 09, 2004)
Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Dave Jones lashed out at Senegal after Henri Camara had to delay his return to the embattled Premiership club to attend a reception for his defeated African Nations Cup team. . . . more . . .
FA contact police after Goodison Park incidents (Feb 09, 2004)
The Football Association are contacting police to see whether they are looking into incidents at Goodison Park when Everton met Manchester United at the weekend. . . . more . . .
Portuguese firms hit by Euro 2004 Internet ticket scam (Feb 09, 2004)
At least ten Portuguese firms have been duped by unofficial Internet sites which falsely claimed to have tickets for this summer's Euro 2004 football finals for sale, officials said. . . . more . . .
Forest set to appoint Kinnear (Feb 09, 2004)
Struggling English first division club Nottingham Forest are set to appoint former Wimbledon boss Joe Kinnear as their new manager. . . . more . . .
Valeron commits long-term to 2010 (Feb 09, 2004)
Spanish international midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron announced that he had committed himself to Deportivo La Coruna until 2010. . . . more . . .
Diouf banned for three matches (Feb 09, 2004)
Senegal striker El Hadji Diouf has been banned for three matches by the Confederation of African Football following his team's stormy African Nations Cup quarter-final defeat to Tunisia, a tournament spokesman said on Monday. . . . more . . .
Kanu backs Nigeria's youngsters to end 10-year wait (Feb 09, 2004)
Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu believes Nigeria's new generation are maturing just at the right time to put an end to his country's 10-year wait for a repeat triumph at the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Bayern win fails to paper over defensive cracks (Feb 09, 2004)
While Bayern Munich got their season back on track with a 3-1 win over Hannover on Sunday manager Ottmar Hitzfeld was angry that the defensive cracks that have been evident all season keep opening up. . . . more . . .
Keegan's got Manchester City Blues (Feb 09, 2004)
Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan admitted his side's desperate league form was starting to get to him after they chalked up their 13th Premiership match without a win. . . . more . . .
Nigeria send champions Cameroon crashing out (Feb 08, 2004)
Nigeria ended Cameroon's four-year reign as African champions when they won 2-1 here to reach the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Taylor prolongs Manchester City agony (Feb 08, 2004)
Birmingham keeper Maik Taylor produced a series of fine saves to earn his side a point in a goalless Premiership draw with Manchester City. . . . more . . .
O'Leary offers Leeds hope (Feb 08, 2004)
Aston Villa manager David O'Leary insisted Leeds could still stay in the Premiership after seeing his current club beat his old side 2-0. . . . more . . .
Pompey will survive says Redknapp (Feb 08, 2004)
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp was in defiant mood after seeing his side lose 4-3 against Tottenham. . . . more . . .
Ferguson relieved after Everton thriller (Feb 08, 2004)
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he came close to losing his cool after his Manchester United side let slip a 3-0 lead before beating Everton 4-3 at Goodison Park. . . . more . . .
Titi calls time on international career (Feb 08, 2004)
Veteran striker Titi Camara announced his retirement from international football following Guinea's heartbreaking last minute defeat to Mali in the African Nations Cup quarter-finals. . . . more . . .
Everton to probe United players' comments (Feb 08, 2004)
Everton said they would be looking into allegations that Manchester United players verbally abused their supporters during the champions' dramatic 4-3 victory here at Goodison Park on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Nervy Milan edge Perugia to extend lead in Italy (Feb 08, 2004)
AC Milan tightened their grip on first place in Serie A after defeating relegation-threatened Perugia 2-1 at the San Siro. . . . more . . .
Hasselbaink keeps Chelsea title bid on track (Feb 08, 2004)
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's 99th Premiership goal was good enough to give Chelsea a 1-0 win over London rivals Charlton here at Stamford Bridge that kept their Premiership title challenge alive. . . . more . . .
Bayern and Ballack hit back, Bobic haunts Stuttgart (Feb 08, 2004)
A fired up Bayern Munich put their midweek cup humiliation behind them with a 3-1 win over Hannover which moves them back to within six points of leaders Werder Bremen. . . . more . . .
Bayern and Bremen lead way, Bayer and Stuttgart outfoxed (Feb 08, 2004)
Reigning champions Bayern Munich bounced back from their midweek cup humiliation to notch a 3-1 win over Hannover which moves them back to within six points of leaders Werder Bremen. . . . more . . .
Cameroon risk hefty fine for insisting on controversial kits (Feb 08, 2004)
Defending champions Cameroon are likely to be heavily fined after they continued to wear their controversial one-piece kits for Sunday's African Nations Cup quarter-final match here against Nigeria, officials told AFP. . . . more . . .
Nervy Milan edge Perugia as Roma thrash Juve (Feb 08, 2004)
Leaders AC Milan maintained their push for the Serie A title after edging relegation-threatened Perugia 2-1, while second-placed Roma stayed in the hunt by thrashing reigning champions Juventus 4-0 here at the Olympic stadium. . . . more . . .
Cannonball Kid strikes home for Real (Feb 08, 2004)
Roberto Carlos' cannonball freekick was the decisive goal for leaders Real Madrid in a 2-1 Spanish league victory over Malaga this weekend. . . . more . . .
Morocco storm back to reach Nations Cup semi-finals (Feb 08, 2004)
Youssef Hadji and Jawad Zairi scored extra-time goals as Morocco came from behind to beat Algeria 3-1 in an African Nations Cup quarter-final thriller. . . . more . . .
Nigeria knock out Cameroon while Morocco clinch extra-time triumph (Feb 08, 2004)
Nigeria ended Cameroon's four-year reign as continental champions when they won 2-1 to reach the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Kenyon moves to cool Eriksson speculation (Feb 08, 2004)
Claudio Ranieri should be allowed to get on with his job and not be subjected to continuous rumours linking England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson to his job at Chelsea said chief executive Peter Kenyon. . . . more . . .
Cameroon and Nigeria renew rivalry in African shootout (Feb 08, 2004)
Four-time champions Cameroon and two-time winners Nigeria renew their long-standing rivalry in the glamour tie of the African Nations Cup quarter-finals. . . . more . . .
Hart-less Forest ditch manager (Feb 08, 2004)
Paul Hart has been sacked as manager of relegation-threatened First Division side Nottingham Forest less than a year after leading them into the promotion play-off semi-finals. . . . more . . .
Pleat not prepared to comment on Spurs Antics (Feb 08, 2004)
Spurs caretaker manager David Pleat refused to admit whether he could team up with Serbian coach Raddy Antic at the Premiership club next season. . . . more . . .
Vieira staying with Arsenal (Feb 07, 2004)
France midfielder Patrick Vieira has said he has no intention of leaving Arsenal despite persistent rumours that he could leave at the end of the season. . . . more . . .
Celtic break Hearts in Scottish Cup (Feb 07, 2004)
Celtic maintained their hopes of securing a domestic league and cup double with a comprehensive 3-0 fourth round win away to outclassed Hearts. . . . more . . .
Last-minute Diarra fires Mali into African Nations Cup semi-finals (Feb 07, 2004)
Captain Mahamadou Diarra scored a dramatic injury-time winner to give Mali a 2-1 win over Guinea and a place in the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Portugal to deploy 3,000 police to Euro 2004 security duty (Feb 07, 2004)
Portugal plans to deploy more than 3,000 police officers to provide security during this summer's European football championships, Interior Minister Antonio Figueiredo Lopes said Saturday. . . . more . . .
Tunisia triumph as Lemerre buries Senegal ghost (Feb 07, 2004)
A hotly disputed Jawhar Mnari goal midway through the second half of a bad-tempered clash took hosts Tunisia into the African Nations Cup semi-finals with a 1-0 victory over Senegal in thick fog. . . . more . . .
Henry's vital goal as Gunners stay top (Feb 07, 2004)
Thierry Henry scored the vital goal in Arsenal's 3-1 victory at Wolverhampton which kept them top of the Premiership and earned them a record-breaking, 24-match unbeaten run. . . . more . . .
Reyes of hope for Wolves (Feb 07, 2004)
Premiership leaders Arsenal are set to be without record signing Jose Antonio Reyes when they play second-from-bottom Wolves at Molineux. . . . more . . .
El Hadji Diouf looks to repeat Lemerre misery (Feb 07, 2004)
Former France coach Roger Lemerre confronts the ghosts of the worst nightmare of his career when he leads Tunisia into battle against Senegal for a place in the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Last minute Diarra fires Mali into African Nations Cup semi-finals (Feb 07, 2004)
A terrible blunder by Guinea goalkeeper Kemoko Camara allowed Mali captain Mahamadou Diarra to score a dramatic injury-time winner to give his side a 2-1 win and a place in the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Monaco's march to the title continues (Feb 07, 2004)
Monaco's 2-0 victory at Metz, their seventh French league away win of the season, put them seven points clear at the top of the table following the defeat of reigning champions Lyon by lowly Guingamp. . . . more . . .
Van Nistelrooy seals Merseyside thriller (Feb 07, 2004)
Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy popped up to seal a dramatic 4-3 victory for his side at Everton, after the champions had squandered a commanding 3-0 advantage from the first half. . . . more . . .
Baumann the hero for 10-man Bremen, Bayer defeated again (Feb 07, 2004)
Werder Bremen needed a late strike from inspirational captain Frank Baumann to snatch a 2-1 win over Borussia Monchengladbach as they moved nine points clear of reigning champions Bayern Munich. . . . more . . .
Angry Senegal blame referee for African Nations Cup defeat (Feb 07, 2004)
Senegal coach Guy Stephan launched a blistering attack on referee Ali Bujsaim after his side crashed out of the African Nations Cup to a hotly-disputed goal against Tunisia. . . . more . . .
Kanoute and Camara locked in battle for survival (Feb 07, 2004)
Former team-mates Frederic Kanoute and Titi Camara put their goal-scoring reputations on the line as Mali and Guinea clash in the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Bolton hold Liverpool (Feb 07, 2004)
Bolton held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw at the Reebok Stadium, a result that meant the visitors had gone four games without a win. . . . more . . .
Magic has only just started, says Algerian goal ace (Feb 07, 2004)
Hocine Achiou, whose scoring exploits have carried Algeria into the African Nations Cup quarter-finals, hopes his goals can carry his country all the way to next Saturday's final. . . . more . . .
Chelsea job is a possibility says Eriksson (Feb 07, 2004)
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson says that talk of him joining Chelsea after the summer could not be ruled out if circumstances at the club and at the Euro 2004 finals in Portugal allow. . . . more . . .
Foreign police to help Portugal monitor hooligans at Euro 2004 (Feb 06, 2004)
At least 118 foreign police officers will help their Portuguese counterparts combat hooligans during this summer's Euro 2004 football finals, the chief of the tournament's security committee said. . . . more . . .
Leeds given stay of execution (Feb 06, 2004)
Cash-strapped English Premiership side Leeds have been given an extra week to come up with a solution that will allow a Yorkshire-based consortium to step in and bid for the club. . . . more . . .
I have little respect for records: Wenger (Feb 06, 2004)
Arsenal will chalk up their longest unbeaten start to the Premiership at Wolverhampton but manager Arsene Wenger said he had little respect for records, it was reported. . . . more . . .
Bordeaux show vintage form against wingless Canaries (Feb 06, 2004)
Bordeaux returned to winning ways and a more respectable scoreline with a precious 2-0 win over Nantes. . . . more . . .
Expelled stars snub Nigeria return (Feb 06, 2004)
Celestine Babayaro and Victor Agali joined fellow banished Nigerian teammate Yakuba Aiyegbeni in insisting that they have no intention of returning to their country's African Nations Cup squad. . . . more . . .
Solskjaer returns (Feb 06, 2004)
Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he was delighted his four months out through injury had finally come to an end. . . . more . . .
Aghahowa is Nigeria doubt ahead of Cameroon clash (Feb 06, 2004)
Ukraine-based striker Julius Aghahowa is the only injury worry for Nigeria ahead of Sunday's quarter-final match against Cameroon. . . . more . . .
Nigeria still wait on expelled stars (Feb 06, 2004)
Nigerian football officials said they have yet to hear from the three players recalled to the African Nations Cup after they were expelled from the squad for breaking camp rules. . . . more . . .
Ranieri admits his job is on the line (Feb 06, 2004)
Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri said he could lose his job even if the London club wins a trophy this season and vowed to take nothing for granted. . . . more . . .
Hibs ends Rangers bid to retain League Cup crown (Feb 05, 2004)
Scottish champions Rangers' hopes of holding on to their League Cup crown crumbled when Hibernian came back from a goal down to eventually claim victory from the penalty spot in their semi-final. . . . more . . .
Celtic's Lennon backs O'Neill move to Man United (Feb 05, 2004)
Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon believes a reported Martin O'Neill move to Manchester United makes sense. . . . more . . .
Nigeria will be inspired against Cameroon: Okocha (Feb 05, 2004)
Jay Jay Okocha insisted that his Nigerian team will be inspired by having to beat old rivals Cameroon in the African Nations Cup quarter-final on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Man City stun Spurs with brilliant Cup comeback (Feb 05, 2004)
Manchester City pulled off one of the greatest FA Cup comebacks in the history of the competition to defeat Tottenham 4-3 here and earn a fifth round clash with Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Senegal paying price of success (Feb 05, 2004)
Ferdinand Coly says Senegal have become victims of their own success after their trailblazing passage to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002. . . . more . . .
Bayern in turmoil as Madrid await (Feb 05, 2004)
Bayern Munich's rollercoaster season experienced another huge dip when second division Alemannia Aachen triumphed 2-1 in the quarter-finals of the German cup to send the holders back to southern Germany with their tails between their legs. . . . more . . .
English soccer chiefs to probe racist row (Feb 05, 2004)
English football's governing body were set to open enquiries into Fulham striker Luis Boa Morte's claim he was racially abused by Everton's Duncan Ferguson. . . . more . . .
Supersubs set African Nations Cup benchmark (Feb 05, 2004)
Hocine Achiou, Osaze Odemwengie, Youssef Hadji and Karim Kamanzi are not exactly household names but they certainly made names for themselves as supersubs in the first round of the African Nations Cup finals. . . . more . . .
Anelka loses appeal (Feb 05, 2004)
Manchester City striker Nicolas Anelka has lost his appeal against the red card he received at Arsenal to confirm his three-match suspension by the Football Association. . . . more . . .
Stuttgart's Yakin denies signing for Fenerbahce (Feb 05, 2004)
VfB Stuttgart's new signing Hakan Yakin has quashed suggestions that he penned a contract with Turkish side Fenerbahce before joining Champions League hopefuls Stuttgart in a two-million-euro deal (2.47 million dollars). . . . more . . .
Turkish striker Ilhan set for Japan move (Feb 05, 2004)
J-League club Vissel Kobe is chasing Turkish international striker Ilhan Mansiz, his Besiktas club revealed. . . . more . . .
Real's Ronaldo set to miss weekend encounter (Feb 05, 2004)
Real Madrid star Ronaldo is likely to miss his club's league encounter with Malaga on Saturday with a bout of gastroenteritis, the club revealed. . . . more . . .
Keegan amazed as City comeback earns a United derby (Feb 05, 2004)
Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan described his side's stunning 4-3 FA Cup victory over Tottenham as "the cup tie of my lifetime". . . . more . . .
Man City produce memorable Cup comeback (Feb 05, 2004)
Manchester City pulled off one of the greatest FA Cup comebacks in the history of the competition to defeat Tottenham 4-3 here and earn a fifth round clash with Manchester United. . . . more . . .
We are not chasing Henry say Real Madrid (Feb 05, 2004)
Real Madrid have denied they are chasing Arsenal's French international striker Thierry Henry. . . . more . . .
Former Croatia coach fined for threatening to kill journalist (Feb 05, 2004)
Croatia's former national coach Miroslav Blazevic, who led the Balkan country to third place at the World Cup in 1998, was found guilty and fined by a local court for threatening to kill a journalist. . . . more . . .
Ferdinand postpones surgery (Feb 05, 2004)
Les Ferdinand has delayed a knee operation in a bid to help struggling Leicester stay in the English Premiership. . . . more . . .
Hierro sues Real Madrid for more than 500,000 euros (Feb 05, 2004)
Former Real Madrid sweeper Fernando Hierro, who has since joined a Qatar outfit, has claimed more than 500,000 euros (630,000 dollars) from the Spanish club for the termination of his contract. . . . more . . .
Titi's chance to outshine ex-teammate Kanoute (Feb 05, 2004)
Titi Camara faces the ghosts of his bitter experience of the English Premiership on Saturday when his Guinea team take on Mali for a place in the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Aiyegbeni says no to Nigeria (Feb 05, 2004)
Portsmouth said that Yakubu Aiyegbeni could not contemplate returning to Nigeria's African Nations Cup squad after a dramatic U-turn by the striker's country saw him recalled despite having been sent home from the Tunisia tournament. . . . more . . .
Okocha begs for his million dollars trapped in troubled Nigerian bank (Feb 05, 2004)
Nigeria skipper Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha has pleaded with the country's president Olusegun Obasanjo to help him recover a million dollar deposit trapped in a troubled local bank. . . . more . . .
Lazio upset holders Milan in Italian Cup (Feb 05, 2004)
Lazio are well placed to secure a place in the final of the Italian Cup after winning 2-1 away to holders AC Milan in the first leg of their semi-final. . . . more . . .
Only way is down for South Africa (Feb 05, 2004)
South Africa's reputation as a major African footballing power was delivered another telling blow after their timid first-round exit from the Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Cameroon against Nigeria is just like a final: Djemba Djemba (Feb 05, 2004)
Defending champions Cameroon's African Nations Cup quarter-final showdown with old rivals Nigeria on Sunday will be like a final before the final, according to Manchester United ace Eric Djemba Djemba. . . . more . . .
Larsson reveals United offer (Feb 05, 2004)
Celtic striker Henrik Larsson said he had once turned down an offer to join Manchester United but admitted he would be unlikely to do the same now given the fragile state of Scottish football. . . . more . . .
Brazil's Emerson out of Ireland friendly (Feb 05, 2004)
Emerson was ruled out of Brazil's friendly with Ireland in Dublin on February 18 by his club Roma, who said he was receiving treatment for the injury that flared up on the eve of the 2002 World Cup. . . . more . . .
Mancini in talks with Tottenham (Feb 05, 2004)
Lazio coach Roberto Mancini has confirmed he has spoken with Tottenham over the vacant manager's job at White Hart Lane. . . . more . . .
Cameroon stay on collision course over one-piece strip (Feb 05, 2004)
Cameroon are set for another fall-out with world football's governing body FIFA after their kit suppliers said they are not in a position to replace the team's controversial one-piece strip. . . . more . . .
United fans set sights on Irish racing tycoon (Feb 05, 2004)
Manchester United fans have stepped up their campaign against John Magnier by taking their battle all the way to the European Parliament. . . . more . . .
Frenchman Micoud wants answers from Bremen (Feb 05, 2004)
Werder Bremen's gifted French playmaker Johann Micoud has admitted that he is strongly considering his future with the club after Hungarian midfielder Krisztian Lisztes became the third player to confirm his departure from the league leaders. . . . more . . .
Okocha defends exiled trio (Feb 05, 2004)
Nigeria captain Jay Jay Okocha believes his team blundered when they kicked Yakuba Aiyegbeni, Celestine Babayaro and Victor Agali out of their African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Champions League final in Istabul in 2005 (Feb 05, 2004)
The 2005 Champions League final will take place in Istanbul's 80,000-seater Ataturk stadium, European football's governing body UEFA revealed. . . . more . . .
Bastia president charged with extortion (Feb 05, 2004)
The president of French first division side Bastia was in police custody charged with trying to extort funds for a terrorist organisation. . . . more . . .
Buzzing Zidane mulls extra year at the top (Feb 05, 2004)
France and Real Madrid star Zinedine Zidane said he might contemplate not hanging up his boots until 2006, a year later than intended. . . . more . . .
Irish tycoons step up Ferguson row (Feb 04, 2004)
Lawyers acting for Irish tycoons John Magnier and JP McManus have intensified their feud with Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson by demanding transcripts of his pre-match press conferences. . . . more . . .
Morocco put sad South Africa out of their misery (Feb 04, 2004)
South Africa's controversial and catastrophic African Nations Cup campaign came to a painful end when a 1-1 draw with Morocco confirmed their elimination from the tournament. . . . more . . .
Nigeria beat Benin to set up Cameroon showdown (Feb 04, 2004)
Nigeria defeated Benin 2-1 to set up an African Nations Cup quarter-final showdown with defending champions Cameroon. . . . more . . .
We are not chasing Henry say Real Madrid (Feb 04, 2004)
Real Madrid denied they are chasing Arsenal's French international striker Thierry Henry. . . . more . . .
Ten-man Inter frustrate Juventus in Italian Cup (Feb 04, 2004)
Inter Milan survived the second half sending off of goalkeeper Francesco Toldo to salvage a valuable 2-2 draw away to Juventus in the first leg of their Italian Cup semi-final in Turin. . . . more . . .
Nigeria on Premiership collision course after recalling expelled trio (Feb 04, 2004)
Nigeria placed themselves on a collision course with Premiership clubs Chelsea and Portsmouth as well as German side Schalke when they announced they were recalling the three players expelled from its African Nations Cup squad. . . . more . . .
Bayern suffer humiliating Cup exit (Feb 04, 2004)
Cup holders Bayern Munich crashed to a humiliating 2-1 defeat at the hands of second division Alemannia Aachen. . . . more . . .
Man City produce memorable Cup comeback (Feb 04, 2004)
Manchester City pulled off one of the greatest FA Cup comebacks in the history of the competition to defeat Tottenham 4-3 and earn a fifth round clash with Manchester United. . . . more . . .
United loan Dong to Antwerp (Feb 04, 2004)
Manchester United have officially loaned their new Chinese signing Dong Fangzhou to their farm club FC Antwerp, the Belgian first division club announced. . . . more . . .
American goalkeeper excited by move to Benfica (Feb 04, 2004)
Benfica's new American international goalkeeper Zach Thornton said he was thrilled by the opportunity to play for the Portuguese giants. . . . more . . .
Livingston find silver lining in dark financial clouds (Feb 03, 2004)
A dramatic last-minute penalty fired Livingston into the first major cup final on the eve of what promises to be one of the blackest days in in the club's history. . . . more . . .
Reyes ready for League Cup semi-final (Feb 03, 2004)
Arsene Wenger insists his record signing Jose Antonio Reyes has a bright future at Arsenal, starting in the League Cup semi-final second leg at Middlesbrough's Riverside stadium. . . . more . . .
Jara takes over at Kaiserslautern (Feb 03, 2004)
In a whirlwind appointment Austrian coach Kurt Jara has been unveiled as the new manager of struggling Kaiserslautern less than 24 hours after the dismissal of Erik Gerets. . . . more . . .
Defoe surprised at Spurs move (Feb 03, 2004)
Jermain Defoe admits he was surprised at being signed by Spurs moments before the transfer window closed on Monday. . . . more . . .
Algeria happy fortune and fans are on their side (Feb 03, 2004)
Algeria are counting on a combination of good fortune and their huge fan base to carry them past Zimbabwe and into the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Unconvincing Cameroon scrape past Egypt into last eight (Feb 03, 2004)
Defending champions Cameroon scraped into the African Nations Cup quarter-finals after a drab 0-0 draw with Egypt in a Group C match. . . . more . . .
Sleepy Middlesbrough fan remains barred from ground (Feb 03, 2004)
A dedicated fan of English Premiership club Middlesbrough who had his season ticket confiscated after he fell asleep during a game remains barred from watching the side. . . . more . . .
Ljungberg injury blow for Gunners (Feb 03, 2004)
Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg could be out for three weeks with a rib injury that could force new 16 million pound signing Jose Antonio Reyes into a more prominent role than Arsenal Arsene Wenger had anticipated. . . . more . . .
There's more to Mali than me: Kanoute (Feb 03, 2004)
Frederic Kanoute said he was happy to be dropped for the African Nations Cup 1-1 draw with Senegal because it gave his teammates the opportunity to prove to the doubters that Mali are not just a one-man team. . . . more . . .
Gerets axed by struggling Kaiserslautern (Feb 03, 2004)
Bundesliga outfit Kaiserslautern have dismissed coach Erik Gerets less than a week after the Bundesliga restart with Saturday's 2-1 defeat by 1860 Munich proving the final nail in the Belgian's managerial coffin. . . . more . . .
Milan coach Ancelotti to support Juventus on Sunday (Feb 03, 2004)
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti says he wants Juventus to beat Roma on Sunday because he believes Roma pose a bigger threat in the Italian title race. . . . more . . .
Trezeguet close to extending Juventus contract (Feb 03, 2004)
Juventus striker David Trezeguet says he is close to extending his contract with the reigning Italian champions which runs out in June 2005. . . . more . . .
Boro into final as Reyes debut ends in heartbreak (Feb 03, 2004)
Jose Antonio Reyes' first start in an Arsenal shirt ended in tears as the 17-million-pound forward's own goal helped Middlesbrough complete a League Cup semi-final double over the ten-man Gunners. . . . more . . .
Cameroon air shirts for final time (Feb 03, 2004)
Defending champions Cameroon will play their decisive African Nations Cup Group C match against Egypt wearing their controverisal one-piece strips for the final time. . . . more . . .
Lisztes continues Bremen exodus (Feb 03, 2004)
While Werder Bremen go from strength to strength on the pitch the Bundesliga leaders continue to be plagued by off-the-field problems with Hungarian international Krisztian Lisztes the latest star to jump ship. . . . more . . .
Egypt out as Cameroon and Algeria edge into last eight (Feb 03, 2004)
Defending champions Cameroon spluttered into the quarter- finals of the African Nations Cup after a drab 0-0 draw with Egypt as the Pharoahs, four-time champions, were eliminated. . . . more . . .
Hertha sign Italian striker Reina (Feb 03, 2004)
Relegation-threatened Hertha Berlin finalised the signing of Italian striker Giuseppe Reina from Borussia Dortmund in a frenetic finale to the closing of the transfer window. . . . more . . .
Lemerre gets chance for revenge over Senegal (Feb 03, 2004)
Roger Lemerre will have the chance to exact revenge for one of the most embarrassing events in his career when Tunisia take on Senegal in the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup here on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Pompey backing 'scapegoat' Ayegbeni (Feb 03, 2004)
Yakuba Ayegbeni, who was thrown out of the Nigerian African Nations Cup squad for allegedly breaking a curfew, has been welcomed back by Portsmouth with open arms. . . . more . . .
Sakho fears Cup cost of injury legacy (Feb 03, 2004)
Leeds United striker Lamine Sakho finally made his international debut as a Senegal player but he fears his performance won't be enough to guarantee him a place in the starting line-up for the African Nations Cup quarter-final against Tunisia on Saturday. . . . more . . .
UEFA throw out Wales appeal (Feb 03, 2004)
UEFA rejected Wales' appeal to have their defeat to Russia in the Euro 2004 playoffs annulled. . . . more . . .
Achiou rescues beaten Algeria's Cup dream (Feb 03, 2004)
Hocine Achiou came to Algeria's rescue for the second match in succession when his goal gave them a place in the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup despite losing their final match 2-1 to Zimbabwe. . . . more . . .
History means nothing, says Egypt boss (Feb 03, 2004)
Egypt team manager Hosni Salah insisted that his team's miserable recent record against Cameroon will count for nothing when the two sides clash in a crucial African Nations Cup Group C game. . . . more . . .
Newcastle worries mount over Robert knee (Feb 03, 2004)
Newcastle's in-form French winger Laurent Robert is doubtful for Saturday's Premiership match with Leicester and could be facing a longer lay-off with a knee injury. . . . more . . .
Viduka vows to repay Leeds loyalty (Feb 03, 2004)
Australian striker Mark Viduka has pledged to return the loyalty Leeds have shown to him during his three-week absence to be with his seriously ill father in Melbourne. . . . more . . .
UEFA throw out Wales Euro 2004 appeal (Feb 03, 2004)
UEFA on Tuesday rejected Wales' appeal to have their defeat to Russia in the Euro 2004 playoffs annulled. . . . more . . .
Irish racing tycoon turns up heat on Ferguson (Feb 03, 2004)
Irish racing tycoon John Magnier has brushed off reports of a peace-pact with Alex Ferguson by demanding precise details of the Manchester United manager's case involving the Rock Of Gibraltar. . . . more . . .
Ince has toe op (Feb 03, 2004)
Wolves skipper Paul Ince has undergone surgery to remove an ingrowing toe nail and will be out of action for over two weeks, his club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Frantic finale sees Bremen creep into Cup semi (Feb 03, 2004)
Ten-man Werder Bremen scored twice in 60 seconds to defeat Greuther Furth 3-2 and move into the semi-finals of the German Cup. . . . more . . .
Inter's Materazzi handed lengthy ban for tunnel punch (Feb 03, 2004)
Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi has been banned from playing until March 29 for punching Siena defender Bruno Cirillo, the disciplinary panel of the Italian Football League (Lega-Calcio) said. . . . more . . .
Tottenham bolster strike force but fail in Leeds keeper bid (Feb 03, 2004)
Tottenham, frustrated by Premier League rules in their bid to sign Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson, were still able to splash out seven million pounds on West Ham striker Jermain Defoe. . . . more . . .
Nigeria defender Udeze returns for Benin clash (Feb 03, 2004)
Nigeria defender Ifeanyi Udeze will get his first start in the African Nations Cup Group D match against Benin Wednesday after serving out a two-match ban. . . . more . . .
Egypt coach quits after Nations Cup exit (Feb 03, 2004)
Moshen Salah quit as Egypt coach after his team's elimination from the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Gunners pair escape FA rap as Anelka appeals red card (Feb 03, 2004)
Arsenal duo Ashley Cole and Edu have escaped disciplinary action over their involvement in the fracas that erupted at the end of Arsenal's win over Manchester City on Sunday resulting in City striker Nicolas Anelka being sent off. . . . more . . .
Zidane is the greatest says Beckham (Feb 03, 2004)
David Beckham has described Zinedine Zidane as the greatest player in the world and nominated the French playmaker as the Real Madrid teammate with whom he links best. . . . more . . .
Daum attacks Yakin over Stuttgart switch (Feb 03, 2004)
Fenerbahce's German coach Christoph Daum has launched an attack on VfB Stuttgart's new playmaker Hakan Yakin claiming the Swiss international agreed to sign for the Turkish club before going back on his word. . . . more . . .
Reyes ready for League Cup semi (Feb 02, 2004)
Arsene Wenger insists his record signing Jose Antonio Reyes has a bright future at Arsenal, starting in the League Cup semi-final second leg at Middlesbrough's Riverside stadium. . . . more . . .
Clough says Walker deserves a medal (Feb 02, 2004)
Brian Clough has backed Ian Walker after the Leicester keeper tackled a spectator who ran onto the pitch during the Foxes' 5-0 Premiership defeat at home to Aston Villa last weekend. . . . more . . .
Okocha says there is good chance he will stay at Bolton (Feb 02, 2004)
Jay-Jay Okocha said he is very likely to extend his contract at English Premiership side Bolton Wanderers when it expires at the end of the season. . . . more . . .
Spurs poised to sign Leeds keeper Robinson (Feb 02, 2004)
Tottenham are poised to buy Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson but allow him to stay at Elland Road until the end of the season. . . . more . . .
World Cup winner Ricardinho joins Middlesbrough (Feb 02, 2004)
Brazilian World Cup-winning midfielder Ricardinho joined Middlesbrough on a short-term deal after being highly recommended by compatriot Juninho. . . . more . . .
Riise gets Houllier backing (Feb 02, 2004)
Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has told Norwegian defender John Arne Riise he still has a future at the club despite being left on the sidelines in recent weeks. . . . more . . .
Ferguson aims to patch up racing row (Feb 02, 2004)
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was reported to be ready to end his feud with Irish racing tycoon John Magnier who is also the English club's biggest shareholder. . . . more . . .
Leeds reject Boro bid for Viduka, Robinson stays (Feb 02, 2004)
Financially stricken Leeds United held on to Australian striker Mark Viduka and England international goalkeeper Paul Robinson as the transfer window closed with the pair still at Elland Road. . . . more . . .
Leeds reject Boro bid for Viduka (Feb 02, 2004)
Crisis club Leeds United have turned down an offer from Middlesbrough for Australian striker Mark Viduka. . . . more . . .
Dumitrescu appointed AEK Athens coach (Feb 02, 2004)
Former Romanian international midfield star Ilie Dumitrescu was appointed coach of Greek giants AEK Athens it was announced. . . . more . . .
FIFA tell off Wenger over criticising centenary match (Feb 02, 2004)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger received a slap on the wrist from World football's governing body FIFA over his criticisms of their holding the FIFA centenary match between France and Brazil just two days before the FA Cup final. . . . more . . .
Xavier signs for Hannover (Feb 02, 2004)
Portuguese international Abel Xavier has signed for Germany's Hannover until June 2005, the German first division club said. . . . more . . .
Jaded Senegal limp into quarter-finals (Feb 02, 2004)
Lacklustre Senegal limped into the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup after a 1-1 draw with Mali gave them second place in Group B and a last eight clash against hosts Tunisia. . . . more . . .
Defoe set to earn his Spurs (Feb 02, 2004)
England under-21 international striker Jermain Defoe joined Tottenham from West Ham in a seven million pound deal (12.7 million dollar) minutes before the transfer window closed. . . . more . . .
FA angry over Boa Morte's tactics (Feb 02, 2004)
England's Football Association(FA) waded to the ongoing racial abuse row between Fulham's Portuguese international striker Luis Boa Morte and Everton forward Duncan Ferguson. . . . more . . .
Exhausted Karpin looking towards retiring in June (Feb 02, 2004)
Former Russia international Valery Karpin of Real Sociedad told Onda Cero radio station he would probably retire at the end of the season because he was exhausted. . . . more . . .
Euro 2004 hosts Portugal act against football violence after weekend brawl (Feb 02, 2004)
Portugal, which hosts the Euro 2004 football finals this summer, said it would ban fans with a history of violence from matches after spectators clashed with police during a weekend first division match. . . . more . . .
Leeds reject Boro bid for Viduka, Robinson snubs Spurs (Feb 02, 2004)
Financially stricken Leeds United have held on to Australian striker Mark Viduka and England international goalkeeper Paul Robinson as the transfer window closed with the star pair still at Elland Road. . . . more . . .
Former Man United star Best banned for drink driving (Feb 02, 2004)
Former Manchester United star George Best was banned from driving for 20 months and fined 1,500 pounds after pleading guilty to drink driving at a London court. . . . more . . .
Defoe spurred on by greater ambitions as he leaves Hammers (Feb 02, 2004)
Up-and-coming striker Jermain Defoe joined Tottenham from West Ham in the biggest move before the English transfer window slammed shut. . . . more . . .
Kenya end 32-year wait for victory (Feb 02, 2004)
Kenya finally ended a 32-year wait when their 3-0 win over Burkina Faso gave them a first ever win in the finals of the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Senegal stagger on while Kenya end jinx (Feb 02, 2004)
Senegal staggered into the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup after a 1-1 draw against Mali while Kenya finally put an end to a 32-year wait for a win at the continental showpiece. . . . more . . .
LuaLua joins Portsmouth relegation fight (Feb 02, 2004)
Newcastle's out-of-favour Congolese striker Lomano LuaLua joined Portsmouth on loan as the English Premiership strugglers moved to strengthen their squad before the transfer window closes. . . . more . . .
Kenya's last chance to smash Cup jinx (Feb 02, 2004)
Kenya have a last chance to shed an embarrassing record when they face Burkina Faso in their last Group B match at the African Nations Cup. . . . more . . .
Kenya Stars shine against Burkina Faso to restore some pride (Feb 02, 2004)
Kenya turned on the style to defeat Burkina Faso 3-0 in an African Nations Cup Group B match and restore pride following losses to Senegal and Mali. . . . more . . .
Late-show Titi kills off Rwanda dream (Feb 02, 2004)
Veteran striker Titi Camara saved Guinea from having their African Nations Cup fate decided by the drawing of lots when he smashed home a late equaliser to give his side a 1-1 draw with Tunisia and a place in the quarter-finals. . . . more . . .
No goals, no problem, insists El Hadji Diouf (Feb 02, 2004)
Former African Footballer of the Year El Hadji Diouf shrugged off his African Nations Cup goal drought and insisted that it's not a burden as long as his Senegal team are winning. . . . more . . .
Moyes fury over red card that Reds escaped (Feb 01, 2004)
A hugely entertaining Merseyside derby ended in goalless acrimony with Everton boss David Moyes insisting that Liverpool's Finnish centreback Sami Hyypia should have been red-carded. . . . more . . .
No future at Highbury: Wiltord (Feb 01, 2004)
Arsenal striker Sylvain Wiltord has given up hope he will stay at Highbury next season and claims he would love to bounce back with French league outfit Paris Saint Germain. . . . more . . .
Two-goal king Odemwengie leads Nigeria's new young guns (Feb 01, 2004)
Nigeria's Osaze Odemwengie who scored twice in the 4-0 demolition of South Africa in Saturday's African Nations Cup Group D tie, has predicted a bright future for Nigerian football even when top stars like 'Jay Jay' Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu are no longer on the scene. . . . more . . .
No goals, no problem, insists El Hadji Diouf (Feb 01, 2004)
Former African Footballer of the Year El Hadji Diouf shrugged off his African Nations Cup goal drought and insisted that it's not a burden as long as his Senegal team are winning. . . . more . . .
Tunisia caught in Cup dilemma (Feb 01, 2004)
Tunisia, with a quarter-final place at the African Nations Cup already assured, face a dilemma as they tackle Guinea in their final Group A game with their fate in the tournament at stake. . . . more . . .
Last-gasp Ronaldo puts Real back on top (Feb 01, 2004)
A last-gasp goal from Brazilian star Ronaldo, the second of a double for him, sent Real Madrid top of the Spanish table, completing a 3-2 win at Valladolid after his side had been two goals down at the break. . . . more . . .
Reyes eclipsed by Henry masterstroke (Feb 01, 2004)
Thierry Henry upstaged Arsenal newboy Jose Antonio Reyes' debut with a dazzling strike as the Gunners returned to the top of the Premiership. . . . more . . .
Lovenkrands injury overshadows Rangers win (Feb 01, 2004)
Peter Lovenkrands was stretchered off after scoring Rangers's winner in their 1-0 win over bottom of the table Partick Thistle. . . . more . . .
Reyes eclipsed by Henry masterstroke as Anelka sees red (Feb 01, 2004)
Thierry Henry upstaged Arsenal newboy Jose Antonio Reyes' debut with a dazzling strike as the Gunners returned to the top of the Premiership at a rainswept Highbury. . . . more . . .
Late-show Titi kills off Rwanda dream (Feb 01, 2004)
Veteran striker Titi Camara saved Guinea from having their African Nations Cup fate decided by the drawing of lots when he smashed home a late equaliser to give his side a 1-1 draw with Tunisia and a place in the quarter-finals. . . . more . . .
Gers sign Danish teenager (Feb 01, 2004)
Scottish champions Rangers have announced the signing of Danish teenager Bajram Fetai on a three-year deal. . . . more . . .
Antar dents Leverkusen title hopes, Hamburg fall (Feb 01, 2004)
SC Freiburg's Lebanon international Roda Antar put a spanner in Bayer Leverkusen's hopes of a first German championship with his second half strike condemning Bayer to a 1-0 defeat. . . . more . . .
Nigerian international joins Freiburg (Feb 01, 2004)
Bundesliga side SC Freiburg have signed Nigerian international Seyi Olajenbesi just as the transfer window prepares to shut. . . . more . . .
Bayer and Bayern slip-up, Ailton shoots Bremen ahead (Feb 01, 2004)
Reigning champions Bayern Munich fell further off the title pace with a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt meaning the favourites are now six points adrift of Werder Bremen who crushed Hertha Berlin 4-0 with Ailton scoring twice. . . . more . . .
Johnson's late show rescues Chelsea (Feb 01, 2004)
Glen Johnson's dramatic winner gave Chelsea a 3-2 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park that kept their Premiership title challenge on track. . . . more . . .
Carry on playing Beckham tells ex-United teammates (Feb 01, 2004)
Manchester United players trying to cope with the pressure of the bitter scrap between their manager Alex Ferguson and the club's majority shareholders received some advice from a former teammate. . . . more . . .
Rwanda hang on to glimmer of hope (Feb 01, 2004)
Rwanda's chances of making the Africans Nations Cup quarter-finals are hanging by a thread but they are determined to push all the way when they face Democratic Republic of Congo in their final Group A fixture. . . . more . . .
South Africa promise to pick up the pieces (Feb 01, 2004)
South Africa may still be smarting over their 4-0 trouncing by Nigeria in Saturday's African Nations Cup clash but coach Styles Phumo has insisted that all is not lost. . . . more . . .
United back on top as Leeds edge closer to abyss (Feb 01, 2004)
Manchester United have put boardroom turmoil engulfing the club to one side as they swept back to the top of the English Premiership. . . . more . . .
Fulham sign Liberian striker John (Feb 01, 2004)
English Premiership side Fulham hope to fill the vacuum left by the departure of Louis Saha with the signing of Liberian-born striker Collins John from Dutch side FC Twente. . . . more . . .
Masterful Milan march on in Italy (Feb 01, 2004)
AC Milan consolidated their lead at the top of Italy's Serie A with a 2-0 victory away to Bologna. . . . more . . .
Schalke's Cziommer loaned back to Enschede (Feb 01, 2004)
Schalke 04 have allowed midfielder Simon Cziommer to return to Dutch side Twente Enschede on loan until the end of the season. . . . more . . .
Swiss ace Yakin signs for Stuttgart (Feb 01, 2004)
VfB Stuttgart have finalised the signing of Switzerland playmaker Hakan Yakin from FC Basel ahead of their Champions League home clash with Chelsea on February 23. . . . more . . .
Curbishley frustrated by Parker move (Feb 01, 2004)
Charlton boss Alan Curbishley expressed his frustration at the 10 million pound transfer of midfielder Scott Parker to Chelsea after seeing his side crash to a first league defeat in eight games at home to Bolton. . . . more . . .
Little Rwanda bow out of Nations Cup with win (Feb 01, 2004)
Brave Rwanda bowed out of the African Nations Cup beaming with pride after a 1-0 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo. . . . more . . .
Titi fires Guinea into quarter-finals (Feb 01, 2004)
Titi Camara saved Guinea from having their African Nations Cup fate decided by the drawing of lots when he smashed home an equaliser to give his side a 1-1 draw with Tunisia and a place in the quarter-finals. . . . more . . .
