Bamzy Sports

  Ings earns West Ham a draw at Fulham with late strike Danny Ings and Jarrod Bowen A late Danny Ings goal snatched an unlikely 1-1 draw for West Ham United at Fulham in their Premier League derby at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Fulham went ahead in the 24th minute, with Raul Jimenez getting on the end of a pass from Emile Smith Rowe to find the net from close range and give the home side a fully deserved lead. West Ham barely threatened in the opening half, and looked like coming away empty handed before substitute Ings struck late in added time to stun the home side. Fulham are unbeaten in their last three league games while West Ham bounced back from their 3-1 loss to Manchester City before the international break.

  Liverpool slump to shock home defeat by Nottingham Forest Callum Hudson-Odoi A superb second-half goal from substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi gave Nottingham Forest the biggest surprise win of the Premier League season so far as they beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield on Saturday. The home side dominated the opening half and Luis Diaz hit a post in the 17th minute, but too often the Liverpool attackers found themselves on different wavelengths, and much of their play lacked their usual fluidity as chances went begging. Their wastefulness was punished in the 72nd minute as Anthony Elanga found his fellow substitute Hudson-Odoi with a brilliant crossfield ball, and the 23-year-old winger cut inside before curling a tremendous effort past goalkeeper Alisson. Having convincingly won all of their opening three league games under Arne Slot without conceding a goal, Liverpool looked short of ideas as they sought to come back. A Virgil van Dijk header from a corner that flew over was the closest ...

  Haaland strikes twice as Man City come from behind to beat Brentford Manchester City Manchester City beat Brentford 2-1 at home on Saturday to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season after Erling Haaland netted twice following the fastest goal of the season from the visitors. Brentford had the perfect start when Yoane Wissa opened the scoring 22 seconds after kickoff to stun the Etihad Stadium but Haaland restored parity in the 19th minute when he scored from a tight angle with just his second touch of the game. Haaland then made it 2-1 when Ederson booted the ball upfield where the Norwegian striker outmuscled defender Ethan Pinnock and chipped the ball past goalkeeper Mark Flekken for his ninth goal of the season. As Haaland searched for that third goal which would have made him the first player to score hat-tricks in three straight Premier League games, Flekken made several saves to deny the league's top scorer but City held on to seal the three points.

  Guardiola convinced rivals eager for Man City sanctions Pep Guardiola Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has no doubts that other Premier League clubs are keen for the English champions to be punished for 115 alleged breaches of rules relating to financial regulations. A long-awaited hearing into charges brought by the Premier League in February 2023 is finally set to get underway on Monday. City, who have dominated English football since Guardiola's arrival in 2016, face a hefty points deduction or even expulsion from the league if found guilty on some or all charges. Javier Tebas, the president of Spain's LaLiga and an outspoken critic of Abu Dhabi-owned City's financial model, told Spanish media he has spoken to a number of Premier League clubs who want to see sanctions imposed. "That the Premier League teams want us to be sanctioned, that is for sure," said Guardiola when asked about Tebas' comments. "I know what people are looking for, I know wh...

  Man Utd lift mood by easing to victory at 10-man Southampton Manchester United Manchester United gave manager Erik ten Hag some breathing space with a 3-0 win at Southampton on Saturday thanks to goals from Matthijs de Ligt, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho. However, United had to ride out an early Southampton storm and the outcome could have been vastly different had Andre Onana not saved Cameron Archer's penalty at 0-0. De Ligt's first United goal and Rashford's first for six months quickly flipped momentum in the visitors' favour just before halftime. Southampton's woes were compounded when captain Jack Stephens was sent-off 11 minutes from time for a wild challenge on Garnacho, who rounded off the scoring in stoppage time. Saints remain without a point from four games on their return to the Premier League, while United's second win of the season lifts them up to eighth. Ten Hag began the campaign already under scrutiny after surviving an internal rev...

  Ten Hag hits back at Ronaldo criticism over Man Utd ambition Erik ten Hag Erik ten Hag on Thursday brushed aside Cristiano Ronaldo's criticism about his ambition at struggling Manchester United, saying the Portugal star is "far from Manchester". Ronaldo's second spell at United ended in a high-profile break-up in November 2022 after he made stinging comments about his Dutch boss. The 39-year-old Al-Nassr player again hit out at Ten Hag this week, saying his attitude was too negative for a club of the stature of United. Ronaldo told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast: "Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the (Premier) League or Champions League. "You have to be, to mentally say, 'Listen, maybe we don't have that potential but I cannot say that. We're going to try.' You have to try." He also said the club need to "rebuild everything" and that it "will be difficult" for the...

  Long-awaited case on Man City charges to start on Monday: report A long-awaited hearing into 115 charges levelled against Manchester City is set to begin on Monday with potentially huge ramifications for the Premier League champions. Sky Sports reported on Thursday that the independent commission in charge of the case will begin next week. City stand accused of 80 breaches of financial rules between 2009 and 2018, plus a further 35 of failing to cooperate with a Premier League investigation. Since a 2008 takeover from Sheikh Mansour, a member of the United Arab Emirates royal family, City have been transformed into the dominant force in English football. They have won eight of the last 13 Premier League titles, including a record four consecutive league crowns in the past four seasons. City also lifted the Champions League for the first time in 2023. Those achievements have been clouded in controversy, with opposing fans often making reference to the charges City face. However, t...

  Colombia down Argentina, Brazil stunned in World Cup qualifiers Diego Gomez Colombia avenged their Copa America final defeat with a 2-1 victory over Argentina while Brazil crashed to a 1-0 defeat against Paraguay in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday. Big results in South America Skipper James Rodriguez buried a nerveless 60th-minute spot-kick to seal a hard-fought win for Colombia over the reigning world champions, who were without injured captain Lionel Messi. It was sweet revenge for Colombia, who were beaten 1-0 by Argentina in a bitterly disappointing Copa America final loss in Miami two months ago. James Rodriguez "I don't think I've ever scored against them – there's a first time for everything," Colombia captain Rodriguez said of his winning spot-kick. "We want to get used to playing finals. Today was just another game, but against a team that has won everything – this victory tastes even better." The victory at Barranq...

  USA draw with New Zealand as Pochettino awaits CHRISTIAN PULSIC  If Mauricio Pochettino had any illusions about the scale of the task that awaits him as newly-appointed head coach of the United States, Tuesday's 1-1 draw with New Zealand would have set him straight. The friendly in Cincinnati, against the 94th-ranked team in the world, continues a miserable run of form for the Americans who have now managed just one win in their last seven games – all held on home soil. Substitute Christian Pulisic looked to have earned a victory with his 69th-minute strike but some hesitant defending led to a fortunate leveller from Ben Waine with a minute of regulation time remaining. Former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain coach Pochettino was named as the man to lead the USA into the 2026 World Cup just half an hour before the kick-off in Cincinnati. His arrival, to replace Gregg Berhalter, fired in July after a disappointing Copa America campaign, cannot come soon enough for a ...

  Son savours win as S. Korea kickstart World Cup qualifying campaign Son Heung-min said "winning never gets old" after South Korea got their troubled World Cup qualifying campaign up and running with a 3-1 away victory over Oman. The skipper scored late in the second half in Muscat to help give the Koreans their first win of the third Asian qualifying round, after starting with a disappointing home goalless draw with Palestine last week. South Korea have endured a difficult week, with fans jeering new coach Hong Myung-bo before the Palestine stalemate and defender Kim Min-jae confronting supporters after the game. Tottenham striker Son praised his teammates for sticking together. "Winning never gets old," Son told reporters in Muscat. "And to keep winning, everyone has to sacrifice and work hard. "And I think everyone did their part today, and that's why we were able to come away with such a good result," he added. South Korea opened the scoring ...

  Lacklustre Brazil slump to defeat in Paraguay Brazil players Brazil slumped to a fourth defeat in their last five World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday after a first-half goal by Diego Gomez gave Paraguay a 1-0 win in Asuncion. Five-time world champions Brazil, who scraped a 1-0 home win over Ecuador on Friday, are fifth in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup with 10 points, ahead of Venezuela on goal difference. The top six qualify directly for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the seventh place offering passage via further rounds of qualifiers. Manager Dorival Jr, who took over from Tite after Brazil's quarterfinal exit at the 2022 World Cup, looked forlorn on the sidelines as his side were comprehensively outplayed and fortunate not to lose by more. Brazil failed to record a shot on target in the first half and fell behind in the 20th minute when Gomez rifled home from the edge of the box, the ball smacking the post on its way past Alisson into...

France and Italy win in Nations League, Haaland on target for Norway   Italy kept up their perfect start to the Uefa Nations League on Monday, while France got the better of Belgium and Erling Haaland struck a late winner for Norway against Austria. The Italians built on an impressive win away in France at the weekend as they beat Israel 2-1 in a game played on neutral territory in Budapest due to the security situation in the Middle East. Goals in each half from Davide Frattesi and Moise Kean were enough for Italy to win in a subdued atmosphere at the Bozsik Arena, home of Honved. Luciano Spalletti's team have reacted well to their disastrous European Championship title defence, which ended at the last-16 stage, and deserved their second win in a matter of days. Frattesi followed his goal in the 3-1 win in France by chesting home Federico Dimarco's pinpoint cross in the 38th minute to open the scoring. Fiorentina striker Kean made it 2-0 just after the hour mark with his first...

  Morocco, DRC & Angola maintain 100 per cent win record Morocco, DR Congo and Angola maintained their 100 per cent win record in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Monday. A stoppage-time goal by Brahim Diaz earned Morocco a 1-0 win over Lesotho in Agadir which sees the Atlas Lions placed at the top of the Group B standings having won their first matches. While Angola are also placed at the top of Group F with six points from two matches after securing a 2-1 win over Sudan in Luanda courtesy of goals from Randy Nteka and Mabululu. DR Congo, on the other hand, secured a 2-0 win over Ethiopia in Tanzania thanks to goals from Theo Bongonda and Fiston Mayele which sees the Leopards placed at the top of Group H standings. Meanwhile, Senegal recorded their maiden win in Group L when they edged out a stubborn Burundi side 1-0 courtesy of Ismaila Sarr's 71st-minute goal from the penalty spot in Malawi. However, Ghana remain winless in Group F after they let a lead slip in th...

  Real Madrid's Rodrygo 'upset' over Ballon d'Or shortlist omission Rodrygo Brazilian Rodrygo said his versatility may have cost him a Ballon d'Or nomination after the Real Madrid forward was not among the 30 names short-listed for the prestigious award. The 23-year-old scored 17 goals and registered nine assists in 51 appearances for the club last season. His Madrid teammates Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Federico Valverde, Antonio Rudiger, as well as the now-retired Toni Kroos, were all nominated. Kylian Mbappe, who arrived at Madrid from Paris St Germain in the close season, was also on the shortlist. "I was upset, I think I deserved it," Rodrygo told ESPN. "I don't want to belittle the players who are there, I think they deserved it also. "But I think I had a place in the 30. It was a surprise but there is not much I can do as I'm not the one who decides these things." Rodrygo primarily plays on the right but can a...

  Kane set to become 10th player to win 100 caps for England Harry Kane England captain Harry Kane will earn his 100th cap for his country when they host Finland in the Nations League at Wembley on Tuesday, becoming the 10th player to reach the mark, the Football Association (FA) said on Monday. The 31-year-old Bayern Munich striker, who has scored 66 goals in 99 appearances for England since his debut in 2015, is the first player to become an England men's centurion since striker Wayne Rooney in November 2014. "The FA will pay tribute before the Uefa Nations League fixture with a special pre-match ceremony that will include the presentation of a gold cap," the governing body said in a statement. Before kick-off, the FA will also pay tribute to former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who died at the age of 76 last month. 

 Elephants chase second win in Group G Ivory Coast will chase a second win in Group G of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers when they face hosts Chad at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon, on the evening of Tuesday 10 September. Ivory Coast opened their campaign with a hard-earned 2-0 win over Zambia in Bouake on Friday night. The Elephants were held goalless for over 70 minutes, before substitute Jean-Philippe Krasso scored a brace of goals to see them to victory. “Yes, I got restless on the bench, but that doesn't mean I wasn't happy with my team,” said coach Emerse Fae. “On the contrary, I was satisfied, because we applied what we had worked on during the week. “We knew that this Zambian team was going to play in a low block and that we were going to have possession of the ball. “What we lacked were the last 30 metres was the last passes, the crosses, and we lacked presence in front of goal. This is why we decided to bring in an additional attacke...

  Portugal boss Martinez expects stiff test against quality Scotland side Roberto Martinez Scotland have plenty of quality and Portugal are bracing themselves for a tricky test, head coach Roberto Martinez said on the eve of Sunday's Nations League clash between the two sides. Portugal won their Nations League opener against Croatia 2-1 on Thursday, while Steve Clarke's Scotland slumped to a 3-2 defeat against Poland after giving away a last-gasp penalty. But Martinez has no doubts over Scotland's quality as they prepare to host them in their Nations League A Group 1 fixture in Lisbon. "Our players know the intensity of British football. Scotland have that. A lot of intensity, fast attacks, experience. We know the difference, but Scotland are objective, vertical, but have the quality to keep the ball," Martinez told reporters on Saturday. "The last two games have shown that they want to win. They've lost their last few games after the 90th minute, they...

  Players need to play for national team despite packed calendar, says Spain coach Luis de la Fuente Players need to be involved with their national sides despite a crammed calendar causing concerns over the impact on players' health, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said before their Nations League clash against Switzerland on Sunday. The European champions will face Switzerland in Geneva after both teams dropped points in their competition openers, with the Swiss losing 2-0 to Denmark and Spain finishing goalless against Serbia. "Tomorrow we'll have a very tough opponent in front of us. I think that during the European Championship we were the teams that played best," De la Fuente told a press conference on Saturday. "Tomorrow we will see two teams of a very high level, perhaps in one of the most important games that could be currently played in Europe. We are planning to try to enhance our strengths and minimise those of our opponents." The Spanish coach w...

  Grealish savours England redemption after 'worst summer' Jack Grealish Jack Grealish admitted his goal-scoring role in England's 2-0 win against Ireland on Saturday was the ideal way to forget the "worst summer" of his life. Grealish was left out of England's Euro 2024 squad by Gareth Southgate after an inconsistent season with Manchester City. But with the departure of Southgate after England's loss to Spain in the Euro final in July, the winger was restored to the starting line-up by interim boss Lee Carsley for the Three Lions' Nations League opener in Dublin. Grealish, 28, made the most of a rare chance to play in the number 10 role as he scored England's second goal in the first half with a clinical finish from Declan Rice's cutback. "It was one of the worst summers of my life because you can't not see everything that is happening in front of you. It was difficult but it's given me something to bounce back," Grealish sa...

  Nigeria, Cameroon and Mauritania claim opening wins Ademola Lookman  Saturday’s action in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers saw opening victories for heavyweights Nigeria and Cameroon, while Mauritania narrowly got the better of Botswana. Nigeria got off to a winning start and went to the top of Group D by defeating Benin 3-0 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. Star attackers Ademola Lookman (two) and Victor Osimhen netted for the Super Eagles, who shrugged off a sluggish first half to ultimately claim an emphatic triumph. In Group J, Cameroon are the new leaders after they defeated Namibia 1-0 at the Japoma Stadium in Douala – courtesy of a strike midway through the second half from veteran striker Vincent Aboubakar. And in Group C, Mauritania struck late in the game at Stade Cheikha Ould Boidiya in Nouakchott to defeat Botswana 1-0. Sidi Bouna Amar netted with just six minutes of regulation time left to secure Al-Murabitun all three points...

  Mental strength key to Italy comeback against France - Spalletti Luciano Spalletti Italy could easily have folded when they conceded an early goal away to France in their Nations League game on Friday, but they kept their heads and reacted quickly to earn the 3-1 victory, manager Luciano Spalletti said. A goal from Bradley Barcola after 12 seconds was a nightmare start, made even worse by the manner Italy conceded, with defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo allowing the French forward to steal possession instead of dealing with a simple back pass. "The start was the key, everyone reacted immediately, trying to give strength and tranquillity to the team and then they played the game we needed to play, so doubly good," Spalletti told RAI after the final whistle. "It was important to remain as a team, beyond the initial misfortune, because with so much tension, any situation can reduce you to madness. "That's why our mental strength was double, because the things that hap...

  Belgium need improvement for Monday’s French test Belgium Belgium know they will need an improvement in form if they are to beat France on Monday, even after starting their Nations League campaign with a 3-1 win over Israel on Friday. Captain Kevin De Bruyne scored twice and Youri Tielemans got the other as they dominated but were unable to register a more emphatic score.  A much tougher test lies ahead in Lyon on Monday against their neighbour, even if France’s Nations League campaign began with a surprise 3-1 defeat in Paris to Italy on Friday.  "We started well and scored straight away, but after the goal we lost some of our self-confidence", said coach Domenico Tedesco, who has been under pressure after Belgium made a disappointing round of 16 exit at the European Championship in July. "Fortunately, we were sharper after the break, showed courage with vertical football and high pressure, in order to create quite a few chances again. That is a positive sign." D...

  Deschamps will continue to experiment, despite Italy defeat Didier Deschamps France manager Didier Deschamps spoke before Friday's game with Italy about using the Nations League as an opportunity to test new players, and after their 3-1 defeat in Paris, that plan has not changed. Deschamps was heavily criticised after Euro 2024, where, despite his side reaching the semifinals, they had failed to impress, and against Italy he gave forward Michael Olise his debut, and also brought on midfielder Manu Kone for his first game. "It's a question of balance/imbalance, the team is young and some made their debuts today," Deschamps said. "I know that by not putting the starting team on the pitch I took some risks and this damaged the overall performance." At the Euros, France conceded three goals in their six games, but conceded three at home to Italy where Deschamps had left Jules Kounde and Dayot Upamecano on the bench with Ibrahima Konate and Jonathan Clauss star...

Conor Gallagher regards Chelsea highly despite messy exit Conor Gallagher   Ex-Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher said he only has positive things to say about his time at the club despite his tumultuous exit during the summer transfer window. Gallagher signed with Atlético Madrid in August after turning down three offers of a two-year contract extension, with a club option to add a further year after many teammates were given much longer contract extensions. The England international turned down three offers of a two-year contract extension, with a club option to add a further year after many teammates were given much longer contract extensions. At his boyhood club, under manager Mauricio Pochettino, Gallagher proved himself as a pivotal player for Chelsea but failed to prove his worth in the eyes of new manager Enzo Maresca. Speaking in a news conference ahead of England's Nations League game against the Republic of Ireland, the 24-year-old refused to criticise Chlesea's hand...

  Ronaldo scores 900th career goal as Portugal beat Croatia Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 900th goal of his remarkable career on Thursday as Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in Lisbon in their first game of the UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo, 39, turned in a Nuno Mendes cross in the 34th minute of the match at the Estadio da Luz to reach the landmark. He appeared emotional as he celebrated the goal, his 131st in a Portugal shirt. Half of his goals were scored for Real Madrid, with the remainder spread across his spells at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United and current club Al-Nassr. The 39-year-old has now netted 131 international goals, 450 for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United, 101 for Juventus and 68 for his current club Al Nassr as well as five for his first club Sporting Lisbon. Argentina's Lionel Messi, second in the all-time scorer's list, has bagged 859 career goals. Diogo Dalot's goal had put Portugal in front early on before Ronaldo netted, with a Dal...

  De Bruyne commits to Belgium cause Kevin De Bruyne  Captain Kevin De Bruyne put speculation about his international future to bed on Thursday, committing himself to the Belgian cause after previously musing about the congested calendar top footballers face playing for club and country. "I want to continue with the Red Devils and that's why I'm here," De Bruyne told reporters at the pre-match press conference in Hungary before Belgium host their opening Nations League clash against Israel on neutral ground. De Bruyne’s future with Belgium had been unclear after the European Championship in Germany where he had hinted he was concerned about the strain on his body with all the matches ahead for the national team and Manchester City. "The season has started well for me. It's going to be a tough season. If there comes a time when it becomes too much, then I'll talk to the coach," he told reporters. "I'm mainly looking ahead. I was a bit disappo...

  Ter Stegen delighted to be Germany No 1 after long wait Marc-Andre ter Stegen  Marc-Andre ter Stegen could not be happier to finally be Germany's first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Saturday's home Nations League match against Hungary. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Monday that the Barcelona captain would be his regular keeper following Manuel Neuer's retirement from internationals. The 32-year-old had spent over a decade as Neuer's understudy since his international debut in 2012. "It is a different feeling altogether," Ter Stegen told reporters on Thursday. "My aim has always been to be No 1. "I am happy that the spell of waiting is now over. I am happy about the new task, about what is to come." Ter Stegen, who has won 40 caps for his country, said he had often felt disheartened waiting for his turn. "To be honest there were always these moments when you say: 'Wow, that was another blow.' The decision mostly went in Manu...

  Milson sinks Ghana with late winner Angola Angola pulled off a smash-and-grab at the Baba Yara Stadium after they scored a stoppage-time winner to edge Ghana 1-0 in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Thursday. The Black Stars looked by far the better team in Kumasi as Pedro Goncalves's side seemed content to play for a point in their Group F opener, but instead they bagged all three courtesy of Milson 93rd-minute goal. Otto Addo had hoped to make a positive start to proceedings in front of the home fans and Antoine Semenyo had an early sight at goal when his shot drifted just wide of the post on five minutes. Mohammed Kudus came closest to opening the scoring in the first half with a powerful strike that Neblu dealt with on 36 minutes to ensure it remained goalless at the break. Neblu came to the Black Sable Antelopes' rescue once more in the 58th minute as he got a glove to Semenyo's shot and turned it behind for a corner, while Jordan Ayew saw his effort cruciall...

  Coach-less Nigeria chase revenge against Benin Nigeria will begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying campaign with a Group D clash against Benin in Uyo on Saturday night. Nigeria, who were runners-up at the Afcon earlier this year after a dramatic loss to host Ivory Coast in the final, come into the match in something of a shambles. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced last week that they had reached an agreement with German Bruno Labbadia to become their new permanent head coach, only for the deal to fall through due to a quarrel over tax payments. The Super Eagles are in need of new leadership after a poor start to their 2026 World Cup qualifiers back in June, which saw them draw 1-1 at home to South Africa and lose 2-1 away to Benin – the same team they will begin their Afcon journey against this weekend. NFF technical director Augustine Eguavoen will be in charge of the team for this clash against Benin and next Tuesday’s trip to Rwanda. “I will do...

  Palmer left out of Chelsea's European squad to manage minutes Cole Palmer Cole Palmer has not been included in Chelsea's squad for the opening stages of the Uefa Conference League in a bid to manage the England star's minutes in a season that could run till mid-July. Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana were also left out reportedly due to "load management" reasons with Chelsea set to participate in a new expanded Club World Cup in the United States, which runs from 15 June to 13 July. Palmer scored in England's Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain just 33 days before the beginning of the Premier League season. The 22-year-old has pulled out of the England squad for Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland this week. Global footballers' union FIFPro said on Thursday that football's governing bodies are "failing to meet their duty of care" towards players by denying them sufficient rest as many tournaments continue to expand. T...