Soccer
England, France win big; Portugal held as Euro defense opens
LONDON (AP) — Big and slick wins for France and England. Not even a goal for Portugal. Even with Cristiano Ronaldo returning to the Portugal side for the first time since last year’s World Cup, the European champions could only begin their title defense with a 0-0 home draw against Ukraine. The goals were flowing …
Venezuela coach offers resignation after ‘political’ visit
MADRID (AP) — Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel offered his resignation after the 3-1 friendly win against Argentina on Friday, saying the team was used politically during its trip to Spain. He told a news conference he will still be at the helm when the team faces a Catalunya side in a friendly on Monday in …
France opens Euro 2020 qualifying with 4-1 win at Moldova
CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — World Cup winner France started its European Championship qualifying campaign with a 4-1 victory over Moldova on Friday. Antoine Griezmann, Raphael Varane and Olivier Giroud scored inside 13 first-half minutes and Kylian Mbappe added the fourth goal late in the second half of the Group H encounter. Vladimir Ambros netted a …
Venezuela beats Argentina 3-1 to spoil Messi’s return
MADRID (AP) — Captain Lionel Messi made his Argentina return on Friday but couldn’t stop his team losing 3-1 to Venezuela in a friendly. Salomon Rondon, John Murillo and Josef Martinez scored for Venezuela at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, while Lautaro Martinez replied for Argentina. Messi hadn’t played an international since the 4-3 loss to …
Sterling scores hat trick, England beats Czech Republic 5-0
LONDON (AP) — Raheem Sterling scored his first England hat trick in a 5-0 victory over the Czech Republic at the start of 2020 European Championship qualifying on Friday. Harry Kane also netted a penalty and Tomas Kalas compounded the visitors’ miserable night by scoring an own goal at Wembley Stadium as England made an …
Portugal held by Ukraine on Ronaldo’s return
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo’s return wasn’t enough to give title-holder Portugal more than a 0-0 home draw against Ukraine in qualifying for the 2020 European Championship on Friday. In his first international since the 2018 World Cup, Ronaldo threatened in attack but failed to break through Ukraine’s solid defense at the Stadium of …
Sterling in tribute to deceased player, may face UEFA action
LONDON (AP) — Raheem Sterling revealed a t-shirt memorializing a young footballer after scoring his second goal in a hat trick for England against the Czech Republic on Friday. Damary Dawkins, a Crystal Palace youth team player who had been fighting acute lymphoblastic leukaemia for four years, died on Sunday aged 13. Sterling’s t-shirt under …
UEFA charges PSG forward Neymar for insulting officials
NYON, Switzerland (AP) — UEFA says it has charged Neymar for comments made about match officials after Paris Saint-Germain lost to Manchester United in the Champions League. The PSG foward used Instagram to aim an expletive and insults at video review officials who intervened before Man United was awarded a stoppage-time penalty for a handball …
Falcao gives Colombia win in Japan, SKorea beats Bolivia
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Colombia beat Japan 1-0 in Yokohama and South Korea beat Bolivia 1-0 in Ulsan in friendlies on Friday. Radamel Falcao converted a second-half penalty after a handball by Takehiro Tomiyasu, to give Carlos Queiroz a win in his first match as Colombia coach. Colombia earned a measure of revenge for …
Italian soccer federation to explore more ties with China
ROME (AP) — Playing a Serie A match in China will be among the proposals discussed when a delegation linked to the visit of President Xi Jinping meets with the Italian football federation on Sunday. The ANSA news agency says the meeting with China Media Group chief Shen Haixiong will also focus on TV content, …