Football
24th April
Players suspended after being tested positive
TWO Vodafone Fiji U23 players have been given a three year suspension while one has been given another chance to come out clean after they were found positive in drug tests. Rewa’s Martin Nasova and...
23rd April
Fiji FA conducts U23 trials
THE National U23 trials were conducted at the Fiji Football Association Academy in Ba last week. Twenty-nine players were shortlisted from the first trials with a couple of new inclusions attended the four-day trials to show their performances. National head coach Christophe Gamel led the trials with his assistant coach Marika Rodu. Team manager Anushil...
National football U17 march into camp
THE Vodafone National U17 team is in camp at the Fiji Football Association Academy in Ba in preparation for the UEFA U17 Development tournament in Israel later this month. National head coach Christophe Gamel said it is a big opportunity for the boys to experience such a great tournament. “The preparation is going well but...
Vodafone Senior League to resume this weekend
ALL six teams will be in action in the Vodafone Senior League Viti Levu Zone this weekend. In matches at the Fiji FA Academy Ground in Vatuwaqa on Sunday, April 28, 2019 Lami plays Rakiraki at 1pm after which Tailevu Naitasiri battles Navua at 3pm. In the lone match at Lawaqa Park which starts at...
Fiji FA mourns loss of young player
THE Fiji Football Association president Rajesh Patel, its board members and the entire football fraternity is in mourning and the the entire fraternity is saddened to learn the tragic death of Rewa U16 player Rayshal Roy. Fiji FA President and FIFA council member Rajesh Patel described the anguish felt at the loss of one so...
Fiji FACT ticket pre-sales
THE Vodafone Fiji FACT football tournament tickets can be brought in advance ahead of the tournament proper. Fiji FA CEO Mohammed Yusuf said the ticket pre-sales will begin next Monday. “Tickets can be brought from the Lautoka City Council Office from next week. Ticket prices are $20 for adults on Pavilion A while a child...
Fans motivate Liverpool, not quest for ‘Holy Grail’, says Klopp
(Reuters) – Liverpool are inching towards a first English league title in 29 years but manager Juergen Klopp says his team must enjoy the journey with supporters and not focus solely on the “Holy Grail” of winning the Premier League crown. Liverpool’s 2-0 victory at Cardiff City on Sunday restored their two-point lead over champions...
Marcelo dismisses suggestions he is unhappy at Madrid
(Reuters) – Real Madrid defender Marcelo said on Sunday that rumours about him leaving the club were false and insisted that he was happy there. The Brazilian, a key player at Real since arriving in 2007, lost his place to youngster Sergio Reguilon earlier this season and Spanish media reports have frequently linked him with...
PSG celebrate eighth title as Neymar gets back in action
PARIS (Reuters) – Neymar made his return to the pitch after a three-month injury lay-off as Paris St Germain celebrated their eighth Ligue 1 title with a 3-1 win against Monaco at the Parc des Princes on Sunday. The Brazil striker played the whole second half in his first appearance since Jan. 23, but it...
22nd April
Ronaldo is ‘1,000 percent certain’ to stay at Juventus
TURIN, Italy (Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo is “1,000 percent” certain to remain at Juventus, he said after they clinched the Serie A title on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina. Ronaldo, dismissing suggestions that he could cut short his three-year contract, said he was delighted to have won Serie A at the first attempt,...
Perez hat-trick ends Newcastle relegation fears
April 20 (Reuters) – NEWCASTLE UNITED 3 SOUTHAMPTON 1 An inspired Ayoze Perez helped Newcastle United put any lingering Premier League relegation fears to bed with a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Southampton at St James’ Park on Saturday. The Spaniard scored twice before halftime to put the hosts in command and killed off...
Benitez dodges questions over Newcastle future
(Reuters) – Newcastle United virtually secured another season of top-flight football as Ayoze Perez’s hat-trick earned them a 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday but doubts remain over manager Rafa Benitez’s future. The Spaniard, popular with the ‘Toon Army’ after getting Newcastle back into the Premier League and keeping them safe, was less than convincing...
Man City edge out Spurs to go top, Brighton scramble key point
LONDON (Reuters) – Phil Foden’s first Premier League goal ensured Manchester City edged past Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Saturday to return to the top of the Premier League and avenge their Champions League elimination by Mauricio Pochettino’s side. With Liverpool playing Cardiff on Sunday, City completed their 10th successive league win to move one point...
21st April
Juve’s title feels more mundane than extraordinary
(Reuters) – Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has said several times that winning Serie A for an eighth year in a row would be “something extraordinary” but, for all the impressive statistics and records, it turned out to be all rather mundane. The Turin side extended their dominance of Italian football when a 2-1 home win...
Three Manchester City players make six-man shortlist for PFA award
(Reuters) – Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva have made the six-man shortlist for the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Players’ Player of the Year award, the organisation said on Saturday. Premier League leaders Liverpool were represented by centre back Virgil Van Dijk and forward Sadio Mane, while Chelsea winger Eden Hazard completed...
20th April
England women must win trophies before fighting for equal pay – Duggan
BARCELONA (Reuters) – England women’s forward Toni Duggan says her nation must match the achievements of three-times world champions the United States and “put trophies on the table” before they also ask for equal conditions as the men’s team. All 28 members of the U.S. 2015 World Cup winning squad have filed a lawsuit against...
Guardiola expects Man City reaction against Spurs after painful European exit
(Reuters) – Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said his players will not forget their painful Champions League loss to Tottenham Hotspur but expects them to show the same intensity when they face the north London club again in the Premier League on Saturday. City’s quadruple bid ended when they went out of Europe on the...
Klopp plays down Liverpool fatigue concerns ahead of season run-in
(Reuters) – Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp is confident his players will have enough recovery time to avoid a European hangover as they switch focus to their Premier League title bid this weekend. The Merseyside club, who clinched a Champions League semi-final spot after beating Porto on Wednesday, continue their tussle with Manchester City for the...
Allegri does not want Juventus celebrations diluted
MILAN (Reuters) – Juventus must not let Tuesday’s Champions League exit spoil their celebrations if they win the Serie A title on Saturday, coach Massimiliano Allegri said. Serie A appears to be little more than a consolation prize for the Turin side who have already established domestic dominance and had set their sights on winning...
Milner counts on Liverpool’s style of play to beat Barca
(Reuters) – Liverpool’s James Milner is confident his side can beat Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final and said the Premier League club’s style of play can cause the Spanish champions problems. Liverpool, who comfortably eased past Porto to reach the semi-finals, will travel to the Nou Camp for the first leg on May 1...
Little excitement as Juve set to clinch another title
MILAN (Reuters) – Juventus should finally wrap up an eighth successive Serie A title on Saturday but it will be little more than a consolation prize to the Turin side following their Champions League exit. At the same time, opponents Fiorentina, without a win for two months, will have their minds elsewhere as they concentrate...
McLeish sacked as Scotland manager after dismal start to Euro 2020 qualifying
(Reuters) – Alex McLeish has been sacked as Scotland manager after just 12 matches in charge, the Scottish Football Association (SFA) said on Thursday. The decision was taken by the SFA board after Scotland’s disappointing start to their Euro 2020 qualification campaign. Scotland lost 3-0 to Kazakhstan in their opening qualifier and could only beat...
19th April
Soccer players to boycott social media for 24 hours in racism protest
(Reuters) – Leading Premier League players on Thursday have backed the Professional Footballers’ Association’s (PFA) campaign to boycott social media for 24 hours in a stand against racism. The PFA has urged professional players in England and Wales to post a #Enough graphic on their social media platforms before the boycott begins at 0800 GMT...
Chelsea beat Slavia 4-3 to book Europa League semi
LONDON (Reuters) – Chelsea reached the Europa League semi-finals by beating Slavia Prague 4-3 in a roller-coaster game on Thursday, helped by a Pedro brace in a first-half onslaught before withstanding a comeback bid by the Czechs after the break. Chelsea, who will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the last four, were cruising 4-1 at halftime...
Tottenham and Barcelona host first legs of Champions League semis
(Reuters) – UEFA have confirmed the Champions League semi-final dates with Tottenham Hotspur hosting Ajax Amsterdam on April 30 in the first leg at the refurbished White Hart Lane stadium. The return leg will be played at Ajax’s Johan Cruyff Arena on May 8. In the other semi-final, last year’s runners-up Liverpool head to the...
18th April
Man United to investigate racist abuse aimed at Young
(Reuters) – Manchester United said on Wednesday they are investigating the racist abuse directed at defender Ashley Young on social media after the club’s Champions League quarter-final exit in Barcelona. England international Young was targeted on Twitter after the 33-year-old full back endured a disappointing night in United’s 3-0 second-leg defeat by Barcelona on Tuesday....
Everton’s Gomes hit with three-match ban after accepting FA charge
(Reuters) – Everton midfielder Andre Gomes was suspended for three matches on Tuesday after accepting a Football Association (FA) charge of violent conduct. Gomes, on loan from Barcelona, appeared to stamp on Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in Everton’s 2-0 Premier League defeat at Craven Cottage on Saturday. The incident in the 95th minute of the...
Snodgrass gets one-match ban, fine for abusing anti-doping officials – FA
(Reuters) – West Ham United midfielder Robert Snodgrass has been handed a one-match suspension and a fine after being found guilty of misconduct towards UK anti-doping officials, the England Football Association (FA) said on Tuesday. The Scotland international is alleged to have used “abusive and/or insulting words” towards anti-doping officials who went to West Ham’s...
Scholes charged by FA for alleged betting breaches
(Reuters) – Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of the Football Association’s betting rules, the English governing body said on Tuesday. It is alleged that the 44-year-old former England international placed 140 bets on football matches between August 2015 and January 2019, the FA said...
Irish FA’s board to step down over loan scandal – minister
DUBLIN (Reuters) – The entire board of Irish soccer’s governing body has decided to step down by July in the wake of a furore over an undisclosed 100,000 euro (£86,371) loan, Transport Minister Shane Ross said on Tuesday. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) acknowledged last week it had broken state funding rules by failing...
