ZIMBABWE international forward Tendai Ndoro ended a disastrous short spell in Saudi Arabia after completing a two-year deal with South Africa’s Absa Premiership side Ajax Cape Town for an undisclosed […]
The post Ndoro ends Saudi nightmare…joins Ajax Cape Town appeared first on The Standard.
Craig Burley explains why Virgil van Dijk will have a lot to prove with the microscope squarely on the new Liverpool defender.
Steve Nicol breaks down Liverpool's agreement with Virgil van Dijk as the Dutch defender is set to join the Reds on January 1.
The FC panel answer your tweets on what Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk signing means for Philippe Coutinho, how good a manager Pep Guardiola is and much more.
Virgil van Dijk had to wait longer than he wanted to, but Jurgen Klopp has finally got his man after Southampton agreed to sell the centre-back to Liverpool for a staggering £75 million.
Liverpool were rightly criticised for botching the deal last summer but lessons appear to have been learned and credit is due for the swiftness with which they have wrapped things up ahead of the January transfer window.
While the fee seems excessive for a defender it only really comes into play if the player...
Dan Thomas and the FC crew believe the top-seeded countries will all be delighted with their matchups at the World Cup.
ESPN FC's Gab Marcotti predicts who will emerge from each group at the 2018 World Cup.
PARIS -- Nearly a decade ago, Arsene Wenger ranked the Paris region as the second-best talent pool in soccer after Sao Paulo in Brazil. But by now, the French capital surely ranks top.
Here are just a few of today's players raised in Greater Paris: Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, N'Golo Kante, Kingsley Coman, Blaise Matuidi and Kylian Mbappe, plus three other regular Paris Saint-Germain starters, the Algerian internationals Riyad Mahrez and Yacine Brahimi, and various Senegalese and Moroccan internationals...WOLVES will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the table with a win against Millwall.
But the home side will enter the fixture desperate for three points after a tough run of games in the Championship including a 3-0 defeat to Derby on Saturday.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are preparing for promotion to the Premier LeagueGetty - Contributor
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When is Millwall vs Wolves?
The game will take place on Tuesday, December 26.
The Den will host the showdown.
It will kick off at 13:00.
The game will not be shown live on television.
But subscribers to Wolves TV will be able to watch the match.
Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all of the action on the SunSport live blog.
Neil Harris side have struggled for form in the ChampionshipReuters
What is the latest team news?
Three changes for this afternoon's Boxing Day fixture.
Tom Elliott, @shaunywilliams6 and @Conormcl91 return to the starting XI.#Millwall 
pic.twitter.com/mwyiAwZB78
— Millwall FC (@MillwallFC) December 26, 2017
Here's how Wolves line-up for this afternoon's @SkyBetChamp fixture against @MillwallFC. #MILvWOL
— Wolves (@Wolves) December 26, 2017
How to claim your FREE £30 bet
The champions go into the winter break 11 points clear of the Bundesliga's chasing pack
Timo Baumgartl of Stuttgart and Corentin Tolisso of Bayern Muenchen battle for the ball during the Bundesliga match between VfB Stuttgart and FC Bayern Muenchen at Mercedes-Benz Arena on December 16, 2017 in Stuttgart, Germany.
(Photo: TF-Images/TF-Images via Getty Images)The champions go into the winter break 11 points clear of the Bundesliga's chasing pack
COMMENT: The Premier League title race appears to be over, but as unlikely as it may be for Manchester City to drop points, there's still a chance, albeit minute, that the Premier League's unpredictability will fall upon City at some point this term thus giving the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool a fighting chance at the league title - after all we've still got a long way to go before the season ends.
In light of that small chance Manchester United have already begun to look at potential acquisitions for when the January transfer window opens.
Read more on Tribal Football
ERIC BAILLY has been ruled out for three months with an ankle injury.
The news is a hammer blow to Manchester United and their manager Jose Mourinho as he tries to close the 11-point gap on Manchester City at the top.
More to follow…
Another win, another record for rampant Premier League leader Manchester City. And this one might be the most impressive of the lot. By beating Swansea 4-0 on Wednesday, City racked up its 15th straight victory — a feat never achieved in the 129-year history of England’s top division. Second-place Manchester United also won, beating Bournemouth […]
The post Man City racks up record 15th straight league win appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
BACOLOD CITY—Linked to a move overseas at the end of the season, Iain Ramsay is surely making a lasting impression in his first year playing for Ceres Negros.
The post Ceres-Global duel set appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
On the day Philippine football marked one of its biggest achievements, a hastily assembled national men’s squad also suffered one of its most embarrassing losses on Tuesday.
The post PH Azkals suffer embarrassing loss to Timor Leste appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
ZURICH — FIFA says it has lifted Kuwait’s ban from international soccer. FIFA President Gianni Infantino is in Kuwait to confirm the government is no longer interfering in how the soccer federation is being run. FIFA says the “Kuwait Parliament has adopted a new sports law” which complies with its statutes. The ban was imposed […]
The post FIFA lifts Kuwait’s 2-year ban from international soccer appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
TORONTO – Not only is Mark Pais not going to play in Saturday’s MLS Cup final at BMO Field, he won’t even dress for the game.
Such has been life this year for Pais, Toronto FC’s third-string goalkeeper. Given a tryout in pre-season and signed to an MLS contract in April, Pais, a 26-year-old native of St. Louis, has spent the majority of the campaign with the TFC 2 farm club that competes in the United Soccer League.
Although briefly serving as Toronto FC’s backup for a few MLS games early on in the year, Pais has been the No. 3 man on the goalkeeping depth chart. Playing behind Alex Bono and Clint Irwin, two goalkeepers who could probably start on any other club in the league, has meant that Pais has had to bide his time in the second-tier USL – he hasn’t played a single minute of MLS action for the Reds in 2017.
You could hardly blame Pais (it’s pronounced “pace”) if he felt as though he was an outsider, or not a part of the team. But he’s found comfort in Toronto FC’s official slogan, “All For One,” that has helped him stay intimately connected to the side during the season and through the playoffs as it’s made its way to Saturday’s championship game against the Seattle Sounders.
“I’ve said this a lot – this organization from the very top to the bottom, everybody here is welcoming and connected. I’ve not seen anything like it. The club logo, ‘All For One,’ I mean, this club lives and breathes it on a daily basis. That was one of the first things I noticed when I came here,” Pais told Sportsnet in a one-on-one chat.
Between games for TFC 2, Pais routinely practises with the MLS club, forming a bond with goalkeeper coach Jon Conway, as well as Bono and Irwin. The friendly banter between Pais and his goalkeeping cohorts and his other Toronto FC teammates on the training pitch and in the halls of the club’s multi-million-dollar practice facility go a long way in reminding him that he’s a valued member of the team, even though he never plays.
“There are times when you’re bouncing around with the USL, and you’re not in the locker room or not at training with the guys, that there’s a little disconnect for me. But even so, when we’re all together, they’re not looking at me as a guy who hasn’t played in MLS, and go ‘Oh, I’m not going to give him the time of day.’ Everybody treats everybody equally, so I’ve always been made to feel as though I’m a valuable member of TFC,” Pais said.
Before coming to Toronto, Pais spent two seasons with Saint Louis FC in the USL. Prior to that, he played NCAA soccer with University of Tulsa and Saint Louis University. He was on trial for the Charleston Battery of the USL for two days when he received a call from Toronto FC to join them in Orlando for pre-season camp in February.
Pais originally signed with TFC 2 prior to the start of the 2017 MLS season. But Irwin suffered a hamstring injury in the Reds’ home opener in early April, and was ruled out for four to six weeks. The MLS club then quickly turned around and signed Pais to a senior-team contract to back up Bono. When Irwin returned, Pais was the odd-man out, and was once again the third-string option. He’s taken the demotion in stride, and used it as an opportunity to improve his game.
“I try to stay in the moment as much as I can as far as taking care of what I have to do that day, that week. It helps to compartmentalize like that,” Pais said.
“I see [Bono and Irwin] ahead of me, but it helps me in that we’re always training together, and that allows me to see what are these guys doing well that I need to approve on. What can I change? What do I have to do to get to their level? It allows me to be a little bit more analytical about where I’m at what I need to work on.”
Make no mistake about it: Pais wants to play in MLS. That’s his goal, so constantly watching the games from the stands or from a private box at BMO Field, and not being a part of the action is a little disheartening. It hasn’t affected his attitude, though, with Conway lauding his work rate and commitment on the training ground.
“It’s easy to come to work every day here when you have all these resources and a staff that makes you push yourself to get to where you want to go. Whatever they’ve asked of me, I’ve done it. Nothing has changed. I’m happy to come to work each day and put in the work, and fulfill the role that I’m asked to do,” Pais said.
And what does he see his role ahead of Saturday’s MLS Cup final?
“To keep Alex and Clint sharp. If we’re all on point, and doing our thing and we’re all at a high level, it makes the other guys push themselves even more. I want the attacking players to see me in there [in training] by coming up with saves and making them work harder. Maybe it’s some small thing, some small adjustment they have to make, but if I’m forcing them to do that, then I feel like I’m doing my job,” Pais said.
South American teams experienced mixed fortunes in Friday's draw in Moscow
Uruguay's Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring against Paraguay during their 2018 World Cup qualifier in Asuncion.
(Photo: DANIEL DUARTE/AFP/Getty Images)South American teams experienced mixed fortunes in Friday's draw in Moscow
MANCHESTER UNITED boss Jose Mourinho reportedly brought on Zlatan Ibrahimovic to mark Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes at corners.
The Hornets fought back to 3-2 after going into the dressing room 3-0 down at half time.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was not brought on for his goal-scoring abilityREUTERS
Mourinho was preparing to send on Ibrahimovic to help defend a 3-2 lead when Jesse Lingard scored a brilliant solo effort.
And the United boss apparently revealed after the game that he wanted the Swede to mark Gomes if Watford sent the keeper up.
Ibra replaced Lingard straight after his solo goal and the England midfielder was given a huge ovation by the travelling support.
United’s three-goal lead came courtesy of Ashley Young’s brilliant double and an Anthony Martial strike.
Jose Mourinho was worried about Heurelho Gomes netting from a cornerREUTERS
Jesse Lingard scored a brilliant goal before Zlatan Ibrahimovic could come onRichard Pelham - The Sun
Watford struck back through Deeney’s penalty and Abdoulaye Doucoure but could not take advantage of their momentum to grab a third.
After the win, Mourinho said: “I prefer to forget the five minutes where we conceded the two goals.
“I prefer to focus on all the good things we did. To play away from home and score four goals, we could have scored seven, eight; this was very, very good.
Jesse Lingard went on a mazy run before finishing low to make it 4-2AP:Associated Press
“They came with everything, they had no problems, they gave us a couple of minutes of real pressure, where we felt anything could happen. This is football.”
“What we needed to do was go back to our defensive stability, which we lost when Matic had to come out. But the important thing is the three points
“For Matic to tell me he wants to be replaced, he does not do that if it is nothing important.”
