Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope will be sidelined for "around four months" with a shoulder injury, manager Eddie Howe said on Wednesday as his list of absentees continued to grow.

England's Pope, who needed surgery on his same left shoulder in 2018 while a Burnley player, suffered a dislocation when diving during last weekend's 1-0 Premier League victory over Manchester United.

He joins Newcastle's lengthy injury list which has left Howe making very few substitutions in recent matches, with several youth-team players on the bench.

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"There's no doubt he needs an operation so he will be out for a period of time, we think around four months," Howe told a press conference ahead of Thursday's league game at Everton.

"It's the same shoulder (as 2018 injury) but a different part of the shoulder. There was no reason for that happening."

Media reports have linked Newcastle with both out-of-favour Arsenal 'keeper Aaron Ramsdale and former Man United number one David de Gea, who is a free agent.

But Howe was keen to play down speculation of signing a short-term replacement in January.

"I've seen a lot of the media headlines and press speculation regarding goalkeepers and other players," said Howe.

"We've not made any enquiries or decisions regarding our recruitment leading into January and I have said many times that is because if we were to recruit now we would probably be recruiting in every position on the pitch because we have injuries everywhere throughout the squad.

"Hopefully that picture looks different by the time January comes."

Slovakian Martin Dubravka replaced Pope as a late substitute against Manchester United and will likely start at Goodison Park.

He was sent on loan to Old Trafford last season but played two Premier League matches for Newcastle after being recalled from Man United in January.

"We really believe in Martin. I have always had that high opinion of him," added Howe.

"Martin is a high-class goalkeeper, he is a brilliant shot-stopper himself.&nbsp;He is very good with his feet and his distribution, so there's no hesitation in bringing Martin into the team and I hope he does really well."

Newcastle have won their last two league matches, either side of a 1-1 Champions League draw at Paris Saint-Germain, despite their injury woes.

But Howe wants his side to improve away from home, after just one win on their travels in six Premier League games this season.

"I'm looking forward to the game. We're going to Tottenham next, we'll need to work on our away form."

Newcastle sit sixth in the table, just three points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope will be sidelined for "around four months" with a shoulder injury, manager Eddie Howe said on Wednesday as his list of absentees continued to grow.

Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope will be sidelined for "around four months" with a shoulder injury, manager Eddie Howe said on Wednesday as his list of absentees continued to grow. England's Pope, who needed surgery on his same left shoulder in 2018 while a Burnley player, suffered a dislocation when diving during last weekend's 1-0 Premier League victory over Manchester United. He joins Newcastle's lengthy injury list which has left Howe making very few substitutions in recent matches, with several youth-team players on the bench. Also Read: India's Ravi Bishnoi now No. 1 bowler in T20Is, pips Afghanistan's Rashid Khan in latest ICC rankings "There's no doubt he needs an operation so he will be out for a period of time, we think around four months," Howe told a press conference ahead of Thursday's league game at Everton. "It's the same shoulder (as 2018 injury) but a different part of the shoulder. There was no reason for that happening." Media reports have linked Newcastle with both out-of-favour Arsenal 'keeper Aaron Ramsdale and former Man United number one David de Gea, who is a free agent. But Howe was keen to play down speculation of signing a short-term replacement in January. "I've seen a lot of the media headlines and press speculation regarding goalkeepers and other players," said Howe. "We've not made any enquiries or decisions regarding our recruitment leading into January and I have said many times that is because if we were to recruit now we would probably be recruiting in every position on the pitch because we have injuries everywhere throughout the squad. "Hopefully that picture looks different by the time January comes." Slovakian Martin Dubravka replaced Pope as a late substitute against Manchester United and will likely start at Goodison Park. He was sent on loan to Old Trafford last season but played two Premier League matches for Newcastle after being recalled from Man United in January. "We really believe in Martin. I have always had that high opinion of him," added Howe. "Martin is a high-class goalkeeper, he is a brilliant shot-stopper himself. He is very good with his feet and his distribution, so there's no hesitation in bringing Martin into the team and I hope he does really well." Newcastle have won their last two league matches, either side of a 1-1 Champions League draw at Paris Saint-Germain, despite their injury woes. But Howe wants his side to improve away from home, after just one win on their travels in six Premier League games this season. "I'm looking forward to the game. We're going to Tottenham next, we'll need to work on our away form." Newcastle sit sixth in the table, just three points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Newcastle and England keeper Pope out for around four months with shoulder injury

Declan Rice's header deep in stoppage time sealed an enthralling 4-3 victory for Arsenal at lowly Luton Town to send them five points clear at the top of the Premier League on Tuesday. Arsenal had been knocked out of their stride by an energetic and direct Luton side and it looked as though they were about to extend their winless run at Kenilworth Road to 11 games.

But with six minutes of stoppage time played Rice found space to dispatch a header into the net. His last-gasp goal sparked unbridled joy for the visitors who have now won four league games in a row, but it was heartache for an intrepid Luton side who had twice come from behind to lead early in the second half.

Arsenal have now taken nine extra points this season courtesy of goals scored in the last five minutes of games. "Luton are a top side and they can't be overlooked in this league for the quality they have," Rice told Amazon Prime. "To score in the last minute and keep the momentum building it's massive for us. Those are the moments you look back on. What a game. To score the winner is an honour."

Arsenal have 36 points from 15 games played with Liverpool on 31 and champions Manchester City on 30 before their games at Sheffield United and Aston Villa respectively on Wednesday. After a weekend of high-scoring encounters the opening 20 minutes on a raw night at Kenilworth Road were uneventful with no hint of the thriller that was to unfold.

But the game exploded into life when some quick thinking from a throw-in ended with Gabriel Martinelli scuffing a shot inside the post from Bukayo Saka's cut back. Luton responded five minutes later with Gabriel Osho powering a header past David Raya from Alfie Doughty's corner.

Saka and Martinelli were both denied by saves from Thomas Kaminski but Arsenal did go ahead again just before the break with Gabriel Jesus heading in Ben White's dinked cross.

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Arsenal had not won at Luton since 1986 and they were rocked on their heels early in the second half as first Elijah Adebayo headed in another Doughty corner in the 49th minute before Andros Townsend played in fellow former England international Ross Barkley eight minutes later to drill a shot through Raya.

Raya should have done better for Luton's second and third goals but his blushes were spared by his team mates. The old stadium was still reverberating from Barkley's goal when Kai Havertz squared it up on the hour from Jesus's pass.

Arsenal applied intense pressure but Luton appeared to have sealed a memorable point until Martin Odegaard's cross picked out Rice who placed a perfect header past Kaminski. "Incredible evening. First of all, congratulations to Luton, their players, staff, the atmosphere they created made it a special night to play football and they made it very hard for us," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. "They are so good at set pieces and they made us really fight for the game and at the end it was a beautiful win."

Luton remain fourth from bottom with nine points and while the defeat stung, manager Rob Edwards was rightly proud of his players who gave Arsenal a real scare. "Arsenal wanted a game of order and we made it chaotic at times," Edwards said. "I don't think that has ever happened to me, conceding that late to lose a game so I'm flat right now."

Declan Rice's header deep in stoppage time sealed an enthralling 4-3 victory for Arsenal at lowly Luton Town to send them five points clear at the top of the Premier League on Tuesday.

Declan Rice's header deep in stoppage time sealed an enthralling 4-3 victory for Arsenal at lowly Luton Town to send them five points clear at the top of the Premier League on Tuesday. Arsenal had been knocked out of their stride by an energetic and direct Luton side and it looked as though they were about to extend their winless run at Kenilworth Road to 11 games. But with six minutes of stoppage time played Rice found space to dispatch a header into the net. His last-gasp goal sparked unbridled joy for the visitors who have now won four league games in a row, but it was heartache for an intrepid Luton side who had twice come from behind to lead early in the second half. Arsenal have now taken nine extra points this season courtesy of goals scored in the last five minutes of games. "Luton are a top side and they can't be overlooked in this league for the quality they have," Rice told Amazon Prime. "To score in the last minute and keep the momentum building it's massive for us. Those are the moments you look back on. What a game. To score the winner is an honour." Arsenal have 36 points from 15 games played with Liverpool on 31 and champions Manchester City on 30 before their games at Sheffield United and Aston Villa respectively on Wednesday. After a weekend of high-scoring encounters the opening 20 minutes on a raw night at Kenilworth Road were uneventful with no hint of the thriller that was to unfold. But the game exploded into life when some quick thinking from a throw-in ended with Gabriel Martinelli scuffing a shot inside the post from Bukayo Saka's cut back. Luton responded five minutes later with Gabriel Osho powering a header past David Raya from Alfie Doughty's corner. Saka and Martinelli were both denied by saves from Thomas Kaminski but Arsenal did go ahead again just before the break with Gabriel Jesus heading in Ben White's dinked cross. Also read: PL: Erik Ten Hag plays down reports of unrest in dressing room ahead of Chelsea clash Arsenal had not won at Luton since 1986 and they were rocked on their heels early in the second half as first Elijah Adebayo headed in another Doughty corner in the 49th minute before Andros Townsend played in fellow former England international Ross Barkley eight minutes later to drill a shot through Raya. Raya should have done better for Luton's second and third goals but his blushes were spared by his team mates. The old stadium was still reverberating from Barkley's goal when Kai Havertz squared it up on the hour from Jesus's pass. Arsenal applied intense pressure but Luton appeared to have sealed a memorable point until Martin Odegaard's cross picked out Rice who placed a perfect header past Kaminski. "Incredible evening. First of all, congratulations to Luton, their players, staff, the atmosphere they created made it a special night to play football and they made it very hard for us," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. "They are so good at set pieces and they made us really fight for the game and at the end it was a beautiful win." Luton remain fourth from bottom with nine points and while the defeat stung, manager Rob Edwards was rightly proud of his players who gave Arsenal a real scare. "Arsenal wanted a game of order and we made it chaotic at times," Edwards said. "I don't think that has ever happened to me, conceding that late to lose a game so I'm flat right now."

Premier League: Arsenal go five clear after Declan Rice seals seven-goal thriller at Luton

English Football Association (FA) has charged Premier League side Manchester City for failing to conduct players' behaviour during the game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (Dec. 3). City striker Erling Haaland, however, escaped punishment for responding with 'WTF' to a clip from the game on social media platform X.

Haaland <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/watch-manchester-citys-erling-haalnd-loses-clam-after-referee-stops-game-vs-hotspur-may-get-sanctioned-665991">responded to the clip</a> which showed referee Simon Harper stopping the game four minutes into stoppage time when City had a chance to win the 3-3 stalemate. The referee's decision was protested by City players as Haaland was fouled about a minute before that but didn't get it as he got up on his feet and continued with the game.

It has been reported by ESPN, citing FA sources, that Haaland wasn't in breach of the rules on covering media comments and social media activity.

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The team, however, has been found in breach of FA Rule E20.1 which pertains to the conduct of the players. The association issued a statement and has given two days to City to respond to the charge.

"Manchester City have been charged with a breach of FA Rule E20.1 after their players surrounded the match official during the Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday 3 December 2023.

"It's alleged that, during the 94th minute of the fixture, the club failed to ensure their players do not behave in a way which is improper.

"Manchester City have until Thursday 7 December 2023 to respond to the charge," read the FA statement.

City manager Pep Guardiola, however, had defended Haaland's reaction post-game and had said: "It's normal. His reaction was the same for 10 players. The rules are you cannot talk with the referees or fourth officials, so we should have had 10 players sent off today. He's a little bit disappointed."

With the draw, City slipped to the third place on the points table with 30 points in 14 games. City have won nine games from 14 played and have played three draws as well while losing only two.

English Football Association (FA) has charged Premier League side Manchester City for failing to conduct players' behaviour during the game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (Dec.

English Football Association (FA) has charged Premier League side Manchester City for failing to conduct players' behaviour during the game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (Dec. 3). City striker Erling Haaland, however, escaped punishment for responding with 'WTF' to a clip from the game on social media platform X. Haaland responded to the clip which showed referee Simon Harper stopping the game four minutes into stoppage time when City had a chance to win the 3-3 stalemate. The referee's decision was protested by City players as Haaland was fouled about a minute before that but didn't get it as he got up on his feet and continued with the game. It has been reported by ESPN, citing FA sources, that Haaland wasn't in breach of the rules on covering media comments and social media activity. Also Read: Premier League announces blockbuster domestic TV deal worth $8.45 billion The team, however, has been found in breach of FA Rule E20.1 which pertains to the conduct of the players. The association issued a statement and has given two days to City to respond to the charge. "Manchester City have been charged with a breach of FA Rule E20.1 after their players surrounded the match official during the Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday 3 December 2023. "It's alleged that, during the 94th minute of the fixture, the club failed to ensure their players do not behave in a way which is improper. "Manchester City have until Thursday 7 December 2023 to respond to the charge," read the FA statement. City manager Pep Guardiola, however, had defended Haaland's reaction post-game and had said: "It's normal. His reaction was the same for 10 players. The rules are you cannot talk with the referees or fourth officials, so we should have had 10 players sent off today. He's a little bit disappointed." With the draw, City slipped to the third place on the points table with 30 points in 14 games. City have won nine games from 14 played and have played three draws as well while losing only two.

Manchester City charged for failing to control players' behaviour in Tottenham game; Haaland escapes penalty

Next year's 48th edition of the Copa America, featuring 10 South American nations and six North American teams, will be held in 14 venues across 10 US states, organizers said on Monday. South American governing body CONMEBOL had already announced that the June 20 opener would be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with the final on July 14 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

On Monday CONMEBOL revealed that AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, NRG Stadium in Houston, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, will host quarter-final matches. Semi-finals will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Other venues are Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, and Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City. Group play will take place from June 20 through July 2. The quarter-finals will be held July 4-6, semi-finals July 9 and 10 and the third-place match on July 13.

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"According to the dynamics of the competition, two groups will play in the west and center of the country, and two groups in the east and center," CONMEBOL said in a statement. "The competition will move in an easterly direction, the quarter-finals will be played in the west and center, while the semi-final and final will take place in the east."

The tournament, typically held in South America, will serve as a tuneup for the US ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada.

"The passion of football will run through this great country from east to west and from north to south, bringing excitement and fun to hundreds of thousands of fans at the venues and millions of spectators around the world," predicted Alejandro Dominguez, president of CONMEBOL and FIFA vice president. The draw for the tournament, which will see Argentina defending their title, is on Thursday.

Next year's 48th edition of the Copa America, featuring 10 South American nations and six North American teams, will be held in 14 venues across 10 US states, organizers said on Monday.

Next year's 48th edition of the Copa America, featuring 10 South American nations and six North American teams, will be held in 14 venues across 10 US states, organizers said on Monday. South American governing body CONMEBOL had already announced that the June 20 opener would be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with the final on July 14 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. On Monday CONMEBOL revealed that AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, NRG Stadium in Houston, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, will host quarter-final matches. Semi-finals will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Other venues are Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, and Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City. Group play will take place from June 20 through July 2. The quarter-finals will be held July 4-6, semi-finals July 9 and 10 and the third-place match on July 13. Also Read: Tyrese Haliburton triple-double helps Indiana Pacers reach semifinals of in-season tournament "According to the dynamics of the competition, two groups will play in the west and center of the country, and two groups in the east and center," CONMEBOL said in a statement. "The competition will move in an easterly direction, the quarter-finals will be played in the west and center, while the semi-final and final will take place in the east." The tournament, typically held in South America, will serve as a tuneup for the US ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada. "The passion of football will run through this great country from east to west and from north to south, bringing excitement and fun to hundreds of thousands of fans at the venues and millions of spectators around the world," predicted Alejandro Dominguez, president of CONMEBOL and FIFA vice president. The draw for the tournament, which will see Argentina defending their title, is on Thursday.

CONMEBOL reveals names of 14 US cities as host for 2024 Copa America

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland may face a sanction for criticising officials for a controversial call during the Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur. The game ended in a 3-3 draw after the referee stopped it in injury time when City seemingly had a chance to score and win.&nbsp;

City were leading 3-2 before Dejan Kulusevski scored an equaliser in the 90th minute for Tottenham. Five minutes into the stoppage time, Haaland was fouled by opposition defender Emerson Royal but the striker got up on his feet and continued. Referee Simon Hooper kept the game going but stopped when Haaland passed the ball to Jack Grealish who had a clear run to goal.

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Haaland was visibly furious by the call and wrote 'WTF' on his social media handle X after the game in response to the clip of the play. Have a look at the play below:&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Wtf <a href="https://t.co/E7GKDiTZAf">https://t.co/E7GKDiTZAf</a>
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) <a href="https://twitter.com/ErlingHaaland/status/1731387201622004197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

He was shown a yellow card as well by Hooper during the game for protesting the decision. The Football Association (FA) will now examine if the post is in breach of Rule E3.1 of the Premier League which pertains to governing social media comments or remarks made in the media.

City manager Pep&nbsp;Guardiola, however, defended Haaland's reaction and said: "It's normal. His reaction was the same for 10 players. The rules are you cannot talk with the referees or fourth officials, so we should have had 10 players sent off today. He's a little bit disappointed.

"Even the referee -- if he played for Man City today he would be disappointed for that action, that's for sure."

With the draw, City slipped to the third place on the points table with 30 points in 14 games. City have won nine games from 14 played and have played three draws as well while losing only two.

As for the Spurs, they edged Newcastle United for the fifth place on the table with 27 points after 14 games that includes&nbsp;eight wins, three draws and three losses. 
&nbsp;

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland may face a sanction for criticising officials for a controversial call during the Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland may face a sanction for criticising officials for a controversial call during the Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur. The game ended in a 3-3 draw after the referee stopped it in injury time when City seemingly had a chance to score and win. City were leading 3-2 before Dejan Kulusevski scored an equaliser in the 90th minute for Tottenham. Five minutes into the stoppage time, Haaland was fouled by opposition defender Emerson Royal but the striker got up on his feet and continued. Referee Simon Hooper kept the game going but stopped when Haaland passed the ball to Jack Grealish who had a clear run to goal. Also Watch: 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw and Eagles security chief Big Dom ejected after on-field confrontation Haaland was visibly furious by the call and wrote 'WTF' on his social media handle X after the game in response to the clip of the play. Have a look at the play below: Wtf https://t.co/E7GKDiTZAf — Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) December 3, 2023 × He was shown a yellow card as well by Hooper during the game for protesting the decision. The Football Association (FA) will now examine if the post is in breach of Rule E3.1 of the Premier League which pertains to governing social media comments or remarks made in the media. City manager Pep Guardiola, however, defended Haaland's reaction and said: "It's normal. His reaction was the same for 10 players. The rules are you cannot talk with the referees or fourth officials, so we should have had 10 players sent off today. He's a little bit disappointed. "Even the referee -- if he played for Man City today he would be disappointed for that action, that's for sure." With the draw, City slipped to the third place on the points table with 30 points in 14 games. City have won nine games from 14 played and have played three draws as well while losing only two. As for the Spurs, they edged Newcastle United for the fifth place on the table with 27 points after 14 games that includes eight wins, three draws and three losses.

WATCH | Manchester City's Erling Haaland loses calm after referee stops game vs Hotspur, may get sanctioned

Four-time winners Al Hilal ended their Asian Champions League group campaign unbeaten thanks to a 2-1 home victory against&nbsp;Iran's Nassaji Mazandaran on Monday.

The Saudi side, runners-up last year, had already qualified for the last 16 as Group D winners, allowing manager Jorge Jesus the luxury of starting in-form striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and attacking midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic on the bench.&nbsp;

Ruben Neves, another summer signing, was not part of the squad, with Brazil superstar Neymar out for the majority of the season after rupturing&nbsp;the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee on international duty in October.

However, Al Hilal needed only four minutes to take the lead against&nbsp;Nassaji Mazandaran&nbsp;at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, when winger Michael finished Mohammed Al Breik's low cross at the back post.

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Al Hilal, who replaced Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou at half-time, doubled their advantage on 54 minutes courtesy of a clever half volley from reigning Asian Player of the Year Salem Al Dawsari.

Mitrovic and Milinkovic-Savic were introduced on the hour mark, although it was not enough to prevent&nbsp;Nassaji Mazandaran from pulling a goal back 13 minutes from time.&nbsp;Mahmoud Ghaed Rahmati halved the deficit with a thunderous volley following a clearance from Al Hilal defender Kalidou Koulibaly.

In the group's other match, Uzbekistan’s Navbahor booked their place in the last 16 with a 2-1 victory against Mumbai City in Pune.&nbsp;

While Navbahor progress by finishing second, Mumbai ended their campaign with six defeats from six matches.

In Group B, Uzbek side Nasaf Qarshi qualified for the knockouts by drawing 2-2 against Qatar's Al Sadd in a match that featured a goal for each team in injury-time. UAE club Sharjah, meanwhile, dropped to third and thus exit the tournament after they let slip the lead to lose 2-1 to Jordan's Al Faisaly in Amman.

Elsewhere, Iraq's Air Force Club condemned Uzbekistan's AGMK to a sixth successive Group C defeat with a 3-2 victory in Erbil. Both teams went into the match without any chance of advancing to the knockout rounds.&nbsp;

Al Ittihad concluded Group C with a 2-1 win against Iran's Sepahan in Mecca.&nbsp;

Former Celtic winger Jota grabbed the winner for the Saudi champions, who welcomed back Egypt international Ahmed Hegazy from long-term injury.

Also in Group C, Iraq's Air Force Club condemned Uzbekistan’s AGMK to a sixth successive defeat with a 3-2 victory in Erbil. Both teams went into the match without any chance of advancing to the knockout rounds.&nbsp;

The 10 group winners and the six best second-placed teams advanced to the knockout rounds, which begin in February.&nbsp;

The final takes place, across two legs, in May.

Four-time winners Al Hilal ended their Asian Champions League group campaign unbeaten thanks to a 2-1 home victory against Iran's Nassaji Mazandaran on Monday. The Saudi side, runners-up last year, had already qualified for the last 16 as Group D winners, allowing manager Jorge Jesus the luxury of starting in-form striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and attacking midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic on the bench.

Four-time winners Al Hilal ended their Asian Champions League group campaign unbeaten thanks to a 2-1 home victory against Iran's Nassaji Mazandaran on Monday. The Saudi side, runners-up last year, had already qualified for the last 16 as Group D winners, allowing manager Jorge Jesus the luxury of starting in-form striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and attacking midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic on the bench. Ruben Neves, another summer signing, was not part of the squad, with Brazil superstar Neymar out for the majority of the season after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee on international duty in October. However, Al Hilal needed only four minutes to take the lead against Nassaji Mazandaran at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, when winger Michael finished Mohammed Al Breik's low cross at the back post. Also Read: Premier League announces blockbuster domestic TV deal worth $8.45 billion Al Hilal, who replaced Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou at half-time, doubled their advantage on 54 minutes courtesy of a clever half volley from reigning Asian Player of the Year Salem Al Dawsari. Mitrovic and Milinkovic-Savic were introduced on the hour mark, although it was not enough to prevent Nassaji Mazandaran from pulling a goal back 13 minutes from time. Mahmoud Ghaed Rahmati halved the deficit with a thunderous volley following a clearance from Al Hilal defender Kalidou Koulibaly. In the group's other match, Uzbekistan’s Navbahor booked their place in the last 16 with a 2-1 victory against Mumbai City in Pune. While Navbahor progress by finishing second, Mumbai ended their campaign with six defeats from six matches. In Group B, Uzbek side Nasaf Qarshi qualified for the knockouts by drawing 2-2 against Qatar's Al Sadd in a match that featured a goal for each team in injury-time. UAE club Sharjah, meanwhile, dropped to third and thus exit the tournament after they let slip the lead to lose 2-1 to Jordan's Al Faisaly in Amman. Elsewhere, Iraq's Air Force Club condemned Uzbekistan's AGMK to a sixth successive Group C defeat with a 3-2 victory in Erbil. Both teams went into the match without any chance of advancing to the knockout rounds. Al Ittihad concluded Group C with a 2-1 win against Iran's Sepahan in Mecca. Former Celtic winger Jota grabbed the winner for the Saudi champions, who welcomed back Egypt international Ahmed Hegazy from long-term injury. Also in Group C, Iraq's Air Force Club condemned Uzbekistan’s AGMK to a sixth successive defeat with a 3-2 victory in Erbil. Both teams went into the match without any chance of advancing to the knockout rounds. The 10 group winners and the six best second-placed teams advanced to the knockout rounds, which begin in February. The final takes place, across two legs, in May.

Al Hilal finishes on top of Asian Champions League group stage

The Premier League announced on Monday it had agreed a record £6.7 billion ($8.45 billion) domestic television rights deal for a four-year period starting from the 2025/26 season.

The current deal is reported to be worth around £5 billion over a three-year cycle and covers 200 matches per season.

The English top flight hailed the agreements shared between different broadcasters as the "largest sports media rights deals ever concluded in the UK".

Sky Sports and TNT Sports have retained their rights to show live matches, with Amazon, currently showing 20 matches per season, not part of the next cycle.

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Sky will screen a minimum of 215 live matches per season while TNT will broadcast 52. BBC Sport will continue to broadcast highlights via its Match of the Day programme.

A Saturday afternoon blackout, designed to protect attendances in the lower leagues, will remain but for the first time all matches outside of those scheduled for 3:00 pm on Saturday will be screened live.&nbsp;

The Premier League boasted of a four percent increase in live rights value compared with the previous process but the broadcasters will be paying significantly less per game because they will be showing more matches each season.

"The outcome of this process underlines the strength of the Premier League," said the Premier League's chief executive, Richard Masters.

"It is testament to our clubs, players and managers who continue to deliver the world's most competitive football in full stadiums, and to supporters, who create an unrivalled atmosphere every week."

He added: "As longstanding and valued partners, Sky Sports and TNT Sports are renowned for consistently delivering world-class coverage and programming.

"We have enjoyed record audiences and attendances in recent seasons, and we know that their continued innovation will drive more people to watch and follow the Premier League."

The Premier League said the new deal would provide financial certainty for clubs throughout professional football until at least 2029.

It is the first Premier League tender process since 2018 as the current deal was rolled over in 2021 for an extra three years due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The deal will maintain the huge financial advantage Premier League clubs enjoy over their European competitors thanks to far more lucrative domestic and international TV rights deals.

International rights for the English top flight overtook the value of domestic rights for the first time last year and are estimated to bring in £5.3 billion between 2022 and 2025.

The Premier League accounted for 11 out of the top 20 clubs in this year's Deloitte Football Money League, with champions Manchester City in top spot.

The Premier League announced on Monday it had agreed a record £6.7 billion ($8.45 billion) domestic television rights deal for a four-year period starting from the 2025/26 season.

The Premier League announced on Monday it had agreed a record £6.7 billion ($8.45 billion) domestic television rights deal for a four-year period starting from the 2025/26 season. The current deal is reported to be worth around £5 billion over a three-year cycle and covers 200 matches per season. The English top flight hailed the agreements shared between different broadcasters as the "largest sports media rights deals ever concluded in the UK". Sky Sports and TNT Sports have retained their rights to show live matches, with Amazon, currently showing 20 matches per season, not part of the next cycle. Also Read: Ronnie O'Sullivan becomes oldest UK champion by beating China's Ding Junhui Sky will screen a minimum of 215 live matches per season while TNT will broadcast 52. BBC Sport will continue to broadcast highlights via its Match of the Day programme. A Saturday afternoon blackout, designed to protect attendances in the lower leagues, will remain but for the first time all matches outside of those scheduled for 3:00 pm on Saturday will be screened live. The Premier League boasted of a four percent increase in live rights value compared with the previous process but the broadcasters will be paying significantly less per game because they will be showing more matches each season. "The outcome of this process underlines the strength of the Premier League," said the Premier League's chief executive, Richard Masters. "It is testament to our clubs, players and managers who continue to deliver the world's most competitive football in full stadiums, and to supporters, who create an unrivalled atmosphere every week." He added: "As longstanding and valued partners, Sky Sports and TNT Sports are renowned for consistently delivering world-class coverage and programming. "We have enjoyed record audiences and attendances in recent seasons, and we know that their continued innovation will drive more people to watch and follow the Premier League." The Premier League said the new deal would provide financial certainty for clubs throughout professional football until at least 2029. It is the first Premier League tender process since 2018 as the current deal was rolled over in 2021 for an extra three years due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The deal will maintain the huge financial advantage Premier League clubs enjoy over their European competitors thanks to far more lucrative domestic and international TV rights deals. International rights for the English top flight overtook the value of domestic rights for the first time last year and are estimated to bring in £5.3 billion between 2022 and 2025. The Premier League accounted for 11 out of the top 20 clubs in this year's Deloitte Football Money League, with champions Manchester City in top spot.

Premier League announces blockbuster domestic TV deal worth $8.45 billion

The British government issued a rare rebuke on Thursday to the&nbsp;Football&nbsp;Association (FA) for its decision not to light up Wembley Stadium's arch in blue and white in solidarity with Israel following last week's attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas. Wembley, the home of England's national&nbsp;football&nbsp;team, has previously lit up its iconic arch with the colours of Ukraine, Turkey and other countries in solidarity. However, it will not do the same for Israel, media reports said.

"I am extremely disappointed ... and have made my views clear to the FA," Britain's Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Frazer said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"It is especially disappointing in light of the FA's bold stance on other terrorist attacks in the recent past. Words and actions matter. The Government is clear: we stand with Israel," she added.

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The government this week projected the Israeli flag onto Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Downing Street residence, while parliament lit itself up in blue and white, echoing similar displays of solidarity in other parts of the Western world.

The FA released a statement earlier on Thursday, saying flags and shirts showing support for victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not be allowed for England's upcoming games against Australia and Italy at Wembley. England and Australia players will wear black armbands for their friendly on Friday, the FA said, and there will be a period of silence before kick off.

"On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine," the FA said in the statement, without mentioning Wembley's arch.

"We will only permit flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality for the competing nations inside Wembley Stadium."

England then host Italy in a European Championship qualifier on Tuesday.

&nbsp;

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The British government issued a rare rebuke on Thursday to the Football Association (FA) for its decision not to light up Wembley Stadium's arch in blue and white in solidarity with Israel following last week's attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The British government issued a rare rebuke on Thursday to the Football Association (FA) for its decision not to light up Wembley Stadium's arch in blue and white in solidarity with Israel following last week's attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas. Wembley, the home of England's national football team, has previously lit up its iconic arch with the colours of Ukraine, Turkey and other countries in solidarity. However, it will not do the same for Israel, media reports said. "I am extremely disappointed ... and have made my views clear to the FA," Britain's Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Frazer said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "It is especially disappointing in light of the FA's bold stance on other terrorist attacks in the recent past. Words and actions matter. The Government is clear: we stand with Israel," she added. Also Read: Taylor Swift, Simone Biles bring star-power to stand during Packers vs Chiefs The government this week projected the Israeli flag onto Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Downing Street residence, while parliament lit itself up in blue and white, echoing similar displays of solidarity in other parts of the Western world. The FA released a statement earlier on Thursday, saying flags and shirts showing support for victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not be allowed for England's upcoming games against Australia and Italy at Wembley. England and Australia players will wear black armbands for their friendly on Friday, the FA said, and there will be a period of silence before kick off. "On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine," the FA said in the statement, without mentioning Wembley's arch. "We will only permit flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality for the competing nations inside Wembley Stadium." England then host Italy in a European Championship qualifier on Tuesday. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

FA faces criticism for not lighting up iconic arch ahead of Australia friendly to support Israel war victims

Inter Milan sent a warning to the rest of Serie A with Sunday's convincing 3-0 win at Napoli which re-established their two-point lead at the summit and left the champions' title defence on its last legs.

Beautifully taken goals from Hakan Calhanoglu, Nicolo Barella and Marcus Thuram pushed Inter back above closest challengers Juventus, who briefly held top spot after beating Monza on Friday.

Sunday's thumping was a show of force from Inter who illustrated why they are favourites to win a 20th league title, still unbeaten away from home in all competitions after claiming a huge win at a ground where they have a dreadful record.

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"It was a show of strength, of team spirit," said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi.

"Winning like this in Naples is satisfying, but we're only 14 games in and there is a very long way to go."

Napoli are now 11 points off the pace and travel to Juve next weekend in a match which could end any realistic hope of the champions retaining the Scudetto before the calendar year is out.

To add insult to injury Napoli have dropped out of the top four, replaced by Roma who won 2-1 at Sassuolo earlier and sit in the last Champions League spot on goal difference.

<h2>Napoli recriminations</h2>

Returning Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri refused to speak after the match, sporting director Mauro Meluso expressing anger at referee Davide Massa for not stopping play for a foul before Inter's opener and not giving a penalty for what he believed was a clear foul on Victor Osimhen while the home side trailed by a single goal.

"I don't want to create an excuse for our team, who obviously still need to work on a few things, but we didn't deserve that humiliation today," said Meluso.

Simone Inzaghi's side have won 11 of their 14 league matches so far this season and once Hakan Calhanoglu thrashed in the opener on the stroke of half-time they expertly dealt with a hyped-up Napoli.

Hosts Napoli were playing their first home fixture under Mazzarri, whose team are stuck on a paltry seven points from as many matches at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Barella doubled Inter's lead just after the hour mark with his first goal of the season shortly after Yann Sommer pulled off a brilliant save to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, one of three superb stops from the Swiss.

Italy's Barella burst unopposed from midfield and after collecting Lautaro Martinez's low pass skipped past Leo Ostigard and Natan before confidently finishing past Alex Meret.

And with five minutes remaining Thuram -- who earlier had a goal ruled out for a microscopic offside -- made absolutely sure of the points, tapping home his fifth league goal of a brilliant first season at Inter from substitute Juan Cuadrado's low cross.

<h2>Roma comeback</h2>

Paulo Dybala's 76th-minute penalty and a wildly deflected strike from Rasmus Kristensen shortly afterwards earned Roma a win from their scrappy match with 10-man Sassuolo, who opened the scoring through Matheus Henrique.

The win at the Mapei Stadium came as coach Jose Mourinho is reportedly being investigated by the Italian Football Federation for saying that referee Matteo Marcenaro didn't "have the emotional stability to referee at this level" ahead of the match.

The Portuguese blasted Marcenaro, 31, in a pre-match outburst on Saturday which the country's refereeing association said "could lead to violence" against officials.

And despite having excellent Italian Mourinho insisted on only speaking in Portuguese in his post-match interview with DAZN.

"I am speaking Portuguese because my Italian is not good enough to explain certain concepts," claimed Mourinho.&nbsp;

"When I spoke about emotional stability, I was talking about a quality that is necessary in both life and football in order to perform at the highest level."

Fiorentina are a point behind Roma and Napoli in sixth thanks to a simple 3-0 win over the division's bottom team Salernitana, while Bologna are a further point and place back following their 1-1 draw at Lecce.

Inter Milan sent a warning to the rest of Serie A with Sunday's convincing 3-0 win at Napoli which re-established their two-point lead at the summit and left the champions' title defence on its last legs.

Inter Milan sent a warning to the rest of Serie A with Sunday's convincing 3-0 win at Napoli which re-established their two-point lead at the summit and left the champions' title defence on its last legs. Beautifully taken goals from Hakan Calhanoglu, Nicolo Barella and Marcus Thuram pushed Inter back above closest challengers Juventus, who briefly held top spot after beating Monza on Friday. Sunday's thumping was a show of force from Inter who illustrated why they are favourites to win a 20th league title, still unbeaten away from home in all competitions after claiming a huge win at a ground where they have a dreadful record. Also Read: Italy vs Spain in Euro 2024 group stage, England handed comfort draw "It was a show of strength, of team spirit," said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi. "Winning like this in Naples is satisfying, but we're only 14 games in and there is a very long way to go." Napoli are now 11 points off the pace and travel to Juve next weekend in a match which could end any realistic hope of the champions retaining the Scudetto before the calendar year is out. To add insult to injury Napoli have dropped out of the top four, replaced by Roma who won 2-1 at Sassuolo earlier and sit in the last Champions League spot on goal difference. Napoli recriminations Returning Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri refused to speak after the match, sporting director Mauro Meluso expressing anger at referee Davide Massa for not stopping play for a foul before Inter's opener and not giving a penalty for what he believed was a clear foul on Victor Osimhen while the home side trailed by a single goal. "I don't want to create an excuse for our team, who obviously still need to work on a few things, but we didn't deserve that humiliation today," said Meluso. Simone Inzaghi's side have won 11 of their 14 league matches so far this season and once Hakan Calhanoglu thrashed in the opener on the stroke of half-time they expertly dealt with a hyped-up Napoli. Hosts Napoli were playing their first home fixture under Mazzarri, whose team are stuck on a paltry seven points from as many matches at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Barella doubled Inter's lead just after the hour mark with his first goal of the season shortly after Yann Sommer pulled off a brilliant save to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, one of three superb stops from the Swiss. Italy's Barella burst unopposed from midfield and after collecting Lautaro Martinez's low pass skipped past Leo Ostigard and Natan before confidently finishing past Alex Meret. And with five minutes remaining Thuram -- who earlier had a goal ruled out for a microscopic offside -- made absolutely sure of the points, tapping home his fifth league goal of a brilliant first season at Inter from substitute Juan Cuadrado's low cross. Roma comeback Paulo Dybala's 76th-minute penalty and a wildly deflected strike from Rasmus Kristensen shortly afterwards earned Roma a win from their scrappy match with 10-man Sassuolo, who opened the scoring through Matheus Henrique. The win at the Mapei Stadium came as coach Jose Mourinho is reportedly being investigated by the Italian Football Federation for saying that referee Matteo Marcenaro didn't "have the emotional stability to referee at this level" ahead of the match. The Portuguese blasted Marcenaro, 31, in a pre-match outburst on Saturday which the country's refereeing association said "could lead to violence" against officials. And despite having excellent Italian Mourinho insisted on only speaking in Portuguese in his post-match interview with DAZN. "I am speaking Portuguese because my Italian is not good enough to explain certain concepts," claimed Mourinho. "When I spoke about emotional stability, I was talking about a quality that is necessary in both life and football in order to perform at the highest level." Fiorentina are a point behind Roma and Napoli in sixth thanks to a simple 3-0 win over the division's bottom team Salernitana, while Bologna are a further point and place back following their 1-1 draw at Lecce.

Serie A: Inter Milan send warning across league with win over Napoli

Paris Saint-Germain ground out a tense 2-0 victory away to Le Havre on Sunday courtesy of strikes by Kylian Mbappe and Vitinha, after 'keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saw red early on. Despite the two-goal win,&nbsp;PSG&nbsp;had to show great resilience to keep the hosts at bay and move four points clear of second-placed Nice in the table.

After going down to 10 men in the 10th minute, a fine Mbappe goal, his 15th in the league this season, gave the embattled visitors the lead, but the points were only wrapped up right at the end when Portuguese midfielder Vitinha doubled the score with one minute remaining of normal time. "(I am) very proud of what the team showed, the mentality, the ability to adapt to the different things that happened during the game and the team spirit," said&nbsp;PSG&nbsp;coach Luis Enrique.

"We showed determination to defend more than usual, and we defended very well.&nbsp;"We didn't concede too many chances and the ones we did concede were saved by Arnau (Tenas)," added Enrique. The 22-year-old reserve goalkeeper, who joined&nbsp;PSG&nbsp;in the summer on a free transfer from Barcelon, made a surprise professional debut when he was unexpectedly called on when Donnarumma was sent off.&nbsp; "He (Tenas) is evidently a top pro, he trains every day like it is his last," said Enrique.

<h2>Red card</h2>

Le Havre started brightly and won a series of early corners, one of which forced the visitors into a change when Fabian Ruiz injured his right shoulder defending a set-piece. However, it was a long ball that finally broke down the Parisian defence as a clearance was not dealt with by Nordi Mukiele, allowing Josue Casimir to nip in before being abruptly halted by Donnarumma.

The Italian's desperate attempt to clear the ball resulted in him catching the Le Havre man very high on the shoulder outside the box and the referee was left with little choice but to brandish a red card. Despite their numerical disadvantage and the loss of attacker Bradley Barcola, sacrificed for 'keeper Tenas, it was&nbsp;PSG&nbsp;who opened the scoring.

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Ousmane Dembele drilled a pass into his captain's feet and Mbappe's first touch took him inside the defender and with a yard of space he wrong-footed the goalie from inside the D, scoring via the post. Chances came at both ends just prior to the hour mark with Mohamed Bayo shooting tamely at Tenas from a promising position, before Dembele fired across goal with the ball brushing against the far post.

The hosts began to press and only a fine save by Tenas in the 64th minute and a vital sliding interception by Danilo Pereira three minutes later kept&nbsp;PSG's lead intact.But it was Dembele and&nbsp;PSG&nbsp;that had the best chance to score the second goal of the match in the 70th minute, however a retreating Christopher Operi managed to foil the winger.

Tenas then came to the league leaders rescue again with an excellent double save at his near post from Nabil Alioui with 12 minutes remaining.Victory was finally assured in the 89th minute when a&nbsp;PSG&nbsp;foray into Le Havre territory led to Vitinha trying his luck from distance, with a large deflection causing the ball to loop over the helpless goalkeeper.

<h2>&nbsp;Monaco profit&nbsp;</h2>

In Sunday's afternoon kick-offs, Monaco profited from Nice's slip-up on Saturday to close the gap to two points with a 2-0 win at home to Montpellier. Takumi Minamino sent the hosts on their way with nine minutes gone and Wissam Ben Yedder sealed the win two minutes into additional time in the second half.

Brest brushed aside lowly Clermont 3-0 thanks to a brace from Romain Del Castillo and a Mathias Pereira Lage strike. A 91st minute equaliser from Bamba Dieng ensured the spoils would be shared between Toulouse and Lorient after Thijs Dallinga had given the hosts the lead with 72 minutes on the clock.

Two goals in first-half injury time secured a 2-0 home win for Lille against Metz. Yusuf Yazici was on hand to turn in a rebound two minutes into additional time and Jonathan David stepped up to convert a penalty four minutes later as the fourth-placed side kept pace with the league's other highflyers.

Paris Saint-Germain ground out a tense 2-0 victory away to Le Havre on Sunday courtesy of strikes by Kylian Mbappe and Vitinha, after 'keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saw red early on.

Paris Saint-Germain ground out a tense 2-0 victory away to Le Havre on Sunday courtesy of strikes by Kylian Mbappe and Vitinha, after 'keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saw red early on. Despite the two-goal win, PSG had to show great resilience to keep the hosts at bay and move four points clear of second-placed Nice in the table. After going down to 10 men in the 10th minute, a fine Mbappe goal, his 15th in the league this season, gave the embattled visitors the lead, but the points were only wrapped up right at the end when Portuguese midfielder Vitinha doubled the score with one minute remaining of normal time. "(I am) very proud of what the team showed, the mentality, the ability to adapt to the different things that happened during the game and the team spirit," said PSG coach Luis Enrique. "We showed determination to defend more than usual, and we defended very well. "We didn't concede too many chances and the ones we did concede were saved by Arnau (Tenas)," added Enrique. The 22-year-old reserve goalkeeper, who joined PSG in the summer on a free transfer from Barcelon, made a surprise professional debut when he was unexpectedly called on when Donnarumma was sent off. "He (Tenas) is evidently a top pro, he trains every day like it is his last," said Enrique. Red card Le Havre started brightly and won a series of early corners, one of which forced the visitors into a change when Fabian Ruiz injured his right shoulder defending a set-piece. However, it was a long ball that finally broke down the Parisian defence as a clearance was not dealt with by Nordi Mukiele, allowing Josue Casimir to nip in before being abruptly halted by Donnarumma. The Italian's desperate attempt to clear the ball resulted in him catching the Le Havre man very high on the shoulder outside the box and the referee was left with little choice but to brandish a red card. Despite their numerical disadvantage and the loss of attacker Bradley Barcola, sacrificed for 'keeper Tenas, it was PSG who opened the scoring. Also Read: I would like Kylian Mbappe to win Ballon d’Or with PSG: Ronaldinho Ousmane Dembele drilled a pass into his captain's feet and Mbappe's first touch took him inside the defender and with a yard of space he wrong-footed the goalie from inside the D, scoring via the post. Chances came at both ends just prior to the hour mark with Mohamed Bayo shooting tamely at Tenas from a promising position, before Dembele fired across goal with the ball brushing against the far post. The hosts began to press and only a fine save by Tenas in the 64th minute and a vital sliding interception by Danilo Pereira three minutes later kept PSG's lead intact.But it was Dembele and PSG that had the best chance to score the second goal of the match in the 70th minute, however a retreating Christopher Operi managed to foil the winger. Tenas then came to the league leaders rescue again with an excellent double save at his near post from Nabil Alioui with 12 minutes remaining.Victory was finally assured in the 89th minute when a PSG foray into Le Havre territory led to Vitinha trying his luck from distance, with a large deflection causing the ball to loop over the helpless goalkeeper. Monaco profit In Sunday's afternoon kick-offs, Monaco profited from Nice's slip-up on Saturday to close the gap to two points with a 2-0 win at home to Montpellier. Takumi Minamino sent the hosts on their way with nine minutes gone and Wissam Ben Yedder sealed the win two minutes into additional time in the second half. Brest brushed aside lowly Clermont 3-0 thanks to a brace from Romain Del Castillo and a Mathias Pereira Lage strike. A 91st minute equaliser from Bamba Dieng ensured the spoils would be shared between Toulouse and Lorient after Thijs Dallinga had given the hosts the lead with 72 minutes on the clock. Two goals in first-half injury time secured a 2-0 home win for Lille against Metz. Yusuf Yazici was on hand to turn in a rebound two minutes into additional time and Jonathan David stepped up to convert a penalty four minutes later as the fourth-placed side kept pace with the league's other highflyers.

Kylian Mbappe, Vitinha lead Paris Saint German over Le Havre after keeper shown red flag

Juergen Klopp adopted the role of peacemaker on Sunday when the Liverpool manager stepped in to pacify Brighton &amp; Hove Albion boss Roberto de Zerbi during an angry exchange with officials on the touchline of a 2-2 Premier League draw.

De Zerbi was shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor in the 69th minute at the Amex Stadium for his remonstration as Brighton were denied a penalty after Kaoru Mitoma's shot hit the arm of Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk.

The Italian manager continued to protest after being&nbsp;booked, before Klopp intervened and attempted to calm him down.

"In the moment when he got a bit outraged I used my age and tried to calm him down," 56-year-old Klopp, who has himself clashed with referees on numerous occasions in the past, told reporters.

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"I just saw if I am in a moment like this, there's a moment of no going back that appears."I think he was close to that and then I tried to calm him down. I am not sure if he needed it or not, you can ask him, but he probably told me something about the penalty, but I had no clue what he was talking about. I think he wanted a penalty..."

Asked about the incident, De Zerbi told reporters: "I love Klopp and he can do what he wants, because I have big respect for him and I consider him as one of the best coaches in the world," De Zerbi told reporters.

"I like his behaviour and when he says something, 99 percent of the time I agree with him. In that situation, I think there was a clear penalty. I told the referee, I think in a good way, what I thought."

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Juergen Klopp adopted the role of peacemaker on Sunday when the Liverpool manager stepped in to pacify Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto de Zerbi during an angry exchange with officials on the touchline of a 2-2 Premier League draw.

Juergen Klopp adopted the role of peacemaker on Sunday when the Liverpool manager stepped in to pacify Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto de Zerbi during an angry exchange with officials on the touchline of a 2-2 Premier League draw. De Zerbi was shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor in the 69th minute at the Amex Stadium for his remonstration as Brighton were denied a penalty after Kaoru Mitoma's shot hit the arm of Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk. The Italian manager continued to protest after being booked, before Klopp intervened and attempted to calm him down. "In the moment when he got a bit outraged I used my age and tried to calm him down," 56-year-old Klopp, who has himself clashed with referees on numerous occasions in the past, told reporters. Also Read: Taylor Swift, Simone Biles bring star-power to stand during Packers vs Chiefs "I just saw if I am in a moment like this, there's a moment of no going back that appears."I think he was close to that and then I tried to calm him down. I am not sure if he needed it or not, you can ask him, but he probably told me something about the penalty, but I had no clue what he was talking about. I think he wanted a penalty..." Asked about the incident, De Zerbi told reporters: "I love Klopp and he can do what he wants, because I have big respect for him and I consider him as one of the best coaches in the world," De Zerbi told reporters. "I like his behaviour and when he says something, 99 percent of the time I agree with him. In that situation, I think there was a clear penalty. I told the referee, I think in a good way, what I thought." You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Liverpool's boss Juergen Klopp turns peacemaker, uses 'age' to calm down Roberto De Zerbi

Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said on Thursday they are still exploring a bid to host the 2034 World Cup, despite the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) having declared support for Saudi Arabia. After naming Morocco, Spain and Portugal as 2030 World Cup hosts on Wednesday, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting the opening matches to mark the tournament's centenary, FIFA then invited countries from the Asia and Oceania regions to submit bids for 2034.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced its bid minutes later, with AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa then welcoming the announcement, saying "the entire Asian football family will stand united in support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's momentous initiative".

Australia, which switched to the Asian confederation from Oceania in 2006, has already announced its intention to bid for the 2034 tournament and Johnson said nothing had changed.

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"As stated previously, Football Australia is exploring the possibility of bidding for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup and/or the FIFA World Cup 2034," he said in a statement. "We are encouraged that after the hugely successful FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023, the football family of Asia and Oceania will once again have the opportunity to showcase their ability to welcome the world and host the best FIFA tournaments."

The deadline for prospective hosts to submit their confirmations of interest is Oct. 31. Australia have never hosted a men's World Cup and were eliminated in the first round of voting for the 2022 event. The 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams, will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said on Thursday they are still exploring a bid to host the 2034 World Cup, despite the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) having declared support for Saudi Arabia.

Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said on Thursday they are still exploring a bid to host the 2034 World Cup, despite the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) having declared support for Saudi Arabia. After naming Morocco, Spain and Portugal as 2030 World Cup hosts on Wednesday, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting the opening matches to mark the tournament's centenary, FIFA then invited countries from the Asia and Oceania regions to submit bids for 2034. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced its bid minutes later, with AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa then welcoming the announcement, saying "the entire Asian football family will stand united in support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's momentous initiative". Australia, which switched to the Asian confederation from Oceania in 2006, has already announced its intention to bid for the 2034 tournament and Johnson said nothing had changed. Also Read: Taylor Swift, Simone Biles bring star-power to stand during Packers vs Chiefs "As stated previously, Football Australia is exploring the possibility of bidding for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup and/or the FIFA World Cup 2034," he said in a statement. "We are encouraged that after the hugely successful FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023, the football family of Asia and Oceania will once again have the opportunity to showcase their ability to welcome the world and host the best FIFA tournaments." The deadline for prospective hosts to submit their confirmations of interest is Oct. 31. Australia have never hosted a men's World Cup and were eliminated in the first round of voting for the 2022 event. The 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams, will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Still exploring bid for 2034 FIFA World Cup,' says Football Australia chief executive James Johnson

Russia's national soccer team held a full training session near Moscow on Tuesday (Oct&nbsp;10) ahead of friendly match against Cameroon scheduled for Thursday (Oct&nbsp;12). Barred from the international competitions following Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, the team held their training session as news came through of UEFA's decision to recall the admission of the Russian junior teams to international tournaments.

"The agenda point was withdrawn as no technical solution to allow Russian teams to play could be found," UEFA said of the plan, which had been fiercely opposed by Ukraine and other soccer federations.

Valery Karpin, the head coach of Russia's national soccer team told reporters on Tuesday he didn't expect UEFA's ban against its soccer teams to be lifted.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reutersconnect.com/discover/sports?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2023%3Anewsml_WD880410102023RP1%3A5&amp;search=all%3Asoccer">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/adelaide-strikers-win-second-consecutive-womens-big-bash-league-title-after-defeating-brisbane-heat-665461">Adelaide Strikers win second consecutive Women's Big Bash League title after defeating Brisbane Heat</a>

"To be honest, I didn’t expect them to allow us (to competitions), and I didn’t expect (the decision) to be recalled."

In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which Moscow calls a 'special military operation', UEFA decided that all Russian teams - national or club sides - would be suspended from participation in its competitions.

But European soccer's governing body said last month that "children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults," and that Russia's U-17 sides would be readmitted to UEFA competitions "in the course of this season."

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Russia's national soccer team held a full training session near Moscow on Tuesday (Oct 10) ahead of friendly match against Cameroon scheduled for Thursday (Oct 12).

Russia's national soccer team held a full training session near Moscow on Tuesday (Oct 10) ahead of friendly match against Cameroon scheduled for Thursday (Oct 12). Barred from the international competitions following Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, the team held their training session as news came through of UEFA's decision to recall the admission of the Russian junior teams to international tournaments. "The agenda point was withdrawn as no technical solution to allow Russian teams to play could be found," UEFA said of the plan, which had been fiercely opposed by Ukraine and other soccer federations. Valery Karpin, the head coach of Russia's national soccer team told reporters on Tuesday he didn't expect UEFA's ban against its soccer teams to be lifted. Also Read: Adelaide Strikers win second consecutive Women's Big Bash League title after defeating Brisbane Heat "To be honest, I didn’t expect them to allow us (to competitions), and I didn’t expect (the decision) to be recalled." In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which Moscow calls a 'special military operation', UEFA decided that all Russian teams - national or club sides - would be suspended from participation in its competitions. But European soccer's governing body said last month that "children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults," and that Russia's U-17 sides would be readmitted to UEFA competitions "in the course of this season." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia national football team trains ahead of friendly against Cameroon

Former Manchester United star Wayne&nbsp;Rooney&nbsp;was hired as the new manager of Championship club Birmingham on Wednesday (Oct 11).&nbsp;Rooney&nbsp;has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract to replace John Eustace at St Andrew's after leaving Major League Soccer side DC United last week.

Eustace, in charge for just 15 months, was sacked despite guiding Birmingham to sixth place in the Championship this season and&nbsp;Rooney&nbsp;will be expected to oversee a push for promotion to the Premier League. "I am absolutely delighted to be joining Birmingham City at such an exciting time. It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realizing their ambition for the club,"&nbsp;Rooney&nbsp;said.

"We are fully aligned on what is expected. I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-manchester-united-manager-erik-ten-hag-vows-full-support-to-struggling-rashford-665659">Premier League: Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag vows full support to struggling Rashford</a><a href="https://www.reutersconnect.com/discover/sports?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2023%3Anewsml_WD895211102023RP1%3A9&amp;search=all%3Afootball%20">&nbsp;</a>

"It's a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can't wait to get started." Joining&nbsp;Rooney&nbsp;on his Birmingham backroom staff are former England team-mate Ashley Cole, currently England Under-21s assistant coach, and John O'Shea, the assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland.

Carl Robinson and Pete Shuttle worth, who both worked with&nbsp;Rooney&nbsp;at DC United, will also move to St Andrew's. "Wayne is a born winner. We believe, with the support of his coaching staff, the club, and our supporters, he will take Blues forward on the next stage of our journey," Birmingham co-owner Tom Wagner said. Rooney&nbsp;previously managed in the Championship with Derby between November 2020 and June 2022.

<h2>'Winning culture'</h2>

The 37-year-old was unable to stop Derby from being relegated to the third tier in 2022 after the club were deducted 21 points for entering administration and financial breaches. He also failed to take DC United into the MLS play-offs this season.

During his glittering player career,&nbsp;Rooney&nbsp;was a teenage sensation with Everton before joining United in 2004. He became United's record goal scorer and won five Premier League titles, as well as the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and three League Cups.

Wagner is confident&nbsp;Rooney's vast experience at the highest level can revitalize an ambitious club that last played in the Premier League in 2011. "His playing philosophy will help to realize the ambitions we have set for Birmingham City," Wagner said.

"Wayne has been preparing for an opportunity like this since he embarked on his coaching education whilst still a player at Manchester United.&nbsp;

"He and his staff have the full support of the Board and everyone at the football club."

US-based Shelby Companies Limited completed a takeover of Birmingham in July and soon afterwards seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady became a minority owner in the club.

Rooney&nbsp;knows the involvement of Brady, who starred in the NFL for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, underlines Birmingham's desire to target a place in the Premier League.

"We have some exciting young players in the squad, and some who are still to break through into the first team, alongside a core of experienced senior professionals,"&nbsp;Rooney&nbsp;said.

"I have a clear way that I want the team to play, and my coaching staff and I will work hard to implement it.&nbsp;

"We will create a winning culture here with an identity that gets Blues fans on their feet."

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Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney was hired as the new manager of Championship club Birmingham on Wednesday (Oct 11). Rooney has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract to replace John Eustace at St Andrew's after leaving Major League Soccer side DC United last week.

Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney was hired as the new manager of Championship club Birmingham on Wednesday (Oct 11). Rooney has agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract to replace John Eustace at St Andrew's after leaving Major League Soccer side DC United last week. Eustace, in charge for just 15 months, was sacked despite guiding Birmingham to sixth place in the Championship this season and Rooney will be expected to oversee a push for promotion to the Premier League. "I am absolutely delighted to be joining Birmingham City at such an exciting time. It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realizing their ambition for the club," Rooney said. "We are fully aligned on what is expected. I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity. Also Read: Premier League: Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag vows full support to struggling Rashford "It's a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can't wait to get started." Joining Rooney on his Birmingham backroom staff are former England team-mate Ashley Cole, currently England Under-21s assistant coach, and John O'Shea, the assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland. Carl Robinson and Pete Shuttle worth, who both worked with Rooney at DC United, will also move to St Andrew's. "Wayne is a born winner. We believe, with the support of his coaching staff, the club, and our supporters, he will take Blues forward on the next stage of our journey," Birmingham co-owner Tom Wagner said. Rooney previously managed in the Championship with Derby between November 2020 and June 2022. 'Winning culture' The 37-year-old was unable to stop Derby from being relegated to the third tier in 2022 after the club were deducted 21 points for entering administration and financial breaches. He also failed to take DC United into the MLS play-offs this season. During his glittering player career, Rooney was a teenage sensation with Everton before joining United in 2004. He became United's record goal scorer and won five Premier League titles, as well as the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and three League Cups. Wagner is confident Rooney's vast experience at the highest level can revitalize an ambitious club that last played in the Premier League in 2011. "His playing philosophy will help to realize the ambitions we have set for Birmingham City," Wagner said. "Wayne has been preparing for an opportunity like this since he embarked on his coaching education whilst still a player at Manchester United. "He and his staff have the full support of the Board and everyone at the football club." US-based Shelby Companies Limited completed a takeover of Birmingham in July and soon afterwards seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady became a minority owner in the club. Rooney knows the involvement of Brady, who starred in the NFL for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, underlines Birmingham's desire to target a place in the Premier League. "We have some exciting young players in the squad, and some who are still to break through into the first team, alongside a core of experienced senior professionals," Rooney said. "I have a clear way that I want the team to play, and my coaching staff and I will work hard to implement it. "We will create a winning culture here with an identity that gets Blues fans on their feet." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Wayne Rooney hired as new manager of Championship Club Birmingham

Harry Maguire has thanked David Beckham after the former Manchester United star contacted the troubled England defender to offer support when he was booed by Scotland fans earlier this season. Maguire has endured abuse from supporters across the country during his difficult spell at Old Trafford, but the penchant for picking on the centre-back reached a crescendo during England's friendly in Scotland last month. The 30-year-old was mercilessly goaded at Hampden Park after scoring an own goal in England's 3-1 win.

Maguire laughed it off as a "little bit of banter" immediately after the match but his mother publicly came to his defence after growing tired of the relentless abuse of her son. Former England captain Beckham also offered support to Maguire as he personally reached out to the former Leicester star, who has lost his place in the United defence, as well as the club captaincy, during Erik ten Hag's reign.

Few have faced more difficult times in an England shirt than Beckham, who laid bare the pain he suffered after his 1998 World Cup red card against Argentina in a new Netflix documentary.

"I actually spoke with David about three weeks ago, after the Scotland game," Maguire said on Monday (Oct 9). "He got in touch with me, so it was really nice of him and I really appreciated that. It meant everything.

"I've spoken throughout my career about David Beckham being someone I looked up to and watched when I was a young boy. "Unfortunately, I didn't end up on the right wing scoring and assisting as many goals as he has. But he was a big role model when I was growing up. "It shows how classy he is to reach out to me and to message me. It was something I really appreciated. It was touching really."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba/news-watch--dallas-mavericks-go-30-0-vs-oklahoma-city-thunder-to-create-history-still-end-up-losing-665679">WATCH | Dallas Mavericks go 30-0 vs Oklahoma City Thunder to create history; still end up losing</a>

Maguire said the "main thing" Beckham did in their conversation was to remind him of his career to date and the big moments he has enjoyed.

"I think when you're going through tough moments, you've got to go through past experiences and where you've gone in your career and what you've been through," Maguire said in the build-up to England's friendly against Australia at Wembley on Friday.

"Every career is so up and down, especially when you reach what I've reached, in terms of being the captain of the biggest club in the world for three and a half years. He's been in that position and knows what it's like.

"Obviously having watched the documentary I couldn't believe how much he went through at the time. In the documentary, Gary Neville speaks about how resilient he is as a person.&nbsp;

"I think he's been a huge role model for many footballers growing up, especially in my era."

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Harry Maguire has thanked David Beckham after the former Manchester United star contacted the troubled England defender to offer support when he was booed by Scotland fans earlier this season.

Harry Maguire has thanked David Beckham after the former Manchester United star contacted the troubled England defender to offer support when he was booed by Scotland fans earlier this season. Maguire has endured abuse from supporters across the country during his difficult spell at Old Trafford, but the penchant for picking on the centre-back reached a crescendo during England's friendly in Scotland last month. The 30-year-old was mercilessly goaded at Hampden Park after scoring an own goal in England's 3-1 win. Maguire laughed it off as a "little bit of banter" immediately after the match but his mother publicly came to his defence after growing tired of the relentless abuse of her son. Former England captain Beckham also offered support to Maguire as he personally reached out to the former Leicester star, who has lost his place in the United defence, as well as the club captaincy, during Erik ten Hag's reign. Few have faced more difficult times in an England shirt than Beckham, who laid bare the pain he suffered after his 1998 World Cup red card against Argentina in a new Netflix documentary. "I actually spoke with David about three weeks ago, after the Scotland game," Maguire said on Monday (Oct 9). "He got in touch with me, so it was really nice of him and I really appreciated that. It meant everything. "I've spoken throughout my career about David Beckham being someone I looked up to and watched when I was a young boy. "Unfortunately, I didn't end up on the right wing scoring and assisting as many goals as he has. But he was a big role model when I was growing up. "It shows how classy he is to reach out to me and to message me. It was something I really appreciated. It was touching really." Also Read: WATCH | Dallas Mavericks go 30-0 vs Oklahoma City Thunder to create history; still end up losing Maguire said the "main thing" Beckham did in their conversation was to remind him of his career to date and the big moments he has enjoyed. "I think when you're going through tough moments, you've got to go through past experiences and where you've gone in your career and what you've been through," Maguire said in the build-up to England's friendly against Australia at Wembley on Friday. "Every career is so up and down, especially when you reach what I've reached, in terms of being the captain of the biggest club in the world for three and a half years. He's been in that position and knows what it's like. "Obviously having watched the documentary I couldn't believe how much he went through at the time. In the documentary, Gary Neville speaks about how resilient he is as a person. "I think he's been a huge role model for many footballers growing up, especially in my era." WATCH WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Harry Maguire thanks David Beckham for support in difficult times

Lionel&nbsp;Messi&nbsp;is doubtful for Argentina's South American World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Thursday despite "looking good" in training, according to coach Lionel Scaloni.&nbsp;Messi&nbsp;teamed up with the World Cup winners after returning from injury as a second-half substitute for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

Messi&nbsp;had played just 37 minutes for his club since September 3, having returned with an injury from international duty last month. "We still have one more training session and one more is important for him... I have to talk it over with him and make sure we are convinced he can start. He looked good. Based on that, we will see the rest of the team," said Scaloni.&nbsp;

The Argentina coach said he also had to take into account that his team would face Peru in Lima five days later. "What leaves us calm is that, if he is not fit to play, whoever goes out will do just as well, that's the most important thing," he said.&nbsp;Argentina have won both their qualifiers so far and are level on six points at the top of the table with Brazil. One option for Scaloni, should&nbsp;Messi&nbsp;not be fit to play, would be to start with Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez and Inter&nbsp;&nbsp;Milan's Lautaro Martinez as a pair.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/adelaide-strikers-win-second-consecutive-womens-big-bash-league-title-after-defeating-brisbane-heat-665461">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/adelaide-strikers-win-second-consecutive-womens-big-bash-league-title-after-defeating-brisbane-heat-665461">Adelaide Strikers win second consecutive Women's Big Bash League title after defeating Brisbane Heat</a>

They've already played together as starters. I'm open to many things. It will depend on the match. It wouldn't be a problem. They're different, but they can play," he added. Paraguay have one point from their opening games and sit in sixth place, the final spot for automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Brazil host Venezuela in Cuiaba on Thursday -- the 'Vinotinto' have three points after a 1-0 win over Paraguay and a narrow 1-0 loss to Colombia. Midfielder Casemiro says the 'Selecao' won't underestimate an opponent looking for their first appearance in the finals.

"It's going to be a difficult game. Venezuela have their merits, many players playing in Europe, quality players. The important thing here is respect," the Manchester United and former Real Madrid midfielder told a news conference.

"Football is one of the few sports in which the favourite does not always win... and in South America there's no easy game," he added.

Brazil will be playing their third game under interim coach Fernando Diniz and Casemiro said the team are still adjusting to a new approach.

"We are trying to adapt as quickly as possible, but it takes time. At club level it usually takes months. In the national team we are trying to do it with videos and so on to correspond to that work philosophy as quickly as possible and minimise mistakes," he said.&nbsp;

After the clash with Venezuela, Brazil visit Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay on Tuesday in Montevideo. Venezuela will host Chile.

Thursday's other games see Colombia host Uruguay, Bolivia take on Ecuador and Peru visit Chile.

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Lionel Messi is doubtful for Argentina's South American World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Thursday despite "looking good" in training, according to coach Lionel Scaloni.

Lionel Messi is doubtful for Argentina's South American World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Thursday despite "looking good" in training, according to coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi teamed up with the World Cup winners after returning from injury as a second-half substitute for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer on Saturday. Messi had played just 37 minutes for his club since September 3, having returned with an injury from international duty last month. "We still have one more training session and one more is important for him... I have to talk it over with him and make sure we are convinced he can start. He looked good. Based on that, we will see the rest of the team," said Scaloni. The Argentina coach said he also had to take into account that his team would face Peru in Lima five days later. "What leaves us calm is that, if he is not fit to play, whoever goes out will do just as well, that's the most important thing," he said. Argentina have won both their qualifiers so far and are level on six points at the top of the table with Brazil. One option for Scaloni, should Messi not be fit to play, would be to start with Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez and Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez as a pair. Also Read: Adelaide Strikers win second consecutive Women's Big Bash League title after defeating Brisbane Heat They've already played together as starters. I'm open to many things. It will depend on the match. It wouldn't be a problem. They're different, but they can play," he added. Paraguay have one point from their opening games and sit in sixth place, the final spot for automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Brazil host Venezuela in Cuiaba on Thursday -- the 'Vinotinto' have three points after a 1-0 win over Paraguay and a narrow 1-0 loss to Colombia. Midfielder Casemiro says the 'Selecao' won't underestimate an opponent looking for their first appearance in the finals. "It's going to be a difficult game. Venezuela have their merits, many players playing in Europe, quality players. The important thing here is respect," the Manchester United and former Real Madrid midfielder told a news conference. "Football is one of the few sports in which the favourite does not always win... and in South America there's no easy game," he added. Brazil will be playing their third game under interim coach Fernando Diniz and Casemiro said the team are still adjusting to a new approach. "We are trying to adapt as quickly as possible, but it takes time. At club level it usually takes months. In the national team we are trying to do it with videos and so on to correspond to that work philosophy as quickly as possible and minimise mistakes," he said. After the clash with Venezuela, Brazil visit Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay on Tuesday in Montevideo. Venezuela will host Chile. Thursday's other games see Colombia host Uruguay, Bolivia take on Ecuador and Peru visit Chile. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Lionel Messi in doubt for South American World Cup qualifier against Paraguay

Nigerian football has been thrown into shock after the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 home draw by Lesotho in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, with anger directed at Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro. Nigeria had to come from behind against Lesotho, ranked 153rd&nbsp;by FIFA, in the game played on Thursday in the southern Nigerian city of Uyo

Despite the absence through injury of star forward Victor Osimhen of Napoli, Nigeria had been expected to make a winning start to their World Cup qualifying campaign. Peseiro, 63, has been made the scapegoat. The well-travelled former Venezuela coach was never a popular choice to head the three-time African champions, but the decision to extend his contract till next year’s Africa Cup of Nations has drawn criticism. Nigeria had won all three head-to-head meetings against the southern Africans before Thursday’s draw.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/uswnt-star-trinity-rodman-meets-serena-williams-after-win-against-china-almost-gets-embarrassed-read-why-665720">USWNT star Trinity Rodman meets Serena Williams after win against China. Almost gets embarrassed | Read Why</a>

Former Nigeria international defender Ifeanyi Udeze said he was enraged by the "unacceptable" result. "This was our first World Cup qualifier in front of the home fans and we couldn’t beat Lesotho. "This was a match not against Cameroon or the Ivory Coast or Ghana. This was a loss." Analyst David Mikel Okoye blamed the disappointing start by the Eagles squarely on Peseiro.

“That the Super Eagles will go nowhere with Jose Peseiro’s absolutely limited tactical nous is no secret,” he said. “The man does not know how best to utilize this team and he keeps picking the wrong personnel per game with a limiting formation."

Sports journalist Wale Ajayi said it was a mistake to renew the contract of the Portuguese coach. "Peseiro has to go, he's a bad coach," he said. "Renewing his contract was renewing disaster."

Peseiro himself blamed bad luck for the draw. "I am sad of course, disappointed by the result, but my team tried to do the maximum," he said.

"We had 76% of the ball possession against 24%, the opponents only had two chances to score and scored a goal.“We had many chances to score. It was bad luck." Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and were knocked out of the last Africa Cup of Nations at the last-16 stage by Tunisia.

Nigerian football has been thrown into shock after the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 home draw by Lesotho in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, with anger directed at Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro.

Nigerian football has been thrown into shock after the Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 home draw by Lesotho in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, with anger directed at Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro. Nigeria had to come from behind against Lesotho, ranked 153rd by FIFA, in the game played on Thursday in the southern Nigerian city of Uyo Despite the absence through injury of star forward Victor Osimhen of Napoli, Nigeria had been expected to make a winning start to their World Cup qualifying campaign. Peseiro, 63, has been made the scapegoat. The well-travelled former Venezuela coach was never a popular choice to head the three-time African champions, but the decision to extend his contract till next year’s Africa Cup of Nations has drawn criticism. Nigeria had won all three head-to-head meetings against the southern Africans before Thursday’s draw. Also Read: USWNT star Trinity Rodman meets Serena Williams after win against China. Almost gets embarrassed | Read Why Former Nigeria international defender Ifeanyi Udeze said he was enraged by the "unacceptable" result. "This was our first World Cup qualifier in front of the home fans and we couldn’t beat Lesotho. "This was a match not against Cameroon or the Ivory Coast or Ghana. This was a loss." Analyst David Mikel Okoye blamed the disappointing start by the Eagles squarely on Peseiro. “That the Super Eagles will go nowhere with Jose Peseiro’s absolutely limited tactical nous is no secret,” he said. “The man does not know how best to utilize this team and he keeps picking the wrong personnel per game with a limiting formation." Sports journalist Wale Ajayi said it was a mistake to renew the contract of the Portuguese coach. "Peseiro has to go, he's a bad coach," he said. "Renewing his contract was renewing disaster." Peseiro himself blamed bad luck for the draw. "I am sad of course, disappointed by the result, but my team tried to do the maximum," he said. "We had 76% of the ball possession against 24%, the opponents only had two chances to score and scored a goal.“We had many chances to score. It was bad luck." Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and were knocked out of the last Africa Cup of Nations at the last-16 stage by Tunisia.

Nigerian Football in shock after Super Eagles draws with Lesotho in World Cup Qualifier

New Zealand Football celebrated Wednesday after a Texas billionaire established a new professional club, saying it would give the sport an "enormous" boost in the rugby-mad country.&nbsp;Financier and sports mogul William "Bill" Foley has been granted a licence to set up a new franchise in New Zealand's largest city Auckland, playing in Australia's A-League competition from next year.&nbsp;

Foley is better known for financing English Premier League side AFC Bournemouth and helping found ice hockey team the Vegas Golden Knights, the reigning champions in North America's National Hockey League.&nbsp;"This is enormous," New Zealand Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell told local media.&nbsp;

"It's a watershed moment for the game in the country.&nbsp;It's going to have a massive impact on our talent pathway, in terms of the quality of our national teams, but equally, Bill is bringing with him a lot of investment."&nbsp;

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New Zealand has been eager to capitalise on the renewed interest in football among its five million citizens, after co-hosting the women's World Cup tournament with Australia earlier this year.&nbsp;The men's side is currently ranked 103rd in the world, according to FIFA, while the women's side is ranked 26th.&nbsp;

In an open letter to Auckland, Foley, who has a net worth of US$1.6 billion according to Forbes, said he was "thrilled" to bring a professional football club to the city.&nbsp;Foley, who also has a minority stake in French top-tier football club FC Lorient, has been investing in New Zealand businesses since 2008, including a wine company and a chain of restaurants.&nbsp;

The Auckland franchise -- which does not yet have a name, playing kit or badge -- will join an expanded A-League of 13 teams for the 2024-25 season.&nbsp;A women's side will join the competition a year later.&nbsp;It has been 17 years since Auckland last had a professional football team, when the defunct New Zealand Knights played in the city.

New Zealand Football celebrated Wednesday after a Texas billionaire established a new professional club, saying it would give the sport an "enormous" boost in the rugby-mad country.

New Zealand Football celebrated Wednesday after a Texas billionaire established a new professional club, saying it would give the sport an "enormous" boost in the rugby-mad country. Financier and sports mogul William "Bill" Foley has been granted a licence to set up a new franchise in New Zealand's largest city Auckland, playing in Australia's A-League competition from next year. Foley is better known for financing English Premier League side AFC Bournemouth and helping found ice hockey team the Vegas Golden Knights, the reigning champions in North America's National Hockey League. "This is enormous," New Zealand Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell told local media. "It's a watershed moment for the game in the country. It's going to have a massive impact on our talent pathway, in terms of the quality of our national teams, but equally, Bill is bringing with him a lot of investment." Also Read: Premier League: Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag vows full support to struggling Rashford New Zealand has been eager to capitalise on the renewed interest in football among its five million citizens, after co-hosting the women's World Cup tournament with Australia earlier this year. The men's side is currently ranked 103rd in the world, according to FIFA, while the women's side is ranked 26th. In an open letter to Auckland, Foley, who has a net worth of US$1.6 billion according to Forbes, said he was "thrilled" to bring a professional football club to the city. Foley, who also has a minority stake in French top-tier football club FC Lorient, has been investing in New Zealand businesses since 2008, including a wine company and a chain of restaurants. The Auckland franchise -- which does not yet have a name, playing kit or badge -- will join an expanded A-League of 13 teams for the 2024-25 season. A women's side will join the competition a year later. It has been 17 years since Auckland last had a professional football team, when the defunct New Zealand Knights played in the city.

Texas billionaire William Foley to set up new football club in Auckland

Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag has backed struggling Rashford to come good while promising that the team will support him fully. The comments come after United lost to Newcastle United - their sixth lose of the season in the Premier League, during which Rashford was substituted in 61st minute.

Rashford's form has gone down drastically as the England forward has managed to just score two goals in 18 games across all competitions this season while he had managed 30 goals last season.

"I know this issue is coming up and Marcus is investing a lot, we support him and he will return to his form," said Ten Hag.

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"He works hard and he's investing a lot. He will get back, he will recover and he gets all our support," he added.

The manager also spoke about the loss and agreed that Newcastle were way better than them on the day.

"Today we have to say the credit's to Newcastle," he said.

"After the start, where we could have scored with Alejandro Garnacho, they were better than us.

"They were more proactive and we had to go behind to go back. We allowed them one goal and in the end we fought back. We had two good opportunities but we couldn't take a point from there," added Ten Hag.

The closest United came to levelling was when Fabian Schar blocked Sergio Reguilon's goalbound volley.

But that incident came with a cost for Newcastle as goalkeeper Pope jolted his shoulder in an attempt to save the Spaniard's shot.

United finally showed some urgency for the closing stages plus nine minutes of added time for Pope's injury and did have the ball in the net.

However, Maguire was clearly offside as he deflected in Antony's effort and Newcastle held on to close to within two points of the top four.

With the loss, United is now seventh on the points table with 24 points after eight wins from 14 games.

Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag has backed struggling Rashford to come good while promising that the team will support him fully. The comments come after United lost to Newcastle United - their sixth lose of the season in the Premier League, during which Rashford was substituted in 61st minute.

Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag has backed struggling Rashford to come good while promising that the team will support him fully. The comments come after United lost to Newcastle United - their sixth lose of the season in the Premier League, during which Rashford was substituted in 61st minute. Rashford's form has gone down drastically as the England forward has managed to just score two goals in 18 games across all competitions this season while he had managed 30 goals last season. "I know this issue is coming up and Marcus is investing a lot, we support him and he will return to his form," said Ten Hag. Also Watch: LeBron 360 layup in Lakers vs Rockets sends internet in frenzy "He works hard and he's investing a lot. He will get back, he will recover and he gets all our support," he added. The manager also spoke about the loss and agreed that Newcastle were way better than them on the day. "Today we have to say the credit's to Newcastle," he said. "After the start, where we could have scored with Alejandro Garnacho, they were better than us. "They were more proactive and we had to go behind to go back. We allowed them one goal and in the end we fought back. We had two good opportunities but we couldn't take a point from there," added Ten Hag. The closest United came to levelling was when Fabian Schar blocked Sergio Reguilon's goalbound volley. But that incident came with a cost for Newcastle as goalkeeper Pope jolted his shoulder in an attempt to save the Spaniard's shot. United finally showed some urgency for the closing stages plus nine minutes of added time for Pope's injury and did have the ball in the net. However, Maguire was clearly offside as he deflected in Antony's effort and Newcastle held on to close to within two points of the top four. With the loss, United is now seventh on the points table with 24 points after eight wins from 14 games.

Premier League: Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag vows full support to struggling Rashford

Newcastle shrugged off an injury crisis to beat Manchester United 1-0 on Saturday thanks to Anthony Gordon's second-half winner.

Victory takes Eddie Howe's men above United into fifth in the Premier League table and was the very least the home side deserved for a dominant display that should have been rewarded with more goals.

Gordon's solitary strike proved enough as he slotted in Kieran Trippier's cross in 55th minute.

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But the three points came at a cost for Newcastle as goalkeeper Nick Pope hobbled off late on to add to their injury woes.

The Magpies were without 11 first-team players, yet were utterly dominant for the first hour against a United side that are yet to register a win against a side in the top nine of the Premier League table this season.

"We are well aware of our situation but the players have responded again," said Howe.

"I couldn't be happier with the players tonight, I thought we gave a really good display. The character and effort levels have been of the highest level."

Andre Onana was in the spotlight after his two glaring errors cost Erik ten Hag's men in a 3-3 draw at Galatasaray in midweek that could prove fatal to their chances of progression in the Champions League.

But the Cameroonian made an important early save to deny Miguel Almiron finding the far corner.

Newcastle also suffered Champions League disappointment in midweek as a controversial stoppage-time penalty denied them a famous victory at Paris Saint-Germain.

Howe's lack of options meant he was forced to name the same side for a third consecutive game with 17-year-old Lewis Miley starting in midfield.

But there was no sign of fatigue from the home side as United could not cope with Newcastle's energy on and off the ball.

"It definitely makes the result more satisfying that we pulled through with the same team," said Gordon.

"It's not just the lads that are injured, the ones that are playing have kicks and bruises...I'm limping . It's so satisfying because we know how hard we work for each other, so to get the win today is massive."

Alexander Isak's effort was deflected inches wide by Harry Maguire before Trippier's free-kick came back off the underside of the bar as Newcastle were unfortunate not to make their dominance count before half-time.

However, the deadlock was finally broken when Trippier was played in down the right and he picked out Gordon to tap home his sixth goal of the season at the far post.

Ten Hag finally responded only after falling behind as the ineffectual Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial were replaced by Rasmus Hojlund and Antony.

Yet those changes elicited little response from the visitors as United slumped to a sixth Premier League defeat of the season.

"All over you have to say Newcastle deserved to win," conceded Ten Hag.

"We will talk tomorrow with the team about it and move on to Wednesday (against Chelsea)."

The closest United came to levelling was when Fabian Schar blocked Sergio Reguilon's goalbound volley.

But that incident came with a cost for Newcastle as goalkeeper Pope jolted his shoulder in an attempt to save the Spaniard's shot.

United finally showed some urgency for the closing stages plus nine minutes of added time for Pope's injury and did have the ball in the net.

However, Maguire was clearly offside as he deflected in Antony's effort and Newcastle held on to close to within two points of the top four.

Newcastle shrugged off an injury crisis to beat Manchester United 1-0 on Saturday thanks to Anthony Gordon's second-half winner. Victory takes Eddie Howe's men above United into fifth in the Premier League table and was the very least the home side deserved for a dominant display that should have been rewarded with more goals.

Newcastle shrugged off an injury crisis to beat Manchester United 1-0 on Saturday thanks to Anthony Gordon's second-half winner. Victory takes Eddie Howe's men above United into fifth in the Premier League table and was the very least the home side deserved for a dominant display that should have been rewarded with more goals. Gordon's solitary strike proved enough as he slotted in Kieran Trippier's cross in 55th minute. Also Read: Arsenal maintain lead at top, Burnley hit five against 10-man Sheffield United But the three points came at a cost for Newcastle as goalkeeper Nick Pope hobbled off late on to add to their injury woes. The Magpies were without 11 first-team players, yet were utterly dominant for the first hour against a United side that are yet to register a win against a side in the top nine of the Premier League table this season. "We are well aware of our situation but the players have responded again," said Howe. "I couldn't be happier with the players tonight, I thought we gave a really good display. The character and effort levels have been of the highest level." Andre Onana was in the spotlight after his two glaring errors cost Erik ten Hag's men in a 3-3 draw at Galatasaray in midweek that could prove fatal to their chances of progression in the Champions League. But the Cameroonian made an important early save to deny Miguel Almiron finding the far corner. Newcastle also suffered Champions League disappointment in midweek as a controversial stoppage-time penalty denied them a famous victory at Paris Saint-Germain. Howe's lack of options meant he was forced to name the same side for a third consecutive game with 17-year-old Lewis Miley starting in midfield. But there was no sign of fatigue from the home side as United could not cope with Newcastle's energy on and off the ball. "It definitely makes the result more satisfying that we pulled through with the same team," said Gordon. "It's not just the lads that are injured, the ones that are playing have kicks and bruises...I'm limping . It's so satisfying because we know how hard we work for each other, so to get the win today is massive." Alexander Isak's effort was deflected inches wide by Harry Maguire before Trippier's free-kick came back off the underside of the bar as Newcastle were unfortunate not to make their dominance count before half-time. However, the deadlock was finally broken when Trippier was played in down the right and he picked out Gordon to tap home his sixth goal of the season at the far post. Ten Hag finally responded only after falling behind as the ineffectual Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial were replaced by Rasmus Hojlund and Antony. Yet those changes elicited little response from the visitors as United slumped to a sixth Premier League defeat of the season. "All over you have to say Newcastle deserved to win," conceded Ten Hag. "We will talk tomorrow with the team about it and move on to Wednesday (against Chelsea)." The closest United came to levelling was when Fabian Schar blocked Sergio Reguilon's goalbound volley. But that incident came with a cost for Newcastle as goalkeeper Pope jolted his shoulder in an attempt to save the Spaniard's shot. United finally showed some urgency for the closing stages plus nine minutes of added time for Pope's injury and did have the ball in the net. However, Maguire was clearly offside as he deflected in Antony's effort and Newcastle held on to close to within two points of the top four.

Premier League: Injury-laden Newcastle good enough for win over Manchester United

Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskheli helped an "ice-cold" Napoli secure a narrow Champions League victory at Union Berlin on Tuesday, laying on the game's only goal for Giacomo Raspadori in a 1-0 away victory. The Georgian stepped up in the absence of star striker Victor Osimhen and was dangerous throughout, slicing through the Union defence to set up Raspadori midway through the second half.&nbsp;

The victory -- Napoli's second in three group stage matches -- boosts the Italian side's chances of reaching the knockouts, while Union are stranded in last place with no points after three losses.&nbsp;Visiting manager Rudi Garcia said, "We had to be patient and in the second half we did better -- and scored a great goal."

"We've won twice away from home (but) there's still a long way for us to go to qualify." Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo told Sky Sports: "We wanted this win -- we showed how strong of a side we are."

Goalscorer Raspadori said although his team "could have done better" against Union "an away win like this in the Champions League is always good." "We knew it would be difficult."

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"Napoli didn't have many chances but they were ice cold" Union captain Christopher Trimmel told broadcaster DAZN.&nbsp; Union coach Urs Fischer told reporters after the game it was "brutal to leave the field as the loser after the way we played, we had a grip on Napoli."

The Swiss coach said Kvaratskhelia was the difference between the sides.&nbsp; "It's not possible to defend a player of his quality for 90 minutes."

<h2>Osimhen out&nbsp;</h2>

Napoli travelled to the German capital without offensive talisman Osimhen, the Nigeria striker having torn his hamstring while on international duty.&nbsp;

Union left centre-back Leonardo Bonucci, who signed on a free from Juventus in the summer, on the bench despite the Italian captain having played 29 matches against Napoli in a storied career.&nbsp; Another summer arrival from the Italian league, Germany defender Robin Gosens, who arrived from Inter Milan, recovered in time to make the starting XI.

Spurred on by a fiery home crowd of 70,000 in Berlin's sold out Olympic Stadium, Union started brighter, forcing the Italian champions to concede some early corners as the home side pushed high and had Napoli on the back foot.&nbsp; Union had the ball in the net after 24 minutes when Chelsea loanee David Fofana, carving down the right flank, found Gosens, who tapped in, but the Ivorian had been offside in the build up.&nbsp;

Napoli had few attacking opportunities in the opening half, seemingly missing Osimhen's penetration up front and manager Rudi Garcia reacted at halftime, switching out Jens Cajuste for Eljif Elmas in midfield to give his side some attacking spark. Quiet in the first, Kvaratskhelia danced his way into the penalty box early in the second, but failed to find a teammate in a penalty area crowded by red Union shirts.&nbsp;

Kvaratskhelia continued to trouble Union down the left and created the opener out of nothing, shedding Trimmel and cutting back to Raspadori, who snuck a looping strike in at the near post.&nbsp; Fischer made all five changes as the clock wound down but Napoli held firm for a hard-fought away victory.&nbsp;

Union, who surprisingly qualified for the Champions League after just their fourth season in the top division,&nbsp;have now lost ten matches in a row in all competitions.

Trimmel observed: "It was a good step for us in the right direction. We were brave." "It's a bitter feeling because we weren't missing much."

Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskheli helped an "ice-cold" Napoli secure a narrow Champions League victory at Union Berlin on Tuesday, laying on the game's only goal for Giacomo Raspadori in a 1-0 away victory.

Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskheli helped an "ice-cold" Napoli secure a narrow Champions League victory at Union Berlin on Tuesday, laying on the game's only goal for Giacomo Raspadori in a 1-0 away victory. The Georgian stepped up in the absence of star striker Victor Osimhen and was dangerous throughout, slicing through the Union defence to set up Raspadori midway through the second half. The victory -- Napoli's second in three group stage matches -- boosts the Italian side's chances of reaching the knockouts, while Union are stranded in last place with no points after three losses. Visiting manager Rudi Garcia said, "We had to be patient and in the second half we did better -- and scored a great goal." "We've won twice away from home (but) there's still a long way for us to go to qualify." Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo told Sky Sports: "We wanted this win -- we showed how strong of a side we are." Goalscorer Raspadori said although his team "could have done better" against Union "an away win like this in the Champions League is always good." "We knew it would be difficult." Also Read: Serie A: Juventus go top after dramatic 2-1 win at Monza; Federico Gatti scores 94th minute winner "Napoli didn't have many chances but they were ice cold" Union captain Christopher Trimmel told broadcaster DAZN. Union coach Urs Fischer told reporters after the game it was "brutal to leave the field as the loser after the way we played, we had a grip on Napoli." The Swiss coach said Kvaratskhelia was the difference between the sides. "It's not possible to defend a player of his quality for 90 minutes." Osimhen out Napoli travelled to the German capital without offensive talisman Osimhen, the Nigeria striker having torn his hamstring while on international duty. Union left centre-back Leonardo Bonucci, who signed on a free from Juventus in the summer, on the bench despite the Italian captain having played 29 matches against Napoli in a storied career. Another summer arrival from the Italian league, Germany defender Robin Gosens, who arrived from Inter Milan, recovered in time to make the starting XI. Spurred on by a fiery home crowd of 70,000 in Berlin's sold out Olympic Stadium, Union started brighter, forcing the Italian champions to concede some early corners as the home side pushed high and had Napoli on the back foot. Union had the ball in the net after 24 minutes when Chelsea loanee David Fofana, carving down the right flank, found Gosens, who tapped in, but the Ivorian had been offside in the build up. Napoli had few attacking opportunities in the opening half, seemingly missing Osimhen's penetration up front and manager Rudi Garcia reacted at halftime, switching out Jens Cajuste for Eljif Elmas in midfield to give his side some attacking spark. Quiet in the first, Kvaratskhelia danced his way into the penalty box early in the second, but failed to find a teammate in a penalty area crowded by red Union shirts. Kvaratskhelia continued to trouble Union down the left and created the opener out of nothing, shedding Trimmel and cutting back to Raspadori, who snuck a looping strike in at the near post. Fischer made all five changes as the clock wound down but Napoli held firm for a hard-fought away victory. Union, who surprisingly qualified for the Champions League after just their fourth season in the top division, have now lost ten matches in a row in all competitions. Trimmel observed: "It was a good step for us in the right direction. We were brave." "It's a bitter feeling because we weren't missing much."

Champions League: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia leads Napoli's charge in narrow win against Union Berlin

Juventus ended Monza's unbeaten home record in Serie A this season after a thrilling finale crowned with a 94th-minute winner on Friday, meaning they leapfrog Inter Milan into top spot.

Juventus' 2-1 victory was an uninspiring affair bookended by moments of great drama in the first 15 and last five minutes, with a 91st-minute Valentin Carboni equaliser, that looked to have saved Monza a draw, before Federico Gatti struck to wrestle back the spoils three minutes later.

Nine minutes into the meeting, Georgios Kyriakopoulos pulled on Federico Chiesa's shirt in the box and the referee deemed it enough to be a penalty.

Dusan Vlahovic's resulting weak penalty was saved down low to his right by Michele Di Gregorio, who then leapt to his feet to fling himself back across goal and somehow claw the follow-up effort away from the face of his own net and behind for a corner.

The astonishing double-save must have still been on the minds of his teammates as Rabiot benefitted from slack marking as the corner came in to power an unstoppable header beyond the Monza 'keeper in the 12th minute.

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The Old Lady nearly doubled the lead just after the half-hour mark when another corner found its way through to Gatti, but the defender could only send his effort over the bar on the stretch.

The hosts dominated possession in the second half, but never really troubled Wojciech Szczesny in the Juventus goal as the clocked counted down to a narrow win for the 36-times Italian champions.

However, the match sparked back into life when substitute Carboni swung in a cross-shot that just evaded its target in Dany Mota and snuck in at the back post.

The euphoric scenes in the ground were cut abruptly short in the fourth minute of added time when Gatti atoned for his earlier error by thumping in an emphatic winner after teeing himself up via his own fluffed shot following Rabiot's burst on the right wing.

Now trailing their main title rivals by one point, Inter Milan can reclaim first place when they travel south to take on current champions Napoli on Sunday.

Juventus ended Monza's unbeaten home record in Serie A this season after a thrilling finale crowned with a 94th-minute winner on Friday, meaning they leapfrog Inter Milan into top spot.

Juventus ended Monza's unbeaten home record in Serie A this season after a thrilling finale crowned with a 94th-minute winner on Friday, meaning they leapfrog Inter Milan into top spot. Juventus' 2-1 victory was an uninspiring affair bookended by moments of great drama in the first 15 and last five minutes, with a 91st-minute Valentin Carboni equaliser, that looked to have saved Monza a draw, before Federico Gatti struck to wrestle back the spoils three minutes later. Nine minutes into the meeting, Georgios Kyriakopoulos pulled on Federico Chiesa's shirt in the box and the referee deemed it enough to be a penalty. Dusan Vlahovic's resulting weak penalty was saved down low to his right by Michele Di Gregorio, who then leapt to his feet to fling himself back across goal and somehow claw the follow-up effort away from the face of his own net and behind for a corner. The astonishing double-save must have still been on the minds of his teammates as Rabiot benefitted from slack marking as the corner came in to power an unstoppable header beyond the Monza 'keeper in the 12th minute. ALSO READ | 'It's insane': Ramiz Raja slams PCB for 'tainted' Salman Butt's appointment The Old Lady nearly doubled the lead just after the half-hour mark when another corner found its way through to Gatti, but the defender could only send his effort over the bar on the stretch. The hosts dominated possession in the second half, but never really troubled Wojciech Szczesny in the Juventus goal as the clocked counted down to a narrow win for the 36-times Italian champions. However, the match sparked back into life when substitute Carboni swung in a cross-shot that just evaded its target in Dany Mota and snuck in at the back post. The euphoric scenes in the ground were cut abruptly short in the fourth minute of added time when Gatti atoned for his earlier error by thumping in an emphatic winner after teeing himself up via his own fluffed shot following Rabiot's burst on the right wing. Now trailing their main title rivals by one point, Inter Milan can reclaim first place when they travel south to take on current champions Napoli on Sunday.

Serie A: Juventus go top after dramatic 2-1 win at Monza; Federico Gatti scores 94th minute winner

New Germany coach Julian&nbsp;Nagelsmann&nbsp;says he is feeling "pressure" and "responsibility" as well as pride as he takes charge of the team for the first time&nbsp;against&nbsp;the&nbsp;United States&nbsp;on Saturday.&nbsp;Nagelsmann's predecessor Hansi Flick last month became the first coach in Germany history to be sacked, having overseen a run of five matches without a win after a second-straight group stage exit at the World Cup in Qatar.&nbsp;

A humiliating 4-1 friendly loss to Japan in Wolfsburg proved to be the final straw and the German federation turned to the 36-year-old&nbsp;Nagelsmann, himself fired by Bayern Munich in March.

"It's a great honour for me. I also feel kind of&nbsp;pressure&nbsp;because I want to be successful with the team and I love watching the fans in all the streets and celebrate good games of the national team and we try to do this," said&nbsp;Nagelsmann&nbsp;ahead&nbsp;of Saturday's game in Connecticut.

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"I am also feeling a kind of&nbsp;responsibility&nbsp;for German soccer as a whole, not only me but the whole group -- we want to be a team who can entertain the fans, especially in Germany," he said.

Nagelsmann, the country's youngest coach for almost a century, has named World Cup winners Thomas Mueller and Mats Hummels, both 34, in the squad, with the latter last playing for Germany at the Euros in 2021. The coach said he wants to introduce his style of play while keeping the need for positive results in focus.

"I have the big aim that my style leads to a winning situation, winning games. That would be perfect. When our style does not lead to three points in the games then we have to do it a different way," he said.

"In the end, it's also important that we play a good way of soccer. A good style, aggressive and that we try to create a lot of chances," he said.

After facing the&nbsp;USA, Germany take on Mexico in Philadelphia on Tuesday. While nothing is at stake in those games,&nbsp;Nagelsmann&nbsp;knows that the team's results -- which improved with a 2-1 friendly win&nbsp;against&nbsp;France under interim coach Rudi Voeller -- matter.

"It is always the case that in professional soccer the result is important. It's important for the self-confidence and it's also important to believe in a new way," he said.&nbsp;

USA&nbsp;head coach Gregg Berhalter said that he hopes his young players will learn from the experience of playing an opponent with such rich pedigree. "We need to learn and we need to figure it out and tomorrow (Saturday) will be another example of us getting an opportunity and seeing what we can take from that game," he said.

"We know Germany is a good team, a ton of talent in their roster and for us it's a great opportunity," he said.

Midfielder Gio Reyna, who is repairing his relationship with Berhalter after a bitter public row, could return to the side after struggling with injury with his German club Borussia Dortmund.

Berhalter said his rapport with Reyna is improving and indicated his fitness is following a similar path.

"What I'd say is that we're moving forward. You know, I (don't) really want to talk too much about the past. I think it's about talking about the future and Gio's done a great job this week in training," he said.

"He looks really sharp, really strong. You can see his quality and for us it's about how do we build him up?" he said.

The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;will, however, be without their key central midfielder Tyler Adams who is injured.

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New Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says he is feeling "pressure" and "responsibility" as well as pride as he takes charge of the team for the first time against the United States on Saturday.

New Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says he is feeling "pressure" and "responsibility" as well as pride as he takes charge of the team for the first time against the United States on Saturday. Nagelsmann's predecessor Hansi Flick last month became the first coach in Germany history to be sacked, having overseen a run of five matches without a win after a second-straight group stage exit at the World Cup in Qatar. A humiliating 4-1 friendly loss to Japan in Wolfsburg proved to be the final straw and the German federation turned to the 36-year-old Nagelsmann, himself fired by Bayern Munich in March. "It's a great honour for me. I also feel kind of pressure because I want to be successful with the team and I love watching the fans in all the streets and celebrate good games of the national team and we try to do this," said Nagelsmann ahead of Saturday's game in Connecticut. Also Read: Chess: Vaishali Rameshbabu joins brother R Praggnanandhaa in unqiue list with Grandmaster title "I am also feeling a kind of responsibility for German soccer as a whole, not only me but the whole group -- we want to be a team who can entertain the fans, especially in Germany," he said. Nagelsmann, the country's youngest coach for almost a century, has named World Cup winners Thomas Mueller and Mats Hummels, both 34, in the squad, with the latter last playing for Germany at the Euros in 2021. The coach said he wants to introduce his style of play while keeping the need for positive results in focus. "I have the big aim that my style leads to a winning situation, winning games. That would be perfect. When our style does not lead to three points in the games then we have to do it a different way," he said. "In the end, it's also important that we play a good way of soccer. A good style, aggressive and that we try to create a lot of chances," he said. After facing the USA, Germany take on Mexico in Philadelphia on Tuesday. While nothing is at stake in those games, Nagelsmann knows that the team's results -- which improved with a 2-1 friendly win against France under interim coach Rudi Voeller -- matter. "It is always the case that in professional soccer the result is important. It's important for the self-confidence and it's also important to believe in a new way," he said. USA head coach Gregg Berhalter said that he hopes his young players will learn from the experience of playing an opponent with such rich pedigree. "We need to learn and we need to figure it out and tomorrow (Saturday) will be another example of us getting an opportunity and seeing what we can take from that game," he said. "We know Germany is a good team, a ton of talent in their roster and for us it's a great opportunity," he said. Midfielder Gio Reyna, who is repairing his relationship with Berhalter after a bitter public row, could return to the side after struggling with injury with his German club Borussia Dortmund. Berhalter said his rapport with Reyna is improving and indicated his fitness is following a similar path. "What I'd say is that we're moving forward. You know, I (don't) really want to talk too much about the past. I think it's about talking about the future and Gio's done a great job this week in training," he said. "He looks really sharp, really strong. You can see his quality and for us it's about how do we build him up?" he said. The USA will, however, be without their key central midfielder Tyler Adams who is injured. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Julian Nagelsmann gets ready for Germany debut after Bayern Munich axe, set to face USA in friendly

Eddie Howe insists Sandro Tonali has a future at Newcastle as the Italian midfielder awaits the outcome of an investigation into alleged breaches of betting rules. The 23-year-old, a £55 million ($67 million) signing from AC Milan in July, is at the centre of a probe in Italy and could face a lengthy ban.

Newcastle earlier this week issued a statement confirming Tonali was subject to investigation by the Italian prosecutor's office and Italian Football Federation in relation to "illegal betting activity".

"Sandro is fully engaging with the investigation and will continue to cooperate with all relevant authorities," it said.

Howe was asked on Friday whether the midfielder had and wanted a future at St James' Park. "That's not even been discussed because that's a 'yes' on both sides," he said.

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"We will support him and back him and we see him being part of our team for many years, and I know that's the same back from his side to us. There are some things I feel you don't have to say. We are committed to him long-term."

Tonali left the Italy camp last week after reports of the investigation emerged but Howe said he was available to face Crystal Palace on Saturday. "He's had a very difficult couple of weeks," he said. "He's been dealing with a lot and from what I can see he's handling himself and his emotions strongly."

"Underneath that I'm sure there is lots going on. I'll have to make a call but I have to bring it back to football and try to make the best decision for the team." Howe said it was vital to support his player.

"It's very easy to forget how young he is," said the Newcastle boss. "He's had changes in his life -- coming from Italy to England. That is hard enough to deal with and now he has this situation."

"As a football club, straight away we will throw our arms around him, protect him, try to give him the love and support he needs to find solutions to problems he's had." 
 
Howe added: "Footballers are human beings. To look at them any other way is wrong. They have, as we all have, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, things that happen can be difficult.&nbsp;The main thing is to try and identify it as we always do and try to help them get to the best level on football pitch."

Aston Villa's Nicolo Zaniolo was also sent home from Italy's training camp after he was notified he was under investigation for alleged gambling offences. Villa issued a statement on Friday confirming the 24-year-old midfielder was assisting Italian authorities and had met with senior officials at the club.

The statement added: "Zaniolo is training as normal with the first-team squad and available for selection ahead of this weekend's match with West Ham United." 
 
On Tuesday, Juventus and Italy midfielder Nicolo Fagioli was handed a seven-month ban for breaching betting rules.

&nbsp;

Eddie Howe insists Sandro Tonali has a future at Newcastle as the Italian midfielder awaits the outcome of an investigation into alleged breaches of betting rules.

Eddie Howe insists Sandro Tonali has a future at Newcastle as the Italian midfielder awaits the outcome of an investigation into alleged breaches of betting rules. The 23-year-old, a £55 million ($67 million) signing from AC Milan in July, is at the centre of a probe in Italy and could face a lengthy ban. Newcastle earlier this week issued a statement confirming Tonali was subject to investigation by the Italian prosecutor's office and Italian Football Federation in relation to "illegal betting activity". "Sandro is fully engaging with the investigation and will continue to cooperate with all relevant authorities," it said. Howe was asked on Friday whether the midfielder had and wanted a future at St James' Park. "That's not even been discussed because that's a 'yes' on both sides," he said. Also Read: Golf: Min Woo Lee leads at Australian Open, sets eyes on successive DP World Tour titles "We will support him and back him and we see him being part of our team for many years, and I know that's the same back from his side to us. There are some things I feel you don't have to say. We are committed to him long-term." Tonali left the Italy camp last week after reports of the investigation emerged but Howe said he was available to face Crystal Palace on Saturday. "He's had a very difficult couple of weeks," he said. "He's been dealing with a lot and from what I can see he's handling himself and his emotions strongly." "Underneath that I'm sure there is lots going on. I'll have to make a call but I have to bring it back to football and try to make the best decision for the team." Howe said it was vital to support his player. "It's very easy to forget how young he is," said the Newcastle boss. "He's had changes in his life -- coming from Italy to England. That is hard enough to deal with and now he has this situation." "As a football club, straight away we will throw our arms around him, protect him, try to give him the love and support he needs to find solutions to problems he's had." Howe added: "Footballers are human beings. To look at them any other way is wrong. They have, as we all have, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, things that happen can be difficult. The main thing is to try and identify it as we always do and try to help them get to the best level on football pitch." Aston Villa's Nicolo Zaniolo was also sent home from Italy's training camp after he was notified he was under investigation for alleged gambling offences. Villa issued a statement on Friday confirming the 24-year-old midfielder was assisting Italian authorities and had met with senior officials at the club. The statement added: "Zaniolo is training as normal with the first-team squad and available for selection ahead of this weekend's match with West Ham United." On Tuesday, Juventus and Italy midfielder Nicolo Fagioli was handed a seven-month ban for breaching betting rules.

Football: Sandro Tonali may have future at Newcastle United even after breaching betting rules

Worried, but relieved, spectators at the Belgium-Sweden Euro 2024 match left the Brussels stadium shortly before midnight after being held there for two-and-a-half hours following the killing of two Swedes in a nearby attack, with the gunman still at large.

"I was stressed, I wondered how we were going to get back, because we came by metro," Manon Antoine, 21, told AFP, accompanied by her brother.

The Swedish supporters were the last to leave the King Baudouin Stadium, where some 35,000 fans of the two teams had turned out for the Euro 2024 qualifier.

Manu Leroy, CEO of the Belgian football association, said police had escorted the Swedish fans and players to "go straight to the airport and leave" because the perpetrator, who was said to be inspired by the Islamic State group, was still on the run and being sought by police early Tuesday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/al-hilal-defeat-cristiano-ronaldos-al-nassr-in-riyadh-derby-to-remain-to-top-665375">Al-Hilal defeat Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in Riyadh derby to remain to top</a>

According to investigators, the Swedish nationality of the victims was a "probable motivation" of the attacker, according to his video claim. Several Belgian media outlets said the two individuals killed were wearing football shirts belonging to the Swedish national team.

The area around the stadium, located about five kilometres (three miles) from the scene of the attack, was being monitored by police, and traffic past the ground had been halted.

<h2>- 'The safest place' -</h2>

About 10 minutes before kickoff, match organisers learned that "something serious had happened", Leroy said on RTBF.

"At first it was decided that the match should go ahead because the stadium was the safest place for the fans, especially the Swedish fans so that they would be safe," he said. But at halftime, the match was halted with the score at 1-1 and did not restart.

UEFA said the decision to abandon the game was taken after consultation with both teams and the Belgian authorities. "I am terribly sad. We agreed 100 percent not to play the second half because of the conditions and out of respect for the victims and their families," said Sweden coach Janne Andersson, quoted by the Swedish news agency TT.

Held inside the stadium as a security precaution, the fans braved the cold and the anxiety by singing songs in honour of Sweden and chanting "All together, all together!". "I think that we all tried to keep our spirits up. We also sang little songs for the Sweden supporters because it is especially for them that it is a very sad evening," said football fan Jacques Decoq outside the stadium. "We tried to stay warm with a little bit of atmosphere."

Applause also punctuated the long wait. Finally, shortly before midnight, Red Devils fans began to leave the stadium, the authorities having chosen to evacuate the Belgian supporters stand by stand to avoid crowds.

"Everyone remained very calm, the supporters started singing, there was an atmosphere, even if we were a little worried," said Karen, who came from Limburg with her family.

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Worried, but relieved, spectators at the Belgium-Sweden Euro 2024 match left the Brussels stadium shortly before midnight after being held there for two-and-a-half hours following the killing of two Swedes in a nearby attack, with the gunman still at large.

Worried, but relieved, spectators at the Belgium-Sweden Euro 2024 match left the Brussels stadium shortly before midnight after being held there for two-and-a-half hours following the killing of two Swedes in a nearby attack, with the gunman still at large. "I was stressed, I wondered how we were going to get back, because we came by metro," Manon Antoine, 21, told AFP, accompanied by her brother. The Swedish supporters were the last to leave the King Baudouin Stadium, where some 35,000 fans of the two teams had turned out for the Euro 2024 qualifier. Manu Leroy, CEO of the Belgian football association, said police had escorted the Swedish fans and players to "go straight to the airport and leave" because the perpetrator, who was said to be inspired by the Islamic State group, was still on the run and being sought by police early Tuesday. Also Read: Al-Hilal defeat Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in Riyadh derby to remain to top According to investigators, the Swedish nationality of the victims was a "probable motivation" of the attacker, according to his video claim. Several Belgian media outlets said the two individuals killed were wearing football shirts belonging to the Swedish national team. The area around the stadium, located about five kilometres (three miles) from the scene of the attack, was being monitored by police, and traffic past the ground had been halted. - 'The safest place' - About 10 minutes before kickoff, match organisers learned that "something serious had happened", Leroy said on RTBF. "At first it was decided that the match should go ahead because the stadium was the safest place for the fans, especially the Swedish fans so that they would be safe," he said. But at halftime, the match was halted with the score at 1-1 and did not restart. UEFA said the decision to abandon the game was taken after consultation with both teams and the Belgian authorities. "I am terribly sad. We agreed 100 percent not to play the second half because of the conditions and out of respect for the victims and their families," said Sweden coach Janne Andersson, quoted by the Swedish news agency TT. Held inside the stadium as a security precaution, the fans braved the cold and the anxiety by singing songs in honour of Sweden and chanting "All together, all together!". "I think that we all tried to keep our spirits up. We also sang little songs for the Sweden supporters because it is especially for them that it is a very sad evening," said football fan Jacques Decoq outside the stadium. "We tried to stay warm with a little bit of atmosphere." Applause also punctuated the long wait. Finally, shortly before midnight, Red Devils fans began to leave the stadium, the authorities having chosen to evacuate the Belgian supporters stand by stand to avoid crowds. "Everyone remained very calm, the supporters started singing, there was an atmosphere, even if we were a little worried," said Karen, who came from Limburg with her family. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Brussels shooting: Long wait for fans held in stadium after Belgium-Sweden Euro qualifier suspended

Dak Prescott rushed for one touchdown and threw another as the Dallas Cowboys bounced back from their thrashing against San Francisco to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-17 on Monday (Oct 16). Dallas quarterback Prescott was given a torrid time by the Chargers defence, sacked five times as Los Angeles chased only their third win of the season.

But after a muffed punt allowed the Chargers to tie the game at 17-17 in the fourth quarter, Prescott kept his composure to lead Dallas on a 15-play, 54-yard drive to set up a winning field goal for Brandon Aubrey with just over two minutes remaining.

The drive included a crucial third and nine conversion by Prescott that kept the chains moving to leave Aubrey in field goal range.

Aubrey, a 28-year-old rookie who gave up a promising soccer career to pursue a career in the NFL, stepped up to slot what turned out to be the winning points -- his 16th successful field goal from 16 attempts this season. The Chargers had one last drive in an attempt to save the game, but with no timeouts remaining, quarterback Justin Herbert had little margin for error.

The Chargers drive fizzled however when Herbert was sacked on second down and then saw a long third down completion attempt picked off by Dallas defender Stephon Gilmore to effectively end the game.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/al-hilal-defeat-cristiano-ronaldos-al-nassr-in-riyadh-derby-to-remain-to-top-665375">Al-Hilal defeat Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in Riyadh derby to remain to top</a>

"We're just a resilient team," said Prescott, who finished with 272 passing yards. "Guys just played their asses off. Offense, defence, it's something we can build on."

Dallas, billed as potential Super Bowl contenders at the start of the season, had been humbled 42-10 by San Francisco last week.&nbsp;

However, the Cowboys will now return to Texas with a 4-2 record in the NFC East heading into a bye week.

"We were physical, way more physical than we were last week -- but hell, that's the past," Prescott said.&nbsp;"Right now we're moving forward and this was a great one for us to get going into the bye week."

Earlier, the Chargers had taken the lead through Keenan Allen's close-range touchdown in the first quarter before Prescott got the Cowboys back on level terms with an 18-yard rush into the end zone.

Aubrey kicked a field goal to put Dallas 10-7 up at the break but Cameron Dicker slotted a 43-yard effort to level for the Chargers at 10-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

Brandin Cooks collected a two-yard pass from Prescott to put Dallas 17-10 ahead but then the Chargers were thrown a lifeline after a bungled punt set up a game-tying score for Gerald Everett.&nbsp;

Hopes of a Chargers comeback were snuffed out though after Aubrey's second field goal put Dallas ahead before Herbert's late interception ended the game.

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Dak Prescott rushed for one touchdown and threw another as the Dallas Cowboys bounced back from their thrashing against San Francisco to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-17 on Monday (Oct 16).

Dak Prescott rushed for one touchdown and threw another as the Dallas Cowboys bounced back from their thrashing against San Francisco to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-17 on Monday (Oct 16). Dallas quarterback Prescott was given a torrid time by the Chargers defence, sacked five times as Los Angeles chased only their third win of the season. But after a muffed punt allowed the Chargers to tie the game at 17-17 in the fourth quarter, Prescott kept his composure to lead Dallas on a 15-play, 54-yard drive to set up a winning field goal for Brandon Aubrey with just over two minutes remaining. The drive included a crucial third and nine conversion by Prescott that kept the chains moving to leave Aubrey in field goal range. Aubrey, a 28-year-old rookie who gave up a promising soccer career to pursue a career in the NFL, stepped up to slot what turned out to be the winning points -- his 16th successful field goal from 16 attempts this season. The Chargers had one last drive in an attempt to save the game, but with no timeouts remaining, quarterback Justin Herbert had little margin for error. The Chargers drive fizzled however when Herbert was sacked on second down and then saw a long third down completion attempt picked off by Dallas defender Stephon Gilmore to effectively end the game. Also Read: Al-Hilal defeat Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in Riyadh derby to remain to top "We're just a resilient team," said Prescott, who finished with 272 passing yards. "Guys just played their asses off. Offense, defence, it's something we can build on." Dallas, billed as potential Super Bowl contenders at the start of the season, had been humbled 42-10 by San Francisco last week. However, the Cowboys will now return to Texas with a 4-2 record in the NFC East heading into a bye week. "We were physical, way more physical than we were last week -- but hell, that's the past," Prescott said. "Right now we're moving forward and this was a great one for us to get going into the bye week." Earlier, the Chargers had taken the lead through Keenan Allen's close-range touchdown in the first quarter before Prescott got the Cowboys back on level terms with an 18-yard rush into the end zone. Aubrey kicked a field goal to put Dallas 10-7 up at the break but Cameron Dicker slotted a 43-yard effort to level for the Chargers at 10-10 heading into the fourth quarter. Brandin Cooks collected a two-yard pass from Prescott to put Dallas 17-10 ahead but then the Chargers were thrown a lifeline after a bungled punt set up a game-tying score for Gerald Everett. Hopes of a Chargers comeback were snuffed out though after Aubrey's second field goal put Dallas ahead before Herbert's late interception ended the game. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NFL: Dak Prescott and Brandon Aubrey lead Dallas Cowboys to win over Los Angeles Chargers

Juventus&nbsp;midfielder&nbsp;Nicolo&nbsp;Fagioli,&nbsp;banned by the Italian football federation (FIGC)&nbsp;after&nbsp;breaching rules on&nbsp;betting&nbsp;on matches, has apologised to football fans and spoken of lies published about him, in a social media post on Wednesday. Fagioli&nbsp;was given a 12-month&nbsp;ban, of which five months were suspended, and fined 12,500 euros ($13,225) on Tuesday. He has also agreed to a treatment programme for gambling problems.

"I thought I would begin by apologising not only to&nbsp;Juventus&nbsp;fans, but to all fans in the world of football and sport for the naive mistake I made,"&nbsp;Fagioli&nbsp;said on his Instagram account.

"Instead, I'm forced to start with the disgusting things that newspapers and people write about me, just to put me in a bad light with a thousand lies, or rather, just to gain two more views."

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For now, the 22-year-old has not gone into any further details, but ended his social media post by saying that he will speak soon.

Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo left the national team's headquarters last week&nbsp;after&nbsp;they were also told they were involved in an investigation by prosecutors.

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Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, banned by the Italian football federation (FIGC) after breaching rules on betting on matches, has apologised to football fans and spoken of lies published about him, in a social media post on Wednesday.

Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, banned by the Italian football federation (FIGC) after breaching rules on betting on matches, has apologised to football fans and spoken of lies published about him, in a social media post on Wednesday. Fagioli was given a 12-month ban, of which five months were suspended, and fined 12,500 euros ($13,225) on Tuesday. He has also agreed to a treatment programme for gambling problems. "I thought I would begin by apologising not only to Juventus fans, but to all fans in the world of football and sport for the naive mistake I made," Fagioli said on his Instagram account. "Instead, I'm forced to start with the disgusting things that newspapers and people write about me, just to put me in a bad light with a thousand lies, or rather, just to gain two more views." Also Read: Tennis legend Rafael Nadal announces return date following lengthy injury layoff For now, the 22-year-old has not gone into any further details, but ended his social media post by saying that he will speak soon. Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo left the national team's headquarters last week after they were also told they were involved in an investigation by prosecutors. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: FIGC suspend Nicolo Fagioli for breaching rules on betting matches

Barcelona President Joan Laporta has been charged as part of the investigation into alleged bribes paid to referees, a Spanish court said on Wednesday (Oct 18). The club itself and two of its former presidents, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as the former head of Spain's referee's body, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, and his son have already been charged.

Laporta has been charged in relation to his first spell as president of Barcelona from 2003 to 2010.

In his report published on Wednesday, the judge leading the investigation said, in his opinion, Laporta could not benefit from the statute of limitations because of the seriousness of the accusations.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba/news-boston-celtics-claw-out-impressive-win-against-philadelphia-76ers-despite-jayson-tatums-ejection-665350">Boston Celtics claw out impressive win against Philadelphia 76ers despite Jayson Tatum's ejection</a>

Negreira allegedly earned over seven million euros ($7.5 million) from Barcelona between 2001 and 2018, through companies supposedly producing refereeing reports for the club.

Barcelona, the 27-time Spanish champions, have been fighting off accusations for months and deny any wrongdoing.

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Barcelona President Joan Laporta has been charged as part of the investigation into alleged bribes paid to referees, a Spanish court said on Wednesday (Oct 18). The club itself and two of its former presidents, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as the former head of Spain's referee's body, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, and his son have already been charged.

Barcelona President Joan Laporta has been charged as part of the investigation into alleged bribes paid to referees, a Spanish court said on Wednesday (Oct 18). The club itself and two of its former presidents, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as the former head of Spain's referee's body, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, and his son have already been charged. Laporta has been charged in relation to his first spell as president of Barcelona from 2003 to 2010. In his report published on Wednesday, the judge leading the investigation said, in his opinion, Laporta could not benefit from the statute of limitations because of the seriousness of the accusations. Also Read: Boston Celtics claw out impressive win against Philadelphia 76ers despite Jayson Tatum's ejection Negreira allegedly earned over seven million euros ($7.5 million) from Barcelona between 2001 and 2018, through companies supposedly producing refereeing reports for the club. Barcelona, the 27-time Spanish champions, have been fighting off accusations for months and deny any wrongdoing. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Barcelona President Joan Laporta under investigation for suspected bribery case

A superb second-half chip from Julian&nbsp;Brandt&nbsp;sent Borussia&nbsp;Dortmund&nbsp;to the&nbsp;top&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Bundesliga&nbsp;table with a 1-0 home win over Werder&nbsp;Bremen&nbsp;on Friday.&nbsp;Bremen-born&nbsp;Brandt, playing his 300th league match, broke the deadlock midway through the second half, dinking a composed finish over the 'keeper to give his side the lead.&nbsp;

The win means&nbsp;Dortmund&nbsp;finish Friday evening one point clear atop the table, although Bayer Leverkusen can re-take the lead with a win at Wolfsburg on Saturday.

"I have to say, it went pretty well today,"&nbsp;Brandt&nbsp;told DAZN after the game.&nbsp;

Brandt, who returned from Germany's USA tour less than 48 hours before the match, said: "I'm very happy, but very tired. I'll be glad when I'm laying in bed."

Dortmund&nbsp;manager Edin Terzic said it was a "highly deserved win, when you see the chances we left behind".&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rugby-all-blacks-ardie-savea-opens-up-on-joining-kobe-steelers-in-japan-league-665132">Rugby: All Blacks' Ardie Savea opens up on joining Kobe Steelers in Japan league</a>

Bremen&nbsp;coach Ole Werner said the result was "bitter" after "a good performance for which we were not rewarded."

Dortmund&nbsp;came into the match unbeaten despite failing to impress in the league campaign, sitting level with Bayern Munich on 17 points after seven matches.&nbsp;

Bremen&nbsp;had been the last side to defeat&nbsp;Dortmund&nbsp;on home soil, scoring three goals in six minutes to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win in injury time in August of last season.&nbsp; Bremen's Werner vowed midweek his side would attack their fancied rivals and the visitors looked slick on the counter but were toothless in decisive moments, a theme since star striker Niclas Fuellkrug left for&nbsp;Dortmund&nbsp;in September.&nbsp;

Brandt&nbsp;almost created the opener when he squared for Marco Reus midway through the first half, but the former&nbsp;Dortmund&nbsp;captain's shot trickled just wide of the post.&nbsp; Donyell Malen grabbed a sublime lofted pass from Reus early in the second, but lashed his attempt wide.

Dortmund's search for an opener continued until&nbsp;Brandt&nbsp;took matters into his own hands, collecting an Emre Can ball and chipping&nbsp;Bremen&nbsp;goalie Michael Zetterer.&nbsp;

Despite the lead&nbsp;Dortmund&nbsp;continued to attack as the clock wound down, Zetterer denying Sebastien Haller on the volley with one minute remaining.&nbsp;

On Saturday, Bayern play away at bogey side Mainz, where they have lost their last three league matches, while Stuttgart can leapfrog&nbsp;Dortmund&nbsp;with a win at Union Berlin.

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A superb second-half chip from Julian Brandt sent Borussia Dortmund to the top of the Bundesliga table with a 1-0 home win over Werder Bremen on Friday. Bremen-born Brandt, playing his 300th league match, broke the deadlock midway through the second half, dinking a composed finish over the 'keeper to give his side the lead.

A superb second-half chip from Julian Brandt sent Borussia Dortmund to the top of the Bundesliga table with a 1-0 home win over Werder Bremen on Friday. Bremen-born Brandt, playing his 300th league match, broke the deadlock midway through the second half, dinking a composed finish over the 'keeper to give his side the lead. The win means Dortmund finish Friday evening one point clear atop the table, although Bayer Leverkusen can re-take the lead with a win at Wolfsburg on Saturday. "I have to say, it went pretty well today," Brandt told DAZN after the game. Brandt, who returned from Germany's USA tour less than 48 hours before the match, said: "I'm very happy, but very tired. I'll be glad when I'm laying in bed." Dortmund manager Edin Terzic said it was a "highly deserved win, when you see the chances we left behind". Also Read: Rugby: All Blacks' Ardie Savea opens up on joining Kobe Steelers in Japan league Bremen coach Ole Werner said the result was "bitter" after "a good performance for which we were not rewarded." Dortmund came into the match unbeaten despite failing to impress in the league campaign, sitting level with Bayern Munich on 17 points after seven matches. Bremen had been the last side to defeat Dortmund on home soil, scoring three goals in six minutes to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win in injury time in August of last season. Bremen's Werner vowed midweek his side would attack their fancied rivals and the visitors looked slick on the counter but were toothless in decisive moments, a theme since star striker Niclas Fuellkrug left for Dortmund in September. Brandt almost created the opener when he squared for Marco Reus midway through the first half, but the former Dortmund captain's shot trickled just wide of the post. Donyell Malen grabbed a sublime lofted pass from Reus early in the second, but lashed his attempt wide. Dortmund's search for an opener continued until Brandt took matters into his own hands, collecting an Emre Can ball and chipping Bremen goalie Michael Zetterer. Despite the lead Dortmund continued to attack as the clock wound down, Zetterer denying Sebastien Haller on the volley with one minute remaining. On Saturday, Bayern play away at bogey side Mainz, where they have lost their last three league matches, while Stuttgart can leapfrog Dortmund with a win at Union Berlin. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Football: Borussia Dortmund go top of Bundesliga after Julian Brandt's lone goal sinks Werder Bremen

Al-Hilal&nbsp;earned a 1-0 win at home over Al-Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League on Friday October 20.

Serbian forward&nbsp;Aleksandar&nbsp;Mitrovic’s&nbsp;goal&nbsp;on the half-hour mark was enough for&nbsp;all three points in a match in which the hosts dominated possession and had the lion’s share of opportunities.

Al-Hilal&nbsp;extend their&nbsp;lead&nbsp;at the&nbsp;top&nbsp;of the table to 3 points on 26 with the victory after nearest contenders&nbsp;Al-Taawoun drew 1-1 with&nbsp;Al-Ittihad earlier in the day.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-leaves-door-open-for-2026-fifa-world-cup-intends-to-defend-copa-america-title-in-2024-665321">Lionel Messi leaves door open for 2026 FIFA World Cup; intends to defend Copa America title in 2024</a>

The result comes in a week when&nbsp;Al-Hilal&nbsp;confirmed they had lost star summer signing Neymar Jr for the season after the 31-year-old former Barcelona and PSG forward suffered an ACL and meniscus rupture while on international&nbsp;duty with Brazil.

More to follow...

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Al-Hilal earned a 1-0 win at home over Al-Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League on Friday October 20. Serbian forward Aleksandar Mitrovic’s goal on the half-hour mark was enough for all three points in a match in which the hosts dominated possession and had the lion’s share of opportunities.

Al-Hilal earned a 1-0 win at home over Al-Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League on Friday October 20. Serbian forward Aleksandar Mitrovic’s goal on the half-hour mark was enough for all three points in a match in which the hosts dominated possession and had the lion’s share of opportunities. Al-Hilal extend their lead at the top of the table to 3 points on 26 with the victory after nearest contenders Al-Taawoun drew 1-1 with Al-Ittihad earlier in the day. Also Read: Lionel Messi leaves door open for 2026 FIFA World Cup; intends to defend Copa America title in 2024 The result comes in a week when Al-Hilal confirmed they had lost star summer signing Neymar Jr for the season after the 31-year-old former Barcelona and PSG forward suffered an ACL and meniscus rupture while on international duty with Brazil. More to follow... WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Saudi Pro League: Al-Hilal stay on top of points table with latest home win over Al-Khaleej

Arsenal are back on top of the Premier League with ambitions to stay there as they host Wolves this weekend while champions Manchester City play faltering Tottenham. Newcastle take on Manchester United in a clash of two teams with high ambitions of their own while Chelsea face Brighton, still searching for consistency.

Here's&nbsp;three talking points ahead of the action, as per AFP Sport.

<h2>Can Arsenal mix style with substance?</h2>

Arsenal's last-gasp 1-0 win at Brentford last week, which took them back to the top of table, was their fifth Premier League victory by a single goal this season. The Gunners lack the fluidity they showed in the 2022/23 campaign and attacking numbers are down but former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes they are now better equipped to win the league.

"Perfect, pretty football is unlikely to win the league unless it's combined with a doggedness and resilience," he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.&nbsp;"Arsenal are better this year in these areas and the football will come in due course."

But former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, a Sky Sports pundit alongside Neville, believes Mikel Arteta's team need to win games more convincingly. "If Arsenal continue how they are, if this is the Arsenal we're going to see this season, I don't think they can win the league," he told Sky.

He added: "So many games are going to the wire and sometimes that can go against you.... Those games that finish 1-0 can easily go 1-0 the other way." Arsenal smashed Lens 6-0 in the Champions League in midweek in a reminder of what can happen when everything clicks.

<h2>Tottenham face daunting Man City trip</h2>

Early pacesetters Tottenham desperately need to arrest their slide after three straight defeats but champions Manchester City are their next port of call. Ange Postecoglou's team, unbeaten in their first 10 games, have developed the costly habit of letting leads slip -- losing to Chelsea, Wolves and Aston Villa despite scoring first each time.

Postecoglou is grappling with a lengthy list of absentees and suffered another blow with the loss of midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, expected to be out until February after suffering a serious ankle injury against Villa.

City last week showed a chink in their armour, failing to win at home in any competition for the first time this year when they were held 1-1 by Liverpool.

But Erling Haaland notched his 50th Premier League goal in just his 48th game at the Etihad -- obliterating Andy Cole's record -- and this week became the quickest player to 40 Champions League goals with his strike against RB Leipzig.

City will be confident normal order can be resumed at home.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/europa-league-liverpool-thump-lask-marseille-clinch-thriller-against-ajax-664850">Europa League: Liverpool thump LASK, Marseille clinch thriller against Ajax</a>

<h2>Newcastle bank on home form against Man Utd</h2>

Newcastle v Manchester United pits a team with one of the best home records against a side who have been picking up wins on the road. Despite a long injury list, Newcastle have won six of their seven Premier League games at their St James' Park stronghold this season.

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United, despite their patchy form overall, have four victories out of six games away from home. Both teams have ambitions of qualifying for season's Champions League and they each face a battle to qualify for the knockout phase of this year's competition after midweek draws.

Newcastle, who recently hammered Manchester United 3-0 in the League Cup, will fancy their chances against a team who, while they have started to score more freely, remain vulnerable at the back.

United have conceded 33 goals in all competitions this season, the most in their opening 20 matches of any campaign since 1962/63.

Fixtures&nbsp;

Saturday (1500 GMT unless stated)

Arsenal v Wolves, Brentford v Luton, Burnley v Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest v Everton (1730), Newcastle v Manchester United (2000)

Sunday (1400 unless stated)

Bournemouth v Aston Villa, Chelsea v Brighton, Liverpool v Fulham, West Ham v Crystal Palace, Manchester City v Tottenham (1630)

Arsenal are back on top of the Premier League with ambitions to stay there as they host Wolves this weekend while champions Manchester City play faltering Tottenham.

Arsenal are back on top of the Premier League with ambitions to stay there as they host Wolves this weekend while champions Manchester City play faltering Tottenham. Newcastle take on Manchester United in a clash of two teams with high ambitions of their own while Chelsea face Brighton, still searching for consistency. Here's three talking points ahead of the action, as per AFP Sport. Can Arsenal mix style with substance? Arsenal's last-gasp 1-0 win at Brentford last week, which took them back to the top of table, was their fifth Premier League victory by a single goal this season. The Gunners lack the fluidity they showed in the 2022/23 campaign and attacking numbers are down but former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes they are now better equipped to win the league. "Perfect, pretty football is unlikely to win the league unless it's combined with a doggedness and resilience," he said on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Arsenal are better this year in these areas and the football will come in due course." But former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, a Sky Sports pundit alongside Neville, believes Mikel Arteta's team need to win games more convincingly. "If Arsenal continue how they are, if this is the Arsenal we're going to see this season, I don't think they can win the league," he told Sky. He added: "So many games are going to the wire and sometimes that can go against you.... Those games that finish 1-0 can easily go 1-0 the other way." Arsenal smashed Lens 6-0 in the Champions League in midweek in a reminder of what can happen when everything clicks. Tottenham face daunting Man City trip Early pacesetters Tottenham desperately need to arrest their slide after three straight defeats but champions Manchester City are their next port of call. Ange Postecoglou's team, unbeaten in their first 10 games, have developed the costly habit of letting leads slip -- losing to Chelsea, Wolves and Aston Villa despite scoring first each time. Postecoglou is grappling with a lengthy list of absentees and suffered another blow with the loss of midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, expected to be out until February after suffering a serious ankle injury against Villa. City last week showed a chink in their armour, failing to win at home in any competition for the first time this year when they were held 1-1 by Liverpool. But Erling Haaland notched his 50th Premier League goal in just his 48th game at the Etihad -- obliterating Andy Cole's record -- and this week became the quickest player to 40 Champions League goals with his strike against RB Leipzig. City will be confident normal order can be resumed at home. Also read: Europa League: Liverpool thump LASK, Marseille clinch thriller against Ajax Newcastle bank on home form against Man Utd Newcastle v Manchester United pits a team with one of the best home records against a side who have been picking up wins on the road. Despite a long injury list, Newcastle have won six of their seven Premier League games at their St James' Park stronghold this season. Erik ten Hag's Manchester United, despite their patchy form overall, have four victories out of six games away from home. Both teams have ambitions of qualifying for season's Champions League and they each face a battle to qualify for the knockout phase of this year's competition after midweek draws. Newcastle, who recently hammered Manchester United 3-0 in the League Cup, will fancy their chances against a team who, while they have started to score more freely, remain vulnerable at the back. United have conceded 33 goals in all competitions this season, the most in their opening 20 matches of any campaign since 1962/63. Fixtures Saturday (1500 GMT unless stated) Arsenal v Wolves, Brentford v Luton, Burnley v Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest v Everton (1730), Newcastle v Manchester United (2000) Sunday (1400 unless stated) Bournemouth v Aston Villa, Chelsea v Brighton, Liverpool v Fulham, West Ham v Crystal Palace, Manchester City v Tottenham (1630)

Arsenal plot long stay at Premier League summit, Man City play Tottenham and Newcastle host Man United

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