Sports

Morocco recorded a 2-0 win over Equatorial Guinea in Thursday s first leg of their 2018 World Cup qualifier in Agadir.

The hosts dominated proceedings right from the start and eventually went 1-0 up at the half-hour mark.  Youssef El Arabi spun quickly before firing home from close range to break the deadlock.

Morocco were then dealt a blow when Adil Karrouchi was shown a red card shortly after the interval, but they stood firm as Yacine Bammou made it two halfway through the first half to help his side emerge victorious.

The Democratic Republic of Congo proved to be too strong for Burundi at the Stade Prince Louis Rwagasore in Bujumbura as two late goals from Ndombe Mubele helped them to a crucial 3-2 away win. 

Yannick Bolasie put DR Congo into an ear…

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has warned his players they must continue to make sacrifices as his side look to extend their lead at the top of LaLiga with victory at Sevilla on Saturday.

Ancelotti has deployed some players in unfamiliar positions with Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni moved back into defence and Rodrygo admitting he was not happy playing at centre forward.

But with a tough schedule ahead including next week’s El Clasico, Ancelotti made no apologies for his positional switches and said he would continue to ask his players to put the interests of his team first.

Ancelotti told a press conference: “It’s important to know where each player wants to play, and sometimes the demands of the team mean that some players have to make sacrif…

Bayern Munich claimed a record-breaking ninth consecutive Bundesliga title thanks to Borussia Dortmund s 3-2 win over RB Leipzig.

Last season s treble winners missed out on Champions League glory this term, but they remain far ahead of their closest rivals in German football.

Bayern were set to have the chance to seal glory when hosting Borussia Monchengladbach later on Saturday but goals from Marco Reus and Jadon Sancho, who struck twice after half-time, gave Dortmund victory over second-placed Leipzig at Signal Iduna Park to complete the formalities.

Before this staggering run, no team had won more than three successive Bundesliga titles.

Bayern have now matched deposed Serie A kings Juventus for the longest streak of domestic championships won by …

In 2000, it was Bayer Leverkusen who suffered final-day heartbreak as Bayern Munich overhauled them to clinch one of their most dramatic Bundesliga title triumphs.

This time around, it was Borussia Dortmund s turn to lament the most galling of near misses, while their rivals lifted the Meisterschale following Jamal Musiala s late winner at Koln.

The most topsy-turvy title race in Europe s top-five leagues this campaign, therefore, ended in familiar fashion, with Bayern maintaining their stranglehold on the German crown.

After Bayern overcame a stern Dortmund challenge to win their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title, Stats Perform looks at the best facts and figures to emerge from their triumphant campaign.

11 Bayern Munich have won the Bundesliga for the 1…

Borussia Dortmund have confirmed the departure of Mats Hummels after a combined 13-and-a-half years at the club.

Hummels initially joined on loan from Bayern Munich in January 2008 and went on to make 508 appearances across two spells with Dortmund, who he left in 2016 before returning three years later.

The decorated defender won back-to-back Bundesliga titles with the Black and Yellow in 2010-11 and 2011-12, while also helping them reach two Champions League finals.

The latter of these came earlier this month when Edin Terzic s side were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid at Wembley.

During his second spell, Hummels made 367 Bundesliga appearances 343 of which were starts with Dortmund winning 216 of those and keeping 108 clean sheets along the way.

The …

Everton boss Sean Dyche says the noise around the club s takeover by The Friedkin Group is just a reality of the job and he knows no more than the fans about how long it will take to complete.

The proposed takeover from the American group is currently in processing as they await approval from the Premier League, potentially ending months of uncertainty about the future of the football club.

But on the pitch, Dyche has led the Toffees to four points in their last two games, the latest of which came in a stalemate against Newcastle United before the international break.

And ahead of the trip to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town this weekend, Dyche insisted his players must keep up their performances and continue to grow as a collective.

I ve said it all al…

Goalkeeper Sergio Rico has committed his future to Sevilla until 2021 after agreeing a two-year extension to his existing deal.

The 23-year-old, a product of Los Rojiblancos youth system, is highly rated and was linked with Liverpool as recently as last month.

But, having last penned fresh terms in January 2016, has now made his long-term plans clear by signing up to the LaLiga club for the next four years.

Rico has won two Europa League titles with Sevilla and earned his first Spain cap last June.

EXTENSION | renews his contract until 2021

— Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG)

Marca reports that Rico s new contract includes a rise in his release clause from €30million to €40m.

Eduardo Berizzo s Sevilla take on Ista…

Seattle Sounders will hope to make the most of their home advantage when they host San Jose Earthquakes, as Brian Schmetzer s side aim to further their MLS playoffs bid.

The Sounders are fifth in the Western Conference standings after their 2-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City last time out.

Schmetzer s men are nine points adrift of West leaders LA Galaxy heading into this clash at Lumen Field, where the Sounders hope to improve further in their post-season chase.

[We have] to keep the momentum going, but one game at a time, said centre-back Jackson Ragen. Keep winning, and then keep that going in the playoffs.

This is the home stretch, and every game is huge, because it s going to come down to our position in the playoffs.

A complete team goa…

With the Premier League fixtures ahead of the 2022/23 campaign announced on Thursday, all eyes from across Europe will soon once again fall on England s top-flight.

Only just coming off the back of another title pulsating title race as Manchester City managed to regain their domestic crown, next season s campaign once again looks set to be another thriller.

With all of Europe s top-tiers set to take a break later in the year as the World Cup finals get underway out in Qatar in November, there will certainly be additional planning for teams up and down the country.

While the likes of might be making their Premier League return after 23 years in exile, most of the headlines will be stollen by England s elite.

So, ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, we have tak…

Italy were crowned European Championship winners for a second time after beating England 3-2 on penalties in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.

The Azzurri fell behind to Luke Shaw s record-breaking strike inside two minutes, but Leonardo Bonucci hit back and the contest finished 1-1 at the end of 120 minutes.

Roberto Mancini s men held their nerve in London to stretch their unbeaten run to 34 matches and end their 53-year wait to lift the Henri Delaunay trophy – the longest-ever gap between championships in the tournament by a single nation, surpassing Spain s 44-year wait from 1964 to 2008. 

Only Germany (seven) have won more major titles among European sides than the six Italy have now managed, having also lifted the World Cup on four occasions.

On the…