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  China beat North Korea to enter Asian Cup quarters

  January 18, 2015 17:49 IST

  Canberra: Midfielder Sun Ke scored twice to help China beat North Korea 2-1 and advance to the Asian Cup quarter-finals with a best-ever three straight wins as Group B leaders here Sunday.China will challenge hosts

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  Uzbekistan beats Saudi Arabia 3-1 to advance at Asian Cup

  January 18, 2015 17:40 IST

  Melbourne, Australia: Midfielder Sardor Rashidov scored a goal in each half to give Uzbekistan a 3-1 victory over Saudi Arabia on Sunday and a spot in the Asian Cup quarterfinals.Uzbekistan will next face South Korea

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  Real Sociedad lose 0-1 to Rayo

  January 18, 2015 13:32 IST

  Madrid: A late goal by Angolan striker Manucho gave Rayo Vallecano a 1-0 victory over hosts Real Sociedad in the Spanish La Liga.Rayo were true to their promise of playing an open, attacking style, offering

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  Southampton beats Newcastle 2-1 in Premier League

  January 18, 2015 10:58 IST

  Newcastle,England: Eljero Elia scored twice as third-place Southampton survived a late penalty appeal to beat Newcastle 2-1 on Saturday in the Premier League.The Dutchman, on loan from Werder Bremen, scored his first goal for the

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  Liverpool beats Aston Villa 2-0 in Premier League

  January 18, 2015 7:21 IST

  Birmingham, England: Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert scored to give Liverpool a 2-0 victory at Aston Villa on Saturday that kept the team in touch with the European places in the Premier League.Borini volleyed in

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  Chelsea thrashes Swansea 5-0 in Premier League

  January 18, 2015 7:01 IST

  Swansea, Wales: Chelsea scored four goals in the opening 36 minutes in its 5-0 demolition of Swansea in the Premier League on Saturday.Oscar struck first within the first minute at the Liberty Stadium. Diego Costa

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  Man United beats struggling QPR 2-0 in Premier League

  January 18, 2015 6:57 IST

  London: Marouane Fellaini and James Wilson came off the bench to end Manchester United's three-game winless run in the Premier League on Saturday, scoring second-half goals in a 2-0 victory against a struggling but spirited

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  Putin reassures Blatter that Russia can host 2018 World Cup

  January 17, 2015 7:54 IST

  St. Petersburg, Russia: FIFA President Sepp Blatter said Friday he has received personal assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that the country's economic problems will not affect its ability to host the 2018 World Cup.Blatter

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  Big guns ready to fire as La Liga reaches halfway point

  January 16, 2015 18:26 IST

  Madrid: The Spanish football season reaches its halfway point this weekend with a crucial set of matches that could prove to be important tests for the top three teams in the La Liga points table.Due

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  Aussie goalie Ryan welcomes Liverpool speculation

  January 16, 2015 14:30 IST

  Canberra: Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan Friday said he is flattered to be linked with English Premier League club Liverpool, but feels his primary focus remains on the 2015 Asian Cup.Reports out of England during the

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  Constantine appointed Indian men's football head coach

  January 16, 2015 12:02 IST

  New Delhi: Englishman Stephen Constantine was today appointed head coach of Indian men's football team, paving the way for his return at the helm of affairs for the second time.52-year-old Constantine, who is also be

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  Barcelona president says Messi committed to staying at club

  January 15, 2015 18:13 IST

  Barcelona, Spain: Barcelona's president says Lionel Messi wants to stay at the Spanish club amid speculation about his future. Josep Bartomeu tells Catalunya Radio that Messi "told me that he wants to finish his career at

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  Brazil's Ronaldo to attempt comeback with Strikers

  January 15, 2015 17:27 IST

  Hollywood, Florida: Brazilian star Ronaldo says he will attempt to make a playing comeback this spring with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the second-tier North American Soccer League.The world player of the year in 1996,

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  Ronaldo named greatest Portuguese footballer ever

  January 15, 2015 16:10 IST

  Lisbon: Fifa Ballon D'Or award holder Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the best player in Portugal's 100-year football history.The Portuguese Federation announced the Real Madrid striker as their best ever in the Gala Quinas de

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  American NFL player McNary charged with rape

  January 15, 2015 14:31 IST

  Indianapolis: Josh McNary, an American National Football League (NFL) player, has been charged with rape, according to media reports.A spokeswoman in the city prosecutor's office here confirmed the charges Wednesay but gave no details.No comments

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  Puma extends sponsorship with Ghana FA

  January 15, 2015 14:18 IST

  Accra: Sportswear giant Puma has extended its partnership with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) with immediate effect.The new contract signed Wednesday, will see Puma continue as the technical supplier and official partner to the GFA

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  Balotelli wasting his talent: Mancini

  January 15, 2015 14:12 IST

  London: Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini has warned Italian striker Mario Balotelli is in danger of wasting his career.The Liverpool striker has scored twice since his 16 million euros summer move from AC Milan and

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  Barca can't even contemplate selling Messi: Enrique

  January 15, 2015 10:15 IST

  Madrid: Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has said that the thought of having a team without Lionel Messi is "not even something we contemplate".The future of the Argentina forward has been the subject of much speculation

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  Man City strengthens striking options with Bony signing

  January 14, 2015 19:31 IST

  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Wilfried Bony joined Manchester City from Swansea on Wednesday to strengthen the English Premier League champion's striking options and fulfil his dream of playing in the Champions League."It's a great

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  Ronaldo's rivalry with Messi useful: Portuguese coach

  January 14, 2015 14:04 IST

  Lisbon: Portugal's national football team coach Fernando Santos has said that Cristiano Ronaldo's rivalry with Argentina's Lionel Messi over the Ballon d'Or award has proved to be "useful".Ronaldo left Barcelona forward Messi in the shade

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  Spain approves measures to eradicate football violence

  January 14, 2015 13:50 IST

  Madrid: The Spanish Superior Sports Council (Consejo Superior de Deportes, CSD) has endorsed measures proposed by the Spanish Football Federation for preventing and punishing violence in football.The measures, which include the partial closure of grounds

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  ISL star Elano agrees to Santos return

  January 14, 2015 13:46 IST

  Rio de Janeiro: Former Brazil midfielder and Indian Super League (ISL) star Elano has agreed to a three-month contract with his former club Santos.According to Brazilian sports news portal Lancenet, the 33-year-old will be tied

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  Regret voting for Ronaldo in Fifa Ballon d'Or: Lewandowski

  January 13, 2015 22:58 IST

  Munich: Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has regretted his decision to vote Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo in the Fifa Ballon d'Or ahead of teammate Manuel Neuer.The Poland skipper picked Ronaldo ahead of his Bayern

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  Messi, Neuer, Ronaldo voted to FIFPro World XI lineup

  January 13, 2015 17:46 IST

  Zurich: All three players shortlisted for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award were selected by their peers for the 2014 FIFPro World XI team.Lionel Messi, Manuel Neuer and Cristiano Ronaldo were among seven 2013 team members

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  Portugal authorities congratulate Ronaldo for third Ballon d'Or

  January 13, 2015 14:57 IST

  Lisbon: The Portuguese authorities congratulated their country's football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo on winning the Ballon d'Or award for the third time.Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or award Monday at a ceremony in Zurich, beating FC Barcelona

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  World Coach of Year a great honour: Joachim Low

  January 13, 2015 13:58 IST

  Geneva: German football coach Joachim Low said being named the FIFA World Coach of the Year was "icing on the cake" after his team won the World Cup in Brazil."Receiving this award after such a

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  Messi casts new doubts about his future at Barcelona

  January 13, 2015 8:01 IST

  Zurich: A day after denying rumors he was considering leaving Barcelona, Lionel Messi cast new doubts about his future at the club on Monday.Messi said at the awards ceremony for the FIFA Ballon d'Or that

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  Cristiano Ronaldo wins FIFA Ballon d'Or award for 2014

  January 13, 2015 6:53 IST

  Zurich: For the third time, Cristiano Ronaldo was voted the world's best football player. He hopes it also brought him closer to being remembered as one of the greatest of all time.Ronaldo won the FIFA