Honduras 1-4 United States: USA kick-start qualifying campaign with second-half rout

The United States scored four unanswered goals in the second half to celebrate their first victory in 2022 CONCACAF World Cup qualifying with a 4-1 rout of Honduras.

CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League champions the USA had drawn their opening two fixtures on the road to Qatar 2022 but goals from Antonee Robinson, Ricardo Pepi, Brenden Aaronson and Sebastian Lletget kick-started their campaign.

After cancelling out Bryan Moya s 27th-minute opener, the USA are third in the Octagonal standings, level on five points with Canada and Panama, and two points behind leaders Mexico.

Honduras went into the match having not beaten the USA since their 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory in 2013.

Just a great finish from . We’re all tied up here in Honduras.

Man Utd defender Evans announces Northern Ireland retirement

Northern Ireland captain Jonny Evans has announced his immediate retirement from international football.

Evans, 36, made his international debut in September 2006 against Spain and went on to make 107 appearances.

This is a record bettered only by Steve Davis, Pat Jennings and Aaron Hughes for Northern Ireland.

The Manchester United defender said: Putting on the green shirt 107 times and representing the people of Northern Ireland has been my biggest honour.

Thank you, Jonny Evans

— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland)

Evans featured for Northern Ireland in all four of their matches at Euro 2016, their first major tournament in 30 years.

He said: Without doubt the highlight of my international career has been the Euros in Fran…

Alaba: Everything at Real Madrid is bigger than Bayern Munich

David Alaba said everything is a shade bigger at Real Madrid compared to former side Bayern Munich as he learns to cope with the increased expectation to succeed.

Alaba s 13-year association with Bundesliga champions Bayern came to an end in May after rejecting numerous contract offers at the Allianz Arena and joining LaLiga giants Madrid.

The Austria international has started 13 of Madrid s 14 matches in all competitions this season – only Eder Militao and Thibaut Courtois have started more often – totalling 1,170 minutes on the field.

Alaba has featured in multiple positions and has instantly made himself a fans favourite with the opening goal in the 2-1 El Clasico victory over Madrid s fierce rivals Barcelona on October 24.

That made Alaba the fift…

Benzema and Vinicius celebrate as ´indomitable´ Real Madrid go top

Karim Benzema bailed out Real Madrid once again, but the French striker insisted the 2-1 win at Valencia was richly deserved, as their unbeaten LaLiga run stretched to 23 games. 

The capital giants had trailed to a fine 66th-minute strike from Hugo Duro that looked set to take Valencia to the top of the table, but instead it is Madrid who sit on that perch with 13 points from five games. 

Captain Benzema teed up Vinicius Junior to slot in an 86th-minute leveller, with the help of a deflection, before roles were reversed for the winner two minutes later. 

A teasing cross from Vinicius was perfect for Benzema to attack, and although the ball went in off his shoulder rather than his forehead, as was the intention, they all count. 

Benzema has now sco…

Marseille 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain: Malinovskiy stunner claims thrilling Coupe de France win

Ruslan Malinovskiy s stunner settled an enthralling Classique in Marseille s favour as they beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 to reach the Coupe de France quarter-finals.

Malinovskiy s fantastic winner was just reward for a scintillating Marseille display at Stade Velodrome on Wednesday.

Igor Tudor s team had 12 shots in the first half and took the lead through Alexis Sanchez s 31st-minute penalty, which was cancelled out by Sergio Ramos header.

Ramos thought he had sent the tie to penalties when he headed home in stoppage time, but the offside flag came to Marseille s salvation.

57 GOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!

MALIIIIIIIIIIIII!!! |

— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_English)

A frantic opening set the tone. Pau Lopez denied Nuno Mendes befo…

Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United: Talking points as Merseysiders dismantle resurgent United to continue top-four quest

It s not easy to explain what exactly happened at Anfield on Sunday, apart from the obvious: Liverpool destroyed Manchester United, with Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed scoring twice each, and Roberto Firmino coming on from the bench to add insult to injury.

The game

United were on the back foot right from the start in this match, but for a while it seemed to be a part of manager Erik ten Hag s plan. With David De Gea in goal, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez as the centre-backs, flanked by Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot on the right, protected by the ever-vigilant serial winner Casemiro and the admirable work-rate of Fred, they were hoping to absorb the pressure at the back and hunt the opposition through counterattacks, with the pace of Marcus Rashford and Antony, comple…

We want to break free! Sevilla boss Mendilibar tells stars to shake off shackles against Man Utd

Sevilla boss Jose Luis Mendilibar wants his team to remove the ropes that bind us and rise to the occasion of the Europa League rematch with Manchester United on Thursday.

A 2-0 win at Valencia in LaLiga on Sunday came despite Mendilibar feeling something was missing from the performance.

He considers it a huge boon that his team can still win while not at their best, and hopes they hit their peak at the right moment.

A fightback in Manchester by Sevilla means the quarter-final tie is locked at 2-2 heading into the second leg.

Speaking after his team s victory at Mestalla, Mendilibar said: We have to gain confidence. Sometimes you don t play well and the result is with you. That makes you think that when you play well, you re going to do even better.

PSG pair Verratti and Herrera accuse referee of insulting them: He told us to f*** off

Paris Saint-Germain duo Marco Verratti and Ander Herrera both accused referee Bjorn Kuipers of insulting them as the club crashed out of the Champions League in the semi-finals.

PSG s bid to reach back-to-back Champions League finals came to an end at the hands of Manchester City, who won 2-0 on Tuesday to progress to the tournament decider for the first time in their history 4-1 on aggregate.

Riyad Mahrez scored twice for City as PSG ended the second leg with 10 men after Angel Di Maria was red carded for kicking out at Fernandinho in the 69th minute.

Verratti and Herrera reacted angrily to the decision to send off Di Maria in Manchester, where PSG became just the third team to receive a red card in both legs of a Champions League semi-final after Deportivo La C…

Former Arsenal and England star Wilshere retires

Former Arsenal and England star Jack Wilshere has announced his retirement from football at the age of 30.

Wilshere said this week he was considering his options after he and Danish Superliga side AGF mutually parted ways, having spent less than five months with the club.

The midfielder spent 10 seasons with Arsenal after coming through the Premier League side s youth system and is reportedly set to re-join them as a youth coach.

He won the FA Cup twice with the Gunners and was named PFA Young Player of the Year as well as taking the club s player of the season award after a superb 2010-11 campaign.

After leaving Arsenal in 2018, Wilshere went on to represent West Ham and Bournemouth, with whom he had previously had a loan spell.

He also earned…

Rooney casts doubt over Ronaldo move to Man City

Wayne Rooney does not believe Cristiano Ronaldo will risk damaging his Manchester United legendary status by joining Manchester City.

Juventus forward Ronaldo is reportedly close to joining Premier League champions City on a two-year deal before the transfer window closes next Tuesday,

The Portugal captain established himself as one of the best players in the world during a six-year spell with United before joining Real Madrid in a deal worth £80million (€94m) in July 2009.

Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 games under Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, with three Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph among the list of honours he claimed.

The 36-year-old s former team-mate Rooney believes a move to Paris Saint-Germain is more likely for Ronald…