West Ham waltzed into the last 16 of the Europa League with a game to spare after a 2-0 victory at Rapid Vienna.First-half goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Mark Noble wrapped up top spot in Group H for David Moyes’ side.It was an important victory for the Hammers as they are now straight through to the knockout stage having avoided a play-off in February against a team dropping down from t...Full Story »

Celtic’s hopes of progressing in the Europa League were dashed in agonising fashion as a late fightback from Bayer Leverkusen denied them a famous victory in Germany.Ange Postecoglou’s spirited side knew they would probably require a win to keep their last-32 dream alive and they were on course for this outcome until the closing stages after a Josip Juranovic penalty and a strike fro...Full Story »

Blair Spittal scored within a minute of coming off the bench to earn Ross County a 1-0 victory over Premier Sports Cup finalists Hibernian.Spittal’s cross went through a crowd of bodies before ending up in the net in the 72nd minute in Dingwall.Paul Hanlon had hit a post for Hibs and Kevin Nisbet passed up a series of good chances as the Leith side suffered a fifth consecutive cinch Premie...Full Story »

Jack Ross insists Hibernian’s stunning 3-1 semi-final win over Rangers will bolster confidence for their Premier Sports Cup final against the other half of the Old Firm next month.Martin Boyle scored a sensational hat-trick within 38 minutes – the third from the spot  – before Gers midfielder Scott Arfield’s strike gave the flailing Ibrox side a lifeline.However, wit...Full Story »

Martin Boyle was Hibernian’s hat-trick hero in the 3-1 humbling of Rangers which set up a Premier Sports Cup final with Celtic next month.New Gers boss Giovanni Van Bronckhorst watched from the Hampden Park main stand awaiting a work permit, as the Australia international scored three times in 38 minutes – the third from the spot – before Gers midfielder Scott Arfield’s s...Full Story »

JOSE MOURINHO still has a picture of his 2017 Europa League success with Manchester United hanging proudly on the wall of his office at Roma. Back in 2013, the Portuguese belittled Rafa Benitez's Europa League win at Chelsea by insisting such a feat would be a 'disappointment' to him. Jose Mourinho has a picture of himself kissing the Europa League trophy hanging in his office He said: "I don...Full Story »

A goal from substitute James Forrest allowed Celtic to pay a fitting Hampden tribute to Bertie Auld as St Johnstone’s run of cup glory came to an end.Forrest fired home the only goal from close range in the 73rd minute as Celtic edged past a stubborn Saints side 1-0 in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.Celtic fans and players paid tribute to Lisbon Lion Auld six days after his death and F...Full Story »

Interim Stevenage boss Robbie O’Keefe will hope for more of the same as the club attempts to drag itself out of a desperate run of League Two form against Colchester.Manager Alex Revell was relieved of his duties earlier this week after one win in 14 attempts in the league, and it was Academy manager O’Keefe who took charge of Tuesday night’s extra-time FA Cup first-round repla...Full Story »

The international prize is the only major one missing from the striker's glittering CV, but will his country even make it to Qatar? Portugal missed the chance to book their place at World Cup 2022 after losing 2-1 to Serbia in their final group game, with a late goal from Aleksandr Mitrovic sealing top spot in Group A for their opponents. Cristiano Ronaldo has not missed a World Cup since ma...Full Story »

Overjoyed Stockport boss Dave Challinor understood the fans’ emotions as many spilled onto the pitch late in their dramatic 5-3 extra-time FA Cup win against League One Bolton.The National League side came back from 3-1 down to secure a second-round tie at Rotherham, but the late pitch invasion after the final goal could mean trouble with the FA.Challinor said: “It was an amazing nig...Full Story »

Stockport produced an incredible fightback as they stunned League One Bolton 5-3 in the FA Cup.Dave Challinor’s National League outfit came back from 3-1 down to seal a second-round trip to Rotherham, though a late pitch invasion could well see Stockport in trouble with the Football Association.The majority of County’s biggest crowd in over a decade were stunned by a blistering start...Full Story »

Steven Bergwijn and Memphis Depay scored late as the Netherlands qualified for next year's World Cup with a 2-0 home victory over Norway on Tuesday to win Group G. The result means Borussia Dortmund and Norway star Erling Haaland misses out on his chance to compete at his first senior tournament next year. The Dutch return to the finals after missing out on the 2018 tournament in Russia but wi...Full Story »

European champions Italy could face Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in a winner-takes-all World Cup playoff final in March. Portugal and Italy, winners of the last two editions of the European Championship, failed to top their World Cup qualifying group, missing out to Serbia and Switzerland respectively. It means both must enter the new playoff system, featuring 12 teams battling for three place...Full Story »

Mark Bonner was pleased with Cambridge’s performance after they beat Northampton 3-1 in their FA Cup first-round replay.Bonner’s side made comfortable progress, with the game effectively over soon after half-time when Ben Worman added to first-half goals from Harvey Knibbs and Sam Smith. Danny Rose scored a late consolation for the League Two Cobblers.League One Cambridge will go on ...Full Story »

Gateshead player-manager Mike Williamson described the dramatic 3-2 FA Cup replay victory against Altrincham as his best feeling in football.The former Newcastle defender’s National League North side were twice pegged back by Altrincham having seen a two-goal lead disappear in the original tie.But just as the replay was heading towards extra-time, Macauley Langstaff netted a stoppage-time ...Full Story »

Joey Barton praised the character of his Bristol Rovers team after substitute Sion Spence had netted twice in the second half of extra time to settle a memorable FA Cup first round replay win over Oxford.Barton’s League Two team trailed their League One opponents 3-1 but hit back to earn a second round tie at home to Sutton.The home side took a 48th-minute lead when Sam Finlay fired home f...Full Story »

Aaron Ramsey stressed the importance of home advantage as Wales booked a World Cup play-off semi-final date in Cardiff.Wales went into their final qualifier against Belgium needing a point to secure a home tie unless Turkey won their last game by four clear goals.But Turkey could only win 2-1 in Montenegro and Wales’ 1-1 draw with Belgium, the world’s top-ranked side, clinched a home...Full Story »

Caretaker boss Antony Sweeney admitted Hartlepool had to ride their luck as they got the better of Sky Bet League One Wycombe 1-0 to book their place in the FA Cup second round.The League Two side will now travel to Lincoln after Mark Cullen’s first-half strike saw them get the better of the Chairboys, who dominated large parts of the game.And Sweeney acknowledged his team were always goin...Full Story »

Wales drew 1-1 with Belgium to secure home advantage in their World Cup play-off semi-final. Kevin De Bruyne silenced a noisy Cardiff crowd inside 12 minutes, but Kieffer Moore equalised before half-time to give Wales the point they craved. Already guaranteed a play-off spot through their Nations League results, Wales were determined to secure a home tie in March by finishing second in Group...Full Story »

Idris El Mizouni cracked home a superb late 25-yard strike to hand League One high-fliers Ipswich a 2-1 FA Cup replay win at League Two strugglers Oldham.Tunisian El Mizouni pounced on a poor clearing header from Callum Whelan in the 81st minute to hand Paul Cook’s side a second round home tie against Barrow.Oldham opened brightly against an Ipswich team who had won just one of their previ...Full Story »