Asian Cup: Iran and Qatar complete semi-final line up

Alireza Jahanbakhsh s last-minute penalty gave Iran a 2-1 win over Japan, and a semi-final against Asian Cup holders and hosts Qatar will be their reward.

Jahanbakhsh kept his cool in the 96th minute to keep three-time Asian Cup winners Iran on course for a first title since 1976.

Iran came from behind after Hidemasa Morita put pre-tournament favourites Japan ahead in the first half of an entertaining quarter-final at Education City Stadium.

But Mohammad Mohebi levelled the score in the 55th minute to pave the way for Jahanbakhsh s late heroics.

Iran s win was made even more impressive considering they were without star striker Mehdi Taremi, who was suspended.

Will we see a new champion? Or an old one will lift the trophy?

Comment below …

Wesley Fofana surgery blow for Chelsea

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana has undergone reconstructive surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament.

The 22-year-old centre-back begins his rehabilitation at the Blues’ Cobham training ground while the squad travel to the United States on a pre-season trip.

An injury update on Wesley Fofana.

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)

Fofana, who joined the Londoners from Leicester in 2022 for £75million, featured just 15 times for Chelsea in the Premier League last season as he suffered a number of injury setbacks.

This latest problem comes two years after the Frenchman broke his leg in a pre-season friendly for Leicester against Villareal which saw him miss a large part of the 2021-22 campaign.

Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Alfie Gi…

Newcastle United 2-0 Arsenal: Magpies put Spurs on brink of Champions League qualification

Ben White s own goal and a Bruno Guimaraes strike put Tottenham on the brink of Champions League qualification as Arsenal suffered a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United.

The Gunners needed a win to move back into fourth place with one Premier League game to play against Everton on Sunday, but Newcastle did Spurs a massive favour at St James Park.

White, making his return from a hamstring injury, turned a Joelinton cross into his own net in the second half and Guimaraes added a second late on as the Magpies dominated Mikel Arteta s side.

Spurs will head to Norwich City on the final day knowing a point will almost certainly put them in the Champions League next season due to their goal difference and Chelsea are guaranteed a top-four finish, while wounded Arsenal look t…

Bayern youngster Tel reminisces on ´wild´ maiden Champions League goal

Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel said scoring his first Champions League goal was wild , as he reflected on an incredible and unforgettable moment .

The 18-year-old joined the Bundesliga giants from Rennes in July 2022, after making just 10 competitive appearances for the French club s first team, and quickly wrote his name into Bayern s history books.

He became their youngest-ever goalscorer when he netted in a 5-0 win over Viktoria Cologne in the DFB-Pokal at the age of 17 years and 126 days.

Tel followed that up by marking his Bundesliga debut with a goal in a 2-2 draw with Stuttgart less than two weeks later, claiming the record of Bayern s youngest scorer in the competition.

This season, he has continued the theme of getting big goals to commemorate …

Leeds United linked with Kalvin Phillips

Leeds United are interested in signing Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Leeds would be keen on getting a deal done for the England international midfielder if they get promoted from the Championship at the end of the season.

The West Yorkshire club sold Phillips to City in the summer of 2022. Leeds would not be able to strike a permanent deal with City for the England international midfielder. The Whites’ plan is to sign Phillips on a loan deal and pay a portion of his wages.

Phillips has failed to make an impact at City. He was a fringe player for City last season, as Pep Guardiola’s side won the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup. The midfielder joined West Ham Unit…

Tottenham 2-0 West Brom: Kane marks return with goal as Spurs get back to winning ways

Harry Kane marked his return from injury with a goal as Tottenham saw off West Brom 2-0 to snap a three-game losing run in the Premier League.

Spurs had slipped down to ninth after losing to Liverpool, Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea, but a much-improved display on Sunday has them back in top-four contention.

Jose Mourinho s men failed to score in the last two of those defeats without Kane in the side, but their returning talisman opened the scoring against a struggling West Brom side.

Son Heung-min was on the scoresheet four minutes later and Tottenham had no trouble in seeing out the victory as they recorded their first league double in this fixture since 2011-12.

Quickfire scorers 

— Premier League (@premierleague)

Kane, a su…

Ronaldo looks to break free of Porto as Haaland aims to continue hot streak – Champions League in Op

The Champions League round-of-16 second legs get underway on Tuesday, with Porto and Borussia Dortmund holding the upper hand over Juventus and Sevilla respectively.

Juve s latest bid to bring their domestic dominance to bear on the European stage is hanging by a thread, with Sergio Conceicao s robust side arriving in Turin 2-1 to the good.

If that tie is on a knife edge, Dortmund s task looks slightly more straightforward on paper – their 3-2 first-leg win having come on the road at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

However, Edin Terzic s side might be wounded by their sapping Klassiker loss to Bayern Munich at the weekend and Sevilla boast formidable European pedigree. Stranger things have definitely happened.

So, to help you navigate the potential madness, …

MLS: Philadelphia close in on Supporters´ Shield, Timbers clinch play-off place

Philadelphia Union closed in on the MLS Supporters Shield, while the Portland Timbers clinched a play-off spot on Wednesday.

A 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire saw Philadelphia push three points clear of Toronto in the Eastern Conference, and for the Supporters Shield, which they are bidding to win for the first time.

Kacper Przybylko opened the scoring from the penalty spot approaching the half-hour mark, following a handball in the area.

Chicago s chances of a comeback were dealt a blow nine minutes before half-time, Francisco Calvo sent off after a tackle on Alejandro Bedoya.

However, they managed to find an equaliser prior to the break as Robert Beric headed in from close range.

But Philadelphia scored what proved to be the winner in the 65th…

RB Leipzig 3-2 Manchester United: Comeback falls short as Solskjaer´s men crash out

RB Leipzig held off a dramatic late fightback from Manchester United at the Red Bull Arena to win 3-2 and qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League at their opponents expense.

United won the reverse fixture 5-0 in October and only needed a point on Tuesday to advance from a tight Group H but found themselves two goals down inside 13 minutes.

Manchester City loanee Angelino fired in an early opener for Leipzig and then set up Amadou Haidara as the hosts took apart United s five-man defence with ease.

Justin Kluivert added a third but Bruno Fernandes penalty and substitute Paul Pogba s header 135 seconds later gave the visitors hope.

But last season s semi-finalists Leipzig held on to move a point above their opponents and progress, with Paris Saint-…

Vidic calls on Rangnick to drop Maguire

Nemanja Vidic has urged Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick to drop Harry Maguire temporarily to allow the centre-back to regain his confidence.

Maguire joined from Leicester City for £80million in 2019 but has come under scrutiny during his time at Old Trafford, especially this season with United struggling.

Rangnick s side succumbed to a 1-0 Premier League loss at lowly Everton on Saturday, with Anthony Gordon s drive deflecting off Maguire and past David De Gea to leave the Red Devils six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham.

United look set to miss out on a Champions League spot and Rangnick s 47 per cent win rate is the worst of any Red Devils manager in Premier League history.

Maguire has taken plenty of criticism for such an underw…