Professional soccer

November 07, 2019 - 8:27 am

Australian men, women soccer players close gender pay gap

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia's football federation and players' union say they have agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement that closes the pay gap between the men's and women's national teams. The new four-year CBA announced on Wednesday ensures the Socceroos and Matildas receive a 24% share of...
Read More
Brescia's Mario Balotelli, right, reacts at the end of the Italian Serie A soccer match between Verona and Brescia at the Bentegodi stadium in Verona, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019. Verona supporters' racist chants upset the Italian bomber who also scored one goal. (Simone Venezia/ANSA via AP)
November 07, 2019 - 7:25 am

'The problem is I'm Italian': Balotelli spurs racism debate

ROME (AP) — The ball that Mario Balotelli angrily kicked high into the stands out of frustration because of racist chants is still traveling. Figuratively speaking, at least. In a Serie A season that has been marred by discriminatory slurs from the outset, Balotelli's outburst has prompted more...
Read More
A mask demonstrator clash with the police during an anti-government protest in Santiago, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. Chileans have been taking to the streets and clashing with the police to demand better social services and an end to economic inequality, even as the government announced that weeks of demonstrations are hurting the country's economic growth. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
November 05, 2019 - 6:55 pm

Copa Libertadores final moved from Santiago to Lima

ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — South America's soccer body CONMEBOL decided on Tuesday to move the Copa Libertadores final from Santiago to Lima because of a weekslong wave of demonstrations in the Chilean capital. CONMEBOL announced the move after a meeting with representatives of the two finalists —...
Read More
Los Angeles FC forward Carlos Vela, left, vies against Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris during the second half of the MLS soccer Western Conference final Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, in Los Angeles. The Sounders won 3-1. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
November 04, 2019 - 2:21 pm

LAFC's Carlos Vela named MLS MVP after record 34-goal season

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Carlos Vela has been named the most valuable player of Major League Soccer after his record 34-goal regular season for Los Angeles FC. Vela became the first Mexican player to win the MLS award Monday. Vela also had 15 assists during a dominant second season with LAFC. The former...
Read More
In this photo taken on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, Union's goal scorer Sebastian Polter tries to appease hooded fans after the team's final whistle and victory in the derby, in Berlin. Union Berlin is toasting goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz for his bravery in stopping his own masked fans from reaching Hertha Berlin supporters after the sides’ fiery Berlin derby on Saturday. Gikiewicz angrily pushed one masked pitch invader back and urged others to return to their block. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)
November 04, 2019 - 11:46 am

Union Berlin fans celebrate goalkeeper for stopping ultras

BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz is being praised for his bravery for stopping his team's masked fans from reaching Hertha Berlin supporters after the fiery Berlin derby. Gikiewicz angrily pushed one masked person back and urged others to return to the stands. The fans looked...
Read More
Brescia's Mario Balotelli, right, reacts at the end of the Italian Serie A soccer match between Verona and Brescia at the Bentegodi stadium in Verona, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019. Verona supporters' racist chants upset the Italian bomber who also scored one goal. (Simone Venezia/ANSA via AP)
November 03, 2019 - 6:10 pm

Balotelli threatens to leave soccer field amid racist chants

VERONA, Italy (AP) — Brescia striker Mario Balotelli threatened to leave the field due to racist chants directed at him by Hellas Verona fans during a top-tier soccer game in Italy on Sunday. Visibly upset as he fought for the ball near the corner flag at the end of the stadium where the monkey...
Read More
Bayern's head coach Niko Kovac reacts as he watches his team play during a German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich in the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
November 03, 2019 - 4:53 pm

Bayern parts company with Kovac after 5-1 loss in Frankfurt

MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich chose to part company with coach Niko Kovac on Sunday — one day after the seven-time defending German champion slumped to its heaviest Bundesliga defeat in more than 10 years. Bayern lost 5-1 at Kovac's former team Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, the team's second...
Read More
Roma's Edin Dzeko talks to fans as the match was briefly suspended because fans were making racist chants against Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly, during an Italian Serie A soccer match between Roma and Napoli, at the Olympic stadium in Rome, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
November 02, 2019 - 1:25 pm

Discriminatory chants prompt suspension of Roma-Napoli game

ROME (AP) — Discriminatory chants prompted a Serie A soccer game between Roma and Napoli to be briefly suspended Saturday. Referee Gianluca Rocchi made the decision in the second half after Roma fans aimed anti-territorial chants at Napoli. Such chants are often used by supporters to deride an...
Read More
FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, file photo provided by the Korea Football Association, South and North Korean, wearing red uniforms, players play during their Asian zone Group H qualifying soccer match for the 2022 World Cup at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. The South Korean soccer association said Friday, Oct. 18, it has requested that North Korea be punished for blocking rival fans and media from attending a World Cup qualifier between the countries at an empty stadium in Pyongyang. (The Korea Football Association via AP, File)
October 30, 2019 - 12:37 am

N Korean women team to skip soccer competition in S Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea won't send its women's soccer team to a regional competition in South Korea in December amid strained ties between the two countries. The East Asian Football Federation said Wednesday that North Korea informed it in mid-September that it won't take part in the...
Read More
FILE - In this Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 file photo, Sergino Dest of the U.S controls the ball during the FIFA U-17 World Cup match against Paraguay in New Delhi, India. Ajax right back Sergino Dest has pledged his international future to the United States. The 18-year-old, who has a Surinamese-American father and Dutch mother, put an end Monday, Oct 28, 2019 to intense speculation about whether he would choose to play for the United States or the Netherlands, his country of birth. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)
October 28, 2019 - 12:35 pm

Dest chooses to play for US over Netherlands

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Ajax defender Sergiño Dest has decided to remain with the United States national team rather than switch to the Netherlands. The 18-year-old outside back, who has a Surinamese-American father and Dutch mother, played for the U.S. in the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups...
Read More

Pages