Australia striker Josh Kennedy is relishing the prospect of meeting Japan in the fourth round of AFC 2014 World Cup qualifying.
Speaking after his club Nagoya Grampus were held 1-1 in their AFC Champions League match against Central Coast on Wednesday, Kennedy was asked his thoughts on his country s path to Brazil.
The two clashes against fellow group favourites Japan, which will take place at home on June 12 and away on June 4 next year, in particular caught the eye of Kennedy.
I was quite happy, I always enjoy playing the Japanese national team and apart from that Asian Cup final (in 2011, which Australia lost 1-0 in extra-time), we ve had good success over them, said Kennedy, who also revealed he spoke to Australia coach Holger Osieck before Wednesday s matc…
Patrick Roberts scored against his parent club as Manchester City s Champions League group campaign ended in a 1-1 draw with Celtic.
The final positions had already been decided in Group C, with City qualifying second behind Barcelona and Celtic finishing bottom.
City manager Pep Guardiola will, however, have been keen to bounce back from Saturday s 3-1 Premier League defeat to Chelsea and a 3-3 draw in Glasgow earlier in the season that started a six-game winless run in all competitions for his side.
But it was one of City s own who put Guardiola s men on the back foot inside four minutes at the Etihad Stadium, Roberts on an 18-month loan at Celtic capping a determined run with a powerful finish.
Another City youngster – this time wearing the blue o…
David Turnbull seized his fresh start with a double as Celtic opened the cinch Premiership season with a 4-2 home victory over Ross County.
Brendan Rodgers preferred Turnbull to Reo Hatate in his first competitive match since returning as Celtic manager and the midfielder vindicated his faith with two first-half efforts which sandwiched Kyogo Furuhashi’s goal.
The 24-year-old had not started a league game since November 12 last year and looked an increasingly peripheral figure during Ange Postecoglou’s second season in charge.
Turnbull was named the club’s man of the match and probably should have a had a hat-trick as he revelled in playing in the advanced role in Rodgers’ three-man midfield ahead of Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley.
Rodgers als…
Al Wasl have replaced Diego Maradona with former Senegal national team coach Bruno Metsu on a two-year deal.
The 58-year-old Frenchman, who famously guided Senegal to a 2002 World Cup group-stage win over France, was confirmed on Tuesday as successor to Maradona, who was sacked following the team s indifferent 2011/12 campaign.
Al Wasl Football Company announces the official appointment of Bruno Metsu as head coach of Al Wasl as a replacement for Diego Maradona, the club wrote in a statement on Twitter.
More details will be revealed in the press conference that will be held in the coming days to officially unveil coach Metsu.
The appointment sees Metsu return to the United Arab Emirates, having guided the national team to the 2007 Gulf Cup of Nations …
that Real Madrid are turning their attention to re-signing Wesley Sneijder as a move for Luka Modric looks to have hit a stumbling block.
Real are apparently not prepared to pay up the £40 million that Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy is demanding for the Croatian playmaker.
Now, they want to bring a player with similar attributes to the Bernabeu as they look to retain their La Liga title.
The Dutchman joined Inter Milan from Real in 2009 and it was the Spanish side’s current boss Jose Mourinho who brought him to the San Siro.
Sneijder then put in some outstanding performances under the Portuguese boss, helping them to Serie A and Champions League success in 2010.
Now it seems as though Mourinho is keen to link up with the 28-year-old yet again.
Former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro has been appointed head coach of defending Saudi Arabian Pro League champions Al Nassr until the end of the season.
Cannavaro replaces Jorge da Silva after the latter was sacked last week, and the World Cup winner who retired in 2011 has been given an eight-month contract, with an optional one-year extension.
The 42-year-old s appointment sees his return to club management after leaving Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao in June, following a year in charge.
Al Nassr took to Twitter to express their delight at the appointment of the former Real Madrid and Juventus defender.
#NFC signed a contract with @fabiocannavaro to be #ALNASSR head coach until the end of the season, congratulations! a post read.
Cannavaro s f…
Sergio Aguero has failed to guarantee he will remain at Manchester City beyond the end of the season after being sidelined by manager Pep Guardiola.
Aguero was left on the bench for City s 2-1 Premier League victory against Swansea City on Sunday, with recent signing Gabriel Jesus scoring the opening goal and an injury-time winner.
Guardiola has selected Jesus instead of Aguero for three successive games and the Argentine, who has hit 11 Premier League strikes this season, hinted he could move on from City after six goal-laden seasons.
Sometimes this happens, Aguero told reporters when asked about his current situation. When you re on the bench you have to wait for your opportunity.
I have three months to do my best and try to help the team and we ll s…
Fabian Ruiz and Dani Ceballos excelled as Spain secured a 2-1 win over Germany in the European Under-21 Championship final.
Germany beat a much-fancied Spain side in the showpiece two years ago but fell behind in the seventh minute to a wonderful long-range strike from Napoli star Fabian in Udine.
Spain captain Jesus Vallejo was fortunate to avoid a red card as Germany asserted themselves, but Dani Olmo netted a crucial second in the 69th minute.
Fabian and Carlos Soler almost added gloss to the scoreline and a late deflected effort from Nadiem Amiri could not deny Spain a fifth success in this competition a triumph that moves them level with Italy on the all-time list.
Mikel Oyarzabal dropped deep from centre-forward to cleverly lay the ball off to Fabi…
Mauricio Pochettino praised the intensity of Chelsea’s attacking play in their 3-0 win over Luton and reiterated the club would only go back into the transfer market if the right forward comes available.
The visitors were looking for a first win at Stamford Bridge in 36 years but were no match for Pochettino’s newly energised side, who after a nervous first half ripped into them late on to earn the manager his first win.
Raheem Sterling continued his fine start to the season with two goals and an assist for summer signing Nicolas Jackson, who opened his goalscoring account for the club.
GD MORNING!
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
The England forward’s difficult debut season in west London looked confined to history when he danced through Luton…
Gerard Pique is fully confident Barcelona can recover from their first-leg defeat at Bayern Munich to make the UEFA Champions League final.
The Catalan side were thrashed 4-0 in the Allianz Arena, with Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben adding to Thomas Muller s double to leave the newly-crowned Bundesliga champions with one foot of the final.
But Pique insists that Tito Vilanova s side are more than capable of turning the scoreline around, providing they can strike early at Camp Nou on Wednesday night.
He said: We believe we will turn this around 100 per cent. We need to score a goal as soon as possible to get more and more confident.
After a 4-0 result you do doubt yourself, but as days go on, you suddenly believe you can do this. Football is very psychological.
The team is fine,…