Muangthong United stand on the brink of a first foray into the AFC Champions League knockout rounds after a 1-0 win over 2012 winners Ulsan put them top of Group E with two games to play.
The Thai champions had never won a game in the competition proper before this season, but their second of 2017 puts them in the driver s seat to advance.
Captain Teerasil Dangda scored the all-important goal in the 37th minute, latching onto a knock-down to score at the back post.
Victory could have been by a greater margin, but Spanish striker Xisco screwed wide when one-on-one, while Ulsan goalkeeper Kim Yong-dae produced three big saves and Muangthong had a further effort cleared of the line.
Muangthong vaulted above Kashima Antlers, courtesy of the Japanese side s 2-…
Borussia Monchengladbach have signed France Under-21 striker Marcus Thuram from Guingamp.
The 21-year-old – son of World Cup winner and France great Lilian Thuram – has penned a four-year contract with the Bundesliga side for a reported fee of €10million.
Thuram joined Guingamp in 2017 from Sochaux and scored 17 goals in 72 appearances across all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit.
We re thrilled to have Marcus on board, said Monchengladbach s sporting director Max Eberl. He is a fast, robust and dangerous attacker who fits into our squad well. We’re confident that he will make his mark in the Bundesliga.
OFFICIAL: is a Foal!
The France U21 international joins from on a four-year deal
— Gladbach (@borussia_en)
…
Poland will give centre-half Kamil Glik every opportunity to prove his fitness ahead of their World Cup opener against Senegal in Moscow on Tuesday.
The Monaco defender was initially thought to be out of the tournament after injuring his shoulder attempting a bicycle kick in training just hours after being named in Adam Nawalka s 23-man squad.
But he has made a remarkable recovery and, although it remains unlikely he will play against the African side, Nawalka s assistant Bogdan Zajac says every scenario remains possible.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Zajac said: Every day he puts in several hours of work, not only on the field.
He starts first thing in the morning and also trains in his spare time. He is strengthening the shoulder and is working hard…
Moise Kean has moved to allay fears over Neymar s fitness, insisting all is well with his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate ahead of a crunch Champions League tie with Barcelona, though Mauricio Pochettino is uncertain.
Neymar started in PSG s Coupe de France clash with Caen on Wednesday, and supplied the assist for Kean s winner in a 1-0 victory.
However, the Brazil star was taken off on the hour, with the 29-year-old holding his groin area.
PSG face Neymar s former club Barca next week, in the opening leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter, which comes three days after a Ligue 1 meeting with Nice.
However, Kean – who has now scored 12 goals in all competitions this season – claimed that Neymar is fit and well despite the concerns.
All …
Erling Haaland continues to be linked with a move to Barcelona, but head coach Ronald Koeman has insisted the final decision over a move for the Borussia Dortmund striker will be made by president Joan Laporta.
Barca are one of a number of elite teams to have been credited with an interest in the Norway international, who has scored 49 goals in 50 appearances for Dortmund in his 15 months at the club.
Talk of a possible switch to Camp Nou intensified on Thursday when Haaland s agent Mino Raiola and father Alf-Inge were pictured in Barcelona reportedly on their way to a meeting with Laporta.
The pair were later spotted in Madrid and reports from Spain suggest talks are planned with a number of English clubs next week for arguably the most in-demand player in world…
Harry Maguire feels he is under a lot more scrutiny with Manchester United than England, as the centre-back continues to impress at the World Cup.
The Red Devils skipper has been a standout performer for Gareth Southgate s side at Qatar 2022, starting all four of their games to date and helping them to three clean sheets.
It makes a marked contrast for the defender, who has struggled at club level over the past season-and-a-half, and has been deposed as a first-choice pick under new boss Erik ten Hag amid an injury layoff.
Maguire himself has few complaints, acknowledging United were well under-par last term, and said he feels he is under the microscope more at Old Trafford than with the Three Lions.
At Manchester United, I m under a lot more scrutiny, h…
Cristiano Ronaldo s dream homecoming to Manchester United has not gone quite to plan so far.
While Ronaldo has scored 14 goals in 22 games – double the amount of any other United player – his team have otherwise struggled this term.
And with United in a serious battle to qualify for next season s Champions League, an early parting of the ways could be on the cards.
TOP STORY – RONALDO S TOP-FOUR ULTIMATUM
Ronaldo s representatives have informed United that the superstar forward will leave if the club miss out on a top-four finish in the Premier League, according to The Sun.
The Portugal international, who penned a two-year contract in August with the option of a further year, is said to be concerned by the direction in which Unit…
Tottenham midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson hopes Gareth Bale stays at the club and attracts other big names to White Hart Lane.
Manchester United and Real Madrid are interested in the 24-year-old winger, but Tottenham insist the Wales star is not for sale.
Iceland international Sigurdsson, 23, believes Bale will stay at Tottenham and said keeping him would help manager Andre Villas-Boas bring in other good players.
He is important from that point of view. Good players want to play with other big players, Sigurdsson said.
It s a big club and hopefully he ll stay and we ll bring in a few other good players.
He s a great player and if he stays it will be fantastic. I m sure he will stay.
The players here talk about the season (2009/10) they got…
Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Liverpool are interested in signing Jacob Ramsey from Premier League rivals Aston Villa in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Spurs, Newcastle and Liverpool all admire Ramsey.
The Telegraph has added that Villa do not want to sell Ramsey, but they have PSR issues to handle and could have to cash in on him if they get a big offer. However, the transfer fee that the Villans could demand is too high for the likes of Spurs, Newcastle and Liverpool.
As for Ramsey, the 22-year-old Englishman does not want to leave Villa and is excited at the prospect of playing in the UEFA Champions League with the Villans next season. Unai Emery’s side ended the past season fourth in the Premier League table. The y…
Inter coach Roberto Mancini believes it will be difficult to sign Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure during the close-season transfer window.
Toure has one season remaining on his contract at City, who he joined during Mancini s tenure at the Etihad Stadium ahead of the 2010-11 campaign.
The Ivory Coast international scored winning goals in the FA Cup semi-final and final that season and went on to play a central role in City s Premier League title triumph under Mancini in 2011-12.
He has continued to be an influential figure under Mancini s successor Manuel Pellegrini but doubt began swirling over the 32-year-old s long-term future after City confirmed Pep Guardiola would replace the Chilean from next season.
Guardiola sold Toure to City when he was i…