Soccer News Headlines

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Hosts Britain were denied victory on their return to the Olympic Games after a 52-year absence when they were held to a 1-1 draw by debutants Senegal in their opening Group A match at Old Trafford on Thursday. Britain looked to be heading for a win after Welsh veteran Craig Bellamy, at 33 …

LONDON (Reuters) - Greece's world indoor high jump champion Dimitris Chondrokoukis withdrew from the London Olympics on Thursday after testing positive for the drug Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson used before the 1988 Seoul Games. Johnson was sent home in disgrace after metabolites of the anabolic steroid stanozolol were …

Senegal spoiled Great Britain's long-awaited return to Olympic football on Thursday, snatching a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw in a bruising encounter at Old Trafford.

Star-studded Brazil survived a second-half fightback by Egypt to win their men's Olympic football opener 3-2 in Cardiff on Thursday.

Thirteen clubs and 44 people including Juventus coach Antonio Conte and Italian international Leonardo Bonucci have been called to appear before a disciplinary commission of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on August 2 as part of an ongoing probe into a match-fixing scandal, the FIGC said on Thursday.

FIFA stepped up investigations into alleged bribery by Mohamed bin Hammam on Thursday by banning the former presidential candidate from soccer for 90 days.

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Japan produced the first upset of the Olympic Games when they beat potential gold medalists Spain 1-0 at Hampden Park, Glasgow on the opening day of the men's soccer competition on Thursday. Spain, bidding to add the Olympic title to their world and European crowns, finished with 10 men after …

FIFA announced on Thursday that the two newly established chambers on its ethics committee had provisionally banned Qatar's Mohamed Bin Hammam pending the outcome of a probe into Asian Football Confederation finances.

Japan scored a stunning upset of world champions Spain on Thursday in the Olympic football tournament as officials played down a flag blunder which prompted a protest from North Korea.

FIFA stepped up investigations into alleged bribery by Mohamed bin Hammam on Thursday by banning the former presidential candidate from football for 90 days.

Shanghai Shenhua fans boycotted a friendly against Manchester United to protest at the match being played in the middle of the Chinese league season, supporters of the club told AFP Thursday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Former England manager Fabio Capello vowed to turn Russia into one of the world's top teams after signing a two-year contract as national coach on Thursday. Italian Capello replaced Dutchman Dick Advocaat, whose tenure ended following Russia's disappointing Euro 2012 campaign, where they failed to advance …

France international footballers Samir Nasri, Yann Mvila, Hatem Ben Arfa and Jeremy Menez have been called to appear before a disciplinary commission of the French Football Federation (FFF) on Friday morning to answer for their behaviour during the Euro 2012 tournament.

Olympics organisers suffered another embarrassing nationality blunder on Thursday when Welsh international footballer Joe Allen was described as "English".

LONDON (Reuters) - North Korea's representative at the International Olympic Committee expressed anger and frustration on Thursday at a diplomatic blunder that marred the opening day of the women's Olympic football tournament. Hours after the tournament got the sporting action underway on Wednesday, the North Korean women's …

Ex-England boss Fabio Capello vowed Thursday to inject youth and vigour into Russia's laboured performances as he signed on to head the squad with a mission of making the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Greuther Fuerth, newly promoted to the Bundesliga, said Thursday they have signed Danish international striker Tobias Mikkelsen on a three-season deal plus a one-year further option.

LONDON (Reuters) - North Korea's Olympic representative Um Chang expressed outrage on Thursday at a diplomatic blunder which resulted in his country's women's soccer team leaving the field after the South Korea flag had been displayed by mistake. "Of course the people are angry," International Olympic Committee (IOC) member …

LONDON (Reuters) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter was wrong to suggest Gareth Bale could be banned for playing for his club Tottenham Hotspur after pulling out of the Olympics, British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan said. Welshman Bale withdrew from the Games with a back injury, but played in a friendly for his …

LONDON (Reuters) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter was wrong to suggest Gareth Bale could be banned for playing for his club Tottenham Hotspur after pulling out of the Olympics, British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan. Welshman Bale withdrew from the Games with a back injury, but played in a friendly for his club …

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Fabio Capello signed a contract with the Russian Football Union (RFU) to become Russia's new coach on Thursday. The 66-year-old Italian, who quit as England manager in February, replaces Dutchman Dick Advocaat, whose tenure ended with Russia's group-stage exit from Euro 2012. The contract's financial …

Gareth Bale's return from injury was welcomed by the head of the British Olympic Association as he rejected suggestions from FIFA chief Sepp Blatter the winger risked a ban by playing for Tottenham during London 2012.

LONDON (Reuters) - A diplomatic incident when the North Korea Olympic women's soccer team walked off the field after the South Korea flag had been displayed was a "simple human mistake", International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge said on Thursday. The match between North Korea and Colombia at Glasgow's …