Soccer

Rafael's exquisite strike helped Manchester United stay on course for the Premier League title Saturday with a 2-0 win as embattled QPR's survival hopes took another blow. The Brazilian right back's first-half effort set Sir Alex Ferguson's side on course for a victory, which was wrapped up 10 minutes from...

Lionel Messi started the comeback with two first-half goals, and Barcelona overwhelmed AC Milan 4-0 Tuesday night to reach its sixth straight Champions League quarterfinal and become the first team ever to advance after losing the first leg 2-0 on the road. Messi scored in the fifth and 40th...

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has left out Fernando Torres from his squad for two World Cup qualifiers, including the critical match against France. Del Bosque says "Torres had been a regular until recently, his inconsistency worries us." Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea takes the place of injured captain Iker...

Marseille midfielder Joey Barton took a gentle swipe at David Beckham on Tuesday, saying that Paris Saint-Germain's new star signing was no longer a feared opponent and would not be a major threat when the two French title rivals meet on Sunday. The former England captain is set to make...

Toni Kroos and Thomas Mueller scored early in the first half, leading Bayern Munich over the Gunners 3-1 Tuesday night in the first leg of their Champions League second-round matchup. Goals by Kroos in the seventh minute and Mueller in the 21st built a 2-0 lead. After Lukas Podolski scored...

Germany is without Borussia Dortmund trio Marcel Schmelzer, Marco Reus and Mario Goetze for its visit to France in a Paris friendly set for Wednesday. Defender Schmelzer misses out with an ankle problem, midfielder Goetze has a flu virus and Reus picked up an adductor muscle injury in Sunday's 3-2...

The Premier League's struggling teams were scrambling around on the final day of the January transfer window for players to help save them from relegation. Last-place Queens Park Rangers was the most active, signing defender Christopher Samba from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala for a reported club-record fee of 12 million...

Former MLS and U.S. national team midfielder Robbie Rogers announced Friday own his blog that he is retiring from the sport and that he is gay. The 25-year-old former Leeds midfielder, who left the League One side Stevenage last month, wrote on his blog that he had been afraid...

Omar Gonzalez replaced captain Carlos Bocanegra in central defense for the United States' World Cup qualifier at Honduras on Wednesday, and Timmy Chandler was in the starting lineup to play right back in his competitive debut for the Americans. Goalkeeper Tim Howard was the captain for the match in San...

Joao Moutinho's second-half goal earned Porto a 1-0 lead to take to Spain for the second leg of its Champions League last-16 clash with Malaga. The Portugal international slotted home Alex Sandro's pinpoint pass 11 minutes into the second half to earn Porto victory in a match of few clearcut...

Malaga coach manager Manuel Pellegrini believes the Champions League quarter-final against Dortmund is “absolutely open” after the two sides played out a 0-0 in the first-leg in Spain. Both teams failed to trouble the score-sheet and the tie now heads to Dortmund with everything to play for. But despite failing to...

Frank Lampard scored his 198th Chelsea goal to seal a 4-1 victory over Wigan, end a four-match winless run and ease the pressure on interim boss Rafael Benitez. When Eden Hazard scored after 56 minutes, doubling the advantage provided by Ramires' 23rd-minute opener, Chelsea appeared to be cruising toward three...