La Liga Roundup, Feb. 18
February 18, 2006La Liga Wrap: Ronaldinho celebrated his return from suspension with a goal and led FC Barcelona's 5-1 win over Real Betis on Saturday, extending the club's lead to seven points atop the Spanish league. Henrik Larsson and substitute Lionel Messi also scored at Camp Nou stadium.
FA Cup Roundup, Feb. 18
February 18, 2006FA Cup Wrap: Peter Crouch scored Saturday to give Liverpool a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup, the club's first over United in the competition since 1921.
Bundesliga Roundup, Feb. 18
February 18, 2006Bundesliga Wrap: Michael Ballack scored in the 89th minute for Bayern Munich to draw 1-1 with Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Fifth-place Hannover, unbeaten in 11 matches, took a 1-0 lead on Thomas Brdaric's 56th-minute goal in front of 49,500 spectators.
Ligue One Roundup, Feb. 18
February 18, 2006David Bellion and Bakary Kone scored in each half, and Nice beat Monaco 2-0 in the French first division on Saturday. Bellion converted a penalty kick in the 8th minute after Monaco goalkeeper Guillaume Warmuz tripped Kone in the area. Kone added a second goal in the 77th on a counterattack. The Ivory Coast forward outpaced France international Sebastien Squillaci and shot past Warmuz with a powerful strike.
Romario moves closer to goal No. 1,000
February 18, 2006Romario is getting all the help he can to reach his 1,000th career goal. The veteran striker had five goals added to his list on Friday after a re-count made by Vasco's club officials. He now has a total of 960 goals. Vasco said it researched Romario's career and discovered that five goals were not being counted. The club also said Romario lost a goal, which had been erroneously given to him.
McLeish hails vital victory
February 18, 2006Rangers manager Alex McLeish admits the win over Hibernian was crucial ahead of next week's Champions League clash with Villarreal.
Scottish Premier League Roundup, Feb. 18
February 18, 2006Rangers beat Hibernian 2-0 on Saturday to move to third in the Scottish Premier League. Goals by Kris Boyd and Barry Ferguson ended Rangers' three-match losing streak, but it is still eight points behind second-place Hearts, which beat Motherwell 3-0. Celtic has 64 points, followed by Hearts with 54. Rangers has 46, one more than Hibernian. Kilmarnock's 3-1 win over Livingston gave it 44 points for fifth place. Rangers lost to Hibernian in the Scottish Cup on Feb.
Serie A Roundup, Feb. 18
February 18, 2006Ten-man Juventus drew 2-2 with lowly Messina on Saturday. However, the defending champion stayed 12 points atop the Serie A with Inter Milan drawing 0-0 at Livorno. AC Milan could take undisputed second place and move within 10 points of Juventus by beating Cagliari in a late match at San Siro. Juventus was one goal down after only three minutes when newly signed Sergio Floccari beat two defenders on a quick counterattack and scored with a diagonal shot past goalkeeper GianLuigi Buffon.
Japan defeats Finland 2-0 in Kirin Cup
February 18, 2006Mitsuo Ogasawara set the stage for Tatsuhiko Kubo to score Japan's first goal and then sealed the game in the second half Saturday as Japan defeated Finland 2-0 in the Kirin Cup soccer friendly.
Smith injury 'one of the worst' Ferguson has seen
February 18, 2006World Cup hopes look to be over
by England
Newcastle 1-0 Southampton: Dyer's dreamland
February 18, 2006Newcastle 1-0 Southampton: Dyer's dreamland
by England
Mourinho grudgingly plays by the rules
February 18, 2006Mourinho grudgingly plays by the rules
by England
Bundesliga: Distracted Bayern snatch draw
February 18, 2006Distracted Bayern snatch draw
by Europe
Serie A: Juve, Inter both held to maintain parity
February 18, 2006Juve, Inter held to maintain 12-point gap
by Europe
Bayern's Kahn doubtful for Champions League clash
February 18, 2006Kahn doubtful for Champions League clash
by UEFA Champions League
Liverpool beats United in FA Cup for first time in 85 years
February 18, 2006FA Cup Wrap: Peter Crouch scored Saturday to give Liverpool a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup, the club's first over United in the competition since 1921. Crouch's 19th-minute goal was his first in eight matches and made him the first Liverpool striker to score this year.
Hasselbaink has a score to settle
February 18, 2006Hasselbaink has a score to settle
by England
Riera committed to City cause
February 18, 2006Riera committed to City cause
by England
Tough times for Bruce
February 18, 2006Tough times for under pressure Bruce
by England
McLeish doesn't view summer as end of the affair
February 18, 2006'We're all pals at the end of the day'
by Europe
Spurs ready to splash Champions League cash
February 18, 2006Jol poised to break the bank
by England
Cup final places still there to play for at Wigan
February 18, 2006Cup final places up for grabs
by England
SPL: Rangers snap four-game winless streak
February 18, 2006Rangers snap four-game winless streak
by Europe
Bayern keeper Kahn in doubt for Milan game (Reuters)
February 18, 2006Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn is doubtful for Tuesday's Champions League clash with AC Milan after suffering a badly bruised thigh on Saturday.
Crouch ends Liverpool's 85-year Cup wait against United (AFP)
February 18, 2006Peter Crouch ended Liverpool's 85-year wait for an FA Cup triumph over bitter rivals Manchester United with the first-half header that ensured a 1-0 win at Anfield.
Ashton lets Bolton off the hook in Cup statlemate (AFP)
February 18, 2006Dean Ashton spurned the chance to send West Ham into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a glaring second-half miss as the London club fought out a miserable 0-0 draw against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.
Mauritania withdraw clubs from African competition (Reuters)
February 18, 2006Mauritania withdrew their two clubs from African club competition on the eve of the weekend's first round, first leg matches, the Confederation of African Football said on Saturday.
Diego Simeone factbox (Reuters)
February 18, 2006Factbox on former Argentina captain Diego Simeone, who has played his last match for Racing Club and will take charge as the team's coach next week:
Liverpool 1-0 Man Utd: Crouch walks tall
February 18, 2006Liverpool 1-0 Man Utd: Crouch walks tall
by England
Charlton 3-1 Brentford: Addicks ease through
February 18, 2006Charlton 3-1 Brentford: Addicks ease through
by England
Bolton 0-0 West Ham: Nothing ventured nothing gained
February 18, 2006Bolton 0-0 West Ham: Nothing ventured nothing gained
by England
FA Cup: Charlton through, Premiership duo to replay
February 18, 2006Charlton ease past League One Brentford
by England
Smith injury 'one of the worst' Ferguson has seen
February 18, 2006World Cup hopes look to be over
by England
Championship: Blades steal points in Sheffield derby
February 18, 2006Blades steal points in Sheffield derby
by England
Midfielder Nikolov joins Bulgaria's Botev Plovdiv on loan (Reuters)
February 18, 2006Struggling Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv have signed midfielder Asen Nikolov on loan until the end of the season from Azerbaijan's Turan, club director Kostadin Kostadinov said on Saturday.
Woodgate pays no heed to talk of Arsenal crisis (Reuters)
February 18, 2006By Simon Baskett
Mourinho grudgingly plays by the rules
February 18, 2006Mourinho grudgingly plays by the rules
by England
Sven not in search of a companion for a change
February 18, 2006Sven - I want to be alone
by England
Capello offered England job, according to reports
February 18, 2006Capello offered England job, according to reports
by England
Brazil World Cup star dead at 51
February 18, 2006Jorge Mendonca, who starred for Brazil in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, died of a heart attack on Friday, Brazilian media reported. He was 51. Mendonca died at the Mario Gatti hospital in Campinas, where he featured for years with Guarani and Ponte Preta, Pele's Web site said.