Soccer News Headlines

By By, Andrew and Downie RECIFE, Brazil June 19 (Reuters) - Italy coach Cesare Prandelli lamented the physical toll the Confederations Cup schedule and hot Brazilian climate were taking on his players on Wednesday. Prandelli watched his side overcome Japan 4-3 in the best game of the competition so far but complained that …

(Adds quotes) By Andrew Downie RECIFE, Brazil, June 20 (Reuters) - Substitute Sebastian Giovinco tapped in a late goal to secure Italy a thrilling 4-3 win over Japan on Wednesday and a semi-final berth in the Confederations Cup. Giovinco slotted home the winner in the 86th minute after latching onto a cross in the area, …

FORTALEZA, Brazil, June 20 (Reuters) - Brazil forward Neymar has voiced his support for the protesters who have taken to the streets of Brazil in the last few days to demand less corruption and more spending on health, safety and transport. "I'm Brazilian and I love my country. I have a family and friends who live in Brazil. …

RECIFE, Brazil, June 19 (Reuters) - Italy 4 Japan 3 - Confederations Cup result Scorers: Italy - De Rossi 41, Uchida 50 (og), Balotelli 52pen, Giovinco 86 Japan - Honda 21pen, Kagawa 33, Okazaki 69 Halftime: 1-2 Referee: Diego Abal (Argentina) At Arena Pernambuco, Recife (Compiled by Andrew Downie; Editing by Ian Ranso …

By Mike Collett RIO DE JANEIRO, June 20 (Reuters) - Tahiti coach Eddy Etaeta said it would be "quite impossible" for his team to beat world champions Spain on Thursday but even if Spain scored 20 goals, he would be happy if Tahiti grabbed one. "We must be highly realistic and it is impossible for us to beat Spain, quite …

* Move comes as dozens of new protests planned * Other fare reductions have failed to stop protests * Protests surround Confederations Cup game (Recasts with fare hike reversal, adds quotes, background) By Asher Levine and Tatiana Ramil SAO PAULO/FORTALEZA, Brazil June 19 (Reuters) - Brazil's two biggest cities agreed on …

* Neymar scores after nine minutes * Sets up substitute Jo for the second goal * Match played against backdrop of protests in Brazil * Neymar speaks up in favour of the protestors (Adds quotes) By Tatiana Ramil FORTALEZA, Brazil, June 19 (Reuters) - Neymar, inspired by the protest movement which has swept Brazil in the …

FORTALEZA, Brazil, June 19 (Reuters) - Brazil 2 Mexico 0 - Confederations Cup Group A result, at the Castelao stadium: Scorers: Neymar 9, Jo 90+3 Halftime: 1-0 Mexico: 12-Jose Jesus Corona; 22-Gerardo Flores (16-Hector Herrera 58), 2-Francisco Rodriguez, 15-Hector Moreno, 3-Carlos Salcido; 6-Gerardo Torrado (Raul Jimenez, …

STOCKHOLM, June 19 (Reuters) - The name "Larsson" was once again on a scoresheet in a Swedish soccer match as former international striker Henrik Larsson made a comeback but this time it was his 15-year-old son Jordan who netted the goal. "We didn't combine a whole lot but obviously I'm proud," Henrik Larsson told newspaper …

FORTALEZA, Brazil (AP) — The historic wave of protests that has swept across Brazil in recent days has gained some important allies — the players of the Brazilian national football team.

June 19 (Reuters) - Scottish Premier League outfit Hearts have appointed BDO as administrators, the accountancy firm said on Wednesday, and the club will start next season with a 15-point penalty. Edinburgh-based Hearts, who said on Monday they intended to appoint administrators but who have yet to confirm they have, have …

By Mike Collett RIO DE JANEIRO, June 19 (Reuters) - World champions Spain will field a second-string side against Oceania champions Tahiti in the Confederations Cup on Thursday but are unlikely to show any mercy in what is expected to be a one-sided carnival of soccer at the Maracana stadium. One of the more unlikely competitive …

June 19 (Infostrada Sports) - Results and standings from the Swedish championship matches on Wednesday Wednesday, June 19Haecken 0 Atvidabergs FF 2 Brommapojkarna 1 Halmstad 1 Elfsborg Boras 0 Gefle 0 Standings P W D L F A Pts 1 Helsingborg 11 8 2 1 28 7 26 -------------------------2 Elfsborg Boras 12 6 5 1 21 9 23 3 IFK …

June 19 (Reuters) - Argentine champions since June 1991 when the season was aligned with Europe and two tournaments per year were introduced. ...

BUENOS AIRES, June 19 (Reuters) - Newell's Old Boys won Argentina's "Final" championship without kicking a ball and with a match to spare in a bizarre denouement to the championship on Wednesday. Lanus, Newell's only challengers, had 45 minutes in which to overturn a two-goal deficit against Estudiantes in the remaining …

ISTANBUL (AP) — The U.S. team will face Spain in the Under-20 World Cup on Friday, with FIFA promising increased security following anti-government protests in Istanbul and other Turkish cities in recent weeks.

June 19 (Infostrada Sports) - Results and standings from the Argentine championship match on Wednesday Wednesday, June 19Estudiantes 2 Lanus 0 Standings P W D L F A Pts 1 Newell's Old Boys 18 12 2 4 40 20 38 2 Lanus 18 8 8 2 24 12 32 3 River Plate 18 9 5 4 25 21 32 4 San Lorenzo 18 8 7 3 24 14 31 5 Godoy Cruz 18 7 7 4 22 …

BERNE, June 19 (Reuters) - Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala will again have to stage their home matches in Europe away from their own stadium next season because of security concerns, soccer's governing body UEFA said on Wednesday. "The UEFA emergency panel and decided that due to the security situation in Dagestan and the …

By Mike Collett RIO DE JANEIRO, June 19 (Reuters) - The Brazilian government has not lost control of the streets, the deputy minister of communications said on Wednesday as unrest in the country continued to overshadow the Confederations Cup. Thousands of protestors are expected to march the three kilometres from Rio's …

June 19 (Infostrada Sports) - Results and standings from the Finnish championship matches on Wednesday Wednesday, June 19Lahti 2 JJK 1 Jaro Pietarsaari 0 Inter Turku 0 IFK Mariehamn 4 KuPS 2 MyPa Myllykoski 2 HJK Helsinki 4 TPS Turku 2 RoPS Rovaniemi 1 VPS 1 FC Honka 1 Standings P W D L F A Pts 1 HJK Helsinki 14 8 2 4 27 …

SALVADOR, Brazil, June 19 (Reuters) - Diego Forlan is poised to win his 100th cap as Uruguay, with their backs to the wall after losing their Confederations Cup opener to Spain, face Nigeria on Thursday. "We absolutely must win to have the chance of going further in the Cup," Forlan told reporters before the match against …

BELGRADE, June 19 (Reuters) - Ricardo Sa Pinto stepped down as Red Star Belgrade coach on Wednesday after just three months in charge as the debt-ridden 1991 European Cup winners failed to make any signings. "This is a sad day for me because I have decided to leave the club and this not what I wanted when I took over at …

BARCELONA, June 19 (Reuters) - Brazil forward Neymar is on the light side and might need to bulk up a bit for Spanish soccer, his new club Barcelona said on Wednesday. The gazelle-like 21-year-old, who is 1.74 metres tall and weighs 64.5 kilograms, has signed a five-year contract with the Spanish champions, who paid 57 …