(GSM) For the first time since a historical upset in 1950, England and the United States will square off in the World Cup as both were paired together in Group C along with Algeria and Slovenia.

The USA, which declared independence from the British crown in 1776, knocked off England 1-0 in Belo Horizonte in group play, but England have won eight of the 10 all-time meetings between the two sides. The most recent meeting was a 2-0 English victory at Wembley Stadium in May 2008.

While many will fancy England s chances in their opening game against the Americans, former England manager Terry Venables said on British television, It s a tough game because they could out-sprint us. It could be a difficult game for us.

USA manager Bob Bradley said, It just creates a hu…

Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos has not given up hope of returning from injury before the end of this season.

The Germany international has been sidelined since early April after picking up a hip injury against Juventus but still hopes to pull on a Bayern shirt this season.

The 23-year-old has made 33 appearances for the club this season, scoring nine goals, but when he picked up the injury in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg it was feared his season had been ended.

However, his recuperation has gone well and he has pinpointed the DFB Pokal final against Stuttgart in early June as his return date.

I want to be back as soon as possible, he said. The healing process is going
well. We re making progress step-by-step.

I m dream…

Former Lyon and Corinthians striker Nilmar Honorato da Silva is close to a Villarreal switch from Brazil s Internacional on a five year contract, the La Liga club confirmed on Saturday.

The Brazil international who was part of the 2009 Confederations Cup winning squad, will cost the Yellow Submarine a club record fee, as coach Ernesto Valverde looks to bolster his attacking options following the departures of Nihat Kahveci and Guille Franco this summer.

The Primera Division club announced on their website that aside from a few loose ends they have reached an agreement with Internacional for the 25-year-old hitman, who is set to be presented next week.

Nilmar started his career with Brazil s Internacional in 2002, before moving to French side Lyon in 2004.

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Boca Juniors midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur says it will be a dream to join Juventus when his proposed transfer goes through at the end of the season.

Juventus brokered an agreement with Boca when Carlos Tevez returned to Argentina in July 2015, with the Serie A club receiving first option on youngsters Guido Vadala, Franco Cristaldo, Adrian Cubas and Bentancur.

Giuseppe Marotta, Juventus CEO, confirmed in September that the club will take up their option on 19-year-old Bentancur for next season  a deal which is reported to cost an initial €10million, potentially rising to €15m.

And the Uruguayan is certainly not apprehensive about making the move to Turin.

It s very important that they ve taken an interest in me, he told Ole. 

I always see…

Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick to take his goal tally to five in two games as he fired Bayern Munich to their first Bundesliga victory of the season in a 3-0 defeat of Schalke.

After finishing with his lowest goal return for four years in 2018-19, plundering 22 league goals, the Poland international has started the new campaign in electric form and Schalke failed to contain him.

Any hopes Schalke boss David Wagner had of taking points from his first home game in charge were cast into doubt when Lewandowski converted a first-half penalty.

The 31-year-old saved his best for the second half, when he curled a spectacular free-kick into the top corner and then added a third to wrap up a comfortable victory.

Bayern coach Niko Kovac took the opportuni…

(GSM) Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc has dismissed reports that he has agreed to take over as France coach.

Speculation has been rife concerning secret meetings between Blanc and the France Football Federation (FFF), with Blanc having agreed to succeed Raymond Domenech after the World Cup.

While the Bordeaux boss announced at the beginning of the month that he would remain tight-lipped on the matter for the rest of the campaign, he has now broken his silence to dismiss the reports.

Blanc said: What do you want me to tell you? I said that I wouldn t speak about it anymore, but I ll do so anyway out of politeness. I ll be very brief and very polite because that s what s needed: I deny everything that has been said. Full stop.

Federation chief Jean-Pierre Es…

Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia take on Pohang Steelers of South Korea in the AFC Champions League final this weekend with both sides aiming for a record third continental championship.

In Saturday s match, the Saudi giants, who defeated Japan s Nagoya Grampus 8-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals, will have a chance to regain the AFC Champions League title they won in 2004 and 2005.

The Korean powerhouses, who beat Umm-Salal of Qatar 4-1 on aggregate in their semi-final clash, won the former Asian Club Championship in 1997 and 1998.

Before every match, the chance to win is 50-50 for each team, so I can t say who will win, said Al Ittihad coach Gabriel Calderon, a former Argentine international.

But we always play for a win and we will do so again in the fina…

Nacho Monreal has revealed he is in talks with Arsenal over signing a new contract to stay at the club.

The Spain left-back s deal is due to run out at the end of the season, but Arsenal have the option to extend it by a further year.

Monreal, who joined the club from Malaga in January 2013, appears to have won the battle with Kieran Gibbs for a regular place in the side and now appears likely to be rewarded with a new contract.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Monreal said: I have always said that my idea is to stay here.

We are talking [with the club], we need to talk and reach an agreement. I wish that to happen. Of course I d like to stay here.

Monreal, who has made 12 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners this season, feels he has Arsene We…

Uli Hoeness insists he could not imagine walking away from Bayern Munich as he prepares to return as president of the Bundesliga champions.

Hoeness was forced to step down from the role in 2014 when he served jail time for tax evasion but he remains a popular figure at the club and is set to be re-elected at Bayern s AGM on Friday.

The former Germany international forward told Kicker he enjoys the support of Bayern staff and his wife for taking on the top job once more.

I asked my family for understanding that I would like to become president again, he said.

My wife, Susi, noticed that I won t be happy with full retirement at 64. I won t execute the office 24/7 but will be well-organised.

After the upcoming period of office I will be 67 and the…

Javier Hernandez netted a double to silence the San Jose Earthquakes crowd as LA Galaxy triumphed 3-2 to boost their playoffs aspirations on Saturday.

The former Mexico international took his season tally to 17 goals, mimicking a clown when celebrating both his goals in retaliation to a pre-game San Jose tifo that read: The LA circus – same clowns, different costumes .

The result moves Galaxy up two places into fifth in the Western Conference on 46 points from 32 games, having secured back-to-back wins for the first time in MLS since April.

Julian Araujo s right-side ball for Hernandez led to the opener in the 12th minute, with the ex-Manchester United forward poking home.

Gaston Brugman doubled Galaxy s lead in the 42nd minute, capitalizing on a sloppy…