Cameroon´s Meyong to Braga

Top flight Portuguese outfit Sporting Braga on Thursday said they had signed Cameroon international striker Albert Meyong Ze from Spain s Levante on a two-year contract.

Meyong has signed a contract to the end of the 2009/2010 season, Braga announced on their website.

Meyong, 27, caused a stir last season in playing in Portugal for Belenenses after already playing for both Levante and Albacete in Spain whereas FIFA regulations stipulated that a player may only appear for two clubs in a single season, even if he may be on the books of three.

Belenenses lost six points as a result after Portugal s Naval lodged a complaint.

Japan v South Korea: Halilhodzic calls for ´pride´

Vahid Halilhodzic has demanded a reaction from Japan against South Korea, having seen his side succumb to an opening-day defeat in the East Asian Cup.

Halilhodzic watched his domestic-based team throw away a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 against North Korea on Sunday as Japan s lack of star quality was exposed by a tidy, well-drilled outfit in Wuhan.

With the competition falling outside the official FIFA calendar, Europe-based talent such as Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda and Shinji Okazaki are all absent from the competition.

While Yuki Muto took advantage of his opportunity to register the opener at the weekend, following a goalless draw against Singapore in World Cup qualification in June, Halilhodzic is facing his first real test as Japan boss.

The f…

Chambers out for up to nine months as Arsenal confirm ACL blow

Calum Chambers is facing six to nine months out after he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Arsenal have confirmed. 

Chambers, who spent last season on loan at Fulham, sustained the injury in the first half of Sunday s Premier League loss to Chelsea when he fell awkwardly.

The 24-year-old defender will miss the rest of the 2019-20 campaign after undergoing surgery in London on Thursday and is set for a long period of rehabilitation.

Everyone at the club will be supporting Calum to ensure he is back on the pitch as soon as possible,  a club statement read.

Chambers has made 14 appearances for Arsenal this season, helping to fill in for injured defenders including right-back Hector Bellerin.

Arsenal also confirmed Scotlan…

Premier League predictions – No change at the top or bottom?

Chelsea v Fulham

Six points behind the leaders and only four games left. It really is ‘last chance saloon’ for Chelsea as any dropped points will be the end of their title hopes. With a game against Barcelona to come in four days time, I wonder if Hiddink will accept that the Champions League is a far better bet than the Premier League?

Fulham continue to shock and amaze and they are in pole position to pick up the last Europa League qualifying place. They are tough to beat but they have only won two away from home all season.

SoccerNews prediction: 2-0

Manchester City v Blackburn

City have a chance of qualifying for Europe which didn’t really seem likely a few weeks ago. Eleven wins at home have been the main rea…

Eredivisie Wrap: Twente, Utrecht advance

Edson Braafheid scored at both ends as Twente came from behind to beat Groningen 4-2 in the Eredivsie Europa League play-off semi-final.

Twente came into the second leg with a 1-0 aggregate lead, and their European bid looked all the more likely when Braafheid gave them a 12th-minute lead.

Braafheid was on the scoresheet again just ten minutes, only this time putting the ball past his own keeper and handing the visitors a way back in the tie.

And it soon got worse for Twente when Slovenian winger Andraz Kirm popped up to give Groningen the lead.

The game remained level as the closing stages approached but Felipe Gutierrez, who scored the only goal of the first leg, struck again late on to give the hosts an aggregate lead with just seven minutes to go.

Sporting set to fight to keep Dost

According to A Bola, Portuguese side Sporting CP are willing to do whatever it takes in order to keep hold of Bas Dost. The 29-year-old, who was assaulted by ultras not too long ago, hasn t ruled out continuing on with Sporting despite the fact that Sevilla are said to be very interested in acquiring his services. Dost has a phenomenal record in Portugal with 70 goals in 90 appearances since moving there in 2016, which tends to be the general theme that he follows wherever he goes in his career.

Since his early twenties Dost has been rising up through the ranks of European football courtesy of his consistency in front of goal, and it ll be interesting to see whether or not he lands a big move prior to his career coming to an end. Dost recently retired from international footbal…

Pompey continue talks with taxman

Cash-strapped Portsmouth continued to hold talks with British tax authorities on Tuesday in a bid to avoid becoming the first English Premier League club to be wound up.

Her Majesty s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are set to take Portsmouth to London s High Court on Wednesday in order to have the club, bottom of the Premier League, wound up because of a multi-million pounds unpaid tax bill.

But if Pompey can come to an arrangement with HMRC they will avoid going into administration and so evade the risk of a points deduction which would all but condemn them to relegation and life in the second division Championship next season.

Portsmouth are looking for new investors after Hong Kong businessman Balram Chainrai effectively became the club s fourth owner in a matter…

South Africa suspend head coach Mashaba

South Africa head coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba has been suspended from his position with immediate effect and will not be involved in the country s friendly away to Mozambique on Tuesday.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) confirmed the decision in an announcement on Sunday.

In what the association called a regrettable incident , Mashaba publicly criticised SAFA president Danny Jordaan for allegedly not supporting him in his media conference following Saturday s 2-1 win over Senegal in World Cup qualifying.

With Mashaba exiled, assistant boss Owen da Gama will be in charge of the Mozambique match.

SAFA s statement read: Bafana Bafana Head Coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba will not join the team on their trip to Mozambique as the Association has deem…

Netherlands without De Jong, Depay and Koopmeiners for Belgium showdown

The Netherlands will be without Frenkie de Jong, Memphis Depay and Teun Koopmeiners for their decisive Nations League showdown with Belgium on Sunday.

De Jong and Depay have been ruled out due to thigh and leg injuries respectively.

The Barcelona duo did the damage during a 2-0 away victory over Poland on Thursday and will play no part in the final Group A4 game versus the Red Devils at Johan Cruijff Arena

Atalanta midfielder Koopmeiners also misses out in Amsterdam after suffering a concussion.

Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal has called up Ajax s Brian Brobbey and Ryan Gravenberch of Bayern Munich in the absence of the trio.

The Dutch will qualify for the Nations League Finals if they avoid defeat by three goals or more.

Get well s…

Wolves reject Celtic bid for Griffiths

Celtic have seen an initial bid for Wolves striker Leigh Griffiths rejected by the League One club.

Scotland international Griffiths has scored 13 goals in all competitions for Wolves this season, helping them to third in the table and keeping hopes of a return to the Championship alive.

And Wolves manager Kenny Jackett has revealed that Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are interested in signing the forward, although he is keen to keep hold of the 23-year-old.

We ve had a bid from Celtic which has been formalised but the club have turned it down, Jackett said on Monday. We do understand every player has their price but we are not desperate to sell players here.

I don t how things develop but a bid has been made and I m sure there will be further dialogue th…