SPORTS

Bafana Bafana’s preparations for the upcoming 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Seychelles were rocked by two early withdraws on Tuesday. Coach Stuart Baxter had to call up Cape Town City defender Thamsanqa Mkhize and Orlando Pirates’ Thembinkosi Lorch to replace the injured duo of Thapelo Morena (Mamelodi Sundowns) and Vincent Pule (Orlando Pirates) who were released yesterday. ...

Real Madrid and Wales forward Gareth Bale and Manchester City’s Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne were among the first 10 nominees for the Ballon d’Or award announced on Monday. Bale, who scored two goals in Real’s triumph in the final of the Champions League against Liverpool, joins his club teammate Karim Benzema among the first wave of 30 nominees for ...

Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of Portugal’s next four internationals, the national coach Fernando Santos said on Thursday, days after rape allegations against the Juventus star resurfaced. Fernando Santos told a press conference that he and the President of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) Fernando Gomes talked to Ronaldo and “we agreed that the player was not available for ...

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has suffered a hamstring injury which Spanish media have reported could keep the Frenchman out of action for two weeks. “Following tests carried out today on our player Karim Benzema by the Real Madrid medical team, he has been diagnosed with an injury to his right hamstring,” the European champions said in a statement without ...

Champions Bidvest Wits will begin their Telkom Knockout title defence away to Free State Stars following a draw of the last 16 draw conducted in Johannesburg on Monday. Pitso Mosimane and Steve Komphela will renew their rivalry when Mamelodi Sundowns host Bloemfontein Celtic in another potential scintillating fixture. Cape Town City, who captured the season’s first piece of silverware, have ...

Alexandre Lacazette has spoken of his growing understanding with his “brother” Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after the forwards propelled Arsenal into the top four of the Premier League. The Gunners won 5-1 at Fulham on Sunday to record nine successive victories in all competitions, moving two points off the top of the Premier League table in the process. Lacazette and Aubameyang scored ...

Arsenal have signed a new kit deal with German sportswear firm Adidas starting in July, 2019, the Premier League club said on Monday.Adidas will take over from Puma, whose five-year contract with the north London club expires at the end of the season. British media reported the new deal is worth 300 million pounds ($391.7 million) over five years until ...

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho survived a wild weekend at Old Trafford to escape what he described as a “manhunt” after a terrible start to the season. But a thrilling comeback from 2-0 down to beat lowly Newcastle 3-2 could prove to be little more than a stay of execution for Mourinho, with a run of tougher fixtures looming. He ...

Rassie Erasmus should have ended his first southern hemisphere season in charge of the Springboks well satisfied with the progress made, but at the same time he should also be kicking himself. What Erasmus should be pleased about is the improvement in performance and all-round competitiveness that has been evidenced from the Boks under his watch. The progress made was ...

Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits shared the spoils as their Absa Premiership match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium finished 1-1 on Sunday. Wits started the better of the twos and nearly took the lead in the second minute when Terrence Dzvukamanja met a right-sided free-kick from Keegan Ritchie, but his ten-yard header rattled the woodwork. Next decent opening only came ...