Canada 2-0 El Salvador
June 24 – Fresh from emerging from a Concacaf-imposed timeout, Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch returned to the technical area at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, knowing any more misbehaviour would send him back to the naughty room. He needn’t have worried as their opponents El Salvador simply imploded in a red mist.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 9 – Europe’s top leagues have stepped up their opposition to UEFA’s plans to revamp the Champions League by angrily accusing the governing body of giving in to the demands of the wealthiest and most successful clubs.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 9 – Authorities in Sierra Leone stand accused of harassment and intimidation after detaining Isha Johansen (pictured), one of the few women in the world to head a national football federation, for 24 hours and then releasing her on bail without charge.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 9 – Michel Platini has been invited to say farewell to colleagues at next week’s UEFA presidential election, potentially violating his four-year ban imposed by FIFA.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 9 – European powerhouses Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have lost their respective appeals against a transfer ban imposed by FIFA for breaching regulations on the acquisition of non-Spanish minors under the age of 18 and are taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
August 9 – Chinese money doesn’t always get what it wants. The sale of Premier League club Hull City by Assem Allam (pictured) and his son Ehab to a consortium lead by multi-millionaire siblings Dai Yongge and Dai Xiu Li looks to have collapsed after it appears members of the consortium failed to pass the Premier League Owners’ and Directors test.
September 9 – Educating the educators has become a key initiative of the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) drive to improve the levels of play across the region. This week the confederation hosted its third Coach Education Panel in Kuala Lumpur since its formation last year.
By Paul Nicholson
September 8 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has launched a new national team competition, the AFC Solidarity Cup, today in Kuala Lumpur. The first edition of the planned nine-team competition will be played this year in Malaysia, November 2-15.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 8 – In a move that could have wide-ranging repercussions and cause a potentially hugely damaging split, the umbrella organisation that represents the Continent’s top leagues has angrily rejected UEFA’s reforms of the Champions League and Europa League.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 8 – The deepening probe into Germany’s 2006 World Cup bid has taken yet another twist with the news that FIFA’s ethics watchdog is opening formal proceedings against former DFB secretary general Helmut Sandrock (pictured).
September 8 – Manchester United have upgraded regional partner Apollo Tyres into their ‘Global Tyre Partner’ in a new three-year deal.
September 8 – The English Football Association fears that Britain’s exit from the European Union may hinder efforts to stage major tournaments in future and wants to find out whether Brexit had damaged relations within FIFA and UEFA.
By Paul Nicholson
September 8 – The Washington Spirit took the unusual step of playing the US national anthem before the players had entered the playing arena last night at the National Women’s Soccer League play-off match against the Seattle Reign.
September 8 – Premier League Stoke City has signed sports digital agency Rippleffect to rework its digital platform including the club’s main website (stokecityfc.com) and online retail store (scfcdirect.com).
September 7 – Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz has become the highest scorer in World Cup qualifying history after bagging five goals in his final international appearance against St Vincent and the Grenadines.
September 8 – US women’s national team head coach Jill Ellis has spoken for the first time about the full reasons behind the decision to ban Hope Solo, the best-known goalkeeper in women’s football, for six months and terminate her contract.