Goals either side of half-time from Vincent Janssen and Georginio Wijnaldum ensured Austria rounded off their Euro 2016 preparations with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Netherlands on Saturday.
The boisterous home fans at Vienna s Ernst-Happel-Stadion did their best to rouse Austria by creating an atmosphere that belied the fact this was only a friendly, but the hosts defensive frailties let them down.
Marcel Koller s team looked dangerous going forward, but they lacked the ruthlessness of Netherlands whose performance made further mockery of their inexplicable failure to qualify for the European Championship.
AZ striker Janssen, the Eredivisie s top scorer in 2015-16, headed the visitors in front in the ninth minute after taking advantage of some lax marking from Sebastian Prodl an…

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has praised Nuri Sahin for taking a substantial pay cut to return to the club on loan.

The Turkey international left the Bundesliga giants in 2011 for Real Madrid but was unable to break into the first team and was loaned out to Liverpool last year.

Sahin also failed to find his feet at Anfield, and a move back to Signal Iduna Park was possible thanks to interest from all those involved.

I think we re all aware that the salary structure here is different from Real Madrid s, Zorc told the Bundesliga website.

However, Nuri accepted what we offered as for him it was all about wearing Borussia Dortmund s shirt again. There wouldn t have been a chance to sign him otherwise.

Zorc has refuted claims Do…

The extent of Filippo Carobbio s allegations against Juventus coach Antonio Conte has begun to circulate in the Italian media.

His deposition to investigators claims that the coach was aware of alleged match-fixing involving Siena s president Massimo Mezzaroma.

The midfielder was detained by police last December as part of the ongoing Scommessopoli investigations into the match-fixing of several Serie A and B matches in 2010-11.

He claimed in his testimony that Mezzaroma sent a messenger down to the locker room to ask the players about the possibility of losing so he could win money on a bet, something the coaching staff, then including Conte, were aware of.

Siena and Conte have moved to officially deny such allegations.

However, Carobbio s clai…

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire thinks their great belief and character will see them through Tuesday s decisive game with RB Leipzig and into the Champions League knockouts.

After losing 3-1 at home to Paris Saint-Germain on matchday five, United know a point in Germany will be enough to seal their place in the last 16, while they could still finish top of Group H if PSG do not beat Istanbul Basaksehir.

The Red Devils thrashed Leipzig 5-0 at Old Trafford but know they will face a stern test against Julian Nagelsmann s side, who drew 3-3 with European champions Bayern Munich last weekend.

United have been in exceptional form on their travels, winning a club-record eight in a row in the Premier League, including at West Ham on Saturday when they fought fro…

Pep Guardiola has vowed Manchester City s clash with Marseille will not be an opportunity for a breather ahead of the weekend s derby.

The City manager has made a point in recent weeks of stressing he will not rotate his squad, saying players will be picked on merit.

American goalkeeper Zack Steffen will make his Champions League debut against Marseille on Wednesday, an apparent indication the 25-year-old is pushing Ederson to start on a regular basis.

With the short trip to Manchester United ahead in the Premier League on Saturday, Guardiola wants his players drilled into a collective state of intense concentration.

I don t rotate the team, Guardiola said. I try to put the best players in the best condition for any game and decide the best for the tea…

Hulk is adamant that Brazil will not have revenge on their minds when they take on Mexico in the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday.

The World Cup hosts face Miguel Herrera s side in their second game of the tournament in Fortaleza.

Brazil were denied a first Olympic gold medal in 2012 as Mexico sprung a surprise, winning 2-1 in the final in London.

That loss was avenged somewhat at the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013 as Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 in the group stages of that competition.

This clash should have much more meaning, however, Hulk a goalscorer in the Olympic final but an injury doubt due to a thigh problem insists the loss at Wembley will not be on Brazil s mind.

In the Confederations Cup we tried to think only about winning the game and it will be the same …

Alexander Buttner has revealed he left Manchester United to have a better chance of silverware after agreeing a move to Dinamo Moscow.

The Russians confirmed the Dutch full-back had joined the club on on Monday, but details of the transfer and the player s contract have yet to be revealed.

The 25-year-old has already joined up with his new team-mates and will be present at Dinamo s training camp in Austria.

United will not compete in European football next season after finishing a lowly seventh in the Premier League last season.

And Buttner, who made only 28 appearances at United after joining from Vitesse in 2012, believes he has a better chance of success in the Russian capital.

I want to play in the Champions League and win trophies, Buttner …

Manchester City revealed on Sunday that Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan and his group will complete their takeover of the Premier League club on Tuesday.

City owner Thaksin Shinawatra agreed in principle to sell the club to Al Nahyan s Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) at the start of September and due diligence has been successfully completed.

City s prospective new owners quickly made their mark with a shock swoop for Brazil winger Robinho followed by reports of moves for the world s best players and they are now ready to officially move into Eastlands.

A statement on City s website confirmed that the handover of power will take place on Tuesday, with Khaldoon Al Mubarak becoming chairman.

Following the announcement on 1st September 2008, relating t…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was proud to become Serie A s oldest goalscorer, but it was little consolation after Milan were beaten 3-1 at Udinese.

Aged 41 years and 166 days, Ibrahimovic s penalty in first-half stoppage time at Stadio Friuli saw him overtake former Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta (41 years and 25 days – May 2007).

Ibrahimovic – who captained Milan – slammed his spot-kick down the middle of the goal after being fortunately allowed to retake it, having seen his initial effort saved by Marco Silvestri before the VAR ordered it to be taken again after Udinese s Beto had encroached.

That equalised Roberto Pereyra s ninth-minute strike, but Beto restored Udinese s lead just two minutes after Milan levelled, before Kingsley Ehizibue wrapped things up …

Vincent Kompany predicts Thursday s Premier League clash with Arsenal will be Manchester City s toughest of the season because they will be facing a wounded animal .

City defeated the Gunners with minimal fuss on Sunday to lift the EFL Cup, with Kompany, Sergio Aguero and David Silva getting the goals in a 3-0 win.

Arsenal came under heavy criticism for their performance, particularly from television pundits Thierry Henry and Gary Neville, the latter accusing them of giving up and being spineless .

The teams face each other again on Thursday, this time at Emirates Stadium in the Premier League, and Kompany says City need to be prepared for a real scrap if they want to go 16 points clear of second-placed Manchester United again.

My opinion is simple, Komp…