Austin FC may have suffered a disappointing loss last time out, but Josh Wolff is aiming to bounce back against Los Angeles FC to give themselves a playoff chance.

The Black and Verde were beaten 2-1 by Toronto FC at the weekend after failing to find a late equaliser, condemning them to a second consecutive defeat.

Austin currently sit 11th in the Western Conference but are losing ground on the playoff spots as they are 10 points behind Houston Dynamo in seventh.

Wolff admitted that their task is now harder but is determined to make sure his team are still in the conversation come the end of the regular season.

I think there s a points total that we have in mind, Wolff said, but we need to work on things.

We re going to be able to get chances, b…

Young striker Jordan Ayew has been included in Ghana s 25-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

But there was no room for veteran goalkeeper Richard Kingson, who was dropped from coach Goran Stevanovic s squad for the tournament starting next month.

Ayew, the son of Ghana legend Abedi Pele, has been in good form for Ligue 1 side Marseille and will play alongside his brother Andre Ayew.

New Edubiase striker Emmanuel Baffour was one of three local players who made the cut after topping the goal scoring chart in the Ghana top flight this season. The other two from the Ghana Premier League are goalkeepers Daniel Adjei and Ernest Sowah.

Kingson represented Ghana at the 2010 Nations Cup and FIFA World Cup but has not played si…

Argentina defender Marcos Rojo wants to return to hometown team Estudiantes when his contract expires at Manchester United in 2019.

Rojo began his professional career with Estudiantes, having progressed through the La Plata club s youth ranks.

International colleague Sergio Aguero has regularly spoken of his desire to conclude his playing days with Independiente back in Argentina when he leaves Manchester City.

Rojo is far from such an established fixture at United, having shuffled between left-back and centre-half while suffering injury setbacks during his two seasons under Louis van Gaal, but outlined similar career plans in an interview with TyCSports.

I miss the club, my family and my friends, said Rojo, who has also represented Spartak Moscow and Sp…

Marc-Andre ter Stegen says he is committed to Barcelona for the long term, brushing off suggestions he could return to Germany in the near future.

The goalkeeper joined Barcelona from Borussia Monchengladbach in May 2014 and has since made 417 appearances for La Blaugrana in all competitions, keeping 175 clean sheets.

In his 10 years with the Catalan giants, he has won five LaLiga titles, five Copa del Reys, a Champions League and a Club World Cup, with his current contract set to run out in 2028.

He is now set to step up as Germany s number one following Manuel Neuer s international retirement, and when asked if he could also see himself filling the 38-year-old’s shoes at Bayern Munich, Ter Stegen claimed that was not on his mind.

Wow, I still have a …

Paul Pogba insisted France must deal with being labelled as favourites to win Euro 2020 after he led the way with a supreme performance against Germany.

Mats Hummels own goal gifted Euro 2016 runners-up France a 1-0 win over Germany in their opening Group F encounter in Munich on Tuesday, putting Les Bleus well on their way to progressing to the last 16.

France – who finished with just one attempt on target – had opportunities to add to their lead, with Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema having goals disallowed for offside, though Joachim Low s Germany ultimately failed to make their luck count as they lost their opening game of a European Championship for the first time.

The winner came in fortuitous circumstances, with Hummels turning in from Lucas Hernandez s…

Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has announced his retirement from football at the age of 40.

Iniesta, who also played for Japanese side Vissel Kobe, most recently played for UAE Pro League club Emirates and had the option to extend his contract until 2025, but has instead decided to hang up his boots.

The midfielder started his career at Barcelona, joining at the age of 12 before making his senior debut in 2002.

He went on to make 674 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions, the fourth-most in the history of the club, behind Lionel Messi (778), Xavi (767) and Sergio Busquets (722).

Please allow me to be a little emotional today a tearful Iniesta said at a press conference on Tuesday.

I never thought this day would come…

Jose Mourinho recited his famous if I speak one-liner following Fenerbahce s late exit from the Champions League to Lille on Tuesday.

Mourinho s side looked on course to take the tie to penalties after Bafode Diakite s late own-goal levelled the aggregate score in Istanbul.

But there was to be more drama as Jonathan David s long-range shot struck Jayden Oosterwolde s outstretched arm, with a penalty given after a VAR review.

David would step up to score from 12 yards in the 118th-minute, meaning the Turkish side will play in the Europa League next season as Mourinho faces a possible reunion with Manchester United or Tottenham.

Maç sonucu: Fenerbahce 1-1 LOSC Lille

— Fenerbahce SK (@Fenerbahce)

In his post-match assessment, Mourinh…

Raheem Sterling believes he has far more improvement in him under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City after signing a bumper new deal with the Premier League champions.

The England winger has reached terms running until the end of the 2022-23 campaign that could reportedly earn him as much as £300,000 per week.

Sterling joined City from Liverpool in 2015 and has proved himself an integral member of Guardiola s free-scoring side.

Season-on-season at the Etihad Stadium he has been involved in a greater number of goals and, with seven strikes and as many assists to his name this term, the 23-year-old feels the sky is the limit.

There s definitely a lot more to come, he told City TV. There s stuff that I m still working on. There s never a time when I think …

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d Or for 2016, the fourth time he has been named the world s best player.

The 31-year-old started the year with critics claiming he was past his best, but went on to win the Champions League with Real Madrid and Euro 2016 with Portugal.

The Club World Cup could still follow before the end of the calendar year.

Here, we look at the best numbers from Ronaldo s year, with the help of Opta data:
 

51 – Ronaldo has scored 51 times for club and country in 2016 from a total of 55 appearances.

38 – Of those 51 goals, 38 were scored from 42 matches at club level – 31 in LaLiga and seven in the Champions League.

13 – He netted 13 times in as many games for Portugal in 2016 – his best goalscoring year…

Robin van Persie scored a brace in Manchester United s 4-0 in at Wigan

The Premier League games on New Year’s Day produced a host of goals as usual.

Manchester United remained seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table, after winning 4-0 at Wigan. Javier Hernandez fired the visitors in front in the 35th minute from inside the penalty box, after Ali Al Habsi had saved Patrice Evra’s low effort.

United doubled their lead in the 43rd minute, Robin Van Persie turning Ivan Ramis before curling the ball into the top corner.

Javier Hernandez scored his brace in the 63rd minute, pouncing on a Robin Van Persie free-kick to fire home inside the penalty area.

Van Persie made it four in the 88th minute, when he was left completely unmarked…