World Soccer News

Benfica and Valencia secured convincing away wins to take a giant step toward the Europa League quarterfinals on Thursday while Real Betis surprisingly beat Sevilla 2-0 in a fierce Spanish derby played for the first time on the European stage.

Alessandro Del Piero 's time in the A-League will soon be over, with media reports late Friday suggesting he will not be offered a new contract for next season by Sydney FC .

Maiden strike: Brentford's James Tarkowski gets up to head home his first goal for the club on Tuesday against Tranmere Rovers Brentford defender James Tarkowski scored his first goal for the club on Tuesday and declared fighting for promotion beats a relegation scrap any day of the week.

Manager Mark Bower is quite happy for Guiseley to remain out of the promotion spotlight as they mount their late bid for a play-off place.

Kevin Ellis scored the lone goal as Sporting Kansas City beat Mexico's Cruz Azul 1-0 on Wednesday in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.

GEORGE Kamurasi's goalkeeping heroics and two super strikes from midfielders saw Grays Athletic triumph in a bizarre Thurrock derby.

PSG, which hosts fourth-place Saint-Etienne on Sunday, has an eight-point lead over Monaco, which travels to play Lyon on Sunday.

The Germany international - a A 42million buy from Real Madrid last summer - suffered the problem during Tuesday's 1-1 last-16 draw at Bayern Munich which saw Arsenal exit the Champions League.

If Crystal Palace cling on to their Premier League status it will likely be built on increasing defensive stability rather than cutting edge attacking play, says defender Damien Delaney.

West Brom captain Chris Brunt has been ruled out for five to six weeks due to a knee injury, the club have announced.

Lionel Messi and Dani Alves both scored again as Barcelona claimed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over Manchester City.

In this Nov. 19, 2013 file photo, U.S. national soccer team player Aron Johannsson moves the ball during a friendly soccer match against Austria in Vienna, Austria.

Liverpool will play Roma in a preseason exhibition game at Fenway Park on July 23, a rematch of their 2012 meeting at the Boston ballpark.

OXFORD United's winless run was extended to five games as Jamie Cureton struck six minutes from time to earn a draw for Cheltenham Town at the Kassam Stadium .

American midfielder Stuart Holden has undergone another operation to repair ligaments in his right knee and will be sidelined for six to nine months.

Stoke have lost an appeal against Jonathan Walters' red card in the 1-1 draw with Norwich on Saturday, the Football Association has announced.

Even though Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been hindered by a sore back and could do with a rest, coach Laurent Blanc will not sit him for the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.

Following a 2-0 win in London on Feb. 19, Bayern increased its lead in the home-and-home series when Schweinsteiger scored off Franck Ribery's cross.

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge's form this season leaves captain Steven Gerrard in no doubt he can be a star of this summer's World Cup.

Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul will be available for Sunday's north London derby against Arsenal after the Football Association confirmed his red card in last weekend's loss at Chelsea had been rescinded.