Chelsea Beat Everton to Keep Alive Faint WSL Title Hopes

Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Chelsea - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - March 21, 2026 Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, Marc Cucurella and Jorrel Hato look dejected as they applaud fans after the match REUTERS
Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Chelsea - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - March 21, 2026 Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, Marc Cucurella and Jorrel Hato look dejected as they applaud fans after the match REUTERS
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Chelsea Beat Everton to Keep Alive Faint WSL Title Hopes

Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Chelsea - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - March 21, 2026 Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, Marc Cucurella and Jorrel Hato look dejected as they applaud fans after the match REUTERS
Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Chelsea - Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Britain - March 21, 2026 Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, Marc Cucurella and Jorrel Hato look dejected as they applaud fans after the match REUTERS

Striker Sam Kerr scored a brace for Chelsea as they beat Everton 4-1 to keep the pressure on Women's Super League leaders Manchester City, who slumped to a shock 3-2 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, as the season approaches its climax.

Still heavy favorites to win a first league title since 2016, City top the standings on 49 points, six ahead of Chelsea with two games left to play, but waiting in the long grass to punish any slip-ups are Arsenal, who are fourth on 38 points with three games in hand over the top two.

The Gunners did not take part in this weekend's league action as they were facing French side OL Lyonnes (formerly known as Olympique Lyonnais) in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final later on Sunday.

Linked with a move to North America in the summer, Chelsea's Kerr struck early in each half on Sunday as the reigning champions, who have won the last six league titles in a row, cantered to a 4-1 win over the Merseysiders.

Third-placed Manchester United's hopes of Champions League football next season suffered a blow when Tottenham Hotspur dominated them in North London, and they were lucky to escape with a scoreless draw that leaves them on 39 points with 20 of their 22 games played.

Spurs are fifth on 30 points, and Martin Ho's side will be left wondering how they failed to score on a day when they let half-a-dozen gilt-edged chances go begging.

With the league expanding to 14 teams next season, Leicester City still occupy bottom spot after a 5-1 thrashing by London City Lionesses, and they will likely face a playoff against the team that finishes third in the Women's Championship to see if they can retain their top-flight status.

Birmingham City and Charlton Athletic can both secure promotion to the top flight later on Sunday if they can avoid defeat against Ipswich and Southampton respectively.



Australia Reach World Cup Knockouts after Goalless Draw with Paraguay

Australia fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Paraguay and Australia at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, 25 June 2026. EPA/Jason Henry
Australia fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Paraguay and Australia at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, 25 June 2026. EPA/Jason Henry
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Australia Reach World Cup Knockouts after Goalless Draw with Paraguay

Australia fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Paraguay and Australia at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, 25 June 2026. EPA/Jason Henry
Australia fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Paraguay and Australia at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, 25 June 2026. EPA/Jason Henry

Australia booked their place in the World Cup's round of 32 on Thursday with a cagey 0-0 draw against Paraguay that left the South Americans facing a nervous wait to see if they will advance.

In a physical, scrappy contest at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Paraguay pushed late after being dominated early but it ended with the Socceroos making the tournament's knockout phase for a third time, four years after reaching the last 16 in Qatar.

Tony Popovic's team sealed second place in Group D behind co-hosts the United States and will meet the second-placed team in Group G, which remains wide open before Egypt face Iran and Belgium meet New ⁠Zealand on Friday.

Paraguay, ⁠on four points, may have done enough to advance as one of the eight best-finishing, third-placed sides but the 2010 quarter-finalists will need to wait for other results in the final group matches in the coming days.

Popovic made six changes to his starting 11 in a bold shake-up, bringing back livewire Nestory Irankunda and adding Cristian Volpato to his forward line ⁠in a signal of attacking intent.

With Jordan Bos switching from left back to right to cover for the injured Jacob Italiano, Australia made promising raids down the right but the finishing touch proved stubbornly elusive, Reuters reported.

Minutes after kickoff, Volpato set up Jackson Irvine on the right of the penalty area but he thumped an angled shot straight at Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

Bos and Volpato drew saves from Gill late in the half without genuinely testing the keeper.

With Paraguay restricted to one shot in the half, coach Gustavo Alfaro injected Mauricio at the break, and the Brazilian-born attacker shot fruitlessly ⁠from distance ⁠five minutes after the restart.

The Paraguayans grew into the contest with the help of the energetic Julio Enciso, who repeatedly sliced through Australia's defense.

He blew one of Paraguay's better chances with a low shot that flashed well wide of the left post eight minutes from time.

In an end-to-end finish, Bos briefly had Socceroos fans rising from their seats in the 89th minute as he split two defenders, charged into the box from the right and sent his shot fizzing by the far post.

Mauricio gave Beach a late test when he found a sliver of room on the edge of the area but his tepid, low shot was easily dealt with and Australia held on to advance with more substance than style.


Türkiye Beat Altered US Lineup with Last-minute Goal in Group Finale

Türkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella congratulates Kaan Ayhan at the end of the World Cup Group D soccer match against the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Türkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella congratulates Kaan Ayhan at the end of the World Cup Group D soccer match against the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Türkiye Beat Altered US Lineup with Last-minute Goal in Group Finale

Türkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella congratulates Kaan Ayhan at the end of the World Cup Group D soccer match against the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Türkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella congratulates Kaan Ayhan at the end of the World Cup Group D soccer match against the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Kaan Ayhan scored on almost the last kick of the match in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time as Türkiye stunned a makeshift US team 3-2 in Inglewood, Calif., on Thursday in the final World Cup Group D match.

Ayhan was in front of the net to poke in the ball as the US scrambled to cover.

Sebastian Berhalter produced a goal and an assist for the US (2-1-0, 7 points), who failed in a bid to win all three group matches at a World Cup for the first time. Türkiye (1-2-0, 3 points) led 2-1 at halftime.

The result did not matter for either team.

The US won their first two matches to advance, and they will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara, Calif. Türkiye were eliminated after losing 2-0 to Australia and 1-0 to Paraguay despite taking a combined 62 shots.

In a US lineup that had nine new starters from the team's 2-0 win ⁠over Australia on June ⁠19, Auston Trusty scored in the third minute off a corner kick by Berhalter. Midfielder Weston McKennie and forward Ricardo Pepi were the lone holdovers in the US lineup.

Türkiye finally got their first goal of the tournament in the 10th minute when Arda Guler, a 21-year-old star for Real Madrid, tied it 1-1, and Baris Alper Yilmaz made it 2-1 in the 31st.

The US took the early lead when Trusty one-touched an in-swinger from the left side by Berhalter, whipping a shot to the near ⁠post for his first goal in 10 career matches for the national team.

However, the new-look US lineup looked disjointed, and Guler soon found space and scored off a pass by Yilmaz.

A minute after a potential Mark McKenzie goal from another set piece was called offside to deny a 2-1 US lead, Türkiye completed a nice combination play with a goal. Orkun Kokcu took a shot that nicked off Yilmaz and went past Matt Turner, the 2022 World Cup starter who sat the first two matches in favor of Matt Freese.

Berhalter tied it 2-2 in the 49th minute after Türkiye was unable to clear following a long throw-in. He was at the top of the box to lace a shot inside the left post.

Crucial for the US was the return of Christian Pulisic from ⁠a left calf injury, ⁠as the star winger entered in the 58th minute in place of Timothy Weah. Pulisic left at halftime of the opener against Paraguay and did not play vs. Australia.

Four minutes later, Pulisic got behind the defense, forcing a save by Ugurcan Cakir. Less than two minutes after that, a ball to Pulisic went off his shin and Cakir stretched to make a fingertip save at the top right corner.

The US had not trailed in their first two matches.

Five US players besides Trusty and Berhalter made their first World Cup starts: Miles Robinson, Joe Scally, Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie and Giovanni Reyna.

As expected, yellow-card holders Folarin Balogun, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson did not play, as coach Mauricio Pochettino did not want to risk another that would result in a suspension for the next match. Single yellow cards are reset after the group stage.

Guler became the youngest player to score for Türkiye at the World Cup (21 years, 120 days). Emre Belozoglu was 21 years, 275 days old when he scored against Costa Rica in 2002.


Arsenal Permanently Sign Hincapie after Season on Loan from Leverkusen

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 20: Piero Hincapie #3 of Ecuador during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match between Ecuador and Curacao at Kansas City Stadium on June 20, 2026 in Kansas City, United States. Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images/AFP
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 20: Piero Hincapie #3 of Ecuador during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match between Ecuador and Curacao at Kansas City Stadium on June 20, 2026 in Kansas City, United States. Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images/AFP
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Arsenal Permanently Sign Hincapie after Season on Loan from Leverkusen

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 20: Piero Hincapie #3 of Ecuador during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match between Ecuador and Curacao at Kansas City Stadium on June 20, 2026 in Kansas City, United States. Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images/AFP
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 20: Piero Hincapie #3 of Ecuador during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match between Ecuador and Curacao at Kansas City Stadium on June 20, 2026 in Kansas City, United States. Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images/AFP

Premier League champions Arsenal said on Thursday they have taken up the option to permanently sign defender Piero Hincapie, who joined on loan from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen last season.

Media reports said Arsenal paid £34.5 ⁠million ($45.5 million) plus ⁠add-ons to sign the 24-year-old Ecuador international on a five-year deal.

Hincapie, who is currently at ⁠the World Cup, made 25 league appearances last season as Arsenal lifted the English top-flight title for the first time in 22 years, Reuters reported.

He had also prominently featured in Leverkusen's Bundesliga campaign ⁠in ⁠2023-24, when they won the German league unbeaten.

Hincapie, who started in Ecuador's first two Group E matches, is expected to play against Germany later on Thursday.