Bruno Fernandes Strikes Late to Keep Man United on Course for Europa League Last 16 Spot

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Manchester United and Glasgow Rangers in Manchester, England, Thursday, Jan. 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Manchester United and Glasgow Rangers in Manchester, England, Thursday, Jan. 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
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Bruno Fernandes Strikes Late to Keep Man United on Course for Europa League Last 16 Spot

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Manchester United and Glasgow Rangers in Manchester, England, Thursday, Jan. 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Manchester United and Glasgow Rangers in Manchester, England, Thursday, Jan. 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Bruno Fernandes scored a stoppage-time winner as Manchester United beat Rangers 2-1 on Thursday to take a big step toward the Europa League round of 16.
Rangers looked to have snatched a draw at Old Trafford when Cyriel Dessers leveled the game 1-1 in the 88th minute, The Associated Press reported.
But United captain Fernandes struck from close range four minutes later to secure a vital win that moved Ruben Amorim’s team up to fourth in the standings with one round of games to go in the league phase.
First-place Lazio won 3-1 against Real Sociedad and Eintracht Frankfurt is second after a 2-0 victory over Ferencvaros.
United’s win was a much-needed boost for Amorim, who said after Sunday’s loss to Brighton that his team was “the worst, maybe, in the history” of the storied club.
While United’s Premier League campaign still looks dire, with the 20-time English champion 13th in the standings, its Europa League fate is in its own hands going into next week’s game against FCSB in Romania.
Victory, however, didn’t come without some fortune after Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland punched the ball into his own net from a corner to give United the lead seven minutes into the second half.
The top eight teams automatically advance to the last 16, with those placed from nine to 24 going into a playoff round.
Lazio maintained its unbeaten record in the Europa League with victory against 10-man Sociedad and is guaranteed a place in the last 16.
Goals from Mario Gila, Mattia Zaccagni and Valentin Castellanos effectively killed the game off before halftime, with Sociedad’s Aihen Munoz also sent off before the break. Ander Barrenetxea scored late for Sociedad.
Frankfurt is three points behind after a 2-0 win against Ferencvaros was secured through second-half goals from Can Uzun and Hugo Ekitike.
Athletic Bilbao, is third, behind Frankfurt on goal difference.
Son Heung-min scored twice as Tottenham beat Hoffenheim 3-2.
The South Korea star struck in each half at PreZero Arena to help ease the pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou.
It was only Tottenham’s second win in its past nine games overall and kept it on course for the round of 16.
Son doubled the lead in the 22nd minute after James Maddison had opened the scoring in the third. He got his second to make it 3-1 in the 77th. Son was making his 436th appearance for the club — moving up to 10th on Spurs’ list.
Anton Stach scored for Hoffenheim in the 68th and David Mokwa sparked hope of an unlikely comeback in the 88th.
Tottenham is sixth in the standings.
European Cup winner Ajax was stunned by RFS — losing 1-0 to the Latvian team.
It was RFS’ first win in a group or league phase of a major European competition, with Adam Markhiyev scoring the decisive goal in the 78th. But it wasn’t enough to prevent his team from being eliminated.
Ajax is 10th.
The battle to secure a playoff place is in the balance for a number of teams.
Roma lost 1-0 to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar after Troy Parrott’s winner in the 80th.
With one game to go, the Italian giant is 21st, on nine points, and just one point above 25th-place Porto, which lost 1-0 to Olympiakos.
Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce is 23rd, also on nine points, after a 0-0 draw with fifth-place Lyon.
Pro-Palestine march Norwegian broadcaster NRK says hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters marched peacefully in Bodoe before its 3-1 win against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, a gathering in support of Israel was held in a nearby shopping center.
Israeli fans were assaulted after Maccabi’s game against Ajax in Amsterdam in November, which saw five people treated at hospitals and more than 60 detained. Five men were sentenced for to up to six months in prison last month for violence that erupted around that match. The riots caused an international outcry and accusations of deliberate antisemitic attacks.



Serena Williams to Partner Canada's Victoria Mboko on Competitive Return at Queen's Club

(FILES) US player Serena Williams returns the ball to France's Harmony Tan during their women's singles tennis match on the second day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 28, 2022. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
(FILES) US player Serena Williams returns the ball to France's Harmony Tan during their women's singles tennis match on the second day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 28, 2022. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
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Serena Williams to Partner Canada's Victoria Mboko on Competitive Return at Queen's Club

(FILES) US player Serena Williams returns the ball to France's Harmony Tan during their women's singles tennis match on the second day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 28, 2022. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
(FILES) US player Serena Williams returns the ball to France's Harmony Tan during their women's singles tennis match on the second day of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 28, 2022. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

Serena Williams will partner Canada's Victoria Mboko in her long-awaited return to professional tennis in the women's doubles at next week's Queen's Club Championships, Mboko confirmed on Thursday.

The 44-year-old Williams, a 23-times Grand Slam winner, has not competed since the 2022 US Open. The American and Mboko, 19, received a wildcard for the doubles draw ⁠at Queen's Club.

"The Queen ⁠is back. An honor to share the court with one of the greatest athletes of all time this week," Mboko, who had hinted about Williams' return after ⁠winning her French Open second-round match, said in a post on Instagram.

"Even more excited to play doubles together! Tennis is pretty special."

Williams announced her return on social media after speculation intensified following her re-entry into the anti-doping testing pool last year, despite previously saying she was "evolving away from tennis.”

Williams ⁠will ⁠take the court in London at the WTA 500 tournament running from June 8 to 14, Reuters reported.

She has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her sister Venus and the pair remain undefeated in major finals.

Mboko, who is ranked ninth in singles, also claimed Williams as her "idol" at Roland Garros last week.


Napoli Officially Announces Conte's Departure

(FILES) SSC Napoli head coach Antonio Conte reacts at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between Como and SSC Napoli at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium in Como on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP)
(FILES) SSC Napoli head coach Antonio Conte reacts at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between Como and SSC Napoli at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium in Como on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP)
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Napoli Officially Announces Conte's Departure

(FILES) SSC Napoli head coach Antonio Conte reacts at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between Como and SSC Napoli at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium in Como on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP)
(FILES) SSC Napoli head coach Antonio Conte reacts at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between Como and SSC Napoli at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium in Como on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP)

Italian Serie A runners-up Napoli confirmed on Thursday that coach Antonio Conte will leave the club after two years with former AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri tipped to take over.

"Napoli announces that an agreement has been reached with Antonio Conte and his staff to part ways before the natural expiry of their contracts," AFP quoted the club as saying in a statement.

"We would like to thank the coach and his backroom team for their excellent work. We wish them the very best for the future and the next challenges they will face in their careers.

"Thanks, coach!"

Conte, 56, who guided Napoli to the Serie A title in the 2024/25 campaign, has been widely touted as the favorite to take over as Italy coach.

The former Italy international previously coached the national side between 2014 and 2016, taking them to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals where they lost on penalties to Germany.

Napoli are reported to be in advanced talks with Allegri, 58, who was sacked as AC Milan coach after missing out on next season's Champions League.


Bobby Tambling, Chelsea's Former All-time Leading Goal Scorer, Dies at 84

FILE -Bobby Tambling, is seen on middle row, extreme left as the Chelsea football team pose for a group photograph at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, London, May 12, 1967. (AP Photo/Frank Leonard Tewkesbury, File)
FILE -Bobby Tambling, is seen on middle row, extreme left as the Chelsea football team pose for a group photograph at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, London, May 12, 1967. (AP Photo/Frank Leonard Tewkesbury, File)
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Bobby Tambling, Chelsea's Former All-time Leading Goal Scorer, Dies at 84

FILE -Bobby Tambling, is seen on middle row, extreme left as the Chelsea football team pose for a group photograph at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, London, May 12, 1967. (AP Photo/Frank Leonard Tewkesbury, File)
FILE -Bobby Tambling, is seen on middle row, extreme left as the Chelsea football team pose for a group photograph at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground, London, May 12, 1967. (AP Photo/Frank Leonard Tewkesbury, File)

Bobby Tambling, the Chelsea great who held the English club’s all-time scoring record for decades, has died. He was 84.

Tambling's death was confirmed Thursday by Chelsea, which didn't disclose more details, as well as Irish soccer club Crosshaven, where he had a spell as manager, The Associated Press reported.

Chelsea described Tambling as “one of our most legendary players” and said “his name is written very large in our history.”

His 202 goals in 370 appearances for Chelsea from 1959-1970 made him the team’s record scorer until 2013, when Frank Lampard surpassed the tally.

Tambling made his Chelsea debut at age 17 in 1959 and was part of the team that won the League Cup in 1965, scoring against Leicester in the final.

His five goals in a single match against Aston Villa in 1966 remains a Chelsea record. He also played for Crystal Palace, and earned three international caps for England.

After settling in Cork, Ireland, Tambling managed Cork Celtic, Cork City and Crosshaven.

Britain's Press Association said Tambling had been diagnosed with dementia in recent years.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that Crosshaven AFC announce the passing of our dear friend and former manager, Bobby Tambling — a true Chelsea legend and an even more wonderful human being," the team said in a post on X.

“His passion for football was absolutely infectious. Bobby leaves an enormous hole in all our lives. We are all better, kinder, and richer for having known him."