The Daily Reviewer | Football news, match reports and fixtures

Seedorf strikes late as Milan cut gap

Serie A: Milan cut Inter's lead at the top to one point as Clarence Seedorf scored the winner against Chievo ...

Robben brace puts Bayern back on top

Bundesliga: Arjen Robben scored twice to steer Bayern Munich to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Freiburg ...

Football: Beckham's injured. So what? | Rob Smyth

Mar 14, 2010 7:09pm

The probable end of David Beckham's career is bitterly sad story, but it's no more than a minor blow to Fabio CapelloEngland received a huge blow to their rapidly dwindling hopes of winning the World Cup yesterday, but it did not come in Milan. The news that Aaron Lennon, England's...

David Beckham's glittering career set for an unhappy ending

Mar 14, 2010 6:33pm

• David Beckham loses chance for final World Cup flourish• Midfielder had fought his way back into England contentionThe Hollywood story of David Beckham looks to have reached an unhappy ending. The 34-year-old was seemingly heading for a fourth World Cup finals appearance after accumulating 115 caps but his hopes...

Brian Mawhinney says Football League salary cap is inevitable

Mar 14, 2010 6:11pm

• Outgoing Football League chairman wants action to tackle debt• 'The business model of professional football doesn't work'Lord Mawhinney, the outgoing chairman of the Football League, believes a salary cap is inevitable among the league's member clubs.Mawhinney says the current football financial model is not sustainable and has campaigned for...

Beckham to miss World Cup after injuring achilles tendon

Mar 14, 2010 5:41pm

• David Beckham ruptures achilles tendon• England midfielder's career in doubtDavid Beckham's hopes of extending his England career into a fourth World Cup finals are in tatters after the veteran midfielder ruptured an achilles tendon in Milan's 1-0 Serie A victory over Chievo last night, an injury that will rule...

Bolton Wanderers 4-0 Wigan Athletic | Premier League match report

Mar 14, 2010 5:10pm

Bolton Wanderers fans have waited a long time for Johan Elmander to prove himself and his manager, Owen Coyle, is confident their patience will finally be rewarded.The forward opened the scoring in this emphatic win to end a league goal drought at the Reebok Stadium dating back to his...

Birmingham City 2-2 Everton | Premier League report

Mar 14, 2010 5:10pm

Once, Birmingham City and Aston Villa could have joined forces to conquer Europe. That was what City officials proposed in 1955, when their club were invited to become the first English participants in European competition, but Villa rejected the idea. So Birmingham contested the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup by themselves, and...

Football quiz: Late goals

Mar 14, 2010 5:10pm

Today's questions are sending the goalkeeper up for one last throw of the dice ...Josh Widdicombe ...

Stoke City 0-0 Aston Villa | Premier League match report

Mar 14, 2010 5:10pm

Tuncay Sanli's future at Stoke City has come under renewed scrutiny after it emerged he responded to being substituted against Aston Villa on Saturday by leaving the stadium before the match had finished. It is the second time this season the Turkey captain has behaved in such a way and...

Valladolid 1-4 Real Madrid

Mar 14, 2010 4:00pm

Gonzalo Higuaín scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid responded in style to their Champions League exit. Cristiano Ronaldo was also on target as they swept past Real Valladolid 4-1 to stay level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga. Raul Albiol's own-goal, which briefly reduced the arrears...

Private equity group bids for Liverpool

Mar 14, 2010 3:35pm

• US group proposes to invest £110m to cut debt• Holdings of Tom Hicks and George Gillett would be dilutedLiverpool have received what they consider the first serious offer to buy into the club after it was revealed that they are ready to open talks with the Rhône Group, a...

Secret Millionaire in the running to buy Portsmouth

Mar 14, 2010 3:05pm

• Rob Lloyd expects 14 days' negotiations to start tomorrow• Administrator says consortium is yet to make contactThe property tycoon fronting a consortium that this week hopes to become Portsmouth's fifth owner this season today promised fans a "fresh start" and vowed to make a clean break with the club's...

Sunderland 1-1 Manchester City

Mar 14, 2010 12:05pm

Adam Johnson loomed high on Steve Bruce's January shopping list but once Roberto Mancini registered an interest in the then Middlesbrough winger, Sunderland's outbid manager had no option but to concede defeat.That was what Mancini's City were heading for on Wearside until Johnson, a late substitute, curled in a...

Williams declines move to the US

Mar 14, 2010 10:45am

• England midfielder will not be joining Philadelphia• Everton reach the women's FA Cup final with win over BarnetEngland's player-drain to the American Women's Professional Soccer league has been stemmed, temporarily at least, with the decision of the Everton captain Fara Williams to turn down the chance to join Philadelphia...

Man Utd 3-0 Fulham

Mar 14, 2010 8:50am

This match almost entirely concealed its significance. Victory, thanks largely to a pair of goals from Wayne Rooney, takes Manchester United to the head of the table, but there was little sense of occasion. The emphatic result was achieved merely by two late strikes against weary visitors.There is seldom a...

Simplicity saves the day for Arsenal

Mar 14, 2010 8:23am

Arsène Wenger had to abandon Arsenal's elaborate approach and send on Theo Walcott to break Hull's resistanceHow were Arsenal set upArsenal have improved their record against the lower sides in the Premier League this season, conceding only seven points against those in the bottom half to date. So, even without...

Rangers 3-3 Dundee Utd

Mar 14, 2010 7:52am

This all became more fraught than it needed to be for Rangers. Their quest for a domestic treble remains on course but it will require a replay before this Scottish Cup quarter-final is settled. Dundee United, who had appeared destined for a long day's work when 3-1 down, recovered superbly...

Donovan returns to US after Everton loan ends

Mar 14, 2010 7:10am

• LA Galaxy recall striker for 27 March season opener• Attacker pays tribute to Everton fansEverton have confirmed that Landon Donovan's loan spell has ended and that the US forward will return to Los Angeles Galaxy.As late as Saturday evening, after the 2-2 draw at Birmingham, manager David Moyes was...

Will Real Madrid ever realise the truth?

Mar 13, 2010 4:10pm

Arsenal and Manchester United prosper in Europe as the new Galácticos fail. It is more than coincidenceFootball has no price," screamed Spain's El Pais newspaper after Real Madrid's £235m revamp failed to improve their dismal, six-year record of going out of the Champions League at the first knockout stage. "Titles...

Our most potent force since Charlton

Mar 13, 2010 4:10pm

The lad from Croxteth is ready to become the greatest player of his generation and has done so with the most British of qualitiesIn a Dublin bar they were showing Wayne Rooney dazzling Milan on a big screen at one end and Cristiano Ronaldo going out of the Champions League...

Premier League: Hull City 1-2 Arsenal

Mar 13, 2010 12:16pm

This could be Arsenal's season after all. They moved above Manchester United into second place not with a football exhibition but thanks to a stoppage-time blunder from Boaz Myhill in the Hull goal. That was mightily cruel on the Tigers, who made light of having to play with 10 men...

Drogba stars in Chelsea's addictive drama

Mar 13, 2010 11:10am

John Terry may be captain but he is getting help from a striker who leads from the frontBreaking news: Didier Drogba is the new Chelsea captain. Not officially, you understand, because John Terry has managed to hang on to one of his armbands, but midway through the second half of...

Middlesbrough 2-2 Newcastle

Mar 13, 2010 9:20am

This was everything one would expect from a north-east derby between two clubs who have enjoyed differing fortunes since relegation from the Premier League – fast, frenetic and true to form.Newcastle have been relentlessly efficient in their attempt at an instant return – occasionally exhilarating at home, they are impressively...

Chelsea 4-1 West Ham

Mar 13, 2010 9:20am

Three days before the man himself returns to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea put on a performance that was classic Mourinho. There was no great need to exert themselves and, against a pedestrian West Ham side, they plucked the three points necessary to regain position at the top of the Premier League...

'Losing to Mourinho is unthinkable'

Mar 12, 2010 4:06pm

The Chelsea midfielder still respects his former manager but has no intention of losing to him in the Champions LeagueFrank Lampard has already staved off two potential indignities of late. Unlike Gary Lineker, he has avoided having to dress up as a sandwich, his face peering out between plastic tranches...

Liverpool v Portsmouth

Mar 12, 2010 11:33am

Having played more games than all their rivals, Liverpool desperately need a win if they are to maintain their challenge for the fourth Champions League place. With a trip to Manchester United to come next week, anything less than three points could be disastrous for Rafael Benítez. Portsmouth, who took...

You are the Ref

Mar 11, 2010 4:10pm

Click to enlarge, and debate the strip below the line. Keith Hackett's official answers appear in Sunday's Observer and here from Monday.Keith Hackett's answers1) As you have decided to continue to play despite the worsening conditions you must now make a firm decision, then stick to it. If you cannot...

Is this a game unfit for girls?

Mar 10, 2010 11:15pm

This week's round-up features classic cricketing ultraviolence, Celtic's other masterful team in Europe and the NFL v archery1) Back in 1921, the stuffy old buffoons at the FA banned women's football, declaring the game "quite unfit" for females. "I do not believe women are fitted for violent leg strain," announced...