European Super Football

Bolton Wanderers 0 - 2 Wigan  Wigan maintained their derby dominance over Bolton as goals from Dale Taylor and Thelo Aasgaard secured a 2-0 victory at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in League One. Author -Amy W This win extended Wigan's remarkable unbeaten run against Wanderers to nine matches, a streak that has lasted nine years. Despite a gap in league standings, Wigan fully deserved their first victory in five matches across all competitions. They took the lead in the 18th minute when Aasgaard's well-timed pass found Taylor, who calmly slotted home with a low left-footed strike from 12 yards. Bolton, who started the day in seventh place, were jeered off at half-time and were fortunate not to be further behind. Taylor came close to adding a second just before the break, but his effort was saved by Nathan Baxter, with Baba Adeeko unable to convert the rebound from close range. The latest EFL news from European Super Football can be found by clicking here Although Bolton ...

Derby County 4 - 0 Portsmouth Derby County brought an emphatic end to their poor form as they cruised to victory against lowly Portsmouth in the Championship. Author - Chris C Kane Wilson gave Derby - a side that had won just one of their previous 11 games and none of their past six - the ideal start as he slotted home the opener with a first-time finish after cleverly being picked out in the box by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. Eiran Cashin powered home a header from a corner to double the first-half advantage before Ebou Adams soon made it 3-0 at Pride Park with a close-range effort that was deflected in by Pompey defender Tom McIntyre. Marcus Harness then forced a fourth against his former side, with his dancing run into the box ending with a cutback pass that pinged off Pompey captain Marlon Pack for an own goal. A closer look at what happened The game in the East Midlands was the first between the Rams and Pompey since they came up together from League One last season, with Portsmo...

Various nations have discovered their opponents for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers following a draw in Zurich. Are you happy with the draw? Author - Mark Lee England, now led by new head coach Thomas Tuchel, will face Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra in their group. Wales find themselves up against familiar rivals Belgium, alongside North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. Scotland’s group includes Greece, Belarus, and the loser of the Portugal v Denmark Nations League quarter-final, while Northern Ireland will take on Slovakia, Luxembourg, and the winner of the Germany v Italy Nations League clash. Matches will take place over five international breaks from March to November 2025. Group winners will secure automatic qualification for the World Cup, hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, with runners-up heading into play-offs. Scotland and Northern Ireland, drawn in smaller four-team groups, will start their campaigns in September. Meanwhile, Scotland also face Greece in ...

Astana 1 - 3 Chelsea Former Barcelona player Marc Guiu made a big impression as Chelsea secured their spot in the UEFA Conference League knockout stage with a victory over Astana in freezing Kazakhstan. Author - Lauren W The Blues embarked on the 3,600-mile journey to Almaty, where they faced challenging conditions, including biting temperatures of -11°C. However, a heavily rotated Chelsea side showed their mettle, wrapping up the win with three first-half goals. Eighteen-year-old Spanish youth international Guiu was among several young players given an opportunity to shine, and he seized it. In the 14th minute, he opened the scoring with an impressive solo run, calmly finishing to put Chelsea ahead. Just four minutes later, Guiu's effort from Pedro Neto's cross was deflected in by Aleksandr Marochkin, doubling the lead and putting Chelsea firmly in control. Renato Veiga added a third just before half-time with a well-taken header – his second goal of the season. Spurs 3 - ...

Viktoria Plzeň 1 - 2 Manchester United Rasmus Højlund came off the bench to score twice as Manchester United overturned a deficit to secure a crucial Europa League victory against Viktoria Plzeň. Author - Olivia T Højlund, now with five goals in this season’s Europa League, sparked United’s second-half comeback with an impressive display after being introduced from the bench. The 21-year-old forward equalised following some clever link-up play between Antony and Amad Diallo. He reacted quickest to poke the ball home from close range after Diallo’s initial shot was blocked. Moments later, the Danish international struck again, latching onto Bruno Fernandes’ perfectly weighted pass before drilling a low shot into the bottom-right corner. UEFA Europa League and Conference League: 24/25 Click here for more Manchester United news and stories Højlund’s heroics spared further embarrassment for goalkeeper André Onana, who was at fault for the opening goal. For the second game running, ...

Girona 0 - 1 Liverpool Liverpool are on the brink of securing their place in the Champions League last 16 after Mohamed Salah's penalty sealed a win against Girona. Author - William G from GMCR Football Liverpool maintain perfect Champions League record in 24/25 More reaction here - https://t.co/SoSZpMS13p https://t.co/95Hp43Tq62 — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) December 12, 2024 The decisive moment in the match came in the second half when Donny van de Beek, formerly of Manchester United and Everton , clipped Luis Díaz's heel in the box, handing Liverpool a spot-kick. Salah made no mistake, coolly converting from 12 yards and wrong-footing Girona's goalkeeper, Paulo Gazzaniga, to notch his 46th Champions League goal. At the other end, Alisson Becker, back in the Liverpool team, pulled off several excellent saves to preserve the Reds' unbeaten run in this season's competition. With this victory, Liverpool maintain their perfect record and top th...

 QPR 2 - 0 Oxford United Sam Field bagged his first league goals of the season as Queens Park Rangers extended their unbeaten streak with a victory over Oxford United, whose poor run of form showed no signs of letting up. Author - Thomas J Field opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, firing in from close range, and doubled the lead 16 minutes later with a composed finish from 18 yards to secure three vital points for Martí Cifuentes’ side. The 26-year-old was the standout performer in a match otherwise lacking in quality, particularly during a lacklustre first half between two teams battling to steer clear of the relegation zone. The win marked QPR’s third victory in an unbeaten five-game run, while Oxford’s struggles deepened, leaving them with just one win in their last 14 matches. The opening exchanges in west London were high on energy but low on goalmouth action. Oxford’s Idris El Mizouni had the first notable effort in the 22nd minute, but his deflected strike from 20 y...

 Arsenal 3 - 0 Monaco Bukayo Saka shone with a brace as Arsenal secured a crucial win over Monaco, bolstering their chances of advancing to the Champions League knockout stages. Author - DJ The Gunners dominated the first half but squandered several opportunities to make the result more emphatic. Arsenal broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when Myles Lewis-Skelly threaded a pass to Gabriel Jesus, whose low cross set up Saka for an easy finish. In the second half, substitute Kai Havertz capitalised on an error from goalkeeper Radosław Majecki in the 74th minute, allowing Saka to strike from close range for his second of the night. Saka then turned provider in the 88th minute, delivering a pinpoint cross for Havertz, who slotted in Arsenal’s third goal. Click here for more Arsenal news and stories Champions League: 2024/2025 A closer look at what happened Despite the late flurry of goals, Arsenal missed several clear-cut chances earlier in the match. Gabriel Jesus was twice...

Juventus 2 - 0 Manchester City Manchester City’s struggles continued as they suffered a potentially damaging defeat to Juventus, leaving their Champions League knockout stage hopes hanging by a thread. Author - Macca Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie sealed a crucial win for the Italian side, bolstering their chances of progressing automatically as one of the top eight teams in the league phase. For City, however, it marked yet another setback in a torrid run of form, with just one win from their last 10 games in all competitions and a seventh defeat during this miserable spell. The result leaves City languishing in 22nd place in the Champions League standings, with only two group games remaining. They face Paris Saint-Germain away on 22 January and host Club Brugge a week later. The top eight teams secure automatic progression, while those finishing between ninth and 24th must navigate a two-legged play-off. City remain just one point above PSG in 25th...

RB Leipzig 2 - 3 Aston Villa Aston Villa edged closer to securing a spot in the Champions League knockout stages with a dramatic late win over winless RB Leipzig, despite being pegged back twice. Author - Alex W Ross Barkley's deflected effort sealed the victory in the dying minutes after goals from Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner had cancelled out strikes from John McGinn and Jhon Duran. The Premier League side made a flying start, taking the lead inside three minutes. Ollie Watkins expertly nodded down Matty Cash's cross, setting up McGinn to smash home from close range. Watkins came close to doubling the lead soon after, narrowly missing Lucas Digne's low cross across the box. However, Leipzig capitalised on a rare mistake by Emiliano Martinez. The Villa goalkeeper misjudged a long ball, allowing Openda to pounce and slot into an empty net. Villa thought they had restored their lead just before half-time when Watkins found the net, but the goal was ruled out fo...

Dinamo Zagreb 0 - 0 Celtic Celtic extended their unbeaten run in the Champions League to four matches, earning a valuable away point that leaves their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages firmly in their hands. Author - Sean M Brendan Rodgers' side now sit on nine points, with a home clash against Young Boys in January followed by a trip to Aston Villa. However, their wait for an elusive away victory in this competition continues – the last coming against Anderlecht under Rodgers seven years ago. Facing a Dinamo Zagreb side plagued by injuries and struggling for form, Celtic sensed an opportunity and started brightly, dominating possession for long periods. Yet, they struggled to break down their resolute opponents. In the first half, Celtic's best chance came from a 20-yard free-kick by Paulo Bernardo, which narrowly missed the target, despite the visitors enjoying nearly 70% possession. Dinamo, defensively disciplined throughout, consistently shut down spaces and l...

Let's explore a couple more match reports from another dramatic weekend in English football's 2nd tier. QPR 3 - 0 Norwich City Author - Ajay  Teenager Rayan Kolli stole the spotlight with his first senior goals as Queens Park Rangers ended their long wait for a home victory, defeating Norwich City at Loftus Road. The Algeria Under-20 international, who made his debut against Norwich in last season's EFL Cup, was introduced early as a 13th-minute substitute for the injured Zan Celar. QPR took the lead when defender Jimmy Dunne punished some dismal defending, and Kolli made it 2-0 with a well-taken header deep into first-half stoppage time. EFL: 2024/2025 news and stories Norwich, struggling to make an impact in challenging conditions, offered little threat. Kolli then sealed the win in the second half, capitalising on more defensive uncertainty to score his second and Rangers’ third of the game. It was a Saturday to remember for Kolli and a much-needed boost for QP...

Tottenham Hotspur 3 - 4 Chelsea Cole Palmer’s cool-headed 'Panenka' penalty capped off a stunning Chelsea comeback, overturning a two-goal deficit to secure victory against Tottenham. Author - Lauren W Jadon Sancho and Enzo Fernandez both found the net, while Palmer added two expertly taken penalties to sink Spurs, who had started brightly but crumbled under pressure. The result heaps further misery on Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, who is facing increasing scrutiny. Tottenham surged ahead early, with Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski scoring within the first 11 minutes. However, despite Son Heung-min adding a late third in stoppage time, Spurs let the game slip from their grasp. Chelsea's triumph moves them within four points of Premier League leaders Liverpool, who saw their game against Everton postponed due to Storm Darragh. Premier League: 2024/2025 season Click here to find more Chelsea news and stories A closer look at what happened Spurs dominated the openi...

Fulham 1 - 1 Arsenal Arsenal were denied a late winner as they missed the chance to cut the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to four points, settling for a draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Author - DJ Bukayo Saka looked to have secured all three points for the Gunners when he nodded in Gabriel Martinelli's cross with just two minutes remaining. However, the goal was ruled out after Martinelli was deemed offside in the build-up. Fulham had taken the lead against the run of play through Raul Jimenez, who scored his sixth goal of the season. The Mexican striker latched onto Kenny Tete's pass down the line and fired past David Raya from a tight angle. Arsenal, hoping to take advantage of Liverpool's postponed Merseyside derby against Everton , struggled to create clear chances in the first half. Their only shot on target came from Saka, as they laboured to break down Fulham's defence. Mikel Arteta's side found an equaliser six minutes into the second ha...

Portsmouth 3 - 0 Bristol City Portsmouth climbed off the bottom of the Championship table with a convincing win over Bristol City at Fratton Park. Author - Jack L Fresh from their strong first-half display against Swansea last week, Pompey got off to another lively start. Colby Bishop opened the scoring inside 20 minutes, reacting quickest to slot home a rebound after his initial shot was parried by Bristol City goalkeeper Max O'Leary. Josh Murphy doubled the advantage just after the hour mark, and Callum Lang added a third with a close-range header at the back post less than 10 minutes later. The victory, Portsmouth's third of the season, moves them up to 23rd place, leapfrogging Hull City, while Bristol City remain in mid-table. EFL: 2024/2025 news and stories We shine a spotlight on the Championship Ahead of the match, it was suggested Pompey needed two wins from their next four home games, and they showed clear intent despite the challenging conditions brought by Storm ...

Celtic 3 - 0 Hibernian Brendan Rodgers commended Celtic's attacking display as they capitalised on a wasteful Hibernian to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to nine points.  Author - Sean M Celtic secured their seventh consecutive league win with Arne Engels' first-half tap-in, an own goal from Joe Newell, and a sublime finish from Kyogo after the interval. Hibs, though, had their chances, particularly in the first half, where they exposed Celtic's high defensive line. Mykola Kuharevich was twice denied in one-on-one situations by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, while Joe Newell squandered a golden opportunity, firing over the bar unmarked inside the box. At the other end, Celtic proved clinical. Engels converted Alistair Johnston's cross, and Adam Idah's flick-on was inadvertently turned into his own net by Newell. Celtic Football Club news and stories Can anyone stop Celtic in Scotland? Hibs' inability to take their chances persisted i...

 Manchester United 2 - 3 Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest capitalised on Manchester United’s defensive errors to secure their first win at Old Trafford in nearly 30 years. Author -  Liam Chadwick Rasmus Højlund cancelled out Nikola Milenković’s early opener, but Ruben Amorim’s side couldn’t draw level again after conceding twice in a seven-minute spell early in the second half. United goalkeeper André Onana was at fault for Forest’s second, misjudging Morgan Gibbs-White’s strike from the edge of the area. Expecting the ball to move towards his right, Onana was beaten on his left as the shot stayed true. The defensive woes continued when Chris Wood, celebrating his birthday, sent a looping header towards the far post. Neither Onana nor Matthijs de Ligt dealt with it, and Lisandro Martínez was slow to react as the ball nestled in the corner of the net. Premier League: 2024/2025 season Discover more news and stories from the weird and wonderful world of Manchester Unit...

Brentford 4 - 2 Newcastle United Brentford maintained their amazing home record in the Premier League with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Newcastle United. Author - Holly A The match began at a blistering pace, with both teams finding the net within the first 12 minutes. Bryan Mbeumo gave Brentford an early lead, only for Alexander Isak to equalise swiftly. Yoane Wissa put Brentford back in front, capitalising on a mistake by Harvey Barnes to notch his ninth goal in eight league matches. However, Barnes redeemed himself later with a brilliant turn and finish to make it 2-2. Early in the second half, Wissa nearly struck again for Brentford, his deflected effort pushed onto the post by Nick Pope. Moments later, Nathan Collins seized his chance, firing in with his left foot after a well-delivered free-kick. Kevin Schade wrapped things up late on, delicately chipping the ball home to secure Brentford's remarkable home record of seven wins and a draw in their eight league games ...