There is a difference between facing an established champion and confronting a wounded giant hungry to reclaim lost ground.

After going toe to toe against defending champions China in their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 opener, Bangladesh are set to face another tournament favourites in North Korea in their second Group B match at the Western Sydney Stadium in Australia today, eyeing another bold showing.

South Korea cruised into the final eight with a dominant 3-0 win over an outmatched Philippines.

Michael Carrick said "defeat hurts" after Manchester United's 2-1 loss at Newcastle on Wednesday -- the first time he has been beaten as manager of the club.

Park Soo-jeong scored the pick of the goals as South Korea all but secured passage to the quarterfinals of the Women's Asian Cup with a 3-0 win over the Philippines at Gold Coast Stadium on Thursday.

The Iraqis are scheduled to play the winners of an earlier tie between Bolivia and Suriname in Monterrey on March 31 for a spot at the World Cup finals but are concerned they might not be able to get everyone to Mexico.

The Gunners have long been favourites to win their first English league crown since 2004 but Pep Guardiola's men have loomed large in their rear-view mirror.

He was not weeping. His head was not dramatically bowed. His body did not collapse. Yet around him unfolded one of football’s most poetic tragedies. At its centre stood Roberto Baggio.

Vietnam, quarter-finalists in the last tournament, will play Taiwan on Saturday, when face two-time champions Japan at the Perth Rectangular Stadium.

Many were surprised to see goalkeeper Mile Akter in Bangladesh’s starting XI for their AFC Women’s Asian Cup opener against nine-time champions China on Tuesday, as experienced Rupna Chakma was left on the bench.

The highest ranked team in the competition at eight, Japan are desperate for a third title to add to their back-to-back triumphs in 2014 and 2018.

The Iranian team are preparing to face host nation Australia on the Gold Coast Thursday after losing their opening game of the continental competition 3-0 to South Korea.

As Bangladesh’s women prepared to face China at the AFC Women's Asian Cup, pride did not feel rhetorical.

Iran forward Sara Didar fought back tears when journalists asked her about the escalating military conflict in her country, as coach Marziyeh Jafari said her players were doing their best to focus on the Women's Asian Cup campaign despite concern for their families back home.

From Austria’s ‘Wunderteam’ in 1934 to Hungary’s ‘Magical Magyars’ in 1954, or Brazil’s artistic 1982 side, the World Cup stage has repeatedly turned into a graveyard for pre-tournament favourites.

Tickets for this month's World Cup Play-Off Tournament matches in Mexico, which will determine two of the final six vacant spots in this summer's historic 48-team tournament, went on sale Tuesday.

"I really don't care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They're running on fumes," Trump told Politico.

The tragedy of Bangladesh women’s football is that it evolves despite the system, not because of it.

Liverpool suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolves as Andre's stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the Premier League's bottom club on Tuesday.

Atletico Madrid struggled through a 3-0 Copa del Rey semifinal second leg defeat at Barcelona on Tuesday but scraped into the final 4-3 on aggregate.