Perth are just one win away from their first appearance in the Hyundai A-League Grand Final after a 3-2 extra time victory over Wellington on Saturday.

The Phoenix had been just 18 minutes away from winning the minor semi-final at nib Stadium in regulation time, but Billy Mehmet s 72nd minute goal sent the game to extra periods.

Substitute winger Todd Howarth then made the visitors pay for their failure to close out the game when he completed a brilliant one-two move with Scott Neville that got the Glory the winning goal and sent the 13,695 fans into raptures.

Victory sees Perth advance to the preliminary final where they ll face either Brisbane or Central Coast, with the Mariners their most likely opponent given they enter the second leg of the major semi-final…

Schalke have announced experienced striker Raul will leave the Bundesliga club at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old s contract is set to expire following the conclusion of the 2011/12 campaign, and he has made the decision not to renew his existing deal.

Raul joined Schalke from Real Madrid in July 2010.

He proved to be an important first-team player at the German club, helping guide them to DFB Pokal success and the semi-finals of the Champions League last term.

Raul has made 63 Bundesliga appearances for Schalke so far, scoring 27 goals in the process.

After starting out in the Atletico Madrid youth system, he joined cross-city rivals Real Madrid in 1992, going on to become one of the club s most consistent performers of the modern era.

Hansi Flick has selected five debutants in his first Germany squad since the World Cup in Qatar, while excluding Leroy Sane and Antonio Rudiger.

Josha Vagnoman, Marius Wolf, Mergim Berisha, Kevin Schade and Felix Nmecha could all make their international debuts in the upcoming friendly matches against Peru and Belgium.

However, the new faces come alongside a number of notable absentees with Thomas Muller, Ilkay Gundogan, Niklas Sule and the injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer not included, as well as Sane and Rudiger.

In total, only 15 of the 26 players who were part of the squad for last year s World Cup retain their spots.

We want to put together a strong squad for Euro 2024 in Germany and it is also important to use the first international matches of the …

Inter director Marco Branca has confirmed that the club are in talks with Atletico Mineiro regarding the transfer of Diego Forlan.

The Uruguay international only arrived at San Siro from Atletico Madrid last summer but he has struggled for both form and fitness this season, managing just two goals in 18 Serie A appearances for the club.

Mineiro have made no secret of their desire to sign the striker and Branca has now revealed that Inter are currently evaluating the Brazilian outfit s offer for the 32-year-old.

It s true: we received a proposal from Atletico for Forlan, Branca told Uol Esporte.

We are in talks, but I cannot give any other information at this time.

Forlan is considering this possibility, but nothing has been decided yet. We ar…

Market: Under 2.5 goals

Odds: 20/21 @

In a contest between two sides who are really seeking a bounce, Burnley vs Everton will take place at Turf Moor on Saturday lunchtime.

Starting with the hosts, while Burnley might have managed to open their account with a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace a fortnight ago, Sean Dyche s men came crashing back down to earth in woeful fashion last weekend. On the wrong end of what turned into another nightmare at the Etihad, the Clarets were hit with a 5-0 defeat against Manchester City and they still find themselves battling it out in the drop zone. Managing to muster just five points from their opening nine Premier League appearances, fans around Lancashire have also seen their side only continue with a string of issues in the fi…

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford warned his team-mates they cannot keep making life difficult for themselves after another comeback win on the road.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s side were abject for the opening 45 minutes at West Ham on Saturday, with Tomas Soucek s goal giving the hosts a deserved lead.

United might have been further behind before Paul Pogba scored a magnificent equaliser from 25 yards and then Mason Greenwood and half-time substitute Rashford completed a 3-1 triumph.

The Red Devils have trailed in each of their five Premier League away games this season but recovered to win all of them, their 15 points gained from losing positions a league high.

We need to stop doing that, the England international told Sky Sports after United mov…

Saint-Etienne co-chairman Bernard Caiazzo strongly insisted coach Christophe Galtier will not leave for Newcastle United.

Galtier is the latest coach to be linked with the Newcastle hot seat that is set to be vacated by Crystal Palace-bound boss Alan Pardew in the coming days.

Caiazzo moved quickly to dismiss those rumours, claiming they are insulting to the Ligue 1 outfit, who are challenging for domestic honours after finishing fourth in 2013-14.

Do you really think that Galtier, in the middle of a season in which he is aiming for a top three place, would leave like a thief for a club like Newcastle? Caiazzo told Eurosport.

It would be insulting to suggest that Christophe is even slightly interested in such a rumour. 

Christophe is not a man…

Alex Neil moved a step closer to becoming Norwich City s new manager on Thursday when compensation was agreed with Hamilton Academical.

Neil, Hamilton s player-manager since April 2013, was approached by the Championship club following the resignation of Neil Adams.

And Hamilton, who sit third in the Scottish Premiership, have now confirmed that Neil is free to join Norwich should personal terms be agreed.

A statement from Hamilton read: The club can now confirm that agreement has been reached with Norwich City in connection with compensation for our player-manager Alex Neil.

It is now a matter for Alex himself to confirm and agree with the Norfolk club.

If indeed Alex goes, he departs with the very best wishes of everyone here, on and off the …

Denis Bouanga made it five goals in two games as reigning MLS Cup winners LAFC maintained their perfect start to the 2023 season with a 4-0 home victory over New England on Sunday.

LAFC improved to two wins from two games with Bouanga netting a 14th-minute penalty, before doubling their advantage midway through the second half at Banc of California Stadium. Timothy Tillman and Stipe Biuk added late goals to round out the win.

The result ends the Revs winning start to the new campaign, falling to 2-0-1, as they look to bounce back after missing the last year s postseason.

Gabonese winger Bouanga, who joined LAFC in August from French club Saint Etienne, had scored a hat-trick in their 3-0 Champions League win at Alajuelense in midweek.

Bouanga rifled his s…

Liverpool play Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal in consecutive matches at the start of April, making up a week that Jurgen Klopp acknowledges could be pretty decisive in the Reds season.

After being knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid on Wednesday, Liverpool s only remaining aim is securing a return to Europe s elite club competition for next season.

That is no guarantee in a difficult campaign, sitting sixth, six points behind Tottenham with a game in hand and two points behind Newcastle United having played a game more.

Consistency has deserted Klopp s side, as shown by their 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth six days on from a 7-0 victory over Manchester United.

But Klopp is determined to achieve a top-four finish and knows just how vital th…