GLENDALE, Ariz. — Lynn Biyendolo scored 42 seconds into the match and the United States beat Australia 2-1 on Sunday in the SheBelieves Cup. Michelle Cooper scored her first international goal in her second appearance for the U.S., which improved to 2-0 in the four-team round-robin tournament. Biyendolo’s goal was the fastest by a U.S. player since Ashley Hatch scored 24 seconds into a match in November 2021, also against Australia. Biyendolo, formerly Lynn Williams, was married in the offseason. It was her 22nd international goal. Michelle Heyman scored in...

Boston Globe CEO Linda Pizzuti Henry is backing out as an investor in Boston Unity Soccer Partners — and the new pro women’s soccer team it’s vying to bring to White Stadium — amid controversy surrounding its public-private plan with the city. Henry, co-owner of the Globe with her husband John Henry, the billionaire owner of the Boston Red Sox, said in an Instagram story post Friday that she notified the Boston National Women’s Soccer League team that she would be “exiting the investor group” that’s behind the push to...

Spain's High Court said on Thursday it had found former soccer federation boss Luis Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent, and set a fine of over 10,000 euros, but acquitted him of coercion. Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence for Rubiales in a case that sparked a debate in Spain about sexism in women's football and wider Spanish society. "The ruling bans Rubiales from going within a 200-metre radius of Hermoso and from communicating with her for one year," the court said in...

MADRID, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Real Madrid beat Manchester City 3-1 with a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick on Wednesday in their Champions League playoff second leg at a raucous Santiago Bernabeu stadium, earning them a 6-3 aggregate victory and a place in the last 16. Last year's champions will face either Bayer Leverkusen or city rivals Atletico Madrid, depending on Friday's draw, as they seek a record-extending 16th title. Mbappe opened the scoring with Real's first attack in the fourth minute, taking advantage of another massive blunder by City's defence when...

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Atalanta striker Ademola Lookman said his coach Gian Piero Gasperini's comments describing him as "one of the worst penalty takers" he had ever seen after Tuesday's Champions League exit were "deeply disrespectful" and hurtful. Belgian side Club Brugge stunned Atalanta 3-1 in the second leg of their playoff tie to dump the Italian side out with a 5-2 aggregate win and reach the last 16. Lookman pulled back one goal for Atalanta when they were 3-0 down. But the Nigerian, who has scored 15 times this...

BARCELONA, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Striker Robert Lewandowski scored a first-half penalty to give Barcelona a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Rayo Vallecano on Monday that moved them to top of the LaLiga standings. Barca took advantage of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid dropping points over the weekend to leapfrog them from third-place to the top of the standings. Barca are level on 51 points with Real but ahead on goal difference. Atletico trail both by a point, while Rayo Vallecano are sixth on 35 points. Lewandowski netted the winner...

Feb 16 (Reuters) - Athletic Bilbao's LaLiga game at Espanyol was temporarily halted after visiting striker Inaki Williams reported alleged racist abuse towards teammate Maroan Sannadi in Sunday's 1-1 draw. The incident occurred in the first half when Williams told referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez that Espanyol fans had hurled racial abuse at Sannadi, whose parents are Moroccan. The game was stopped in the 16th minute when the referee discussed the issue with the two captains and match delegate. "It should be remembered that legislation on the prevention of violence in...

BIRMINGHAM, England, Feb 15 (Reuters) - A Liam Delap goal helped Ipswich Town overcome a red card for Axel Tuanzebe as they grabbed a 1-1 Premier League draw away to Aston Villa on Saturday, with Ollie Watkins netting a 69th-minute equaliser for the home side. With keeper Alex Palmer putting in another brilliant performance between the posts, the point leaves Ipswich still in the relegation zone in 18th place on 17 points, two behind Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Villa slip to ninth on 38 points. Ipswich defender Tuanzebe saw red in...