CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers

Stories from the four corners of the football world

Saturday January 30

SAUDI ARABIA: Al Nassr claim their second consecutive Saudi Super Cup title after defeating Al Hilal 3-0 at the King Fahd International Stadium.

BRAZIL: In an all-Brazilian final, Palmeiras beat Santos 1-0 to win the 2020 Copa Libertadores, with Breno Lopes scoring the winner nine minutes into stoppage time. SOUTH AFRICA: In the Soweto derby, Orlando Pirates defeat arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs 2-1.

Sunday January 31

FRANCE: PSG concede two goals in the last ten minutes to lose 3-2 at Lorient, while Lille maintain their title pursuit with a 1-0 win over Dijon. NETHERLANDS: In a big day at the top of the Eredivisie, Ajax beat AZ 3-0, while Feyenoord win 3-1 at home to PSV.

SPAIN: Lionel Messi scores his 650th goal for Barcelona in a 2-1 La Liga win over Athletic Bilbao.

Monday February 1

PORTUGAL: Sporting win the Lisbon derby against Benfica with a winner in the 92nd minute from Matheus Nunes, extending their season unbeaten run and their lead at the top of the league. USA: A United States side featuring only MLS players thrash Trinidad & Tobago 7-0 in a friendly.

Tuesday February 2

ENGLAND: Southampton suffer their second 9-0 defeat in consecutive seasons, with Manchester United running riot this time at Old Trafford. GERMANY: Fourth-tier side Rot-Weiss Essen stun Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup, winning 2-1 after extra-time. ITALY: Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice as Juventus come from behind to beat Internazionale 2-1 in the Coppa Italia.

Wednesday February 3

ROMANIA: In the Bucharest derby, FCSB beat Dinamo 1-0. URUGUAY: The Uruguayan Clasico ends goalless between Penarol

and Nacional, with both sides having players sent off. HUNGARY: League leaders Ferencvaros win 4-0 away at arch-rivals Ujpest.

IRAN: Former Iran international Ali Ansarian passes away at the age of 43 after being hospitalised with coronavirus.

Thursday February 4

URUGUAY: Former Uruguay Under-20 international and Godoy Cruz striker Santiago Garcia is found dead in his apartment with a gunshot wound aged 30.

Friday February 5

BRAZIL: Flamengo continue their pursuit of the title by beating Rio rivals Vasco da Gama 2-0.

Saturday February 6

TURKEY: Mesut Ozil makes his home debut for Fenerbahce, coming off the bench in a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Intercontinental derby.

Sunday February 7

ITALY: Milan beat Crotone 4-0 to move back to the top of Serie A, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic surpassing 500 career club goals.

FRANCE: Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi are on the scoresheet as PSG beat Marseille 2-0 away in Le Classique.

AFRICA: Morocco win the African Nations Championship (CHAN) for the second time by overcoming Mali 2-0 in a thrilling final at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon.

CHILE: Mario Osben, former Chile goalkeeper who played at the 1982 World Cup, passes away.

Monday February 8

QATAR: Bayern Munich beat Al Ahly 2-0 in the Club World Cup semi-final.

SPAIN: La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid suffer a setback, conceding a last-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo.

Tuesday February 9

ITALY: Juventus secure their place in the final of the Coppa Italia by drawing the second leg with Internazionale 0-0. ENGLAND: Burnley’s blushes are spared after opponents Bournemouth point out that they had picked suspended defender Erik Pieters to start their FA Cup tie at Turf Moor.

Wednesday February 10

NETHERLANDS: Sebastien Haller scores twice as Ajax beat PSV in the KNVB Cup last eight. ROMANIA: Dinamo Bucharest get their revenge over FCSB in the Romanian Cup, winning 1-0. WALES: Dai Davies, former Everton, Wrexham and Wales goalkeeper, passes away.

SPAIN: Real Madrid announce the death of their former European Cup-winning defender Pachin.

Thursday February 11

QATAR: Bayern Munich win the Club World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Tigres of Mexico. CHILE: Universidad Catolica win their third consecutive league title.

Friday February 12

GERMANY: RB Leipzig maintain their pursuit of Bayern Munich with a 2-1 win over Augsburg.

Saturday February 13

ITALY: Milan slip up again in the Serie A title race, losing 2-0 away to Spezia. Elsewhere, Napoli beat Juventus 1-0. ENGLAND: Leicester City win 3-1 against Liverpool with keeper Alisson making another costly error following his meltdown a week prior against Manchester City, while City continue their march to the title by thrashing Tottenham 3-0.

Sunday February 14

ITALY: Former Serie A referee Maurizio Mattei dies.

Monday February 15

GERMANY: Bayern Munich come from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Arminia Bielefeld, ceding ground in the title race to RB Leipzig.

Tuesday February 16

EUROPE: Kylian Mbappe scores a hat-trick in PSG’s 4-1 Champions League victory over Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Liverpool also secure a valuable away win, beating RB Leipzig 2-0 in Budapest, Hungary.

Wednesday February 17

EUROPE: Still in the Champions League, Porto dominate Juventus at home yet only win 2-1, with Federico Chiesa scoring a valuable away goal late on. In the night’s other tie, Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund share five goals as the German side win 3-2 in Spain.

Thursday February 18

EUROPE: Ten-man Red Star Belgrade score a 93rd-minute equaliser in the first leg of their Europa League clash with Milan. Manchester United thrash Real Sociedad 4-0 in Turin and Tottenham beat Wolfsberger 4-1, while Young Boys and Bayer Leverkusen serve up a classic, with the hosts winning 4-3 thanks to a last-minute winner.

Friday February 19

FRANCE: Lyon return to the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-2 victory over Brest, moving ahead of Lille on goal difference, and just a point above PSG in third. PORTUGAL: Sporting score twice in the last five minutes of their Portuguese League Cup semi-final to beat Porto 2-1.

Saturday February 20

ENGLAND: Everton end their wait for a victory at Anfield, with Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson scoring in a 2-0 victory. GERMANY: Borussia Dortmund come out comfortable winners in the Revierderby, thumping Schalke 4-0 thanks to a brace from Erling Haaland.

RUSSIA: Dynamo Moscow win 2-0 against rivals Spartak Moscow. TAJIKISTAN: Tajikistan’s footballing powerhouse Istiklol begin 2021 the way they ended 2020, lifting the country’s first piece of silverware of the new season, the TFF Cup.

Sunday February 21

ENGLAND: West Ham United move into the top four by winning 2-1 against London rivals Tottenham, while Raheem Sterling scores in a 1-0 win for Manchester City over Arsenal. SCOTLAND: Rangers take another step towards lifting the Scottish Premiership title by beating Dundee United 4-1, while Celtic lose 1-0 at Ross County. SPAIN: Barcelona suffer a setback in their recovery, failing to win for the first time in seven games in a 1-1 draw with Cadiz.

ITALY: In a vital clash at the top of Serie A, Inter win the Milan derby 3-0 thanks to a cool brace from Lautaro Martinez and another from Romelu Lukaku to open up a fourpoint lead at the top of the table. AUSTRIA: Patson Daka scores a hat-trick in a 4-2 win for RB Salzburg against Rapid Vienna at the top of the Bundesliga. FRANCE: PSG lose 2-0 at home to Monaco to fall four points behind Lille, who win 4-1 at Lorient.

Monday February 22

ENGLAND: England women end their wait for a fixture by winning 6-0 versus Northern Ireland in Hege Riise’s first game as interim boss.

Tuesday February 23

EUROPE: In the Champions League, Chelsea secure a vital first-leg away win over Atletico Madrid, with Olivier Giroud scoring in a 1-0 victory. In the night’s other tie, holders Bayern Munich win 4-1 at Lazio.

Wednesday February 24

EUROPE: A first-half red card for Remo Freuler costs Atalanta in the first leg of their Champions League clash with Real Madrid, losing 1-0 to a Ferland Mendy goal. Elsewhere, Manchester City win 2-0 at Borussia Monchengladbach, while Tottenham complete an 8-1 aggregate Europa League win over Wolfsberger thanks to a Dele Alli bicycle kick.

SPAIN: Barcelona return to the top three of La Liga by beating Elche 3-0, with Lionel Messi scoring twice.

Thursday February 25

EUROPE: In the Europa League, Arsenal overcome Benfica thanks to a late goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Manchester United and Rangers join the Gunners in the last 16, although Leicester are knocked out by Slavia Prague.

Friday February 26

GERMANY: In spite of taking the lead, Eintracht Frankfurt suffer their first defeat of 2021, losing 2-1 away to Werder Bremen.