Kusini Yengi was the hero for Australia after scoring in the first minute and the 97th to help salvage a 2-2 draw away to Bahrain in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

The result extended manager Tony Popovic's unbeaten start with the Socceroos to four matches, although three of those have been draws.

Things got off to a great start for the visitors, going a goal up inside 40 seconds after Portsmouth forward Kusini Yengi nipped in to intercept an underhit back pass from Sayid Mahdi Baqer and find the net.

Yengi had the next moment of note after hitting the post on 61 minutes from a Riley McGree cross, before a poor touch let him down when well-placed three minutes later.

Australia were made to pay for not killing the game, when Mahdi Abduljabbar lobbed Mat Ryan from 45 yards to get Bahrain level in the 75th minute. It went from bad to worse two minutes later, when Abduljabbar got his second following a defensive mix-up between Ryan and Hayden Matthews.

But Yengi rescued his side deep into stoppage time, reacting quickest to bury a ricocheting ball in the six-yard box. The result was Australia's fourth draw in six matches and leaves them second in Group C on seven points, with teams from third to sixth – including fifth-placed Bahrain – all on six.

Sunshine Snacks, a leading regional snack brand, has announced a landmark 3-year sponsorship agreement with the Jamaica Premier League (JPL). 

As part of this partnership, Sunshine Snacks will also become the designated club sponsor for Montego Bay United, a team with a storied legacy and a strong presence in Jamaican football.

This collaboration underscores Sunshine Snacks’ commitment to fostering growth and success across the Jamaica Premier League while providing critical support to Montego Bay United as they focus on rebuilding and achieving sustained success.

Shantell Hill-Afonso, Marketing Manager, Jamaica for Sunshine Snacks, shared her enthusiasm.

"We at Sunshine Snacks are thrilled to partner with the Jamaica Premier League and Montego Bay United, currently performing well in the league. Montego Bay has always been a focus for us as a brand, which made this sponsorship a perfect fit. This partnership goes beyond branding; it is about nurturing talent, impacting lives, and building stronger communities through football. With our offices located in Montego Bay, this collaboration allows us to support the team on and off the field, creating meaningful connections in the community," Hill-Afonso said.

"We’re also excited to bring Sunshine Snacks products to all Jamaica Premier League matches, creating a fun and engaging experience for fans. Football and snacks go hand in hand, and products like our Sunshine Peanuts will refuel everyone. This partnership allows us to connect with communities across Jamaica in a way that is both meaningful and enjoyable," she added.

Neymar should have won the Ballon d'Or five times, so says Gianluigi Buffon.

Italy great Buffon played alongside Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain for a season in 2018-19.

Neymar joined PSG in a world-record transfer from Barcelona in 2017, but was unable to drive the French club to their maiden Champions League trophy.

He left in 2023 to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, but has hardly featured for the Asian giants. He is back on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue, having only just returned from a year-long lay-off after sustaining an anterior crucial ligament (ACL) injury.

Neymar was tipped for greatness when he moved to Europe from Santos, but despite a glittering career, especially at Barcelona, he never has managed to win the Ballon d'Or.

And that is something that upsets his former club-mate Buffon.

"It's hard to pick a rival," Buffon told Corriere della Sera

"I've played against three generations: Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta… Choose one? Neymar.

"For the player he is and the person he is, he should have won five Ballons d'Or."

Even at PSG, Neymar was often overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe.

When Messi joined that deadly duo in 2021, meanwhile, the trio could not have the impact on the European stage that PSG's Qatari owners would have wished for.

Son Heung-min scored but South Korea were held to a 1-1 draw by Palestine in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.

Tottenham forward Son netted in the 16th minute at Amman International Stadium in Jordan.

That came four minutes after Palestine had taken the lead through Zeid Qunbar.

Yet South Korea could not build on that momentum. Despite finishing with 15 shots, they accumulated only 0.84 expected goals (xG).

South Korea, who are six points clear in qualification Group B, had five shots on target, with Son having four of them, as Palestine held on for a memorable result.

In Group C, Japan consolidated their lead with a 3-1 defeat of China in Xiamen.

Koki Ogawa scored twice, opening the scoring and netting Japan's third.

Ko Itakura put Japan 2-0 up on the stroke of half-time, with Lin Liangming pulling one back for China early in the second half.

The match was briefly disrupted as some spectators ran onto the pitch.

As the dust settles on Jamaica's Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal exit at the hands of the United States, Head coach Steve McClaren remains resolute in his vision for the Reggae Boyz.

While their 2-4 loss in the second leg and, by extension, the 5-2 aggregate scoreline is a bitter pill to swallow, McClaren views it as an essential part of the team's growth and a stark reminder of the work needed to elevate Jamaica's football to the next level.

The Boyz failed campaign, which has now left them to contest a preliminary round to get into next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup, was a tale of two contrasting performances, as a 0-1 loss in Kingston last Thursday left them chasing the tie heading into the away leg in St Louis, Missouri.

However, the doggedness that they displayed at the National Stadium was nonexistent at the Energizer Park on Monday, particularly in the first half, as they found themselves overwhelmed by a clinical United States team that raced to a 3-0 lead by halftime.

Christian Pulisic (13th), Di’Shon Bernard’s 33rd-minute own goal, and Ricardo Pepi (42nd) set the tone for the United States win, which was capped by Timothy Weah (56th). Demarai Gray (53rd, 68th) placed some semblance of respectability on the scoreline for the Boyz.

“We concede that they were the better team. In the first half, we were passive defensively, and we didn’t deal with the ball well. They punished us in transition, caused problems in the build-ups, and three goals made it a mountain to climb,” McClaren said in his post-match assessment.

Despite the early setback, McClaren found positives in his team’s second half response, as they scored twice in what he believes was a show of resilience and determination, though the United States’ superiority proved insurmountable.

“We could have folded at halftime, but we didn't. I told the players we had to win the second half. We changed the shape, personnel, and attitude, and we were more aggressive. That gave us opportunities, and we scored, but we were always vulnerable on the transition, and then the fourth goal was a kick in the teeth. But still, we came back. I mean, that's character, that's courage, and that's what the team has got, so we have to build on that by being tactically and technically better because that's what the USA were,” McClaren reasoned.

On that note, McClaren emphasized that the team’s struggles stem from the same principles he’s determined to instill—building from the back and maintaining composure under pressure.

“We want to build a team that can deal with the ball under pressure. That’s modern football. The principles are you have to be aggressive, you have to defend properly, and you have to be able to deal with the ball,” McClaren declared.

“That is what our strength normally is; we are aggressive, we defend well, but we need to improve in being able to deal with the ball better, build from the back better, with more composure, and have more courage, which we showed in the second half. The USA pressed aggressively, and we didn’t handle it well enough, but that’s a lesson we’ll take forward,” the Englishman added.

With their main target being the 2026 Fifa World Cup, McClaren sees the loss as part of a necessary process, as their immediate future now involves navigating the Gold Cup preliminaries, a step back from their automatic qualification ambitions. 

“This process is ongoing. Sometimes things work, and sometimes they don’t. But we learn, adapt, and move forward. I believe in this team and in our ability to achieve something special. The real test is against the top teams, and we’ve come up short,” the tactician noted.

“But these are the games where we learn the most about our weaknesses and what we need to improve. We’ve used 37 players across three camps, experimenting and identifying talent... it doesn’t bode well for consistency, but it’s vital for the bigger picture. We need players who can defend, press, and deal with the ball under pressure,” McClaren ended.

Morgan Rogers has signed a new contract to keep him at Aston Villa until the end of the 2029-30 season.

Rogers, newly minted as a full England international after making his debut against Greece last week, joined Villa in February from Middlesbrough.

He swiftly established himself as a regular in Unai Emery's set-up, and has played 22 times in the Premier League, making 19 starts.

The 22-year-old has netted six goals and provided three assists in the top flight.

Rogers has also started each of Villa's four Champions League matches this season.

His tally of nine chances created in the Champions League is the most of any player in Villa's squad, five more than next-best Ollie Watkins.

Cuba booked their spot in the Concacaf Gold Cup prelims after they turned the tables on St Kitts and Nevis in their Concacaf Nations League Play-In tie on Monday.

Needing to overturn a deficit from their 1-2 first-leg loss, Cuba did just that in commanding fashion as they blanked St Kitts and Nevis 4-0 in a lopsided return-leg encounter at Estadio Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba.

After bossing possession for most of the first half, Cuba inevitably broke the deadlock when Onel Hernandez produced a decent solo run on his way to driving home a right-footer from the top of the penalty area to level the series on aggregate at that point.

But the hosts were far from done and doubled the lead on the stroke of the break as Yosel Piedra also converted from close range in the 45+3 to make it 2-0 at the break and 3-2 on aggregate.

With St Kitts and Nevis offering very little resistance on the resumption, Cuba extended their lead in the 50th courtesy of Luis Paradela’s close-range finish.

Maykel Reyes then converted an 87th-minute penalty to cap the win as Cuba continued their march towards making the cut for next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup. A win in the preliminary rounds would see them achieving that feat.

Bayern Munich confirmed Joao Palhinha will be sidelined for several weeks after suffering an adductor injury while on international duty.

The midfielder sustained the issue while training with Portugal, and withdrew from the squad, missing both of their Nations League fixtures against Poland and Croatia. 

Palhinha, who joined Bayern on a four-year contract in July from Fulham, has made 13 appearances in all competitions and boasts a 100% tackle completion rate in the Bundesliga (7/7).

"FC Bayern's medical department has confirmed that Joao Palhinha suffered a torn muscle fibre in his right adductor while training with the Portugal national team," the club said. "The midfielder will therefore be sidelined for the coming weeks."

Bayern have been boosted by Aleksandar Pavlovic's return to first-team training over the international break, though he has still not returned to full fitness.

The Bavarians, top of the Bundesliga with a five-point advantage over RB Leipzig, have a busy schedule ahead of them with four matches in 11 days.

Bayern take on Augsburg in the league on Friday before hosting Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League next Tuesday. They then travel to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and face holders Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal on December 3.

Curacao secured promotion to League A and direct qualification for next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup after they topped Group B of League B in the Concacaf Nations League action on Monday. 

The Dutch-speaking Caribbean Island bettered St Lucia 4-1 in their top-of-the-table clash at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, Curaçao.

Gervane Kastaneer opened the scoring in the 27th with a tidy finish on the volley as he connected well from Jearl Margaritha’s weighted cross.

St Lucia pulled level in the 29th courtesy of Ryan Charles, who won possession at the top of the penalty area and finished at close range.

However, Kastaneer grabbed his brace to put Curacao back on top as he produced another decent close range finish to make it 2-1 at the break.

Any hopes St Lucia had of a comeback were dashed in the 73rd when Juninho Bacuna displayed nippy footwork to dismiss markers and slot home.

Bacuna then completed his brace and Curacao’s rout when he fired home in the 79th to secure their promotion to League A and, by extension, a berth in the Gold Cup.

They topped the group with 13 points, four more than St Lucia (nine points), while Grenada, who were 3-0 winners over St Martin in the other group contest, ended on seven points.

Rahim Dennis (39th) and Keelan Lebon (87th and 90+3) sealed Grenada’s win against St Martin to ensure they stay up in League B for another edition.

By virtue of that loss, St Martin, who finished last on the four-team standings on six points, have been relegated to League C for the next edition of the Nations League.

Lauren Hemp has been ruled out of England's upcoming friendlies after Manchester City confirmed the forward had surgery on a knee injury.

Hemp has missed City's last two matches, including their 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Women's Super League on Saturday.

Sarina Wiegman confirmed the surgery was not related to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, and the club have also not confirmed how long she will be out.

The 24-year-old recently became the youngest player in WSL history to reach 50 goals and also leads the way for assists (five) and chances created (26) in the competition this season.

Overall this term, she has scored two goals and registered seven assists in all competitions, including setting up three goals in City's 4-0 win over Tottenham, her last appearance.

Manchester United's Ella Toone is also unavailable to Wiegman this international break due to a calf injury.

Her absence in their victory over Leicester City on Sunday ended a run of 96 consecutive league starts.

Niamh Charles, Lauren James and Lucy Parker are also out through injury, with the Chelsea pair having failed to recover from problems that kept them out of the previous international break.

It means there are first international call-ups for Laura Blindkilde Brown and Ruby Mace, while Gabby George is named for the first time since November 2022.

England take on the United States at Wembley on November 30 in the first of their two friendlies, before facing Switzerland three days later.

England squad in full:

Mary Earps (Paris Saint-Germain), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride), Mille Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Gotham), Gabby George (Manchester United), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Millie Turner (Manchester United), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), Grace Clinton (Manchester United), Fran Kirby (Brighton), Jess Park (Manchester City), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Ruby Mace (Leicester City), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Jess Naz (Tottenham), Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

Luis de la Fuente has praised Spain's youngsters after they starred in the dramatic late win over Switzerland in the Nations League on Monday.

Bryan Zaragoza sealed the 3-2 victory with a stoppage-time penalty after the visitors had twice come from behind to level after Yeremy Pino and Bryan Gil's goals in Tenerife.

Spain dominated throughout the match, having 21 shots, 10 of which were on target, as they created 3.21 expected goals (xG) and rounded off an unbeaten group stage.

Excluding friendlies, the European champions are unbeaten in their 13 matches in 2024 in all competitions (W12 D1), setting the record for their most competitive matches without defeat in a single year, as well as their most wins.

La Roja will be one of the seeded teams in the Nations League quarter-finals in March after topping Group A4, and De la Fuente was particularly proud of how the next generation of players have performed in 2024.

"We are very happy. It is football like that, and we know the high level and equality that exists. We must value so many victories and, above all, the victory over a great team like Switzerland," De la Fuente said.

"Before, it was also a great team. The difference is that now we win, and we win everything. We are used to competing for the best and having great results. Without thinking about the past.

"I don't worry about it. I have always said that we have a magnificent present and a wonderful future, thanks to the great footballers that there are in Spain. They are the best in the world.

"They are very good. They are the best players. We know what they give, and we have to make them feel comfortable to show their football. The message gets through quickly, and we are privileged to have these players."

San Marino head coach Roberto Cevoli says the team "deserve what they've managed to achieve" after they made history with their Nations League promotion.

San Marino, the world's bottom-ranked team, won their first away match in history as they beat Liechtenstein 3-1 in their final Nations League match on Monday.

It was just the third win in their history, with all of those victories coming against Liechtenstein, with their previous triumphs – a friendly in 2004 and a Nations League game in September – both 1-0 at home.

Aron Sele had given Liechtenstein the lead five minutes before half-time, but second-half goals from Lorenzo Lazzari, Nicola Nanni and Alessandro Golinucci secured the famous victory for the visitors.

"Finishing that first half 1-0 down was an insult to football, but the boys were brilliant and deserved what they've managed to achieve," said Cevoli.

Marco Tura, the president of San Marino's Football Federation, added: "These boys made history tonight.

"As people, as athletes, as men, they have shown what they are worth. I cried with the boys."

It is the first time San Marino scored more than once in a competitive game, while they had never scored three goals in any match before in their history.

The victory means they have gained promotion to Nations League C, after topping Group D1 with seven points.

The United States Men's National Team (USMNT) showcased their attacking prowess on Monday night in St. Louis, defeating Jamaica 4-2 in the second leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final. With a 1-0 victory in Kingston last Thursday, the Americans secured a comprehensive 5-2 aggregate win, eliminating the Reggae Boyz from the competition.

The home side wasted no time asserting dominance, with Christian Pulisic leading the charge. The AC Milan star opened the scoring in the 14th minute, converting a pinpoint cross from Weston McKennie. Pulisic doubled the lead in the 33rd minute, latching onto McKennie’s delivery and finishing off a well-worked team move.

Ricardo Pepi extended the advantage in the 42nd minute, turning sharply on the edge of the box before slotting home a precise shot past Jamaican goalkeeper Andre Blake. With a commanding 3-0 halftime lead, the USMNT were firmly in control, having enjoyed 70 per cent possession and limiting Jamaica to just two attempts in the opening 45 minutes.

Jamaica found a glimmer of hope early in the second half when Demarai Gray netted his first of two goals in the 54th minute. The former Leicester City attacker capitalized on poor defending to cut the deficit to 3-1.

However, the Americans responded just two minutes later, with Timothy Weah delivering a thunderous finish off a Yunus Musah cross to restore the three-goal cushion at 4-1. Gray struck again in the 68th minute, converting a rebound from Renaldo Cephas’ initial effort, but Jamaica struggled to mount a sustained comeback as the USMNT’s depth and tactical organization shone through.

Pulisic’s brace and McKennie’s two assists underlined the dominance of the Americans, who controlled possession and consistently tested Jamaica’s defense. The midfield duo of McKennie and Yunus Musah orchestrated play beautifully, while Timothy Weah and Ricardo Pepi added further dynamism in attack.

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino utilized his substitutes effectively, bringing on Cade Cowell and Brandon Vazquez to maintain the intensity late in the game. Gianluca Busio and Brenden Aaronson also entered to secure the result, allowing the Americans to cruise into the semifinals.

For Jamaica, the defeat highlighted defensive lapses and an inability to sustain possession under pressure. Demarai Gray was the standout performer, scoring both goals for the Reggae Boyz, but the team was often on the back foot, particularly in the first half when they completed just 57 passes compared to the USMNT’s 277.

Jamaica’s head coach, Steve McLaren, will need to address these shortcomings as the team shifts focus to upcoming competitions. Despite their elimination, the Reggae Boyz showed glimpses of promise, particularly through Gray and Renaldo Cephas, who forced a save that led to Gray’s second goal.

The United States advances to the semifinals of the Nations League, aiming to defend their title with confidence after another dominant display. For Jamaica, the focus now turns to regrouping and building on the positives from their campaign.

Jonathan David admits it is his dream to play for Barcelona as he prepares to enter the final six months of his Lille contract.

The Canada international is into his fifth season with the Ligue 1 side but is due to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.

Lille have attempted to persuade David with a new deal, though he looks set to depart Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2025 – potentially as early as January if a club is prepared to pay a transfer fee.

However, while the 24-year-old is seemingly open to a move to Barcelona, he suggested he would prefer to wait until the end of the campaign before taking the next step in his career.

"Going to a club midseason is never easy," he told The Athletic. "It's not like the beginning of a season where you have a pre-season, you get to know your team-mates, you have time to gel. 

"In January, things are very hectic. It's about right now. It's tougher."

"[Barcelona] was always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it's your dream to play for them.

"Some people might say, 'Oh, he's staying at Lille, this is a downgrade, he's not getting better'. But for me, there's always opportunities to get better."

David has scored 13 goals in 19 games for Lille in all competitions this season, including goals against heavyweight sides Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League.

Including penalties, eight of those goals have been scored via his stronger right boot, four with his left and one with his head – an area the forward accepts he can still improve.

"Aerially, I can get better," he said. "Getting that header on target and scoring. 

"I can get in good positions and win headers but the finishing touch, I'm still missing. With my back to goal, I can also get better."

David is averaging a goal every 112 minutes across all competitions this season, which compares to one every 139 minutes last season and 131 in 2022-23.

However, he still has some way to go to match the 18 goals scored in 27 league games for former club Gent in 2019-20.

"Things are good right now because I'm scoring goals," David said. 

"But is this the best I've played in my life? Probably not. For me, it was my second year in Belgium. That was the season of my life."

Steve Clarke says Scotland "never lost belief" as they secured a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Poland to give themselves a lifeline in the Nations League.

Scotland needed a win to avoid automatic relegation and finished third in Group A1. They now face a relegation play-off to defend their place in the top tier of the competition.

Scotland made a lightning-quick start in Warsaw as John McGinn, who was rewarded with a place in the starting line-up after scoring the winner against Croatia, cushioned in his 20th goal for the national team after just three minutes.

Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay both hit the woodwork as they attempted to double their lead before the break, while Craig Gordon produced some fine saves to protect their advantage.

Kamil Piatowski's stunning strike pulled Poland level just before the hour-mark, but Andy Robertson, on his 80th appearance, proved the difference, rising high to send a towering header past Lukasz Skorupski in the 93rd minute.

Robertson is the first player to score a 90th-minute winner for Scotland since McTominay against Israel in a World Cup qualifier in October 2021.

It is the first time since March-September 2023 (a run of five) that Scotland have won back-to-back internationals, and Clarke was delighted to finish the Nations League group stage on a high.

"A good way to end this Nations League campaign. You always believe. It was a very open game, a lot of chances," Clarke said.

"We always felt one more chance would come, maybe not from the source it actually came from, but it was a fantastic cross from John Souttar, who was outstanding defensively, and a great header from the captain.

"We started with three defeats, three narrow defeats, with good performances. The players didn't lose belief. I didn't lose belief in the players, and they end up taking seven points from the last three games, which gets us into the play-off.

"The more you play at this level, the better you get. The players never lost belief.

"There's been a lot of good moments over my five-and-a-half years, and this is just another step on the journey."

The draw for the Nations League play-offs will take place on Friday, with the ties to be played in March.