Canada advanced to the knockout stages of the Paris Olympics against all the odds following a 1-0 victory over Colombia in Marseille. 

The defending Olympic champions had won both their group matches, but were docked six points after being found guilty of using a drone to spy on New Zealand's training session ahead of their opening match of the Games. 

It subsequently saw head coach Bev Priestman banned from football-related activities for a year, and despite appealing the decision, saw it rejected. 

However, Vanessa Gilles' header proved to be the difference as she rose highest to meet Jessie Fleming's corner kick delivery in the 61st minute.

While Canada only took three points from their group games, they joined both Spain and the United States as the only teams to win all their games at the tournament so far. 

Colombia, who started the day's action in second, settled for third spot but advanced to the knockout stages as one of the best third-placed teams and will face Spain. 

Canada, meanwhile, will continue their quest for a second Olympic triumph in the Parc des Princes on Saturday where they will face Germany. 

In the other Group A fixture, hosts France confirmed their place in the knockout stages of the competition after a hard fought 2-1 triumph over New Zealand. 

Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored the opening goal of the game in the 22nd minute, only for Kate Taylor to respond for the visitors two minutes before the interval. 

Katoto, who scored a brace against Colombia in their opening group game, notched her second double of the tournament late on to take her tally to five at the Games and secure top spot for the French. 

France will next be in action this Saturday in Nantes, where they will face Brazil, who will be without veteran striker Marta following her red card against Spain earlier in the day. 

The Jamaica Football Federation has appointed Stephen McClaren as the Head coach of the senior Reggae Boyz with a two-year contract aimed at securing qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

JFF president Michael Ricketts expressed great optimism about the appointment.

“We are truly elated to announce the appointment of Mr. McClaren as Head Coach of the Reggae Boyz. We are confident we made the right decision, and we are looking forward to him guiding our nation towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Ricketts said.

McClaren also expressed great excitement of taking charge of the Reggae Boyz.

“I am extremely proud and excited to take up the position of Head coach for The Jamaica Men’s National Team. I had no hesitation in accepting a position that is ideally suited to me at this stage of my career,” McClaren noted.

“Prior to returning to Manchester United for a second spell, I spent time at FIFA as a Technical Advisor on their Global Eco Analysis project. Jamaica was one of the teams I worked with and I quickly came to realize the potential the country possessed. In the years since, that potential has grown significantly and there is every reason to believe that with continued hard work and development a bright future lies ahead,” he added.

McClaren's coaching career includes significant achievements with Manchester United, the England National team, and clubs like Middlesbrough F.C. and FC Twente.

The Reggae Boyz will commence their campaign in the 2024/2025 edition of the CONCACAF Nations League on September 6 against Cuba at the National Stadium.

This Nations League cycle will also serve as a qualifier for the 2025 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Further details about McClaren's first press conference will be announced later.

Emma Hayes' unbeaten record as the United States head coach continued as her side remained perfect following their 2-1 win over Australia in Group B. 

Hayes, who took charge of the USWNT in May, has won six of her seven games at the helm, conceding just twice in that time. 

The USA, along with Spain, are the only two sides to win all of their games at the Paris Olympics so far and will have great confidence heading into the knockout stages. 

Trinity Rodman's second goal of the tournament two minutes from half-time sent them on their way, as Korbin Albert's 77th-minute strike saw her become the the youngest substitute scorer for the USA at the Olympics since Mallory Swanson against Colombia in 2016. 

Alanna Kennedy's late strike would take some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display, but the United States dominated from the first whistle. 

Hayes' side accumulated an expected goals (xG) of 2.82 from the 21 shots they had compared to Australia's 0.46, ending the match with 71.7% possession. 

The United States will face Japan in the quarter-finals of the tournament, while Australia face a nervous wait to see if they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. 

In the other Group B encounter, Germany confirmed their place in the knockout stages alongside the United States following a comfortable 4-1 win over Zambia. 

Lea Schuller opened the scoring in the 10th minute, with Klara Buhl adding the Germans second of the afternoon shortly after the restart. 

Zambia captain Barbra Banda threatened to make the encounter a more difficult affair with her fourth goal of the tournament two minutes later. 

But Schuller and Elisa Senß would add further gloss to the performance soon after to secure second place in the group. 

Germany's triumph sets up a meeting with the runners-up of Group A, which could be either one of Colombia, France, Canada or New Zealand. 

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) executive is now on the hunt for a new head coach to pilot their senior men's national team after parting ways with Angus Eve.

This move may come as a surprise to many, as the TTFA, while under the watch of a Normalisation Committee, extended Eve's stay in September 2023 to March 2024, but later pushed it further to 2025.

Eve, 52, was appointed head coach in September 2021 after taking over on an interim basis from Terry Fenwick in February 2021.

"We sincerely thank Coach Eve for his dedication, hard work, and contributions to our football program. His commitment and passion for the game have been greatly appreciated," the TTFA stated in a media release.

"Moving forward, the TTFA will commence the search for a new head coach who can lead our national team to greater heights. Our focus is firmly set on the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. We recognize the importance of having a clear pathway for qualification, which requires the full support of the government, private sector, and citizens," the release added.

The TTFA stressed its dedication to fostering a strong and vibrant football culture in Trinidad and Tobago, adding that it is committed to enhancing the football infrastructure, developing youth programs, and ensuring competitive performance at all levels.

"Achieving our goals will require a total buy-in from corporate entities, government bodies, and the general public," the media release declared.

"We reaffirm our commitment to the overall development of football in our nation and will continue to work diligently towards creating opportunities and providing the necessary resources for our players, coaches, and supporters," it ended.

The TTFA thanked Eve for his service and contribution and wished him well on his future endeavors.

Milan have announced the signing of Strahinja Pavlovic from Salzburg on a four-year contract.

The Rossoneri have brought him in for a reported fee of €18million, with the option for the Serbian to extend his stay by another year.

Pavlovic joined Salzburg in July 2022, helping the team to the Austrian Bundesliga title in his first campaign.

He then made 26 starts for Salzburg last season as they secured a second-place finish in the league, netting three goals, all of which were headers.

The defender is Paulo Fonseca's second major signing since replacing Stefano Pioli at Milan, following Alvaro Morata to San Siro.

Marta left the field in tears after being sent off for a dangerous high tackle during Brazil's 2-0 defeat to Spain in their final Group C game at the Olympics.

The Brazil great narrowly missed Olga Carmona's head with an out-of-control attempt to reach the ball in first-half stoppage time, receiving a straight red card in what could turn out to be her final-ever Olympic game.

Brazil needed a win to secure a place in the knockout rounds, but now they face a nervous wait to see if they will be one of the two best third-place teams in the last eight – a match they would have to play without their captain.

Athenea del Castillo eventually got the breakthrough after 68 minutes, before Alexia Putellas scored in the 107th minute to ensure they stayed perfect to top the group.

It was a dominant performance by La Roja, who created an expected goals tally of 2.75 from 27 shots compared to Brazil's 0.3 from 10 efforts.

Spain will face the best third-place team from either Group A or B in the quarter-final on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Japan also secured a spot in the knockout rounds with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Nigeria.

Japan stunned Brazil in the second group game and continued their momentum by getting the job done in the first half.

Maika Hamano and Mina Tanaka put them 2-0 up before Jennifer Echegini pulled one back for Nigeria.

However, Hikaru Kitagawa's strike just before the break restored Japan's two-goal cushion and held onto that lead to set up a meeting with the winners of Group B in the next round. 

Eddie Howe is hopeful that Newcastle United can bring in a new signing soon after their resounding 4-1 win over Urawa Reds in Japan on Wednesday.

Alexander Isak opened the scoring early on before Rio Nitta levelled for the J. League side. Nick Pope then saved a penalty before Jacob Murphy scored a brace, netting either side of half-time.

Lewis Hall then rounded off the scoring just after the hour mark to ensure Newcastle made it two wins from two in pre-season.

Howe was keen to protect his players during the game as Isak was removed early on, but he was also forced to play Joelinton in defence for the final 10 minutes without a ready replacement.

Newcastle are looking to expand their squad depth, and when asked about transfer plans, Howe gave a small hint that someone could be coming soon.

"I hope so, but I have no idea how close things are," Howe said after the game.

"I hope so. We are working hard to make things happen."

Newcastle beat Hull City 2-0 in their opening pre-season match on Saturday and are currently in Japan for their tour.

The Magpies will face Yokohama before flying home to host Girona and Brest at St. James' Park, and Howe was pleased with what he saw in their second friendly as they step up their preparations for the new Premier League season.

"I thought it was a good game and good conditions to improve our fitness levels," he added.

"It was a little bit cooler at kick-off but still a hot and humid day. It has certainly helped the players, but we still have lots to improve on. I thought mentally we could not complain about the players."

Dean Huijsen has completed a £12.6million move to Bournemouth from Juventus, the club confirmed on Tuesday. 

Huijsen, who made just one senior appearance for Juventus, has signed a six-year deal with Andoni Iraola's side. 

The 19-year-old spent the second half of the 2023-24 season on loan with Roma, making 14 league appearances and scoring twice. 

Huijsen helped the Giallorossi to a sixth place finish in Serie A, keeping four clean sheets across all of his outings. 

The Dutch defender's addition fits in with Iraola's possession philosophy, completing 393 of his 451 attempted passes last season, a pass accuracy of 87.14%. 

He becomes the Cherries’ fourth senior signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Alex Paulsen, Daniel Jebbison and the permanent addition of Enes Unal.

Bournemouth chief executive Neill Blake said: “We are delighted to bring in a player of such high calibre on a long-term deal.

"Dean is someone that has such exciting potential and we are all excited to see where his journey with the club will go.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming him to Vitality Stadium and working together to help develop further all the qualities that he already possesses.”

Jurgen Klopp has distanced himself from taking on the vacant England job, saying it would be "the biggest loss of face in the history of football". 

Klopp, who left Liverpool at the end of last season after a nine-year stay on Merseyside, is one of many names linked with taking over from Gareth Southgate. 

Southgate led England to back-to-back European Championship finals, failing to win in both and stepped down from his role after their defeat to Spain at Euro 2024. 

The last time the Three Lions employed a foreign manager came back in 2008, when Fabio Capello was announced as Steve McClaren's replacement. 

Klopp was asked at an International Coaches' Congress in Wurzburg whether he had been offered a way back into management since leaving Liverpool. 

"At the moment, there is nothing at all in terms of jobs. No club, no country," Klopp said.

“England? That would be the biggest loss of face in the history of football if I said I’ll make an exception for you.”

England's first game following Southgate's departure will be against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on 7 September in the UEFA Nations League.

Klopp said his reasoning for leaving Liverpool was because he was "running out of energy" having helped the Reds win eight major honours during his time at Anfield. 

However, the 57-year-old did not rule out a return to the dugout in the future, expressing his desire of working in football again. 

"Let's see what it will look like in a few months. Nothing is coming through at the moment," he said.

"As of today, that's it for me as a coach. I didn't quit on a whim, it was a general decision.

"I've also coached the best clubs in the world. Maybe we can talk about it again in a few months.

"I still want to work in football and help people with my experience and contacts. Let's see what else there is for me."

Arnett Gardens Head coach Xavier Gilbert was full of praise for his team following their emphatic 7-1 victory over CRKSV Jong Holland, which secured their spot in the semifinals of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield.

A hat-trick from the prolific Fabian Reid (5th, 45+1, 60th) was the platform for the Jamaican club’s lopsided victory over their Curacao counterparts at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad on Tuesday.

Kimani Arbouine (82nd and 90th), Jaheim Thomas (9th), and substitute Rushike Kelson (70th) got the other goals for Arnett Gardens. Shurwendel Roosje (59th) got Jong Holland’s consolation.

It was an encounter that showcased Arnett Gardens' attacking prowess and tactical discipline, as the ‘Junglists’ took their opponents apart with clinical precision, much to the delight of their coach, who pointed out that it was a clear indication of their potential to achieve their primary objective of qualifying for the Concacaf Club Championships.

“Yeah, it was a good victory. I'm happy that we are in the semi-finals and one step away from the next round, which is objective,” Gilbert told Sportsmax.TV.

“We started off well, but I thought we could have been better because we allowed them some opportunities. Eventually, we settled in and controlled the entire game and we made some adjustments as it relates to what we needed to do to curtail the strengths coming forward, and we executed well for most parts. Winning 7-1 at this level is a great feat and so I have to lift my hat off to them,” he added.

Arnett Gardens survived an early wave of pressure, with goalkeeper Richard White called upon twice to deny the opponents in quick succession. However, when they settled, the Jamaicans dominated possession and created numerous scoring opportunities throughout the match.

Their fluid ball movements, coupled with their attacking quality, left Jong Holland’s defence in disarray, as it was a goalkeeping error that allowed Reid to break the deadlock with a firm finish from in the six-yard box.

Another defensive error saw Arnett Gardens double their lead four minutes later as Keneldo Brown picked up the loose ball and found Thomas, who made no mistakes.

Jong Holland also had their fair share of chances at the half-hour mark, but lacked composure in the final third, and were made to pay for their profligacy. This, as Reid grabbed his second with a well-taken finish in time, added to put Arnett Gardens 3-0 up at the break.

Jong Holland eventually pulled one back 14 minutes into the resumption when Roosje finished off a well-orchestrated counterattack.

However, their celebrations were short-lived, as Reid responded a minute later with another finish from close range to complete his hat-trick.

Kelson got in on the act shortly after entering the contest, with a tidy finish that left Jong Holland’s goalkeeper flat-footed.

Aubouine then wrapped things up for Arnett Gardens with two quick goals, the first of which was a well-struck right-footer that gave Jong Holland’s custodian no chance at a save.

He then secured the brace with an easy finish, making amends for a previous strike that was ruled offside.

Gilbert believes his team’s win came down to pre-game preparation, where they identified their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

“We scouted them, and so we knew what they were coming at us with. Unfortunately, we just didn't start the execution of that plan as early as possible, but eventually we got it right, and it paid dividends. We could have won by a wider margin because we created way more opportunities, so that is something we will have to look at going forward,” Gilbert reasoned.

With Friday’s semi-final clash with Club Atlético Pantoja, who were 1-0 winners over Puerto Rico’s Metropolitan FC, looming, Gilbert stressed the need for his team to remain grounded.

“Our goal has always been to make it to the Concacaf Club Championships. This victory is a significant step towards that, but we know there's still work to be done. We need to stay focused and continue playing at this level,” the tactician noted.

“We have a talented squad with the right mentality, so if we keep playing with the same intensity and commitment, I'm confident we can achieve our goal. But we're taking it one game at a time; the semi-finals will be another tough test, so we’ll ensure we're ready for that hurdle,” Gilbert ended.

Brentford have confirmed that record signing Igor Thiago has had successful surgery on his meniscus injury sustained in pre-season, but will be out of action until late 2024.

Thiago, who arrived from Club Brugge for £30million in July, picked up the injury in Brentford's 5-2 win over AFC Wimbledon earlier this month. 

The Brazilian had scored twice on his first appearance for the club against the League Two side, but was withdrawn from the action at half-time. 

Thiago was expected to be the replacement for Brentford's all-time top scorer Ivan Toney, but the recent news makes a move for the England international now less likely. 

The 23-year-old scored 29 goals in 55 appearances in all competitions for the Belgian side last season, helping them claim a 19th Jupiler Pro League title. 

Thomas Frank's side continue their preparations for the new campaign this weekend against Watford, before facing Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg in their final pre-season outing.

The Bees welcome Crystal Palace to the Gtech Community Stadium on the opening day of the Premier League season, searching for a first win over their opponents since a 2-1 victory in the League Cup back in 1977. 

Son Heung-Min scored a first-half brace as Tottenham continued their perfect run in pre-season with a 4-3 victory over Team K League in South Korea on Wednesday.

On home soil, the forward scored twice in 10 minutes, with Dejan Kulusevski and Will Lankshear also hitting the target for Ange Postecoglou's side.

Oberdan set the game up for a nervy finish after Stanislav Iljutcenko's double, but they could not find a winner at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Kulusevski got the ball rolling, latching onto Son's saved effort before picking out the bottom corner to edge Spurs in front before the South Korean delighted the crowd with two clinical finishes.

Second-half substitute Iljutcenko scored two goals in as many minutes shortly after his introduction, though Lankshear stuck out a leg to give Spurs a two-goal cushion with 23 minutes to go.

Oberdan's strike was the pick of the bunch, with a wonderful looping volley from outside the box after Spurs failed to clear a corner, and Brandon Austin had no chance of stopping it from hitting the back of the net. 

Data Debrief: Perfect homecoming for Son

Son certainly made his mark in his 63 minutes on the pitch in Seoul, having the joint-most shots (four), with all of them on target, and his expected goals of 0.56 was only bettered by Lankshear (0.74).

Postecoglou could not have asked for a better pre-season, with Spurs winning all five of their pre-season friendlies so far. With a double-header against Bayern Munich to come before their Premier League opener away at Leicester City, the North London side look to be in good nick.

Sean Dyche has brushed off suggestions that the signing of Jake O'Brien from Lyon is directly related to Jarrad Branthwaite's future.

Manchester United have had two bids for Branthwaite rejected earlier in the transfer window, though are expected to try again to draw the defender away from Goodison Park.

And on Tuesday, Everton announced the signing of O'Brien on a four-year contract after an impressive season in Ligue 1.

Among Lyon players, O'Brien made the most blocks (18) and clearances (96), while only Duje Caleta-Car (57) won more contested aerial duels than his 44.

The Republic of Ireland international is the fifth signing for Everton so far, and Dyche explained why he felt it was so important to use this transfer window to build for the future.

"Putting two and two together at Everton football club. No way!" Dyche joked.

"What I would suggest is, it's nothing to do with that. It's just trying to model the club with the finances available. Trying to bring in players who can add to the layers of the club.

"Obviously, we're stretched at the moment, but the depth of the club, with a younger style of players who can develop and protect the club both on the pitch with their performances and in the future with the finances.

"It's a tough juggling act and tough to find the players who can do that, but we think we've got a few here now.

"We've made it clear to him [Branthwaite] that there was nothing other than that. But like you said, put two and two together and everyone starts speculating. What can you do?"

Amad Diallo is hopeful of more game time at Manchester United this season and wants to continue playing for the club for years to come.

The Ivorian did not feature often last season, with injury stalling his progress while manager Erik ten Hag also favoured Antony or Alejandro Garnacho.

Nevertheless, Diallo showed what he could do in flashes, with his injury-time winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup one of the high points of United’s season.

The 22-year-old is confident of more involvement this term, having held conversations with Ten Hag about his progress going forward.

He said: "I am so excited, I believe in the manager, I know last season I didn't play a lot but this season is going to be a good season for everyone and motivated to start the season.

"We [myself and Ten Hag] had a conversation, a positive conversation and he said good things.

"I believe in the manager, last season I didn't play a lot, but I think we will have good things this season."

Asked if he had considered leaving, Diallo replied: "I'm very happy here.

"I think everyone is happy with me because I smile with everyone, good energy. Why not stay here all my life?"

Diallo's FA Cup goal against Liverpool will go down in United folklore and the man himself is still processing the enormity of the strike, especially with the club going on to win the competition.

When asked if he still watches back the winner, he said: "Yeah, so many times. That goal was the most important goal of my life.

"I was very happy to score the goal. Even now I can’t believe it."

Diallo is happy to play across the frontline for United but confirmed that he was at his most comfortable when drifting in from a right-wing position, despite starting out centrally earlier in his career.

He said: "My first position was number 10 when I was at Atalanta. After that, a right winger, but I can play number 10, left winger, I can play everywhere in the forward line, I’m ready to play every single position.

“Right winger [is my favourite]. I have played there for a long time. That is my best position. I am more comfortable in that position."

Diallo will hope to be in action for United’s next pre-season match against Real Betis in San Diego.

Chelsea have signed goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal for a reported £20.7million (€24.5m).

Jorgensen made 36 LaLiga appearances for Villarreal last season.

The 22-year-old made 143 saves, the most in Spain's top flight, keeping six clean sheets and conceding 63 goals in total, registering a save percentage of 69.42.

Those performances have persuaded the Blues to bring in the Dane to compete with Robert Sanchez and Djorde Petrovic, though there are reports the latter could be moved on.

"This move is a dream come true," said Jorgensen, who has penned a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

"I am very excited to have signed for Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world. I can’t wait to get to know everyone and to start playing with all my new team-mates."