In a heroic performance on Saturday, Belgium beat match favorites Italy to make their way into the semi finals in China.

With two goals in extra time, tournament favorites Brazil shook off a strong Cameroon to secure a spot in the semi finals.

Middlesbrough signed Arsenal defender Justin Hoyte for three million pounds (3.8 million euros) on Saturday.

Samir Nasri gave Arsenal´s young guns a winning start to the Premier League campaign as the France midfielder´s debut goal clinched a 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Samir Nasri ensured Arsenal made a successful, if unconvincing, start to the new season as his debut goal secured a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

LONDON (SW) - Tottenham Hotspur captain Ledley King remains cautious about whether he can play a full part this season after returning from another long injury lay-off.

Former US national team coach Bruce Arena is set to be named the new head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, ESPN reported on Friday.

Nigeria are through the semi finals of the Olympic tournament after beating fellow Africans Côte d'Ivoire 2-0 in the quarters.

Argentina have secured their spot in the semi finals after a tough and close match with the Netherlands in Shanghai.

Champions League contenders Schalke 04 got their Bundesliga title bid off to the perfect start with a 3-0 win over Hanover on Saturday.

Dean Ashton scored twice in West Ham´s 2-1 win over visiting Wigan, demonstrating to the watching England manager Fabio Capello the error of the claim that England lacks quality young players.

Premier League new-boys Stoke suffered a dismal start to their first top-flight campaign in 23 years, going down 3-1 against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

Hull celebrated their first ever Premier League match in style as Caleb Folan´s late goal clinched a 2-1 win over Fulham on Saturday.

Scottish champions Celtic signed Cardiff defender Glenn Loovens for an undisclosed fee on Saturday.

Tottenham´s bold bid to challenge the Premier League´s top four suffered an immediate setback at Middlesbrough as goals from David Wheater and former Spurs favourite Mido condemned Juande Ramos´s side to a 2-1 defeat on Saturday.

Paul Ince´s managerial debut in the English Premier League got off to a superb start Saturday when his Blackburn Rovers side beat Everton at home in a five-goal thriller.

Rangers ran out 2-0 winners against ten-men Hearts at Ibrox in the Scottish Premier league on Saturday thanks to a last minute penalty.

Tournament favourites Brazil and Argentina set themselves up for a semi-final showdown, while Nigeria will play Belgium after the Olympic men´s football tournament quarter-finals were played Saturday.

Liverpool´s 1-0 victory at Sunderland at the start of the Premier League season was swiftly followed by a hint that their manager Rafael Benitez is closer to signing the Aston Villa midfield player Gareth Barry.

England manager Fabio Capello has called up Emile Heskey but left out Peter Crouch for next Wednesday´s friendly against the Czech Republic.