free kick

Aleksandar Kolarov equalises from a free-kick as Manchester City's Champions League debut against Napoli ends in a 1-1 draw.

Arsenal kept the pressure on the two Manchester clubs at the top of the Barclays Premier League as they overwhelmed Birmingham with a 3-0 win at rainswept St Andrew's.

A Robin van Persie free-kick and Samir Nasri's 13th goal of the season put the visitors in control before an own goal from Roger Johnson added to City's misery.

Germany took third place at the World Cup for the second tournament in a row Saturday with an exciting 3-2 victory over Uruguay.

Uruguay, driven by striker Diego Forlan, almost forced extra time. Forlan's free kick crashed against the crossbar in injury time, the last kick of the match.

The match was heading for extra time at 2-2 when Sami Khedira scored a late header.

Defending champion Italy was held to another 1-1 draw Sunday, this time by New Zealand, in the latest World Cup surprise.

The 78th-ranked All Whites took the lead in the seventh minute when the ball glanced off 36-year-old Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro, gifting a goal to Shane Smeltz.

A long free kick from Simon Elliott sailed deep into Italy's area, deflected off Cannavaro's hip and went...

The United States is moving on, ready to forget about the disallowed goal that cost the Americans a win in their 2-2 draw with Slovakia at the World Cup.

Referee Koman Coulibaly of Mali called off an apparent goal by Maurice Edu from Landon Donovan's free kick in the 85th minute Friday after the Americans had rallied from a two-goal deficit.

Chelsea secure a first league and FA Cup Double as Didier Drogba's free-kick is enough to see off stubborn Portsmouth.

Peter Whittingham's superb second-half free-kick ensured Cardiff will defend a slender 1-0 lead in the Welsh capital on Wednesday night in the second leg of their Coca-Cola Championship play-off semi-final against Leicester.

Stiliyan Petrov spared Aston Villa an FA Cup shock when he got on the end of Stewart Downing's corner to seal a 2-2 draw after Darren Ambrose had fired Crystal Palace ahead with a superb 30-yard free-kick in their fifth-round tie.