Soccer breakups are often just like the real thing. They can be by mutual consent — it was probably for the best — or they can be long, drawn out, acrimonious affairs. Just ask Emmanuel Adebayor.

Towards the end of last season, it became clear that his services would no longer be required at Arsenal and so they sold him to those upstarts on the blue side of Manchester. And Manchester City were very glad to have him. But it was never really what Adebayor wanted. Arsenal would surely be contending near the top of the Premier League and would also guarantee Champions League soccer. And so, the whole thing turned rather bitter.

It culminated on Saturday when Adebayor faced Arsenal for the first time and set about making a point. But as in all sports there are right ways and wrong ways to do that. Scoring against your old club, as Adebayor did on Saturday, is fair game. He more than proved that he could still be of value as a striker.

World Cup qualifying is reaching its final stages, but for one would-be favorite, little has gone to plan. After two ugly defeats last week, Argentina is now in very real danger of not making it to South Africa next summer. They have not missed a World Cup since 1970.

First, Argentina lost at home to Brazil, 3-1, and on Wednesday Paraguay booked a spot in the World Cup at their expense, winning 1-0. That left Argentina in fifth place in the South American qualifying group, where only the top four earn an automatic bid. The fifth faces a playoff against the fourth finisher from the North, Central America and Caribbean Zone. (If you need a full refresher on how qualifying works, click here.) Read more...

After a summer of absurdity in the transfer market, here’s a story you didn’t expect. Chelsea has been banned from signing any new players for a year. (Of course, that is surely pending an appeal.)

Nevertheless, the decision is particularly symbolic for Chelsea who shaped their current squad by splashing out millions from owner Roman Abramovich’s bank account a few years ago. And it is with those players that the club catapulted itself back into contention after decades of futility. Read more...

It started during Arsenal’s match against Celtic in the preliminary round of the Champions League two weeks ago. Playing at Emirates Stadium, Arsenal striker Eduardo broke free from the defense and ran onto a ball played into the penalty area. Artur Boruc dove out to meet him. Eduardo went tumbling. And the referee awarded a penalty kick. Read more...