South African football news

Azerbaijan side Sabah fight back from 4-2 down on aggregate to beat Hapoel Be'er Sheva of Israel 6-4 on aggregate to secure their place in the main draw of the Champions League for the first time.

Bodo/Glimt reach the main draw of the Champions League for a second successive season after beating Dutch side NEC Nijmegen 3-0 in the second leg of their play-off, qualifying 6-1 on aggregate.

• BOD

Despite leading 4-0 on aggregate, Celtic are humiliated by LASK as they lose the second leg of their Champions League play-off 5-1 and are knocked out 5-4 on aggregate in Austria to miss out on the main draw of the Champions League for a second successive season.

• AUS
• CEL

A new season at the snazziest modern stadium in England and something extremely welcome for Tottenham. A home win over domestic opposition. There were only four of them last time out; three in the Premier League with the final one – over Everton on the last day – helping them to avoid relegation. Had they lost that,…

• TOT
• CHA
• ENG
• EVE

Thierno Barry resembled a striker reborn, and the goalscorer David Moyes desperately needs, as the first hat-trick of his Everton career plus an assist for new signing Brennan Johnson delivered a resounding win for the Scot on his competitive return to Preston. The France under-21 international scored eight times in…

• EVE
• PRE
• FRA

Around this time last week Matthias Jaissle wore a sorrowful look as he spoke of his “disappointment” at the “negativity” surrounding a transitional young Newcastle side. Fast forward seven days and a team slightly unlucky to have been held to a draw at home by Liverpool last Sunday have now provided Jaissle with hi…

• LIV
• NEW
• WES

After some early season setbacks, "proud" Wouter Vrancken believes Hearts are getting their rewards by securing Conference League progress.

• MUN
• MCI
• LIV
• TOT

Ebbsfleet United say they have settled an outstanding tax debt despite having their suspension from the National League extended.

• MCI
• TOT

Playoff second leg: Rapid 2-2 Hearts (aet, 3-4 on pens) Kara 34, Cvetkovic 119; Kabore 79, Miller 100 Beau Reus made two penalty saves as heroic Hearts overcame Tomas Magnusson’s red card to pull off a stunning shootout victory away to Rapid Vienna, and book themselves a return to the Conference League’s main phase.…

• CHA

Senegal striker striker is nearing a move to Villa Park after three years at Chelsea.

• CHE

Senegal defender El Hadji Malick Diouf joins Brentford in a £40m deal from West Ham.

• BRE
• WES
• SEN

$13m fee is an outgoing record for Portland Kelsy not expected to feature this weekend Rangers have acquired forward Kevin Kelsy from Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers, a source with direct knowledge of the deal told the Guardian on Wednesday. That source requested anonymity because they were not authorized to…

• RAN

Updates from Wednesday’s second-round matches Get in touch: email John and follow us on BlueSky Here’s the first part, for the teams in Europe , though not Brighton in the Europa Conference League. Essentially, it’s whether they are home and away. Crystal Palace v TBC Manchester United v TBC Manchester City v TBC Su…

• NEW
• TOT
• WES
• CHA

Nicolas Raskin could be on his way out of Rangers, having not travelled to Jablonec for the club's Conference League play-off second leg.

• RAN
• GIR

Crystal Palace have had Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez as a long-term target, while Villa made a move after struggling to agree a fee for Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

• CRY

Barcelona have again restated their desire to sign Julian Alvarez, prompting another angry response from Atletico Madrid.

• ATM
• BAR

Celtic have now faltered in Champions League qualifying on six occasions in eight years. What are the ramifications this time?

• CEL

Liverpool are exploring a move for Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr after Brighton reject their two bids for Yankuba Minteh.

• CRY
• LIV
• BRI

Coventry City have signed Jamaica centre-back Ethan Pinnock from Brentford for an undisclosed fee, reported to be around £6m.

• BRE
• COV

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! When Celtic opened the scoring against Lask courtesy of a low Callum McGregor shot after 21 minutes on Tuesday night, the Scottish champions looked to have exorcised their Bigger Cup demons from 12 months ago. Four goals ahead of their Austrian hosts on aggregate,…

• CEL

The £85m midfielder passed his exams a year early, is studying for a degree and is ready to tackle Premier League learning curve “He’s like a computer,” the former Lille head of academy recruitment, Mathieu Frison, says of the €100m (£85.7m) Manchester City recruit Ayyoub Bouaddi . “You teach him something, he learn…

• MCI