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United States women's national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher on Monday said she is fully recovered from the right knee injury she suffered during the Tokyo Olympics and returns with a newfound appreciation for the sometimes cruel sport.

The veteran player collided with a teammate while trying to intercept a crossing pass early in a 1-0 semifinal loss to Canada, and the resulting injury led to a lengthy rehab.

Anthony Martial has denied refusing to be in Manchester United's squad for Saturday's Premier League game against Aston Villa after interim manager Ralf Rangnick said the Frenchman did not want to be involved.

The 26-year-old forward has started only two league games this season and has not featured since a 3-2 win over Arsenal on Dec. 2. Martial's representative has said he wants to secure a move in January to get more game time.

United are struggling for players due to injuries, COVID-19 and the Africa Cup of Nations but Martial played no part in the 2-2 draw with Villa.

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo is hopeful he can recover from a minor muscle injury in time to feature in Saturday's Premier League match against Aston Villa.

The Portugal international missed United's 1-0 FA Cup third round win over Villa on Monday but is keeping his "fingers crossed" that he can return to action at the weekend.

Adelaide United's Josh Cavallo on Sunday called out homophobic abuse that was directed at him during an A-League draw with Melbourne Victory, saying he had "no words" to describe his disappointment.

Cavallo became the first active A-League player to come out as gay in October, drawing support from fellow professionals across the world.

DOUALA - Largely empty stadiums could become a feature of this month's Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off on Sunday, due mainly to Cameroon's paltry COVID-19 vaccination rate.

The host nation last month made full vaccination and a negative coronavirus test compulsory for spectators at Africa's premier soccer tournament.

With skepticism about the vaccines' safety and importance widespread, the country's inoculation levels are extremely low — though the lure of live soccer has convinced some fans to set their misgivings aside.

Giving his first interview since collapsing on the pitch after suffering sudden cardiac arrest during Denmark's Euro 2020 opener against Finland, Christian Eriksen outlined his dream over the next year: to represent his national team at the 2022 World Cup. 

LONDON - Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku was left out of the squad to face Liverpool at home on Sunday after saying he was dissatisfied with his role at Stamford Bridge.

The 28-year-old, who signed from Inter Milan in the close season for a club-record $132 million, told Sky Italy recently that he was unhappy with manager Thomas Tuchel's system. Lukaku also said he would like to return to Italy at some point in his career.

Asked about the Belgian international's comments ahead of the Liverpool game, Tuchel said they were "not helpful."