Hirving Lozano netted a late goal to earn Mexico an uninspiring 1-0 victory over Peru in their friendly in Pasadena on Saturday.

El Tri, who will play three more games prior to the 2022 World Cup, were made to work hard for the win in an evenly contested match with few shots on target.

Lozano s 85th-minute strike was the difference, firing home on the volley after Cesar Montes had nodded on a corner.

Mexico forward Henry Martin pushed a 19th-minute header wide, while Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez fired a long-range effort over the crossbar early in the second half.

Peru, who missed out on World Cup qualification to Australia in the playoffs, had 9-7 shots and marginally edged possession but failed to generate much in attack.

Mexico, who are groupe…

Ian Holloway is trying to change his tag as a comedian as he prepares for life back in the top-flight with Crystal Palace.

The colourful Bristolian has a reputation for quick wit with the media, but is determined to be taken more seriously for his work as a football manager.

Holloway has experience of managing in the Premier League, after guiding former club Blackpool to the top tier of English football in 2010.

And having achieved the same feat with Palace, the 50-year-old has promised to be more serious.

I m trying to talk in a way so people don t think I m funny anymore, I m fed up with that, he said ahead of Palace s opener with Tottenham on Sunday.

I m not a comedian, I m a football manager at the end of the day that is what I do. You will have my inte…

Croatia coach Niko Kovac believes Sevilla captain Ivan Rakitic can play anywhere after the midfielder was linked with a move in January.

Rakitic has long been expected to make a move to the English Premier League, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United linked to the 25-year-old.

Kovac said the international midfielder was capable of succeeding anywhere, but urged him to think about himself when deciding.

Ivan can play anywhere, Kovac told AS.

I don t know what he will decide for his future but the truth is he has the ability to play for any club, whichever he wants.

He has grown at Sevilla, but he has to choose what is best for him, his family and his career.

Rakitic has developed into a key player at Sevilla, scoring 10 goals t…

Kevin De Bruyne being ruled out for three months due to a knee ligament injury leaves Premier League champions Manchester City weakened in the precise area where their manager likes to show his strength.

Pep Guardiola packed his Barcelona and Bayern Munich sides with creative midfield talent and De Bruyne underlined his reputation as one of the best around by bringing the Catalan s vision to life in Manchester in 2017-18.

De Bruyne s setback, however, could create opportunities for other players including highly rated youngsters Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz.

With the help of Opta data, Omnisport assesses how five City midfielders could step up in the Belgium playmaker s absence.

DAVID SILVA

Often described as City s greatest ever playe…

Aston Villa s Ross McCormack has joined Central Coast Mariners on a season-long loan, the Brimingham club have confirmed via their .

Ever since his arrival to Villa Park in 2016, McCormack has had issues with discipline. After only six months with the club, he had been dropped from the first team squad due to continuously missing in training, and manager Steve Bruce revealed he wasn t nearly fit enough to play. Two weeks later he joined Nottingham Forest on loan and had similar issues there as well.

After returning to Villa, the forward made two appearances in the EFL Cup before moving to A-League side Melbourne City on loan. He scored several important goals for them before signs of old troubles started to appear again. He was eventually dropped from the squad again fo…

Fans have a right to be concerned over the proposed introduction of blue cards in football, according to former FIFA referee Duarte Gomes.

Football lawmakers IFAB announced this month it would trial the implementation of blue cards, which would see players sin-binned for 10 minutes should they commit dissent or a cynical foul.

The announcement was met with concern, with the Premier League stating it would not be part of any trial, while FIFA also distanced itself from the proposals.

Gomes understands the concerns, although he also feels the introduction of blue cards could help to clamp down on dissent in the game.

Yes, I understand fans worries, Gomes told Stats Perform. I understand that they are very emotional sometimes.

They are very close t…

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone hopes different ideas from new manager Oliver Glasner will help lift the club clear of relegation danger.

Monday evening’s 1-1 draw at Everton came just hours after it was announced that Roy Hodgson, who had fallen ill during training last week, was stepping down and former Eintracht Frankfurt head coach Glasner was taking over.

Palace, with their new boss watching from the directors’ box alongside chairman Steve Parish, had looked on course to register only their third win in the last 14 Premier League matches until Amadou Onana’s 84th-minute header cancelled out Jordan Ayew’s opener.

Victory at Goodison Park would have lifted the visitors eight points clear of the bottom three and given Glasner some much-needed br…

Schalke coach Jens Keller has hinted the club could look to make a move for Hoffenheim s Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino.

Firmino has been in fine form this season, scoring 13 goals in 25 Bundesliga appearances.

Having helped Hoffenheim to 10th in the Bundesliga this term, alongside the likes of Kevin Volland and Anthony Modeste, Firmino has caught Keller s eye, with the Schalke boss hinting at an interest.

Firmino is a good player and could help us, Keller told Sport Bild.

He is a player of great quality and would certainly be interesting.

Firmino, 22, moved to Hoffenheim in 2011 from Brazilian side Figueirense and has been linked with a host of Europe s top clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea.

…

Fenerbahce winger Milos Krasic has confessed that he is interested in a return to the Russian Premier League.

The Serbian midfielder spent seven years at CSKA Moscow before joining Juventus in the summer of 2010, but he now plies his trade at Bastia on loan from Fenerbahce.

And even though he is finally enjoying regular playing time, Krasic admits a return to Russia is a realistic option.

“Recently I watched Spartak vs Zenit. The championship improves. I would play there again one day,” Krasic told Soviet Sport.

The 29-year-old says he is happy at Bastia, but plans to consider his future at the end of the current campaign.

“It s a small team, but thank God, everything goes well. I am a starter. I am only on loan from Fenerbahce, so late in …

Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez has outlined the lengths to which he struggled for two years with a kidney problem – saying he p***ed blood in every game and training session.

The 22-year-old midfielder is set to line up when Atletico bid to reach a third Champions League semi-final in four seasons on Tuesday, when they defend a 1-0 lead at Leicester City.

Saul memorably scored a remarkable solo goal against Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of last season s competition and has established himself as an integral member of Diego Simeone s side, with his coach last month claiming he has the ability to be counted among the best midfielders in the world.

However, his progress has come amid severe health struggles, which began after he took an accidental kick …