Argentina shrugged off the injury absence of Lionel Messi to launch their Copa America Centenario campaign with a 2-1 defeat of defending champions Chile in Santa Clara, United States on Monday. Goals from Angel Di Maria and Ever Banega secured a deserved three points for Argentina, who exacted sweet revenge for their defeat to the Chileans in last year's Copa America final. Chile substitute Jose Fuenzalida scored an injury time consolation for the holders. The Argentines will now be firm favorites to progress to the quarter-finals as Group D winners with games against Panama and Bolivia to come. Injured Argentina captain Messi watched from the substitutes' bench at Levi's Stadium after failing to recover in time from a sore back suffered in a friendly win over Honduras last month. But the Barcelona superstar's absence was barely noticeable, with Nicolas Gaitan slotting into Argentina's attack and making an instant impression, hitting the woodwork with a header after only two minutes.
South America's top football competition kicked off on Thursday amid fireworks and razzmatazz.
These photos prove we live in an odd, odd world!
On Monday, at least five survivors -- including a girl -- were pulled out from the rubble.
Belgium beat England 2-0 in the World Cup third-place play-off on Saturday to secure their best ever finish at a World Cup and send Gareth Southgate's side home with a second straight loss.
IMAGES from the FIFA World Cup first semi-final played between France and Belgium on Tuesday
Russia's World Cup dream ended within agonising sight of the semi-finals as they went down 4-3 on penalties to Croatia on Saturday after another gallant performance in front of their fanatical fans which again belied their lowly ranking.
Images from the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match played between Switzerland and Sweden in St Petersburg on Tuesday
Europa League favourites Manchester United secured a 1-1 draw on a threadbare pitch at Rostov, while Olympique Lyonnais beat AS Roma 4-2 helped by a fine individual goal from Nabil Fekir in their last 16, first leg ties on Thursday.
Indian pair of Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari faltered against American Olympic medalists Brady Ellison and Khatuna Lorig in the mixed section semifinals of the Archery World Cup Stage 3 being held in Medellin, Colombia.
Another year, another crazy Pamplona bull run. It's part of the San Fermin festival to celebrate the northern Spanish town's patron saint.
Chile won the Copa America for the first time on Saturday.
After a brief interruption when the players were locked at 5-5 in the opening set, Federer saved two set points in the tiebreak and held firm to gain the upper hand in the contest.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Rediff.com brings you glimpses of the violent protests that has rocked Acapulco in southern Mexico.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A Lionel Messi masterclass, netting a brilliant free kick before laying on two more goals, put Argentina's World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a resounding 3-0 win over Colombia in San Juan on Tuesday.
Mario Goetze of Germany slips the ball past Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero in the World Cup final on Sunday. Germany won the World Cup for the fourth time on Sunday after substitute Mario Goetze volleyed in a brilliant goal seven minutes from the end of extra-time to secure a 1-0 victory over Argentina at the Maracana.
Indian boxers continued to pack a mighty punch at the World Championships, as Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Manpreet Singh (91kg) entered the pre-quarter-finals with contrasting victories in their respective second round bouts, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Friday.
Angel Di Maria scored in the dying minutes of extra-time to give Argentina a 1-0 victory over Switzerland and a place in the last eight of the World Cup in Sao Paulo on Tuesday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday.
Hurricane Irma hopscotched up Florida's west coast making two landfalls and driving a wall of water and winds that submerged Miami. Here are some of the most telling images from the ground from Irma's path.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Here's this week of photos that prove we live in a mad world.
Schalke 04 hit back from two goals down to draw 2-2 and overcome fellow Germans Borussia Moenchenglach on away goals in their Europa League last 16 tie while Manchester United edged Rostov 1-0 to progress on Thursday.
From a Sri Lanka cricket legend Kumar Sangakkara's final Test innings, Virender Sehwag's felicitation ceremony, FC Barcelona's Luis Suarez celebrating the La Liga title with his family, these and many more scintillating moments are frozen in time in this beautiful photo-feature.
Rediff.com recaptures these and other exciting sporting moments from the week gone by....
Bristol City, from English football's second-tier, pulled off a sensation in the League Cup quarter-finals as they knocked out the holders Manchester United 2-1 amid late and wholly improbable drama at their Ashton Gate home on Wednesday.
'Les Bleus' will be inspired by the two-decade anniversary of their only World Cup win in 1998, while double winners Uruguay's modern generation are desperate to recreate the black-and-white-era glories of their 1930 and 1950 trophies.
Lionel Messi announced on Friday that he wants to return to play for the national team, reversing his decision to retire earlier this year. Messi said in June that he would not play for Argentina again after the team lost to Chile in the final of the Copa America.
'For him to live the life that he is living and still keep up with such a performance, full credit to him'
Lewis Hamilton became Britain's first four-times Formula One world champion on Sunday after fighting back from last place following an opening-lap collision with arch-rival Sebastian Vettel at the Mexican Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton still has to pinch himself to believe he is a three times Formula One world champion and a surreal afternoon in Mexico will give him further cause to question reality.
These photos prove we live in a bizarre world.
After defeating Mali 3-2 and New Zealand 4-2, the South American team, one of the favourites to lift the title, will be looking to dominate Turkey.
Argentina's injured captain Lionel Messi has been named in a squad missing the suspended Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain for next month's World Cup qualifier against South America's bottom side Paraguay.
Jeison Murillo became Colombia's unlikely hero, scoring his first international goal to give his side a 1-0 victory over Brazil.
In the other match of the night, Jamaica 'keeper blunder hands Paraguay 1-0 win
Carlos Tevez has been included in the squad for the first time in three years for next month's friendlies in England against Croatia and Portugal.
Argentina and Chile advanced to the semi-finals of the Copa America on Saturday with Chile beating Mexico 7-0 and Lionel Messi getting a goal in Argentina's 4-1 win over Venezuela to equal his country's all-time scoring record.
