After nine years’ wait for a trophy it was inevitable Arsenal would leave their fans waiting until extra time before finally claiming the FA Cup yesterday.

There might be as many eyes on the manager as on the players when Auckland City attempt to clinch a fourth straight OFC Champions League crown today.

The zoology student, arguably the best amateur goalkeeper in New Zealand, has just been recalled to the All Whites and now, at the ripe age of 30, is playing the best soccer of his career.

Who said this about preparing to face Arsenal? "Parts of my body that had had previous injuries would be aching. And it was because my body knew I was getting ready. It was saying - I'm going to suffer."

As Nemanja Vidic reflected on his final season at Manchester United, the glory he was accustomed to was washed away by pain, frustration and memories of teammates turning on each other as the club lurched into crisis under David Moyes.

With the World Cup right around the corner, final preparations are under way in Brazil, teams are picking their squads and players are starting to prepare themselves for the tournament.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has congratulated champions Manchester City but has vowed his side will make an even stronger challenge next season.

Leaked emails from the boss of the English Premier League in which he mocks "female irrationality" have been criticised as 'unacceptable' by Women in Football.

In a few weeks, two key events will cap preparations for the World Cup. Both will take place at the Arena Corinthians stadium in Sao Paulo.

New Zealand is seeking to cement its status as a viable location for football's biggest tournaments, bidding to host the 2019 Women's World Cup.

On Merseyside they will dredge up all the old stories. How Bayern Munich printed travel information for the 1981 European Cup final before they blew the semifinal against Liverpool.

A strong second half performance by the Football Ferns went unrewarded overnight as Japan found a late winner to claim a 2-1 victory at the Kincho Stadium in Osaka.

Says an introduction to an Australian Associated Press piece this week: "It's 500 days until the Rugby World Cup and ambitious ARU boss Bill Pulver reckons the new-age Wallabies are capable of winning all 19 test matches between now and then."

It will at least go to the last day of the season on Monday, but when the Premier League title race is this good, the only pity is that the entertainment has to end then.

Arsene Wenger played it brilliantly. The way he tells it, he has decided to stay on as Arsenal manager, almost as a kind of favour.