The ugly side of the beautiful game emerged Thursday as the U.N.'s top human rights official joined soccer officials and players in calling for an end to the "crime" of racism in sport.

They turned soccer stadiums into battlegrounds and then fought real wars.

Ignacio Scocco's first-half tally stood up as the match winner on Sunday as 10-man Newell's climbed to within three points of the top spot in Argentina's top flight after posting a 1-0 win over River Plate.

Barcelona received the maximum points in AP's global soccer rankings on Tuesday, with the team's striker, Lionel Messi, coming close to top marks.

United States men's national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann named his 23-man roster for the team's upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Costa Rica and Mexico on Monday, with the most notable omission being captain Carlos Bocanegra.

The United States heads into World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico with an inexperienced defense after dropping captain Carlos Bocanegra and learning eight players are injured or ill.

Lionel Messi extended his Spanish league scoring streak record to 18 games, getting two goals to move into seventh place on the La Liga career list and lead Barcelona over visiting Rayo Vallecano 3-1 Sunday.

Greek soccer player Giorgos Katidis has been banned from his national team for life after giving a Nazi salute while celebrating a goal in the topflight league.

AEK Athens midfielder Giorgos Katidis has earned rebukes from politicians, fellow athletes and fans after giving a Nazi salute in celebration of a goal he scored in the Greek league.

Frank Lampard scored his 200th goal for Chelsea, and the Blues beat visiting West Ham 2-0 Sunday to move past Tottenham into third place in the English Premier League.

He pulled off one of soccer's greatest historic upsets. Now Otto Rehhagel has been handed a task equally challenging: to make Germany popular again in crisis-hit Greece.

Barcelona taught global football spectators a rather obvious lesson this week: Don't write us off. Ever.

Inter Milan put up a valiant effort at the San Siro on Thursday but ultimately fell just short of advancing to the quarterfinals of the Europa League, defeating Tottenham 4-1 after extra time but bowing out of the competition on away goals.

Bayern Munich barely staved off an improbable comeback attempt by Arsenal and advanced in the Champions League despite a 2-0 loss Wednesday night, leaving England without a team in the quarterfinals for the first time in 17 years.

The United States gave Tom Sermanni a title in his first tournament as coach of the American women's team.

The United States men's national team was drawn into Group C for the 2013 Gold Cup on Wednesday, along with Belize, Costa Rica and Cuba.

A pair of first-half goals from Alex Morgan propelled the United States women's national team to a 2-0 win over Germany in the final of the Algarve Cup.

United States women's national team midfielder Carli Lloyd is expected to miss the next 6-8 weeks after fracturing a bone in her shoulder.

No team copes with as much day-to-day drama as Barcelona. Think of the Yankees during owner George Steinbrenner's salad days in New York, then multiply all that tabloid attention worldwide.

Hailed as perhaps soccer's greatest team ever, Barcelona faced a challenge no club had overcome: advancing in the Champions League after a 2-0 first-leg loss on the road.

David Trezeguet and Leonardo Ponzio scored first-half goals as River Plate snuck past Colon, 2-1, on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo surged to the top of the AP's latest global soccer rankings on Tuesday, thanks to decisive goals for Real Madrid in La Liga and the Champions League.

There was a familiar face on the sidelines of the U.S. women's match. Only this time, Pia Sundhage was trying to beat the Americans.

Nigerian forward Obafemi Martins says on Twitter he is leaving Spanish club Levante to join the Seattle Sounders.

Alex Morgan scored the equalizer in the 56th minute as the United States women's national team advanced to the final of the Algarve Cup with a 1-1 draw against Sweden on Monday.

When sports fans in India talk about a Premier League igniting their passion, they're not referring to English soccer.

Eden Hazard and Ramires scored second-half goals as defending Chelsea rallied for a 2-2 tie at Manchester United and forced a replay to determine which team will play Manchester City in the semifinals.

Eden Hazard and Ramires scored second-half goals as defending Chelsea rallied for a 2-2 tie at Manchester United and forced a replay to determine which team will play Manchester City in the semifinals.

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has two broken bones in his back and likely will miss the Americans' World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico this month.

United States and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard is expected to miss the next 3-4 weeks after it was discovered he has two broken bones in his back.

Los Angeles wants back into the Olympics, throwing its hat into the ring to bring them back to southern California on the 40th anniversary of its last turn as host - the 1984 Games that revived the flagging reputation of the brand.

Christen Press just keeps scoring for the United States women's national team as she tallied another goal on Friday in a 5-0 win over China in the Algarve Cup.

Ali Krieger and Whitney Engen did more than defend Friday, scoring their first international goals as the U.S. women stayed atop their group with a 5-0 rout of China at the Algarve Cup.

Tottenham is well-positioned to advance to the quarterfinals of the Europa League after picking up a 3-0 defeat of Inter Milan at White Hart Lane on Thursday.

Abby Wambach moved to within four goals of Mia Hamm's team record on Wednesday as she scored in a 3-0 win for the United States over Iceland in the Algarve Cup opener for both sides.

Abby Wambach moved to within four goals of Mia Hamm's team record on Wednesday as she scored in a 3-0 win for the United States over Iceland in the Algarve Cup opener for both sides.

When two global football giants square off, as they often do in Champions League play, the whole world stops to watch.

Colon still is without a win through four games, but the club did well to rally for a point against Estudiantes over the weekend with two goals in the final seven minutes of a 3-3 draw.

When Brian McBride decided to hang up his cleats as a member of the United States national team following the 2006 World Cup, the search began.

Lanus won for the third time in as many games to start the season on Saturday as the club slipped past Velez Sarsfield, 1-0.

United States women's national team goalkeeper Hope Solo will miss next month's Algarve Cup because of a wrist injury which may require surgery.

Lyon thought it had done enough to advance to the Europa League's Round of 16, but Mousa Dembele struck in the 90th minute to help Tottenham collect a 1-1 draw at the Stade de Gerland on Thursday, sending the English club through 3-2 on aggregate.

Alessandro Del Piero has signed on to remain at Australian club Sydney FC for a second season, it was announced Thursday.

Arsene Wenger could not have imagined his week transpiring in the manner in which it did.

A collection of video highlights from the Associated Press: