International

Ukraine's delayed World Cup qualification playoff semi-final against Scotland has been rearranged for June 1, with the winners facing Wales four days later for a place at this year's tournament, FIFA and UEFA said in a statement on Thursday. The match was due to be played at Hampden Park in Glasgow on March 24 but Ukraine's Football Association asked FIFA to postpone the qualifier following Russia's invasion, which Moscow calls a "special operation". Wales beat Austria 2-1 in their semi-final and will host

Luis Suarez moved ahead of Lionel Messi as the top scorer in South American World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday with his 29th goal, a bicycle kick that helped Uruguay to a 2-0 win over Chile. Messi failed to hit the net in Ecuador, where Argentina drew 1-1. “Special night, special game, special shirt and a goal,” Suarez wrote on social media alongside a picture of him holding his shirt from the match. “What more could I ask for in unique and unforgettable moments

Christian Eriksen said he made his return to international football in the "perfect way" by scoring two minutes after coming on for Denmark on Saturday following a near-fatal heart attack last year. Denmark lost 4-2 to the Netherlands in the international friendly, with Eriksen producing a stunning finish into the top corner in the 47th minute after he came on as a half-time substitute. The 30-year-old playmaker collapsed on the pitch and received life-saving treatment during Denmark's Euro 2020 clash with Finland. Nearly

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's hat-trick helped Arsenal to a welcome first win of the season as they beat a young West Bromwich Albion side to reach the Carabao Cup third round. Aubameyang marked his first start of the season with two first-half tap-ins and a curling finish after the break. He also acrobatically set up Nicolas Pepe for the third, with Bukayo Saka slotting in the Gunners' fourth. Alexandre Lacazette came off the bench to fire in his side's sixth. The win could have been

The Premier League says its clubs have "reluctantly but unanimously" decided not to release players for matches in red-list countries during September's international break. Under current UK government rules, players would be forced to miss several games because of the 10-day isolation period required on return to the UK. The Premier League said "extensive talks" had taken place with the Football Association and government "to find a solution" but that "no exemption had been granted". It added that it "strongly supported" the move made

Sarah Storey put in another world record-breaking performance on her way to claiming her 15th Paralympic title - Britain's first gold of Tokyo 2020. She beat team-mate Crystal Lane-Wright in the final to retain her C5 3,000m individual pursuit crown, after beating her own world best in qualifying. The 43-year-old is just one behind Mike Kenny's British record of 16 golds. There was also silver for tandem pair Steve Bate and Adam Duggleby in the B 4,000m pursuit. Bate and Duggleby were defending

Denmark captain Simon Kjaer and the medical team that saved Christian Eriksen's life are the recipients of this year's Uefa President's Award. Eriksen, 29, suffered cardiac arrest during Denmark's Euro 2020 defeat by Finland in Copenhagen on 12 June. Kjaer has been recognised for showing "exceptional leadership qualities" in his response to the situation. Thanking the medical team, Inter Milan player Eriksen said: "You did a fantastic job and saved my life." "Also a big thanks to my friend and captain Simon and

The Formula 1 season restarts at the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend with the title fight finely poised and an air of uncertainty hanging over the second half of the championship on many different levels. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are locked together in one of the most intense and bitter campaigns for years, their Mercedes and Red Bull teams slugging it out both on and off the track with no quarter asked or given. But how long will their contest last? The

Britain's Andy Murray defeated American lucky loser Noah Rubin in the Winston-Salem Open first round after scheduled opponent Nick Kyrgios withdrew. Former world number one Murray, 34, beat Rubin 6-2 6-0 and clinched victory by winning 10 successive games. The three-time Grand Slam champion was due to face Australia's Kyrgios, who pulled out because of a knee injury. Murray, who is set to compete at the US Open from 30 August, will face American Frances Tiafoe next in North Carolina. "I didn't know

Michail Antonio became West Ham's outright top scorer in the Premier League in a dominant victory for the Hammers over 10-man Leicester City at London Stadium. Antonio celebrated by lifting a cardboard cut-out of himself after scoring his 48th top-flight goal to break Paolo di Canio's club record. The 31-year-old added a second four minutes later to wrap up an impressive win for David Moyes' side. It is only the second time the Hammers have won their opening two fixtures of a Premier

Premier League sides are among leading European clubs set to prevent players from going to red-list countries for September's international break. Unless quarantine exemptions are made, players would be forced to miss several domestic league matches because of the 10-day isolation period required on return to the UK. The Football Association and Premier League are in talks with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) over a relaxation of UK rules. Similar problems are thought to confront clubs across Europe. Liverpool

England bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the third Test against India because of a shoulder injury. The 31-year-old jarred his right shoulder while fielding on the fourth day of the second Test at Lord's. No replacement has been called up for the Test at Headingley, with Saqib Mahmood and Craig Overton already in the squad as back-up seamers. "It is frustrating for Mark and for us as a side - he gives us a real point of difference," captain Joe

Arsenal are in a "difficult and unprecedented situation" after their record-breaking poor start to the season, according to Mikel Arteta. After 2-0 defeats by Brentford and now Chelsea, Arsenal have lost their first two league games without scoring for the first time in their history. The squad has been hit by Covid and injuries in the opening two weeks. "I don't think the club in their history have faced something like this," boss Arteta told BBC Sport. "We have to face the challenge. The league

Dimitri Payet was hit by a bottle and threw it back into the crowd before fans stormed the pitch causing Nice v Marseille to be abandoned. Marseille's Payet was struck in the back by a bottle thrown from the home supporters as he went to take a corner. He launched it back, leading to fans pouring on to the pitch as stewards and players struggled to restrain them. After a long delay, Nice's players came out to finish the game - but Marseille's

Sweden's Anna Nordqvist won her third major title after holding her nerve to claim the 2021 Women's Open on a thrilling final day at Carnoustie. The 34-year-old was level with playing partner Nanna Koerstz Madsen on 12 under going down the last, keeping her composure to par and clinch victory as she watched the Dane double bogey. England's Georgia Hall finished in a tie for second place on 11 under. Scottish amateur Louise Duncan was tied 10th on seven under after a fine

World number one Ashleigh Barty warmed up for the US Open by clinching the Cincinnati Open with a straight-set win over Jil Teichmann in the final. Barty, 25, produced a polished performance to beat the 24-year-old Swiss wildcard 6-3 6-1. The Australian managed eight aces and 28 winners as she cruised to another commanding victory. Alexander Zverev took the men's title with an impressive 6-2 6-3 win over Andrey Rublev. It is a fifth title of the season for Barty, who is favourite

Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga on goals scored as Memphis Depay rescued a point in an entertaining draw at Athletic Bilbao. Depay's ferocious strike cancelled out Inigo Martinez's headed opener after Athletic Bilbao had dominated. Both sides hit the crossbar and passed up numerous chances to claim all three points. Barca defender Eric Garcia was sent off in injury time for fouling Nico Williams when clean through. There is no doubt Ronald Koeman's side are in transition - the loss

Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah ran the second fastest women's 100m of all time at the Eugene Diamond League. The Jamaican, who retained her 100m-200m title double in Tokyo, clocked a new world lead of 10.54 seconds. Only American Florence Griffith-Joyner has run faster, when she set her world record of 10.49 secs in 1988. Britain's Dina Asher-Smith finished third in the 200m as she continues her return from the hamstring injury that blighted her Olympic campaign. The race was won by Switzerland's Mujinga

Inter opened their Serie A title defence in commanding style by thrashing Genoa at the San Siro. Milan Skriniar settled nerves with a sixth-minute header to give new boss Simone Inzaghi the ideal start. Summer signing Hakan Calhanoglu swept home a stunning second minutes later after Edin Dzeko's clever lay-off. Arturo Vidal and Dzeko then scored second-half goals for the champions, who were irresistible and look set to challenge again this season. It has been a difficult summer for Inter, the joy of

Football's world governing body Fifa has written to a number of governments to request the emergency evacuation of female players from Afghanistan. Players are said to fear for their lives following the Taliban's takeover of the Afghan capital Kabul. Players' organisation Fifpro is also calling for help. The union said it was working with governments to establish an evacuation plan, adding: "The ambition is to bring as many people to safety as possible." Fifa said the situation in Afghanistan "remains unstable and very worrying".