On-loan striker Jay Stansfield’s second-half goal rescued a point for Birmingham against Millwall to maintain the club’s unbeaten start to the Championship season.
Stansfield grabbed his second in two league games after Kevin Nisbet had given the Lions an early lead.
Birmingham’s Scott Hogan could have equalised deep into first-half stoppage time but his penalty was saved.
The West Midlands side started brightly with Lee Buchanan’s dangerous left-wing cross heading for Hogan but the City striker was quickly crowded out.
Juninho Bacuna then sliced high and wide as it looked like the home side were taking control.
But the visitors struck after just six minutes.
City keeper John Ruddy got a hand to Nisbet’s 22-yard free-kick but could not keep it out after Kevin Long had fouled Tom Bradshaw.
Stansfield glanced a header wide of Millwall keeper Matija Sarkic’s back post before Bradshaw’s effort sailed over Ruddy’s bar.
Bacuna went close twice in as many minutes as the hosts battled to get back on terms.
Blues skipper Dion Sanderson headed over Keshi Anderson’s free-kick at the back post when he should have hit the target.
Millwall thought they had gone 2-0 up after 20 minutes.
Ryan Leonard fired in a George Saville corner but the spectacular strike was disallowed after his volley was judged to have hit Jake Cooper who was standing in an offside position.
The home crowd grew restless as opportunities dried up with the visitors defending resolutely.
However, Birmingham were awarded a penalty five minutes into stoppage time in the first-half after Sarkic fouled Anderson as he latched on to a slide-rule Bacuna pass.
But the goalkeeper made amends as he dived to his right to brilliantly save Hogan’s spot-kick – and Ivan Sunjic shot wide from the rebound.
The equaliser came eight minutes after the restart.
Stansfield hammered a stunning shot into the bottom left-hand corner after he ran on to an outstanding reverse pass from Bacuna.
And Stansfield, on loan from Fulham, almost put Birmingham ahead minutes later but his fierce attempt was well dealt with by Sarkic.
Millwall still posed a danger and Ruddy had to be alert to smother Saville’s 25-yard effort on his line.
City midfielder Krystian Bielik headed away Brooke Norton-Cuffy’s attempt as the frantic contest continued to swing from end to end.
Sarkic acted quickly to cut out Sunjic’s drilled cross into the six-yard box in the closing minutes.
A final chance fell to left-back Buchanan who blasted high and wide as Birmingham pushed forward hunting a late winner.
Heredia finished with a flourish to land the Virgin Bet Atalanta Stakes at Sandown.
Richard Hannon’s charge was a convincing Listed winner at Haydock last time out and was duly sent off the 5-2 favourite to add to her tally in this Group Three affair.
Settled towards the back of the field as Roman Mist cut out the early running, Heredia was clearly travelling well coming into the straight and when Sean Levey gave the signal, she made rapid strides down the middle of the track.
Heredia seized the advantage inside the final furlong and while Queen For You tried to match her, the winner proved three-quarters of a length too good at the line. Last year’s race winner was a further length and a quarter back in third.
Arnaut Danjuma’s second-half goal earned Everton a 2-2 draw at Sheffield United as both sides registered their first point of the Premier League season.
Cameron Archer’s first strike for the club and a Jordan Pickford own goal saw the Blades’ overturn Abdoulaye Doucoure’s early opener to lead 2-1 at half-time.
But Danjuma, a summer signing from Villarreal, levelled after the break and that is how it ended at Bramall Lane, thanks mainly to Pickford’s miraculous double save at the death, twice denying Oli McBurnie.
Having both lost their first three games of the campaign, this already had a big-game feel to it and while both sides will be pleased to be up and running, they might also see it as a missed opportunity to get their first win of the campaign.
Despite those early struggles, it was an entertaining match with chances at both ends.
John Egan put a free header straight at Everton goalkeeper Pickford before James Tarkowski produced a fine block to deny Archer.
The Toffees also looked a threat, with Beto’s shot from the edge of the area deflected just wide.
And it was from the resulting corner that they went ahead in the 14th minute, finally breaking their duck for the season.
Tarkowski climbed highest from the corner and the ball fell to Doucoure, whose first shot was parried by Wes Foderingham, but the midfielder was on hand to tap home the rebound from close range.
Everton had an excellent opportunity to immediately double their advantage as they had a four-on-two counter-attack, but Danjuma chose not to pass and his shot was blocked.
The Blades responded well and Pickford produced an excellent save to stop Gus Hamer’s low effort from sneaking in at the near post.
A deserved leveller came just after the half-hour as Archer scored his first goal for the club.
Hamer’s cross found McBurnie, who teed his strike partner up to arrow a shot into the corner from 12 yards.
They completed the turnaround deep into first-half injury time as Archer was again involved, with his 20-yard shot crashing off the post and on to Pickford’s back and into the net.
Everton’s response after the break was very good and they levelled 10 minutes after the restart.
The Toffees worked the ball down the right and Nathan Patterson sent in a devilish cross which Danjuma tapped in at the far post.
Again United came back and mounted a concerted spell of pressure as they searched to regain their lead.
Yasser Larouci skied a good chance at the back post before Luke Thomas fired an effort straight at Pickford’s body, with Hamer seeing the rebound blocked.
The Blades almost stole it at the death, but McBurnie’s free header was tipped onto the underside of crossbar by Pickford, with the goalkeeper then reacting to turn the striker’s second effort onto the post.
Southamtpon’s unbeaten start to the Championship season came crashing to an end as Russell Martin’s side were blown away 5-0 by brilliant Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland fans taunted Ross Stewart after the injured striker’s deadline-day switch to Saints as Tony Mowbray’s side built on a dream start and stunned the visitors.
Jack Clarke scored the opening goal after just 52 seconds before Pierre Ekwah added a deflected second six minutes later.
The outstanding Ekwah scored his second and Sunderland’s third on the stroke of half-time. Bradley Dack added a fourth early in the second half before 16-year-old substitute Chris Rigg rounded off a perfect afternoon with his first league goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
The win means Sunderland – who signed four players on deadline day, including Chelsea loanee Mason Burstow – are now unbeaten in three games.
In the week boss Mowbray marked his first anniversary as boss, the Black Cats delivered their best performance of his tenure so far.
A fine opening goal inside a minute set Sunderland on their way. Abdoullah Ba found Trai Hume on the right and the full-back delivered a teasing cross that was met by winger Clarke, who ghosted in at the back post to head home.
Ba was again involved in the second six minutes later. After a Jobe Bellingham cut-back, the winger, only in the team because of the injury to Patrick Roberts, who Southampton tried to sign this week, teed up Ekwah on the edge of the box and the former West Ham midfielder found the bottom corner from 25 yards.
After their nightmare start, Southampton settled down and tried to get a grip of the game. In a dominant 10 minute spell, Martin’s side had 91 per cent of possession but failed to find the goal they needed after the horror opening.
And rather than sit back and soak up pressure, Sunderland then pushed for more goals.
The third came in the 45th minute when Ekwah pounced on a mistake by Southampton debutant Mason Holgate and curled into the bottom corner from 25 yards out.
Southampton made two substitutions at the break, introducing Che Adams after his deadline-day move to Wolves fell through and Newcastle loanee Ryan Fraser. But the changes did not have the impact Martin had hoped for and within four minutes of the restart Sunderland had their fourth.
Gavin Bazuna saved well to keep out a header from Dack but the home side kept the ball alive and the former Blackburn man poked home from close range.
Sunderland put the icing on the cake in the 95th minute when Rigg headed in a cross from fellow substitute Jewison Bennette.
Bristol City fought back to register a deserved 2-1 Sky Bet Championship victory in the Swansea sunshine.
Liam Cullen’s first goal of the season gave Michael Duff hope that he would be celebrating his maiden league win as Swansea manager.
But Bristol City created a host of chances and had three goals disallowed before being ultimately rewarded by second-half strikes from Mark Sykes and Sam Bell.
Swansea had a frantic deadline day on Friday signing four players – Bashir Humphreys, Josh Tymon, Jamal Lowe and Kristian Pedersen.
But none of the quartet were available to take on opponents who gave a full debut to Taylor Gardner-Hickman following his loan from West Brom.
Sykes had the ball in the net early on but the Bristol City winger had strayed into an offside position.
Swansea struck after 10 minutes as Charlie Patino split the Robins’ defence with a delightful threaded pass and Cullen finished left-footed with some aplomb.
The goal failed to settle Swansea, who have won just once this season in the Carabao Cup, as Bristol City dominated first-half proceedings from that point.
Jason Knight curled over, Sykes had a shot blocked and Wells sidefooted straight at Carl Rushworth in the home goal after his exchange with Bell had cut Swansea open.
The Robins’ chances kept coming as Matt Grimes cleared Knight’s effort off the goal-line, Wells fired over from 20 yards after dispossessing Nathan Wood, and Bell’s goal celebrations were curtailed by an eagle-eyed assistant referee.
Patino skewed wide as Swansea enjoyed brief respite, but there was a controversial end to the first half as Naughton sliced down Wells with the striker en route to goal.
Ben Cabango was just about covering Naughton so referee Oliver Langford deemed the offence worthy of a yellow card rather than red.
Bristol City had the ball in the net for a third time from the resulting free-kick, but Knight was guilty of a push and the visitors’ growing frustration was evident as Kal Naismith was booked for dissent.
Duff changed the Swansea system at half-time and went from five to four at the back, but the Robins were level within three minutes.
Joe Williams pounced on a home mistake to find Sykes and he galloped clear before cutting inside Wood and burying his shot beyond Rushworth.
Cullen had an instant opportunity to restore Swansea’s lead but his shot lacked the accuracy to beat Max O’Leary.
Sykes turned provider for Bristol City’s 59th-minute lead, muscling his way through some half-hearted tackling to deliver a cross Bell converted ruthlessly at the far post.
Swansea were inches away from an equaliser when Cabango headed against a post, but that would have been rough justice on visitors who have taken eight points from their opening five games.
World champion Marileidy Paulino of Dominican Republic extended her rich vein of form in the women’s 400 metres with another victory at the Wanda Diamond League meet in Xiamen, China on Saturday.
Paulino, running from lane five, made her move off the curve and swept by Jamaica’s long-time leader Candice McLeod, to stop the clock in 49.36s. McLeod stayed on for second, equaling her season’s best 50.19s.
American Lynna Irby-Jackson (50.45s) was third, as she got by the tiring World Championships bronze medallist Sada Williams (50.95s) of Barbados.
Hansle Parchment closed out action at Saturday’s Xiamen Diamond League with a season’s best to win the men’s 110m hurdles
The 33-year-old Olympic Champion got his usual slow start but showed strength and excellent technique to blaze past his competitors, including reigning three-time World Champion Grant Holloway, in a season’s best 12.96, the joint-second fastest time in the world this year.
Daniel Roberts, who took bronze behind Holloway and Parchment in Budapest last week, was second in 13.03 while Holloway ran 13.12 for third.
Parchment’s winning time was the second fastest of his career and only the second time he’s gone below 13 seconds. His personal best of 12.94 came on July 5 in 2014 in Paris.
Brave Sussex Stakes runner-up Facteur Cheval will be seeking big-race compensation on home soil in the Prix du Moulin at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.
Jerome Reynier’s ultra-consistent performer is yet to finish outside the first three in four outings this term, beaten less than two lengths on each occasion.
He finished a valiant second to Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, with the four-year-old beaten a length and a half after a less than ideal passage/
Now connections are hoping that mammoth effort on the Sussex Downs has not left a mark as they go in search of an elusive Group One triumph in a race that that also includes Prix du Jockey Club and Jacques le Marois runner-up Big Rock.
“We’re looking forward to it but I’m a little bit nervous because he had a very hard race last time, plus he had a trip,” said Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor, who own the horse in partnership with Gary Barber.
“Even though it’s back in four and a half weeks which sounds like a reasonable amount of time, in the back of my mind I’m hoping he doesn’t react to that last race, it certainly knocked out Paddington.
“He is facing a pretty darn good horse in Big Rock. We have a very big, strong horse and Mickael Barzalona is going to get on him this time. We are hopeful for a good race because Big Rock likes to go off in front and we need to have a target. The races where he hasn’t ran quite up to scratch this year are when he got too far behind in a paceless race.”
A bold showing for Facteur Cheval in Paris this weekend could tee up a potential Qipco British Champions Day rematch with his Goodwood conqueror Paddington in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot later in the autumn.
Irwin added: “I’m planning on coming over for the Queen Elizabeth and I see Paddington might run in that one as well, so that would be a hell of a contest.
“Both horses love it soft to heavy and at that time of year you might get a racetrack like that. That will be a good contest and the layout of that straight course at Ascot, going uphill, favours a miler that has got stamina and can go at least another furlong, which we have proved that we can do and it could be a pretty exciting contest.”
Remarkably, Christopher Head’s Big Rock is also seeking his first top-level success and is another to bring some high-class form to the table.
He finished second when sent off favourite for his last two big-race assignments and with connections persevering with the one-mile distance, they will hope to see the Rock Of Gibraltar colt regain a winning thread which saw him string together four impressive victories earlier in the campaign.
Jean-Claude Rouget’s Erevann is without a victory since winning last year’s Prix Daniel Wildenstein, but is a proven Group-level performer and will have the chance to emulate his dam Ervedya who struck gold in this for connections in 2015.
Patrice Cottier’s Sauterne has placed in both the Prix Jean Prat and Prix Rothschild recently following defeat at the hands of Kelina in Chantilly’s Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly prior to that.
Both are well worth their place in the field, with the latter having the chance to add to trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias’ 2018 triumph in the contest.
Andre Fabre is also no stranger to success in this event and will saddle Group One-winning juvenile Belbek, while Yann Barberot’s hat-trick-seeking Fast Raaj and Fabrice Chappet’s Topgear complete the line-up.
Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson clocked a new lifetime best 9.85s for second in the men’s 100m, behind American Christian Coleman, who equalled the World Leading time of 9.83s at the Wanda Diamond League in Xiamen, China on Saturday.
Thompson, who has been holding good form since his first sub-10 second clocking at Jamaica’s National Championships in July, produced a top performance, which not only shattered his previous personal best of 9.91s, but also makes him the fastest Jamaican this year. He overtook Oblique Seville at 9.86s.
Additionally, the 22-year-old Thompson’s time also makes him the sixth-fastest Jamaican of all time. Only Usain Bolt (9.58s), Yohan Blake (9.69s), Asafa Powell (9.72s), Nesta Carter (9.78s) and Steve Mullings (9.80s), have gone faster.
While Thompson’s achievement, which makes him the 22nd fastest man of all time and also earned him a spot in the Diamond League final, may come as a surprise to many, his coach Stephen Francis did indicate that there was more to come after his one-round run at the national championships.
“He would have run significantly faster but the most important thing is that he feels healthy and can look forward to the rest of the summer. Our plan is to ensure that next year, in the Olympic year, he will have the necessary race experience and a different attitude to tackle the full program,” Francis said then in an interview with Sportsmax.tv.
Thompson just failed to get back to Coleman, who equalled Noah Lyles World leading time, as they competed in a slight tailwind of 0.4 metres per second. American Fred Kerley (9.96s) was third.
Meanwhile, the other Jamaicans, Yohan Blake (10.04s), Rohan Watson (10.18s), were sixth and ninth respectively, while Ackeem Blake, who seemingly picked up an injury finished at the back of the pack in well over 25 seconds.
World Championship bronze medallist Rushell Clayton lead a Jamaican 1-2-3 in the women’s 400m at the Xiamen Diamond League on Saturday.
Clayton produced a meet record 53.56 to take the win ahead of teammates Andrenette Knight (53.87) and Janieve Russell (54.01).
Clayton is fresh off a personal best 52.81 to take bronze at the World Championships in Budapest last week. She also took bronze at the Doha World Championships in 2019.
Scotland back-rower Jack Dempsey cannot wait to land in France this weekend and start “soaking in” what he believes will be a spectacular Rugby World Cup.
The Sydney-born 29-year-old went to the 2019 showpiece in Japan, by his own admission, as a peripheral figure within Australia’s squad.
But he will fly into Nice this Sunday afternoon as a key member of Scotland’s 33-man pool after taking advantage of a change in World Rugby’s eligibility rules that allowed him to switch allegiance to his grandfather’s country last year.
Dempsey expects hosts France to put on an “epic” event over the next two months and – having rediscovered career contentment and top form since joining Glasgow from New South Wales Waratahs two years ago – he is delighted to be competing at the tournament with a national squad in which he now feels firmly embedded.
“Having one World Cup experience under my belt, you realise how big a thing it is and I think you’re more grateful for it the second time,” Dempsey told the PA news agency. “I’m more prepared to soak it all in.
“To do it with this bunch of lads, it’s one of the best environments I’ve been in on and off the field. Everyone gets on, everyone’s a good bloke.
“When you get up and go to work it’s enjoyable and you have places in your career where it’s not like that. That’s the biggest thing about this crew that I like.
“To go to a World Cup, which is as big as it gets as a rugby player, something you dream of as a kid, and the fact the French, who are the best showmen in the world, are putting it on, I think it’s going to be epic.
“As a collective, everyone in rugby, we want these big tournaments like World Cups, Lions Series and Six Nations to promote the game and the grow the game, and I think the French are the best people to do it at this point in time just because of how good they are at putting on events.”
Dempsey made two pool-stage appearances for the Wallabies at the last World Cup but was not in the 23 for the quarter-final defeat by England and felt like a bit-part player.
“I’d only played seven or eight games of rugby in that calendar year, I’d had a lot of injuries and I just scraped through really in terms of getting picked,” he recalled. “I was probably the last name put down in the back row.”
Dempsey’s status with the Wallabies four years ago is in stark contrast to the prominence he enjoys with Scotland, where he has established himself as a key member of Gregor Townsend’s back row.
“My role then was very different to what it is now,” he said. “Here I’m like a specialist number eight but back then I was more utility, I was a six, I was a seven.
“I think that shows the maturation in the cycle of my career. I’m a more complete player to what I was back then. I’m loving my rugby at the moment.
“Since moving to Glasgow, I’ve enjoyed my role in the team. I think Scotland and Glasgow have really identified what my strengths are and put me in positions to use those strengths, which is not always something you can say in your career.
“I have a very clear, precise role which Gregor gives me with Scotland and I just go out and do it. We’re playing an attractive game of rugby, I think France, New Zealand and us are leading the way in terms of aesthetic rugby and it’s pleasing to be a part of.
“That’s the way I like to play and I’m hoping to bring that to the World Cup.”
Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique is preparing for the usual intensity in his side’s game against Lyon despite both teams’ below-par starts to the season.
PSG finally got up and running with victory over Lens, following draws with Lorient and Toulouse. On Sunday, they visit a winless Lyon side who are kept off the bottom of Ligue 1 only by Clermont.
“We have prepared for tomorrow’s game in the same way as every game at Paris St Germain – with a serious approach, with professionalism,” Enrique said at a pre-match press conference broadcast on the club’s website.
“Lyon are a big historic club. They are one of best sides in this league and have very good players, a very good coach who I know well and played with at Barcelona, Laurent Blanc.
“It will be a tough game at a fantastic stadium with a brilliant atmosphere, the kind we like to play in. It will certainly be a difficult game. We have prepared as well as we can to try to get the three points.”
Deadline-day signing Randal Kolo Muani is still recovering from an ankle injury, but fellow newcomer Bradley Barcola will be in the squad against his former club.
Enrique said of Barcola: “He is good at dribbling down the wing and he can play as a number nine inside. We really like him and he strengthens the squad for the future as well. I think it is a great signing.”
The pair’s arrivals will increase the competition for places up front, but asked if that could push another recent recruit in Goncalo Ramos to the bench, Enrique played down any concern.
“I didn’t know Goncalo Ramos was going to be a substitute,” he said.
“I want 20 starters, not 11, 12, or 13. If we have 22 starters we are ready for any competition. That is the aim.
“There are very few substitutes here.”
Presnel Kimpembe, Lee Kang-in and left-back Nuno Mendes remain sidelined for Sunday’s game.
Lyon are without Alexandre Lacazette and Dejan Lovren, but could welcome back goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, who has trained with the squad for the first time since a pre-season facial injury.
Lopes’ return would be a boost to a defence which conceded four goals in Lyon’s previous home game against Montpellier.
Lyon manager Blanc said: “He is recovering very well. There will certainly be a discussion with the medical staff to make a decision. It’s good news to see him training with us.
“This game against Paris can help us to launch our season. Hosting Paris is not necessarily ideal to relaunch yourself, but maybe it can be the chance to erase the bad things that happened against Montpellier.
“Paris played a great match against Lens. They are a team with a lot of very good individuals.
“Anything is possible, but regardless of the system, it is PSG we are up against.”
Juventus head coach Max Allegri insists it did not make sense to make a late dip into the transfer market.
Juve signed Timothy Weah and Arkadiusz Milik at the start of the window but offloaded a number of players – including the long-serving Leonardo Bonucci to Union Berlin.
However, Allegri did not feel the need to bring in last-minute replacements as he seeks a return to European football.
Juventus were banned from UEFA competition this season, missing out on their Europa Conference League place for finishing seventh in Serie A last term after breaching Financial Fair Play regulations.
They had initially finished fourth in the league before being handed a 10-point deduction for irregularities in the club’s accounting.
“Changing players just to change faces didn’t make sense,” he said ahead of the trip to bottom side Empoli, who have yet to score in their opening two defeats.
“There was no chance of taking someone who would improve the team. The input was to maintain a team that was competitive and at the same time sustainable.
“Many players left and this was a very good window. At least it’s closed and we can think about tomorrow’s game.
“Now we have a competitive team, with the prospect of believing that Dusan Vlahovic is doing much better than last year, that it’s a new year for Federico Chiesa.
“The goal this year is to get to December 30, draw a line and see where we are in the table.
“I think we need 86 to 90 points to win the Scudetto this year. Predications are difficult, what’s valid today is not valid tomorrow. Napoli are favourites because they won the Scudetto.
“The goal is to be in the top four again, as happened last year, and to play in the Champions League next year.”
Allegri’s confidence in his players is not necessarily shared by a section of the fanbase, with midfielder Nicolo Fagioli and defender Alex Sandro jeered by some supporters during last weekend’s draw at home to Bologna.
“I’m disappointed at hearing some boos at the Stadium on Sunday, directed at players who are always reliable and professional,” added the Juve boss.
“Fagioli missed some of our pre-season training but he is recovering after breaking his collarbone.”
Allegri was boosted in the draw with Bologna by a second-half cameo appearance from Paul Pogba, who has made just one start since returning to the club from Manchester United due to the France midfielder suffering a number of injuries.
“Pogba needed to be managed well, as he hadn’t played for a year,” Allegri added.
“He did well against Bologna, helping in the build-up to the goal. Even when he’s only at 70 per cent he’s decisive – he’s a different calibre.”
Grenada’s Kirani James signalled that he is gradually getting back to his competitive best, as he clocked a season’s best 44.38s in winning the men’s 400 metres at the Wanda Diamond League in Xiamen, China on Saturday.
James, who was disqualified for a lane violation at the recent World Athletics Championships, ran his usual well-paced race from lane four to stop the clock in the winning time, which betters his previous season’s best of 44.50s.
He just edged American Quincy Hall, who was also given the same time, while Jamaican Rusheen McDonald (44.82s), was third. Another Jamaican Zandrion Barnes (45.29s) finished eighth.
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