World Sports News in Brief

Ukraine reach Euro 2020 as Ronaldo hits milestone

Ukraine advanced to the Euro 2020 finals after an impressive first half helped them to a 2-1 home win over Portugal, whose talismanic captain Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 700th career goal in a Group B qualifier on Monday.

Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group B - Ukraine v Portugal - NSC Olympiyskiy, Kiev, Ukraine - October 14, 2019  Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo heads the ball at goal. (Photo: Reuters)
Soccer Football - Euro 2020 Qualifier - Group B - Ukraine v Portugal - NSC Olympiyskiy, Kiev, Ukraine - October 14, 2019 Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo heads the ball at goal. (Photo: Reuters)

The result left Ukraine top of the section on 19 points from seven games, eight more than second-placed European champions Portugal who have a game in hand. Third-paced Serbia are on 10 points from six games after an Aleksandar Mitrovic brace gave them a 2-1 win at Lithuania.

* France must wait to claim a place at Euro 2020 after the world champions were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Turkey in a high-octane qualifying game on Monday. Turkey's Kaan Ayhan equalised eight minutes from time after France substitute Olivier Giroud opened the scoring in the 76th as the visitors stayed top of Group H with 19 points from eight games, ahead of Les Bleus due to a 2-0 win in Konya last June.

* England bounced back from their first tournament qualifying defeat for 10 years with a 6-0 thrashing of toothless Bulgaria in a Euro 2020 Group A clash on Monday. England, who moved closer to a place at Euro 2020, are top with 15 points from six games, three ahead of the Czech Republic and four in front of Kosovo who beat Montenegro 2-0.

* Tottenham Hotspur have re-signed Michel Vorm until the end of the season to provide additional goalkeeping cover with captain Hugo Lloris injured, the Premier League club said on Monday. France international Lloris was ruled out until January after he dislocated his elbow in the 3-0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on Oct. 5 and free agent Vorm has returned to compete with Paulo Gazzaniga for a starting spot.

* China's world and Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang will answer allegations about anti-doping violations in an open court hearing on Nov. 15, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Monday. In a break from usual procedure, CAS said that the case would be held in public in a Montreux hotel in Switzerland after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed against a decision by swimming's governing body FINA to clear Sun of wrongdoing in a random drug test last September.

* Formula One teams will seek to overcome their divisions at a meeting in Paris on Wednesday that represents a last chance to find agreement on a 2021 rules overhaul before an end-October deadline. The package of financial, technical and sporting changes aimed at levelling the playing field, improving racing and cutting costs has to be formalised by Oct 31.

* Paris St Germain forward Neymar will be out of action for four weeks because of a thigh injury, the Ligue 1 leaders said on Monday. "Neymar underwent an MRI (scan) this afternoon ... a medical check up will be done in eight days but his return to competition is expected in four weeks depending on the evolution (of the injury)," PSG said in a statement. Neymar picked up the injury during Brazil's 1-1 draw against Nigeria in a friendly game in Singapore on Sunday.

* Kenyan Eluid Kipchoge, who on Saturday became the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours, is one of 11 nominees for the IAAF male athlete of the year, athletics' governing body said on Monday. Kipchoge, who finished a special marathon in Vienna in one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds that will not be recognised for world record purposes, also was nominated for his London Marathon course record.

* Roger Federer confirmed his participation in next year's Olympic Games in Tokyo and said on Monday that he had listened to his heart before making the decision. The Swiss 38-year-old competed in the first of four Olympic Games at Sydney in 2000 and won the doubles gold partnering Stan Wawrinka in 2008 and a silver in singles in 2012. He missed the 2016 Olympics due to a knee injury.

* Former Olympique de Marseille and AS Roma coach Rudi Garcia will take charge of Olympique Lyonnais, the Ligue 1 club said on Monday. "Olympique Lyonnais confirms the appointment of Rudi Garcia as coach starting today," OL said in a statement, adding that he had signed a contract until 2021. Garcia, 55, replaces Brazilian Sylvinho who was sacked last week after Lyon failed to win in Ligue 1 since their two opening victories this season.

* Henrik Stenson and Annika Sorenstam will host a new tournament in Sweden next year with men and women facing off on the same course for a single trophy and prize fund, organisers announced on Monday. The Jun 11-14, 2020 Scandinavian Mixed, co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Ladies European Tour, will see 78 men and 78 women compete for a share of the EUR1.5 million on offer at Stockholm's Bro Hof Slott Golf Club.

* Inter Milan's Alexis Sanchez faces up to three months on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury while playing for Chile in their goalless draw with Colombia on Saturday. The Manchester United loanee was forced off in the 88th minute of the friendly in Alicante, Spain, and initial tests indicate he could require surgery, according to Chile manager Reinaldo Rueda.

Reuters, Xinhua