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By Mark Trevelyan and Lidia Kelly (Reuters) -Russia will launch its first lunar landing spacecraft in 47 years on Friday

Bayern Munich says goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has undergone another operation to remove metal implants from the leg he broke while skiing last season

Australia has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Women's World Cup after looking in danger of exiting the tournament in the first round

Mohamed Salah will stay at Liverpool rather than joining the exodus to Saudi Arabia, his agent has said. The Egyptian is a reported target for Al-Ittihad, who were apparently willing to pay Liverpool £52m and give the forward a contract worth £77m a year. Al-Ittihad have already signed Salah’s Liverpool teammate Fabinho while captain Jordan Henderson has moved to Al-Ettifaq. But Ramy Abbas, Salah’s representative, has confirmed that the 31-year-old is happy to remain at Anfield. “If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer,” he tweeted. “Mohamed remains committed to LFC.” Salah signed a three-year deal last summer, making him the best-paid player in Liverpool’s history. He scored 30 goals last season, taking his tally to 186 in six years on Merseyside. Liverpool, meanwhile, are trying to strengthen their midfield ahead of the start of the season after losing Henderson and Fabinho. They have made two bids for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia but are also considering other options. Read More Football rumours: Kevin de Bruyne leads Saudi Pro League’s future targets Brady proud to join Blues and Housby celebrates – Thursday’s sporting social Liverpool left with midfield muddle – but Reds have reason for optimism

Roared on by the majority of a 75,784 crowd, co-host Australia reached the Women's World Cup quarterfinals after an impressive 2-0 victory over Denmark in Sydney.

There was a tense atmosphere at Boxpark Wembley as England fans watched the Lionesses’ penalty shootout against Nigeria unfold. Sarina Wiegman’s side squeezed past their opposition with a 4-2 win on spot-kicks, after a goalless 120 minutes. Given the nation’s record on penalties, it’s no surprise that atmosphere was tense in Boxpark as the latest shootout unfolded - especially after Georgia Stanway missed England’s first. But Nigeria also failed to score their first two, leaving Chloe Kelly the opportunity to send the Lionesses through, and those watching in Wembley jumped to their feet when she smashed the ball past Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Bayern Munich have drawn up a list of alternative options to Harry Kane in case their club record bid for the striker is rejected. Dusan Vlahovic and Randal Kolo Muani have both been linked.

It was the sort of goal Riyad Mahrez has tended to score for Manchester City, the kind that helped the Algerian strike 39 times in two seasons when he was not even always a first choice. Yet it was not Mahrez: he is gone to Al-Ahli and if a deluxe squad player looked irreplaceable, there came an illustration that City have a potential successor with some similar qualities. But, even though it came in the first game since Mahrez’s departure, perhaps not for this season. Out of the academy, off the bench, Cole Palmer scored City’s first spectacular goal at Wembley since Ilkay Gundogan two months earlier. This time it did not yield silverware: City’s last three competitive games, separated by the summer, have consisted of a trio of finals and they lost the least important, perhaps cruelly for Palmer, who had more reason to pronounce himself “gutted” than most. As Arsenal brought in their £105 million signing, Declan Rice, City brought on the local lad who cost them nothing. As Mahrez used to, he cut in from the right flank and curled in a shot with his left foot. As Mahrez increasingly was, he was a substitute; an impact sub at that. That impact was diminished by Leandro Trossard’s deflected 101st-minute equaliser and a loss in the subsequent shootout. Many a Community Shield can be forgotten; this might not be remembered as Palmer’s day after all. But it was an illustration of ability, it remains to be seen where it will be glimpsed again this season. City have not bought anyone to take over from Mahrez. Yet if there is a vacancy in a squad that, after Raheem Sterling left last year, now looks shorter of wingers, Palmer could still be headed for the exit. He has a queue of suitors and City will consider loaning him out. Brighton are thought to be keen. Burnley were, though they have a stack of wingers. Palmer may not take the path of Phil Foden, the young Mancunian who stayed in Manchester. If his route is into the City side, he may require a long and winding road. “He wanted to play more minutes last season,” Guardiola said. “We have to talk with the club. I don’t know what is going to happen with him to find a solution with him.” Palmer hinted that first-team football elsewhere may be preferable to cameos at the Etihad Stadium. “We’ll have to see what the plan is for next season and hopefully play as many games as possible,” he said. He made the most of a quarter of regulation time at Wembley. It was enough to earn him the player-of-the-match award, albeit before the late drama added a different sheen to proceedings. When he entered proceedings, he seemed the lesser partner in a double act, brought on with Kevin de Bruyne. When they combined, the Belgian’s first assist of the season was rather overshadowed by the finish, curled around Aaron Ramsdale. It was Palmer’s fifth goal for City. A man who scored 52 last season had exited with an expected goals score of 0.00. It was a sign of the lack of service to Erling Haaland. As starting the season by drawing a blank in the Community Shield is now an annual routine, it feels less of a concern than the Norwegian’s underwhelming debut against Liverpool last year. Haaland’s importance is obvious after a campaign that was the most productive of any player’s since Dixie Dean was in his heyday. If there is a reason to argue it is still greater this season it is because City’s two summer departures, Mahrez and Gundogan, had a shared attribute: each could prove prolific, whether from a deeper or wider position. It was most useful in the false-nine years, the interregnum between Sergio Aguero and Haaland. They were the respective top scorers in the two previous seasons. Yet it is a skillset City have yet to import: Mateo Kovacic has come in for Gundogan but rarely finds the net. So far, no winger has joined. Guardiola started with technicians – in Kovacic, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva – who are infrequent scorers. He began with two who got into double figures last season, Julian Alvarez and Haaland, who got half the way to triple figures. He brought on two more, in Foden and De Bruyne. Subdued at the start, City looked brighter with an injection of impetus from the Belgian and a moment of class from Palmer. It was a reminder that they have often prospered by allying their assurance in possession with moments of individual brilliance, often from De Bruyne or Mahrez. But even as Palmer suggested he may be the heir to the Algerian, it was followed by the feeling that it will not be at City just yet. Read More How much added time? Football’s new guidelines and the impact they will have Arsenal ‘obviously paid way too much’ for Declan Rice, says Roy Keane Can Mikel Arteta become Pep Guardiola’s greatest nemesis – or merely the latest? How much added time? Football’s new guidelines and the impact they will have Keira Walsh: England’s deep-lying playmaker in profile Raphael Varane says players’ opinions ignored over ‘damaging’ new guidelines

Each time Lionel Messi lined up for a free-kick in his first away game for Inter Miami, thousands of fans packed into a stadium in the searing Texas heat stood and held up their cell phones, ready to record. They all successfully captured footage of history repeating itself. Messi scored another mesmerising free-kick in his third consecutive two-goal game, drawing Inter Miami level before they snatched victory over FC Dallas on penalties to move into the Leagues Cup quarter-final. Messi’s goal in the 85th minute to square things at 4-4 was reminiscent of the game-winner from his Inter Miami debut, both free-kicks from just outside the area in the waning moments, both sneaking past the goalkeeper into the upper corner of the net. This time, the left-footed superstar was stationed to the right of the goal and beat FC Dallas’ Maarten Paes at his near post in the same manner he did from out on the left in a 2-1 win over Mexican club Cruz Azul. “I think there’s not much to say. I think everyone can see,” FC Dallas coach Nico Estevez said. “It’s obvious that for him a free-kick around there is like a penalty for another player. You have to pray that the ball goes out of bounds or he falls in the run-up to kick the ball.” The victory in the round of 16 sent Inter Miami into the Leagues Cup quarter-finals against the winner of Monday night’s contest between Charlotte FC and Houston. The second of Messi’s three consecutive two-goal games came in the first Leagues Cup elimination game, a 3-1 Miami victory over Orlando City that was delayed by an hour and a half because of a torrential rainstorm in Florida. The fifth match in Texas of Messi’s illustrious career had a kick-off temperature of 100 degrees (38 degrees Celsius) on the 14th consecutive day of triple-digit heat in the Dallas area and, because of the high temperatures, teams took a heat break midway through each half. Messi’s first goal outside of Florida for his new U.S. club was another left-footed strike from outside the penalty area in the sixth minute, after a pass from former FC Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba. It was initially disallowed for offside, although this was overturned following a VAR review. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup winner for Argentina has scored seven goals in four matches for Inter Miami — all in the Leagues Cup — with every game ending in victory after Inter went winless in nine consecutive MLS matches before the 36-year-old arrived. “We are very glad to be moving on and these types of games help us to continue to develop as a team and fix our mistakes,” Miami coach Gerardo Martino said through an interpreter. “We still have a long way to go to be at the level we want but in the end, I am glad that we obtained the victory.” Come the shootout, Messi converted the first penalty with a leisurely run-up before blasting his effort into the right corner. The difference was Paxton Pomykal firing over the crossbar with FC Dallas’s second spot-kick before Benjamin Cremaschi, who had also scored in the 65th minute, scored the winning penalty as Miami triumphed 5-3 in the shootout. Dallas had gone 4-2 up when Robert Taylor scored an own goal in the 68th minute but Dallas netted an own goal of their own in the 80th minute when Marco Farfan put a header into his net from a Messi cross. Soon after, Taylor had a moment of redemption when he was fouled by Eugene Ansah, setting up Messi for that stunning free-kick that sent the crowd of 19,096 into a frenzy. Miami co-owner David Beckham saw the first one at home 17 days ago. He was here for this one, too, in a stadium where tickets that normally go for about $40 were selling for hundreds of dollars, and in some cases listed for more than $1,000. “To have players like him here will make our players better,” Estevez said of Messi. “When you have to face this kind of level, you have to do better. And you can see FC Dallas today, how some of our players raised their level.” Associated Press Read More Argentina star defends Cristiano Ronaldo tattoo: ‘It’s not anti-Messi’ New Jersey Governor keen to host Premier League and Champions League matches Cole Palmer shows why he become Man City’s missing piece Cole Palmer shows why he become Man City’s missing piece England scrape into Women’s World Cup quarter-finals after penalty shootout drama England stars vow to rally round Lauren James after World Cup sending off

The roster news was made at Evo 2023 at the weekend.

England’s players will rally round Lauren James after her “Beckhamesque moment of madness” in the team’s penalty shoot-out victory over Nigeria in the World Cup last 16. Former men’s national team striker Gary Lineker likened the 21-year-old Chelsea forward’s red card for petulantly standing on Michelle Alozie as she lay on the floor to Beckham’s kick-out at Argentina’s Diego Simeone at the 1998 World Cup. “The @Lionesses down to 10 as Lauren James has a Beckhamesque moment of madness,” Lineker wrote on Twitter. However, while the former Manchester United star’s sending-off contributed to the team’s difficulties, Sarina Wiegman’s side have progressed to the quarter-finals. Criticism of James, receiving the side’s first red card since Millie Bright’s dismissal in the World Cup semi-final defeat to the United States in 2019, has been well short of what Beckham received and team-mate Lauren Hemp said she would receive the full support of the squad. “It’s things that happen in football, it’s not nice to see a red card but I felt like going down to 10 players we dealt with it very well, we were super-resilient and didn’t let them score,” Hemp told BBC Radio 5 Live. “It’s one of those things. We will get around Lauren James in the coming days, she’s still very young.” James is likely to face a three-match ban for violent conduct, which would rule her out for the remainder of the tournament. “We all know Lauren is magic, she is our weapon and it’s a big loss for us but we can’t change that now,” team-mate Beth England added on Radio 5 Live. “We have an unbelievable squad and players who can fill in in that position and hopefully we can see her again in the tournament.” Wiegman told Radio 5 Live it was a “very hard lesson to learn”, adding: “It happens unfortunately and of course she doesn’t want to harm anyone.” Former England defender Anita Asante was critical of James’ 87th-minute reaction to her growing frustration in the game, which finished 0-0 after extra-time. “I’m really disappointed. One act has kind of tarnished all the good work that Lauren James has done up until this point,” she told Radio 5 Live. “She is a superstar and hopefully she will grow from this experience.” Asante was also critical of a lacklustre performance. “England will go back, analyse the game and hopefully there will be some hard truths in the changing room,” she added. “They need to hold each other accountable, including that moment with Lauren James. “England are very lucky to have progressed to the quarter-finals and they definitely need to step up performances if they want to get all the way to a final.” Another former international Alex Scott was more positive, however, telling BBC One: “When you think about how you go on to win tournaments you need moments of luck, magic, finding a way – which they did.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England Rugby World Cup squad hits and misses How much added time? Football’s new guidelines and the impact they will have Dejan Kulusevski vows to ‘do everything’ to keep Harry Kane at Tottenham

New guidelines on added time and player behaviour are set to dominate the debate in the early weeks of the new domestic season in England. Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look. – What has happened? Qatar World Cup." data-source="FIFA"> Referees in the Premier League and the EFL, in line with every other competition around the world, have been instructed by the game’s lawmakers to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages this season – including goal celebrations, substitutions and VAR checks. The approach was first adopted at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year, where on average FIFA found 10 minutes and 11 seconds were added to matches at the finals. – Why is this being done?The idea is to clamp down on time-wasting and increase effective playing time. The game’s world governing body FIFA found that while added time was up in Qatar compared to the 2018 finals in Russia, effective playing time increased from 55 minutes and 41 seconds in Russia to 59 minutes and 47 seconds in Qatar. – What has been the impact in England so far? Arsenal have been early beneficiaries of the new approach, scoring in the 11th of 13 added minutes at the end of the Community Shield on Sunday to draw level against Manchester City before going on to win on penalties. The match lasted 105 minutes and 45 seconds, well above last season’s Premier League average of 98 minutes and 31 seconds. Games averaged over 100 minutes in each division of the EFL over the opening weekend, with the highest average recorded in League Two – 107 minutes and four seconds. – What has the reaction been?While the feedback received in Qatar was largely positive, the approach has faced some early criticism in the English game. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester United defender Raphael Varane have hit out at what they say is a lack of consultation with players and coaches over the introduction of these guidelines. The chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, Maheta Molango, has met with members of the union over the summer – including Varane during meetings with both Manchester clubs last week. The PFA said players expressed concerns over the impact of this new guidance across the course of a long season, having already pushed back at a “completely unsustainable” calendar – What do the game’s leaders say? FIFA referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina insists the change in approach will be beneficial in cutting out time-wasting, and is confident added time levels will drop when players realise there is no benefit to trying to waste time. He pointed out that even in Qatar there was a drop-off as players adapted – with 11 minutes and six seconds added on average in the group stage, dropping as low as seven minutes and 15 seconds in the last 16. He also pointed out the approach would not make a massive difference in the Premier League – citing the fact that 10 minutes or more had been added in four of the 10 top-flight matches played on the first weekend in March this year. – Is there really an impact on player workload?Global players’ union FIFPRO says there could be, if the levels of added time witnessed in Qatar were sustained across a season. A report it commissioned earlier this year said the changes in added time could equate to three extra games per season for the players with the highest workloads currently. – What else is new? Players and coaches can expect to see a tougher and more consistent approach from officials towards dissent and abuse, as part of a wider effort to improve conduct across the board in the English game. Referees have been instructed to show at least one yellow card where two or more players confront them, while players and coaches in the professional game who repeatedly or seriously abuse officials can expect to face tougher financial sanctions from the Football Association. In the grassroots game, such actions will lead to points deductions this season. Fan behaviour is also being looked at, with the game’s authorities determined to pursue criminal charges against anyone found to be involved in football tragedy abuse, in addition to clamping down on pitch invasions, drugs and pyrotechnics at games. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England Rugby World Cup squad hits and misses Dejan Kulusevski vows to ‘do everything’ to keep Harry Kane at Tottenham Raphael Varane says players’ opinions ignored over ‘damaging’ new guidelines