Real Madrid's French duo Karim Benzema and Ferland Mendy struck in the second half as the Spanish champions overcame an injury crisis to beat Getafe 2-0 at home on Tuesday and close the gap to La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid to five points.
Indian men's hockey team finished a disappointing fourth at the Commonwealth Games as it struggled to breach a stout England defence to lose the bronze medal match 1-2, in Gold Coast, on Saturday.
Kovac, who succeeded the retired Jupp Heynckes, surprisingly put Germany international Mats Hummels on the bench and partnered Jerome Boateng with Niklas Suele in central defence.
South Africa coach Micky Arthur reckons India may be "just 2 to 3 per cent" ahead of his team in the crucial third and final cricket Test at this stage but warned the hosts that even a total of 150 in the fourth innings would be hard to achieve. Arthur said the match was heading for an exciting finish and it was important for his wards to stitch a couple of big partnerships to put pressure on India.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
Images from the FIFA World Cup qualifiers matches.
Japan coach Javier Aguirre, Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera, Atletico Madrid captain Gabi and 38 others have been named in an alleged case of match-fixing involving a La Liga match in the 2010-11 season.
FC Goa humiliated Chennaiyin FC in-front of their home crowd with 3-1 win to clinch a semi-final berth in the Indian Super League on Friday.
India defeated China 4-1 in their last pool match to mantain a clean slate going into the quarterfinals of the junior men's Asia Cup hockey tournament, in Kuantan, on Tuesday.
Steven Gerrard scored twice to spare England's blushes as they stuttered to a 3-0 win over Andorra in a Euro 2008 qualifier
Only Sandesh Jhingan, who led the side, Rahul Bheke and Subhasish Bose retained their places, but India still won the match through a 17th minute strike from midfielder Anirudh Thapa in the third-place match at the Thunder Castle stadium.
Costa turned Juanfran's low cross into the net in the 69th minute for Atletico's third goal in the first leg of the last 16 tie against third division Lleida but immediately limped to the sidelines. He did return to the pitch, however, and completed the game despite bleeding from his knee.
Manchester United clinched a sixth consecutive Premier League win for the first time since April 2015 as Juan Mata and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored second-half goals in a controversial 2-0 victory at 10-man West Ham United on Monday.
Images from the World Cup qualifying matches played on Wednesday night.
Pedro scored in the 31st, 49th and 64th minutes while Romario Jesuraj got the other goal for Chennai in the 76th minute.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
'It was deserved victory, definitely, for France, said Portugal's Brazilian coach.
Later on Monday, Lukaku's brace helped Inter to a win over Napoli, taking them atop the standings on goal difference from Juventus.
Halep has struggled for form and fitness since her first-round defeat at the US Open last August and came to Australia on a five-match losing streak and without a coach after long-serving Darren Cahill left for "family reasons".
Summary of World Cup qualifiers played across the world on Thursday
Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata scored a goal and then missed a penalty as his side began their La Liga campaign with an eventful and nervy 1-0 win at home to Getafe on Sunday which saw both teams reduced to 10 men.
Paulo Dybala came off the bench to give unbeaten Serie A leaders Juventus a 1-0 win away to a brave Bologna side who had the better of the match and hit the post in stoppage time on Sunday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
AS Roma ended a five-match winless run against arch-rivals Lazio with a 2-0 win on Sunday which maintained their 100 percent record after four games in Serie A.
Cricket Australia sent a letter of complaint to their South African counterparts on Friday over what coach Darren Lehmann called 'disgraceful' verbal abuse aimed at his players by the crowd in the third Test at Newlands.
Vijay Shankar could well be the 'joker in the pack' if the Indian team management decides to try him
IMAGES from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi was lauded by opposition supporters on Sunday after he scored an outstanding hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-1 win at Real Betis, which put the Catalans 10 points clear at the top of La Liga with 10 games remaining.
Real Madrid's La Liga title bid took a dent after Zinedine Zidane's leaders were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo on Sunday, denied all three points by a late strike from Santi Mina. Lazio mounted a superb second-half comeback at the Olympic Stadium to beat Inter Milan 2-1 and move above Antonio Conte's side into second place in Serie A on Sunday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
Images from the Champions League football matches played on Wednesday night.
Sri Lanka Cricket will lodge a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against an 'unacceptable' reprieve for England batsman Alex Hales in the third and final Test.
Inexperience cost England, feels Morgan
Japan beat 10-man Colombia 2-1 in Group H on Tuesday to become the first Asian side to beat a South American one at the World Cup.
"This will probably be the biggest World Cup, so there will be great expectations and I know we will do very well for the people of the West Indies," he added.
After taking home their first La Liga trophy in five years, Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. took their celebrations from streets in CelebesPlaza to the Town Hall.
IMAGES from Europa League matches played on Thursday.
A ruthless Indian women's hockey team mauled lowly Kazakhstan 21-0 to register their second big win at the Asian Games on Tuesday. Goals rained thick and fast in the Pool B match at the GBK Hockey Field with as many as 10 Indians out of 18, who took the field, entering their names in the score-sheet.
