Italy 4-3 Japan

• Last-four place guaranteed after seven goal thriller in Group A• Brazil also proceed into semis after beating Mexico 2-0Italy won 4-3 against Japan in a pulsating Group A game in the Confederations Cup in Brazil to put them into the semi-finals and knock out their opponents.Sebastian Giovinco scored the winning goal on 86 minutes after Japan had got back to 3-3 on 69 minutes through Shi

Mal Meninga says bar incident is 'storm in a teacup'

• Queensland coach attacks media coverage• Meninga asked to leave bar by security staffQueensland State of Origin coach Mal Meninga has described being asked to leave a Brisbane bar as a "storm in a teacup" and criticised media coverage of it.Meninga was asked to leave a Brisbane backpackers bar by security staff early on Wednesday morning after walking behind the bar to ask for a beer.

Bernard Tomic through to Eastbourne quarter-finals

• World No64 beats Julien Benneteau in three sets• Samantha Stosur loses in second roundBernard Tomic says he's building in confidence for Wimbledon after surviving a huge lapse in concentration to reach the Eastbourne ATP quarter-finals.The Australian world No64 admits he got ahead of himself in blowing a huge lead before grinding out a 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) win over Frenchman Julien Benne

What World Cup qualification means for Australia

The Socceroos victory over Iraq secures huge revenue streams as well as helping the game's credibilityIt was only a little over two weeks ago when qualification for the World Cup looked problematic for Australia. For Asia, the top two teams in each group automatically qualify. Australia sat equal third with Oman on six points, one point behind second-placed Jordan and seven points behind i

Australians name squad for first Test against Lions in Brisbane

• Three debutants in line-up but plenty of experience on show• Inclusion of Christian Lealiifano suggests expansive approachThe Australia coach Robbie Deans has been criticised here for producing functional sides that show little of the traditional Wallaby flair and ambition, but his line-up for Saturday's first Test against the Lions at the Suncorp Stadium contains three playmakers behind.

Neymar's skill helps Brazil to Confederations Cup win over Mexico

• Goal and assist by 21-year-old prove difference between sides• 2-0 victory virtually assures hosts of place in semi-finalsNeymar all but secured Brazil's place in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup on Wednesday as they defeated Mexico 2-0 in their Group A tie at Estadio Castelao.It was hardly a classic performance from Brazil, but there were flashes of brilliance, and two pieces

Celta Vigo want Chelsea's fit-again Oriol Romeu on loan for next season

• Spanish Under-21 midfielder in demand back home• Missed second half of last season through injuryCelta Vigo hope to persuade José Mourinho to release Oriol Romeu on a season-long loan from Chelsea next term with the Spain Under-21 international now fit again following a long-term knee injury.Romeu, who was signed from Barcelona by André Villas-Boas at Stamford Bridge back in 2011, had s

McLaren still struggling as we head to Silverstone, admits Jenson Button

• Button plays down expectations for British Grand Prix• 'This year is tough. We are still a long way behind'Jenson Button has admitted that his long wait for a podium finish at Silverstone is unlikely to come to an end at the British Grand Prix.It has been a disastrous season for McLaren, whose redesigned car has had profound problems from the start of the year; they are back in sixth pl

North passed fit for first Lions Test

Quick recovery by Welsh winger has delighted Rob Howley, the Lions backs coach, who describes him as 'instrumental'One man alone will not decide the forthcoming Test series against Australia but the availability of George North to face Australia has made a world of difference to the mood inside the British & Irish Lions' camp. While Tuesday night in Canberra was an undoubted shockerit is amaz

Brazil v Mexico: Confederations Cup – live! | Paul Doyle

Minute-by-minute report: It's a mouthwatering Group A clash in the Confederations Cup. Follow the all the action herePaul Doyle

Tiger Woods pulls out of AT&T tournament at Congressional

• World No1 cites an elbow problem for missing own event• Woods will not compete again until Open at MuirfieldTiger Woods will not defend his AT&T National title at Congressional in Bethesda next week due to an elbow strain and is not expected to play again before the Open at Muirfield next month.Woods, who won the AT&T title in 2009 as well as in 2012, announced on his website on Wednesd

Fabio Capello follows André Villas-Boas in rejecting PSG's overtures

• Russia manager turns down offer of 12 month-deal• Michael Laudrup, Van Basten and Rijkaard enter the frayParis Saint-Germain's increasingly desperate search for a new manager endured yet another setback on Wednesday after Fabio Capello, the latest candidate to whom the French champions have turned, rejected the chance to move to Parc des Princes and indicated he intends instead to remain a

Jockey James Doyle's three winners at Royal Ascot - in picturesJockey James Doyles three winners at Royal Ascot

James Doyle rode three winners in a day at Royal Ascot, a treble which started with victory on Al Kazeem in the most prestigious race of the day

Hearts get 15-point SPL deduction after appointing administrator

• Decision spells end of disastrous Vladimir Romanov era• Cashflow problems and £25m deficit still dog troubled clubHearts will begin next season with a 15-point penalty after their major creditor, Ukio Bankas, succeeded in installing its preferred administrator in charge of the club. The major battle for survival will now take place off the pitch as BDO looks to negotiate the club out of a

Danny MacAskill’s stunts on giant models of childhood toys – video

Trial biking star Danny MacAskill has turned his favourite childhood toys, including a Dandy comic, into giant obstacles for his latest stunt video

How Olympic cauldron fanned flames of fury at American design studio

Spokesperson for Thomas Heatherwick says he knew nothing of ideas shown to London Games organisers in 2007As the polished copper petals of Thomas Heatherwick's Olympic cauldron rose up to form a striking flaming dandelion last July, gasps of awe and wonder echoed around the world at the structure's startling originality. In the offices of the New York design studio Atopia, however, there were

Elena Baltacha, Laura Robson, Heather Watson exit Aegon International

• Britain's three leading women all lose at Eastbourne• Wimbledon preparations for home trio cut shortLaura Robson, Heather Watson and Elena Baltacha all tumbled out of the Aegon International in the second round, dealing a blow to Britain's Wimbledon hopes with the Championships less than a week away. Expectations were high at Eastbourne as three British women featured in the singles second

Alastair Cook delighted after England's Champions Trophy win over South Africa – video

Alastair Cook praises England's performance after they beat South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Wednesday

Hayley Turner loses her job with Newmarket trainer Michael Bell

• News comes as blow for Britain's leading female rider• Decision ends 13-year link with BellHayley Turner and Michael Bell are to go their separate ways after a 13-year association that peaked with the victory of Margot Did in the 2011 Group One Nunthorpe Stakes. The pair insist there has been no falling out but the news deprives Turner, the most successful female jockey Britain has seen, o

Sepp Blatter urges Brazil protesters not to link grievances to football

Fifa president makes plea amid preparations for Confederations Cup matches following protests condemning his organisationFifa president Sepp Blatter has called on Brazil's protesters to stop linking their demonstrations to football, as police stepped up reinforcements ahead of expected clashes at Confederations Cup matches taking place in Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza.After protests on the

Sky and BT embark on battle for the best live Premier League fixtures

• Majority of BT's 38 games to be shown on Saturday lunchtimes• Sky confident experience of picking matches gives them edgeThe announcement of the Premier League fixture list will also sound the starting gun on a bitter battle over which matches are to be televised live between BSkyB and BT. The new broadcaster has gambled £738m on securing the rights to 38 live matches per season, but Sky S

Cook: 'We can win Champions Trophy, without a doubt'

• Captain is ready to seize rare chance of 50-over glory• South Africa coach reluctantly accepts 'chokers' tagAlastair Cook may already be in rare company, having led England to their second ICC 50-over final in the past 20 years, but he was quite happy to talk up the significance of Sunday's climax at Edgbaston after a seven-wicket victory against South Africa means England will face either

Doyle rides quick treble at Ascot

• Young jockey wins feature race on Al Kazeem• Rider follows up on 33-1 shot Belgian BillThere are days at the track when a champion racehorse announces its arrival in the big time with a single, exceptional performance, and rarer afternoons when a jockey does the same. James Doyle had not ridden a winner at the Royal meeting at 3.44pm on Wednesday afternoon. A little over 100 minutes later,

What Serena Williams 'taught me' about rape | Eris Zion Venia Dyson

The tennis star's comments on the Steubenville, Ohio rape case were a slap to women. Her apology was just as disappointingLate last night, I read Serena Williams' comments in Rolling Stone on the Steubenville, Ohio rape case: "Do you think it was fair, what they got? They did something stupid, but I don't know. I'm not blaming the girl, but if you're a 16-year-old and you're drunk like th

Fans protest over high Premier League ticket prices – video

Demonstrators protest outside the Premier League headquarters in London on Wednesday

Godolphin find success scarce but it's business as usual at Royal Ascot

Sheikh Mohammed shows intent with the purchase of Derby runner-up LibertarianAfter the jubilation that followed the narrow victory of Dawn Approach in Tuesday's St James's Palace Stakes, the Godolphin racing operation returned to something approaching normality on Wednesday afternoon.Saeed bin Suroor, their only British trainer following the doping scandal that removed Mahmood al-Zarooni f

Horse racing tips: Thursday 20 June

Prophets Pride at Royal Ascot is the best bet of the dayAscot2.30 Coach House 3.05 Alive Alive Oh (nb) 3.45 Altano 4.25 Prophets Pride (nap) 5.00 Indian Chief 5.35 EshtiaalFfos Las6.00 Forresters Folly 6.30 Fairwood Massini 7.05 Prospect Wells 7.40 Donnas Palm 8.15 True Blue 8.45 Busted Tycoon 9.20 Gwili SparLeicester6.20 Cats Eyes 6.55 Curl 7.30 Rocksilla 8.05 Banaadeer 8.35 B

England reach Champions Trophy final with easy win over South Africa

• South Africa rue early collapse to 80 for eight• Jonathan Trott sees England home with calm 82England strolled their way into Sunday's Champions Trophy final. If winning by seven wickets, with 75 deliveries in hand, represents a breeze in what had been anticipated to be a tight contest, then it could have been more of a hurricane had it not been for a fighting ninth-wicket partnership of 9

Altano can win the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot for Germany

Stout stayer can see off the Queen's runner Estimate in traditional meeting highlightThe German flag may be flying over Ascot on Ladies Day if Altano (3.45) can win the Gold Cup. Trained by Andreas Wöhler, he makes plenty of appeal at 20-1 in an open renewal of the famous marathon.Germany has not been a consistent source of top-quality Flat horses but has enjoyed notable successes in the p

England find swing to put South Africa in reverse in Champions Trophy

Alastair Cook's bowlers went back to Plan B and it worked perfectly against some helpful battingOld hat, one-paced – and in the final: not bad going for a team who are apparently bent on seeing out the summer playing their own travelling revivalist John Player League match. For England, who beat South Africa by seven wickets to reach the final of the Champions Trophy, this was a match in whic