MEN’S FOOTBALL: Cymru Premier table-toppers the New Saints are through to the Scottish Challenge Cup final after Brad Young’s first-half goal was enough to seal a narrow 1-0 win at Falkirk on Saturday evening, extending their unbeaten run to 34 games.
They will meet Airdrieonians from the Scottish Championship in the final after they edged out last year’s runners-up Raith Rovers 1-0 in the other last four tie.
MEN’S BOXING: Joshua Buatsi claimed a unanimous points win over Dan Azeez to take his British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight belts in London on Saturday night.
Buatsi improved his record to 18 fights without defeat, as Azeez suffered a first loss in 21 bouts.
European light-welter champion Adam Azim beat Enock Paulsen on the undercard, and Conor Benn earned a unanimous points victory over the US’s Peter Dobson in Las Vegas.
WOMEN’S CYCLING: Netherlands rider Fem van Empel retained her World Cyclo-cross title in style as she dominated Saturday’s race on the Tabor circuit in the Czech Republic to clinch her 18th win from 20 races this season.
Van Empel finished a minute and 20 seconds ahead of compatriot Lucinda Brand, with Puck Pieterse taking third to seal a Dutch monopoly of the podium places. Gateshead’s Anna Kay finished 17th.
MEN’S RUGBY UNION: Ireland’s under 20s followed in the footsteps of their senior team as they began the defence of their Six Nations title with an entertaining 37-31 win over reigning world champions France in Aix-en-Provence.
The tournament’s other matches saw Wales score two late tries to earn a 37-29 bonus point win over Scotland and Northampton’s Henry Pollock grab a hat-trick as England’s eased to a 36-11 victory in Italy.
MEN’S FOOTBALL: ENGLAND boss Gareth Southgate watched from the stands as Jordan Henderson made his “special” Ajax debut in a 1-1 draw against PSV Eindhoven.
Former Liverpool captain Henderson played the full 90 minutes at the Johan Cruyff Arena as Steven Berghuis’s opener for Ajax was cancelled out by Luuk de Jong.
Henderson joined Ajax in mid-January after spending less than six months at Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq, but his first appearance was delayed while he waited for a work permit.
The England midfielder said of Southgate’s visit: “Hopefully he picked a good game and he enjoyed the game.”
He added: “The atmosphere was incredible. Obviously it was a special day for me and my family.
“To represent this football club for the first time. That was special. And to play in this stadium was really special.”
De Jong equalised for PSV before half-time after Berghuis had given Ajax a 19th-minute lead.
Ajax trail runaway leaders PSV by 21 points in the Eredivisie table, but Henderson was delighted to have made his first appearance.
“I think there’s still a lot to improve on, but it’s been a privilege and an honour to play for this club,” Henderson told a post-match press conference.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t finish it in the end. But we’ve got a point to move on from.
“PSV have an amazing team, they’ve been unbeaten all season. But I thought we had some good chances to win the game towards the end. But unfortunately, we couldn’t find the back of the net.”
