MEN’S FOOTBALL: Palestine’s hopes of reaching their first ever World Cup finals were ended in dramatic fashion after they conceded a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time and were held to a 1-1 draw by Oman. 

The Omanis will now join Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Indonesia and the UAE in the fourth qualifying round from which two teams will progress to next year’s tournament hosted by Canada, the USA and Mexico.

MEN’S RUGBY UNION: Halifax-born Jacob Umaga has been included in Samoa’s squad for their upcoming test against Scotland and the Pacific Nations Cup tournament. 

Umaga represented England at Under 18s and Under 20s levels and was playing Premiership rugby for the now defunct Wasps club when he won a full England cap against the United States in 2021. 

He currently plays for Italian club Treviso in the United Rugby Championship.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: England’s under 21s begin the defence of their European title Thursday evening when they travel to face Czechia in a Group B qualifying fixture. 

The English squad includes Jobe Bellingham, who joined Borussia Dortmund from Sunderland for a fee of approximately £25 million on Tuesday, Arsenal’s 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott. 

Germany and Slovenia meet in Thursday night’s other Group B fixture.

MEN’S CRICKET: Scotland get another chance to improve their chances of qualifying for next year’s World Cup when they face the Netherlands in tomorrow’s League Two match at Dundee’s Forthill ground. 

The Scots sit four points behind table-toppers the USA but have a game in hand while the out-of-form Dutch have lost all three of their matches, including two defeats at the hands of lowly Nepal, during this latest round of fixtures.