Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-Southgate urges Grealish to start scoring for England

Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish faces a “big challenge” to find his debut goal for England, coach Gareth Southgate said ahead of their forthcoming World Cup qualifiers. Southgate was happy with Grealish’s start to life at new club Manchester City, where he has bagged two goals and two assists in all competitions after his British record transfer https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/man-city-sign-playmaker-grealish-villa-six-year-deal-2021-08-05 from Aston Villa.

Athletics-Ethiopia’s Lemma secures maiden London Marathon victory

Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma won the men’s London Marathon in a time of two hours, four minutes and one second after breaking away from the leading pack late in the race on Sunday. In cool and dry conditions, Lemma improved on his podium finish last year to surge ahead and seize victory, bouncing back after failing to finish the Olympic marathon in Japan.

Soccer-West Ham shock Manchester City with 2-0 WSL win

West Ham United pulled off a shock 2-0 win away to Manchester City to rise to fourth in the Women’s Super League table on Sunday, while Tottenham Hotspur went second with a 2-0 win over newcomers Leicester City. Dagny Brynjarsdottir broke the deadlock with a header for West Ham six minutes before the break and though Ellen White had a goal for City ruled out for offside, the Hammers defended bravely before Yui Hasegawa added a second goal in stoppage time to seal the win.

Rallying-Evans wins in Finland to keep alive title hopes, Ogier fifth

Welshman Elfyn Evans won Rally Finland on Sunday to keep alive his world championship hopes and cut Toyota team mate Sebastien Ogier’s overall lead to 24 points with two rounds remaining. Evans secured his fifth career win by finishing 14.1 seconds ahead of Hyundai’s Estonian Ott Tanak, the 2019 world champion who had been chasing his third successive win in the gravel event.

MLB roundup: Mitch Haniger keeps Mariners’ playoff hopes alive

Mitch Haniger had four hits, including a home run, and five RBIs as the Seattle Mariners kept their postseason hopes alive with a 6-4 victory against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night. The Mariners (90-71), who have won 11 of their past 13 games, are tied with Toronto, one game behind the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox for the American League’s two wild-card playoff berths.

Athletics-Gezahegne breaks 10km road race world record in Geneva

Bahrain’s Kalkidan Gezahegne won the Giants Geneva 10K in 29 minutes 38 seconds on Sunday to take five seconds off the women’s world record for a 10km road race when men are also competing. The Ethiopian-born 30-year-old, who won 10,000 metres silver behind Sifan Hassan at the Tokyo Olympics in August, bettered the mark of 29.43 set by Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei in 2017.

Cricket-Bavuma confident of winning fitness battle for Twenty20 World Cup

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma expects to be fit to lead the side at the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates as he continues to recover from a thumb injury. The top-order batsman admits he is not 100% fit, but believes he will be ready for South Africa’s opening game against Australia on Oct. 23.

Athletics-Kenya’s Jepkosgei upsets Kosgei to win London Marathon

Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei won a thrilling women’s London Marathon on Sunday in two hours, 17 minutes and 43 seconds as world record holder and defending champion Brigid Kosgei faded late in the race to finish outside the podium places. Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia was a comfortable winner of the elite men’s race in a time of 2:04.01, crossing the line 27 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Vincent Kipchuma with Ethiopian Mosinet Geremew third.

Cricket-‘Work in progress’ Sri Lanka aim to improve batting, says coach Arthur

Sri Lanka are a “work in progress” and they stand a good chance of success at the Twenty20 World Cup if the team can step up their batting to match the solid bowling attack, coach Mickey Arthur said. Sri Lanka won the T20 World Cup in 2014 but failed to make it beyond the group stage at the last edition in 2016.

Cycling-Italian Colbrelli wins epic Paris-Roubaix classic

Sonny Colbrelli became the first Italian to win the Paris-Roubaix Monument classic in 22 years when he prevailed on his debut in a three-man sprint finish at the end of a gruelling race on Sunday. His whole body caked in mud after 257.7 kilometres featuring 30 cobbled sectors, Colbrelli burst into tears as he collapsed on the grass of the Roubaix Velodrome after triumphing in the first rain-hit edition of the Hell of the North since 2002.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)