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NEW YORK — Top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic said “life goes on” after a shoulder injury forced him to quit Sunday’s clash with Stan Wawrinka in the last 16 of the US Open.

Wawrinka, the 23rd seed and 2016 champion, led Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 2-1 when the Serb quit with a nagging left shoulder problem that had troubled him since the start of the tournament.

“The pain was constant for weeks now. Some days higher, some days with less intensity and obviously taking different stuff to kill the pain instantly,” Djokovic said.

“Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. You just know when you know, I guess, when you feel like you’re not able to hit the shot anymore.”

Djokovic refused to expand on the nature of his injury, which had caused him considerable pain during a second-round win over Juan Ignacio Londero.

“I retired and I told you it’s left shoulder. I have nothing more to talk about,” he said.

“I don’t want to talk about my injuries. I said that in the past. I’m sticking to that.” 

Djokovic had claimed he felt “almost pain-free” following a straight-sets defeat of Denis Kudla in round three, but the problem resurfaced against Wawrinka in the first meeting between the pair since the final here three years ago.

The World No. 1 received treatment before the start of the third set against Wawrinka but soon threw in the towel, the sixth time he has retired at a Grand Slam tournament.

“It is frustrating. Very frustrating. Obviously not the first, not the last player to get injured and to withdraw from one of the biggest events in sport,” he said. “But obviously I just came off the court, so of course it hurts”.

“Obviously I’m in the midst of unfortunate situation, and I have to, you know, suffer the consequences of that. And as I said, I’m not the first nor the last one. Life goes on.”

‘Long road ahead’

But Djokovic, winner of four of the past five Slam events and 16 overall, remained bullish about his chances of eventually catching and surpassing long-time rival Roger Federer, who holds the men’s record of 20 major titles. 

“It’s no secret that I have of course desire and a goal to reach the most Slams and reach Roger’s record,” Djokovic said.

“But at the same time, it’s a long road ahead hopefully for me I hope I can play for many more years. I’m planning to. I don’t see an end behind the corner at all.” 

“Now it’s a matter of keeping my body and mind in shape and trying to still peak at these kind of events that are majors and that are the most significant in our sport.”

It marked just the second time in the past decade Djokovic had pulled out of a Grand Slam match, having last retired during a 2017 Wimbledon quarter-final against Tomas Berdych with an elbow injury.

That setback prompted him to shut it down for the remainder of the season and led to questions about his future. His spectacular return to form 12 months later silenced those concerns, and he is hopeful of a swift recovery. 

“This season is not yet over,” he said, reflecting on a year in which he added another Australian Open and Wimbledon title to his collection.

“Obviously Grand Slam season is done for me. I mean, I won two Slams out of four and played semis in French. I had a really good Grand Slam season. I cannot complain, not at all.

“There is plenty of big tournaments ahead. Rankings-wise, plenty of points to defend for me and try to withhold that ranking of No.1.”

“I just hope I’ll get a chance to be competing, because once I’m healthy I actually like my chances playing in Asia. And also indoor season, I play historically pretty well in those last couple months of the year.”

MILAN — Italian football was involved in another racism storm on Sunday as Romelu Lukaku was targeted by monkey chants before putting Inter Milan top of Serie A with the winning penalty in their 2-1 triumph at Cagliari.

Lukaku — a 65 million euros ($73 million) summer signing from Manchester United — was preparing to take the spot-kick in the 71st minute in Sardinia when the racist chants came from the crowd that continued for several seconds.

The 26-year-old Belgian international angrily looked towards the stands before confidently converting his second goal in as many games, which came after Lautaro Martinez’s 28th minute opener for the Antonio Conte’s side and Joao Pedro’s leveller for the hosts four minutes after the break.

Lukaku was quickly surrounded by his teammates as Inter won their second from two league matches to sit ahead of champions Juventus, who also are on maximum points following their thrilling 4-3 win over Napoli on Saturday.

Racist chanting has dogged Italian stadia in recent years, with Italy striker Moise Kean also the victim of similar abuse — alongside teammate Blaise Matuidi — at Cagliari after he scored a goal there for his former team Juventus last April.

Kalidou Koulibaly was showered with monkey chants last season by Lukaku’s new fans at the San Siro, while several other black players have been targeted.

“I didn’t hear [the chants],” said Conte. 

“I can speak however in general: I think we need to improve in Italy, respect everyone.”

“When I was working abroad, the fans would cheer on their own team, not spend their entire time insulting the opponent. I was fine here, no one insulted me.”

Torino are right alongside Inter and local rivals Juve after shocking Atalanta 3-2, while Lazio missed the chance to keep the pace with that trio after drawing an eventful Rome derby 1-1. 

Aleksandar Kolarov put Roma ahead in the 17th minute against the run of play with a well-taken penalty, but Luis Alberto grabbed the equaliser just before the hour mark to leave Paulo Fonseca without a win as new Roma boss.

‘Extraordinary show’

Lazio missed several chances to seal a second win from their two opening games, hitting the woodwork four times with Roma rattling the frame of the goal twice. The hosts’ biggest regret was Manuel Lazzari’s 92nd-minute strike being ruled out for offside.

“There’s a bit of bitterness. We had 21 shots on goal, hit the woodwork four times and a goal ruled out,” said Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi.

“We had so many chances and you have to win games like that.”

“We offered an extraordinary show for the public, and a great thrill for me as a coach, at my first Rome derby,” said Fonseca.

The derby took place amid heightened security after the murder of former Lazio ultras chiefs Fabrizio Piscitelli, nicknamed “Diabolik”, who was shot dead in the capital last month.

Piscitelli was for almost 30 years the boss of Lazio’s hardcore Irriducibili (“Die Hards”) fan group, which is notorious for its far-right politics.

Lazio fans unfurled a banner in his honour before the match with “Rest in peace Fabrizio”.

Torino are also on maximum points after their comeback win at Atalanta, who qualified for this season’s Champions League by finishing third last season.

Kevin Bonifazi had put Torino ahead after 24 minutes before Duvan Zapata’s double either side of the break for Atalanta.

But Alex Berenguer got Torino back level on 57 minutes with Armando Izzo nodding in the winner on 66 minutes.

Fiorentina fell to their second straight defeat 2-1 at Genoa, as did Sampdoria who were hammered 4-1 at Sassuolo thanks to a Domenico Berardi hat-trick scored in 14 first-half minutes.

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Charles Leclerc dedicated his maiden Formula One victory at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday to his late friend, Anthoine Hubert on an emotional day at a sombre Spa-Francorchamps.

The Ferrari driver's landmark success came in the aftermath of 22-year-old Frenchman Hubert's death in Saturday's tragic Formula Two race.

Leclerc led almost the entire race from pole to hold off Mercedes' defending five time world champion Lewis Hamilton's dramatic late charge by one second.

"My first victory in F1 and this one is for Anthoine," he said on the team radio. "It feels good, but it's difficult to enjoy on a weekend like this. But thanks guys, you are the best — it's a dream come true."

After what he described as "a very difficult weekend" he added: "I have lost a friend and I want to dedicate this victory to him.

"We grew up together and my first race I did it with Anthoine, Esteban [Ocon] and Pierre [Gasly].

"I cannot enjoy my first victory, but it will definitely be a memory I will keep forever."

Valtteri Bottas took third in the second Mercedes ahead of last year's winner Sebastian Vettel in the second Ferrari.

Hamilton's strong finish almost carried him to within reach of a stunning late win, but the result still enabled him to enlarge his lead in the title race to 65 points ahead of Bottas. 

"I gave it everything that I had," said Hamilton.

"It was a really difficult race and the Ferraris were just too fast on the straights. Congratulations to Charles for his first win — he's had it coming all year."

Red Bull new boy Alex Albon came home fifth for Red Bull, after luckless British rookie Lando Norris's McLaren had stopped with one lap remaining, ahead of Sergio Perez of Racing Point, Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso and Nico Hulkenberg of Renault.

Pierre Gasly came home ninth on his return to the Toro Rosso team and Lance Stroll 10th in the second Racing Point.

The race took place in a sombre atmosphere at the dramatic and spectacular Ardennes circuit.

It was preceded by a minute's silence to honour Hubert, killed in a multi-car collision in the Formula Two race 24 hours earlier. 

Conditions were significantly cooler than in practice as the lights went out and Leclerc led from pole.
Behind him, Hamilton passed Vettel, who fought back to regain second, and there was contact between Max Verstappen, who made a poor start, and Raikkonen.

The Red Bull continued with a damaged track-rod, briefly, before lurching into the barriers on the outside of the rise to Eau Rouge. Verstappen was unhurt and climbed out as a Safety Car was deployed, pulling in after lap four.

By lap 10, Leclerc was 2.4 seconds clear of Vettel whose top speed on the straights was enough to keep him beyond Hamilton's attacks.

Vettel pitted to switch from softs to mediums on lap 16, rejoining fifth behind Norris while Hamilton rose to second in pursuit of Leclerc. "Push now," Ferrari told the Monegasque.

On lap 19, the entire crowd rose to give a standing ovation in memory of Hubert, who raced with that number. 

Two laps later, Ferrari called in Leclerc to begin the pit-stops sequence. Clearly frustrated, Hamilton asked why he was not pitted earlier as he began his pursuit again of the two Ferraris.

On lap 27, Leclerc regained the lead when Vettel, under orders, moved aside and then informed Ferrari that his tyres "won't make it to the end".

"He's going to walk all over us," Vettel complained, as Hamilton closed up and then passed him at Les Combes.

Up to second again, Hamilton had 11 laps to catch Leclerc who led by six seconds in pursuit of his maiden triumph while Vettel ceded another position by pitting again for softs.

A year after his last win, the four-time champion was fourth as Hamilton launched an epic charge.

LONDON — Vasyl Lomachenko, widely regarded as the best kilo-for-kilo fighter in the world, beat British challenger Luke Campbell in a thrilling bout to win the vacant WBC lightweight title in London on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Ukrainian, who had been world champion at three different weights in only a 14-bout professional career prior to the fight, won by a unanimous decision to add the WBC belt to his WBA and WBO titles in the weight.

Lomachenko’s target is to have all four major belts with Ghana’s Richard Commey holding the IBF version.

Lomachenko, whose record reads 14 wins and one defeat, acknowledged the toughness of the bout.

“Of course I’m happy,” he told Sky Sports.

“I want to thank everyone who came to support this beautiful fight and of course I’m happy this is my title.”

Campbell, who like Lomachenko won Olympic gold in 2012 not far from the O2 Arena where they fought on Saturday, insisted he can still win a world title.

“He’s a special fighter,” Campbell told Sky Sports.

“I trained to win but it is hard to fight someone like that who adapts so well. He is a special fighter.

“With the support I have had here I can go on and achieve anything. My time will come.”

Lomachenko began landing effective punches from the third round, clearly hurting Campbell when he connected with his head in the third and one to the body in the fourth.

Saved by the bell

The punishment continued in the fifth with Lomachenko pummelling Campbell’s head, who nearly went to the canvas, but was saved by the bell as the Ukrainian moved in to finish him off.

Campbell, though, displayed great resilience and, having had a breather between rounds, took the fight to Lomachenko, landing a decent uppercut. 

Campbell maintained his momentum in the seventh round and hurt Lomachenko with a powerful body punch and one to the head, but just as the British fans rose to their feet, the champion fought back and landed a flurry of punches.

Both fighters showed no let up in their work-rate through the next three rounds, going toe to toe and keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats.

However, Lomachenko reacted to a good punch from Campbell in the penultimate round by landing one which forced the Briton to go down on a knee and once up, he only just managed to hold on to the bell.

Campbell landed a below-the-belt blow in the final round but Lomachenko brushed that aside and landed a few legal blows of his own without putting the challenger down — the two exhausted men hugging each other at the end.

The other world title bout on the undercard saw WBC flyweight titleholder Charlie Edwards retain his belt after replays declared it a no contest.

Edwards was knocked out by challenger Julio Cesar Martinez, but although the Mexican celebrated, he had laid one punch on the champion when he was down on a knee and it was ruled a low blow. 

“This is the right decision,” he told Sky Sports. “I took a knee for a purpose. He finished me off with a body shot and I could not recover.

“Cheaters never prosper. We get in this ring to abide by the rules.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn said it was blatantly obvious it was a low blow.

“The shot was not late it was next week,” he told Sky Sports.

“It is a blatant low blow.”

Alexander Povetkin — whose last bout in the UK ended with defeat at the hands of Anthony Joshua — took a step towards another world title tilt by beating Tyson Fury’s cousin Hughie by a unanimous decision.

LONDON — Arsenal used to take ruling the roost over Tottenham for granted, but the balance of power has swung Spurs’ way over the past three seasons as they have become north London’s Champions League regulars.

Sunday’s derby clash between the two offers the Gunners an early chance to show why this season will be different.

Spurs appeared to have all the momentum at the end of last season after reaching the Champions League final for the first time and moving into a new 62,000 capacity stadium — 2,000 more than Arsenal’s Emirates.

However, another frustrating transfer window followed despite making their first signings for 18 months.

A club record fee was splashed on Tanguy Ndombele along with the arrivals of Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso.

However, all three are unlikely to start on Sunday with Ndombele and Sessegnon injured, while Lo Celso is still getting up to speed after arriving on transfer deadline day for English clubs.

The words and actions of Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino suggest Spurs’ season will only get off the ground after the upcoming international break once the transfer window across Europe has closed.

Pochettino claims his squad are “the most unsettled group” he has worked with during his six years in charge, with doubts over the futures of Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld.

All three have entered the final year of their contracts meaning they can leave the club for free next summer, presuming they remain at Tottenham beyond Monday’s European transfer deadline.

“For us and the club it is difficult to handle. Only we can wait,” said Pochettino on still not knowing how his squad will look for the rest of the season.

Eriksen has started just once, while Vertonghen has missed out on all three games so far this season.

Their presence has been missed in a worrying trio of performances that continued a stark drop-off in results in the second half of last season.

Eriksen came off the bench to help turn around a 1-0 deficit at home to newly-promoted Aston Villa on the opening weekend of the season into a 3-1 win.

A 2-2 draw at Manchester City was only respectable on the scoreboard as the Premier League champions peppered Pochettino’s men with 30 shots on goal to three.

And worse was to come in a shock 1-0 home defeat by Newcastle last weekend that means Spurs have taken just 15 points from their last 15 Premier League games.

Arsenal hold a two-point advantage over their local rivals heading into this weekend and remain a work in progress themselves.

Yet, having missed out on the riches of the Champions League again last season, Unai Emery cannot share Pochettino’s frustration at not being sufficiently backed in the transfer market.

Emery could unleash £72 million club record signing Nicolas Pepe alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette for the first time from the start.

Pepe showed why he was so coveted this summer with flashes of brilliance even in defeat by Liverpool last weekend that ended Arsenal’s perfect start to the season.

The Ivorian will have the chance to make himself an instant Arsenal hero against a struggling Spurs defence.

For 21 years between 1995 and 2016 Arsenal fans celebrated ‘St Totteringham’s Day’ — the day on which it became mathematically impossible for Tottenham to finish above them in the table.

The chances of that celebration returning will be much greater if Arsenal pounce on Spurs’ instability on Sunday.

AMMAN — Jordan begins its FIBA World Cup 2019 journey when it plays Dominican Republic on Sunday, before playing France on September 3 and Germany on September 5 in Group G matches of the world’s premier basketball competition currently under way in China.

After Jordan first played at the FIBA World Cup in 2010, this will be the second time for Jordan at the event which acts as a qualifying tournament to the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Tunisia is the only other Arab team among the qualifying teams to the World Cup finals, which ends on September 15 and includes 32 teams playing in eight groups with the top two from each group moving on to Round 2.

As they started their qualifying journey, Jordan overcame obstacles of having a new coach Joe Stiebing trying to regroup an incomplete line-up, team leader Zeid Abbas sustaining injury, while naturalised players’ FIBA papers were not completed in time. However, in Round 1, Jordan topped Group C after they beat India, Lebanon and Syria.

In Round 2, Jordan qualified after finishing third in Group E qualifiers behind New Zealand, South Korea as China came in fourth and edged Lebanon into the group’s best 4th place team. 

The other Asian Group saw Australia, Japan, Iran and the Philippines qualifying.

Over the past few years, support for Jordan’s second most popular game is seen as below par by most observers, leading to a decline in the game locally and less competitive advantage on the regional scene, although the basketball squad was the only Jordanian team to actually reach a World Cup in a team sport in 2010 alongside the Junior team in 1995.

Fans are again hopeful the Jordanian squad would return to competitive form after discord among the governing body of the game ended with the resignation of the Jordan Basketball Federation Board and a transitional care-taking body of former players and marketing experts taking over until a new board is elected. The same was the case during the 2010 World Cup, where Jordan played against Serbia, Germany, Argentina, Australia and Angola. The team was resilient but finished winless at 23rd.

Apart from the 2010 milestone, Jordan’s basketball team won the West Asia title in 2002 and repeated it in 2014, when Jordan managed to win the West Asian Basketball Association (WABA) title for the second time in the absence of both the Lebanese and senior Iranian teams.

In 2017, Jordan took third place in WABA as Lebanon were crowned champs. The top four qualifiers then played at the 29th FIBA Asia Cup where Jordan finished at a disappointing 8th place as Australia won the title, Iran came second and South Korea third.

In WABA 2010, Jordan finished second behind Iran and qualified to the 26th FIBA Asia Championship where, for the first time in the country’s history, Jordan reached the final but lost the chance qualify to the 2012 Olympic Games after losing 70-69 to China. Jordan then played at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) for Men, but lost to Puerto Rico and Greece and was eliminated. The OQT gave Asia’s second and third teams a chance to qualify to the London Games basketball event. 

As of 2017, the Asia Championships and the FIBA Oceania Championship merged into a one tournament known as the FIBA Asia Cup. It is now held every 4-years like the EuroBasket, AfroBasket and Americas Championship. The tournament determined the composition of the joint FIBA Asia and FIBA Oceania qualifiers for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

AMMAN — Reigning champion Husam Salem has taken a huge step towards being crowned 2019 Jordan Speed Test Champion after picking up another win on Friday at the Royal Automobile Club, according to the Jordan Motorsport Media Service.

The experienced driver won round four and, added to two victories from the previous three rounds, he is now 28 points clear at the top of the table with just one round to go.

Salem blitzed the opposition with some scintillating driving in his Mitsubishi Evo to clock a winning time that was 1.08 seconds faster than his closest rival, Ghaith Wreikat, in second. With 50 per cent more points available in the final round on November 8, Wreikat is now the only driver who can catch Salem, but he would need to win the event if Salem picks up less than 10 points.

Third place went to Mustafa Attari, who moves up to third overall on the standings, while Shaker Jweihan and Amjad Al Ansaweh finished fourth and fifth respectively.

NEW YORK — Serena Williams nearly crashed out of the rain-hit US Open on Wednesday, while top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic battled through shoulder pain and Roger Federer advanced despite a weak start.

US eighth seed Serena Williams, seeking her 24th career Grand Slam title to match Margaret Court’s all-time record, got a scare before ousting 17-year-old US wildcard Caty McNally 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.

McNally, who hadn’t been born when Williams won her first Slam at the 1999 US Open, threatened a struggling Williams from the start before the six-time US Open champion won nine of the last 11 games to escape under the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I survived tonight. I’m not too pleased with the way I played at all,” Williams said.

“’Serena, you made way too many errors today. What were you thinking?’ But I’m alive. I’m happy. I’ll do better next time. I promise.”

Djokovic, winner of four of the past five Slam titles and 16 in all, was treated for a sore left shoulder throughout his 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 victory over Argentina’s 56th-ranked Juan Ignacio Londero.

“It was definitely affecting my serve and backhand,” Djokovic said of his shoulder injury. “I was definitely tested.”

Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam winner who last won the US Open in 2008, rallied to beat 99th-ranked Bosnian Damir Dzumhur 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.

The 38-year-old Swiss third seed, who also dropped the first set against Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal in his opener, answered the wake-up call despite 17 first-set unforced errors.

“It’s just a bit frustrating more than anything, especially when the level is that low and there are that many errors and the energy is not kind of there,” Federer said. “But can only do better, which is a great thing moving forward.

“I clearly have to play better from the get-go.”

What the year’s final Grand Slam event lacked in quantity, with 22 singles matches postponed by showers, it overcame with quality in amazing matches that challenged three of the greatest stars in tennis history.

One point from surrendering a break into a tie-breaker, McNally won six of the final seven points, the last on a service winner, to capture the first set. Both players made 15 unforced errors.

Djokovic’s injury casts grave doubts on his bid to be the first US Open repeat winner since Federer won from 2004-2008, admitting he wondered if he would even get through the first set.

“This is something I’ve been carrying for quite a while now,” Djokovic said. “Five-time US Open winner Federer, who lost to Djokovic in last month’s epic Wimbledon final, started poorly, but broke early in each of the last three sets and held serve to the end.

“I buckled down and told myself I was going to hang tough and not get broken,” Federer said. “That made a big difference.”

Japanese seventh seed Kei Nishikori, the 2014 US Open runner-up, beat 108th-ranked American Bradley Klahn 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

French Open champion Ashleigh Barty, the second seed from Australia, eliminated 73rd-ranked American Lauren Davis 6-2, 7-6 (7/2).

Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova, seeking her first Grand Slam title, ousted 202nd-ranked Georgian qualifier Mariam Bolkvadze 6-1, 6-4.

Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina defeated seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 and US 10th seed Madison Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, trounced China’s Zhu Lin 6-4, 6-1.

PARIS — After a day on which Croatia and Serbia took potshots at each other over the symbolism of a tank both their national champions on Tuesday evening reached the group stage of the Champions League.

Red Star Belgrade drew their play-off second leg 1-1 at home to Young Boys in Belgrade to advance on away goals with the score all square at 3-3.

“I am very proud of my players and what we achieved this evening is a tremendous success,” Red Star coach Vladan Milojevic told a news conference.

“It was tough. I told the players before the match that giving it their best shot was all anyone could ask for. We are now looking forward to our second season among Europe’s elite.

“We are one big happy family at Red Star and still living the dream. We’ve made Serbia proud.”

Dinamo Zagreb also drew, 1-1, away to Rosenborg to go through 3-1 on aggregate. 

Olympiakos of Greece won 2-1 in Krasnodar to cruise through 6-1.

Before their home game against the Swiss champions, Red Star fans stirred controversy by parking a decommissioned Yugoslav army tank outside their Marakana stadium.

The tank decorated with the club’s logo, was installed with a crane.

On their Facebook page the club called it an “attraction”.

Croatian media took it personally. One leading sports daily said the tank was a “morbid provocation from Belgrade”.

The fans said the tank celebrated the Red Star “machine,” but it only sputtered on the field.

Aleksa Vukanovic gave the home team the lead after 59 minutes when he powered a near-post header through the upstretched hands of goalkeeper David von Ballmoos.

Red Star finished on the defensive. With eight minutes left, home defender El Fardou Ben Nabouhane put his head to Saidy Janko’s hopeful shot and deflected it inside his far post. 

Goalkeeper Milan Borjan tipped a ferocious drive by Jean-Pierre Nsame over the bar. Then, as added time ended in a flurry of cards, Red Star’s Tomane was sent off. 

In Norway, Rosenborg struck after 11 minutes. 

Samuel Adegbenro scored from point-blank range after Dominik Livakovic had saved Ike Jensen’s close range effort only for the ball to hit the post and roll back along the line.

With 19 minutes to play, Amer Gojak restored Dinamo’s aggregate two-goal margin when he smacked a rising left-foot shot just inside the ear post from outside the Rosenborg penalty area. 

In Russia, Krasnodar had 60 seconds of hope.

In the ninth minute, Olympiakos had chances to clear before the ball reached Daniil Utkin on the edge of the six-yard box. The 19-year-old midfielder had time to tee the ball up before popping it into the net.

A minute later, Youssef Al Arabi replied for the visitors. He also had time to control a low cross, as defender Sergei Petrov fell over. Once he had flicked the ball over the prone Petrov, the French striker scored easily.

Arabi, only starting because Miguel Angel Guerrero suffered a muscle problem warming up, added a second three minutes into the second half. Slicing the ball into the empty goal from close range after the home defence had failed to deal with a low cross.

The victory stretches the Olympiakos unbeaten run in qualifying rounds of European club tournaments to 16 matches. They have reached the group stage of either the Champions League or the Europa League in each of the last eight years. 

LONDON — Historic football club Bury, the first team to be expelled from the English Football League in over two decades, suffered a further blow on Wednesday when they were kicked out of the FA Cup.

The once-proud club that only a few months ago were celebrating promotion to the third tier, were turfed out of the league late Tuesday when a takeover bid fell apart shortly before the deadline set by league administrators.

The club from northwest England are the first to be expelled from the league — comprising all the divisions below the top-tier Premier League — since Maidstone United in 1992.

On Wednesday, a further blow fell on bitter fans awaking to the stark realisation that efforts to keep the club afloat had failed. 

“Following on from their expulsion from the English Football League, Bury FC will no longer be able to participate in the FA Cup for the 2019/20 season,” read an FA statement.

“If the club re-forms we look forward to them applying to make an application to The Football Association to re-join league competition further down the English football pyramid from the 2020/21 season.”

Bury’s historic rivals Bolton — one of the founders of the Football League but who have been in administration since May — won some breathing space on Tuesday when they were given 14 days to find a buyer.

For Bury, though, the bell has tolled on their time in the Football League, ending over 100 years of participation which yielded two FA Cups and produced players like former Manchester City and England great Colin Bell.

Ironically Bury, who become the first FA Cup winners to be ousted from the league, and Bolton were due to face each other in a televised live match on Sunday week. 

Bury are the first team to be expelled from the third tier of English football. The remaining 23 teams will complete the season, and only three instead of four teams will be relegated.

A BBC journalist at the club’s Gigg Lane ground said that on hearing the news fans burst into tears with some so upset they were “crouching down to the floor”.

“I understand this will be a deeply upsetting and devastating time for Bury’s players, staff, supporters and the wider community,” said EFL executive chair Debbie Jevans.

Jevans words of sympathy were dismissed by Bury North MP James Frith, who has earned praise for his efforts to save the club, inferring Bolton had been treated better.

“I feel Bury is the victim ... and those left to pick up the pieces are the town and the community,” Frith told BBC radio.

“Yes we will rise again and keep the faith but we shouldn’t be at this point.”

The writing had been on the wall for Bury after a rollercoaster of a day for fans and employees alike, when C&N Sporting Risk withdrew their takeover bid offer to Steve Dale, who had bought the club last December for a single pound.

Bury captain Neil Danns told talkSPORT radio that Dale had “destroyed lives”.

“This should never have happened,” he said. “If you thought you could not move this club forward in a positive way you should never have taken over because you’ve literally destroyed lives, because that’s what this football club meant to so many fans.”