Coventry out: Former winners Coventry City were knocked out of the FA Cup after a surprise 2-1 home defeat by non-league Wor-cester City in the first round of soccer’s oldest domestic cup competition yesterday. Third-tier Coventry, winners in 1987, played much of the match with 10 men after goalkeeper Lee Burge was sent off in the first half. Worcester, from the Conference North (sixth tier), made the extra man count as two goals from Sean Geddes sent them through to the second round.

Brann play-offs: Struggling Brann Bergen will feature in the Norwegian promotion/relegation play-offs despite winning 3-2 at Haugesund yesterday. Brann now play Bareum for the chance to meet Tromso or Mjondalen in the play-off final that decides which team will be in the top flight next term. Having claimed their third title in four years with four games to spare, Molde beat Odd Grenland 2-0 to finish on 71 points. They will enter the second qualifying round of next year’s Champions League.

BATE champs: Champions League combatants BATE Borisov won the Belarussian title with two games to spare by crushing Naftan Novopolotsk 4-0 yesterday. It was their ninth straight domestic league crown and their 11th in total. BATE have been disappointing in Champions League Group H this season. Coach Alexander Yermakovich’s side are third in the section with three points from four games and suffered 7-0 and 5-0 defeats by Shakhtar Donetsk in their last two matches.

Cruz Azul: Cruz Azul, heading for next month’s Club World Cup as CONCACAF champions, were virtually eliminated from the Mexican Apertura championship title rounds following a 2-0 home defeat by UNAM Pumas. The loss left the Blue Machine in 12th place with one match to go before the eight-team knockout rounds and only the slimmest of chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Red Bulls: New York Red Bulls reached the Eastern Conference final in the MLS play-offs despite a 2-1 defeat by D.C. United at RFK Stadium on Saturday. The result left New York with a 3-2 aggregate triumph, their first ever play-off series win over D.C, and Mike Petke’s team will play Columbus or New England in the East final.

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