Barcelona reached the Champions League round of 16 after Lionel Messi scored one and assisted two in his 700th appearance for the club in a 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund.

Luis Suarez opened the scoring in the first half and Messi doubled Barca's lead four minutes later, scoring his 613th goal for the club.

- Champions League group stage: All you need to know
- ESPN Champions League fantasy: Sign up now!

Messi also surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League record by scoring against his 34th opponent in the competition.

Substitute Antoine Griezmann then finished off a pass from Messi to further stretch Barca's lead in the 67th minute, a much-needed goal for the Frenchman's confidence after failing to score in his previous six appearances for the club.

Griezmann had been left out of the starting line-up but came on midway through the first half when his injury-prone compatriot Ousmane Dembele was forced off with a third muscle problem of the campaign.

Dortmund's England forward Jadon Sancho also began the game on the bench but made an impact when introduced after halftime, firing in an impressive consolation strike for the Germans in the 77th minute after pouncing on a loose ball inside the area.

The 19-year-old then forced Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to turn a powerful shot on to the crossbar in a strong finish from the German side, whose coach Lucien Favre is under pressure due to the team's poor domestic results.

Dortmund dropped down to third place after the defeat and are tied on seven points with Inter Milan with one match remaining.

It was a therapeutic win for Barca, who had come in for scathing criticism for their recent poor displays against Leganes, Levante and Slavia Prague, even though they are top of La Liga and their Champions League group.

Ernesto Valverde's side lead the standings with 11 points from five games, Inter Milan are second on seven while Dortmund are third, also on seven, with Slavia bottom with two.

"Our first objective was to qualify as group winners but we also wanted to show a real improvement in our play," said Suarez.

"We relaxed a bit in the second half and hung on to our lead but we should still leave here feeling very happy."

LIVERPOOL, England -- For once, the late winner never came and Liverpool had to settle for a point. There will be some disappointment that they could not secure qualification from their Champions League group against Napoli at Anfield, but the truth is that this was the moment for a 1-1 draw if one had to happen at all.

Jurgen Klopp's side are still in Europe and can still top Group E with a win or even a draw against FC Salzburg on the final group stage matchday. And if last minute goals are being rationed then Liverpool fans would much rather one against Brighton on Saturday or against Everton in the Merseyside derby four days later in the Premier League.

Defending the European Cup would be a wonderful achievement, but the priority this season is to win the Premier League title and end a 30-year wait to be crowned champions of England. What will not thrill Klopp, however, is seeing an already packed fixture list become that little bit more complicated.

"In [the Napoli] dressing room they feel like they are already through and maybe they are," said Klopp after the match. "Everybody here thinks, 'Oh my god, it will be tough' and it will be tough, that much is clear.

"But I know how human beings are; people wished we could finish the group tonight and make kind of a holiday game in Salzburg."

Now, instead of going to Salzburg to play out a meaningless game, Liverpool will need at least a point in Austria to make it to the knockout rounds in the new year. That match in Salzburg on Dec.10 is a week before they face two games in two days against Aston Villa in the League Cup and the World Club Cup semi-final in Qatar.

An injury to Fabinho, who limped off in the first half, is another worry. Klopp can not afford his squad to become too stretched at a crucial point in the campaign. Napoli have the easier assignment in the last round of fixtures with a home game against Genk, who have mustered a single point from their five games.

The Italian side travelled to England in turmoil, seventh in Serie A, without a win in a month and with their president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, threatening to fine the entire squad for failing to attend a training camp. Still, they arrived in the mood to spoil, defend and counter and almost became only the third team to beat the reigning European champions home and away in the group stage of the Champions League. Klopp said beforehand he expected "a proper fight" and he got one.

The first half began with Alisson, usually so good with the ball at his feet, punting a pass into the stands after 20 seconds and ended with Klopp booked for dissent by referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande and Dejan Lovren arguing with the Spanish official as he headed down the tunnel.

For 45 minutes in between, Napoli managed to edge Liverpool out of their comfort zone in way very few teams have been able to do over the last two seasons. It did not help that Fabinho, so often the quarterback in front of the back four, was forced off with an injury after 19 minutes.

"It's early and we all hope it's not too serious but it's pretty painful and in an area you don't want to have pain, around the ankle," Klopp said of the Fabinho injury.

Two minutes later, it was 1-0. Virgil van Dijk looked to have been fouled by Dries Mertens but with play carrying on and the Dutchman on the floor in the centre circle, Giovanni Di Lorenzo clipped his pass over the top for Mertens to lash a first-time finish inside the far post.

Liverpool fans were left even more frustrated from the fact that the goal wasn't given until two separate VAR checks had taken place -- one reviewing Mertens' challenge on Van Dijk and another for offside.

Van Dijk was clearly at odds with the decision, telling BeIn Sports after match: "I won the ball. Obviously I think he [Mertens] didn't even want to challenge the ball at first, so he touched me.

"I think it's a foul, the referee didn't have his best day today, and that is what it is. Obviously it's a pity to concede and the way we conceded as well, but we had to do what we planned to do and I thought the second half was good."

From that point on Carlo Ancelotti, the last manager to win at Champions League game at Anfield after leading Real Madrid to a 3-0 win in October 2014, was happy to let his team sit back and break.

All Liverpool had to show for a first half lacking the usual spark was a tame Van Dijk header and a James Milner effort that was saved at the near post by Alex Meret but the loud boos that reverberated around Anfield at the half-time whistle were for Del Cerro Grande rather than their team.

The second half was spent camped in Napoli's half.

Roberto Firmino hooked a loose ball towards goal but saw it cleared off the line by Kalidou Koulibaly before the Brazilian headed wide at the far post after being teed up by substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Liverpool kept knocking and Napoli's light blue shirts sank deeper and deeper towards the Kop until they were almost in the front row.

Eventually it paid off. With 25 minutes to go, Milner whipped in a corner from the right and Lovren took a run from the edge of the box to head past Meret. Another VAR check, this time for a supposed push from Lovren on Mertens, brought more boos until Del Cerro Grande pointed to the halfway line.

From there, the expectation was for yet another late show. Liverpool have scored goals in the 75th minute or later in seven of their last nine games but Napoli, to their credit, resisted. Georginio Wijnaldum flashed a volley wide but that was as close as they came.

Klopp added: "That's the situation. If we have ambitions in the Champions League, we have to show that in Salzburg. Until then, we have to show our ambitions in the Premier League. There are a couple of games to play until then and we have to be focused on them -- and we will be, no doubt."

There's work to do to make the Champions League round of 16, but the late winners, for now, can be happily saved for the league.

Alex Blackwell has announced she will retire at the conclusion of the WBBL season, bringing the end to an 18-year career during which she was the most capped Australian female player.

With the Sydney Thunder still holding a slim chance of reaching the finals quite when Blackwell's final match will be is yet to be confirmed, but it could be that the game against the Melbourne Renegades on Sunday provides the swansong. She retired from international cricket in February 2018 after being capped 251 times for Australia.

Blackwell, who led the Thunder to the WBBL title in the inaugural 2015-16 season, is their leading scorer in this campaign, where she has had a key role in mentoring the Thunder's group of young players, and hit 65 in their victory over the Melbourne Stars on Wednesday. It was after that innings that Blackwell told team-mates of her decision.

"I'd decided before the match that I was going to retire," she said. "It's got to come to an end at some point. There's been many highlights, but what's been really cool [this season] is watching the next generation of Thunder players grabbing their opportunities. It's been very special to be a part of that - I'm really satisfied.

"I've been really happy with [the role of] mentoring out in the middle. I had an opportunity against the Stars to bat with [16-year-old] Phoebe Litchfield and Saskia Horley.

"It was good to talk to them about what the good options were to go to - and to help clarify in their minds what was on, and where to back themselves."

Blackwell said that last season's last-ball defeat in the semi-final against the Brisbane Heat had driven her to play another season.

"I was heartbroken, but also amazed, by last year's semi-final. I, well, a little bit selfishly thought to myself: 'I've worked so hard to get to this point and contributed to cricket for a long period of time for it to reach this point'.

"I thought the WBBL was an amazing competition to be a part of and decided I could go again - and I'm pleased I did. It's been good fun, and I've enjoyed supporting Rachael Haynes because I think she's led the team very well."

Chris Botherway, the Thunder's acting general manager, lauded Blackwell's legacy across all parts of the game.

"Alex will be remembered as a Sydney Thunder legend," he said. "She's also one of cricket's best ambassadors; proof the truly great players show class on and off the pitch.

"There are very few players who have done more than Alex to inspire boys and girls to fall in love with cricket, and many of her current teammates are among them. She has worked tirelessly to help build the culture we enjoy at Sydney Thunder. As someone who gave the club her all, Alex can retire knowing her legacy will endure."

The NBA has granted the Orlando Magic cap and tax relief on the $16.7 million remaining on Timofey Mozgov's contract, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Mozgov, 33, had been acquired in July 2018 by the Magic as part of a three-team trade but he never played for the club because of a knee injury. He was waived last summer and has since returned to play in Russia.

The Magic now go from $2.3 million below the tax threshold to $7.8 million below, and have a $10.7 million buffer on the hard cap.

The news was first reported by The Athletic.

ESPN's Bobby Marks contributed to this report.

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Southern Conference’s 2020 SCCA U.S. Majors Tour calendar has been released.

A total of six weekends, featuring 12 races in all, make up the schedule that runs from January to early September.

All of the Southern Conference’s race weekends in 2020 will be two-day events. That includes a visit to Circuit of the Americas in Texas, which will again be part of the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour along with a stop at Oklahoma’s Hallett Motor Racing Circuit.

Five of the six race weekends will again take place in Texas, and the final two events – separated by a little more than three months – will both be held at Motor Speedway Resort Houston.

2020 SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Southern Conference Schedule

Jan. 25-26 – MotorSport Ranch – Cresson, Texas
Feb. 8-9 – Circuit of the Americas – Austin, Texas
April 4-5 – Hallett Motor Racing Circuit – Jennings, Okla. (Mid-States & Southern Event)
May 2-3 – Eagles Canyon Raceway – Decatur, Texas
May 23-24 – Motor Speedway Resort Houston – Angleton, Texas
Sept. 5-6 – Motor Speedway Resort Houston – Angleton, Texas

Black Friday Sale: Half-Price Digital Subscriptions Through Nov. 30, 2019!

Digital subscriptions, worth just $10 through Saturday, include access to all premium content on either SPEEDSPORT.com or SprintCarandMidget.com.

Premium content includes all magazine stories, columns and feature and exclusive online content, from our award-winning team including Ralph Sheheen, Mike Kerchner, Dave Argabright, Doug Auld, Bones Bourcier, Kevin Olson, Keith Waltz, Adam Fenwick and more!

To take advantage of this limited-time offer and enjoy unlimited access, just click the “Subscribe” block at the top of the page.

The Boston Bruins signed forwards Charlie Coyle and Chris Wagner to long-term extensions, the team announced Wednesday.

Coyle's deal is for six years, running through the 2025-26 season, with an annual cap hit of $5.25 million.

Coyle, 27, is now the Bruins player under contract for the most years. Brad Marchand's deal runs through the 2024-25 season.

Wagner's contract is for three years, through 2022-23, with an annual cap hit of $1.35 million.

"On and off the ice these guys walk the walk," Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said. "They both take care of themselves so I'm not concerned about the longevity side of things."

Coyle was acquired at last season's trade deadline from the Minnesota Wild. In eight NHL seasons, he has skated in 524 games, scoring 98 goals with 164 assists. That includes five goals and 14 assists in 24 games this season for the Bruins, who are on a four-game winning streak and sit atop the Atlantic Division.

Coyle is a Weymouth, Massachusetts, native and was a first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2010 draft.

Wagner, 28, has played in 273 games over six NHL seasons with the Ducks, Avalanche, Islanders and Bruins, scoring 30 goals with 23 assists. He is coming off a career-best season in which he scored 12 goals and tallied 19 points.

Wagner, a native of Walpole, Massachusetts, has one goal and four assists in 23 games so far for the Bruins this season, and leads the team with 65 hits.

"They're hometown guys, they clearly want to be here," Sweeney said. "They understand the pressure associated with playing for the Bruins and they're really good teammates. For us it was a really good fit and we're really excited to have them."

Liverpool still have work to do to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League after they drew 1-1 against Napoli at Anfield on Wednesday. Visiting forward Dries Mertens beat a flimsy-looking offside trap to volley home from a tight angle to put the Italians ahead in the first half, before Dejan Lovren out-jumped Mertens to meet a second-half corner and head home to seal a point.

Positives

It was a pretty dismal display by Liverpool's high standards, but their ability to grind out a result, despite not being at their best, is a great habit to have.

Negatives

Fabinho limped off with what looked like a knee injury, and the lack of midfield cohesion and drive in his absence will be a cause for concern if the Brazilian is out long term.

Manager rating out of 10

5 -- Booked in first-half stoppage time for his over-zealous protestations following a foul on Sadio Mane, and Jurgen Klopp's selection of James Milner and Jordan Henderson in the advanced midfield roles meant Liverpool lacked dynamism in the centre of the pitch.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Alisson, 6 -- It was an excellent finish by Mertens to open the scoring, but no goalkeeper likes to be beaten at his near post.

DF Joe Gomez, 5 -- Started at right-back in place of Trent Alexander-Arnold, and the Reds missed the first-choice full-back's attacking presence, while Gomez occasionally looked nervous and indecisive at the back. Taken off after 56 minutes for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

DF Dejan Lovren, 6 -- A disastrous attempt at playing offside was clinically punished by a darting run and finish by Mertens for the game's opening goal, but the Croatian redeemed himself in the second half with a towering header to restore parity.

DF Virgil van Dijk, 6 -- Took a blow to the hip from goal scorer Mertens in the buildup to the opener, but was otherwise untroubled, and provided a threat in the opposition box.

DF Andy Robertson, 5 -- A poor outing from the Scot, who must take some flack for the opener when he was ball-watching rather than retreating into the oceans of space in behind him, and the former Hull man was sloppy in possession in the opposition half. Booked for a needless shove in the closing stages.

MF Jordan Henderson, 6 -- The Liverpool skipper put some decent crosses into the Napoli penalty area in the first half, before moving into the right-back role to make way for Oxlade-Chamberlain early in the second half.

MF Fabinho, N/R -- Forced off after Napoli forward Hirving Lozano fell into the Brazilian's standing leg while going down following a challenge. Replaced by Georginio Wijnaldum after 18 minutes.

MF James Milner, 6 -- Had his side's best first-half opening when he shot straight at the Napoli keeper following a slaloming run into the visitors' penalty area, and it was the 33-year-old's excellent corner that led to Lovren's equaliser. Replaced by Alexander-Arnold for the final 13 minutes.

FW Mohamed Salah, 5 -- The Egyptian had a poor first half in which he gave away possession on numerous occasions while flittering in and out of the game, and while he improved slightly in the second period, it never looked like being his day.

FW Roberto Firmino, 6 -- Plenty of ingenuity from the Brazilian as he attempted to open up space for his attacking colleagues, but a deep midfield and narrow defence from Napoli meant he was starved of space. Denied a goal by a Kalidou Koulibaly goal-line clearance early in the second half.

FW Sadio Mane, 5 -- Showed occasional flashes of danger but was well shackled by a combination of Kostas Manolas and Nikola Maksimovic as the Sengalese tried, in vain, to get a sight on goal.

Substitutes

MF Georginio Wijnaldum, 5 -- Slotted into the holding midfield role following Fabinho's injury, and the Dutchman was unable to really get into the game and make a telling impact. Should've slotted into a more advanced role.

MF Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 6 -- Certainly gave his side a bit more pep in midfield, but didn't make a substantial impact on proceedings.

DF Trent Alexander-Arnold, N/R -- Slotted in to his usual right-back berth late on but couldn't find the winner.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots had eight players miss practice Wednesday due to flu-like symptoms, which safety Devin McCourty said were unlike anything he's seen in his 10 years with the team.

"We had guys come in, you'd look in their eyes and you could just tell they were out of it," he relayed following the team's initial practice leading into Sunday night's road game against the Houston Texans. "Hopefully a day at home, with meds and rest, [will] helps guys out."

Key starters Patrick Chung (safety), Jamie Collins Sr. (linebacker), Stephon Gilmore (cornerback), Dont'a Hightower (linebacker) and Isaiah Wynn (left tackle) were among the eight players who missed practice. A ninth player, offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, was limited in practice due to illness.

Cannon played through illness in Sunday's 13-9 rain-soaked, windy win over the Dallas Cowboys, an effort that coach Bill Belichick acknowledged after the game as one of the most impressive things he's seen.

Players said Wednesday that Belichick stressed to them the importance of doing whatever is possible to be healthy.

"As coach would say, we have to stay germ free," said longtime captain Matthew Slater. "It is the season."

Added linebacker Elandon Roberts, one of the team's captains: "And if you do feel a certain way, say something so you don't try to hold it in, try to fight through it, and get everyone else sick around you."

At one point when reporters were in the locker room Wednesday, one player was wearing a mask as a preventative measure.

"We obviously have the flu bug going around, but wash your hands and keep washing your hands and you'll be all right," safety Duron Harmon said.

Acknowledging there is always some uncertainty with illnesses, McCourty didn't seem overly concerned as to how it would affect the Patriots (10-1) against the Texans (7-4).

"We have a lot of tough guys, but we have to see how it goes throughout the week," he said.

Elsewhere on the injury front, receiver Phillip Dorsett II said he is out of the concussion protocol after missing Sunday's game.

"I'm just happy to be back," he said.

The Baltimore Orioles placed slugging second baseman Jonathan Villar on outright waivers, according to multiple reports.

Wednesday's move, which appears designed to help the Orioles trade Villar out of Baltimore ahead of Monday's non-tender deadline, was first reported by MASN Sports.

The Baltimore-based sports network reported Villar was placed on outright waivers after the Orioles were unable to find a suitable trade partner for him before the deadline.

The 28-year-old turned in a career year for Baltimore last season, hitting .274 with career highs in hits (176), home runs (25) and RBIs (73). He ranked third in stolen bases in the American League with 40.

A switch-hitter who led the Orioles in runs (111) and triples (5) last season, Villar is due a big raise in salary arbitration, and MASN reports that the rebuilding Orioles would rather not spend huge money on him.

CONCORD, N.C. – With just 37 days until the kickoff of the 2020 World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series season on Jan. 3 at Vado Speedway Park, the first 2020 rookie-of-the-year prospects are stepping into the spotlight.

Ashton Winger has been one of the brightest rising stars in the Southeastern super late model scene in 2019, scoring several victories in regional competition and most recently turning heads in victory lane at Whynot Motorsports Park’s Fall Classic.

In that race, he defeated the likes of former full-time Outlaws Tyler Erb, Devin Moran, Morgan Bagley and former World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year David Breazeale in addition to current full-time Outlaws Darrell Lanigan and Dennis Erb Jr.

These names are some of the best in the business, and that’s the kind of competition Winger looks to continue to battle against night-in and night-out next season.

“I want to race the best guys in the country every night, and the best guys in the country run the World of Outlaws tour,” Winger said. “I just get annoyed at everybody talking about ‘the World of Outlaws are weak’ or whatever … I don’t know why we can’t just admit that everybody’s a badass and go on about our business, because anybody that goes out on the road and is competitive every night is obviously doing something right.”

In what will be just his second full year behind the wheel of a dirt super late model, Winger has teamed up with Alabaman Billy Franklin to tackle his first national dirt late model season behind the wheel of the Showtime Properties/Franklin Enterprises/B&D Leasing/Keyser Manufacturing/Integra Shocks No. 12 Rocket Chassis.

“It was really casual, honestly. He called and said if we can provide some help on his stuff, he’d provide some help on mine. It was just like a trade-out deal. I don’t know if he ever saw it going to these heights, I certainly didn’t, but I’m glad it has,” Winger said.

Coming from Bandolero racing at age nine, Winger made his debut in a dirt late model in 2015 at just 15 years old. Starting out with just a race here and there in the super late model ranks, the Hampton, Ga., native bounced around between super and crate late model racing until taking his super program full-time in 2019.

Now almost 20 years old, Winger has been around the block a few times and learned a lot from the veterans of the sport. He’s got big future plans to become one of the best drivers on the circuit, and it starts with one giant leap to a national tour.

“I started racing late models when I was 15, so I’ve been around it my entire life,” Winger said. “I’ve seen it long enough to know that you’re only as good as they guys you race. If you stay at a local or regional level and the national guys come in, nine times out of 10, they’re going to show you whey they’re national guys.”

Armed with a few brand-new Rocket Chassis, car owner Billy Franklin’s experience and a heap of willpower and determination, Winger decided 2020 is the year to pull the trigger.

This is something he’s always wanted to do, and now the stars are all aligned.

“The main thing is, the stars have lined up. I’ve always had really, really good help and really, really good people around me, but everything has to line up. I can’t stress that enough,” Winger said.

“I’ve always had Rocket cars, always had pretty good motors and all that, but now we’ve got an arsenal of stuff. And now, we’ve got a full-time crew guy. Stuff has just lined up.”

Statistically speaking, Rookie of the Year contenders who come into the season already having wins in the division tend to fair far better results than those without.

Seven super late model victories in Winger’s first full-time year of regional competition have blessed him with a bank of confidence, now that he’s shown he’s worthy of competing with – and beating – the nation’s top racers.

“It’s pretty much a sigh of relief when you’re racing with good guys already and you’re competitive,” Winger said. “It definitely feels good to know we’ve got a couple of wins under our belt, because the first ones are always the hardest ones to get.”

Growing up around his home track of Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Ga., the Winger family has enjoyed a longtime friendship with former World of Outlaws champion Shane Clanton.

Winger was recently victorious in Clanton’s father’s tribute race, the Billy Clanton Classic, and recalls the days of his grandfather and Billy Clanton racing together.

Fast forward to 2019, and Clanton has since passed on a bit of his racing knowledge to the 2020 rookie, where they’ll both hit the road in search of championship title honors.

“[Shane] has been a really big help to everything I’ve done,” Winger said. “If I do something wrong, he tells me why I’m wrong. If I do something right, he tells me why I’m right… he’s like my second dad; he’s always been there.”

With that veteran tutelage, Winger’s skill behind the wheel has improved immensely.

He said he’s learned a lot from the pros he’s raced against around home and is ready for an even bigger challenge in 2020.

“Even when I raced Crates somewhat locally around Senoia [Georgia] or wherever, I raced with Clint Smith every week or Michael Page every week. I’ve always raced really good guys, and I think that’s the biggest reason why we’re going to try and run the Outlaw deal next year, because it makes you better,” Winger said.