A towering header from Karim Benzema gave Real Madrid an impressive 1-0 win at Sevilla to go level on points at the top of La Liga on Sunday, offering the perfect response to their recent humiliating Champions League defeat at Paris Saint-Germain.

Benzema gave the visitors the lead against former Real coach Julen Lopetegui's Sevilla midway through the second half in a tense game, timing his jump to perfection to meet a cross from Dani Carvajal on the byline and send the ball high into the net.

Sevilla's former Madrid striker Javier Hernandez put the ball in the net for the hosts late in the game but his effort was correctly ruled out for offside and Real hung on to claim their first win at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in five seasons.

The victory saw Madrid climb into second place on 11 points after five games, level with leaders Athletic Bilbao, while Sevilla tumbled from top spot at the start of the weekend to fifth on 10 points.

"Real Madrid never loses its hunger or its desire to win," captain Sergio Ramos told reporters.

"We knew how difficult this game would be, we hadn't won here for many years, but we arrived with a very strong mentality and intent on committing as few errors as possible. Apart from a couple of set pieces, we had the game under control."

Real had lost their last four league visits to Sevilla's home ground and were thrashed 3-0 there last season, a game that spelled the beginning of the end for Lopetegui, who was sacked by the club little more than a month later.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane travelled to Seville facing serious questions about his own leadership of the team after they were hammered 3-0 by PSG in the Champions League, a game in which his side failed to have a shot on target.

"It's the game which leaves me the most satisfied since I came back, everyone on the pitch helped out," he said.

"We had difficult moments but we showed great solidarity with each other in those moments. We played 90 minutes at a top level at a very difficult stadium. This is a victory for the group and I'm delighted for everyone."

Sevilla's entire squad had recently returned from a gruelling 12,000-km round trip to Baku to face Qarabag in the Europa League and lacked their usual aggression and intensity as a scrappy game ensued.

Real right back Carvajal had the visitors' best chance before the interval, firing straight at goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik from inside the area, while Gareth Bale also tested the Czech with a stinging free kick.

Neither side looked willing to take a risk to try and take the lead but the deadlock was finally broken thanks to some clever teamwork from the visitors, as Bale released Carvajal down the right wing and Benzema produced the perfect finish.

The goal kicked Sevilla into life and they spent most of the remaining minutes pressing for an equaliser, but Real dug deep and stood firm to record their most significant victory since Zidane returned to the club as coach in March.

"We did what we came here to achieve and now we can relax again after everything that was said about us this week," added Ramos.

"This team is always optimistic, and we are going to get better. It's a long season and we're already joint-top of the league."

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said that Video Assistant Referee (VAR) "changes the atmosphere" of matches after his side saw a goal disallowed in their 2-1 loss to league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.

Down early against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, the Blues initally thought they had an equaliser from Cesar Azpilicueta was ruled out by VAR after Mason Mount was adjudged to be offside in the build-up.

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Liverpool then hit the Blues with a second goal by Roberto Firmino and while N'Golo Kante pulled a goal back in the second half, Chelsea were unable to find the second they needed.

"We have to get on with it. It is a sad thing for the celebration and the moment but if we are looking for correct decisions that is where we are at," Lampard said after the match. "It changes the atmosphere in the crowd, on the pitch. We are slightly deflated and they get a boost. We deserved to be level at that point.""

Chelsea managed to create chances despite the VAR call and consistently put the Liverpool defence under pressure. Lampard, who has yet to win a home match in his first season as manager, said his side matched up well with undefeated Liverpool.

"It was about what spirit and mentality can we show in the second half. It's not easy to be 2-0 down at half-time," Lampard said. "You can take it on the chin and say 'this team's too good, we can't turn this around,' but we did the opposite which I'm proud of. But we need points too."

Lampard praised Kante for his performance, who has been battling fitness issues all season.

"We end up being not surprised with Kante, which is not fair on him really. He did it in the [UEFA Super Cup match in August] without training, he did it today with probably not match-fit training, but he's so important for us you put him in the team and he showed his qualities."

TAMPA, Fla. -- New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley needed to be helped to the locker room with an ankle injury late in the second quarter Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and later was ruled out for the game.

Barkley was injured after his ankle bent awkwardly while being tackled by Bucs safety Mike Edwards. Barkley limped to the sideline where he was immediately attended to by trainers.

The All-Pro running back went to the locker room with the help of trainers. He couldn't put much pressure on the ankle. He was later seen on the sideline in the second half on crutches and with a boot on his injured foot.

It's a big blow for a Giants offense which had first-round pick Daniel Jones making his first career start. The Giants were already without two of their top receivers in Golden Tate (suspension) and Cody Latimer (concussion).

Barkley entered Sunday second in the NFL with 227 yards rushing. He was averaging 7.8 yards per carry.

The second-year back had eight carries for 10 yards and four catches on five targets for 27 yards before exiting Sunday's game with the injury.

The Tampa Bay Rays, seeking their first playoff berth since 2013, have activated All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe from the 60-day injured list.

Lowe, 25, was in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Boston Red Sox, batting fifth.

He has not played since July 2, when he suffered a bruised right shin against the Baltimore Orioles. The injury also knocked him out of the All-Star Game.

Prior to the injury, Lowe was hitting .276 with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs in 2019.

The Rays entered Sunday one game ahead of the Cleveland Indians for the second wild-card spot in the American League.

ATLANTA -- Braves star Freddie Freeman is remaining in Atlanta for treatment on his sore right elbow instead of joining the team for its next series at Kansas City.

Freeman, an MVP candidate for the NL East champions, left Sunday's game in the eighth inning against San Francisco after a recurrence of a bone spur in the elbow.

Manager Brian Snitker said the first baseman would've been in the lineup if Atlanta's NL division series began on Monday. Instead, off days on Monday and Thursday, sandwiched around the two-game series against the Royals, give Freeman four days to undergo treatment on the elbow.

The Braves plan on Freeman joining the team in New York for Friday night's first game of the final regular-season series against the Mets.

Freeman is hitting .296 with 38 homers and leads the NL with 121 RBIs.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant left Sunday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals with a right ankle sprain after landing awkwardly at first base trying to beat out a double play.

Bryant, 27, hit a ground ball to third base in the bottom of the third inning as Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter began the double play opportunity. Bryant was hustling down the line and made a final stride toward the bag but rolled his ankle as he hit it. He left for X-rays, which revealed no fracture.

The Cubs veteran has already been dealing with a right knee issue that has plagued him throughout the second half. He was helped off the field by the Cubs' training staff, placing little weight on his right foot. Ian Happ took over at third base for him.

Bryant is the reigning player of the week in the National League but has slumped this week as the Cubs have fallen further out of the playoff race.

Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz hit the 400th home run of his career on Sunday.

The 412-foot shot to right-center in the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals also was the 40th for Cruz this season, his first with the Twins.

Cruz becomes the 10th Dominican-born player to reach 400 home runs in his career.

He is also the fourth active player with 400 home runs, joining Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera and Edwin Encarnacion.

This is Cruz's fourth season with 40 or more home runs in his 15 major league seasons.

Birchfield secure a senior double at the Midlands event

Southern 6/4/3-stage Road Relays, Crystal Palace, September 22

Aldershot’s men gained their seventh win in the last decade as they retained the men’s six-stage title in 1:41:11 by 40 seconds from Serpentine, whose second place equalled their best ever result, while Bedford took bronze a further 10 seconds back.

Cambridge and Coleridge’s women won an exciting senior women’s race by five seconds for their second ever victory in the event.

Reading, who led on to the finish on the famous Crystal Palace track, had the consolation of their first ever medals.

Aldershot, who had won the women’s race every year from 2006 to 2017, barring Cambridge’s 2015 win, took the bronze medals.

Their men were only sixth after two legs but Gus Cockle’s 16:47 took them ahead and then Ricky Harvie, Joe Morwood and Ellis Cross stretched the lead.

The 3:39 1500m man James McMurray of St Albans, who narrowly led the opening leg, was the unofficial fastest with 16:22.

Cambridge and Coleridge’s win had a lot to do with Holly Archer’s anchor leg. Setting off in third, she blasted a 15:08 final leg, the fastest of the day, to catch Reading’s Jess Gibbons just before the finish line.

Guildford’s Hannah Irwin was second fastest thanks to her opening leg ‘victory’ in 15:32.

The veteran women’s race was far more clearcut and Arena 80 won by two and half minutes with their opening leg runner Caroline Hoyte the fastest by a minute with a 16:25 leg. Kent AC were second and Winchester third.

In 2002, Hoyte only lost out on the fastest lap senior award because of world 5000m champion Sonia O’Sullivan.

The inaugural W50 race saw a predictable win for Dulwich Runners by a massive seven minutes from Woking and South London.

Clare Elms, fresh from her six gold medals at the previous week’s European Masters Championships, ran the fastest leg by two minutes with a 16:35 clocking and only Hoyte ran quicker than the W55 in the combined vets race.

Dulwich also picked up a medal in the M40s after their Buzz Shephard led the opening leg with a 18:17 but the clear winners in the end were Kent AC. They already led into the last leg and had Chris Greenwood on the final leg.

Greenwood had already run a 17:11 opening leg for Kent’s senior team and a hour later he produced a 18:04 to be the fastest master.

Herne Hill were third.

In the M50 race, Brighton’s Graham Godden finished strongly with a 18:46 final leg to overhaul Aldershot’s European Masters 1500m champion Mark Symes and win by 10 seconds. Colchester were third. The fastest leg was set by Thames Valley’s Andy Mitchell.

The M60 race was dominated by South London who won by seven minutes with David Ogden easily the fastest leg with a 20:59.
Barnet and Southampton took the other medals.

South London also won the under-13 boys’ race.

Chiltern won the under-13 girls’ race by an astonishing two minutes.

Bracknell won the under-15 boys’ race from South London while Windsor narrowly won the under-15 girls’ event.

Windsor won the under-17 race by an even smaller margin of just five seconds from Aldershot who did win a close finish in the under-17 women’s race by three seconds from Shaftesbury.

Fastest legs in the younger age groups went to U17s Will Barnicoat of Windsor (14:17) and Martha Collings of Woking (10:51), U15s Sam Nesbitt of Kingston (10:04) and Antonia Jubb of St Albans (11:09) and U13s Alden Collier of Chiltern (10:24) and Lily Slack of Tonbridge (11:14).

Overall, while the Crystal Palace track and stadium is a popular start and finish, many thought the route chosen was a disappointment with the same narrow and twisting loop around the car park used again, as it was last year, when the park and old motor racing circuit offers better alternatives.

Midland Area Combined Autumn Road Relays, Sutton Park, September 21

Despite its autumn date, it was more like a midsummer’s day that greeted the more than 400 teams gathering for the championships, Martin Duff reports.

Birchfield again came out on top in both of the senior races as Tipton retained their masters title.

It was even-steven in the young athletes’ events as both Wreake & Soar Valley and Birchfield each took two golds and a silver.

The fastest laps in the senior events, both of which had more than 100 teams finishing, came in the final circuits. Hayley Carruthers blasted out the best women’s lap after taking over well in the lead.

She was more than 40 seconds clear of the next best, who was Gemma Steel bringing former winners Charnwood up to second after passing Taunton and Bristol on the final lap.

Omar Ahmed also front-ran the fastest lap for Birchfield, after Will Richardson, something of a course specialist, gave his club the lead by the end of the fourth stage, with the second-best time of the men’s race. This left second placed Bristol & West more than two minutes down in a distant second.

Earlier, Birchfield got their successful day under way with victory in the opening event, the under-13 boys’, where their fastest also came on the final stage, through Ash Burgess, before they added the under-17 men’s race to give them four team golds. They added a silver in the under-15 boys’ race behind Rushcliffe.

It was Wreake who dominated the girls’ races with firstly a win in the U13s as opening stage runner Shaikira King was fastest. Her sister Indienne then anchored Wreake to their second gold, in the U17 event, where Birchfield’s Ella Semple was quickest.

By that time, Wreake had added an U15 girls’ silver behind Saffron, whose Elsie Robinson was fastest.

A round-up of last weekend’s Northern Relays action can be found here.

More in-depth reports will feature in Thursday’s AW magazine.

Naomi Osaka said her first Pan Pacific Open title win in her hometown was "special" after she beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets.

Osaka, 21, who had twice finished runner-up at the tournament, beat the Russian 6-2 6-3.

The world number four said: "This is the city where I was born and that gave me a lot of power to play match after match.

"I love playing here and see you all next year."

It was Osaka's first title since lifting the Australian Open in Melbourne in January.

There was also tournament success on Sunday for Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic as she thrashed Poland's Magda Linette 6-1 6-1 to win the Korea Open in Seoul, her first WTA title.

On the ATP Tour, Daniil Medvedev was victorious on home soil, defeating Croatia's Borna Coric 6-3 6-1 to lift the St Petersburg Open in Russia. It was a third title of 2019 for the world number four and an impressive response in his first event since his epic five-set defeat by Rafael Nadal in the US Open final.

At the Moselle Open in Metz, home favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won the title for a fourth time, coming out on top 6-7 7-6 6-3 over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia. Of Tsonga's 18 tour titles, 10 have come in his native France.

Britain's Andy Murray said it would be "naive" and "silly" to think he will ever return to his "very best" following hip surgery.

Murray, 32, has mainly competed in doubles matches this year, and is now playing "pain-free" following career-saving treatment in January.

The three-time Grand Slam champion continues his singles comeback at the Zhuhai Championships in China.

"I'm not expecting to get back to my very best," he said.

"I think it would be probably a bit naive and silly to think that would be the case.

"I do feel like tennis-wise I can still compete at the highest level in terms of my skill, it's just whether physically I can get to a high enough level to be competitive right at the top."

The Scot faces world number 72 Tennys Sandgren in the first round in Guangdong on Tuesday - the first of three tournaments in China in as many weeks - as he steps up his bid to recapture his singles form.

The former world number one, now ranked 413th, admits he still has "quite a way to go" but is "enjoying" his comeback and if he "stops improving" he will make a call on his future.

Murray, who made the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters doubles with partner Feliciano Lopez last month, added: "Tennis has always been a huge part of my life, but I realised that actually my health was the most important thing for a happy life and I had always been worried about what life might look like after tennis, but now I'm not worried.

"I had a glimpse these last few months and it was brilliant - hanging out with friends and family, and it was great. "

After Zhuhai, Murray is set to compete in the China Open in Beijing and the Shanghai Masters, before he returns to Europe to take part in the European Open in Antwerp, which begins on 13 October.