The United States booked a spot in the U20 World Cup round of 16 with a 1-0 win against Qatar in Poland on Thursday.

Tim Weah scored a classy goal in the 76th minute after the U.S. dispossessed Qatar deep in their own territory, the PSG winger cutting back to his right and firing past Shehab Ellethy to put the Americans in the lead.

The U.S. was made to work for the win with Qatar spending plenty of time on the front foot and narrowly missing out on quality chances in both halves.

Qatar keeper Shehab kept his team in the match with a penalty save against Alex Mendez after Brandon Servania was fouled in the area.

The U.S. will be without both Mendez and Chris Durkin in the first game of the knockout rounds after both picked up their second yellow cards of the group stage and will have to sit out a match.

The result, combined with Nigeria's 1-1 draw with Ukraine, sees the U.S. finish second.in Group D.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Juwan Howard expects his return to the Michigan Wolverines as their new head coach will continue to mend ties between the basketball program and the members of its iconic Fab Five teams of the early 1990s.

A little more than a quarter-century after he left the Ann Arbor campus for what turned out to be a 19-year career in the NBA, Howard was introduced as the program's new coach Thursday.

He was part of the unprecedented Fab Five recruiting class that led Michigan to the national championship game as freshmen and sophomores in 1992 and 1993. That group has had an awkward relationship with the school since NCAA sanctions forced Michigan to vacate victories from those seasons, among others.

The university removed the 1992 and 1993 Final Four banners from Crisler Arena. Howard said a discussion with university leaders about the return of the banners -- or finding some other way to recognize those teams -- is back on the table.

"We worked extremely hard. We sacrificed a lot, went through a ton of adversity, earned every minute of it," Howard said when asked about the banners approximately 20 minutes into his first public appearance after accepting the job. "That is something on the table that we as [an athletic department staff] will definitely revisit. We're not making any promises. That's all I can say at this moment."

Former teammates Chris Webber, Jalen Rose and Jimmy King all made passionate and public comments in support of Howard when it became clear he was a candidate to take over at Michigan after John Beilein left to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers.

King attended Thursday's news conference and said he was certain the group would be back together at a Michigan game sometime in the coming season.

"We're not bringing any beef or drama here, anything that would distract from Juwan doing his best job here," said King, who was wearing calf-length black Nike socks -- a nod to the Fab Five -- under his suit Thursday. "Immediately, it's over. We will be here this year."

Athletic director Warde Manuel, who graduated from Michigan shortly before Howard and the rest of the Fab Five arrived on campus, said he would be thrilled to welcome them back. Manuel said the program was open to exploring ways in which it could honor that group, but he said pulling down the banners was a university decision. He also said he didn't hire Howard as a way to reconnect with that era of Michigan basketball.

"Juwan Howard is hired to coach our basketball team and lead us to tremendous success," Manuel said. "He's not here to reunite and raise banners."

Manuel said he chose Howard as the team's new coach in part because of the passion he has for teaching and his alma mater. Howard broke down in "tears of joy" when Manuel handed him a jersey with his old college number on it during Thursday's news conference.

Howard said he woke up to 20 new text messages the morning that Beilein announced he was leaving the program. Howard, who has been an assistant on the Miami Heat staff for the past six seasons, said he was preparing to interview for the Minnesota Timberwolves job at the time but couldn't keep his focus off his old school. He said he was offered a position as an associate head coach in Minnesota but opted to turn it down for his first college coaching job at Michigan.

Howard said his biggest challenge in making the transition back to college will be recruiting and learning all of the rules that come along with it. Howard met with his current team for the first time in person Thursday morning. Forward Isaiah Livers said he expects Howard's NBA credentials and his ties to a culturally significant and memorable college team will make the new coach appealing to potential recruits.

"He's a serious dude," Livers said. "He knows what he's doing."

Houston Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni has ended talks with management on a contract extension, league sources told ESPN.

D'Antoni plans to complete the final season of his deal in 2019-20 -- which could become a pathway to his own free agency the next year.

D'Antoni's agent Warren LeGarie informed Rockets general manager Daryl Morey of the coach's decision on Thursday afternoon, sources said.

There had been conversations constructed around the Rockets idea of a performance-based extension, but those never gained traction with D'Antoni's camp, sources said.

The successes in D'Antoni's three years on the job -- four Western Conference series victories, a conference finals appearance and an NBA coach of the year award -- led D'Antoni to believe that a potential extension would follow the more traditional guaranteed framework of comparable coaching peers.

The Rockets are a franchise in flux, with an entire roster available in trade talks and two high-profile assistant coaches recently told by the organization that they wouldn't be brought back next season.

D'Antoni, 68, had told ESPN recently that he had hoped to coach at least three more years.

"I've let (GM) Daryl (Morey) and (owner) Tilman (Fertitta) know that I'm energized to keep coaching -- and believe that I can continue to do this at a high-level for at least another three years," D'Antoni told ESPN.

"I want be part of a championship here."

D'Antoni is entering the final year of his original four-year contract.

Fertitta called the Rockets loss in the Western Conference semifinals to the Golden State Warriors, "unacceptable." Top assistant Jeff Bzdelik -- who was talked out of retirement in November to address the team's defense -- and respected league assistant Roy Rogers weren't brought back for next season by management.

D'Antoni has averaged 58 victories a year in his three seasons with the Rockets, including four playoff series victories and a trip to Game 7 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals. The Golden State Warriors eliminated the Rockets in the past two seasons, including a six-game victory in the conference semifinals this month.

NEW YORK -- The Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins drew 12,653 Wednesday night -- combined.

Baltimore, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Tampa Bay set stadium lows this year. Kansas City had its smallest home crowd since 2011, and Toronto and San Francisco since 2010. The Marlins' average attendance is less than that of Triple-A Las Vegas.

Major League Baseball's overall average of 26,854 through Wednesday is 1.4 percent below the 27,242 through this similar point last season, which wound up below 30,000 for the first time since 2003.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred attributes this year's drop to fewer season tickets but emphasizes that day-of-game sales are up 6 percent.

"Given the explosion of entertainment alternatives and the growth of the secondary market, it is not surprising that season-ticket sales can be challenging," he said. "The clubs are responding to this challenge with creative and effective approaches. For example, sales of subscription tickets are double what they were a year ago. And the Twins recently had a $5 flash sale that produced crowds of over 30,000 in three of four games, and the largest single-game attendance since 2016."

Nineteen of the 30 teams have seen their average fall from a similar point last year, with the largest drops in Toronto (6,963), San Francisco (6,463), Baltimore (3,839) and Detroit (3,686).

Large rises have taken place for Philadelphia (10,383), Oakland (4,027), San Diego (3,465) and the Chicago White Sox (2,311). The Phillies signed Bryce Harper, and the Padres added Manny Machado.

"A lot of it comes down to competition. Fans want to know their teams are doing everything they can to compete for a championship every year," union head Tony Clark said. "I see every empty seat as a missed opportunity. Experiencing a game and seeing players perform in person creates a bond with baseball; our industry needs to find ways to convert those empty seats into lifelong fans."

MLB's average peaked at 32,785 in 2007 -- the last year before the Great Recession and the next-to-last season before the New York Yankees and Mets moved to smaller stadiums. The average was at 30,517 in 2015 before sliding for three straight years, and last season's final figure of 28,830 marked a 4 percent drop, the overall number hurt by unusually cold and wet weather early in the season.

Manfred points to other metrics that please MLB: Games top prime-time cable ratings in 24 of 25 markets, and MLB.tv streaming is up 8.5 percent. He views increases for the Phillies, Padres, Athletics and White Sox as tied to team performance.

Florida remains a problem on both coasts.

Despite a sparkling, eight-season-old ballpark with a retractable roof, Miami is averaging 9,554 in Derek Jeter's second season as chief executive -- below the 9,582 average for Triple-A Las Vegas in its first season at a new 10,000-capacity stadium.

Tampa Bay plays in one of the most outmoded facilities in the major leagues and drew 5,786 against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, the smallest home crowd for the Rays, who started play at Tropicana Field in 1998.

"The more people there are, the more energy there's going to be," Tampa Bay outfielder Kevin Kiermaier said. "No matter what crowd you're playing in front of, you have to get motivated."

A quartet of last-place teams have seen swaths of empty seats.

Miami is on track to have the lowest home attendance in the National League for the seventh straight season. Tampa Bay is at the bottom of the AL for the fifth consecutive year.

"Anytime you're seeing less people show up to the ballpark, I think you're wondering why and you're wondering how you can change that," said Miami first baseman Neil Walker, accustomed to big crowds from his time in New York. "You've got to assume that it has a little bit to do with it being expensive to come to the ballpark."

Having traded many veterans, the Orioles are 28th in the majors at 16,263. Baltimore topped 2 million in 21 of its first 25 seasons at Camden Yards, exceeding 3 million nine times. But the Orioles drew 6,585 against Oakland on April 8, the lowest in the ballpark's 28-season history except for a 2015 game closed to the public at a time when the city was plagued by rioting.

"I wish fans were here. When we played in Wrigley, the energy level was off the charts," first-year Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. "I'm hoping that someday soon that will be the case here."

Cincinnati's crowd of 7,799 against Milwaukee on April 1 was the lowest for a Reds home game since 1984 at Riverfront Stadium. That same day, Toronto drew 10,460 against the Orioles, the smallest attendance at the Rogers Centre since 2010.

San Francisco drew 28,030 vs. Pittsburgh on April 10, the Giants' lowest home crowd since 2010.

Kansas City's crowd of 10,024 against the Twins on April 2 was the lowest at Kauffman Stadium since 2011. Minnesota drew 11,465 against Toronto on April 17, the lowest figure in Target Field's 10-season history.

"As a kid, I loved more than anything to go to the ballpark, and I loved nothing more than playing baseball," Walker said. "But I think a lot of people are just -- they want action now. They don't want to be totally consumed with a game maybe that's just not timed."

World number nine Elina Svitolina, who has won 13 singles titles on the WTA Tour, will be writing columns for the BBC Sport website during the French Open, which runs from 26 May to 9 June.

The 24-year-old Ukrainian, who was at a career-high ranking of three last year, plays 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza in a blockbuster of a third-round match on Friday.

The two-time Roland Garros quarter-finalist talks about the strength of the women's singles, facing Spanish 19th seed Muguruza and how practising with boyfriend - French world number 17 - Gael Monfils is improving her game.

There are many, many good players in a Grand Slam and I think these days the women's game is at its highest level.

Players like Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki have already gone out, while Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep didn't have it easy.

That shows the depth of the women's game and how strong the draw is.

It doesn't matter if you are playing the person ranked 80th in the world or 20th - they are equally dangerous.

It's impossible to predict how many players could possibly win Roland Garros because there are so many contenders.

But I don't think too much about what is happening in the other parts of the draw.

And when a big name goes out there is not much talk in the locker room about it.

I only think about my part and mostly just the next opponent. If you look too far it can make you a little distracted and unfocused. What comes, comes.

'I need to react quickly to Muguruza'

After beating Venus Williams in the first round I have another tough challenge against Garbine Muguruza - someone who has won the Roland Garros title recently.

I'm not sure how that affects her - whether that brings more pressure on her or helps because she knows she can win here.

I don't know because I have never been in this situation where I have won a Grand Slam and returned as the champion!

I imagine there are plusses and minuses but I try not to think about her situation - I try to think about myself.

Otherwise you have too many thoughts and it is useless to waste energy.

I have a good record against Garbine and have won six of our seven previous matches.

We have only played once on clay - in the 2017 Italian Open semi-finals - and she retired with a neck injury when I was leading 4-1.

But I don't expect her to play any different to any other surface.

Garbine plays very early, she tries to dictate the point. So it is important for me to react really quickly and expect that.

'Practising with Gael is fun and improves me'

I reached the third round in an unexpected way because my opponent Kateryna Kozlova - who I have known since we were children in Ukraine - had to withdraw from our match with illness.

An opponent pulling out doesn't really affect me mentally. It comes, you have to react and adjust yourself.

So I had three hits on Wednesday instead.

Obviously I practised for my match and then when the match was cancelled I practised with Gael.

We were doing a doubles drill from the baseline where I'm attacking the ball and he's defending - he's obviously an amazing defender - so it was tough for me to make a winner.

He is too fit and too quick and too strong! So that's why for me it is good.

I'm approaching and doing volleys and he is always there. It is good practice for both of us and it's great fun.

Thankfully the loser doesn't have to pay for dinner - but whoever loses gets a hard shot hit at their body!

After that practice I then played a set with my hitting partner later on Wednesday. I played my last match on Sunday so I have to be ready and keep my head focused for the next one.

Playing a set obviously isn't the same as playing in the tournament match but that does help keep me a little in 'match mode'.

In a Grand Slam you have to be fresh and ready and straight into the first point because you have to compete at the highest level straight away.

'Relaxing and romantic dinners are important too'

Not playing because an opponent has pulled out means you definitely have time to be able to mentally relax a little as well.

We went for dinner with friends in the afternoon and then it was a quiet night because Gael played on Thursday.

We watch movies a lot but it is tough here in Paris to go shopping or whatever because Gael, as one of France's biggest tennis stars, is obviously very famous here.

People recognise him and it is very difficult to have a calm walk through the Champs-Elysees, for example.

That means we don't go out much, but on Wednesday we did go to our favourite restaurant near the Champs-Elysees - it is actually where we met!

We love that place. So it is a special place and brings back good memories.

Nowadays I would say I'm more relaxed when I'm on the practice court but still, of course, I'm very focused when I have to step on the tennis court.

It is important to do what makes you feel good on and off the court.

'Playing on Chatrier is always special'

I wouldn't say I have a favourite court in the world but I do love the show courts at Roland Garros - they are very special to me.

I always dreamed of playing at Roland Garros because I think it was the only one tournament they would show in Ukraine!

Whether I'm playing Chatrier, Lenglen or Simonne-Mathieu, it doesn't matter to me - I really enjoy playing in all of them.

I thrive on playing on bigger courts, it gives you extra motivation. All the support you get on these courts helps you get through the tough moments and go again and again.

I've been told there have been a lot of empty seats on Chatrier at times - but I didn't notice that when Gael played there on Tuesday.

It was not quite full, but it was a good crowd and he said afterwards the energy was amazing. It really fired him up.

I think the crowd size depends on the weather as well and also in the early afternoon, because in France lunch is almost like a holy thing!

If a stadium isn't very full I don't think about it too much, if it is a Grand Slam or a big tournament you have to push yourself.

Of course it is much better to play when the crowd is there, but playing on Chatrier is always special.

Elina Svitolina was speaking to BBC Sport's Jonathan Jurejko at Roland Garros.

JOLIET, Ill. – After winning on the 20th anniversary of his first Top Fuel start a year ago, things continue to come full circle for NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series star Clay Millican at Route 66 Raceway, the site of this weekend’s 22nd annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals.

Millican will pilot an 11,000-horsepower Chicago White Sox/Parts Plus dragster for this weekend’s race, 21 years after he sported a White Sox logo on the side of his dragster for his NHRA Top Fuel debut.

It’s an exciting time for the fan-favorite driver to reminisce, but also an opportunity for Millican to continue his impressive performances at Route 66 Raceway.

With three final round appearances to his credit this year, Millican hopes he can crack through this weekend in Chicago.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Millican said. “I started my Top Fuel career there and going to Chicago always makes me smile. We’re doing a lot of cool stuff for the race and I’m really looking forward to it. The entry list is at 21 Top Fuel cars, we’ll be making runs at night, so it’s going to be a lot of fun. Having the White Sox back with us on the Parts Plus dragster, it’s going to be a special weekend.”

Millican (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the event at Route 66 Raceway. It is the ninth of 24 events during the 2019 NHRA season, and the action includes Friday Night On Fire, with the second nitro qualifying session slated to being at 9 p.m. in Top Fuel and Funny Car.

That will give Millican a chance to perform under the lights in the Chicago White Sox/Parts Plus Dragster, an opportunity he is relishing with the way his team, led by crew chief Mike Kloeber, has performed this season. It was a complete overhaul of team members in the off-season as Millican also reunited with Kloeber, but things have worked incredibly well, especially considering the short timeline. Millican advanced to final rounds in Charlotte, Las Vegas and Gainesville, also picking up a No. 1 qualifier at the most recent race in Richmond.

“For the most part, it’s been a total team effort by a group of people who were thrown together very quickly,” Millican said. “Essentially, we were starting from scratch. But these guys have been so dedicated and they’ve shown they want to do this. I’m having a blast and once we got over the first couple races, it’s been so much fun. It’s been a total blast working with Mike again. One thing we’ve not done is win a NHRA race together, so getting a win is taking top priority at the moment.”

It’s a major reason why Millican, who has three career NHRA Top Fuel wins, termed the 2019 season the “Unfinished Business” tour. He hopes to grab his first NHRA Top Fuel win with Kloeber this weekend, while also making a run for his first NHRA world championship after finishing third a year ago. To have success in Chicago, Millican will have to get past the likes of defending world champ and points leader Steve Torrence, who has three straight wins, 2017 world champ Brittany Force, Antron Brown, Leah Pritchett and veteran Doug Kalitta. But Millican likes what his team has shown this year and believes it will translate well to this upcoming stretch of four straight races.

“This car has been a home run hitter the last few years but we’ve been working on consistency,” Millican said. “What we’re trying to do is make the car go down the track as much as possible. The biggest thing for a small team with four races in a row is making sure we’re careful how we do things. We’re looking out for each other and we race smart because that’s what we have to do, but come race day all bets are off.”

INDIANAPOLIS – NetJets Inc. and Hulman Motorsports have reached a multi-year agreement in which NetJets has become the official private aviation partner of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

IndyCar and IMS will use NetJets for its private aviation needs for the NTT IndyCar Series and events at the Racing Capital of the World, including the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, IndyCar Grand Prix and Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard.

NetJets Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the worldwide leader in private aviation and manages and operates the largest, most diverse private jet fleet in the world. It is known for pioneering shared aircraft ownership-offering individuals and businesses all the benefits of whole aircraft ownership at a fraction of the cost.

“Speed, safety and efficiency are shared hallmarks of NetJets, IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Mark Miles, president and CEO of Hulman & Company, the parent company of IndyCar and IMS. “The professionalism and industry-leading customer service of NetJets and its wide array of meticulously maintained aircraft will be a valuable asset for our company and its events.”

Based in Columbus, Ohio, NetJets features approximately 750 aircraft of varying cabin sizes worldwide. NetJets makes more than 300,000 annual flights to 3,000-plus airports in more than 180 countries.

NetJets’ highest priority is the safety of its Owners and crewmembers. NetJets hires the most experienced, best trained pilots in the industry. And while many of their pilots are adept at flying multiple types of aircraft, NetJets has them focus their expertise on one type of aircraft.

Annually, NetJets invests over $80 million in safety, which often exceeds what others spend on pilots’ salaries alone. NetJets is also the first, and only, private aviation company to reach the highest level of the FAA’s Safety Management System Voluntary Program. And for 17 consecutive years, NetJets has been recognized for the extensive training of its Maintenance Technicians with the FAA Employer Diamond Award of Excellence. An unwavering commitment to safety is truly what sets NetJets apart.

“We are absolutely thrilled about our exciting new partnership with INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” NetJets President of Sales & Marketing Patrick Gallagher said. “We look forward to offering our new Owners the very best in safety standards, personalized service and guaranteed reliability – all while getting them where they are needed most.”