Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was renowned for finishing well during his playing days, but the Manchester United manager is beginning to develop a reputation for impressive starts.

Solskjaer won his first eight games as caretaker boss last season, following the sacking of Jose Mourinho, and despite supporters' concerns that United had not done enough in the transfer window to challenge for a top-four finish, he saw his team make a rampant start to the new Premier League campaign by inflicting a 4-0 hammering upon Chelsea in Frank Lampard's first game as manager.

His early promise last season ultimately fizzled into a dismal run-in that saw United win just two of their last 12 games, but the early momentum was enough to secure him the top job on a permanent basis and restore some sense of positivity around Old Trafford.

Momentum is a big word in any professional sport, and Solskjaer has plenty in the bank after this stunning start to the season, which could carry his young team a long way.

For the first time in months, United played with verve, ambition and a carefree sense of enjoyment; even Paul Pogba, who made clear his determination to leave this summer, performed as though he was happy to be where he was rather than sulking in a bid to go somewhere else.

But while Solskjaer has given himself a crucial springboard ahead of the trip to Wolves on Aug. 19, Lampard will find that nobody wants to be on the flip side. No Chelsea manager has had a worse debut since Danny Blanchflower suffered a 7-2 defeat against Middlesbrough in December 1978. There can be no hiding place for Lampard.

"We made four mistakes, and they put them away," he said. "It is a reality check for us all. We are Chelsea. We don't want to come here and lose 4-0. It wasn't a 4-0 game for long periods, but we need to accept it."

Next up for Chelsea is Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup clash against Liverpool in Istanbul, a game that has become more important because of the need to slam brakes on any negative momentum before the visit of Brendan Rodgers' ambitious Leicester City to Stamford Bridge next Sunday.

Having spent 13 years at the club playing under several managers, Lampard knows Chelsea well enough to understand that a juggernaut going in the wrong direction can be difficult to stop. He needs to find a way to win quickly, even though Eden Hazard has gone to Real Madrid, while N'Golo Kante, Antonio Rudiger and Willian are not fully fit.

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Lampard simply has to get on with it after a bruising experience at Old Trafford, where he won last season with Derby in the Carabao Cup. His second visit as a manager was a bruising experience because he faced a home side that played with pace, energy and hunger.

It is true that Chelsea went close to opening the scoring when Tammy Abraham hit the post and later, at 1-0, saw Emerson Palmieri strike the woodwork, but the story of United's winning performance was twofold, as Solskjaer was vindicated for giving young players a chance to impress and for working hard on the squad's fitness in preseason.

"The fitter you are, the more you can do," he said. "It's as simple as that. The boys have been working hard, but this is still the start. We can still get some hard work in."

United's outfield starting lineup had an average age of just under 24, and that showed at times, with a rawness in midfield and up front, where the partnership of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial offered more pace and movement than any forward line that included Romelu Lukaku, who was sold to Inter last week.

It was not until the second half, with Chelsea chasing the game, that the qualities of Rashford, Martial and Pogba truly came to the fore. Meanwhile, the presence at the back of Harry Maguire, the world's most expensive defender at £80 million, made a huge difference to United's solidity, with right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka also improving the defensive unit.

The beauty of momentum is that, when it is in your favour, good things happen; confidence flows and players perform as their talent suggests they should. For example, Pogba's long-range pass to Rashford to set up United's third goal -- some 95 seconds after Martial had made it 2-0 -- was the French midfielder at his best.

And with nine minutes remaining, Pogba showed his quality again as he broke forward before releasing substitute Daniel James to score. The debutant's goal, like those it preceded, was celebrated by all 10 outfield players as a group. To cap the occasion, goalkeeper David De Gea kept a clean sheet in the league for the first time since February.

This was Day 1 for both teams, and it is true that the score flattered United as much as it was harsh on Chelsea, but Solskjaer has positive momentum, which must be harnessed to ensure there is no repeat of last year's false dawn. As for Lampard? He was shown the size of the task he faces.

Surrey 155 for 3 (Stoneman 53) beat Glamorgan 152 for 6 (Ingram 41) by seven wickets

Glamorgan's abysmal season in the T20 Blast continued at Sophia Gardens where they were beaten by Surrey with six balls of an entertaining game remaining. The home team were some 30 runs short of a competitive total, with their top order batsmen - apart from Colin Ingram - again failing to lay foundations.

Despite losing Aaron Finch in the first over, the other batsmen contributed for Surrey, Man-of-the-Match Mark Stoneman top-scoring with 53. Surrey moved on to five points, some way adrift of the qualification spots, while Glamorgan remain bottom without a win in this season's competition.

With Surrey needing to score at seven-and-a-half runs an over, Ruaidhri Smith, playing his first Blast game of the season after injury, gave Glamorgan the perfect start by dismissing the dangerous Finch with the final ball of the opening over.

Will Jacks and Stoneman soon settled, however, with Jacks the more aggressive, and the second-wicket pair had taken Surrey to 70 for 1 by the halfway stage. After adding 82, Jacks then surrendered his wicket by edging to the wicketkeeper from a wild heave.

Stoneman was the next to go, caught on the long-on boundary after scoring 53 from 49 balls, with Smith taking his third wicket. Surrey required a further 46 from the remaining five overs, then 19 from two, but de Lange was struck for 21 by Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes to secure victory, Pope finishing things with his second six.

Glamorgan, who were put in, were soon in trouble, stumbling to 34 for 3 in the 6th over, which included the wicket of Australian batsman Shaun Marsh, playing his first game since breaking his arm during the World Cup. Marsh was out third ball, giving Imran Tahir a return catch, then the club's second overseas player Fakhar Zaman, who has contributed only 100 runs from six innings at an average of 16, poked a simple catch to short third man.

Much depended on Ingram and Chris Cooke. After adding 27, Cooke, who had been dropped earlier in his innings, holed out on the mid wicket boundary. Surrey's fielding was sloppy throughout with Finch letting a ball go through his legs for four, with others dropping three catches.

Ingram, who has also experienced a disappointing tournament by his standards, revived the innings by scoring 41 from 33 balls, which included two sixes, but with 5.3 with overs remaining Ingram was deceived by Tahir, giving Foakes a simple stumping.

Glamorgan were indebted to Dan Douthwaite and Graham Wagg at the end of the innings - Wagg striking three sixes in his unbeaten 36 - but the total still turned out to be below par.

Birmingham 179 for 6 (Hose 65, Sibley 51, Parkinson 3-23) beat Lancashire 164 for 7 (Maxwell 79) by 15 runs

Birmingham Bears sealed a convincing 15-run win over Vitality T20 Blast North Group leaders Lancashire Lightning.

Adam Hose starred with the bat for Bears - hitting a mighty seven sixes in an innings of 65 from just 34 balls. But, after losing their first three wickets for 28, Lightning staged a superb recovery with Glenn Maxwell and Keaton Jennings putting together a century stand which threatened to earn Lancashire an impressive victory.

Maxwell's dismissal for 79 - when he was bowled by Will Rhodes - brought an end to Lightning's hopes And when Jennings also fell to Rhodes in the final over for 35 it sealed a much-needed win for the Bears who are now fifth after reviving their own hopes.

Dom Sibley and Sam Hain staged an opening stand of 53 to provide the base for their victory as the Bears produced an improved batting display.

Birmingham moved up a gear in the fourth over, which produced 18 runs - including two wides from pace bowler Richard Gleeson. And they passed the 50 mark two overs later, but it was legspinner Matt Parkinson who claimed the first wicket of the day when he had Hain stumped after making 21.

Hain had been promoted to open the batting following his innings of 49 against Nottinghamshire and he scored a four and a six before departing.

In came Man of the Match Hose whose innings was to prove crucial. But Sibley continued his progress with two boundaries in successive deliveries.

Offspinner Liam Livingstone was introduced in the 11th over introduced and was hit for two sixes by Hose.

The Bears passed the 100 mark in the 12th over before Sibley reached 50 off 38 balls. But Hose had his eyes on sixes and he drove Maxwell to bring up the half-century partnership with Sibley.

Then Parkinson tempted Sibley into a shot which saw him caught by Steven Croft on the long-on boundary.

That signalled a wobble for the Bears with Rhodes falling to Livingstone for a duck after facing only two balls. But Hose put them back on track and brought up his half-century with a well-placed four - the only one of his innings - and followed it up with two successive sixes.

Parkinson brought an end to Hose's innings with the first ball of his return to the Lightning attack. And Livingstone slammed the brakes on in the final over with two wickets in successive balls.

In reply, Lightning were reduced to 28 for 3 by the sixth over. But then Maxwell and Jennings steadied the innings in style.

Maxwell was the dominant batsman and he reached 50 with his sixth four of the day after facing 28 balls. Maxwell then brought up a nine-over century stand when he pulled Oliver Hannon-Dalby for a six over square leg in an over that produced 22 runs.

But then Rhodes produced the wicket that the Bears wanted in the 16th over when he bowled Maxwell with Lightning on 135 for 4 - still 45 runs short of their target.

Maxwell's innings came off 39 balls and included eight fours and four sixes. But the Bears claimed quick wickets after that and Jennings was unable to respond.

MONTREAL -- Rafael Nadal won his fifth Rogers Cup title, beating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-0 on Sunday in just 70 minutes.

The 33-year-old Nadal won the event for the third time in Montreal. The first came in 2005 at age 19 over Andre Agassi, and the second in 2013. Nadal won in Toronto in 2008 and 2018.

The second-ranked Spanish star won his 83rd singles title and third of the year, following clay victories in Rome and at the French Open. He extended his tour record for Masters 1000 titles to 35, two more than top-ranked Novak Djokovic.

Nadal had a walkover in the semifinals Saturday when Gael Monfils withdrew because of an ankle injury.

Medvedev, from Russia, was seeded eighth.

The Ravens traded kicker Kaare Vedvik to the Vikings for an undisclosed draft pick, Baltimore announced Sunday.

A league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Baltimore will receive a 2020 fifth-round draft pick from Minnesota.

The trade is contingent on Vedvik passing a physical for the Vikings, the Ravens said.

Vedvik, a native of Norway, was 12-of-13 on field goals in the preseason the past two years for Baltimore after being signed as an undrafted kicker in 2018.

In Thursday's preseason opener, Vedvik increased his value by making all four of his field goals, including a 55-yarder, and had two punts over 50 yards.

"I'm really fired up for Kaare. He deserves it after everything he's been through. What an opportunity for him," Ravens special-teams coach Chris Horton said Sunday.

The trade creates a competition not only at kicker, but possibly at punter in Minnesota. Dan Bailey, the Vikings' incumbent kicker who was signed after rookie Daniel Carlson was released following three missed field goals at Green Bay in Week 2 last season, has yet to have a perfect practice in training camp.

On Wednesday, during the Vikings' final practice before their preseason opener in New Orleans, Bailey went 3-for-6 on field goals. Against the Saints, Bailey did not attempt a field goal but made all four of his point-after attempts.

The Vikings used a seventh-round pick on former Air Force long-snapper Austin Cutting in April, thus creating a competition at the position with veteran Kevin McDermott. Minnesota has also used several holders in camp, situationally, instead of punter Matt Wile.

Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer noted some of the issues the entire kicking battery has had to work through during the first two weeks of training camp, and it pertains to the ups and downs Bailey has encountered.

"Honestly, I really like Dan Bailey," Zimmer said. "I think he's a very professional, mature kid. We've been having some issues with the snap, hold, kick kind of thing. Having two long-snappers, I think that's adding to it a little bit because the timing's different. The holding we're working on quite a bit, but I like Dan."

Four teams recently inquired about Vedvik, a source told Schefter earlier Sunday. Vedvik had made about 90% of his kicks in this year's training camp but missed a 33-yard field goal on Saturday.

In the middle of Sunday's practice, general manager Eric DeCosta spoke to coach John Harbaugh and assistant special-teams coach Randy Brown for a long time. Vedvik then left the field around 2 p.m.

Vedvik would've been traded last season, but he was assaulted in East Baltimore before the Ravens could deal him to another team. He was hospitalized in September after being found alone with multiple facial injuries. Vedvik, who had originally gone out with teammates that night, told the Ravens that he didn't remember how he ended up at the location where he was found. The Ravens placed Vedvik on the non-football-injury list, which began his yearlong comeback. Baltimore had the luxury to trade Vedvik because it has Justin Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history.

The Ravens have a history of being a special-teams pipeline. Three current kickers -- the New Orleans Saints' Wil Lutz, Carolina Panthers' Graham Gano and Buffalo Bills' Stephen Hauschka -- all got their starts in Baltimore. Former special-teams coach Jerry Rosburg, who retired in June, had an eye for discovering kickers, and Brown has expertise in developing talent.

ESPN's Courtney Cronin contributed to this report.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Arizona Cardinals executive vice president and chief operating officer Ron Minegar was arrested late Saturday on a DUI citation.

Minegar, 60, was pulled over at 11:30 p.m. Saturday for "speeding, failure to drive within one lane of traffic and driving within the bicycle lane." He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of DUI, cited and released.

The Cardinals expressed their displeasure with Minegar in a statement issued Sunday.

"Ron Minegar's actions last night are inexcusable," the team said. "He made the decision to drive after drinking alcohol and is fortunate that he was pulled over before injuring anyone or himself.

"According to MADD, drunk driving results in almost 11,000 deaths per year and is the number one cause of fatalities on roadways. We fully recognize the seriousness of these actions and they will have serious consequences."

As of Sunday afternoon, Minegar's name was still listed on the Cardinals' website.

Minegar becomes the second high-ranking Cardinals front-office executive to be arrested on suspicion of DUI in as many years. General manager Steve Keim was arrested last summer. He was suspended for five weeks and fined $200,000 after pleading guilty to extreme DUI.

BALTIMORE -- Justin Verlander lasted only five innings against the Baltimore Orioles and walked off the mound in position to take his first loss since early July.

His struggle foreshadowed the shocking end of both the game and Houston's lengthy winning streak.

Rio Ruiz hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth to carry Baltimore to an 8-7 victory Sunday, snapping the Orioles' five-game skid.

Houston scored three runs in the top of the ninth to go up 7-5 before the Orioles answered in the bottom half against closer Roberto Osuna (3-3). After Chris Davis hit a sacrifice fly, Chance Sisco was at first base when Ruiz launched a 2-2 pitch over the right-field wall.

"I knew that I got it," Ruiz said. "I kind of looked in the dugout, saw everybody going crazy and I went crazy. Pretty awesome feeling."

Osuna gave up a double and a homer and hit a batter in his fifth blown save.

"The guys did a great job coming back and get the lead and expected me to get the job done," Osuna said. "Not being able to do that, it's a bad day."

Coming off a 23-2 defeat less than 24 hours earlier, Baltimore took the lead in the fifth against Verlander, the 2011 Cy Young winner and an eight-time All-Star who gave up four runs and a season-high nine hits.

Baltimore's offense exploded in the ninth against Osuna, who came in with 26 saves. The loss ended the Astros' eight-game win streak and was only their fourth loss in 22 games.

"When you're playing great baseball it seems like the losses even hurt that much more," Verlander said. "We put ourselves in a position to win; our guys did a fantastic job battling back. Just one pitch early in the game, a couple pitches that I made that were mistakes.

"But I think sometimes you've got to look at the bigger picture and understand that we're playing good baseball. Don't let this be too much of a Debbie downer," he added.

Houston trailed by two runs in the seventh and 5-4 in the ninth before striking against Mychal Givens. George Springer led off with a single and went to second when Jose Altuve beat out a bunt. Michael Brantley followed with a liner that rolled into the right-field corner. Anthony Santander fumbled with the ball and botched the throw, earning an error while Brantley ended his foray around the bases with a head-first slide.

Richard Bleier (3-0) finished the inning, and turned out to be the winning pitcher in a game that concluded a homestand that featured three losses to the Yankees and two more against Houston, including that 23-2 debacle on Saturday night.

"It was a fun way to win a game, a fun way to get out of the homestand," said Jace Peterson, who had three hits and two RBI. "Obviously, this homestand didn't go as we wanted it to (but) to leave here with a win like that over a team like that is great."

Carlos Correa hit a three-run homer for the Astros, whose ninth-inning surge enabled Verlander to keep his five-game winning streak intact. The right-hander struck out 11 to reach double digits in a fifth consecutive outing but also gave up at least one hit every inning.

"Very unusual for him to go five innings and be out of the game, but they worked him tough," Astros manager AJ Hinch said.

4K DAVIS

Davis struck out four times to bring his total for the season to 118. With Davis leading the way, the Orioles struck out 16 times.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: RHP Brad Peacock (shoulder) threw 16 pitches for Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday and was slated to throw 15-20 pitches Sunday for the same club. "We didn't want to extend him too far pitch-wise (Saturday)," Hinch said. "Just simulate a back to back, see how he feels."

Orioles: INF Renato Nunez was rested after fouling a ball off his ankle on Saturday night. X-rays were negative, but the ankle was "just really sore," manager Brandon Hyde said.

UP NEXT

Astros: Zack Greinke makes his second start with Houston in the opener of a three-game series Monday night against the host White Sox.

Orioles: A seven-game road trip begins Monday with a day-night doubleheader against the New York Yankees, who have won 12 straight against Baltimore.

NEW YORK -- Asdrubal Cabrera hit a tiebreaking two-run double against his former team and the Nationals bullpen finally locked down a lead in Flushing, lifting Washington over the streaking New York Mets 7-4 Sunday.

Nationals star Juan Soto was injured on Cabrera's bases-loaded hit in the seventh inning. Soto went from first to third but turned his right ankle after getting a late stop sign from third base coach Bob Henley. He spiked his helmet, was worked on by trainers in the outfield grass and ultimately came out of the game.

Victor Robles replaced Soto and homered off All-Star Edwin Diaz in the ninth, and Anthony Rendon had four hits.

Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth for Washington two nights after blowing a three-run lead in the final inning. The Nats bullpen had blown five consecutive save chances at Citi Field prior to Sunday, and its ERA of 6.07 ranked last in the NL. Doolittle got his 26th save.

The Mets ended an eight-game winning streak and lost for the second time in 17 games. Jeff McNeil had two hits and two RBI. New York dropped 1 1/2 games behind Washington for the top NL wild card.

Adam Eaton began the seventh-inning rally with a one-out single off Robert Gsellman (2-3). The pesky right fielder moved to second on Rendon's single and advanced to third when McNeil briefly overran the ball.

After a pitching change, Soto walked to load the bases and Cabrera lined Justin Wilson's first offering into right field to drive in Eaton and Rendon. Soto was tagged out to end the inning.

Cabrera spent 2 1/2 seasons with the Mets before being traded to Philadelphia in 2018.

The Mets threated against the beleaguered Washington bullpen in the seventh. McNeil doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on Amed Rosario's single. Michael Conforto delivered a sacrifice fly to draw the Mets within one, but Daniel Hudson, Wander Suero and Dootlittle combined for 2 1/3 hitless innings to preserve the win. Matt Grace (1-2) pitched one-third of an inning to earn the win.

New York ace Jacob deGrom allowed three unearned runs with seven strikeouts over five innings. He failed to reach the sixth inning for the first time in five starts but lowered his ERA in day games to 1.84, which is the best mark in baseball since at least 1913.

The Nationals went ahead 3-0 in the first inning on a bizarre bases-loaded error. Cabrera hit a two-out grounder that first baseman Pete Alonso dived to stop, and Alonso threw toward first base. The feed would have hit deGrom in stride, except the pitcher paused momentarily a few feet from the base and then let the ball bounce off his glove. It rolled to near the Mets' on-deck circle, where deGrom chased it down and threw to home plate. Catcher Wilson Ramos dropped the throw, allowing Soto to come in with the third unearned run of the play. Alonso was charged with an error.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Nationals: RHP Max Scherzer (back) "felt really good" following Saturday's bullpen session, according to manager Dave Martinez. He is lined up for a simulated game on Tuesday. ... 2B Brian Dozier (rest) was held out of the lineup for the second straight game, although Martinez also noted that Dozier's wife is expecting the couple's first child "any time soon." He flew out as a pinch-hitter in the sixth.

Mets: There is still no timeframe for a rehab assignment for ailing OF Brandon Nimmo (neck) and IF Jed Lowrie (knee), although manager Mickey Callaway noted that the pair is "progressing."

UP NEXT

Nationals: Washington returns home to open a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday. RP Erick Fedde (2-2, 4.20 ERA) pitches for the Nationals. He's opposed by RHP Anthony DeSclafani (7-6, 4.20 ERA).

Mets: After a day off, RHP Zack Wheeler (9-6, 4.20 ERA) pitches for New York as the Mets open an important three-game series with the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves. Wheeler has won his last three starts, allowing just three earned runs over 20 1/3 innings (1.33 ERA), but the Georgia native has struggled at Sun Trust Park, allowing 12 earned runs over 17 2/3 innings (6.11 ERA). Atlanta has not named a starter.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Carlos Santana hit a grand slam in the 10th inning, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 7-3 on Sunday to win the four-game series and forge another tie for the AL Central lead.

The Twins tied the game with four hits in a two-run ninth against Brad Hand (5-3), using a single by Luis Arraez and a double by Marwin Gonzalez to extend the game.

As pinch-runner Ehire Adrianza tried to score the winning run from first base, left fielder Tyler Naquin grabbed the ball off the bounce from the wall and zipped a throw to shortstop Francisco Lindor, whose relay home was in perfect position for catcher Kevin Plawecki to tag Adrianza with ease.

That was Naquin's 10th outfield assist, moving into a tie for third in the majors.

Twins closer Taylor Rogers (2-3) allowed a single, a walk and another single on a bunt by Greg Allen to load the bases with none out for Santana, who quickly erased the late-inning drama with one big swing. The All-Star first baseman has reached base at least once in 53 of his last 57 games since June 4, the exact date when the Indians began their surge. They're 42-17 during that span, the best record in the majors.

Aaron Civale contributed another solid performance in his third major league start, tossing six smooth innings after Allen homered and Yasiel Puig hit an RBI double in the first inning to get the Indians going against All-Star Jose Berrios. Santana added an RBI single in the third for a 3-1 lead, before Berrios settled in to retire 11 straight batters.

The Indians leaned on their trusty bullpen, with a baseball-best 3.19 ERA entering the game, to create a tie in the division race for the second time in three days. The Twins had sole possession of first place from April 27 until Friday, before bypassing the Indians again Saturday with a 4-1 victory. Their lead was as big as 11 1/2 games on June 3 and still 7 1/2 games on July 13.

Nick Goody record three straight outs in the seventh after the first two batters reached base. Oliver Perez pitched a perfect eighth. After Hand hit the big bump in the ninth, Hunter Wood pitched a perfect 10th inning to end the game.

The Twins and Indians play seven more times, all in September.

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

Berrios was aiming to bounce back from the worst start of his four-year career, having surrendered nine runs in 5 2/3 innings Tuesday as the Twins fell behind Atlanta 11-0 in a 12-7 loss. He was charged with three runs and six hits in six innings against the Indians.

STELLAR SCOUTING

Civale permitted one run and four hits. Civale, the third-round pick in 2016 who came from the same draft class as fellow rotation members Shane Bieber (fourth round) and Zach Plesac (12th round), has allowed only nine hits, four walks and two runs with 18 strikeouts in 18 innings in the majors.

ALLEN'S DAY

Allen batted second and played center to give Oscar Mercado a break, just the second time this season he has taken one of the top five places in the lineup. In two games in the second spot, Allen is 6 for 11 with two homers, four runs, and three RBI.

RESTING

The Twins have Monday off, one of just five left over the final seven weeks of the season.

UP NEXT

Indians: Plesac (6-3, 3.13 ERA) will start Monday at home against Boston to begin a three-game series, having thrown six shutout innings in his last appearance. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (13-5, 4.17 ERA) pitches for the Red Sox.

Twins: LHP Martin Perez (8-5, 4.80 ERA) will take the mound to start a two-game interleague series Tuesday in Milwaukee, following an 11-hit, seven-run, six-inning performance in his last turn that put his spot in the rotation in question. RHP Chase Anderson (5-2, 3.70 ERA) pitches for the Brewers.

Hosts Poland take Super League title as Britain finish fifth after mixed weekend in Bydgoszcz

Poland stormed to victory in the European Team Championships in front of their home fans in Bydgoszcz. The hosts were literally poles apart as they crushed Germany, France and Italy to take the Super League crown.

In fifth, Great Britain enjoyed some great results on the final day of the event as Ben Williams won the triple jump and Richard Kilty the 200m. But they also endured a few poor moments, the most notable being an administrative cock-up in the men’s 4x400m which left them unable to start the race.

Poland held the overnight lead going into the final day on Sunday (Aug 11) with 193 points from France (181.50), Italy (171), Great Britain (160.50) and Germany (160). But after an eventful session in the Polish city the final scores were:

1 Poland 345 points; 2 Germany 317.5, 3 France 316.5, 4 Italy 316, 5 Great Britain 302.50, 6 Spain 294.5, 7 Ukraine 225, 8 Czech Republic 219.5, 9 Sweden 210.5, 10 Greece 197, 11 Finland 190, 12 Switzerland 175.

With the European Team Championships Super League being streamlined in future to eight teams instead of 12, it meant the bottom five here were relegated, with Portugal promoted from the First League match in Sandnes, Norway.

The British performance of the weekend came from triple jumper Ben Williams. The 27-year-old from Stoke began with a modest 14.69m before improving to 16.37m in round two, but he then bounded out to a huge PB of 17.14m in the third round to leapfrog his rivals and take maximum points.

Williams, whose PB was 16.74m beforehand, went to No.9 on the UK all-time rankings with his jump in Bydgoszcz. Ten years ago he won the world youth title in Italy and this weekend, after years of injury problems, finally came of age as a senior athlete.

Ben Williams on his 17.14m triple jump PB to win in Bydgoszcz, a mark which moves him to No.9 on the UK all-time rankings, plus his change in coaching set-up #ETCH2019 @stuartweir @BritAthletics pic.twitter.com/5KZnztnXqj

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) August 11, 2019

“I’m completely over the moon and bringing home 12 points for the team is great,” he said. “It’s a World Championship standard too (and also an Olympic qualifier). I knew it was coming. I looked surprised but I wasn’t! There’s more to come, I’m sure.”

Williams works as a personal trainer but cancelled appointments with clients this month and moved to Loughborough in an effort to train and compete at a higher level this summer. Now he hopes he can maintain the routine to the Tokyo Olympics.

Richard Kilty also impressed as he took the men’s 200m in 20.66 despite feeling a sore hamstring halfway through the race. “I was going to stop coming around the bend,” he said. “I felt my hamstring nip and I continued to run through. Not sure I should have done that but I wanted to get the full points for the team.”

He added: “If the hamstring didn’t seize up I think I would have gone quicker. I’m only a year out of having Achilles surgery and last time I was here in Bydgoszcz I was eliminated in the 200m heats at the World Juniors so I’ve come a long way. I’m really proud of myself.”

It was a good weekend for the Kilty family generally as his wife, Dovilė (née Dzindzaletaitė) won the triple jump on Saturday for Lithuania with a PB of 14.28m at the First League match in Norway.

Poland stamp their class

The host nation did not waste time imposing their superiority on their rivals on Sunday. After fellow Polish middle-distance man Marcin Lewandowski won the 1500m on Saturday, team-mate Adam Kszczot delivered in the 800m with 1:46.97 as Britain’s Jamie Webb battled into second place in a challenging, tactical affair.

.@jamiewebb800 talks to @stuartweir after his European Team Champs 800m runner-up finish in 1:47.25. Had medical attention after the race but said: “They wanted to take me to hospital but I said I am old school – let me throw up and I'll be fine.” #ETCH2019 pic.twitter.com/MPgdE4lSc2

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) August 11, 2019

The Polish juggernaut continued in the women’s 1500m when Sofia Ennaoui took victory in 4:08.37 after Britain’s Jess Judd made a bold long run for home but faded to sixth in the home straight in 4:09.89.

There was more home nation success in the men’s pole vault, too, as Piotr Lisek (main image, above) took top points with 5.81m from Melker Svärd Jacobsson of Sweden and Renaud Lavillenie of France as Britain’s Charlie Myers was 10th with 5.31m.

An exciting end to the men’s discus saw Poland extend their lead further when Piotr Malachowski threw 63.02m with his final effort to overtake Martin Weirig of Germany and Daniel Stahl of Sweden. Behind, Greg Thompson was 10th for Britain with 55.71m.

Historyczny moment na stadionie @cwzs_zawisza . A sukcesu reprezentacji Polski @PZLANews gratulowal m. In. minister sportu i turystyki @WitoldBanka . pic.twitter.com/rRWsgAibBX

— TVP3 Bydgoszcz (@tvpbydgoszcz) August 11, 2019

The closest event of the weekend was the women’s 100m hurdles as Luminosa Bogliolo of Italy pipped Cindy Roleder of Germany and Karolina Koleczek of Poland in a blanket finish. The first two were given the same time of 12.87 (-1.2) with Koleczek one hundredth of a second behind as Cindy Ofili – back in a British vest after serious Achilles problems – was fourth in 13.12.

In the relegation battle, Ukraine just escaped the drop partly thanks to Yuliya Levchenko, who was the class act in the women’s high jump with 1.97m as Britain’s Emma Nuttall was 11th with 1.80m.

Other highlights

Malaika Mihambo of Germany produced one of the performances of the weekend when she took the women’s long jump with a slightly wind-assisted 7.11m (+2.2m/sec) as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru impressed in second with 6.75m (2.2m/sec).

Alexandra Tavernier of France took the women’s hammer with 72.81m as Britain’s Sophie Hitchon endured a bad day with an under par 63.23m (and two fouls) for 10th.

Orlando Ortega of Spain clocked 13.38 to beat France’s Pascal Martinot-Lagarde in the men’s sprint hurdles as Cameron Fillery of Britain was seventh in 13.83m.

Spain enjoyed victory over the barriers in the men’s steeplechase too when Fernando Carro sprinted to victory in 8:27.28 as Britain’s Zak Seddon was fourth in 8:30.89.

Christina Schwanitz of Germany took the women’s shot put with 18.93m. It proved one of Britain’s best events, too, as Sophie McKinna took third with 17.94m. “It was really close to being good (18 metres) today but I didn’t quite ‘catch it’,” she said.

The women’s 200m was also good for Britain as Jodie Williams led for much of the race before being passed in the closing stages by Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland – the pair clocking 22.72 and 22.89 into a headwind.

Germany were also successful in the women’s 5000m as Hanna Klein kicked to victory in 15:39.01. Britain’s Sarah Inglis ran well in third in 15:45.23.

British middle-distance man James West put up a similarly plucky run as he came third in 8:02.97 in a 3000m won by Adel Mechaal of Spain in 8:02.51. West beat, among others, the last two European Cup 10,000m winners Yeman Crippa and Richard Ringer.

As the weekend drew to a close in the relays, Poland were already safe and clear but showed their rivals no mercy in the women’s 4x400m as anchor runner Justyna Święty-Ersetic brought them home in 3:24.82 ahead of a GB quartet of Emily Diamond, Jodie Williams, Zoey Clark and Jessica Turner as the Brits clocked 3:27.12 to hold off Italy.

There were no points for Britain in the men’s 4×400, though, as Youcef Zatat, a reserve in the throws, was incorrectly named to run the first leg instead of Rabah Yousif.

“It’s absolutely gutting for the athletes in particular,” said British Athletics performance director Neil Black. “There was a technical error with the declaration process. But the athletes took it on the chin.”

It did not affect the team scores either, although that did not stop a torrent of criticism on social media.

Results can be found here.