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American golfer Ally Ewing stretched her lead to five strokes midway through the second round of the Women’s British Open after shooting a 6-under 66

Erik ten Hag says the Premier League will miss Harry Kane but the Manchester United boss has no regrets about deciding to go for Rasmus Hojlund over the Bayern Munich-bound star. Having wrapped up deals for midfielder Mason Mount and adventurous goalkeeper Andre Onana, the Old Trafford giants turned their attention to filling the glaring need for a striker. Tottenham sharpshooter Kane has long been admired by United but the club instead plumped for potential by signing Atalanta talent Hojlund. “First of all we have chosen a striker and we are really happy with our choice,” Ten Hag said of the Denmark international. “(Kane) is a great striker. That’s clear, he’s really a goal maker and apart from that he has all the conditions and abilities that you want to see in a striker. “It’s a miss for the Premier League, absolutely.” Ten Hag says he will miss the challenge of facing Kane, who Bayern are understood to be forking out an initial £100million for with add-ons able to potentially take it up to £120m. Quizzed on whether United were ever serious candidates to sign the England captain, he said: “I don’t think that I have to go into that discussion or to give an opinion about that. “We are professional. The processes we do are really careful, we consider a lot of things. “But finally we make decisions and we don’t take decisions overnight. There’s a strategy behind every decision and we are happy with the squad we have now.” While Kane looks set to start a new chapter in Germany, everyone at United will be hoping their move for rough diamond Hojlund pays off. The 20-year-old arrived for an initial £64m fee that could rise to £72m with add-ons, signing a five-year deal with the option of a further season. But United fans will have to wait to get a first glimpse of their new frontman as Hojlund is dealing with a back issue that the club are confident is not a long-term issue. “He had a small issue,” Ten Hag said. “He’s not on the levels where our players are in this moment, so now we have to train him. “The prognosis is difficult always to say but we are confident and we are positive.” New boy Hojlund will be sidelined for Monday’s Premier League opener against Wolves, with Amad Diallo, Tyrell Malacia and Kobbie Mainoo also out. Anthony Martial did not play a minute in pre-season as he recovers from a hamstring injury, while back-up goalkeepers Tom Heaton and Dean Henderson remain absent for the curtain raiser. Ten Hag is confident in the shape of his squad ahead of the new season and suggested Harry Maguire could be involved against Wolves despite United accepting a £30m bid from West Ham for their former captain. “Of course (he is available),” the Dutchman said. The frantic final few weeks of the transfer window are likely to dominate the start to a campaign that United get under way with some large clouds hanging over them. A decision has yet to be made on suspended Mason Greenwood’s future and a group of United fans are planning to protest against the prospect of his return ahead of facing Wolves. There is also a planned protest by the 1958 group against the Glazer family as the interminable potential takeover process rolls into the new campaign. Asked about the fan protest and how frustrating it was for him that the ownership issue has not been resolved, Ten Hag said: “I’m sure that the fans will support the team. “I think we construct that last season, the connection between fans and team. “I think we only made it stronger in the pre-season, we’ve seen that in the tour but also now back in the UK I think there’s a really strong support and there’s a really good vibe around the team and between the fans and the team.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Day out at Wembley feels like ‘weird dream’ for cup finalist Jodie Cunningham Completing early transfer business could boost Arsenal title bid – Mikel Arteta Ange Postecoglou confirms Harry Kane transfer to Bayern Munich ‘imminent’

Sarina Wiegman is one of the best coaches in the world at figuring out a tactical problem, but even she has now wondered whether she got it right against Nigeria. After hours of analysis following the last-16 tie, the thinking has been England should have gone to a back four. It has influenced some of the approach ahead of the quarter-final against Colombia. Wiegman and her staff are expecting a similar game, and another battle. The latter, like with Nigeria, is not to just reductively describe Colombia as a “physical” team - although that is precisely how England have been preparing. Wiegman has also been planning for the fine side the South Americans are, with special attention paid to star forward Linda Caicedo. It is more how England are now into classic tournament football, even if it is far from the historic surge through Euro 2022. While that almost became free-wheeling at times, this has been a slog. Much of that has been down to injuries. Some of it has been down to the ultra-competitive nature of this World Cup, as best illustrated by Colombia’s group-stage defeat of Germany. Wiegman has felt at times that every aspect of this tournament has been a fight, with a new problem seeming to follow every one that is solved. How else to describe Lauren James’ inexplicable decision that got her sent off against Nigeria, when it had seemed like she could seize the entire World Cup. She is considered fortunate to have got off with just two games, although the England squad obviously won’t consider that any kind of reprieve unless they actually make the final. For now, it’s just something else for Wiegman and her staff to figure out; more work. That’s been the theme, especially on the pitch in every match except the win over China. “A lot of it is mentality and a lot of it is resilience,” Beth England said this week. “That’s tournament football. There’s a lot of experienced players in this group and they are used to having to do that. It’s a lot of girls who it’s their first tournament and it’s a fine balance.” “Balance” has been the theme of this week’s work. Wiegman has been trying to figure out the system that retains England’s brilliant defence, but allows them to start creating chances again. That is tough to strike, especially with so many key absences and so many forwards off form. It is potentially putting what got them this far against what might be necessary to go and win the tournament. That such a crunch decision comes at the quarter-final is itself symbolic, since this is generally known in international football as the real dividing line of a tournament. It is when the actual challengers are separated from the surprises, the overachievers and the pretenders. This game encapsulates much of that. England are European champions and clearly one of the most talented squads in the World Cup, with that undercut by a variety of problems as well as, perhaps, questions over whether they could have a more overarching identity. Colombia have meanwhile been tournament revelations. While they should and always have been respected, beating Germany and finishing top of Group H took them to another level. The question - as with Nigeria, and even now in the quarter-finals with the eliminated Japan - is whether they have expended most of their energy or if they actually have more to give. They should be invigorated by how this is an open tournament. The fact they played a day later might be key, mind, because energy is a huge part of this. That’s something else that tournament football comes down to - getting through it. The England players felt exhausted after the Nigeria win, which was “emotionally draining” as much as physically draining. That extra day was seen as vital, though. The players got proper rest, with the tranquil seaside setting of Terrigal greatly helping players to relax and reset. That’s been especially true of the defence, where Alex Greenwood and captain Millie Bright have excelled. The latter has so far put in one of those vintage centre-half campaigns, where it looks like the more immersive nature of a tournament has brought her to deeper levels. She is not just winning everything but giving everything as she does so. This has been key. It has also played on Wiegman’s mind as he seeks that balance. While there has been so much focus on the attack, and the make-up of it, the defence has been rock-solid. The Lionesses have yet to concede a goal form open play. “Some of our defensive work has been fantastic as a whole team,” goalkeeper Mary Earps said. That carries a side an awful long way. While England obviously want to win this in normal time with a properly attacking performance - Earps spoke of how “you’ve seen glimpses of what we’re capable of” - they are ready to go to penalties. That was something that became clear in the Nigeria game, in what has been another theme of England’s campaign. Unable to do what made the Euro 2022 victory, they have so far overcome that with diligence and pragmatism. Some might say too pragmatic. There is an increasing argument that England might be left short because, like the USA, they don’t have the overarching playing identity that Spain, France or Australia have. That feels like it is a discussion that can only really take place if they get to meet any of those sides, though. “The most important thing to note is that we’re winning games,” Earps added. “We’re in a results-business so we’ve earned the right to be here.” They now have to show they can go even further. It might not even be about getting it right. It might be about getting through it. Read More How to watch England vs Colombia: TV channel and start time for Women’s World Cup fixture Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Why Lauren James must be protected, not vilified, after World Cup red Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings? Who and when do England play next? Lionesses route to the World Cup final

The head of soccer in Europe, Aleksander Ceferin, will visit Greece next week to meet with the country’s prime minister, in the wake of an attack in Athens by Croatian fans that left one man dead

Australia will try to avoid a dubious statistic among hosts of the Women’s World Cup by avoiding elimination in the quarterfinals of the tournament

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says his club has reached an agreement with Brighton to sign Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo

Giannis Antetokounmpo will not play for Greece at the Basketball World Cup that starts later this month

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique still hopes Kylian Mbappé will stay at the club amid an ongoing transfer standoff

Harry Kane will fly to Germany on Friday to complete his proposed move to Bayern Munich after a fee that could rise to £120million was agreed with Tottenham. Bayern have tracked the England captain all summer and a number of bids were turned down, but a breakthrough was reached on Wednesday night. It left the ball in Kane’s court and he decided on Thursday to leave his boyhood club and join the Bundesliga champions, who will pay an initial £100m for the forward with add-ons able to potentially take the transfer up to an overall fee of £120m, the PA news agency understands. Reports on Friday morning initially suggested Spurs had refused to give Kane permission to fly, but they were squashed by Tottenham and he is set to complete a medical on Friday once he lands in Munich. Kane is unlikely to be signed in time to feature in Bayern’s DFL-Super Cup match with RB Leipzig on Saturday night. However, with the clash taking place at Bayern’s Allianz Arena home, England captain Kane could well be unveiled to supporters before kick-off. This is not the first summer where Kane’s future has dominated headlines after Manchester City had a failed pursuit in 2021. Kane sat out the first match of that season – coincidentally against Man City – but Pep Guardiola’s side never got close to agreeing a fee with Tottenham for the forward. With Kane into the last 12 months of his contract at Spurs this summer, speculation over his future this time always felt more significant. Bayern saw bids reportedly turned down in June and July but made their intentions clear, with club officials in honorary president Uli Hoeness and president Herbert Hainer speaking openly in the media about Kane’s desire to join the Bundesliga champions. A third bid was submitted last Friday and a new twist occurred when Spurs spent all weekend deliberating before chairman Daniel Levy rejected the offer on Monday. With noises coming out that Kane, who scored four goals in a friendly win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday, had enjoyed working with new Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, confidence started to grow that he could spend the season with his boyhood team. Bayern’s latest bid proved enough for an agreement to be reached and after Kane took his time to weigh up the decision, he decided it was right to end his 19-year stay at Spurs. It means Kane’s pursuit of Alan Shearer’s Premier League goal-scoring record will go on pause, with the Tottenham forward still 47 goals off equalling Shearer’s 260-goal tally. He will leave N17 as the club’s leading marksman after he beat Jimmy Greaves’ 266-goal record in February with the winner against Man City. Kane will also get the chance to fulfil his career-long ambition of winning trophies at Bayern, while remaining in the Champions League after spending only one of the last three campaigns in Europe’s elite competition. Back at Spurs, Postecoglou, who only took over in June, will be tasked with filling an unimaginable void. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live ECB to launch review after former coach admits to sexual assault of 14-year-old Jamie Ritchie ready to lead Scotland in Saint-Etienne showdown with France Can Arsenal better Man City? Talking points as the Premier League kicks off

Brittney Griner had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and the Phoenix Mercury set a WNBA record for points in a quarter with 45 in the first before holding off the short-handed Connecticut Sun down the stretch for a 90-84 win

Six suspects arrested in connection with the assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio are Colombian nationals and gang members, authorities have confirmed, as a former vice president demanded action over spiraling levels of violence in the South American country.

Norway’s $1.4 trillion wealth fund is backing a European Commission proposal to overhaul the ESG ratings industry amid