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Nigeria substitute Tolu Arokodare's overhead kick early in the second half secured a 1-0 home victory over Rwanda on Saturday that keeps alive his country's World Cup qualifying hopes, Reuters reported.

The win moved them up to third in the standings, six points behind leaders South Africa with three matches remaining. Nigeria visit the South Africans on Tuesday in what could be the key fixture of the Group C campaign.

South Africa, however, are expected to be docked three points for using a defaulter in March but have surprisingly not yet been sanctioned by FIFA.

The group winners qualify automatically for the 2026 finals in North America.

Nigeria might have to do without top striker Victor Osimhen on Tuesday, with the former African Footballer of the Year forced off with an injury to his left foot in the first half. It is not yet clear whether he will make the trip to South Africa, according to Reuters.

A sinkhole discovered on the pitch during Austria’s 1-0 home victory over Cyprus in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier in Linz forced play to be halted late in the match, Reuters reported.

After 75 minutes a football-sized sinkhole was seen just outside Austria goalkeeper Alexander Schlager's penalty area.

Danish referee Jakob Kehlet stopped play for several minutes as groundstaff at the Raiffeisen Arena rushed to cover the hole and ensure the pitch was safe, according to Reuters.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka retained her U.S. Open crown with a battling 6-3 7-6(3) win over American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova in the U.S. Open women's final on Saturday, underlining her claim as the modern queen of the hardcourt, Reuters reported.

The Belarusian has not missed a hardcourt major final since 2022. Her latest trophy brings her Grand Slam haul to four, as she became the first woman to win back-to-back U.S. Opens since Serena Williams claimed three straight from 2012 to 2014.

The clash between two of tennis's hardest-hitting, biggest-serving women boiled down to unforced errors as Sabalenka kept them to 15 compared to 29 from the racket of her opponent, according to Reuters.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka will brace herself for a partisan crowd in the U.S. Open final for a third year in a row on Saturday, as she stands across the net from American Amanda Anisimova in the final match of her title defence, Reuters reported.

Sabalenka recovered from a set down to get past American fourth seed Jessica Pegula in Thursday's semi-final, as she bids to become the first woman to win back-to-back U.S. Open titles since Serena Williams in 2013 and 2014.

She take the court on Saturday with fans squarely in her opponent's favour, after eighth seed Anisimova downed four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in another three-set thriller, according to Reuters.