Cody Bellinger’s infield single in the eighth inning scored the go-ahead run and lifted the Chicago Cubs to a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday in a key NL Central matchup.

The Cubs won the final two games of the series after dropping Monday’s opener to get back within three games of the Central-leading Brewers.

Chicago moved a season-high nine games over .500 and is three games behind Philadelphia, which owns the top wild card.

The Cubs sacrificed runners to second and third in the eighth, but Christopher Morel was thrown out at home on Ian Happ’s fielder’s choice for the second out.

Mike Tauchman moved to third and scored when Bellinger’s sharply hit ball up the middle glanced off the right ankle of reliever Joel Payamps and to third baseman Andruw Monasterio, whose throw to first was late.

Kyle Hendricks allowed only an unearned run and four hits over six innings while striking out six and walking two.

Adbert Alzolay hit Mark Canha with the bases loaded in the eighth to force in the tying run but worked a hitless ninth to earn the win.

 

Mariners close out red-hot August

J.P. Crawford delivered a two-run single in the seventh inning and the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics for their franchise-record 21st win in August.

Seattle rallied from 3-0 and 4-3 deficits to finish 21-6 in August, surpassing the previous franchise record of 20 victories in a month.

The Mariners have won 13 of 15 and will head into September tied with Houston for the AL West lead. The last time Seattle entered September with a share of first place was in 2001, the last time it won the division.

Teoscar Hernandez hit a three-run homer in the third inning to forge a 3-3 tie.

The Mariners pushed across two runs in the seventh against reliever Kirby Snead.

Dominic Canzone doubled before Mike Ford singled and Dylan Moore walked to load the bases. After a strikeout, Crawford dropped a soft liner into left field to make it 5-4.

 

Astros complete first sweep at Fenway

Framber Valdez took a shutout into the sixth inning and the Houston Astros won their fifth straight game, 7-4 over the Boston Red Sox.

Michael Brantley had two hits and two RBIs and Alex Bregman, Jeremy Pena and Martin Maldonado each added two hits and one RBI as Houston earned its first-ever sweep at Fenway Park.

The Astros are tied with Seattle atop the AL West as they seek their sixth division title in seven years. Houston has won two World Series since 2017, added another two AL pennants and twice lost in the AL Championship Series.

Boston lost for the fifth time in six games and dropped 6 ½ games behind the final wild-card spot.

Novak Djokovic is safely into the third round, but there were a couple of big shocks on day three of the US Open.

Seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was knocked out in five sets by Dominic Stricker, a qualifier ranked 128 in the world.

Then, in the night session, fifth seed and last year’s runner-up Casper Ruud fell foul of China’s world number 67 Zhang Zhizhen.

British qualifier Lily Miyakazi’s run came to and end in the second round.

Here, the PA news agency looks back at day three at Flushing Meadows.

Pic of the dayShock of the day

Chocolate-loving Dominic Stricker caused a major upset at the US Open by knocking out seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The chubby-cheeked 21-year-old qualifier from Switzerland, ranked 128 in the world, stunned two-time grand slam finalist Tsitsipas with a 7-5 6-7 (2) 6-7 (5) 7-6 (8) 6-3 victory to reach the third round.

The former French Open junior champion recently admitted his coach had told him to cut down on chocolate and cookies.

Yet it was Athens-born Tsitsipas who was left feeling sour after a four-hour slog on the Grandstand Court.

Brit watch

Miyazaki’s US Open adventure was ended in the second round by Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.

The 27-year-old came through three matches to qualify at Flushing Meadows for the first time and then picked up a maiden grand slam win against Margarita Betova in round one.

But the world number 198 found 15th seed Bencic, of Switzerland, too tough a nut to crack as she bowed out 6-3 6-3.

Miyazaki still leaves New York with the consolation prize of having virtually doubled her earnings for the year with a £98,000 pay day for winning her first-round match.

There were victories in the doubles for Jamie Murray, with Michael Venus, Joe Salisbury alongside partner Rajeev Ram, Lloyd Glasspool with Harri Heliovaara. and British pair Julian Cash and Henry Patten.

Quote of the dayFallen seeds:

Women: Petra Kvitova (11), Victoria Azarenka (18), Beatriz Haddad Maia (19), Magda Linette (24)
Men: Casper Ruud (5), Stefanos Tsitsipas (7), Francisco Cerundolo (20), Chris Eubanks (28).

Who’s up next?

Andy Murray kicks things off on Arthur Ashe against Bulgarian ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov. Fellow Brits Dan Evans, Cameron Norrie, Jack Draper and Katie Boulter are also in action along with Jodie Burrage, who faces the match of her life against second seed Aryna Sabalenka on Louis Armstrong.

Mauricio Pochettino praised the performances of the players given their full Chelsea debuts in the narrow Carabao Cup win over AFC Wimbledon, but would not be drawn on reports that the club are on the brink of signing Manchester City’s Cole Palmer.

It took a first Chelsea goal from Enzo Fernandez in the second half to finally see off the challenge of the League Two side and seal a 2-1 victory, after Noni Madueke had equalised from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time.

Earlier, James Tilley’s penalty had given Johnnie Jackson’s side a shock lead after goalkeeper Robert Sanchez raced from his goal and collided with Harry Pell.

The young trio of Mason Burstow, Ian Maatsen and Diego Moreira all started for the first time in an unfamiliar Chelsea line-up, but it took the introduction of Nicolas Jackson and Fernandez for the hosts to finally settle the tie, with a noticeable difference in the manner of their threat once the pair were brought on in the second half.

Jackson provided the kind of incisive running between the lines that had been missing in the first half, whilst it was a first goal in blue for World Cup-winner Fernandez that finally broke Wimbledon’s resolve 18 minutes from time.

Madueke, Chelsea’s best player in the first period before Pochettino turned to his bench, levelled from 12 yards after he had been tripped in the box by defender Alex Pearce.

Pochettino was asked afterwards about the impending arrival of Palmer, with Chelsea and City reportedly having agreed a £40million fee for the forward, but he refused to comment, preferring instead to praise his team’s progression to the third round.

“I don’t know anything at the moment,” he said. “I cannot talk about players that don’t belong to us. What I can say is nothing at the moment. The club didn’t tell me. I don’t want to talk about a player that has still not signed.

“Maybe yes, maybe no (there will be more transfer business). Maybe you know better than me what is going on.”

Of the performance against the Dons, he added: “It was tough. That’s the beauty of the competition, of the cups. I think for the circumstances we have in the squad at the moment, many players that were involved today, I’m happy with the performance. Many players that made their debut here and it’s tough first time.

“Many positive things. Of course, we have a squad and players that were rested and were on the bench in case we needed. They were fresh to go into the game and of course to help the team achieve what we wanted.

“That’s the beauty of the competition for any club, (when you’re) a Premier League club it’s always difficult to play a team like this, that belongs to this level in League Two. Always the motivation and the desire. It wasn’t a penalty for me, (but) that is the beauty of the competition, these things can happen.”

The manager added that Marc Cucurella, who played 90 minutes at left-back despite reports that the club are in negotiations over a sale to Manchester United, remains a part of his plans until the club informs him otherwise.

“I don’t know anything (about Cucurella). All the players that are involved every day on the training ground with us are in our plans. Then, things happen, it’s the decision of both the club and the player, and if something happens in the next few days, we will communicate to you.”

AFC Wimbledon boss Jackson reflected on a brave performance for his side and took pride in having forced Pochettino to turn to his expensively-assembled bench to seal the win.

“So proud of my players,” said Jackson. “We pushed them all the way, gave them a proper game. We’ve said all week that we weren’t just coming for a day out, we wanted to go toe-to-toe with them. A bit gutted we haven’t pushed them all the way to penalties, but I have to be proud of everyone.

“We knew they were on the bench and to be honest I think their manager was hoping he doesn’t have to use them, so I think it’s testament to my team that we got them to a position in the game where he’s had to make those changes, bringing two hundred million pound players (Fernandez and Moises Caicedo) onto the pitch.”

Sean Dyche praised debutant Beto after he came off the bench to inspire an Everton turnaround and prevent an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to League Two’s bottom side Doncaster.

After losing their first three Premier League matches without scoring, the Toffees were staring down the barrel of a humiliating defeat in South Yorkshire.

Doncaster dominated the first half and took a deserved lead through a flicked header by Joe Ironside, who avoided an offside call and sparked wild scenes at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Everton held on and belatedly showed their quality, with half-time substitute Beto levelling intelligently a day after signing, before Arnaut Danjuma wrapped up a 2-1 second-round win.

“Fair play to Doncaster, they took it on in the right way,” boss Dyche said after the Toffees earned a third-round trip to Aston Villa.

“They know that there’s no pressure on them – a free hit at us and all the noise and all the rest of it and they used it wisely.

“We weren’t at the races first half but I must say the goal is three yards offside. I would expect that to be given (offside) but it didn’t.

“It’s a big learning curve for some of the younger players because that’s what it’s like to play for Everton Football Club.

“A lot of expectation regardless, no-one cares about injuries and stretched squads. I say it because I mean it and it’s true, but no one really cares, so that’s a big part of their development.

“It can’t always be rosy, it’s tough and they’re young and they’re learning.

“Second half we put more experienced players on who played very well, I thought, and made a big difference to the performance.

“I don’t think it was as good a performance as the weekend (in the loss to Wolves) but you win a game and that was important.”

Everton return to South Yorkshire on Saturday lunchtime to face Sheffield United, where towering striker Beto will surely lead the line after his man-of-the-match display.

“He’s only got here yesterday, so it’s a lot to ask, really,” Dyche said of the big-money signing from Udinese.

“We only got his clearance this morning, so we’d already set the team up. I had it in my mind to put him on at half-time regardless.

“He’s adapted very quickly, done very well tonight. With all due respect, the Premier League is different, but he’s shown the rawness, the pace and the effect that he can have on a team.

“It gives us something different, which is what we brought him here for.”

Doncaster boss Grant McCann was aggrieved his side did not get a penalty for a Vitaliy Mykolenko handball but his overriding emotion was pride after Rovers pushed Everton close.

“I’m pleased, proud of the boys’ performance,” the League Two strugglers’ manager said. “The levels were good against a top-class team.

“I thought particularly first half we were excellent in terms of what we did.

“The second half was difficult with the changes they made, they seemed to get a lot, lot stronger.

“I think we can see over the last couple of games that we’re definitely improving and we’re only going to get stronger.”

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany felt his side paid a price for their 1-0 Carabao Cup win at Nottingham Forest after Hjalmar Ekdal sustained a serious-looking knee injury.

Substitute Zeki Amdouni volleyed home a last-minute winner to settle a largely forgettable tie and clinch Burnley a third-round clash at Salford.

But Vitinho, Aaron Ramsey and Ekdal were all forced off through injury, with the latter carried off on a stretcher following a second-half goalmouth scramble.

When asked about his players’ injuries, Kompany said: “One I think will be bad. It looked like it. I’ll take anything positive on that of course.

“In terms of Viti (Vitinho), we hope he’s not too bad. Certainly, it cost us a little bit this game.

“From what I’ve seen and watching the images, it looks knee for both (Vinho and Ekdal). There’s different degrees, it could just be a strain, but for Ekdal – we hope it’s not too bad. He was in a lot of pain.

“I really hope he’s not too bad, but there was a cost to this game for sure.”

Switzerland forward Amdouni, signed from Basel in July, was a 78th-minute replacement for Jay Rodriguez and fired home his first goal in English football in his third appearance for the Clarets.

“He’s got a real goal threat,” Kompany added. “I hope that’s one of many for him. That’s one exciting thing about our squad. I’m not saying in year one you’re going to be bursting the net every week.

“But in the future, potentially in our squad there’s a real goal threat. How long it will take I don’t know. Some guys are always dangerous on the pitch.”

Neither side created a scoring chance worthy of note before Amdouni’s late intervention and Forest boss Steve Cooper said his side “got what they deserved”.

He said: “We feel really short with our performance levels, both collectively and individually and certainly with the ball.

“I didn’t think we were going to concede a goal. The game had 0-0 written all over it. It wasn’t a great game obviously. Technically we were miles off it today.”

The introduction of Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White midway through the second half failed to spark Forest in to life.

Johnson has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham but Cooper insisted that was not why the Wales forward started on the bench.

“I know there’s a lot of speculation about him, but it’s not really affecting us at the moment and until we get told different we’ll deal with it and it’s business as usual,” he added.

Shericka Jackson doesn’t expect to run a very fast 200m at the Diamond League meeting on Thursday but has hinted that she could take a crack at the world record in the remaining races she has this season.

The 29-year-old Jamaican successfully defended the title she won last year in Oregon while breaking her own championship record of 21.45. In Budapest, Jackson dominated the field to win in 21.41, the second fastest time in history.

Only Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 21.34 set back in 1988 has been faster than Jackson’s time. At Wednesday’s press conference, Jackson revealed she was disappointed at not getting closer to the world record but understood that the conditions were not ideal.

During the 200m final, the trailing win was a negligible 0.1m/s so when the moderator Colin Jackson asked whether the world record would have been in jeopardy had she had the maximum allowable wind of 2.0m/s, Jackson replied, “I didn’t know the wind at the time but when I going around and I saw it I was like, why couldn’t I get a little (1m/s) or something, but it’s give and take. Unfortunately, I didn’t get it on that day but I have three more 200s this season, so definitely.”

However, for Thursday, Jackson, who admitted that she is a bit ‘under the weather’, sees the 200m race as an opportunity to make a few adjustments to her race. “Coach and I have been working on some small details in the 200m. I think for the remainder of the season it’s all 200s. I just finished the world championships. I had a good training session yesterday (Tuesday), hopefully I have a good one today too, so it’s just to have some fun tomorrow.

“I don’t think tomorrow will be super-fast but I just want to have some fun and execute as best as I can.”

In Zurich, Jackson will line up against Bahamian champion Anthonique Strachan, Great Britain's Daryll Neita, the USA's Jenna Prandini, Tamara Clark, Twanisha Terry and Brittany Brown.

 

 

The Cincinnati Bengals got Joe Burrow back on the practice field Wednesday for the first time since the star quarterback injured his right calf early in training camp.

Burrow had been sidelined since straining his calf on a scramble during a July 27 practice. The 2022 Pro Bowl selection took part in throwing drills Wednesday without the compression sleeve on his lower right leg that he had been wearing during his recovery period.

"It was really great to have him back out there," Bengals center Ted Karras told reporters afterward. "He's the leader of this team and I'm just really happy he's back."

Burrow's return bodes well for his chances of being ready for Cincinnati's season opener against the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns on Sept. 10.

The 2020 No. 1 overall pick had his rookie campaign cut short after 10 games by a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but has not missed a game due to injury over the last two seasons while leading the Bengals to the playoffs both years.

Burrow delivered a breakout 2021 season in which he threw for a franchise-record 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns and helped the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988. The 2019 Heisman Trophy winner set another team record with 35 touchdown passes in 2022 while compiling 4,475 passing yards and completing 68.3 per cent of his throws. 

"Joe has a supreme command of the operational aspect of our offence, (so) it is ratched up a little bit," Karras said of Wednesday's practice. "Not that we're not going hard with anyone else out there, but when [number] nine's back there you can feel the difference."

Cincinnati finished 12-4 last season to capture its second straight AFC North title before again reaching the conference title game, which the Bengals lost 23-20 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

Beto and Arnaut Danjuma saved Everton from an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to the Football League’s bottom side as Sean Dyche’s men came from behind to edge past dogged Doncaster.

Having lost their opening three Premier League games without so much as scoring, a tie against the side 92nd in the standings looked just what the doctor ordered for Sean Dyche’s men.

But Everton’s start to the season threatened to go from bad to worse as League Two’s bottom side took a deserved lead through Joe Ironside’s header.

Doncaster were dreaming of a famous win, but the Premier League visitors belatedly showed signs of life as striker Beto – on as a substitute early in the second half – scored a day after signing from Udinese, before Danjuma secured a late 2-1 victory.

It was a gut punch for Grant McCann’s side but a morale-boosting win for the Toffees, although Dyche will be alarmed by much of his side’s display in South Yorkshire, where they return to take on Sheffield United on Saturday lunchtime.

They looked jittery from the outset and Joseph Olowu wasted a great chance from a corner that followed panicked play at the back.

Doncaster continued to unsettle careless Everton, with Tommy Rowe lashing over from a corner before Zain Westbrooke thrashed a 25-yard drive just wide.

“Premier League, you’re having a laugh” rang around the ground as Everton toiled, taking 41 minutes to manage a shot of any kind at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Danjuma slammed that effort across the face of goal and three minutes later the visitors fell behind.

A short corner routine ended with the ball being played to the edge of the box, where Rowe swung over a cross for Ironside to flick a header past Jordan Pickford from six yards.

Offside appeals were legitimate but there is no VAR at this point of the Carabao Cup.

There would have been an immediate Everton response had goalkeeper Ian Lawlor not smartly stopped Amadou Onana, before Pickford prevented Rowe scoring a second in stoppage time.

But Doncaster remained a threat after the break, with George Broadbent seeing a shot saved before Vitaliy Mykolenko blocked a Mo Faal effort with his hand from a Rowe cutback.

Olowu nearly turned a Mykolenko cross past his own goalkeeper and off balance Beto’s left-footed shot off target summed up their night.

But that chance also lit a fire under the new boy and moments later he had his first goal in blue.

Abdoulaye Doucoure played a hopeful ball down the left channel and Beto beat Olowu to smartly direct it home in the 73rd minute.

“We scored a goal” sung the dancing Everton fans, whose team were now in the ascendancy as Beto saw a header hit a post before Danjuma’s curling effort kissed the crossbar.

Play was scrappy as Doncaster attempted to hold on, with James Garner seeing a close-range attempt blocked before Danjuma broke Doncaster hearts.

Cutting in from the left and collecting a return pass, he made just enough space to get away a right-footed snapshot from just inside the box and beat Lawlor.

Doncaster pushed for a leveller but they had run out of gas, while the offside flag denied Beto his second in stoppage time.

Rangers’ Champions League hopes were extinguished in Eindhoven as PSV ran out comprehensive 5-1 play-off winners to go through 7-3 on aggregate.

Michael Beale’s side, who drew 2-2 draw with the Dutch outfit at Ibrox last week, deservedly fell behind in the 35th minute of the return game in the Philips Stadion when Ismael Saibari headed in.

The Moroccan attacker added a second in the 53rd minute and while Gers skipper James Tavernier pulled a goal back in the 64th minute, PSV captain Luuk de Jong wasted little time in restoring the two-goal lead with a header similar to the one he scored in Glasgow.

Joey Veerman compounded Rangers’ misery when he fired in number four before hapless Gers defender Connor Goldson scored an own goal to confirm the Light Blues will drop down to the Europa League.

It was a dismal performance from Rangers who carried almost no threat until it was too late.

From the first leg, Beale drafted in midfielder John Lundstram and winger Rabbi Matondo, with Abdallah Sima and Ryan Jack dropping out.

The home side soon warmed to the task and De Jong headed a corner over the bar before Gers keeper Jack Butland beat away a Veerman drive.

In the 19th minute, home winger Johan Bakayoko floated a cross to the back post and De Jong headed wide as PSV gradually increased the pressure.

Only a fine reaction save from Butland denied Saibari from close range and there was a VAR check seconds later when Ibrahim Sangare went down in the box under a challenge from Borna Barisic.

Rangers survived but only for a few moments, until Veerman got behind Tavernier and crossed from the byline for Saibari to head past Butland from six yards.

The goal seemed to drain Rangers of real belief and they almost came unstuck again just before the break when Bakayoko’s angled drive escaped the far post.

The start to the second half was no more encouraging for the visitors.

Barisic picked up an injury just after the break and was replaced by Dujon Sterling before the Light Blues fell further behind.

Jordan Teze’s cross to the back post evaded Tavernier and De Jong knocked the ball back for Saibari to ease into the net from close range.

Saibari went looking for his hat-trick and was denied by a Butland save.

Sam Lammers and Danilo came on for Cyriel Dessers and Nicolas Raskin and there was an quick pay-off.

Lammers took a Cantwell pass and knocked it across goal for Tavernier to steer in from a couple of yards out to give the visitors an unlikely lifeline, taken away less than two minutes later when De Jong headed in a free-kick from Veerman.

A Bakayoko drive was pushed away by Butland while at the other end Matondo hit the outside of the post with a drive.

In the 78th minute Veerman fired a pass from Teze low past Butland for number four before Goldson took a pass from his keeper and knocked the ball into his own net to complete a miserable night for the Govan side, who somehow have to regroup for the Old Firm visit of Celtic on Sunday.

Chelsea had to rely on reinforcements from the bench to survive a scare as a Mauricio Pochettino’s young selection recovered from a goal down to beat League Two AFC Wimbledon 2-1 in the Carabao Cup second round.

It took a first Chelsea goal from substitute Enzo Fernandez to break the visitors’ stubborn resolve at Stamford Bridge, after they had stunned home fans to take the lead through midfielder James Tilley’s 19th-minute penalty.

Noni Madueke equalised from the spot in first-half added time, as an unfamiliar starting XI made heavy weather of seeing off Johnnie Jackson’s team.

Pochettino brought in three players for their full first-team debuts – Mason Burstow, Ian Maatsen and Diego Moreira – but it took the introduction of a more recognised trio in the second half for them to see off the Dons, who were a stubborn defensive match for their Premier League opponents.

Nicolas Jackson, fresh from his first goal for the club against Luton, was introduced and provided a spark that had been absent, with Malo Gusto and Fernandez helping lend Chelsea the required bite.

The World Cup-winner struck the winner 18 minutes from the end after an unfortunate error from goalkeeper Alex Bass, as Wimbledon went down fighting.

The visitors had been awarded a penalty in the 16th minute when Robert Sanchez flew from his goal in an attempt to deal with Morgan Williams’ deep free-kick, instead crashing his fist into the face of Harry Pell. From the spot, Tilley thumped his kick down the centre as Sanchez dived to his right.

Chelsea almost hit back within minutes when Marc Cucurella, in the side despite reported negotiations over a move to Manchester United, carried the ball to the byline and pulled it back for Maatsen who turned cleverly and struck a low left-footed effort. Bass was relieved to see the ball skid inches past his near post off defender Joe Lewis.

On the half-hour mark, Cucurella again was the provider from the left, this time whipping in a cross which Burstow headed narrowly wide.

Madueke, making his first start under Pochettino, looked Chelsea’s best hope of a first-half response, his penetrating runs and movement off the ball as great a threat to Wimbledon’s lead as the home side could muster. But with the visitors camped largely in their own half, there was little room in which to manoeuvre.

Then on the stroke of half-time came a way back. Madueke, on another darting run, won a penalty as Alex Pearce went to ground with a clumsy challenge. The 21-year-old stepped up and capped a fine individual first period by clipping it coolly past Bass for 1-1.

It was the hosts’ only shot on target of the opening 45 minutes despite enjoying 85% of possession but the arrival at half-time of Jackson ignited something in attack.

His clever footwork and vision found Conor Gallagher and Chelsea’s captain for the night finally warmed the hands of Bass with a right-footed shot that was well saved in the 54th minute.

Fernandez was summoned from the bench and almost made an instant impact, striking at goal from 30 yards and drawing a superb two-handed save from Bass at full stretch. He would not have to wait much longer for his first Chelsea goal.

In the 72nd minute a long ball up from the back was hit by the onrushing goalkeeper straight into Jackson, the ball deflecting into Fernandez’s path to give the Argentinian the simple task of bending it into an empty goal with Bass stranded.

The goalkeeper went a long way towards making amends with a flurry of fine saves to keep the score down.

It was a brave showing from him and his team and might it might have earned them a penalty shoot-out had substitute Ali Al-Hamadi’s last-gasp effort not deflected wide off Axel Disasi.

However, Chelsea’s strength in reserve ultimately eased the Blues into the third round.

Chelsea had to rely on reinforcements from the bench to survive a scare as a Mauricio Pochettino’s young selection recovered from a goal down to beat League Two AFC Wimbledon 2-1 in the Carabao Cup second round.

It took a first Chelsea goal from substitute Enzo Fernandez to break the visitors’ stubborn resolve at Stamford Bridge, after they had stunned home fans to take the lead through midfielder James Tilley’s 19th-minute penalty.

Noni Madueke equalised from the spot in first-half added time, as an unfamiliar starting XI made heavy weather of seeing off Johnnie Jackson’s team.

Pochettino brought in three players for their full first-team debuts – Mason Burstow, Ian Maatsen and Diego Moreira – but it took the introduction of a more recognised trio in the second half for them to see off the Dons, who were a stubborn defensive match for their Premier League opponents.

Nicolas Jackson, fresh from his first goal for the club against Luton, was introduced and provided a spark that had been absent, with Malo Gusto and Fernandez helping lend Chelsea the required bite.

The World Cup-winner struck the winner 18 minutes from the end after an unfortunate error from goalkeeper Alex Bass, as Wimbledon went down fighting.

The visitors had been awarded a penalty in the 16th minute when Robert Sanchez flew from his goal in an attempt to deal with Morgan Williams’ deep free-kick, instead crashing his fist into the face of Harry Pell. From the spot, Tilley thumped his kick down the centre as Sanchez dived to his right.

Chelsea almost hit back within minutes when Marc Cucurella, in the side despite reported negotiations over a move to Manchester United, carried the ball to the byline and pulled it back for Maatsen who turned cleverly and struck a low left-footed effort. Bass was relieved to see the ball skid inches past his near post off defender Joe Lewis.

On the half-hour mark, Cucurella again was the provider from the left, this time whipping in a cross which Burstow headed narrowly wide.

Madueke, making his first start under Pochettino, looked Chelsea’s best hope of a first-half response, his penetrating runs and movement off the ball as great a threat to Wimbledon’s lead as the home side could muster. But with the visitors camped largely in their own half, there was little room in which to manoeuvre.

Then on the stroke of half-time came a way back. Madueke, on another darting run, won a penalty as Alex Pearce went to ground with a clumsy challenge. The 21-year-old stepped up and capped a fine individual first period by clipping it coolly past Bass for 1-1.

It was the hosts’ only shot on target of the opening 45 minutes despite enjoying 85% of possession but the arrival at half-time of Jackson ignited something in attack.

His clever footwork and vision found Conor Gallagher and Chelsea’s captain for the night finally warmed the hands of Bass with a right-footed shot that was well saved in the 54th minute.

Fernandez was summoned from the bench and almost made an instant impact, striking at goal from 30 yards and drawing a superb two-handed save from Bass at full stretch. He would not have to wait much longer for his first Chelsea goal.

In the 72nd minute a long ball up from the back was hit by the onrushing goalkeeper straight into Jackson, the ball deflecting into Fernandez’s path to give the Argentinian the simple task of bending it into an empty goal with Bass stranded.

The goalkeeper went a long way towards making amends with a flurry of fine saves to keep the score down.

It was a brave showing from him and his team and might it might have earned them a penalty shoot-out had substitute Ali Al-Hamadi’s last-gasp effort not deflected wide off Axel Disasi.

However, Chelsea’s strength in reserve ultimately eased the Blues into the third round.

Zeki Amdouni’s last-minute goal clinched Burnley a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest and sent his side into the third round of the Carabao Cup.

The Switzerland forward, signed from Basel in July, stepped off the bench late in the second half and volleyed home from six yards to settle a largely forgettable tie between two Premier League rivals in the Clarets’ favour.

There was a minute’s applause before kick off for police officer Sergeant Graham Saville, the uncle of Forest defender Joe Worrall, who has died after being hit by a train last Thursday while trying to save a distressed man on railway tracks.

Worrall was suspended following his dismissal in Saturday’s 3-2 Premier League defeat at Manchester United, while Forest boss Steve Cooper made seven changes.

Argentina’s World Cup-winner Gonzalo Montiel, on loan from Sevilla, and Brazilian teenager Andrey Santos made their full debuts and Anthony Elanga made his first start for the club.

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany made 10 changes from Sunday’s 3-1 home league defeat to Aston Villa, with Aaron Ramsey and Jacob Bruun Larsen making their first starts.

Neither side created a chance worthy of note until the 36th minute when Forest midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate blazed over after Chris Wood had intercepted a wayward back-pass.

Burnley, who had already lost Brazilian Vitinho to injury in a tepid first half, were forced to replace Ramsey and Hjalmar Ekdal early in the second.

Sweden defender Ekdal went down during a goalmouth scramble and needed lengthy treatment before being stretchered off the pitch and replaced by Josh Cullen.

Both Forest and Burnley tried to inject some urgency into their play, but Nathan Redmond’s shot veered off to the corner flag and Willy Bolly produced an air-shot with his shooting chance.

Forest skipper Ryan Yates lifted the home crowd when he headed Elanga’s cross inches wide.

But Amdouni, a 78th-minute replacement for Jay Rodriguez, volleyed home unmarked from Josh Brownhill’s headed flick-on to seal victory for the visitors.

Fellow substitute Wilson Odobert had a  golden chance to put the tie to bed moments later when he raced through on goal and although goalkeeper Matt Turner blocked his effort, Forest could not muster an equaliser.

Lukas Jensen was the hero for League One Lincoln as they continued Sheffield United’s miserable start to the season with a 3-2 Carabao Cup penalty shootout victory at Bramall Lane.

After a drab 90 minutes ended goalless, the Imps goalkeeper saved spot-kicks from Louis Marsh and Benie Traore to send his side through.

This was not the performance or result that the Blades will have been looking for having lost their opening three Premier League games of the season and boss Paul Heckingbottom will have been presented with more questions than answers.

Mark Kennedy’s side will now dream of drawing one of the big boys in the next round after a deserved win.

It was no surprise that United did not fire as they fell in line with the majority of Premier League clubs by making wholesale changes to their side for the visit of the Imps.

And that had an inevitable effect on the game as the Blades were unable to play with any fluency and Lincoln more than held their own.

Reeco Hackett had a curling shot saved by Adam Davies, while the visitors also wasted several good moments on the counter-attack.

The Blades had to wait until the 51st minute to have a shot on target as Ollie Norwood sent debutant Cameron Archer through on goal, but the striker’s aim was off and he shot straight at Jensen.

Lincoln finally cut the Blades open on a transition after Daniel Mandroui’s incisive pass was perfect for Teddy Bishop, but he could only stab wide from close range.

Sheffield United looked the likeliest to force a late goal which would avoid the shootout lottery, but John Egan flashed a header wide and Auston Trusty could only plant his free header straight at Jensen.

That meant it would be decided from the spot and after Jensen had kept out poor Marsh and Traore efforts, the job was done when Egan skied the final penalty of the night.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has described the behaviour of Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales as “inappropriate” – but called for FIFA’s investigation to be allowed to run its course.

Rubiales has refused to quit for kissing Spain player Jenni Hermoso after their World Cup final win over England on August 20.

All of Spain’s 23 World Cup winners, plus another 58 players, have said they will not represent their country until Rubiales has left his post.

Rubiales, 46, was provisionally suspended by world governing body FIFA on Saturday for an initial period of 90 days pending an investigation into his conduct in Sydney after Spain’s victory.

The president grabbed his crotch in the stadium’s VIP area in celebration, when he was stood metres away from Spain’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter.

Ceferin, head of Europe’s governing body, feels the full disciplinary process must be allowed to be completed without added distraction, but admits change must follow.

“I am a lawyer and one of the vice-presidents of FIFA. His case is in the hands of the disciplinary body of the international federation. Any comments I might make would feel like pressure,” Ceferin told French media outlet L’Equipe in his first public comments since the incident.

“I just have to say that I am sad that such an event overshadows the victory of the Spanish national team.

“We should change things. I had a meeting today with Laura McAllister (vice-president of UEFA) to find ways to change the way we behave. We must do more.”

Ceferin added: “Of course, what he did was inappropriate. We all know it. I hope he knows that was inappropriate.

“This is enough for the moment because the disciplinary committee will decide.”

In his current role with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Rubiales is also a vice-president of UEFA.

Ceferin said: “He is suspended from all his functions, everywhere. There is no need to suspend it twice.”

Rubiales and the RFEF have also been ordered not to contact Hermoso either directly or through intermediaries.

Hermoso has accused the RFEF of a “manipulative, hostile and controlling culture” and said Rubiales’ kiss was “an impulse-driven, sexist, out-of-place act without any consent on my part”.

The Spanish Football Federation is also reportedly considering whether it has grounds to sack World Cup-winning head coach Jorge Vilda, who is still in the post after most of his coaching staff resigned in protest against Rubiales.

The president was applauded by Vilda after repeatedly insisting that he would not quit at the RFEF’s extraordinary general meeting last Friday. The federation is said to be exploring options over whether they can sack the head coach.

The RFEF regional heads have also called for Rubiales’ resignation, while members of the Spanish government have added their voices to those demanding he step aside.

On Monday, Rubiales’ mother Angeles Bejar announced she was going on hunger strike over the “inhuman” treatment of her son and locked herself in a church in Motril.

According to Spanish media outlet Marca, the priest of the Divina Pastora parish confirmed Rubiales had convinced his mother to leave the church and seek medical treatment at hospital, with her feet swollen and also suffering from fatigue.

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