Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has hit out at the “damaging” new guidelines on added time and conduct for this season’s Premier League and asked why players’ opinions are not being heard.

Competitions around the world have been instructed to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages this season, including goal celebrations and VAR checks.

Arsenal equalised in the 11th of 13 added minutes at the end of Sunday’s Community Shield against Manchester City and went on to win on penalties.

The game’s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board, said in March that the approach to calculating added time was “positively received” when it was first tested at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year and would be rolled out worldwide.

However, Varane says the changes have been brought in “despite our previous feedback” and are placing too much pressure on players.

He tweeted on Monday morning: “We had a meeting last week with the FA. They recommended from the referees new decisions and rules.

“From the managers and players, we have shared our concerns for many years now that there are too many games, the schedule is overcrowded, and it’s at a dangerous level for players’ physical and mental well-being.

“Despite our previous feedbacks, they have now recommended for next season: longer games, more intensity, and less emotions to be shown by players. We just want to be in good condition on the pitch to give 100 per cent to our club and fans. Why are our opinions not being heard?”

Varane retired from international football at the age of 29 earlier this year, likening the slog of the top-level game to being in a washing machine.

The new guidelines on added time have been introduced to tackle timewasting and increase effective playing time.

FIFA found 10 minutes and 11 seconds of added time were played on average in Qatar, an increase on the average for the previous World Cup finals in Russia, but also found effective playing time was up in Qatar by more than four minutes compared to Russia.

However, the impact of the extra added time on players over a sustained period has already been highlighted by their global union FIFPRO, which reported earlier this year that the changes would amount to the equivalent of up to three extra games per season for players with the highest existing workloads.

A spokesperson for the English players’ union, the Professional Footballers’ Association, said: “Maheta (Molango, PFA CEO) has personally met and been speaking with a significant number of senior players and managers in the past few weeks, including Raphael (Varane), and there are concerns about how the new additional time rules will play out over a long season of league and cup games, as opposed to short tournaments.

“Across what is now essentially a year-long football season, players are already thinking of these additional minutes in terms of extra games being played. It also comes at a time when players are pushing back against what is, increasingly, a completely unsustainable football calendar.”

Varane added: “As a player I feel very privileged to do the job I love every day but I feel these changes are damaging our game.

“We want to be at our maximum level, the best we can be and put on amazing performances for fans to celebrate every week.

“I believe it is important that we, players and managers, highlight these important issues as we want to protect the game we love and give the fans our best.”

Varane’s remark about “less emotions to be shown by players” appeared to be a reference to a new code of conduct designed to improve the behaviour of players, coaches and fans at all levels of the English game announced last week.

It has been launched with the support of all of the football authorities, with the PFA understood to have helped shape the new guidance.

Referees will be expected to take a more consistent and tough line when players surround them to challenge decisions. Officials should issue at least a yellow card where two or more players confront them.

Players and coaches who seriously or repeatedly abuse referees could face increased financial penalties from the Football Association, while a tougher line is set to be taken against fans involved in football tragedy abuse.

England have reached the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals by beating Nigeria 4-2 on penalties.

England had Lauren James sent off late on as their World Cup last-16 clash with Nigeria ended 0-0 after normal time.

The 21-year-old forward, star of the Lionesses’ group stage matches with three goals and three assists, was dismissed in the 87th minute in Brisbane after standing on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie.

James was initially shown a yellow card before VAR intervened, referee Melissa Borjas watched the incident back pitchside and it was changed to a red, leaving England with 10 players for extra time.

James and her fellow attackers had been effectively stifled by the Nigerian defence, while limited England chances included Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly being denied by Chiamaka Nnadozie, and the European champions also had a first-half penalty award for a challenge on Daly overturned via VAR.

Meanwhile, Nigeria had gone closer to breaking the deadlock, twice hitting the bar, through Ashleigh Plumptre in the first half and Uchenna Kanu in the second.

Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has hit out at the “damaging” new guidelines on added time and conduct for this season’s Premier League and asked why players’ opinions are not being heard.

Competitions around the world have been instructed to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages this season, including goal celebrations and VAR checks.

Arsenal equalised in the 11th of 13 added minutes at the end of Sunday’s Community Shield against Manchester City and went on to win on penalties.

The game’s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board, said in March that the approach to calculating added time was “positively received” when it was first tested at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year and would be rolled out worldwide.

However, Varane says the changes have been brought in “despite our previous feedback” and are placing too much pressure on players.

He tweeted on Monday morning: “We had a meeting last week with the FA. They recommended from the referees new decisions and rules.

“From the managers and players, we have shared our concerns for many years now that there are too many games, the schedule is overcrowded, and it’s at a dangerous level for players’ physical and mental well-being.

“Despite our previous feedbacks, they have now recommended for next season: longer games, more intensity, and less emotions to be shown by players. We just want to be in good condition on the pitch to give 100 per cent to our club and fans. Why are our opinions not being heard?”

Varane retired from international football at the age of 29 earlier this year, likening the slog of the top-level game to being in a washing machine.

The new guidelines on added time have been introduced to tackle timewasting and increase effective playing time.

FIFA found 10 minutes and 11 seconds of added time were played on average in Qatar, an increase on the average for the previous World Cup finals in Russia, but also found effective playing time was up in Qatar by more than four minutes compared to Russia.

However, the impact of the extra added time on players over a sustained period has already been highlighted by their global union FIFPRO, which reported earlier this year that the changes would amount to the equivalent of up to three extra games per season for players with the highest existing workloads.

“As a player I feel very privileged to do the job I love every day but I feel these changes are damaging our game,” Varane added.

“We want to be at our maximum level, the best we can be and put on amazing performances for fans to celebrate every week.

“I believe it is important that we, players and managers, highlight these important issues as we want to protect the game we love and give the fans our best.”

Varane’s remark about “less emotions to be shown by players” appeared to be a reference to a new code of conduct designed to improve the behaviour of players, coaches and fans at all levels of the English game announced last week.

It has been launched with the support of all of the football authorities, with the Professional Footballers’ Association understood to have helped shape the new guidance.

Referees will be expected to take a more consistent and tough line when players surround them to challenge decisions. Officials should issue at least a yellow card where two or more players confront them.

Players and coaches who seriously or repeatedly abuse referees could face increased financial penalties from the Football Association, while a tougher line is set to be taken against fans involved in football tragedy abuse.

Mohamed Salah’s agent has dismissed speculation linking the Liverpool forward with a move to Saudi Arabia as the 31-year-old “remains committed” to the club.

A report in the Middle East claimed talks were taking place between the Egypt international’s representatives and Al-Ittihad over a deal said to be worth over £155million over two years to the player.

Salah’s former team-mate Fabinho has already made the move to Al-Ittihad this summer in a £40m transfer.

In that context the £60m fee being touted for Salah – who has scored 139 goals in 231 Premier League appearances – appeared to under-value a player who is only 12 months into a three-year deal which is the most lucrative contract in Liverpool’s history.

And Salah’s representative insists the former Chelsea and Roma forward has no intention of leaving Anfield in any case.

“If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC,” Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas posted on Twitter.

Mikel Arteta hailed “superb” Kai Havertz after his performance in Arsenal’s Community Shield penalty shoot-out win over Manchester City.

Having joined from London rivals Chelsea in the summer, Havertz was deployed as Arsenal’s central striker as a last-gasp Leandro Trossard equaliser took the game to penalties.

Cole Palmer had put City ahead before Trossard’s effort took a huge deflection off Manuel Akanji, the 1-1 draw meaning a shoot-out was required at Wembley – Arsenal going on to lift the Shield after a 4-1 success.

Havertz has primarily been recruited to play in an advanced midfield role for the Gunners but, with Gabriel Jesus injured, the Germany forward reverted to a central role.

He was a thorn in the side of the City defence for much of the afternoon and had two good chances to break the deadlock in the first-half, with Arteta enthused by Havertz’s display.

“He was superb,” the Arsenal boss said after the win.

“The way he pressed and how intelligent he is to try and understand certain spaces and the timing of it, he was great and got in great positions to score.

“He was unlucky not to score but he was very physical when he needed to be, so I was very pleased with him.”

Havertz was off the pitch by the time the shoot-out took place as all four Arsenal penalty takers were successful, while Kevin De Buyne hit the crossbar and Rodri’s poor effort was saved by Aaron Ramsdale.

“It feels great,” said Fabio Vieira, who scored the winning spot-kick.

“It’s my first trophy for this club, and I’m very happy to win this trophy. It’s time to rest and enjoy it.

“We are a team that will always believe it’s possible to score until the final (minute), and we believe altogether that we would score. Then in the penalties, we were better.

“It was a very good moment for me in front of our fans. We have a new season ahead, it will be very difficult and we need to be together with the fans and the players, and then we go for it.

“It’s amazing. It’s my first time playing at Wembley, it’s an amazing stadium and as I said I’m very happy, and the win is the most important thing. I’m here to help the team.

“We have a long season ahead, and I need to focus and help the team. That’s what I have to do.”

What the papers say

The Daily Mirror reports Kevin de Bruyne is high on the list of targets Saudi Arabian clubs intend to pursue next year. The paper says Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal’s whopping £259million bid for Kylian Mbappe was a wake-up call for the Premier League, with some sides already resigned to losing some of their best players. De Bruyne’s former Manchester City team-mate Riyad Mahrez joined Al-Ahli this summer, joining a growing list of high-profile players making the switch.

Speaking of Kylian Mbappe, the Mirror also reports the 24-year-old would be prepared to spend a season in the Premier League on loan before securing his dream move to Real Madrid. The Paris St Germain and France forward’s representatives are believed to have held discreet discussions with a selection of Premier League club intermediaries – with Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool rumoured to be interested in his signature.

Kasper Schmeichel is in line for a shock return to the Premier League. According to the Leicester Mercury, citing Eurosport Denmark, the 36-year-old is in discussions with Nottingham Forest over a move from French club Nice.

And The Telegraph reports Chelsea are gearing up to make an improved bid for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Mohamed Salah: Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad are set to offer £51.8m for the Liverpool forward, reports Arabic publication Al Riyadiah.

Tosin Adarabioyo: The Sun says the Fulham defender has rejected a proposed Tottenham move in favour of a potential transfer to Monaco.

England boss Sarina Wiegman is confident the Lionesses are capable of getting creative should Nigeria target breakout talent Lauren James in their last-16 clash in Brisbane.

Chelsea forward James was awarded player-of-the-match against China in England’s final group stage contest after contributing two goals and three assists in the 6-1 victory.

Having shown the world just how dangerous she could be, it would not be a surprise if Nigeria head coach Randy Waldrum spent plenty of time planning a corresponding response to mitigate the potent threat posed by the 21-year-old.

Asked if she was prepared for that to happen, England boss Sarina Wiegman grinned and said: “Well, first of all we didn’t make the starting line-up yet.

“But I think some countries mark us and want to take out players. Not only one, but more players. So that’s good when you have so many good players on the pitch that they have to be aware of all those players.

“And we know when players are marked that you find other ways to build or create and hopefully create chances to score goals.

“So we are aware of that and we will be prepared for that.”

Wiegman could be bolstered by the return of midfielder Keira Walsh, who was carried off on a stretcher late in the first half of England’s 1-0 victory over Denmark in their second group stage game.

The knee injury sustained by the 2023 Champions League winner with Barcelona was not as serious as some suspected, and while Wiegman would not disclose Walsh’s specific diagnosis, the FA previously revealed it was not an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and on Sunday the England boss also confirmed it was not a ligament issue.

Walsh also stepped up her recovery on Sunday, joining the other 22 members of the England squad on the Central Coast Stadium pitch before the Lionesses flew to Brisbane ahead of their first match of the knockout stage.

On the eve of the Nigeria clash, Wiegman said: “She is doing well. She started her rehab straight after we knew what was going on.

“She has been on the pitch, she has been training today. Now we will wait until (we see) how she recovers from that training session and if she does well then she is available tomorrow.”

The 2023 World Cup saw the tournament expand to 32 teams for the first time, with some initially worried that the gap between the top and lower-ranked nations would be detrimental.

Yet the reality has so far been the opposite, with four of FIFA’s top 10 sides already eliminated including double-defending champions USA, who crashed out after losing a dramatic penalty shootout to Sweden.

Number two side and Euro 2022 finalists Germany, number seven Olympic champions Canada, and Copa America winners Brazil, ranked eighth, have all been eliminated.

Those giant-slayings – Canada’s at the hands of 40th-ranked Nigeria – also marked the last likely World Cup appearances for icons and pioneers in Brazil’s Marta, Canada’s Christine Sinclair and the USA’s Megan Rapinoe, who missed a penalty against Sweden and announced pre-tournament that she would be retiring at the end of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season.

Wiegman added: “It is very, very competitive. The development of the game all over the world has gone really quickly, at a very good level.

“But I’m mainly focused on my team and on the next match with my team, so I’m  not into every game. I don’t have the full context, but that’s the main thing I have noticed.”

Erik ten Hag praised Manchester United’s character after they fought back from conceding a “stupid” goal to end their pre-season campaign with a draw against Athletic Bilbao.

Facundo Pellestri’s stoppage-time equaliser, which was set up by Harry Maguire, secured a 1-1 draw with 10-man Bilbao at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

However for the second time in 48 hours, they had to come from behind after Maguire’s error had gifted the LaLiga outfit a first-half lead.

Ten Hag told the club’s official website: “In one weekend, two times we are losing, but you see this team have character and that’s what you need in a season as well.

“Sometimes you are down and then you have to show resilience and especially in such moments, you need determination. We have shown that this weekend, it was a good weekend for us.

“Yesterday I thought it was a very good level, today I have seen also very good spells.

“I think the start of the game was also very good and we should have scored a goal to go up, because it was a great chance from Jadon Sancho.

“We had some good moments after that as well and it was stupid how we went down, but as I said, we had a result and we came back so it was a good weekend for us.”

Maguire, who was replaced as United captain by Bruno Fernandes during a summer of speculation over his future, was included as one of 11 changes to the side which beat Lens 3-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday, but there was no place for injured £72million signing Rasmus Hojlund, a day after he had been presented to the club’s fans.

Ten Hag’s men might have got off to the perfect start when Pellistri played Sancho in behind the Athletic defence with just four minutes gone, but his attempt was blocked by goalkeeper Unai Simon.

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton was called upon to claim Inaki Williams’ 15th-minute strike as the Spaniards responded and they though they had been awarded a 25th-minute penalty, seconds after United had seen their appeals waved away at the other end.

Referee Neil Doyle initially pointed to the spot after Nico Williams had been brought down by Alvaro Fernandez, only for the official to change his mind and award a free-kick, with which Heaton dealt comfortably.

However, the LaLiga side took the lead with 29 minutes gone when Oihan Sancet capitalised on Maguire’s slip-up to feed Nico Williams, who fired past the advancing goalkeeper.

Eighteen-year-old Dan Gore tested Simon as the second half got under way with neither side taking a backward step.

But Bilbao’s hopes of retaining their advantage were dealt a blow with 24 minutes remaining when last man Aitor Paredes was given a straight red card for hauling back Hannibal Mejbri after conceding possession to the Tunisia midfielder.

Hannibal passed up a glorious opportunity to level when he volleyed the ball over from Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross, but redemption arrived deep into stoppage time when Maguire headed down another Wan-Bissaka delivery for Pellistri to steer home the equaliser.

Ten Hag said: “We don’t give up. We fight until the end. Finally, we got the equaliser and I thought it was justified.

“We wanted a good result, to finish the pre-season well.”

Kylian Mbappe will be barred from training with Paris St Germain’s main first-team group as his contract dispute with the club continues, the PA news agency understands.

PSG return to their training base on Monday following their pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea, but Mbappe will be part of the so-called ‘loft’ training group rather than the first team as his stand-off with the club drags on.

PSG sources remain convinced the player, who is out of contract next summer, has already agreed a free transfer deal with Real Madrid.

Mbappe’s management are understood to have refused to engage with an offer from the club to sign a new contract containing a guaranteed sale clause, which would allow him to join another club for a fee next summer.

From PSG’s perspective, there is no reason why he would turn down the offer, because it gives him the opportunity to leave when he wants and join the club he wants.

PSG had given Al Hilal permission to speak to the player after they tabled a world record bid of £259million last month, but Mbappe reportedly refused to even meet with delegates from the Saudi club who had flown to Paris.

Chelsea and Barcelona are understood to be two of the clubs trying to work out a player-plus-cash deal for Mbappe, who was part of France’s World Cup-winning squad in 2018 and also one of the stars of the last tournament in Qatar.

PSG kick off their 2023/24 Ligue 1 campaign at home to Lorient on Saturday.

Kieran McKenna feels his Ipswich side have set the tone for their Sky Bet Championship season with their performance in their 2-1 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Having won promotion from League One last term, Ipswich returned to the second tier in style as goals from Nathan Broadhead and George Hirst secured victory on Wearside.

Despite being reduced to 10 men when Trai Hume was sent off for two yellow cards, Sunderland rallied in the closing stages and halved their deficit courtesy of an 86th-minute goal from Dan Neil.

Neil also hit a post in 13 minutes of stoppage time, but Ipswich dug deep to see things through, with their resilience and spirit pleasing their head coach.

McKenna said: “The application of the players was excellent. We spoke before the game and said it would be very important in terms of setting the tone for what we want to do and how we’re going to be. I thought we set a very good tone for how hard we’re going to work.

“It was a really high level and a big challenge, against a very strong opponent, at home, with a full house and good momentum.

“It took every ounce of effort from the whole squad that we had to be competitive and make sure we were able to get the result.”

Ipswich regularly put opposition sides to the sword last season, but McKenna accepts they will have to be a little more circumspect at a higher level.

However, while he acknowledges there will be times when his players have to dig in with their backs to the wall, he also wants them to continue to express themselves, as they did against the Black Cats.

He said: “We know we’re going to have to defend more in this division. We want to press more aggressively than we managed to do in the first half.

“I think the level of the game and the opponent was certainly a step up and I think the players felt that in the first 20 minutes. We weren’t able to break their press as well as we wanted, so we needed to be a bit more aggressive.

“We know we’re going to have to defend at times, but we also know we’re going to have to show bits of what we did today in terms of being brave in our build-up and being patient in possession to try to get through the pitch.

“As the game wore on, I thought we started finding our men and breaking the lines much better.”

Tony Mowbray was left to reflect on what might have been, with his side only really stirring once they had been reduced to 10 men.

With Ross Stewart still injured, Hemir, a 19-year-old summer signing from Benfica’s reserve ranks, led the line, with Sunderland’s recruitment team hoping to bring in at least one more forward before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Mowbray said: “You have to put the ball in the net when the chances come and I don’t want to keep banging the drum, but we need more options and the club are trying really hard to do that.

“We are putting bids in. To find strikers worldwide is really difficult as huge clubs in the Premier League are finding.

“Hopefully there will be some more attacking options in the squad in the next week or two, then they’ll have to settle in.

“I think we’ll get stronger. In six or seven weeks, hopefully we have Ross Stewart down the middle, Bradley Dack might be playing off him. There’s enough there to say we’ll be fine.”

Mikel Arteta was the first victim and the first beneficiary of the new law changes after Arsenal won the Community Shield 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw against Manchester City.

Gunners boss Arteta was booked in the first half by referee Stuart Attwell for protesting a decision, part of the new clampdown on the touchline behaviour of managers.

But the fiery Spaniard was celebrating after the new law on timewasting and keeping the ball in play – meaning extended periods of stoppage time – allowed his side to equalise with 101 minutes on the clock.

“It is really good to do that,” he said. “It was going too far and now teams are going to have to think twice. We have to prepare to play 100 minutes. It is going to happen every single week.”

On his yellow card, Arteta added: “I cannot change my behaviour in three days and I can’t say tomorrow that we play with no offsides and what is the linesman doing? I try my best.”

Pep Guardiola felt the amount of stoppage time was excessive even before the initial eight minutes stretched to 13 after a clash of heads between Kyle Walker and Thomas Partey.

City’s treble-winning boss now also expects matches to regularly extend to 100 minutes and even longer.

“We have to get used to it,” he said. “I had the feeling, not because we were winning 1-0, but that not much happened to extend it for eight minutes.

“It’s a good question for the international board and people because they don’t consult with managers and players and we have to accept it with this amount of games.

“Now the games will be 100 minutes. Nothing happened today and there was eight minutes. They extend for goals. If the score is 4-3, you put 45 seconds on for seven goals, tomorrow morning I am (still) here playing.”

Young forward Cole Palmer, who was on as a substitute for the quiet Erling Haaland, appeared to have won it for City in normal time after a fine curling finish.

But Leandro Trossard’s shot deflected in – off Manuel Akanji – to earn Arsenal a 1-1 draw and take the game to a penalty shoot-out.

The Gunners scored all four of their spot-kicks, while Kevin De Bruyne fired against the crossbar and Rodri’s weak effort was saved by Aaron Ramsdale.

Fabio Vieira stepped up to hit the final penalty with Arsenal winning the shootout 4-1 to land the first piece of silverware of the campaign and go some way to lifting a mental block after last season’s disappointment at losing the title to City.

“It feels great. I don’t think it gets much better than winning a trophy at Wembley against the best team in the world, and especially the way we have done it,” added Arteta.

“It’s great if the players are convinced they can beat every team. I think we showed a real determination and fight to win the game.

“The reason why we are here to win trophies for this club and make it successful. I have seen so many happy and proud people.”

City lost last year’s Community Shield to Liverpool and although they did not do too badly over the rest of the season, Guardiola was still irritated by the defeat.

“(We’ve lost) three in a row,” he added. “We came here to win it. We were so close, but winning or losing, I know the position of the team.

“We would love to win today but sometimes you have to accept that.”

Roy Keane has told Arsenal they paid too much for England midfielder Declan Rice when they handed West Ham £105million for his services.

Keane, who worked with Rice as Martin O’Neill’s assistant when the player won his three senior caps for the Republic of Ireland, rates him highly, but is not convinced he is worth his price tag.

Asked about the midfielder’s prospects in north London ahead of the Gunners’ Community Shield clash with Manchester City on Sunday in which he made his competitive debut, Keane told ITV1: “He is obviously going to be surrounded by better players, different demands.

“If he is going to play a little higher up the pitch, I think he definitely has that quality in terms of adding more goals. He’s obviously got that physical strength, he can get in the box.

“They have obviously paid way too much for him. He’s certainly not worth over £100 million, Declan Rice, but a really good player.

“We’ll find out over the next year or two how good Declan is. He turns up every week, he is a big strong boy – again, you talk about that physicality, they lacked that in the last month or two (of last season).

“Has he got that really top quality in terms of seeing a pass and getting nine, 10 goals? We’ll soon find out.”

Rice’s move to the Emirates Stadium last month after he had helped the Hammers win the Europa Conference League set a new British transfer record.

The London-born player, whose paternal grandparents are from Cork, has been capped 43 times by England, but made his senior international debut for Ireland, playing in friendlies against Turkey, France and the United States in 2018 before switching allegiance.

Ipswich made a winning return to the Sky Bet Championship as they claimed a 2-1 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Former Sunderland striker Nathan Broadhead opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time before turning provider eight minutes into the second half as he set up George Hirst to double the visitors’ lead.

Sunderland were reduced to 10 men when Trai Hume was sent off for a second booking, but Tony Mowbray’s side set up a tense finale when Dan Neil converted Dennis Cirkin’s cross with four minutes left.

Ipswich saw things out, though, to ensure a winning start to life in the second tier in the wake of last season’s promotion from League One.

The visitors created the game’s first clear-cut opportunity shortly after the quarter-hour mark.

Wes Burns picked out Leif Davis with a deep cross from the right and the wing-back’s first-time effort looked to be heading in until a covering Luke O’Nien produced a superb goal-line clearance.

Burns fired in a low strike that Anthony Patterson saved moments later, but Sunderland should have opened the scoring midway through the first half, only for Jobe Bellingham to be found wanting.

Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky could only push Pierre Ekwah’s low drive into the path of the 17-year-old, who joined Sunderland in a summer move from Birmingham, but, while he appeared to have the goal at his mercy, his first-time prod flew over the crossbar.

Neil dragged a shot wide of the target as Sunderland continued to probe in and around the 18-yard box, but Ipswich remained a threat on the break and went close themselves 10 minutes before half-time.

Broadhead backheeled the ball into Conor Chaplin’s path, but the forward’s shot deflected wide off Dan Ballard.

The visitors did not have to wait much longer for a breakthrough, though.

Janoi Donacien’s long throw reached Davis, who fired in a shot from just outside the area, and Broadhead stole ahead of his marker to deflect the ball into the net.

Ipswich doubled their lead eight minutes into the second half, with Broadhead once again heavily involved.

The Wales international played Hirst in on the right-hand side of the area and, after breaking across O’Nien, the striker drilled a rising drive into the roof of the net.

The visitors almost added a spectacular third within seconds of Sunderland kicking off, but Chaplin’s 40-yard chip cannoned off the crossbar.

The hosts’ task became much tougher with 18 minutes remaining as they were reduced to 10 men.

Hume had already been booked for a foul in the first half and he deservedly received a second yellow when he pulled back Davis to prevent the wing-back breaking down the flank.

However, the hosts rallied and clawed a goal back in the 86th minute.

Cirkin delivered a low cross from the left and Neil steered home a first-time finish.

With 13 minutes of added time indicated, Sunderland almost claimed a dramatic equaliser in the 101st minute, but Hladky turned Neil’s goal-bound effort on to a post.

Reigning champions the United States were knocked out of the Women’s World Cup after the VAR intervened in a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Sweden.

Lina Hurtig’s winning penalty was found to have crossed the line following a check with the VAR officials after USA goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher appeared to have saved the effort.

Replays showed the ball had just crossed the line and Sweden were able to celebrate a 5-4 win on penalties after a goalless draw in the last-16 clash in Melbourne.

The back-to-back defending champions led 3-2 in the shoot-out but misses by Megan Rapinoe and Sophia Smith opened the door for Sweden to take it to sudden death.

Goalkeeper Naeher scored for the United States but with their next effort Kelley O’Hara hit the right post to give Hurtig the chance to win it.

Her shot was blocked by Naeher, who then reached behind her to claw the ball away as it looped up in the air, but she was a fraction too late to stop Sweden moving on to the quarter-finals.