Frank Lampard was denied victory in his first match as Chelsea head coach with a late goal from trialist Eric Molloy snatching a 1-1 draw for Bohemians in Dublin.

Michy Batshuayi put Chelsea in front after just eight minutes when he pounced on Kenedy's deflected shot in the box, but Molloy found the top corner after racing onto Keith Ward's pass as the League of Ireland side finished stronger.

Following the match, Lampard didn't seemed worried about the result despite the lesser competition.

"It was a tough game for us," he said. "We haven't been back for long and this was our first game after just a few days so there was a bit of pressure on the lads to work today.

"We've been working them very hard and we did the same this morning as well. I want to stretch them because that's what preseason is all about."

Lampard had promised a "clean slate" for every Chelsea player at his unveiling last week, and backed up his words by handing Batshuayi, Danny Drinkwater and Kenedy opportunities to impress from the start.

Chelsea academy player of the year Conor Gallagher was the No.10 in a 4-2-3-1 formation, supplied by Ethan Ampadu alongside Drinkwater at the base of midfield and fellow Cobham talents Marc Guehi and Dujon Sterling in defence.

Bohemians found themselves pinned back early by confident Chelsea passing and intense pressing, and Batshuayi capitalised on a fortunate bounce of the ball to lash the visitors in front inside eight minutes.

Batshuayi and Ampadu were Chelsea's two most impressive performers in a first half short on clear chances, though Gallagher spurned a decent opportunity to double the lead when he blazed over from the Belgian striker's cutback.

Lampard made 11 changes at half-time, switching to a 4-3-3 system and introducing Tiemoue Bakayoko and Kurt Zouma as well as several academy prospects and Izzy Brown, fit again after a serious knee injury.

Chelsea began the second half as brightly as they had the first, with the lively Billy Gilmour twice threatening the Bohemians goal after late runs into the penalty area and Bakayoko stinging the palms of James Talbot with a low strike.

Both teams allowed their intensity to drop off for much of the final half-hour, but Bohemians took encouragement from some unconvincing Chelsea defending to push for an equaliser in the last 10 minutes.

Lampard said: "We wanted to win obviously because you always do but it's not about that at this point - it's about individuals getting fit and pushing themselves to the limit.

"We were pleased with the outcome and I thought some of the performances, particularly from some of the young lads, were really good."

They got their reward with a minute of the 90 remaining. Ward drove from midfield after sloppy Chelsea passing and played in Molloy, who showed impressive composure to fire beyond Jamie Cumming and into the top corner.

Ike Ugbo came within inches of converting Brown's low cross barely a minute later to provide a final twist, but Bohemians were left to celebrate the draw.

Chelsea are next in action against St Patrick's Athletic, another League of Ireland side, at Richmond Park in Dublin on Saturday.

The United States and Mexico are almost certain to go straight to the six-team Hexagonal round of qualifying for Qatar 2022, with CONCACAF announcing new rules for the next World Cup.

The top six-ranked teams in the FIFA rankings after the June 2020 international window will automatically be included in the home-and-away Hexagonal. The top three will qualify for Qatar 2022.

Gold Cup winner Mexico is currently a long way ahead of those outside the top six, meaning it's virtually inconceivable that El Tri won't be in the Hex, while the United States and Costa Rica are both comfortably positioned.

Jamaica, Honduras and El Salvador currently make up the top six, while Panama, Canada, Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti are all pushing forward.

The teams that aren't in the Hexagonal will be involved in a separate tournament involving the teams ranked between seventh and 35th. Those 29 teams will be drawn into eight groups, with the winners of those groups advancing to a knockout phase. The country that wins the knockout phase will play against the fourth-placed finisher in the Hexagonal in October 2021 for a spot in the FIFA intercontinental playoff.

"This new FIFA World Cup Qualifying format, based on the FIFA rankings, makes every competitive match count," said CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani in a statement. "Alongside the CONCACAF Nations League, and our expanded Gold Cup, it will raise standards of play to unprecedented levels and develop the sport across the region."

World Cup qualifying for the Hex will begin in September 2020 and be concluded after the September 2021 international dates.

Alex Morgan, Lionel Messi, Sam Kerr and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all won individual honours at Wednesday's ESPY awards, while the U.S. women's national side was crowned Best Team.

Just days after lifting the Women's World Cup in France, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe and the rest of the USWNT were on hand to accept the award at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Along with the Best Team award, Morgan earned the ESPY for Best Female Athlete, joking that it was the second best trophy she has earned this week.

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The 30-year-old played a vital role in the U.S. retaining the World Cup, walking away as joint top-scorer of the tournament with teammate Rapinoe.

Messi was named Best International Men's Soccer Player after leading his club to yet another Spanish crown this season, scoring 36 goals in 34 Liga appearances. The 32-year-old added a further 12 goals in 10 Champions League matches before seeing Barcelona losing out to eventual winners Liverpool in the semifinals.

The award caps off what has been a difficult month for the Argentina international, who saw his nation controversially beaten 2-0 by Brazil in the Copa America semifinal before being sent off in La Albiceleste's 2-1 third-place playoff win over Chile.

Australia's Kerr was named Best International Women's Soccer Player. The Matildas star was top-scorer in both the NWSL and W-League last season, but was unable to inspire the Matildas past a round-of-16 spot at the World Cup.

Ibrahimovic received the ESPY for Best MLS Player after lighting up the league with LA Galaxy.

The outspoken striker has let his football do the talking for Guillermo Barros Schelotto's side, scoring 13 goals in 15 MLS games this season.

Romelu Lukaku has reiterated his desire to leave Manchester United despite a request from manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to stay and fight for his place, sources have told ESPN FC.

The striker is keen to move to Inter Milan this summer to link up with Antonio Conte.

Solskjaer has told Lukaku, who is with the squad in Australia, he is part of his plans for next season but the Belgian is still determined to leave if a fee can be agreed with the Serie A side.

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United are set to face Inter on the next leg of their preseason tour in Singapore on July 20.

Lukaku fears he has slipped behind Marcus Rashford in the pecking order to be United's central striker next season.

United are not actively looking to sell the 26-year-old, who has scored 42 goals in 96 games since arriving from Everton in 2017, and would want an offer of around £80 million before allowing him to leave. Sources have told ESPN FC that any bid r from Inter that includes a loan or a player swap is likely to be rejected.

Meanwhile, midfielder Juan Mata has revealed Solskjaer held a meeting on the first day of preseason to remind the players of their responsibilities as United players.

Last season ended with just two wins from the final 12 games and Solskjaer is keen to get off to a flying start when the new campaign kicks off against Chelsea on Aug. 11.

"We had a meeting on the first day in which the manager and the staff spoke about what they expect from us, what they expect from Manchester United players and I think that is the right thing to do," said Mata.

"I think we all have to know what we represent, we have to know the level that people expect from us and I think it is good to do it the first day.

"Since then, they are trying to help the players, trying to improve in the way they want us to play and it is all fine so far."

It's barely remembered now, but the England ODI side was ranked No.1 in the world for five months in 2012.

They had beaten Pakistan in the UAE. They had beaten India and Australia at home. They had three men - Jonathan Trott, Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen - who had, at one stage, been rated in the top three of the ODI rankings for batting and four men - Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn and James Anderson - who had been rated in the top four for bowling. They were a fine side.

But you probably don't remember. Because they didn't win a trophy. And, harsh though it is, they are now remembered as playing an out-dated brand of cricket that the world has left behind.

The point of all this? Trophies matter. Yes, bilateral series can be fun and significant. But it is global trophies that define reputations. And no global 50-over trophy defines reputations more than the World Cup.

This England team has achieved just about everything it can - world records, No. 1 status and respect from opponents and spectators - without winning a trophy. But, if they are to be remembered as the game-changing side they deserve to be, if they are to leave some sort of legacy, if they really are going to gain some traction in a mainstream media that, in the UK, seems more interested in football transfers (at least one paper led with a story about a footballer's dog on Wednesday) in the off-season than a cricket World Cup, they have to have some silverware to show for it.

They may never have a better chance. It's not just that this World Cup is played in their own conditions and, to some extent, in front of their own supporters. It's that they have been preparing for it for years and the No. 2 ranked side - England are back at No. 1 - has been eliminated. England have won 10 of their last 11 ODIs against Australia in England, they are playing at a ground where they have won their last 10 international matches across formats and where Australia have not won an ODI since 1993. While Australia are beset with injuries, England have their first choice 15 available. Not since 1987 (or perhaps 1992) have they had a better chance to win the World Cup.

You wonder for the future of 50-over cricket in England, too. Next year, the ECB will bring in The Hundred. It will be played at the same time as the domestic 50-over competition meaning the best 100 or so white-ball players will no longer be available to participate in it. Perhaps, if The Hundred inspires new followers to the game, we will look back and congratulate the ECB on their foresight and bravery, but it does seem bizarre to build towards a 50-over tournament for years and then undermine the format's future. It also seems inevitable that England's ODI future will be compromised. It would probably be a bit of an exaggeration to say 'it's now or never' for England. But only a bit of one.

There are further implications for England ahead of this match. Not least of them is that we now know, if England reach the final, the match will be broadcast free to air. That provides a tangible opportunity to reach the new audience the game's authorities have been targeting for years; a tangible chance for this wonderfully entertaining side to inspire a new generation; a tangible chance for the sport in this country to grow. And if any of that sounds like hyperbole, remember it would be the first England ODI (part of one Test was shown free to some customers in 2013) broadcast free to air in the UK since 2005. It really could be the first time many English people have ever seen their team play.

The team know all this, of course. In the last couple of days, two of them - Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett - have referred to this match as the biggest of their careers. So, much as they may talk about being relaxed and playing the aggressive brand of cricket which has earned them such success, it is hard to know how they will react for sure in the spotlight. The signs of recent days - the victories over India and New Zealand in what amounts to knock-out cricket - is encouraging. So is the relaxed air that has remained around the squad in training. But it is one thing to look relaxed in training; it's another to do it when the first Mitchell Starc yorker hones in towards your toes.

Of course it's Australia standing in England's path here. Australia, the old enemy. Australia, the reborn. Australia, the new-age, kid-loving, barefoot-walking wolf in sheep's clothing (as far as England are concerned). Australia, who are playing pressure-free cricket having already done better than they could have hoped a year or so ago. Australia, with their apparently unquenchable confidence. Australia, who England haven't beaten in a World Cup since 1992 and who have progressed in every semi-final they've contested. Australia, who are perfectly poised to exploit any diffidence and ruin the party. No team makes England more nervous. No team has caused them such misery. This game didn't need more on it, but the identity of Australia as opponents has provided it anyway.

Eoin Morgan, the captain who has instilled so much of the spirt in this England side, is not denying the magnitude of the occasion. But rather than shirking from it, he hopes his side relish it. Most of all, he is telling them not to worry about the result, but concentrate on the process. He didn't quite say 'it's not whether we win or lose, it's how we play the game,' but he might as well have done.

"The level of expectation in the team is to go and justify how we play," Morgan said. "If that means getting knocked or winning the World Cup, I think the guys will be happy. If we don't justify ourselves and give it everything we have done, I think the guys will be disappointed. Our strength is the way we play and sticking to that, no matter how long we have left in the tournament."

You know what he means. And, from his perspective, it's the right mindset. But you suspect, if England do lose, this will be a match that keeps these players up at night decades into the future. These are career defining days - perhaps even life defining - for many of those involved. They need a trophy to show for their improvement. They need tangible reward.

Maybe Jos Buttler put it more eloquently - certainly he put it more succinctly - when he wrote 'F*** it' on the top of his bat handle. Either way, England have to embrace the moment; enjoy the eyes upon them; revel in the consequences of the match in which they are involved and let their undoubted talent flow. Yes, they have to be able to adapt to conditions as required. But they also have to be bold and seize the day. They have to take the opportunity to show off their skills in front of a nation. These are the moments that every one of this team will have dreamed about being involved in as a child. They have to believe they are good enough to be here. And good enough to go a step further.

This game is played a year to the day since England's footballers were knocked out of the World Cup at the semi-final stage. Most onlookers agreed they had performed brilliantly to progress so far. But this England side wants more than that; needs more than that. They don't want to be Henry Cooper rocking Muhammad Ali; they don't want to be Tim Henman going a set-up on Goran Ivanisevic; they sure as hell don't want to be congratulating Carlos Brathwaite on an incredible innings. They don't want to be plucky losers. Sport is never really all about winning. But you could be forgiven for not knowing it at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Aftab Alam, the Afghanistan fast bowler, has been suspended from domestic and international cricket for one year for a code of conduct violation at the 2019 World Cup. His national contract also stands suspended for the mentioned period.

The decision came after an investigation by the Afghanistan Cricket Board's disciplinary committee, following a decision taken at the board's annual general meeting in Kabul last week.

Alam was withdrawn from the Afghanistan World Cup squad under "exceptional circumstances" - as announced by the ICC - on June 27. It later emerged that he was sent home following allegations of serious misbehavior with a female guest at the team hotel in Southampton.

Alam played his last game on June 22 in Afghanistan's 11-run loss to India in Southampton, where the alleged incident of misbehavior is said to have taken place. He was subsequently suspended for two matches by head coach Phil Simmons for not being present at an ICC anti-corruption unit meeting on June 23. It later emerged that Alam was in London with a relative and returned to the hotel only later in the day.

The 26-year-old pacer also ran into trouble during the India-Pakistan game at Old Trafford on June 16, when he turned up at the game unannounced and requested VIP access for himself and his friends. Using his player's accreditation pass, he made his way to one of the hospitality rooms and then refused to leave. When security was summoned, his friends left but Alam stayed. Eventually, however, he was removed.

In all, Alam featured in three of Afghanistan's eight games, picking up four wickets.

India lost the World Cup semi-final in the first 45 minutes of their chase against New Zealand, and will now return home "heartbroken", according to their captain, Virat Kohli, who nevertheless insisted that his team had done a "commendable" job in the course of the tournament.

The several hundred India fans, who had opted to stay back for the second day of the rain-interrupted contest, were left aghast as Matt Henry and Trent Boult reduced their side to 5 for 3 and then 24 for 4 in the first Powerplay. And despite a spirited comeback, led by Ravi Jadeja and MS Dhoni, the damage proved too much to overcome in an 18-run defeat.

"The game pretty much changed in those first 40 minutes when we were batting," Kohli said after the match. "The pressure created was immense in those first 40, 45 minutes. And when you lose 3 for 5 it is very difficult to come back into the game."

Kohli admitted that India had clearly not been ready for the challenge presented by New Zealand's seamers, who had been given a total of 239 to defend after adding a further 28 runs to their overnight 211 for 5. While that did not look like a substantial total at the time, a pair of hard-worked half-centuries from Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor had made it clear that the surface was not easy for run-scoring.

"New Zealand, the way they bowled, they did not provide any opportunities for us," said Kohli. "For the first seven or eight overs we didn't get a ball to drive. That shows the kind of control they bowled with and they put the fielders in the right positions and that was a perfect spell of fast bowling with the new ball, which really put us under a lot of pressure.

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"We are not shying away from accepting that we didn't stand up to the challenge and we were not good enough under pressure. We have to accept that and accept the failure as it shows on the scoreboard."

According to some reports, New Zealand prepared for the contest by watching videos of Pakistan's victory over India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final - another match which featured key early wickets in India's run-chase.

"I wasn't surprised with how New Zealand played, to be honest," said Kohli. "If there is a low total, we knew there's probably only one or two sides in world cricket that will put seven fielders in the ring and one was going to be New Zealand.

"We knew they were going to attack more. They will not let the game go to the end, they won't take it deep, they will go all out and play the game. Today, also, third man was up in the ring. In the one-day game you had five catching fielders. So they know how to put pressure because they play very consistent cricket."

At 5 for 3 after 19 balls, India's soft underbelly - their middle order - was brought into play earlier than at any other stage of the tournament. In each of their previous contests, at least one of the top three had endured to drop anchor into the middle overs, not least Rohit Sharma, who had notched five hundreds in his eight previous innings.

"I don't think that I would like to break things down immediately, but in time we'll have to sit down and analyse where we went wrong and the things we could have done right in this game particularly," said Kohli.

He did, however, add that a "couple" of batsmen might have reason to question their shot selection. He didn't name names, although both Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya fell to rash aggressive shots after digging in hard to rebuild the innings. Pant opted to slog-sweep Mitchell Santner and bring to an end a dogged 47-run partnership, before Pandya, too, lost his head to a mow across the line and picked out Kane Williamson in the deep.

Immediately after Pant's dismissal, TV cameras caught Kohli swiftly walking out of the Indian dressing room to have a chat with head coach Ravi Shastri. Was he furious at the youngster's shot selection?

Kohli categorically said that was not the case, claiming instead that he wanted to discuss with Shastri the mini-targets that the team needed to set during such a chase. As for Pant, Kohli said he already understood his mistake but it was all part of the learning process for a 21-year-old player who had not even been an original selection in this, his first World Cup.

"He is an instinctive player and did well to overcome that situation and stringing a partnership with Hardik," said Kohli. "The way they played after the loss of four wickets rather, was quite commendable. He's still young. I made many errors when I was young in my career and he will learn, he will look back and think, yes, he could have chosen a different option in that situation and he realises that already.

"All these guys have a lot of pride and passion to play for their country and they are the ones who feel the most disappointed when a mistake happens. On the outside it looks like it was an error but the person who makes it, trust me, they are the ones who suffer the most with it.

"I'm sure he will reflect on it and he will come out stronger. The talent is there for everyone to see and the character is there, but, as I said, yes, a few shots, not just Rishabh, but that happens in sport. You make errors, you make decisions which are not right at that time and you have to accept it."

The defeat will be doubly painful for Kohli because, once again, he failed with the bat in a crucial knock-out contest. In his three World Cup semi-final appearances, he has made scores of 9 (2011), 1 (2015) and 1 again today. Even in the Champions Trophy final in 2017, he made just 5.

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Today he chose to review his lbw decision after being struck on the pad by Boult, but was sent on his way after the umpire's call was upheld by the replay. Kohli flung his bat in anger and disappointment as he left the crease.

He admitted afterwards that he had been unable to control his emotions in the moment, but owned up to failing when it mattered most for his team. "It is very disappointing not turning up when the team wanted me to. Obviously, it feels bad. Everyone gets disappointed when they get out so it was a natural reaction."

Leading India at a World Cup for the first time, Kohli's dream of making the final has been shattered despite India finishing top in the group phase. He did not hide his disappointment. "Of course, very disappointed," he said, "to just go out on the basis of 45 minutes of bad cricket is saddening and it breaks your heart also, because you have worked so hard throughout the tournament to build momentum.

"You finish No. 1 in the table and then a spell of bad cricket and then you are out of the tournament completely. But you have to accept it.

"We are sad, but we are not, you know, devastated because of the kind of cricket that we played in this tournament. We know where we stood as a team and today we were not good enough and that is the nature of this tournament. A bad day in the knockout stage [and] you are out of the tournament

"But having said that, we have qualified to the semis and we have played some really good cricket, so we should be also proud of the way we have played and look at the positives also, because there were a lot throughout this tournament, especially Rohit's performance was standout, Jasprit [Bumrah] with the ball and Jadeja given the opportunities. So there are many things that we can take back as positives."