Borussia Dortmund scored three times in the second half with two goals from Erling Haaland and one from Jadon Sancho, to beat hosts RB Leipzig 3-1 on Saturday and close the gap to the top spots in the Bundesliga.

After a toothless first half Dortmund improved after the break, taking the lead when Halaand charged down the wing and Marco Reus flicked his cross on for Sancho to fire in.

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The England international has now scored for the second consecutive game after failing to find the back of the net in the first 13 league matches of the campaign.

The visitors came close to a second goal in the 65th minute but Haaland's powerful shot was tipped onto the crossbar by keeper Peter Gulacsi.

Leipzig, who had kept a clean sheet in their previous four league games, responded with a chance of their own two minutes later as Dani Olmo hit the post with his shot.

But Haaland got onto the score sheet, heading in a Sancho cross at the far post after launching the move himself in the 72nd minute.

The Norway international grabbed a second goal six minutes from the end when he was sent through by Reus to round Gulacsi before Leipzig scored in the 90th minute with Alexander Sorloth.

Dortmund are fourth in the standings on 28 points, five off leaders Bayern Munich, who lost 3-2 at Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday. Leipzig, who suffered their first home loss of the season, are in second place on 31.

Emile Smith Rowe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored in extra time as Arsenal began their FA Cup defence with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in the third round at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

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Substitute Smith Rowe was initially shown a straight red in stoppage time by referee Chris Kavanagh for a tackle on Matthew Longstaff before it was downgraded to a yellow card following a VAR review.

The 20-year-old midfielder went on the score the opener as he latched on to a ball from Alexandre Lacazette inside the box before slipping it past Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

Aubameyang also found the net from close range in the final minutes of extra time to extend Arsenal's winning run to four games in all competitions.

"We knew how tough it was going to be, they're a tough opponent. It was about breaking them down. From a young kid I have always wanted to play for this club, I am really happy," Smith Rowe said.

Arsenal have now progressed from 24 of their last 25 FA Cup third round ties, failing only against Nottingham Forest in 2018.

"You have to take your chances when they come along, we had the opportunity in the final few minutes and didn't grasp it. As a cup tie, it could have gone either way and we rue the missed chances," Newcastle manager Steve Bruce said.

Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann each bagged two goals as Barcelona eased to a comfortable 4-0 victory at Granada on Saturday.

Griezmann ended his goal drought of nine matches in all competitions as Barca closed the gap on the Madrid clubs at the top of the table.

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Granada almost scored the opener inside the first two minutes but Marc-Andre ter Stegen produced a superb save from Antonio Puertas.

Barca took the lead after 12 minutes when Griezmann reacted quickest inside the box and finished into the bottom corner.

Griezmann then turned provider when he set up Messi who curled the ball into the top corner.

Messi scored his second just before half-time with a stunning free-kick. The Barca captain has now scored 10 goals or more in La Liga for the 15th consecutive campaign.

Griezmann grabbed his second of the match after 63 minutes with a half-volley from a tight angle.

Granada went down to 10 men after Jesus Vallejo was dismissed for a professional foul on Martin Braithwaite.

Ronald Koeman's side sit four points off league leaders Atletico Madrid after their match against Athletic Bilbao was postponed due to disruptions from a rare snowstorm.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills took an early lead Saturday over the Indianapolis Colts on a shot-put throw from Josh Allen to tight end Dawson Knox.

On second-and-3 from the Colts' 3-yard line, Allen took the snap on what looked like a designed run but was quickly met by Indianapolis defenders Tyquan Lewis and Anthony Walker. Allen scrambled to his right and stayed upright just long enough to see Knox wide open in the end zone. As he was being brought to the ground, Allen heaved the ball toward Knox, who caught it with nobody around him.

Josh Allen said lemme throw a TD real quick ? #BillsMafia #SuperWildCard

?: #INDvsBUF on CBS
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/5sY57d5FGR pic.twitter.com/wOKdg1IKxa

— NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2021

Allen was electric on the drive, scrambling 12 yards for a first down before hitting wide receiver Stefon Diggs for a 36-yard gain on the next play. Diggs was hit almost immediately after the catch but hung on to set the Bills up at the Colts' 37-yard line. Allen completed 5 of 7 passes on the drive for 67 yards and the score.

Playoff Diggs ? #BillsMafia #SuperWildCard

?: #INDvsBUF on CBS
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/5sY57d5FGR pic.twitter.com/7gsvpw3HMw

— NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2021

The NBA's Toronto Raptors and the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning won't have fans at home games in Tampa, Florida, until at least Feb. 5.

Vinik Sports Group, which owns the Lightning and Amalie Arena, announced Saturday that the organization wouldn't admit fans because coronavirus cases in the area have "risen sharply.''

Florida reported nearly 20,000 new cases on Friday as the pandemic surges there. The state has recorded more than 1.4 million cases since the pandemic began.

"We are not comfortable bringing large numbers of fans indoors to watch hockey or basketball right now,'' said Steve Griggs, CEO for Vinik Sports Group and the Lightning. "We are hopeful to reopen the arena soon after we see declining rates and better overall numbers.''

The Raptors were one of about a half-dozen NBA teams to permit a limited number of fans at home games, with 3,800 tickets available for each game.

Because of Canada's border restrictions and rising COVID-19 cases, the Raptors were forced to play their home games in Tampa for at least the first half of the season.

Newcastle Falcons returned to winning ways as they held on to beat the Premiership's bottom club Gloucester.

England winger Jonny May got one back, converted by Lloyd Evans, who added pressure with a second-half penalty.

But Brett Connon's penalty and George McGuigan's injury-time try made victory safe and moved Falcons temporarily top.

McGuigan's try denied Gloucester even a losing bonus point.

Gloucester stay bottom, three points adrift of London Irish and Worcester, whose four points from their cancelled Covid-hit game with Harlequins lifted them off the foot of the table last weekend.

But, after narrow back-to-back defeats by reigning champions Exeter and last week in particularly luckless circumstances at home to Sale, the Cherry and Whites were once again cursing after a game they could have won.

Newcastle, whose fourth win in five league games put them top of the table for a couple of hours, finished the day in second place after Bristol's win at champions Exeter.

The north-east weather could have been a threat to the game taking place after Kingston Park's artificial surface was left covered by considerable snowfall on Thursday night.

But the Falcons took just three minutes to feel pleased they had got the game on when Radwan cashed in on a turnover to gallop from within five metres of his own line, leaving even the fleet-footed May flat-footed as he tried to tackle him.

They got a second after 14 minutes, when Orlando watched in delight as space opened up in front of him from the restart following Evans' missed penalty - and he had time to walk in from 15 yards out.

It was a first try for the club for the summer signing, on only his second start following his pre-Christmas arrival.

Newcastle: Penny; Radwan, Orlando, Flood, Stevenson; Connon, Stuart; Davison, Blamire, Mulipola, Peterson, Fuser, Robinson, Wilson (capt), Graham.

Replacements: McGuigan, Brocklebank, Tampin, Barry, Van der Walt, Schreuder, Hodgson, Wacokecoke.

Gloucester: Moyle, Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, May; Evans, Simpson; Rapava-Ruskin, Hanson, Balmain, Garvey, Alemanno, Craig, Ludlow (capt), Ackermann.

Replacements: Walker, Saville, Ford-Robinson, Gibson, Nagle-Taylor, Chapman, Twelvetrees, Carreras.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys.

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CONCORD, N.C. — Jason Sides can’t slow down. Last year’s two-month racing hiatus due to COVID-19, as well as a shorter schedule, threw him off his rhythm.

Every plan, every move, every mentality was thrown into a blender, leaving crumbs to be reassembled.

When the 90-plus 2021 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series schedule was released, Sides was pleased to see a full slate of racing and a chance to return to “normalcy.”

“Not that it’s a military- or Army-like deal, but with the Outlaws you’re on a set schedule from the beginning of time when the schedule comes out,” Sides said. “You know what you’re doing and where you’re going. When all that happens, it throws a big wrench in the program. When you get back to normal and how the schedule is supposed to be it’s simpler.

“The more racing you do, the more everything improves. When you’re off for an extended period of time, not that you forget how to do it, but it’s a little bit off when you get back to it.”

Sides ended the 2020 season with four top-10 finishes and an 11th place finish in the championship standings – two spots better than the year prior.

Along with trying to find a rhythm last year, Sides Motorsports also juggled trying to find crew members for the second half of the year.

Sides and long-time crew member Stephen Fairfield parted ways last year, leaving Sides to put together a team of various part-time crew members in each reason.

For the time being, that continues to be his plan for the 2021 season. The search for a full-time crew member is nothing like it once was. Right now, he said he’s “winging it.”

“We’ve been looking. It’s getting harder these days,” Sides said. “Years ago, you had guys begging to come out and do the whole Series and want to work. It’s a lot harder these days to find crew guys that want to come out, have a CDL, are interested in it and want to do it. It’s hard to find those guys now.

“That’s why a lot of times I’ll have different people help in different parts of the country. They don’t want to be out all the time, but they want to help. They just can’t be out all the time. A couple of weeks here and there. Different ones help out in different places.”

His biggest need for extra hands is when he brings out a second car, which he still plans to do, at times, this year. Sides’ driver of choice will, again, be Tim Kaeding, who earned three top-10 finishes in 11 starts last year in the No. 7 Sides Motorsports machine.

According to Sides, Kaeding already has a full schedule next year, but they’re still looking to find times for Kaeding to run a second car throughout the season.

Sides admitted that running one car, after having two out the week before, feels like a breeze. It’s not hard for them to run two cars, but it requires more hands and can get hectic in hurry-up situations.

However, he said, it’s still beneficial to have a second car – especially when the second driver is Kaeding, a 21-time World of Outlaws winner.

“I wouldn’t say we drive the same, but he (Kaeding) can tell me when it’s getting slick here for the next heat race or something,” Sides said. “Or I can help him out a little bit. Give some pointers about the race track. He can go look when I’m getting ready and I can go look when he’s getting ready. It actually helps a lot to run two cars.”

He’s expecting a tougher field of full-time cars with the World of Outlaws this year, with the addition of drivers like three-time All Star Circuit of Champions titleholder Aaron Reutzel and PA Posse member Brock Zearfoss, along with the growth of drivers like Sheldon Haudenschild and Jacob Allen.

That’s not changing his approach, though. To Sides, he said it just makes him want to run harder and beat all of them.

He’ll try to do so when the 2021 season kicks off Feb. 5-7 at Volusia Speedway Park during the 50th DIRTcar Nationals. Sides has one win at the half-mile track in 2011.

In general, he’s just looking forward to being able to get back into his normal rhythm of not slowing down.

“I’d just like to get back to racing and back to a normal life,” Sides said.

SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Abel Motorsports has hired veteran team manager John Brunner to fill a multi-faceted role within the team and parent company, Abel Construction of Louisville, Ky.

Brunner will assume the role of team manager for Abel Motorsports at their new facility in Speedway, Ind., along with taking over as fleet manager for Abel Construction, one of the Southeast’s leading commercial construction firms.

Brunner, fresh off a successful run as team manager at Belardi Auto Racing, will also serve as a project manager for Abel Construction, which will operate from the Speedway facility.

“I’m excited to join Abel Motorsports and Abel Construction,” said Brunner. “We’re wrapping up the move of the race team from Louisville up to the new Speedway (Ind.) building. Our two Indy Pro 2000 cars are here along with our transporter and much of the shop equipment. Some team members will be relocating, and we’re looking to staff up with quality people here because this is a team on the rise. We’re going to run a two-car Indy Pro 2000 effort at a high level. We’re starting to look for the right teammate to pair with Jacob (Abel), who’s our team leader.  Belardi was in a similar situation when I started there in 2011. They were a young team that wanted to get to a championship level, and together we were able to do that. My goal here is the same, to take Abel Motorsports to a championship level.”

Under Brunner’s leadership, Belardi won numerous Indy Lights races and the 2014 series championship.

“John brings a tremendous level of experience and expertise to our team, and we’re very pleased he’ll also have a role in our construction business,” said Abel Motorsports Team Principal Bill Abel. “He’ll be using his many contacts in both areas to help us grow and get better and we’re excited that he’s onboard and getting started in the process of helping us prepare to win this year.”

Nineteen-year-old college sophomore Jacob Abel finished fifth in the Formula Regional Americas Championship in 2020, while making select starts in Indy Pro 2000. He’s scheduled to contest the full Indy Pro 2000 schedule this year. The team plans to field a second entry with a driver to be announced at a later date.

SARVER, Pa. – Lernerville Speedway Hall of Famer Jerry Matus died Saturday at the age of 81. The news was confirmed by Matus’ grandson, Brandon, on social media.

Lost a good one today. My biggest fan! gonna miss shedding tears in victory lane EVERY damn time with you. https://t.co/wmhlMjUTp1

— Brandon Matus (@BrandonMatus_13) January 9, 2021

A three-time track champion at the four-tenths-mile Lernerville dirt oval, Matus took top honors in a sprint car at Lernerville in 1981, 1983 and 1984. He may be best remembered for his years driving the purple No. 15 owned by Martha Dionese.

The father of current sprint car veteran Brent Matus and grandfather of sprint car young gun Brandon Matus, Jerry Matus later drove his own sprint cars against his son before his retirement.

In 2008, Jerry Matus strapped into a sprint car for a final set of parade laps at Lernerville, taking to the track alongside his son and grandson. It was a poignant moment that marked the first time in Lernerville history that three generations of a driving family were on track together at the Sarver, Pa., facility in sprint cars.

Brandon Matus, who ran a limited schedule of national sprint car events in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and focused on local competition, released a short statement remembering his grandfather on Saturday.

“We lost a good one today. (My grandfather) was my biggest fan,” said the third-generation Matus. “I’m going to miss shedding tears in victory lane with him every time (we get there).”

Mathew Barzal joined the New York Islanders on the ice Saturday for his first practice of training camp after agreeing to a three-year, $21 million contract.

The 23-year-old star forward missed the first few days of camp as the NHL's most prominent unsigned restricted free agent. General manager Lou Lamoriello was confident a deal would get done, and it happened five days before the Islanders open the season at the rival New York Rangers.

Barzal will count $7 million against the salary cap through the 2022-23 season. He still will be a restricted free agent when this contract expires.

He led the Islanders with 60 points on 19 goals and 41 assists in 68 games last season. The 2015 first-round pick had 17 points in 22 playoff games during the team's run to the Eastern Conference final and has become New York's best offensive player.