hello and welcome to sportsday. i'm austin halewood. coming up on the programme. it was scrappy, and it wasn't pretty, but england's women get a much—needed victory over portugal. breaking records again. simone biles leads usa to gold in stuttgart to become the most decorated female in world gymnastics history. and murray bows out in shanghai, but he's set to make his singles return to grand slam tennis next year!

hello and welcome to the programme. england's women scraped their way to a much needed victory over portugal in s—tubal tonight. head coach phil neville said that it was a must—win game before kick—off, after his team had failed to win in all 5 of their matches since this summer's world cup. they were gifted a goal, after a poor performance, but in the end, a win is a win. adam wild reports. this may have beenjust this may have been just a friendly, but this trip to portugal was not without its pressure. putting on a brave face on things but results and performances of late have been poor. would england needed his improvement in the first step they could not quite stretch the net. five games of that of when myth and desperate for inspiration, the best of their first half chances cleared off the portugal line. not a performance to ease that pressure. bringing more

chancesin ease that pressure. bringing more chances in the second half but england were unable to take them. a more than one occasion, lacking the finish to settle the net. would england needed was some luck and that was the portugal keeper that provided it. and a gift, but the back knee, the fumble finally allowing england to take the lead. it was one they got on to onlyjust. here the ball somehow staying out. at last, and england victory and they knew who to thank. you will make in the second half we controlled the whole game and played the type of style that we wanted to and i'm really proud of the players because it was a big moment for us, a big moment because there was a tea m a big moment because there was a team of this quality need to do team of this quality need earlier wales‘s euro 2021 qualifying

campaign had a major boost after they beat belarus in ba—ree—sow. rachel rowe scored the only goal of the game, less than 10 minutes from time — in herfirst game back from a year—long injury lay—off. the win means that wales stay second in group c, now four—points clear of belarus in third. simone biles has become the most succesful female gymnast in world championship history. that's after the usa won the women's team event in stuttgart. biles posted the best individual scores on the vault, beam and on the floor to see the us win their 5th consecutive team crown at the championships. the gold brings biles‘ individual medal tally up to 21. it was not our best to meet the dishes the strength that we have david that we came out on top despite a couple of falls. i've worked hard to get where and so to see that i am still improving all

these years is just an honour to even represent the country. the tension is beginning to mount once again, ahead of tomorrow morning's crucial rugby world cup ties, with two of the home nations in action. wales could have their place in the quarter finals tied up with a bonus point win over fiji. but for scotland, they need maximum points against russia to set up a potential winner—takes—all finale with japan on sunday. paul barnes has the details. when some of these scotland players step out of the tunnel tomorrow, it could be their last appearance for their country at a world cup. of course, that's not the scenario any of them want to contemplate more experienced members of the squad but the pressure to turn over russia and japan is being keenly felt. it is a massive burden on the players. but we are players good enough to do this and we have made this 31 man

squad and whatever team we pick from that 31 man squad is dared to do the job and everyone is capable. so it is exciting and good for some of the guys that have not had the opportunity to play in a high—profile game. the stadium already witnessed a huge upset when japan stunned ireland, another surprise result would eliminate the scots. under normal circumstances the scotland match against russia here would not draw a huge amount of attention but with the funnel of attention but with the final group came againstjapan looming large and some that local interest has been ramped up. this tournament is going well for the hosts both on and off the pitch. japan, their win against samoa was watched by more than 25 million people and the number is expected to rocket for the match on sunday. before the tournament we were worrying about the japanese excitement because we could not see

any excitement before the tournament but after the tournament, people everywhere are so excited. and everywhere is like a festival. so far is pretty good. have japan embraced the world cup? they have done that completely wherever you go things are being written about and the schools are covering stuff about scottish rugby. i don't know how many watched rugby before but they are embracing it the country of japan is growing into this tournament. scotland needs to stunt that as their path to the world cup concludes as for wales, if they beat fiji tomorrow morning, they'll seal their place in the quarterfinals. a victory would also give them the chance to win pool d. they've had the perfect start to the tournament, beating australia and georgia to make it 2 wins from as many games. forwards coach robin mcbryde says their performances are moving in the right direction.

traditionally we always get stronger the more time we spend with each other. so we end up in the environment that we have been able to create, that allows us as individuals to improve on their game and collectively makes us stronger as a group as well. that collective nature will get us through the next game against fiji. now for some of the day's other sports stories. and sunderland have sacked their managerjack ross afterjust one win in their last four league matches. he couldn't lead sunderland out of league one last season. they‘ re currently sixth in the table. brighton & hove albion say 3 fans are facing lengthy bans — and potential criminal charges — following 2 separate incidents of racism at their amex stadium. they happened during an under—23's match in september and last sauturday‘s match against spurs.

and dereck chisora and david price will meet in a british heavyweight fight later this month. chisora was set to face joseph parker until the former world champion withdrew through illness. liverpool boxer price has now stepped in to take his place. there were more positive signs for andy murray today, as he continues his recovery from hip surgery earlier this year. after confirming that he will make his grand slam return at the australian open injanurary, the former world number one pushed fabio fognini all the way at the shanghai masters. murray took the italian to a third set tie—break, but was narrowly edged out, as rhia chohan reports. fabio, he had to keep up that pace. he could quite shake murray off but

he did take the first set at the tie—break. it was a sign that the former world number one of the site would make it easy. a few too many got the better of fognini. it will the fight was on and to see them move on the court like this just so just how far he has come since his injury but a match this tight, this competitive would go to a tie—break but not without a spat. off court, they could do no wrong in the closing stages as he came out on top if her murray to hold them off for as long as he could, that is progress. you will make you was not saying anything to them, so he was very frustrated, you wanted to in each

with me —— engage with me, but i am not having them talk to me like that on the court. one week after shamed athletics coach alberto salazar received a 4 year ban for dopng violations, the performance director of uk athletics, neil black, has announced that he'll step down from the role at the end of the month. uk athletics appointed salazar as a consultant to its endurance programme in 2013. here's our sports editor, dan roan, speaking to bbc radio 5live. yesterday, having just led britain to their worst tally of metals at a world championship in 1a years, black himself admitted his future was uncertain in the wake of the salazar scandal, that's cast a shadow over the sport here now as well as in the us. and today, perhaps a little quicker than expected, the governing body, uk athletics, confirmed that the head of performance would be stepping down later this month. it was black after all who was the man that appointed alberto salazar as a consultant to his endurance squad in 2013, describing the coach as a genius. but two years later,

his judgement was fiercely