Barcelona’s close call

GERARD Pique delivered Barcelona’s matchwinner over Real Madrid on Saturday as El Clasico Miami lived up to the hype. The Spanish international steered in a Neymar free-kick in the 50th minute to seal a 3-2 win for the Catalan giants in front of 66,014 at the Hard Rock Stadium. Lionel Messi, in a superb 64minute performance, opened the scoring after three minutes and when Ivan Rakitic doubled the lead soon after, the writing appeared to be on the wall for a sluggish Real Madrid. Yet Zinedine Zidane’s side fired up and by the end of the first half, goals from Mateo Kovacic and Marco Asensio had them level.

Test of Jennings’ grit

KEATON Jennings survived a couple of scares against his native South Africa as England maintained their grip on the third Test at The Oval on Saturday. England were 1/74 in their second innings, a lead of 252 runs at stumps on a gloomy third day where rain meant only 32 overs out of 98 were bowled. Jennings was 34 not out and Tom Westley, one of three debutants in England’s XI, unbeaten on 28. Johannesburg born and raised Jennings, the 11th man, tried as an England Test opener alongside Alastair Cook since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012, was under pressure for his place after a run of low scores — including a duck in the first innings of this match.

Teen has Open clout

WITH a powerful driving performance second only to world No.1 Dustin Johnson, teenager Ryan Ruffels is confident he can become the ninth Australian winner of the Canadian Open. The 19-year-old Ruffels booked his spot in a final-round shootout at the US PGA Tour’s Toronto stop courtesy of a gutsy third round on Saturday, which left him three shots back of the lead. Seeing stretches of his best golf at the Glen Abbey course, Ruffels believes he’s a strong chance to join countrymen Jason Day (2015), Nathan Green (2009) and Greg Norman (1984, 1992) as recent champions of the event.

Chaz breaks through

Ford star Chaz Mostert’s Supercars revival has continued with a drought-breaking win in Sunday’s 200km race at Queensland Raceway. The Prodrive Racing Australia star secured his first win since victory at Phillip Island in April to cap a strong weekend at Ipswich