Sporting Digest: Football

England's hopes of qualifying for next year's women's World Cup finals were destroyed by a 2-1 defeat to Norway at Oldham last night. With two qualifiers still remaining, England now have no chance of playing in the finals in the United States. Faye White scored England's goal.

Rangers' former Scotland midfielder Ian Durrant is leaving Ibrox to join the Japanese club, Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

Channel Five TV has won the exclusive live rights for Chelsea's defence of the European Cup-Winners' Cup next season and Liverpool's home games in the Uefa Cup in 1998-99.

Middlesbrough will have a new pitch at the Riverside Stadium for their return to the Premiership in August.