After suffering the ignominy of an early exit from the Champions League as defending champion, Chelsea began its quest to win the Europa League by beating Sparta Prague on Thursday.

Oscar scored late to give the London side a 1-0 victory — and a valuable away goal — in the first leg of the last-32 match.

USA Wrestling executive director Rich Bender knows it will take an international push to save Olympic wrestling.

To that end, the Americans have formed a star-studded group designed to help get their sport back on the Olympic program.

The sports world reacted with a mix of shocked horror and caution Thursday to news that popular South African Oscar Pistorius had been charged with gunning down his model girlfriend.

Details of the killing were initially murky with Pistorius charged for murder after the death was first cast as accidental in media reports.

Paralympic superstar Oscar Pistorius was charged Thursday with the murder of his girlfriend who was shot inside his home in South Africa, a stunning development in the life of a national hero known as the Blade Runner for his high-tech artificial legs.

Reeva Steenkamp, a model who spoke out on Twitter against rape and abuse of women, was shot four times in the predawn hours in the home, in a gated community in the capital, Pretoria, police said.

Borussia Dortmund twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Shakhtar Donetsk in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday following Mats Hummels' late equalizer.

Hummels' powerful header from Marcel Schmelzer's corner in the 87th minute ensures the defending Bundesliga champions will have the advantage of two away goals in the second leg at home on March 5.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored with a spectacular header Wednesday as Real Madrid was held to a 1-1 home draw by Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League due to a dominant performance by visiting goalkeeper David de Gea.

After Danny Welbeck gave United the lead against the run of play with a header from a 20th-minute corner, Ronaldo rose high to meet Angel Di Maria's swinging cross 10 minutes later for his 183rd goal for Madrid — and first against his former club.

The specter of racism hangs over the resumption of the Europa League on Thursday, with Liverpool expressing its "major concern" that the last-32 match against Zenit St. Petersburg will be marred by racist abuse from the Russian team's fans.

Liverpool officials are concerned about the welfare of the club's players in light of a document published by a section of Zenit supporters in December, urging the team not to sign black or gay players.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon admits his side need a miracle if they are to overturn a 3-0 home defeat to Juventus in their Champions League last 16 first leg tie at Parkhead.

The Italian champions put on a clinical display to triumph in Glasgow as they soaked up intense pressure and capitalised on defensive errors to all but book their place in the last eight of the competition.

Wrestling power Japan, which swept four gold in London, reacted with dismay Wednesday after Olympic chiefs said the 2020 Games would not include the sport, depriving the country of a rich source of medals.

"I really don't know why. I am so devastated that I don't know what to do," said Saori Yoshida, Japan's undisputed wrestling queen who has won a record 13 straight Olympic and world championship gold medals over 10 years.

A French international footballer is being investigated in connection with the soliciting of a minor for prostitution, judicial sources told Agence France Presse on Wednesday.

The player's name appeared in the mobile phone of an under-age girl who has been arrested on shop-lifting charges and whose profile was sufficient to justify the opening of a preliminary investigation, the sources said.