Sporting briefs

Aubameyang: Borussia Dortmund’s top striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is doubtful for their Ruhr Valley derby against Schalke 04 today after picking up a minor injury in their German Cup win against Union Berlin, coach Thomas Tuchel said yesterday. The Gabon international, who has scored seven league goals, did not train on Thursday and Tuchel said the knock on his calf was painful.

“It will be very tight, super tight,” Tuchel told reporters. “Yesterday he did not train and just jogged.”

Diomande: Hull City’s Adama Diomande has been banned for three games after the Premier League club opted not to appeal against the striker’s violent conduct charge by the Football Association (FA). The 26-year-old appeared to strike Bristol City’s Marlon Pack during the final minutes of Hull’s 2-1 League Cup win on Tuesday and will miss their Premier League matches against Watford, South-ampton and Sunderland.

MLS: Matteo Mancosu scored twice in his first career MLS play-off game to help Montreal Impact earn a 4-2 victory over DC United in an Eastern Conference knockout-round match. In the Western Conference, Nelson Valdez scored with a diving header in the 88th minute to lead the Seattle Sounders to a 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City. The Sounders will play top-seeded FC Dallas in the semi-finals while Impact will face New York Red Bulls.

Yarmolenko: Dynamo Kiev captain Andriy Yarmolenko is likely to miss next week’s Champions League match with Benfica in Lisbon because of a knee injury. The 27-year-old winger strained his lateral knee ligament during a training session.

Guatemala: Guatemala have been suspended from international football after the federation’s directors refused to recognise a committee set up by FIFA to temporarily run the sport in the country. The decision means that the country’s national team and clubs cannot take part in international competition.

The Championship: QPR vs Brentford 0-2.

In Gozo: GFA Division One – SK Victoria W. vs Xagħra 2-0; Victoria Hotspur vs Għajnsielem 1-1.