Phelan confirmed as Solskjaer's assistant

LONDON • Mike Phelan was confirmed as Manchester United's assistant manager on a permanent basis yesterday after being given a three-year contract, the Premier League football club said in a statement.

The 56-year-old returned to Old Trafford in December as assistant to current boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He was believed to have been interested in the technical director job at United.

Phelan previously worked in a similar assistant manager role, as well as that of first-team coach, under Alex Ferguson from 2001-13.

REUTERS

Butler shines as Sixers take series to the wire

LOS ANGELES • Jimmy Butler scored 25 points as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Toronto Raptors 112-101 on Thursday to even their National Basketball Association Eastern Conference semi-final series at three games apiece.

Game 7 will be played tomorrow in Toronto. The winners will meet the Bucks, with Game 1 scheduled for Wednesday in Milwaukee.

The Portland Trail Blazers also forced a decider in the Western Conference semi-finals against the Denver Nuggets with a 119-108 win in Game 6. The winners will play either the Golden State Warriors or the Houston Rockets.

REUTERS

Koepka in form as he trails by two in Dallas

LOS ANGELES• Brooks Koepka warmed up for his defence of next week's PGA Championship with an opening six-under 65 at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Dallas, Texas on Thursday.

Koepka, who will be looking to win a fourth golf Major in New York next week, carded eight birdies and two bogeys to finish the day two off the early pace.

He was one of nine players tied for fourth as Denny McCarthy posted the day's lowest score, taking a one-shot lead with an eight-under 63.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE