The two-time champions moved on to seven points from their first five games and will take on Beijing FC at the Saitama Stadium 2002 in two weeks’ time, needing a win to advance to the last 16 after goals from Shinzo Koroki and Yuki Muto earned Urawa the points at the Buriram Stadium.

Urawa took an early lead when Koroki found time and space behind Andres Tunez to collect Ewerton’s well-timed through ball and the striker made no mistake, despite a slightly scuffed finish.

And the Japanese visitors could have doubled their advantage before the 10th minute mark, with Ryosuke Yamanaka twice going close from set-piece plays, the first seeing Siwarak Tedsungnoen deny him with a dive to the left and the second seeing the Thai goalkeeper go the other side to keep the ball out.

Urawa were to rue those misses in the 13th minute when Buriram found themselves back on level terms. Pedro Junior started and finished a fine move that saw him drive towards the Urawa defence before laying the ball out wide to Narubadin Weerawatnodom and, with Pedro Junior continuing his run into the area, he finished with precision when he received the return pass.

Oswaldo Oliveira’s side, however, reclaimed the lead midway through a pulsating half and Ewerton was again involved, with the Brazilian this time winning the ball on the edge of the Buriram penalty area before slipping his pass through to Muto, and he made no mistake with his shot across Siwarak.

After an entertaining opening 45 minutes, the second period always had a lot to live up to and it was no surprise that the pace dropped.

Substitute Suphanat Mueanta had Buriram coach Bozidar Bandovic on his feet midway through the half when his header flew wide of the target, while Urawa should have wrapped up the points via Kazuki Nagasawa, but his shot at the end of a rapid fluid move flew over Siwarak’s goal.

Koroki also saw his effort clear the crossbar with 14 minutes to go when his attempt to lob the goalkeeper also flew over the goal, but it mattered little in the end as Urawa held on to secure their second win of the campaign.

Barca were blown away on an incredible night at Anfield as Liverpool won 4-0 to overturn a three-goal first-leg defeat.

Liverpool are only the third team in the history of the European Cup to recover from such a large semi-final deficit.

Barca boss Valverde conceded his players failed to match Liverpool’s intensity and lost their cool after the Reds scored twice in quick succession in the second half to level the tie on aggregate.

“Things got on top of us after those two quick goals. We didn’t manage to get on the scoresheet and they rolled us over really,” he said.

“It’s a terrible result for our fans and for ourselves. It’s really, really unfortunate, but credit to Liverpool.

“They started really well, and they pinned us back. Early goal, we reacted well after that.

“We managed to control things a little bit in the second part of the first half. We had half-chances to score.

“We tried to sit a little bit deeper, but the tie ended for us with the fourth goal. We couldn’t respond.”

It was a second successive Champions League humiliation for Barca after they squandered a 4-1 first-leg lead in the quarter-finals last season, going out on away goals to Roma after losing the return 3-0.

Valverde has just led Barca to another Spanish title, but he was asked if the collapse at Anfield would undermine his position at the Camp Nou.

“I do not know how it’s going to affect me, here we are, the coach has to take responsibility,” he said.

“It’s very painful for us, especially for our people, it’s the second year they’ve come back like that.

“When you have a battle like tonight, you’re going to go through some really tough few days, like all our fans as well.

“You’re going to suffer. That’s what it is like. You have to go through this penitence and we’ve not got long to go until the end of the league season.

“We’ve got the Copa del Rey final (against Valencia) still to fight for and we’ve got to really finish the season well on a high after this.

“But at the moment we’re blown away, it’s terrible.”

The Catalan club haven’t won the Champions League since 2015.

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets was quick to say sorry for one of the most chastening results in their history.

“I apologise to the fans because after the Rome thing, it happens again, it is very hard to fall like that with a good result in the first leg,” Busquets said.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion needed just 52 minutes to brush Gasquet aside in the second round, but confessed he had to control his emotions during afternoon match strategy sessions with his team.

“I was very calm all day, but two hours before, I was feeling it a bit. But that was the only time,” Federer said.

“The nerves went away quickly, I’m just happy I started well.

“I’m glad to be back,” said the three-time Madrid champion who last played on clay almost three years ago, losing to Dominic Thiem in the Rome third round on May 12, 2016.

Federer skipped the dirt for two full seasons to concentrate on his grass court form, winning Wimbledon in 2017.

He claimed the Madrid title in 2006, 2009, and 2012.

“I’ve been missing the clay, this is a great return, it’s a special night for me,” he said.

Federer swept up the opening set in 23 minutes and broke Frenchman Gasquet — who had defeated him twice on clay — for 5-3 in the second before serving it out a game later.

Federer has won 18 of 21 meetings with Gasquet, just back from six months out with injury.

“I’ve trained well, but that’s not like a match. The points here are quicker and first matches anywhere can be tricky,” said Federer.

“But I felt really natural on the clay tonight.”

– Djokovic cruises –

Novak Djokovic needed just 65 minutes to make a winning start, while Naomi Osaka channelled her inner “zombie mode” to earn a place in the third round.

Top seed and world number one Djokovic hammered American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the last 16 following a premature exit here a year ago.

“I thought my serve was very efficient today, that’s a big advantage,” Djokovic said.

“The match was close at the beginning, in the second set I read his serve better and just managed to put an extra ball in to the court.

“It was a solid opening match for me.”

Djokovic won the Madrid title in 2011 and 2016. He will be chasing a fourth straight Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros next month.

Marin Cilic rallied to overcome Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, while 2018 finalist Dominic Thiem advanced when Reilly Opelka quit at 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 1-0 against the Austrian fifth seed.

David Ferrer, who will retire after this event, defeated Spanish compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Ferrer, 37, will play German third seed and defending champion Alexander Zverev next.

Stan Wawrinka started his Madrid campaign with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Pierre-Hugues Herbert to move into the second round.

The Swiss will next play Argentine Guido Pella, who put out Barcelona finalist Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.

Tenth seed Fabio Fognini beat Kyle Edmund 6-4, 6-3 to saddle the Briton with a fourth straight loss on clay.

– ‘Zombie mode’ –

In the women’s draw, top seed Osaka defeated Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-0.

Japan’s Osaka, winner of the last two Grand Slams, said she had to conquer her inner demons to finish off a difficult match.

“In the third set, I just, like, went zombie mode,” she said.

“I just thought of everything that I had to do to win — not necessarily the outcome, but just like the little things in between every game.

“The match was basically on my racquet, she wasn’t going for winners.

“The points ended by me making a winner or an unforced error. But I was a bit unfocused in the second set.”

Third seed and two-time champion Simona Halep of Romania ended the hopes of Johanna Konta 7-5, 6-1 in the second round.

“I feel good every time when I come to Madrid and I’m happy to be back and winning matches,” Halep said.

“It was a good match. Both of us played very well and, in the end, I was a bit stronger mentally and I found a rhythm.”

Fourth seed Angelique Kerber withdrew after rolling her right ankle during training, sending Petra Martic into the third round.

The Reds not only had a mountain to climb on the scoreboard after last week’s 3-0 loss at the Camp Nou, but were deprived of two of their most potent attacking weapons in Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino due to injury.

However, Divock Origi — making a rare start — and substitute Georginio Wijnaldum both scored twice as Barca surrendered a three-goal first-leg lead to exit the Champions League for the second straight season.

“With any other team I wouldn’t think it was possible. They are really mentality giants,” said Klopp. “It is unbelievable the season we had, the games we had, the injuries we had now.

“Going out there and putting in a performance like this on the pitch is unbelievable. I am really proud to be the manager of this team.

“What they did tonight was really special. I will remember it forever.”

Liverpool will face either Ajax or Tottenham in the final on June 1 in Madrid and the Reds’ stunning victory brought back memories of when they last lifted the trophy in 2005 after overturning a 3-0 half-time deficit in the final against AC Milan in Istanbul.

However, Klopp underlined the importance of his side writing their own history even if their bid for a first Premier League title for 29 years falls short behind Manchester City this weekend.

“We believed in this chance, we didn’t compare it with Istanbul or whatever,” added Klopp. “We want to create our own history. We need new chapters obviously and the boys did it.”

Despite the despondency of losing Salah and Firmino, Jurgen Klopp’s men never lost faith and were accompanied by a typically raucous Anfield atmosphere on a European night.

Origi would almost certainly not have started had Salah and Firmino been fit.

But the Belgian has made a habit of scoring important goals in Liverpool’s title challenge and had his first ever in the Champions League on seven minutes on the rebound after Marc-Andre ter Stegen had denied Jordan Henderson’s initial effort.

“We know this club is the mix of atmosphere, emotion, desire and football quality. You cut off one and it doesn’t work, we know that,” continued Klopp.

“This club has a big heart. The heart was pounding like crazy, you could hear it and feel it all over the world. I am so happy we could give the people this experience.”

– Barca collapse again –

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde on the other hand now has to face up to the second major European embarrassment of his time in charge.

The Spanish champions blew a 4-1 first-leg lead to bow out at the quarter-finals against Roma last year.

“The most hurtful thing is to repeat it,” said Valverde, who may struggle to hold onto his job despite winning two La Liga titles as Barca boss.

“When you have a collapse of this nature we will have a few horrible days ahead.”

Barca were left to rue not taking their chances in the first half after weathering Liverpool’s early burst.

Lionel Messi had seemingly turned the tie in the Catalans’ favour late in the first leg with a brilliant free-kick and his first effort was tipped over by Alisson Becker before the Brazilian denied international teammate Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool were seemingly dealt another injury blow as Andy Robertson could not continue after half-time, but he made way for Wijnaldum with James Milner moving to left-back.

The Dutch midfielder made a massive impact as he was picked out by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s low cross and drilled under Ter Stegen.

And from Liverpool’s next attack, Xherdan Shaqiri picked out Wijnaldum to head home at the Kop end.

“Once again we showed that everything is possible in football,” said Wijnaldum.

“I was really angry at the manager that he put me on the bench but I had to do something to help the team when I came on.”

Valverde tried to restore some order as Coutinho, who cost £142 million ($186 million) when moving between the clubs in January 2018, was replaced for the second time in the tie.

The change briefly had an impact, but Barca were inexplicably caught cold from a quick Alexander-Arnold corner 11 minutes from time that picked out Origi completely unmarked to fire high past Ter Stegen.

“A genius moment,” Klopp of Alexander-Arnold’s quick thinking. “I saw the ball flying in the net and had no idea who took the corner and who scored the goal.”

Nong-O has dedicated his entire life to the ‘Art of Eight Limbs’ and was rewarded handsomely for his efforts as he garnered multiple accolades in the sport. But it all crumbled and Nong-O felt completely down after a span of seven months when he lost six bouts in a row.

“It was a period in my life when everything just sort of fell apart,” he says.

“Training, my career, and even my family. Things just weren’t going well. I lost every single fight that year, and also lost confidence in myself. No matter how hard I trained, I just wasn’t 100 percent. I was tired in the fights. No matter how hard I tried, I just wasn’t myself. I didn’t know why it was happening to me.”

Proving to possess the true values of a real martial artist, Nong-O picked himself up and went back to work. His arduous training and the support he received from his family slowly brought him back to form.

“It was just a period in my life I had to go through. I never thought of quitting or giving up,” he explains.

“I was building a house for my family during that time and relied on the money from fighting as our main source of income. I would go to make merit and get a blessing, and my parents really supported me during this time. They kept me focused, and kept me moving. Everything just started to come together. My family was there for me, and my body started to feel strong in training. Then I started winning again.”

True enough, he was back at his best and defeated some of the biggest names in the sport leading to more belts in the process.

“I stayed calm and just kept going forward. I was really proud of myself to get through this difficult period in my life.”

“Looking back, I was thinking too much. I felt pressure to make money to build a house, and support my family. All the thinking affected my performance, I think.”

His heroic rise to the top has established Nong-O as a Muay Thai legend racking up hundreds of wins prior to his initial retirement. Nong-O however could not stop himself answering the call of battle as ONE Championship invited him to be one of the first athletes to compete in the ONE Super Series. He has now resumed his career in ONE where he is 3-0 so far.

As champion, Nong-O hopes that his story continues to inspire young athletes, proving how perseverance and hard work can overcome the most difficult situations in life. He never gave up no matter how dire the situation seemed, and that’s something he is very proud of.

“I’m so glad I didn’t quit, or I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he says.

“Some people go through this and just give up. I stayed strong and had the heart to keep fighting. I’m grateful I had the inner strength to persevere. I just never gave up, kept training and things eventually got better. I can’t wait to feel the crowd cheering for me, I’ll keep this World Title in Thailand.”

At 53, Prayad has also enjoyed multiple success in Japan and with more than two decades of playing in the Land of the Rising Sun, he has good reason to believe he can do it one more time.

While he is at ease with playing in Japan, however, he is wary of the challenges from his younger rivals and hopes to draw on his experience to be in contention at the Sobu Country Club east of Tokyo.

“I like playing in the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup because I got a good track record at this event,” said the Thai veteran, a six-time winner on the Japan Tour. “I won this event in 2008 although it was not on this golf course. But it’s still feels good to play in an event which you know you’ve won before.”

Prayad was the Japan Senior Tour’s No 1 player in 2016-17 – he plays both the Japan Tour and Japan Senior Tour at the same time.

“I’ve been playing in Japan for almost 25 years and I’m very familiar with the golf courses here,” said the man regarded as a legend in Thai golf.

“I’m still young but it’s great to see the even younger boys from Thailand doing well. They just need to continue to gain more experience, playing in big events like this to gain more exposure and get used to the various playing conditions.”

A total of 13 Thai contenders will test their mettle in the first Asian Tour stop in Japan this year.

Among them are in-form Prom Meesawat, winner of the Singha Thailand Masters and ADT Brunei Open this year, and tour rookie Sadom Kaewkanjana, winner of the ADT Thongchai Jaidee Foundation and Asian Tour Bangladesh Open.

With the involvement of the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the tournament has welcomed a large number of amateurs over the years.

New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, who earned his Asian Tour card from Qualifying School last year, had the opportunity to play in the event before he joined the play-for-pay ranks and still holds fond memories of his time then.

As a professional now, Campbell is hoping for that breakthrough on the Asian Tour, having come close on a few occasions already.

Having secured his Tour card through the Asian Development Tour (ADT), Japan’s Shinichi Mizuno is on a steep learning curve but is hoping to make the cut for the first time in four attempts this year.

The Nagoya- born Mizuno moved to Hong Kong when he was a six-year-old and won his maiden ADT title at the season-ending event in Malaysia last year.

City moved back one point clear of Liverpool despite not being at their fluent best as centre-back Kompany unleashed a long-range shot into the top corner 20 minutes from time.

Guardiola’s men will become the first side in a decade to retain the title at Brighton on Sunday as long as they match or better the Reds’ result at home to Wolves.

Kompany, who has endured terrible luck with injuries over recent years, was in tears as he led a lap of honour with his children to mark City’s final home game of the season and may have played for the last time at the Etihad with his contract expiring at the end of the campaign.

“There are players that help us to be where we are right now,” said Guardiola. “Vincent is one of them.

“When is fit he is an incredible central defender. He is beloved, he is a leader. I’m happy for him, for the club, for everybody.”

After edging past Newcastle 3-2 on Saturday night, Liverpool, who have not won the league since 1990, were left praying that former manager Brendan Rodgers could do them a favour at the Etihad.

Leicester’s marked improvement since Rodgers took charge in February was on show in an impressive display from the visitors as City were made to sweat but just got over the line for a vital three points.

And Guardiola admitted he had urged Kompany not to shoot as he lined up his first goal from outside the box since he was playing for Hamburg in 2007.

“It’s not about the amount of goals you score it’s about when you score them. Today it was necessary,” said Kompany.

– ‘We have the pressure’ –

“Every step in the last four months was significant. Liverpool keep making the steps and now we have a final to play in Brighton, Nothing is won yet.”

City have now won 13 consecutive league games to overhaul a seven-point deficit at the top of the table in January and Guardiola claimed it is his side that have had to play under pressure despite Liverpool’s 29-year wait to win the title.

“It was outstanding the way we played in the second-half. The character, the personality, knowing how difficult it is,” added Guardiola.

“Right now Liverpool play without pressure. We have the pressure, we know we can lose it because it is in our hands.”

Sergio Aguero came closest to opening the scoring before the break with a header that clipped the inside of the post and was palmed clear by Kasper Schmeichel.

Yet, it was not until after the break that City upped the tempo to lay siege on the Leicester goal.

City thought their moment had come when the ball fell kindly for Aguero inside the area, only for Schmeichel to make a miraculous stop.

Guardiola’s men have now scored 157 goals this season but there will not be a more spectacular or unexpected one than that which may deliver the title.

Kompany looked short of options as he strode forward before unleashing a rocket of a shot that arrowed into the top corner.

“At the end of the season we are going to talk to him,” said Guardiola on whether Kompany will be handed a new deal.

“He is an incredible human being. He helped me a lot since I’ve been here. Always we can count on him for his personality.”

Leicester still had a huge chance to answer Liverpool’s prayers three minutes from time.

But against his former club Kelechi Iheanacho shot wide with just Ederson to beat and a titanic tussle for the title remains in City’s hands heading into the final day.

“He should score, I’ve said that to him afterwards,” said Rodgers.

“We didn’t have many chances, but the one that came he’s got to score that.”

The Czech second seed, chasing a fourth title on the Caja Magica clay, has now won her last five matches over qualifier Mladenovic in straight sets.

Sloane Stephens beat former world number one Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to equal her best showing at the event, defeating the two-time Australian Open winner for the fourth consecutive time.

Belarusian Azarenka committed nine double-faults in going down to the American eighth seed.

“I was taking control from the baseline points, I was doing the right things,” Azarenka said.

“I was playing smart tennis. But I didn’t create anything with my serve today and it was really frustrating.

“I didn’t really have a game plan, that’s something I need to take a look at and fix.

“I need to make it more simple and just do the right things.”

Former US Open winner Stephens also reached the third round here in 2014 and 2018.

Dutch seventh seed Kiki Bertens advanced past 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-3.

Last year’s losing Madrid finalist Bertens hammered 11 aces as she went through in 80 minutes, breaking Ostapenko four times.

In the men’s first round at the ATP-WTA pre-Roland Garros tune-up, Russian 11th seed Karen Khachanov ended a five-match losing streak as he put out Spain’s Jaume Munar 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3.

Khachanov earned his last win in mid-March at Indian Wells.

Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber defeated Mikhail Kukushkin 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), while Frances Tiafoe beat Georgia’s Nikolaz Basilashvili 6-7 (8/10), 6-3, 6-4.

Victory gave Trump, beaten in the 2011 final by Scotland’s Higgins, his maiden world title and saw him join the list of snooker players to have completed a career Grand Slam following previous successes in the UK Championship and Masters tournaments.

It also saw Trump become the first snooker player win a million pounds ($1.3 million) in a single season.

“I’ve worked so hard for this. It was an amazing final,” Trump told the BBC.

“I can’t put it into words how well I played,” the 29-year-old added. That’s what you’ve got to do to beat John, he’s one of the greatest to play the game.”

Defeat meant four-time world champion Higgins had now lost the last three Crucible finals.

But while he felt keenly disappointed in going close in going 18-15 to Mark Selby in 2017 and last year’s 18-6 loss to Mark Williams, Higgins had no reason to reproach himself after a superb display by Trump.

– ‘Unstoppable machine’ –

“I was the lucky one, I didn’t have to pay for a ticket,” said a sporting Higgins to knowing laughter from a packed crowd as he paid tribute to Trump.

“Playing my third final in a row is brilliant and I’m delighted to get there – but I came up against an unstoppable machine,” the 43-year-old added.

Trump was on the brink of victory at 16-9 when Monday’s evening session got underway and he made quick work of securing the two frames he required to be crowned champion with breaks of 94 and 62.

Trump had been outstanding in winning eight frames in a row on Sunday to establish a 12-5 overnight lead against Higgins.

But the impressive overall standard of both players in this match was shown by an afternoon session on Monday that started with Higgins nearly achieving a maximum break of 147 and ended with Trump just falling short of the landmark.

Higgins potted all 15 reds, including an outlandish double on the last, as he closed in on a maximum before missing a relatively simple black.

Higgins then won the next as well to reduce the deficit to 12-7.

But Trump, who had needed a final frame to beat Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and then came from behind in his seco

nd-round match with China’s Ding Junhui, stopped Higgins’ fightback with a brilliant 101.

It was his fifth century break of the match.

Trump then produced a composed break of 71 following a poor break-off shot by Higgins as he moved into a 14-7 lead at the mid-session interval.

Trump maintained his form when the match resumed, potting a brilliant opening long red and playing several superb positional shots in a commanding break of 126.

Higgins, with breaks of 67 and 70, at least avoided losing the match with a session to spare before Trump finished the afternoon’s play in style.

There seemed little prospect of a 147 when Trump, on 80, was left with a tough angle on the black and easier colours available to him.

But he made no mistake with a difficult pot and completed yet another century break before narrowly missing a tough red to the left middle pocket.