Sport in Short: Football

TUESDAY'S LATE RESULTS: Pontins League First Division: Sheffield Wednesday 4 Sheffield United 2.

RUUD GULLIT scored the winner as Milan beat Sampdoria 2-1 last night to become the first Italian team to complete a calendar year without a league defeat. Eight points clear of the field after 13 matches, they are now unbeaten in 48 league games, having last tasted defeat in a league fixture at now-relegated Bari more than 18 months ago.

THE Dutch midfielder Frank Rijkaard is to remain with Milan at least until the end of the 1993-94 season. Rijkaard's contract expires at the end of the current season and there had been speculation that the 30-year-old Dutchman would return to the Netherlands.

KEVIN KEEGAN will be offered a five- year contract if he takes Newcastle United into the Premier League at the end of the season. The Newcastle chairman Sir John Hall made the pledge, saying: 'We must go up this season - and I believe we will. Once that happens, I will offer Kevin his five-year deal. He has achieved a miracle here and deserves the reward.'

TERRY HURLOCK, the Southampton midfielder, has been cleared to play in the FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest on 3 January. It was initially feared he would be suspended for the cup match - and also the Premier League game against Leeds on 9 January - after being booked at Everton last Saturday. However, Saints confirmed yesterday that the booking took Hurlock's discipinary points tally to 20, one short of an automatic two-match ban.

CARDIFF CITY will meet their South Wales rivals, Swansea City, in one of only seven clear-cut ties produced by yesterday's second-round draw for the Autoglass Trophy. With a large number of group matches still to be played, the draw is by no means straightforward. The holders, Stoke City, will be at home to Barnet, providing they avoid defeat in their second group game against Crewe on 6 January.

AUTOGLASS TROPHY Second-round draw: Northern Section: Bury or Rochdale v Scunthorpe United; Rotherham United v Blackpool, Preston North End or Wigan Athletic; Darlington v Bolton Wanderers, Bury or Rochdale; Blackpool or Preston v Burnley; Huddersfield Town v Doncaster Rovers; Scarborough v Bradford City; Stockport County v Hartlepool United; Hull City v Chesterfield. Southern Section: Brighton or Reading v Walsall, Mansfield Town or West Bromwich Albion; Northampton Town v Hereford United; Exeter City, Torquay United or Plymouth Argyle v Brighton, Reading or Bournemouth; Walsall, Mansfield or West Bromwich v Exeter, Torquay or Plymouth; Wrexham, Stoke City or Crewe Alexandra v Barnet; Leyton Orient v Wrexham, Stoke or Crewe; Port Vale v Fulham; Cardiff City v Swansea City. (Ties to be played week starting 11 January where possible).

DENMARK are having to re-lay the pitch at their refurbished Parken stadium in Copenhagen in time for a World Cup qualifier against Spain on 31 March. Inadequate draining has caused problems since the 40,500-seat ground was re-opened in September. The alternative to playing at the Parken would be Brondby's ground, which has only 6,000 seats.

LOAN: Eamonn Collins, midfielder, Exeter City to Farnborough Town.