BIRMINGHAM CITY 2  MIDDLESBROUGH 2 

Before the game

Well, that was unfortunate timing. On a weekend when both promotion rivals, Burnley and Brighton, won their respective games, the good ship Middlesbrough hit the rocks at the Riverside last weekend in a goalless draw against Ipswich Town. 

That unfortunate shut-out has now lead to a remarkably tight promotion race at the top, in a true Championship Thunderdome - three teams in, two teams up. 

Those sides are all tied on 87 points and share a near identical goal-difference with Burnley just having the edge, two goals better than Boro. And there are just two games left for this trio to fight for the two automatic promotion spots to the Premier League. 

There is a huge beacon of hope for Middlesbrough, though, as the side's promotion hopes are in their own hands. If the next two games against Birmingham and Brighton are won, then Boro go up. 

That journey starts with a treacherous step in St. Andrews against a Birmingham side that will take great delight in pooping the promotion party for Middlesbrough to see the Teesiders possibly being cast into the end-of-season play-offs. 

SATURDAY / SUNDAY: Chaz Davies Does the Double at Imola in WORLDSBK

​Before the race

Just when it looked like Jonathan Rea was looking all too human and vulnerable in round three, with a double defeat to fellow Brit, Chaz Davies, the Kawasaki King bounced back in some style in Assen, Netherlands to top the podium in both races and build a huge lead in the Superbike standings. 

Rea goes into round 5 as the man to take down once again with an impressive record at Imola in Italy having won five times on Italian track including the past four Superbike races. "I enjoy riding there. The culture, the food, the parkland track itself; everything seems nice."

Italy provides another opportunity for the Kentucky Kid, Nicky Hayden, to repeat his podium finish in Race 1 at Assen with the American legend of the track starting to flourish in his return to the SBK Superbikes fold. 

BETIS 0 BARCELONA 2

Before the game

By the time the Barcelona players trot out onto the pitch at the home of Real Betis, the footballers will have an idea of what is at stake in the city of Seville. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will have played their respective games against Real Sociedad and Rayo Vallecano. If either win, then Barca know that anything other than a victory could cost the league champions their crown, with just two games to go after Saturday's final whistle. 

Although Betis are far from a being a solid side and still in wound-licking mood after a Seville derby defeat last weekend, the southerners are still capable of being as stubborn as mules in the Estadio Benito Villamarin, having held Real Madrid to a draw in their home earlier this season and suffering just the single defeat in the past eight Primera games. 

But even if Barca's defense wobbles under Andalusian skies, then Luis Enrique should feel confident that his MSN can outscore anybody on their day, although that was the plan against Real Sociedad and Valencia, which did not go so well. 

RAYO OKC 1 INDY ELEVEN 2 

Before the game

Fans of NASL's brand new franchise, Rayo OKC, had to hang on for an extra two hours for their team's first ever victory due to a lightening storm over the home of Miami FC. But the delay was still worth the wait with the sister club of the La Liga outfit, Rayo Vallecano, prevailing in a 3-2 epic against Alessandro Nesta's side to get off the starting blocks in style.

Now the mission is to repeat the feat in front of Rayo's home fans in Oklahoma City at the Miller Stadium against Indy Eleven, a tough-to-beat outfit currently fourth in the standings, and unbeaten in the three games played so far this season.

Rayo have built one of the most experienced rosters in the division with former La Liga stalwarts, Juanan and Derek Boateng in the locker room along with former MLS and USNMT star, Robbie Findley. Despite a slow start to the franchise's fresh beginning, a very bright future awaits for a side playing in all too familiar stripe on their jerseys.  

MotoAmerica ROUND 3 (NEW JERSEY) - Cameron Beaubier Wins Double

Before the race

The New Jersey Motorsports Park is the scene for another fascinating MotoAmerica Superbikes battle between consistency, flair and history. 

US rider Roger Hayden may be at the top of the standings with a slender one point lead, but the Yoshimura Suzuki rider has yet to finish in first place in the four MotoAmerica races so far this season. But that anomaly can be overcome this weekend with the double date with destiny in New Jersey on Sunday afternoon. 

Toni Elias has been the man to keep Hayden from the top spot on three occasions, but a failure to finish for the Spaniard in race two in Georgia, sees the rider just behind his Superbikes rival. 

Reigning champion, Cameron Beaubier also bounced back from a slow start to the season to grab his first win in Atlanta. But there is an awful lot of ground to make up in New Jersey, as the MotoAmerica Superbikes season starts to look very interesting indeed.