LONDON -- Whatever setbacks and humiliations Englands players have endured in recent years, they only have to look to neighbor Scotland to see how much worse it could be.They are in the same World Cup qualifying group, but Saturdays games showed they are far from being rivals on the pitch.With its third different manager in as many matches, England experienced some frustration in only managing to beat Malta 2-0 at the start of Gareth Southgates interim reign.But Englands turmoil is eclipsed by Scotlands predicament as it chases its first finals since the 1998 World Cup. Scotland came close to being upset by Lithuania in Glasgow on Saturday, avoiding losing to a team ranked 73 places below them thanks only to a late goal salvaging a 1-1 draw.Scotland, which beat 10-man Malta 5-1 in its Group F opener last month, fell behind to Lithuania when captain Fedor Cernych held off Grant Hanley and played a one-two with Vykintas Slivka before striking into the net.But substitute James McArthur came to Scotlands rescue in the 89th minute, heading in the equalizer after connecting with a long throw-in.Only the top team qualifies for the finals in Russia, and Scotland already trails Group F leader England by two points. Slovenia is behind Scotland on goal difference in third after beating Slovakia 1-0.ENGLAND 2, MALTA 0Southgate enjoyed a straightforward but unchallenging introduction to senior international management as a second new England era in a month opened.Daniel Sturridges header from Jordan Hendersons cross, and Dele Allis strike in the first half sealed the win, with England lacking dynamism and urgency up front against the 176th-ranked visitors.We had chances for it to be more, so thats the one disappointment in the game -- that we didnt get more goals, Henderson said. I felt as though we got a little sloppy as the game went on.Regardless, this performance is unlikely to be a factor when the Football Association decides whether to entrust Southgate with the job as Sam Allardyces permanent successor.Southgate was rapidly promoted from the under-21s last week when Allardyce was dismissed over comments in a newspaper sting that left the FA doubting his integrity for its top job.Allardyce was in charge only 67 days, replacing Roy Hodgson after Englands miserable European Championship loss to Iceland.Allardyce won the first match on the road to the 2018 World Cup in Slovakia last month, but never got a chance to lead his team out at Englands national stadium as a result of his unguarded comments to undercover reporters. A British newspapers video showed Allardyce appearing to offer advice to fictitious businessmen on how to sidestep an outlawed player transfer practice, and also negotiating a 400,000 pound (about $500,000) public-speaking contract.Southgate, whose only previous senior managerial role ended seven years ago with Middlesbrough, is viewed as encouragingly less colorful than the brash Allardyce for such a prestigious, high-profile job.But he has only four games as interim manager, and judgment of Southgates credentials is to come. After traveling to Slovenia for the next qualifier on Tuesday, England hosts Scotland and Spain next month in north London. Wholesale Tennessee Titans Jerseys . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said. Tennessee Titans Jerseys China . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. http://www.cheaptitansjerseysauthentic.com/ . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Titans Jerseys Authentic China . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. Wholesale Titans Jerseys . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont. A season to forget in Oakland?may have taken an unusual turn as two As players engaged in an altercation that left one injured, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report.As players Billy Butler and Danny Valencia were involved in some sort of clubhouse spat Friday, according to the report. Since then, Butler has missed Oaklands games Saturday and Sunday with what manager Bob Melvin said was nausea and vomiting.While neither Melvin nor any of his players would confirm the report, Melvin did say Butlers health woes were not related to the flu or any illness.Valencia, who did not play in Sundays game, issued a no comment about the alleged incident after the Athhletics 4-2 loss to the White Sox, but added, What happens in the clubhouse stays in the clubhouse.dddddddddddd.Butler and Valencia have been teammates in both Kansas City and Oakland in parts of 2014 and 2015 and all of 2016.Valencia has had the better season of the two, batting .302 with 15 homers in 97 games, while Butler in 79 games is batting .284 with four home runs.The As (53-71) have lost seven of their past eight games and are in fourth place in the American League West -- 19? games behind the division-leading Texas Rangers. ' ' '