Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Premier League & FA Cup Drama
Manchester City espn.com showed no problems without Erling Haaland as they defeated Newcastle 3-1 in the FA Cup fifth round. Pep Guardiola espn.com admitted he's expecting a two-game touchline ban after raging at officials during the match. Arsenal bbc.com survived a scare against League One side Mansfield, with Eberechi Eze coming off the bench to score the winning goal. The Gunners' 16-year-olds Max Dowman bbc.com and Marli Salmon made history in the victory.
Manchester United bbc.com forward Melvine Malard is bringing "sunshine" to Old Trafford, as revealed in a BBC Sport feature. Meanwhile, Chelsea espn.com head coach Liam Rosenior defended his heavy squad rotation after his side edged past 10-man Wrexham 4-2 in extra time to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals. VAR broke Wrexham hearts as Alejandro Garnacho espn.com and Joao Pedro secured an unconvincing win for the Blues.
International Football
The United States defeated Colombia 1-0 to win the She Believes Cup, with Alyssa Thompson espn.com scoring in the 82nd minute to break a scoreless stalemate. In World Cup qualifying, Rhian Wilkinson bbc.com hailed Wales' emphatic first win but said they have room to improve. Evan Ferguson bbc.com will miss the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off after being ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury.
Northern Ireland bbc.com interim manager Kris Lindsay said it's "up to the powers that be" at the Irish FA to decide whether he will be appointed as permanent boss. England skysports.com faces scrutiny after a "seismic" Six Nations Saturday, with head coach Steve Borthwick under pressure following defeats to Scotland and Ireland.
La Liga & European Action
Lamine Yamal espn.com once again showed his ability to decide a game when Barcelona's teenage star broke the deadlock with a gorgeous strike to earn a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao. The victory puts Barça four points clear at the top of La Liga. In Serie A, Lewis Ferguson bbc.com and Kieron Bowie are set to feature as Bologna host Verona.
MLS & South American Football
Lionel Messi espn.com scored the 899th goal of his career to help Inter Miami CF to a 2-1 win over D.C. United in front of 72,026 fans. Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas espn.com revealed that captain Messi is paid between $70 million and $80 million a year, including the player's ownership shares. The win continues Miami's strong start to the MLS season.
Scottish Football
Aberdeen bbc.com interim manager fears relegation trouble after the Dons were dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Dunfermline, suffering a stunning 3-0 defeat at KDM Group East End Park. The loss compounds Aberdeen's struggles as they battle to avoid the drop. In the Scottish Premiership, Motherwell skysports.com's title race push suffered a blow when they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Dundee.
Transfer Rumors & Future Moves
Manchester United bbc.com have set their sights on one of Bournemouth's star players, while Napoli bbc.com hope to fend off Premier League interest for Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay. Tottenham Hotspur espn.com could replace manager Igor Tudor soon, while Barcelona eye Spurs' most promising young defender. Ryan Gravenberch espn.com has signed a new long-term contract at Anfield with Liverpool.
Other Notable Stories
Jose Gimenez bbc.com became an unlikely hero when he removed a pigeon that briefly stopped play during Atletico Madrid's 3-2 win over Real Sociedad, plucking the bird off the pitch and taking it to safety. In the Netherlands, Sergiño Dest espn.com limped off with an apparent hamstring injury during PSV Eindhoven's 2-1 win over AZ Alkmaar, dealing the USMNT an injury scare.