Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Premier League & FA Cup
Manchester City espn.com showed their depth with a 3-1 FA Cup win over Newcastle despite Erling Haaland's absence. Chelsea espn.com twice came from behind to beat Wrexham 4-2 in extra time after a red card controversy. Arsenal bbc.com needed a late Eberechi Eze stunner to survive a scare against Mansfield, while 16-year-olds Max Dowman and Marli Salmon made history.
International Soccer
The USWNT espn.com won the She Believes Cup with Alyssa Thompson's 82nd-minute winner against Colombia. Lionel Messi espn.com scored his 899th career goal in Inter Miami's 2-1 win over D.C. United. The USMNT espn.com faces an injury scare as Sergiño Dest limped off with a hamstring injury during PSV Eindhoven's match.
European Football
Lamine Yamal espn.com broke the deadlock with a stunning strike as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 to go four points clear. Julian Brandt espn.com will leave Borussia Dortmund at season's end, while Chelsea bbc.com head coach Liam Rosenior defended his heavy rotation after the Wrexham win. Liverpool espn.com midfielder Ryan Gravenberch signed a new long-term contract at Anfield.
Manager Moves & Transfers
Andy Robertson espn.com insisted he was "never not committed" to Liverpool despite January interest from Tottenham. Pep Guardiola skysports.com will serve a two-match touchline ban after his sixth booking this season. Real Madrid espn.com have entered the race for Newcastle's Sandro Tonali, while Bernardo Silva is set to leave Man City.
Scottish Football
Dunfermline skysports.com dumped holders Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup with a stunning 3-0 win. Aberdeen's interim manager was left disconsolate after the exit, with Leven bbc.com fearing relegation trouble for the Dons.
Women's Soccer
England's Meghan MacLaren skysports.com and rookie Caley McGinty tied for second at the Australian Women's Classic. Rhian Wilkinson bbc.com hailed Wales' "job well done" after their first win in 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying, though she says they have room to improve.
Other Sports
Jack Draper skysports.com began his Indian Wells title defense with a three-set win. Luke Humphries skysports.com suffered a 10-6 defeat to Danny Noppert in the UK Open last. Rory McIlroy skysports.com withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a back injury.
Controversies & Incidents
A pigeon bbc.com briefly stopped play during Atletico Madrid's 3-2 win over Real Sociedad, with defender Jose Gimenez plucking the bird off the pitch. The Wayne Rooney espn.com disagreed with Wrexham's red card, which was changed from yellow after VAR review.
With the 2027 Women's World Cup approaching, analysts are predicting espn.com the USWNT's starting lineup. Meanwhile, Wrexham's loss to Chelsea serves as a reality check espn.com for their Premier League ambitions.