Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×FA Cup Shocks and Upsets
Port Vale skysports.com stunned Premier League Sunderland 1-0 to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, marking one of the competition's biggest upsets in years. Meanwhile, Southampton skysports.com eliminated Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage in a match overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions from Jarred Gillett.
Newcastle United bbc.com suffered a sobering 3-1 defeat to Manchester City, with Eddie Howe admitting his side were taught a "tough lesson" about the gap to the top teams. Chelsea espn.com twice came from behind to beat Wrexham 4-2 after extra time, with VAR denying the Welsh side a dramatic equalizer. Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior bbc.com defended his heavy squad rotation after the unconvincing win.
Premier League and European Action
Barcelona espn.com moved four points clear at the top of La Liga thanks to a stunning strike from teenage sensation Lamine Yamal in a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao. In the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund espn.com confirmed that Julian Brandt will leave the club at the end of the season.
International Football
The USWNT claimed the She Believes Cup with a 1-0 victory over Colombia, with Alyssa Thompson espn.com scoring the decisive goal in the 82nd minute. to the 2027 Women's World Cup, analysts are predicting the USWNT's starting lineup espn.com as Emma Hayes prepares for her first major tournament.
Transfer News and Rumors
Real Madrid espn.com have joined Arsenal in the race for Newcastle's Sandro Tonali, while Bernardo Silva is reportedly set to leave Manchester City. Manchester United bbc.com have set their sights on Bournemouth's star player, with transfer speculation heating up across Europe.
Manager and Player Updates
Andy Robertson espn.com insisted he was "never not committed" to Liverpool despite January interest from Tottenham Hotspur. Pep Guardiola skysports.com will serve a two-match touchline ban after being booked for the sixth time this season during Manchester City's FA Cup win over Newcastle.
Scottish Football
Aberdeen bbc.com interim manager described as "disconsolate" after their Scottish Cup exit, while Dunfermline skysports.com dumped the holders out with a stunning 3-0 victory at East End Park. Motherwell skysports.com saw their title race hopes suffer a blow with a 2-1 defeat at Dundee.
MLS and International Leagues
Lionel Messi espn.com scored his 899th career goal in Inter Miami's 2-1 win over D.C. United, with 72,026 fans in attendance. Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas espn.com revealed that Messi is paid between $70 million and $80 million annually, including ownership shares.
Other Football News
Wrexham espn.com set their sights on Premier League promotion after their FA Cup exit, with manager Phil Parkinson saying their next target is to make games against Chelsea a regular occasion in the top flight. Wrexham dreaming of the Premier League espn.com received a reality check from their FA Cup loss to Chelsea.
Set-Piece Analysis
As corner kicks continue to cause chaos in the Premier League, analysts are examining the anatomy of a corner-kick bbc.com and why they are becoming so hard to defend in modern football.