Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×FA Cup Shocks and Controversy
Port Vale skysports.com produced one of the great FA Cup shocks as the League One basement side stunned Premier League Sunderland 1-0 to book their place in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Southampton skysports.com crashed out of the FA Cup following a 1-0 home defeat to Fulham in a fifth-round tie that was overshadowed by a controversial performance from referee Jarred Gillett. Newcastle bbc.com boss Eddie Howe admits his side were taught a tough lesson in their 3-1 FA Cup fifth-round defeat by Manchester City, while Wrexham espn.com exited the FA Cup with a 4-2 fifth-round defeat against Chelsea. Chelsea espn.com head coach Liam Rosenior defended his heavy squad rotation after his side edged past 10-man Wrexham to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals. Referee Peter Bankes had initially cautioned Wrexham's George Dobson for a foul on Chelsea's Alejandro Garnacho, but it was then changed to a red card - VAR review espn.com shows the decision was controversial.
Scottish Cup Drama
Fans clashed on the Ibrox pitch after Celtic espn.com knocked Rangers out of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup on penalties. Flares were thrown as supporters from both sides spilled onto the pitch after Celtic's 4-2 win on penalties. Dunfermline skysports.com dumped holders Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup with a stunning 3-0 win at KDM Group East End Park.
MLS and International Soccer
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 on Saturday in front of 72,026 fans. Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas revealed that captain Messi is paid between $70 million and $80 million a year, including the player's ownership shares. Meanwhile, U.S. defender Sergiño Dest espn.com limped off with an apparent hamstring injury during PSV Eindhoven's 2-1 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch league on Saturday.
Women's Soccer
Alyssa Thompson espn.com scored in the 82nd minute to break a scoreless stalemate and the United States defeated Colombia 1-0 on Saturday to win the She Believes Cup. England's Meghan MacLaren skysports.com and rookie Caley McGinty tied for second with nine under par at the Australian Women's Classic in the Ladies European Tour. Wales bbc.com have room to improve despite Rhian Wilkinson hailing a job well done following their emphatic first win in 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying.
Managerial Moves and Player News
Andy Robertson espn.com has insisted he was "never not committed" to Liverpool despite January interest from Tottenham Hotspur. Pep Guardiola skysports.com will receive a two-game touchline ban after the Manchester City boss was booked for the sixth time this season during the FA Cup win over Newcastle. Borussia Dortmund espn.com managing director Lars Ricken confirmed Julian Brandt is to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season.
European League 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 on Saturday. A pigeon briefly stopped play during Atletico Madrid's 3-2 win over Real Sociedad - with unflappable defender Jose Gimenez plucking the bird off the pitch and taking it to safety. Manchester City espn.com showed no problems despite missing Erling Haaland, with their depth on full display in their FA Cup win over Newcastle United.
Other Sports News
A 15-year-old Oxford United academy player bbc.com collapsed during a game against Fulham. Casey Jarvis skysports.com narrowly missed out on matching a DP World Tour record as England's Dan Bradbury snatched a one-shot victory at the Jobuk Open in South Africa. Mi Hyang Lee skysports.com rallied from two front-nine double bogeys to clinch the Blue Bay LPGA by one stroke on Sunday and win her first Tour title win in over eight years. Jack Draper skysports.com began the defence of his Indian Wells title with a three-set win over Roberto Bautista Agut to move into the third round. Rory McIlroy skysports.com has pulled out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill due to a back injury.
Transfer Rumors and Future Outlook
Real Madrid espn.com have taken an interest in Newcastle's Sandro Tonali, while Bernardo Silva is set to leave Man City. Manchester United bbc.com set their sights on one of Bournemouth's star players, while Unai Emery could be on his way out at Aston Villa and Newcastle United need to target a new shot-stopper. With the 2027 Women's World Cup closer than you think, we look at the USWNT's roster and forecast the 11 players Emma Hayes will count on for the tournament.