Football/Soccer 3h Briefing
×Last updated: March 17, 2026, 7:30 PM ET
UEFA Champions League & European Football
Manchester City's European campaign concluded in disappointment again as Real Madrid eliminated them skysports.com with a commanding 2-1 victory in the second leg, sealing a comprehensive 5-1 aggregate defeat in the Round of. Elsewhere in the competition, Arsenal kept their quadruple hopes alive espn.com by advancing, though the pressure mounts as domestic rivals falter, while Sporting CP completed a massive comeback espn.com against Bodo/Glimt by scoring five in the return leg to overturn a three-goal first-leg deficit, advancing 5-3 on aggregate. The Norwegian side, Bodo/Glimt, saw their fairytale run end bbc.com, but they bowed out having made history in the tournament. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany suggested that the club will likely avoid starting espn.com 16-year-old American goalkeeper Leonard Prescott against Atalanta.
US Soccer & International Matters
The USMNT saw transfer news emerge espn.com as sources indicated that forward Ricardo Pepi is nearing an agreement to join Fulham. Manager Mauricio Pochettino validated his selection of Gio Reyna for the national squad, stating the player is a "very special talent" despite Reyna's limited club minutes espn.com. In major international tournament news, Morocco has been officially declared the Africa Cup of Nations champions after a ruling overturned Senegal’s victory that occurred two months prior to the decision in a bombshell ruling skysports.com. Furthermore, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee rejected Nigeria's formal protest espn.com concerning the eligibility of DR Congo players utilized during their World Cup playoff match last November.
Domestic Leagues & NWSL Updates
In the English Championship, Watford secured a vital 3-1 win skysports.com over Wrexham, handing the Welsh side their first league loss of the calendar year and significantly tightening the race for the play-off spots. Attention shifted stateside where Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano confirmed that Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are physically fit ahead of their Concacaf Champions Cup fixture, attributing any potential rest decisions to the artificial turf conditions espn.com. reigning NWSL champions Gotham FC are scheduled to make their debut at Citi Field on July 15 when they face the Washington Spirit in a rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship espn.com.