Campion made a confident start and put the Jamnabai defence under pressure with quick attacking moves. Their positive approach paid off in the fifth minute when they were awarded a penalty. Sarosh Bhesania slotted the ball into the bottom left corner from the spot to break the deadlock. They struck again in the 11th minute as Vishwadhit doubled the advantage. After a well-worked attacking move, he finished neatly into the bottom right corner. Just a minute later, Vishwadhit scored his second goal. He showed great composure inside the box to finish confidently and give Campion a 3–0 lead at half-time.

With a three-goal cushion, Campion adopted a composed approach in the second half. They controlled the pace of the game, preventing Jamnabai from building any sustained attacks. Earlier, in the third-place playoff match, Greenlawns High School defeated St Peter’s School 2–0. Shoumik Mehta and Dhir Multani scored a goal each.

City could kick off at the London Stadium 10 points behind leaders Arsenal should the Gunners beat Everton earlier in the day, and must bounce back from the disappointment of a 0-3 Champions League drubbing at the hands of Real Madrid on Wednesday. “The English Premier League always is the most difficult one [title to win] and still we are there, knowing that if we drop points, it’ll be over,” said Guardiola on Friday. 

The City boss has won six EPL titles in his nine previous seasons in England. But his team were well off the pace last season, finishing 13 points behind champions Liverpool, in third spot. “It is a pleasure to be here. Last season we could not live that in this stage, so it’s nice. Always I have said, since I arrived [in England], in the last 10 games, every team plays for something — for relegation, to be champions etc. So now there are no second chances,” the Spanish manager added.

07
No of points that separate Man City from table-toppers Arsenal

Coleen, an English media personality and author, launched her apparel range ‘By Coleen’ in partnership with fashion brand Primark after signing a multi-million pound deal. The clothes feature clean silhouettes and warm colours at affordable pricing. Coleen herself modelled some pieces from her collection via an Instagram post which received loads of praise. 

Gushing over the collection, one user wrote: “The quality and price is amazing,” while another said: “Love every single piece.” A third added: “It’s not only stylish but also affordable and that’s the best part.” Rooney and Coleen have been married since 2008.

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Inter Kashi were promoted after winning the I-League last season, and have already shown they can go toe to toe with well-established clubs, particularly thanks to their robust defensive tactics, which has seen them concede just thrice in four games (despite being down to 10 men in one of them). Nevertheless, The Islanders’s coach Petr Kratky insists his team can penetrate their backline.

“They are very well drilled. Their defensive mindset and defensive transitions are very good. But I believe that we can create chances and score goals. It’s all about our approach [to the game]. We want to show a good attitude. We want to play attacking football. Obviously, against Inter Kashi it will be hard, but I believe in my team’s ability to break it [their defence],” Kratky told reporters on Friday.

Mumbai City’s left flank, comprising winger PN Noufal and full-back Aakash Mishra proved to be a thorn in Delhi Sporting Club’s defence in their last game (a 2-2 draw), and Kratky hopes the rest of the team can take a leaf out of their book, to bolster the attack. “I’m very happy with our team’s start in certain areas, like the left side. Hopefully, they can keep going and produce not only on the left side but also on the right,” added Kratky.

Ex-AIFF general secy Das dies at 66

Kushal Das

Former All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Kushal Das, who played a vital role in organising the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India, died at the age of 65 on Friday. Das held the role of general secretary for 12 years before retiring in 2022.

Trump shared a post on Truth Social that emphasised the great demand for tickets and promised that players, officials, and spectators would receive special treatment during the international football tournament.

"The United States of America looks very much forward to hosting the FIFA World Cup. Ticket sales are "through the roof!" It will be the Greatest and Safest Sporting Event in American History. All Players, Officials, and Fans will be treated like the "STARS" that they are! President DONALD J. TRUMP." President Trump posted on Truth Social.

Donald Trump warns Iran against participating at the World Cup

The Iranian national football team`s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup was earlier encouraged by Donald Trump, but he cautioned them to "not be there for their own life and safety."

In a post on Truth Social, the US President said, "The Iranian National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don`t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety."

According to Al Jazeera, Trump`s remarks were made just one day after Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali declared that the nation could not compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup because the United States had assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country`s supreme leader.

"Considering that this corrupt regime [the US] has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup," Ahmad Donyamali told state television, according to the report.

Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of Iran, had also said earlier that Iran cannot be expected to look forward to the 2026 FIFA World Cup with optimism following the recent assaults.

(With ANI input)

Former Spice Girls singer Victoria also shared a black and white photo in which she is seen playing with Brooklyn when he was a toddler. The accompanying caption read: “Happy 27th birthday Brooklyn. I love you so much.”

Brooklyn did not respond or ‘like’ either of the posts. In January, Brooklyn made a public announcement, saying he has no intention of reconciling with his parents, accusing them of trying to ruin his relationship with his wife Nicola Peltz. Brooklyn had claimed that his parents do things publicly for their image.

Both teams began cautiously, focusing on possession. Jamnabai tried to build through quick passing, while St Peter’s relied on counter-attacks. However, strong defending and alert goalkeeping ensured the first half ended goalless. The second half saw similar exchanges, but no goals, forcing the match into a penalty shootout. In the shootout, Aadit Dutt, Neymaar Makhija and Heansh Parikh converted for Jamnabai, while Usman Ansari, Vihan Pawar and Abbas Sheikh responded for St Peter’s to make it 3-3 after first attempts each.

In the sudden death, Viven Nayak converted for Jamnabai before Mohammad Salah Ansari missed for St Peter’s, ensuring victory for Jamnabai.

Meanwhile, Campion School (Colaba) beat Greenlawns High School (Pedar Road) 2-0 in the other semi-final, with Sarosh Bhesania and Hridaan Mehta scoring 
a goal each. 

That came in the 74th minute, after Chelsea had twice come from behind with Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez replying to strikes by Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele for the hosts. Even after that, Joao Pedro was then denied a third equaliser because of a tight offside call, before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia`s late brace gave PSG a three-goal advantage to take into the return. 

"It is a very disappointing result on an evening where for much of the game I was really happy with the performance," Rosenior added. "The last 15 to 20 minutes were crazy in many aspects, and that is on me. "Setbacks happen but you have to stay calm in the moment and we didn`t and we were punished by a very good team. 

"It is a painful one because for 70 minutes we were in the tie and the game." The coach`s decision to start Jorgensen over Robert Sanchez will now be in the spotlight, with the Dane playing in a Champions League game for just the third time this season -- he had also been given the nod against Aston Villa in the Premier League last week.

Extra rest for PSG

"Both have different qualities. Rob is outstanding from crosses and an outstanding shot-stopper," Rosenior said. "I am trying to win in the short term and in the long term. "I feel Filip has different qualities and one of those qualities, which he showed against Aston Villa, is that we were so calm in possession, which we were not before. 

"Coming here against a really high-pressing team, if you stay calm and play through the initial press you can cause a lot of problems, which we did." Rosenior admitted his team had "kind of shot ourselves in the foot" but said Jorgensen had taken responsibility for his mistake. "The first thing is credit to him. He held his hands up in the dressing room. 

"Mistakes happen. Everybody makes mistakes, and what we have to do is look after each other. "We have a huge game in three days against Newcastle and we want to see a real reaction and resilience about us in the next game." While Chelsea have that key Premier League match before welcoming PSG to Stamford Bridge next Tuesday, PSG have a weekend off after their Ligue 1 game against Nantes was postponed to allow them to rest. 

"We kept trying to play against a very physical and very good technical team," said PSG coach Luis Enrique. "We need to keep going and also rest to prepare for the second leg." His team is still trying to rediscover the form which led them to European glory last season, although the Spaniard knows that matching those standards is not easy. 

"There are all the comparisons with last year but it is impossible to be at that level," he said. "We are very resilient, I think that is a word which defines our team, and we are very happy."

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“Fede is the type of player who will adapt to any situation. He played right-back, holding midfielder, left-back, under the striker, centre-back. You have to give him a lot of credit,” Henry said on CBS, before adding: “Fede  was [French star Lilian] Thuram, [Dutch legend Dennis] Bergkamp, [French great Claude] Makelele. He was everybody today.”

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Real Madrid coach Arbeloa showered praise on Valverde, comparing him to club legend Juanito, who played 401 games for them and was considered by fans to represent the essence of the club because of his performances in vital matches.

Alvaro Arbeloa. Pic/AFP

“Valverde? He’s the Juanito of the 21st century. He’s a reference footballer for this club. Every single thing anyone needs to be a great Real Madrid player, Fede Valverde possesses,” said Arbeloa.

Trent Alexander-Arnold  was similarly effusive in his praise for his teammate. “I’m running out of words to describe him. He’s the most underrated footballer on the planet,” said Trent. 

Valverde opened the scoring (20th minute) by rounding City custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma after latching onto a long pass. He then added a second (27th) with a powerful left-footed strike and completed his hat-trick (42nd) by chipping the ball over Marc Guehi before volleying home.

20th min
Valverde cleverly rounds Man City custodian Donnarumma for the first goal after latching on to a long pass from Madrid goalkeeper Courtois

27th min
Valverde times his run into the box perfectly before shooting off his weaker foot into the far corner

42nd min
Valverde smartly chips the ball over Man City’s onrushing defender Marc Guehi (centre) before volleying it home to complete his hat-trick

First
Federico Valverde had never scored a hat-trick in his senior career prior to Wednesday

Three
No. of goals midfielder Valverde had scored in his previous 75 UCL matches

Two
No. of times a player has scored a first-half hat-trick against an English opponent in the UCL; the other player to do so was Barcelona’s Lionel Messi vs Arsenal in 2010

29
No. of times Real Madrid have won the first leg of a knockout tie in the UCL by scoring three or more goals

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Iran`s football squad was scheduled to play its first of three group play matches at the World Cup on 15 June in Los Angeles against New Zealand. The Iran team were placed together in a group with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt.

"What has happened in the past few months shows that the conditions for our national football team to participate in the World Cup do not exist, and this team will not participate in the upcoming event," Donyamali said in a statement, according to IRNA.

"A rogue country is hosting the World Cup," Donyamali said in a separate statement to the semi-official Iranian Students` News Agency on Wednesday, adding that "we expect FIFA to react to this."

"Given that a corrupt government has come and assassinated our leader, we are not in a position to attend the World Cup. Our team members have no security at all to attend the World Cup." Donyamali stated, according to ISNA. 

The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with games taking place across three of these North American countries. All three nations have qualified as host nations.

President Trump `welcomes` Iran to play at the World Cup 2026

Despite the current conflict in the Middle East, US President Donald Trump will "welcome" Iran`s participation in the forthcoming World Cup in North America, the White House announced on Wednesday.

Iran`s participation in this summer`s men`s football World Cup, which is jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, has been called into question due to the conflict, which was started by US-Israeli strikes on February 28.

According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino," President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States" during a meeting to review competition preparations.

Trump`s recent remarks to Infantino are opposite to his comments last week when he said, "I really don`t care" if Iran plays at the World Cup.

Slot’s side lost to Mario Lemina’s header early in the first half at the RAMS Stadium in Istanbul.

‘We had 3-4 great chances’

The Reds were fortunate not to be further behind before half-time as Galatasaray created a host of chances to increase their lead. “We started the game really well,” said Slot. “We had three or four great moments. The biggest moment when Florian [Wirtz] came across almost an open goal, but he couldn’t finish that ball,” Slot said.

“We weren’t able to score and with their first attack it led to a corner and you have to give credit to the way when they get a chance. They played as if it’s the last chance of their lives.

“That is definitely something we can learn from. We sometimes get our chances and it comes across as, like, we think we’ll get 10 more.

“It’s already a difficult place to come to, but when you’re 1-0 down it makes it even harder,” Slot added.

Bayern cruise, Barca draw

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich put one foot in the quarter-finals by sweeping aside Atalanta 6-1 in a powerful demonstration of why the German giants are one of the favourites to win the competition.

In another game, Lamine Yamal’s last-gasp penalty earned Barcelona a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

2
No. of times Liverpool have lost to Galatasaray this season

The French forward, 34, had been heavily linked with a move to MLS side Orlando City before the end of March, when the American league`s transfer window closes. However Griezmann found the net in Atletico`s big last 16 first leg triumph and, with a Copa del Rey final to come in April, is dreaming of silverware. 

"I am very good here, enjoying myself a lot, what I do on the pitch speaks for itself," Griezmann told Movistar. "We will see, but the idea is to go until the final and let others talk. "(Playing in the Copa del Rey final) is my dream, my objective and I hope we can do something big." 

Atletico, who finished as runners-up in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals, have a great chance to reach the quarter-finals. Spurs made three big mistakes, including two from goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, in the opening stages as the Rojiblancos raced into a 4-0 lead by the 22nd minute. 

"We took advantage of some errors of theirs, they were slipping a lot on the pitch and we`re used to it," said Griezmann. "We wanted to press them a lot, and we did, the errors came from our pressing."

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Ascend started on the front foot and dominated the early exchanges. Their first chance came in the fourth minute when Aveer Kothari found himself in a promising position close to goal, but Campion goalkeeper Arjun Talwar Khiani reacted swiftly to produce a fine save.

Ascend continued to press and looked the more attacking side in the opening half. In the 12th minute, Aushim Sagar attempted to break the deadlock with a well-struck free-kick from outside the box, but custodian Arjun was alert again to gather the ball comfortably, ensuring the first half ended goalless. After the break, Campion gradually began to find their rhythm. Their persistence paid off in the 17th minute when Hrihaan stepped up to take a free-kick from just outside the penalty area. The youngster delivered a superb strike that curled into the top right corner of the net, giving Campion the crucial lead.

Ascend pushed hard for the equaliser and earned a final opportunity in the form of a late corner kick. Aveer rose well to meet Aushim’s cross with a firm header, but goalie Arjun once again came to his team’s rescue with another brilliant save to ensure the score remained unchanged and in favour of Campion.
This was the second title for Campion School in the U-10 category after they won the MSSA boys U-10 Division I title, beating Bombay Scottish (Mahim) 1-0 in the final in February.

Meanwhile, in the third-place playoff, Bombay Scottish (Mahim) defeated Sacred Heart (Santacruz) 4-0. Nivaan Sohal scored a brace, while Ayushman Singh and Nirhaad Singh added a goal each.

Chinese Taipei led 2-1 at half-time. The Mulan took an early lead through Su Yu-hsuan (12`), before Manisha Kalyan (39`) drew India level. However, Chinese Taipei took the lead once again in the first half through Hsu Yi-yun (45+8`), before Chen Yu-ting (77`) extended their lead in the second half, , according to a All India Football Federation (AIFF) release.

India head coach Amelia Valverde made two changes to her starting XI, bringing in Shilky Devi Hemam and Nirmala Devi Phanjoubam for the match, needing a victory and scoring at least two goals to stand a chance to qualify for the knockout rounds.

The Blue Tigresses began with intent, and a Manisha corner almost put them in the lead in the second minute. Soumya Guguloth had her header saved from the corner before Pyari Xaxa pounced on the rebound, causing confusion in the Chinese Taipei defence, before it was cleared.

Chinese Taipei countered immediately with Chen Jin-wen pulling the trigger from inside the Indian box, but it went inches wide of the far post.

India had a similar chance at the other end, when Nirmala played it to Manisha, who threaded it through to Soumya, who also dragged her shot inches wide.

India goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu Elangbam made a smart save off of a YC Chen shot in the 10th minute, but was left stranded a couple of minutes later, when a double error at the back gifted Chinese Taipei the lead. Martina Thokchom miscued a clearance in her half, as the ball rolled onto JW Chen on the right. Sanju managed to intercept it in time and attempted to play it back to Panthoi. However, the fullback`s pass lacked conviction and fell into the path of JW Chen, who promptly squared it to YH Su to tap it into an empty net.

India still needed to score twice, as a 2-1 win would also have been enough.. A 26th-minute Pyari cross into the box saw Sanfida Nongrum charge at the near post, but she only managed to collide with the opposition keeper.

India finally levelled the score when they got a free-kick some 25 yards out. Huang Ke-sin`s off-the-ball push on Soumya in the 38th minute got the Video Assistant Referee into action, as a possible red card offence was being checked. However, the VAR deemed the referee`s original decision of a yellow card to Huang was correct.

A minute later, Manisha produced a thunderous free-kick that struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced out of play, before being cleared. The VAR was once again called upon, and a goal was soon awarded to India, who had levelled the score.

Panthoi, who has made numerous saves in the Asian Cup, pulled off another blinder in the first- half injury-time, when YC Chen`s powerful effort struck the onrushing India goalkeeper on the face. While the immediate danger was averted, disaster struck a minute later, when Chinese Taipei were awarded a penalty. YY Hsu, who stepped up, however, only managed to hit the woodwork. However, the ball struck the back of Panthoi, who had dived in the correct direction, and rolled over the line for Chinese Taipei to take the lead once more.

A goal behind, India started the second half with greater intent once again, as Rimpa Haldar replaced Soumya Guguloth. Manisha, who drifted wide on the right, cut inside and pulled the trigger, only to see it sail wide.

At the other end, captain Sweety Devi Ngangbam made a crucial block off a YH Su shot, minutes before Panthoi pulled off a brilliant save once again, this time denying the attacker, who was through on goal.

However, India`s repeated attempts to get back on level terms ended up being their undoing. YY Hsu played YC Chen through behind the India back-four, as the latter rounded Panthoi and scored in an empty goal. Panthoi, while charging at Chen, collided with Sweety, and both players had to be stretchered off.

India had a few chances in the closing stages, with Sanfida having her 86th-minute volley blocked by Teng Pei-lin, while Manisha`s 89th-minute free-kick took a deflection before substitute goalkeeper Chen Ssu-yu swiped it away. The Chinese Taipei substitute keeper, in the last minute of regulation time, had to make yet another save off a Manisha free-kick.

The India forward looked destined to score a second goal, and a minute later, she managed to get a free header onto a Kaviya Pakkirisamy corner, only to see it thud onto the upright.

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West Ham or Brentford, who meet on Monday, will host Leeds in the other quarter-final. But it is City`s latest showdown with rivals Liverpool that is the stand-out tie of the round. Pep Guardiola`s side have already beaten Liverpool twice this season, winning 3-0 in Manchester in November and earning a 2-1 victory at Anfield in February. 

It will be the first FA Cup meeting between the clubs since Liverpool won 3-2 in the semi-finals in 2022. Liverpool, 3-1 winners at Wolves in the last 16, have won the FA Cup eight times, most recently four years ago. 

Seven-time winners City, who beat Newcastle 3-1 in the fifth round, last lifted the trophy in 2023. Premier League leaders Arsenal advanced to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win at third tier Mansfield. Mikel Arteta`s men will head to Championship play-off hopefuls Southampton, who enjoyed a surprise 1-0 win at Fulham in the fifth round.

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“We are Real Madrid and I think that we never feel lesser than anyone else,” Arbeloa told reporters on Tuesday. “It doesn’t matter the circumstance, it doesn’t matter who is in front of us, we are Real Madrid and we should not feel inferior to anyone. Tomorrow we have an opponent we know well, the identity of the club, coach, players, what Manchester City is... but we’ll head into it full of hope,” he added.

Teammates watch Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr control the ball during a session. Pic/Getty Images

Mbappe was in France last week for tests and treatment on a knee sprain, which Arbeloa said was looking better. Without Mbappe, Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior will lead the attack for the 15-time champions. 

“He’s taking a lot of responsibility... we need the best of him if we’re going to knock out Manchester City,” added the Spanish manager.

Five
No. of times Real Madrid have beaten Manchester City in 15 UCL games

Seven
No. of goal contributions (goals + assists) by Vinicius Jr in 10 games vs Man City

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Interestingly, Bombay Scottish had beaten Ascend 1-0 to win the title last year.

Ascend made a bright start and took the lead early in the sixth minute through Aushim Sagar. His attempt from outside the area slipped past Bombay Scottish goalkeeper Kabir Vora, who fumbled while trying to collect the ball, giving the BKC side a 1-0 lead. The Mahim outfit tried to respond and pushed forward in search of the equaliser. However, Ascend’s defence stayed compact and denied them clear chances. Despite their efforts, Scottish were unable to break through as Ascend carried the 1-0 advantage into the halftime break.

On resumption, the Mahim outfit tried to press for the equaliser but struggled to create clear chances as Ascend’s defence remained compact. With four minutes remaining, Nivaan Virani sealed the victory with a neat placement into the right side of the goal.

Meanwhile, in the other semifinal, Campion School (Colaba) defeated Sacred Heart Boys High School (Santacruz) 4-1 at the same venue. Hrihaan Jagtap, Aadit Dey, Abbas Attarwala and Prerit Bhansali scored for Campion, while Harman Singh netted the lone goal for Sacred Heart.

Ascend International and Campion will face each other in the final on March 10 at 3.30 pm at Azad Maidan.

The first game of the week was Liverpool`s visit to Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Reds lost their last match against the same opponent in the Premier League, but looked back to their best this time.

2 goals in 2 minutes by Andy Robertson and Mo Salah set Liverpool on their way before Curtis Jones finished off the home-team chances by scoring a third. Hee-Chan got a late consolation goal for the Wolves as they lost 3-1.

Mansfield Town hosted Premier League leaders Arsenal at the One Call Stadium. Arsenal took the lead, but Mansfield equalised soon with a goal from Evans in the 50th minute. Eze scored the decisive goal of the match to help Arsenal win 2-1.

Wrexham and Chelsea played out a thrilling match under the lights. Wreham led twice in the game but were pegged back both times. As the match entered its final stage, Wrexham were down to 10 men as Dobson was shown a straight red card. Alejandro Garnacho and Predo Neto scored in extra time to give Chelsea a 4-2 victory.

Manchester City come from behind to beat Newcastle United 

Manchester City continued their recent good form as they came from behind to beat Newcastle United at St. James Park. Newcastle were fresh off beating City`s neighbours, United, but faultered against Pep Guardiola`s side.

Newcastle United took the lead through Harvey Barnes, but one goal from Savinho and a brace from Marmoush were enough to send Man City through to the next round.

Southampton, Port Vale, and Leeds United were the other teams to qualify for the quarter-finals. West Ham and Brentford are yet to face each other in the last round of fixtures.

According to British tabloid The Sun, rumours of the romance gained traction when the pair were recently spotted together in Paris, cosying up to each other while having dinner at a five-star restaurant. While neither of them have publicly commented on their relationship, eagle-eyed fans have noticed that they have begun following each other on social media. 

Exposito, 26, gained international recognition for her role as Carla Roson Caleruega in Netflix’s superhit teen-drama series Elite. 

She has a whopping 24.1 million followers on Instagram.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Real Madrid striker has been out of action following a knee injury that he picked up during their 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of the Champions League Playoff round in February.

Jorge Pereyra Diaz (3rd min) put the Islanders ahead, and PN Noufal doubled their lead fourteen minutes later. However, Manoj Mohammed pulled one back for the visitors as half-time loomed, before Matija Babovic levelled the tie in the 73rd minute.

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Pep Guardiola`s City, who like Arsenal are still chasing glory on four fronts, were almost entirely changed from the side that drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League in midweek, with only Matheus Nunes keeping his place. Eddie Howe made a relatively modest four changes to his Newcastle team, fresh from their late win against Manchester United, with match-winner Will Osula given a rare start. The home side began strongly at St James` Park and took a deserved lead when Harvey Barnes finished smartly after being found by Sandro Tonali. 

Pep Guardiola

City were level in the 39th minute in bizarre fashion when Jeremy Doku`s dangerous ball behind the defence ran all the way to Savinho. The Brazilian stood still and appeared to let the ball bounce off his leg into the net. Soon after the restart Manchester City completed the turnaround when Omar Marmoush smashed the ball into the roof of the goal from close range. The Egyptian forward then thundered home his second in the 65th minute to put his team in total control.

Guardiola, whose team travel to face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, turned to a bench packed with international talent in the second half to refresh his side, who are seeking to reach their fourth straight FA Cup final. "In Leverkusen, it was a strong squad too (a 2-0 defeat for a much-changed side), but we won today, so it was fine," Guardiola told the BBC. "It was a good decision and when I lose it was a bad decision. "This is the best performance we have played in this stadium since my decade here. That is consistency and that is why I am proud."

Chelsea scare

Chelsea are also into the last eight after a 4-2 win but only after a mighty scare against second-tier Wrexham, who twice took the lead at the Racecourse Ground. Hollywood-owned Wrexham, watched by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, went ahead through Sam Smith but the visitors drew level courtesy of an own goal shortly before half-time.

In a breathless second period, Callum Doyle put the Welsh team back ahead again in the 78th minute, only for Josh Acheampong to equalise four minutes later. The game changed complexion when Wrexham midfielder George Dobson was sent off in stoppage time and Chelsea winger Alejandro Garnacho volleyed home in the first period of extra time before substitute Joao Pedro`s late strike added gloss to the scoreline. Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior, who made nine changes with Wednesday`s match against Paris Saint-Germain in mind, admitted his side had ridden their luck. 

"That`s the reason why the FA Cup is what it is," he said. "I thought Wrexham were magnificent -- magnificent in their energy, how brave they were and how they played. "We had to be at a high, high level. We were pushed all the way by a very good team." Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson, who has masterminded three straight promotions for his side, said they could take "a lot of heart" from the performance.

"We showed a lot of good aspects to our play and played some great football," he told the BBC. "We weren`t just coming here to stop Chelsea -- we believe we can play." Wrexham will now turn their attention to their push for a fourth straight promotion -- this time to the Premier League. In the first FA Cup match of the day, Eberechi Eze smashed home the winner as a much-changed Arsenal toughed out a win against Mansfield. Noni Madueke put the 14-time FA Cup winners ahead against the League One strugglers shortly before half-time, only for substitute Will Evans to level soon after the break. England forward Eze thumped home midway through the second half to restore Arsenal`s lead, minutes after being introduced by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

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Goals from Andrew Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones ensured Slot’s side avenged their embarrassing English Premier League defeat against the division’s bottom club just three days earlier.

“It was a perfect response,” said Slot, referring to their 1-2 loss to the same opponents. “[Since] we played them three days ago,  the game plans are usually easier to create and the execution of that was better than three days ago,” he added.

Arne Slot

The Reds are through to the quarter-finals as they look to end a turbulent season with silverware. Languishing in sixth place in the EPL, Liverpool can still win the FA Cup and the Champions League. 

Slot’s only regret after a much-needed victory was the sight of Liverpool conceding a late goal to Hwang Hee-chan after poor defending, saying it was “very frustrating to see we have hardly given away any chances, but we still concede a goal.”

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The Sky Blues have faced the Magpies four times already this season (twice in the English Premier League and then in the two-legged Carabao Cup semi-finals), making them a familiar foe that holds no enigma, according to the Spanish coach. “We know each other, so no surprises. It’s not the first time this season. How many times with Newcastle and Eddie Howe have we played. It’s a lot,” said Guardiola.

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With neither side able to break the deadlock in regulation time, the game was eventually decided through a penalty shootout, wherein Jeyshad Dey, Viraj Pagad and Hrihaan Jain scored for Bombay Scottish, while Garv Manas and Nivaan Sohal missed their attempts.

For St Mary’s, Zach Henriques and Zayden Fernandes converted from the spot, while Aarish Dharia and Luvya Jain failed to score. 

The final penalty kick for St Mary’s, taken by Rivaan Dalla, was saved by Bombay Scottish custodian Hrihaan, after he replaced regular goalkeeper Kabir Vora for the decisive spot-kick, thus helping his side progress.

After spending over £200 million in the transfer market last summer, the club plans to use the additional funds for football and facilities. United will be aiming to spend big in the summer again to replace their departing players.

Next year, the cheapest season tickets at Old Trafford will cost £646, or £34 on average for the 19 home Premier League games. This season, United will just play 40 games, their shortest campaign since 1914-15, due to early exits in both domestic cups and no European football. 

This decision from the club to increase the ticket prices could receive a backlash from the fans who are already protesting against the club owners, the Glazer family from America.

Man Utd defend their decision to increase the ticket prices

Manchester United maintains that a 5% increase in Old Trafford ticket prices for the upcoming campaign will aid in their efforts to "return to the top of domestic and European football."

The club claims that higher ticket prices during the 2026–2027 season will enable them to make investments in facilities and football. United are chasing their first Premier League title since 2013.

"We have a clear objective to return Manchester United to the top of domestic and European football. We want to keep investing in the team and improving our facilities so fans get the best possible experience. We also need to make sure the club stays financially sustainable, taking into account inflation and rising costs," the club said in a statement.

"It is within this context that we have made the decision to increase season ticket prices by around five per cent across all areas of Old Trafford," the statement said.

After a rare season without playing in Europe, United is in a strong position to return to the Champions League as they sit third in the Premier League under interim head coach Michael Carrick.

"At present, there are no alternative venues being considered," UEFA said on Thursday about the scheduled March 27 game in Doha between the reigning champions of South America and Europe in a likely match-up of Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.

"A final decision is anticipated towards the end of next week," said the European soccer body which organises the game with South American counterpart CONMEBOL.

Argentina and Spain are due to play at Lusail Stadium that staged the epic 2022 World Cup final. Argentina won a penalty shootout against France after Messi scored twice and Kylian Mbappe got a hat track in a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Qatar has close relations with UEFA. Its top soccer official Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain, is a member of the UEFA executive committee.
"Discussions are ongoing with the local organisers who have made a huge effort to make the match a success," UEFA said.

If Doha is too much of a security risk to host the game, it could be moved to Spain or elsewhere in Europe where nearly all the players in the two squads are based. The first Finalissima was at Wembley Stadium in London in June 2022. Argentina and Messi beat Italy 3-0.

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William Osula came off the bench to score the winner for the 10-man home team at St James’ Park, putting a dent in United’s push for Champions League qualification. 

Ramsey sent off

Former United midfielder Carrick, who took charge at Old Trafford in January, had won six and drawn one of his seven games in charge before Wednesday’s trip to Newcastle. Jacob Ramsey’s dismissal for a second bookable offence sparked a frenzied conclusion to the first half, during which Anthony Gordon put the home side ahead from the penalty spot before Casemiro restored parity. 

“We are not happy the way we played tonight. The way the game panned out we had it in our hands largely but credit to Newcastle and the way they approached it. We knew it would be tough, but we navigated the game to a position where we could kick on, but we didn’t. Bitterly disappointed really,” Carrick told TNT Sports. 

“I don’t think it was the 10 men, we just didn’t play good enough. We can’t make excuses for that. We all take responsibility for that,” he added. 

Carrick said his team, in third place in the Premier League, “need to get back to work and be better for the next game” as they seek to finish in the top five.

Arsenal win, Man City held

Premier League leaders Arsenal stretched their lead over Manchester City to seven points on Wednesday with a nervy 1-0 win at Brighton, while Pep Guardiola’s men were held to a costly 2-2 draw by Nottingham Forest.

Six
No. of wins for Manchester United under manager Michael Carrick in seven games before this 1-2 loss to Newcastle. One match ended in a draw

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Maguire claimed that two men drugged Daisy, who began losing consciousness, and while he tried to take her to a hospital, he was taken to a police station instead, and was beaten by cops. Fearing a kidnapping, Maguire said he tried to flee, but was apprehended.

On Wednesday, Maguire received a 15-month suspension, which he has refuted, claiming he will take the case to the Supreme Court. “They offered to make it disappear if Harry paid 50,000 pounds. He would rather be found guilty than pay a bribe,” a source close to the player told British tabloid The Sun.

Speaking on the planned March 27 match in Doha between the current champions of South America and Europe, UEFA said on Thursday, "At present, there are no alternative venues being considered. A final decision is anticipated towards the end of next week." 

Argentina and Spain are scheduled to play at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, which was the venue for the World Cup final 2022, between Argentina and France.

Argentina won the penalty shoot-out after a thrilling 3-3 draw, with Lionel Messi getting his hands on the World Cup trophy.

UEFA and Qatar have a close relationship. Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of Paris Saint-Germain, which is owned by Qatar, is a member of the UEFA executive committee. "Discussions are ongoing with the local organisers who have made a huge effort to make the match a success," UEFA stated
The match might be shifted to Spain or another part of Europe if Doha poses too much of a security risk. In the last Finalissima, Messi-led Argentina beat Italy 3-0 at Wembley.

Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal to face off for the first time

The Finalissima would be the first time Argentine great Lionel Messi faces Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal. Yamal, who is currently donning the famous number 10 at Barcelona, has admitted in the past that Messi was his idol growing up.

The highly anticipated clash could be the only time Messi and Yamal face each other. Messi has hinted at retirement after the World Cup 2026 in the USA, where Argentina will defend their title. Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal, still only 18, will aim to carry forward Messi`s legacy in the blue and red of Barcelona.

Argentina defeated Colombia 1-0 in the final to win yet another major trophy on their way to Finalissima qualification. Meanwhile, Spain defeated England 2-1 in Berlin to win the Euro 2024 and qualify for the Finalissima.

(With AP Inputs)