Venezuela win first World Baseball Classic title after taming USA in politically fraught final

• Suárez double seals Venezuela’s first WBC title

• Harper HR ties it, but USA fall short in ninth

• Caracas celebrates as Venezuela win – in pictures

Venezuela defeated the United States 3-2 on Tuesday night to win their first World Baseball Classic title, a landmark triumph in a politically charged final that resonated far beyond the diamond.

Eugenio Suárez drove in the winning run in the top of the ninth inning to seal a dramatic victory for the South American side at Miami’s LoanDepot Park.

Published: March 18, 2026, 3:21 am

Ruthless PSG condemn Chelsea to humiliating Champions League exit

Chelsea huddled once and, as if in an act of resistance, huddled again. They gathered on either side of the centre-circle before kick-off, apparently impervious to the kerfuffle that had followed their weekend antics, and it was the biggest fight they put up on a night that laid bare their distance from Europe’s elite.

The resounding Club World Cup win against Paris Saint-Germain was nothing more than a stateside summer fever dream: here, on the stage that really matters, they were humbled by opponents who belonged on a different pitch from the start.

Published: March 17, 2026, 10:03 pm

Senegal stripped of Africa Cup of Nations title over walkout protest in final

• Morocco declared 3-0 winners after appeal is upheld

• Senegal’s players walked off pitch over penalty call

Morocco have been awarded a 3-0 win in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations final after Senegal were sensationally stripped of the title in an unprecedented ruling.

The Confederation of African Football announced on Tuesday evening that its appeal board had decided that Senegal are “declared to have forfeited the final” that was held in Rabat in January after the head coach, Pape Thiaw, and some of his players left the pitch for 15 minutes in protest at Morocco being awarded a penalty. They eventually returned after being implored to by the captain, Sadio Mané, with Brahim Díaz’s subsequent spot‑kick being saved to send the final into extra time, when Pape Gueye scored the winning goal.

Published: March 17, 2026, 10:36 pm

Broncos reportedly send first-round pick to Dolphins in return for receiver Waddle

• Miami also receive third- and fourth-round picks

• Denver fell one win short of Super Bowl last season

• Eagles add receiver Hollywood Brown

The Denver Broncos have reportedly traded for Miami Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle, a move that would add offensive firepower to a team that fell one win short of the Super Bowl last season.

ESPN reports that the Broncos will send first-, third- and fourth-round picks in this year’s draft to the Dolphins in return for Waddle. The Broncos will also receive Miami’s fourth-round pick as part of the deal. If the deal is confirmed, the Dolphins will own the 11th and 30th picks in the first round of this year’s draft as they attempt to build around newly acquired quarterback Malik Willis.

Published: March 17, 2026, 3:57 pm

Mauricio Pochettino’s latest USMNT roster signals door is ‘still open’ for World Cup hopefuls

Gio Reyna is in the squad for friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, while top prospect Noahkai Banks hasn’t yet decided if he’ll represent the US or Germany

Mauricio Pochettino made clear Tuesday that his 27-man squad is not a carbon copy of his expected roster for the 2026 World Cup. There will be cuts and corresponding recalls made from the roster for the friendlies against Belgium and Portugal at the end of the month in Atlanta.

The latest roster includes four goalkeepers and 10 changes from the squad that notched impressive wins over Uruguay and Paraguay in November. Ultimately, the US men’s national team boss is trying to complete his assessments of several players, whether they’re mainstays at their clubs or struggling to see the field often enough for his liking.

Published: March 17, 2026, 7:21 pm

‘I was struggling to feel my hands’: Aston Martin’s problems laid bare by Alonso’s woe in China | Giles Richards

So severe is the vibration problem caused by the car’s Honda engine that the team principal feared his drivers suffering permanent nerve damage

The next round of the Formula One world championship in Japan will be the home race for the Aston Martin team’s engine manufacturer, Honda, at the Suzuka circuit. A celebratory affair, however, is not expected amid painful days for Honda, whose return to F1 has been marked by a failure to make the grade.

Its engine’s shortcomings were exposed for the second successive race at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday. Fernando Alonso retired after 32 laps because the vibration from the engine was so severe he was losing feeling in his hands and feet. Hit teammate Lance Stroll had retired after 10 laps with a battery problem, an element of the hybrid engine that has plagued the manufacturer from day one.

Published: March 17, 2026, 7:08 am

Eze and Rice pick off Bayer Leverkusen as Arsenal cruise into quarter-finals

Is there anyone who can stop Arsenal in this kind of form? The Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper, Janis Blaswich, tried his best in a spectacular first-half performance that kept the Premier League leaders at bay until Eberechi Eze smashed in his first Champions League goal and Declan Rice completed a comfortable victory after the break to seal a third successive quarter‑final appearance.

After yet another clinical performance in Europe yielded a ninth victory in 10 games this season, Mikel Arteta will certainly fancy Arsenal’s chances of getting past Sporting in the last eight despite the Portuguese side’s remarkable comeback against Bodø/Glimt that spared them a trip to the Arctic Circle.

Published: March 17, 2026, 9:57 pm

Sabalenka may avoid championships in Dubai after ‘ridiculous’ comment

• Director says stronger penalties needed for withdrawals

• Jack Draper continues comeback at Miami Open

Aryna Sabalenka says she may never return to compete at the Dubai Tennis Championships after she and Iga Swiatek were harshly criticised by the tournament director for their withdrawals from the tournament last month.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Sabalenka said during her pre-tournament press conference at the Miami Open. “I don’t think he showed himself in the best way possible. For me it’s actually so sad to see that the tournament directors and the tournaments are not protecting us as a player. They just care about their sellings, about their tournament and that’s it. His comment was ridiculous. I’m not sure if I ever want to go there after his comment. For me it’s too much.”

Published: March 17, 2026, 8:35 pm

‘Everyone in Nashville is a Vandy fan’: how Shea Ralph sparked a women’s basketball revival in Music City

Shaped by two coaching legends in Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma, Ralph has Vanderbilt poised to make an NCAA Tournament run

Shea Ralph’s decision to storm the court during the fourth quarter of Vanderbilt’s quarter-final against Ole Miss last Friday at the SEC Tournament wasn’t premeditated. Ralph, who up to that moment had never been thrown out of a game in her lengthy career, just did what she thought was right in arguing a questionable foul call.

“I wasn’t trying to get kicked out,” Ralph told reporters after the game. “I know where I was on the court. But I also think that at that time what I said was warranted, and the action I took was warranted. And I’ll stand behind that. You want to kick me out for it, they can kick me out.”

Published: March 17, 2026, 11:00 am

Vinícius finishes off 10-man Manchester City as Real Madrid ease into last eight

“In football anything is possible,” was Pep Guardiola’s rallying cry and while Manchester City failed to pull off a Lazarus act for the ages, this was a definite one-off wonder of a contest that thrilled all witnesses.

Particularly, the first 45 minutes of mayhem headlined by Vinícius Júnior apparently being ruled offside by the referee, Clément Turpin, then onside, which meant Bernardo Silva was then penalised for handball, sent off, and the Brazilian then scored from the spot. Further entertainment also derived from a Guardiola yellow card, Erling Haaland’s equaliser, and a slew of goalmouth incident that mostly continued after the break – including late finishes from Rayan Aït-Nouri and Fede Valverde that were ruled offside, and one from Vinícius that counted.

Published: March 17, 2026, 10:00 pm

Sporting’s stunning turnaround ends Bodø/Glimt’s Champions League run

Sporting staged a stunning comeback to beat Bodø/Glimt 5-0 after extra time and reach the Champions League quarter-finals with a 5-3 aggregate victory in their last-16 tie.

Trailing 3-0 from the first leg in Norway, Sporting attacked from the kick-off and went ahead in the 34th minute when Gonçalo Inácio headed in from Francisco Trincão’s corner.

Published: March 17, 2026, 9:00 pm

Eddie Howe says Newcastle will not ‘shrink’ in Barcelona last-16 second leg

• ‘We are in as good a place as any time this season’

• Howe says Tonali ‘fully committed’ to the club

A week ago Eddie Howe called it the “biggest match in the club’s history”, and that was in Newcastle; this time it’s Barcelona, but Howe has insisted his players will not be overawed when they walk out at Camp Nou for their Champions League last-16 second leg on Wednesday night.

“You can’t shrink at the size of the game, and I don’t think we will,” the Newcastle manager said. “We have got many players who have played in so many games now; we have become accustomed to it.”

Published: March 17, 2026, 6:37 pm

Arne Slot says he ‘must have done a lot wrong’ if Liverpool fans are booing team

• ‘Never nice’ to hear boos after reaction to Spurs draw

• Liverpool face Galatasaray looking to overturn deficit

Arne Slot has said that he must have “done a lot of things wrong” for Liverpool fans to boo their team, but he does not feel the Anfield crowd has turned against him before a crucial Champions League tie against Galatasaray.

Slot believes the glum mood around the Premier League champions can be transformed by overturning a 1-0 deficit in the last 16 and reaching the quarter-finals at the Turkish club’s expense.

Published: March 17, 2026, 7:03 pm

Watford rekindle playoff hopes with win to dent Wrexham promotion push

Watford inflicted Wrexham’s first league defeat of the year with a 3-1 victory to maintain their Championship playoff push. Goals from Marc Bola and Edo Kayembe did the damage for the Hornets and, although Max Cleworth pulled a goal back, Edoardo Bove scored his first Watford goal in stoppage time.

The hosts made four changes from their defeat at Stoke, with Mattie Pollock, Luca Kjerrumgaard, Nestory Irankunda and Pierre Ekwah, for his full debut, coming in. Wrexham made one change from their Welsh derby victory against Swansea, with Ryan Longman replacing Issa Kaboré.

Published: March 17, 2026, 10:45 pm

‘It’s just nonsense’: Van de Ven hits back at suggestion Spurs players don’t care

• ‘We want to turn things around’ says Tottenham defender

• Romero returns as Udogie and Bergvall back from injury

Micky van de Ven has hit back at suggestions that he and his Tottenham teammates do not care about the club’s plight and will dig out escape routes in the summer.

The defender has endured a terrible couple of weeks, taking in his gamechanging red card in the defeat by Crystal Palace and the performance against Atlético Madrid when he fell over to give up a goal and was fortunate not to be sent off again.

Published: March 17, 2026, 5:39 pm

Venezuela 3-2 United States: World Baseball Classic final – as it happened

• Venezuela hold off USA to win first WBC championship

• Caracas celebrates as Venezuela hold off USA – in pictures

VEN 0-0 USA, top 1st

Maikel Garcia is up: he hits a hard ground ball to third base. Alex Bregman has it and fires to second for the first out, then Turang throws to first to complete the double play! So that erases the lead off hitter!

Published: March 18, 2026, 3:32 am

Guardiola says Manchester City ‘still not complete’ after Champions League exit

• Elimination in last 16 not a club failure, Guardiola insists

• ‘I would love the club to have the feeling Madrid has’

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City are still not at a level where failing to win the Champions League can be seen as a disaster after being knocked out of the competition by Real Madrid for a third consecutive year.

City were in a difficult position after losing 3-0 in the first leg of their last-16 tie at the Bernabéu last week and that was made more complicated in the 20th minute of the return at the Etihad Stadium after Bernardo Silva was dismissed for handball on City’s goal-line and subsequently gave away a penalty. Vinícius Júnior scored it and then again in injury time to give Madrid a 5-1 aggregate win, with Erling ­Haaland scoring in between for the hosts.

Published: March 18, 2026, 12:03 am

Arsenal 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen, Chelsea 0-3 PSG, Sporting 5-0 Bodø Glimt: Champions League – as it happened

Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice scored pearlers as Arsenal eased into the quarters, where they’ll face comeback kings Sporting Club

Arsenal v Bayer Leverkusen. Arsenal make two changes to their starting line-up in Leverkusen. Ben White comes in at right-back for the injured Jurriën Timber, while Leandro Trossard replaces the benched Gabriel Martinelli. Kasper Hjulmand names the same starting XI.

The comeback’s definitely on now! Geny Catamo sprays a lovely ball down the right wing for Luis Suárez, who delivers an inch-perfect low cross into the middle. Pedro Gonçalves, steaming down the inside-left channel, doesn’t need to break stride before blasting home from 12 yards. Lovely sweeping move!

Published: March 17, 2026, 10:26 pm

Manchester City 2-1 Real Madrid: Champions League last 16, second leg – as it happened

Bernardo Silva was sent off for handball and Vinicius Jr scored the resultant penalty, then added another in injury time, with Erling Haaland bagging between times

On the telly, they’re talking about this game. It’s up there with Juventus 2-3 Man United as the best European performances British teams have delivered in my lifetime.

Email! “Pep’s kinda washed and we should just say it,” says Christopher Flaherty. “Hemming and hawking about staying, no clear vision for the future ... further decline is more likely than another revolution.”

Published: March 17, 2026, 10:03 pm

Sale warn England ‘superhuman’ Tom Curry needs time off to prolong career

• Sanderson suggests player should miss summer tour

• Back-rower sustained calf injury during Six Nations

Alex Sanderson has warned that Tom Curry’s physical playing style will shorten his career and has suggested England should give him the summer off with the World Cup next year in mind.

The back-rower sustained a calf injury in the warmup for England’s Six Nations defeat by Italy in Rome. Sanderson, the Sale director of rugby, said on Tuesday that Curry has a grade-three calf tear and “he’ll be back this season” – but when remains unclear. “With Tom being superhuman the usual layoff times tend to be diminished because of his character and physique,” Sanderson said.

Published: March 17, 2026, 6:39 pm

USMNT squad: Mauricio Pochettino calls in 27 for friendlies against Portugal and Belgium

• Tyler Adams and Diego Luna miss out through injury

• Team due to play Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta

• Final games before World Cup squad is announced

US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has named a 27-player roster for the team’s last camp before he determines his final squad for this summer’s World Cup.

The group will play two high-profile friendlies in Atlanta over the next international window, with the US facing Belgium on Saturday 28 March (3.30pm ET) and Portugal on Tuesday 31 March (7pm ET).

Published: March 17, 2026, 3:32 pm

Fifa will not agree to move Iran’s World Cup matches from US to Mexico

• Iran FA president said negotiations being held with Fifa

• Trump said Iran should not play for their ‘life and safety’

Fifa is unwilling to switch Iran’s World Cup matches to Mexico despite the country’s football federation ­claiming it is in discussions with the world governing body about moving their games outside the US.

Iran are due to play two fixtures in Los Angeles and one in Seattle but their participation in the tournament has been placed in doubt by the US’s joint airstrikes on the country with Israel.

Published: March 17, 2026, 12:15 pm

‘That’s why we wear USA’: US players embrace military ties before WBC final against Venezuela

• USA and Venezuela play for title on Tuesday night

• Navy Seal gave locker room talk to Americans

• Venezuelans dance and sing before games

The US will play Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday, a meeting that comes after recent tensions between the two countries.

In January, Donald Trump ordered a military operation that captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. Since then, the US has launched a war against Iran, during which the American players have paid tribute to their country’s military. Players have saluted each other after victories and the team invited Robert J O’Neill, a former navy Seal who claims he killed Osama bin Laden, to give a locker room speech. Two of the team’s pitchers, Paul Skenes and Griffin Jax, played at the Air Force Academy and have spoken of the importance of honoring the military.

Published: March 17, 2026, 12:07 pm