Blown call ends World Baseball Classic semi-final as USA squeeze past Dominican Republic

• As it happened: USA 2-1 Dominican Republic

• Americans will play Italy or Venezuela in final

Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony homered and the United States limited the Dominican Republic’s electric offense to win a thrilling semi-final 2-1 on Sunday and move one win from capturing its second World Baseball Classic championship.

The Dominican Republic threatened in the ninth when Julio Rodríguez drew a walk and advanced to third against Mason Miller. With two outs, Miller struck out Geraldo Perdomo for his second save but the final pitch – on a full count and with the dangerous Fernando Tatis Jr up next – was several inches below the strike zone. ABS is not a part of the World Baseball Classic, so the Dominicans – who benefited from some missed calls themselves – were unable to challenge. Although the Americans’ excellent pitching won the game rather than the umpiring, it was a dismal way to end what had been an enthralling contest.

Published: March 16, 2026, 3:32 am

March Madness: Duke and UConn named top men’s and women’s seeds as Miami (Ohio) squeak in

• Arizona, Michigan and Florida also men’s No 1 seeds

• Huskies looking to complete undefeated season

UConn were awarded the No 1 overall seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday and enters March Madness needing six more victories to complete the seventh undefeated season in school history. In the men’s tournament, Duke received the top overall seed for March Madness on Sunday, followed by Arizona, Michigan and Florida, each of whom would love a repeat of last season when all four No 1s made it to the Final Four.

The Huskies (34-0) are looking for their 13th national title and becoming the first team to repeat as champions since the Huskies won four in a row from 2013-16. They are joined by UCLA, Texas and South Carolina as the other No 1 women’s seeds.

UConn, led by stars Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, open the tournament at home against 16th-seeded UTSA and will play in the Fort Worth Regional. If seeds hold, the Huskies could face No 2 Vanderbilt, who are coached by former UConn great Shea Ralph.

UCLA (31-1) were just behind the Huskies as the second overall seed in the tournament. The Bruins have won 25 straight games in dominant fashion with the lone loss this season coming against Texas on a neutral court.

UCLA reached the Final Four last year before losing to UConn. Cori Close’s team ran through the Big Ten and have an experienced group led by center Lauren Betts looking to win the school’s first NCAA championship.

Published: March 16, 2026, 12:07 am

Lindsey Vonn says she will retire on her own terms: ‘Please stop telling me what I should do’

• Skier suffered serious injuries in crash at Olympics

• Speculation has mounted over possible retirement

Lindsey Vonn said she will retire on her own terms, and not those of anyone else.

The 41-year-old, who is recovering from a serious downhill crash at the Milan Cortina Olympics, is still deciding her next steps, something she made clear in a social media post on Sunday.

Published: March 15, 2026, 8:19 pm

Jannik Sinner ends wait for title with Indian Wells win over Daniil Medvedev

• Italian world No 2 clinches 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) win in Californian desert

• Women’s No 1 Aryna Sabalenka snaps her losing streak in final

Jannik Sinner claimed his first title of the year with victory over Daniil Medvedev in Indian Wells, while Aryna Sabalenka snapped her losing streak against Elena Rybakina in a thrilling women’s final.

Four-time grand slam champion Sinner had had a slightly underwhelming start to the season by his stratospheric standards but he was peerless in the Californian desert, not dropping a set through the fortnight.

Published: March 16, 2026, 12:27 am

‘I’m back to my best’: Lewis Hamilton marks Ferrari revival with Chinese GP podium place

• Hamilton ends long wait for top-three finish with Ferrari

• Max Verstappen says new rules make F1 like ‘Mario Kart’

Lewis Hamilton said he is “back to his best” after he finished third at the Chinese Grand Prix to claim his first podium at Ferrari.

The 41-year-old Briton beat his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc after a thrilling duel and praised Formula One for delivering what he claimed was the best racing he had ever experienced.

Published: March 15, 2026, 12:47 pm

Cameron Young holds off Matt Fitzpatrick on final hole to win Players Championship

• American pars 18th for victory after birdie on 17

• Fitzpatrick had led at Sawgrass before late slip

The PGA Tour might have lost out in the court of public opinion over whether the Players Championship could be a major. However, the level of drama as shadows lengthened on this Sawgrass Sunday set the tournament aside from most others.

It came down to Cameron Young versus Matt Fitzpatrick. As Fitzpatrick agonisingly missed for par on the 72nd hole, Young had secured the biggest win of his career. He had emerged triumphant from a sporting thriller.

Published: March 15, 2026, 10:41 pm

Richarlison rescues late point for Spurs at Liverpool to ease pressure on Tudor

Igor Tudor has been unable to claim many positives in his short Tottenham reign but he has finally earned the first point of his tenure. Spurs were a match for the Premier League champions and, after missing a collection of chances, the former Everton forward Richarlison became the most unpopular of villains.

After Guglielmo Vicario failed to keep out a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick, it felt as if a Liverpool victory was inevitable but they could not build on the opener, a frequent shortcoming. Tudor was planning for a familiar feeling at the final whistle until Richarlison fittingly scored with a scuffed effort at the end of a match short on quality. It was the Brazilian’s sixth clear-cut chance, with the previous misses giving the expectation that Tottenham were set for a familiar feeling.

Published: March 15, 2026, 6:35 pm

Mikaela Shiffrin closes on overall World Cup title after record-equaling slalom win

• American wins eighth slalom race of World Cup season

• Shiffrin has 140-point lead over Germany’s Emma Aicher

Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin won her record-equaling eighth World Cup slalom of the season on Sunday but her main rival in the overall standings was second to maintain pressure on the American star.

Shiffrin dominated the last race before the World Cup finals in Norway to beat Germany’s Emma Aicher by 0.94 seconds, with Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener a second off the pace in third.

Published: March 15, 2026, 1:24 pm

Vingegaard takes Paris-Nice crown despite Martinez pipping him at line in finale

• Danish rider seals overall victory in final stage

• Isaac del Toro wins Tirreno-Adriatico

The two-time Tour de France ­winner, Jonas Vingegaard, claimed his first Paris-Nice title as the Frenchman Lenny Martinez pipped him in a sprint finish to win Sunday’s final stage.

Vingegaard had already won two stages in the eight-day race but left his charge for the line a fraction too late in the two-up sprint after the pair had broken away on the final climb of the hilly 145km eighth stage that started and finished in Nice.

Published: March 15, 2026, 4:42 pm

‘This is something big’: Igor Tudor hails Spurs spirit to snatch draw at Liverpool

• Richarlison’s late goal earns head coach first point

• ‘It’s a long way to our goal but today was important’

Igor Tudor described Tottenham’s first point of his tenure as the start of “something big” after drawing at Liverpool. The Croat had overseen four straight defeats since taking over and was heading for a fifth until Richarlison’s last-minute equaliser.

Dominik Szoboszlai fired Liverpool into a first-half lead from a free-kick but they were denied a victory that would move them into fourth by a visiting side who had only had 12 senior outfield players available, unable to fill their bench. Tudor handed Premier League debuts to two teenagers but his side were still able to hold the defending champions.

Published: March 15, 2026, 8:21 pm

Manchester United sink Aston Villa to tighten grip on Champions League spot

On 71 minutes a classic Manchester United riposte, via Matheus Cunha, to Ross Barkley’s equaliser moments before. From around halfway, the peerless Bruno Fernandes glanced up and steered the ball through an inside left channel for Cunha. United’s No 10 galloped forward and as Emiliano Martínez loomed large the Brazilian’s curled finish was a peach that kissed the far right of the net, Cunha stepping forward before the Stretford End to soak up the ecstatic adoration.

Fernandes’ assist was his 100th in all competitions for United, the contest’s second, and 16th in the Premier League. The last statistic is a club record, this term’s competition high, and a latest argument for winning the player of the season awards.

Published: March 15, 2026, 4:13 pm

European football: Raphinha hat-trick seals Barcelona win, Lazio beat Milan

• Barça thrash Sevilla to restore four-point lead in La Liga

• Isaksen damages Milan’s title hopes with first-half winner

Raphinha hit a hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed Sevilla 5-2 to restore their four-point lead at the top of La Liga. After Real Madrid cut the gap by beating Elche on Saturday, the Spanish champions responded by romping to a comfortable victory.

Dani Olmo and João Cancelo also struck for Hansi Flick’s side, who host Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Fans streamed to the stadium to vote in the club’s presidential elections, with either Joan Laporta or Victor Font to be announced the new chief later on Sunday night.

Published: March 15, 2026, 10:11 pm

Ashley Cole lands first managerial role as head coach of Serie B side Cesena

• Former left-back signs until June with option to stay on

• Cole has been coach at Chelsea, Everton and Derby

Ashley Cole has been appointed as the head coach of the Serie B side Cesena. It is a first management role for the former Arsenal, Chelsea and England full-back, who has been developing as a coach since retiring from playing in 2019.

Cole’s positions have included working with Frank Lampard at Derby, Chelsea and Everton, with Wayne Rooney at Birmingham, and with England and the Football Association.

Published: March 15, 2026, 6:00 pm

Chelsea’s James leads way to win League Cup final against Manchester United

• Chelsea 2-0 Man Utd (James 19, Beever-Jones 76)

• Blues retain Women’s League Cup with victory

Death, taxes and Chelsea women winning trophies. Regardless of their form this season, regardless of an all-but relinquished Women’s Super League title, with Manchester City nine points clear at the top of the table, you can never bet against the Blues in a cup final – or Lauren James making an impact.

If there was a time for Manchester United to get the better of Sonia Bompastor’s side, having twice lost to them in the FA Cup final, it was now. Marc Skinner’s side sit one point ahead of Chelsea in the league, and they have looked in better form.

Published: March 15, 2026, 4:32 pm

VAR denies Dan Ndoye and Nottingham Forest in stalemate against Fulham

It seemed, for the briefest of moments, that it was finally going to happen for Vítor Pereira and Nottingham Forest. Dan Ndoye, the half-time substitute, had burst into the area after the hour-mark and sidefooted perfectly, prompting the explosion of relief at the City Ground.

However, joy at taking the lead against Fulham was ended by the video assistant referee, extra painful for a side that have struggled so much with the final touch all season. Pereira’s excruciating run continues, still waiting for his first Premier League victory this campaign. He has only four points from his 14 matches in charge of Wolves and Forest.

Published: March 15, 2026, 4:17 pm

Leeds keep on track for survival despite Gudmundsson red card against Palace

Having moved to within touching distance of Premier League safety when they beat Nottingham Forest last month, three points from their past five games could be raising a few jitters among the Leeds supporters. But they were celebrating with Daniel Farke and his players at full time after earning a point that the German predicted could turn out to be “priceless” in the end.

Had Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted from the spot in the first half after Will Hughes gifted them a penalty the celebrations in the away end would have been even louder. Up until that point, Leeds had been the much better side as Crystal Palace again struggled against their physical approach.

Published: March 15, 2026, 4:27 pm

Captain of Iranian women’s football team leaves Australia after initially accepting offer of asylum

Minister Tony Burke confirms another member of Iran’s women’s football team left Australia late Sunday night

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The captain of the Iranian women’s football squad has left Australia after withdrawing her claim of asylum.

Zahra Ghanbari became the fifth member of the football cohort to change her mind after initially taking up an offer to stay in the country following the Asian Cup.

Published: March 15, 2026, 9:07 pm

Scottish Premiership: Rangers edge past St Mirren to keep heat on stumbling Hearts

• Rommens winner moves Rangers three points behind leaders

• Last-gasp own goal sees Dundee United blow 2-0 lead at Dundee

Tuur Rommens made the difference as Rangers stuttered to within striking distance of the Scottish Premiership leaders, Hearts, with an unconvincing 1-0 win at St Mirren.

Hearts’ defeat at Kilmarnock on Saturday opened the door for Danny Röhl’s team, while second-placed Celtic’s home win over Motherwell earlier in the day also turned the heat up on Derek McInnes’s side.

Published: March 15, 2026, 5:17 pm

Father and son amateur cricketers combine for mammoth partnership of 590

• Sam Cheek scores 402 off 137 balls after being dropped on a duck

• ‘He just went bang,’ says father Darren, who chipped in with 175

Darren Cheek will never forget the time he hit 184 against Morphettville Park in 1996 – not for the century, but for the joy of hearing his nine-year-old son Sam cheering excitedly for him from the sidelines.

On Saturday in Adelaide, however, the father and son made a new memory as they combined for an opening partnership of 590, against the very same club.

Published: March 16, 2026, 2:28 am

Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League – as it happened

Dominic Szoboszlai’s free-kick gave Liverpool the lead, but Richarlison’s late equaliser earned Spurs a crucial point, their first under Igor Tudor

As for Tottenham, Tudor persists with the 3-4-3 formation that could barely suit his players less. Pedro Porro is plays on the right of the central-defenders, which might work better than Joao Palhinha – Terry Venables always liked a full-back there for their speed on the cover and ability to get forward. In midfield, meantime, Archie Gray – the only player not to shame himself in recent weeks – continues in his preferred position, finally doing what he was bought for while, up front, Solanke returns presumably because he couldn’t be risked in Madrid.

I’m really excited to see how Ngumoha does. I love what I’ve seen of him so far, in particular his desire to attack his man, something you can teach, and his timing, which you probably cannot. As we saw last evening, extreme talent is undeniable.

Published: March 15, 2026, 6:37 pm

George backs Borthwick to lead England at World Cup and takes aim at South Africa

• Coach ‘the perfect person’ to lead side into World Cup

• Springboks game ‘an amazing opportunity’ for players

Jamie George has insisted England can go toe-to-toe with South Africa when they lock horns with the world champions in July and believes his side will be among the favourites for next year’s World Cup if Steve Borthwick remains as head coach.

England are on a disappointing run of four straight defeats but, while Saturday’s 48-46 loss to France condemned them to their worst Six Nations campaign, the manner in which Borthwick’s side performed – scoring seven tries in Paris – has given rise to renewed optimism.

Published: March 15, 2026, 5:00 pm

Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United: Women’s League Cup final – as it happened

Goals from James and Beever-Jones seal the Women’s League Cup for Chelsea against Manchester United

A minute’s silence is held for the Oxford Utd academy player Amelia Aplin and the former Chelsea goalkeeper Amy Carr. Aplin, just 15, died during an academy match last week. Carr, 34, died after losing her battle with cancer.

Sonia Bompastor and Marc Skinner lead their teams out into a rather grey afternoon in Bristol. Kick-off is upon us.

Published: March 15, 2026, 4:38 pm

USA 2-1 Dominican Republic: World Baseball Classic semi-final – as it happened

⚾ USA will play either Italy or Venezuela in final

⚾ Full report: Blown call ends thrilling semi-final

USA 0-0 DR, top 1st

Severino’s sinker is hitting 99 MPH and now his cutter is whipped past the swinging bat of Bryce Harper. Bang! Two up, two down, two strikeouts.

Published: March 16, 2026, 3:14 am

US complete Olympic-Paralympic ice hockey sweep with another victory over Canada

• Americans win Para ice hockey final 6-2

• US get better of their neighbors once again

Three weeks after the United States beat Canada in the Olympic hockey finals, the Americans overcame their neighbors again to win Paralympic gold and complete the three-peat at Milan Cortina.

Jack Wallace scored a hat-trick to help the US beat Canada 6-2 in Sunday’s Para ice hockey final and become the first nation to sweep the hockey tournaments at the Olympics and Paralympics. There is currently no women’s division at the Paralympics as it is classified as an open-gender sport.

Published: March 15, 2026, 6:29 pm