Nigeria’s D’Tigress opened their 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign with a commanding 70–37 victory over Colombia in Lyon, France, on Wednesday.

The match, held at Astroballe Arena, was the first-ever meeting between the two teams. Despite a competitive first half, the African champions pulled away after the break with a strong defensive display and team cohesion.

Coach Rena Wakama started the game with Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Promise Amukamara, Murjanatu Musa, and Ezinne Kalu. Amukamara scored the first points for Nigeria, including a free throw and a lay-up, while Colombia’s Mabel Martinez responded with a three-pointer to keep her team in the game early on.

Nigeria led 18–12 after the first quarter, and although Colombia narrowed the gap in the second quarter, the D’Tigress went into half-time with a 34–29 lead.

The third quarter saw Nigeria take control, limiting Colombia to just five points and building a 53–34 advantage. In the final period, the D’Tigress maintained intensity, adding 17 points while holding Colombia to three, sealing a 33-point triumph.

Victoria Macaulay starred with 13 points and six rebounds in just 14 minutes, earning Player of the Match honours. Nicole Enabosi contributed a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Ifunnaya Okoro added 10 points.

Nigeria dominated the boards 51–31, shot 40.6% from the field, and recorded 23 assists, showing excellent teamwork and defensive discipline.

The D’Tigress will now focus on their next Group D match against South Korea on 12 March, continuing their campaign toward the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin.

Liam Rosenior admitted Chelsea shot themselves in the foot after their Champions League hopes were shredded by a late capitulation against Paris St Germain.

A 5-2 defeat in the Parc des Princes leaves the Blues facing a likely last-16 exit in a week’s time but the manner of the loss was painful.

They had twice recovered from a goal down and looked like surviving an intriguing match with a draw when, in the 74th minute, Filip Jorgensen’s pass was cut out easily by Bradley Barcola, substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia squared it and Vitinha chipped the stranded goalkeeper.

Chelsea fell to bits after that. Kvaratskhelia helped himself to two late goals and there was the unfortunate sight of Pedro Neto manhandling a ball boy to the ground in a struggle for the ball before Enzo Fernandez, the vice-captain, visibly turned on his goalkeeper after another mistake which led to a late disallowed goal.

A brave display was undermined by a psychological capitulation in the last 15 minutes. Chelsea looked to have done enough to take a hard-earned result back to Stamford Bridge, Malo Gusto and Fernandez scoring equalisers in answer to goals by Barcola and Ousmane Dembele.

Instead the coming days are likely to involve an inquest into how and why the team collapsed so dispiritingly.

“A very disappointing result on an evening where for much of the game we were really happy,” said Rosenior. “The last 15 minutes were crazy.

“That’s on me. We need to be better in moments when setbacks and mistakes happen. You need to stay calm in the moment, me included.

“It’s a painful one because for 75 minutes we were in the tie.”

There is likely to be intense scrutiny of Rosenior’s goalkeeping selections after this. Jorgensen was in the team after displacing Robert Sanchez but following this mistake it is hard to see where the manager goes from here.

“Players make mistakes,” said Rosenior. “Filip is not the first to make mistake. In that moment at 2-2 we’re in the ascendency.

“In the top level it’s fine margins. The fifth goal was the most painful one. We didn’t deal with a basic pattern of play, they scored a fifth and made the tie very difficult.”

Neto gave his shirt to the ball boy he had knocked over but it further left a sour taste on an awful night.

“If there was anything from our side that was wrong or out of order I apologise on behalf of the club,” said Rosenior.

Chelsea had been brave in coming to the home of the European champions and taking them on but their naivety was their undoing.

They were too casual about the threat posed by PSG, leaving space for Dembele and for Barcola, not giving their all in challenging for second balls and too easily pulled out of shape by rapid transitions.

“We’ve shot ourselves in the foot and made this tie very difficult,” said Rosenior.

“Even at 4-2, it’s not the best result but we’re still right in this at nine. The fifth goal, that’s the painful one. It’s something I really have to solve. We are very close to be an outstanding team.”

PSG boss Luis Enrique admitted his side had to battle hard.

“It has been difficult but I think everybody was happy, who was supporting PSG, because the result is good. It was very tough because both teams were trying to play football,” Enrique said.

“This is the most important moment for us in this competition, we know it’s going to be tough away at Chelsea. I think we played well at a high level against a difficult side. I’m happy.

Oleksandr Usyk has named his ideal final three fights, starting with Rico Verhoeven in May, followed by the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois and ending with a trilogy against a returning Tyson Fury.

Only the Verhoeven fight is secured — controversially for Usyk’s WBC heavyweight title – and the other match-ups must still be negotiated, but interim champion and mandatory challenger, Agit Kabayel, has taken serious issue with the list.

Speaking on Instagram, the German heavyweight said:

“My parents always told me to stay humble and respectful. But I can’t accept being ignored any longer. I deserve the title shot.”

In an interview with RTL/ntv and sport.de, Kabayel expanded, saying that Usyk’s plan proves that he is ‘only interested in money.’

“I have always respected Usyk greatly for his sporting achievements and said, ‘Hey, he doesn’t shy away from a challenge and is a man of his word.’ But he’s only interested in money; everything else is of no interest to him. I’ve noticed that again very clearly now.

“How can he not name the number one in the rankings, his mandatory challenger? It’s just sad that he’d rather fight Dubois or Fury a third time, even though he’s already beaten them both twice.”

Kabayel – who proved to be a draw himself in his latest fight against Daniel Knyba – is well-deserving of a shot at the full world title, having beaten Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang to gain the WBC interim belt. Usyk has been mandated by the sanctioning body to face him after Verhoeven, but it appears that the Ukrainian is more likely to drop the belt, or lobby for an undisputed contest against the winner of Wardley and Dubois.

Usyk is not only at risk of losing the WBC belt, but the IBF and WBA, too. Neither organisation has commented on the Verhoeven bout, and could well decide to strip Usyk rather than go the WBC route to put their belt on the line, which has been met by extreme backlash from fans.

For a little while, Anthony Richardson was earning frequent flyer miles while cruising around the Vikings QB rumors. Is that still the case?

The widespread expectation in the Twin Cities is that Kyler Murray is soon to become a Vikings employee. He would be the favorite to be under center — in shotgun? — for Week 1. J.J. McCarthy alongside Max Brosmer are the other arms to compete for snaps. Presumably, a fourth passer gets added, but could it realistically be Mr. Richardson?

Vikings QB Idea for Anthony Richardson Feels Far Off

Quite possibly, Minnesota is sitting in the calm before the storm.

Murray could decide to sign at any moment. He’s now a free agent, as league insiders aplenty have confirmed. Dianna Russini of The Athletic offers some clarity on what’s taking place: “Now that Kyler Murray’s release from the Cardinals is official, the Minnesota Vikings are expected to target him as a veteran addition to their QB room, sources tell The Athletic. He will be taking a visit to Minnesota and getting a physical.”

Each side is moving forward with some basic due diligence. The Vikings are going to do a physical, ensuring a baseline level of healthiness. The visit serves both sides as they get to know each other.

Consider what Tom Pelissero had to say: “The Vikings plan to make a push for Kyler Murray and are the favorite to land the former No. 1 overall pick, sources tell me and @RapSheet. Finally released today by Arizona, Murray will take his time and wants to speak with interested teams. But Minnesota is the team to beat.”

And Adam Schefter joins the fun: “The Arizona Cardinals officially have released QB Kyler Murray. With Murray now free, the Minnesota Vikings are considered the overwhelming favorite to sign him. In the words of one source: ‘I’d be shocked if he’s not a Viking.’”

Basically, the NFL’s most plugged-in insiders have begun singing the same song: Murray to Minnesota is close to locked in. Nary a word of Anthony Richardson in sight.

Without question, Murray is a far superior quarterback in the present moment. He’s way more accurate and has accomplished much more. In fact, Richardson’s completion percentage makes him essentially unplayable. Pivoting off the Richardson idea in the present moment to add somebody who could start makes a lot of sense.

However, the intrigue with Richardson should still exist. He’s reminiscent of Tim Tebow since both are built like defensive ends; the notable difference is that Richardson has arm talent. Raw talent can be improved with time. So, bring him to town and give him time.

The Colts appear very unlikely to keep the talented young fella after draining the ATM for Daniel Jones. Minnesota is hesitant to part with picks, so a cut could be the necessary precursor to a Richardson add.

Note: bringing him to town is not about getting a starter for 2026. Rather, the hope is to have Minnesota’s version of Taysom Hill: a versatile playmaker who can throw, run, and inspire some fear in the defense. If he turns into a weapon who puts a fright into the other side, Anthony Richardson would be well worth a modest contract.

Anthony Richardson, 23, stands at 6’4″ and weighs 244 pounds. He ran a blistering 4.43 while having a cannon attached to his shoulder instead of an arm. Gambling on an upside QB3 (especially for a low-level financial commitment) is never a bad idea.

Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Pep Guardiola did not think that Manchester City’s performance reflected the result as they leave Madrid with a Champions League mountain to climb

Pep Guardiola defended Manchester City’s performance against Real Madrid despite admitting the reality that there is little chance of them making it through to the Champions League quarter-finals. The Blues started confidently but were blown away by a clinical Real side that will take a 3-0 lead into next week’s second leg at the Etihad.

City are not yet out but they are down after heading into Wednesday’s game as favourites to beat a Real side struggling to meet expectations. Guardiola picked an attacking XI but their defending let them down as Federico Valverde exposed City’s deficiencies with a first-half hat-trick.

It took a penalty save from Gianluigi Donnarumma to stop Real making the scoreline even uglier for City in the second half, yet having called for his team to show up for the big occasions Guardiola felt that they played better than the result suggested.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

“I think we played quite a good game,” he said. “I think we’ve tried to do our best and we could not create chances where Courtois could not intervene. We got to the box many times and when you were able to do that it means you have followed a good process but we didn’t score.

“Real Madrid has always been very dangerous but I don’t have the feeling that Courtois has played a great game. He made a parry from Nico [O’Reilly] in the second half but we have reached that byline many times – six, seven, eight times – so we’ve done a good job, we were just missing this detail.

Find the best flights and hotels for Champions League games

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

Booking.com

See the deals here

Booking.com provides countless deals on flights and accommodation across Europe so Man City fans can follow the team on their Champions League campaign.

“If you dominate [Real] you always have this feeling of them being able to run but my feeling about ourselves is we’ve done quite a good job. But because the score is 3-0 that is a little bit useless.”

A motivated pass rusher can be a scary pass rusher. So, should there be some fear in the Twin Cities about the Vikings seeing Javon Hargrave earn a new gig over in Wisconsin?

Wednesday brought news that had long been anticipated: Mr. Hargrave had been released alongside Jonathan Allen. The team’s official social media shared the news: “The #Vikings have released DL Jonathan Allen and DL Javon Hargrave.”

Not long afterwards, ESPN’s Adam Schefter offered the update: “From Minnesota to Green Bay: Former Vikings DT Javon Hargrave reached agreement today on a 2-year deal for $23 million, including $13 million this year with the Packers, per Drew Rosenhaus.”

Buckle up for a double dose of The Gravedigger in the Vikings’ 2026 season.

Vikings See Javon Hargrave Trade Horns for Cheese

Over on PurplePTSD, Janik Eckardt covers the Hargrave decision.

Some thoughts: “Losing Hargrave may not dramatically alter Minnesota’s defensive blueprint, but it removes an experienced rotational piece from a unit already facing depth questions. Replacing his snaps will likely require a combination of internal development and external additions before training camp.”

Further: “Meanwhile, his quick landing in Green Bay adds an extra layer of intrigue to the NFC North rivalry, where familiar faces often become unexpected obstacles once the regular season begins. The Vikings will meet Hargrave twice in 2026.”

To my eye, Hargrave is still a good ball player. Very good, in fact.

He may not be the player he once was due to a combination of age and past injury, but he can still fire out of his stance. The defender’s explosiveness puts guards on their heels as he quickly wins the balance battle with the large lad opposite him. Even the world’s strongest linemen will struggle if the balance gets compromised.

Last season, Hargrave offered up just 3.5 sacks. More discouraging, perhaps, is that he only had 6 quarterback hits alongside 4 tackles for loss. Ideally, the plays behind the line of scrimmage would have been more abundant even as the veteran is more of a pass rusher than a run stopper.

Looking back, the Vikings would have been much better off rolling with Hargrave, Harrison Phillips, and Jalen Redmond. That trio contains a pass rushing specialist, a rugged run stuffer, and an all-around talent. Shoring up the depth would have been Levi Drake Rodriguez and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins.

Alas, that’s an insight that’s coming with the benefit of hindsight.

The 2026 NFL Draft has received some hype around the defensive tackle talent. Minnesota doesn’t have an urgent need in this area, but there’s no such thing as too much talent in the trenches. Grafting a high-end DT into the mix would be a major win for Minnesota.

Minnesota’ top pick arrives at No. 18. Keep in mind that the team also had a 2nd alongside a pair of 3rd-Round selections.

Prior to the official cut, Hargrave suggested on social media that his modest statistics were at least partly due to the Brian Flores scheme.

Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.