Nigeria’s Super Falcons produced a commanding display to defeat the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon 3-1 in an international friendly played at the Military Stadium in Yaounde on Tuesday evening.

The match was the second of a two-game tour and served as part of preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The victory ensured the nine-time African champions ended the tour on a high note after narrowly losing the first encounter by a lone goal three days earlier.

Head Coach Justin Madugu made seven changes to the side that featured in Saturday’s defeat, signalling his intent to test depth and tactical flexibility ahead of the continental tournament.

However, it was the hosts who struck first once again. Cameroon found the breakthrough in the seventh minute, momentarily raising fears of a repeat of the previous result.

Nigeria gradually grew into the game and were rewarded in the 32nd minute. Forward Chinwendu Ihezuo rose highest to meet a well-delivered cross from Rinsola Babajide, powering a header past the Cameroonian goalkeeper to restore parity.

The Falcons completed the turnaround just before the interval. Following a scramble inside the penalty area, Babajide reacted quickest to fire home in the 43rd minute, giving Nigeria a deserved 2-1 lead at half time.

Madugu’s tactical reshuffle, particularly in midfield, proved effective as Nigeria pressed higher up the pitch, closed down spaces quickly and restricted Cameroon to long and hopeful deliveries.

The third goal arrived in the 64th minute. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, impressive throughout on the right flank, delivered an inviting cross into the box. Michelle Alozie met it with determination, launching herself into a flying header that extended Nigeria’s advantage to 3-1.

Both teams made changes as the match progressed, using the fixture to fine-tune strategies and assess combinations ahead of the 14th edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Morocco from March 17 to April 3.

For the Super Falcons, the emphatic victory was a strong statement of intent as they continue preparations to reclaim continental glory.

Dominik Szoboszlai has divided fans as he debuted a bold new look for Liverpool’s clash with Wolves on Tuesday night.

The talismanic Liverpool midfielder, known for his slicked-back hairstyle, rocked up to Molineux with cornrows, resemblant of David Beckham’s trim of 2003.

It may explain why the Hungarian has been letting his hair grow out in recent months, having spent much of his early career with a short-back-and-sides haircut.

open image in gallery

While some supporters questioned the change of appearance, other fans were in favour of the new style with one writing on X: “He looks like a viking.”

Szoboszlai has been one of Liverpool’s standout performers of a difficult campaign, scoring 10 goals and creating eight.

He has also been operated in an array of positions, standing in capably at right-back with Arne Slot’s options becoming very limited by injuries to the likes of Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley.

open image in gallery

But playing in his preferred attacking midfield role against the Premier League’s bottom club, he struggled to control the tempo in the first half with Wolves’ middle pairing of Angel Gomes and Andre frustrating the Reds.

Liverpool ended up become the latest victim of Wolves’ surprise bounce, with Andre snatching a stoppage-time winner thanks to a wicked deflection off Joe Gomez.

As it becomes clearer what the North Stand will look like once the expansion is completed, it is still far from apparent what it will sound like

06:00, 04 Mar 2026

At the beginning of the season, Manchester City would have been hoping to be able to call on extra fan power for their biggest games of the season. When finished, the North Stand expansion will add more than 7,000 seats and take the capacity above 60,000.

It still isn’t clear when it will be finished though. Senior club officials were hopeful last year that it would be January but we are now more than a month past that; an FAQ on the club website says that it is ‘due to open before the end of the season, although a date has not yet been confirmed’.

Obviously it is better to be done properly than to be rushed, but it will be a shame if – as is looking likely – there is no extra boost in time for the two huge matches that are up in the next six weeks. With test events needed before it officially opens, Real Madrid in a fortnight looks out of the question and Arsenal in late April would be a stretch.

FOLLOW OUR MAN CITY FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester City Facebook page

But it is getting there. All the seats are in and the suggestion is that the covers may have been removed in time for the Nottingham Forest game on Wednesday, meaning completion is getting nearer.

It is close enough for the question to be asked of what the new North Stand will sound like and how much of a boost it will give City and their manager, who regularly calls on the fans to help the team in the moments where they need them most. How much of an improvement will the improvement be?

That is something nobody can answer at the minute amid uncertainty over the makeup of the stand. Whether it comes before the end of this season or at the start of the next one, who will be sitting in the seats?

Khaldoon Al Mubarak, City’s chairman’ gave encouragement to the idea of a blue wall akin to Dortmund when he was asked about it years ago in his annual address with club media, and that gave hope to supporters who dreamed of a wall of noise. Supporters currently in the South Stand, the noisiest part of the ground, were open to moving across to have a whole stand behind the goal that was not interrupted by away fans.

Such talk of relocation has seemingly died down despite the confirmation of 3,000 rail seats for the top tier, and the announcement in May that there would be at least 4,000 new Flexi Gold tickets – with half ringfenced for Under-18s – certainly keeps the emphasis on family stand. Losing the next generation of supporters has been a major concern for fans in recent years so this was well received by fans who are keen to start taking their kids regularly to games.

The top tier could be a natural home for the 500 fans being moved from their seats behind the goal to make way for a new hospitality space, especially given the evident difficulties in moving groups to other parts of the stadium that are already pretty full. However, even those able to move up two tiers will want it reflected in the pricing and may also want to know they are still sitting with loyal season ticket holders rather than people buying tickets as part of a hotel deal or from a third-party site.

City’s wish to make the Etihad Campus a tourist destination for every day of the year, it seems natural to think there will be some kind of relationship between the new hotel that is opening and that they own and the stadium. And more seats in general makes the club more vulnerable to third-party sites whether official and unofficial.

There’s also the issue of the new hospitality area behind the goal, City Hall. With season tickets coming in at around £2,600, is that really likely to attract fans who already go every week? The Tunnel Club is currently the most exclusive part of the ground and that is practically empty for five to 10 minutes at the start of each half as guests are pre-occupied with the service they are getting inside; to have empty seats behind the goal at the start of each half certainly wouldn’t help atmosphere.

City fans showed against Newcastle how good the atmosphere can be and have the opportunity to do so again in the Forest game, even if prices and ticket restrictions have been cut ahead of Wednesday’s game. Similarly, when the new North Stand opens fully it will undoubtedly make a difference in a stadium that has already helped to down some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

It’s just that, as it becomes clear what it looks like, it still isn’t clear what it will sound like.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

• 

• NBA on Sportsnet

  Livestream 40-plus regular season Toronto Raptors games, marquee matchups from around the association, select NBA Playoffs games, the NBA Draft and summer league action on Sportsnet+.

  Broadcast schedule

About three months ago, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow told reporters that he was not happy with football or his life, in general, which sparked a litany of trade rumors — because wouldn’t the guy want a change if everything was so bad? The Minnesota Vikings were predictably named as a trade destination, and while that probably isn’t realistic in 2026, next offseason could be Minnesota’s meal ticket in the would-be Burrow Sweepstakes.

Burrow’s price would be massive, but cap math and roster erosion can change “never” into “maybe” fast.

NFL insider Jason La Canfora delivered the Burrow takes this week, redefining the timeline of a possible trade.

The Clock Matters More Than the Fantasy with Burrow

It’s an all-or-nothing year in Cincinnati for Burrow.

LaCanfora on Burrow

Sizing up Burrow’s future, La Canfora wrote this week, “Is this it? All of that begs major questions about Burrow finishing his career with the Bengals and if this upcoming season goes anything like the past two, few would be shocked in league circles if Burrow requested a trade.”

“The Bengals have never won a Lombardi Trophy, have had contentious negotiations with several top talents recently (top pass rusher Trey Hendrickson chief among them) and Burrow has talked openly over the years about the toll all of his injuries have had on him.”

La Canfora also quoted an anonymous executive, “This is it. Dude, they aren’t going out and trading for Maxx Crosby or something like that. The defense sucks. This is the final year that Chase and Higgins are both there. It’s going to come to a head, trust me.”

That’s quite the bombshell for a Top 5 quarterback in the league. The upcoming season could be Burrow’s swan song if the Bengals don’t reach the postseason or make noise in the playoff tournament.

Last December, as Burrow sought to return to the field following an injury, he told reporters. “It feels like everybody’s trying to do everything in their power to make me not play football, and I feel like I’m fighting it. I’m fighting everybody else. I just want to play ball. That’s all I want to do.”

Those comments raised eyebrows because, in addition to his general unhappiness, he couldn’t quite understand why his bosses didn’t want to let him play.

Vikings as Suitors?

Foremost, if the Bengals did trade Burrow, they probably wouldn’t want him in the AFC, on tap to endure that possible grudge match in the postseason every year. That, in theory, clears 16 teams from the trade field.

Then, the Vikings — also in theory — would need a quarterback, whether now or in 2027, which narrows the field to a handful of NFC teams. Not every NFC teams need a quarterback.

Thereafter, Burrow and Justin Jefferson played ball together in college at LSU. Hell, they won the National Championship in 2019, the springboard to both men’s 1st-Round draft stock in 2020. They remain friends. Jefferson could act as a recruiter.

Most teams don’t have that criteria going for them, especially the clubs that would enter the Burrow sweepstakes.

What the Bengals Might Want … the Vikings Have

Cincinnati has created a long and strange relationship with EDGE rusher Trey Hendrickson, who will almost certainly join a new team next week. The knock on recent Bengals teams is defense. If the Burrow trade discussions ever come to life with the Vikings, Cincinnati could inquire about one of Minnesota’s outside linebackers, as the club has three prominent ones: Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner.

Theoretically, when the time comes, the Vikings could ship multiple 1st-Rounders to the Bengals, along with Greenard, for example, to Cincinnati for Burrow.

Minnesota has enough defensive trade pieces to sweeten the deal, particularly if Cincinnati wanted Greenard. The Vikings drafted Dallas Turner two years ago for this moment — when Turner can step into a full-time starter’s role.

A Reasonable Dead Cap Hit for CIN if It Trades Burrow … Next Year

Here’s the real reason Cincinnati won’t trade Burrow this offseason: it would be on the hook for an extremely wicked, shockingly evil, and vile $56.5 million dead cap hit. Yes, the Burrow trade theory rests on the premise that the Bengals would willingly get rid of a Top 5 NFL quarterback — and also shoot themselves in the foot to the tune of $56.5 million. Not going to happen.

Next offseason, though, the dead cap hit in a Burrow trade reduces to $35.7 million, which is still bad but is more reasonable if a divorce is imminent. The Bengals could spread that figure out over a few years and let it ride.

Cincinnati basically owes it to itself to see if Year No. 7 for Burrow will be any different. If not, it can fire Zac Taylor, perhaps entertain a Burrow trade (especially if he requests one), and start all over for a manageable financial penalty.

A Burrow trade isn’t realistic in 2026; the path straightens at this time next year.

NEW DELHI: On the eve of a high-voltage T20 World Cup semifinal against India, England captain Harry Brook has made one thing clear — his side thrives when the pressure is at its peak.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!England’s journey to the last four has been anything but smooth. They scraped through the group stage with gritty wins over Nepal, Scotland and Italy, and endured a heavy defeat to the West Indies. But in the Super Eights, Brook’s men flipped the switch, going unbeaten against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand — the latter requiring a nerve-shredding 43 runs off the final 18 balls.

“We are managing to scrape along in close games and that is the sign of a good side,” Brook told Sky Sports Cricket. “I have learned you are never out of games. I know I have players with a lot of character, a willingness to win, wanting to win a lot, but also that calmness under pressure.”That belief, he insists, is what makes England formidable heading into a semifinal against the hosts. “I want to make it as uncomfortable as possible for the batter coming in at all times,” he added, underlining England’s aggressive mindset.Despite lean returns from white-ball great Jos Buttler and inconsistent outings from Phil Salt, Brook has thrown his weight behind his top order. “I think Jos should be left alone. He is one of the best players to have ever played the game and I can see him coming good,” he said. “We have so many powerful players in the top seven that if one comes off, the opposition are scratching their heads.”Brook also reserved special praise for all-rounder Will Jacks, calling his first proper World Cup “phenomenal”. “He has embraced that position and done exceptionally well. The character he has shown has been awesome.”With India backed by a roaring home crowd, Brook knows the stage will be daunting. “It is going to be loud… a massive occasion with a hell of a lot of pressure for both sides,” he said.But if England’s campaign has proved anything, it is this: write them off at your own peril.

Virgil van Dijk did not try and come up with excuses as Liverpool slumped to another stoppage-time defeat at bottom club Wolves.

Andre’s 94th-minute deflected strike proved the difference in a 2-1 win for Rob Edwards’ side, who have now taken points off three of the top five in their last three home outings, despite being doomed for relegation.

Liverpool had already fallen behind once only for Mohamed Salah to end his goal drought and get his side on terms, but his efforts proved in vain as Wolves came away with all three points.

Dealt a blow in their push for Champions League qualification, Van Dijk put full responsibility of the defeat on the team.

“I think it’s down to ourselves,” he told TNT Sports. “It was slow, we were predictable, sloppy in possession and wrong decision-making.

“We didn’t concede chances but if you perform like that then a result like this can be a result of that and that’s a fact. It was disappointing.”

Liverpool wasted the first half of the contest at Molineux in what was an action-starved 45 minutes of football, with neither side producing anything resembling a clear-cut chance.

“It’s not one reason why that’s the case,” Van Dijk responded when asked to explain the slow start. “The game nowadays we over-analyse why things are happening on the pitch.

“We as a team want to start a game as well as we can and in the last game we did, today we had majority possession but we were still making wrong decisions and we couldn’t find the end product.”

Reds manager Arne Slot, meanwhile, bemoaned his side’s tendency to concede late on this season, having lost five games – against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Manchester City and now Wolves – in second-half stoppage-time.

“We hardly conceded a chance, created not so much but more than they did, but the result is again a 2-1 loss,” Slot said.

“We are losing far too many football games and dropping points. Was it again in extra-time that we conceded? The three times we lost in the last 22 games were all three in extra time.”

Liverpool return to Molineux to face Wolves in an identical fixture on Friday for their FA Cup fifth-round tie.

WNBPA executive committee members Breanna Stewart and Kelsey Plum sent a three-page letter to WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson expressing their “serious concerns” about how non-player union leadership is handling the negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, according to ESPN. 

Tuesday’s stunning report highlights the growing tension inside the WNBPA ahead of the reported March 10 deadline to agree to a new CBA. If a deal is not in place by March 10, the 2026 season, which is supposed to begin on May 8, will not start on time, the league told the WNBPA and teams last month. 

Growing discontent with WNBPA leader Jackson

Plum is the first vice president of the WNBPA, while Stewart is a vice president. In their letter, which was obtained by ESPN, the duo called for “a changed dynamic between our PA administrators and the players” and wrote “we do not feel like we have an adequate seat at the table in these negotiations.” 

The WNBPA declined comment to ESPN, and reportedly held a meeting Tuesday to discuss the letter — which Stewart and Plum sent in mid-February — and the result of a recent survey sent to players. 

Late last month, the WNBPA reportedly held a contentious meeting, which Jackson called “spirited, passionate, and at times tough,” in a letter obtained by Front Office Sports. Furthermore, a group of nearly a dozen powerful agents sent a letter to Jackson last week stating “our collective preference for transparency and coordinated communication” about the CBA negotiations, according to ESPN. 

Jackson has been the WNBPA executive director since 2016 and oversaw the negotiations on the most recent CBA, which was ratified in 2020. The players opted out of that agreement in October of 2024, and it officially expired in January after multiple extensions. Over the last 17 months, the WNBPA and the WNBA have been locked in a contentious labor battle over a new CBA. The stalemate is now threatening to disrupt, or, in a worst-case scenario, cancel the 2026 season. 

Stewart and Plum’s letter makes it clear that some players are not happy with the job Jackson and her staff are doing to get a new deal in place — while acknowledging that she wants what is best for the players. 

“We are frustrated that we have not made more progress as we near the March 10 deadline, and we believe this is a result of a breakdown in communication between you and the Executive Committee and players more broadly,” Stewart and Plum wrote. 

They went on to write that they have been “privy to details of these negotiations for less than two months, having first seen a proposal in January,” and have not received more information from union staff despite “repeatedly” asking for it. “Despite a year and a half of negotiations, we have not been meaningfully engaged,” they continued. 

Here’s more from the letter:

“As we understand it, the Executive Committee’s role is to help shape the overall goals and priorities of the CBA and to serve as a bridge between your negotiating team and the broader membership — ultimately helping to secure player approval of any deal. Without access to the information requested above, the Executive Committee cannot fulfill this role, and players cannot be expected to engage meaningfully in a process they have largely been excluded from.

“When we and other players have attempted to express concerns about negotiations, we have been made to feel as though we are acting against the interests of the PA. Many other players across the league feel these same frustrations and have expressed them to us, but feel afraid or unable to speak out.”

Stewart and Plum added that this trend “has begun to create unnecessary divisions at a time in which a united front and informed player body are essential to achieve maximum leverage.”

Strike no longer on the table?

Notably, Stewart and Plum added that “We need to start being pragmatic in these negotiations and in how decisions are being made,” because they are “concerned about the impact that a standoff or work stoppage would have on the overall financial health of the league.”

In December, the WNBPA voted nearly unanimously to authorize the executive committee to strike “when necessary.” The WNBPA stated that 93% of players participated in that vote and 98% voted in favor of authorizing a strike if necessary. Some players have since changed their minds, and it does not appear that a strike is actually on the table. 

“I want to play, and players want to play,” Plum said prior to the Unrivaled semifinals on Monday. “And so obviously we’re going to continue to negotiate and do everything we possibly can to get this done in a timely fashion. But obviously a strike would be the worst thing for both sides, because we are in a revenue [sharing system], so no revenue, no revenue to share.”

“I think that while we still are fighting for a lot of different things, we have to realize that the rev share is a win, especially just even coming from the 2020 CBA and the ones before that,” Stewart added on Monday. “Now, as the league makes money, we make money. And so when [Plum] talks about ‘I don’t think a strike is good for anyone,’ because as the league loses money, or if we have a delay, we also lose money.”

Latest WNBA offer

According to the Associated Press, the WNBA sent the WNBPA a new CBA proposal on Sunday night with a slight increase in the 2026 salary cap from $5.65 million to $5.75 million. Here are the full salary numbers:

“The salary cap in the first year would be $5.75 million — up 280% from last year’s $1.5 million. That would grow to $8.5 million by the sixth year of the deal. The deal would result in maximum salaries increasing by more than $1 million — from $249,000 to $1.3 million — and average salaries increasing from $120,000 to $540,000 in the first year.”

Overall, however, the league did not change its revenue sharing split. The league is still offering 70% of net revenue — that is, the revenue remaining when league-specified operating expenses are removed from the pot — over the course of the deal. The players, meanwhile, are still adamant on receiving a share of gross revenue. 

The WNBPA’s most recent proposal would see the players receive an average of 26% of the gross revenue over the course of the agreement (with a $9.5 million salary cap in 2026).

Barcelona to step up efforts for Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven, Bruno Fernandes future at Manchester United depends on Champions League qualification and Aston Villa keen on Fulham‘s Harry Wilson.

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven, 24, is wanted by Barcelona, who are set to intensify their efforts to sign the Netherlands international in the summer. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Manchester United are prepared to offer Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes an improved deal worth up to £400,000 a week – but the 31-year-old will base a decision on his Old Trafford future on whether the club qualify for the Champions League. (Mirror), external

England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo’s long-term future at Manchester United is still up in the air as talks over a new contract for the 20-year-old drag on. (Mail – subscription required), external

Arsenal have been told by Inter Milan that 20-year-old Italian forward Pio Esposito is not for sale at any price. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Juventus are set to revive their interest in Paris St-Germain’s French forward Randal Kolo Muani, 27, who is currently on loan at Tottenham. (Calciomercato – in Italian), external

Aston Villa are one of the clubs interested in 28-year-old Wales attacking midfielder Harry Wilson, whose contract at Fulham runs out in the summer. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Brentford are set to offload up to five players in the summer, including 23-year-old Portugal midfielder Fabio Carvalho. (The I – subscription required), external

Manchester United have no intention of selling English midfielder Mason Mount, 27, in the summer despite interest from Aston Villa and Fulham. (Football Insider), external

Juventus appear to have made progress in extending the contract of 26-year-old Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic, whose deal runs out in the summer. (Tuttosport – in Italian), external

Bayern Munich and Austria midfielder Konrad Laimer, 28, have halted talks over a new contract as there is a large gap between the expectations of both parties. (Sky Sports Germany), external