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Chelsea and Fulham Win Penalty Shootouts to Reach English League Cup Semifinals 

Chelsea's goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic saves a shot from Newcastle's Matt Ritchie during a penalty shoot out during the English League Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge in London, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP)
Chelsea's goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic saves a shot from Newcastle's Matt Ritchie during a penalty shoot out during the English League Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge in London, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP)
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Chelsea and Fulham Win Penalty Shootouts to Reach English League Cup Semifinals 

Chelsea's goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic saves a shot from Newcastle's Matt Ritchie during a penalty shoot out during the English League Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge in London, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP)
Chelsea's goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic saves a shot from Newcastle's Matt Ritchie during a penalty shoot out during the English League Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge in London, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP)

Chelsea’s faltering first season under Mauricio Pochettino could yet be saved by the English League Cup.

The London club reached the semifinals by beating Newcastle 4-2 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday, with the game only getting that far thanks to a goal by Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk in the second minute of stoppage time that made it 1-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Newcastle right back Kieran Trippier was at fault for that goal and he was one of two visiting players to fail to score his penalty. Matt Ritchie was the other, as stand-in goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic made the save to end the shootout.

Chelsea is languishing in 10th place in the Premier League despite having spent more than $1 billion on players in the last three transfer windows and having no European competitions to disrupt its schedule.

Pochettino is starting to come under some pressure for failing to get a group of talented players to gel so this cup run could be huge in gaining some momentum. The explosion of joy inside the stadium after the final penalty made it the best moment so far in his reign of less than six months.

Newcastle had been looking to get to the semifinals of the League Cup for the second straight season. Fulham has reached that stage for the first time in its 144-year history.

Fulham, another team from west London, also needed a penalty shootout to advance and this one lasted longer, with defender Tosin Adarabioyo eventually netting the clinching kick for a 7-6 win. Amadou Onana had a chance to win the shootout for Everton but had his attempt saved at 4-3.

The game finished 1-1 in regulation at Goodison Park, with Everton substitute Beto scoring in the 82nd to cancel out an own-goal by Michael Keane.

Middlesbrough will be the big underdog in the semifinals as the only non-Premier League team remaining.

The second-tier club beat Port Vale, which plays in the third division, 3-0 thanks to goals by Jonny Howson, Morgan Rogers and Matt Crooks.

Middlesbrough, the 2004 champion now managed by former Manchester United and England midfielder Michael Carrick, hasn’t had to play a Premier League team in the competition yet.

Nkunku debut

There was more good news for Chelsea, with Christopher Nkunku coming off the bench in the second half to finally make his competitive debut six months after signing from Leipzig.

The France striker sustained a serious knee injury in the offseason and only recently returned to training, with Pochettino careful not to push him into first-team action too quickly.

Nkunku converted one of Chelsea’s penalties in the shootout confidently in the top corner and looked lively in regulation time, too.

However, there was some concern with Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez walking off the field unaided midway through the first half. Pochettino said after the game that Fernandez asked to come off because he felt unwell.

Liverpool hosts West Ham on Wednesday in the last quarterfinal match, after which the draw for the semifinals is made.

The final is at Wembley Stadium on Feb. 25.

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Over 75% of Fans Do Not Support VAR in Premier League, Says FSA Survey

Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v West Ham United - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - March 22, 2026 Referee Paul Tierney checks the VAR before overturning an Aston Villa penalty. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v West Ham United - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - March 22, 2026 Referee Paul Tierney checks the VAR before overturning an Aston Villa penalty. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Over 75% of Fans Do Not Support VAR in Premier League, Says FSA Survey

Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v West Ham United - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - March 22, 2026 Referee Paul Tierney checks the VAR before overturning an Aston Villa penalty. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v West Ham United - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - March 22, 2026 Referee Paul Tierney checks the VAR before overturning an Aston Villa penalty. (Action Images via Reuters)

More than ‌75% of Premier League fans do not support the continued use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), a Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) survey showed.

The survey was conducted online between February 26 and March 23 and saw almost 8,000 fans of top-flight clubs participate, the FSA said.

The ‌results showed ‌that 75.7% did not ‌support ⁠the use of ⁠VAR in football, with 91.7% saying VAR had removed the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations.

“These findings back up the FSA’s previous survey in 2021, where fans ⁠expressed misgivings about the introduction ‌of VAR," ‌FSA’s Premier League network manager Thomas Concannon ‌said.

“We have shared the survey ‌results with the Premier League and PGMO (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), and look forward to discussing its findings ‌with them.”

Reuters has requested comment from the Premier League.

Premier League ⁠teams ⁠voted in favor of keeping VAR in June 2024 despite a considerable amount of criticism about the technology-aided officiating system.

"While VAR produces more accurate decision making, it was agreed that improvements should be made for the benefit of the game and supporters," the league said in a statement at the time.

Sports

King Kimi, Max Misery, Bearman Smash: Japan GP Talking Points

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of Netherlands in action during the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course racetrack in Suzuka, Japan, 29 March 2026. (EPA)
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of Netherlands in action during the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course racetrack in Suzuka, Japan, 29 March 2026. (EPA)
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King Kimi, Max Misery, Bearman Smash: Japan GP Talking Points

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of Netherlands in action during the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course racetrack in Suzuka, Japan, 29 March 2026. (EPA)
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of Netherlands in action during the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka International Racing Course racetrack in Suzuka, Japan, 29 March 2026. (EPA)

Kimi Antonelli won the Japanese Grand Prix from pole ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri as Max Verstappen endured another miserable outing in his Red Bull.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points from the third race weekend on the 2026 Formula One calendar:

- Mercedes protect teen hero -

Antonelli is in only his second season, but already Mercedes are playing down expectations of the 19-year-old -- now the youngest title race leader in Formula One history.

"We need to protect him now from people talking about world championships," said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after the race.

Antonelli admitted he had a stroke of fortune with a safety car that enabled him to dive in for fresh tires and emerge in the lead after his rivals had already pitted.

It was the second race in a row where a slow getaway saw him relegated from pole position and having to play catch-up.

"I had a terrible start. I need to check what happened. Then I was lucky with the safety car to be in the lead but then the pace was incredible," said Antonelli

"Luckily, I've got three weeks, so now I can practice some clutch drops just to get a better feel with it.

"It's been a weak point and I need to improve because you can easily win or lose races."

- Verstappen quit threat -

Red Bull's four-time world champion Verstappen openly questioned his future in Formula One after finishing eighth and lashing out again about the new cars and regulations.

"It's really anti-driving," he told the BBC.

"Then at one point, yeah, it's just not what I want to do."

Verstappen had won at Suzuka in each of the previous four years but was way off the pace and even waved goodbye to one car that overtook him, knowing that he did not have any capability to strike back.

The Dutchman said Formula One bosses "know what to do" to address his concerns and added: "You don't need to feel sorry for me, I'll be fine."

- Bearman sparks safety call -

Oliver Bearman escaped serious injury in a horror crash which prompted drivers to call for changes in the regulations.

The 20-year-old's Haas was closing rapidly at high speed on Franco Colapinto and smashed into the barriers after swerving to avoid the Argentine's Alpine.

Drivers and teams complained it had been an accident waiting to happen because of Formula One's new regulations that mean cars can be travelling at drastically different speeds on the track at the same time.

"These kind of closing speeds and these kind of accidents were always going to happen, and I'm not very happy with what we've had up until now," Grand Prix Drivers' Association chief Carlos Sainz told Sky Sports F1.

"Hopefully we come up with a better solution that doesn't create these massive closing speeds and a safer way of going racing," added the Williams driver.

Bearman said: "I think we've, as a group, warned the FIA what can happen, and this has been a really unfortunate result."

Sports

Premier League Fans Feel the Pinch from Ticket Price Hikes

Manchester United fans, many wearing black as a protest, display a banner in the crowd against seat prices and the current ownership of Manchester United ahead of the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester, northwest England, on March 9, 2025. (AFP)
Manchester United fans, many wearing black as a protest, display a banner in the crowd against seat prices and the current ownership of Manchester United ahead of the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester, northwest England, on March 9, 2025. (AFP)
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Premier League Fans Feel the Pinch from Ticket Price Hikes

Manchester United fans, many wearing black as a protest, display a banner in the crowd against seat prices and the current ownership of Manchester United ahead of the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester, northwest England, on March 9, 2025. (AFP)
Manchester United fans, many wearing black as a protest, display a banner in the crowd against seat prices and the current ownership of Manchester United ahead of the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester, northwest England, on March 9, 2025. (AFP)

The Premier League's global appeal is built on packed stadiums and electric atmospheres but as the arms race for talent intensifies, fans are feeling the pinch.

A recent UEFA report found English football's "Big Six" -- Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham -- earned nearly 20 percent more from selling tickets for home matches in the 2024/25 season than 12 months before.

Revenue from bumper broadcasting deals and commercial sponsorship still provides the vast majority of income for Premier League teams.

But as the growth in TV money has slowed, clubs have focused on increasing matchday revenue, with many investing in stadium renovations and expansions, promising improved facilities and better experiences.

Fans pay the price, particularly local supporters, as clubs target tourists from far and wide who are willing to pay a premium.

In wealthy west London, Fulham boast a rooftop pool and top-grade catering in the hospitality section, but season tickets are among the most expensive in the league, priced at up to £3,000 ($4,000).

"The Riverside stand is a great asset, glad it's at our football club, but it's expensive for your average match-going fan," Simon Duke of the Fulham Supporters' Trust told AFP.

"In having this fantastic asset, thank you owners, but can you please use that to keep football affordable in the other three sides of the ground?"

- Tourist market -

Liverpool sparked outrage last week by announcing that prices will rise in line with inflation for the next three seasons.

Fans group Spirit of Shankly said the club "choose to disregard those who make LFC what it is".

Major expansions of Anfield have increased capacity to 61,000, but there are just 34,000 season tickets available.

That allows the Premier League champions to sell nearly 50 percent of tickets on a match-by-match basis, often targeting day trippers willing to spend more on merchandise, food and drink.

"You look at the yield per fan, per match," said football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

"You're going to get more from a person that's coming for an experience as opposed to some grumpy old bloke who's been doing it for 50 years because the alternative is having to go to IKEA on a Saturday afternoon."

Hospitality packages can cost several thousand pounds per game, with the most expensive option for Manchester City's upcoming clash with Arsenal available for £5,500.

A report by campaign group Fair Game highlighted the long-term risk clubs are taking.

"Some clubs are looking at their stadium and seeing each seat as an individual opportunity to raise money," said CEO Niall Couper.

"If the club wants to be there for the long haul, and to be financially sustainable, then actually keeping ticket prices at an affordable level and allowing access to your local community is a safer way to go."

- 'National religion' -

Supporters, young and old, have also been squeezed by a loss of concessions.

Manchester United are increasing season ticket prices by five percent for the third consecutive year and halving a senior citizens' discount for some fans.

Supporters of United and Liverpool, England's two most successful clubs, joined forces to back the "Stop Exploiting Loyalty" campaign at a match at Anfield last year.

Despite the unrest, Premier League clubs boasted average attendances of just over 40,000 last season, with stadiums nearly 99 percent full.

However, cracks have appeared in recent months.

Tottenham, struggling at the bottom of the table, have failed to sell out their 63,000-capacity stadium on Champions League nights.

"Too many empty seats and too many supporters, particularly young supporters, priced out of attending. Thin the crowd and you thin the noise," the Tottenham Supporters' Trust said in a statement.

But the enduring popularity of football in England during a cost-of-living crisis is testament to its unique place in the national consciousness.

"When I'm making those budgetary decisions -- do we go on holiday this year? Are we going out for more meals? And am I going to renew my season ticket? Season tickets will take priority," said Maguire.