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Chelsea, Lyon and Roma Stay Perfect with Victories in Women's Champions League

Roma's Evelyne Viens, right, fights for the ball with Galatasaray's Berna Yeniceri during the women's Champions League group A soccer match between Galatasaray and Roma at Ataturk Olympic stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Huseyin Yavuz/Dia Photo via AP)
Roma's Evelyne Viens, right, fights for the ball with Galatasaray's Berna Yeniceri during the women's Champions League group A soccer match between Galatasaray and Roma at Ataturk Olympic stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Huseyin Yavuz/Dia Photo via AP)
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Chelsea, Lyon and Roma Stay Perfect with Victories in Women's Champions League

Roma's Evelyne Viens, right, fights for the ball with Galatasaray's Berna Yeniceri during the women's Champions League group A soccer match between Galatasaray and Roma at Ataturk Olympic stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Huseyin Yavuz/Dia Photo via AP)
Roma's Evelyne Viens, right, fights for the ball with Galatasaray's Berna Yeniceri during the women's Champions League group A soccer match between Galatasaray and Roma at Ataturk Olympic stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Huseyin Yavuz/Dia Photo via AP)

Chelsea, Lyon and Roma all stayed perfect in the Women’s Champions League by cruising to away victories on Thursday.
Roma routed Galatasaray at Istanbul 6-1, Chelsea beat Twente in the Netherlands 3-1 and eight-time champion Lyon won 2-0 at Wolfsburg.
Real Madrid claimed its first victory of the campaign by easing past Celtic 4-0, The Associated Press reported.
Roma and Lyon both have six points in Group A. Two-time champion Wolfsburg and Galatasaray, the first Turkish team to reach the group stage, have no points.
In Group B, Chelsea leads with six points, with Madrid and Twente on three and Celtic last bottom without a point.
Wolfsburg striker Alexandra Popp made her 100th competition appearance — becoming only the second player to reach the mark but it was Lyon defender Wendie Renard, the only one who has played more, who stole the show.
Renard’s header found the back of the net early on in her 118th game in the competition.
US international Lindsey Horan netted from the penalty spot in the second half.
Lyon is the competition’s record eight-time champion but last won the trophy in 2022. It was runner-up last season to Barcelona.
In a matchup between the Italian and Turkish champions, Roma dominated in Istanbul.
Summer signing Hawa Cissoko scored in the seventh minute to mark her debut game in the competition. The France defender who transferred from West Ham headed home off Manuela Giugliano's corner.
Valentina Giacinti made it 2-0 in the 24th minute when she was left unmarked near the spot to head in Verena Hanshaw's cross.
Giugliano failed to convert from the spot in the first-half stoppage time but Emilie Haavi got Roma's third with a right-footed blast past goalkeeper Gamze Yaman early in the second.
Giugliano finally found the back of the net from close range for a 4-0 lead before Andrea Staskova scored the consolation goal for the hosts. Roma substitutes Marta Pandini and Alice Corelli also scored.
Blues win again under Bompastor Chelsea struck early in another winning performance under new coach Sonia Bompastor, who joined from Lyon.
Agnes Beever-Jones put the Blues ahead with a long-distance deflected strike in the seventh minute and Maika Hamano made it 2-0 a short time later by lifting the ball over goalkeeper Olivia Clark from outside the area.
Substitute Guro Reiten added the third in the second from the spot just past the hour mark.
On Saturday, Chelsea beat city rival Arsenal 2-1 in the Women’s Super League.
Real Madrid scored three second-half goals in 11 minutes against Celtic in Group B.
The Spanish team had lost to Chelsea 3-2 in the first round and drew with Atlético 1-1 in the Madrid derby over the weekend.
Caroline Weir fired a long-range left-footer from outside the box into the far top corner in the seventh minute.
The visitors kept if close until the 72nd minute, when Signe Bruun headed home the second goal followed eight minutes later by Caroline Moller's lob of goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty for a 3-0 lead. Linda Caicedo then converted from the penalty spot.
It's back-to-back losses for Scottish club Celtic, making its debut in the group stage. It has yet to score.

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Sports

Five Things About the 2026 F1 Season

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during a Formula One pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during a Formula One pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP)
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Five Things About the 2026 F1 Season

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during a Formula One pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during a Formula One pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP)

The 2026 Formula One season gets underway in Melbourne on March 8 with McLaren's Lando Norris looking to retain his world championship title while Max Verstappen aims to rip it back off him.

Predictions are difficult to make ahead of the 24-race season, which is scheduled to finish in Abu Dhabi at the start of December, because of the sweeping changes in chassis and engine regulations.

But the clash between favorites could provide one of the most fascinating seasons yet.

AFP Sport picks out five things to look out for in the pit lane:

- Deny -

The fingers have been pointing, the accusations made -- and nobody has stepped forward to admit that, yes, they were “sandbagging”. That's the pit lane parlance for dialing back on performance in pre-season testing.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen took aim at Mercedes.

"Just wait until Melbourne and see how much power they suddenly find... see how fast they suddenly go on all the straights," said the four-time champion.

Meanwhile, Williams boss James Vowles put the spotlight back on Red Bull in Bahrain, suggesting that "games are being played" when their pace suddenly slowed.

It is, of course, only normal to try and conceal an advantage, no matter how tiny, for when they line up in Melbourne but this is just the first of the many rows which are bound to erupt during this first season under new rules.

- Brand new Cadillac -

Watch out: the Americans are coming! First it was Haas joining the grid in 2016 and now it is Cadillac, one of the most famous names in the auto business, who are angling to set the "standard of the world".

It's not quite their first foray into F1, although in 1952 and 1953 they provided engines only and failed to make the start in two editions of the Indy 500 -- which counted as part of the world championship.

As new boys, the General Motors-financed team will be relying on experience in the cockpit, where Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will launch the team, and under the bonnet.

Cadillac will not be making their own power units until 2029 so will be relying on Ferrari until then.

"I firmly believe we've got a platform that, as a team, we can really start moving forward on," said team principal Graeme Lowdon in the pre-season.

"That's probably the most that you could ever ask for from a new team, unless there's some complete miracle."

- The right profile -

Another new team to look out for is Audi who have a rich history in motorsport -- winners of Le Mans, the Dakar Rally and the World Rally Championship -- but are dipping their toes in the F1 waters for the first time.

The German team acquired the Sauber slot and have retained the driving skills of veteran Nico Hulkenberg, who finally got his first podium last season at Silverstone after 15 years and 239 races, and 21-year-old Gabriel Bortoleto.

Audi had a good pre-season workout and may surprise a few people although team principal Jonathan Wheatley is making no promises.

"We have no illusions about the amount of work remaining or the level of competition we will face in Melbourne," he said after testing in Sakhir.

- Career opportunities -

At 18 years and 212 days by the time the lights go on in Melbourne, Arvid Lindblad will become the fourth-youngest driver of all-time to make his F1 debut, behind Verstappen, Lance Stroll and Kimi Antonelli.

The teenager, who will compete as a Briton but also has Swedish and Indian heritage through his parents, will be in the Racing Bulls seat with Liam Lawson.

He is the sole rookie on the grid this season but comes with pedigree: he won three races in Formula 2 in 2025 -- two of them as a 17-year-old -- and has been on Red Bull's radar since he was 12.

He was disarmingly frank in January about his feelings with regard to his readiness to making the step up.

"I don't know. I mean, I've got a lot to learn. If I'm entirely ready, I don't know," he told F1 TV.

- King of the road -

At the other end of the age spectrum, Fernando Alonso, 44, and Lewis Hamilton, 41, may be duking it out for the last time in F1.

Alonso, who won both his world titles before Lindblad was born, is in the last year of his contract with Aston Martin whose sputtering pre-season does not bode well.

Hamilton, also in the last year of his contract with Ferrari, had a terrible season last year but is full of fight again as he seeks an eighth world title.

"I know what needs to be done. This is going to be one hell of a season!" he posted.

Sports

ATP Monitoring Conflict as Dubai Travel Delays Affect Players

Russia's Daniil Medvedev poses with the trophy after winning his men's singles final match against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis tournament in Dubai on February 28, 2026. (Photo by Ryan LIM / AFP)
Russia's Daniil Medvedev poses with the trophy after winning his men's singles final match against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis tournament in Dubai on February 28, 2026. (Photo by Ryan LIM / AFP)
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ATP Monitoring Conflict as Dubai Travel Delays Affect Players

Russia's Daniil Medvedev poses with the trophy after winning his men's singles final match against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis tournament in Dubai on February 28, 2026. (Photo by Ryan LIM / AFP)
Russia's Daniil Medvedev poses with the trophy after winning his men's singles final match against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis tournament in Dubai on February 28, 2026. (Photo by Ryan LIM / AFP)

The ATP said on Monday it is monitoring the situation in the Middle East and remains in close contact with players after airspace disruptions left a small number of competitors in Dubai following last week's ATP 500 event.

Ongoing conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel has led to airspace closures and widespread flight cancellations across parts of the Gulf, disrupting a key transit hub for international sport ⁠and complicating onward ⁠travel for players heading to the next stop on the tour at Indian Wells.

Daniil Medvedev claimed the Dubai title via walkover on Saturday and is among the players affected by the travel delays, along with ⁠fellow Russian Andrey Rublev.

"The ATP is closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East and remains in regular contact with our players, their support teams and relevant local authorities," the governing body said in a statement, adding that those still in Dubai "are being accommodated in the tournament's official hotels.

"We are in direct communication with those affected, as well ⁠as with ⁠tournament organizers and security advisors... We will continue to provide appropriate support to ensure players and their teams can depart safely when conditions allow,” Reuters quoted it as saying.

The Indian Wells tournament begins on Wednesday, with seeded players receiving first-round byes and not scheduled to compete until later in the week.

Medvedev is seeded 11th at Indian Wells, while Rublev is seeded 17th for the Masters 1000 event in California.

Sports

Spain-Argentina 'Finalissima' in Qatar at Risk as Matches and Tournaments Postponed

The skylines are seen in Doha, Qatar, 02 March 2026. EPA/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE
The skylines are seen in Doha, Qatar, 02 March 2026. EPA/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE
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Spain-Argentina 'Finalissima' in Qatar at Risk as Matches and Tournaments Postponed

The skylines are seen in Doha, Qatar, 02 March 2026. EPA/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE
The skylines are seen in Doha, Qatar, 02 March 2026. EPA/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE

The "Finalissima" match between Spain and Argentina in Doha is in doubt after the Qatar Football Association suspended soccer tournaments indefinitely following US and Israeli attacks on Iran and retaliatory missiles fired at the Arabian Peninsula.

The contest between European champions Spain and Copa America winners Argentina was scheduled for March 27 at Doha's Lusail Stadium, with potential big-name draws including Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.

"Qatar Football Association announces the postponement of all tournaments, competitions and matches, effective from today and until further notice," the FA said in a statement on Sunday.

"The new dates for the ⁠resumption of competitions ⁠will be announced in due course through the Association's official channels."

The final call on whether to postpone the game rests with event organizers UEFA and CONMEBOL - soccer's governing bodies for Europe and South America respectively.

The Bahrain FA postponed all its matches until further notice, while the Asian Football Confederation on Sunday announced it ⁠was delaying Champions League Elite fixtures in the region.

The Asian Champions League Two, which is at the quarter-final stage, has also been affected, along with games in the Challenge League - Asia's third-tier continental club competition.

Beyond soccer, Euroleague Basketball also announced the cancellation of the NextGen EuroLeague qualifying tournament in Abu Dhabi, citing safety and security concerns for participants.

"After careful evaluation and ongoing consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders, it was determined that cancelling the event is the most responsible course of action at this time," ⁠Reuters quoted the league as saying ⁠in a statement on Sunday.

The world governing body for basketball (FIBA) also called off four games in the region on Monday ahead of the second window of the 2027 World Cup Asian Qualifiers in Beirut.

The postponed games include Iraq v Jordan and Syria in Group C as well as Lebanon v India and Qatar in Group D.