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Late Guirassy Goal Seals Win as Dortmund Cuts Bayern’s Bundesliga Lead to 3 Points

07 February 2026, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund at Volkswagen Arena. (dpa)
07 February 2026, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund at Volkswagen Arena. (dpa)
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Late Guirassy Goal Seals Win as Dortmund Cuts Bayern’s Bundesliga Lead to 3 Points

07 February 2026, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund at Volkswagen Arena. (dpa)
07 February 2026, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund at Volkswagen Arena. (dpa)

Serhou Guirassy scored late for Borussia Dortmund to cut Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga lead to three points on Saturday with a 2-1 win at Wolfsburg.

Wolfsburg dominated the second half with Mohamed Amoura missing several good chances and Maximilian Arnold striking the crossbar.

Dortmund’s Maximilian Beier hit the underside of the bar with a deflected shot in the first half, when Julian Brandt opened the scoring with a header from Julian Ryerson’s corner in the 38th for the visitors.

Konstantinos Koulierakis replied in similar fashion after the break with a header from Arnold’s free kick, but Wolfsburg was to rue not taking its chances to score more.

Guirassy pounced for the winner in the 87th after good play between Fábio Silva and Felix Nmecha.

“That’s part of football,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovač said of his team’s scrappy win. “But then to decide it with one action is also a quality.”

Eighteen-year-old Italian defender Luca Reggiani went on late for Dortmund for his Bundesliga debut.

American winger Kevin Paredes made his first Wolfsburg start since April 25 after recovering from two operations on his right foot.

Bayern, which failed to win its last two games, can restore its six-point lead with a win over high-flying Hoffenheim on Sunday.

Borussia Mönchengladbach was hosting Bayer Leverkusen later.

Bremen loses on coach's debut

Werder Bremen’s coaching change did little to alter its fortunes as the team lost 1-0 in Freiburg on Daniel Thioune’s debut.

Jan-Niklas Beste let fly and found the top far corner in the 13th for Freiburg, which had Johan Manzambi sent off early in the second half for a foul on Bremen’s Olivier Deman.

Thioune’s team was unable to capitalize on the extra player and is now 11 league games without a win. Bremen faces a visit from Bayern next weekend.

Welcome win for St. Pauli

St. Pauli boosted its survival hopes with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Stuttgart.

The Hamburg-based team remained second-from-bottom, but it opened a four-point gap on bottom side Heidenheim, which lost 2-0 at home to Hamburger SV. Bremen's defeat means St. Pauli is just two points from the relegation playoff place.

Mainz keeps winning

Nadiem Amiri scored two penalties, one in each half, for Mainz to beat Augsburg 2-0 for its third straight win.

Amiri ripped off his distinctive carnival-inspired jersey as he celebrated the second one to seal the win. The thoughtful Lee Jae-sung picked it up so he could resume when the celebrations died down.

Mainz next visits Dortmund.

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Sports

Southampton Stuns Premier League Fulham to Advance to the FA Cup Quarterfinals

Southampton's Scottish striker #11 Ross Stewart (L) celebrates after scoring on a penalty kick for his team's fist goal during the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Fulham and Southampton at Craven Cottage in London on March 8, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
Southampton's Scottish striker #11 Ross Stewart (L) celebrates after scoring on a penalty kick for his team's fist goal during the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Fulham and Southampton at Craven Cottage in London on March 8, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
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Southampton Stuns Premier League Fulham to Advance to the FA Cup Quarterfinals

Southampton's Scottish striker #11 Ross Stewart (L) celebrates after scoring on a penalty kick for his team's fist goal during the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Fulham and Southampton at Craven Cottage in London on March 8, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
Southampton's Scottish striker #11 Ross Stewart (L) celebrates after scoring on a penalty kick for his team's fist goal during the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Fulham and Southampton at Craven Cottage in London on March 8, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

Southampton produced an FA Cup upset to knock out Premier League side Fulham on Sunday.

Ross Stewart's 91st-minute penalty sealed a 1-0 win for the Championship side at Craven Cottage and booked its place in the quarterfinals.

The game was heading to extra time when Joachim Andersen brought down Finn Azaz in the box late on, The Associated Press reported. Stewart stepped up and blasted past Fulham goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte.

Fulham coach Marco Silva paid the price for making nine changes to his starting lineup and leaving out star players like Raul Jimenez, Antonee Robinson and Alex Iwobi.

Victory continues Southampton's impressive surge under coach Tonda Eckert, who has transformed the club's fortunes since taking charge in November.

The team, which was relegated from the Premier League last season, was battling for survival in the Championship when former coach Will Still was fired.

Under Eckert it has risen up the standings and is competing for a place in the playoffs.

“Overall in the 90 minutes it’s deserved that we go to the next round,“ he told the BBC. “(We) just need to use this game as fuel for the games coming up.”

Sports

Iran Soccer Team Exits Women's Asian Cup and Faces the Prospect of Return Home

Iran players react during their national anthem ahead of the Women's Asian Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)
Iran players react during their national anthem ahead of the Women's Asian Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)
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Iran Soccer Team Exits Women's Asian Cup and Faces the Prospect of Return Home

Iran players react during their national anthem ahead of the Women's Asian Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)
Iran players react during their national anthem ahead of the Women's Asian Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)

Iran’s soccer team lost its last group match at the Women’s Asian Cup on Sunday and had to contemplate returning home to a country embroiled in war.

The Iranian women’s squad arrived in Australia for the continental championship last month, before the war that began with the US and Israel Feb. 28 strikes on Iran. Teams ousted during the group stage usually leave within days but organizers have not announced details for the departure of the Iran delegation, The AP news reported.

Their silence during the anthem before an opening loss to South Korea last Monday was viewed by some as an act of resistance and others as a show of mourning. The team hasn't clarified. But the players sang the anthem and saluted during the national anthem ahead of their 4-0 loss to Australia last Thursday and a 2-0 loss to Philippines on Sunday.

Amid concerns for player welfare following reported criticism in the Iranian media, the Australian Iranian Council wrote to Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke urging the government to protect the squad members while they’re in Australia.

It launched an online petition, which had more than 50,000 electronic signatures before kick-off Sunday, urging Australian authorities to “ensure that no member of Iran’s women’s national football team is to depart Australia while credible fears for their safety remain” and also to provide independent legal advice, support and interpreters.

Iran team management and players have mostly declined to comment on the situation at home during more than a week preparing for and playing games on Australia’s Gold Coast, although Iran forward Sara Didar choked back tears in a news conference last Wednesday as she shared their concerns for their families, friends and all Iranians during the conflict.

The Australian Associated Press reported late Sunday that protestors chanting “let them go" slightly delayed the departure of the Iran squad from the stadium.

Australia's national news agency quoted Iran's head coach Marziyeh Jafari saying the squad “want to come back to Iran as soon as we can.”

“I want to be with my country and home ... We are eager to come back," AAP quoted Jafari as saying.

The Australian Iranian Council's online petition asked local authorities to ensure any player seeking protection “can do so safely, privately, and without interference” and to “make clear that Australia will uphold its ... humanitarian protection obligations in relation to any player at risk of persecution or serious harm.

“Where credible evidence exists that visiting athletes may face persecution, imprisonment, coercion, or worse upon return, silence is not a neutral position," it said. “The current wartime environment has intensified repression, fear, and the risks faced by anyone publicly perceived by the Islamic Republic as disloyal.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong declined to comment on whether the Australian government had made contact with individuals but told domestic media Australia stood in solidarity with the Iranian women's team.

“It has been really moving for Australians to see them in Australia, and (Australia's women's team) swapping jerseys with them was a very evocative moment,” Wong told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Sunday. “We know this regime has brutally oppressed many Iranian women.”

Iranian Australian activist Tina Kordrostami, a local government member in Sydney’s Ryde Council, told The Australian newspaper the Iranian players “need an opportunity, a safe space, a chance to actually speak up about what their needs are and what their requirements are.”

“We can’t give them that space without the government helping us,” she said.

The Iranian women's team needed to beat Philippines to maintain any chance of advancing to the Asian Cup quarterfinals, which would have extended its stay in Australia for more than another week.

Sports

George Russell Wins Formula 1's Australian GP as Mercedes Goes 1-2

Formula One F1 - Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 8, 2026 Mercedes' George Russell celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Australian Grand Prix REUTERS/Mark Peterson
Formula One F1 - Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 8, 2026 Mercedes' George Russell celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Australian Grand Prix REUTERS/Mark Peterson
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George Russell Wins Formula 1's Australian GP as Mercedes Goes 1-2

Formula One F1 - Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 8, 2026 Mercedes' George Russell celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Australian Grand Prix REUTERS/Mark Peterson
Formula One F1 - Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 8, 2026 Mercedes' George Russell celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Australian Grand Prix REUTERS/Mark Peterson

Mercedes’ George Russell has won a thrilling season-opening Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, with teammate Kimi Antonelli following him home, after a double-stacked pit stop under the virtual safety car outmaneuvered a lightning quick start by Ferrari.

It was McLaren's 61st one-two result and first since 2024’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

“We knew it was going to be challenging,” Russell said. “I go onto the grid; I saw my battery level. I have nothing in the tank, made a bad start and honestly some really tight battles with Charles (Leclerc).

“I was really glad to cross the finish line, but honestly, thank you so much for the whole team because it’s been a long time coming to have this car beneath us, and I’m yeah, going to start off in a better way.”

Pole sitter Russell had a sluggish start, as did Antonelli who dropped to seventh, allowing Ferrari’s Leclerc — making best use of his smaller turbo for a quicker spool-up and getaway — to take the lead into turn one.

The Monégasque then diced for the top spot with Russell, passing and repassing, before the lap 12 deployment of the virtual safety car to cover the stopped Red Bull car of Isack Hadjar saw both Mercedes cars take an opportunistic pit stop — a move that proved decisive.

Russell’s teammate was again relieved to fight back to second, having dropped down to seventh at the start before weaving his way back into the podium positions.

“Yeah, the racing was incredible,” Antonelli said. “The first few laps, the overtake is so powerful that you can give a lot of action. So, it was really good fun at the beginning and yeah, now, a bit of rest and looking forward to China.”

Ferrari outmaneuvered Leclerc was third for his first podium for Ferrari since Mexico last year, with the 28-year-old frustrated to not go one place higher after the Scuderia erred by failing to follow Mercedes’ quick thinking for a cheap pit stop under the virtual safety car, as the rest of the field drove at a slower pace.

Leclerc, though, didn’t think the win was possible, The Associated Press reported.

“I don’t think so, but maybe I’m wrong,” he said. “Yeah, it looked like Mercedes maybe had a bit more pace than us today. But, maybe not as much as what we saw yesterday, so that’s a good thing. But I don’t think we could have won.”

Leclerc's teammate Lewis Hamilton was fourth, 0.6 seconds behind at the flag, having chased him hard in the closing laps. The seven-time world champion was vocal over the radio at Ferrari’s strategic blunders.

“At least one of us should have come in,” Hamilton said as both Mercedes’ pitted.

Earlier, the local fans in the stands were heartbroken after McLaren’s Oscar Piastri crashed out on the way to the grid at the exit of turn four, likely due to an energy spike in his power unit, which ruled him out of his home race before the start.

Lando Norris, the sole McLaren in the race after Piastri’s crash, closed out the top-five. The reigning world champion not only clawed his way back from outside the top-10 after a slow start — but in the closing laps, fought off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who rocketed from 20th on the grid to finish sixth after 58 laps. The Dutchman was the last racer to finish on the lead lap, albeit 54.6 seconds behind winner Russell.

Oliver Bearman was seventh, up from 12th on the grid, and the sole Haas to finish in the points, with his teammate Esteban Ocon finishing 11th. Bearman finished ahead of 2026’s sole rookie, Arvid Lindblad, who scored four points on his F1 debut for eighth place — but was as high as fourth during the race.

Gabriel Bortoleto was ninth for German giant Audi's first points in its first race, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly closed out the top-10, earning his first point since last year’s São Paulo Grand Prix.