MADRID-- Real Madrid withstood an onslaught from RB Leipzig to secure a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie that sent them through to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 aggregate victory on Wednesday. RB Leipzig were arguably the better side and missed several gilt-edged chances. But Real Madrid increased the tempo in the second half and ultimately did enough to seal their place in the last eight. Bidding for a record-extending 15th Champions League title, Real took the lead thanks to a Vinicius Jr strike from a counter attack in the 65th minute. But Leipzig's Willi Orban levelled the score three minutes later with a header to set up a tense final few minutes that included a strike that hit the crossbar by Dani Olmo. Even though Real have a formidable record in Europe, having been knocked out in the round of 16 only twice in the past 14 years while winning the title five times during that period, Carlo Ancelotti's team began rather cagily. Leipzig kept threatening to score, with Orban missing twice in the second half after shooting wide. In the second half, Rodrygo replaced Eduardo Camavinga and suddenly Real were playing with more purpose. Real appeared to have put the tie to bed when Toni Kroos stole the ball and fed Jude Bellingham at the halfway line, who took the ball up the Leipzig box. He slipped a pass to Vinicius, who had cut in from the left into the centre circle before rifling a shot into the left-hand corner. That goal only seemed to fire up Leipzig, who equalised within three minutes when Orban got in front of Nacho to score with a stooping header from a cross by David Raum. In a final 20 minutes in which several yellow cards were handed out, Real were playing with fire and were under repeated pressure in their own box with goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who had already saved Real in the first leg, forced to make several crucial saves. Leipzig almost took the game to extra time when Dani Olmo saw his shot ricochet off the bar in added time. Ultimately, Real did just enough to qualify for yet another quarter-final. “Obviously we know it wasn´t the best game of the season," said Real’s captain Nacho. "Sometimes you just have bad games and tonight was the case. It looks like a drama because of how we played but what really matters is we qualified for the quarters. Let that be a lesson for what´s to come.”
MILAN-- Inter Milan stretched their lead atop Serie A to 15 points as first-half goals by Kristjan Asllani and Alexis Sanchez, with a penalty, secured a battling 2-1 home win over Genoa on Monday.
BILBAO, Spain- - Brothers Inaki and Nico Williams scored to help Athletic Bilbao secure a 3-0 semi-final win over Atletico Madrid on Thursday and a 4-0 aggregate victory that sent the Basque side into their third Copa de Rey final in the last five years. Ernesto Valverde's team punished the visitors with clinical counter-attacks, starting when Inaki Williams struck in the 13th minute with a superb volley from his brother's cross. Inaki returned the favour to his younger sibling in the 42nd minute, setting up Nico for a simple close-range finish. Bilbao continued to dominate and Gorka Guruzeta wrapped up the win for the Basque side from a rebound in the 61st minute. Bilbao will face Mallorca, who beat Real Sociedad 5-4 on penalties in the semis, in the final in Seville on April 6.
Commonwealth of Dominica Thea Lafond in action during the World Athletics Indoor Championships women's triple jump final at Commonwealth Arena, Glasgow, Scotland.
NOTTINGHAM-- Brazilian Casemiro struck late to send Manchester United into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest as teenagers Jayden Danns and Lewis Koumas inspired Liverpool to a 3-0 win over Southampton on Wednesday. Chelsea overcame second-tier Leeds United 3-2 thanks to Conor Gallagher's 90th-minute winner, easing the pressure on coach Mauricio Pochettino, and Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 thanks to Mario Lemina's early goal. United kept alive their last hope of lifting a trophy in a difficult season for the 12-times FA Cup winners when the 32-year-old Casemiro headed in a low bouncing free kick from Bruno Fernandes from close range, setting up an enticing quarter-final meeting with Liverpool. United manager Erik Ten Hag and his team held their breath through a lengthy VAR check for offside before the goal was confirmed to the delight of the United fans at the City Ground. "We scored in the right moment," Ten Hag told the BBC. "Every win is important. This team, what they showed today, that’s great. They have to show it every game." The goal was reminiscent of Mark Robins' famous stooping header against Forest in 1989 which secured victory for United in a crucial FA Cup tie that helped save manager Alex Ferguson's job. Ten Hag's side are sixth in the Premier League and last weekend's loss to Fulham left their hopes of a top-four finish and Champions League berth hanging by a thread. "It was an important game for us to win," keeper Andre Onana told the BBC. "I'm happy. We worked hard and this was our reward. At Manchester United you must win. It was a difficult game against a good opponent." Three days after Liverpool's young side beat Chelsea 1-0 to win the League Cup final, Danns struck twice with his first goals for the senior side and Koumas scored on his first-team debut. "I couldn’t be happier today. Today is the best day of my life," Danns said. "I’ve watched Liverpool since I was a young boy and to score at the Kop End is more than a dream. I couldn’t be happier." Koumas, the 18-year-old son of former Wales international Jason Koumas, scored just before halftime, receiving a superb pass from Bobby Clark before shooting into the bottom corner via a deflection off Jack Stephens. Danns, who is also 18, netted his first in the 73rd minute when he dinked the ball over keeper Joe Lumley, and scored again 15 minutes later after pouncing on a loose ball. With injuries to key players including Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp fielded a young team against Southampton -- 23 spots below them in England's football pyramid. "It was an incredible game. It was so intense and they ran themselves into the ground, we needed to find a way and we did that," Klopp told ITV. "The whole situation is horribly difficult," he added about the team's injuries. "Any positive mood around the changing room and training room, we accept we're in a difficult moment and try and find solutions. It’s great to be in the quarter-finals and we don’t take these things for granted." Chelsea Chance For Chelsea, struggling in mid-table in the league, the FA Cup is their last realistic chance of silverware. The Premier League side were shocked in the eighth minute when Leeds took the lead after a defensive mix-up playing out from a goal kick allowed Mateo Joseph to score his first senior goal. Chelsea replied with two goals from flowing moves in the 15th and 37th minutes and fine finishes by Senegal's Nicolas Jackson and Ukrainian Mykhailo Mudryk. Leeds upped the intensity in the second half and were rewarded in the 59th minute as a free header from the unmarked Joseph flew past Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez. Pochettino brought on Gallagher and Ben Chilwell as well as top scorer Cole Palmer in the second half and the move paid off. With extra time looming, Gallagher latched on to a pass from Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez before shooting home to take Chelsea into the last eight. Pochettino called the win a "big relief". "It is difficult because of the expectations," he told ITV. "The expectation is massive because we are Chelsea but this team needs to build and build the confidence. The unity is starting to grow, it's not magic, you can't just create it." Liverpool travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United over the weekend of March 16, champions Manchester City host Newcastle United, Chelsea play Leicester City and Wolves take on Coventry City.
