Sports
Nicolas Fernandez's brace boosts NYCFC over Rapids
Mar 14, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City midfielder Keaton Parks (55) plays the ball against Colorado Rapids forward Darren Yapi (77) during the first half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Nicolas Fernandez scored a first-half brace to lead New York City FC to a 3-1 win over the visiting Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
Talles Magno tacked on a late insurance goal for NYCF (3-0-1, 10 points) off a Maxi Moralez assist.
Darren Yapi scored a goal off a Rafael Navarro assist for Colorado (2-2-0, 6 points). The Rapids played their second straight match without starting goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury.
A determined effort led to Fernandez’s first goal. Colorado couldn’t clear NYCFC’s attack and Fernandez fired off a shot that resulted in a punch save from Colorado goalie Nico Hansen. But Fernandez gathered the rebound and chipped it in for a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute.
In the 45th minute, Fernandez struck again when he made the most of a deep restart as he slammed home a goal from an acute angle to give NYCFC a 2-0 lead.
Colorado stayed in the match with a Yappi goal in first-half stoppage time. Navarro’s pass wide of NYCFC defenders connected with Yappi who tucked a right-footed, side-winding shot inside the bottom corner to pull the Rapids within 2-1 at halftime.
As the NYCFC attack built, Hansen turned away a Hannes Wolf shot from inside the 6-yard box. Moments later, Fernandez lefty strike off a restart was secured by Hansen. The backup Colorado goalie had five saves, while New York City FC keeper Matthew Freese notched just one.
The Rapids threatened in the 83rd minute when Dante Sealy set up Paxten Aaronson with a shot that was blocked by the NYCFC backline. But Magno sealed the win for NYCFC with his tally off a through ball from Moralez that slipped past the Colorado back line.
A physical first half featured four yellow cards, two on each side. For the match, the Rapids were whistled for 25 fouls and NYCFC 13. While Colorado held 58.1% of the possession, it was New York City FC that managed a 12-9 edge in shots. NYCFC also held an 8-2 advantage in shots on goal.
–Field Level Media
Sports
No. 17 Arkansas needs OT to end Ole Miss' SEC tournament run
Mar 14, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Malique Ewin (12) blocks the shot of Mississippi Rebels forward Corey Chest (1) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images NASHVILLE — Third-seeded Arkansas got 29 points from Meleek Thomas, 24 from Darius Acuff Jr. and double-doubles from Trevon Brazile and Malique Ewen to escape with a 93-90 overtime victory over 15th-seeded Ole Miss on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference tournament semifinals.
Ewen scored 14 and pulled down a game-high 13 boards while Brazile scored 16 with 10 rebounds as No. 17 Arkansas (25-8) advanced to face No. 22 Vanderbilt (26-7) in Sunday’s final. The fourth-seeded Commodores bounced top-seeded Florida 91-74 in the day’s first semifinal.
AJ Storr scored a team-high 24 points for Ole Miss (15-20), which included a basket with one second left to send the game into overtime. Malik Dia chipped in 16 points for the Rebels, who nearly pulled off their fourth upset in as many days. They also got 15 from Patton Pinkins and 13 from Ilias Kamardine.
Arkansas outrebounded the Rebels 44-31 and shot 74.2% from the line, though its 4-of-8 shooting in overtime left the door open for the upset.
With five seconds left in regulation and Ole Miss trailing 79-77, Storr took the ball the length of the floor and banked in a left-handed layup with one second left.
Arkansas never trailed in overtime, but Storr’s drive and dunk with nine seconds left kept Ole Miss in position to win by cutting the lead to 91-90.
Acuff hit the second of two free throws and then Storr missed a 3-point attempt from the right side. Brazile got the rebound and hit the second of two foul shots, which gave Arkansas a chance to set its defense.
Travis Perry’s mid-court heave crashed off the backboard as time expired.
Arkansas built an 11-point lead midway through the first half, but couldn’t put away Ole Miss. The Rebels trailed 37-36 at half after shooting 11 of 15 on layups.
Arkansas held a 70-60 lead with 5:43 to play in regulation after Thomas hit two foul shots.
Kamardine hit two free throws with seven seconds left to get Ole Miss within one.
Two seconds later, after a timeout, Kamardine fouled out, sending Thomas to the line where he hit one of two for Arkansas’s last points of regulation.
– Chris Lee, Field Level Media
Sports
Connor Hellebuyck, Jets get crucial win vs. NHL-best Avs
Mar 14, 2026; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets center Adam Lowry (17) checks Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (91) in front of Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) in the first period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the visiting Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Kyle Connor picked up a goal and an assist, while Alex Iafallo and Cole Perfetti also scored for Winnipeg. Mark Scheifele added two assists as the Jets moved within five points of the second and final wild card in the Western Conference.
Martin Necas got Colorado’s lone goal. Mackenzie Blackwood made 15 stops for Colorado, which holds the best record in the NHL.
In the first period, neither team was able to find the back of the net, but the Avalanche held an 8-5 edge on shots.
The Jets opened the scoring 2:05 into the middle frame when, on the rush, Scheifele found a streaking Connor in the slot, who drove a wrist shot into the net to give Winnipeg a 1-0 lead. The goal marked Connor’s 30th of the season and Scheifele’s 50th assist.
Winnipeg extended its lead to 2-0 with 8:08 remaining in the second when Iafallo took a one-timer off the chest from Scheifele, who fired the puck on net from high in the zone, and was able to spin around and tuck the puck home past Blackwood.
Colorado’s best chance to get on the board up that point came from Brock Nelson, who missed a wide-open net when he slid the puck across the crease and wide with 10 seconds left in the second period.
That miss allowed Winnipeg to maintain its 2-0 advantage after 40 minutes. Colorado held a 16-12 edge in shots heading into the third period.
Hellebuyck’s bid for his first shutout of the season ended with 1:16 left in regulation when Necas pulled in a long pass from Nathan MacKinnon across the zone and wired it past the Jets netminder to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The hope for a comeback didn’t last long, however, as MacKinnon lost the puck near the blue line. Cole Perfetti corralled it and fired a long shot into the empty net 34 seconds later, with 42 seconds remaining, to seal the 3-1 final.
Sports
Report: Three asylum seekers choose to leave Australia, return to Iran
A small crowd of people gathered in front of the Florida House of Representatives hold signs and flags as they advocate to free Iran, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. Three of the five players from the Iran women’s soccer team, who had attempted to seek asylum earlier this week while the team was in Australia, have elected to return home, The Australian newspaper reported Saturday.
The Iranian team was in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup when the war between Iran, Israel and the Unites States began. Five players left the team and were given humanitarian visas in Australia.
Australia’s Home Affairs department gave the three players requesting a return home multiple chances to reconsider before their request was honored.
“While the Australian government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said, according to the Australian. “The Australian government has done everything we could to make sure these women were provided with the chance for a safe future in Australia.”
Iran’s women’s team started play in the Women’s Asian Cup just after the war in their home country started. The team lost all three games it played and were eliminated from the event.
–Field Level Media
No. 17 Arkansas needs OT to end Ole Miss' SEC tournament run
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