Sports
FA Cup ‘pain in the bum’ for relegation candidates Port Vale
Port Vale boss Jon Brady admitted a long FA Cup run was a “pain in the bum” amid his side’s League One relegation scrap, but that did nothing to dampen huge celebrations after they stunned Premier League Sunderland 1-0 to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954.
Ben Waine’s 28th-minute header was their only attempt on target but still enough to secure a famous win at Vale Park as they beat top-flight opposition for the first time since a fourth-round win over Everton 30 years ago.
Despite an uptick in form since Brady replaced Darren Moore in early January, Vale remain rooted to the bottom of League One, 11 points from safety, and could arguably do without further distractions as they fight for their lives at the foot of the division, yet performances like Sunday’s also offer belief.
“It’s a bit of a pain in the bum, to be honest!” Brady said. “It is really because what it’s doing for us is adding to our fixture list and as you saw we lost one of our best centre-halves [Cam Humphreys] and we haven’t got the size of the squad to cope with the amount of games at the moment.
“It’s a privilege, but it’s tough as well.”
Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal are now all potential opponents, but Brady insisted he was giving no thought to Monday’s draw as he focuses on trying to get out of trouble.
“I wouldn’t have a clue because I’m thinking about Bradford on Wednesday,” he said.
Waine has now hit the winner in three of Vale’s FA Cup ties this season, scoring in extra time of Tuesday night’s fourth-round victory over Bristol City as well as an earlier tie.
But for a boyhood Newcastle United fan to do it in a match against Sunderland was something extra special — with the 24-year-old almost lost for words when shown that Alan Shearer had retweeted an image of Waine mimicking his trademark celebration.
The New Zealand international grew up in Wellington, but his mum’s family hail from the northeast, and this was a special occasion.
“I always watched the Newcastle games against Sunderland and to be involved in this game and to score the winner is pretty special,” Waine said. “Not just for me, but the whole family…this is the dream, so you’ve got to enjoy living it.”
In a week where they reached the 40-point mark in the Premier League, Sunderland blew their chance to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2014.
“I was really disappointed,” Regis Le Bris said. “We went strong with the ambition to win, with the knowledge as well, that it was a tough challenge because of the challenge here, with the crowd, the team fully involved, full credit them.
“In this competition, it’s more about mindset, fighting spirit, rather than the tactical or technical qualities, and probably we were not consistent enough. I think some of the players were at their level, but especially to create situations today, we were not good enough.
“I don’t think we were complacent. It’s not my feeling. It’s more about the ability to reset.”
Adidas announced the release of the “U.S. denim jersey” on Monday, a throwback-inspired shirt that’s reminiscent of the classic away tops worn by the United States men’s national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Featuring the iconic washed-denim look adorned with quintessentially ’90s stars, the jersey arrives just ahead of the U.S. hosting the World Cup for a second time this summer, alongside Mexico and Canada as co-hosts.
“With the U.S. Denim jersey, we set out to capture the side of American soccer that has always been distinctive and original,” said Inigo Turner, design director at Adidas football. “This design leans into that spirit with bold graphics, fearless color and a belief that the game here should look and feel like it belongs to the people.”
The full U.S. denim collection by Adidas also includes denim shorts with a star motif, a denim track top with paneling, and a denim cap with star details.
Calling back to the legends who donned the memorable 1994 tops, promotional photos include former USMNT standouts such as Cobi Jones and Alexi Lalas. The collection will be available for purchase from Adidas on March 10.
Speaking of inspiration from the 1994 World Cup, and in contrast to the denim away jersey, the red-and-white striped home kit from that tournament may be what Nike designers looked to for the upcoming home jerseys for this year’s World Cup.
Although no kits for the USMNT have yet to be unveiled, a post on social media went viral over the weekend after a local grocer displayed a red-and-white striped kit for the U.S.
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The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly set to bolster their defensive line with an intriguing trade involving the Green Bay Packers on Monday.
The Cowboys agreed to acquire Pro Bowl defensive tackle Rashan Gary for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, according to multiple reports. The deal comes as the team lost out on trying to acquire Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders. He was dealt to the Baltimore Ravens last week.
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Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Rashan Gary (52) during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Nov. 23, 2025. (Jeff Hanisch/Imagn Images)
The Packers selected Gary with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2019 draft out of Michigan. He improved dramatically over the course of seven seasons as he started out as a defensive end, moved to linebacker and then back to the defensive line.
Gary was a Pro Bowl selection in 2024 when he had 7.5 sacks, 47 tackles and a fumble recovery in 17 games. In 2025, Gary played in 16 games. He had 7.5 sacks, 45 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary (52) celebrates after the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Nov. 17, 2024. (Daniel Bartel/Imagn Images)
He signed a four-year contract extension with the Packers during the 2023 season. He will be owed $18 million in 2026 and $21 million in 2027.
Dallas was 7-9-1 in the first season with Brian Schottenheimer as the head coach. The team’s defense was shaken up before the season began when the team traded Micah Parsons to the Packers.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Oct. 26, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)
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The Cowboys were 32nd in points allowed and 30th in yards allowed during the 2025 season.
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Former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said the club’s president Joan Laporta scuppered the return of all-time great Lionel Messi in 2023 to avoid a power struggle.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner left Barca for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and then two years later moved to MLS side Inter Miami.
“Leo was signed, in January 2023 after winning the World Cup, we got in touch and he told me he wanted to come back,” Xavi told Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia late on Sunday.
“We had the green light from La Liga (financially), but it was the president who threw it away…
“Laporta told me, word for word, that if Leo came back he was going to wage war against him and that he couldn’t allow that. And then suddenly Leo stopped answering my calls because he’d been told that it couldn’t be done.”
Xavi said everything was ready for Messi’s return, there was “no doubt” in a football sense and “we were going to do a last dance, like (former NBA star Michael) Jordan’s”.
Laporta, who resigned as president a few weeks ago to run for re-election this week, suggested Monday former coach Xavi was bitter and said Messi’s father and agent Jorge had told him the superstar had decided not to come back.
“With Xavi I saw we were going to lose and with (current coach Hansi) Flick that we will win,” Laporta said at a presidential debate Monday.
“I understand that (Xavi) is hurt — with the same players Flick wins.”
Laporta said he sent a contract to Jorge Messi who later came to his house and told him that “here there would be too much pressure” if the forward returned.
Messi is Barcelona’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals and won a club-record 34 trophies at Camp Nou.
Laporta also claimed Barca rejected a 250 million euro ($288 million) offer from PSG for teenage superstar Lamine Yamal, reported to have been made in the summer of 2024.
Adidas salutes USMNT’s 1994 World Cup run with denim jersey
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