Chelsea hold off impressive Cardiff to reach EFL Cup semi
Chelsea held off League One leaders Cardiff City to secure their place in the EFL Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought and absorbing win in south Wales, BBC reported.
Roared on by a fervent capacity crowd at Cardiff City Stadium, the home side impressed in and out of possession as they contained their Premier League opponents and showed flashes of their own attacking threat in a goalless first half.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca had changed his entire team from Saturday's Premier League victory over Everton, which had been overshadowed by his post-match comment that the preceding 48 hours had been the "worst" of his tenure, according to BBC.
Christensen and Rashford on target as Barcelona beat Guadalajara in Copa del Rey
Late strikes from Andreas Christensen and Marcus Rashford secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory for Barcelona against third-tier side Guadalajara on Tuesday, sending the Catalans through to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, Reuters reported.
Barcelona laboured for much of the match at the Pedro Escartin stadium, holding over 80% of possession but struggling to break down a disciplined five-man Guadalajara defence.
The home side posed a constant threat on the counter-attack and frustrated the European heavyweights for long stretches, according to Reuters.
Fifa brings in new £45 ticket for 2026 World Cup
Fifa has introduced a small number of "more affordable" $60 (£45) tickets for all 104 matches at the 2026 World Cup following criticism of its pricing structure for the tournament, BBC reported.
World football's governing body says the new ticket price will be available to a certain number of "loyal fans" of the countries that have qualified for the World Cup.
A Fifa official close to discussions said: "We have listened to feedback and this new category is the right thing to do" - adding the decision was unanimous, according to BBC.
Harshal Pathak appointed head coach of Nepal Women’s Cricket Team
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has appointed India’s Harshal Pathak as the head coach of the Nepal National Women’s Cricket Team.
CAN confirmed the appointment by issuing a press statement today.
Pathak, a former all-rounder who previously represented Thailand, was selected through an open application process that invited foreign coaches.
Under his leadership, Nepal will prepare for the ICC Women’s World Cup Global Qualifier, scheduled to be held in Nepal from January 12 to February 1.
