Category Sports News

The Chicago Bears produced a stunning fightback to beat divisional rivals Green Bay and claim their first play-off win in 15 years.

The Bears managed a record six comebacks in the regular season having trailed inside the final two minutes and they pulled off another escape act to beat the Packers 31-27 in Chicago.

Green Bay led for most of Saturday’s Wildcard Weekend game but Chicago scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to recover from an 18-point deficit – a franchise record for the post-season.

The rivalry between Chicago and Green Bay is the oldest and most-played rivalry in the NFL, with this the 213th meeting between the divisional rivals – and just the third in the play-offs, with the others coming in 1941 and 2011.

The Bears surpassed expectations this season to win the NFC North division in Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach and claim the NFC’s second seed.

Green Bay claimed the seventh so had to visit a snowy Chicago for the first play-off game at Soldier Field since 2019, and during the first half it seemed the occasion may be too much for the Bears.

The Packers charged into a 21-3 lead, with quarterback Jordan Love throwing touchdown passes to Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs on his return after two games out following a concussion.

But the Bears’ defence stepped up in the second half to stifle Love and two field goals made it 21-9 heading into the final quarter.

Chicago added another before second-year quarterback Caleb Williams showed why he has been nicknamed ‘the Iceman’ by leading his team to touchdowns on three straight possessions, with the latter by DJ Moore putting the Bears in front with 1:43 remaining.

The NFL play-offs have got off to a thrilling start with the Los Angeles Rams needing a late touchdown to escape a huge upset at the Carolina Panthers.

The Rams were not only heavy favourites to win on Wildcard Weekend but are among the Super Bowl favourites.

But they needed a touchdown by tight end Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds remaining to claim a 34-31 win in Charlotte.

Despite coming into the post-season with a losing 8-9 record, Carolina had home advantage having stumbled to the NFC South division title.

The Rams, who finished the regular season 12-5, looked on course for a straightforward passage to the Divisional Round after Puka Nacua scored the opening two touchdowns.

But the Panthers regrouped and rushing touchdowns by Chuba Hubbard and quarterback Bryce Young cut the score to 17-14 at half-time, before the hosts tied the game in the third quarter.

New Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior says he did “nothing tactical, nothing technical” before his first match against Charlton – a sign of the likely direction of travel under his leadership.

That is not to say the 41-year-old lacks innovation or the ability to nullify opponents, but his similarities to predecessor Enzo Maresca mean he does not need to reinvent the wheel.

When asked by BBC Sport why he had not made any noticeable tactical changes before Chelsea’s 5-1 victory in the FA Cup third round, Rosenior said: “This is a team that won the Club World Cup. That was five months ago. This is a team that won the Conference League last year. We’re a good team.

“We are a good team. They’ve been well coached. I’ve made no secret of that.”

Rosenior was appointed to build on Maresca’s work, knowing the way Chelsea play, having been part of their multi-club model at French club Strasbourg.

By design, the two clubs play almost the same way, allowing players and now a head coach to move freely between the two. On Saturday, Chelsea played in the same 4-2-3-1 shape used by Maresca but built up in a 3-2-2-3 system used by Rosenior at Strasbourg.

However, that is not to say there have been no changes. Chelsea have struggled to retain leads this season, dropping 15 points from winning positions in the Premier League, winning just one of their past nine league matches.

“No, I think the biggest thing I challenged the players on was our reactions to setbacks, our intensity. I was very happy with the togetherness and the spirit of the group today,” Rosenior added.

“I was very happy with the intensity that they ran at – winning duels, winning headers, all of the basics. And that’s where you get your joy from.”

Sources involved in Rosenior’s first sessions say intensity was a key theme, one of the principles he hammered home in his first media conference, and something that has, at times, been a failing for Chelsea during long spells of ponderous possession.

They have also been vulnerable at set-pieces and again conceded when Miles Leaburn made it 2-1 in the second half at The Valley, before running out comfortable winners.

“We need to improve in that aspect as well – long throws, wide free-kicks, corners going into our box. They are the basics that I talk about in football,” Rosenior explained.

In truth, Chelsea’s 5-1 win flattered them on Saturday, but substitutes Liam Delap, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez and Estevao Willian proved too much for a tired Charlton side to cope with.

Rosenior is the first Chelsea manager to win his opening game since Antonio Conte in August 2016, enjoying the biggest winning margin since Luiz Felipe Scolari in August 2008.

“I have to say I was delighted with the starting XI,” Rosenior said. “I was delighted with the front three. I felt Ale [Garnacho] kept going in his one-v-ones.

“Marc Guiu was magnificent, deserved his goal. Jamie [Gittens] looked like he was going at the defenders. He looked like he could create in a lot of moments. So a lot of real positives and a good start.”

The most impressive performer was defender Jorrel Hato, who scored the opening goal and playing in a role filled by Marc Cucurella last season.

Hato, 19, made inverted runs into attacking midfield positions when Chelsea were on the front foot, found himself in dangerous areas and ultimately capitalised.

The £37m summer signing from Ajax has previously struggled at Stamford Bridge, but since Maresca left the club, he has produced arguably his three best performances, playing significant minutes against Manchester City and Fulham in recent league matches.

“I saw him play at Fulham,” Rosenior said. “I was so impressed with him then. He’s taken that form on to another level today. Not just in terms of his goal – I felt his defensive attributes were top.”

There was concern when Rosenior explained Cole Palmer, Reece James and Malo Gusto were left out because of to knocks sustained in defeat at Fulham last Wednesday – particularly with tougher tests to come.

Arsenal are next in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, while Chelsea welcome Brentford to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

“He is going to be judged on how he does against decent teams in the Champions League, against Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa – those are the teams he will be judged against, so we will have to see,” former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin told 5 Live.

“He has got a great month with a lot of games where he can see a lot of players. Four home league games, two away league games – and one of them is Wolves, who haven’t had a great season so far.

“There’s no easy route, but this is as friendly as it could be. He will have learned which of his players are fringe players. There are quite a few he will be pleased with.”

It wasn’t all happiness, though: Chelsea supporters continued their protest against the ownership throughout the match and even chanted “attack, attack, attack” as their team waited until the brink of half-time for the breakthrough.

The atmosphere among fans remains febrile amid distrust of the ownership. It is a potential pitfall for Rosenior to be wary of given that, as a recruit from Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s other club Strasbourg, he could easily be labelled a yes-man.

Zoe Atkin secured a second British World Cup podium of the weekend with a silver medal in the freeski halfpipe event at the US Grand Prix in Aspen.

The 22-year-old halfpipe world champion was top of the standings in qualification but finished 0.25 points behind winner China’s Li Fanghui in the finals on Saturday to place second.

Li scored 93.00, Atkin achieved a score of 92.75 and third-placed Kexin Zhang of China finished with 88.75.

Atkin said she was “really happy” to secure a podium at the last World Cup event before the Winter Olympics get under way next month.

The Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo take place from 6-22 February.

On Friday, Britain’s Kirsty Muir claimed a third World Cup victory of her career by winning the freeski slopestyle event.

No matter who is appointed Manchester United caretaker manager until the end of the season, Darren Fletcher has emerged as one of the big winners from a week of turmoil at Old Trafford.

Fletcher stepped up from his day-to-day role as United’s under-18s coach to replace Ruben Amorim for the games against Burnley and Brighton.

The former United and Scotland midfielder is adamant he has looked no further than that and is relaxed about what comes next.

However, Fletcher has made a hugely positive impression on United’s powerbrokers.

It maybe should not be a surprise because that is exactly what happened when he came back to the club in October 2020, and then joined Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team coaching set-up in January 2021.

“I was surprised I got offered the two games because I wasn’t expecting it,” he said.

“I don’t think like that. I think about the job that I’ve got in hand, so it wasn’t something that was on my radar at all.

“But I know that I can do it and I’m comfortable doing it.

“I know the environment, and I believe in myself. I feel like I’ve learned a lot in the five years I’ve been here.

“I’ve had great experiences as a player, took my time to develop and learn as a coach and other parts of things off the field, which I’m glad I’ve done because I think it’s put me in a great position now.”

Fletcher has done a variety of jobs since his return to Old Trafford. He initially coached the under-16s before Solskjaer called on him, believing his “winning mentality, commitment and hard work” would be valuable in the culture he was trying to create.

Only two months later he was appointed United’s first technical director, underlining the impact he was making.

A senior United figure at the time said that limited period proved to be a “good advert” for Fletcher, as officials gained a greater understanding of his “intelligence”.

They saw first-hand what they felt were key elements – a hunger, tremendous work ethic and thirst for knowledge.

One story told about Fletcher from that time relates to a game at Liverpool, two weeks after joining Solskjaer’s team.

Fletcher went into the directors’ area before the game for the first time and “everyone just thronged around him”.

“He kept the room listening to his stories for 15 minutes,” said a source who was there.

“Humble” is a word used to describe Fletcher at the time.

Fittingly, it was a trait Fletcher mentioned when talking about the youngsters in United’s academy on Friday.

Following Jason Wilcox’s arrival at the club in the spring of 2024, Fletcher reverted to a role as first-team coach under Erik ten Hag but Amorim decided he did not need the Scot, which many believe was a mistake.

Fletcher then assumed the under-18s role, waiting until twin sons Jack and Tyler had moved beyond that age group before taking over in the summer.

Though not one of the standout stars of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign, the legendary Scottish boss loved his fellow countryman for the understated way he went about his job.

Some feel the absence of Fletcher through suspension after he was sent off in the semi-final against Arsenal was a significant factor in United being beaten by Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League final, when they had no answer to the metronomic passing game of Pep Guardiola’s side.

Fletcher, father of younger twin girls, in addition to Jack and Tyler who were both brought into the first-team squad by Amorim in recent weeks, is privately relaxed about what comes next.

Publicly, the 41-year-old says he is happy to revert to his role with the under-18s, where he has been helping to develop promising youngsters, including England youth international JJ Gabriel and Jim Thwaites, who has earned rave reviews in a variety of midfield positions.

“I’ve tried to prepare myself to be a manager,” said Fletcher.

“It is something I always thought I might be quite good at or that I’d enjoy doing and enjoy the challenge of.

“But at the same time I wanted to be really careful and make sure I was ready for when that moment came.

“It’s not something I’m desperate to do – circumstances in life dictate that, and I’ve experienced how intense it has been as a manager for less than a week. There’s not much time for much outside football.

Fletcher has ruled out the prospect of 15-year-old Gabriel being called into the United first-team squad for the Brighton game.

While Premier League rules prevent Gabriel being involved in their competition because he was 14 when the season began, the same regulation is not in place for FA Cup ties.

Gabriel trained with United’s senior players under Amorim and did the same on Monday, when those who started the draw at Leeds were on a warm-down session.

However, Fletcher, who moved Gabriel into the false nine role with huge success at the start of this season with United’s under-18s, says it is too soon for the youngster.

“JJ is a fantastic talent and I’ve enjoyed working with him immensely,” said Fletcher.

“There’s a lot of noise around him and deservedly so because he’s a really talented kid who works hard and loves his football.

“He makes fantastic decisions and has got an enthusiasm for the game that’s just amazing. I’m super excited by his talent and he has a bright future ahead of him.

“But the most important thing is that he keeps developing as he’s still got lots to learn.

“His time will come in due course, but for now it’s a little bit early I think and a lot of people would agree with me.

“But I couldn’t speak highly enough of JJ. He’s got an amazing family and amazing support around him and he’s somebody we’re delighted to have at the club.