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Northern Ireland Faces Challenging Nations League Schedule After Draw Revealed

Michael O’Neill, the manager of Northern Ireland’s national team, has stated that the Nations League will pose a challenge, as his squad has been paired with Hungary, Ukraine, and Georgia in the competition.

The Nations League draw has pitted Northern Ireland against Hungary, Ukraine, and Georgia, setting the stage for a challenging campaign.

According to Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill, the team's Nations League group is devoid of easy matches, with Hungary, Ukraine, and Georgia posing significant threats.

The Nations League campaign will commence with a series of four matches between September 23 and October 6, followed by two additional games in November.

Prior to the start of their Nations League campaign, Northern Ireland is scheduled to face Italy in a World Cup play-off semi-final in March, as they strive to qualify for the tournament for the first time since 1986.

By winning their League C group in 2024, Northern Ireland secured a World Cup play-off and promotion to League B, with O'Neill describing the Nations League draw as "exciting".

O'Neill emphasized the value of the Nations League, stating that it has proven to be a highly competitive and beneficial competition for his team.

The manager's approach is to tackle each game with ambition, focusing on making the team difficult to play against and delivering performances that will make their supporters proud.

In a separate development, England has been drawn against Spain and Croatia in the Nations League.

Northern Ireland's last victory over Ukraine dates back to the Euro 2016 finals, with the team failing to secure a win in subsequent matches.

Hungary's recent struggles include a dramatic defeat at the hands of the Republic of Ireland, which resulted in their relegation to League B and exclusion from the World Cup play-off.

Georgia, led by star player Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, successfully maintained their position in League B by defeating Armenia in a play-off.

O'Neill acknowledged the competitiveness of the group, emphasizing that there are no easy matches at this level.

The manager expressed his team's respect for the challenges that lie ahead, recognizing that every game will be a tough test.

Northern Ireland has faced Ukraine in recent years, although their last victory was in 2016, making the upcoming match a familiar yet formidable challenge.

While Georgia may be an unfamiliar opponent for some, O'Neill warned that this does not diminish their threat, making them a potentially dangerous opponent.

The manager described Hungary as a well-organized team with quality players and strong home support, which will make for a difficult match.

Former Northern Ireland defender Stephen Craigan offered a positive assessment of the draw, suggesting that it could have been worse and that avoiding relegation is a realistic goal for the team.

Craigan expressed confidence in the team's abilities, stating that they have the necessary skills to be competitive in the league.

The BBC Sport NI pundit believed that maintaining their position in League B would be a significant achievement, considering it as a mark of progress for the team.

Craigan emphasized the importance of stability, suggesting that retaining their position in League B would allow the team to build on their experience and carry it forward.

While relegation would not be catastrophic, Craigan stressed that the team should strive to maintain their hard-earned promotion to League B.

The former defender viewed the team's promotion to League B as a positive development, as it would provide a young squad with the opportunity to compete at the highest level.

Craigan also highlighted the team's away form as an area for improvement, citing last year's World Cup qualifiers as evidence.

He acknowledged that competing against stronger teams in more challenging venues would be a difficult test for the young squad.

However, Craigan believed that this experience would be beneficial for the team's growth and development, as it would expose them to greater stress and pressure.

The next challenge for the team, according to Craigan, is to maintain a high level of performance while also achieving positive results, particularly in away matches.

Craigan identified the team's away record as a concern, emphasizing the need for the young squad to become more competitive on the road.

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Entertainment And Arts

Spielberg Contributes $25,000 to Van Der Beek’s $2 Million Crowdfunding Campaign

The relatives of the deceased actor, known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, have expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the $2m fund.

A donation of $25,000 (£21,000) has been made by film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, to a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $2m (£1.6m) for the family of late actor James Van Der Beek.

James Van Der Beek wearing a maroon dickie bow while smiling for the cameras on arrival at the 2019 Emmy Awards
James Van Der Beek's character Dawson was a famous fan of filmmaker Spielberg

Van Der Beek, who passed away at the age of 48, is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children, and the crowdfunding effort to support his family has now exceeded its initial target of $2m.

Other notable donors include Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana, who contributed $2,500 (£2,108), and director Jon M Chu, who gave $10,000 (£8,432) to the cause.

A statement from the organizers of the fundraiser, Friends of the Van Der Beek family, expressed gratitude to all contributors, stating that their support is deeply appreciated.

The statement highlighted the significance of the donations, saying that the kindness shown by contributors is beyond words.

It also noted that the outpouring of support has been a source of comfort during a difficult time, serving as a reminder of the power of love, community, and the enduring legacy of James Van Der Beek.

Van Der Beek was perhaps best known for his starring role in the popular US teen drama series Dawson's Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003, although he remained associated with the show until 2023.

Although Van Der Beek and Spielberg never collaborated on a project, the late actor's character in Dawson's Creek was a fan of Spielberg's work, with posters of films like ET and Schindler's List featured in his bedroom.

At a Dawson's Creek cast reunion event last year, Spielberg paid tribute to Van Der Beek by sending a video message.

In the message, Spielberg said, "Dawson, you made it," and jokingly added that he hoped to one day have a room like Dawson's, filled with memorabilia from his films.

Van Der Beek passed away on Wednesday after a battle with bowel cancer.

Steven Spielberg arrives for the 98th Oscars Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, USA, 10 February 2026
Spielberg made a surprise video appearance at last year's Dawson's Creek reunion

He had been dealing with the diagnosis since August 2023 and publicly disclosed his condition in November 2024.

The GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the family with medical expenses, which had depleted their funds.

The statement from the organizers concluded by saying that the family is currently taking time to grieve and be together, and thanked everyone for their compassionate and generous support in honoring James Van Der Beek's life.

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Zimbabwe Shocks Australia with Muzarabani’s Exceptional Performance

Zimbabwe secured a stunning 23-run victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup, with Blessing Muzarabani playing a key role by taking 4-17.

In the current T20 world rankings, Zimbabwe occupies the 12th position.

The Men's T20 World Cup is underway in Group B at Colombo.

Zimbabwe's innings concluded at 169-2 after 20 overs, with Bennett scoring an unbeaten 64 off 56 deliveries, while Green claimed 1-6.

Australia's reply ended at 146 after 19.3 overs, as Renshaw top-scored with 65 off 44 balls, and Muzarabani took 4-17.

The match resulted in a 23-run victory for Zimbabwe.

A standout performance from Blessing Muzarabani, who took 4-17, helped Zimbabwe secure a thrilling 23-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup.

After being set a target of 170, Australia found themselves in trouble at 29-4, but a 77-run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell for the fifth wicket gave them hope.

With 34 runs needed from the last two overs, Renshaw's dismissal for 65, caught off Muzarabani with eight balls remaining, essentially sealed the game's outcome.

The result has left Group B finely balanced after two matches each, with Australia trailing Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka by two points, ahead of their meeting with Sri Lanka on Monday.

Initially, Zimbabwe's approach to batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium appeared overly cautious.

Brian Bennett's innings of 64 not out from 56 balls, including seven fours, was played at a strike rate of 114.28, as he anchored the Zimbabwean batting.

In contrast, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl adopted a more aggressive approach, scoring 35 off 21 and 30 balls, respectively.

A late surge from Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, who scored 25 off 13 balls, including the team's only six on the final ball, provided a boost to their total.

Australia's target seemed achievable, given their total of 182-6 in their previous win against Ireland.

However, the Australian batting line-up was severely dented by the loss of key wickets, including Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Tim David, courtesy of Muzarabani and Brad Evans.

A partnership between Renshaw and Maxwell offered some respite, but when Maxwell fell for 31, dragged on to Burl, the pressure mounted on Australia.

Muzarabani's return to bowl the penultimate over proved decisive, as he removed Renshaw, and Zimbabwe subsequently wrapped up the win.

There are calls for the ICC to review the rules regarding 12th men.

For more information, including notifications and social media updates, visit BBC Sport.

A blogger who participates in the FPL is also competing in the T20 World Cup.

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FA Cup Finalists Outside the Big Six Since 2008

As the FA Cup resumes this weekend, assess your understanding of past finalists that have competed from beyond the Premier League’s top six clubs.

This weekend, the FA Cup resumes with 32 teams remaining in contention for the historic trophy, which has been awarded for 155 years and will be presented to the winner in May.

Historically, the Premier League's top six clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham – have dominated the FA Cup, claiming 32 titles out of the last 37.

However, in recent years, teams outside of this elite group have experienced some notable victories in the competition.

Since 2008, 10 teams from outside the traditional 'big six' have advanced to the FA Cup final – can you identify all of them?

For more quizzes, visit our Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes sections, where you can also subscribe to receive the latest quizzes directly on your device.

We have a quiz question tailored to each Premier League team – test your knowledge and see how you score.

Can you recall every team that has won the Women's Champions League?

Which players have made the most appearances in the Premier League – can you name them all?

Explore our Sports Quizzes page for a wide range of challenging and engaging quizzes.

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