News
Oxlade-Chamberlain makes instant impression at Celtic
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has praised the significant contribution of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who scored a decisive goal on his debut for the team, following his transfer from Liverpool, where he previously played for Arsenal.
In his Celtic debut, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made a brief but significant impact, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute against Livingston and managing just 14 touches of the ball.
One of those touches, however, could potentially have a major bearing on the Scottish Premiership title race.
Celtic, the defending champions, were on the verge of dropping points to the league's bottom club, with Livingston's goalkeeper Jerome Prior making nine saves in total as the visitors spurned chance after chance.
But Oxlade-Chamberlain, who joined Celtic on a free transfer on Saturday, scored his first goal for the club in stoppage time, securing a 2-1 win and narrowing the gap to leaders Hearts to six points.
Despite having last played a competitive game in May and being without a club since his release from Besiktas in August, Oxlade-Chamberlain's finish was remarkably composed.
The goal served as a reminder of the quality that has defined Oxlade-Chamberlain's career, including his successes with Arsenal and Liverpool, as well as his regular appearances for England.
Former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart praised Oxlade-Chamberlain's goal, describing it as "a class finish" during his appearance on BBC Radio Scotland.
Stewart added that Oxlade-Chamberlain's impact was immediate, saying, "Just a calm, composed, quality finish – what an impact he's had already."
Oxlade-Chamberlain has described Celtic as the "perfect fit" after joining the club on a deal until the end of the season.
The midfielder's debut goal helped Celtic scrape past Livingston, earning his new team a vital three points.
Interim manager Martin O'Neill, who remains unbeaten in domestic competition, was pleased with Oxlade-Chamberlain's contribution, saying he was delighted by the newcomer's impact.
O'Neill stated, "We didn't look like we were going to get any reward at all, and then Alex scores this brilliant goal."
The Northern Irishman added, "When the ball left his foot, I could see it going in – it was a real delight."
O'Neill believes Oxlade-Chamberlain will be a valuable asset to the team once he gets up to speed, saying, "He's been a really fine player in his career – an excellent career – and it's just a matter of him getting fit."
O'Neill expressed his gratitude to Oxlade-Chamberlain for choosing Celtic, saying, "He had a choice of a lot of teams, but he's decided to come up here and help us out – and he's done more than that, he's got us three points on the board."
A video of Oxlade-Chamberlain's winning goal is available to watch.
Oxlade-Chamberlain's debut goal sealed a dramatic win for Celtic against Livingston.
Having trained with Arsenal in recent months, Oxlade-Chamberlain thanked the Premier League leaders for helping him prepare for his Celtic debut.
After the game, Oxlade-Chamberlain expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to play for Celtic, saying, "It means a lot – I have to say a big thank you to everyone at Arsenal for helping me keep my fitness up."
He also thanked Celtic's manager for giving him the chance to play for the club, adding, "And an even bigger thanks to the manager here for giving me the chance to put on this kit and play for this amazing club."
Oxlade-Chamberlain said he was eager to repay the faith shown in him with moments of quality like his debut goal.
The 32-year-old acknowledged the challenges he has faced in his career, particularly since turning 30, but believes he still has a lot to offer.
Oxlade-Chamberlain credited his recent training regimen with giving him the confidence to perform at a high level, saying, "I knew I still had a lot to give, and training every day for the last three months gave me the confidence that I can still offer a lot to the game."
He expressed his delight at being given the opportunity to play for Celtic and contribute to the team's success.
Oxlade-Chamberlain's goal has moved Celtic within a point of Rangers in second place and closer to leaders Hearts, with the team also having a game in hand over both.
The midfielder said the win was a great start for him, but more importantly, it kept Celtic's goals alive and on track.
Oxlade-Chamberlain revealed that he jumped at the chance to join Celtic, with some encouragement from his father.
He said, "It's an amazing opportunity – when it came up, I didn't doubt it for one second."
Oxlade-Chamberlain's father, a fan of the club from a bygone era, was instrumental in convincing him to make the move, with the midfielder saying, "My dad was straight away telling me 'I'll get you in the car and drive you up there myself'."
Despite the promising start, Oxlade-Chamberlain is aware that there is still much work to be done, saying, "It's a great start, but I know there's a lot more to it than 13 minutes."
For the latest Celtic news, analysis, and fan views, visit the BBC's dedicated Celtic page.
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.

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.

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.
News
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.
News
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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