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Wales’ Nations League draw fuels Bellamy’s ambition

In the Nations League, Wales have been drawn alongside Portugal, Denmark, and Norway.

In November 2024, Wales secured promotion from League B, having remained undefeated in the initial six matches under Craig Bellamy's management.

Following their grouping with Portugal, Denmark, and Norway in the Nations League, Craig Bellamy stated that Wales' objective is to maintain their position among the top European football nations.

The Wales manager expressed enthusiasm about competing against elite teams, now that the team has returned to League A.

However, the team's full attention will be diverted to the upcoming World Cup play-off semi-final against Bosnia on 26 March, before focusing on the Nations League campaign.

Bellamy emphasized that retaining their place in League A is crucial to achieving their goal of automatic qualification for major tournaments.

Bellamy commented, "I'm pleased with the draw and I'm looking forward to it."

He views the group as an opportunity to establish a consistent presence in League A, citing the team's history of fluctuating between leagues and often finishing as the second-ranked team in qualifying campaigns.

According to Bellamy, remaining in League A would enhance their chances of becoming a top-seeded team, enabling them to compete directly for a spot in major tournaments without relying on play-offs.

Wales is set to face Portugal, Denmark, and Norway in the Nations League.

Moore is aiming for a double success with Wrexham and Wales.

The upcoming match against Portugal will be a rematch of their Euro 2016 semi-final encounter, which ended Wales' campaign.

Bellamy believes the game against the reigning champions will serve as a test of Wales' ability to maintain possession and intensity, as demonstrated during their World Cup qualifying campaign, where they finished second behind Belgium.

Portugal manager Roberto Martinez, formerly of Swansea City, is aware of Wales' resurgence under Bellamy, particularly after their disappointing Euro 2024 qualification campaign and 2022 World Cup performance.

Martinez expressed his familiarity with the Welsh team, stating, "Wales are a national team I know well, and they are close to my heart."

He anticipates that the matches against Wales will be highly competitive, given the team's passion and dedication to representing their nation.

Martinez noted that Bellamy has instilled a sense of fearlessness in the Welsh team, encouraging them to take risks and compete on an equal footing with any opposing team.

During their last encounter, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opening goal in Portugal's 2-0 win over Wales in the Euro 2016 semi-final.

Martinez described Norway as the "form team" in European football, following their impressive World Cup qualifying campaign, led by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

Bellamy recently watched Norway in action and observed that they share similarities with Denmark, but acknowledged that all teams in League A pose a significant challenge.

He added, "Every team in League A is of high quality, making each match a tough contest."

The Nations League campaign is scheduled to begin in September, with four fixtures taking place in a condensed window, which may put a strain on Wales' squad.

The team hopes to embark on this campaign after securing a spot in the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, provided they overcome the play-offs, with either Northern Ireland or Italy potentially awaiting them in the final.

When asked if the prospect of leading his country to a major tournament, having never participated as a player, was a tempting goal, Bellamy replied, "I'm taking it one game at a time."

He emphasized, "Our primary focus is on beating Bosnia; that's our sole priority at the moment."

Bellamy reiterated, "The match against Bosnia is our top priority, and all my energy is focused on that game; the rest will follow naturally."

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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