The adapted Nations League format is preferred by leading football nations, as it aims to create more competitive matches and enhance viewer engagement, addressing concerns about the current qualifying system's appeal.
Courtney Ogden led 13th-seeded Stanford (19-13) with 22 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter when the Cardinal scored the final 11 points to tie the game at 70. But Ra Shaya Kyle had 25 points and 11 rebounds, Amarachi Kimpson scored seven of her 20 points in overtime to lead 12th-seeded Miami to victory.
Paris Saint-Germain had a bit more trouble separating itself from its Ligue 1 rival Monaco than predicted, but rode a 3-2 first leg win to a 5-4 aggregate victory. Newcastle demolished Qarabag, 9-3. Atlético Madrid turned a 3-3 first-leg draw around with a 4-1 second leg at home to dump out Club Brugge. Bayer Leverkusen vs. Olympiacos was a snoozer, won 2-0 on aggregate by the former.
We've got a fresh slate of UEFA Champions League action today as the competition enters a new phase, with the first legs of the knockout phase playoffs determining who advances to the round of 16. Headlining Tuesday's matches is a rematch from the final day of the league phase, as José Mourinho's Benfica host Álvaro Arbeloa's Real Madrid in Lisbon.