UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Kara Dunn had 24 points and Jazzy Davidson had 22, but Penn State rallied to defeat the USC women, 85-82 on Wednesday night.
The Trojans led 62-58, early in the fourth quarter and 70-68 with 5:35 to play before Kiyomi McMiller and Moriah Murray made key shots to give Penn State the lead.
Penn State extended its lead to 79-74 after a 15-foot jumper by McMiller. The teams exchanged buckets until Dunn hit a three-pointer with 14 seconds left, pulling the Trojans back within two at 82-80. McMiller was fouled immediately after the inbounds pass, and made both her free throws. Davidson scored on a layup to make it 84-82 with four seconds remaining. Vitoria Santana was fouled and made one of two free throws with three seconds remaining, but USC was unable to get a shot off after that.
Dunn made a season-high six three-pointers and had six rebounds and three assists. Davidson had her 25th consecutive double-figure scoring performance and sixth straight 20-point game. Kennedy Smith had 19 points along with six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block.
With the loss, USC drops to 17-11 overall and 9-8 in Big Ten play. Wednesday was Penn State’s second win all-time and first win against USC since Jan. 6, 1980.
It will be two Marmonte League baseball rivals matching up in the Easton tournament championship game at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Birmingham.
Pitchers Connor Sahagan and Gavin Geyer combined on a no-hitter in Oaks Christian’s 2-1 win over Bishop Alemany. Luke Puls hit two doubles, including a two-run double in the fifth inning. Geyer struck out five and retired all nine batters in order in three innings of relief.
Oaks Christian (4-0) will play Calabasas (4-0), a 4-2 winner over St. Francis. Auron Blackledge had three hits and Michael Morales got the save with two scoreless innings of relief. Jayden Singer had two hits. Lucas Becerra had three hits for St. Francis.
Chaparral 19, Knight 4: Dean Mariani contributed four hits and three RBIs while Griffin Fien had three hits and three RBIs.
Camarillo 3, Valencia 1: Ryan Coyne gave up two hits in a complete-game performance for Camarillo.
Corona Santiago 3, Los Alamitos 2: Striker Pence, Johnny Thorton and Josh Angulo each had two hits for Santiago. Jerry Garfiaz homered for Los Alamitos.
El Camino Real 3, Rio Mesa 2: Cameron Rosenberg threw his first complete game in varsity baseball, striking out five for the Royals. Football standout Shane Bogacz had a two-run triple.
Granada Hills 14, Ventura 3: Michael Quintana had two hits and three RBIs for the Highlanders.
San Marcos 7, Simi Valley 2: Mason Crang hit a three-run home run in the first inning for San Marcos.
Birmingham 4, Agoura 3: The Patriots rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Ethan Dalumpines had the walk-off hit. Carlos Acuna struck out seven and gave up two hits in six innings.
Verdugo Hills 2, Garfield 0: Michael Wong had a two-run single while Jack Iafrate and Jared Smith combined on a three-hit shutout.
Paraclete 10, Cleveland 3: Christian Saenz had three hits and four RBIs while Gabe Villanueva went four for four to lead Paraclete.
Quartz Hill 18, Chatsworth 3: Seth Humphreys had two doubles, a single and three RBIs for Quartz Hill.
Thousand Oaks 2, Mira Costa 1: Dane Bacon threw three innings of scoreless relief to hand a rare defeat to Mira Costa ace Garrett Jacobs, who struck out 10 and walked none in six innings.
Fullerton 7, Northwood 1: Sammy Chacon finished with three hits for 3-0 Fullerton.
Hart 7, Buena 6: Jaiden Chan contributed three hits for Hart.
Taft 10, Palisades 8: The Toreadors scored six runs in the seventh, then hung on for the win. Josh Friedman had two hits and two RBIs.
Mohamed Salah would be happy to stay at Liverpool until 2027, there are six Premier League clubs interested in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nnamdi Collins, while Casemiro wants to keep playing in Europe.
Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 33, is happy to see out the remainder of his Liverpool contract, which runs up to the end of next season, should a move to the Saudi Pro League not materialise this summer. (Football Insider), external
Manchester United‘s Brazil midfielder Casemiro, 34, wants to continue his career in Europe when his contract ends at Old Trafford in the summer, and Italy is a possible next destination. (Sun), external
German agent Volker Struth, who has worked with Florian Wirtz in the past, says he offered the Germany midfielder to RealMadrid last summer before his £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool. (Phrasenmaher via Mirror), external
Manchester United plan to sell Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana, 29, this summer, but expect to receive significantly less than the £50m they paid Inter Milan to sign him in 2023. (Talksport), external
However, Onana wants to fight to re-establish himself as Manchester United‘s number one when his loan spell at Trabzonspor finishes in May – and believes he will be given a chance to do so. (Guardian), external
Real Madrid’s win against Benfica to reach the Champions League last 16 was a “victory for everyone who stands against racism”, midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni says.
Vinicius Jr alleged he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during the first leg, in which the Real forward scored the game’s only goal.
Prestianni – who has denied racially abusing the Brazilian – was subsequently handed a one-match ban, meaning he missed Wednesday’s return leg.
Support was shown for Vinicius by the home fans as a banner with the words “no to racism” in Spanish was displayed in the stands before kick-off.
Vinicius was again on the scoresheet, netting Real Madrid’s second goal as the Spanish side came from 1-0 down on the night to win 2-1 and book their place in the next round with a 3-1 aggregate victory.
“I think there are more important things than this match, than football,” said Tchouameni, who scored Real’s first-half equaliser.
“Vinicius keeps his confidence and he keeps focused on what he needs to do.
“I think they made the right decision by not letting the boy [Prestianni] play this match.
“Like I said, there are things more important than football and this is a victory for all of us.”
Real Madrid and England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold said Vinicius had been his usual self before the fixture, “very chilled” and “very relaxed”.
“He didn’t need to score to send a message or show his mentality,” said the former Liverpool player.
“He doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone because he’s shown time and time again how good he is.
“He steps up when we need him the most. He knows his quality and what he brings to the team.”
Former Premier League defender Curtis Davies said the decision was an “absolute disgrace”.
“Kelly goes up for a header, he’s gone for the header cleanly. His feet have to land on the ground somewhere,” he added on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Unfortunately, he lands on the player. There needs to be a level of understanding – where is he meant to put his feet? I understand Kelly’s frustration.”
Davies’ sentiments were echoed by football journalist Rory Smith, who called the decision “awful” and a “disgrace”.
Meanwhile, former Tottenham midfielder Andy Reid felt football was “moving closer and closer to being a non-contact sport”.
“There needs to be contact in football and sometimes people do get painful ones. It happens. There’s nothing you can do about that. It’s part of the game,” he said.
According to Uefa rules, any player sent off by the referee – whether that is via two yellows or a straight red – is automatically suspended for the next match in European club competition.
However, in light of Juventus’ exit from the Champions League, Kelly’s suspension will carry over to next season.
Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha added: “If I was Kelly I’d be really disappointed, but with how football works, it’s always going to be a red.”
But former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock disagreed.
“I don’t agree with it because it is purely accidental. I understand the yellow card, but not the red,” he said.
Since the reintroduction of the last-16 knockout round to Europe’s showpiece competition in 2003-04, there has always been at least one Italian representative.
Not since 1987-88, when Napoli went out in the first round of the European Cup to Real Madrid, has Serie A had no teams in the last 16 of the competition – or first knockout round when it took other formats.
After Inter’s exit on Tuesday, many Italian football experts were labelling it a disaster for the sport in their country.
“It is a piece of history,” said journalist Vincenzo Credendino. “Speaking about Italy and Inter, this is one of the worst pieces.”
Another Italian football journalist, Daniele Verri, said all three sides failing to make the knockouts would have been a “complete debacle, a disaster for our clubs”.
Atalanta’s progress – and the manner in which they battled through – at least provides hope, although it doesn’t get easier for them in the last 16, with either Arsenal or Bayern Munich awaiting.
But against Dortmund, they showed the kind of self-belief that will stand them in good stead against either the Premier League or Bundesliga leaders.
“Now Atalanta are the darlings of Italian football,” former West Brom and Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
European football expert James Horncastle added: “They’re sort of Serie A’s Bodo/Glimt in many respects.
“They were a yo-yo club until about eight years ago and we’ve not only seen them win a European trophy and reach three Coppa Italia finals but really establish themselves in the Champions League.”
Football journalist Nicky Bandini described Atalanta’s comeback win as “significant” for Italian football, adding: “I think there would be more of a feelgood factor that carries over for a team like Atalanta than there would be for Juventus or for Inter because they haven’t been traditionally one of the big teams of Italian football.”
Atalanta score a penalty with the last kick of the game, as the Italians stage an incredible fightback to beat Borussia Dortmund and progress to the last 16 of the Champions League.
Former Virginia coach Tony Bennett, who led the Cavaliers to the 2019 national title, has been hired by the Lakers as an NBA draft advisor to Rob Pelinka, the team’s president of basketball operations and general manager. Bennett’s record was 364-136 from 2009-24.
“As we refine and build out our NBA draft and scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource,” Pelinka said in a statement. “Tony’s track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill and high-IQ players is revered and respected across all basketball circles. Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts and to our draft department as a whole. We are truly excited.”
Virginia honored Bennett in a ceremony before Saturday’s 86-83 win over Miami, naming the court at John Paul Jones Arena after him.
Bennett was the AP national coach of the year in 2007 and 2018. He led Virginia to six ACC regular-season championships. He previously coached at Washington State from 2006-09.
“When Rob and I began talking, what stood out to me was the chance to help out such a storied organization,” Bennett said in a statement. “The Lakers carry a tradition that speaks for itself, so to be connected to it and assist Rob and the Lakers in any way I can is exciting.”
Bennett played under his father, Dick Bennett, at Wisconsin-Green Bay before playing four years in the NBA, including three for Charlotte from 1992-95.
The City Section boys’ soccer playoffs are in turmoil.
On Wednesday, City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos announced that Marquez and South East have been removed from the Open Division playoffs because of ineligible players that violated CIF bylaw 600, which bans players from participating in outside leagues during the season of their sport. Both players are involved with MLS Next, a soccer development program.
South East reached the Open Division final after beating Marquez in the semifinals. Marquez was scheduled to face El Camino Real in the final but now is also out. As a result, two schools that were beaten in the first round, Birmingham and Venice, will play Thursday at Birmingham for the right to face El Camino Real at 6 p.m. at Pasadena City College on Saturday for the Open Division title.
But there are more problems. At least four Birmingham players, thinking their season had ended, have already started playing for their club teams, so they won’t be eligible to play for the Patriots on Thursday.
Franklin was also removed from the playoffs, and Chatsworth and L.A. Jordan forfeited games this season for similar reasons.
“It’s a big mess,” Lagos said.
Birmingham athletic director Rick Prizant, whose school is part of the West Valley League, is proposing to change bylaw 600.
“This proves we should get rid of the rule,” he said.
Lagos emphasizes before the season to coaches that players can’t play in club competitions or in showcases during their high school soccer season. Lagos said she doesn’t believe any of the head coaches were aware of the violations. She received an email last week informing her of a possible South East violation and another Monday regarding Marquez.
Having triumphed in his first 10 races under jockey Nico de Boinville, Constitution Hill’s falls – including at Aintree and Cheltenham – had left Henderson mulling over his future.
The successful switch to Flat at Southwell last Friday showed his potential.
Starting 6-4 favourite and with five-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy in the saddle, the move paid off as he took to the front well before the line and held firm to win by nine-and-a-half lengths from Square Necker and Gambino.
Henderson said: “He showed on Friday night that he has another career in front of him that could possibly take us all to new playing fields.
“It was a terrific night for both him, us, and I believe British Horse Racing and we are very aware of the public perception and the possible consequences of running over hurdles and feel it is not fair to ask him and Nico to do it again.
“Cheltenham have kindly invited Constitution Hill to parade on Champion Hurdle day to give all his National Hunt supporters the opportunity to say goodbye.”
Matt Henry gets New Zealand off to a blistering start as Pathum Nissanka is dismissed with the first delivery of Sri Lanka’s innings in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super 8s match.
With that, the legacy debt from the Glazer family takeover and additional ‘liabilities’ listed of more than £500m – the vast majority of which is outstanding transfer fee payments – the club owed a staggering £1.29bn at the end of last year.
United also paid out £13.9m in net finance costs, although this was much lower than the £37.6m from the previous year.
In August 2025 respected football finance blogger Swiss Ramble placed Everton and Tottenham above Manchester United in his debt league. However, both clubs have borrowed to pay for new stadiums.
United are yet to say how they intend to finance their new ground, which is likely to cost more than £2bn, although the figures show why the club are so keen to return to the Champions League after a two-year absence.
Total revenues for the period in question were £190.3m, with commercial revenue dropping 8% from the previous 12 months to £78.5m. However, wages also fell by 9% to £75.1m.
Since taking a 29% stake in the club two years ago, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has instigated major cost-cutting, including two rounds of redundancies that have cut 450 jobs.
In addition, many staff perks, including a paid-for staff canteen, have been axed.
United sources argue this has allowed more to be invested on the data side of the club.
There was no mention in the financial statement about the amount United paid to sack head coach Ruben Amorim as this took place after the reporting period.
“We are now seeing the positive financial impact of our off-pitch transformation materialise both in our costs and profitability,” said Berrada.
“We continue to take a football-first approach and today’s results demonstrate the underlying strength of our business as we continue to push for the best football results possible for our men’s and women’s teams.”
The opponent, date and venue for Taylor’s final fight have not been confirmed.
August would be a more likely date for a Croke Park bout as the iconic Dublin stadium is hosting the latter stages of the All-Ireland Hurling and Football Championships throughout July.
In September, Taylor was named ‘Champion in Recess’ by the World Boxing Council (WBC) after informing the sanctioning body of her plans to take some time away from the sport.
Last week, Briton Sandy Ryan claimed the vacant belt with victory over Mexico’s Karla Ramos Zamora in Nottingham.
Taylor has a 25-1 professional record with her only defeat coming against Britain’s Chantelle Cameron in Dublin in 2023.
After avenging that loss to become a two-weight undisputed champion later that year, Taylor recorded wins over Serrano in November 2024 and July 2025 having already overcome the Puerto Rican in April 2022.
“I’m not sure who the opponent is or what the date will be,” added Taylor, who won an Olympic lightweight gold medal in 2012 before turning pro in 2016.
“I just know I’ll fight this year during the summer time and all the other details will be laid out in the coming weeks and months.
“Either way I’m in the gym for whenever and whoever it will be. I’m staying sharp and ready.”
Chelsea were 2-0 down in the match but went on to win 3-2 thanks to Enzo Fernandez’s injury-time goal, which came before the confrontation.
In its written reasons, the independent regulatory commission stated “this was a serious incident” involving a number of Chelsea‘s players.
It added: “It was not accepted that Mr Cucurella was wholly without fault. He was aware of his actions after conceding the corner kick and returning to his feet.
“He sought to invite a reaction from Mr Traore. That is not to justify Mr Traore’s disproportionate reaction from which the mass confrontation ensued.
“Furthermore, the commission noted that three of the Chelsea players were in some way seeking to incite the crowd during and towards the end of the incident.
“There is no justification for this behaviour, irrespective of what had happened during the course of the game or within the mass confrontation itself. It was accepted that the club had admitted the charge and was contrite.”
The commission said both clubs “contributed to the incident” and that Traore’s “disproportionate reaction to Mr Cucurella’s movement as he returned to his feet, was the catalyst for what occurred”.
It also stated: “It was accepted that there was no violent conduct from any other West Ham United players beyond the behaviour of Mr Todibo.
“However, a large number of West Ham United players did behave in an improper and provocative manner and contributed to what was a serious, unsightly incident.”
McInnes says he hopes Findlay and captain Lawrence Shankland, who has been missing since 17 January with a hamstring injury, will be back for the final pre-split game against Motherwell on 11 April.
Another key figure, midfielder Cammy Devlin, is due back in “two or three weeks” according to McInnes, as is defender Stephen Kingsley.
Hearts are four points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premiership.
“As it stands we had 11 players unavailable to train today, but we’ve still got enough to train and put a strong team out and a strong squad out on Saturday,” McInnes said.
“So my focus is the ones that are available, and just trying to get one or two who are in the 50-50 category available for the weekend.
“It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself, easy to think: ‘why us? why me?’ But it’s unrealistic to go through a full campaign [without injuries].
“It’s a league for as reason, you have to go through these different tests and challenges.
“There’s no doubt we’re getting challenged at the minute. Once we get through the next four games we will ideally be a bit stronger going into the final run in.
“It will almost feel like a transfer window opening up in April. So you’ve got to take the good with the bad.”
Midfielder McEntee went to see a specialist on Wednesday morning for a shoulder issue after a scan revealed “fairly positive” news.
Baningime has some bruising on his lower leg and McInnes says the midfielder is hopeful he can train on Friday and feature at Tynecastle against Aberdeen.
Kerjota, meanwhile, picked up a hip strain in a closed door friendly against Dundee on Tuesday but may well be fit to play too.
The driver of the car involved in a fatal crash in which British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua was injured has appeared in court in Nigeria.
Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and strength coach, Sina Ghami, died on 29 December after their vehicle collided with a stationary lorry near Lagos, Nigeria.
Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, who was driving Joshua when their car crashed, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care, and driving without a valid driver’s licence.
The 46-year-oldappeared at Sagamu Magistrates Court in Ogun state near Lagos on Wednesday, when the case was adjourned until 13 March.
Prosecutors told the court they needed further time to prepare evidence.
Joshua was discharged from hospital two days after the Lexus SUV crashed on the busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway, in south-west Nigeria. Ghami and Ayodele were both pronounced dead at the scene.
Morocco sentenced 18 Senegalese football fans last Thursday following disturbances at the Africa Cup of Nations final.
Published On 25 Feb 202625 Feb 2026
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Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has followed his country’s football association in denouncing Morocco’s jailing of 18 Senegalese fans following January’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Rabat.
The Teranga Lions supporters were arrested during the final in the Moroccan capital, which was controversially suspended as the Senegal players left the pitch in protest against the late award of a penalty to the host nation.
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Fans, in response, attempted to enter the field of play during the match on January 19, leading to the arrest of 18 people who were later charged with hooliganism and violence against security officials.
Prison sentences were handed out last Thursday to them, ranging from three months to one year, along with fines of up to 5,000 dirhams ($545).
“It seems this matter goes beyond the realm of sport and that is regrettable,” Sonko told the Senegalese parliament on Tuesday.
“For two countries that call each other friends, like Morocco and Senegal, things should not have gone this far.”
The 18 fans have denied any wrongdoing but have not appealed the sentence. Senegal, however, will seek a royal pardon from Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.
“If they do not, we have agreements that bind us and allow us to request that the supporters serve their sentences in their own country,” Sonko added.
The Senegal Football Association had immediately spoken out at the time of the sentences, describing them as “incomprehensibly harsh”.
“Clashes occur in numerous stadiums around the world, including every weekend in Morocco, without resulting in such sanctions,” Bacary Cisse, the president of the FSF’s communications committee, said.
“The treatment of these supporters therefore appears disproportionate.”
Defence lawyer for the 18, Patrick Kabou, had said on February 6 that they were still “waiting to learn the charges”.
He added that some had chosen to go on hunger strike against their detention and treatment.
In response to the sentencing, Kabou echoed the “incomprehensible” sentiment, saying his clients were “victims”.
Senegal were the eventual winners of the final after the match resumed following the players’ protest, securing a 1-0 win in extra time.
As his USC team slid further off the NCAA tournament bubble, falling flat against its fiercest rival, frustrated coach Eric Musselman couldn’t help but lament what might have been.
If the Trojans had Rodney Rice, maybe things would have gone differently in his second season.
“I haven’t really talked about it in a long time,” Musselman said. “But we’ve got three games left, so I’m gonna bring it up now. To run our offense and stuff without a guy like him is problematic for sure.”
Of course, after losing 81-62 to crosstown rival UCLA,, there wasn’t much else for USC to find solace in Tuesday night. Maybe Rice, who has been out since late November, would have elevated the Trojans’ ailing offense. Maybe freshman Alijah Arenas, who didn’t debut until late January, could have found his stride faster with a full offseason.
No amount of what-ifs, however, will fix what ails USC during its final three games. The loss to UCLA was its fourth straight. As of Tuesday night, the Trojans were firmly out of the tournament field, a fact that Musselman was well aware of.
That’s not set in stone yet. But the question now is whether the Trojans even have the capacity to climb back into the March mix.
That path back for USC would certainly be smoother with a more potent offense. Sixth-year senior Chad Baker-Mazara led the team with 25 points against UCLA in spite of playing through a sore knee.
But the rest of the Trojans offense shot under 30% — another issue that Musselman traced back to Rice’s absence.
“The lack of shooting is really hurting us,” Musselman said. “I haven’t really talked about it in a long time. But not having Rodney Rice’s shooting is killing us. It kills our spacing. It kills our help to the ball.”
The arrival of Arenas, the Trojans highly touted freshman, was supposed to solve that. Instead, 10 games into his college career, Arenas is struggling mightily with his offensive efficiency.
USC coach Eric Musselman reacts to the Trojans’ loss to UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
Arenas had four first-half turnovers in nine minutes and didn’t hit a shot from the field until midway through the second half. The freshman has shot just 8 of 29 over his last three games. He finished Tuesday with 10 points, four rebounds and five turnovers.
“It’s a learning curve for him,” Musselman said. “He’s an incredible talent who has an awesome ceiling, and he’s got an incredible future. But in a game like tonight — he’s learning. You can see it out there. He’s learning on the fly.”
There’s not much time left to learn. The Trojans will face No. 12 Nebraska on Saturday, before traveling to Washington, which beat them earlier in the season, a few days later. A rematch with UCLA awaits at Galen Center the following Saturday.
USC won’t stand much of a chance against that slate if it can’t find some consistency on either end, but the Trojans had their moments Tuesday. They fired out to an early lead thanks to Baker-Mazara, who followed up a 13-point outburst Saturday by knocking down three consecutive 3’s in a three-minute stretch.
Later, near the midway mark of the second half, Baker-Mazara hit another 3 to cut the UCLA lead to just five points. And for a brief moment, it seemed USC might find a way.
But then, in the waning seconds of the shot clock, UCLA star guard Donovan Dent let a deep three pointer fly with 10 minutes remaining. It swished. A sold-out crowd at Pauley Pavilion roared.
Dent finished with 30 points, while the Trojans never recovered. Musselman, meanwhile, was left thinking of something his wife, Danyelle, had said to him.
“Take a 20-pointer scorer off of any team and see what they do,” Musselman recalled his wife saying. “Take Dent off of them and let’s see what they do. That’s a fact.”
But the facts, for USC, are pretty grim at this point. And with just three games remaining, time is running out for the Trojans to change that.
Steve Hermon, West Brom commentator for BBC Radio WM
Eric Ramsay’s reign was nothing short of disastrous. His tenure lasted just 44 days, which happens to be the same as Brian Clough’s infamous spell at Leeds United in 1974.
That featured in a movie about the legendary manager’s life, The Damned United, and it had elements of comedy, but if the Welsh head coach’s stay at The Hawthorns were to be made into a film, the genre would have to be horror.
The 34-year-old leaves with a litany of unwanted records.
It is the shortest reign of any permanent Baggies boss in their history, he oversaw their heaviest home defeat in the second tier as they were hammered 5-0 by Norwich City, and his win percentage is 0%.
Taking just four points – courtesy of four draws – in his eight league games has dropped the club deep into a relegation battle.
Ramsay refused to say it, but he knew that Tuesday night’s game with Charlton Athletic was a must-win.
He told me in his interview after the 1-1 draw that it wasn’t good enough and that “what will be, will be”, as if knowing what was to come just minutes later.
The former Minnesota United boss and his assistant, Dennis Lawrence, were summoned into a boardroom meeting with chairman Shilen Patel after his media duties were complete, and the axe fell.
The Welshman accepted in his final interview with me that he was “not blameless”, and while he is no doubt a clever man, switching immediately to a 3-4-3 formation with players not equipped to play that way was not a smart move.
He promptly ditched it after another loss to Portsmouth.
Questions must also be asked of the players, whose failure to take chances has led to a second sacking of the season, and the third in less than a year, but the hierarchy must also provide answers to the fans.
Their naive decision to give the job to a second young head coach in a row has put the club at risk of an unthinkable drop into the third tier for only the second time in their history.
But there won’t be time to analyse a host of mistakes now.
James Morrison begins a third spell in interim charge in the space of less than 11 months.
The former midfielder is unbeaten in the three games he’s overseen and said, in his own words after the Swansea City FA Cup victory just hours before Ramsay’s arrival six weeks ago, West Brom is “in his DNA”.
With 12 games to go, he will do all he can to keep the club he loves in the Championship.
Meanwhile, back at boardroom level, and just days before the second anniversary of his takeover of the club, Patel will begin the search for his fourth head coach.
We’re talking at the plush hotel Racing Bulls have picked as their base for the two pre-season tests in Bahrain, which followed a ‘shakedown’ in Spain. It’s not long past 8am, and his next appointment is an engineering meeting, before going out on track later in the day.
Asked if he feels ready for the big time in F1, he says: “Yeah, I think so. Obviously, it’s a big step from F2, especially this year. There’s regulation changes and everything is very different.
“But I’ve been working really hard with the team on the sim (simulator) at the factory, obviously also trying to utilise these three tests that we have.
“That’s a big benefit for me this year. Normally, there’s only one, whereas this year there’s three. So that really helps me to get up to speed. I’m really trying to utilise these tests, and I’m looking forward to getting on track in Melbourne.”
Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane, who has worked with a multitude of top drivers, including Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, has been full of praise so far.
“He’s done a fantastic job,” Permane says. “People often ask me, ‘What do you look for? What do you need in a young driver?’ And of course, the first thing you need is for them to be quick. We’re very comfortable with that, we know he’s got the speed.
“But also on top of that, he’s bringing lots of inquisitiveness, he’s asking many questions, his debriefs are great, he’s doing everything we ask of him at the moment.”
F1 is a brutal business, with little sentiment. Drivers either achieve or they’re out. And nowhere is more ruthless than Red Bull.
You might expect Lindblad to be feeling a little pressure mixed in with the obvious excitement. But he says not.
“I wouldn’t really say pressure,” he says. “If I’m being honest, this is what I’ve worked towards my whole life.
“So I’m excited to be here, and all I’m really thinking about at the moment is trying to work with the team, trying to understand the cars to get the best performance I can, trying to extract the most out of the package from the beginning.”
