Lens moves 1 point behind PSG in French title race after beating Metz 3-0. Lyon faces Paris FC

PARIS (AP) — Lens capped a fine week by beating Metz 3-0 on Sunday to move one point behind Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain in a tense title race.

PSG's3-1 home defeat to Monacoon Friday opened the door forrival Lens, which reached the French Cup semifinals on Thursday afterbeating Lyon on penaltiesfollowing a 2-2 draw.

There are nine games left in Ligue 1 and Lens hosts PSG on April 11.

Rock-bottom Metz rode its luck until Saudi Arabian defender Saud Abdulhamid put Lens ahead just before halftime with a powerful half-volley following good work from striker Abdallah Sima, who had twice gone close to scoring.

Abdulhamid then combined with Adrien Thomasson to set up France winger Florian Thauvin for a neat finish from the edge of the penalty area just after the break.

Midfielder Amadou Haidara made it 3-0 in the 52nd minute after playing a one-two with former Metz captain Matthieu Udol as Lens took control. Udol was born in Metz and made 185 appearances at left back beforeforcing a movethis summer.

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Later Sunday, Lyon was looking to bounce back from two league defeats and a French Cup exit when it hosted Paris FC, which won under new coach Antoine Kombouarélast weekend.

Also, Lille hosted midtable Lorient.

Thauvin presses his case

Thauvin scored one goal, set up the other and then netted with the decisive kick in the penalty shootout against Lyon.

The 33-year-oldThauvinjoined from Italian sideUdinesethis season. He was a fringe player in the France team when it won the 2018 World Cup and then had a long spell out.

But Thauvin's fine form with Lens helped him break back into the national team and he scored against Azerbaijan last October. He is pushing for a place in coach Didier Deschamps'World Cupsquad later this year. ___

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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Lens moves 1 point behind PSG in French title race after beating Metz 3-0. Lyon faces Paris FC

PARIS (AP) — Lens capped a fine week by beating Metz 3-0 on Sunday to move one point behind Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Ge...

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Mi Hyang Lee wins Blue Bay for first LPGA victory in 8 years

South Korea's Mi Hyang Lee overcame a pair of double bogeys on the front nine and recorded a birdie on the final hole to seize a one-stroke win at the Blue Bay LPGA on Sunday at Hainan Island, China.

Lee, 32, won her third LPGA title and first since capturing the 2017 Women's Scottish Open after firing a 1-over-par 73 on Sunday to finish with an 11-under 277 at the Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course.

She finished one stroke better than China's Weiwei Zhang (69 on Sunday), who failed to hold the lead after a bogey on the 17th hole.

"Still kind of a little bit shake my hands," Lee said of her nerves. "First hole make birdie, but like two double front nine and then finish 4-over so was almost give up, but my caddie just kept telling me keep fighting, fighting. I really fought by myself, just didn't give up, and then I just got to make a lot of birdies, so I think amazing. Feels amazing, yes."

Lee became only the second South Korean to win the Blue Bay LPGA, joining 2015 champion Sei Young Kim

Auston Kim (71) made three birdies over the final five holes to reside in a third-place tie with Aditi Ashok (72) of India.

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"I'm proud of the three birdies that I made coming in, but it really (stinks) to play that well Thursday (67), Friday (68), and not get it done. Really frustrating," Kim said. "I hope moving forward I won't make the same mistakes that I did this week and play better."

Lee saw her three-stroke lead evaporate following double bogeys on the fifth and ninth holes before making birdies on the 10th and 13th holes.

She took advantage of Zhang's misstep on the 17th hole by hitting the pin on her third shot at the par-5 18th hole. She tapped in from 2 feet out to win the tournament.

"I just keep watching the scoreboard. I think that's why this -- that give me a lot of confidence," Lee said. "I just keep making one more birdie, two more birdie, and so it was -- yeah, just keep watching it, the scoreboard. I knew Weiwei and Rio (Takeda of Japan) play well, too."

Takeda (73), the defending champion, tied for fifth with South Koreans Hye-Jin Choi (74) and A Lim Kim (73) and China's Yu Liu (74).

--Field Level Media

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Mi Hyang Lee wins Blue Bay for first LPGA victory in 8 years

South Korea's Mi Hyang Lee overcame a pair of double bogeys on the front nine and recorded a birdie on the final h...

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Zelenskiy says Ukraine has unique drone experience, discusses joint production with Dutch PM

KYIV, March 8 (Reuters) - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten discussed joint arms ‌production during his visit to Kyiv on Sunday, and he ‌stressed Ukraine's unique experience in defending against Iranian-made drones used by Russia.

Dutch Prime Minister Jetten visits Kyiv

"It is important ​that we are producing weapons together with the Netherlands – and we will certainly continue and expand this joint work," Zelenskiy said on X, adding they had discussed investments and possible production volumes in detail.

In recent ‌months, Ukraine has stepped ⁠up efforts to establish joint arms production with European countries, opening several factories to manufacture drones.

As Iran ⁠launches drones at U.S. allies across the Gulf and beyond in response to intense U.S. and Israeli strikes, Ukraine is hoping the Middle East ​crisis will ​increase its leverage with allies ​by showing them that the ‌expertise it has built during four years of Russia's full-scale invasion could be invaluable to partners' own long-term security.

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Zelenskiy said that Kyiv has unique experience in combating drones, which Iran actively uses in its attacks on Middle Eastern countries.

He said that Ukraine is ready to ‌sell the interceptor drones that are ​not used by the Ukrainian military, and ​the first group of Ukrainian ​military instructors will head to the Middle East ‌on Monday.

"They are coming with the ​means to help," ​Zelenskiy noted, adding that Ukraine would provide the expertise and experience in defending against "Shahed" model drones and cruise missiles.

Ukrainian manufacturers of ​cheap interceptor drones designed ‌to knock out enemy unmanned aerial vehicles have said they have ​the capacity to export in large volumes.

(Reporting by Pavel ​PolityukEditing by Bernadette Baum, Alexandra Hudson)

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Zelenskiy says Ukraine has unique drone experience, discusses joint production with Dutch PM

KYIV, March 8 (Reuters) - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten discuss...

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Daughter of UFC legend Frank Mir wins NCAA wrestling championship

Bella Mir has added to her family's collection of championships.

Her dad Frank was twice the heavyweight champion of the UFC while helping the sport skyrocket in popularity during his 16-year career. He still holds the record for most submission victories in UFC's heavyweight division with eight.

And now Bella is writing her own history. On Saturday night inthe first-ever NCAA Tournament for women's collegiate wrestling, second-seeded Mir – wrestling for Division III North Central – upset No. 1 Reese Larramendy of Iowa with a 5-0 victory in the championship bout of the 145-pound weight class in Coralville, Iowa.

Mir built a 5-0 lead on Larramendy before delivering what would be the first-ever pin in an NCAA women's wrestling final. Mir was in control for much of the match and built that advantage up just 40 seconds into the bout against her former teammate – who handed Mir her only loss of the regular season — with a clinical takedown. Less than three minutes into the match, Mir pulled off a superb reversal of a takedown attempt by Larramendy to put on her back and secure the pin.

It ended a 35-match unbeaten streak for Larramendy.

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The 22-year-old who started her collegiate career at Iowa before transferring to North Central – located in Naperville, Illinois – didn't have a point scored against her at the NCAA championships. She won her opener 11-0, and then took 10-0 victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

North Central finished in third place in the overall team standings at the NCAA championships. Division II McKendree won the team title narrowly over second-place Iowa, which is the only Division I school from a Power 4 conference currently sponsoring women's wrestling at the varsity level.

Mir is viewed by many to be the next great women's mixed martial arts fighter in UFC. She's already a two-time world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and owns a 4-0 record as a professional MMA fighter.

Bella was 5 years old when Frank won his second UFC title. Ever since then,she told ESPNin a recent interview, she's wanted one of her own.

"There's been really special people that have stood out in the history of the UFC and the sport," UFC president Dana White told ESPN. "And I truly believe that Bella will be one of those too."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Bella Mir, daughter of UFC legend Frank Mir, wins NCAA wrestling title

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Daughter of UFC legend Frank Mir wins NCAA wrestling championship

Bella Mir has added to her family's collection of championships. Her dad Frank was twice the heavyweight c...

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Trump says will not sign other legislation until voter act bill is passed by Congress

WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - ‌U.S. ‌President Donald Trump ​vowed in a social ‌media ⁠post on Sunday ⁠that he ​would ​not ​sign any ‌other legislation until Congress approves ‌a ​voter ​bill ​that ‌Democrats believe would ​disenfranchise ​some voters.

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(Reporting ​by ‌Steve HollandEditing ​by Bernadette ​Baum)

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Trump says will not sign other legislation until voter act bill is passed by Congress

WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - ‌U.S. ‌President Donald Trump ​vowed in a social ‌media ⁠post on Sunday ⁠that he ​would ​...

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