Real Madrid moved into the Champions League quarterfinal after a 1-0 win over Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabeu. Napoli, meanwhile, beat Eintracht Frankfurt to make it to the last 8 for the first time in their history.

Brighton, in the Premier League, kept up their hopes of playing European football next season with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.

And in tennis, Daniil Medvedev booked a spot in the Indian Wells Masters semifinals, joining Frances Tiafoe in men’s singles. In the women’s singles draw, Aryna Sabalenka will face Maria Sakkari in the final 4.

Here’s a look at the key stories from international sporting events through the day for 16 March, 2023:

Real Madrid beat Liverpool

Karim Benzema struck for Real Madrid to clinch a 1-0 win over Liverpool and qualification for the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday, 6-2 on aggregate.

After the wild last 16 first leg clash at Anfield in February left Madrid sitting pretty with a three-goal advantage, Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said his side only had a one percent chance of turning the tie around.

They stemmed the bleeding at the Santiago Bernabeu but never looked like mounting a stirring comeback of the type they managed against Barcelona in 2019, or AC Milan in the 2005 final.

Madrid have now knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League in three consecutive seasons, including beating them in last year’s final.

Napoli through to first quarterfinal

Victor Osimhen says Napoli are dreaming of Champions League glory after his brace shot the Serie A leaders to a 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and into the quarterfinals for the first time in their history.

Nigeria striker Osimhen struck either side of half-time to ensure no slip-ups in Naples and help his team secure a straightforward, and deserved, 5-0 aggregate win.

Piotr Zielinski added Napoli’s third from the penalty spot on a perfect night for southern Italy’s biggest club.

Brighton continue fight for European spot

Brighton bolstered their bid to qualify for Europe with a 1-0 win in their Premier League derby against Crystal Palace, while Brentford pushed Southampton deeper into relegation trouble on Wednesday.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side earned their first victory in eight league meetings with bitter rivals Palace thanks to Solly March’s goal at the rain-soaked Amex Stadium.

Seventh-placed Brighton moved level on points with sixth-placed Liverpool, with the Seagulls holding a game in hand.

As it stands, sixth place will guarantee qualification for next season’s European Conference League, although that will drop to seventh if Manchester City or Manchester United win the FA Cup.

It is shaping up to be a memorable season for Brighton, who host fourth-tier Grimsby in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Sunday.

In contrast, their old enemies Palace saw their winless streak reach 12 games in all competitions as they await their first victory in 2023.

Just across the south coast at St Mary’s, bottom of the table Southampton slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Brentford, who sit one place behind Brighton and have their own European ambitions.

Brentford lost for the first time in 13 Premier League matches against Everton last weekend.

But they bounced back as Ivan Toney struck in the 32nd minute with his 16th league goal this term, this one a tap-in after Christian Norgaard headed Bryan Mbeumo’s corner across the six-yard box.

Yoane Wissa grabbed Brentford’s second goal deep into stoppage time with a clinical finish from the edge of the area.

Medvedev, Sabalenka through to semis

Daniil Medvedev’s sore right ankle wasn’t a factor Wednesday as he beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-5 to reach the semifinals at Indian Wells, where Aryna Sabalenka and Frances Tiafoe raced into the final four.

Medvedev showed little ill effect from the twisted ankle he suffered in a three-set battle against Alexander Zverev a day earlier as he pushed his ATP match winning streak to 18 straight.

He booked a semifinal clash with 16th-ranked American Tiafoe, who beat 2021 Indian Wells winner Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4.

Australian Open champion Sabalenka, still building on her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne, overpowered Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-0 to advance at the combined WTA and ATP Masters 1000 event.

Sabalenka will face 2022 runner-up Maria Sakkari after the seventh-ranked Greek defeated two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Results on Wednesday at the WTA and ATP Masters 1000 hard court tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California (x denotes seeded player):

Men’s singles quarterfinals

Daniil Medvedev (RUS x5) bt Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP x23) 6-3, 7-5

Frances Tiafoe (USA x14) bt Cameron Norrie (GBR x10) 6-4, 6-4

Women’s singles quarterfinals

Maria Sakkari (GRE x7) bt Petra Kvitova (CZE x15) 4-6, 7-5, 6-1

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x2) bt Cori Gauff (USA x6) 6-4, 6-0

With text inputs from AFP

Updated through the day