NEW YORK — Fox plans to avoid coverage of Qatar’s controversial treatment of migrant workers during World Cup broadcasts, much as it didn’t address criticism of Russia’s government during the 2018 tournament.
“Our stance is if it affects what happens on the field of play, we will cover it and cover it fully,” David Neal, executive producer of Fox’s World Cup coverage, said Thursday. “But if it does not, if it is ancillary to the story of the tournament, there are plenty of other entities and outlets out there that are going to cover that. We firmly believe the viewers come to us to see what happens on the field, on the pitch.”
Neal spoke at an event to debut images of the network’s set in Doha made of LED screens, the hub of its coverage of a tournament that runs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18.
“This set, in typical subtle Fox fashion,” he said, “I think it will be visible from Mars,”
Qatar has been criticized over its treatment of the workers who built the World Cup venues. Paris’ city government will not broadcast World Cup matches on giant screens in public fan zones amid concerns over rights violations of migrant workers and the environmental impact of the tournament in Qatar.
Neal said he did not regret bypassing coverage of issues such as racism and sexism in Russia four years ago.
“I think the quizzical thing about what’s happened with Russia is that they took all that international goodwill that they had correctly earned as a really great host of the World Cup, and that’s now gone,” Neal said.
Fox took over from ESPN as the FIFA’s U.S. English-language World Cup broadcaster starting with the 2015 women’s tournament and has rights through the 2026 men’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It will televise 34 of 64 matches this year on the main Fox network and the remainder on its FS1 cable network.
U.S. Spanish-language television rights are held by NBCUniversal’s Telemundo.
Fox will have commentators call all matches from stadiums in Qatar, where the eight venues are within 35 miles (55 kilometers) of Doha. Four years ago, the 12 venues were spread around Russia and Fox called 33 matches onsite, including all but one during the knockout rounds.
John Strong and Stu Holden, the lead announce team, attended the event along with host Rob Stone, analysts Alexi Lalas and Maurice Edu, and reporter Jenny Taft.
With the tournament shifted from its traditional June/July time slot because of Qatar’s summer heat, games will take place during the NFL and college seasons. Fox debuted a “Superfan Santa” advertisement last weekend tying soccer to Santa Claus.
“On Thanksgiving Day, yes, it’s great to be around family. It’s better to be around the television with your family so you don’t have to talk to them all the time,” Stone said. “So Thanksgiving Day, it is Luis Suárez. It is Cristiano Ronaldo. It is Neymar. It is Cowboys-Giants. That’s a lot of TV. That’s a lot of time you don’t have to talk to the in-laws.”
Some weekend games will overlap coverage on Fox and other networks.
“When we first saw the tournament being moved to November/December, we, like a lot of people said, oh, boy, that’s tough. It’s against football,” Neal said. “We came to realize that it’s an advantage. The simple fact is there’s more eyeballs available in November and December than there is in the summer. There’s more people available to television who are able to tune in, and instead of having to attract people in from the beach to watch what we’re doing, they’re already there.”
The U.S. is back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament.
“One of our proudest moments as an entity, certainly as a World Cup rights holder, was the month worth of storytelling that we did in Russia, and it was about that 33rd character: 32 teams and the host country,” Neal said. “This time around we got a huge advantage over that because we got the United States there. The United States team I think we all believe has a legitimate chance of getting out of the group stage.”
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:
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Harris comments on addressing climate inequity misrepresented
CLAIM: Vice President Kamala Harris said that Hurricane Ian relief will be distributed based on race, with communities of color receiving aid first.
THE FACTS: Speaking at the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum in Washington last week, Harris discussed distributing resources equitably to help vulnerable groups, such as communities of color, recover from disasters related to climate change. She did not describe the structure that would be used to allocate aid to victims of the recent hurricane. Widespread social media posts mischaracterized Harris’ comments during her conversation with actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas to claim she said communities of color would be prioritized in the distribution of relief for this storm. A Facebook video with a clip of Harris at the event on Sept. 29 alleged: “Kamala Harris tells hurricane victims in Florida they may not get aid because of their skin color?!” The video was viewed more than 211,000 times. The post refers to Harris’ response to a multipart question from Chopra Jonas in which she asked first about Hurricane Ian aid, and then, separately, about long-term efforts related to climate change. “Can you talk a little bit about the relief efforts, obviously, of Hurricane Ian and what the administration has been doing to address the climate crisis in the states?” Chopra Jonas asked, according to a full recording of the event. Chopra Jonas continued: “But — and just a little follow up, because this is important to me: We consider the global implications of emissions, right? The poorest countries are affected the most. They contributed the least and are affected the most. So how should voters in the U.S. feel about the administration’s long-term goals when it comes to being an international influencer on this topic?” Harris mentioned Hurricane Ian in passing, but did not talk about specific relief efforts the federal government would undertake. She instead referenced money allocated to address climate change in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and spoke about what she believes needs to be done to address the effects of climate change broadly, including the equitable distribution of resources. Pivoting to address the second part of Chopra Jonas’ question related to addressing disparities, Harris continued: “But also what we need to do to help restore communities and build communities back up in a way that they can be resilient — not to mention, adapt — to these extreme conditions, which are part of the future.” Harris then elaborated: “In particular on the disparities, as you have described rightly, which is that it is our lowest income communities and our communities of color that are most impacted by these extreme conditions and impacted by issues that are not of their own making,” she said, adding: “We have to address this in a way that is about giving resources based on equity, understanding that we fight for equality, but we also need to fight for equity; understanding that not everyone starts out at the same place. And if we want people to be in an equal place, sometimes we have to take into account those disparities and do that work.” Deputy White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates told the AP that claims Harris announced in this response that Ian aid would be race-based are “inaccurate.” He said Harris was discussing long-term goals for addressing climate change, having “explicitly moved on to answering the second question.” FEMA Director of Public Affairs Jaclyn Rothenberg also told the AP that claims the process will be race-based are false, and that Hurricane Ian aid will be given to all those affected by the storm. “The Vice President was talking about a different issue at that time and her comments were focused on long term climate investments,” she wrote in an email.
— Associated Press writer Melissa Goldin in New York contributed this report.
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World Cup ‘rules’ graphic created by citizens group, not Qatari officials
CLAIM: Qatar’s government created an infographic with instructions on how to behave during the 2022 World Cup, including rules that ban alcohol, homosexuality and dating.
THE FACTS: The infographic being shared online ahead of the 2022 World Cup, which opens in Qatar next month, was not created or released by the government there, according to the state agency in charge of organizing the event. It was created by a Qatari citizens group and published on social media as part of a campaign called “Reflect Your Respect.” The graphic, shared on social media with claims that it listed official rules on how to behave in the Muslim-majority country during the event, states: “Qatar welcomes you! Reflect your respect to the religion and culture of Qatari people by avoiding these behaviors.” The poster cites eight specific examples, including “drinking alcohol, homosexuality, immodesty, profanity,” and not respecting places of worship. Playing loud music, dating and taking people’s pictures without permission are also noted. Images representing each of those areas are featured on the infographic and are covered by a circle with a slash through it. “Qatar’s rules for people who will attend the World Cup 2022 in the country,” a tweet with the infographic claimed. But the infographic does not reflect official policies from Qatar related to conduct during the World Cup, according to the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the state entity organizing the tournament. “The ‘Qatar Welcomes You’ graphic circulating on social media is not from an official source and contains factually incorrect information,” a committee spokesperson wrote in a statement to the AP. “We strongly urge fans and visitors to rely solely on official sources from tournament organisers for travel advice for this year’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.” Qatar is easing its stance on alcohol for the tournament. World Cup organizers have finalized a policy that would allow alcoholic beer to be served to fans inside stadiums and fan zones, the AP has reported. Qatari law calls for a prison sentence of one to three years for adults convicted of consensual gay or lesbian sex. Despite same-sex relationships being criminalized, the AP reported that Qatari officials insist that LGBTQ couples would be welcomed and accepted in Qatar for the World Cup, complying with FIFA rules promoting tolerance and inclusion. Still a senior leader overseeing security for the tournament told the AP earlier this year that rainbow flags may be taken away from fans to protect them from being attacked for promoting gay rights. Planners involved with Reflect Your Respect did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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No, COVID shots don’t change human DNA to a ‘triple helix’
CLAIM: COVID-19 mRNA vaccines alter recipients’ DNA by changing its shape to a “triple helix.”
THE FACTS: There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines are editing humans’ DNA, experts have told the AP. The false claim, which has been shared repeatedly on social media, has surfaced again, this time in posts that allege the mRNA shots change DNA to a “triple helix.” DNA is made of two linked strands that appear like a twisted ladder, referred to as a double helix. RNA is closely related to DNA, and one type, called messenger RNA or mRNA, sends instructions to the cell for different purposes. The mRNA in the COVID-19 vaccines helps train the body to recognize a protein from the coronavirus to trigger an immune response. In one TikTok video that also appeared on Instagram, a woman claims: “The magic potion, if you actually read the patents, it is adding a triple helix.” Another Instagram video claims that “this new technology they came out with introduces a third strand, through mRNA messaging technology it actually breaks a strand and puts in a third strand, which creates a triple helix.” But the videos distort the science, experts said. The video attempts to back up its assertion by showing language from a Moderna patent application published in 2014 that at one point states: “According to the present invention, the nucleic acids, modified RNA or primary construct may be administered with, or further encode one or more of RNAi agents, siRNAs, shRNAs, miRNAs, miRNA binding sites, antisense RNAs, ribozymes, catalytic DNA, tRNA, RNAs that induce triple helix formation, aptamers or vectors, and the like.” But Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, told the AP the patent document was discussing RNA presenting as a triple helix, not changing humans’ DNA to a triple helix. “If you actually read the patent, it has nothing to do with forming a triple helix of the RNA therapeutic with the host DNA,” Kuritzkes said. It’s that the RNA molecule could theoretically form a triple helix, he said. For certain therapeutic applications, a triple helical RNA could be useful, he said. The patent was broad and not specific to Moderna’s eventual COVID-19 vaccine. “The messenger RNA from the vaccine does not form a triple helix, and it certainly doesn’t intercalate with the DNA to form a triple helix in any way,” Kuritzkes said. Experts emphasized that the mRNA in COVID-19 vaccines is not transforming humans’ DNA. “There is no mechanism for them to alter anyone’s DNA,” said Emily Bruce, an assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at the University of Vermont. “It’s something that’s temporarily translated into protein and then the body gets rid of it.”
— Associated Press writer Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia contributed this report.
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Inflation is worse than it was a year ago, despite online claims
CLAIM: New data shows that inflation has dropped to half of what it was a year ago, marking a win for President Joe Biden.
THE FACTS: While inflation has slowed in recent months, the latest government estimates show that prices are still higher in August 2022 than they were in August 2021. As steep consumer price hikes continue to strain Americans’ budgets, a tweet downplaying the severity of recent inflation spread online. “BREAKING: New data has dropped that inflation has dropped to half of what it was a year ago,” read the tweet, which amassed more than 28,000 likes. ”That’s a Biden Win!” The tweet’s claim isn’t supported by data, economists told the AP. While the Consumer Price Index, a measure of change in consumer prices and a common metric of inflation published by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, was up just 0.1% in August from July, the index is still up 8.3% since August 2021. “There is no hard evidence of either inflation falling sharply on a monthly basis, on a quarterly basis, on a semi-annual basis, on a yearly basis, or announcement of any substantial revision of official statistics,” said Alessandro Rebucci, an associate professor of economics at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. The Bureau of Labor Statistics did report that consumer prices increased 0.3% in August 2021 from July 2021, which is a higher monthly rate of change compared to the 0.1% monthly increase reported in August 2022. While the monthly change in consumer prices was lower in August 2022 than it was in August 2021, comparing those rates alone doesn’t accurately reflect how prices have changed during that 12-month timeframe, experts say. Lower gas prices slowed U.S. inflation for the second straight month in August, but most other prices kept rising, the AP reported. This jump in “core” prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs, outpaced expectations and continues to pose a significant burden for U.S. households. “There’s still a fair amount of inflation embedded in the economy,” said Stephan Weiler, a professor of economics at Colorado State University, adding that Americans’ overall purchasing power has been reduced by 8.3%. The August CPI “basically means that things are getting more expensive,” said Yun Pei, an assistant professor of economics at the University at Buffalo. He characterized the idea that inflation has been halved over the last year as “clearly not true.”
— Associated Press writer Josh Kelety in Phoenix contributed this report.
TURIN, Italy — Argentina winger Ángel Di María will be out for “around 20 days” with an injured right hamstring, Juventus announced on Thursday, leaving hope he can return in time for the World Cup.
Juventus said tests revealed “a low-grade lesion to the hamstring of the right thigh,” adding “it will take around 20 days for the player’s complete recovery.”
Di María exited Juventus’ Champions League loss at Maccabi Haifa on Tuesday when he pulled up grasping the back of his right thigh while wincing in pain.
Argentina, one of the favorites for the World Cup in Qatar, opens on Nov. 22 against Saudi Arabia and also faces Mexico and Poland in Group C.
Di María’s injury came days after fellow Argentina international Paulo Dybala was injured while playing for Roma.
Also, Lionel Messi has a slight calf injury and was unavailable for Paris Saint-Germain’s game against Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
The summer transfer window is closed for the major leagues in Europe. However, with an eye on January, there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
The 19-year-old has earned attention from just about every one of the world’s top clubs — including Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Liverpool.
Bellingham has been a key man for Dortmund this term, captaining them twice so far while scoring five goals and providing two assists across the campaign. He has scored in every one of their four Champions League matches so far.
Manchester City have certainly benefited from signing Bellingham’s former Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland, who has 20 goals and three assists from just 13 matches under Pep Guardiola.
Meanwhile, there have been plenty of questions asked about Liverpool’s midfield and it is felt that Bellingham would help solve their issues.
As for Chelsea, there has recently been talk that Jorginho and N’Golo Kante could both leave on free transfers in the summer — while Bellingham’s transfer wouldn’t come cheap, he would certainly help make up for the quality departing.
– Calciomercato have reported that Paris Saint-Germain have joined Chelsea in trying to sign AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, who has a release clause of €150m. Milan do not want their talisman to leave and have held contacts with his entourage in recent days as they aim to reach a new deal.
– Gabriel Martinelliwants to extend his contract with Arsenal despite Chelsea having previously shown an interest in the Brazilian winger, according to Christian Falk. The 21-year-old has recorded four goals and two assists in the Premier League and currently has a contract that runs until the summer of 2024.
– Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that it is down to Toni Krooswhether or not the midfielder’s contract will be extended past its current expiration in 2023, as reported by Florian Plettenberg. Kroos will end his playing career with Los Blancos but talk of whether he will play out a new one-year deal before doing so will come soon.
– Having previously reported on Barcelona‘s interest in Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez, Diario Sport have now stated that the Blaugrana watched the Argentine as he helped his side earn a 1-1 draw against PSG in Champions League on Tuesday. Barca’s interest comes as reported target Martin Zubimendi likely to renew his contract with Real Sociedad. Liverpool are also looking at Fernandez.
– Juan Cuadradoand Alex Sandro both seem destined to leave Juventus at the end of the season, according to Calciomercato. The two South American full-backs both have contracts that expire in the summer and the Bianconeri are currently willing to let them leave on free transfers rather than offering a renewal.
In October 2018, Donny van de Beek, aged just 21, was starting for Ajax against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. By the end of that season, he had scored 17 goals from midfield, one of which came in a Champions League semifinal at Tottenham Hotspur.
A few weeks later, he played against England and Portugal as Netherlands finished runners-up in the Nations League, and by 2020, he had earned himself a €45 million transfer to Manchester United.
But rather than the next step up in a career that until that point had gone from strength to strength, his move to Old Trafford triggered a decline so sharp that when head coach Louis van Gaal names his Netherlands squad for the 2022 World Cup, there won’t be any questions about why Van de Beek isn’t included.
The midfielder was told by Van Gaal he needed to “start playing games” after he was initially dropped from the national squad more than a year ago. Now that he is injured, as well as out of favour, there is little prospect of that happening before the tournament starts in Qatar next month.
It has reached the point where Van de Beek has been written off by most United fans as another bad signing. There was hope in the summer that the appointment of his former manager at Ajax, Erik ten Hag, might kick-start his career in Manchester. But Van de Beek has found opportunities just as hard to come by under the new United boss as he did under predecessors Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick. So far this season he has played 19 minutes of football, and speaking last week, Ten Hag said the 25-year-old would first have to impress in training before being considered for a place in the team.
“He had a muscle injury,” said Ten Hag after the Europa League victory over Omonia Nicosia. “So it takes a couple of weeks. He’s now back on the training grass, so he’s outside doing his work but still individual, he’s not returning to team training. So we have to wait for that moment.”
Van de Beek has got used to waiting. After arriving at United from Ajax, it took Solskjaer more than two months to trust him with a Premier League start in a 3-2 win at Southampton. He was picked for the next league game against West Ham, but after being substituted at half-time at the London Stadium, he had to wait until May to start another game in the Premier League against Leicester at Old Trafford.
Solskjaer’s treatment of a player who was on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or in 2019 raised questions about whether the Norwegian was ever keen to have him at the club at all. Van de Beek was signed at a time when United were coming under pressure for a lack of ambition in the transfer market, and they were able to tie up a deal quickly after a proposed move to Real Madrid broke down.
A popular member of the squad, his lack of game time baffled some of his teammates, who would regularly make a point of highlighting him in their social media posts whenever he made a key contribution in training or matches.
A loan move to Everton in January was disrupted by a thigh injury, but Ten Hag’s appointment at United in the summer was seen as a fresh start with a coach who had got the best out of him at Ajax. Ten Hag initially said he was “looking forward” to working with his former player, but it wasn’t long before he was issuing a warning.
“Me as a manager and the coaching staff around him can do everything to set the right conditions so he can perform, but in the end, the player has to do it by himself,” he said during United’s preseason tour of Thailand and Australia. “It’s the same for every player, he has to do it by himself. They have to take responsibility for their performance. Donny has the capability. I have seen it, but he has to prove himself.”
Ten Hag insists “chances will come” during a hectic season in four competitions, but it is becoming increasingly likely Van de Beek will have to leave the club, either in January or next summer, to get his career back on track.
Sources have told ESPN that Leicester City are one of those interested, but Van de Beek has a contract at Old Trafford until 2025, with the option of another year, and United would want some kind of return on the €45m fee they paid just two years ago.
Still only 25, there is still time to prove he can be the same player who burst though at Ajax. But time has already run out on his chances of playing at the World Cup, and the clock is ticking on his future at United.
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In episode four of Aquaphobia we hear travel around the country to get the experiences of different water sports and hear from a double Olympic water polo champion in the United States
LOS ANGELES — Former goalkeeper Hope Solo objected to the equal pay lawsuit between her former teammates and the U.S. Soccer Federation, filing a notice in federal court.
Solo sued the USSF in August 2018 alleging violations of the federal Equal Pay Act and sex status discrimination.
While Solo’s case hasn’t progressed to trial, players led by Alex Morgan filed suit against the USSF the following year under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Those players and the USSF reached a proposed $24 million settlement this spring, and U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner in Los Angeles has scheduled a Dec. 5 hearing for final approval.
As part of the settlement, the USSF signed collective bargaining agreements with the unions for the women’s and men’s national teams calling for equal pay.
Soccer player Hope Solo sits on stage before “Champion & Activist: An Evening With Hope Solo” at the University of New Mexico on January 27, 2020 in Albuquerque.
Getty Images
Solo filed a notice of objection Tuesday and said she intends to attend the hearing either in person or through or her lawyer.
“It’s unfair to ask players to accept as ‘fair, adequate and reasonable’ a settlement in which the only thing that is described and explained with certainty is how much the lawyers will be paid,” Solo said in a statement issued by her lawyer, A.J. de Bartolomeo.
Solo cited $7.9 million of the $22 million settlement fund as going to lawyers.
“Without knowing how much each player – including me for our Title VII claims – will be paid, or when we will get paid, it’s impossible for players to determine whether or not the proposed settlement and whatever payment we each receive is fair, adequate or reasonable,” she said.
The USSF had no immediate comment, spokesman Neil Buethe said.
“This historic resolution has been recognized as one of the greatest victories for equal pay,” Molly Levinson, a spokeswoman for the group of suing players, said in a statement. “We look forward to the court’s final approval hearing.”
PAMPLONA, Spain — Laia Codina and Esther González both scored for Spain in a 2-0 victory Tuesday over the U.S. women’s national team, which lost a second straight game for the first time in more than five years.
Codina scored in the 39th minute. It was the first goal off a set piece that the United States had conceded since last summer’s Tokyo Olympics. Gonzalez added a goal in the 72nd.
The United States hadn’t lost two straight since the March 2017 SheBelieves Cup, when the team lost consecutive games to England and France.
Both teams are preparing for next summer’s World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The United States, the world’s top-ranked team, has won the last two World Cups.
Both teams also have been rocked by scandals, with Spain missing some of their best players because of it.
The U.S. players are reeling following the release last week of a report on misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League. A year-long investigation led by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates found “systemic” abuse and misconduct in women’s soccer.
U.S. captain Becky Sauerbrunn said players were “horrified” by the revelations. Five of 10 coaches in the NWSL last season were either fired or stepped down amid allegations of inappropriate behavior. Yates also offered recommendations for change going forward.
Meanwhile, a group of Spanish national team players recently called on the federation to professionalize the women’s team. But the federation responded by saying the players asked for coach Jorge Vilda to be fired, which the players denied.
The federation made matters worse by asking the players to apologize and ask for forgiveness. In announcing his team for a pair of friendlies this month, including Tuesday’s game, Vilda excluded the players who called for change, among them Barcelona’s Patricia Guijarro and goalkeeper Sandra Panos, and Manchester United’s Lucia Garcia. Jenni Hermoso and Alexia Putellas were not included because of injury.
The United States was coming off a 2-1 loss to England on Friday in front of a sold-out crowd at Wembley Stadium. The Americans have conceded goals in their past three matches, after allowing just two total goals in its previous 19 games.
Spain was coming off a 1-1 draw with Sweden in Cordoba.
The United States won the previous three meetings against Spain.
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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
The National Women’s Soccer League announced Monday that it had terminated the contracts of Orlando Pride coach Amanda Cromwell and assistant Sam Greene after finding the two had engaged in retaliatory conduct.
The league made the announcement in a statement following a joint investigation by the NWSL and NWSL Players Association, with the Pride voicing support for the decision.
“Cromwell’s and Greene’s employment contracts are terminated effective immediately. Cromwell and Greene are ineligible to work in the NWSL in any capacity unless or until approved by the Commissioner,” the NWSL said in a statement.
Pride owner Mark Wilf issued the following statement shortly after: “Our organization has received a review of the findings regarding retaliatory conduct toward Pride players and supports the actions taken by the National Women’s Soccer League, including the league’s decision to terminate the contracts of Amanda Cromwell and Sam Greene, effective immediately.”
Cromwell and Greene were placed on temporary administrative leave on June 6 by the NWSL and NWSLPA, pending an investigation into a violation of the NWSL discrimination, harassment and bullying policy for “alleged retaliation.”
Later on Monday, Cromwell responded with a statement of her own, in which she said: “I am saddened and disappointed by the results of the NWSL’s investigation released today. I believe the investigation lacked transparency, professionalism and thoroughness and as a result my character and integrity have been mischaracterized.”
Cromwell further alleged that the accusations of “retaliatory” behavior stemmed from her decision to waive a certain player “based on performance and conduct that was detrimental to the team culture.”
That decision, she wrote, had been approved by the club.
“Throughout this process, I have remained silent as I have fully cooperated with biased and incomplete investigation in an effort to clear my name and protect the reputation I have built both as a professional player and a coach for nearly 40 years,” Cromwell added in her statement. She said she would be “reviewing all legal options.”
Seb Hines took over in an interim role for Cromwell after she was placed on leave with the Pride missing out on the NWSL postseason after the season ended on Oct. 1.
The news about Cromwell and Greene comes one week after the release of a report by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the league. Yates did not investigate Orlando or find wrongdoing on Cromwell’s part, but the report’s release did highlight increased scrutiny on coaches within the NWSL due to widespread allegations of abuse from players.
The joint investigation by the NWSL and NWSLPA into misconduct in the league is still ongoing.
The curtain has come down on the 2022 MLS regular season, with 14 teams now preparing to contest the MLS Cup playoffs and another 14 waiting to watch them from home. There will be sides in both of those camps that likely are surprised to find themselves in the positions they occupy, for better or worse; such has been the unpredictable-as-ever nature of this campaign.
Few could’ve predicted Austin FC would be near the top of the Western Conference after a ho-hum inaugural season, while the New England Revolution following up a record-setting 2021 by missing the playoffs would’ve been met with similarly long odds eight months ago. That LAFC and the Philadelphia Union fought over the Supporters’ Shield all season, that was perhaps less surprising.
To definitively explain how these teams performed in 2022, ESPN asked Jeff Carlisle, Kyle Bonagura, Bill Connelly, Cesar Hernandez and Austin Lindberg to think back to the start of the year, consider each team’s expectations and deliver a final letter grade for all 28 sides.
Record: 10W-10D-14L Standing: 40 points, 11th in the East Grade: F
Based on points, Atlanta wasn’t the worst team in MLS, but considering the fact that its payroll of $21 million was the highest in MLS, combined with the fact that it finished 23rd out of 28 teams in the full league table, a failing grade is appropriate.
Sure, the numbers provided by the MLSPA don’t paint a complete picture. Season-ending injuries to the likes of defender Miles Robinson, midfielder Ozzie Alonso and goalkeeper Brad Guzan didn’t help. Neither did the continued drama surrounding striker Josef Martinez, but there was still enough talent on this team to at least get into the playoffs, and the Five Stripes didn’t get it done. The 2023 campaign is shaping up to be a put up or shut up year for manager Gonzalo Pineda. — Carlisle
Record: 16W-8D-10L Standing: 56 points, 2nd in West Grade: A-
FiveThirtyEight gave them a 31% chance of making the playoffs before the season and listed them as one of six teams with a less than 1% chance of winning the MLS Cup. But their early play was so strong that they had all but locked up a playoff spot by July, and now only LAFC, Philadelphia and Montreal have demonstrably better title odds.
They wobbled over the final month, losing five of their last 10, and we’ll see what legs they have left for the playoffs, especially in defense. But they’re here. Sebastian Driussi finished with 22 goals and seven assists in a possible MVP season, Diego Fagundez had six goals and 15 assists, and all in all, Austin FC enjoyed a miraculous second season. — Connelly
Record: 13W-3D-18L Standing: 42 points, 9th in East Grade: B+
They were top-3 in attendance, and thanks to a late hot streak they weren’t eliminated from the playoff race until the final week of their debut season. (And they pulled that off with an interim coach, Christian Lattanzio leading the way for more than half the season.) That is a success story in and of itself.
In the end, they just didn’t have enough firepower. They were 21st in goals scored — only Karol Swiderski hit double digits for the season — and opponents attempted far more shots than they did. But you can see the makings of a proper possession club here, and it will be interesting to see how they attempt to build on that this coming offseason. — Connelly
Record: 10W-9D-15L Standing: 39 points, 12th in East Grade: C-
There was a significant amount to feel positive about in the Windy City in 2022. Xherdan Shaqiri accumulated 18 direct goal contributions in his first season in the league, 18-year-old Gabriel Slonina emerged as one of the brightest goalkeeping prospects in recent memory (and subsequently sealed a transfer to Chelsea in the process), and 18-year-old forward Jhon Duran‘s debut campaign was so impressive (eight goals and three assists in just 1,274 minutes) that he earned a senior call-up with Colombia.
And yet, despite all that momentum, the Fire still finished 12th in the Eastern Conference and were eliminated from playoff contention with two matchdays left in the regular season. If Chicago’s reward for their promise in 2022 is the transfer fee generated by Slonina’s exit (and potentially Duran’s, too, with Chelsea and Liverpool credited with interest), then it’s hard to escape the conclusion that the club is facing another season of rebuilding in 2023. — Lindberg
Record: 12W-13D-9L Standing: 49 points, 5th in East Grade: A+
Qualifying for the playoffs for the very first time after spending the previous three seasons with the worst record in MLS? Not bad from FCC. It took until Decision Day and a result over bottom-of-the-table D.C. United, but Cincinnati made a statement with a 5-2 victory in the final weekend of the regular season.
The rebuild project under general manager Chris Albright and head coach Pat Noonan has undoubtedly been a success in 2022. They may not last long in the playoffs with their fragile defense, but they’ll be fun to watch if attack-minded players such as Brandon Vazquez, Luciano Acosta and Brenner continue to step up. — Hernandez
Record: 11W-10D-13L Standing: 43 points, 10th in West Grade: C-
A year after topping the Western Conference with 61 points, the Rapids swiftly fell back into obscurity. Only one team in the conference (San Jose) allowed more than the 57 goals conceded by Colorado, which gave up just 35 a year ago.
At the most basic level, the regression is easy to understand. Over the last year-plus, the Rapids have lost midfielders Kellyn Acosta and Cole Bassett and defenders Sam Vines and Auston Trusty without coming close to replacing them with players at the same level. The most high-profile acquisition was striker Gyasi Zardes, who in 26 matches scored nine goals. However, the Rapids won just twice in his first 11 appearances, which derailed the season by the middle of the summer. — Bonagura
Record: 10W-16D-8L Standing: 46 points, 8th in East Grade: C-
Is this a good time to bring up the fact that head coach Caleb Porter said, “I’d bet my house” on Columbus making the playoffs?
Needing at least a tie on Decision Day to earn a playoff spot after failing to qualify last year, the Crew tripped over themselves once again through a 2-1 loss to Orlando. The defeat, which featured a second half game winner for Orlando from Facundo Torres, felt indicative of a Columbus squad that has become accustomed to closing out games all season.
Questions will need to be answered by Porter, who often found himself stuck in draws and narrow results. Over the past year, it’s difficult to say that much progress has been made by the players or the coach. — Hernandez
Record: 7W-6D-21L Standing: 27 points, 14th in East Grade: F
The District was a case study in Murphy’s Law in 2022. Paul Arriola was transferred to Dallas, where he enjoyed a career year; Julian Gressel was shipped to Vancouver, where his rate of a direct goal contribution every 346 minutes was slashed to one every 220; manager Hernan Losada was fired; new coach Wayne Rooney finished the year with a 2W-3D-8L record; and star forward Taxi Fountas is being investigated for using a racial slur in a loss to Miami last month.
This was a season when D.C. were meant to establish themselves as postseason contenders. Little more than seven months after the campaign began, it’s hard to name a club further away from contention. — Lindberg
Record: 14W-11D-9L Standing: 53 points, 3rd in West Grade: B+
In his first season with the club, manager Nico Estevez has been decisive in the efforts that have helped Dallas return to the playoffs after missing out in 2021. With only 37 goals allowed all season and important saves from Maarten Paes, Dallas’ defensive prowess was influential in their top-third finish in the Western Conference table.
Which isn’t to say that their frontline should be ignored. Twenty-one-year-old USMNT striker Jesus Ferreira was one of the best in the league with his 18 goals and six assists. In support, others such as Paul Arriola, Alan Velasco and Sebastian Lletget also stepped up in crucial moments. — Hernandez
Record: 10W-6D-18L Standing: 36 points, 13th in West Grade: D
The growing pains of a new era? Even with majority owner Ted Segal taking charge since 2021 through front-office hirings (including a first-ever role for a technical director) and the marquee signing of Mexican international Hector Herrera, nobody was able to halt a dismal run of form that led to a failure to qualify for the playoffs and the firing of head coach Paulo Nagamura.
Nagamura’s replacement will be tasked with not only finding the right combination to work with Herrera, but also reviving a team that hasn’t earned a playoff invitation since 2017.
Record: 14W-6D-14L Standing: 48 points, 6th in East Grade: B
Inter woke up! After finishing 10th and 11th in the East, respectively, in their first two seasons of existence, Phil Neville’s squad looked well on the way to making it three straight playoff-free years before turning on the jets. After August 1, they generated more points than any MLS team besides Montreal, nearly succumbing to a late-August funk but rallying — thanks in part to one last hot streak from retiring striker Gonzalo Higuain — to snare the No. 6 seed in the Eastern playoffs.
This is neither a young nor particularly creative team, but making the postseason was the goal and they did so. — Connelly
Record: 21W-4D-9L Standing: 67 points, 1st in West Grade: A
After compiling an 18-4-3 record, LAFC’s procession to the Supporters’ Shield took a minor detour at one point. But a 1-4-1 stretch run raised all kinds of questions, such as if adding the likes of Gareth Bale, Denis Bouanga and Giorgio Chiellini might have unsettled the squad with the playoffs approaching. Philadelphia, all of a sudden, was in with a shout of catching the Black-and-Gold, but timely wins against Houston and Portland allowed LAFC to finish with a kick and claim the Shield.
Considering that this side missed the playoffs last year and underwent a considerable overhaul in terms of personnel, it’s an impressive accomplishment for the club and first-year manager Steve Cherundolo. Now the MLS Cup beckons. — Carlisle
Record: 14W-8D-12L Standing: 50 points, 4th in West Grade: B
What a second half of the year for the Galaxy. At the All-Star break point, they were floundering in ninth place in the Western Conference, with the postseason not worth discussing. Since then, the conversation has changed. Los Angeles rose all the way to fourth in the conference to earn a home playoff game (Nashville, Oct. 15) and are very much among the contenders to win the whole thing.
A lot of that turnaround has be credited to the acquisition of Riqui Puig. In his 10 appearances (9 starts), the Galaxy is 4-5-1 and he contributed eight goal contributions (3 goals, 5 assists). In the 22 games prior to Puig’s arrival this season, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez had 11 goal contributions (10 goals, 1 assist) and averaged 0.5 goals per 90 minutes. In the 10 games after Puig arrived, Chicharito’s production took off. He averaged 0.91 goals per 90 minutes and had nearly as many goal contributions (8 goals, 1 assist) in fewer than half as many games. — Bonagura
Record: 14W-6D-14L Standing: 48 points, 6th in West Grade: B-
There was no more up-and-down team in MLS in 2022 than the Loons. From May to the end of June, Minnesota lost seven of 10 games — including a U.S. Open Cup round-of-16 defeat to third-tier Union Omaha — before following that up with a stretch of nine wins in their next 12, only to finish the campaign by losing five of their last seven. In the end, this was a team that did just enough to sneak into the playoffs.
Injuries undoubtedly played a role: Hassani Dotson played 630 minutes before he was lost for the season to a torn ACL, Romain Metanire featured for just 22 minutes as he rehabbed a series of hamstring injuries, and Bakaye Dibassy missed the final seven matches of the season (and won’t be available for the playoffs) after suffering a ruptured quadriceps tendon. However, the Loons had the fourth-oldest squad in MLS in 2022, and their young players have done little to suggest they’re ready to take this team to the next level. — Lindberg
Record: 20W-5D-9L Standing: 65 points, 2nd in East Grade: A
Behold, the power of continuity. Montreal came into 2022 having missed the (full-season) playoffs every year since 2016 and only made a couple of real offseason moves (and kept manager Wilfried Nancy), but they enter the playoffs with the East’s No. 2 seed and the third-best title odds thanks to a couple of prolific veterans (Romell Quioto and Kei Kamara combined for 24 goals and 13 assists) and a breakout season for 2021 addition Djordje Mihailovic (nine goals and six assists from 57 chances created).
In short, their front office was patient, and the patience paid off. — Connelly
Record: 13W-11D-10L Standing: 50 points, 5th in West Grade: C+
After finishing third in the West in 2021, Nashville flirted seriously with the idea of missing the playoffs, but what they lacked in general watchability – it’s not much of an exaggeration to say that every Nashville match this year was a 1-1 draw — they made up for in resilience. A six-match unbeaten streak in August and September assured them of a fifth playoff bid in five tries. Still, the defense grew leakier and the team got older, and they will head into the offseason with more questions than they had a year ago.
Unless there’s a deep playoff run coming, this season was a step backward. — Connelly
Record: 10W-12D-12L Standing: 42 points, 10th in East Grade: F
We’ll let head coach Bruce Arena summarize the 2022 season for the Revs: “I’m not going to miss it.”
One year after setting MLS’ single-season points record and lifting their first-ever Supporters’ Shield, New England faltered in 2022 with a spot outside of the playoffs and a dramatic collapse in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. Although the expectation wasn’t to hit the same heights of 2021 (especially with the exits of Tajon Buchanan, Matt Turner and Adam Buksa to Europe), qualifying for the playoffs was the minimum goal.
Things didn’t go as planned either through injuries and the additions of veterans such as Sebastian Lletget, Jozy Altidore and Omar Gonzalez. Over the summer, Lletget was transferred to FC Dallas, while Altidore went on loan to Liga MX’s Puebla. As for Gonzalez, he was never able to establish a starting role. — Hernandez
Record: 16W-7D-11L Standing: 55 points, 3rd in East Grade: C+
As June beckoned, the reigning MLS Cup champions seemed to be making a solid push toward a repeat. On June 1, NYCFC was actually a point ahead of Philly, but then manager Ronny Deila left for Standard Liege, reigning Golden Boot winner Taty Castellanos was loaned to Girona, and things began to go wobbly They’ve gone just 7-7-5 since. Not awful, but not great either, and NYCCFC seemed to lose the high-pressing ethos that Deila instituted.
A three-game winning streak to end the season hints that things are improving under Nick Cushing, but the playoffs will be the ultimate judge of NYCFC’s season. — Carlisle
Record: 15W-8D-11L Standing: 53 points, 4th in East Grade: B+
The Red Bulls needed goals in 2022 if they were to have any chance of returning to their status as consistent Eastern Conference contenders. Striker Patryk Klimala registered just five this year, falling short of the impact expected of the Young DP signing from Celtic, but Lewis Morgan has been a revelation in New York, scoring 14 times in league play from the wing since his big-money arrival from Inter Miami in the offseason. As such, the Red Bulls saw their goals-for record improve from just 39 in 2021 (only three teams in the conference were worse) to 48 this season (sixth best).
This is a much improved team over last year, as evidenced by earning a Round One playoff contest at home, and Morgan’s emergence has a lot to do with that. Just imagine how dangerous Gerhard Struber’s side would be with some genuine productivity from the No. 9 position. — Lindberg
Record: 14W-6D-14L Standing: 48 points, 7th in East Grade: C+
The Lions remain one of the league’s enigmas. They broke through to win the U.S. Open Cup and also snuck into the playoffs on the last day of the season. Given that success and failure is largely playoff qualification-based, the tendency will be to look at the season as a positive. But looked at another way, Orlando finished seventh in a 14-team conference, basically midtable.
Given the money spent on the likes of Facundo Torres and Ivan Angulo, more was expected of an attack that ranked tied for 21st in the league with 44 goals scored. The minus-9 goal differential speaks to a lack of consistency on the defensive side of the ball as well. With a playoff spot secure, Oscar Pareja looks set to continue as manager, but plenty of questions need to be asked in terms of addressing the team’s weaknesses during the offseason. — Carlisle
Record: 19W-10D-5L Standing: 67 points, 1st in East Grade: A
The Union finished the year level on points with LAFC and only lost out on winning the Supporters’ Shield by virtue of having two fewer wins. From another vantage point, it’s easy to make the case the Union were the most dominant team in the league this year and had one of the best regular seasons in league history.
Their plus-46 goal differential was 18 better than LAFC this year and stands as the second-best mark in MLS history, behind only LAFC in 2019 (48). They led the league in goals scored (72), had the fewest goals conceded (26) and were the only team in the league to go unbeaten at home. Daniel Gazdag (22 goals) finished one shy of the Golden Boot and combined with Julian Carranza (14 goals) to finish as the top goal-scoring duo (tied with FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez and Brenner).
For all the Union accomplished, though, the only way to ensure a lasting place in history is to add an MLS Cup-size exclamation point. — Bonagura
Record: 11W-13D-10L Standing: 46 points, 8th in West Grade: D+
The Portland Timbers’ prominent role in Sally Yates’ report into systemic abuse in women’s soccer has deservedly overshadowed anything the team has done on the field in recent weeks. Not that there was much on the field to write home about: All Portland needed on Decision Day was a point against Real Salt Lake to ensure a place in the postseason. Instead, they came out disinterested and were outplayed in a 3-1 loss that saw the host jump out to a 3-0 lead before a late consolation goal.
It sets up an offseason in which the most important questions will be asked about Merritt Paulson’s future as owner, rather than how the Timbers will rebuild following a rare playoff miss. — Bonagura
Record: 12W-11D-11L Standing: 47 points, 7th in West Grade: C+
Let’s make sense of this: RSL lost longtime designated player Albert Rusnak in the offseason to Seattle and star midfielder Damir Kreilach appeared in just five games due to injury. Yet, the club still finished in seventh place, the same spot it did the prior season when it made a run to the Western Conference finals.
RSL beat Portland 3-1 on Decision Day to earn the final playoff spot and while that’s not exactly a conventional formula for postseason success, last year’s run should inspire some confidence that lightning can be captured in a bottle once again. No other playoff team scored fewer goals than Salt Lake, which outscored only four teams during the regular season. RSL also managed only 16 goals on the road, which doesn’t bode well for its trip to Austin, an offensive juggernaut. — Bonagura
Record: 8W-11D-15L Standing: 35 points, 14th in West Grade: D
The decision to keep Matias Almeyda as manager to start the season still looms large, though the 1.32 points per game the team has earned under Alex Covelo since then reveals that this side was always a borderline playoff team at best. A defense that conceded a whopping 67 goals, worst in the league, made it was even more of an uphill climb. Now this is new manager Luchi Gonzalez’s problem.
A trio of defenders — Carlos Akapo, Rodrigues and Miguel Trauco — have been brought in to start the defensive rebuild, but there’s frankly not enough data yet to determine if it will work. A space-covering holding midfielder is still needed. The attack looks in good shape with Jeremy Ebobisse, Cristian Espinoza and Jamiro Monteiro. Cade Cowell has promise, as does 17-year-old Niko Tsakiris, but 2023 has the makings of another “trying to sneak into playoffs vibe.” — Carlisle
play
1:44
Herculez Gomez debates which team has had the worst MLS season out of Atlanta and Seattle.
Record: 12W-5D-17L Standing: 41 points, 11th in West Grade: C-
This grade very much takes into consideration that the Sounders claimed the CONCACAF Champions League. It was the first time in two decades that an MLS side reached the continental promised land, and the first since a home-and-away was used in the knockout rounds, but Seattle paid for it in the long run.
Joao Paulo went down in the CCL final with a torn ACL. His replacement, Obed Vargas, later suffered a long-term back injury as well. Emotional leader Cristian Roldan underwent surgery, and influential forward Raul Ruidiaz logged just 1,306 league minutes. And so it went. The Sounders could never quite get going and failed to make the postseason for the first time in 14 seasons.
Now the question looms large: Can Seattle rebound? The roster seems locked up for next year too, with its complement of DPs already in place. It will amount to a tricky job for president of soccer Garth Lagerwey and manager Brian Schmetzer. That said, if everyone can just heal up, the talent is definitely there. — Carlisle
Record: 11W-7D-16L Standing: 40 points, 12th in West Grade: D+
Despite having a promising end to the season with just two losses in their last 10 games, very few will be content with how 2022 went for SKC. Hit by major setbacks through two lengthy injuries for DPs Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda, head coach Peter Vermes and his roster never found much-needed rhythm until August and were subsequently left out of this season’s playoffs.
They have the potential to bounce back in 2023 — keep an eye on goal scorer William Agada next year — but some serious roster questions will need to be asked during the winter offseason. — Hernandez
Record: 9W-7D-18L Standing: 34 points, 13th in East Grade: D
Giving your rivals a five-month head start is rarely a recipe for success, yet that’s essentially what Toronto did in 2022. From the starting XI that opened the season in Dallas, just four names remained in the XI that hosted Miami little more than a week ago. The Reds averaged a point a game before the secondary transfer window opened, when the likes of Lorenzo Insigne, Federico Bernardeschi, Mark-Anthony Kaye and four others arrived, leaving the team in a position to need a points-per-game pace of 2.27 after the window closed if they were to make it into the playoffs. For context, Supporters’ Shield-winning LAFC averaged 2.03 PPG all season.
Maybe the 2022 season was an acclimation period for new coach Bob Bradley and his stable of star signings, and Toronto will put it all together for an almighty run in 2023. If not, this year’s D grade will look a lot worse. — Lindberg
Record: 12W-7D-15L Standing: 43 points, 9th in West Grade: D+
The Caps were six points worse off in 2022 than they were in 2021, when they made a surprise run to the MLS Cup playoffs. They also scored five fewer goals — the third-worst goals-for metric in the league — despite having another season to work together while adding coveted wide creator Julian Gressel.
There is an argument to be made that Vancouver even being in the playoff conversation on Decision Day was a mirage. Only Wooden Spoon winners D.C. United boasted a worse goal differential than the Whitecaps’ minus-17. It’s another offseason of “back to the drawing board” in British Columbia. — Lindberg
ZURICH — Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro and Dubai Harbour in the United Arab Emirates are among six locations worldwide that stage fan festivals during the World Cup in Qatar.
Mexico City’s Plaza de la República, Sao Paulo’s Anhangabaú Valley, and downtown nightclub venues in London and Seoul, South Korea, also will host official game viewing parties and music events.
Organizers have also hired electronic music events from Saudi Arabia and England to perform during the tournament.
The events will “only be open to consumers of legal drinking age” at the venues co-organized by FIFA and long-time World Cup sponsor AB InBev, which brews the Budweiser, Corona and Brahma brands.
Entry to some events will be free and some will have an entry charge, FIFA said in a statement on Monday.
FIFA also revealed more details of music events planned in Qatar during the Nov. 20-Dec.18 tournament.
The electronic music festival Aravia, run by a Saudi Arabian events organizer, will be staged at a 5,500-capacity site at Al Wakrah.
The Arcadia Spectacular event, staging DJs beneath a fire-breathing, giant metal spider structure, has been a feature of the storied Glastonbury music and culture summer festival in England. It will be on a 15,000-capacity site at nearby Ras Bu Fontas, also close to Doha’s new international airport next to the Persian Gulf.
Qatari World Cup officials and the music promoters have not detailed ticket prices for their World Cup shows.
The main fan festival site for watching the 64 tournament games is at Al Bidda Park on the southern tip of the Corniche waterfront.
Qatar has relaxed some restrictions on where and when alcohol can be consumed in the emirate so that AB InBev beers can be sold at official fan parties and game viewing areas.
———
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
The 37-year-old has seen his opportunities to play restricted so far this season, but Ten Hag believes the winner against Everton could prompt a purple patch in front of goal.
“Every player needs it [confidence] even when you are the best in the world you need it, you need the goals,” Ten Hag told a news conference. “Once they have some goals, they come easier and then the goals come in a flow.
“That is really impressive when you score 700 goals, a huge performance. I am really happy for him and congratulate him for that. I am also really happy it is his first goal of the season in the Premier League. I am sure more goals will come for him.”
Victory for United moved them up to fifth in the table, one point off the top four. It was a crucial win following the 6-3 defeat to Manchester City a week ago and an awkward night against Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday.
“Criticism is normal when you have a defeat especially in a big game in a derby, so we have to deal with that and then you learn the lessons and we did, already on Thursday and today as well,” added Ten Hag.
“The first 35 minutes were good, in and out of possession. We had a setback, a goal against, but I think we responded much better and turned it around before half-time, so really good.”
The one downside for United was another injury to Anthony Martial. The Frenchman was handed his first start of the season after already missing games because of hamstring and Achilles problems, but was forced to limp off after just 28 minutes.
“I have to see,” Ten Hag said. “I cannot tell what it is, how serious. Let’s wait the first 24 hours how serious it is and then I can give an answer.”
FRANKFURT, Germany — The finalists of Euro 2020 will meet again on the way to the next tournament in two years’ time, with Italy and England drawn in the same qualifying group.
The draw for the tournament, which will be staged in Germany, was held by UEFA on Sunday.
Italy versus England was one of the standout match-ups in the Euro 2024 qualifying draw, with European giants Netherlands and France also facing each other.
Italy defeated England on penalties at Wembley last year to be crowned European champions. But the team coached by Roberto Mancini failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off next month.
Italy and England will also face Ukraine, North Macedonia and Malta in Group C.
Netherlands and France are joined by Republic of Ireland, Greece and Gibraltar in Group B.
Italy manager Roberto Mancini welcomed the draw, telling Sky Sports: “I think it’s always good to play against England in Wembley. It’s a good thing.
“It don’t change nothing for us. Maybe Italy and England will be favourites in this group, but it’s important to play all the games 100 per cent.”
———
The draw in full:
Group A: Spain, Scotland, Norway, Georgia, Cyprus
Group B: Netherlands, France, Republic of Ireland, Greece, Gibraltar
Group C: Italy, England, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Malta
Group D: Croatia, Wales, Armenia, Turkey, Latvia
Group E: Poland, Czech Republic, Albania, Faroe Islands, Moldova
Group F: Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Estonia
Group G: Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Lithuania
Group H: Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland, San Marino
Group I: Switzerland. Israel, Romania, Kosovo, Belarus, Andorra
Group J: Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Liechtenstein
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
Michael van Gerwen stays on course for his sixth World Grand Prix title after reaching his seventh final with a tirade of tungsten bashing to dismantle old foe Peter Wright, as Nathan Aspinall dethroned Gerwyn Price from his position as world No 1 to reach Sunday’s final in Leicester
Last Updated: 09/10/22 12:26am
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Watch the top checkouts from semi-finals night at the World Grand Prix in Leicester as Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen reached the final
Watch the top checkouts from semi-finals night at the World Grand Prix in Leicester as Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen reached the final
Michael van Gerwen put an end to his war of words with Peter Wright by demolishing his old adversary to set up a showdown with surprise-finalist Nathan Aspinall at the World Grand Prix.
Van Gerwen stormed into the final with a ruthless straight-sets rout of ‘Snakebite’ Wright, dropping just one leg in a one-sided contest.
Aspinall, meanwhile, battled past 2020 champion Gerwyn Price to earn his first appearance in the World Grand Prix final.
Saturday, October 8 – Results
Semi-Finals
Nathan Aspinall
4-2
Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright
0-4
Michael van Gerwen
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MVG thrashed Wright in the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix, winning 4-0 and only dropping one leg!
MVG thrashed Wright in the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix, winning 4-0 and only dropping one leg!
Wright endured a nightmare from the off as Van Gerwen took out 167 in the game’s opening leg and stamped his dominance on the tie by winning the first set without the world champion having a dart at a finishing double.
He also finished 94 and 98 to take command in set two, before punishing misses from Wright to double his lead in the tie.
Checkouts of 67 and 54 saw ‘Mighty Mike’ extend his winning streak to eight legs before Wright finally got off the mark by taking out 73 to pull back to 2-1 in the third set.
The Scot, though, paid for missing his chance to level the set as Van Gerwen closed out the set to close in on another appearance in the final.
He then finished 124 to open the fourth set, double 16 to move 2-0 up and punished further misses from Wright to seal victory on tops.
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Wright showed Van Gerwen respect after the Dutchman hit a monstrous 167 finish on the bullseye in the first leg of their clash
Wright showed Van Gerwen respect after the Dutchman hit a monstrous 167 finish on the bullseye in the first leg of their clash
“With my performance in the last few days I expected to win, but you still have to do it against a guy like Peter Wright,” said Van Gerwen, who has also seen off Gary Anderson, Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey in Leicester this week.
“He didn’t look well and I don’t know what happened there, but you need to take advantage of that.
“He’s a phenomenal player but he didn’t turn up tonight and I did the right things for myself at the right moment. Early doors I played well and that gave me confidence.”
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Michael van Gerwen on Wright thrashing: ‘For a mediocre player, I’m not doing too bad!’
Michael van Gerwen on Wright thrashing: ‘For a mediocre player, I’m not doing too bad!’
Van Gerwen has won the Premier League and World Matchplay this year, and has recovered from his own wrist surgery to return to top form and silence his doubters.
“I don’t have to justify myself,” he added. “Everyone knows what I’m capable of, and when Michael is there they’re all scared.
“I have to win my games and I hope I can keep performing like this tomorrow as well.
“In winning the Premier League I didn’t play my A-game, and I didn’t really play my A-game in the World Matchplay but I still won it. Now I think I’ve played some decent darts and I’m really happy for myself.”
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Aspinall ended world No 1 Price’s bid to reach a third successive World Grand Prix final in the first semi-final.
‘The Asp’ started the brighter and landed a 14-darter and a 113 finish as he claimed the opening set 3-1, but Price responded with 121 for a 12-darter on his way to the second set.
However, Aspinall fired in a 13-dart leg as he moved ahead again in the match, before two missed darts at double 16 from Price allowed the Stockport thrower in to land double five as he moved 3-1 up in the tie.
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Price flexed his muscles with two massive back-to-back finishes including a 127 checkout on the bull, but despite his big finishes, it was Aspinall who eventually dumped him out
Price flexed his muscles with two massive back-to-back finishes including a 127 checkout on the bull, but despite his big finishes, it was Aspinall who eventually dumped him out
Aspinall then moved to the brink of victory in set five, leading 2-1 before Price levelled, and when the former UK Open and US Darts Masters champion missed a match dart at double 16, the 2020 winner pounced with a 117 checkout to snatch the set and keep his hopes alive.
Price then took out 107 and 127 in successive legs to come from behind to lead in the sixth leg, but missed doubles allowed Aspinall in to level before a 13-darter saw him clinically close out the win.
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Nathan Aspinall said reaching the World Grand Prix final ‘means so much’ following his recovery from a serious wrist injury
Nathan Aspinall said reaching the World Grand Prix final ‘means so much’ following his recovery from a serious wrist injury
“To be in the World Grand Prix final, I’m absolutely on cloud nine,” said Aspinall, who landed a clinical 56 per cent of his finishing doubles in the tie.
“It means so much. I’ve put so much work in since my injury and worked so hard. Finally, I’m back in the final of a major and I’m buzzing.
“I think I should have won the game 4-1 but it wasn’t to be – nerves took their toll on me and Gezzy, when he needed to, took some amazing shots out.
“I thought he was going to kick on and his double tops were going to start going, but it just didn’t happen; I have no idea why and I’m thankful that I won.”
Nathan will have to sharpen up, but has he got the game? Yes! He knows that he’s the underdog and he’s been the underdog the whole event but he’s got the belief. He knows what it takes and he knows he’ll probably have to play better tomorrow than he did tonight. The chances he’ll get tomorrow won’t be as many, but all he can do is come up here and try his best. Can he win it? Yes, he can! But he’ll probably have to do what Robert Thornton did in 2015 and that is hit tops in a relentless way and probably have that little bit of luck with Michael van Gerwen missing. I think that’s what probably needs to happen.
Wayne Mardle on Van Gerwen vs Aspinall
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Van Gerwen will be firm favourite going into Sunday’s final, with Aspinall the outsider to claim the £120,000 top prize and lift the new World Grand Prix trophy at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.
You can watch the World Grand Prix final on Sky Sports Arena and Main Event on Sunday, October 9 from 7.30pm.
U.S. Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone said that additional allegations of abuse have come to light since the publication of the Yates report on Monday.
Parlow Cone made the disclosure of at least three additional cases in a pair of interviews with CNN. According to CNN’s report, Parlow Cone didn’t provide any additional details but said the cases have been passed on to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
“One of the great things to come out of this report is that it is encouraging more people to come forward,” Parlow Cone said during separate interviews with CNN’s Brianna Keilar on “New Day” and Amanda Davies on “World Sport.”
The investigation, which was a year in the making and included interviews with 200 people, revealed that abuse and misconduct in the NWSL — including verbal and emotional abuse and sexual misconduct — had become systemic, spanning multiple teams, coaches and victims.
The report added that “Abuse in the NWSL is rooted in a deeper culture in women’s soccer, beginning in youth leagues, that normalizes verbally abusive coaching and blurs boundaries between coaches and players.”
While a culture of silence and indifference permeated reports of misconduct in the past, Parlow Cone said she hoped that people felt safe to come forward and report instances of abuse, adding: “We’re not going to be able to root it out unless more brave people come forward to tell us.”
Parlow Cone, a former U.S. international, herself reported an incident of sexual harassment during her time as manager of the Portland Thorns.
She has said she reported the incident when she was leaving the franchise.
“Society needs to change as well, and evolve, and to make it safer for women to come forward to complain about this in the workplace or on a team,” she said.
“This is going to be a long process. It’s not going to be a quick fix.”
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s president said the country will not face sanctions from soccer’s world governing body after the firing of tear gas inside a half-locked stadium caused a crush at the exits, killing 131 people, including 17 children.
Joko Widodo said FIFA President Giani Infantino wrote in a letter to him about potential collaborations between Indonesia and FIFA and the country will remain the host of next year’s U-20 World Cup joined by 24 countries from five continents.
“Based on the letter, thank God, Indonesian is not sanctioned by FIFA,” Widodo said in a video posted on the presidential office’s YouTube channel late Friday.
In its security protocols, FIFA advises against the use of tear gas in or around stadiums and recommends exit gates be unlocked at all times during a game. While those rules are considered a safety standard, they don’t apply to domestic or national leagues and FIFA has no authority over how local governments and police control crowds.
Widodo toured the Kanjuruhan soccer stadium in Malang city on Wednesday and said several locked gates had contributed to the disaster that followed a league game between host Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya on Oct. 1. The national police chief on Thursday said the stadium did not have a proper operating certificate and criminal charges would be brought against six people, including three police officers.
Indonesia’s national soccer association, known locally as PSSI, has long struggled to manage the game domestically.
Gaining the right to host next year’s Under-20 World Cup was a major milestone in Indonesia’s soccer development, raising hopes that a successful tournament would turn around longstanding problems that have blighted the sport in the nation, home to more than 277 million people.
The deadly crush at is a tragic reminder, however, that Indonesia is one of the most dangerous countries in which to attend a game.
Since last week, the domestic league has been suspended. Widodo has ordered the sports minister, the national police chief and the soccer federation to conduct a thorough investigation into the deadly stadium crush.
He said on Friday that Indonesian government has agreed to take collaborative measures with FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to improve stadium safety to prevent another tragedy.
“FIFA, together with the government will set a transformation team for Indonesian ,” Widodo said, adding that Infantino would also to visit Indonesia in the near future.
He said that FIFA will be based in Indonesia during these processes to improve safety standards at all football stadiums across the country, formulate security procedures and protocols for the police based on international standards, take feedback from Indonesian football clubs and fans, regulate season calendar under risk-based considerations as well as to involve experts from various fields for advice.
