LONDON — United States women’s national coach Vlatko Andonovski said he was proud of his players for “even being on the field” after they lost 2-1 to England at Wembley Stadium on Friday, just days after the release of a report detailing systemic abuse in women’s soccer in the U.S.
The independent investigative report from Sally Yates released on Monday, detailed systemic abuse within the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and that league officials and governing body U.S. Soccer failed to adequately protect players.
Given that buildup, Andonovski was full of praise for the mentality of his roster.
“Obviously, it’s been an extremely difficult week for everybody and I’m proud of the players for even being on the field and playing the game,” he said. “It wasn’t easy.
“For some of them who were in the environment to see and experience everything they went through, I applaud their bravery and I applaud their fearless mentality and relentlessness. Once again, they showed that nothing can stop them playing the game that they love. I’m very proud of them and hoping we never have to go through that again.”
The U.S. was beaten by first-half goals from England’s Lauren Hemp and Georgia Stanway in front of a sellout crowd of almost 77,000 at Wembley. Sophia Smith scored for the U.S., which was also controversially denied a second goal when the video assistant referee ruled there had been an offside in the buildup.
But the game was about far more than the events on the field.
Players from England and the USWNT came together before kickoff to unveil a banner showing their support for victims of sexual abuse.
The players held a banner saying “Protect The Players” in the center circle, while Wembley’s arch above the stadium was lit teal for 15 minutes before kickoff. Both teams also wore teal armbands in a show of solidarity.
“It was a special moment when the players got together and had the banner in front of them,” Andonovski added.
“It gave me goose bumps to see the support from the fans that applauded the moment. It was a statement that we have to stop sexual violence and once again the players did an incredible job in using this game and event as a platform to fight against it.”
Added England manager Sarina Wiegman: “It was very important. We all wanted to play our part in being supportive. It’s very horrible that these situations occur. For the victims it was horrible, and now they have to re-live it again. It should stop.
“Now people are speaking up and it’s very strong, and we need to make sure it’s going to change and it doesn’t happen anymore.
“We celebrated lots of things today but when this happens, you can’t just let it go. The time is now, we use this momentum to spread the word that it’s unacceptable and horrible what is happening.”
USWNT veteran Megan Rapinoe spoke on the eve of the match and said she was “emotionally exhausted” after processing the report and called for accountability for those the report found were complicit in covering up the abuse.
Rapinoe said the report was “devastating in every single way” but praised the USWNT team for “how we were able to take that on and continue to do our job” ahead of Friday’s match.
LONDON — Reigning European champions England added another notch to their goalposts with a win over the current World Cup champions, the United States, in a friendly at Wembley Stadium. The Lionesses prevailed 2-1, with Georgia Stanway‘s penalty the difference after Lauren Hemp and Sophia Smith had both struck.
Here are the major takeaways from a gripping October international friendly between two of the world’s best women’s national teams as both sides prepare for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
1. England prove themselves against world champions
Who is the big dog in world football? That was the question coming into what was still, at the end of the day, just a friendly match with little fundamentally riding on it.
England’s narrow win could go down as a result for the European Champions, who matched the visitors well, but it was a little bigger than that. It serves as a wider example not just of the team showing they were no longer afraid of a U.S. team known for making opponents uncomfortable, but of the ability of the team to be more fluid in Sarina Wiegman’s system. The choice of Lauren Hemp at centre-forward following Ellen White’s retirement and Alessia Russo’s late injury should have left the attack unbalanced, yet the winger showed her intelligence throughout even if the defence looked less than perfect with Williamson out of it.
For the U.S., who are still trying to recover from a disastrous showing (by their own standards) at the Olympics over a year ago, the match again raised more questions than it answered. Even where Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma shone for their country, doing all they could to book their tickets to the World Cup next summer, the fragility of a midfield lacking long-term absentee Julie Ertz proved to be the difference.
2. U.S. fall foul of VAR
With VAR not as widespread in women’s football as in the men’s game, there is still a novelty that comes of a referee pausing to run across to a pitch-side monitor and question their own judgement. Riem Hussein, who fell into a VAR row when she awarded Ellen White a penalty against Norway at the Euros, was again the topic of conversation at Wembley as she halted the game to confer with the VAR twice in the first half and once after the break.
The German official first jogged over to the monitor to review a high boot Lucy Bronze had taken to the face, opting to award a penalty to England and a yellow card to Hailie Mace upon review. Then, when the U.S. looked to have pulled level late in the half, the restart was delayed as those in the technical booth confirmed a barely visible offside in the build-up, before later chalking off a penalty she had awarded for a handball that had struck Hemp on the rear.
With the technology used at major tournaments in women’s football, there were few complaints about its application at such a friendly nor could the foul on Bronze be heavily disputed, yet it was exactly the type of contact that should have been picked up in real time. Similarly, the penalty Hussein awarded the U.S. didn’t look to have been anywhere near Hemp’s arm as she jumped, very much rear-first in front of the shot. The involvement of the video assistant, as ever, only served to raise the question about refereeing standards in the game.
3. Sloppy football reigns supreme
There was an uncomfortable sloppiness to the match that inexplicably bore some of the trademarks of a preseason friendly. Players ran into each other, fell over under no pressure and at one point, Millie Bright gloriously and unwittingly blocked a shot with her backside. In a match that was billed as a quasi or would-be World Cup final, there was a thick layer of polish missing from the perfectly curated Wembley pitch.
There were, of course, off-the-pitch distractions to be taken into account, just as there were moments of magic when the likes of Sophia Smith and Georgia Stanway got on the ball. However, the clumsy nature of the match shone through as England got to grips with being the champions of Europe and the U.S. continued to search for a clear identity under Vlatko Andonovski.
A live wire for the U.S. all afternoon who has parried her silky club form into the international level. Really deserved more than one goal.
WORST: Hailie Mace, DF, U.S.
A forced first-half substitute for Fox, Mace spent the majority of the match looking off the pace and out of place in the defence.
Highlights and notable moments
Both teams put on a firm display of solidarity and protest before the game, in light of a difficult week for sports following Monday’s release of the Yates report and its spotlight on misconduct and systemic abuse across the NWSL.
Players from England and the United States Women’s national team unveiled a banner before kickoff in their match Friday at Wembley Stadium showing their support for victims of sexual abuse.
“That was really intense, just what we wanted. The U.S. played as we expected, they gave us hard times sometimes. I thought we played well in moments, better first half than second. … Whatever happens we know this is just a starting point for the World Cup, but it shows you are at a very high level.” — England manager Sarina Wiegman
“I thought we did really well, especially in the first half. We created a lot of chances and were fantastic off the ball as well. We all put in a shift today, and it was a great result. Important we stay grounded now, another game on Tuesday and we’re looking forward to that.” — England forward Lauren Hemp
Key stats
– The U.S. are 0-3-3 (W-L-D) when conceding first in their past six matches. Their last win when conceding first was on Aug. 2, 2018, vs. Brazil (4-1).
– The victory extended England’s unbeaten run to 23 games in all competitions
Up next
England: Sarina Wiegman’s side face a friendly with the Czech Republic on Tuesday following the visit of the USWNT to Wembley. From there, the Lionesses and defending Euros champions are idle until November, when they’ll face a pair of friendlies against Japan (Nov. 11) and Norway (Nov. 15).
United States: The U.S. have another road game ahead against Spain on Tuesday, with home friendlies in November against the Euro 2022 runners-up Germany scheduled for Nov. 10 and Nov. 13. “Playing Germany in the final matches of the year will be ideal for our World Cup preparations for all of our players and coaching staff, but it’s also fantastic for all the fans,” U.S. head coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “USA-Germany is always one of the most entertaining matchups in women’s international soccer, and it’s a rivalry that has some wonderful history as well.”
LONDON — Ten weeks after conquering Europe, England women proclaimed themselves ready for even more after beating the world champion United States 2-1 in a friendly at Wembley Stadium on Friday.
Lauren Hemp and Georgia Stanway scored to help England beat the U.S. for the first time since 2017 and less than 10 months before the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Stanway’s penalty in the 33rd minute put the hosts in front for good before 76,893 fans. Victory extended England’s unbeaten run to 23 games under coach Sarina Wiegman. England stopped the Americans’ 13-game winning streak and 21-match unbeaten streak dating to a 1-0 defeat to Canada in a 2021 Olympics semifinal.
“It was a great result,” Hemp told broadcaster ITV. “There’s a lot of preparation now for the World Cup. It’s important that we stay grounded.”
England, which won the European championship in late July, took the lead in the 10th when Beth Mead sent a low cross into the box. Defender Alana Cook tried to make a sliding block but the ball wiggled through to Hemp, who finished from close range.
The Americans equalized just before the half-hour mark. Millie Bright tried to pass out of the back to a tightly covered Stanway, and Lindsey Horan poked the ball forward to Sophia Smith, who turned and fired low to the left corner past a diving Mary Earps.
Stanway made amends from the spot, though, shooting the ball into the right corner as goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher went the wrong way.
Minutes later, the visitors thought they tied the game again but Trinity Rodman’s strike was ruled out for offside after a video review.
England and the U.S. wore teal armbands in solidarity with sexual abuse victims and together held a banner that read “Protect the Players” just before kickoff. A report this week into the scandals that erupted in the National Women’s Soccer League last season found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the league.
There was also a moment of silence for the victims of the deadly crush of fans at a soccer match in Indonesia.
Forward Alyssa Thompson entered in the 84th minute and at 17 years, 334 days became the youngest to debut for the U.S. since Mallory Pugh in January 2016. Thompson was the 70th teenager to appear for the Americans.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Allen Lazard were among the stars in attendance. The Packers play the New York Giants on Sunday in an NFL game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. “Ted Lasso” actor Jason Sudeikis was also on hand.
U.S. wing Crystal Dunn went on as a second-half substitute — less than five months after giving birth to her son. It was her 124th international appearance and first in nearly 13 months.
The draw for the World Cup will be in Auckland on Oct. 22.
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At least one person died after clashes between fans and police forced the Argentine league match between Gimnasia La Plata and Boca Juniors to be abandoned Thursday.
The match was stopped after nine minutes by referee Hernan Mastrangelo amid serious incidents outside the stadium that led the police to fire tear gas, with the official citing a lack of security to control the situation.
According to authorities, fans of the local team, Gimnasia, were trying to force their way into an already packed stadium. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to force the fans to retreat.
“Unfortunately, there is a dead person,” said Sergio Berni, minister of security for the province of Buenos Aires. “He died of a heart problem when he was transported to the hospital.” The tear gas entered the field with pictures showing players and fans covering their faces, while supporters made their way onto the pitch looking for a quick exit.
Berni gave no other details about the circumstances in which the person died.
The Argentine Football Association posted a statement on its Twitter account condemning the incident and violence: “The AFA strongly repudiates the events that took place today in the vicinity of Gimnasia stadium and expresses its commitment to continue working to eradicate this kind of incidents that tarnishes the spirit of football.”
Only Gimnasia fans were in Juan Carmelo Zerillo Stadium in La Plata since Buenos Aires province banned supporters of visiting teams from games in 2013 amid frequent outbreaks of violence.
Gimnasia player Leonardo Morales said: “My 2-year-old son couldn’t breathe. We feel desperate and worried about all the people in the stands. This is crazy. We were playing a normal football game and it turned it into this and the feeling that our relatives almost died.”
The incident in Argentina comes on the heels of a tragedy at a soccer match in Indonesia on Saturday that left at least 125 people dead after police fired tear gas inside the stadium, causing chaotic scenes in which fans were trampled on and suffocated.
Attention in Indonesia immediately focused on the police use of tear gas. Witnesses described police beating them with sticks and shields before shooting canisters directly into the crowds.
On Monday, an Indonesian police chief and nine elite officers were removed from their posts, while 18 others were being investigated as the government tried to determine what led to the use of force and tear gas.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
Police fire tear gas into a crowd of soccer fans, who panic and rush for the exits. There are so many trying to escape and some of the gates are locked. The stadium becomes a death trap.
People are trampled in the desperation. Others suffocate, crushed by the weight of bodies around them.
They are the details of last weekend’s soccer game in Malang, Indonesia, where 131 people, some of them children, died in a crush after police fired tear gas at fans of home team Arema FC. It’s also the story of the Estadio Nacional disaster in Lima, Peru, in 1964, when 328 died in a panic sparked by tear gas. It was the same in Accra, Ghana, in 2001, when 126 died.
Soccer’s three worst stadium tragedies occurred over a 60-year span but are so strikingly similar that its clear lessons haven’t been learned.
The world’s most popular game has historic problems of hooliganism, and Indonesia has its share of team rivalries that have led to violence. But Arema had the only fans in the stadium. Just them and the police.
“Not a single rival supporter. How can that match kill more than 100 people?” said a sobbing Gilang Widya Pramana, the president of Arema.
The blame has landed at the feet of the police, like it did in Lima, and Accra, and elsewhere.
Some Arema supporters rushed the field in anger at their team’s loss. Yet, major soccer tragedies have almost always been caused, experts say, by a heavy-handed overreaction by police and poor stadium safety. Firing tear gas in enclosed stadiums is universally condemned by security experts. Locking exits goes against all safety regulations.
“Actually, fans killing other fans is an incredibly rare thing,” said Prof. Geoff Pearson of the University of Manchester, an expert on the policing of soccer fans. “When we look at pretty much all the major (soccer) tragedies, I can’t think of an exception off the top of my head, all of these have been caused by unsafe stadiums or practices, or inappropriate policing.”
Indonesia, a country of 273 million, is due to host next year’s Under-20 World Cup. It is soccer’s “sleeping giant,” said James Montague, a journalist and author who traveled there to watch games with fans.
Montague found a passion for soccer that matches, even outstrips, the game’s leading countries. He said he also found “largely decrepit” stadiums, corruption and mismanagement everywhere and the kind of police that would “smash me in the face with a baton just because I’m standing there watching a football match.”
Soccer was believed to have reached a turning point 33 years ago with the Hillsborough disaster, where 97 Liverpool fans died as a result of a crush at a stadium in Sheffield, England, in 1989. Police were eventually found to have been to blame for letting fans into an already overcrowded section but it took 27 years before the police’s lies and coverups — blaming drunken fans for the deaths — were fully exposed.
Hillsborough led to sweeping reforms in English soccer, making stadiums safer and demanding police change.
That echoes in Indonesia this week. So do calls for justice. Indonesian authorities have laid charges against six people for the crush, three of them police officers.
But a lack of ultimate accountability — “the state closes ranks,” Montague said — has also been a repeat feature.
A BBC report on the 50th anniversary of the Lima disaster found that only one police officer had been sentenced for soccer’s deadliest stadium tragedy, getting 30 months in prison. More than 30 years after Hillsborough, one official has been convicted of a safety offense and fined. Police were acquitted after Africa’s worst sports disaster in Accra despite an inquiry that blamed them for the reckless firing of tear gas and rubber bullets.
Soccer authorities stand helpless. FIFA, the governing body of world soccer based in Switzerland, has recommendations that tear gas should never be used in stadiums. But soccer bodies can’t dictate the tactics used by a country’s security forces, even if it’s at a soccer game.
“It is all down to the organized culture of the police,” said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, a group that represents fans’ interests.
Soccer’s inability to interfere in domestic security matters is underlined by the situation in Egypt, where a 2012 stadium riot that killed 74 people came amid a decade of harsh crackdowns on fans by security forces. Dozens of fans have been killed in encounters with police at and away from games, and some fan groups were declared terrorist organizations because they were critical of the Egyptian government, which has been widely accused of human rights violations.
The African soccer body is even based in Cairo but has no authority to intervene.
It’s the police, Pearson said, who have to be “willing to admit their mistakes and learn from their mistakes.” But that kind of institutional change is grudging.
Hillsborough did bring effective reform for England, but it stands almost alone. Lessons were lost after Lima and Accra, and the same can happen again after Indonesia.
Only days after last weekend’s tragedy, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at soccer fans outside a stadium in Argentina and one person died in the chaos.
George Lawson worked at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation when he raced to the unfolding tragedy at Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra 21 years ago. He remembered being stunned by the sight of dozens of bodies lying on the ground. He recalled his country coming to a standstill.
But while an inquiry demanded the stadium be totally upgraded, the only lasting change has been a bronze statue erected outside as a memorial, with the inscription: “I am my brother’s keeper.”
“When things happen like this, there’s a hullabaloo,” Lawson said. “And after some time people forget about it.”
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AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report.
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Monday saw the release of the independent investigation commissioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation and conducted by former U.S. deputy attorney general Sally Yates, which chronicled the extent to which abuse and sexual misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) was overlooked and ignored “systemically” by executives, coaches and club owners.
The report’s findings focus heavily on three coaches in the National Women’s Soccer League who have been accused of serious sexual misconduct and abuse: former Racing Louisville coach Christy Holly, former Portland Thorns coach Paul Riley and former Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames. It sheds new light on the alleged misconduct by these three coaches, as well as the repeated failures by team owners, U.S. Soccer officials and others to heed warnings and complaints from players about them.
With the release of the E60 documentary, “Truth Be Told,” the powerful story of the reckoning in women’s professional soccer from the point of view of those who experienced it first hand, we are publishing the full interview from USWNT international Alex Morgan, who spoke at length about the situation in Portland as well as her role in trying to escalate and elevate the allegations around Riley during his time at the club. Morgan was also a teammate of Mana Shim (2013-17) and Sinead Farrelly (2014-15) during her time with the Thorns from 2013 to 2015.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This has been lightly edited for clarity.
ESPN: What do you remember of your teammate Mana Shim in Portland?
Alex Morgan: I remember Mana as a rookie in 2013, as someone who was just so happy and also so good at soccer. The ball just stuck to her foot. She was someone that just made me smile and made me immediately comfortable being around her — I could just be myself. And she just was a people person — like, people gravitated towards her.
ESPN: What do you remember of the coaching change that would come after Cindy Parlow Cone?
Morgan: I remember Cindy deciding not to continue, and us kind of feeling like we are on top of the world winning in 2013 after our first season of the NWSL. And hearing about a coaching change with Paul Riley stepping into place. And it was a big hire by the club. He had been successful. He had a lot of players that spoke highly of him, a lot of players that didn’t speak highly of him. And so there was a lot of question marks, but he was definitely highly regarded in the soccer community.
ESPN: What do you remember of what it was like when Riley did come in and start coaching the Thorns?
Morgan: When Paul came in and started to implement his style of coaching, there was not the mutual respect, I would say, from players and himself that I think he was used to, maybe. Because he was used to coming in and immediately controlling everything and everyone within the team.
He didn’t like big personalities. He liked people that were going to say yes and players that were going to do anything he said, anything he wanted us to do. And I think that there were some players, including myself, that asked questions, maybe too many questions. And he didn’t like that. And I think that with that, it was a struggle, the first season under Paul — and it only got worse.
ESPN: When you would ask questions… I mean, you were a highly regarded national team player. What kind of response would you get?
Morgan: It was interesting, being coached by Paul and knowing that he didn’t like people asking questions, and he didn’t want myself or fellow national team players questioning him as a coach. I think he had his style of wanting to win over players and make sure players knew that he was the reason for their success, but he struggled with players that were already successful.
And so coming in, Paul, he just struggled to capture the heart of the team because he wanted to implement his direction of the team. When he was questioned, he then used manipulation tactics to try to break down the team and show that he was the one and only person that could create success on the team.
It wasn’t the players going to each other or us going to other coaches: It was him. Everything went through Paul. And so it was a really different way of coaching that we were not used to, with Portland or for me at all in my history of playing soccer.
play
2:37
Alex Morgan shares her frustration at the NWSL’s failure to support Meleana Shim after speaking out against Paul Riley in this behind-the-scenes clip from E60: Truth Be Told, available now on ESPN+.
ESPN: Was there anything that you remember that sticks out to you of how he used his power to, like you said, manipulate these players who were the fringe players?
Morgan: Paul would have this coaching tactic of — at the end of the day, it’s verbal abuse — but he would break down players… Mana, a couple of other players that were just fighting to get some playing time. He would break them down in a way that if they weren’t playing up to a standard in a training or in a game, he would rip into them at halftime.
One time with a player who was with us in 2015, [Riley] just tore into her and about how bad of a mother she was and how all of these personal attacks that had absolutely nothing to do with the game and it made all of us uncomfortable. But he would do that and then two days later, we would be back at training after an off day and he would just be smiling as if nothing happened.
He didn’t just verbally attack somebody. Like, he didn’t just attack our personalities, us as people, rather than soccer players. And it was weird because you were like, “I’m sorry, I was there when you did this, but were you there? Do you remember this?” And he would go through this pattern of breaking someone down and then lifting them up and being like, “I could help you get to where you want to be.”
And so it was a manipulation tactic that I think wore on a lot of players, but especially players who were struggling to get playing time or get [on the roster]. All they wanted was validation that they deserved to be there, and he would do it in a way that really made them feel like they could only have confidence when he gave them confidence.
ESPN: When was the first time that you remember that Mana confided in you about what was happening with her with Paul Riley?
Morgan: Early 2015 is when Mana confided in me that Paul was really crossing the line. He did a couple of things in particular, like asking her to go over to his hotel room to watch film, and then opening the door in his boxers and closing the door behind her and asking her to sit in his bed. Or asking if she wanted to come to the World Cup final in Vancouver, with him sending along the reservation of the hotel that had a king-size bed and not two rooms or two beds.
So, a couple of things that he did and said via text message that she relayed to me and this only progressed, and Mana really struggled with it in 2015. I tried to help her as much as possible, but I was gone a lot with the national team so I really didn’t get a sense of how bad it was until I came back from Vancouver and she showed me text messages and shared with me the things that he did that crossed the line and were just straight-up sexual harassment. And we kind of started from square one on: Well, how do we approach this? How do we report this? How do we hold someone like this accountable?
ESPN: And what did you do?
Morgan: When Mana told me that she was ready to report him, although she was scared to lose her job as a soccer player, she didn’t know the right way to do that. She wanted to anonymously report him because then she wouldn’t be at risk of retribution, and I told her that I would do everything I could to find a contact for HR within the league or within the Portland Thorns and Timbers organization.
At the league, I couldn’t find anything. I couldn’t find [an] HR contact, I couldn’t find an anonymous hotline. I couldn’t even find an anti-harassment policy that might layout exactly what he was doing that was reportable. So I eventually had to go to the Portland Thorns organization and call and just ask around if there was anyone at HR that they can share a contact with me for, and that I didn’t really want to share what it was about, but I really would like the contact information of that person.
I finally got that information and shared that with Mana, and at that point she reported him. And that was late 2015.
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2:54
Jeff Carlisle breaks down the details of U.S. Soccer’s independent investigation into player abuse in the National Women’s Soccer League.
ESPN: What was it like hearing Mana tell you these things that had been happening to her?
Morgan: It was really hard to see a teammate going through what Mana was going through in 2015 because first of all, I had never personally experienced that before, but I also never had a teammate experience that and confide in me in the way that she did, and all I wanted to do was support Mana. I deeply cared for Mana. She still is one of my best friends today, but I didn’t know what to do other than support her by me being there.
I knew I wanted to get Paul out of coaching. I wanted to hold him accountable. I wanted to hold the Portland Thorns organization accountable, but I didn’t know how. I just wanted to take Mana’s direction and support her in any way possible, but it was hard navigating that and showing up to training and games every day, knowing that Paul was trying to use his position of power to harass and assault Mana.
She was in an impossible position.
ESPN: When she does eventually report him and the Thorns say that they’re going to take care of it, what do you remember of the sequence of events after that?
Morgan: I remember Mana reporting Paul to the league in late 2015, and the only reason she waited that long is because she didn’t want to be cut from the team before the end of the season. She didn’t want Paul to find out and for him to either bench her, or waive her or cut her. So she waited, and she shared with me the email that she was drafting to the league — to Jeff Plush, the commissioner at the time. And she also, I believe, CC’d either Merritt [Paulson, Portland Thorns owner] or Gavin [Wilkinson, Thorns GM] as well. And we went over that email together before she sent it, and she laid it all out there. And at that point then I believe Jeff Plush responded.
I believe Portland had an investigation with a very narrow scope. I was interviewed, I believe, for 15 or 20 minutes — such a short interview that I actually can’t even recall the questions from the interview, and that was it. There was no conclusion from the investigation, nothing reported back to us based on the findings or recommendation. Paul Riley and Portland Thorns went their separate ways, and Gavin and Merritt wished Paul well.
ESPN: What was going through your head as they released that statement?
Morgan: It was really difficult to see that the Thorns “parted ways” with Paul Riley rather than firing him — I don’t even know if it was released that they were letting him go, I think it was that they parted ways. And at that time it was really devastating because I had helped Mana do the right thing, which was reporting Paul to the league and hoping that they would take action and hold him accountable, and she went through all the right steps to report someone who was sexually harassing her, to stop what was being done that was incredibly wrong, and she was failed.
She was failed by the system, and I think that was the hardest thing at the time was: What do we do now? Does Mana just move on? How do you move on from this? And Paul just soon after got picked up by North Carolina and — was it North Carolina?
ESPN: Western New York.
Morgan: It was Western New York, and they moved. He got picked up by Western New York as the head coach and at that point, like, is Mana supposed to continue to play against this coach in the league, and see this coach possibly do the same thing to players on a new team? It was devastating. We didn’t know what to do.
ESPN: Mana told me that it meant a lot to her that you had told her, “I’m never going to shake his hand again.”
Morgan: Yeah, I never shook his hand. And he started to — people caught on that I did not respect Paul in the slightest, that I would not shake his hand. I would not look at him at the end of the game when we were playing against Western New York and what came to be North Carolina, because I was disgusted and I was saddened by Mana’s situation.
I just knew that he needed to be held accountable one day and that it would happen one day, but it took years for that to happen. And I told Mana that I had her back no matter what. I just wanted to support her and help her in holding people accountable that needed to be held accountable. It’s just sad that it took years and years of us forcing people’s hand to remove him from his position of power.
play
2:08
Alex Morgan calls out former NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird for her failure to address allegations against Paul Riley in this bonus footage from E60: Truth Be Told, available now on ESPN+.
ESPN: Mana told us that she felt like she’d done everything, you both had done everything that you felt like you could at the time. And it wasn’t until 2020 when Sinead [Farrelly] actually opened up to her about her own experiences that Mana felt the empowerment again to try to go at this again. Did she ever talk with you about her reattempt to make sure that Riley was held accountable for his actions?
Morgan: In July of 2020, Mana called me, and she said that she had had a few conversations with Sinead, and she said that she couldn’t believe Paul was still in power, but if people needed to hear her story to remove him from his position of power, then that’s what needed to happen.
She asked if I could help her find a legal team to take him down, to do the right steps, to finally force him to be held accountable. And that’s what we did from July 2020 on, until the article was released by The Athletic. We worked on it meticulously and spent so many hours with our legal and strategy team, with her legal and strategy team, to find a way to put the NWSL in a corner where they had to move forward by protecting players, restructure a league that so desperately needed to protect us and grow and evolve because it was stuck. This league was stuck in a place that didn’t protect players, that didn’t serve its players first and foremost.
And that’s what we set our mission on in July 2020, and that evolved eventually into the article that was released and the firing of Paul in the fall of 2021.
ESPN: What were you feeling when that article was released?
Morgan: On Sept. 30th when the article was finally released, I remember where I was. I was in Seattle, and I was talking to Mana on the phone every day for a week leading up to that. And it was just so many emotions but mostly a sigh of relief because our goal was for Paul to not even step on the field as a head coach in 2021, but it took so many more months to put together, to investigate, for The Athletic to investigate everything, for us to really work with our legal team in finding the best way for Mana to share her story and for Sinead, too.
And so it took months longer than we expected for the article to finally be released, but once we knew it was, and I believe within hours of that happening, Paul was fired. It was just a huge sigh of relief.
ESPN: You put in a lot of work to help Mana, to make sure that this happened. Why?
Morgan: With me being someone that Mana confided in initially, back in 2015, I told her that I wanted to support her and help her in any way possible, whether that was to forget it, whether that was to take down Paul and all that needed to be held accountable — I told her, whatever she needed. She’s one of my best friends, and in 2020 when I got the call that she had spoken with Sinead and that she was ready to share her story and take down Paul, I was ready to do anything and everything possible knowing that I deeply care for Mana, and I deeply care for the state of soccer in the U.S., for the NWSL and the future of the NWSL. I knew there needed to be change.
I felt like at the time in 2020 when we started on this mission, to get Paul fired and to implement policies within the NWSL that still had not been implemented after nine years — basic workplace policies, anti-harassment policies that were non-existent in the NWSL — we realized that there was so much more work to do than trying to get Paul fired. We realized that the NWSL was in a state that was not only fragile and short-staffed and in dire need of changing and looking at itself in the mirror; we realized that it just didn’t protect players.
At the end of the day, players were not protected. I felt like in my position, I’m in a position where if I stood up and said that things weren’t good enough, I think people would listen, and I knew that Mana needed me to help her share her story and do what we needed to do. So that’s what I did. I just told her that I was all-in — I’m not really a half-in type person — and if she needed me and this league needed me, then I was here to force their hand in changing the league.
ESPN: Lisa Baird put out a statement right after this news broke saying that she was “shocked and disgusted.” What did you think reading that?
Morgan: We talked with our legal team weekly. I keep saying “our” because I actually feel like for two years, we talked weekly, so I was part of it. We talked with our legal team weekly and we thought of every angle. We thought of what if they say this? What if they do that? What if they say, “Oh, there is basic workplace policies?” Okay, well, show us.
So we did things where I would send off emails to Lisa Baird. I would ask for a call with Lisa Baird. I was on a call with her and [President of the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association] Tori Huster and [NWSL General Counsel] Lisa Levine, and asked for these basic workplace policies. Lisa Levine said, “They’re somewhere. I’m sure I’ll be able to find them.” And I was like, “Okay, great. We’ll be waiting.” Weeks went by, nothing happened.
We drafted policies for the NWSL with our legal team and handed them to the NWSL, and then still had to ask our PA [Players Association] to put a timeline on when they needed to be implemented and given out to all players and staff. Before the season of 2021, we asked them before the first game of season starts, “We need these policies to be in place.” They pushed back, the league pushed back, the Lisas pushed back. Sinead and Mana both sent emails that we all looked at, multiple drafts of these emails asking them to look into the sexual harassment and assault from Paul Riley from years back.
Lisa Baird’s email back: “We’re doing what we can. We’ll look into it. We’ll get back to you.” Nothing.
So when this article was finally released and there’s a sigh of relief on our side and just utter shock from the rest of the soccer community — we had already known everything. We tried to give the league a chance and time again to do the right thing. I wanted so deeply for Lisa Baird to just stand up and say, “I’m sorry. I didn’t do enough. I didn’t look into enough. I trusted our general counsel, Lisa Levine, too much. We were too understaffed. We didn’t have enough people in the room to really make calculated decisions,” but she didn’t. She said she was shocked and disgusted, and that was surprising because that was a lie.
ESPN: And what did you do?
Morgan: I got on a group text, one that was very active between Mana, Sinead and our legal and strategy team, and we talked about what needed to happen, and a tweet was the best course of action for that.
ESPN: And what do you remember of the response?
Morgan: I remember Lisa putting in her letter of resignation.
ESPN: How did that make you feel?
Morgan: I wish I could say that it made me feel good, but it didn’t because I care for this league so much. And I just wanted the people in charge to not only be held accountable, but also to just lead this league out of a dark time, just to raise their hand and say that they hadn’t done things right before but, ‘Moving forward, we’re going to do everything we can.’ And it was hard to know the people in charge at the time just wouldn’t do that. They still wouldn’t accept the failures that they saw and did and own up to it.
So it was really hard seeing Lisa Baird resign because I didn’t want her in charge anymore, but who was going to step in now? It was a really difficult time in the NWSL because not only were they understaffed, but now, the head of the league, the commissioner is now stepping down too because of failures on her part, so where do we go from here? Who’s going to lead now? It was really hard.
Soccer Football – Carabao Cup Final – Chelsea v Liverpool – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – February 27, 2022 Liverpool fan with the big screen in the background in support of Ukraine before the match Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
John Sibley Reuters
Ukraine has joined Spain and Portugal in their bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
The partnership between the three countries was confirmed by leaders of the countries’ three soccer federations at UEFA headquarters Wednesday.
“This is the dream of millions of Ukrainian fans. The dream of people who survived the horrors of war or are still in the occupied territories, over which the Ukrainian flag will surely fly soon,” said Andriy Pavelko, president of Ukraine’s soccer federation, at a news conference Wednesday.
He said the move was sanctioned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine has been under full-scale invasion by Russia since February.
Details were not given on how many games would be held in Ukraine, or in which cities, but the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv hosted the finals of the 2012 European Championship and the 2018 Champions League.
“Now it’s not the Iberian bid, it’s the European bid,” Spain’s soccer federation president, Luis Rubiales, said at the news conference, according to the Associated Press. “Together we represent the power of transformation football has in society.”
Spain and Portugal previously announced their joint bid in June 2021. The new bid faces competition from a collaboration between Egypt, Greece and Saudi Arabia, and a South American bid between Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile.
Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson and Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler are both stepping away from decision-making roles with their respective National Women’s Soccer League clubs until the findings are released from an ongoing investigation into numerous reports of sexual misconduct and abuse around the league.
Paulson, who is also the owner of Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers, announced his decision in a statement Tuesday, one day after the release of the findings of a disturbing independent investigation into the NWSL’s abuse commissioned by U.S. Soccer. A concurrent investigation is still being conducted jointly by the league and the players’ union, and Paulson plans to step away until its completion.
“Yesterday’s Yates report unveiling was the darkest day I have experienced, and I know the same is true for everyone else who loves our team and our league,” Paulson said. “I know it was even harder and darker for those whose stories were shared publicly. I cannot apologize enough for our role in a gross systemic failure to protect player safety and the missteps we made in 2015. I am truly sorry.”
Later on Tuesday, Whisler, who also serves on the NWSL board of governors, made a similar move with the Red Stars, announcing in a statement: “Our organization is committed to rebuilding trust and respect among players and staff towards our league and club, and I recognize that my current presence is a distraction. I do not want to take any of the attention away from the players’ incredible and well earned playoff run.
“So in the interest of the club and the players, and fans we serve, effective immediately, I will remove myself from my governance role within the NWSL board of governors and will hand over operational control of the club to our executive team in Chicago.”
Yates’ report found that Whisler dismissed concerns from players about the abusive behavior of Red Stars coach Rory Dames, who resigned Nov. 21, 2021, amid accusations of verbal and emotional abuse by several players.
Gavin Wilkinson and Mike Golub, who have both served in executive roles with Paulson’s teams, are also stepping away from the Thorns, who are headed into the NWSL playoffs. Paulson’s statement didn’t indicate whether the trio will also step away from the Timbers, and Paulson gave no indication he plans to sell his teams.
NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman issued the following statement Tuesday in support of the two owners’ decisions: “The NWSL is supportive of the important steps taken by the Portland Thorns and Chicago Red Stars today. As the League continues to evaluate the Yates report, I want to assure you that we remain committed to implementing reform and disciplinary action, both as a result of the Yates Report and the NWSL/NWSLPA’s Joint Investigative Team’s findings.”
Berman added that the NWSL’s joint investigative team was working towards concluding their report by the end of the year.
In the report filed by former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, Paulson is accused of enabling and supporting former Thorns coach Paul Riley after Riley was accused of harassment and sexual coercion by players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim. The investigation also found that Paulson and Wilkinson made inappropriate workplace comments to women.
Golub is accused of making inappropriate sexual remarks in 2013 to former Thorns coach Cindy Parlow Cone, now the president of U.S. Soccer. Golub has previously faced criticism for his workplace behavior and his tolerance for others’ misbehavior.
In her investigative report, Yates also accused Thorns management of not being forthcoming with information around Riley’s departure from the team in 2015, writing that the club “interfered with our access to relevant witnesses and raised specious legal arguments in an attempt to impede our use of relevant documents.”
The Thorns didn’t announce why they weren’t renewing Riley’s contract that year, and Paulson subsequently vouched for Riley as he landed a job with the Western New York Flash, which subsequently became the North Carolina Courage. Riley was with the Courage until being fired in September 2021 after allegations of his misconduct were made public.
Heather Davis, the general counsel for the Thorns, will oversee the team’s decisions in Paulson’s absence.
“I very much appreciate your patience and believe it’s critical that the process play out with the Joint Investigation,” Paulson wrote in his announcement of his decision. “I love the Portland Thorns and women’s soccer, and am taking these steps with those interests in mind.”
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
A look at what’s happening in the Champions League on Wednesday:
GROUP E
Chelsea is one of the top teams in early trouble in the group stage heading into a double-header against AC Milan, with the first match taking place at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea has just one point from its first two games and has a recently hired manager, Graham Potter, who is still working out his best team and best formation just two matches into his tenure. In the 1-1 draw with Salzburg in the second round of group games, Potter went with a 3-5-2 but reverted to a 4-3-3 for the win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday. He has some tough choices in defense, with Kalidou Koulibaly — one of Chelsea’s many expensive offseason signings — yet to play a minute under Potter and the likes of forwards Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech pushing for starts. Marc Cucurella could return from illness. Milan leads after collecting four points from games against Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb, who meet in Austria in the other game.
GROUP F
Real Madrid can take full control of the group with a home win against Shakhtar Donetsk, which would give the defending champions a five-point lead after only three matches. Madrid got off to a perfect start to the season in all competitions but was held 1-1 at home against Osasuna in the Spanish league on Sunday for its first setback. Leipzig hosts Celtic for a clash between the two bottom teams in Group F. Leipzig is bottom after losing both of its games so far, but new coach Marco Rose has restored some confidence and overseen a marked improvement since taking over. Leipzig warmed up for Celtic with a 4-0 win over Bochum at the weekend.
GROUP G
Manchester City can move to the brink of qualification for the last 16 with a home win over FC Copenhagen and might not need Erling Haaland to do so. The Norway striker, who has taken the Premier League by storm with 15 goals in eight games, played the entire match in the 6-3 win over Manchester United on Sunday while a number of key players were brought off midway through the second half. Haaland may be kept fresh for bigger matches ahead, while City manager Pep Guardiola has injury concerns over right back Kyle Walker and holding midfielder Rodri. City has already beaten Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund in the group stage and would advance with back-to-back wins over Copenhagen. Dortmund is in second place on three points and travels to Sevilla in the other match.
GROUP H
With Presnel Kimpembe out injured for several weeks, Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier doesn’t have many options at center back for the trip to Benfica for a match between two teams on a maximum six points. After missing out on signing Milan Skriniar this summer, PSG has to deal with makeshift solutions until the next transfer window opens, with midfielder Danilo Pereira or right back Nordi Mukiele available to play alongside Sergio Ramos and Marquinhos. In contrast, Juventus has zero points after losing its opening two Champions League matches for the first time. Massimiliano Allegri’s side travels to Maccabi Haifa, which is also pointless. Juventus is also struggling in Serie A but appears reinvigorated after the international break and beat Bologna 3-0 this past weekend.
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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
LONDON (AP) — Jason Godrick plans to “dominate” as an NFL offensive lineman. The first hurdle seems like a big one, though.
“I’ve never played an organized game of football before,” the 6-foot-5, 293-pound Nigerian said. “I’ve been blessed to be a quick learner, a very good student.”
The 21-year-old Lagos native, who goes by “Chu,” was one of the more than 40 prospects — representing 13 countries — who competed in the NFL’s international combine Tuesday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
They’re hoping to join the league’s International Player Pathway program.
Godrick switched from basketball to football in January — coaches were impressed by his hoops “mixtape” — and a few months later he saw countryman Roy Mbaeteka sign with the New York Giants despite having not played in high school or college.
“Roy is a big inspiration for us back home,” Godrick said of the 6-9, 320-pound offensive tackle. “It was very big in Nigeria when he got signed.”
Mbaeteka, who was released from the Giants practice squad last week, had participated in last year’s combine in London and earned an invitation to the Pathway program, whose most notable alum is Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata of Australia.
The two-time Super Bowl winner was on hand at Tottenham’s stadium, where his former team plays the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
“They have the athletic ability, they have the size, a lot of them have the speed. All they need is just the technique refinement,” said the British-born Umenyiora, who spent part of his childhood in Nigeria.
A handful of the prospects at the combine have some U.S. college exposure, but many have played only in European leagues or universities — or not at all. Some are in their mid-20s. Many work regular jobs.
Emmanuel Falola, an inside linebacker with the Bristol Aztecs, is an accountant. The East London native took the day off for the combine.
“I haven’t been taking time off to prepare though — I’ve been working and preparing,” said the 24-year-old Falola, who also tried out last year.
Those selected for the Pathway program will begin training in the U.S. in January and could join rookies in minicamps in May.
“We don’t have that much time, especially the guys that come from other sports,” said Will Bryce, head of football development for NFL International. “Their bodies have to change. They’re used to playing rugby or soccer — you’re running a lot more, whereas in football it’s repeated sprints, different positions.”
Like last year, there were no quarterbacks, punters or kickers at the combine. The NFL listed eight Nigerian participants — the largest contingent among the countries, which included Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Panama, Mexico and several in Europe.
NFL coaches, scouts and general managers flock to Indianapolis each winter for the league’s annual scouting combine. There, pro prospects test their skills in various elements such as the bench press, 40-yard dash and vertical jump.
In London on Tuesday, it was the NFL conducting the evaluations as prospects were put through tests such as the broad jump, various sprints and the shuttle drill, which records lateral quickness.
“Let’s go Chu!” fellow prospects yelled as Godrick ran around small cones placed near the 20-yard line.
Godrick has been applying some tips he picked up from Cameroon-born Roman Oben, a former offensive tackle who is now NFL vice president of football development.
“I’ve been watching film and with his guidance, I can say my growth has been good,” said Godrick, who plans to continue training back home in Nigeria, where he recently earned a college degree in human anatomy.
“Ultimate goal? Get to the NFL, dominate, show the world that it doesn’t matter how late you start, it doesn’t matter where you are coming from, as long as you believe, you work hard, anything is possible.”
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More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
MALANG, Indonesia — Delays in unlocking the gates at an Indonesian soccer stadium after violence broke out at the end of a match contributed to a disaster in which at least 131 people died, the national soccer association said Tuesday.
The Football Association of Indonesia said it has permanently banned the chief executive and security coordinator of the team that hosted Saturday’s match, Arema FC, for failing to secure the field and promptly issue a command to unlock the gates.
“The doors should have been open, but were closed,” said Erwin Tobing, chief of the association’s discipline commission.
Because of a lack of workers, only a few people were ordered to open the gates, and they had not yet reached some doors when spectators began rushing to escape tear gas fired by police in an attempt to control fans who had entered the field, association spokesperson Ahmad Riyadh said.
He said all gates should be unlocked 10 minutes before the end of a match. But on Saturday, 7 minutes after the referee blew the final whistle, several doors were still locked, contributing to the toll in one of the world’s deadliest sporting disasters.
Police, however, continued to insist Tuesday that the gates were open but were too narrow and could only accommodate two people at a time when hundreds were trying to escape.
According to recommendations by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, exits at stadiums must be unlocked at all times during a game for safety purposes. Those rules don’t necessarily apply to domestic or national leagues but nevertheless are a safety standard, as is the recommendation against the use of tear gas as a crowd-control measure.
Photos from the Malang stadium showed four connecting door panels forming one gate. There were 14 gates in total.
Police said their investigation focused on video recordings from surveillance cameras at six of the 14 gates where most of the victims died.
“For those six gates, they were not closed but they were too small. They had a capacity for two people but there were hundreds coming out. There was a crush there,” police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo told reporters. He added that the gates were the responsibility of the organizers.
Most of the deaths occurred when riot police fired tear gas and caused fans to make a panicked, chaotic run for the exits. Police acted after some of the 42,000 Arema fans ran onto the pitch in anger after their team was defeated 3-2, its first loss at home against visiting Persebaya Surabaya in 23 years.
On Monday, police announced they had removed a police chief and nine elite officers, and 18 others were being investigated for responsibility in the firing of tear gas inside the stadium.
Some survivors said some of the exit gates were locked and they were unable to escape. Most of them specifically mentioned Gate 13.
“People tried to save themselves after tear gas was fired. My group was separated from each other,” said Prasetyo Pujiono, a 32-year-old farmer from Malang who watched the match with friends near Gate 13.
“People could not stay anymore inside the stadium. We wanted to escape but the gate was closed. That is why most people died as they were trampled or suffocated,” he said. “I remember they were screaming that they cannot breathe and their eyes hurt.”
Those trying to escape finally broke through the wall next to Gate 13, leaving behind a big hole with scrawled graffiti that read: “Goodbye my brothers and sisters. 01-10-2022.”
Hundreds of Arema supporters and local residents have been paying tribute to the victims at Gates 13 and 12 since Monday. They prayed together, dropped rose petals, flower bouquets and placed several Arema scarves around the gates.
Pujianto said he moved more than 20 bodies that lay scattered around Gate 13.
“Poor them. So many bodies were scattered at Gate 13. We could not have gotten out if we had not moved them. So my friends and I carried them to the field,” he said.
Evita Triawardani, a 26-year-old Arema supporter, said that in every match she had attended, the organizers usually opened the gates 15 to 20 minutes before the game ended. But that Saturday night, she said Gate 13 was closed. She saved herself by running out of the stadium through Gate 14, which she said was open.
She said she saw people crying and gasping for air in clouds of tear gas, and parents holding their children above their shoulders so they could breathe. At least 17 children were among the dead.
The Football Association of Indonesia announced it has banned Arema from hosting any matches attended by its supporters in Malang until next year as a result of Saturday’s disaster.
Tobing said Arema’s chief executive, Abdul Harris, and the coordinator of security, Suko Sutrisno, have been banned from participating in soccer for life because they had not secured the field and delayed the opening of the gates.
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See more AP Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific
Nathan Aspinall secured a shock win over Michael Smith; Martin Lukeman came through with a surprise upset against James Wade; Gerwyn Price secured a dominant victory as Joe Cullen overcame Damon Heta in a tight contest
Last Updated: 05/10/22 12:47am
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Check out the best action from Day 2 of the World Grand Prix in Leicester
Check out the best action from Day 2 of the World Grand Prix in Leicester
Michael Smith suffered a shock first-round exit at the hands of Nathan Aspinall in a night full of upsets at the World Grand Prix in Leicester.
The Stockport man came away with a 2-1 win over Smith as the world No 4 struggled to find his rhythm on the doubles.
Martin Lukeman provided the performance of the night in a shock victory over James Wade, while Gerwyn Price put in a professional performance against Martin Schindler and Joe Cullen overcame Damon Heta.
The final match of the evening was touted as a big encounter and it did not disappoint as Smith and Aspinall faced off in a fast-paced clash.
Aspinall started the encounter with much more promise, breaking Smith early with a 116 finish to go two legs ahead.
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Nathan Aspinall started his match against Michael Smith with a 116 checkout in the first round of the World Grand Prix
Nathan Aspinall started his match against Michael Smith with a 116 checkout in the first round of the World Grand Prix
‘Bully Boy’ fought back to claim a leg of his own but it was not enough as the world No 16 took advantage of some inaccuracy on the doubles to claim the first set.
The second set continued in the same vein as the first as Aspinall raced into a two-leg lead but Smith was not ready to go down without a fight and checked out on 95 to keep himself in the tie before backing it up with a 101 finish to bring the set level.
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Smith took out this finish to level the second set against Aspinall
Smith took out this finish to level the second set against Aspinall
A crucial leg followed and a lovely 171 put Aspinall close to victory with three match darts, but he failed to take his chance and Smith checked out on D10 to bring it to a set apiece.
A nervous third set ensued but Aspinall managed to find his form to secure a 3-0 whitewash, checking out on D16 to take the match.
Tuesday, October 4 – Results
First Round
Madars Razma
2-1
Ryan Searle
Ross Smith
2-1
Andrew Gilding
Danny Noppert
2-0
Gabriel Clemens
Joe Cullen
2-1
Damon Heta
(8) Rob Cross
1-2
Daryl Gurney
(5) James Wade
1-2
Martin Lukeman
(1) Gerwyn Price
2-0
Martin Schindler
(4) Michael Smith
1-2
Nathan Aspinall
Price cut an ultra-confident figure as he stepped out for his clash with Schindler and he got off to a flying start, breaking the throw in the first leg and holding his own to power ahead.
With both players unable to find the doubles to checkout, Schindler battled his way back with a D5 in the third leg of the set but it was to no avail as ‘The Iceman’ discovered his accuracy once again to take out D2 for the first set.
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Gerwyn Price enjoyed this 101 finish on his way to victory over Martin Schindler
Gerwyn Price enjoyed this 101 finish on his way to victory over Martin Schindler
The Welshman’s dominance continued into the second set as Schindler was unable to get comfortable, a sublime 101 finish to break the throw spurring him on to victory and into the second round.
Lukeman came through with the biggest upset of the night against Wade, taking the first set in three straight legs and stunning the world No 5 to secure his first televised victory.
Lukeman, who sits outside the world top 50, was easily finding some big maximums while Wade struggled to get going on the doubles, Wade at one point needing seven darts to get his leg going on the doubles.
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Martin Lukeman caused a huge upset, beating James Wade in the first round
Martin Lukeman caused a huge upset, beating James Wade in the first round
The second set produced a partial fightback from Wade as he brought his average back up, a crucial D2 keeping him in the tie but the third leg saw Lukeman battle well and hold his throw with a D10 to take the lead.
Out of nowhere, Wade found a vital 121 finish to bring it to a deciding leg but it was Lukeman who ended with three match darts and used them well, hitting the D8 to secure the biggest win of his career so far.
It was touted to be a tight and exciting match-up and Cullen and Heta did not disappoint in their opening set, trading breaks of throw and ton-plus finishes before a D16 saw Cullen take the opener.
Heta take complete control in the second set, breaking Cullen twice, including a brilliant 115 finish, to take a 3-0 whitewash and bring the tie all square but Cullen took the final set and the match on D8 to conclude a gritty and enthralling match.
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Joe Cullen struck an early break in his first-round match against Damon Heta
Joe Cullen struck an early break in his first-round match against Damon Heta
The tight contests continued as former world champion Rob Cross and former World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney faced off, both players holding their throw before Cross’ inability to find the crucial double to start, missing nine times, gifted Gurney a chance to break and take the first set.
After Cross fought back in the second set, hitting two maximums and breaking Gurney to make things even, ‘Superchin’ held it together and broke Cross early in the final leg to take the big win.
Last year’s semi-finalist Danny Noppert was back to show his form on the doubles again as he took on Gabriel Clemens. An astonishing second leg saw the Dutchman take 13 darts to get going on the double but he rallied to leave himself on a ton-plus finish of 101 to seal the leg before going on to take the set.
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Danny Noppert missed 12 darts at double to get started in the second leg of his game against Gabriel Clemens but still managed to win the leg after a remarkable turnaround
Danny Noppert missed 12 darts at double to get started in the second leg of his game against Gabriel Clemens but still managed to win the leg after a remarkable turnaround
Clemens fought back for a couple of legs but Noppert raised his game and grinded out a 2-0 win as he looks to go one step further than 2021.
With three debutants on show as the opening round came to a close, there were some upsets to be had and Madars Razma had a strong showing as he won 2-1 against Ryan Searle, taking the first set after breaking the throw twice before taking out a lovely 108 finish to win the match and progress to the second round.
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Andrew Gilding hit this 102 checkout on his way to winning the first set of his first-round match against Ross Smith
Andrew Gilding hit this 102 checkout on his way to winning the first set of his first-round match against Ross Smith
An all-British tie between Ross Smith and Andrew Gilding saw Smith come away with the spoils in a closely-fought 2-1 victory.
Wednesday, October 5- Fixtures (1900 BST)
Second Round
Adrian Lewis
vs
Chris Dobey
Peter Wright
vs
Krzyztof Ratajski
Michael van Gerwen
vs
Stephen Bunting
Jonny Clayton
vs
Dimitri Van den Burgh
Wednesday sees the players from night one back in action as Adrian Lewis faces Chris Dobey, Peter Wright is up against Krzysztof Ratajski, Michael van Gerwen plays Stephen Bunting and Jonny Clayton faces off against Dimitri Van den Bergh as the second round gets under way.
Live World Grand Prix Darts
October 5, 2022, 7:00pm
Live on
Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. You can watch the 25th staging of the World Grand Prix ‘Double in, Double out’ set format on Sky Sports all the way through to the final on October 9 in Leicester.
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!
TOP STORY: Man City to stop Madrid swoop for Haaland
Real Madrid want to sign Erling Haalandfrom Manchester City by utilising a release clause that will become active in 2024 but the Premier League champions will aim to thwart the plan.
However, Mundo Deportivo reveals that Pep Guardiola’s side are already working on a move to hand Haaland a new deal that would void the future clause. Given that he earns in the region of £375,000-per-week, the Citizens may have to make the Norwegian star their highest earner if they are to persuade him to stay.
Haaland scored a hat-trick against Manchester United on Sunday for a total of 14 goals in just eight games so far, just six shy of equalling last year’s Golden Boot-winning tally.
– Discussions regarding a potential swap deal between AC Milan and Chelsea for Rafael Leao could take place, according to Calciomercato. The Rossoneri are interested in both Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi, but it is reported that they would also want an €90m fee included as part of a deal to send Leao to Stamford Bridge. Leao, 23, has contributed to eight goals in seven Serie A appearances this season, and was on the radar of the Premier League side towards the end of the summer transfer window.
– AS Roma are confident of signing Nicolo Zaniolo to a new long-term deal, reveals Gazzetta dello Sport. Interest in the 23-year-old attacking midfielder has seen Jose Mourinho’s move quickly to secure his future, and it is understood that they are now close to reaching full agreement over a new five-year deal that will see Zaniolo earn €4m-per-season until 2027.
– The race is heating up for Ajax Amsterdam star Mohammed Kudus, according to Bild. Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur, and Everton are all linked with interest in the 22-year-old forward, who has been in impressive form this season. Kudus has scored seven goals in five starts in the Eredivisie and Champions League, and he could be available for a transfer fee of around €10m.
– Gael Kakuta is set to make a switch to Amiens, understands Radio France. The 31-year-old Lens winger has found it difficult to garner regular first team minutes this season, having made just three appearances across all competitions. Kakuta is understood to have already reached an agreement with the Ligue 2 club, where he previously enjoyed a successful spell in the 2019-20 Ligue 1 campaign.
– Victor Wanyama will leave Major League Soccer side CF Montreal at the end of the season, reports MLSoccer.com’s Tom Bogert. The former Tottenham midfielder has been a key contributor for the Canadian side since joining in 2019.
PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson has removed himself from a decision-making role with the National Women’s Soccer League club until the findings are released from an ongoing investigation into numerous scandals around the league.
Paulson, who is also the owner of Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers, announced his decision in a statement Tuesday, one day after the release of the findings of a disturbing independent investigation into the NWSL’s abuse scandals commissioned by U.S. Soccer. A concurrent investigation is still being conducted jointly by the league and the players’ union, and Paulson plans to step away until its completion.
Gavin Wilkinson and Mike Golub, who have both served in executive roles with Paulson’s teams, are also stepping away from the Thorns, who are headed into the NWSL playoffs. Paulson’s statement didn’t indicate whether the trio will also step away from the Timbers, and Paulson gave no indication he plans to sell his teams.
“Yesterday’s Yates report unveiling was the darkest day I have experienced, and I know the same is true for everyone else who loves our team and our league,” Paulson said. “I know it was even harder and darker for those whose stories were shared publicly. I cannot apologize enough for our role in a gross systemic failure to protect player safety and the missteps we made in 2015. I am truly sorry.”
In the investigation report commissioned by U.S. Soccer, Paulson is accused of enabling and supporting former Thorns coach Paul Riley after Riley was accused of harassment and sexual coercion by players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim. The investigation also found that Paulson and Wilkinson made inappropriate workplace comments to women.
Golub is accused of making inappropriate sexual remarks in 2013 to former Thorns coach Cindy Parlow Cone, now the president of U.S. Soccer. Golub has previously faced criticism for his workplace behavior and his tolerance for others’ misbehavior.
In her investigative report, former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates also accused Thorns management of not being forthcoming with information around Riley’s departure from the team in 2015, writing that the club “interfered with our access to relevant witnesses and raised specious legal arguments in an attempt to impede our use of relevant documents.”
The Thorns didn’t announce why they weren’t renewing Riley’s contract that year, and Paulson subsequently vouched for Riley as he landed a job with the Western New York Flash, which subsequently became the North Carolina Courage. Riley was with the Courage until being fired in September 2021 after allegations of his misconduct were made public.
Heather Davis, the general counsel for the Thorns, will oversee the team’s decisions in Paulson’s absence.
“I very much appreciate your patience and believe it’s critical that the process play out with the Joint Investigation,” Paulson wrote in his announcement of his decision. “I love the Portland Thorns and women’s soccer, and am taking these steps with those interests in mind.”
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MALANG, Indonesia (AP) — Dicky Kurniawan felt the sharp sting in his eyes as Indonesian police fired tear gas into the football stadium.
From his seat near an exit, he said he watched the melee unfold Saturday night as angry fans poured into the field to demand answers after host Arema FC of East Java’s Malang city lost to Persebaya Surabaya, its first defeat ever on its home turf. The mob threw bottles and other objects, and the violence spread outside the stadium, where police cars were overturned and torched.
Kurniawan, 22, was shocked when police fired tear gas at spectators in the stands. As the stinging gas spread through the stadium, Kurniawan grabbed his girlfriend and — like everyone else — dashed to the exits.
The mass rush led to a stampede that killed nearly three dozen people almost instantly. The death toll reached 125 and hundreds more were injured in one of the world’s deadliest tragedies at a sporting event. More than 40,000 spectators were at the match, all Arema fans because the organizer had banned Persebaya Surabaya supporters due to Indonesia’s history of violent soccer rivalries.
“The chaos was on the field, but they fired the tear gas into the stadium stands,” Kurniawan said as he described the tragedy from his hospital bed. He received bruises on his face but said he was fortunate to survive.
“Now I am done watching soccer in the stadium,” Kurniawan said.
In the bed next to Kurniawan, teenager Farel Panji also had a lucky escape.
Panji, 16, had just left his seat to go to the exit when the tear gas came. As people ran past him to get to the exit, Panji said he got pushed down by the crowd and collapsed.
“I fainted for a while. When I woke up, I was still in the stadium seating area,” Panji said. He got home safely and was taken to the hospital the next day. Wearing an Arema jersey, Panji said Saturday’s incident did not stop him from loving the club.
Malang’s Dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital, one of several used to treat victims, was filled Sunday with grieving relatives waiting to identify bodies in the morgue or for information about their loves ones.
Police say 323 people were injured in the crush, with some still in critical condition. At least 17 children were among the dead and seven other children are being treated at hospitals, according to the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection.
Arema’s Chilean coach, Javier Roca, led the players and other officials in paying respect to the dead in a ceremony Monday.
Wearing black shirts, the team gathered at the statue of a lion head outside Kanjuruhan Stadium. Dozens of Arema supporters also attended, and started to cry when the players poured rose petals around the statue and prayed together.
“We came here as a team, asking forgiveness from the families impacted by this tragedy, those who lost their loves ones or the ones who are still being treated in the hospital,” Roca said.
He said soccer violence must stop.
“We feel like we got a punishment,” he said. “One match result is not worth paying with the lives of people, let alone more than 100 people.”
