List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

Mollie O'Callaghan and Qin Haiyang completed their sweeps at the swimming world championships

Already one of the true legends of the women’s game, Lucy Bronze has been a regular for England since making her debut in 2013 and has played all across the park, although she is best known as a marauding right-back, overlapping Beth Mead in the Euros to often devastating effect. Born into a bilingual Portuguese-English family in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Bronze, now 31, played for Alnwick Town until she turned 12, when FA regulations prevented her from continuing to play for the boys’ team, a matter about which her coach felt so strongly he launched an unsuccessful discrimination case to challenge the rules, reluctant to lose his best player to an outmoded technicality. A multi-talented athlete in secondary school, she played at youth level for Blyth Town and Sunderland, graduating to the latter’s senior squad and winning the FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division in 2008/09 before relocating to the US to enrol at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to play for the Tar Heels, a path future LionessesAlessia Russo and Lotte Wubben-Moy would later follow. Get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here Returning to England to complete her sports science degree at Leeds Metropolitan University, playing for the institution’s women’s team while supporting herself by working at Domino’s Pizza, Bronze then commenced her senior career in earnest with Everton in 2010. After two years, she transferred to city rivals Liverpool where she won back-to-back Women’s Super Leagues, before moving to Manchester City in 2014, where she again won the title and the FA Cup in 2016. She then moved on to France to play for all-conquering Lyon in 2017, winning the Champions League, three successive league titles, two domestic cups and finishing second in the running for the 2019 Ballon d’Or before returning to City for further cup success. A final switch to Barcelona alongside long-time teammate Keira Walsh followed last summer and the Catalans duly won the title and Champions League in Bronze’s debut season. A hugely popular and respected member of the England set up with 105 caps to her name and counting, and an Instagram account for her West Highland Terrier Narla, it could all have been so different for Lucy Bronze. As the daughter of a maths teacher, she had reportedly planned to become an accountant had football not worked out. Read More How to watch England vs Haiti: TV channel and start time for Women’s World Cup opener Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? FIFA Women’s World Cup fixtures and full schedule

Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly is one of the most versatile members of Sarina Wiegman’s England squad – and one of its great characters – and comes into the World Cup in the form of her life, having scored 30 goals in 30 games for her club this season in all competitions to take home the Women’s Super League’s Golden Boot. The Harrogate native, 31, started with Killinghall Nomads where she was scouted by Leeds United before making her first league appearances for Lincoln City Ladies, scoring four times across 24 games in 2011 and 2012. But she first really made a name for herself in New York playing for St John’s University Red Storm in Queens, setting the college’s record goals tally of 50 despite playing in just two years out of the three she was enrolled at the institution between 2013 and 2015. Get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here Thereafter relocating to California and turning out for the Los Angeles Strikers, the Los Angeles Blues and SoCal FC, she finally found a home at Houston Dash in Texas, making 118 appearances and scoring 42 goals across a seven-year stretch. A brief loan move to West Ham during the Covid-disrupted 2020/21 season brought a return to the UK that was made permanent when she signed for Villa in the summer of 2022. It was Phil Neville who first brought her into the international fold in 2016 and she has since gone on to make 69 appearances and score 13 goals. She starred at left-back in Wiegman’s victorious Euro 2022 team but more recently played up front during February’s Arnold Clark Cup, when her two headed goals saw England beat Italy 2-1 in game two, setting the Lionesses firmly on the path to another tournament win. She could well stay there in place of Alessia Russo, in which case Alex Greenwood would typically be expected to replace her at left-back, although she may now be needed at centre-back with Leah Williamson out and Millie Bright returning from injury. Read More How to watch England vs Haiti: TV channel and start time for Women’s World Cup opener Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? FIFA Women’s World Cup fixtures and full schedule

Riyad Mahrez is the latest Premier League player to head to Saudi Arabia after signing with Al-Ahli

A bronze statue of former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger lifting the Premier League trophy has been unveiled outside the Emirates Stadium. Wenger won three top-flight titles and the FA Cup on seven occasions while in charge of the Gunners between October 1996 and May 2018. The Frenchman managed 1,235 matches during his time in north London and helped the club go unbeaten in the league during their 2004 title success. Arsenal also spent 20 successive seasons in the Champions League under Wenger, including reaching the 2006 final, where they were beaten 2-1 by Barcelona. The 3.5-metre statue of the 73-year-old, created by award-winning sculptor Jim Guy, was fixed into position outside the North Bank Stand on Friday morning. Arsenal executive vice-chairman Tim Lewis told the Gunners’ website: “We’re delighted to recognise and celebrate Arsene Wenger’s outstanding leadership and career at Arsenal Football Club. “Arsene’s contribution to, and achievements with, the club mark him out as the club’s greatest manager. “He treated the club and its supporters to many trophies and fantastic memories and brought a revolution in the running of the club, an unbeaten season and the move to Emirates Stadium. “It is fitting, therefore, that as a mark of the club’s enduring respect and gratitude a magnificent statue of Arsene now stands outside Emirates Stadium.” Wenger will be the club’s guest of honour for the Emirates Cup match against Monaco on Wednesday and is due to visit the statue in the coming days. His statue joins five others – featuring Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Herbert Chapman, Ken Friar and Thierry Henry – on the podium around the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who was signed by Wenger in 2011, said: “It’s such a great tribute that the club has done something special for Arsene that he fully deserves and merits. “With a statue now at the stadium, Arsene can have that recognition and be here at our club forever. “He chose me to be one of his players and selected me to be the captain of the club and that’s something I will never forget.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Stonewall hopes Jordan Henderson speaks out about LGBTQ+ rights after Saudi move Joe Root takes stunning catch but Australia stifle England in fifth Ashes Test Riyad Mahrez becomes latest Premier League star to complete Saudi Arabia move

England boss Sarina Wiegman remains “concerned” about injured Keira Walsh after the midfielder was stretchered off in the Lionesses’ 1-0 World Cup Group D victory over Denmark in Sydney. Walsh, a 2023 Champions League winner with Barcelona, started every game of England’s triumphant Euro 2022 campaign and could clearly be seen telling the team’s medical staff “I’ve done my knee” after sliding to collect the ball late in the first half. The worrying scene dampened the elated atmosphere that followed Lauren James’ sixth-minute opener, a maiden World Cup goal for the 21-year-old Chelsea forward. Wiegman said: “Of course I’m concerned because she couldn’t walk off the pitch, but we don’t know yet, so we can’t take any assumptions. Let’s just wait until we really have a diagnosis and then we can tell you. “You saw what we did, (Georgia) Stanway dropped back and Laura (Coombs) came in. Yes, of course we had to find our feet a little bit. “You saw different stages. We really dominated the first half. Then Keira went out and we had to adapt to the situation. “In the second half, Denmark also had such a direct style of play. We also showed we can fight. The team showed real resilience. We kept it to 1-0 so it was really good and I’m really proud of the team.” Walsh later appeared on crutches, with ex-England striker-turned-pundit Ellen White telling the BBC: “(At the 2022 Euros) Everything came through Keira. There wasn’t a plan B. “I dreaded to think of the idea of us ever losing her because she was one of our best players. Beth Mead was scoring all the goals but all of our play came through Keira. She was the key cog, everything moved through her. “I just don’t know who England are going to have now in that six (defensive midfield position), or even potential double six, role.” Asked about White’s comments, Wiegman simply restated: “You saw the plan B. Georgia Stanway drops back and Laura Coombs comes in.” An update on Walsh is not expected until Saturday at the earliest. Wiegman fielded the same starting XI for every match of the Euros, but made two changes for the world number-four Lionesses’ second World Cup encounter against 13th-ranked Denmark. James replaced Lauren Hemp on the left wing while Rachel Daly returned to the familiar left-back role she occupied for every match of the European Championship, and Alex Greenwood shifted to centre-back. Wiegman’s decisions were almost instantly justified when Daly slipped the ball to James, who curled past Denmark goalkeeper Lene Christensen for what ultimately proved enough to settle the result after Amalie Vangsgaard’s header for a last-gasp equaliser clipped the post. Wiegman likes to stress football is a full-squad endeavour, but did say of James, younger sister of fellow England international Reece James: “She has done really well but it is a team effort too and we were very careful with her. “She is a very young, talented player. And yes, we were happy with the performance and she was ready today, so that was really good. “Of course the approach of this game, we know that Denmark was dropping a little deeper, that they have a very tight, defensive block and we really thought we needed to play it in the pockets. “That’s where she came a lot together also with Stanway and (Ella) Toone, and that worked really well. They really struggled with that, and yes, she made indeed a very nice goal.” Denmark boss Lars Sondergaard extended his condolences to Walsh, and felt that while her absence perhaps led to a second-half surge from his side as England adjusted, the threat from players like James highlights how difficult it is to come up against the Lionesses. He said: “After Keira Walsh, that’s always if you have to close one down, there’s another player. I think England has such a good team, they have always players that if you give too much notice on one player, other players will come up.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Stonewall hopes Jordan Henderson speaks out about LGBTQ+ rights after Saudi move Joe Root takes stunning catch but Australia stifle England in fifth Ashes Test Riyad Mahrez becomes latest Premier League star to complete Saudi Arabia move

Australia reached 115-2 to cut England’s lead to 168 in a mostly grinding first session in the final Ashes test highlighted by a brilliant slip catch from Joe Root

The organizers of a women's tennis tournament in the Czech Republic say Russian and Belarusian players will not be allowed to participate in next week's Prague Open

You could say England rode their luck, except that’s only because it keeps going against them. It feels the fate of this entire campaign is that just as Sarina Wiegman solves one problem - in this case through the genius of Lauren James - a bigger one presents itself. The European champions, at last, looked exactly that as well as potential world champions as the England manager got her system right to secure this 1-0 win over Denmark, only to quickly lose their one irreplaceable player. It had such a huge effect, not least on poor Keira Walsh herself. Wiegman and the rest of England will now wait for news of what this injury is, as she clearly motioned to her knee. Until then, the question will weigh there over whether you can win a World Cup without Walsh, Leah Williamson and Beth Mead. Wiegman at least has the burgeoning James, who gave one of those vintage landmark performances a young talent does in winning a World Cup game with a moment of brilliance. Her early goal was sumptuous. It is surely almost certain now to put England into the last 16, as they otherwise battled to a second successive win. That isn’t to be overlooked but it’s been a grind so far. The other side to that is that this can be good for campaigns. It’s how Spain, as an example, got through the men’s World Cup in 2010. There can be that sense of a side just learning to graft through, to answer questions. The main issue, though, is that Wiegman possibly faces the biggest question of all. How many times can she keep refitting this team in the face of absences to keep it at champion level? Until there is actually confirmation of Walsh’s injury, it is almost futile to speculate, beyond the discussion of the facts. The 26-year-old immediately knew something was wrong, as she could be seen signaling that she had to come off as she motioned to her knee. It didn’t look good. The great frustration, that is almost always the case in these situations, was that it happened from something so innocuous. Walsh reached for a ball near the centre circle. That did point to one of the only weaknesses in England’s game up to that point. As against Haiti, they had been that bit looser at the back. The other frustration was that it had been the only issue with England up to then. They looked so much better than in that first match. The first 25 minutes were a hugely convincing period of football. There was obviously the benefit of finally having 90 minutes of competitive football to hone them, something that has been a factor in a lot of this World Cup. The better squads have felt the effects of not playing proper games for two months. There was more to it than that, though. With Wiegman going for the typically innovative move of putting the Women’s Super League top scorer at left-back, and with James on the left, there was so much more balance to the side. It looked like it fit again. In her more natural position, James knew exactly where to go, what areas to create real danger in. That was illustrated within minutes, as she got the ball just outside the box and curled the most divine strike around Lene Christensen. It was no less than England deserved. The mood was right. The approach was forceful. They looked a threat in every move forward. It seemed like a statement victory - like that which Spain, Germany and Brazil have offered - could be on. The only slight concern was how those issues remained at the back. There’s just that greater laxness. It didn’t help the confidence around this that Rikke Marie Madsen almost scored with Denmark’s first meaningful attack. The turn to create the chance was admittedly supreme, and it required something so mercurial to make it happen. It was more how fragile the lead seemed, as against Haiti. The mood soon changed entirely, as Walsh went down. It became a different game. Denmark sensed some opportunity. England just sought to get through it. This was entirely understandable. They’d lost their one tactically essentially player and felt her anguish. They’d lost their system. It asked a lot of the players. By the end, they were trudging through, Denmark doing all the running. One overlap produced the cross that almost undermined all of England’s efforts. The ball was flighted so invitingly for Amalie Vangsgaard, whose header bounced off the other side of the post. It was a let-off. It was also another test passed, if just about. It could be said England were lucky. The squad might point to everything else happening around them. They can also, almost certainly, point to a last-16 place top of the group. Read More England vs Denmark LIVE: Women’s World Cup latest score as Lauren James curls in Lionesses opener BBC pundit slams Women’s World Cup pitches after Keira Walsh injury – ‘It’s not good enough’ England lose the one player who is impossible to replace England manager Sarina Wiegman reacts to ‘serious’ Keira Walsh injury Why Keira Walsh is irreplaceable for England Bethany England: The Lionesses’ overlooked attacking threat in profile

English second-tier football team Queens Park Rangers is pitching investors in a bid to capitalize on strong demand

Riyad Mahrez has completed his move from Manchester City to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli, the Premier League outfit have announced. City agreed a fee understood to be worth up to £30million with Al-Ahli for the Algeria international last week. Mahrez, 32, spent five years at the Etihad Stadium and helped the club win 11 trophies, including four Premier League titles and the Champions League. Mahrez told the treble winners’ website, mancity.com: “To play for Manchester City has been an honour and privilege. “I came to City to win trophies and enjoy my football and I achieved all that and so much more. “I have had five unforgettable years with this football club, working with unbelievable players, fantastic supporters, and the best manager in the world. “Manchester City will forever be a huge and happy part of my life.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

“I’ve done my knee.” Keira Walsh knew it immediately, and then came the words to devastate the Lionesses and England’s chances of winning the World Cup as well. That’s how significant a blow losing Walsh is for any amount of time, let alone the tournament and potentially beyond. If England had one irreplaceable player, it would be Walsh. If Sarina Wiegman could have chosen any star to protect for the rest of the World Cup, it would have been their holding midfielder and pass master. The Lionesses now face a terrible wait to discover the extent of Walsh’s injury. It overshadowed England’s win over Denmark, and threatens to hang over the rest of their tournament in Australia. After losing Leah Williamson and Beth Mead to ACL injuries, it looks like England have suffered another, a cruel twist that came after Wiegman made two changes to her team and the Lionesses, for the first time this World Cup, looked to have clicked into gear. Walsh was at the heart of that at the anchor of England’s midfield - as she was during the Euros and in pretty much every England game since then, playing more minutes than any other member of Wiegman’s squad over the last year. She has qualities that no other player in the squad possesses, an ability to dictate the tempo of their play, to shoulder the responsibility of linking everything, a passing range that no one else has. She’s the player that in training her teammates can’t get the ball off. It’s why Barcelona, the best team in Europe, broke their transfer record to sign her. Without her player of the match display at Wembley, or pass through to Ella Toone for England’s opening goal, the Lionesses may not have beaten Germany to win the Euros. Since then, England have lost their spine and after the joy of last summer those are the pictures that threaten to define England’s year as European champions: Mead hobbling off in tears at the Emirates; Williamson wincing as her knee buckled against Manchester United; now Walsh reaching, her studs catching the turf, before being stretchered off against Denmark. It came as England looked to have steadied the ship and found their rhythm against Denmark, Lauren James scoring the goal that looked to have given the Lionesses lift off. There was a lot of noise England had to try and shut out, questions that weren’t answered in the win against Haiti, a clamour for Wiegman to do what she never does and change her starting line-up. That Wiegman did decide to twist indicated that something was not quite right - that England had gone almost six hours without scoring a goal made that perfectly clear as well. Yet with James and Rachel Daly brought back into the side, England looked to have been recalibrated. In the opening half hour, England’s standout feature against Denmark was the time and calmness each player had on the ball - a presence of mind that radiated from James but was set by Walsh. The Lionesses found what they never managed could grasp against Haiti. They took control and dominated possession. Everyone looked more comfortable and England were finally able to take a breath. Then Walsh went down and suddenly England were faced with another problem to solve: except this one doesn’t come with a quick-fix. Despite England’s goals drying up in recent months, Wiegman has had several attacking options in which to replace Mead - with James, Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly. The absence of Williamson has been felt off the pitch as much as on, but England have a ball-playing centre-back in Alex Greenwood. There isn’t a like-for-like replacement for Walsh, for her scanning, positional sense in front of the back four, or her discipline and calmness on the ball and off it. There is now a lot of responsibility placed on the shoulders of Georgia Stanway, a key player in her own right, but a midfielder who has a natural tendency to burst forward. As the new pivot of England’s midfield, Stanway will now have to control those attacking instincts. And in the second half in Sydney, while the devastating blow of losing Walsh subsided, England managed to see the game out. It wasn’t always pretty and the Lionesses certainly lost some of the fluidity they showed in the early stages, while Amalie Vangsgaard hitting the post with a late header was the let-off they needed. But that is tournament football and the victory puts England on the verge of the knockout stages - it could even be confirmed if China fail to beat Haiti later today. In doing so, England may have entered a new phase of their World Cup. The game has changed. Wiegman would not admit it, but this Lionesses team is simply not going to be anywhere near what it was when they won the Euros last summer. Mead and Williamson, even Fran Kirby, Ellen White and Jill Scott, were cracks that could have been covered up. England can still go far but losing Walsh reveals a gaping hole that can’t be filled. The Lionesses, like they managed against Denmark, now need to hang on and survive it. Read More England find World Cup balance but more adversity leaves one defining question BBC pundit slams Women’s World Cup pitches after Keira Walsh injury – ‘It’s not good enough’ England manager Sarina Wiegman reacts to ‘serious’ Keira Walsh injury England manager Sarina Wiegman reacts to ‘serious’ Keira Walsh injury England find balance but more adversity leaves one defining question Bethany England: The Lionesses’ overlooked attacking threat in profile