Chelsea Football Club has condemned homophobic abuse directed at star striker Sam Kerr following her announcement that she and West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis are expecting a baby. The news, shared by Kerr on Instagram, came with a heartfelt post that included a photo of the couple kissing and Mewis proudly displaying her baby bump. Kerr, who has been sidelined for much of the year due to an ACL injury, shared the joyful moment with her followers, saying, "Mewis-Kerr baby coming 2025!" While the couple received an outpouring of love and congratulations, they were also subjected to unacceptable and hateful homophobic comments on social media. In response, Chelsea acted to limit the comments on Kerr's post and issued a statement condemning the abuse. A spokesperson for Chelsea said, "Chelsea Football Club is aware of recent unacceptable and hateful homophobic comments published across various social media platforms. There is no place in society for any form of discrimination and we will not accept any abuse directed towards our players, staff, or supporters." The club emphasised its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and respect, reiterating that it is "extremely proud to be a diverse, inclusive club that celebrates and welcomes people from all cultures, communities, and identities." Also Read: The big difference between us and other teams is...: Chelsea’s coach Enzo Maresca Chelsea's LGBTQ+ and friends supporter group, Chelsea Pride, also voiced strong condemnation, calling the homophobic comments "hateful" and expressing disappointment at the abuse. They pointed out that instead of celebrating the joyous news of Kerr and Mewis’s upcoming child, social media had been flooded with hate. Chelsea Pride's statement highlighted the need for continued efforts to eliminate homophobia from football and society, stating: "Homophobia has no place in football, at Chelsea, or in our society." The group further emphasised that the club’s commitment to inclusivity and acceptance is unwavering, with a focus on a future where every player, fan, and family can live openly and be celebrated without fear of prejudice. They also reminded the wider community that "No to Hate" is not just a slogan, but a call to action. "This is our game, our club, and our unwavering commitment: Hate will never win here. We will always stand for love, unity, and an inclusive future for football," Chelsea Pride concluded. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 November,2024 05:38 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSLautaro Martínez's goal gave Argentina a 1-0 win over Peru in a South American qualifying match in Buenos Aires and left the hosts close to a spot in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Its main continental rivals Brazil drew 1-1 against Uruguay in Salvador, Brazil with two impressive goals in an otherwise lackluster match. Federico Valverde gave Uruguay the lead with a curled shot from the edge of the box, and Gerson netted his first for Brazil in similar fashion at the Arena Fonte Nova. Argentina leads South American qualifying with 25 points from 12 matches, five points clear of its closest competitor, Uruguay. Ecuador and Colombia are next with 19 points each. Brazil lags in fifth position with 18 points after several uninspiring performances, still hoping that striker Neymar will return from injury and fit in again. Paraguay, with 17 points, is in sixth place. South American qualifying will give six direct berths in the next World Cup. Seventh-place Bolivia, with 13 points, is in the international playoff position. Venezuela (12), Chile (9), and Peru (7) are out of qualifying spots. The next round of South American World Cup qualifying will be played in March. Uninspiring Argentina Martínez's goal was his 32nd for the national team, which puts him level with the legendary Diego Maradona. Until Martínez scored, Argentina's best chance was in the 21st minute, when striker Julián Alvarez hit the Peruvian goalkeeper's right post. Messi once again had a modest performance, as he did in his team's 2-1 defeat at Paraguay on Thursday. Messi crossed the ball in the penalty area in the 55th minute to give Martínez one of the few clear opportunities of the match. The striker moved his body with more grace than power to put the ball in the back of the next. Despite the disappointing performance at home, Lionel Messi's team will finish the year with few question marks beyond its performances in November. "We won Copa America, we lead South American World Cup qualifying," said goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. "We must be proud of ourselves." Also Read: Lionel Messi to add spark to Kerala’s football scene with Argentina’s 2025 visit Jeers for Brazil Brazil fans at home in Salvador jeered their team after the final whistle. In a match with few opportunities for either side, Uruguay seemed closer to winning for most of the second half. Valverde opened the scoring in the 55th minute after Brazilian defenders failed three times to clear the ball from their penalty area. The Real Madrid midfielder hit the ball to the left corner to score. Gerson equalized in the 61st minute. Striker Raphinha said he understood the frustration from his team's fans, but disagreed with them. "We played great. We did everything we could to leave here with a victory. We must have our heads high up, it will be very tough to beat us," he said. Also on Tuesday, Ecuador won 1-0 at Colombia with a goal by Enner Valencia in the seventh minute, in which he dribbled through three players before scoring. Ecuador lost defender Piero Hincapié to a red card in the 34th minute but held on for the win. Bolivia and Paraguay drew 2-2 in a match between teams that could end up fighting for the seventh position in the region's qualifying. Chile, one of the worst performing teams in the region this year, showed some fighting spirit and beat Venezuela 4-2. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 November,2024 05:17 PM IST | Buenos Aires | AP | PTIThe Kerala government announced on Wednesday that the Argentina national football team, led by legendary player Lionel Messi, will visit the state next year for an international friendly match. Addressing a press conference, Sports Minister V Abdurahiman said that the world-renowned team would play two friendly matches in Kerala, with the event being conducted under the complete supervision of the state government. The venue and the opponent team would be decided at a later stage, Abdurahiman said, reacting to a query. "The world's number one football team, Argentina, including Lionel Messi, is coming to Kerala... There will be two matches," he said. BREAKING🚨 Lionel Messi led Argentina team set to play a friendly in Kerala, announces Sports minister of Kerala#Messi #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/OBFa8hBUSp — IFTWC - Indian Football (@IFTWC) November 20, 2024 The management of the Argentina team would make an official announcement in this regard upon arriving in the state, Abdurahiman said. Representatives of the football team are expected to visit the southern state within one and a half months, the minister said. "We (government) have decided to make a joint announcement in this regard with the Argentina national team management," he said. The minister said that he had recently visited Spain to hold discussions with representatives of the Argentina national team and to extend an official invitation for their visit to the state. Also Read: Climate activists target Lionel Messi's mansion in Spain's Ibiza He said that talks were held with individuals associated with the team, who agreed to visit India in 2025 and participate in the friendly match event. Responding to a question, he said that the decision regarding the team's arrival has been finalised, and there are no changes to it. He noted that the government would directly oversee the match, security, and other arrangements. The minister said that the match would take place next year, but the date would be announced by the Argentina Football Association (AFA) in accordance with their procedures. Making it clear that the match would be held in a stadium with a capacity of at least 50,000 people, he indicated that Kochi is likely to be the venue. The minister pointed out that India has the largest support base for the Argentina football team, with one-fourth of the fans residing in Kerala. This is the primary reason for the Argentina team's decision to visit the state. Financial support for organising the high-profile football event will be provided by the traders of the state, he added. Abdurahiman also expressed confidence in Kerala's capability to host this historic occasion. In September this year, a delegation from Kerala, led by Abdurahiman, visited Spain to seek collaboration with the Argentine Football Association (AFA). After holding a meeting with its office-bearers in Madrid, Abdurahiman said that the collaboration with AFA would be a significant investment for Kerala and expressed his desire to make it a reality as soon as possible. "The possibility of considering Kerala as a venue for international friendly matches was discussed. As part of this, the association representatives expressed interest in visiting Kerala soon. AFA also expressed interest in setting up football academies in Kerala in collaboration with the state government," he had said in a Facebook post. Commenting on their meeting, the AFA had said: "Together with the delegation from the Government of Kerala, headed by V Abdurahiman, Minister of Sports, we had the opportunity to share initiatives and projects that will surely materialize in the short term." "In recent years, the association has established itself as one of the most important and popular sports brands in this strategic market through its global expansion strategy," it had said in a statement. "In this context, our institution is working on developing sports and commercial projects in different parts of the country, with the aim of continuing to expand our brand and being closer to the fans of the Argentine National Team in India," it had added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 November,2024 05:06 PM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | PTIJosko Gvardiol continued his scoring streak to earn Croatia a 1-1 home draw with Portugal on Monday that allowed them to squeak into the Nations League quarter-finals. Portugal had already sealed top spot in Group A1. The draw allowed Croatia to finish one point above Scotland who continued their late surge with a 2-1 win over Poland in Warsaw. Spain beat Switzerland 3-2 In Group A4, Spain, already assured of qualification, beat last-placed Switzerland 3-2 in a match of penalty kicks in Tenerife. Yeremi Pino, a Canary Islander, sent Spain ahead on home territory after 32 minutes after Pedri’s penalty was saved. Joel Monteiro levelled for Switzerland but a few minutes later Bryan Gil stole the ball back to restore Spain’s lead. Andi Zeqiri fired home from the spot after a foul by Fabian Ruiz in the 85th minute but Bryan Zaragoza won and converted a late penalty ensured Spain could finish a spectacular year on a high. Denmark secured second place in the group with a 0-0 draw in Serbia. Also Read: Ronaldo scores 133rd goal for Portugal in 3-1 win over Poland In Split, Portugal took a 33rd-minute lead when Joao Felix neatly finished a sharp counterattack. Rafael Leao then missed the target when clean through. With Scotland winning in Warsaw after a third-minute goal from John McGinn, set up by teenager Ben Doak, Croatia were heading out. Gvardiol, ghosting at the far post, had a header on 62 minutes disallowed for offside. He repeated the move three minutes later, sneaking in unmarked and onside to squeeze a close-range shot through Jose Sa. Gvardiol, a defender, has three goals in his last six Premier League games for Manchester City. “It felt like two different games for us,” said Gvardiol. “In the first half, we seemed a bit tired and needed to make changes. The second half was much better — we had more energy, better control of the ball, and created more chances and we managed to score a goal,” he added. Poland’s Piatkowski scores Almost simultaneously in Warsaw, Kamil Piatkowski rocketed a cross shot into the top far corner of the Scottish goal to level for Poland. In the 73rd minute in Split, left-back Nuno Mendes nearly emulated Gvardiol for Portugal but goalie Dominik Livakovic blocked. In Warsaw, Andy Robertson headed home in added time to give Scotland a second win in four days, but Croatia comfortably saw out the draw. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 November,2024 07:47 AM IST | Paris | AFPCaptain Harry Kane believes the 2026 World Cup will not be his last appearance for England. There is increasing scrutiny about the 31-year-old Kane’s future, even though he extended his all-time England scoring record to 69 goals in 103 appearances as Ireland were beaten 5-0 on Sunday at Wembley Stadium. Also Read: ‘Exciting to watch’ The British Press Association asked him if the 2026 World Cup is his last shot at glory for England. “I don’t think so,” he said. “I think there’s a perception when you get to your 30s that you’re coming to an end, but for me, I’m performing at the highest level I’ve ever performed and feel as good as I’ve ever felt.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 November,2024 07:45 AM IST | London | AP | PTIA third draw in four matches with Manolo Marquez at the helm may not be much to look at, but the Indian football team head coach is convinced that the side will make the cut for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027. In their only match in the November FIFA International Window, India came from behind to draw Malaysia 1-1 at the GMC Balayogi Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday. Also Read: India beat Laos in AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers “We are disappointed not to win but I am sure we will qualify for the AFC Asian Cup in 2027. Now we have four months. I know that it’s been a while since the national team have won a game, but we will win in March,” said Marquez. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 November,2024 07:44 AM IST | Hyderabad | IANSAfter a season of sheer determination, consistency, and plenty of goals, Rudra FC ended the MFA (Mumbai Football Association) Women's Elite Division on a strong note as the first runners-up of the tournament. With this, Rudra FC secured a place in the WIFA (Western India Football Association) Women’s League and is one step closer to reaching the Indian Women’s League (IWL) 2, marking its presence on the national stage. A top-two finish in the WIFA Women’s League will propel the dynamic Rudra FC team to IWL 2. Rudra FC showed great promise throughout the league, with seven wins and two draws in 11 games. They amassed 23 points to finish second in the standings. The club scored 27 goals and conceded only 11, demonstrating strength all around the pitch. At WIFA, Rudra FC faces the challenge of locking horns with some of Maharashtra's best sides in a league format. With Harshada Kalbhor being named the best goalkeeper and Samruddhi Katkole winning the best midfielder award this season, the team is in great shape and will be confident heading into the new tournament. Rudra FC will aim for the title but must finish in the top two spots in the league to ensure they make it to the country’s premier women’s football league. Also Read: Ranis of football! Director of Capri Sports, Jinisha Sharma, stated, “Rudra FC’s achievement highlights the immense potential of women’s football in India. At Capri Sports, we are committed to building a sustainable pathway for women in football and investing in their growth at every level. This is just the beginning, and we are excited to nurture talent, create opportunities, and help shape a brighter future for the sport.” The club has done well both on and off the field, and promotion to the second-tier women’s football league in India will be a crucial milestone for the club. Full Squad: Sonali Salavi, Harshada Kalbhor, Anushka Pawar, Sakshi Ghusalkar, Priya Sukhdeve, Nisha Patil, Poonam Mithari, Samruddhi Katkole, Sanika Patil, Ritika Singh, Snehal Kamble, Sharvari Donkar, Shivani Patil, Shweta Jha, Simaran Navalekar, Aarti Katkar, Seema Chhatrapal, Preeti Suresh, Leihaorungbam Sanathoi Devi, Arubam Nilam Chanu, Sera Pimenta, Sharlyn Cardoz, Veda Gandle, Komal Daphale, Anjali Barke. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 November,2024 06:09 PM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesEngland blew away 10-man Republic of Ireland 5-0 to wrap up promotion to the Nations League top flight as four players netted their first international goals on Sunday, while Adrien Rabiot scored twice as France beat Italy. Haaland ’tricks Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick to help Norway also top their group in League B. Euro 2024 runners-up England secured top spot in Group B2 in interim boss Lee Carsley’s final game in charge before the arrival of Thomas Tuchel as manager. “I wanted the England team to be exciting to watch and be attacking,” Carsley told ITV. Also Read: Bentancur fined, 7-game ban for racial slur Lee Carsley “I see them do it day in, day out on the training ground. And now we’ve seen it [on the field]. I can only do what I was in control of. It’s not a gamble with some of these players, they are excellent players,” he added. Greece finished second despite a 2-0 win over Finland in the other game in the group and will head into the playoffs in March. England struggled to break down a resolute Ireland in the first half at Wembley. The game changed shortly after the interval when Liam Scales brought down Jude Bellingham, conceding a penalty and being sent off for a second bookable offence. Kane stepped up to slot his spot-kick past Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, substitute Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis scored as well. France top group France snatched top spot in Group A2 from Italy with a 3-1 success at the San Siro. Andrea Cambiaso scored for the hosts. Haaland was at his destructive best as Norway brushed aside Kazakhstan 5-0 to finish top of Group B3. Antonio Nusa netted the remaining two goals. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 November,2024 07:51 AM IST | Paris | AgenciesUruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was banned for seven matches and fined £100,000 ($126,000) on Monday for making an offensive comment about South Koreans in relation to a remark about Tottenham teammate Son Heung-min. Also Read: Not here for retiring: Nadal’s focus on Davis Cup challenge Appearing on a television show in June, Bentancur was asked for a Tottenham jersey and replied, “Sonny’s?” He added it could be Son’s cousin too, because “more or less they’re all the same.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 November,2024 07:49 AM IST | London | AP | PTIThe Indian men's football team will end the year without a win as it was held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Malaysia in an international friendly here on Monday, extending head coach Manolo Marquez's wait for his first victory with the Blue Tigers. A howler from seasoned goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu saw Paulo Josue put Malaysia ahead against the run of play in the 19th minute but Rahul Bheke cancelled out the lead with his 39th minute header from a corner kick at the Balayogi Stadium. Going into the game, there was nothing to separate the two sides in head-to-head results with India and Malaysia having won 12 matches each and eight ending in draws. However, it was the 125th ranked India that kept the bulk of possession in the early part of the game, seeking to crack the Malaysian defence even as the visitors looked to settle down. Bolstered by the return of senior player and central defender Sandesh Jhingan after almost 10 months, the Indians looked to build from the back through short passes and put pressure on the Malaysian defence. Also Read: 'Standard of football in age-group events must improve in India': Bhutia Manolo handed Chennaiyin FC's Irfan Yedwad his India debut and deployed him as the lone forward in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but his international inexperience showed as the 23-year-old striker struggled to outsmart his markers, as the hunt for the legendary Sunil Chhetri's successor continues. However, for all their dominance, the home side conceded the match's first goal thanks to a blunder by Gurpreet who came off the line and left his post unguarded for Josue to tap the ball into an empty net after a clearance from the Malaysian defence. The Indians did not lose heart and were on the lookout for the equaliser, which they found when Bheke headed in a corner kick taken by Brandon Fernandes. The goal came after winger Lallianzuala Chhangte won a corner on the right flank following a long ball by stopper Anwar Ali. The second half began with hosts India looking revitalised after the much-needed equaliser. Like in the beginning of the first half, India took control of the proceedings as play resumed after the break, with Chhangte delivering a fine cross into the box with plenty of India players hovering but the 133rd ranked Malaysians were up to the task as they thwarted the danger. Both teams showed urgency to find the winner but were denied, with Malaysia coming close just before the final whistle. Manolo gave chances to a lot of players who have been doing well for their respective clubs this season. This was India's fourth match under Manolo. Prior to this game, India drew 0-0 with Mauritius, lost 0-3 to Syria in the Intercontinental Cup, and were held 1-1 by Vietnam in their last friendly match. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 November,2024 10:52 PM IST | Hyderabad | PTINetherlands outclassed Hungary with a 4-0 victory in their winner-takes-all Nations League encounter on Saturday while record-setting Germany hammered Bosnia and Herzegovina 7-0. Netherlands and Hungary went into the match tied on five points each and with the winner set to join Germany in ensuring their progress from Group A3 to the quarter-finals. First-half penalties by Wout Weghorst and Cody Gakpo sent the Oranje on their way, before Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners made the game safe in the second period. “There are always things we can improve upon,” Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk told SBS6. “But in the end, we deserved to win.” Medical emergency in game The match at the Johan Cruyff Arena was briefly interrupted in the seventh minute following a medical emergency on the Hungarian bench. The referee stopped play for some 10 minutes while Hungary’s assistant coach Adam Szalai received treatment, shielded from view by huddled players and staff members, as well as a large white sheet. Also Read: Martin denies Bagnaia to bag first MotoGP World C’ship Germany’s Kai Havertz (centre) is all smiles after his goal v Bosnia in Freiburg on Saturday. Pic/AFP Szalai, 36, was stretchered off to applause from spectators and players alike, the Hungarian FA later released a statement saying he was “conscious” and in a “stable condition” at an Amsterdam hospital. Almost forgotten in the aftermath of the worrying incident was the handball by Tamas Nikitscher as the ball was crossed into the Hungarian box. The referee consulted the touchline video monitor and promptly restarted play by pointing to the spot, allowing Weghorst to sweep the Netherlands in front. In the 11th minute of added time, Dutch dominance told and Malen was clipped by Zsolt Nagy in the box. Gakpo dispatched the resulting spot-kick. Right-back Dumfries sealed the Netherlands’ spot in the quarters as he latched onto Malen’s flick-on at the back post and fizzed a volley back into the far corner shortly after the hour. Koopmeiners marked his first international match since 2022 by nodding in a fourth in the 86th minute. Biggest win of tournament Germany cemented their spot at the top of the group with a 7-0 win over Bosnia — the heaviest in the six-year history of the Nations League. “It was good fun tonight. After a couple of goals we did the work defensively and then everything came together offensively. The more that happens, the more fun we have on the pitch,” German attacker Jamal Musiala told UEFA’s website. Musiala opened the floodgates after two minutes with a header from Joshua Kimmich’s cross. Tim Kleindienst scored his first goal for Germany in the 23rd minute and Kai Havertz made the game safe eight minutes before the break, slotting home after a slick one-two with Florian Wirtz. Wirtz then made it four on 50 minutes with a sublime swerving free-kick from wide on the left, before doubling up seven minutes later. Substitute Leroy Sane scored Germany’s sixth in the 66th minute and Kleindienst completed the rout just over 10 minutes from time as he guided home a pinpoint cross from centre-half Antonio Rudiger. The result leaves Germany five points ahead of Netherlands with one match left to play. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 November,2024 07:48 AM IST | Paris | AFPADVERTISEMENT
