With the terrible year they’ve had in MLS, expectations weren’t exactly high for Galaxy ahead of their Leagues Cup quarterfinal match against Pachuca.
The Galaxy suffered embarrassing defeats during their past two MLS games, falling at home to the Seattle Sounders and on the road against Inter Miami.
However, Galaxy coach Greg Vanney’s players put the losses behind them and continued to perform well in Leagues Cup play, surprisingly eliminating Pachuca 2-1 on Wednesday night at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Liga MX leading Pachuca entered the match as the favorite despite losing to Xolos de Tijuana at home last Saturday.
The Galaxy opened the scoring in the 27th minute thanks to an own goal by Pachuca defender Daniel Aceves, who seemed to be struggling with ball control and spacing.
Diego Fagundez took a short corner kick for Marco Reus, who sent in a low cross and Aceves, unfortunately for his team, pushed the ball into his own net to give the Galaxy a 1-0 lead.
The Galaxy kept pushing forward and their efforts soon paid off when Joseph Paintsil launched a swift attack down the left wing to Matheus Nascimento inside the box, who backheeled the ball to Reus to make it 2-0 in the 37th minute.
In the sixth minute of second half stoppage time, Pachuca found space to score a consolation goal. The goal came from a half-volley inside the box by Brazilian Alemao to make the score 2-1. The match ended a minute later, sending the Galaxy to the Leagues Cup semifinals.
All Mexican teams were eliminated from the tournament Wednesday night.
The Galaxy will play the Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami will play Orlando City for spots in the Leagues Cup final.
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About the author
Katrina Vasey – Bingo Editor, The Sun
After graduating from Southampton University with a degree in English Literature, Katrina Vasey worked as a Content Editor for Law Business Research’s publication the International Law Office. Katrina joined The Sun in 2022 as the Bingo Editor, covering the four gaming platforms: Sun Bingo, Fabulous Bingo, Sun Vegas and Fabulous Vegas.
Match of the Day pundit Wayne Rooney explains why Sunderland’s ability to sit deep and hit teams on the counter attack could be the key for the newly promoted side to avoid relegation, after their first match back in England’s top flight ended in a 3-0 win over West Ham at the Stadium of Light.
Match of the Day pundits Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney discuss Tijjani Reijnders’ ‘perfect midfield performance’ on his Premier League debut in Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Wolves and explain why he will make a difference in Pep Guardiola’s side this season.
BBC viewers will be able to watch Premier League highlights this season more than two hours before Match of the Day.
The iconic Beeb highlights programme is set to return to screens this Saturday.
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Match of the Day is set to begin a new era this weekendCredit: PA
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Mark Chapman will host the first show of the post-Gary Lineker era.
In addition to Lineker’s departure following 26 years in the hotseat, the BBC will be making other changes to its Premier League output.
Match of the Day will continue to provide fans with all the match action plus high-profile punditry.
But fans will be able to watch just the highlights on BBC iPlayer from 8pm.
Despite all the goals and major incidents being available earlier, Beeb chiefs believe that MOTD will still be able to pull in a major viewership.
A BBC press release confirmed: “Published live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, match highlights from every fixture will drop at 8pm, putting all the biggest moments at fans’ fingertips ahead of the expert analysis and in-depth discussion on the main show.
“It’s a game-changing way to stay connected and fully immersed in the action.”
Chapman, 51, is set to be the first of Match of the Day’s new three rotating presenters to sit in the hotseat.
Other one-off matches, such as the Italian Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup, have been held abroad in recent years.
AC Milan are also hoping to play their Serie A match against Como in Perth, Australia in February, as the fixture clashes with their San Siro stadium hosting the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.
However, the plans have yet to receive approval from Fifa, Uefa, Football Australia and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Fifa’s rules currently do not allow domestic league matches to be played abroad, but last year it set up a working group to look into the matter.
Last year, La Liga said it wanted to hold Barcelona v Atletico Madrid in Miami before dropping the idea because of time constraints.
In 2019, Barcelona also planned to stage a league match against Girona in Miami, but the idea was scrapped after opposition from the RFEF and its players’ union.
The Premier League has previously said it has no plans to play games overseas.
In 2008, then Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore proposed playing an extra round of fixtures abroad, but the plans were shelved after criticism from fans and the media.
After four breaks of serve between the pair in the opening five games, Raducanu came from 30-0 down to grab another and make it 5-3.
The 22-year-old won seven points in a row to bring up three set points and took the first with an ace.
In the second set, Raducanu drew errors from her 24-year-old opponent and eventually earned a break for 3-2.
From that point the world number 39, ranked four spots higher than Danilovic, did not drop another game as she booked her spot in the third round in Ohio.
Raducanu is playing in the WTA 1,000 event for the first time since 2022 and could next face world number one Aryna Sabalenka, against whom she suffered a narrow Wimbledon defeat last month.
Earlier, Poland’s Iga Swiatek eased through to the last 32 as the Wimbledon champion claimed a 6-1 6-4 win over Russian Anastasia Potapova.
Australian Open champion Madison Keys of the United States saved two match points before beating Germany’s Eva Lys 1-6 6-3 7-6 (7-1).
“Apologies for the slight moment of excitement for you Plymouth fans, only to find out you’re behind.”
But the blunders were not done there as The Tykes then made it 2-0.
When Adam Phillips doubled their lead, Sky Sports accidentally made a score correction on the vidiprinter to say it was still 1-0.
They were then forced to hilariously correct the correction.
Warren handled it like a pro, brilliantly saying: “I think the vidiprinter might still be on holiday, lying on a lounger with a couple of pina coladas.”
There were no errors in the second-half as Barnsley won 3-1.
But, in what became a frustrating 4-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Crochet bobbed and weaved around every knockout blow the Dodgers tried to land.
“I thought we played hard. I thought we competed,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He made pitches when he needed to.”
Indeed, in a game that was decided on the margins — through high-leverage at-bats and two-strike battles and risky decisions that backfired on the basepaths — Crochet was just a little bit better than Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, using his heavy fastball and premium all-around stuff to wiggle out of trouble in a way his aging 37-year-old counterpart couldn’t.
While Crochet limited damage over the rest of his six-inning start, striking out 10 batters to prevent each of the eight other Dodgers who reached base from scoring, Kershaw faltered when his back was up against the wall, yielding the lead in a three-run second inning before exiting after another run in the fifth.
“Obviously, when you’re facing a guy like Crochet, there’s not gonna be a ton of runs,” said Kershaw, who once invoked such fear from opponents but now has to grind with gradually diminished stuff. “Our guys did a good job getting a lead there early and really having good at-bats. Just frustrating not to be able to hold it.”
Making his first career regular-season start at Fenway Park (he had only previously pitched here in the 2018 World Series), Kershaw appeared to be battling his mechanics from the start. He delivered a first-pitch strike to only five of the first 14 batters. Even worse, he couldn’t put guys away on two-strike counts.
It culminated in the three-run second inning from the Red Sox (56-50). Trevor Story worked a leadoff walk. Carlos Narváez belted a double off the Green Monster. And, on a night he had two triples and a double, Jarren Duran laced a line drive to center that got over Andy Pages’ head to plate two runs (Duran would later score on a sacrifice fly).
All three batters did their damage with two strikes.
“Needed to figure it out a little bit better,” Kershaw said of the second inning. “The last few innings [after that], I actually felt pretty good with everything. Just couldn’t make the adjustment that second inning. And that’s what cost us.”
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1.Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers in the first inning Saturday.2.Boston starting pitcher Garrett Crochet delivers in the first inning Saturday.(Steven Senne / Associated Press)
Kershaw eventually settled down. He rediscovered his command in the third, working around a pair of singles with a double-play grounder and strikeout of Story. He found the kind of rhythm that has keyed his surprisingly strong 18th season from there, retiring seven consecutive batters to work his way into the fifth inning.
But with two outs in the fifth, Red Sox slugger Alex Bregman outlasted Kershaw in another two-strike battle, bouncing a single through the infield on the 10th pitch of the at-bat. Then, rookie star Roman Anthony drove him home with a double off the Monster.
Kershaw’s night ended there, with four runs (tying the second-most earned runs he has allowed this season) and only two strikeouts over 4⅔ innings raising his season earned-run average to 3.62.
“Could have been a super frustrating day,” Kershaw said. “Now it’s only mildly frustrating — just that that’s still in there, I can still get people out. It’s just that second inning got to me.”
Crochet, meanwhile, never wavered after the Dodgers (61-44) did their early damage.
“When you’re facing guys like Crochet, you don’t get so many good pitches to hit,” Hernández said. “The ones that you do, you just have to put it in play and hopefully you can get good contact, do some damage, like we did in the first inning. After that, he was throwing the ball very good. He didn’t miss many pitches in the strike zone.”
The Dodgers, in an effort to manufacture extra offense, didn’t help their own cause on the bases, either.
After the first-inning home runs, another rally fizzled when Freddie Freeman was thrown out trying to go from first to third base on a Pages single that was initially booted by Duran in left field.
The Dodgers challenged the call, with Roberts applauding Freeman’s aggressiveness from the dugout, but the out was upheld. Tommy Edman lined out to end the inning an at-bat later.
“I thought that was a good play, I liked that,” Roberts said of Freeman’s decision. “He’s got to make a perfect throw to get Freddie right there. But in a first and third [situation] with a two-run lead, if we get into a situational spot right there, it could’ve been a different game.”
Instead, the rest of the night was more of the same.
The Dodgers had two other innings end with outs on the bases. Hernández was caught stealing for the final out of the fifth (on a close play the Dodgers were unable to review after burning their challenge earlier, but one Hernández was told likely would’ve been upheld). Will Smith was gunned down trying to turn a single into a double in the seventh, after Crochet’s exit.
“If you try to play it straight and try to collect a bunch of hits, it’s just not going to happen,” Roberts said of the Dodgers’ game plan on the bases. “We had a chance early and then he started bearing down and the velocity ticked up. Then hits were harder to come by.”
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani examines his bat before striking out in the fourth inning Saturday.
(Steven Senne / Associated Press)
And if that wasn’t enough, Ohtani squandered several more chances in deflating sequences at the plate.
Despite extending his National League lead with his 38th home run to start the game, the slugger also moved into the top-five of the NL in strikeouts with three in each of his remaining at-bats Saturday, finishing with 124 on the season.
In both the second and fourth, No. 9 hitter Hyeseong Kim managed to single off Crochet (surprising results given Kim’s recent struggles, which Roberts said have been magnified by a recent shoulder injury). But both times, Ohtani followed with inning-ending Ks, chasing out of the zone on a fastball up and a cutter that was well away.
The Dodgers, nonetheless, gave themselves one last chance against Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate after a two-out walk from Esteury Ruiz.
The batter representing that tying run: Mookie Betts, who was out of the starting lineup for a second straight game after spending the week back home in Nashville following a death in his family, but arrived at the ballpark shortly after first pitch to be available to pinch-hit.
His number was called with the game on the line, in what marked just his second trip back to Fenway Park since being traded from the Red Sox to the Dodgers in 2020.
Alas, the former MVP brought a night of missed chances to a frustratingly fitting conclusion, getting rung up on a called third strike to set up a series rubber match Sunday.
Kenley Jansen signed his first professional contract with the Dodgers 21 years ago. He was Clayton Kershaw’s catcher in rookie ball. He has been honored as an All-Star four times. He has saved more games than all but three men in major league history, all of them Hall of Famers. He won a World Series with the Dodgers.
For all that Jansen has accomplished in his two decades in pro ball, there is one thing he has not experienced: He never has been traded.
That could happen in the coming days, with baseball’s trade deadline next Thursday. As we talked about that possibility Friday at Angel Stadium, and about how the sport can be a cold business at times, he dropped 11 words that stood out.
“I thought,” he said, “I would play my whole career with the Dodgers.”
Maybe you can go home again.
The Dodgers are urgently shopping for right-handed relievers. In Anaheim, Jansen is enjoying a season that by some measures is his best since 2021, his last season with the Dodgers.
First things first: Jansen did not sign with the Angels just to rack up saves. He is 36 saves shy of 500, a milestone reached only by Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman.
“I came here with one goal in mind,” Jansen said, “and the goal was to help this team turn around, to end that playoff drought. That’s what I’m here for.
“If they move me, I’d definitely feel disappointed we didn’t accomplish it.”
But let’s be real: The longest playoff drought in the majors is likely to hit 11 years. The Angels are 4-1/2 games out of a postseason berth, but they would have to pass six teams to sneak into the last wild-card spot in the American League playoffs. Baseball Prospectus projects their chance of making the playoffs at 2%.
The Angels demoted their fifth starter this month. They have been running bullpen games because they had no one in their farm system ready to fill the vacancy. They only have two starters you could pencil into their 2026 rotation.
They need pitching depth, and it would be organizational malpractice not to get some by trading their pending free agents, Jansen included.
Kenley Jansen pitches for the Dodgers against the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NLCS on Oct. 19, 2021.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
For the Angels, the optimal outcome would be a team desperate for a closer overpaying to get Jansen.
However, such a team would be more likely to overpay for the marquee names on the market, including Jhoan Duran of the Minnesota Twins, Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians and Felix Bautista of the Baltimore Orioles, with a second tier led by David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Dodgers hate to overpay.
Jansen has 17 saves and one blown save, with a 1.00 earned-run average in save situations and a 3.19 ERA overall. The latter is his lowest ERA since 2021. By ERA+, a statistic that accounts for league and ballpark factors, Jansen is at 133 — or 33% better than league average.
The only Dodgers relievers with an ERA+ above 133: left-handers Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer.
Dodgers relievers have thrown 49.1% of the team’s innings pitched; the highest percentage of any major league team. Vesia, Anthony Banda and the injured Tanner Scott rank among the top 20 in appearances. Ben Casparius, who earned his first major league save Friday, ranked second among major league relievers in innings pitched.
Phillips is out for the season. Treinen could return from the injured list next week, with Kopech possibly to follow next month and Graterol in September, but it is risky to count on injured players to return healthy and effective.
In a major league career that started in 2010, Jansen never has been on the injured list because of an elbow or forearm issue, and his two stints for shoulder inflammation were brief.
The Dodgers could drop Jansen into their mix of high-leverage right-handers. They would not want Jansen if he would want to be the unquestioned closer.
He is getting the job done as a closer, and he is getting closer to 500 saves. But the Dodgers’ analysts would probably take note of his career highs in exit velocity and hard-hit balls, and a .774 OPS against left-handers that compares unfavorably to his .600 career mark, and might want to spot him against a run of right-handers. Could be the sixth inning, could be the ninth.
Whether it’s the Dodgers or any other contending team, would Jansen consider a role outside the ninth inning?
“At that point, it’s just about getting rings,” Jansen said. “My goal is to win. You play for that, always. I understand there is a milestone I am close to. But, at the end of the day, it’s what you play for. You play to win. You play to win a World Series.
“If I have to go throw the sixth, seventh, eighth, I would do it. I’m a professional. I would do what I do best, and that is pitch.”
Jansen said he hasn’t given up on this Angels team, or this Angels season. He would love to win in Anaheim. The Angels could help him do that: Trade him for another pitching piece that could help them next year, then sign Jansen again over the winter.
But it turns out that the older sister was being held back by her younger sibling — at least that’s what Venus Williams joked on Monday after winning her first match with new doubles partner Hailey Baptiste during the first round of the D.C. Open.
“I think, from the first point, I could see that we were going to be a good team,” Williams said during her on-court interview following the American duo’s 6-3, 6-1 victory against Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue. “We just should have started playing earlier, years ago, right? I think Serena was just in the way.”
After the capacity crowd of around 3,000 roared with laughter at the quip, Williams smiled and waved to the camera: “Sorry, Serena.”
Williams, 45, had every right to be giddy after a successful return to the court following a 16-month hiatus, during which she underwent a medical procedure to remove fibroids from her uterus last July.
“It’s just nice to be able to play,” Williams said during her postmatch news conference with Baptiste. “Where I am at this year is so much different than where I was at last year. It’s night and day, being able to be here and prepare for the tournament as opposed to preparing for surgery a year ago.”
She added: “Tennis is a game. It’s our life. It’s literally our obsession. … But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if your health is not there. So it definitely put it in perspective for me and maybe made it easier to make the decision to maybe come back out here and maybe play even freer.”
Williams’ comeback is just getting started. The seven-time major winner and one-time Olympic gold medalist is scheduled to face Peyton Stearns of the United States in the first round of the women’s singles tournament at 4:30 p.m. PDT Tuesday.
Later this week, Williams and Baptiste will face the winner of Tuesday’s match between Cristina Bucsa/Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Taylor Townsend/Shuai Zhang in the women’s doubles quarterfinals.
As for Serena Williams, the 23-time major singles champion hasn’t played since “evolving away from tennis” following the 2022 U.S. Open, where she and Venus lost in the first round in doubles and she advanced to the third round in singles before losing to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in her final match.
“I keep saying to my team: The only thing that would make this better is if she was here,” Venus Williams said of her sister while speaking to reporters Sunday. “Like, we always did everything together, so of course I miss her.”
Seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams has celebrated victory in the last 16 of the women’s doubles at the Washington Open after 16 months away from tennis.
The 45-year-old former world number one, who accepted a wildcard for the tournament, had not competed since the Miami Open in March 2024 – and last won at the Cincinnati Open in August 2023.
Williams and fellow American Hailey Baptiste beat Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue 6-3 6-1.
“It was inspiring to be out here,” Williams told Sky Sports. “I love this game and still hitting it big.”
She will face another American, Peyton Stearns, in the first round of the singles competition on Tuesday.
Williams, who was playing doubles for the first time in three years, joked she wished she could have partnered with 23-year-old Baptiste, the world number 50, instead of her sister Serena – the 23-time major champion.
She said: “I think from the first point I could see that we were going to be a good team. We just should have started playing earlier, years ago, right? I think Serena was just in the way.”
Venus, who does not have a ranking, won 14 major titles alongside Serena in the women’s doubles, as the Williams sisters dominated the sport for many years.
LAS VEGAS — The Thomas & Mack Center public-address announcer called it the “main event” at the NBA Summer League, with Lakers’ second-year guard Bronny James and Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg at the center of it all.
The fans didn’t have to wait long for the moment they all came to see when Flagg, the first overall pick in the draft out of Duke, defended against James from the start of the game.
The atmosphere was electric until the end, with Flagg’s Mavericks pulling out an 87-85 win after James missed a three-pointer seconds before the final buzzer.
“It’s Summer League and everyone is going to come out for the first game,” James said. “Like, it’s going to be a crazy atmosphere, no matter what. So I just try to embrace it.”
Neither put on a shooting exhibition, but the fans didn’t seem to care.
James had eight points, missing six of eight shots. He also had two rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes and 51 seconds.
Flagg had 10 points on five-of-21 shooting, missing all five of his three-point attempts. He had six rebounds, four assists and one block.
Still, James was impressed.
“He’s great,” James said. “I watched him all in college. He’s an amazing player. So I have a lot of respect for him. He’s going to be special.”
Early in the game, James came off a screen with Cooper trailing and arriving too late, giving James just enough time to launch a jumper that settled into the net.
Lakers guard Bronny James, left, controls the ball in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg during the Lakers’ Summer League loss Thursday.
(Ryan Stetz / NBAE via Getty Images)
James struck again, drilling a three-pointer over Cooper, drawing cheers from the fans.
James switched and took on the challenge of defending Cooper in the post, drawing more cheers.
Flagg missed his first two shots, and it was clear the fans wanted him to keep shooting. His first basket was off a breakaway dunk, leaving the fans shaking their heads and cheering.
James and Cooper continued their duel in the second quarter, with a couple of plays showcasing the intensity of their battle.
James, who is 6 feet 3, took on the 6-9 Flagg in the post, Flagg waving his teammates away as he tried to face the challenge alone. James stole the ball but was called for a foul, his look at the referees incredulous as the fans booed.
On the next possession, Flagg scored on a fadeaway over James, drawing more cheers as Flagg slapped hands with his teammates on the bench.
“I’m a pretty small guard,” James said. “So if I get switched down there I have to stand my ground somehow. That’s why I weigh like 215 [pounds] and I got to stand my ground down there and make sure I’m not getting bullied anywhere.”
Late in the game, the Lakers got a scare when Dalton Knecht buckled his knees while trying to score on a layup.
“Both of my legs cramped,” said Knecht, who had 15 points, “and I airballed the layup.”
Flagg shot a late airball, but he blocked a shot by DJ Stewart with 1:09 left.
The game came down to James to win it for the Lakers, but his missed three with 3.7 seconds left sealed the Lakers’ fate.
“Yes, I want him to fill that responsibility at the end of the game,” said Lindsay Harding, Lakers assistant coach and Summer League coach. “I want him to have the ball in his hands and I’m going to live and die with whatever shot he takes. It was the decision he made. It was a good shot. I’ve seen him make it before.”
James made another positive step in his efforts to improve his conditioning.
“I felt good,” James said. “I felt I could have knocked some more shots down, but it is what it is. You’re not going to make them all. I felt my effort on the defensive end was good and that’s what I’m focusing on this year.”
But that hasn’t stopped his name — Dennis Rodman — from coming up during coverage of the prestigious tennis tournament, which she has been attending in support of her boyfriend, Ben Shelton.
On Monday, after Shelton defeated Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 7-5 to advance to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time, Rodman took to her Instagram Story to express her frustration about the matter.
“For Ben’s matches he has his family there as his support system, which includes his dad,” wrote Rodman, who is often shown on the broadcast sitting in the stands with Shelton’s parents and his sister, Emma. “my dads not even in MY life no need to bring him up during HIS matches when I don’t even want him talked about during mine. It’s him and his loved ones’ moment. Thank you.”
Named the NWSL rookie of the year in 2021, Rodman helped the Washington Spirit win its first league championship the same season. She also has made a name for herself with the U.S. women’s national team, scoring three goals during the squad’s run to Olympic gold last year in Paris.
Rodman has made no secret of the fact that her father — a five-time NBA champion and basketball Hall of Famer — has not been a constant presence in her life. She spoke before the Olympics about his pattern of showing up occasionally — as he did for a 2021 NWSL playoff game — and then disappearing once again from her everyday life.
“Like I’ve said before, I’ve gotten closure with it all,” Rodman said at the time. “I know he’s proud of me. I truly do. He has his own things to deal with, but at the end of the day, he’s communicated to me that he knows I was going to be here, and that’s all I need.”
In December, Rodman spoke more about her complicated relationship with her father and the “anger” she often feels toward him.
“He’s not a dad,” Rodman said. “Maybe by blood but nothing else.”
Had the ball been correctly called out, Pavlyuchenkova, who had the advantage, would have won the point and taken the lead.
Instead, it was replayed, Kartal won the point and went on to break for a 5-4 lead.
A frustrated Pavlyuchenkova was heard telling the umpire at the changeover: “They stole the game from me. They stole it.”
A spokesperson for the All England Club said: “Due to operator error the system was deactivated on the point in question.
“The chair umpire followed the established process.”
The automated line-calling system, which was introduced at Wimbledon for the first time this year, has been under scrutiny this week, with several players questioning its accuracy and sound level.
Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, said on Friday she was confident in the accuracy of the electronic line calling and in the decision to bring it in.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Major League Soccer game between LAFC and Austin FC was postponed Saturday because of inclement weather.
“The decision was made due to severe weather impacting the safety of travel in Central Texas and with guidance from relevant local authorities,” Austin FC said in a statement.
A new date for the match at Q2 Stadium will be announced at a later date.
In the statement, Austin also expressed sympathy for those affected by flooding in the state, which has claimed the lives of at least 43 people. There are also 27 children missing from a summer camp.
“Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and neighbors who have lost their lives, and we urge that those who are able find their way to safety,” the club said. “We also want to express our gratitude and respect for those who are responding to the crisis with life saving measures.”
Banda, 25, came into the tournament off the back of a stellar 12 months which saw her also named BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year, score the winning goal for club side Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League Championship final, and become Africa’s all-time leading scorer – male or female – in Olympic football.
However, she had been forced to wait a long time to make her mark at a Wafcon.
An unused member of the Copper Queens squad in 2018, she saw the 2020 edition cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and missed out in 2022 amid confusion over ‘gender eligibility’ rules, with the situation later resolved.
But her first contribution on African football’s biggest stage caused obvious fear in the Moroccan rearguard, with three defenders backing off as Banda carried the ball from the halfway line to the edge of the box.
Her shot was on target but should have been saved by goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi, who somehow allowed it to squirm past her to provide a truly electric start.
But Morocco, who dominated with over 70% of possession throughout the game, were not behind for long.
Play was initially waved on by referee Shamirah Nabadda following a clumsy challenge inside the box by Grace Chanda on fellow midfielder Najat Badri, but the video assistant referee advised Nabadda to go to the monitor and the Ugandan duly overturned her original decision.
Jraidi made no mistake from the spot, hitting the ball high into the net to level proceedings in the 12th minute, lifting the volume inside the Olympic Stadium, the venue which will also host the final on 26 July.
Orlando Pride forward Banda then showed her class again 15 minutes later, finding time on the ball to slide a defence-splitting pass into the path of another player based in the USA, Bay FC’s Racheal Kundananji, Africa’s most expensive player, who finished calmly past Er-Rmichi.
And deep in first-half injury time, Banda looked set to tap home another goal at the back post, only to see Morocco full-back Hanane Ait El Haj pull off an amazing headed clearance from her own goal line.
England will look to hold on to their crown when the 14th edition of the UEFA European Women’s Championship, or Women’s Euro 2025, begins in Switzerland on Wednesday.
The continent’s top nations will compete over the course of the 26-day tournament across eight host cities.
Here’s everything you need to know about the championship:
When and where is Euro 2025?
Switzerland is playing host to the Women’s Euro for the first time.
The tournament begins in Thun on Wednesday, July 2 and concludes in Basel on Sunday, July 27.
How many countries are participating in the Women’s Euro 2025?
Of the 51 national women’s bodies associated with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), 16 have qualified for the championship.
They will be divided into four groups:
Group A
Switzerland
Norway
Iceland
Finland
Group B
Spain
Portugal
Belgium
Italy
Group C
Germany
Poland
Denmark
Sweden
Group D
France
England
Wales
Netherlands
Which teams are favourites to win Women’s Euro 2025?
Apart from holders England and world champions Spain, former Olympic gold medal winners Germany are firm favourites to lift the trophy. Here’s a brief look at each team’s pedigree:
England: The defending champions will gain confidence from their top rank in UEFA’s rankings heading into the tournament. Under the leadership of their trusted coach, Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses enter the tournament on the back of mixed results in their UEFA Nations League matches. The young-looking squad will lean on the experienced Lucy Bronze, who will be playing in her fourth Euro, as they look to build on the success of their predecessors.
Spain: Arguably the most exciting women’s team to watch thanks to their prowess in front of the goal, Spain are the current world champions. The women in red and gold would like to one up their men’s team of the early 2010s by winning the Euro on top of a World Cup title. La Roja have won five of their six competitive matches in 2025, scoring 21 goals in the process.
Germany: Germans are the undeniable queens of European football, having won the tournament on a whopping eight occasions, including six consecutive titles from 1995 to 2013. Also the world champions twice, they are another in-form team, having won five of their six games in 2025 with 26 goals scored and only three conceded.
Spain will be favourites to add the European title to their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 win [File: Rick Rycroft/AP Photo]
Will Aitana Bonmati play in Euro 2025?
Up until Friday, Bonmati’s participation in the tournament was unquestionable as the superstar midfielder is the centrepiece of the Spanish side. However, the 27-year-old tested positive for viral meningitis and was hospitalised in Madrid.
The Spanish football federation, RFEF, however, is hopeful that the star player will return to the squad in a few days despite not being part of the contingent travelling to Switzerland on Sunday.
“After several days hospitalised with viral meningitis, Aitana Bonmati has been discharged from the hospital and will join the Spanish national team in the coming days,” RFEF said in a brief statement.
The Barcelona player, winner of the Ballon d’Or award in 2023 and 2024, posted a photo from her hospital bed on social media on Sunday, giving a thumbs-up and stating: “Fortunately, everything is going well. I hope to return soon.”
Bonmati has been pivotal for Spain, scoring 30 goals in 78 appearances and helping them win the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and last year’s UEFA Nations League.
Gracias a tod@s por los mensajes recibidos y a l@s que me habéis ayudado estos días. Afortunadamente todo va bien, espero volver pronto. 💪🏼⚔️🧠
— Aitana Bonmatí Conca (@AitanaBonmati) June 29, 2025
Who are the key players to watch at Euro 2025?
Ewa Pajor (Poland): The Barcelona forward is ranked among the world’s top strikers and has scored 43 goals in her 45 appearances for the club in the past season. She has won more than 100 caps for her country, scoring 68 goals in the process and has been named the nation’s top women’s player on five occasions. The tournament debutantes will rely on Pajor’s red-hot form to see them through to the knockouts and beyond.
Alexia Putellas (Spain): Arguably one of the greatest women to play the game, Putellas will be the mainstay of Spain’s midfield and attack as the world champions seek a third title. The Barcelona player had another incredible season for the Spanish champions, scoring 17 goals in 25 appearances to add to her control of the team’s midfield. Putellas missed out on the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 and would like to make up for it with a Euro win.
Klara Buhl (Germany): The German winger has been playing for the European giants Bayern Munich since 2020 and has made 102 appearances. Making her international debut in 2019, Buhl has scored 28 goals for Germany in 67 games. She will be among the top young players at the 2025 championship.
Lauren James (England): Another bright young European footballer, James has swiftly climbed up the ranks in Wiegman’s squad. The 23-year-old will have plenty of eyes on her as she leads England’s attack in Switzerland. She scored 22 goals for Chelsea in the last season and has seven goals in 27 international appearances.
Ewa Pajor was instrumental in Poland’s qualification for the Euro championship [File: Lisa Leutner/Reuters]
Who are the past winners of the Women’s Euro championships?
1984: Sweden
1987: Norway
1989: West Germany
1991: West Germany
1993: Norway
1995: Germany
1997: Germany
2001: Germany
2005: Germany
2009: Germany
2013: Germany
2017: Netherlands
2022: England
Germany have won the Women’s Euro a record eight times, with their last win coming in 2013 [File: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
Where are the Women’s Euro 2025 venues?
From stadiums located in the heart of Switzerland’s main cities, to picturesque arenas sitting in the lap of the Alps, these are the eight venues hosting the championship:
Basel (St Jakob-Park): The venue in Switzerland’s most populous city will host five games, including the home team’s opener, the last quarterfinal and the final. The 35,000-capacity stadium was opened in March 2001 and is the home ground for the city’s eponymous team in the Swiss league.
Bern (Stadion Wankdorf): The 32,000-capacity home of the Young Boys football club was rebuilt on the site of the 1925-built Wankdorf Stadium, which hosted the famous “Miracle of Bern” FIFA World Cup 1954 final between West Germany and Hungary. It will host four Women’s Euro 2025 fixtures, including the third quarterfinal.
Geneva (Stade de Geneve): The venue was one of the co-hosts for the UEFA Euro 2008 and has also held rugby games. In the Women’s Euro 2025, the 30,000-capacity stadium will host five matches, including the first quarterfinal and the first semifinal.
Lucerne (Allmend Stadion): The glittering golden structure of the Swissporarena stands out in the city of Lucerne and is home to its Swiss Super League side. It will host three group-stage games during the tournament.
St Gallen (Arena St Gallen): The venue in the northwest of Switzerland can host close to 20,000 football fans. It will also host three group-stage games.
Sion (Stade de Tourbillon): A picturesque football venue, the Stade de Tourbillon sits amid the Alps, overlooked by two prehistoric castles. It is the smallest venue by capacity, 9,570, and will host three group-stage games.
Thun (Arena Thun): Spectators will have a view of a football match on the field and the Alps in the background when they attend one of the three group-stage games in Thun.
Zurich (Stadion Letzigrund): The Stadion Letzigrund in Switzerland’s largest city will host three group-stage fixtures, as well as the second quarterfinal and the second semifinal. The home ground for two of the city’s football clubs has a capacity of more than 24,000.
A drone view shows the picturesque Arena Thun, one of the venues for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 [File: Denis Balibouse/Reuters]
What is the prize money for the Women’s Euro 2025?
According to UEFA, the total prize pot for the tournament is 41 million euros ($48m), more than double the 16 million euros (about $19m) given in 2022.
The champions can get a maximum of 5.1 million euros (about $6m) if they also win all three of their group-stage matches.
All 16 teams will receive a participation fee of 1.8 million euros ($2.1m).
How to buy tickets for the Women’s Euro 2025?
Tickets for all games go on sale at 09:00 GMT on every match day from the group stage up until the knockouts. They will be available on the UEFA ticketing website and start from 22 Swiss Francs ($27.5) and go up to 90 Swiss Francs ($112).
How to watch Euro 2025?
The tournament will be streamed live on the UEFA.tv website, as well as regional broadcasters and streaming services.
Al Jazeera Sport will provide live text and photo commentary stream for a selection of knockout matches, including the final.
Hosts England won the Women’s Euro 2022 by beating eight-time winners Germany at Wembley Stadium in London on July 31, 2022 [Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo]
What is the format and full match schedule of the Women’s Euro 2025?
Format: All four teams in each of the four groups will play each other once, and the top two teams will progress to the knockout stage, which begins with the quarterfinals.
⚽ Women’s Euro 2025 group stage schedule
Wednesday, July 2 Group A: Iceland vs Finland (16:00 GMT, Thun) Group A: Switzerland vs Norway (19:00 GMT, Basel)
Thursday, July 3 Group B: Belgium vs Italy (16:00 GMT, Sion) Group B: Spain vs Portugal (19:00 GMT, Bern)
Friday, July 4 Group C: Denmark vs Sweden (16:00 GMT, Geneva) Group C: Germany vs Poland (19:00 GMT, St Gallen)
Saturday, July 5 Group D: Wales vs Netherlands (16:00 GMT, Lucerne) Group D: France vs England (19:00 GMT, Zurich)
Sunday, July 6 Group A: Norway vs Finland (16:00 GMT, Sion) Group A: Switzerland vs Iceland (19:00 GMT, Bern)
Monday, July 7 Group B: Spain vs Belgium (16:00 GMT, Thun) Group B: Portugal vs Italy (19:00 GMT, Geneva)
Tuesday, July 8 Group C: Germany vs Denmark (16:00 GMT, Basel) Group C: Poland vs Sweden (19:00 GMT, Lucerne)
Wednesday, July 9 Group D: England vs Netherlands (16:00 GMT, Zurich) Group D: France vs Wales (19:00 GMT, St Gallen)
Thursday, July 10 Group A: Finland vs Switzerland (19:00 GMT, Geneva) Group A: Norway vs Iceland (19:00 GMT, Thun)
Friday, July 11 Group B: Italy vs Spain (19:00 GMT, Bern) Group B: Portugal vs Belgium (19:00 GMT, Sion)
Saturday, July 12 Group C: Sweden vs Germany (19:00 GMT, Zurich) Group C: Poland vs Denmark (19:00 GMT, Lucerne)
Sunday, July 13 Group D: Netherlands vs France (19:00 GMT, Basel) Group D: England vs Wales (19:00 GMT, St Gallen)
⚽ Women’s Euro 2025 quarterfinals
Wednesday, July 16 Winners of Group A vs Runners-up of Group B (Geneva, 19:00 GMT)
Thursday, July 17 Winners of Group C vs Runners-up of Group D (Zurich, 19:00 GMT)
Friday, July 18 Winners of Group B vs Runners-up of Group A (Bern, 19:00 GMT)
Saturday, July 19 Winners of Group D vs Runners-up of Group C (Basel, 19:00 GMT)
⚽ Women’s Euro 2025 semifinals
Tuesday, July 22 Winners of quarterfinal 3 vs winners of quarterfinal 1 (Geneva, 19:00 GMT)
Wednesday, July 23 Winners of quarterfinal 4 vs winners of quarterfinal 2 (Zurich, 19:00 GMT)
⚽ Women’s Euro 2025 final
Sunday, July 27 Winners of semifinal 1 vs winners of semifinal 2 (Basel, 19:00 GMT)
Olivier Giroud is parting ways with LAFC after one disappointing year with the club.
The 38-year-old Giroud and LAFC announced the decision Friday on social media. He will play in his final match Sunday night at home against Vancouver.
After scoring only five goals in 37 matches for LAFC, Giroud will become a free agent after his departure. He is widely expected to join Lille, which finished fifth in the French league last season, on a free transfer.
“I want to thank all of the fans, my teammates and the staff at LAFC for making this an enjoyable stop in my career,” Giroud said in a statement. “I am happy to have played a part in the success of LAFC. From winning a trophy last season to participating in the Club World Cup, this has been a great experience in LA for me and my family.”
Giroud joined LAFC in July 2024 as a designated player after a long European career highlighted by prolific tenures with Arsenal and Chelsea. The top goal-scorer in the history of France’s national team was expected to provide dynamic offense alongside MLS stars and fellow Frenchmen Denis Bouanga and Hugo Lloris.
Instead, Giroud clearly struggled to adapt to the MLS game and to LAFC’s counter-attacking style under coach Steve Cherundolo. LAFC also failed to figure out ways to involve Giroud in the offense consistently, unable to provide service to one of the sport’s most dangerous finishers earlier in his career.
Giroud usually played as a substitute for LAFC, and he didn’t score his first MLS goal until last April 19. He did find the net in big moments, scoring in the U.S. Open Cup final last season and in the Leagues Cup final.
“Olivier has been an exemplary professional during his time at LAFC,” general manager John Thorrington said. “He brought humility and a winning mentality that helped elevate everyone around him. Olivier has been a tremendous ambassador for the club on and off the field. We are grateful for his contributions.”
LAFC is suddenly a team in full transition after a winless three-game run at the Club World Cup earlier this month. Cherundolo already has announced he will leave the club to move back to Germany after the season, and LAFC could be down to Bouanga as its only designated player by next month.
LAFC added Dutch winger Javairô Dilrosun on loan from Club América earlier this month, but the loan is only through July 24. Dilrosun replaced Cengiz Ünder, whose disappointing MLS tenure ended this month.
LAFC’s lengthy pursuit of Antoine Griezmann also came up fruitless earlier this month when the French star extended his contract with Atlético Madrid through 2027.
LAFC (7-4-5) still sits sixth in the Western Conference standings with two or three games in hand on every club above it, and it has an infusion of cash from beating América in a play-in match to reach the Club World Cup.
ORLANDO, Fla. — LAFC closed out the Club World Cup by tying Flamengo 1-1 at Inter & Co Stadium on Tuesday night.
Orlando has a large Brazilian community accustomed to cheering on former Orlando City star Kaká and current Orlando Pride star Marta. As a result, Brazilian club Flamengo enjoyed a strong push from the crowd against LAFC.
Flamengo’s Wallace Yan came off the bench and scored the game’s equalizer in the 86th minute. He received a pass from Jorginho, ran at full speed and scored with a right-footed shot from the penalty spot.
The 20-year-old striker’s goal gave Flamengo a draw. The team will face German giants Bayern Munich in the round of 16. That match will be played on Sunday in Miami.
LAFC claimed the lead in the third minute thanks to Denis Bouanga, scorer of the MLS team’s lone goal in the tournament.
Flamengo topped Group D with seven points, one more than Chelsea. Esperance of Tunisia (three points) and LAFC (one) were eliminated.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the guys,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “I’m really happy with their effort. … It’s very difficult against a quality side like Flamengo, but I think we did well with the opportunities we had.”
With first place in their group assured, after victories over Esperance (2-0) and Chelsea (3-1), the Rio de Janeiro club took the end of the group stage as a break.
They could have finished it off much earlier, but the goalposts stood in the way a couple of times.
The first came at the 30-minute mark with a fierce shot from Pedro, after a nice combination of passes, which splintered the crossbar of the goal defended by Hugo Lloris.
Uruguay midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta also delivered a shot that was off target in the 70th minute just before heading to the bench.
“We had total control of the match. We created countless chances, especially in the first half. We had a few shots hit the post, other chances that didn’t end up finishing, but we created them,” said Filipe Luís, Flamengo’s coach. “Unfortunately, we were not very good in front of goal.”
It was the first Club World Cup match played in Orlando that was not affected by bad weather. It was also the best attended match in the city, with 32,933 spectators in attendance at a Camping World stadium with a capacity of 60,219.
