Herbert Mensah, the recently electedPresidentof Rugby Africa, the governing body of rugby in Africa, has a scheduled five-day visit to Kenya. During his stay, he will act as the official representative of World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont at the World Rugby U20 Trophy tournament, where he will have the honor of presenting the highly coveted trophy.
The World Rugby U20 Trophy is an international rugby union competition organized by World Rugby, featuring men’s junior national teams with players under the age of 20 showcasing their skills and passion for the sport.
All 16 matches of the World Rugby U20 Trophy are currently being held at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya, after the tournament’s commencement on July 15.
This marks the second time Kenya is hosting the U20 Trophy, having previously done so in 2009 when the tournament was known as the Junior World Rugby Trophy.
Beyond the prestige of the trophy, the eight competing teams will be vying for a spot in the World Rugby U20 Championship next year in South Africa. The winners will be promoted to the U20 Championship, replacing Japan, as the team that finished at the bottom of that competition (held from June 24 to July 14 in South Africa) will drop down to the U20 Trophy in 2024.
The participating teams have been divided into two challenging pools. Pool A includes Scotland, Uruguay, USA, and Zimbabwe, while hosts Kenya join Hong Kong China, Samoa, and Spain in Pool B. This lineup promises an intense and captivating display of rugby talent and teamwork.
“The World Rugby U20 Trophy not only showcases Kenya’s capability as a world-class sporting destination but also represents the collective spirit and passion for rugby that resonates across Africa. Together, we stand united in celebrating Africa’s presence on the global rugby stage,” said Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa.
Herbert Mensah‘s presence during the World Rugby U20 Trophy reflects the significance of this event and his representation of World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont symbolizes the strong collaboration between Rugby Africa and the global rugby community.
“Africa hosting two World Rugby U20 tournaments consecutively will be exciting to witness and serves as the perfect build-up to Rugby World Cup 2023 which is just under three months away. Both South Africa and Kenya have proven their ability to host global age-grade competitions in the past and I have no doubt that these editions will be successful with great interest from local crowds”, said World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont.
As Kenya continues to welcome the world for the World Rugby U20 Trophy. Follow the journey, witness remarkable athleticism, and celebrate the passion for rugby in one of Africa’s most vibrant nations.
The newly elected President of Rugby Africa will embark on a five-day visit to Kenya where he will officially represent World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont
About Rugby Africa:
Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) is the governing body of rugby in Africa and one of the regional associations under World Rugby. It unites all African countries that play rugby union, rugby sevens, and women’s rugby. Rugby Africa organizes various competitions, including the qualifying tournaments for the Rugby World Cup and the Africa Sevens, a qualifying competition for the Olympic Games. With 39 member unions, Rugby Africa is dedicated to promoting and developing rugby across the continent.
In the month of April, Rory McIlroy withdrew from the RBC Heritage tournament
and cited his “mental and emotional wellbeing” as the cause.
No reason was given at the time for the world number three’s withdrawal, which came soon after he missed the cut at the Masters.
McIlroy will make his first return to competition since Augusta at this week’s Wells Fargo Championship.
“I needed a break for me,” the Northern Irishman told the Golf Channel.
McIlroy withdraws from RBC Heritage event
“Obviously, after the disappointment of Augusta, and it’s been a pretty taxing 12 months mentally, so it was nice to just try to disconnect a little bit and get away from it.
“But it’s nice to come back and feel refreshed and I think we’re on a pretty busy run here from now until after the play-offs so I’m excited to get going.
“I think it was a combination of a few things, and just after the disappointment of Augusta and how I played there, it was just more for my mental and emotional wellbeing I just needed to be at home for those few weeks but, as I said, looking forward to getting back this week.”
He added: “I think I’m in a better headspace than I was. Yes, you know, that run-up to Augusta is always a stressful enough couple of weeks trying to make sure everything is in the right order and making sure your game is in good shape.
“I think for me it was a nice reset because I still had to realise that there are three more majors this year, there is a ton left to play for.”
McIlroy declined to do any post-round interviews after failing to make the halfway cut in what was a disappointing performance at the Masters.
The RBC Heritage was the second designated PGA Tour event that the 33-year-old has skipped this year, one more than players ranked in the top 20 of the circuit’s Player Impact Program (PIP) are allowed to miss.
Having already sat out the season-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions in January, this second absence could potentially cost him bonus money from the PIP, which is distributed at the end of the PGA Tour season and which earned McIlroy £7.5m in 2022.
McIlroy will be aiming to win the Wells Fargo Championship for a fourth time when he competes at Quail Hollow this week, having won the title in 2010, 2015 and 2021.
Nathan Broadhead’s 62nd-minute goal was enough to give Wigan Athletic their first home victory of the Sky Bet Championship season against north-west neighbours Blackburn Rovers.
Wigan had come into the game on the back of defeats against Hull and Cardiff, but always looked the more likely side to edge a tight encounter at the DW Stadium.
The home fans were in good voice from the off, which gave their side impetus to attack Blackburn, who in contrast started very slowly.
A Max Power free-kick from the right was met by the head of Tom Naylor at the near post, but the ball was always wide of goal.
Lovely footwork from Broadhead saw the on-loan Everton man advance into the box with time and space to shoot. However, his effort was well saved by Thomas Kaminski at the expense of a corner.
Naylor then shot just wide of goal before Will Keane fired straight at Kaminski despite having support from Broadhead and Charlie Wyke.
At the other end, Rovers were struggling to get anything going. A shot from Ben Brereton-Diaz, which flew wide of the far post, was their only real sight of the Wigan goal.
Blackburn’s unease was shown at the break, when Callum Brittain and Tyrhys Dolan were readied to replace Sammie Szmodics and Ryan Hedges.
They were soon joined on the field by Sam Gallagher, for George Hirst, within seven minutes of the restart.
And it was no surprise when Wigan took the lead, thanks largely to a mistake in the Rovers defence.
Scott Wharton gift-wrapped possession in his own box to Keane, whose initial shot was saved by Kamiski at point-blank range. The ball fell to Broadhead, who stabbed home from six yards to the delight of most inside the stadium.
That was his last involvement, with Thelo Aasgaard replacing him at the three-quarter mark.
And Aasgaard was quickly into the game, heading over a cross from Tendayi Darikwa, who then fired wide after good work from Power and Jason Kerr.
Rovers were still struggling to get going, with Brereton-Diaz finding himself unmarked at the back post, only to fire wide of the target.
Bradley Dack was sent on for the final eight minutes, with Ashley Fletcher and Josh Magennis giving Wigan fresh legs up top.
The result means a continuation of Rovers’ remarkable sequence of results which has now seen them win seven and lose seven of their 14 matches.
Lyndon Dykes’ late penalty gave QPR a 2-1 victory over Reading and moved them up to third in the Championship table.
Reading, who started the night in third place and would have gone top had they won, went ahead at Loftus Road through Andy Carroll’s penalty.
But Dykes, on his 27th birthday, equalised with his first goal in 11 matches and then, with six minutes remaining, he netted from the spot to give the Rs a third consecutive win and take them level on points with leaders Sheffield United, who play on Saturday.
Carroll opened the scoring on the half-hour mark after Lucas Joao had been clipped by Tim Iroegbunam near the edge of the area – the veteran striker’s first goal for Reading since rejoining the club last month.
It came after Rangershad been denied what looked like an obvious penalty of their own.
Ilias Chair’s cross was headed back towards goal by Iroegbunam and defender Sam Hutchinson clearly used his arm to divert the ball out for a corner.
QPR, without injured talisman Chris Willock, caused Reading problems early on, with Tyler Roberts’ strike bringing a save from Joe Lumley as the visitors struggled to get out of their own half.
Rangers’ night took a turn for the worse when right-back Ethan Laird, outstanding since arriving on loan from Manchester United, went off with a hamstring injury shortly before Reading went ahead against the run of play.
But Michael Beale’s side hit back slightly less than three minutes after falling behind.
Laird’s replacement, Osman Kakay, did superbly on the right and his cross was met at the near post by Dykes, who sent a diving header beyond former QPR keeper Lumley and into the far corner of the net.
Reading had much more of the ball in the second half, but Lumley twice prevented them from falling behind.
Roberts missed a great chance when his header from Chair’s cross was saved at point-blank range by Lumley, who also did well to keep out a strike from Chair as Rangers pushed for a second goal.
And that goal arrived when Dykes slotted home after Rangers were awarded a penalty – their first of the season – following Mamadou Loum’s needless foul on Iroegbunam.
QPR keeper Seny Dieng ensured his team took the points by tipping away Tom Ince’s last-minute free-kick.
Ghana defender Andy Yiadom could make an injury return for Reading FC when they face Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
Yiadom suffered an injury last Saturday when his outfit defeated Huddersfield Town in the Championship. He missed the side 1-1 draw against Norwich City on Tuesday.
Speaking ahead of their clash, the former England captain disclosed his skipper might play against QPR.
“He might, at a push, be okay for QPR,” the former England captain declared. “If not, it will be next week against West Brom.”
Reading currently sit third in the Championship table heading into QPR clash this weekend.
Ghanaian midfielder Kwame Poku has expressed readiness to help Peterborough United excel in the ongoing campaign.
Peterborough are currently in the English League One after suffering relegation from the Championship last season.
Kwame Poku, who his scored in Peterborough’s victory on the road against MK Dons, playing on the flanks stated his desire to help the club excel this season.
“It doesn’t matter where I play on the field, I am ready to give my best for the team to excel,” Poku stated
Peterborough took the lead through Jonson Clarke-Harris in the third minute of the game.
Kwame Poku increased the lead for Peterborough in the 36th minute with his first goal of the season.
Peterborough goal into the half-time break with a two-goal lead.
Hellas Verona defender Isak Kwaku Hien is overjoyed to have received his first call-up to Sweden‘s national team for this month’s international games.
The Ghanaian has been named to Sweden’s Nations League squad, which will play Serbia and Slovenia.
It’s a well-deserved call-up given his impressive displays since joining the Serie A club this summer from Swedish side Djurgrden.
“The biggest dream has been to play for the national team, that’s the dream I still have in my head. I want to play a match in Sweden’s national team jersey.
Then the goal is to play the World Cup and European Championship, but the thoughts have not gone that far yet, but it has been about getting into the squad first,” said Hien to SportExpressen.
The 23-year-old is clear that he has not had time to digest everything that has happened in recent weeks.
“No, not really. The fact that it has gone so quickly has probably made it more difficult. It has gone so quickly from barely playing in Djurgården, to playing, and then a move abroad with the national team at that. The fact that everything happened in such a short period has meant that I haven’t had time to land in any of them, says Hien to SportExpressen and continues:
“I barely had time to land in the fact that you were given in Djurgården, which is a top team in the Allsvenskan, and then a move to Hellas Verona. Now the national team. I haven’t had time to land on it. It was the same with the move to Italy. I probably only got into it after I played my first game. Then it really sunk in, maybe it will be the same this time.”
Hien’s contract with the Italian club runs until the summer of 2026.
The USWNT roster has plenty of question marks going into the 2023 World Cup. But some players like Alex Morgan, center, are a lock.
This is the point in the four-year cycle when the World Cup starts feeling real. The major continental tournaments of summer are in the books, teams have qualified, rosters are starting to get more consistent and opponents for friendlies are becoming more challenging. The 2023 Women’s World Cup begins in just over nine months. The draw? That’s six weeks from now.
Now, the pressure will ratchet up for players in the coming months as they try to make their dreams reality and position themselves higher up the depth chart with strong performances for club and country — or else, they will fall out of roster contention if form dips
The U.S. women’s national team head coach, Vlatko Andonovski, spent the past year overturning the core of a roster that won the past two World Cups to usher in a new generation. So which Americans will be on the plane to Australia and New Zealand in search of a three-peat?
ESPN will answer that question on a rolling basis throughout the next nine months, starting now with our USWNT Big Board, Vol. 1. A team loaded with so many bona fide stars offers some certainties, but the recent turnover within the team leaves plenty of roster spots up for grabs on the 23-player team. Add in the handful of potential starters who are recovering from injuries, and the field is further clouded.
Let’s start with the obvious: The team of 23 going right now will not be the team of 23 going to the World Cup (and for all we know, this could become a 26-player roster like the men’s edition in Qatar).
This is a ranking, by position, of how things stand right now. That means players with long-term injuries would not be on the roster if the World Cup started today. Plenty will change in the coming months as some of these players face competition unlike any they’ve faced before, including an Oct. 7 showdown with European champions England at Wembley.
Within each position, we’ve made tiers of players to add nuance to where things stand:
Tier 1: Roster locks. These players are either clear starters or pushing to be one, and as of today, would be on the plane for the World Cup.
Tier 2: The bubble. Players on both the right and wrong side of it, because if you aren’t a lock, you are part of the bubble where nothing is certain.
Tier 3: Outside looking in. Players who have had a passing look with the team without tangible progress, players performing well for club but who haven’t gotten a look, or players who were once integral but no longer seem part of the plans.
Wait and see: Former locks racing against time. This is a special category to account for injuries and absences — these are players who were once locks, but now need to recover quickly enough and regain their status for a spot on the plane. There are enough of them that it needs its own category because an injured starter can’t be Tier 1 right now, but we expect they should have a clear path to return to that tier – if they get back to 100% in time.
Goalkeepers
Tier 1: Alyssa Naeher, Casey Murphy
Tier 2: Aubrey Kingsbury
Tier 3: Adrianna Franch, Jane Campbell, Bella Bixby, Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Wait and see: None
Alyssa Naeher, center, has not been challenged enough to lose her starting spot for the USWNT. Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images
The No. 1 goalkeeper job remains Alyssa Naeher’s to lose. Casey Murphy made a strong run at it earlier this year on the heels of some stellar performances in 2021, but she has struggled at times this NWSL season for the North Carolina Courage, a team whose erratic form frequently allows multi-goal thrillers — not exactly a goalkeeper’s dream game.
If anyone is going to challenge Naeher, it’s Murphy, but there is work to be done. Naeher is a two-time World Cup champion and was the starter for the 2019 triumph. After that, Aubrey Kingsbury is in a bubble of her own as the choice No. 3 right now, a position which she has had locked down for the entire calendar year.
Bella Bixby and Jane Campbell are the last goalkeepers to receive call-ups outside of that trio, and those came for relatively experimental games in Australia last November. Adrianna Franch hasn’t played for the U.S. in nearly a year following her emergency duties at the Olympics, where Naeher got hurt in the semifinal. Andonovski spoke on multiple occasions this year about learning from that moment, which is why Murphy has earned significant minutes this year, including at World Cup qualifying. Kingsbury still only has one cap.
Andonovski wants two options who are ready to be the No. 1 come the World Cup and right now, his trio is as set as it could be.
On the plane right now: Naeher, Murphy, Kingsbury
Full-Backs
Tier 1: Emily Fox, Kelley O’Hara, Sofia Huerta
Tier 2: Hailie Mace
Tier 3: Carson Pickett, Imani Dorsey, Caprice Dydasco, Kristen McNabb, Merritt Mathias
Wait and see: Crystal Dunn, Casey Krueger, Emily Sonnett
34-year-old Kelley O’Hara has been one of Vlatko Andonovski’s preferred options at right-back, even as he has tested new up-and-comers. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Ah, full-back: The position of eternal questions for the U.S. men’s and women’s teams alike.
Emily Fox is clearly the starting left-back right now and has been all year. Andonovski tabbed her for that role last year, when she was an NWSL rookie, and he said he would spend the year building up her minutes to get her ready for the World Cup. That is exactly what happened and Fox offers the U.S. pace to go with a unique attacking profile in the position.
Of course, left-back was previously the position held down by Crystal Dunn, who gave birth to her first child in May and has not played yet this year. She trained with the USWNT in the most recent camp and expects to play some minutes for club and potentially country before the end of the year. Yes, she can play in the midfield, but her services are of greater need for the USWNT at full-back. At her peak, Dunn is the best the team has at the position.
By the time the World Cup kicks off, the question might not be Fox vs. Dunn, but rather who gets which side? As for now, Dunn is still trying to get back on a pitch during a game, so we’ll revisit that.
Right-back is where were find more questions. Kelley O’Hara (recently, but not significantly injured) is the incumbent there and continues to show why when healthy. The health caveat is an important one that has been a factor for some time. Emily Sonnett’s injury is significant enough to have been season-ending for the Washington Spirit, or she would otherwise be Tier 1 based on how she has rotated into Andonovski’s lineups.
play0:40Huerta’s beautiful cross helps USWNT gain 4-0 lead
USWNT’s Sofia Huerta crosses the ball in that Ashley Hatch capitalizes on to up their score to 4-0 over New Zealand.
Sofia Huerta has earned her most extensive trial as a U.S. international after making the one-time switch from Mexico, a dream she thought she had lost after blowing her initial opportunity in the previous cycle. Huerta continues to make her argument as the best crosser from wide areas in the entire USWNT pool, and her defensive game has largely improved.
She did misplay the ball that led to Nigeria’s goal on Tuesday and ended the USWNT’s 880-minute shutout streak, but she was stellar on both sides of the ball and played a role in two goals in the first game against Nigeria, a 4-0 win. Whether Huerta is the starter remains a question, but right now she is solidly part of Andonovski’s plan. How she plays against England will tell how ready she is for a World Cup.
Casey Krueger also gave birth to her first child and has not played this year. She was used semi-frequently as a reserve full-back in 2021. The wild card, though, could be Hailie Mace, who only joined the USWNT for games against Nigeria as a replacement for O’Hara, but impressed enough in training to earn looks off the bench in both matches. Mace is in her best form ever in the NWSL as a wing-back for the Kansas City Current, who play a 3-5-2, but she had not been in camp in over four years prior to last week.
For all of the above players, there’s still time to get on the roster — especially at this position.
On the plane right now: Fox, Huerta, O’Hara
Center-Backs
Tier 1: Becky Sauerbrunn, Alana Cook, Naomi Girma
Tier 2: Abby Dahlkemper
Tier 3: Sam Hiatt, Alex Loera, Sam Staab, Emily Menges
Wait and see: Tierna Davidson
Naomi Girma, right, has made a strong case to join the USWNT in 2023 as a starting or reserve center-back. Sofia Huerta, left, is pushing for a full-back spot. Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Center-back is also a curious position right now. Becky Sauerbrunn, Alana Cook and Naomi Girma have been the three players rotating into those two spots almost exclusively since Tierna Davidson tore her ACL in March. Cook is the preferred starter alongside Sauerbrunn, who is the captain, but Girma has the skillset to claim the starting role.
Is there even a bubble after that? The most likely candidate for that is Abby Dahlkemper, but since returning from broken ribs earlier this spring, she has fallen out of favor as the starting center back alongside Girma at San Diego Wave FC, and the calls from Andonovski have stopped, too. Dahlkemper needs to get back in the XI for San Diego before she gets back into a USWNT camp, and does have the potential. She played every minute for the USWNT at the 2019 World Cup and has a passing range to rival any center-back.
From there, the rest of the talent pool is inexperienced, with Cook and Girma still early into their international journeys. A peek at the 55-player preliminary roster for the CONCACAF W Championship suggests that any of Alex Loera, Sam Hiatt, Emily Menges or Sam Staab are in Andonovski’s peripheral thoughts. Combined, they have zero caps.
Davidson’s return will be the most important to this position, and she could double as an emergency No. 6. Sonnett and even Mace also provide versatility between full-back and center-back, which is always a helpful trait when deciding on bubble spots. As it stands today, the USWNT is one more injury away from a major depth problem.
It’s difficult to envision a scenario in which Rose Lavelle, pictured, is not on the plane to Australia and New Zealand. Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Midfield features the most interesting bubble section. Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan and Andi Sullivan are Andonovski’s starting trio as the Nos. 10, 8 and 6, respectively, but there are at least three spots behind them wide open for the taking, although Ashley Sanchez is looking more likely and should claim one of those reserve spots. Plus, what happens when Sam Mewis returns?
Lavelle is undroppable and in form, and Horan is best as a two-way midfielder when asked not to shoulder too much of the defensive responsibility, which can also be said for Mewis. Catarina Macario might also be part of this conversation, but we’ll get back to that.
Sam Coffey earned her first cap on Tuesday and played the entire match in the No. 6 role. As debuts go, it was solid if not necessarily spectacular, which is about as much as anyone could ask for in a thankless role. As wild as it seems to go from first cap to World Cup, Coffey’s case for inclusion right now is as good as anyone else’s in the position, especially on form.
Julie Ertz previously defined the No. 6 role, so much so that it has been difficult for observers to evaluate any of her replacements. Ertz gave birth to her first child earlier this year and her playing future is unclear. Andonovski might know more about that, but for now, he must plan for life without Ertz.
play0:55Rapinoe makes instant impact with assist on Lavelle’s diving header
Right after Megan Rapinoe comes onto the pitch, she crosses one to Rose Lavelle for the header.
Kristie Mewis has filled in at the No. 6 in a pinch, but it has largely looked forced. NJ/NY Gotham FC is rounding out an awful season, which has not helped her club form. Still, her ability to play in any of the three positions is to her benefit. Morgan Gautrat played her best club season to date in 2021, earning a recall to the USWNT, but she only played 45 minutes at February’s SheBelieves Cup and has not played for the Chicago Red Stars since April 2 due to injuries.
Savannah DeMelo will have something to say about all this, and Racing Louisville FC teammate Jaelin Howell might still, too. For now, though, it’s possible the final midfield spot comes down to Coffey and Taylor Kornieck. Given current injuries and the numbers game of roster composition, they both go as of today.
Also, at what point does Lo’eau LaBonta’s NWSL form warrant a look in camp? She played for Andonovski at FC Kansas City, so there is familiarity there and a precedent set by Kristie Mewis’ return to the USWNT following a great league campaign.
On the plane right now: Lavelle, Horan, Sullivan, Sanchez, K. Mewis, Coffey, Kornieck
Wingers
Tier 1: Sophia Smith, Mallory Pugh, Megan Rapinoe
Tier 2: Margaret “Midge” Purce, Trinity Rodman
Tier 3: Christen Press, Morgan Weaver, Tobin Heath, Ally Watt
Wait and see: Lynn Williams
Mallory Pugh, center, previously tumbled down the depth chart and did not even make the squad that went to the Olympics last year after playing in the preceding World Cup, but she has reclaimed her spot on the USWNT. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Sophia Smith and Mallory Pugh are NWSL MVP candidates and have the starting winger positions on lock for the U.S. national team. There really is not a debate. Both reiterated against Nigeria how dynamic they can be and why they are threats to any defense they come up against. The largest remaining criticism is their conversion rate at times, but that’s also a matter of setting realistic expectations for any forward — each is averaging better than a goal every other game in 2022.
Megan Rapinoe is also a lock as far as Andonovski’s plans go. Such a firm position sparked controversy when she returned to the team ahead of World Cup qualifying, which Andonovski said was always going to be the plan. There were some external concerns about that being too much of a choice based on leadership and not form, but those have since been squashed.
Rapinoe continues to affect games off the bench, as she did on Tuesday when she assisted Lavelle’s game-winning goal only 73 seconds after entering the match, and she is back to being a 90-minute player for OL Reign, notching four goals and three assists in four games in August. In short, Rapinoe is going to a fourth World Cup with sights set on winning a third straight.
Trinity Rodman might be next in line off the bench. In 2021, she put in an NWSL Rookie of the Year campaign that nearly doubled as worthy of MVP talk. She hasn’t quite had a sophomore slump, but the Washington Spirit’s generally horrible form has not helped Rodman’s case. Smith and Pugh are also playing extremely well, so Rodman’s role remains that of a reserve.
Margaret “Midge” Purce is in the mix after missing out on last year’s Olympics. Lynn Williams is the player who could disrupt the depth chart upon her return, but that likely won’t be until 2023. Elsewhere, Morgan Weaver will need a solid stretch run with the Portland Thorns to push her name back into the conversation, as would Tobin Heath, who was once a sure starter on the USWNT’s World Cup-winning teams but hasn’t been in the picture in nearly a year.
Christen Press’ absence from the CONCACAF W Championship roster was the most surprising given her form. She tore her ACL two days before the public announcement of the roster, but had already been informed she would not be on the roster. The necessary recovery time for that injury likely puts her back on the field around the start of the 2023 NWSL season, which would make for a tough timeline to get back into the mix for a third World Cup.
On the plane right now: Smith, Pugh, Rapinoe, Purce, Rodman
Strikers
Tier 1: Alex Morgan
Tier 2: Ashley Hatch
Tier 3: Mia Fishel, Bethany Balcer, Kristen Hamilton, Cece Kizer, Jessica McDonald
Wait and see: Catarina Macario
Alex Morgan, pictured, is the undisputed No. 1 at the No. 9 position — at least until Catarina Macario returns from injury. EPA/Miguel Sierra
Alex Morgan is once again the clear No. 9, as if nothing changed at all. That is not true, of course. Earlier this year, Andonovski began building the team around Macario as the false nine who seamlessly interchanged with Lavelle in the attacking midfielder role, which left Morgan on the outside, not earning call-ups.
The results with Macario were brilliant at times even if they featured growing pains against lesser competition. But Macario’s injury coincided with Morgan’s career-best form, and Morgan handily beat out Ashley Hatch in the competition for the starting role in the meantime.
Assuming Morgan stays in this form and Macario picks up where she left off, Andonovski has a champagne problem. He is not going to move away from the 4-3-3, and he isn’t going to drop Lavelle. So one of Morgan or Macario would have to sit, and they would rotate as needed in the World Cup (how’s that for a super-sub in either case). Otherwise, Macario could become part of a “double-10” alongside Lavelle — that would trigger a question of who as a pure No. 6 would then carry the defensive load, all while Macario would take a spot in an already crowded midfield depth chart.
Meanwhile, Mia Fishel remains in top form for Tigres as one of the best forwards in Liga MX, but Andonovski said last week that he has not had any conversations with her. Given the general lack of depth right now at the No. 9 position, and that Liga MX plays through the winter (when the NWSL is off), there remains an opportunity for her to change that.
Afriyie Barnieh struck the first goal for Ghana from the spot after a barren first half.
Seidu Suraj later doubled the lead to seal a convincing victory with four minutes to end the game.
In the second leg at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja on September 3, 2022, Ghana will need a draw, a win, or avoid losing by a 3-goal margin to qualify for the tournament that will be hosted in Algeria.
Below is the 22-man squad for the second leg
GOALKEEPERS
Danlad Ibrahim Asante Kotoko
Stephen Kwaku Great Olympics
Abdulai Iddrisu — Bechem United
DEFENDERS
Konadu Yiadom Hearts of Oak
Mohammed Alhassan Hearts of Oak
Samuel Osei Kuffuor Bechem United
Augustine Randolph — Karela United
Emmanuel Siaw — FC Samartex 1996
Dennis Korsah — Hearts of Oak
Henry Ansu — Berekum Chelsea
MIDFIELDERS
Dominic Nsobila Accra Lions
Razak Kasim Great Olympics
Umar Bashiru — Karela United
Maxwell Arthur Dreams FC
Suraj Seidu Hearts of Oak
Gladson Awako – Hearts of Oak
FORWARDS
Evans Osei Owusu Tema Youth
Jonah Atuquaye Legon Cities
Daniel Afriyie Barnieh Hearts of Oak
Agyenim Boateng Mensah Dreams FC
Maxwell Abbey Quaye — Unattached
David Abagna Sanda — Real Tamale United
Max Verstappen suffered a car failure early in Dutch Grand Prix first practice and managed only seven laps as Mercedes set the pace with a one-two.
Verstappen, championship leader after a series ofFerrari errors, stopped on track. Team boss Christian Horner said he lost drive while shifting gear.
He was fastest at the time but slipped down to 19th out of 20 runners.
George Russell was fastest by 0.240 seconds from Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton with Carlos Sainz third.
Mercedes set their times on the fastest soft tyre much later in the session than most others, so their times are not necessarily comparable.
Ferrari’s Sainz was 0.390secs off the pace, with McLaren’s Lando Norris less than 0.1secs further back in fourth.
Russell led the way by more than two tenths of a second from his team-mate
The second McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo was fifth, ahead of Verstappen’s main title rival Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Alpine’s Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.
No-one crashed as the teams returned to the seaside Zandvoort circuit, which last year was reintroduced to the calendar for the first time since 1985 as F1 and local organisers sought to capitalise on Verstappen’s huge popularity in his home country.
A few drivers ran wide through gravel traps – including Perez and the Haas drivers Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen – but there were no serious incidents.
Drivers were asked to try using the DRS overtaking aid through the banked final corner with the intention of it being in place for the race to aid overtaking, which is traditionally tricky at Zandvoort. As expected, none reported any issues.
An enthusiastic Reading supporter who is thrilled about Baba Rahman’s comeback to the Championship team has created a lovely poem to honor the Ghanaian defender’s second coming.
The well-written poem was shared by the fan on Twitter, hours after it was announced that Rahman had secured a return to the club.
Reading outbid a number of clubs, including Championship rivals West Brom, to sign the committed left-back on a season-long loan.
The Chelsea player has returned to Reading on loan for the second consecutive season after spending last season there.
“We are delighted to announce that Baba Rahman has sealed a return to Reading Football Club for a second season-long loan spell in blue and white hoops,†Reading announced.
Almost exactly a year ago, Baba first arrived at Bearwood Park ahead of an impressive campaign spent as a Royal; he registered a total of 29 starts at left-back during the club’s 150th-anniversary campaign and made a crucial contribution in our fight for Championship survival last season.
During that campaign, he also represented his country to feature alongside Royals skipper Andy Yiadom in the Africa Cup of Nations and he will be hoping for another successful season as a Reading player ahead of this year’s FIFA World Cup Finals in Qatar.
Head of Football Operations, Mark Bowen, said: “Through his energetic, wholehearted and powerful performances on the pitch and his infectious character off it, Baba became something of a fans favourite here at Reading last season. Since the day his loan spell ended in the summer, we have been hoping to bring him back and I am very pleased we have been able to secure his services for the 2022-23 campaign.â€
Hi @babarahmangh – I hope you don’t mind, but on behalf of all the #readingfc fans, I have written you a very special acrostic poem entitled “Any Royals Still Awake”.
Rory McIlroy bogeyed the final hole to miss the cut by one stroke at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis.
The world number three from Northern Ireland shot a one-under-par 69 to take him to one under after two rounds.
It was McIlroy’s first tournament since his final-day disappointment at last month’s Open Championship.
JJ Spaun carded a 67 to lead on 11 under, with fellow American Troy Merritt and Austrian Sepp Straka one shot back.
World number one Scottish Scheffler also missed the cut on one under, as did Scotland’s Russell Knox on level par and Justin Rose, who went round in 75 to slip to six over.
The St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind is the first of three tournaments to decide the Tour champion, with the winner picking up $18m (£14.8m).
McIlroy, who last missed the cut at the Valero Texas Open in March, shot four birdies – including two in the first two holes – but bogeys on the sixth, ninth and 18th cost him.
Although Spaun bogeyed the seventh and 12th, five birdies took him clear of the field as overnight leader Kim Si-woo from South Korea faded to five under courtesy of a 73.
Merritt mixed six birdies and an eagle with three bogeys in his 65, while three birdies and an eagle in the first six holes set American Denny McCarthy on the way to a fine 65 and nine under overall, two shots behind Spaun.
Australian Cameron Smith, the Open champion and world number two, also went round in 65 to move to within three shots of the lead.
Tyler Duncan’s flawless seven-under 63 took him from 68th overnight to a share of ninth on seven under.
Matt Fitzpatrick moved to six under, with fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton on five under and Ireland’s Shane Lowry a further one stroke back.
Uefa will provide an update on plans to finish the 2019-20 season to all its 55 national associations at a video conference on Tuesday.
European football’s governing body hopes to end the campaign in August, although with every league bar Belarus still suspended there are doubts over whether that deadline can be met.
Uefa has launched two working groups, one specifically assessing the fixture calendar. It is hoped specific proposals will be presented by mid-May at the latest.
However, the continuing uncertainty over the spread of coronavirus is creating major issues, with some leagues – including Germany and Denmark – talking optimistically about a resumption next month, while others – England among them – believe it will be June at the earliest before they can play games, and some Premier League clubs feel it will be longer than that.
Uefa is still hoping to complete its own tournaments in the normal two-legged format. However, there is an understanding that it may not be possible, so one-off games, and a week-long mini-tournament from the quarter-finals onwards for both the Champions League and Europa League, have also been discussed.
Tuesday’s meeting will be followed on Thursday by a meeting of the Uefa executive committee.
That is expected to provide an update on the Womens’ European Championship and the Nations League, both of which have been moved to allow Euro 2020 to take place a year later than scheduled, plus plans to relax financial regulations this season.
In addition, it is anticipated, Uefa will confirm that it will listen to requests to end domestic leagues early.
It has previously warned against this, saying countries risk their places in next season’s European competitions.
Ghanaian winger Thomas Agyepong is set to leave English Premier League giants Manchester City in the summer on loan, according to reports in England.
The 23-year-old is expected to join a Championship side next season on a temporary basis as he adjusts to English football.
Agyepong played at the just-ended Belgian Jupiler Pro League season on loan at relegated side Waasland Beveren where he made only 14 appearances due to injury.
According to reports, the highly-rated youngster will start pre-season with Man City’s U-23 side before being loaned out.
Footballghana.com understands that the Ghanaian will join Coventry City who are top of Sky Bet League One table and are expected to qualify for the Championship next season.
He has previously played on loan at FC Twente, NAC Breda as well as Scottish topflight side Hibernian FC.
Meanwhile, Coventry City will have an option to make his deal permanent at the end of the season if he impresses the technical handlers.
A series of emergency meetings is under way to decide whether Wimbledon can go ahead this year.
The All England Club says a final decision is yet to be made, but the cancellation of the Championships for the first time since the Second World War now seems inevitable.
The Wimbledon Championships are due to run for two weeks from Monday 29 June.
The French Open has already been pushed back four months to late September because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I guess everyone’s been waiting on it,” Britain’s seven time Grand Slam doubles champion Jamie Murray told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“It’s obviously the next big event in the tennis calendar that’s still on the calendar for the moment.”
BBC Sport understands a decision to abandon this year’s grass court season is likely be made in conjunction with three governing bodies – the Lawn Tennis Association, the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women’s Tennis Association – within the next 48 hours.
The All England Club admitted last week that a postponement would not be “without significant risk and difficulty,” and Murray says there are many practical reasons for that.
“I think for them, it’s difficult to move the tournament back because you’re running into other tournaments that are for the moment still on the schedule,” he explained.
“And also just things like daylight to host the event. Each week that passes, you get less and less light to play the tournament. And obviously they play until nine and 10 o’clock each night at Wimbledon.”
The All England Club is confident it will be able to refund ticket and debenture holders through the insurance policies it has in place.
But tennis will be denied its annual chance to showcase the sport in the UK, and to encourage people to take to the courts.
The preceding grass court tournaments in Nottingham, Birmingham, Eastbourne and at Queen’s Club in London will also be affected.
There is likely to be no professional tennis played anywhere until at least 13 July, which leaves players like Murray in the same boat as everyone else.
“I’m just at home, taking the necessary precautions, and trying to stay as active as I can,” the Scot continued.
“It’s different. We’re used to being on the road all the time, used to being in different cities every week, and you kind of become institutionalised to that.
“So even when I’m at events, come Friday, Saturday, when you’re starting to play for big prizes, your mind’s kind of like, ready to go to the next event because that’s just what you’ve been programmed to do.”
Ghana’s Weightlifter, Foster Osei has won three silver medals at the ongoing Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) Weightlifting Championship in Uzbekistan.
The Uzbekistan competition, is the 6th Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) Weightlifting Championship sanctioned by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), as an Olympic qualifier.
Ghanaian and African Games medalist, Osei is competing in the 96kg bodyweight category in the ongoing championship .
The other two Ghanaian Weightlifters who are also competing for an Olympic slot in the ongoing championship are Christian Amoah and David Akwei accompanied by their coach Nii Darku Dodoo.
