Canada's Tessier and Cullen after claiming bronze 'really wanted that medal'
Benjamin Tessier and Matt Cullen of Canada finally get those bronze medals in the 10-metre synchro competition at the World Cup diving event in Windsor, Ont.
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Winnipeg Free Press
31 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadians earn 5 medals at World Boxing Challenge Cup
ÚSTÍ NAD LABEM – Joshua Ofori of Edmonton struck gold over the weekend at the 2025 World Boxing Challenge Cup, with a 5-0 decision over Italy's Rotani Guidi in the men's 75-kilogram decision. Ofori, a member of the Marshall Boxing Club, helped Canada capture five medals at the new level of competition created by World Boxing. In the women's 60 kg division, Marie Al-Ahmedieh of Montreal claimed silver, advancing to the final with strong performances before falling to Brazil's Rebeca Santos in a 5-0 decision. Victoria Penney of Toronto's Sully's Boxing Gym, also collected silver in the women's 80 kg division, losing by a narrow 3-2 decision to Mexico's Citlalli Vanessa Ortiz. Quebec's Nickenson Denis of The Corner Boxing Club, reached the final bout in the men's 80kg category but came up just short in a 3-2 decision against Hungary's Pylyp Akhilov, earning the silver medal. Canada also secured a bronze medal during Friday's semifinals with Ontario's McKenzie Wright of Fight Night Boxing Club losing a 3-2 decision to eventual gold medallist Phil Kaivo-Oja of Finland in the women's 50 kg division. 'The performances of the entire team were solid. There are always things to work on and we go into a training phase before the World Cup in KAZ where we can make some tactical and technical changes,' said Vincent Auclair, the head coach of Team Canada. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
A penalty shattered Palestinian World Cup dreams for 2026. The squad has inspired hope
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — An engrossing qualifying journey of 16 games and the obstacles of a war came crashing down in an instant for Oday Dabbagh and his Palestinian team. Their legacy will long continue. Players left the field in tears in the immediate aftermath at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman, Jordan, last Thursday after their quest for a first appearance at a World Cup evaporated on a contentious penalty awarded deep in extra time. Fans looked on, stunned. 'It's very hard,' Dabbagh, the team's star striker, told The Associated Press. 'It was massive for us to get to the next stage — we prepared well, we had a positive atmosphere, and we had the fans with us. We gave everything, but it was gone in a moment.' Needing to win its last three Group B games to reach the playoffs for the last two of Asia's automatic spots at the World Cup, the No. 101-ranked team in the world beat Iraq in Basra in March, Kuwait in Kuwait City on June 5. Five days later, it was leading 1-0 against Oman in Jordan in the 97th minute. The Palestinians had never been in a better position in qualifying for a World Cup. Then Oman was awarded, and scored, a penalty to make it 1-1 in the last real act of the game. Not long after the dejected players had picked themselves up, the Palestine Football Association (PFA) made an official complaint to soccer's world governing body, FIFA, about the penalty. It didn't change the fact, however, that the long road trip was over. 'We tried to put smiles on the faces of Palestinians amid their great pain,' head coach Ihab Abujazar said. 'The heroic players are our pride and glory, a symbol of all that is beautiful in the Palestinian nation.' Playing Away It may have been different if the Palestinian team, admitted into FIFA in 1998, was able to play home games in front of its fans in Gaza or the West Bank in the third round of qualifying. The Israel-Hamas war meant that couldn't happen. And so the many of the team's home games have been taking place in the nearby Jordanian capital of Amman, home to a large community of Palestinians. 'It is easier to play in your home,' Dabbagh, who helped Aberdeen win the Scottish Cup last month, said. 'But the circumstances there are so difficult so we choose to play in Amman as it is close to Palestine, the people are the same, and we have a lot of fans there.' There's been no domestic soccer in the Palestinian territories since the war started in 2023. Hundreds of athletes are among the more than 55,000 Palestinians killed in the conflict and sports facilities have been destroyed. 'Everything that goes on makes us all sad,' Dabbagh said. 'As players, we try to focus on football during the games, but we use what is happening as motivation to bring happiness to the people of Palestine.' All but two of the roster of 27 national squad players are contracted to foreign clubs either in the region or in Europe, a change from the start of the conflict when a number of players weren't able to leave the West Bank or Gaza to report for international duty. Over the past year or so, the Palestinian squad has assembled for training camps in Algeria, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to prepare for World Cup qualifying. The top two teams in each of three Asian groups in the third round earned direct spots for next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The third- and fourth-place teams in each group advanced to a playoff for two more places. A win would have secured fourth spot in the group for the Palestinians. The last-minute draw meant they finished a point behind Oman in fifth. What's next? Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Now their focus has to shift to the 2027 Asian Cup, which will take place in Saudi Arabia. The Palestinian team has already qualified for the tournament. Dabbagh is ready to show that the team is set to remain a force in Asian soccer and continue to be ambassodors for millions of people. 'We will keep using football as a message to show the world that there are other things in Palestine' he said. 'We will keep going. The dream is not over, it is just delayed.' ___ AP soccer:
Winnipeg Free Press
5 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
US ends 4-game losing streak, routs Trinidad 5-0 in Gold Cup opener as Malik Tillman scores twice
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Malik Tillman scored twice as the United States built a three-goal, first-half lead and ended a four-game losing streak by routing Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 on Sunday in a CONCACAF God Cup opener. Tillman scored in the 16th and 41st minutes for his first two international goals, both following giveaways by Alvin Jones, and Patrick Agyemang scored his fourth international goal in the 44th. Brenden Aaronson added his ninth goal in the 82nd and Haji Wright his fifth just 1 minute, 13 seconds later as the 16th-ranked Americans overwhelmed the No. 100 Soca Warriors and ended their longest losing streak since 2007. Victory in the Group D opener came after days of controversy over Christian Pulisic's desire to rest during the Gold Cup and coach Mauricio Pochettino not including the star in a pair of pre-tournament friendlies the attacker offered to play in. The U.S. had 70.5% possession and a 21-3 advantage in shots against the Soca Warriors, whose 2-1 home win against the Americans in 2017 ended a streak of seven straight World Cup appearances by the U.S. The Americans have won their group in 16 of 17 Gold Cups, along with a second-place finish behind Panama in 2011, and improved their group stage record to 41 wins, one loss and five draws. They play invited guest Saudi Arabia on Thursday at Austin, Texas, then close group play on June 22 against Haiti at Arlington, Texas. Matt Freese was in goal in place Matt Turner, who had started 14 consecutive competitive matches for the U.S. and 23 of 24 dating to the 2022 World Cup. The lone exception was a Gold Cup group stage game against St. Kitts and Nevis in 2023. Missing Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun and Sergiño Dest, the U.S. starting lineup averaged 14.8 international appearances. That was the second-fewest for the Americans in a Gold Cup opener behind 9.8 against Bermuda in 2009, according to Opta. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Adams (turf toe), Johnny Cardoso and Damion Downs (both illness) didn't dress. Defender Tim Ream started, extending his Gold Cup span for the U.S. to 14 years and surpassing DaMarcus Beasley (2002-15) for the American high. Trinidad, coached by former star Dwight Yorke, has lost four of its last five games. ___ AP soccer:
