Latest news with #Balde
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
East Kilbride hand over footage from alleged racism incident in Stranraer clash to Police Scotland
Kilby have conducted their own internal investigation and now passed information on to the authorities East Kilbride Football Club has announced they have handed over video footage to Police Scotland following Saturday's alleged racist abuse aimed at Kilby star Joao Balde. Towards the end of the League Two clash with Stranraer at K-Park, Balde - who had missed some big chances the last time the sides met in a play-off defeat for EK in 2024 - scored an overhead kick right in front of the visiting support. The Portuguese midfielder then celebrated in front of the Stranraer fans and it is alleged one supporter made a racist slur towards him. A fan was soon ejected from the stadium following a short stoppage in play, while Balde ended up being sent off for a second booking just moments later for a late tackle. Now the club has passed on all information they have to police. It is understood the League Two club have reviewed CCTV footage and match footage from their own club TV channel, as well as compiling player statements. A statement from the club today read: "East Kilbride FC can confirm the conclusion of its internal investigation into an alleged incident on Saturday against Stranraer FC. "Footage and relevant information has now been passed on to the relevant authorities and this matter will now be dealt with by Police Scotland." Kilby skipper Jack Leitch had to hold Balde back after the incident as EK players surrounded the alleged perpetrator. Leitch said at the time: "Joao repeated what was said to me and then I called the guy out on it. "The fan was denying it to me and I just stayed with Joao after it. It's just ridiculous and disgusting." Following the game, Stranraer FC posted on social media: "Stranraer Football Club takes a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of racist and discriminatory behaviour. "The club has been made aware of an allegation during today's game at K Park. We treat any such reports with the utmost seriousness and will work with East Kilbride FC and the relevant authorities to ensure the incident is investigated thoroughly." It is the second time during his spell at the club that Balde has made a racism complaint. Last season, he was subjected to racial abuse during a Challenge Cup win over Airdrie. Police Scotland has been contacted for comment.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stranraer were 'unlucky' admits East Kilbride boss, as side see big calls go their way in win
Mick Kennedy was happy to get out with a 3-1 win after his side were given a real run for their money East Kilbride boss Mick Kennedy admits Stranraer were unlucky not to take something off his side after a dramatic finish in a 3-1 defeat. In a game that was soured by alleged racist abuse towards EK's Joao Balde, the sides fought out an entertaining battle in the League Two clash and the Blues will feel hard done by after seeing a soft penalty awarded against them and a goal chalked off for a foul on Kilby goalkeeper Freddie Owens in the first half. Stranraer fought back after the break to cancel out John Robertson's penalty opener and it looked like they might take a point. However, Rhys Breen blasted home inside the box nine minutes from time before Balde's spectacular overhead kick sealed the points. In the aftermath of that, Balde was booked and allegedly verbally abused, before then seeing red for a second bookable offence in stoppage time. And Kennedy, whose side are up to third in the table, admitted: "We had 70 per cent possession in the game but we've got to be better in possession because we were slack at times today. "I thought Stranraer were unlucky. They looked really dangerous on the break and a couple of decisions went against them, to be honest. I thought they were genuinely unfortunate. "Their boy [Corey] O'Donnell has missed what you would classify as two sitters and they will feel a bit disappointed to go in at half-time 1-0 down. "I thought the penalty we got was a bit contentious as well. It just looked like a coming together, rather than a foul, so I thought Stranraer were a bit unlucky. "Every team we play this season will sit in against us this season, I don't expect anyone to have a go, but we've got to do better. "It is three points so we take it and move on." EK were up against THREE former bosses in the Stranraer dugout, with boss Chris Aitken joined by brother Stevie and Martin Fellowes. Chris was left to rue some big missed opportunities as his side remain pointless after three games. And he said: "We've had major chances to go and win a couple of games. When you get chances against a team of this quality, you need to take them. "It is tough to take because we know how good a team they are, but my team relished the contest. We could have scored five or six and there would have been no complaints and Mick said that to me after the game. We've got to get a win on the board and it must happen next week. "Their penalty isn't a penalty. We've watched it back. To have two big calls in the first half go against us is tough. "The linesman is 50 yards away, there are 19 bodies in the way and he says their goalie got blocked. That is some vision if he sees that. "But we can't feel sorry for ourselves, the next game is massive."
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
East Kilbride win soured by alleged racist abuse, says Mick Kennedy as Stranraer fan ejected
Kilby star Joao Balde was the victim of alleged racist abuse after scoring against the Blues in the League Two clash Mick Kennedy admits Portuguese midfielder Joao Balde being subjected to alleged racist abuse soured their win over Stranraer. A visiting Blues supporter was ejected from K-Park moments after Balde scored a spectacular overhead kick to seal a 3-1 win for Kilby in a dramatic finish to the League Two clash. The Kilby ace celebrated in front of the visiting support, which earned him a booking from referee Cameron Stirling, but he was then allegedly the victim of racist insults from one individual in the stands, causing a short delay to the match as Kilby players surrounded the away section. Furious Kilby boss Kennedy then marched across the pitch to alert club officials and have the supporter kicked out. Moments later, Balde's day got even worse when he was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time for a late challenge on Lewis Reid. EK held out for the 3-1 win, which came courtesy of a John Robertson penalty and a Rhys Breen strike before Balde's clincher. But angry Kennedy told Lanarkshire Live Sport: "One of the Stranraer fans made a racist statement to Joao after he scored, unfortunately. "I think that is twice that's happened to Joao - it happened with an Airdrie fan last season and now today. "It is so unfortunate but that's where we are in society and football sometimes in this country. "It just puts a bit of a downer on today, the fact he has to go through that. Some people are just very stupid. "It is a strange thing to say, but unfortunately Joao just gets used to it. It is miles from acceptable, but he is okay after it. "He was booked for celebrating in front of their fans, which is fair enough. I can understand it has antagonised the Stranraer fans a bit, but he doesn't deserve that. "I don't think it was a second booking for him. He was probably a bit emotional after everything that has happened, as you would expect because it is not nice. "Maybe the referee could have used a bit of common sense in the situation that's happened, but it is what it is. "The referee asked me to go and inform the match secretary so we could get the person removed, so that's why I was going across the pitch in the middle of the game." Kilby skipper Jack Leitch says he confronted the man in question and said it was "disgusting" and crazy to see, following a man being arrested on Friday night after Bournemouth palyer Antoine Semenyo was subjected to racist abuse in a Premier League clash with Liverpool. Leitch said: "It is honestly crazy because you see it in that game last night and you think it's just so surreal, top players in the Premier League in England talking about it and then it happens here a day later. It is ridiculous. "It happened to Joao last season and it is honestly just disgusting. It should just not be taking place, especially after scoring such an incredible goal and how well he played. "He was probably our best player today and for him to stay that strong shows the character of him. "Joao repeated what was said to me and then I called the guy out on it. "The fan was denying it to me and I just stayed with Joao after it. It's just ridiculous and disgusting." East Kilbride FC officials confirmed a supporter was ejected from the ground and they will review CCTV footage/match cameras before reporting the incident to the police. Stranraer boss Chris Aitken, a former EK manager, said: "If that [racist abuse] is the case, we don't need that in the game and we don't need that associated with our club.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Flick says Barcelona ready to rebound from Inter loss against Madrid in clasico
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Hansi Flick knows there is no better painkiller for Barcelona's gut-wrenching Champions League exit to Inter Milan than beating Real Madrid in a decisive clasico. 'After the defeat in Milan, everyone knows it was not easy after that match, but I think we are doing great,' Flick said on Saturday, a day before Barcelona hosts Madrid in a game that will go a long way to deciding the Spanish league title. Advertisement Barcelona was moments away from a thrilling comeback at Inter on Tuesday before the Italian side struck a last-gasp equalizer and secured a 4-3 extra-time win. Inter will play Paris Saint-Germain in the European final. Barcelona, in turn, must refocus on its chance to complete a domestic double and leave Madrid without a major trophy this campaign. It hosts Madrid while holding a four-point lead in La Liga over its top rival. Barcelona has won all three clasicos this season across all competitions, including a recent victory in the Copa del Rey final. Making it four of four will in itself be a great achievement for Flick in his first season in charge. 'We have spoken about that and about what we are going to do in the next two weeks,' the German coach said. 'There are four more matches to go and of course the clasico tomorrow is for us very important for us to show again how good we can play. It is about our confidence.' Advertisement Balde and Lewandowski will appear Flick said left back Alejandro Balde and striker Robert Lewandowski will be available for 'minutes in the second half." Balde missed the Inter tie with a left thigh injury. Youth player Gerard Martín started in his place and struggled on the defensive end. Lewandowski, who leads Barcelona with 40 goals this season, was sidelined for two weeks with a left thigh injury until he played the final minutes of Barcelona's loss at Inter. Ferran Torres will most likely start in his place on Sunday. ___ AP soccer: Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press
Daily Record
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Emotional East Kilbride hero Joao Balde on his play-off relief as promotion atones for Stranraer agony
The Portuguese midfielder broke down in tears at the final whistle as the achievement sunk in Emotional Joao Balde admits he was overcome with relief after guiding East Kilbride to the SPFL - 12 months on from their extra-time heartbreak at Stranraer. The Portuguese ace was guilty of missing some huge chances late on against the Blues before Kilby eventually succumbed 5-3 to Stranraer on aggregate last term. But the former Rangers youth has enjoyed a redemption arc this season, leading the club to a treble-winning campaign and the holy grail of promotion that Kilby have been chasing since their inception in 2010. After a 0-0 stalemate at New Dundas Park in Saturday's second leg of this year's League Two play-off final, EK enjoyed a 3-1 aggregate win to gain SPFL status. At the final whistle, Balde broke down in tears as the achievement sank in and the midfielder was almost lost for words when asked what it meant. He said: "I feel so relieved, especially after last season, with what we went through and the chances I missed. That made us even more motivated to get the job done this season and that's what we've done. "It feels all worth it now and we'll just go and party for a while. "We were the better side over the two legs. The intensity we train at is so high, they couldn't keep up and you could see that in the games. "I 100 per cent want to stay on for League Two, so hopefully I'll see everybody again next season." Gaffer Mick Kennedy is the 13th manager at East Kilbride in their short history but he has proved to be the lucky one for the K-Park outfit. And he is delighted with the character Balde and his squad has shown to bounce back from last season's agony. He said: "They felt like they let themselves down last year and let the club down because they are so well looked after for a part-time club in Scotland. "It takes a lot of work and effort from a lot of volunteers for that, so guys like Joao - who missed a lot of opportunities last year - felt they owed the club something and he has been outstanding. "They have all been outstanding, to be fair. To play 62 games, win a treble, to go to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup and beat the number of senior teams we did from the Championship, it has been a remarkable season. "I hear all the time that players only come to East Kilbride for the money but I don't think people realise how good the group is and how good the environment is, so the players were desperate to get up. "It had to finish off with promotion or all we've done wouldn't have mattered."
