Latest news with #ConcacafGoldCup
Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Mark O'Hara looking forward to seeing what Richard King can do at St Mirren
The Buddies captain played alongside the Jamaican international during Saturday's Premier Sports Cup romp at home to Annan Athletic. Mark O'Hara has taken Richard King under his wing — and says he is looking forward to seeing what the Jamaican international can bring to St Mirren. The Buddies skipper has made it his mission to ensure the 23-year-old is settling in well in Paisley. And after a stellar display in the 8-2 Premier Sports Cup win over Annan Athletic, it looks like O'Hara's warm welcome has allowed King to get off to a positive start. King, who arrived from Jamaican Premier League side Caverlier this summer on a two-year deal, has barely had time to take a break from football having played for the Reggae Boyz at the Concacaf Gold Cup in the United States. To help him get a feel for life in Scotland, O'Hara has made sure he feels part of the Saints family as well as showing the defender around on days off. He said: 'With Richard, outside of football, we need to show him about and stuff like that. You can take things like that for granted but he's come to completely new territory here. 'As a team, we like to go out for dinners. I've been out to show him around Glasgow because he's never done that before. We've got a really experienced group and there are a number of guys in there. 'They are made to feel a part of it right when they come in. The differences are funny sometimes and people need to appreciate for guys that it's a real culture shock coming here.' It is a big week for Stephen Robinson's men as progression in the Premier Sports Cup hinges on this Sunday's game against Scott Brown's Ayr United when they arrive at the SMiSA Stadium. Should the Honest Men beat Forfar Athletic tonight — and maintain their 100 per cent Group D record – it will leave Saints needing a win to be in with an opportunity of reaching the knockout stage. Confidence will be high, though, following the demolition of League Two part-timers Annan which featured a hat-trick from Mikael Mandron and a penalty strike by King on his home debut. O'Hara added: 'I'm looking forward to seeing him [King]. We haven't seen much because he's only just finished playing a long season. 'He looks really good on the ball and I'm sure he's going to be exciting for the fans. It's great that we can attract a player like that, a Jamaican international, here. 'They can be made to feel welcome and bed in seamlessly with a lot experience round about them and made to feel welcome — and it's not just me — others help players bed in, too.'
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Richard King feels the St Mirren love after impressive home debut
The Saints defender netted in his first full start in front of an excited home crowd and says he felt the love they had for him already. Richard King says he felt the love from the St Mirren fans after a memorable home debut at the weekend. The Jamaican international netted from the penalty spot during the 8-2 Premier Sports Cup mauling of Annan Athletic. And it was a game the centre-back, who was on international duty at the Concacaf Gold Cup in the United States recently, certainly enjoyed being part of. Despite finishing international duty just two weeks ago, the highly-rated star made his debut against Forfar Athletic on Tuesday night before being thrown into the starting XI against Annan. 'It feels good,' the 23-year-old said after the game on Saturday. 'I felt the love by the fans, so it was a really good feeling. 'It is a really high level, fast, quick thinking, physical, so yeah, I really like it. It's a good feeling to score on my debut at home. It is a wonderful feeling.' Having moved to Paisley this summer on a two-year deal from Jamaican Premier League outfit Cavalier, King is hoping to help the Saints break into the top six for the fourth time in a row. Paisley boss Stephen Robinson has already made his mark on the defender and King says getting a sitdown chat with the manager allowed him to gain a good understanding of the Scottish game. He also learned from former Buddies wing-back Elvis Bwomono, whom he spent a season-long loan with in Iceland at IBV. King added: 'He's a good coach, a good manager, so he really does that very well [helping people settle in]. 'I knew Elvis so I got some good thoughts on the game here. He told me it was a good club, it's wonderful here and it's like a family here; because I knew Elvis was here, and I watched a few games, I saw he was in a good team.'
The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
No home comfort
AFTER facing hostile crowds at home in the Concacaf Gold Cup, Tyler Adams says US players hope to be better prepared in case American supporters are outnumbered at World Cup matches next year. Sellout crowds of 22,423 at St Louis' Energizer Park and 70,925 at Houston's NRG Stadium overwhelmingly and loudly supported the visiting team during the US' 1-0 win over Guatemala in the semi-finals and 2-1 loss to Mexico in the final. 'That's an experience that they're going to have because who knows what the World Cup landscape is going to look like in terms of fans and the turnout?' Adams said. Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez (on ground) scoring his team's second goal in their 2-1 win over the US. — AFP Mexico fans outnumbered the Americans during the final at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on July 6. — AP 'To play in a home tournament and have – feel like it's an away game in a hostile environment, that's such a good experience for every single player.' First-round World Cup matches for the Americans are scheduled for Inglewood, California and Seattle. Adams, the US captain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, spoke from Wappinger, New York, where he worked with the lawn-care products firm Scotts to dedicate the Tyler Adams Soccer Pitch at Martz Field Recreation Facility. Six of the American starters in the three Gold Cup knockout matches didn't play in World Cup qualifiers, where opponents often find difficult field conditions and loud fans. Mexico fans cheer before a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Mexico and Saudi Arabia, Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Samantha Chow) 'Giving ourselves an opportunity to play in a final is progress in and of itself,' Adams said. 'So many guys gained experiences throughout the tournament: first time in crazy atmospheres, first time against Mexico in the final, so many firsts for so many players. 'That is going to be hugely valuable to the group in general.' Adams said the five-week training camp was integral in getting to know coach Mauricio Pochettino, hired last year to replace Gregg Berhalter after the team's first-round exit at the Copa America. Mauricio Pochettino was hired last year to replace Gregg Berhalter after the team's first-round exit at the Copa America. — AFP Adams introduced the coach to his family members. 'It creates a bond and a sense of the culture that he's trying to build within our team,' Adams said. 'He sat down after the game and he kind of spoke to us and it really sparked a lot of emotions for him in that final because he knows how hard we worked over the past five weeks and how much more we were hoping to accomplish with winning the trophy. 'But he couldn't have been more proud and I felt exactly the same way of the whole group.' Many regulars missed the tournament and some young players emerged. The first sign of how Pochettino re-evaluates his player pool will be when he selects his roster for friendlies against South Korea on Sept 6 at Harrison, New Jersey, and Japan three days later at Columbus, Ohio. 'Their job just got a whole lot harder,' Adams said of Pochettino and his assistants. 'I think he saw a lot of guys grow and grow into big roles and guys that can play future big roles. And, of course, the next year obviously proves a lot, as well. 'You know, guys have to go back and perform and show that they're at the level to be there.' Adams will report to Bournemouth on July 26 or 27 during the club's US pre-season tour ahead of their Premier League opener at defending champions Liverpool on Aug 15. In the meantime, he gets a few weeks off. Scotts approached him about restoring a field, and on he and the company launched a 'Keep It Real' sweepstakes open through July 24 in which five youth sports organisations will be picked to have Scotts refurbish grass fields with the company's products. 'I mentioned doing something in my hometown where I grew up. They jumped at the idea,' he said. 'I'm having the opportunity to sit on a field where I grew up, came to camp to.' Adams would like to restore more fields. 'I would do 100 if I could,' he said. — AP
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Woman Never Forgot Promise Made to Late Dad—20 Years Later She Fulfils It
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman has fulfilled a decades-old promise to her late father with the help of her husband, in a story which has moved thousands of people. Aileen Castañeda-Leibenguth, 29, from Laredo in Texas, grew up with a love of soccer, or fútbol, instilled in her by her father, Juan Castañeda. The father and daughter bonded over their love of the game, which Castañeda—born in the United States but who spent much of his early life in Mexico—had developed a "lifelong passion for" during his youth. "He even played for a club team [in Monterrey, Mexico] in his youth," Castañeda-Leibenguth recalled to Newsweek. Aileen Castañeda-Leibenguth at a game with a photo of her father, Juan Castañeda. Aileen Castañeda-Leibenguth at a game with a photo of her father, Juan Castañeda. Reddit u/Woofles_Fries505 "Later, he returned to the States for work — that's when he met my mom, a Mexican immigrant. They married and built their life together in Laredo, Texas, near the U.S.–Mexico border." He's not alone in his love for the game, with soccer a massively popular sport worldwide. According to a 2025 report from Statista, 89 percent of Brazilians follow the sport, followed by 85 percent in Spain, 84 percent in Britain, and 81 percent in Mexico. When Castañeda-Leibenguth was growing up, she remembers soccer as being "one of the strongest bonds between my dad and me," from playing, practicing and cheering on matches together, particularly during the World Cup. And, watching a match together when she was around seven or eight years old, a promise was made: "One day, we'll go to a World Cup game together—out there, in person." But, as happens, "life got in the way." Read more Mom gardening in yard finds buried sword—then realizes what era it's from Mom gardening in yard finds buried sword—then realizes what era it's from "Financial struggles made that dream feel distant," she said. "So we continued watching from home, the dream deferred but never forgotten." Tragically, in April 2021, at the age of 53, Castañeda died suddenly from a brain aneurysm, leaving a "deep void" in his family—and the unfulfilled promise "hung heavily" over his daughter. But now, four years after her beloved father's death, Castañeda-Leibenguth finally got to attend an important match—with her father right by her side. In a post to Reddit's r/wholesome sub on July 9 via her account u/Woodles_Fries505, Castañeda-Leibenguth shared a photo of herself at the Concacaf Gold Cup final between Mexico and the United States, which Mexico won by two goals to one. She is beaming at the camera in the stadium filled with thousands of people—and holding a photo of her father. "I took my dad to the match fulfilling a 20+ year promise," she captioned the photo. She explained that she had told her husband, Mark, that she planned to watch the game on TV while he was working out of town. The game was taking place on a Sunday, and her father's birthday was on Monday, which she planned to mark by eating pizza and watching his favorite movies. Castañeda-Leibenguth carries her father's photograph at the game between the USA and Mexico. Castañeda-Leibenguth carries her father's photograph at the game between the USA and Mexico. Reddit u/Woofles_Fries505 But Mark took things into his own hands: he found out the game was taking place in Houston, just a few hours from their home near Dallas, and encouraged his wife to go. "My husband told me to go to the match instead," she wrote. "He convinced me by saying, 'I will be fulfilling the promise and you'll be celebrating his birthday by doing something he loved doing with you.'" And as she put it to Newsweek: "Mark said, 'This is a sign from your dad. Go.' "And I did. I went—for me, for my dad, for that little girl in Laredo who made a promise with love in her heart." Redditors had a huge response to the story, awarding it more than 13,000 upvotes, one moved commenter writing: "I am tearing up. You and your husband are absolutely priceless. Dad absolutely was there with you. Sending you both my love!" "I love this. I know he was right there with you," another said, as another praised her "amazingly thoughtful husband." And as another shared: "Okay, I'm bawling now. This is such a beautiful story and an incredible way to honor your dad's memory. I'm so glad you had that experience. Your husband sounds like an amazing person." Castañeda-Leibenguth said being Mexican-American today can "feel complicated, even painful," but when she was in the stadium, "surrounded by the rhythm of chants, flags, and passion on both sides of the border, I felt proud. "I felt connected. I felt seen. And most of all, I felt my dad there with me. "Promise kept, Dad." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures you want to share? Send them to life@ with some extra details, and they could appear on our website.
The Australian
15-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Football: Socceroos to play USA before 2026 FIFA World Cup
The Socceroos have added a clash with Team USA to their North American schedule of matches that will provide crucial information for coach Tony Popovic ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On the back of a clash with Canada in Montreal, Popovic's team will clash with the American outfit at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Colorado on October 14. The matches are in addition to a two-match series against New Zealand in September in which Australia will compete for the Anzac Soccer Ashes trophy. The USA are coming off making the final of the Concacaf Gold Cup and are ranked No.16 in world, having been a consistent figure in the top 20 of FIFA's global rankings. It will be the first time that Australia and the United States have faced off in more than 15 years, with their last meeting a friendly just prior to the 2010 World Cup. 'Another important match for our preparation that quickly follows our fixture against Canada,' Popovic said. The Socceroos will play Team USA. Picture:'When looking at our schedule following direct qualification, we identified travelling to North America as a high priority. Our results over the last 10 months have now given us the chance to play matches against two of the tournament hosts, an opportunity we intend to make the most of. 'The United States are another strong opponent and a great test for our squad. There will be much to take from our experience in this camp, and we're looking forward to the challenge.' The 2026 World Cup is being jointly held in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The Socceroos have been able to tailor their preparation having booked their place courtesy of direct qualification via the Asian qualifiers. Read related topics: FIFA Women's World Cup 2023
