Latest news with #Dike
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'Words can't describe it' - Dike scores first goal since return from injury nightmare
'Words can't describe it' - Dike scores first goal since return from injury nightmare Show Caption Hide Caption Tyler Adams responds to Landon Donovan's comments regarding the USMNT Tyler Adams says 'the criticism is fair' when asked about Landon Donovan's recent comments on the USMNT. Sports Seriously Daryl Dike had waited a long time for a day like Saturday. Making his first league start since April 2023, the West Brom striker scored his first goal since January 2024 in his side's 5-3 win over Luton Town to close out the season. Dike has been through an injury nightmare over the past two years, suffering a torn Achilles in February 2024 just five weeks after returning from a torn Achilles in his other leg. The 24-year-old returned from his latest setback in February, and had made 10 appearances off the bench before getting the start on Saturday. Dike's moment came in the 30th minute, as he got on the end of a cross from Callum Styles to nod home from close range. 'Every single day since the injury and every single day in training, these are the days you dream of. You draw it up in your head and you're kind of waiting for it," Dike told West Brom's website after the game. 'When it all comes through, words can't even describe how good a feeling it is. 'Everyone has been super supportive and they've seen how much it meant to me. They've also seen how hard I've worked for it. Everyone was buzzing for me, which was so nice." Dike also grabbed an assist as he played 62 minutes in the match, which saw West Brom finish ninth in the Championship and Luton relegated for a second straight season. 'I felt great physically," he said. "I kind of surprised myself. I thought I'd be a lot more tired, but, honestly, even in the 60th minute or so, I felt good. I'm happy about that. 'It's a good way to cap the season off. I can show myself that I'm still capable of doing it and I can do it. There's a long summer coming up now and I'm going to make sure I'm prepared for the new season.' Dike has earned 10 caps with the U.S. men's national team, scoring three goals. His most recent appearance came in March 2023. Watch Dike's goal vs. Luton Town
BBC News
05-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'It's a good feeling' - Dike back for WBA with a bang
It there was a moment that made West Bromwich Albion forget about their disappointment and frustration at missing out on the Championship play-offs, it came after half an hour against Luton Callum Styles' superb cross came in from the left, a leaping Daryl Dike got there ahead of his marker to nod in from eight put the Baggies back in front at 2-1, on their way to a 5-3 win, and triggered some of the loudest celebrates - and widest smiles - The Hawthorns has witnessed for a while. Not for 17 months, in fact, because that was when Dike last scored. You have to go back even further for the last time it happened in the league - March 2023, over two the USA striker is now fit after the sort of injury nightmare that seemed like it would never end."It's a good feeling," Dike told BBC Radio WM reflecting on his comeback goal."You've been sitting here working hard every single day for two years to have a moment like that."When I headed it I was on the floor and just thinking 'please go in, please go in' so to see it go in - it's what you dream about." 'You get knocked down but you get back up' Since joining the Baggies from Barnsley in January 2022, Dike has had a scarcely believable run of serious injuries.A hamstring injury on his full debut kept him out for six months, before a thigh problem on his return ruled him out for a further in April 2023, a ruptured Achilles tendon saw him miss another 10 games into his comeback, it went again against Ipswich and Dike was carried off in the club have taken no chances over rushing him back this time and have introduced him from the bench 10 times since his return to fitness in boss James Morrison revealed he thought about whether to hand Dike a start against the Hatters "for a good three days" before "going with his gut" and giving him the green credited his team-mates had played a vital role in keeping him going and getting him ready for his return."They've been able to see my mood when it [the injury] first happened and how hard I've worked to get back," he said."I'm so thankful to have team-mates that support me like they do and push me to get better every single day and keep my mindset right that I can still achieve all my dreams."Any footballer wants to play as much as possible but I've got good physios and medical team so the main thing is I was protected and in the best position to help the team." Now, with his first league start - and goal - for two years under his belt, Dike is excited about the future."You get knocked down but you get back up," he said."I'm only 24 and still have tonnes of goals I want to achieve and I'm grateful to have the opportunities to still do that."I knew that if I put in the work and give myself the best opportunity to get more feelings like that then they would come."I can feel good about myself over the summer, knowing that I can still do it and I'm going to work really really hard into pre-season and carry that momentum into next season."
New York Times
04-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Daryl Dike is back from injury hell: ‘I can still achieve my USMNT World Cup dreams'
Daryl Dike is smiling. And you can't blame him. For most of the USMNT striker's West Bromwich Albion team-mates, Saturday's game against Luton Town didn't carry much meaning. It was the final fixture of the Championship season, their chances of sneaking into the play-offs were long gone, the stakes were extremely low. Advertisement For Dike, though, this was the first time he had started a league game in 750 days. And the 24-year-old will remember this one far more fondly, because it was on April 15, 2023 against Stoke City, that he suffered the first of the two Achilles tendon injuries that have essentially ruled him out of football for the last two years. Dike was out for 10 months, was eased back into the West Brom team before, nine minutes into a substitute appearance against Ipswich Town in February 2024, he ruptured his Achilles again. The sight of Dike being driven off the field on a buggy, in floods of tears, was harrowing. It would be a full year before he played again, returning to the West Brom squad in February 2025, but his comeback has been very, very cautiously managed, meaning he has been limited to a smattering of cameos off the bench. Until Saturday, that is. 'I actually didn't know I was starting until about an hour and a half, two hours before kick-off,' Dike said after the game, the smile barely leaving his face. (Interim West Brom head coach James Morrison) came up with the team sheet and I was like '…Oh…I'm starting?' I don't really get nervous before matches, but this was one of the few when I did. 'I was just getting myself back into the mindset of: 'You've done this before.' I was a little bit nervous. I was trying to just focus on the things I normally do, but my brain was just, 'Score, score, score.' And luckily I did.' In the 30th minute, midfielder Callum Styles floated a ball into the penalty area from the left, to the far post. It was the sort of cross a centre-forward dreams of, between the defence and the goalkeeper, with enough of a run-up that he could meet it with momentum. Dike outmuscled his marker, and headed into the corner of the net. The joy and relief exploded out of him. His team-mates mobbed him. There was an extra pep to the celebration from the crowd. Over two years since his last league start, and 483 days since his last goal of any description. Dike was back. 'Further agony for Luton!' :flushed: Daryl Dike has restored West Brom's lead and put Luton's survival hopes in even more jeopardy! :chart_with_downwards_trend: — Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 3, 2025 And for U.S. readers Daryl Dike powers in a header at the back post for his first goal of the season for The Baggies :us::boom: — CBS Sports Golazo :soccer:️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 3, 2025 'Before the match, I was telling the boys, 'Put the ball in the box, I'll be there.' Stylesy played a great ball…and I was there. When I saw the the ball, and I saw the chance, I thought: 'This is it, this is the chance right now.'' Dike added an assist to a fine day's work too, with some classic centre-forward play as he held up the ball with his back to goal, spun his marker and played a perfect pass through for young winger Tom Fellows to score West Brom's third. Advertisement There is a particular psychology to a player who has suffered a repeat of a serious injury, an especially crushing feeling of hopelessness. Dike had his fair share of that over the last couple of years. 'You are always going to end up feeling sorry for yourself. The first time it happened, I was very upset, naturally, but I was like 'OK, I'll be alright.' But the second time I was like, 'I worked all the way to get back…and now it's happened again.' I've got to work again. That was definitely a low point, because I was so excited to be playing again. 'So for it to happen again, and for me to think, 'OK, this is just the kind of condition I'm in until I'm done playing…' You're thinking, 'Is it going to happen again? Am I going to be the same?' 'But with my support group, and the goals in the back of my head, I knew I'd bounce back. With training sessions like the past few months, and games like today, I can push a few of those doubts away and show I can still do it and be confident in myself.' When you are a professional athlete that cannot play due to injury, an understandable instinct would be to shy away from watching the game. It is too cruel, too hard, too frustrating to watch others do what you know you can do, but can't right at the moment. Dike, though, used that as motivation. 'I'm a football fan,' Dike says. 'Everyone in the squad knows I'll watch every game, I'll know every player. I'll always watch, so I have dreams in football. Whether that's playing in the Champions League, or playing at the World Cup. 'I always tell myself that I'm only 24, so I can achieve every one of those dreams. I tell myself that, even though I've fallen down, I can get back up. I can still keep going, I can still keep running, and I still have the chance to prove myself and prove to everyone I can still do it and achieve those dreams.' You will notice that Dike brought up the World Cup there, unprompted. He last played for the US in 2023, but plenty has changed since. Mauricio Pochettino has taken over as head coach. New strikers have emerged. If a squad was being picked today, even if Dike was fit and scoring goals, he would probably be behind Josh Sargent, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright, Patrick Agyemang and Brian White in the pecking order. Advertisement But none of those men have exactly grabbed hold of the position, and the team's less-than-impressive results and performances under Pochettino mean few players' names are chiselled in stone. There's a lot of time between now and the 2026 World Cup, in the USA, Canada and Mexico, for Dike to present his case. After staying fit and scoring for West Brom, that's next on his list. 'That's one of my goals. Every single player has always dreamt of playing at a World Cup. I'd love to be part of that squad. Any time you're able to represent your country, it's a big honour, especially on a big stage like that. Of course, I'll be working towards that, all off-season, all season, to be able to be a part of that.' It is a shame that this was the final game of the season, that Dike could not continue his momentum for a little while longer. For now, though, he is just basking in the moment, still smiling. 'Every single day you're there, working hard, dreaming of moments like this, to get back in the squad, to score. To have a day like today, after all that time, it makes it even better.'
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Interim boss Morrison pleased Dike call paid off
West Bromwich Albion interim manager James Morrison was pleased he went with his gut after agonising over whether to start Daryl Dike against Luton his first Championship start in 25 months, after an injury-ravaged two years, American striker Dike scored his first league goal since March 2023 in West Brom's 5-3 final day did not take any unnecessary risks with Dike, bringing him off after 62 minutes, and he told BBC WM: "It took me a good three days to think about it but I'm glad I went with my gut and I'm happy for Daryl. "We were 5-1 up [when Dike was substituted] and I just felt, he has done his bit, scored a goal, let's keep him safe and that feeling of scoring and playing well and [go] into next year."We'll always keep working with Daryl daily, and working on his game. I still believe there is a lot more to come from Daryl and he knows it as well and we'll work on the training pitch."I want him to use his physicality more. Want him to be horrible to play against so let's keep working."
New York Times
03-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
USMNT's Daryl Dike scores first goal in 483 days after return from Achilles tear
USMNT striker Daryl Dike has finally ended his run of 483 days without a goal. Dike, who has missed much of the last two years with a string of serious injuries, ended his barren spell by scoring for his English Championship club West Bromwich Albion in their 5-3 win over Luton Town on Saturday. The 25-year-old, making his first start for Albion since April 2023, headed in their second goal from close range. It was his first league goal since March 15, 2023 — 781 days ago — and first goal in all competitions since scoring in the FA Cup third round victory over Aldershot Town on January 7, 2024. Advertisement Dike ruptured his right Achilles tendon in a game against Stoke City a few weeks after scoring that goal, an injury that ruled him out until January 2024. He then tore his left Achilles tendon five games after returning. That ruled him out for just over a year before he returned on February 15. Since then he had been limited to short substitute's appearances until he started against Luton on Saturday. Could not be happier for this man. 🥰@DarylDike | @USMNT — West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) May 3, 2025 The Oklahoma-born forward has 10 caps for the USMNT, scoring three goals, having made his debut in February 2021. His last appearance came in March 2023, a 1-0 win over El Salvador in the CONCACAF Nations League. Dike joined West Brom from Major League Soccer side Orlando in January 2022 but has managed just 43 appearances in that time, having also suffered hamstring and thigh muscle injuries early in his career at the club. His fitness record and capacity for training was criticised by former West Brom manager Tony Mowbray in what proved to be his final press conference in charge on April 22. 'The issue I have with Dike is he doesn't train every day,' Mowbray told reporters, just before he left the club. 'He has two or three days where he doesn't do any training. 'If I'm wanting to play a game with intensity and pressing and denying the opposition the ball, Daryl's not — in my opinion — at the level fitness-wise to help the team. 'I know what he can do. Daryl's a powerful monster of a man, physically huge. I do talk to the sports science and medical department about him, they feel as if he's still carrying something from not playing much football for a few years.'
