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The Guardian
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Carli Lloyd apologizes to teammates, family in emotional Hall of Fame speech
It's been about three and a half years since Carli Lloyd retired as a player, and it appears to have been a transformative time for the three-time World Cup champion. In a speech at her induction to the US Soccer Hall of Fame on Sunday, Lloyd struck a different tone than the one she used so often throughout her playing career, apologizing to her teammates for not being fully present as she single-mindedly pursued her goals as a player. Saying she 'wasn't there to make friends' and that she 'avoided unnecessary drama,' Lloyd was well known by the end of her career for her steely demeanor that ran counter to some of her era's more outgoing personalities like Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and others. 'I'm sorry I wasn't always able to give you all of me,' Lloyd said on Sunday, addressing her past teammates. 'I wouldn't say I have regrets, but if there's one thing I do wish, I wish I had let more people understand me over the years. I operated like an emotionless machine. I was intense and I truly believe that the only way for me to survive in such a cut-throat environment was to be that way.' Lloyd was indeed well-known for her intense dedication to training and improving as a player, to the point to where she cut herself off not just from teammates but also her family, including siblings and parents. Lloyd told the assembled crowd in Frisco, Texas that the years since her retirement have given her a new perspective, especially with the birth of her first child, a daughter named Harper. 'I always knew I wanted a child, but I had no idea how this little baby could completely change me as a person,' Lloyd said. 'Unlike during my playing career, I have been present. I have allowed myself to be vulnerable, emotional, and fully engaged in every moment I get to spend with her.' Lloyd, who appeared to get choked up at a few points during her emotional speech, apologized to her parents and siblings for lost time and the weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and other milestones missed. Many of these absences came while Lloyd was working with James Galanis, a personal trainer she hired in 2003 to level up her game as she sought to become a fixture with the US women's national team. Lloyd cut ties with Galanis in 2020, and in recent years has spoken about the coach's wide-ranging influence over her life, including cutting her off from contact with family. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Lloyd summed up her post-retirement state of mind with a series of questions posed near the beginning of her speech: 'Was it worth allowing a trainer into my life that over time drove a wedge between me and my family for over a decade? Was it worth putting my husband second? Was it worth being so obsessive, so intense every day of my soccer career? Was it worth putting off starting a family?' In the end, though, the answer seemed to be yes. 'As lonely and difficult as the journey was at times, I would do it all over again,' she said. 'There was nothing I loved more than winning, but winning comes at a cost, and I paid that price.' Lloyd was inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot for which she was available, garnering 47 out of 48 votes in the player category. She was selected alongside former Real Salt Lake and USMNT goalkeeper Nick Rimando in that category. Formwe USWNT goalkeeper Mary Harvey and USMNT midfielder Chris Armas were inducted on the 'veteran' ballot, while former MLS president Mark Abbott was selected on the 'builder' ballot.
The Guardian
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
London City Lionesses survive Birmingham comeback to win WSL promotion
London City Lionesses were promoted to the Women's Super League after an outstanding individual goal from Isobel Goodwin helped them edge to a dramatic 2-2 draw away to their nearest title rivals Birmingham City on a gripping final day of the Women's Championship season. Goodwin's stunning long-range strike and a Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah header put the visitors 2-0 up and Birmingham, backed by a club-record crowd of 8,749 knowing they had to win to be promoted, fought back valiantly through Emily van Egmond's header and Cho So-hyun's volley – four minutes from time – to set up a frantic finish but the visitors clung on to the draw they needed to clinch top spot. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Owned by Michele Kang, Lionesses will be the WSL's first independently run club and the wealthy American businesswoman has made no secret of her intention to turn them into a Champions League force. Her investment in the past two transfer windows brought the English women's second tier into uncharted territory and therefore it was perhaps fitting that it should be Goodwin, the division's record signing – purchased for a fee believed to be in excess of £100,000 from Sheffield United – who played a key role in this promotion decider. Kang, who also owns the record eight-times women's European champions Lyon and the NWSL side Washington Spirit, was in the executive boxes at a noisy St Andrew's, sitting near to Birmingham's owner Tom Wagner, in what was a clash between the second tier's two big-spending promotion rivals , with the league's chief executive Nikki Doucet and chair Dawn Airey also in attendance. The game was the first in the history of the English women's second tier to be broadcast live by Sky Sports, such was the magnitude of the occasion with promotion on the line, and viewers were rewarded with a box-office finale as Birmingham pushed for a winner in 10 minutes of second-half stoppage time. Both teams had efforts cleared off the line in a tense first half, with firstly Boye-Hlorkah denying Van Egmond, before Birmingham's Rebecca Holloway did well to hook away a Boye-Hlorkah effort at the other end. Goodwin also forced Adrianna Franch into a fine low save before the break as the away side slightly edged the goalless first 45 minutes. The 22-year-old former Aston Villa forward Goodwin then produced a goal-of-the-season contender to open the scoring, skilfully evading two challenges before launching a powerful strike from long range that flew into the top corner. It was soon 2-0 when Boye-Hlorkah headed inside the far post from a corner, before Van Egmond gave the hosts' hope from close range and then the substitute Cho had them believing, when she volleyed in superbly, but the visitors held on.
The Guardian
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Manchester United roar back to seal Champions League spot through WSL derby draw with City
Manchester United fought back from two goals down and Melvine Malard scored the crucial equaliser in a draw with Manchester City that confirmed their place in Europe next season at the expense of their local rivals. In front of more than 38,000 fans at Old Trafford, Marc Skinner's side were made to work hard for their place in next year's Champions League, with goals from Laia Aleixandri and Rebecca Knaak having given City a two-goal lead. United could feel aggrieved though, having had a goal from Elisabeth Terland ruled out prior to City's double, with the decision, the forward adjudged to have pushed Aleixandri, looking extremely harsh. This was unfamiliar territory for United, the home team had only conceded three goals in their 10 home games prior to the visit of Nick Cushing's side – who welcomed back England duo Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood to the starting XI for the first time since their respective knee injuries. The response was instant, United defender Aoife Mannion's ball towards the back post turned in by the head of Grace Clinton to reduce the deficit before the end of the half. The much-needed equaliser, to prevent the final European berth being decided on the final day of the season, when Arsenal host United and City play relegated Crystal Palace, arrived in the 68th minute – Terland nodded the ball down to Malard and the French forward raced clear and slotted coolly past the onrushing Khiara Keating. Skinner's side were dealt a blow soon after, when Mannion exited the pitch after receiving a second yellow for a foul on Brazilian forward Kerolin. A furious Ella Toone was withdrawn in place of Dominique Janssen as United looked to hold on to the point they needed to confirm a top-three finish. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion City pushed for a winner as they attempted to salvage the last remaining 'prize' from their hugely disappointing season but United clung on to give themselves a boost before they meet Arsenal in their final WSL game and face Chelsea in a third successive FA Cup final appearance.
The Guardian
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Manchester rivals braced to battle for final WSL Champions League spot
If Manchester United's women avoid defeat on Sunday, they will secure a place in Europe for only the second time and to make it even sweeter, would do so at the expense of Manchester City, who would be consigned to fourth spot and a season without Women's Champions League football. Throw in that City are the visitors to Old Trafford for Sunday's midday kick-off and it becomes one of the most pivotal games of this WSL campaign and a decisive one for the clubs' medium-term trajectories. To beat City and celebrate in front of the Stretford End would be a symbolic moment for an improving team. Marc Skinner, though, is keen to play down the venue as a factor. 'I absolutely love Old Trafford, but the reality is I have to take the stadium away and be like: 'We have to win the game regardless,'' he said. 'It doesn't matter where we're playing. Both of us have the goal of winning the game. They [City] want to qualify for the Champions League and so do we, so winning the game is more important. If it's at Old Trafford in front of all our fans, that's brilliant.' Skinner's side also have a chance to do something United's women have never done: complete a league double over City, having won 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium in January, and beat them at Old Trafford for the first time. A victory would mark the women's team's greatest Old Trafford moment. United have won five of their seven WSL matches there but those have been three victories over West Ham and wins against Aston Villa and Everton, whereas they have lost both meetings with top-four opponents, against Chelsea and Manchester City last term. United's record against City, though, leaves a lot to be desired. City have lost only two of 10 WSL Manchester derbies and they have been buoyed by the return in last Sunday's 1-0 win at Leicester of England's Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood for their first appearances of 2025. The interim City head coach, Nick Cushing, said: 'It was always the plan to bring them off the bench in that game to give them the best possible chance to be able to return for this game. It is nice to get Laura Blindkilde Brown and Aoba Fujino back in training this week. We have three or four back, which makes our team look very different. They are key, international players, which has been a huge lift. The fact they were in training means they are in contention.' Still, the odds are against City, who need victories in both remaining league matches and must hope United fail to win at Arsenal on 10 May's final day if they are to finish in the top three. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion 'It'd be huge,' Skinner said on the prospect of United returning to Europe. 'We want to go further than we did before but we know we've got to qualify first, to get to those knockout rounds. It'd be huge, in your recruitment, because I feel people want to come to Manchester United but maybe we get pipped because we're not in the Champions League.' At home, United have been defensively resolute this season, conceding three goals in 10 WSL fixtures. They will hope to move into second place ahead of Arsenal, who play at Brighton on Monday, and then go to the Emirates with a chance of claiming the runners-up spot. For Cushing a fourth-placed finish would be hugely disappointing and the former New York City FC coach said of City's hopes of European qualification: 'It's about the status of our team. We have worked hard over the last 10-15 years to make sure our football club is at the level that I expect of a Manchester City team. Not being in contention [for] the Champions League is really disappointing and something that is beyond our thinking. It's still possible so we have to attack it and make sure we do everything possible to get there.'
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Chicago Stars fire head coach Lorne Donaldson after rough start
The Chicago Stars FC fired second-year head coach Lorne Donaldson after a 1-5-0 start. Masaki Hemmi, the first assistant coach, was named interim head coach on Wednesday. Hemmi is the Stars' fifth head coach – acting or permanent – since Nov. 22. 2021. 'We are grateful to Lorne Donaldson for the culture, respect and sense of self-belief he helped build within our squad,' said Richard Feuz, the Stars' general manager. 'We appreciate his work and wish him the best for the future.' The Stars hired Donaldson, then 68, in December 2023, hoping the former head coach of the Jamaican Women's National Team could turn around a franchise that has not won a playoff game since 2021. The team made the playoffs last season despite a 10-14-2 record, after finishing in last place in the National Women's Soccer League in 2023, and lost its opener to No. 1 seed Orlando Pride. The Stars are headed in the opposite direction of the playoffs this season, standing in last place with just three points. In their first six games, the Stars have scored three goals and given up 14. Their only victory came 13 April when they defeated Bay FC 2-1. The Stars next play on the road Sunday against Gotham FC (3-2-2, 11 points). Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion The team will play their first game without Donaldson on the road Sunday against Gotham FC.
