Druze teen soccer survivors to visit Hungary | The Jerusalem Post
IDAN KWELLER, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-866570
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Aspiring soccer player killed as deadly shootings surge in Cape Town
A bloodbath is unfolding in the township of Mfuleni, fuelled by gang battles, violent extortion practices and wars between rival taxi associations
07 September 2025 – 00:00
Chumani Guqaza was an aspiring young soccer player until a bullet cut his life short in Mfuleni — translated as “the place by the river” — outside the house he shared with his brother, Mawethu…
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‘More Important’—Chelsea, Liverpool Transfer Target Explains Summer Snub
Malick Fofana drew interest from both Chelsea and Liverpool this summer, but the 20-year-old decided to stay at Lyon where he is guaranteed minutes.
The giants of the Premier League did not hesitate to splash cash this summer, with Liverpool and Chelsea leading the way. The defending English champions spent £415 million ($560.6 million) to sign 10 new players while the Blues dished out £282.1 million ($379.7 million) to welcome 12 new faces to Stamford Bridge.
Fofana, who was linked with both clubs at various points during the summer transfer window, could have been yet another player on their way to either Merseyside or west London. Except despite apparent interest, a deal from either Liverpool or Chelsea never materialised for the promising young winger.
While on international duty with Belgium, Fofana spoke with the media about the transfers that never happened, revealing the reason he decided to stay at Lyon despite the club’s brief demotion to Ligue 2.
“There was interest from those two clubs, but ultimately it wasn’t concrete enough,” Fofana said. “I thought about a transfer, but I think it’s more important now that I play a lot, and that has to happen at Lyon. Because I still have progress to make.”
Indeed, Fofana would have struggled for minutes at Liverpool or Chelsea given the quality of attacking talent both sides signed this summer. It is hard to imagine the Belgian earning consistent minutes on a team with the likes of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitiké, Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz.
The same goes for Chelsea, who have João Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Pedro Neto, Estêvão, Liam Delap and Cole Palmer now at their disposal.
In France, though, Fofana is a staple in Lyon’s XI. The winger made 41 appearances across all competitions last season and has already started all three of the French outfit’s Ligue 1 matches in 2025–26.
With his sights set on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Fofana reiterated that he has to be in an environment that gives him the opportunity to play and improve his game week in and week out.
“Of course [I want to go to the 2026 World Cup], but I realise I still have a lot to prove. I’ve already made progress. I’m now more decisive and more involved in the game,” Fofana said.
READ THE LATEST TRANSFER NEWS AND RUMORS FROM WORLD SOCCER
Source: https://www.si.com/soccer/chelsea-liverpool-transfer-target-explains-summer-snub
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USMNT vs. Korea Republic: Starting XI & Lineup Notes
LINEUP NOTES
USMNT vs. Korea Republic, presented by Haleon
International Friendly
Sept. 6, 2025
Sports Illustrated Stadium; Harrison, N.J.
Pre-Game Coverage: 4:30 p.m. ET on TNT, Telemundo, HBO Max, Universo, Peacock
Pre-Game Coverage:
Kickoff:
Social Media: @USMNT on X and Instagram; U.S. Soccer on Facebook, The U.S. Soccer App
Today’s USMNT Starting XI vs. Korea Republic: 1-Matt Freese, 2-Sergiño Dest, 4-Tyler Adams, 7-Diego Luna, 8-Sebastian Berhalter, 9-Josh Sargent, 10-Christian Pulisic, 13-Tim Ream (Capt.), 15-Tristan Blackmon, 18-Max Arfsten, 21-Tim Weah
Substitutes: 12-Jonathan Klinsmann, 22-Roman Celentano, 3-Chris Richards, 6-Jack McGlynn, 11-Damion Downs, 14-Luca de la Torre, 16-Alex Freeman, 17-Alex Zendejas, 19-Nathan Harriel, 24-Cristian Roldan
- USMNT Starting XI Caps (including this match): Christian Pulisic (79), Tim Ream (76), Tyler Adams (51), Tim Weah (45), Sergiño Dest (34), Josh Sargent (29), Diego Luna (13), Max Arfsten (11), Matt Freese (8), Sebastian Berhalter (7), Tristan Blackmon (1)
- The Starting XI averages 31 caps and has an average age of 26 years, 272 days.
- Having recovered from a torn ACL, Sergiño Dest will make his first international appearance since the Concacaf Nations League Final win against Mexico on March 24, 2024.
- On the strength of six goals in five matches to begin the season for Norwich City, Josh Sargent starts his 20th match for the USA today.
- Defender Tristan Blackmon earns his USMNT debut today. Blackmon is the 15th player to collect their first cap under Mauricio Pochettino and at 29 years, 25 days, also the oldest.
- Blackmon partners with veteran Tim Ream in central defense today, forming the ninth different center back pairing in Pochettino’s 17 matches as USMNT head coach.
- Ream captains the squad for the 22nd time today, doing so in the same stadium he began his professional career with the New York Red Bulls in 2010. The USA is 12W-6L-3D when Ream wears the armband.
- Ream is one of three Red Bull products to start today, joining Tyler Adams and Tim Weah. Both players came up in the Red Bull Academy, and Adams spent the first four years of his professional career with the club before transferring to RB Leipzig in 2019.
- Today is Ream’s fourth appearance for the U.S. at Sports Illustrated Stadium, while both Adams and Weah will both make earn their first caps at the venue.
- The youngest player in today’s U.S. Starting XI, 22-year-old midfielder Diego Luna makes his team-leading 12th appearance of 2025. Luna leads the team with four assists and seven goal contributions this year.
- Goalkeeper Matt Freese starts his seventh consecutive match just across the river from where he plays professionally for New York City FC.
- Earning his 79th appearance today, Christian Pulisic ties Chris Henderson for 31st on the USMNT’s all-time caps list.
- Having each made their international debuts in 2025, Max Arfsten and Sebastian Berhalter earn starts for the fourth-consecutive match. Arfsten also earns his 11th appearance of the year, placing him second behind Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang who both have 12 caps in 2025.
- Three substitutes would make their international debut today should they come off the bench: defender Noahkai Banks and goalkeepers Roman Celentano and Jonathan Klinsmann.
- The USMNT is 2W-3L-2D in seven matches against Korea Republic. This is the first meeting between the nations since the U.S. collected a 2-0 win on the back of a Chris Wondolowski brace on Feb. 1, 2014 in Carson, Calif.
Source: https://ussoccer.com/stories/2025/09/usmnt-korea-starting-lineup-notes-tyler-adams-christian-pulisic
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Evan Kanellos Goal Leads Men’s Soccer to First Win of Season – University of Chicago
History