National Teams

Soccer fans in Los Angeles did not show out for the United States women’s national team’s 5-0 victory vs. Dominican Republic in the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup on Tuesday.

The USWNT will play all three of their group stage games at Dignity Health Sports Park, the home of the LA Galaxy. The players will be hoping the attendance improves as the tournament progresses.

On Tuesday just 3,242 fans filled the 27,000-seat stadium.

Why was the USWNT attendance so low?

United States men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter has a decision to make that few people will envy. Who will be the USMNT starting striker?

The answer to that question will be vital for this summer’s Copa América as the USMNT will be tested against South America’s elite teams.

Before the highly anticipated tournament begins, Berhalter will give USMNT fans some insight on which striker(s) he prefers with the Concacaf Nations League in March.

The United States women’s national team was hit with a major injury blow on Monday when striker Mia Fishel tore her ACL in her right knee during training. Alex Morgan will fill Fishel’s spot on the USWNT’s roster.

Fishel’s injury came one day before the USWNT play their opening match in the inaugural Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup.

Mia Fishel ACL injury

BERLIN — World Cup winner Andreas Brehme, whose late penalty in the 1990 final against Argentina in Italy handed Germany their third world title, has died at the age of 63, his family said.

The attacking full back and dead-ball specialist became an instant Germany football great when his spot kick earned them a 1-0 victory over Diego Maradona's Argentina in the World Cup final in Rome.

Forever a part of football history.

A Lindsey Horan apology was given to American soccer fans on Thursday during a press conference with the United States women’s national team.

Horan ruffled a litany of feathers for her February interview with The Athletic when she remarked on the low intelligence levels of USWNT fans.

"American soccer fans, most of them aren't smart,” Horan said to The Athletic. “They don't know the game. They don't understand. It's getting better and better.

SEOUL — A Korea Football Association (KFA) advisory committee recommended sacking head coach Jürgen Klinsmann on Thursday after their semi-final exit at the Asian Cup and amid criticism of his leadership, KFA Technical Director Hwangbo Kwan said.

The National Team Committee does not make administrative decisions, leaving it up to the KFA's Executive Board whether to act on its recommendation to fire Klinsmann, whose contract runs through the 2026 World Cup.

AMSTERDAM — A Dutch court on Wednesday sentenced Spartak Moscow forward Quincy Promes to six years in prison in absentia for drug trafficking.

Former Dutch international Promes did not attend court hearings in Amsterdam and is not expected to return to the Netherlands in the foreseeable future.

Prosecutors last month sought a nine year sentence for Promes, for his involvement in the smuggling of 1,360kg (2,998 pounds) of cocaine through the port of Antwerp, Belgium, to the Netherlands in two shipments in 2020.

Quincy Promes cocaine sentencing

The door is open for Lionel Messi to play at this year's Paris Olympics, Argentina's under-23 manager Javier Mascherano said.

Argentina secured their place at the Games after beating Brazil 1-0 on Sunday in the final four of South America's qualifying tournament.

ARGENTINA U-23 DEFEATED BRAZIL 1-0 AND IS GOING TO THE 2024 SUMMER OLYMPICS pic.twitter.com/t8eIYg6ppj

HONG KONG — Chinese sporting authorities have canceled next month's friendly international between Argentina and Nigeria amid a growing backlash against Lionel Messi's failure to play in an Inter Miami match in Hong Kong last week.

Argentina were scheduled to play Nigeria in the Chinese city of Hangzhou next month before facing the Ivory Coast in Beijing, but Messi's failure to take the field for Inter Miami in Hong Kong on Sunday caused widespread anger among fans.

BOUAKE — Three-time winners Nigeria were given a scare but reached the Africa Cup of Nations final after goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saved two penalties in the shootout to guide his side to a 4-2 victory over South Africa following a 1-1 draw on Wednesday.

William Troost-Ekong put Nigeria into the lead from the penalty spot midway through the second half, before South Africa earned a spot-kick of their own in the final minute of the 90 and it was converted by Teboho Mokoena.