San Diego FC condemns homophobic chant heard at first MLS home game

  • Portions of sell-out crowd did chant despite warnings
  • Head coach calls actions ‘unacceptable’

San Diego FC coach Mikey Varas and sporting director Tyler Heaps expressed disappointment and anger after their club’s inaugural home match was marred in the second half by three occurrences of the homophobic chant frequently heard at the Mexican national team’s soccer matches.

The club uniformly decried the notorious one-word Spanish chant both during and after San Diego finished a scoreless draw with St Louis City on Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium, which was packed with 34,506 fans celebrating the arrival of Major League Soccer’s 30th team.

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Messi no-show prompts Houston Dynamo to issue apology and free tickets

  • Argentine star not listed as injured but did not make trip
  • Match was set to be sell-out with expensive resale tickets

MLS club Houston Dynamo have issued an apology to fans after Lionel Messi was revealed by various outlets to not be in the Inter Miami traveling party for Sunday night’s game between the sides. The Texas club also promised free tickets to a future match to all in attendance due to Messi’s absence.

In their statement, the Dynamo indicated that they believed Messi would be fit to play the match based on his name not being listed on Inter Miami’s player status report. The player status report, released before matches, is traditionally where teams will list players that are carrying injuries or who are otherwise out of action.

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Rapids-LAFC game halted after derogatory term allegedly directed at Chido Awaziem

  • Allegations delayed match in the 85th minute
  • Concacaf has yet to announce an investigation

Colorado Rapids defender Chido Awaziem has alleged that an opponent used a derogatory term towards him on the field during his team’s Concacaf Champions League second leg match at Los Angeles FC on Tuesday night.

The incident in question came towards the end of the match, after Awaziem and LAFC defender Sergi Palencia were matched up on a set piece with LAFC leading the game 1-0. After the play Awaziem, a Nigeria international, complained to referee Pierre-Luc Lauziere, seemingly pleading with the official to take some sort of action. The match was paused for around five minutes as the referee engaged in discussions with Awaziem, Palencia, his fellow officials and both teams’ coaches. He then allowed play to continue with no discipline handed out. Awaziem later confronted Palencia after the final whistle.

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Lionel Messi fined by MLS after grabbing opposing coach by neck

  • Inter Miami star was booked for dissent
  • Messi provided two assists in the match

Lionel Messi has been fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Soccer after grabbing the neck of a New York City assistant coach at the end of Saturday’s game between the sides.

The World Cup winner was caught on camera in a confrontation with NYC FC assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy after the final whistle. Messi twice put his hands on the back of Ballouchy’s neck during the arguments. MLS said in a statement that their disciplinary committee had ruled that the Argentinian had violated the league’s “Hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent policy.”

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San Diego FC Owner Brings Rare Academy-First Portfolio to MLS

Since MLS’ founding in 1996, more than 50 people have bought control stakes in its teams. None have come to the league with a soccer portfolio quite like billionaire Mohamed Mansour. Mansour is the majority owner of San Diego FC, which makes its MLS debut Sunday as the league’s 30th club. He also owns Right …