Category: Новини

Aitana Bonmati scored twice as Spain routed Switzerland 5-1 on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time.

Spain responded emphatically to its 4-0 loss against Japan in its group-stage finale in a blowout against the Swiss in Auckland.

Alba Redondo, Laia Codina and Jennifer Hermoso also scored in the win at Eden Park. Codina showed plenty of relief to score from close range after conceding an own goal in the first half.

Spain coach Jorge Vilda made some big calls after his team was routed by Japan. Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexis Putellas was left on the bench and goalkeeper Cata Coll was picked for her full international debut. They were among five changes to his starting lineup, which paid off as his team produced a dominant performance.

Switzerland was one of only three teams that didn’t concede a goal in the group stages but was 4-1 down by halftime.

Bonmati scored her first in the fifth minute after Switzerland goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann had pushed Alba Redondo’s effort against the post. The Swiss couldn’t clear the ball and Bonmati collected it, turned sharply in the box and fired low into the corner.

Switzerland was gifted an equalizer in the 11th through Codina’s own goal. The defender picked up the ball just inside her own half, but without looking, turned and swept an overhit backpass beyond Coll, who was advanced out of her goal.

Spain was back in front in the 17th as Redondo headed a bouncing ball low into the corner. It was her third goal of the tournament.

Spain continued to look for more goals and Bonmati scored her second in the 36th when showing quick footwork to make space in the box before placing a shot into the corner.

It was 4-1 in the 45th as Codina made amends for her earlier error by bundling the ball over the line from a corner.

Meriame Terchoun, one of three half time substitutes for Switzerland, forced a save from Coll from close range after the break. It was her team’s only effort on target all match.

Switzerland all-time leading scorer Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic had just one shot on goal in group play and didn’t fire a shot against Spain.

Hermoso swept in a fifth for Spain in the 70th to score her third of the tournament.
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A crowd of thousands that packed Manhattan’s Union Square for a popular livestreamer’s hyped giveaway got out of hand Friday afternoon, with some clambering on vehicles, hurling chairs and throwing punches, leaving police struggling to rein in the chaos.

Aerial TV news footage showed a surging, tightly packed crowd running through the streets, scaling structures in the park and snarling traffic. Shouting teenagers swung objects at car windows, threw paint cans and set off fire extinguishers. Some people climbed on a moving vehicle, falling off as it sped away. Others pounded on or climbed atop city buses.

By 5:30 p.m., police officers in growing numbers had regained control of much of the area, but small skirmishes were still breaking out, with young people knocking over barricades and throwing bottles and even a flowerpot at officers. Police were seen wrestling people to the ground and chasing them down the street.

Police planned to charge the streamer, Kai Cenat, with inciting a riot, NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said Friday evening. Officers arrested 65 people, including 30 juveniles.

A number of people were injured, including some police. Details and numbers were not yet available.

“People were suffering out here,” Maddrey said, adding that he saw people bleeding and having asthma and panic attacks. Some motorists were trapped as people climbed on top of their cars. Maddrey said several police vehicles were damaged, including his.

On his Instagram feed, Cenat had an image promoting a giveaway at 4 p.m. in the park. People started lining up as early as 1:30 p.m. By 3 p.m., the crowd had swelled and was getting unruly. Some young people leaving the park said they had come expecting to get a computer for livestreaming or a new PlayStation.

Skylark Jones, 19, and a friend came to see Cenat and try to get something from his giveaway, which they said was promoted as a chance for things like gaming consoles or a gaming chair.

When they arrived, the scene was already packed. Bottles were being thrown. There was a commotion even before Cenat appeared, they said.

“It was a movie,” Jones said. Police “came with riot shields, charging at people.”

Cenat, 21, is a video creator with 6.5 million followers on the platform Twitch, where he regularly livestreams. He also boasts 4 million subscribers on YouTube, where he posts daily life and comedy vlogs ranging from Fake Hibachi Chef Prank! to his most recent video, I Rented Us Girlfriends In Japan! 

His 299 YouTube videos have amassed more than 276 million views among them. In December he was crowned streamer of the year at the 12th annual Streamy Awards. Messages sent to his publicist, management company and an email address for business inquiries were not immediately returned.

Livestreaming on Twitch from a vehicle as the event gathered steam, Cenat displayed gift cards he planned to give away. Noting the crowd and police presence, he urged, “Everybody who’s out there, make sure y’all safe. … We’re not gonna do nothin’ until it’s safe.”

Eventually he and an entourage got out of the vehicle and hustled through an excited crowd, crossed a street and went into the park, where Cenat was at the center of a cheering, shoving mob.

Maddrey said Cenat at some point in the afternoon was removed “for his safety” and that police were in contact with him. Videos posted on social media and taken from news helicopters showed Cenat being lifted over a fence and out of the crowd and then placed in a police vehicle.

The police chief also said a city bus filled with people who were arrested came under attack, and more police had to be sent to protect it. Numerous people were seen in hand restraints, sitting on the sidewalks, and multiple young men were taken away in handcuffs.

“We have encountered things like this before but never to this level of dangerousness,” Maddrey said.

Businesses adjoining the square closed their doors. Carina Treile, manager of Petite Optique, an eyeglass shop nearby, sheltered inside while police dispersed the crowd.

“Usually with people giving away free stuff, it’s never like this. It’s very organized,” she said. “And here we have a very chaotic scene.”

Loud bangs at one point frightened some in the crowd.

“That was a little bit scary, especially when people started running,” Treile said.

Police, some with batons, used metal barricades to push the crowd back and loudspeakers to repeatedly declare the gathering unlawful.

“Listen, we’re not against young people having a good time, we’re not against young people gathering,” Maddrey said. “But it can’t be to this level where it’s dangerous. A lot of people got hurt today.”
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A film taking place during Russia’s war on Ukraine was recently screened before the U.S. Congress. It tells the story of two Ukrainian teens who were forcibly transferred to a Russian-occupied territory. Andriy Borys has this report, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by Viacheslav Filiushkin
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The group stages of the women’s soccer World Cup in Australia and New Zealand have ended with the unexpected elimination of Germany, Brazil and the current Olympic champions, Canada. Starting Saturday, the tournament moves into its knockout phase where three African nations hope to advance. Organizers say more than 1.7 million tickets have been sold for the event, so far.

The knockout round begins Saturday.

What started as 64 matches featuring 32 teams now stands at eight matches played by 16 teams.

The tournament started with group play: eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams in each group advance to the round-of-sixteen, or knockout round.

On Sunday, the world’s top-ranked side, the United States, will face Sweden. The U.S. is attempting to win the tournament for a third consecutive time.

The world’s second-ranked nation and two-time winners of the Women’s World Cup, Germany, was eliminated when Morocco beat Colombia in Perth. The Germans, who could only draw with South Korea, were left with fewer points than the North Africans.

Canada and Brazil, ranked seventh and eighth respectively, are also out of the tournament.

Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa have all progressed to the knockout round, where they are expected to face tough matches against France, England and the Netherlands respectively.

Francis Awaritefe, chair of Professional Footballers Australia, which represents the country’s elite players, said he is not surprised African nations have played well.

“They have always been very strong,” he said. “I think Nigeria has always performed very strongly. But I think in recent times there has been a lot of investment in football in a country like Morocco where they have invested a lot of money specifically into coaching and infrastructure and resources for women’s football, and we can see that result in the performances of the team, the Moroccan national team in terms of the way it has performed. South Africa has also been reasonably strong as well, but it is good to see them now actually producing those results on the field.”

Co-host New Zealand has been eliminated, but Australia has reached the next round where it plays Denmark at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney on Monday.

Awaritefe said fans in both host nations are embracing the Women’s World Cup.

“Look, I think it has gone beyond our expectations not just in terms of the performances on the field, which has been absolutely wonderful,” he said. “The standard has just gone up another notch or two in this tournament. But, also, in terms of the crowds and the way that Australians have really embraced the Football World Cup. It has been absolutely phenomenal and also in New Zealand as well. Japan, England and Australia for me are the strongest sides right now and they are the ones I can see going very, very deep into the tournament.”

As the knockout phase begins, soccer fans around the world are anticipating more drama in the days to come. The final will be played in Sydney on Aug. 20.
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