logo
Wales eye fifth in Malaysia after beating Japan 6-4

Wales eye fifth in Malaysia after beating Japan 6-4

BBC News5 hours ago

Jolyon Morgan's hat-trick helped Wales men beat Japan 6-4 to give them a chance of finishing fifth at the FIH Nations League in Malaysia.Wales will face either South Africa or hosts Malaysia on Saturday and will finish at least sixth after they fought back from 3-2 down against Japan.Fred Newbold and Ryoma Ooka exchanged early goals and after Morgan struck his first, Japan seized the initiative through Koji Yamakasi and Kazumasa Matsumoto.Sam Welsh levelled and Morgan put Wales ahead before he completed his hat-trick.Veteran Gareth Furlong sealed the win with a late effort before Kosei Kawabe's finale.
Furlong said: "All the games have been really close, all the teams here are really well matched so really happy to get over the line today."To score six goals, any team would be really happy with that. But we probably do need to tidy up a little bit defensively. "Just before half time we were a little bit sloppy in ball-possession and gave them a way back in to the game. But credit to the guys for coming back from 3-2 down."South Africa and Malaysia's game is taking place later on Friday.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Without a club, but Wales' Roberts focuses on Euros
Without a club, but Wales' Roberts focuses on Euros

BBC News

timean hour ago

  • BBC News

Without a club, but Wales' Roberts focuses on Euros

Wales defender Rhiannon Roberts says she will put her future to one side this summer as she gets set to head to the Euros without a 34, has spent the past two seasons with Real Betis having joined the Spanish side in 2023 following a spell at Roberts has left Betis at the end of her contract, making her one of three unattached players in Rhian Wilkinson's squad for Griffiths is also without a club after finishing her deal at Southampton, while goalkeeper Poppy Soper is looking for her next move after leaving the returning Sophie Ingle is leaving Chelsea after seven years this summer and Hannah Cain will leave Leicester City at the end of her says the profile of Wales' first appearance at a women's major tournament will provide "a shop window" for players like her - but insists questions over what comes next at club level are not on her mind."I just want to give it everything and just focus on Euros - I don't want to be focusing on anything else," Roberts said."I just want to go and give it my all. I want to purely focus on being there with my team, for my nation, and just putting my body on the line. I don't want to think about anything else." Sleepless nights from past Switzerland trip Roberts won the first of her 79 caps 10 years says the wait for a first major finals appearance has been too long to let the lack of clarity on her future come into her journey to the European Championship has included qualification near-misses, one of which came in Switzerland. Roberts was a goalscorer as Wales led the Swiss in Zurich in a World Cup play-off in 2022, only for the hosts to triumph with seconds remaining in extra-time, denying Gemma Grainger's side in the cruellest of fashions."I've never felt heartbreak like that, to be honest," Roberts said. "I'd rather have lost on penalties. I didn't sleep for two weeks and had to get sleeping tablets by the end."I remember going on the next camp and we did a review and I thought 'oh, I can't see this again'."Happily, Roberts is one of 17 of the 23 players involved in that Switzerland defeat who eventually reached a major tournament under Rhian Wilkinson. "Everything shapes us to be the people we are. Maybe if that had gone differently, we wouldn't be in this moment now either," Roberts added. "It's like everything paved the way for this to be the year. Going back hasn't got anything to do with being there now and giving our best while we're there." Roberts, a popular member of the Wales squad, hopes the wait to feature in a major tournament will be worth was given news of her inclusion in the squad during a telephone call with head coach Wilkinson."I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I've been in squads for 10 years but you're still just waiting to hear that line of 'I'm taking you to the Euros, you're in the squad'," were further concerns for Roberts when she picked up a groin problem when with Wales for the Nations League games against Denmark and Italy earlier this summer."I just thought 'oh no, not now'," said Roberts, who suffered a grade-two groin tear."But I'm on the plane! It was terrible timing because I've always been so good at looking after myself and I think maybe it was a case of back-to-back seasons for six years catching up with me."But I've been back in the training pitch with the physio and hopefully when we go to Portugal for our camp I'll be with the team doing everything that I can possible to get myself on the pitch."

Wilkinson explains decision to include Ingle in Wales' squad
Wilkinson explains decision to include Ingle in Wales' squad

Leader Live

timean hour ago

  • Leader Live

Wilkinson explains decision to include Ingle in Wales' squad

The 33-year-old, who has won 141 caps, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury playing for Chelsea in a pre-season friendly last September and has been in a race against time to make next month's Euros in Switzerland. Wales boss Wilkinson said: 'We needed to make sure that Sophie was in a good place, that she's obviously still on her path to full fitness. 'But, she's in a position now where she can contribute and that was important for us. 'Just a really great mix in this squad, which I think is exciting for me, equally for the Welsh public. A wonderful representation of the country.' Defender Rhiannon Roberts is included after injury ruled her out of Nations League action last month, while veteran forward Jess Fishlock is the star name in a squad skippered by her Seattle Reign team-mate Angharad James. Wales kick-off their tournament against the Netherlands in Lucerne on July 5. Their remaining two games are in St Gallen versus France on July 9 and against reigning European champions England on July 13.

South Korea lift bizarre little-known 26-year ban on signing foreign goalkeepers
South Korea lift bizarre little-known 26-year ban on signing foreign goalkeepers

The Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Sun

South Korea lift bizarre little-known 26-year ban on signing foreign goalkeepers

A 26-YEAR ban on foreign goalkeepers in South Korea's top soccer league has been lifted effective from the start of the 2026 season. Only Korean goalkeepers have been allowed to play in the K League, the oldest professional domestic league in Asia since 1999. 2 2 The rule was originally introduced to protect homegrown talent when there were only 10 professional clubs. Following a board meeting in Seoul this week, the K League announced that with 26 professional clubs now competing across the top two tiers, there's enough room to accommodate international goalkeepers. The increase in the number of clubs means there are sufficient opportunities for domestic goalkeepers to play, even with the inclusion of foreigners. The board said in a statement: 'Starting in 2026 clubs will be permitted to register foreign goalkeepers. "The K League previously restricted their participation beginning in 1996 and introduced a full ban in 1999. "To encourage the development of domestic goalkeepers as most clubs at the time relied on foreign players in the position. "We have considered the fact that, with foreign player registrations restricted, the salary increase rate of domestic goalkeepers has risen disproportionately compared to outfield players.' There have reportedly been concerns over a shortage of quality keepers in the country due in part to the expanded size of modern rosters which typically include three or four goalkeepers. The decision to lift the ban is now expected to directly increase the number of foreign players in the K League. The move also brings the K League in line with other major Asian leagues, such as those in Japan, Saudi Arabia, and China. Iraq striker Aymen Hussein SENT OFF for bizarre grass-eating celebration after goal in Asian Cup Another rule that was introduced last season was a homegrown classification for youth players of foreign nationality who have spent a significant period developing in South Korea. If a foreign player has been registered with a domestic amateur team for three consecutive years, or a total of five years, before signing their first professional contract, they are now classified as a domestic player and will not occupy a foreign player slot.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store