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FOOTBALL

Sweden’s Sundhage to continue as US women’s football coach

Former Swedish women’s football star Pia Sundhage, who led the US women’s side to Olympic gold at Beijing, has been asked to stay on as coach through the 2012 Olympics.

Sweden's Sundhage to continue as US women's football coach

Sundhage was hired to replace Greg Ryan in November of last year after a disappointing third-place finish by the US women at the 2007 Women’s World Cup in China.

In 2008, Sundhage has guided the Americans to a mark of 32-1 with two drawn including a gold-medal victory over Brazil in the Olympic final. The US women suffered their only loss of 2008 in their Olympic opener but rallied for gold.

“Pia has demonstrated the qualities of a great leader, a great soccer tactician and she is a winner,” US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said as he announced the news on Monday.

“We are extremely happy to have her on board for the next cycle of the Women’s World Cup and the Olympics.”

Sundhage, 48, scored 71 goals in 146 caps for Sweden in a 22-year national team career that began in 1975 at age 15 but the US job was her first as a coach.

“We’ve done so many things in a short amount of time and been successful so far,” Sundhage said. “The reason it is so exciting to continue with this team is that I can see the potential.

“We’ve done a pretty good job so far, but these next steps will be about going into the attacking third and being even more unpredictable, playing more beautiful soccer and scoring more goals. With this team spirit, the American culture, and the American way, we can make that happen in the coming years.”

RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

https://twitter.com/GravesenFumado/status/1764242481984491822

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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