Browsing: setback

On Monday, two days before their Allianz Arena game against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Arsenal announced the devastating news that their centre-back Katie Reid had sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The 19-year-old, who was pulled forward to lift the Champions League trophy in front of fans by the captain Leah Williamson at Arsenalâ€s Emirates Stadium celebration in May, had a meteoric rise at the start to the season, partnering Steph Catley in place of the injured Williamson, starting many games ahead of the World Cup winner Laia Codina and double European Championship winner Lotte Wubben-Moy.

“Itâ€s always horrible, especially for her,†the manager, Renée Slegers, said. “She started the season so well for us. With her age, how mature she has been, how sheâ€s been in the group and how she has grown every single day, it is very disappointing for her. Itâ€s very hard. Sheâ€s been with us in the last couple of days and surgery is planned. She will move forward from there. She said she will use this time to grow as a footballer, which says everything about Katie.â€

Reid is the third Arsenal player to be sidelined with the long‑term knee injury this season. The goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger ruptured her ACL in training between Arsenalâ€s opening Champions League fixtures against Lyon and Benfica last month, and on 30 October it was announced that the forward Michelle Agyemang, who was on loan at Brighton, had sustained the brutal knee injury, having been taken off on a stretcher during Englandâ€s 3-0 defeat of Australia in Derby.

The prevalence of ACL injuries in womenâ€s football is not new and is far from being an Arsenal problem. Liverpool similarly have three out with ACL injuries, Marie Höbinger and Sophie Román Haug both sustaining ACL injuries in October, joining the 18-year-old midfielder Zara Shaw who sustained the same injury in April. Chelsea (Kadeisha Buchanan and Brooke Aspin), Everton (Megan Finnigan and Aurora Galli), Manchester City (Mary Fowler and Mayzee Davies) and Tottenham (Ella Morris and Maite Oroz) all have two out apiece. Brighton have lost Agyemang, who has returned to her parent club Arsenal for treatment and rehab, but are also without Manuela Vanegas. Aston Villaâ€s Jill Baijings joined the ACL club at the end of September.

Michelle Agyemang faces a lengthy spell out injured after her knee injury during Englandâ€s match against Australia. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/Reuters

It would be wrong to sound fresh alarm bells or talk of an epidemic of ACL injuries in womenâ€s football. The reality is that womenâ€s football has been blighted by ACL issues for a long time. Arsenalâ€s opponents on Wednesday, Bayern Munich, are no strangers to just how devastating the injury can be, with the Germany midfielder Lena Oberdorf sustaining her second ACL injury on 20 October, having made just eight appearances following her return from her previous ACL injury two months before. Oberdorfâ€s tear came one month after fellow midfielder Sarah Zadrazil endured the same fate.

“The starting point is about as much awareness as possible on how we can prevent these injuries and I think everyone agrees with that,†said Slegers, who called time on her own playing career after an ACL injury. “I know the club is prominent in these processes on a wider scale.

“Itâ€s hard because itâ€s one little moment and youâ€re out for nine to 12 months and it impacts a playerâ€s career. We need to keep on doing research because the game is growing and changing so fast and we need to move with that change.â€

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The goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar said: “Obviously the schedule gets busier, clubs and nations are asking more and more of us, and thereâ€s probably somewhere a way of reducing the risk and I hope for everyone that we can find that.â€

The comments of Slegers and Van Domselaar came after the Chelsea midfielder Keira Walsh spoke on the issue following Reidâ€s injury before Chelseaâ€s match against St Pölten. Walsh said that those “higher up do need to listen to what weâ€re saying as players†on the issue of overloading and underloading, with many feeling match scheduling does not take a holistic enough approach.

On Wednesday night, Arsenal and Bayern will be weaker because of their absentees. For Arsenal, the loss of Reid and Zinsberger for the long term, added to their short-term losses, is placated by a squad depth that means a strong starting XI can still be fielded. The problem, though, is that with the number of games mounting and fewer options to rotate the risk of further injury only increases.

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Next Match:

at Assumption University

11/8/2025 | 1:00 p.m.

Nov. 08 (Sat) / 1:00 p.m.

at Assumption University

WEST CHESTER, PA. – On Wednesday evening, Pace University Volleyball put together a competitive effort but came up short in a 3-0 loss to West Chester University of Pennsylvania. The Setters, now 9-11 overall, stayed within striking distance in every frame before the Golden Rams closed out the match by set scores of 25-18, 25-22, and 25-22.

Pace battled through a back-and-forth opening set, using early kills from Kadence Ackmann and Skyler Tennant to stay close before West Chester used a late run to pull away. The Setters responded with their strongest frame in the second, erasing multiple deficits and tying the score at 21-21 behind steady play from Jaliyah Johnson and Ackmann. However, a pair of late kills swung the momentum back to the Golden Rams.

The third set followed a similar script, with Pace staying within a point for most of the frame thanks to Tennant’s efficient hitting and Alice Bender’s back-row defense, but West Chester again capitalized late to seal the sweep.

Ackmann led the Setters with nine kills and 10.0 total points, while Johnson added six kills and Tennant hit .313 with five kills on 16 swings.

Bender highlighted the defense with a team-high 12 digs, and setter Aralyn Saulys tallied 17 assists.

McKenzie Eddington and Leah Mendez contributed at the net with a combined six block assists as Pace totaled 12 as a team.

The Setters return to Northeast 10 Conference action on Saturday, traveling to face Assumption University at 1:00 p.m.
Â

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Tiffany Stratton puts the WWE Women’s Championship on the line against Jade Cargill this Saturday night at SNME in Salt Lake City, Utah. This marks the fourth time these two powerhouses face off for the title. Stratton has won all three previous encounters, including victories at SummerSlam and twice on SmackDown.​​

The major turning point happened on the October 24 episode of SmackDown. Jade Cargill turned heel in a shocking moment, attacking Tiffany Stratton after appearing to help her. The heel turn gave Cargill a new edge and a fresh storyline heading into SNME.​

Before the turn, Cargill had struggled in her pursuit of singles gold. She won the Queen of the Ring tournament back in June, which earned her a championship match at SummerSlam. Despite all her physical advantages, Stratton kept finding ways to win. A triple threat match in late September left Cargill busted open above the eye, adding to her mounting frustration.​

WWE Fans Theorize About Saturday Night’s Main Event

Wrestling fans on social media and forums have started discussing whether Cargill’s new heel character actually guarantees her the title. While many expect the Storm to finally capture gold, some fans worry that Stratton’s experience could prevail again.

Stratton’s championship reign began in January when she cashed in her Money in the Bank contract. She has held the title for more than 300 days and successfully defended it against major challengers, including Charlotte Flair, Hall of Famer Trish Stratus, and Nia Jax.

Recent reports suggest that Cargill has received a movie role in the upcoming movie, ‘True Threat.’ What’s interesting about this news is the timing of the shoot for this movie. It is expected to begin on November 3 in Atlanta, Georgia. If that’s the case, and Cargill is going to be away for a long time, then WWE can make her lose the title again.

OMG… is Jade gonna lose at SNME??? pic.twitter.com/to1HQsztO4

— Charlie ₊˚🪽â±â€§â‚ŠËš. (@15mythical) October 31, 2025

Few fans supported this claim, whereas many were against it, as the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes won the title from John Cena at SummerSlam Night 2, and then went away for a month for his movie role. During that time, the Scottish Warrior Drew McIntyre was carrying the feud all by himself, and when Rhodes returned after a month, they faced off for the title at Wrestlepalooza, with Rhodes retaining it.

The following are the fan reactions:

Fan reactions to Jade Cargill-Tiffany Stratton’s match result

Cargill, while physically dominant, remains hungry for her first singles championship in WWE. Some fans believe this hunger could work against her. Her two previous encounters with Stratton on SmackDown ended in a no-contest and a loss.

SNME takes place live from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on November 1. The event features four championship matches across the night. Wrestling fans online remain split on whether Cargill’s heel character and previous momentum finally break through Stratton’s defense or if experience trumps hunger once again.

MORE: Top WWE RAW Star Almost Crashes While Hanging Out With Finn Balor

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Sol Ruca was headed for another misfortune on WWE NXT this week.

Zaria offered to compete on Sol Ruca’s behalf at Halloween Havoc against Blake Monroe. Ruca was injured during her SmackDown match a couple of weeks ago. The NXT Tag Team faced Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair on the blue brand when the leg injury happened.

Blake Monroe’s taunts were enough for Zaria to put her best intentions forward to help out her friend. Instead, that turned out for the worst when Monroe defeated her and won the NXT Women’s North American Title.

In the week heading into the Halloween special, Ava asked Ruca about her Speed Championship. She replied that she had no plans to hold up the division because of her injury. This week on NXT, Sol Ruca relinquished the Women’s Speed Championship. She was emotional while handing over the title to General Manager Ava.

Another one bites the dust… 😔@SolRucaWWE has officially relinquished her Womenâ€s Speed Championship. pic.twitter.com/7jJegnWf4k

— WWE (@WWE) October 29, 2025

Ava Had Her Hands Full On WWE NXT With Ricky Saints and Trick Williams’ Feud

The NXT Champion and Trick Williams had an all-out brawl in the beginning segment of the show. Security was forced to intervene, and Ava was out to address the situation. However, that did not stop the two WWE stars from throwing punches at each other.

Their disdain spilled into the NXT main event between Jordynne Grace and Kelani Jordan. Saints and Williams’ fight interrupted their match, which eventually led to Jordan weaponizing the TNA Knockouts Title to retain gold.

Ava rushed out, announcing that she had had enough. And cited a Last Man Standing match between the two after a couple of weeks.

RICKY SAINTS VS. TRICK WILLIAMS.

LAST MAN STANDING.

FOR THE NXT CHAMPIONSHIP. pic.twitter.com/fGn09yQzsx

— WWE (@WWE) October 29, 2025

Saints won the title from Oba Femi last month. Trick Williams held the title on two occasions but lost it to Femi in January this year. He proceeded to win the TNA Championship amid the crossover feuds.

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Missing in action, an injured WWE star has dropped a major update.

Earlier this year, the wrestling world witnessed promising wrestler Zoey Stark suffer a serious setback when she suffered a knee injury during her Money In The Bank Qualifying Triple Threat against Rhea Ripley and Kairi Sane on May 19th, 2025.

Absent for nearly 154 days now, Stark recently dropped a major update on her return. Sharing a video on X(Twitter), Stark captioned it with,

This injury tested me in ways I didn’t expect. Progress doesnt always look pretty. It just takes consistently, patience and faith. Counting the days till I’m back.”

She further shared a massive setback which she suffered,

What’s up guys? Just wanted to hop on and give everyone a quick update. From the last video, one of the reasons why I was having a hard time was because I was told that either I would have get a scope done. Which is, where they go in, clean out my knee, any scar tissue, or two, get a manipulation under anaesthesia.

One of the reasons being, because I didn’t have full range of motion, and that would have pushed my recovery back. That’s why, I was so upset and having a hard time with it. But now we are back on track, that did not have to happen, thank god.

Now, I am running, jumping, I have full range of motion. Things are going great, honestly. I am happy, I am blessed.”

One of the most promising stars and on the receiving end of a push, this injury crushed all of her momentum and set her back.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the source and leave an h/t to ITR Wrestling.

We at ITR Wrestling wish Zoey Stark a quick and safe recovery.

WWE Star Zoey Stark’s History With Injuries

Zoey Stark, a former tag-team champion, has a documented history of knee injuries. In October 2021, Stark sustained a comparable injury while assigned to the NXT roster. In July of the following year, Stark went back to NXT before joining the main roster in the 2023 draft.

In other news: A WWE Hall of Famer shocked Jon Moxley with his appearance at AEW WrestleDream.

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Liverpool are experiencing something of an injury crisis at present, and another name has just been added to the long-term list.

Alisson is the headline absentee, with the Reds’ first-choice goalkeeper thought to be out until the end of the month, with new defender Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo both facing spells on the sideline.

Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch have also had recent issues, but the pair travelled for international duty, representing France and Netherlands respectively, with the latter turning out twice, so the picture looks more positive for that duo.

Although the Reds spent a fortune on Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike this summer, options beyond that pair are limited, with no other specialist no.9s in the squad.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool U21s manager Rob Page revealed that striker Jayden Danns is likely to face a couple of months on the sidelines.

He picked up a hamstring injury last month, taking a free-kick in a Premier League 2 game against Ipswich Town, and after a full medical exam, it seems he could be out until the New Year.

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“It could be a couple of months,” Page told the Echo. “It’s not going to be a quick fix.

“It’s a setback for him, but Dannsy is very positive about everything in life, especially football. If anybody can get through this setback, it’s him without doubt.”

Danns turned out for Liverpool’s senior side in the Carabao Cup earlier this season (Image credit: Getty Images)

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, while Liverpool are a long way off having issues up front, a couple of injuries could quickly see the likes of Danns called upon.

The 19-year-old already has 10 senior appearances to his name, with three goals scored, so could be a viable option in a crisis.

As Rio Ngumoha has shown, Arne Slot is not afraid to give young players a shot when he feels like they can add something, and the winger proved the worth of that outlook when he notched a last-minute against Newcastle United. Unfortunately, however, Danns is not going to be an option in the same way for a couple of months.

Danns is valued at €800k, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool next face Manchester United when Premier League action returns this weekend.

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Andre Onana’s Cameroon have not been able to qualify for the 2026 World Cup via the CAF group stage and now face a series of make-or-break fixtures if they are to make the tournament.

The Manchester United goalkeeper is currently out on loan at Turkish club Trabzonspor after losing his place as Old Trafford No.1 to Altay Bayindir.

Onana featured in Man United’s somewhat embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town back in August and was culpable for the team’s concessions in normal time, before being eliminated on penalties.

The fixture at Blundell Park could prove to be Onana’s last in a Man United shirt but it has proven not to be his final disappointment at such an early stage of the 2025/26 campaign.

If Cameroon are successful in the CAF play-offs during November, FIFA’s inter-confederation play-off will pit them against teams from CONMEBOL (South America), CONCACAF (North America), OFC (Oceania) and AFC (Asia).

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SAN DIEGO — The Padres will enter their final home series of the regular season with one goal: Earn another series at home next week.

San Diego wrapped up an eventful three-game set against Milwaukee with a 3-1 loss on Wednesday afternoon. On Monday, the Padres clinched their place in the postseason. On Tuesday, they ensured theyâ€d finish no lower than the No. 5 seed in the National League.

But with their loss in the finale, the Padres made things difficult on themselves in the race for home-field advantage in next weekâ€s Wild Card Series. As of the final out on Wednesday, they trailed both the Dodgers and Cubs by two games. The Padres (87-72) have three games left in their regular season — against the Diamondbacks this weekend at Petco Park. (Both L.A. and Chicago have five left, counting their own games on Wednesday evening.)

Catching the Dodgers for the NL West title now seems like a particularly tall task, given that Los Angeles owns that tiebreaker. If the Padres canâ€t reel in L.A., theyâ€re bound for a Wild Card Series against the Cubs next week. The likeliest location for that series is still Wrigley Field, but the Padres would at least own that tiebreaker if they can make up two games on Chicago in the coming days.

Right-hander Dylan Cease pitched five innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts on Wednesday in his final tuneup before the postseason. But it remains unclear how Cease might fit into the Padres†Wild Card Series plans.

With his performance on Wednesday, Ceaseâ€s ERA sits at 4.55. Thatâ€s not a number befitting Dylan Cease, and the truth is, he probably got a bit unlucky along the way. Heâ€ll also be the first to admit that he hasnâ€t been nearly consistent enough.

Manager Mike Shildt has more or less already tabbed Nick Pivetta as his Game 1 starter. It seems most likely that Michael King would start Game 2. Thereâ€s an opening for Game 3, and Cease is an obvious candidate to fill it (alongside Yu Darvish and Randy Vásquez). But the Padres canâ€t afford some of the blow-ups that Cease has been prone to this season.

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