Dortmund coach Niko Kovač says MetLife Stadium field more suited to golf than to soccer
And the New York area's summer heat also was inappropriate for high-level soccer.
'It's more a golf green, so you can putt here,' Kovač said after
Saturday's 3-2 quarterfinal loss to Real Madrid
. 'It's very short. But this is not the grass we are used to playing on in the Bundesliga and also in the other two stadiums.'
Dortmund played its opening group match at MetLife, the site of the Club World Cup semifinals and championship, and of next year's World Cup final. The German team played two matches at Cincinnati's TQL Stadium and its round of 16 game at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
'As you saw, the watering wasn't good enough, I would say, because you don't have the devices for that.' Kovač said. 'When it's too dry, it's unbelievable. It's sticking.'
On a sunny afternoon, the temperature at the 3 p.m. kickoff was 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) in East Rutherford. Similar temperatures or higher are expected for next year's World Cup, where 11 venues are in the U.S., and most do not have roofs or air-conditioning.
During the 1994 World Cup, 28 of 52 matches had kickoff times from noon to 2 p.m. EDT, better for European viewing. Kickoff times for next year's 104-game tournament are likely to be set after the draw in December.
'We played two times in Cincinnati. The first time it was 12 o'clock. The second time it was 3 p.m. and the pitch we had temperatures of around about 45 degrees (113 degrees Fahrenheit),' Kovač said. 'When the temperature is 45 degrees, this is not amazing. This is very hard for someone, and the players, they must play these games.
'Today, we had 35 degrees (95 degrees Fahrenheit). It's also not much better, to be honest. But, OK, this a tournament we need to play. And I would suggest — my suggestion, that the kickoff time will be a little later. ... So the intensity is also much higher. And as a supporter, as a spectator, you would like to see intensive, aggressive, up-and-down football. So when it's too hot, then it's difficult to play this kind of football.'
___
AP soccer:
https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
21 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Twins top Cubs 8-1 behind strong start from Simeon Woods Richardson and late power surge
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Simeon Woods Richardson outpitched Shota Imanaga with five scoreless innings, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago Cubs 8-1 on Tuesday night. Ryan Jeffers had three RBIs and the first of three homers for the Twins in a six-run eighth off Porter Hodge, who was also taken deep by Willi Castro and Harrison Bader and got just one out. Royce Lewis drove in two runs, and All-Star Byron Buxton and Jeffers greeted Imanaga (5-3) with back-to-back doubles to start a two-run first inning. The left-hander, who was an All-Star as an MLB rookie last year, finished six innings for the first time since April 4 after missing nearly two months with a strained hamstring. The Twins again shielded Woods Richardson (5-4) from the toughest matchups, turning to the bullpen for the third time through the heart of the order of Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch, who present as daunting a challenge in the second through fifth spots as there is in baseball. The decision paid off, despite Woods Richardson throwing only 61 pitches, against the highest-scoring team in the major leagues . Brock Stewart struck out Dansby Swanson with runners at the corners to end the sixth. Justin Turner's 200th career home run in the ninth ended the shutout. Key moment Griffin Jax gave up a single and a walk with a two-run lead to start the eighth, before striking out Suzuki and Crow-Armstrong and retiring Busch on a line drive to right. Key stat Woods Richardson, who spent nearly a month in Triple-A earlier this season, has allowed just 11 hits in 26 innings with a 1.38 ERA over his last five starts. Up next RHP Cade Horton (3-2, 4.15 ERA) starts the middle game of the series on Wednesday for the Cubs, opposite Twins RHP David Festa (2-3, 5.48). ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How to watch Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund FOR FREE: TV channel and live stream for Club World Cup today
Kylian Mbappe is eyeing a first start at the Club World Cup (Getty Images) Kylian Mbappe could return to the starting lineup for Real Madrid in their high-stakes Club World Cup quarter-final clash against Borussia Dortmund tonight. Follow Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund LIVE! Advertisement The French forward has barely featured in the tournament so far due to a bout of gastroenteritis but made a brief return off the bench during Madrid's narrow 1-0 win over Juventus in the round of 16. Jude Bellingham is also expected to feature for Xabi Alonso's side against his former club at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. However, neutrals hoping for a Bellingham brothers showdown will be disappointed as Jobe Bellingham is suspended after picking up a yellow card in Dortmund's 2-1 victory over Monterrey. It's a repeat of the 2024 Champions League final where the winners will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in next week's Club World Cup semi-final. Advertisement Here's everything you need to know about how to watch this one unfold... How to watch Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on 5 (formerly known as Channel 5), which is free-to-air. Coverage starts at 8pm BST ahead of a 9pm kick-off at MetLife Stadium Live stream: Viewers can also watch the action live online via and DAZN. DAZN is the global broadcaster of the new-look Club World Cup. No subscription is required to watch the game, with the entire tournament available to their 'Freemium' members, which means you only need to sign up for a free DAZN account. Live coverage You can follow all the action with Standard Sport's live blog!
San Francisco Chronicle
33 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
João Pedro doesn't celebrate goals for Chelsea, saying former team `gave everything to me'
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — João Pedro had just scored on a 20-yard curling shot in his first start for Chelsea, putting his team ahead in a Club World Cup semifinal less than a week after signing with the London power. He took two steps to start to celebrate and then he stopped. He clasped his hands. He muted his joy. He would not exhibit excessive exuberance against the team that developed him from a boy into a professional. 'When I was young, I didn't have nothing. They gave everything to me,' he said after his two goals lifted Chelsea over Fluminense 2-0 on Tuesday and into the Club World Cup final against Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain. João Pedro scored in the 18th and 56th minutes, both with his right foot, the first from just outside the penalty area and the second when he cut inside about 15 yards from goal. At 23, he is with a major club after starting in the Fluminense academy when he was 10 or 11, moving to Watford at 18 and then to Brighton when he was 21. He debuted with Brazil's national team in November 2023, but like many of his nation's top stars could make far greater money outside his country. 'It doesn't make sense for Brazil to try to compete with European clubs in terms of finances,' Fluminense coach Renato Gaúcho said through a translator. 'Brazilian clubs trade players and sell them to Europe so they can survive, and that's been true even since I was a player.' Top English clubs benefit from the Premier League's worldwide popularity and broadcast rights fees, and they join with their Spanish, German, Italian and French counterparts in the financial success of deep Champions League runs. João Pedro joined Chelsea from Brighton on July 2, signing with a six-time English titlist and two-time Champions League winner, a club one victory from its second world championship. In the glow of his success, he wasn't going to forget where he came from. 'They showed me to the world," he said. "If I'm here, it's because they believed in me, so I'm very grateful.' Chelsea signed him last Wednesday after he scored 19 goals in 58 Premier League matches for Brighton, and he debuted two days later as a 54th-minute substitute in the 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Palmeiras. Roberto De Zerbi, Brighton's former manager and now Marseille's coach, had recommended João Pedro to Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca. 'The reason why we brought him is because this season we faced many teams with low block(s) and his quality is very good against this kind of team," Maresca said. Chelsea striker Liam Delap was suspended for yellow-card accumulation, and Maresca inserted João Pedro. While most of Chelsea's roster has been training and playing almost continuously since last summer, João Pedro had not appeared in a game since April 19, a benefit in MetLife Stadium's stifling heat and humidity. 'He was on holiday,' Maresca said, 'so probably is a bit more fresh compared to the rest.' ___ and refused to celebrate either goal in a sign of respect for his former club. He joined Chelsea from Brighton on July 2. His first goal developed after German Cano lost the ball to him and he poked it to Pedro Neto. His teammate dribbled down a flank and crossed. The attempted clearance went directly to João Pedro, who curled a 20-yard shot inside the far post. João Pedro took two steps to start to celebrate, then stopped and clasped his hands. Chelsea doubled the lead after Facundo Bernal lost the ball just outside the Blues' penalty area to Pedro Neto, who poked the ball to Cole Palmer. He beat three challenges and dished off to Enzo Fernández, who side-footed a pass to João Pedro. He cut around Ignácio and scored off the underside of the crossbar.
