Crew trade Keita to Colorado, sign Yeboah
The Crew have decided to move on from reserve center back Aboubacar Keita.
The team traded 21-year-old Crew Academy product to the Colorado Rapids for $300,000 in general allocation money, with the possibility of another $150,000 if Keita meets unspecified performance requirements.
Keita, who attended Westerville North High School, was signed in 2019 after one season at the University of Virginia. Over three seasons, he made 37 appearances and 28 starts.
While the Crew dealt with injuries in July and August, Keita started seven of eight games, including five straight. Toward the end of that stretch, Keita made a few costly errors that impacted coach Caleb Porter’s decision to sit him the rest of the season.
As Josh Williams and Jonathan Mensah returned to the starting lineup, Keita made just two starts in the final 14 league games. Toward the end of the year, Keita was often the fourth-choice center back behind Vito Wormgoor, whom the club chose not to retain for 2022.
The Crew now have an even larger hole to fill at center back with a little over a month before the start of the season on Feb. 26 against the Vancouver Whitecaps at Lower.com Field.
The Crew have only two center backs on the roster and just 20 of 30 roster spots filled.
Crew sign Ghanaian winger Yaw Yeboah
The Crew signed 24-year-old Ghanaian winger Yaw Yeboah from Wisla Krakow in Poland’s first division, Ekstraklasa.
Ghanasoccernet.com reported the Crew paid up to a $2 million transfer fee for Yeboah.
Yeboah is not a regular with the Ghanaian national team, but is best known for his speed at his preferred right wing position. Yeboah has scored nine goals with four assists in 37 league matches with Wisla Krakow the past two seasons.
Yeboah figures to be in competition for the starting right wing position with Pedro Santos and Luis Diaz when the team reports for preseason on Jan. 16.
Ohio State men’s hockey series at Wisconsin rescheduled
The Ohio State men’s hockey series at Wisconsin will be moved back a day to Saturday and Sunday due to COVID-19 protocols inside the Badgers’ program. Game times are 7 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday.
Friday’s scheduled men’s volleyball match was canceled because of Covid-related issues within the Charleston program. The Buckeyes will instead face Central State on Friday and Saturday, with both matches starting at 7 p.m. at the Covelli Center.
Serbia in shock over Australia’s refusal to let Djokovic in
BELGRADE, Serbia – Serbia is nervously awaiting the outcome of what increasingly looks like a soap opera with the country’s most famous sports idol in the lead role.
The world’s top-ranked men’s tennis player, Novak Djokovic, faces the prospect of deportation from Australia. Djokovic had hoped to win his 21st Grand Slam title at this month’s Australian Open, which would set the men’s record for major championship victories.
The 34-year-old Serb’s ability to compete in Melbourne and overtake rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer has been in limbo since the Australian Border Force canceled Djokovic’s visa because he failed to meet requirements for a COVID-19 vaccination exemption. A court hearing on his case has been set for Monday.
Djokovic’s fans are in shock, and Serbian politicians seized on the opportunity to get a popularity boost ahead of this year’s elections as protesters gathered in downtown Belgrade calling for his release.
Populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s government summoned the Australian ambassador in protest of Djokovic’s “detention.”
Vucic said he had spoken to Djokovic and blasted Australian authorities for keeping the tennis star in an “infamous hotel,” referring to the secure facility where Djokovic is being housed along with asylum seekers and refugees.
“I’m afraid that this overkill will continue,” Vucic said. “When you can’t defeat someone on the court, then you do such things.”
Bears place quarterback Fields on reserve/covid-19 list
The Chicago Bears placed quarterback Justin Fields on the reserve/covid-19 list on Thursday, likely sidelining him for the finale and ending his rookie season.
The Bears expected Fields to start at Minnesota on Sunday after missing the previous two games because of an ankle injury. That plan is now in doubt.
It’s been an up-and-down season for Fields, who has shown promising flashes and room to improve while dealing with injuries.
Fields has completed 58.9% of his passes for 1,870 yards. He has more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (seven) to go with a 73.2 passer rating.
— Wire reports