Angel City’s defender Savy King is “responsive” and with his family in the hospital after “a medical event on the field” during the NWSL match of his team against Utah Royals on Friday evening.
King, 20, dropped about 74 minutes from the match at BMO Stadium, Los Angeles. She received medical care in the field before being removed in a cart, then transported by emergency medical services to the hospital.
After the match, Angel City and Utah players and staff gathered in a circle on the field with heads bowing. Utah defender Alex Loera, who played with King At Bay FC in 2024, seemed to lead the group in a prayer.
Eleri Earnshaw, Senior Angel City assistant, who led the team due to the suspension of the acting head coach Sam Main, gave King update during his post-match press conference.
“She was transported to the hospital, she was evaluated,” said Earnshaw. “She is reactive and her family is with her, just like our medical staff. She is in good hands. ”
Savy King Update: Savy was transported by EMS to the hospital after a medical event on the ground. It is reactive and undergoes a more in -depth assessment. We thank everyone for their concern and support.
– Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) May 10, 2025
During the two teams meeting after the full -time whistle, Earnshaw added: “It was one of the players of the Utah who suggested it, that we meet. Some people prayed, some people shared their energy. Just to show the unit at that time in support of Savy without knowing the update at that time.
“It was obviously a frightening situation to do and, at that time, it was much bigger than football. Really grateful to the Utah player who did it, I don’t remember the top of my head which it was but really grateful for that.”
Earnshaw also praised the defender of the city of Angel, Megan Reid, who previously formed as an emergency medical technician.
“I have just shouted in our locker room at Meg Reid, (who) as you know, is a qualified paramedical ambulanceman,” said Earnshaw. “While Christen (Press) and his teammates played a decisive role in gathering the group and establishing contact and being just with each other, Meg saw from the corner of the eye they were starting to move wild on a stretcher and reiterated to the group that it was a very good sign.
“She just entered the paramedical paramedical mode and helped calm the group, which was massive. It was still scary, you still do not know how the team was going to react after that. My request was that we were together, we stayed communicative throughout the rest of the game, we focus and that we gave our energy to Savy.”
Angel City and Utah Royals gathered for Savy King, who left Friday evening’s match on a stretcher after a medical event on the field.
Alex Loera, who was teammates with King At Bay FC, led the group. pic.twitter.com/cjc3fjymzu
– Espnw (@espnw) May 10, 2025
The match resumed 85 minutes, with 12 minutes of downtime played. Press, as a substitute, had opened the scoring in the 66th minute before Aalyssa Thompson added a second to the seventh minute of the time of downtime.
Utah head coach Jimmy Coenraets suggested that the match should not have continued after King fell.
“In these moments, I do not know if we should have continued the game,” said Coenrates to journalists. “You are emotionally – not only they, but also our players were just afraid. This is not the right situation to do, but in the end, we played. This is the decision that others have made, which is good. It was a really difficult moment.
“It’s the same after the match. As, what do you want to focus on after the match? Yes, you have the result of the game, but you want to make sure people feel safe, healthy and well and I think it was the goal after the game for us.”
The 2025 competition rules indicate that “NWSL recognizes that emergencies can occur which make the start or progression of a not recommended or dangerous game for participants and spectators. Certain categories of events automatically trigger the league office in an assessment of the question of whether a delay or a postponement is necessary, including … a serious incident, an injury or a death. “. The rules add that no game should be postponed without the authorization of the League office, unless it is required by the police. Athletics contacted NWSL for commenting whether the league was consulted on the decision to continue the game and which made this call.
King joined Angel City in Bay FC qualifiers and started the eight team’s NWSL games in 2025. She also played for the United States under 19 and under 20.
(Photo: Images Jessica ALCHEH-IMAGN)
