Angel City Football Club said defender Savy King had surgery on Tuesday for a cardiac anomaly following a “deepened” examination of doctors, after having collapsed during the Friday evening match against the Royals of UTA.
The club said King, 20, was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Saturday morning after being treated at California Hospital MEDICAL CENTER on Friday evening.
“She rests now and recovers herself surrounded by her family, and her prognosis is excellent,” the team said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful to the exceptional medical care she has received and the overwhelming support of our community. We are asking for continuous respect for Savy’s privacy as it focuses on healing. ”
King collapsed during the second half and was immediately treated by team training and medical staff. The match was delayed and finally finished despite the situation. Angel City then won the match, 2-0.
After the match, Angel City coach Eleri Earnshaw said King was reactive.
The King family also published a statement, thanking medical staff and the support of the football community.
“On behalf of our whole family, with Savy, we were so moved by the love and support of players, staff, staff, fans and the Angel City community, as well as football fans across the country. We are fortunate to share that Savy recovers well and we can’t wait to have the house soon.
“We would like to thank the incredible medical staff of Angel City and the players who acted quickly as well as the medical teams who gave him exceptional care. We will never forget the kindness and care that you have shown, our gratitude is endless. In times like these, we remember the presence and protection of God. Thank you all for having raised Savy Up in your prayers.”
King, who attended Agoura High, was the choice n ° 2 of the NWSL 2024 draft of the North Carolina by Bay FC. She was exchanged in Angel City during the offseason and earlier this season, she spoke of having a chance to play at home.
“It’s great to play in front of a crowd in my hometown,” she said in March. “It’s great to be back to”
In a statement on Saturday morning, the NWSL said that “the League protocols were followed from the point of view of medical operations and the game”.
However, many around the League, including the UTAH coach Jimmy Coenraets said he did not think that the game should have continued.
“In these moments, I don’t know if we should have continued the match,” he said after Friday’s match. “Emotionally, not only them (Angel City), but also our players are just afraid. I think it is not the right position or the right situation to be, but in the end, we played. So, it is a decision that others take, which is good, but I think it was a really difficult moment.”
In the rules of competition of 2025, he stipulates that the decision to continue the match is at the League office. “NWSL recognizes that emergencies can occur, which makes the start or progression of a game by inadmissible or dangerous 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. ”
The only element that apparently applied to this situation is point n ° 3: “Serious incident, injury or death to a player, coach, official, team representative or spectator or other medical concern.”
Angel City resumes his NWSL calendar on Saturday with a match on the road against the Bay FC.
King has played 18 games last season with Bay FC and eight so far this season for Angel City.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
