SAN DIEGO -- The USL Championship soccer match between Phoenix Rising FC and San Diego Loyal SC ended in forfeit after Loyal Head Coach Landon Donovan pulled his squad off the pitch as the second half began on Wednesday night at Torero Stadium.
Details were still coming in late Wednesday but Donovan and Loyal left the field after Phoenix Rising's Junior Flemmings allegedly used a homophobic slur against San Diego's Collin Martin, who is openly gay. At the time, Loyal was leading the match 3-1 and still fighting for a spot in the playoffs.
Near the end of the first half with Loyal up two goals, Martin was red carded after referee Joseph Salinas thought Martin was the one who had allegedly uttered the slur. Donovan was openly walking on the pitch which leads to an automatic red card for the coach.
A long discussion ensued between Salinas, Donovan and Rising Head Coach Rick Schantz. Salinas also consulted with his other three officials and the red card against Martin was eventually rescinded.
After halftime, Loyal players returned to the field and Donovan was issued his red card. Before the whistle blew, San Diego players all went to one knee then left the pitch and congregated under a large tent.
The league issued the following statement:
“We are aware of the alleged use of a homophobic slur in tonight’s match between San Diego Loyal SC and Phoenix Rising FC. Foul and abusive language of any type has absolutely no place in our society and will not be tolerated in USL matches. An investigation is currently underway to determine the facts surrounding the incident and more information will be provided as soon as it is available.”
Flemmings, the league's leading goal scorer with 14 this season, tweeted his own statement, stating "this evening in our match against San Diego Loyal I was accused of making a homophobic slur towards a San Diego Loyal player. This accusation is false and my fellow teammates will support my claim.
"The referee admitted he did not hear any homophobic slurs and was utterly confused by the situation," Flemmings continued. "At no point did I say a homophobic slur toward Collin Martin. I do not know Collin personally, but I respect all of my opponents equally, Collin included...I stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ movement."
On Thursday morning, Martin posted this statement on his personal Twitter account:
It is unclear what, if any, action the league might take against Phoenix Rising and/or Flemmings. Late Thursday, the official league website did not list the final result on its score page. The schedule page listed the match as "AB" -- abandoned.
Phoenix Rising issued the following statement after the match:
In addition, Schantz tweeted this from his personal Twitter account:
A week earlier, Loyal endured a similar situation when since-released Omar Ontiveros -- then with LA Galaxy II -- used a racial slur against San Diego's Elijah Martin. At that point, Donovan promised to pull his team off the field if anything similar happened again.
Days later, Donovan delivered on his promise.
If the result stands, Phoenix moves to 10-3-2, wins Group B with 32 points and is still alive to finish first in the Western Conference. San Diego finishes its inaugural season 6-5-5 while LA Galaxy II nabs the other postseason spot from the group.
Ironically, Phoenix and San Diego had planned to stop the match at the 71st minute in a show of solidarity against racism.
But the match never got that far.
Matt Loeschman
Managing Editor | West Valley
@MattLoeschman
mloeschman@iniusa.org
Meet Matt
Matt Loeschman has had two separate stints at Independent Newsmedia. He began as a reporter covering Peoria and later Surprise from 2000-2009. In 2017, he returned to Arizona and INI as the news editor of the Daily News-Sun (now the Phoenix Independent). He previously covered the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League for more than a decade.
Community: During high school football season since 2017, he contributes live postgame radio reports to the AzPreps 365 Friday Night Football Wrapup Show. He supports organizations such as Phoenix Children’s, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley and the American Cancer Society.
Education: The University of Texas at Austin majoring in Journalism-News and Public Affairs.
Random Fact: He can sing and he has been fortunate to meet many famous people during his journalism career including First Lady Hillary Clinton, King of Country Music George Strait and Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey. Attended all 4 home games of the 2001 World Series.
Hobbies: Watching and playing a wide variety of sports, including golf, tennis, pickleball and softball. Playing PlayStation 5, working out, shopping and reading.
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