East Kilbride win soured by alleged racist abuse, says Mick Kennedy as Stranraer fan ejected

Kilby star Joao Balde was the victim of alleged racist abuse after scoring against the Blues in the League Two clash

Joao Balde is booked while a Stranraer fan is alleged to have aimed racist abuse in his direction (Image: Paul Thomson)

Mick Kennedy admits Portuguese midfielder Joao Balde being subjected to alleged racist abuse soured their win over Stranraer.

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A visiting Blues supporter was ejected from K-Park moments after Balde scored a spectacular overhead kick to seal a 3-1 win for Kilby in a dramatic finish to the League Two clash.

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The Kilby ace celebrated in front of the visiting support, which earned him a booking from referee Cameron Stirling, but he was then allegedly the victim of racist insults from one individual in the stands, causing a short delay to the match as Kilby players surrounded the away section.

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Furious Kilby boss Kennedy then marched across the pitch to alert club officials and have the supporter kicked out.

Moments later, Balde’s day got even worse when he was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time for a late challenge on Lewis Reid.

EK held out for the 3-1 win, which came courtesy of a John Robertson penalty and a Rhys Breen strike before Balde’s clincher.

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But angry Kennedy told Lanarkshire Live Sport: “One of the Stranraer fans made a racist statement to Joao after he scored, unfortunately.

“I think that is twice that’s happened to Joao – it happened with an Airdrie fan last season and now today.

“It is so unfortunate but that’s where we are in society and football sometimes in this country.

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East Kilbride boss Mick Kennedy points out the alleged perpatrator to EK general manager George Fraser (Image: Paul Thomson)

“It just puts a bit of a downer on today, the fact he has to go through that. Some people are just very stupid.

“It is a strange thing to say, but unfortunately Joao just gets used to it. It is miles from acceptable, but he is okay after it.

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“He was booked for celebrating in front of their fans, which is fair enough. I can understand it has antagonised the Stranraer fans a bit, but he doesn’t deserve that.

“I don’t think it was a second booking for him. He was probably a bit emotional after everything that has happened, as you would expect because it is not nice.

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“Maybe the referee could have used a bit of common sense in the situation that’s happened, but it is what it is.

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“The referee asked me to go and inform the match secretary so we could get the person removed, so that’s why I was going across the pitch in the middle of the game.”

EK skipper Jack Leitch has to hold back Joao Balde after the incident (Image: Paul Thomson)

Kilby skipper Jack Leitch says he confronted the man in question and said it was “disgusting” and crazy to see, following a man being arrested on Friday night after Bournemouth player Antoine Semenyo was subjected to racist abuse in a Premier League clash with Liverpool.

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Leitch said: “It is honestly crazy because you see it in that game last night and you think it’s just so surreal, top players in the Premier League in England talking about it and then it happens here a day later. It is ridiculous.

“It happened to Joao last season and it is honestly just disgusting. It should just not be taking place, especially after scoring such an incredible goal and how well he played.

EK’s Joao Balde, left (Image: EKFC)

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“He was probably our best player today and for him to stay that strong shows the character of him.

“Joao repeated what was said to me and then I called the guy out on it.

“The fan was denying it to me and I just stayed with Joao after it. It’s just ridiculous and disgusting.”

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Joao Balde, far left, trudges off the pitch after being sent off moments after the incident for a second booking (Image: Paul Thomson)

East Kilbride FC officials confirmed a supporter was ejected from the ground and they will review CCTV footage/match cameras before reporting the incident to the police.

Stranraer boss Chris Aitken, a former EK manager, said: “If that [racist abuse] is the case, we don’t need that in the game and we don’t need that associated with our club.

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“Joao is a great kid and he is a great footballer, so I really hope that is not the case.”

Last Updated: August 16, 2025, 22:15 IST

The Premier League opener between champions Liverpool and Bournemouth was halted for several minutes in the first half due to an allegation of “discriminatory abuse” from a supporter towards Semenyo. Play resumed, and an anti-discrimination message was later read out to the crowd at half-time.

A man was arrested after AFC Bournemouth forward Antonie Semenyo reported racial abuse directed at him from the stands during a game against Liverpool at Anfield Stadium.

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Merseyside Police confirmed on Saturday that a 47-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and taken into custody for questioning.

Earlier, Semenyo expressed his gratitude on social media for the support he received after the incident, highlighting the unity of the football community.

“Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever – not because of one person’s words, but because of how the entire football family stood together.

“To my @afcb teammates who supported me in that moment, to the @liverpoolfc players and fans who showed their true character, to the @premierleague officials who handled it professionally – thank you.

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“Football showed its best side when it mattered most. Scoring those two goals felt like speaking the only language that truly matters on the pitch. This is why I play – for moments like these, for my teammates, for everyone who believes in what this beautiful game can be.

“The overwhelming messages of support from across the football world remind me why I love this sport. We keep moving forward, together,” Semenyo’s social media post read.

Man arrested over racist abuse towards Bournemouth’s Semenyo at Anfield

Merseyside Police have arrested a 47-year-old man from Liverpool after Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo reported being racially abused during Friday’s Premier League opener at Anfield.

The incident, which led to a brief stoppage in play, was immediately reported to the referee by Semenyo.

The suspect was identified, ejected from the stadium, and later taken into custody on Saturday on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.

Semenyo later thanked teammates, Liverpool players, supporters, and officials for their response to the incident.

Under UK law, racially or religiously aggravated offences carry tougher penalties.

Convictions can attract up to two years imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.

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A 47-year-old football fan has been arrested after Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo reported being racially abused during his team’s match with Liverpool.

Merseyside Police said the suspect from Liverpool was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence at a match at Anfield.

Referee Anthony Taylor stopped play in the 29th minute during the first Premier League fixture of the season on Friday after Semenyo reported being racially abused by a spectator.

A man was ejected from the stadium and the Premier League has said it will launch a full investigation.

Police this afternoon confirmed a suspect has been taken into custody to be interviewed.

open image in gallery A man has been arrested after Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo reported racial abuse ( PA Wire )

Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton, the match commander for the Liverpool vs Bournemouth game, said: “Merseyside Police will not tolerate hate crime of any form.

“We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible.”

He added: “There is no place for racism and it is vital that anyone who witnesses such an offence reports it to stewards, or the police immediately, so we can take the necessary action like we did this evening.”

A spokesperson for the Premier League champions said on Friday: “Liverpool Football Club is aware of an allegation of racist abuse made during our Premier League game against Bournemouth.

“We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society, or football.

“The club is unable to comment further as tonight’s alleged is incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which we will support fully.”

open image in gallery A man was ejected from Anfield following the alleged incident ( PA Wire )

Semenyo went on to score two goals in the second half, pulling Bournemouth level before Liverpool went on to claim a 4-2 win.

In a statement on social media, he thanked the footballing community for standing together in the wake of the alleged incident.

“The overwhelming messages of support from across the football world remind me why I love this sport,” he said. “We keep moving forward, together.”

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also offered words of support for the Bournemouth player, adding: “I am here for Antoine, whenever he needs it and we are here as a club to deal with it in the best way possible because it shouldn’t happen.”

More follows on this breaking news story…

MENAFN – IANS) Liverpool, Aug 16 (IANS) A man has been arrested after AFC Bournemouth forward Antonie Semenyo reported racial abuse being directed at him from the stands during the game against Liverpool at Anfield Stadium here.

The Premier League opener between reigning champions Liverpool and Bournemouth was stopped for several minutes during the first half following an allegation of “discriminatory abuse” from a supporter towards Semenyo. Play then resumed before an anti-discrimination message was later read out to the crowd at half-time.

Merseyside Police confirmed on Saturday that a 47-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He has been taken into custody to be interviewed.

Earlier in the day, Semenyo had taken to social media to express his thoughts, in which he shared he was thankful for how the ‘entire football family stood together’ following the disturbing incident.

“Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever – not because of one person’s words, but because of how the entire football family stood together.

“To my @afcb teammates who supported me in that moment, to the @liverpoolfc players and fans who showed their true character, to the @premierleague officials who handled it professionally – thank you.

“Football showed its best side when it mattered most. Scoring those two goals felt like speaking the only language that truly matters on the pitch. This is why I play – for moments like these, for my teammates, for everyone who believes in what this beautiful game can be.

“The overwhelming messages of support from across the football world remind me why I love this sport. We keep moving forward, together,” read the post by Semenyo on his social media.

Amongst those who offered support to Semenyo were Liverpool head coach and captain Arne Slot.