NBA Star Carmelo Anthony makes surprise appearance
LOS ANGELES—Captain of Armenia’s National Soccer Team and a mid-fielder for Manchester United Henrikh Mkhitaryan on Tuesday led a soccer camp for Hoemenetmen athletes in UCLA, with 50 athletes and five coaches taking part in the training.
Mkhitaryan is on the West Coast of the United States to compete with his team. Manchester United, in a series of matches, which will culminate in a face-off Sunday against Real Madrid at the Levis Field in Santa Clara. On Saturday, Manchester defeated LA Galaxy at the StubHub center with a score of 5 to 2, with Mkhitaryan scoring a goal. On Monday, Manchester United beat Real Salt Lake City 2 to 1.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan with Homenetmen athletes
A few days before Mkhitaryan’s arrival in Los Angeles, the Armenian Embassy in Washington reached out to the Homenetmen expressing the soccer star’s wishes to train with Armenian athletes. The Homenetmen Regional Executive contacted its chapters, who had just completed the 42nd Navasartian Games and assembled a 50-person group, including five coaches, to meet with Mkhitaryan and train with him.
After the training, Mkhitaryan took photos with the excited Homenetmen members, some of whom will be travelling to Armenia this week to compete in the Pan-Homenetmen Games.
NBA’s New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony made a surprise visit and took pictures with Mkhitaryan and the Homenetmen Athletes.
“I dreamt about playing in the major European club, now I am proud to represent Armenia on this level. I try to keep my nation’s name high. Being a Manchester United player is a great responsibility, when you come to Manchester you know you have to win in every match,” Mkhitaryan said earlier Tuesday during a Facebook Live chat with fans.
